Granite Bay Gazette, December 2016 by Karl Grubaugh

New pastime causes damage

Winter vacations

Boys’ water polo wins

Off roading at Folsom B1

G10-11

The story behind the section title

Students discuss winter break travel plans

The Granite Bay Gazette GRANITE BAY HIGH SCHOOL w 1 GRIZZLY WAY w GRANITE BAY, CA w 95746 w VOLUME 20 w ISSUE 4 w FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2016

COMMENTARY

EVERY anjali shrivastava ashrivastava.gazette@gmail.com

MINUTES An examination of the program’s true impact

Hell hath no fury like a smart kid scorned

or much of my life, I was told that I was “gifted,” and while that might seem like a nice sentiment, it has done unspeakable amounts of damage to my own mental stability. From a very young age, I thought my intelligence was the only worthwhile thing about me. When teachers would present activities that forced their students to say something nice about each other, I would inevitably receive various wordings of “You’re smart. Congratulations!” I understand that it seems ungrateful for me to complain about people thinking that I am smart. But, it made me feel like people only valued me for my intelligence, and nothing else. I’m terrible at accepting failure, because I see a low score as a personal assault on my own identity, rather than a teachable moment. I can’t internalize my own abilities, leading me to constantly overwork myself because that’s the only way I feel like I can get the A. And when I did get a lower grade than expected, the rest of the students would act like they toppled a king if they did better than I, when really they were just crushing the fragile ego of an incredibly small child. “Oh my God, I did better than you! I thought you were smart?” And I felt like an impostor. I felt like I had to play the role of the natural genius, proclaiming that “I didn’t study” when I totally did, but was just too self-conscious about the fact that I needed some amount of preparation in order to ace a test. I put on this persona of the “effortless prodigy,” who didn’t need flashcards or study sessions. But in actuality I would do every practice problem I could because I had to do well or else everyone would figure out that I am not actually that smart, and that terrified me. I would never participate in discussions, for fear of saying something that others might construe as unintelligent. Yet, at the same time, I would never raise my hand, even when I knew the answer to the question, because I didn’t want to be perceived as the “know-it-all.” I was caught in this self-fulfilling prophecy of the “smart kid,” working diligently to keep a title I never wanted in the first place. I’ve now realized that I’m not as smart as people once told me. And if the realization had come at a younger age, it might have destroyed me. But confirming that I’m not all that intelligent isn’t the apocalypse my younger self thought it would be. I now have the freedom to make mistakes, to ask questions and to admit that I need help. I don’t feel the need to ace everything anymore. I can maintain my intellectual curiosity without putting up a facade. I’m learning now, and not for the elusive A, but for the betterment of myself. I’ve created memories that will last much longer, and help me grow more as an individual, than poring over the latest round of flash cards ever could. Be careful about telling a child how smart you think they are, because they will eventually suffer from feelings of inadequacy. No one should feel a pressure to be exceptional. *** Anjali Shrivastava, a senior, is a Gazette co-editor-in-chief.

BY NATASHA CHANDA

nchanda.gazette@gmail.com

Every 15 Minutes has come and gone, but has its effect really lasted? On Nov. 16-17, Granite Bay High School students participated in the Every 15 Minutes Program, which combats drunk driving. The aim of the program is to inform high school students of the dangers of drunk driving by simulating a car accident involving real GBHS students. Following the accident, a funeral occurs to remember those who ‘died’ in the crash. Prior to the simulation, every 15 minutes, as the name of the program suggests, a student is pulled out of a classroom on campus and joins the ‘Living Dead.’ The Living Dead represents the number of individuals in the real world whose lives are taken every 15 minutes by a drunk driver. Students are exposed to what would actually happen were they to be involved in a drunk driving incident. To read behind the scenes The program can be excoverage and stories of those tremely emotional for some, personally affected by DUI considering the students who related accidents, are in the simulation are good See pages A6 and A7. friends or even siblings of the students who are watching. It takes an emotional toll on many of the spectators as they experience the possibility of losing a person close to them in a drunk-driving accident. “ It was an absolutely insane experience having my brother in the car crash,” said sophomore Summer Holt, whose brother, Brennan Holt was a victim in the staged crash. “I definitely did not expect it to feel as real as it did, so I simply was not prepared for the emotions … When the doctors pulled us into the room to tell us what had happened to Brennan, they all had a devastated look on their faces that made everything that was going on feel extremely real.” GBHS juniors and seniors took to Twitter to help advocate the importance of the program and to remind their friends refrain from drinking and driving or letting another person drive drunk. “#E15M was unforgettable,” junior Ryan Hunter tweeted from his twitter account (@ry_hunter) on Nov. 17. “As a community let’s do our best to never forget the lessons it taught us … let’s make good choices.” Though emotions run high during the week of Every 15 Minutes, See E15M, page A8 Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

Gazette photo /HANNAH XU

Gazette photo /SURINA KHURANA

Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

Ryan Hunter appears dead, top, in simulated car collision. Emily Talmi lies on a stretcher, left, while being treated by first responders. Katie Hunter and Sydney Sampson, middle, cope with the aftermath of a traumatic experience. Brennan Holt, right, sustains head injuries from a DUI related car crash.

GB reacts to legalization of recreational marijuana How will Prop. 64 impact the Granite Bay community? BY ANJALI SHRIVASTAVA

ashrivastava.gazette@gmail.com

During a campaign in which candidates often resorted to character attacks and petty accusations, many turned to Michelle Obama’s dignified words – “When they go low, we go high” – as a beacon of hope. California voters, however, interpreted the speech in a different manner.

Proposition 64 was passed on Nov. 8, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana for those 21 and older, and making California the fifth state to do so. Massachusetts and Nevada also approved similar initiatives on election day. Although recreational pot shops will likely not crop up until January 2018, adults may now smoke up to one ounce of marijuana, as long as it is not in an area that

inside This Section news

 A GBHS student smokes marijuana off campus. Many teens smoke pot, despite doing so being illegal.

is “visible from a public place.” While it is still illegal for a minor to smoke marijuana, opponents of Prop. 64 claimed that its approval would lead to more juveniles using pot, and now that the former is true, many wonder whether their claims will come to fruition. Yet, Jake Lyons, a senior at Granite Bay High School, said the new

See MARIJUANA, page A9

Gazette photoillustration /SURINA KHURANA

Should music classes be required?

What does Trump’s win mean for America?

Music and arts are considered core classes in elementary schools

Some are fearful, some excited, but all are curious as to what will happen

voices

Every 15 Minutes should not be ignored A personal account of the day, from the perspective of a spectator

A10

News

Friday

NAMES IN THE NEWS

Granite Bay Gazette

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connor hinson chinson.gazette@gmail.com

AP econ teacher loses a bet, offers a free milkshake to all his students

arl Grubaugh , Granite Bay High’s Advanced Placement economics and journalism teacher, made a bet with his AP economics classes that if Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election, he would buy each of his 150 students a milkshake. Fortunately for Grubaugh, only about 45 students ended up taking advantage of that deal after Trump’s victory at the McDonald’s on Sierra College Blvd. I guess the Trump victory-milkshake demand curve is much more elastic than he predicted.

*** Tom Farmer, Integrated Math 1 and 2 teacher, motivated his students to collect the most cans for the annual Kids Can food drive. Instead of accepting the pizza party they were offered for collecting the most, they instead donated that money to the same charity. *** Today is the Emerald Brigade and Choir’s Winter Concert. This collaboration is guaranteed to be better than when Drake and Future got together. What a time to be alive! *** Alex Bietia, a senior, finished third in the girls seeded race of the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships. On Friday, she’ll be in San Diego for the Foot Locker Nationals. Foot Locker, if you’re reading this, I’d love a sponsorship. *** GBHS Theater has officially announced the spring musical, The Unfortunates. As a change of pace, this musical involves a variety of genres of music, from hip-hop to blues to gospel. Hopefully it takes a few cues from Hamilton, that’s one of the few musicals I can withstand. *** Every 15 Minutes happened November 16-17. Hopefully the program made an impact on our students and reduces the number of instances of driving under the influence. Don’t be an idiot: if you choose to drink, make the choice not to drive *** Cierra Brown and Brandon Hill, among six others, were nominated for the GBHS Kindness Court. Anyone who knows these people knows how much they deserve it. We need more people like them! *** Connor Hinson, a senior, is a Gazette news editor.

Music classes can be benefitical to students, including an improvment in academic performance. It can also act as an outlet for students.

Teaching to a different tune Should music education be a graduation requirement? BY ANDREW YUNG

ayung.gazette@gmail.com

Since 2000, one year of a visual and performing arts class has been a high school graduation requirement in California. At Granite Bay High School, the visual and performing arts classes range from guitar to photography, spanning several levels from beginning to advanced, offered in many of the subjects. Several of these visual and performing arts classes are centered around music, and although none of the classes are focused specifically on things like music theory or music history, they still teach

their students how to enjoy music. While taking private lessons is a viable option if someone wants to really immerse themselves in music, taking classes in high school beyond the one year requirement also comes with its benefits. “I think it would be better to get credits in school (than take private lessons),” said Lawrence (LJ) Matias, a junior at GBHS. “I took beginning piano freshman year and advanced piano sophomore year, and that really helped me out with music as well as giving me credits in school. It kills two birds with one stone.” Besides the requirement that it fulfills, music also has positive

AP Human Geography to be added as course next year BY KATE BOOTH

kbooth.gazette@gmail.com

A new class is coming to the Granite Bay High School campus next fall. This class is Advanced Placement Human Geography. Bri Medvecki, a sophomore at Granite Bay High School and an avid AP class taker said, “I have not heard about it.” AP Human Geography will be taught by Kathleen Angelone who describes it as a class that “will introduce students to patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use and alteration of the Earth.” This class will be offered From grades 10 through 12. Although both AP Human Geography and

According to the equal opporAP European history meet the histunity school webtory requirements site, “These disfor 10th grade, no tricts are dedicated one has to chose It focuses in the to enabling greater one over the other. access to and sucentire world, “It also can count as an elective, alrather than one cess in their Advanced Placement lowing students to continent, and (AP) and Internatake additional AP because of this, tional BaccalaureClasses,” Andeit’s a much more ate (IB) courses, lone said. especially for Where to place diverse underrepresented this course has curriculum student groups.” sparked discus– Kathleen Angelone, Basically, schools sion at GBHS. across the United AP Euro teacher One reason the States noticed district chose to something interadopt AP Human esting. Although Geography is beminorities, such cause of the equal opportunity inias African Americans and Latinos, tiative.

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AP Human Geography would offer an education in a larger variety of cultures and customs than the current cources make up roughly a quarter of the population, they made up far less of a percentage in AP classes. In order to bridge that gap, the equal opportunity initiative was born. Classes such as AP Human Geography helps bridge the gap by offering a simplified format. Its AP test is perceived as easier because there is no document based question or long essay question on the test in May. These factors make it a wonderful option for those who

might hesitate to sign up for AP classes. AP Human Geography is also a great option for those who prefer varied subject matter. “It focuses on the entire world rather than one continent and because of this, it’s a much more diverse curriculum,” Angelone said. Although AP Human Geography is currently projected to be taught at the 10th through 12th grade See HUMAN, page A8

Absences due to college touring has consequences Seniors forced to miss school days to look at prospective schools BY NATALIE HATCH

Accuracy is perhaps the most important fundamental of good journalism. It's the policy of the Gazette to correct all factual errors that are brought to our attention. Email us at: staff.granitebaytoday@gmail. com

United States Senate passed an act naming music and arts as core subjects in elementary schools. While this is a step in the right direction, it also doesn’t lengthen the required amount of time a high school student has to spend in music. However, some think keeping it at a one-year requirement is the right decision. For one thing, making it a requirement would require more music teachers and classes. “For music to be a core class where it goes year-round,” Stafford said, “I don’t think it could work here because of the clientele and what we have to offer. We have … a lot more AP classes than we ever did before. I know and realize that you can only get so many classes in a semester.” Because most Visual and Performing Arts classes don’t offer a weighted GPA, this factor of a

New social science coming to GBHS next fall

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CORRECTIONS

benefits cognitively and emotionally. According to a study in the American Psychological Association journal, participating in organized music lessons improves academic performance and one’s IQ. But besides the actual measurable effects music can have, it can also help students get away from their other classes. “(Music) is an outlet for kids, especially at Granite Bay with all the pressure that’s on them from all of the hard classes they are taking,” said Terry Stafford, a guitar teacher at GBHS. Music also helps others socialize more with people who share the

same passions as them. “Music has definitely made me more social,” Matias said. “It has allowed me to meet some of my greatest friends right now. For example, before the talent show freshman year, I only knew a few people, but after I got out there, I met some (new) people.” After playing music for a long time, it eventually becomes a part of you. “Music is my outlet,” said Mika Sakata, a junior at GBHS who has played the piano for 11 years. “Whenever I feel sad or overwhelmed, I sit on the piano and just play whatever I feel like playing. It helps me refocus and encourages me to keep going.” With all the benefits of music, it is a wonder why schools haven’t been requiring more years of music. Elementary schools have just recently started to heed these studied benefits of music. Last year, the

Gazette photo /HANNAH XU

Each fall, seniors at Granite Bay High School and across the nation apply to dozens of colleges, in hopes of attending one of many sought-after schools. While most would agree that when it comes to acceptances “the more the merrier,” getting into increasing numbers of colleges presents a separate dilemma: deciding where to enroll. The decision process is perhaps the most trying step. Besides program strength, students have to consider tuition, location, and crucially, the campus environment. Before committing to Texas Christian University for swimming, senior Chloe Miller traveled across the country to tour several schools. For these official visits, Miller had to miss a significant amount of school, however she believes it was worth it. “They’re quite important because you need to be at the school to see yourself there,” she said. “You’re going to spend the next four years there.” To avoid missing school and getting behind, assistant principal Melanie Pando (formerly Anvari) recommends that students try and travel over holidays and summer vacation. Unfortunately for many students, the timing and availabil-

ity of college tours are very challenging. Many colleges only offer tours on weekdays, when classes are in session. This might accommodate the university staff who hold the tours, but it puts many prospective students at a crossroads. Students within Roseville Joint Union High School District have an allotment of 9 uncleared absences before they are faced with consequence. Assistant Principal Jessup McGregor says that this policy is intended to allow for illnesses, family matters, and even college visits. “The coding of absences for college visits is due to the way that we have to report student attendance to the state,” McGregor said. Per the California Education Code, only a select few reasons are acceptable for an absence to be excused. Those that are college-related don’t fall in that group. Thus, when GBHS students must be absent for any number of days, whether it be for an official sports visit or campus tour, their lack of presence on campus is marked “unexcused.” Known and feared by many seniors is the RJUHSD Senior Conduct policy, which prohibits seniors from partaking in school activities because of bad behavior or, relating to this issue, attendance.

This is problematic for seniors, since the 9 days includes those missed for illness or family affairs. The days can rack up quickly, leaving minimal days left over. GBHS graduate and salutatorian of the Class of 2016 Savitri Asokan ran into this issue last year. “I attended... for example, an interview and exam in Cambridge, which couldn’t be held at any other date, and admitted students’ weekends at a few colleges,” she said. Asokan noted that she had accumulated avoidable absences “which exacerbated the situation.” “I understood why I was placed on senior conduct, despite my reservations about the rules that caused it,” she said. Soon after being placed on conduct, she appealed and was eventually cleared of the penalties. “I think it was because I was the salutatorian that they took me off senior conduct (since I couldn’t really be prevented from walking at graduation.)” she said. Though she looks back upon the situation as a “minor inconvenience,” she still doesn’t agree with the rules in place. “I think the school should definitely adopt a more forgiving policy,” Asokan said, “since sometimes college-related absences are unavoidable.” Reaffirming this, Miller emphasized how athletes “don’t really have a choice when they go” as coaches typically select dates for prospects to visit. See COLLEGE, page A5

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The possible implications of a Trump presidency GBHS students, faculty discuss today’s political scene, as well as predict the coming four years BY KATIE COLOGNA

kcologna.gazette@gmail.com

The job of President of the United States is not just a job that affects America, but nearly everyone else in the world. On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Republican candidate Donald J. Trump was announced to be the next president. It shocked the world and soon reality set in for those who supported presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, or just those who couldn’t bring themselves to vote for either. “A whole lot of people just really didn’t expect the outcome of the election to be the way it was,” Advanced Placement U.S. History teacher Brandon Dell’Orto said. “It kind of caught everyone off guard.” For the next four years, citizens, undocumented citizens and minorities will be on the edge of their seats to see Isolation of any if Trump will follow through on his candigroup is promises. discrimination. dacy “People in the past – David J. Kramer, have said things as former U.S. Assistant candidates that they Secretary of State for don’t follow up on, and he has shown Democracy, Human some signs of shiftRights and ing positions since winning the election Labor on some of these things,” said David J. Kramer, who was United States Assistant Secretary of State for DemocCreative Commons /GARY SKIDMORE racy, Human Rights and Labor from 2008 to 2009. “It will be interesting to see which positions he will push After winning the presidential election, Donald J. Trump has managed to frighten many citizens who are worried about what comes next. once he becomes president.” tion, when a teacher at Oakmont High School passed al way of communication, such as involving various One of the most controversial topics of President- ing to be able to come here.” But there is still hope for some. Trump will soon out safety pins to students who wanted them. family members and phone calls with world leaders, elect Trump’s campaign was immigration and deportation laws targeting minority groups. have the influence of others. “Now, where the story got convoluted, was it was makes people wonder if he will be able to devote all of “Isolation of any group is discrimination,” Kramer “I think they’re very nervous,” Kramer said. “I think told she was making kids wear them but, she was just his time to his presidency. said. “I would argue un-American. We’re a land of im- there’s a lot of nervousness, a lot of uncertainty. I hope trying to share symbolic support,” Dell’Orto said. “He has to stop talking about business deals when migrants, and we should continue to be a welcoming that when he becomes president, Trump will belay Good and bad comes out of every controversy, but foreign leaders call him to congratulate him, but when nation.” those concerns, but it is not going to happen over- this one specifically showed students acceptance. you are elected President of the United States that’s a Granite Bay High School sophomore Pariya Rahni’s night.” “I don’t think it’s a bad message, personally, to let full-time job, and he has indicated this week that he parents are from Iran and have fears now that Trump To comfort minorities after the election, a movement your kids know that regardless of their religion or col- will be moving in this direction,” Kramer said. “He has won the presidency. started. It included anybody who wanted to be a safe or of skin they’re going to be equally treated and sup- needs to understand that the presidency comes with “My mom was crying a lot,” Rahni said. “She was space for the marginalized people, by simply wearing ported by your teachers and everybody else on campus significant powers and authority and also is a position really upset for days and she wasn’t taking it well be- a safety pin on their shirt. as any other kid,” Dell’Orto said. “I don’t think that’s that has a certain moral standing and that it is the job cause I have like 100 family members over there in This movement made its way to the Roseville Joint a bad thing.” of the president to try to bring the country together, Iran.… She’s worried about how they’re not really go- Union High School District just days after the elecAside from his social views, Trump’s unconvention- and so I hope he is able to do that.”

Funds from Measure D to come February New initiative passed by local voters will soon take effect BY ALINA POCZOBUTT

apoczobutt.gazette@gmail.com

In the 2016 election, voters who live within the attendance area of the Roseville Joint Union High School District passed Measure D, which gives 96 million in bonds to schools. The money cannot be used for things such as teacher or administrator salary, and is intended to be used for lower class size, getting new supplies and furthering educational programs. Because Measure D has passed, students can expect to have another high school in the district. By opening up a new school, class size will be reduced and many students will have a school that is closer to attend than the school they are currently attending. “A new high school will help prevent overcrowding that we are experiencing throughout the district,” said Joseph Landon, the district assistant superintendent for business. The money from Measure D will also allow schools to focus more of

their energy and funds on educational programs, and not on problems such as leaky roofs or replacing cracked tiles. All schools in the district will benefit from Measure D passing. Schools will get a significant amount of money from programs and improving school facilities. One of many programs that will be receiving funding is the engineering program, which is rapidly becoming more popular on high school campuses. “Some schools are expanding their engineering programs and these funds will allow us to modernize the facilities in order to meet the needs of the engineering curriculum,” Landon said. Measure D has already gone into effect, but schools will probably not be receiving the first funds until February. Despite this, the district has already started planning what the money will be used for. The district has planned short-term projects like replacing classroom carpets, but there are also long-term projects that district officials plan to implement. “It is a big relief that we will have adequate funds to address the facil-

ity needs of our schools, which will greatly benefit the community for years to come,” Landon said. So what does Measure D mean for Granite Bay High School? Well, officials are still planning on what the money will be spent on. As of right now, Measure D money will be used for finishing repairs and bettering GBHS facilities. “We are in the planning stages right now and are deciding how the monies apply to GBHS,” said Brian McNulty, a GBHS assistant principal. “The district is allocating the funds to follow the guidelines that were defined in Measure D.” Overall, administration, faculty and people in the community have had a positive reaction to Measure D. “People have reacted mostly favorably to the passing of the bond,” McNulty said. Jessup McGregor, another GBHS assistant principal, agrees with McNulty and Landon. “I have only heard positive things. Our team wants the best for our students, and sometimes that takes the form of ensuring that our school facility is the best it can be,” McGregor said. Measure D has had a mostly positive response after being passed. Schools in the district can expect to see many new improvements in facilities and programs with the passing of Measure D.

Gazette photo /SURINA KHURANA

In the November election, voters in the Roseville Joint Union High School District voted in Measure D, allowing $96 million to go toward building a new school and improving others.

NEWS BRIEFS

Associated Student Body holds fall elections for spring semester positions A few weeks ago, Granite Bay High School held its own elections for Associated Student Body positions. Freshman Roxana Taheri ran for the only position – freshman class president – that had opposition. Several other student government students ran for positions uncontested. “I wanted to get involved with (student government) at GBHS because I wanted to get more involved in the school, the events, and making my first year at the school fun for myself and my peers,” Taheri said. Taheri says that running against a classmate posed some difficulties

at times. “It was difficult running against a classmate who was in two of my classes because we both really wanted it, but we both were nice to each other and respected each other,” Taher said. Junior Taylor Stiern also had competition running for junior class president last year, but ran unopposed during the election from the spring term. She says it was important to recognize that either candidate in an election would be a good option, but both candidates have to look at “who can help a class better and put on an event better.” Taheri added that running a cam-

paign presented her with difficulties she had been previously unaware of. “One of the challenges was trying to publicize myself to be nominated and chosen,” Taheri said. “I made funny and festive posters that portrayed my personality and humor and was just myself.” Stiern is excited to continue her role as junior class president next term. “I was really excited (to run) because I wanted to do junior prom,” Stiern said. “I’m hoping to be senior class president so then it would be fun to do junior prom before I do senior ball. I would kind of be getting the feel of planning a formal dance that’s class oriented.” –Compiled by Surina Khurana, co-editor-in-chief

ASB UPDATE ASB plans next semester’s events. The Gazette talked to Adri Briulo about what to expect this spring.

Q A &

Gazette: What events can the student body look forward to in the spring?

for charity. Gazette: Will SportsA-Rama still be an event this year?

Adri Briulo, an ASB cabinet member, discusses preparations for the coming semester.

Briulo: The events coming up in the spring (include the) talent show, Powder Puff, Junior Prom, Senior Ball, Quad Dance, Day at the Bay, and this year we are having a rival staff basketball game between the Granite Bay and Del Oro staff

Briulo: The plans for Sports-A-Rama are still being decided.

What event are you looking forward to in the spring?

What is the staff rival basketball game? Briulo: We are having a basketball game for charity! It’s going to be really fun for both schools and we will raise money for charity in the process.

Gazette photo /MACKENZIE BROWN

Gazette photo /Natalie Erickson

Briulo: I’m looking forward to Powder Puff because it’s the first time that the class of 2018 gets to play and we’re going to beat the seniors! –Compiled by Mackenzie Brown

Friday, December 16, 2016

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News A5

Winterball

Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

Gazette photo /HANNAH XU

Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

Gazette photos /CARISSA LEWIS

Gazette photo /HANNAH XU

Seniors Julia Zasso and Matias Munoz, top left, enjoy their time at Winterball. Sophomores Will Nogrady and Matt Solone, top middle, strike a pose. Seniors Nate Moudakis, Jovan Rangi and Hayden Brake, top right, dance the night away. Girls, bottom left, dab at the photo booth spot. Students, bottom middle, raise the roof. Sophomore Ashley Byars and Ellie Wilson, bottom right, pose for a photo.

Students and faculty share opinions on the results of the 2016 election GBHS weighs in on possible effects of GOP victory BY SURINA KHURANA

skhurana.gazette@gmail.com

Nov. 8 marked a historic election on many fronts. Members of the Granite Bay High School community had similar reactions to the rest of the nation: surprise, confusion, joy and terror. “When (President-elect Donald Trump) won Florida and Ohio, they could’ve called it right there,” Advanced Placement Physics 1 and College Preparatory Physics teacher Stephen Miller said. “I was surprised (with the results) because all the pundits were saying Hillary was going to win. For all (intents and) purposes, he had to have a royal flush and he came up royal flush.” The surprise came for many, having been told Trump would have to win multiple swing states, including Florida, Pennsyl-

vania, Iowa and Ohio. “It was like every single one was going to Trump,” AP Government teacher Jarrod Westberg said. “I could also tell on the reporters’ faces that things were changing. It was so beyond anything that was ever imagined. “Those traditionally blue states weren’t looking at this as a union thing. They were looking at it as Donald Trump is going to find me a job. She didn’t run a campaign that really had a message.” While several people realized Trump would win the presidency after he won the popular vote in Florida, many did so with the heaviest reluctance. “My initial reaction was very frustrated, anxious and frightened because of the things Trump represents,” GBHS junior Nash Rood said. “I was very shocked America was supportive of these ideals.” “I felt fearful because Trump represents the lingering racist and misogynistic views in the United States and makes those who feel that way think it is now acceptable in the nation to openly express hate,” Rood continued. “As a result there have been many acts of violence and I fear that there will be many more in the coming years – coming from both sides not just Trump

NEWS BRIEFS

supporters.” While Rood and other GBHS students like Taygh Atwal were in dismay with the country for electing Trump, others celebrated not just Trump winning the presidency, but also the other results of the election. “For me, the House and Senate elections were more important,” senior Ben Gould said. “Being a Republican, the weeks leading up to Election Day were really nerve wracking because everything pointed to the House and Senate going to the other party. Initially, I was most excited that Republicans won both houses of Congress, but the fact that the party also gained the executive branch was an added bonus.” As far as specific issues to be addressed, Gould hopes to see the national economy improve under the Trump administration. “I see the Trump administration acting on economic issues through both appointed officials and reforming or repealing current economic policies,” Gould said. “Also, I believe Trump will cut unnecessary government spending.” Other students, like Rood, say they wish to see progress made in regards to climate change but are skeptical as to how such an issue will be addressed in the next two to

four years. “I am very, very worried about the Trump administration handling climate change (as) Trump and many of those in his administration have openly denied the existence of global warming,” Rood said. “It boggles my mind that we elected a man who denies factual, scientific evidence of climate change as president.” Atwal doesn’t feel as strongly about climate change as he does on other issues he hopes Trump will act on. “I think we need to see major foregoing policy reform,” Atwal said. “Under the Obama administration, there was more use of drones than boots on the ground (so) we never really knew how many innocent civilians we might be killing (or) the millions of dollars wasted on research for useless military projects. We’re always involving ourselves where we weren’t invited, so I think Trump needs to get our foreign policy in order so that we can start focusing on domestic issues more.” While many have a specific issue they’d like to see addressed, even more would likely take the stance of math teacher John Sherman. “I’m more interested to see what happens,” Sherman said. “Trump was very

Senior is shocked with the results of the election and how the country will move forward in the coming years bombastic with what he was (going to) do. He’s pretty wild so I’m really interested to see how this unfolds. If he’s able to keep that (personality), what will that look like and how (will that) affect our country financially (and) internationally?” As far as opinions on the week-long protests and walkouts go, Miller and others believe non-violent expression is what “makes America.” Sherman, however, says we often overlook what we already have. “Instead of feeling blessed to be part of a country where we get a say and our vote matters and it counts, many people (feel a sense of) entitlement,” Sherman said. “Even if you don’t get the way you want, even if your person didn’t win, what more can you want? You got everything you could ask for, but you didn’t get your way.” Though Rood was initially dejected, like Atwal, he now says Trump might be what the country needs. “I feel more content with the outcome in that he won fair and square,” Rood said, “and if this is what America needs to see – that there are issues within the country – then it could be for the best.”

COLLEGE: Students struggle to maintain proper attendence while choosing a college Continued from page A2

Special to the Gazette /VYAS SRINIVASAN

Students part of the ATOU club at GBHS discuss plans for future events during a meeting.

Club helps spread awareness about disablities, their effects There are many people out there who have some sort of disabilities and many people who have problems socially. It’s very important to be aware of these disabilities. That is when the club A Touch Of Understanding (ATOU) comes into play. ATOU has a goal to spread awareness of disabilities to others. The club usually meets every other Thursday after school from 2:45-3:15 p.m. in room 812, Advance Placement psychology Natalie Elkin’s room. There is also a Lunch Buddies program every other Thursday during both lunches with first lunch being in the College & Career Center and second lunch being in Jeff Evans’ room. Several ATOU events are held at the ATOU Office, at Olive Ranch Elementary School, where students can pair up with children who are in special education and eat food with them, dance around and play

Taygh Atwal

games together. The presidents for the ATOU club are this writer and Shawn Delgado. Each meeting, club members learn about disability awareness, a new social skills lesson and talk about upcoming events. They also create posters and work on projects to prepare for upcoming ATOU events. As for the Lunch Buddies program, general education students pair up with special education students and play different games, do arts and crafts, eat lunch together and socialize. If you are interested in joining this club or if you have any questions, email the club at gbhsyouthforce@touchofunderstanding.org. -by Vyas Srinivasan, special to the Gazette

She so far has missed nine days of school for college visits, and with any more absences could be placed on senior conduct. However to her benefit, “All students placed on senior conduct have the opportunity to appeal in March/April if they haven’t already been removed from conduct by then,” according to Pando. Though the penalty can be lifted, it can make seniors in the positions of Miller and Asokan feel like they must compromise either high school or college opportunities. “I don’t think it’s fair that they count them against us because we are going there to figure out our future,” Miller said. “It’s not like we are just missing school for fun we are going for a specific reason.” Many alumni, including Asokan, note that their campus visits were critical to finding their college of

best fit, and think the policy is too harsh. “Especially during the senior year, when students should really begin thinking of themselves as part of a larger context which goes beyond high school, such regulations may end up doing more harm than good,” Asokan said. http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/ college-planning/admissions/campus-visit.htm Students with experiences like Miller and Asokan would like to see more lenience in absence policies when it comes to college visits. Mostly, they just want to assure they make the right decision about their future, without being penalized. “Sometimes you’ve got to give a little now so that you prepare for that next step,” Miller said. “Nothing would suck more than to pick a school without visiting it or meeting the people you’ll be around and then and realize you hate it there.”

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The Crash

Gazette photo /HANNAH XU

Gazette photo /SURINA KHURANA

Behind the scenes: Every 15 Minutes

Planning starts early to make program effective BY WHITNEY KNORP

wknorp.gazette@gmail.com

Nov. 16 felt like anything but an average Wednesday on Granite Bay High School’s campus. Instead, several students were ripped from classrooms, leaving behind nothing but a haunting black rose while their obituaries were read aloud to the silence-struck classes. Every 15 Minutes was a large and impactful production, but what most students didn’t see was all the behind-the-scenes action making the effect so powerful. “The three main people in charge of the event were me, Gianna Cassano (a GBHS junior) and (Tamara) Givens, but there was a lot of help from others,” GBHS senior Evan Sarmiento said. “Media had to organize their stuff, led by Jaden Troxel (a senior), and we had a lot of people from many different departments, including our assistant principal Mr. (Jessup) McGregor who helped organize some of the administrative stuff.” Sarmiento said the planning process took two months and numerous phone calls. They collaborated with Placer County Sheriff’s Deputy and GBHS school resource officer Gregg Hopping, the California Highway Patrol, the fire department and other organizations to gather volunteers and get the event running smoothly. As for how Every 15 Minutes was paid for, Sarmiento said GBHS received a grant from the state for the event, but did have to pay for a small portion itself. The “Living Dead” consisted of 17 juniors and seniors and one teacher, Julia Bonilla-Leary, who teachers Spanish, plus six more students involved in the simulated drunk-driving crash. “The way we chose who would participate in Every 15 Minutes was based off who we thought would make the greatest impact at our school, so we tried to pick someone from every different group and little niche in the school, and we think we did a pretty good job at that,” Sarmiento said. One of the “Living Dead” participants was GBHS senior and Tribe leader Dillon Ruddell. “It was kind of stressful because every time you would go into a classroom you wouldn’t know how the different classes would react,” Ruddell said. “Some (students in) classes would sit there blankfaced, but when we went to Peer Counseling, they were bawling their eyes out.” After getting pulled out of class by drama teacher Kyle Holmes, who played the part of the grim reaper, each new member of the Living Dead would go to the small gym to get their makeup done to show they were dead. The makeup artists came from Screaming Star Productions. After this, they continued pulling the other students from their classes one by one. Junior Brennan Holt was an Every 15 Minutes participant as well, but his role was in the car crash as the sober driver who got hit by the drunk driver, played by senior Darren Nelson. Holt was laid unconscious against the steering wheel before being put in a helicopter and taken to the hospital where the doctors pronounced him dead. “It was probably the biggest swing of emotions,” Holt said. “It was terrifying, but

it was still cool at the same time, and I’m happy that I was able to be in it.” Holt also said his experience at the hospital was miserable because it felt so real. “Well they were doing CPR on me and all these tests, and out of the blue the doctor – and my eyes were closed so I couldn’t see anything, I could just hear – said, ‘I don’t think there’s anything else we can do, does anyone have any other forms of treatment for this patient?’ Then he said, ‘Time of death,’ and I think it was 9:32,” Holt said. “And that was when my heart like actually stopped, it felt like, because hearing someone pronounce your own death was just a weird thing.” Holt said the doctors then iced his hands before his sister and parents came in to say goodbye to make it feel more real. “All I wanted to do was wake up and hug them, but I couldn’t,” Holt said. Holt was then able to change out of his clothes that were covered in fake blood, as was Emily Talmi, the other student who was rushed to the hospital from the crash and pronounced dead. The It was like two were escorted anyone back to the high school by a police could end officer where they up in a joined the rest of graveyard the “Living Dead” for the retreat. at any “We went to the point in cemetery first, and we talked to the time. chaplains about people just like us – Brennan Holt, that were in high junior school, and they died in car accidents or they wasted their lives by making a bad decision,” Ruddell said. At the cemetery, the participants were also instructed to write in their journals about the experience. “The whole thing felt real, but then when you’d go see tombstones of people that actually have died for drunk driving collisions, and just in general, being there, it was like anyone could end up in a graveyard at any point in time,” Holt said. From there, the retreat moved to the county jail, where the students were treated like prisoners by the guards and even locked in individual cells for a few minutes. The funeral the next day also had a lot of preparation going into it. “For our speakers, we tried to (gather) people from our community who have been affected by drinking and driving, so we tried to pick people that were closer to the school,” Sarmiento said. Some Every 15 Minutes participants and family members spoke at the funeral as well. These included Ryan Hunter, Alyssa Sewell, Summer Holt and Anne Talmi, Emily Talmi’s mom. “Alyssa Sewell’s speech about her sister and Ryan Hunter’s speech to his family really got to me,” Brennan Holt said. “I was dreading to hear my sister’s speech. The second she started talking, I kind of lost it. You never want your sibling to have to be in that position over something so stupid.” Ruddell said the experience brought all of them in the “Living Dead” closer and profoundly impacted them all. “Every single part I’m going to remember forever,” Ruddell said. “I hope I don’t ever have to see one of my own friends, or me, make the same mistakes.”

Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

Gazette photo /SURINA KHURANA

Senior Darren Nelson, top left, plays the part of a drunk driver getting out of a car after a simulated car crash, as part of the Every 15 Minutes program. Junior Katie Hunter, top middle, starts crying when she sees her brother, Ryan Hunter, dead. Senior Sydney Sampson, right, reacts to the scene. Firefighters, bottom middle, remove the hood of the second car. Junior Brennan Holt, bottom left, is put on a stretcher.

The Living Dead

Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

Members of the “Living Dead,” top, watch the simulated car crash. A Placer County sheriff, middle left, reads a eulogy for Selena De La Torre. A black rose, middle right top, rests on the desk of a student who joined the Living Dead. Drama teacher Kyle Holmes, middle right bottom, plays the part of the grim reaper. Bottom, a make up artist puts white makeup on senior Alina Poczubutt, a member of the Living Dead. Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

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News A7

Gazette photo /SURINA KHURANA

Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

A first responder, far left, lifts the door off a damaged car at a drunk driving reenactment organized by Every 15 Minutes. Brennan Holt, upper middle left, is rolled away in a gurnee. Another emergency responder, upper middle right, speaks to other experts on sight. Darren Nelson, middle bottom, is handcuffed and carted off in a police car. Ryan Hunter, left, is dragged away after being pronounced dead in the collision reenactment.

Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

Gazette photo /HANNAH XU

Drunk driving affects GBHS staff, students and their families

The funeral

GBHS community shares tragic personal stories in relation to Every 15 Minutes the Every 15 Minutes program as a student, but she has sat in the audience both as a highschooler and as a teacher. Loss is experienced by everyone at some “As a highschooler I understood what point in life. could happen,” Badaracco said, “but there The Every 15 Minutes program reminds was some detachment.” Granite Bay High School students and The effects have reached Badaracco as community members of the horrific consequences and reality that often accompany close as her immediate family. drunk driving. “My brother and mom were hit by a drunk How people go about loss varies, but un- driver – the car completely totaled – but fortunately, the pain caused by one decision they were both OK,” Badaracco said. remains constant and impacts a wide range The experience can be taxing for her to of people. recall, but Badaracco recognizes “just how According to the Centers for Disease Conlucky they were” and personally knows trol and Prevention (CDC), nearly 10,000 “how much of a risk (drunk driving) is.” people died from alcohol-related driving collisions in 2014. Although some GBHS students have exIn the same year, the CDC reported 1.1 pressed a disconnection to the Every 15 million documented cases of people driving Minutes program, the collision scene is under the influence of a near perfect portrayal of alcohol or some form of what takes place. narcotic. This accounts As a student, “As a student it felt sudden for only one percent of the 121 million selfit felt sudden and abrupt,” Badaracco said. reported instances of alwhen you do lose someand abrupt. But “But cohol-impaired driving. one, it is sudden and abrupt.” Ryan Hunter, a juwhen you do Steven Ponzo, a former nior at GBHS, was proGBHS student, felt both the lose someone, nounced dead on impact it is sudden and instantaneous and gradual during a drunk driving outcomes of losing his older reenactment on Welabrupt. sister to an automobile collilington Way in front of Granite Bay High sion in 2005. School in Nov.16 – Michaela Badaracco, Having a blood alcohol “It’s something that AP Lang teacher level three times over the you can read about, legal limit, Steven’s sister, watch videos about and Lindsay, veered into oncomhave an understanding ing traffic on Fair Oaks Bouof, but understanding that sort of emotional pain you would cause levard. your parents if you were to die is challeng“Lindsay was not wearing a seat belt when ing,” Hunter said. her car flipped three times,” Ponzo said. After reading a goodbye letter to friends, “She was ejected through the windshield family members and students during a fuand killed instantly … I was never able to neral that was held the day after the collision reenactment, Hunter said he could say goodbye or get one last hug.” While attending GBHS, Ponzo watched better understand the effects his own death the Every 15 Minutes reenactment from the would create. “You’re always told that your actions audience. could lead to causing people around you “I was frustrated because some kids pain, but it’s different to experience that,” weren’t mature enough to see the value Hunter said. “To have to watch your mom and reasoning behind Every 15 Minutes,” cry about your death and really feel that pain, and sympathize and empathize with Ponzo said. “Some students can’t see that (Every 15 Minutes) is to prevent your famthat – you’re feeling the same emotions.” Hunter said taking a direct part in the Ev- ily from suffering a tragedy like mine has.” ery 15 Minutes program highlighted how Ponzo shared his personal account to felone minor action can lead to serious afteref- low classmates during his senior year of fects. high school in order to continuously bring “It really made me feel guilty for risks, light to the subject. even (the) small risks I’ve taken in life,” “People always think about what hapHunter said. “All actions can have an effect on people’s lives, permanently or momen- pens if someone passed away,” Ponzo said. “They never think about the impact on the tarily.” However, for many, the simulated events rest of their life, and the true meaning beportrayed by the Every 15 Minutes program hind losing someone.” are a very serious reality. The harsh reality remains unnerving for so Michaela Badaracco, a GBHS English many and very real to this day. teacher, lost a personal friend, and well “I still think about her at least once a day,” known member of the Granite Bay commuPonzo said. “This nightmare will never nity, during a collision induced by a drunk leave me – this has more of an impact than driver. Badaracco was not actively involved in anyone will ever be able to imagine.” BY WILL ANDERSON

wanderson.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

Gazette photo /HANNAH XU

Family members, top, embrace the students who were proclaimed dead in the Every 15 Minutes program. Flowers, top left, adorn a coffin in honor of those who died during a drunk driving reenactment. Lauren Brown, bottom left, tearfully listens to student and parent speeches at a funeral service organized by the Every 15 Minutes program. An upperclassman, bottom right, cries as a guest speaker informs students about the dangers of drinking and driving by relating a personal story about how his son was killed as a result of a drunk driving incident. To view these photos as well as additional Every 15 Minutes photos in color, visit granitebaytoday.org.

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E15M: Impacts of the event can be felt by everyone, especially those closest to actors many wonder whether the effects of the program stay with these students when they encounter alcohol in the future. GBHS’s annual Winter Ball has just passed and underage drinking has been a common occurrence following the dance. Before to Every 15 Minutes, many wondered whether the message of the program would last with the students who chose to consume alcohol with their friends after the dance. Junior Tara Zamiri believed it would. “We see the consequences in the simulation, so it’s very eye-opening to those who don’t know everything they are putting on the line,” Zamiri said. Senior Gemma Rizzuto, on the other hand, believes the people who are directly involved in the program are the ones who are most affected by the message, as op-

posed to those who are simply spectators. “I think those actually involved in the program are much more affected by it,” Rizzuto said. “It definitely resonates in them much more than others, simply because they got an entirely different experience.” Some students have a hard time taking the program seriously, especially because they know it is a simulation. “Of course there are going to be people who don’t react because they know it’s only a simulation, but I don’t think it’s ok for them to make fun of others or make a person seem dramatic if they are reacting how they are,” Zamiri said. The lack of involvement can make it hard to relate to the situation. “I think everyone should take it seriously as it is a serious issue, but it’s hard to if you’re not actually involved,” Rizzuto

the right people in the said. crash or the Living To enhance the experiDead … then it reaches ence of Every 15 Minutes, I think it would them anyway. For exit has been proposed that it also be extended to sophobe interesting ample, all of my peers impacted because mores as well, since that if E15M started were a lot of them knew is the year many of them before people Brennan.” begin to drive. She also reiterated that There are both pros and start driving. it would be much more cons to having E15M start difficult for students to at the sophomore level, – Brennan Holt, relate to the simulation which Summer Holt exGBHS junior and crash if it is spread across a plained. majority of the school “I think it would be inactor since it is more likely teresting if E15M started they will know fewer before people start drivof the people who are ing, because you can hop involved. in a car with anyone, and they may be intoxicated. I think it would “It’s more impactful with just juniors and reach the whole school a little bit better,” seniors because they know each other betHolt said. “However I feel that if they put ter than seniors would know sophomores

or freshmen,” she said. Maturity is also another factor when it comes to deciding which age group to target with this program. “Even less people would take it seriously as underclassmen simply because they are more immature and haven’t had to deal with any of those factors in their lives yet,” Rizzuto said. While preventing high school students from underage drinking might be next to impossible, many hope students are responsible if they do choose to drink. “Underage drinking happens, and I don’t think there’s any way to stop it,” Rizzuto said. “People just need to be made aware of the effects and how dangerous (their) decisions can be, so that when they do, they can be as safe as possible.”

The Emerald Brigade is one of the few opportunities students have to study music, even though it is a large commitment of time that many students can’t afford.

MUSIC: Students need ways to express

Gazette file photo/ CARISSA LEWIS

Continued from page A2

non-weighted class can play a big part in deciding whether or not students will take more than they are required to. They are forced to pick between pleasure and academics. Besides the tumultuous task of picking classes, a lot of other

students are weary of performing in their music classes. “I think the classes offered at Granite Bay (are good),” Sakata said. “It’s just that students are (sometimes) not interested or motivated in taking the classes because maybe they’re scared they won’t be able to do it.” Even though all of these ob-

stacles exist, music can still be beneficial to a student’s development. “(It’s) upsetting to me (that) schools have lost all of their music programs,” Stafford said. “It’s a detriment to their school and to their kids. Kids need things in their lives that bring pleasure, and music is that.”

HUMAN: New class could come in the fall Continued from page A2

levels, some believe it would be better taught at the ninth grade level. This because history is the only core subject that isn’t specifically taught between eighth grade and sophomore year. Although some freshmen choose to jump ahead to AP Euro, they are in the minority and there is no history class targeted toward freshmen. Trying to place AP Human Geography in the ninth grade curriculum has met with much difficulty. Brandon Dell’Orto, the AP United States history teacher at GBHS, explained, “Our department talked today that it doesn’t matter,the ninth-grade level is probably the best place for it. They get introduced to basic social science things that will then be used in AP Euro or World History ... that would then be used in AP U.S. but, the problem with Granite Bay is that ninth-grade classes don’t count on your GPA for UC college classes.”

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Because of AP Human Ge... the problem ography’s simplified format, with Granite some believe Bay is ninthit would make grade classes a wonderful introduction AP don’t count on course for freshyour GPA for UC men. Another issue is the lack college classes. of elasticity in – Brandon Dell’Orto, the ninth grade U.S. history teacher scheduling. This means there is a strong possibility, if it were put in at the ninth-grade level, that the school would have to take from other departments to fit it in.

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TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER

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MARIJUANA: Prop. 64 passes, what now?

PERCENTAGE OF GBHS STUDENTS WHO HAVE USED MARIJUANA FRESHMEN

SOPHOMORES

Continued from page A1

SENIORS

JUNIORS

Gazette illustrations/ANJALI SHRIVASTAVA

In the California Healthy Kids Survey (2015-2016), conducted under the California Department of Education Coordinated School Health and Safety Office, 1,834 GBHS students (479 freshmen, 491 sophomores, 459 juniors and 405 seniors) took an online survey assessing their health behaviors. The respondents answered how many times they had used marijuana in their lifetime.

effect on teenagers’ smoking habits, as anyone who is against smoking will not change their mind because the law says it is now legal. “You’re either for it or against it,” Lyons said. “People are going to be either complete advocates for it, or say that it will give you schizophrenia.” Kathie Sinor, GBHS health and safety teacher, is unsure if more students will be trying weed in the near future. What she is more concerned with, however, is the increased potency of today’s marijuana. “The THC content (the active ingredient in marijuana) … is much, much higher today than it was in the ’60s and ’70s,” Sinor said. “You used to never hear stories of people overdosing on weed. But now with the THC being so high, (you do) … People just assume ‘Oh, it’s just weed,’ but it isn’t anymore. It’s much much more powerful.” Even before Prop. 64 had passed, marijuana was easily accessible for something that was against the law. According to Tanvi Yadlapalli, a sophomore at GBHS, most students know where to get marijuana, and people choose to smoke regardless of the legality, thinking it is not as harmful as other drugs. Lyons echoed this view. “If you go (into a medical dispensary for) your first time, then you’re not going to get anything,” said an anonymous senior who regularly smokes marijuana. “But … if you go into (a dispensary) and you’ve been a loyal customer, they aren’t going to check your ID. … They don’t care.” Though marijuana is available to many, it has not nearly reached the level of normalization that alcohol has achieved. But, some have said legalizing the recreational use of pot is the first step in reaching such a level. “Now … we have a state that says ‘Hey, it’s OK to use marijuana. You just have to wait until you’re 21,’ but the bigger message is, it’s OK to use,’” said Jon Daily, the founder and director of Recovery Happens Counseling Service, which provides outpatient treatment for those struggling with drug abuse. “That’s a harmful message, and will show as more kids start using.” “I can treat a heroin addict or a cocaine addict easier … than a marijuana addict or alcoholic,” Daily continued. “No one is going to freak out when someone is using alcohol or marijuana until it is way too late. It’s like (intervening at) stage IV cancer (rather than stage I), where you’re trying to reverse the symptoms instead of preventing them from progressing.” According to the anonymous senior, most students have tried marijuana “at least once or twice” or are tolerant of it. This is perhaps because of the medicinal nature of marijuana, leading some to downplay the adverse effects of the drug. Whatever the reason, most agree that proper education about marijuana and its effects is necessary, especially given the passing of Prop. 64. While Sinor said the health curriculum will not likely change, she did say that now, more than ever, it is important to emphasize the unit on drugs, and the potential consequences of substance abuse.

“I was disappointed (when I heard it passed), but I actually understand it,” Daily said. “People just don’t have the information of the harms of today’s marijuana.”

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GAZETTE Disconnection detracted from Every 15 Minutes event The Granite Bay

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

Editors-in-Chief: Cole Kahmann Surina Khurana Carissa Lewis Anjali Shrivastava Hannah Xu News Editor: Connor Hinson Voices Editor: Steph Kang Lifestyle Editors: McKenna Aram Brayden Johnk Sabina Mahavni Green Screen Editors: Natasha Chanda Katie Cologna Whitney Knorp Amanda Prather

As students walked to the scene here is a problem with connection in Granite Bay High School. The of the simulated car crash, they lack of it, that is. even joked about the event itself, While this was indeed a problem belaughing and talking rambunctiousThe voice of the fore, it’s even more so now, especially ly all the way to their seats. Granite Bay during Every 15 Minutes. And on the way back, students Gazette During the week of Every 15 Minasked each other what was going to utes, Jody Van Dusen paused her be on the math quiz tomorrow? Are lesson plan to tell her IB English HL you going to be going to that party class to take Every 15 Minutes seriously. A student in Friday night? a previous class of hers had brushed the event aside, Moments like these happened all the way up to and citing how such incidents as car accidents due to drunk during the culminating funeral. At a glance, it seemed driving were dwindling and rare, and Jody Van Dusen that nothing could get to the California cool students of warned her class, eyes glinting, that even though thank- GBHS. fully incidents like these are dwindling, they are still During the video shown in the assembly, as students here and people are still being affected by them today. on the screen sobbed over their dead friends and relaBut even as she passionately spoke, students in her tives, a group of students laughed, flaunting how oh class continued to Snapchat friends and work on home- so cool they were to not pay attention to this schoolwork for other classes. sanctioned event and laugh in the face of something so This in mind, the week of Every 15 Minutes seemed important and serious. like any other in the life of Granite Bay High School And yet. students. In classes, students chatted casually about During the simulation, it was undeniable: something how excited they were to take a period off from school started growing in our chests. Something that ached, to participate in this event and, within the same breath, something that burned for these people that we did not transition into “I think Jessica’s mad at me but I don’t know personally but cared about anyway. really know, what do you think?” This something played out across our faces – even

EVERY 15 MINUTES

Sports Editors: Ali Lemos Isabella Tkachuk Social Media Editor: Natalie Hatch Illustrators: Natasha Chanda Isabella Tkachuk Hannah Xu Photo Editor: Carissa Lewis

The devastating implications of drunk driving came swinging into reality, and this is my experience of that experience

Staff Writers/ Photographers: Will Anderson Kate Booth Mackenzie Brown Paige Erickson Milan French Bella Hamilton Alina Poczobutt Reese Richmond Max Schwartz Andrew Yung Sidney Zabell

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COMMENTARY

ov. 17 was the hardest day behind a casket was disturbing, and I have ever spent at Granmy only comfort was the knowlite Bay High School. No edge that it was a simulation. finals days or days full of drama Yet people like that are killed in could come close to comparing accidents everyday, and families, with the raw emotion I felt on friends and communities are forced Nov. 17. to cope with their loss. When I went This day was the culminatto lunch after the assembly, few ing day of the Every 15 Minutes people could eat their food at first. program, which was designed People were numb, in shock and for juniors and seniors to raise sad. My distress brought on fear. awareness of the consequences When I looked around, I saw of driving under the influence of blotchy faces, but primarily I envialcohol. sioned the thought of losing each The program started with all person I looked at. skhurana.gazette@gmail.com the juniors, seniors, several first Friends and classmates saw me responders, EMTs and GBHS crying and came to give me hugs. faculty gathered in the gym. Each hug made me think about how could I funcIt’s tough to say which parts of the assembly stood tion without them, in turn bringing on a fresh set of out most to me – the “living dead” walking onto the tears. stage with photos documenting their happy, bright I know I, along with most of the student body, lives cycling behind them; the man who spoke would be greatly affected if any particular GBHS about losing his nephew in a drunk driving incident; student lost his or her life, no matter how little we the letters from the “dead” to their families and knew them. friends, apologizing for not being able to be there at I truly hope we always remember the way we family gatherings; or the letters from family memall felt that day. The prospect of losing classmates bers to the dead, reminding them of their potential impacted us all, in varying amounts, and in different and how much they will be missed. ways. The experience was traumatic for me. My initial And if you were one of the people laughing, reaction was one of ultimate sorrow. I cried because taking the program lightly and failing to learn any all the people sitting on that stage had such bright lessons from the simulation, I hope you won’t have futures ahead of them and shone so brightly in so to learn from a real incident. many other people’s lives. Each person has a place in our school and in our I had a few friends who were among the Living community. Stay safe, Granite Bay. Dead, and several other members of the dead were *** classmates, or people I had conversations with, Surina Khurana, a senior, is a Gazette co-editor-inor had seen around on campus. Seeing them walk chief.

Adviser: Karl Grubaugh The Gazette is published eight times per academic year by students in the advanced journalism class at Granite Bay High School. Content is determined by the staff and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Granite Bay High School’s faculty, administration, adviser or student body. Students are protected in their exercise of press freedom by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and California Education Code 48907. Signed editorials and columns reflect the views of the writer. Letters to the editor and guest commentaries are encouraged and must be signed, although anonymity can be granted on a caseby-case basis. The editorial board reviews letters to the editor, advertising and guest commentaries and reserves the right to edit and refuse material. Reasons can include length, clarity, libel, obscenity, material disruption of the educational process at Granite Bay High School or violation of copyright laws.

EDITORIAL

the students whose view was obstructed by teachers, by bleachers, by people, had ultimately zeroed in, paid attention. Even though many tried to keep up their impenetrable facade and stared seemingly uncomprehendingly at those who cried, many more put down their heavy burdens and let their emotions wash out uncontrollably. This wasn’t even real. This was a simulation, and we all in the room knew it. And yet, we felt anyway, and we hurt anyway. While many believe and still believe this event had been nothing, a little grain of sand in the huge oceans of life, that tomorrow everybody had forgotten about the (for some) life-changing event and continued living their hedonistic, thrill-seeking, drunk-driving life, they haven’t. In close proximity, every student felt a truth get through the cracks and sting them on their chest. No matter how many and much people protest and say that it was nothing, it definitely didn’t feel like it. It’s the issue of people wanting to appear above all this emotion that makes the thousands of people in this school seem heartless in the face of tragedy. And it’s that issue that drives us crazy, that drives people to laugh in the middle of a highly charged moment and brush off death as no big deal.

surina khurana

Gazette photo /HANNAH XU

Seniors are ready to move on to greener pastures

After four years of trudging through the halls of Granite Bay High School, we’re more than prepared to roll on out

COMMENTARY

This might make me sound pessimistic n 2013, the Harlem Shake was alive and awful, Justin Bieber was hated by 90 perabout my senior year – which I’m really cent of Americans, Miley Cyrus did a few not, because You Only Senior Year Once things involving a foam finger at the VMAs – but it’s true. and Facebook was cool. Myself included, the seniors have done Also in this magical year, the students in the their time in high school. We’ve pulled Class of 2017 stepped onto the Granite Bay the all-nighters, dealt with the drama, had High campus, beginning their high school awkward slow dances at formals, and experience and an eternal game of “move when honestly speaking, we’re mostly over it a senior is walking at you.” at this point. Today, no one has done the Harlem Shake As we close out our seventh semester, since 2013, only 60 percent of Americans curour desire to be in high school is fading rently hate Justin Bieber, no one really knows fast. what Miley Cyrus is doing anymore, and only Some of us have matured, and some journalism teacher Karl Grubaugh and your haven’t as much, but hypothetically nhatch.gazette@gmail.com mom use Facebook. we’re entering adulthood. Needless to say, a lot has changed. Socially, we’re much more independent The Class of 2017 is now halfway through its senior year, than we used to be, and can procrastinate all by ourselves! and most of us are dramatically different. Academically, we’re trying to offset the effects of inevitaFor instance, when I was a freshman I had braces, eyebly chronic senioritis while balancing the stress of college brows that we’re not going to talk about, and I thought high applications, missing school to visit colleges, a full schedschool was the holy grail of life. ule, passion projects, MathXL, and sleep deprivation. Now I have significantly less metal in my mouth, better It’s quite the life. And to top it all off, for the next 6 months we’ll be waiteyebrows and I’m counting down the days until I will leave ing anxiously to see if our futures come to life as we have for college.

natalie hatch

We’re going to enjoy the last few dips and turns, and savor every moment, but where we are physically locked in, we are mentally running to get in line for what’s next. imagined them. With college and post-high school plans approaching so quickly, most of us are excited to enter the next chapter of our lives. There is increasingly less interest in the familiarity of the bubble. Basically, WE ARE DYING FOR SOME CHANGE. Of course there are things about high school we’re going to miss – our friends, family, home-cooked meals – but we’re finally reaching the point when we’re supposed to start our own lives. High school has been quite the ride. But most of us are ready to get off the kiddie train and get on the roller coaster of adult life. We’re going to enjoy the last few dips and turns, and savor every moment, but where we are physically locked in, we are mentally running to get in line for what’s next. *** Natalie Hatch, a senior, is the Gazette’s social media editor.

Friday, December 16, 2016

The Granite Bay Gazette

Voices A11

Hanukkah is ignored during this season HEARD My perspective on on the

BAY

What do you think about the legalization of weed in California?

Jewish representation changed as I grew up COMMENTARY

I think it’s good for the economy, but I don’t believe in the recreational use of marijuana.

freshman

Connor Sloan I don’t care.

sophomore

Fernando Gonzalez Personally, I don’t care.

sidney zabell

szabell.gazette@gmail.com

remember that since I was young, I felt like I was forgotten during the holiday season. November and December always seemed to be consumed by Christmas, no questions asked. While the entire back corner of Target is dedicated to Christmas, the holiday I celebrate, Hanukkah, has a measly display that consists of three or so shelves. The lack of attention Hanukkah received was foreign to me when I began school at a public school. From ages three to the end of Kindergarten, I went to a tiny Jewish school in Sacramento. Shalom School was my home. Each grade had just one class, and today, there are only 200 students enrolled in the school. Obviously, there is no question that I was extremely sheltered for the first few years of my life. I had spent my days with the same 20 people for what seemed like forever, so when my family moved, switching schools came as a shock. I have a clear memory of a time this became most clear. I was just 6 years old. I was in first grade, and it was my first year in a public school with the students who are still my peers today. I was instructed to make a craft out of construction paper, but not just any craft – a nativity scene. Honestly, I didn’t even know what that was at the time. I saw everyone else in my class glueing baby Jesus onto their papers, but I decided that I wanted to make something else. And of all the things I could have chosen to make instead, what did I choose? A pig. Yes, I put a tiny pink pig peeking out of a barn instead of baby Jesus sitting in a manger. Looking back on this, I don’t know what to think.

Choosing a pig was completely innocent. I was six years old, and a pig belongs in a barn, right? I can see that it seems disrespectful to have replaced Jesus with a pig, but I genuinely had no idea what I was even supposed to be making in the first place. It was completely innocent, but I’m lucky to be able to look back and laugh at it now. The next year, my mom came to our class and taught us all how to play dreidel. My classmates enjoyed it, and it was valuable to teach people about the different things people celebrate and believe in. Since those days, I’ve also learned about the other holidays people celebrate, mainly Christmas. Most people celebrate it, even if in a completely secular way. Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely no issues with other people celebrating Christmas. I’m not bitter. In fact, my family has a Hanukkah tree, and we open most of the gifts we give each other on Christmas day. Christmas is a fun holiday, but it just doesn’t have a religious context in my particular case. I don’t roll my eyes every time I see a Christmas tree, and I don’t have a deep-seeded hatred toward the

Lauren Angelo I think it’s a good idea because now that it’s legal we can tax and regulate it.

senior

ett

z Ga

ati

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holiday. Just because I celebrate something different doesn’t mean I am against everything else. I am no longer actively religious, but I still celebrate Hanukkah and other Jewish holidays. My family enjoys keeping the old traditions, all while integrating new ones like participating in Christmas. It has been interesting to see others celebrate Christmas when I used to have an outsider’s perspective of the holiday, and I can’t deny that it’s a fun thing to celebrate. Although it would be nice to have had Hanukkah more included in things when I was younger, I understand that the majority of people celebrate Christmas. I wasn’t deprived of Hanukkah, or Christmas for that matter. The season will naturally be catered to what the majority of people celebrate, and that is OK. *** Sidney Zabell, a sophomore, is a Gazette staff writer.

School takes risk with new dress code In a new approach, teachers show what’s right by wearing what’s wrong

junior

N AN

local high school is having faculty members break the dress code policy that has been implemented to ultimately set an example for the students on campus. “Why have these kids break the rules when we can just do it for them,” Vice Principal Aaron Westwood said. Westwood suggested the idea during a district meeting in late October, and immediately the school introduced the new policy. Now, the teacher’s dress code is the exact opposite of the students. Teachers are considered “breaking” the new guidelines if their clothing is something that has been “advised as appropriate” for students to wear. “I’m so relieved Mrs. Thompson wore a low-cut shirt,” sophomore Leslie Roberts said. “I no longer have the confusion of what I should or shouldn’t wear – the wrong answer is right there in front of me.” Mrs. Shonda Thompson, a regionally and nationally recognized honors Eng-

lish instructor, was in favor of the new idea, just like her students. “If my pupils benefit from this innovation, I believe it is best,” Thompson said. “We learn from our mistakes, so by making the mistake for them,we are eliminating a stressor in these kids’ lives.” Some reporters found it odd that an overweight 58-year-old art teacher was wearing a ripped shirt that exposed most of a tattoo located on his mid torso, but Joanne Christie, the principal of the school, disagrees. “We see it as positively supporting body image,” Christie said. “Maybe kids will see this as an opportunity to gain some more self-confidence and wear a cut off T-shirt of their own to school!” The school recently provided the faculty with a varying selection of customizable clothing so they could more easily meet their new expectations. After careful consideration, the parent and district board members created a slogan supporting the clothing titled, “Less Fabric, Less Havoc!”

According to board for contravening the polmember Bill Fredericy. icks, the slogan is “fun Within the past month and hip” yet still holds there have been a record “a lot of truth.” high 23 detentions, most Fredericks says this of which have been relatslogan will remind stued to dress code infringedents of the purpose of ments. the entire initiative – “That’s a 93 percent inremind students what crease from last month’s a violation looks like number of detentions,” without them having office secretary Julie Harto commit a violation grove said. “Personally themselves. I’m glad we are finally “Even this year for trying to do something wanderson.gazette@gmail.com Halloween, we all wore about all of this maymasks that overstep hem.” our apparel boundaries, but they looked Board Member Bill Fredericks again great,” said Tom Whiteside, a newly reminded reporters of the reasoning added teacher from the math department, behind his advocacy for the innovative said. method. “Did we break the student dress code? “Say a student says ‘My dog ate my Yes. Conceal our identity? You bet! homework.’ That’s reasonable – but – Jeopardize student safety? Who knows,” did that same dog cut those shorts too Whiteside said. “But hey, Mr. Dunn and short? I don’t think so,” Fredericks said. I were matching in all our Facebook “That is where the line is being crossed, pictures and on all the pictures for the and that is why we are stepping in.” school website, so who cares!” Administrators are enforcing dress *** code even more, exhibiting little tolerWill Anderson, a junior, is a Gazette ance toward any excuses students have staff writer.

COMMENTARY

will anderson

Discussing grades is counter-productive

Connor Macdonald It’s positive and negative at the same time.

There’s no need to compare scores with others

igh school serves as an Most students who excel in school intermediate between junior are literal examples of the word “sohigh school and college, and ciable;” they are more likely to hold because it is supposed to prepare us a conversation with another person for college, high school also gives us a than ask for a pocket holder on their preview of the impending competition Christmas list. in college. At the high school level, However, these students are also competition stems from grades and exeither in a state of oblivion or feel a tracurricular activities, with the former blatant disregard when it comes to usually more important than the latter. another person’s feelings. But while doing well in school is I’d need three digits to count the great, the problem itself lies in that number of times I’ve heard a person phrase: what is considered great? The start talking about their grades to word, after all, is subjective, and the another person and end up demeaning definition inherited either from your the other just to make themselves feel ayung.gazette@gmail.com ambitions or your parents’. better about their own grades. At least for me, I consider an A and Where is the humility in that? No B good and a C undesirable but not the end of the peer wants to hear that you have over 100 percent in world. However, I realize there are also many people a class, are doing better than them in a certain class or who would be happy with a D while others would seri- are destined for valedictorian. ously consider suicide if they didn’t get an A in every Part of the problem is that parents put unnecessary single class. stress on their children and push them beyond their limits. This differentiation in perspectives of what is perHowever, the more overarching theme is that people missible lends itself to several things. For one, it creates a meaningless race to valedictorian. It also makes will do almost anything to maintain their self-worth. Yes, it is important to have confidence in yourself. higher-achieving students act more haughtily toward But when your pride starts exceeding its healthy limtheir peers. its, it not only becomes destructive towards the people And although the pride these types of students feel you brag to, but more importantly, it is self-defeating. is not always unwarranted, it impedes on their people Whenever you boast to someone about your grades skills.

COMMENTARY

andrew yung

staff

Mike Valentine Compiled by Alina Poczobutt

or achievements, you create animosity with the other person and usually they will, because of your boasting, try to degrade you. This leads to an “ego hit,” and to regain your confidence, you go bragging to someone else. But besides the person you are directly talking to, the people around you will also deem you arrogant, and, as a result, will also try to bring you back down to earth by talking negatively about you to others. This cycle is not only continuous, but also destructive to your reputation. So instead of bragging about your grades, maybe instead you could keep it to yourself and just feel good about your grades because you earned it. This is also a hard thing to do, though, because it doesn’t help when people usually ask what you got on the latest test, your overall grade in a class or even your practice PSAT score. While all of these numbers do matter to colleges and parents, they are ultimately just numbers, and, as one of my teachers put it, “aren’t the only thing that determines your intellect.” So instead of bragging about your grades, maybe instead you could try responding with: “My current grade accurately reflects my comprehension of this subject, and so I am, at least by my definition of the word, complacent.” *** Andrew Yung, a sophomore, is a Gazette staff writer.

Friday, December 16, 2016 w The Granite Bay Gazette

Second look

News A12

Dance the night away

 The beginning dance team, above, performs in Christmas-inspired dresses at the fall dance show. Aya Atassi, upper left, dances to “Ojos Así” by Colombian singer Shakira. Yarelis Christian, large silhouette image and below, spreads her arms as a part of her routine. The advanced dance team, bottom, raise their fists in unison at the end of a performance.

Gazette photos by Carissa Lewis

Lifestyle

Granite Bay Gazette

B Section

Off-roading wreaks havoc Friday

COMMENTARY

w December 16, 2016

sabina mahavni smahavni.gazette@gmail.com

I love my big, fat, Indian family

ndian culture is in a constant orbit around one critical value that holds everything up: fam-

ily. Recently, I traveled to India for one of my uncle’s wedding. However, one can’t just travel to India and not visit every relative there, so my family and I went to different houses in different cities to be welcomed by aunts and uncles before proceeding to the actual wedding venue. When my parents and I arrived at the groom’s house in Agra, where my father’s mother’s brothers and some of their sons live, we were immediately greeted with a huge blur of hugs, kisses and mass amounts of food (I must have gained at least five pounds thanks to this generosity). It didn’t matter how busy the groom and everybody was preparing for five days of over-the-top wedding ceremonies; they all took the time to sit and chat with us, making us feel extremely loved and included. It seemed as if the conversation with my grandfather had picked up at the same place where it left off five years ago, the time of our last visit. Having not been to India for so long, I had thought my cousins would easily have forgotten about me – like I admittedly did some of them – but none of them failed to pull me in and share gossip like we were all close friends. Various aunts and uncles somehow still remember my quirks from when I was little that I had definitely forgotten. Prior to the official wedding ceremony were countless other traditional events (some of which I still don’t understand the point of) in which I realized how lucky I was to have such as close-knit and loving family. The wedding itself was a jumble of traditions, dancing, reminiscing, overeating, laughing and itchy outfits — all things only experienced at Indian weddings. However, what I most remember is how welcome and included I felt with all my relatives. That, to me, constitutes a family: a group of people who, despite living half a world away, can still connect in that warm, comforting way. I never wanted to leave that feeling. By the time we had to leave Agra, my mom, dad and I knew it wouldn’t be an Indian farewell without melodramatic good byes and tear-soaked cheeks. The whole family followed us out to the car with gifts and arms open for bear hugs. As our car started, I saw my aunt cry for the first time because we all knew that it would be awhile before everybody is all together again. We drove through the dusty street, and everybody in the car was completely silent, but reality rang louder than ever. Soon, we would have to go back to our busy lives with no room for all the laughing and reminiscing that occurred during our four days in Agra. Although I was sad to leave the different and exciting world of my dad’s enormous family, I was more grateful for getting to share so many memories with those who matter to me most. Nothing can replace those precious memories with my family.

***

Sabina Mahavni, a junior, is a Lifestyle editor.

Special to the Gazette /CHASE MANNSFELD

GBHS junior Chase Mannsfeld’s car is shown above after the being flipped; the damages include a shattered windshield, broken front light and dented fender.

A day planned for endless fun shifts course after an unexpected turn of events BY MCKENNA ARAM

maram.gazette@gmail.com

s of the past few months, a group of Granite Bay High School boys have instigated a hobby of off-roading at Folsom Lake. “People go off-roading as something fun to do,” said GBHS junior Spencer Cusack who has participated in the offroading at Folsom Lake. “Whenever people aren’t sure what to do or are bored, (it’s) always something fun and different.” “Off-roading” is referred to as the activity of driving vehicles over rough terrain such as mud, sand, rocks or even snow for sport. Exercising this dangerous activity stretches beyond risktaking millennials and is actually a widespread pastime various people participate in. According to Wrangler brand manager Kevin Metz, 15 percent of all people in the United States who own SUVs go off-roading recreationally. “The appeal of offroading is the feeling that you’re on a roller coaster without ever leaving your car,” Whitney High School junior Noah Otto said. “It’s bumpy, crazy and satisfying. Although off-roading may be considered an adrenalinefilled avocation, the consequential risks that come with it can be immense and forgotten by many. On Oct. 29, 2016, five high school students were involved in an accident at Folsom Lake due to off-roading. “My front tire popped and we got stuck in a rut,” said the driver, Chase Mannsfeld, who is a GBHS junior. “The car had enough momentum (to do a) half roll once we hit the rut, and the car flipped, and we landed upside down.” After the car had flipped, passenger Noah Otto attempted to unbuckle upside down which resulted in him landing on his side on the windshield. That then allowed him to unlock the doors and get out of the car. “As we got out, we looked for our stuff,” Otto said. “One of the girls had been complaining the whole ride and her phone ended up flying out the window (during the flip) and the car ended up landing on it which was funny.” Thankfully, neither Mannsfeld nor any of the passengers were significantly injured. “I don’t remember much about the flip, I just remember being on my side and then being upside down,” Mannsfeld said. “I remember realizing that my car was crushed and I could’ve injured all the people in the car with me.” Following the accident, a group of Mannsfeld’s friends who also happened to be off-roading the same day drove by

the scene and attempted to help flip the car upright. Mannsfeld’s destroyed car was eventually driven out of the lake on two flats with the help of tow truck workers. The axles of the car broke in the process of driving the car out of the lake post-excavation. “In the future I won’t off road as much or for as long,” Mannsfeld said. “If I do go off-roading again, I’ll know my car’s limits.” Other student off-roaders share Mannsfeld’s outlook of taking an initiative to be more careful in the future, yet none claim that the accidents have impacted them enough to stop off-roading. “I don’t have a different outlook on off-roading (after the accidents occurred) because the people that are getting in the crashes are usually trying to show off and don’t have

FAST FACTS Folsom State Park Off-Roading Policy wDriving off-road is legal in designated areas at 15 mph or less wOff-roading for fun (attempting donuts, going through mud or over rocks) is illegal

Folsom State Park

much experience,” GBHS junior Zachary Dillon who participates in the activity. While off-roading, Dillon witnessed Mannsfeld’s crash in addition to a minor head-on collision between two of his friends. The collision that Dillon witnessed while off-roading resulted in Cusack’s car’s front bumper being torn off. “There have been a few accidents but not many,” Cusack said. “Chase flipped his car and the only other accident was me and my friend hitting head on but going slowly. My outlook after the accidents is to be more careful but still do what is fun to me.”

Special to the Gazette /CHASE MANNSFELD

Another picture of the flipped car shows the severity of the damage, although no one was injured.

inside lifestyle Random Club

Book of the Month

TCID:BW

Winter Ball vs. Homecoming

Christmas celebrations

Students compare the two annual events

Some notice the exclusivity in the holiday’s traditions

Canned food drive Giving to those less fortunate instills positive virtues in GBHS community

B2 Lifestyle

Friday, December 16, 2016

Which is better: Winter Ball or Homecoming? Students share their preferences for formal vs. informal dances BY BELLA HAMILTON

bhamilton.gazette@gmail.com

nlike most other schools in the areas, Granite Bay High School sparks controversy with an informal Homecoming and a later formal Winter Ball. Winter Ball is the one night where many students at GBHS is willing to go to school on a Saturday night. Traditional high school Homecoming dances are formal and occur on a Saturday. GBHS’s Homecoming dance starts right after the Homecoming game, and the excitement from the game carries onto the dance floor. Winter Ball, unlike Homecoming, gives students the chance to have a winter wall that captures the magic of the holidays. Although there are positive aspects to the formal dance taking place later in the year, there is still an upset among students about the lack of a classic, formal Homecoming. Homecoming is one of the most attended non-formal dances of the school year, for good reason. Homecoming has a lot to offer, including free food, photo booths and glow-in-the-dark paint. Conversely, Winter Ball is an upscale version of Homecoming, with a chocolate fountain ‘bar’ with ‘cocktails’ and a supposed ball drop at the end of the dance.

This year’s Winter Ball theme is New Year’s Eve I like all the in New York, which means fireworks on a students to Friday night and brought out their sleek and the crowning of classy side. the prince and Some students princess. avoid Winter Ball altogether and prefer more – Vyas Srinivasan, casual dances, GBHS junior while other students tend to lean towards the more fancy dances where the girls dress up, the guys clean up and everyone looks more glamorous than everyday schooltime. According to Savannah Hibbit-Macguire, a student government representative, the reason for the alternative decision of having the formal and informal dances switched is to give new students a chance to know each other before having a formal dance to attend while also not putting pressure on students to ask someone to Homecoming. “I think a reason why the winter wall is formal is because it is considered a ‘date’ dance, but it doesn’t mean you can’t go stag,” Hibbit-Macguire said. Some students believe the tradition of dressing up for Homecoming creates less spirit in supporting the football team. Homecoming also has traditions that define it as the

Gazette photo /HANNAH XU

Students at the 2016 Homecoming dance show their school spirit while sporting informal attire. classic celebration of the kick-off of the fall sports seasons, especially football, which students typically affiliate with a formal Homecoming dance. “I like all the fireworks on a Friday night and the crowning of the prince and princess,” said Vyas Srinivasan, a junior who prefers Homecoming over Winter Ball. Other students also prefer the formal Winter Ball over Homecoming. “I like Winter Ball more because it’s formal,” Savannah Hibbit-Macguire said. Some upperclassmen prefer the prom and senior ball, while the underclassmen who don’t have their own formal dance tend to get more excited for Winter Ball, the only formal dance they can attend without an invite.

College apps ask unique questions Seniors respond to interesting prompts given by universities BY HANNAH XU

hxu.gazette@gmail.com

t’s that time of the year again. No, not the holiday season, though the similarities are uncanny – people panicking, deadlines and a lot of self-reflection. It’s the season seniors dread most: college application season. For many students, the fight to complete college applications is a long one. Aside from typing in the endless numbers and course titles, and making sure all teacher recommendations are turned in, students must complete personal insight questions can vary greatly. From the standard six questions given through the Common Application, to the specialized questions that each college offers, the questions can go from completely serious – “What is your favorite academic subject?” – to lighthearted – “Describe your life in a hashtag.” A Picture’s Worth 100 Words After having battled every question that came his way, the one that challenged senior Jacob Newman the most was the one that didn’t even require any words. While working on his application to Rice University, Newman came across a strange request. Rather than typing a 350 word essay, Newman was asked to paste an image into a box to represent himself. “(The picture) is supposed to say something really deep about you,” Newman said. “And you’re not allowed to use any words. The problem was that when I actually got to the question, I was like ‘oh, snap,’ (because) I was just answering these essays and all of a sudden it was like a whole new project.” Luckily, Newman said he has archives of photos he has taken throughout the years that he

can choose from, but thinks that this question is unfair to those that don’t collect images the way he does. “People that don’t have files or archives would probably just pull up a Google image,” Newman said, “and it probably wouldn’t be that good or it probably wouldn’t be taken as seriously.” However, despite the oddity of Rice’s prompt, Newman said he understands why Rice University decided to include it. “I get their point,” Newman said. “(I know) they probably wanted a nice change between all the essays. Since writing essays may not be a strong point for everyone, this is a nice way for them to make sure they don’t get a skewed view of a student.” But there are changes he would make, Newman said. “I feel like we should be able to add words,” Newman said. “Just a short to describe the image, so we can talk about what it might represent.” No Prompts Needed While Newman said he found the Rice application amusing, senior Sanjna Saini described a much different situation. Exasperated, Saini recounted immense frustration and disappointment when doing her California State University application. “There was this question that asked if we had any leadership opportunities, job experience or volunteer experience,” Saini said. “But they only had you answer ‘yes’ or ‘no.’” Though she said she found it easy to complete, and not particularly strange, she was shocked that the application didn’t ask for more. “I got really upset,” Saini said. “I couldn’t go in-depth with what I had and it didn’t help me stand out in comparison to other people.” Despite not requiring writing supplements as the Common Application or the University of California Application, Saini said she did not appreciate the “basic” character of the CSU Application. “(It made me feel like) they only care about the numbers,” Saini said. “They should

Random... BY NATASHA CHANDA

Facts

nchanda.gazette@gmail.com

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Jacob Newman Newman is a senior applying to multiple universities including Rice University.

“The cost of a formal dance is a big reason why we don’t have a formal Homecoming,” Macguire said. “They cost a lot more, and if we want more activities that are fun for everyone we keep Homecoming informal.” Formal dances also pressure students to ask people, whereas the laid back feeling of homecoming makes it easier to just go stag or go with a group of friends. “I somewhat think that guys need a date with girls to Winter Ball, but not really” Zach Bader said. One reason a male student does not go to Winter Ball is for fear of asking someone, then getting rejected, which is understandable. “Winter Ball is better,” Clayton Buck, a senior at GBHS, said. “It’s the same concept just different time of the year.”

College of the Month Boston University

allow me to elaborate on the questions.” Lost in Translation “Choose a word, tell us what it means, and then explain why it cannot (or should not) be translated from its original language,” the University of Chicago Application states. This the question that immediately caught senior Jonah Zahnd’s attention. “I chose the word ‘fresa,’” Zahnd said, “because when I lived in Mexico, I was the only white kid at my school of, like, a thousand … ‘Fresa’ is a slang word for the rich Mexican kids that were usually pretty light-skinned. Fresa was seen as a bad thing, but they would call me that … ‘Fresa’ literally means strawberry.” Zahnd also described “fresa” to mean someone who was “nerdy.” Despite the negative connotation, Zahnd still wanted to write about it. “It seemed like something that defined me at the time as kid growing up in Mexico,” Zahnd said. “But also, I wanted to show some part of the culture that you wouldn’t understand unless you lived in the town I lived in.” Zahnd said he found all the prompts given by the University of Chicago to be unique and interesting. Other prompts, such as “Find X” or “So, where is Waldo?” are also offered. However, Zahnd said he found the prompt he chose most appealing because it’s the most moving. “I think (the University of Chicago) wanted to see how you express your emotion,” Zahnd said. “It’s really easy to look at someone’s GPA and test scores, or even read a resume, but this is about an intimate aspect of someone’s life.”

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Location: Boston, Massachusetts Mascot: Baldwin the Eagle Population: 14,125 Tuition: $50,480 Student to faculty ratio: 14:1 Most Popular Majors: Economics, Finance, Biology - Researched by Hannah Xu

Student

Club Club Club Name: Young Entrepreneurs President: David Song

Jack Powers Gazette photo/ ALINA POCZOBUTT

1. When a male penguin falls in love with a female penguin, he searches the entire beach to find the perfect pebble to present to her. 2. It is illegal to climb trees in Oshawa, a town in Ontario, Canada. 3. When you blush, the lining of your stomach also turns red. 5. During your lifetime, you will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools. - Compiled by Cole Kahmann

What is the purpose of your club? Our purpose is to learn about entrepreneurship, compete in business competitions such as the Verizon App challenge, change the community and launch our own businesses. When do you meet? (We meet) Tuesday after school. How was the club created? I created the club because of my and my friends’ interest in entrepreneurship and to put it on my college applications. - By Mackenzie Brown

Gazette: What’s your favorite holiday song? Jack: “Christmas” by Mariah Carey Gazette: What do you want for Christmas? Jack: Patagonia jacket Gazette: Are you going anywhere over break? Jack: No, my brothers are coming home from college. - By Alina Poczobutt

Friday, December 16, 2016

The Granite Bay Gazette

Lifestyle B3

Exclusivity of Christmas celebration is prominent Winter holiday differences can be forgotten BY SIDNEY ZABELL

szabell.gazette@gmail.com

s Christmas lights flicker each night this winter, so do the candles of the menorah. Many Granite Bay High School students’ families do not celebrate Christmas, yet an overwhelming amount of the season revolves around the holiday. Both the blaring Christmas music in the mall and the towering tree displayed outside it help to emphasize the community Christmas spirit. Students commonly refer to winter break as Christmas break, and although most celebrate Christmas, some groups are left out. Many people participate in Christmas for reasons different than the original meaning: to celebrate Christ’s birth. It has evolved into a time of year to spend time with family while showing appreciation and love to others through gifts. Whether celebrating for the religious aspect or not, Christmas dominates as the

main winter holiday, if not the main holiday of the year. “I can’t count the times where people told me that they felt sorry for me because I didn’t have Christmas, but I think as people got older they learned,” said GBHS junior Sammie Small who is Jewish. GBHS Sophomore Hannah Warner’s family celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas. “We make more of a big deal about Hanukkah,” Warner said. According to the Jewish Data Bank, just over three percent of Californians are Jewish. Nearly nine percent of New Yorkers are Jewish. The state alone accounts for over 25 percent of America’s total Jewish population. For comparison, a mere 0.06 percent of Arkansans are Jewish. A poll from the Pew Research Center shows that out of 35,000 Americans from 50 states, 70.6 percent identify as Christian, 1.9 percent as Jewish and 0.9 percent as Muslim. “Half my family only celebrates Hannukah and I know for a fact that my cousins feel left out,” Warner said. “As I’ve grown up, I’ve noticed there (are one or two) Jewish people in my class. I realized how much of a minority we really are.” The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights each year. The date changes depending on the Jewish calendar. In 2013, Hanukkah and Thanks-

giving overlapped, known affectionately as “Thanksgivukkah” to some Jewish people. This year, Hanukkah will begin Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, at sundown. It celebrates the miracle of when the Jewish fought to take back their holy temple. The oil to light the menorah lasted for eight days instead of the expected one. The word “Hanukkah” translates to dedication in Hebrew, based around what the holiday commemorates. “We will celebrate Christmas in the morning and Hannukah at night,” Warner said. “We usually decorate our Christmas tree with Hanukkah colors and put a Star of David on the top.” The case is similar for junior Megan Nimtz. Many of the GBHS students who are Jewish only have one parent that identifies as Jewish. “I am both Catholic and Jewish,” Nimtz said. “I celebrate Hanukkah with my mom’s side of the family and Christmas with my dad’s side of the family.” Nimtz’s family usually attends church on Christmas Eve, but she says that this is the only religious aspect of the holiday for her. “In the area we live in, there’s such a wide variety of Christians that live here (and) there’s just not a huge Jewish population in this area,” Nimtz said. “It’s (like) right handed and left handed people. There’s more right handed people than left (and) they don’t really take into account that there

Gazette iIllustration/HANNAH XU

are others.” Freshman Zaid Alzanoon is Muslim and celebrates Eid in July and November. “Usually, the first Eid comes after fasting for 30 days… (and) from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m., we don’t eat anything,” Alzanoon said. “After a whole month of doing that, there’s a celebration.” Similar to Christmas and Hanukkah, gifts

Book of the Month

If you really knew me,

Title: Things Fall Apart Author: Chinua Achebe

of mice and men Romeo and Juliet

Review:

BY CARISSA LEWIS

clewis.gazette@gmail.com

Morgan Lemiere

If you really knew me, you’d know how close I am with my sisters.

HEINEMANN

Grade: A+

If you really knew me, you’d know that I aspire to be a lot like my older brothers.

The Great Gatsby

Grapes of Wrath

you would know...

Kabe Teague

are exchanged during Eid. “We usually just have a big meal with all our family and we usually exchange gifts,” Alzanoon said. “Having Eid off would be nice… (but) I don’t feel too left out.” Regardless of which holiday people will be celebrating this year, there is something that unites each holiday — a time to cherish family and spread love toward each other.

“Things Fall Apart” is more than just another fictional story that allows readers to slip in and out of a fantastical world. This piece of historical fiction is grounded by truth and cultural insight, and the characters who are denied their happy endings are real. The story takes you through the life of Okonkwo, a well-respected member of the Umuofia clan in Africa, and is segmented into three books. The first book, which is also the most extensive, is the most important of the three because it provides context that explains Okonkwo’s mindset and future actions. As explained in the first book, the Umuofia culture is shaped by obligation and respect for tribal customs, which must come before emotional attachments. The second book introduces colonial interference. These are the mellow, disturbing chapters that sit on the edge of everything falling apart in the novel. Come book three, Okonkwo is forced to watch the culture he built his life upon and sacrificed everything for fade away; and when he tries to do something about it, he is horrified to discover that the pride and bravery which once defined the Umuofia clan is no longer there to accompany him in a retaliation against the missionaries. Things Fall Apart is a story that transcends beyond the sorrows of one individual. It is a story that describes the loss of a culture, the lack of understanding between individuals and the necessity to respect beliefs different from your own. The more invested you are in this novel, the greater sorrow you will feel as Okonkwo’s hope and identity is gradually torn away from him. You will not be left with a happy ending, but thoroughly engaging with this story will leave you with cultural enrichment and, hopefully, the desire to make a difference in the world.

Your Names. Your Faces. Livina Berenguer

If you really knew me, you’d know that I love Stephen Curry.

Bryan DeBortoli

If you really knew me, you’d know I love Jesus. - By Reese Richmond

The Gazette.

Lifestyle B4

Friday, December 16, 2016

The Granite Bay Gazette

Canned food drive inspires school-wide generosity Tom Farmer and his students demonstrate the value of giving for the sake of giving back BY CARISSA LEWIS

clewis.gazette@gmail.com

f you had walked into math teacher Tom Farmer’s classroom a month ago, you might have seen a stash of pizza stuffed in the back of the room as an award for his class winning the Kids’ Cans Food Drive. However, this class isn’t letting its incentive to give be stored away in boxes. Instead of a pile of greasy containers, the class built a mountain of cans that peaked near the classroom ceiling. But even though Farmer’s students gathered the most cans in the food drive competition, they rejected the pizza that was offered to the winning class. Farmer encouraged his students to donate for the sake of helping others in need, rather than for a reward. “We were informed by our teacher, Mr. Farmer, that there are many different types of ways for people to not have the resources that we … are able to obtain so easily,” said freshman Brian Lambey, a student in Farmer’s We would class. “He came in rather fill our with this box for the food drive and hearts than our he told us, ‘Hey, stomachs. you should help these people out.’” – Tom Farmer, Lambey said math teacher Farmer inspired his students by having them compete with classes from

previous years. To encourage his students to participate in the food drive, Farmer showed his class videos of teenagers and families who are living in poverty. Freshman Sophia Munoz, another student in Farmer’s class, said the videos gave a face to the types of families who would receive the donations. “He showed us the people that have no option,” Munoz said. “They’ve run out of food, they’ve run out of supplies, they don’t have a place to live (or they have) family issues. He showed us the people that had no choice.” The intention of the videos was to expose students to the realities of poverty. Farmer said he chose videos of teenagers so his students could relate to the people in the video clips. According to the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), more than one in every nine children in 2012 lived in a house where the children were considered “food insecure,” meaning they did not have access to a sufficient food supply. This means that out of the 9,102,486 children that live in California, as reported by kidsdata.org, approximately 1,011,387 children are considered “food insecure.” “I don’t think that most people realize that when they are driving down the street … and they see a homeless person with a cardboard sign, that that does not necessarily represent the bulk of the people that we provide for,” Farmer said. Farmer said this misconception is formed because most people who do not have a home or are living in poverty do not express their financial situation.

Student

Spotlight

Senior student shares her passion for singing

Special to the Gazette /TOM FARMER

A tall stack of donated cans sits in Farmer’s classroom to remind the students how much pure generosity pays off. “(My friend’s parents) lost their house and everything, “They don’t want to be seen because Child Protecand he had to live in a hotel and then he was living tive Services will take their kids away from them if outside,” Gray said. “Then he was living in friends’ they know they’re homeless,” Farmer said. “If you’re a houses, and you would never know what was going on teen on the street, you’ll be picked up if they know that with him.” you’re homeless. These people hide. They’re not the Gray said you never know what the people around ones out there with signs.” you are going through. Freshman Lauren Gray, also a student in Farmer’s Throughout the duration of the food drive, Farmer led class, said students are often unaware of others’ backstohis class with a slogan: “We would rather fill our hearts ries. She was prompted to contribute to the food drive than our stomachs.” after hearing about a friend’s personal story.

How long have you been singing? I started singing at the age of three and I’ve progressed over the last 15 years. What do you love most about music? The endless creative freedom and outlet for self expression it provides. What is your favorite song at the moment? “Hymn for the Weekend” by Coldplay featuring Beyonce because I never imagined the two collaborating, and when they did, it turned into a masterpiece. Why did you decide to share your voice on Instagram? Because music is my biggest passion; by making one minute Insta covers, I am not only doing what I love, but also sharing that passion with everyone who follows me.

Gazette photo /PAIGE ERICKSON

Cierra Brown

Do you have any future singing plans? I will always post full-length YouTube covers along with mini Insta ones. I also aim to tryout for The Voice again and hope to hear back from them. -Compiled by Paige Erickson

Are shy students at an academic disadvantage? Timid teenagers reflect on grades BY SIDNEY ZABELL

szabell.gazette@gmail.com

hen it comes to grading participation in classes, some students who don’t speak up as often feel that they are at a slight disadvantage in grading. Many classes, typically English or History, have a dedicated component of participation grades, but the grading on this varies from teacher to teacher. For several English classes, participation grades are solely based on the number of times a student speaks in class or class discussions. Some Granite Bay High School students feel that this is unfair towards those who are are less comfortable with speaking in class discussions. Oftentimes, more shy students understand the topic being discussed very well but struggle with communicating those thoughts to others is group discussions, such as Socratic seminars or student-led discussions. This can result in students earning grades lower than what they desired because they do not speak sufficiently in discussions. In Mike Valentine’s AP European History class, participation is ten percent of the total grade. 75 percent of grades come from assignments, quizzes, and tests. The final 15 percent is from finals and midterms. “Participation to me is doing what you’re supposed to do,” Valentine said. “You get here on time. You don’t look at your phone. You don’t throw stuff at the teacher. You don’t disrupt the class or do something like that.” Valentine’s grading on participa-

tion, however is different than most — students are not required to speak in order to receive credit. “It does not mean you have to say anything. I learned a long time ago (that) some of my best students are the quietest students.” Valentine said. “To me, (being quiet) shouldn’t be something that I should be punishing my students for, because I’m quiet.” Valentine’s class is more teacheroriented than most classes, so student-speaking is not as necessary. He often asks the class questions at the beginning of class, but recognizes that being put on the spot can still make students nervous. “I’m a reflection of a lot of what happened to me and what I didn’t like,” Valentine said. “That’s why I think if it’s necessary for (other teachers), that’s great. It’s not necessary for me, but I see their point… (and) at the same time, I think that teachers who do that may be bringing (quiet students) out of their comfort zone(s).” In English classes, it is a California State Standard to assess students on their abilities to speak and listen to others. “(Assessing) the listening part is the hardest… (because) how do you really measure whether somebody is listening, with the exception of having them repeat back through speech what somebody else has said,” English teacher Adam McLearan said. “It’s very difficult to measure that, but we have to have something to measure it. So, one of the chief thing we English teachers use is discussion models.” McLearan’s classes use a variety of discussion models in order to gain maximum benefit to students. “We try to have a variety of different things because we realize that not every student is comfortable,”

McLearan said. “I try to give as many opportunities to show that person’s proficiency and have a variety so they can prove that they can (demonstrate the standards), just as I would for writing or just as I would for reading.” From some students’ perspectives, it can be worrisome to have parts of grades revolve around whether they speak in class or not. “A lot of the grading comes from sharing your ideas (and) discussing them out loud,” sophomore Sasha Shirai said. “You want to create an environment that you’re comfortable with (for discussions).” Shirai said that if students are struggling with participation grades, they should speak with their teachers about it. “I notice most of the school revolves around being an extrovert,” Shirai said. “Some people do better with writing (their thoughts) down.” Sophomore Kyla Miyashiro’s English class only has small group discussions. “I think (that) helps shy students to feel more comfortable talking in front of others and sharing their ideas,” Miyashiro said. Senior Zack Moeller said that some people dominate the in-class conversations. “There’s a few people who take up most of the discussion time,” Moeller said. “Everyone else has to get their one point in to get (some credit).” In his AP Euro and Honors English 10 block, Moeller had to participate in discussions with over 60 students. He enjoyed history more because he wasn’t required to speak. “Everyone expresses themselves in different ways,” Moeller said. “Writing and smaller groups (are my strengths).”

Friday, December 16, 2016

Winter Ball evolves over the years

Comparing the annual dance from freshman to senior year BY ANDREW YUNG

ayung.gazette@gmail.com

very year, Granite Bay High School has one formal dance – Winter Ball – that freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors are all allowed to attend. This year, Winter Ball was on Dec. 10, and while most high schools have Homecoming as their first formal of the year, GBHS chose to do their dances differently. “(Originally) students didn’t want Homecoming to be a formal date dance,” said Linda Dickson, an English teacher and the former activities director. “(Students) came up with an idea of having

Lifestyle

The Granite Bay Gazette

a formal (dance) later that was for all grade levels.” While it may not have the appeal of Junior Prom and Senior Ball, as both offer more exclusivity, Winter Ball offers something different. “What makes Winter Ball special and should make it special for all four years,” said Tamara Givens, the current activities director at GBHS, “is that it is the only whole-school … formal dance that we have, so it is something students can experience four times in high school.” Because of this, a lot of students do end up choosing to go to Winter Ball each and every year. As a dance, Winter Ball stays relatively the same, but as an experience, a lot of people feel that it changes as they get older.

“As a freshman, you don’t have as much freedom as you do senior year,” said Diana Garcia, a senior. “(That’s why) I look forward to it (senior year) more than I did as a freshman and a sophomore.” Some students also feel that some aspects of the dance have declined as they’ve gotten older. “I think freshman year the music was a lot better,” senior Taylor Kring said. “Transportation has (also) changed. Freshman year we had our parents drive us, and then (by) sophomore year, we were all driving.” In general though, like any other school activity, Winter Ball creates an environment that allows you to meet and talk to different people. “I go to Winter Ball because it’s a great time to talk to people I haven’t talked to in a while,” Garcia said. “It’s fun to dance with my friends and even people I don’t talk to on a daily basis.” Even people who have not yet been to

the dance have felt its influence. “I’ve watched my brother and sister go off to Winter Ball,” freshman Summer Holt said , “and they’ve brought back nothing but happy memories … I feel like going to Winter Ball is just part of (the) complex high school experience.” With that said, not all Winter Ball experiences are positive ones. “Winter Ball causes a lot of unnecessary drama and stress when it comes to planning the groups,” Garcia said Also, tickets to get into the dance are somewhat pricey. The lowest price is at 15 dollars. However, in the end, many people feel that Winter Ball is worth the price of admission and the drama. “I’ve noticed that Winter Ball adds some drama sometimes,” Holt said. “But at the end of the night, everyone seems like they had a great night. I feel like it … leaves people with something to talk about for a while.”

TOP

Christmas Songs Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Frosty the Snowman

The Christmas Song

Winter Wonderland

Special to the Gazette /DIANA MARRIOTT

Gazette photo /SURINA KHURANA

wCouple Taylor Kring and Diana Garcia, poses for a photo at Winter Ball their freshman year, left, and their senior year, right.

National Park of the Month

A Holly Jolly Christmas

Yosemite National Park

• Yosemite was founded on Oct. 1, 1890, and was the second national park created. • A Scottish environmentalist named John Muir spearheaded the movement to preserve Yosemite. • Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America at 2,425 feet. • Yosemite has more domes than any other place with the most famous being Half Dome, standing 8,842 feet tall. – by Brayden Johnk, Lifestyle editor

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Gazette photo /BRAYDEN JOHNK

The famous Half Dome in Yosemite National Park is known world-wide and visited by many.

How to: Wrap a Christmas present

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

1) Gather wrapping materials 2) Secure fragile items Jingle Bell Rock

3) Measure out how much paper to cut 4) Secure the paper to the box with tape 5) Fold the other side for a cleaner edge Gazette illustration/BRAYDEN JOHNK

Sleigh Ride

6) Fold the paper on each side of the present 7) Stand the box up and repeat folding to the other side - Compiled by Isabella Tkachuk

- By Brayden Johnk

B6 Lifestyle

Friday, December 16, 2016

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Mythbusting the Dutch Bros. Coffee conspiracy The rumor that the straw color customers receive in their cup reflects their appearance has long been debated BY MACKENZIE BROWN mbrown.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette iIllustration/MCKENNA ARAM

he straw system is simple. Pink represents pretty, green means you’re unsightly, orange signifies you’re strange, yellow symbolizes average and blue indicates rudeness according to the “The Veronica James Show” and many lovers of the popular coffee stand, Dutch Brothers. This “straw code” was mysteriously developed with a floating controversy among customers on whether it exists or not. According to various websites, one being “The Veronica Show,” customers say that they have witnessed the “straw code” in action on some of their visits, while it wasn’t apparent on others. Catherine Rubino, a junior at Granite Bay High School who frequents Dutch Brothers on a nearly daily basis, doesn’t believe in the “straw code”. “I don’t think (it exists) because I go all the time and they normally give me the same color every time,” Rubino said. With the constant hustle and bustle that the Dutch Brothers employees have to keep up with, it seems irrational that they would spare seconds on something like picking a certain colored straw. “I think it’s a myth because I don’t see why the workers would truly care about the straw color (that they give),” Rubino said. Like Rubino, GBHS sophomore Sammy Giblin goes to Dutch Bros often and has also heard about the supposed “straw codes.” In contrast to Rubino’s beliefs, Giblin thinks that the “straw code” does exist. Although she knows that the straws represent different characteristics, hers were different than the ones posted on “The Veronica Show.” Allegedly, both blue and orange happen to represent mysterious. “I believe the straw code exists,” Gimblin said. “But (I think) it depends on the workers and the location.” Gimblin has talked to workers who say that they only assign the colored straws via the “straw system” occasionally. “They said they don’t partake in it when it’s packed but if there’s only a few cars they will,” Gimblin said. According to Gimblin, some locations do it more frequently than others. “The Citrus Heights location has said they do it regularly, but I haven’t seen it at the Granite Bay location,” Gimblin said.

Although she can’t be positively sure whether the straw code truly exists, she is all for the idea of it. “I love it. It’s my absolute favorite,” Gimblin said. Trinity Burley, a GBHS junior and frequent Dutch Brothers customer, doesn’t think the secret straw system is real. “I do not believe in it. It exists because girls want to think people give them pink straws because they think that they are cute,” Burley said. To Burley, the system appears unrealistic and it stems from a sense of narcissism that customers want to appear a certain way based on the color straw that they receive. “I think it’s dumb,” Burley said. “I just want coral straws because they’re my favorite color and I don’t care what that means.” Former GBHS student Rian Lombardo, like Gimblin, believes in Dutch Brothers’ straw color system. “I actually didn’t know about it until like a month or two ago,” Lombardo said when asked if she was aware of the secret code. Now that she is aware of it, she believes it exists in certain situations. “I think it really depends,” Lombardo said. “Sometimes I think they’re just in a hurry and trying to get you in and out of line, but sometimes yes (workers use the straw system).” The reason that Lombardo believes in the “straw code” is that she has claimed to experience it firsthand. “Once a guy was flirting with me and he gave me a pink straw and winked at me and said, ‘Wow you look amazing,’” Lombardo said. Ultimately, whether customers believe that the system of colored straws exists or not doesn’t matter because GBHS senior and Dutch Brothers employee Taylor Annis confirmed that it is true: straws are assigned to customers by the straw system. But, there’s a catch. “We don’t ever really use it.” Annis said. “The only time we really use it is if we get the customer at a time where we can engage with them and talk, not when we’re in a rush with a large line.” Now that the straw code has been exposed as real, the next time you go to Dutch Brothers for a drink, hope for a pink straw.

Sports

Granite Bay Gazette

C Section

Friday w December 16, 2016

COMMENTARY

ali lemos alemos.gazette@gmail.com

Specialization in one sport can detract from expanding

played volleyball for over seven years but once I decided to stop I was too far behind in any other sport to pick up something new. When I was little I did everything under the sun – soccer, softball, ballet, swim, basketball gymnastics, skiing and volleyball. I loved being active and playing random sports with my friends. However, as I grew older the competition in these sports grew to a point where I had to make a decision. I could continue to play all these sports but never specialize in one, or specialize in one and get really good at it. I choose the route almost everyone has to if they want to continue to play through high school, I decided I’d get really good at volleyball. While I love volleyball, I always wonder what would’ve happened if I continued with other sports. The competition is so high at the high school level that the only way to make a volleyball team was to spend all my time playing volleyball. I gave up playing other sports that I love and could have competed in because I didn’t have enough time. Often, I wish I’d tried to at least make time for the ski team. I started competing when I was young and really enjoyed it but it was too much of a time commitment. Or I’ll think to myself, if I had kept up on soccer I could go play with my friends and not make a complete fool out of myself. I don’t have to be the best at every sport I do but I feel like this has become the stigma. Many athletes don’t plan on continuing their sport into college so why do we put so much pressure on exceeding expectations and spending all our time doing one thing? Athletics is now all about winning and competing at the highest level and fun is correlated only with winning and nothing else. While winning is fun, there should be other ways to find entertainment in a sport. Additionally, since my friends and I all play different sports, none of us can play the other sport well enough for it to be fun for both teams. I think sports have become too much of a competition for people who just do it as a way to stay busy. I never planned on playing in college, but that didn’t stop me from attending extra practices, spending any days off training and pretty much having my life revolve around volleyball. I missed out on football games, dances and traveling all for a sport I knew I wasn’t going to play beyond senior year. A fun way to fill time, sports are constructive and help build character, but perhaps less pressure needs to be placed on success and more on the experience.

***

Ali Lemos, a senior, is a Sports editor.

Special to the Gazette /LORI KAMBE

Water polo boys win section title The Granite Bay High School boys’ water polo team poses for a photo after their Division I CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Championship win against Davis High.

Team makes history BY ALINA POCZOBUTT

apoczobutt.gazette@gmail.com

Granite Bay High School boys varsity water polo achieved their three year long goal of earning the section title champions in November. Granite Bay played against Davis High School on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Roseville Aquatic Center. The final score was 6-8, Granite Bay. The team went into the game confident in their abilities, but knew that they had to play their hardest.

GBHS water polo had won one game against DHS, and lost one game this season to DHS as well. The boys on the water polo team were very happy to have the opportunity to play for the title of section champions, and knew that they had the ability to win because of the amount of work they had put in to prepare. Logan Swanson, a GBHS senior on the team, was optimistic about their chances. “I was happy to be there and I felt like we had a good chance of winning,” Swanson said. GBHS senior Connor MacDonald knew they were going to have to fight to win the

Does success cover controversy?

game. “We were confident in our team, but it was definitely going to be a competitive game,” MacDonald said. The team has had an overall very successful season, with a 30-2 record. “We just had to play like we had been playing for most of the season,” Swanson said. Both boys agreed that winning the title of section champs has been their motivation to practice hard for the past three years. “Winning Section(s) ... has been our goal every since we walked onto campus as freshmen,” Swanson said. Senior boys on the team had been work-

ing hard since freshman year whether it was working hard in practices, going to games or even joining the swim team in order to stay in shape for water polo season. The boys said everything the team has done this season helped them to achieve the title of Championship on Nov. 12. 2016 is the first year that a boys varsity water polo team has claimed the title of D1 section champions in all of Granite Bay history. Parents, as well as many GBHS students, went out to support the team at the section championship game. See POLO, page C3 Bryan Baumgarten, left, follows through on his swing after hitting a ball down the fairway. The GBHS graduate is now playing in college for Illinois, a Div. I program.

Varsity teams approach struggles in different ways

Griffin Vidaurri Senior varsity football player says winning only made the team more divided

BY WILL ANDERSON

wanderson.gazette@gmail.com

The great Vince Lombardi once said individual commitment to a group effort is what makes a team work. For many athletic programs across the Granite Bay High School campus, this logic closely coincides with a team’s success. An uncharacteristic 4-7 varsity football season led to rumors, pointing of fingers and disagreements between players and coaches. Because the team was losing, there seemed to be more reason to be upset at specific coaches, players or even the team as a whole. Usually, these types of incongruencies go unnoticed while a team is winning, but the struggles of the football team ended up tainting the perspectives of many fans, players and some coaches, and questions arose regarding what caused the poor results. The boys’ water polo team faced similar struggles regarding some disagreements late in the summer months. However, the Grizzlies continued winning – and the problems were overlooked and the team soon regained focus to go on and win a section championship. “The coaches were hard during the summer, and we got kind of burnt out because it was so many

hours of polo every week,” said junior Blake D’Souza, a member of the varsity water polo team. “But in the end, we realized it was right what they did.” The team’s undefeated league season is one of the best performances in school history. “After winning, I respected the coaches so much more,” D’Souza said. “I already respected them a lot, but I realized they knew what they had to do to get this done and to win sections.” Because they continued to win, water polo fans, players and coaches were able to ignore the hiccup during their season. “Our season isn’t (people’s) top priority,” D’Souza said. “They probably don’t care that much about what we put in as long as we win.” GBHS health teacher and water polo coach John MacLeane said the difficulties the team faced See WINNING, page C4

Golfer excels Former GBHS student exceeds expectations in first year of college BY BRAYDEN JOHNK

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Granite Bay High School not only fosters academically talented men and women but also superb athletes. Bryan Baumgarten is living proof of this. Baumgarten, a 2015 GBHS graduate, is currently in his freshman year at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign majoring in business and playing on the men’s golf team. Just like all incoming freshman, he had to adjust to

Special to the Gazette /BRETT BAUMGARTEN

college, balancing the demands of his academic curriculum and of playing for a prominent and competitive Division 1 sports team. “The shift from high school to college was extreme,” Baumgarten said. “All the things I took for granted like laundry and friends all of the sudden disappeared.” GBHS instilled in Baumgarten the qualities necessary for college success, according to Baumgarten. “Academically, Granite Bay taught me to how to be proactive and get things done,” Baumgarten said. He also directly benefited from his time representing GBHS on the varsity boys’ Golf Team for three of his four years. “Golf wise, Granite Bay provided a very competitive atmosphere that always forced me to push myself to be the best I could be,” Baumgarten stated. The men’s golf program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign clearly sensed this in See BAUMGARTEN, page C3

inside sports Grizz Quiz

Fan of the Month

Patterson’s Cannon

GBHS teacher celebrates touchdowns with a cannon

Athlete of the Month C5

Girls’ Water Polo GBHS girls win Sierra Foothill League crown

Winter Sports Update Girls’ soccer transitions to colder season

Friday, December 16, 2016

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w The Granite Bay Gazette

A look back at the success of the girls’ golf team

GBHS varsity golf claimed the SFL league title, as well as the section crown BY MAX SCHWARTZ

mschwartz.gazette@gmail.com

The Granite Bay High varsity girls’ golf team just finished its season undefeated in league and then went on to win a division and section title, doing all of this for a second consecutive season. The season started with lots of opportunity for great success. “All of us played a lot of tournaments during the summer and in the off season so we all had a lot of experience going into the new season,” said Sienna Lynford, a senior on the GBHS team. The team had an incentive to perform well because of last year’s record. “ Last year was our first time qualifying for NorCals as a team, so this season we knew we had to better ourselves to get there and maybe further,” Lynford said. “We used that experience to better guide our practices to get physically prepared, as well as mentally prepared and learning to deal with those types of nerves.” The girls had high expectations for themselves to push themselves in every practice. “We knew that this team was capable of being very successful and we set a very high standard for ourselves, especially after our success from last season,” Lynford said.. “We worked extra hard to achieve those expectations.” The girls would say what gave them the biggest edge on the course was their chemistry. “ We are all such close friends both on and off the golf course,” Lynford said. “We are very supportive of each other and always motivate each other to keep working hard. “There is so much talent on this team, and it is inspiring to see how hard everyone works and how dedicated each player is. All the girls are very encouraging and we always give each other tips so we can help each other improve.” During the regular season, the girls were invited

to a private tournament at Poppy Ridge, a course where the girls played really well. “ None of us had ever played in that tournament or at that course before, so we didn’t really know what to expect,” Lynford said. “We were also playing against teams we had never seen before. “When we all finished, we told each other our scores and when we realized we had broken a record, we were all super excited. The trophy we won was extremely cool to bring back to the school.” During the season in their normal league match play, the girls faced Oak Ridge, a team that has been historically very difficult for GBHS to beat. “Oak Ridge has always been our rival school and had great players, so we knew that it was going to be tough to win league this season” Lynford said. “We beat Oak Ridge by 18 shots in our first match against them, which gave us a lot of extra confidence moving forward, which is what definitely gave us the push for the league win.” Going into the postseason with the record the girls had at the time, and then winning the Sierra Foothill League title, might have been stressful for some teams, but the girls had a different attitude. “We just played our game and had fun.” said sophomore Vanessa Richani “It really made the difference” After the Nor-Cal tournament, when the team was eliminated, Richani was to advance to the state championship as an individual player. “Going to state was definitely my most memorable moment from this season,” Richani said. “All of my friends and family came to support me, and it was an experience I will never forget.” Special to the Gazette /RON AND NINETTE DOLLESIN The GBHS girls’ golf team is without a doubt going to carry on the legacy of being one of the most The GBHS varsity girls’ golf team went undefeated in league, winning a Sierra Foothill League title, successful teams in the school. then added the Sac-Joaquin Section championsip title and made it to the NorCal tournament.

Teachers dedicate time to students

Working with high school students is my passion, and math and aquatics are my avenues to do so. –John Sherman, GBHS teacher and swim coach

GBHS faculty double as coaches BY REESE RICHMOND

rrichmond.gazette@gmail.com

Teachers already put an immense amount of time into their jobs, but believe it or not, many teachers put even more time into coaching a sport at GBHS. “All teachers need to do something else for the school, at least you should,” freshman football coach, track and field coach, and AP European History teacher, Mike Valentine said. “(It can be) some committee or academic committee, something outside of school,” Valentine said. “I wanted to do that but I wanted to do that through coaching,” Valentine isn’t the only teacher who has taken on coaching as well. A number of Special to the Gazette /CHRISTIAN MURPHY teachers double as a coach and teacher. John MacLeane, crouched center, coaches the varsity boys’ water polo team in the section championship game. GBHS health and safety teacher, John MacLeane, also coaches varsity boys’ waing an extra responsibility to their plate. Honors and CP Chemistry teacher, worth of time plus the amount of time it ter polo. Angela Pozzi teaches 9th Grade “I coached here from the first day I Damien Lawrence, is also an assistant takes to grade, create lesson plans, etc., Physical Education as well as coaches started teaching but it was originally water coach for Varsity Boys Water Polo, but the teachers who double as coaches, put Cross Country and Track and Field. John didn’t start coaching till after he had been even more time into helping high school Sherman teaches Integrated Math 1 and 2 polo and swimming. Working with high school students is my passion and math teaching for awhile. students. and coaches Boys and Girls Swimming. and aquatics are my avenues to do so,” “I remember reffing GB water polo for Sherman spends 45 hours a week coachStephen Smith teaches Martial Arts, 9th Sherman said. years before I came to teach here. When ing during the fall, which is just the off and 10th Grade Physical Education, and Valentine started coaching football as I was no longer scheduled to be an IB season for swim and teaches everyday coaches Varsity Football and Junior Varearly as he was a student-teacher and has teacher, volunteering to coach was an easy from 7-3:30 which adds up to 40 hours a sity Girl’s Basketball. decision,” Lawrence said. week. All of these teachers started coaching at now been coaching football for 22 years the same time they started teaching, addand track for even longer. Already putting in a full school day’s During the swim season, Sherman is on

Patterson’s cannon-firing excites GBHS community

market he knew it was destiny. Patterson wanted to share his passion of cannons with others which led to asking the principal of GBHS at the time, Ron Severson (now the Roseville Joint Union High School District’s superintendent), if he could shoot the nine-inch cannon at the football games. BY MILAN FRENCH “When you go to a Cal game, they’ve got a cannon mfrench.gazette@gmail.com – when you go to a University of Nevada, Reno game they’ve got a cannon,” Patterson said. “Usually colleges do, (but) what if we do it here at the high school Bill Patterson, Granite Bay High School Business level?” Concepts and Business Communications teacher, is At first Severson was unsure and asked Patterson to known best for firing his cannon at football games. Patterson was very involved in Boy Scouts as a child propose the idea to the local fire marshal at the time. Luckily the GBHS bonfire was going on, and Patterson and went on to become a Boy Scout leader for his children. As a Boy Scout leader, he heard about a place had the perfect opportunity to ask the marshal, but the fire marshal at the time declined to approve the idea called Mountain Man Rendezvous, the place where he because Patterson didn’t have an official license. discovered his love for cannons. Four years later Patterson got news that there was a “(I heard a) kaboom, and they are shooting cannons” said Patterson. See PATTERSON, page C4 Then later when he found a cannon at Denios flea

campus teaching and coaching from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, and sometimes he doesn’t leave until 8 p.m. or later. Along with this, he spends a lot of his weekends traveling with the team. Pozzi can spend 6-14 hours coaching on race days alone. MacLeane also puts a huge amount of time into coaching, especially when water polo is in season. “During the season I probably put more time into coaching than teaching. Sometimes coaching can be a 10-12 hour day,” MacLeane said. Teacher coaches don’t just sacrifice time during the season of their sport, but they spend time coaching during summer and the off season as well. “You’re attending clinics in the off season, beginning in January, and then you have spring football and you have summer football and then in the fall, you’re going the whole time,” Smith said. With the extreme amount of time teachers put into teaching and the additional time they spend coaching, which can sometimes be more than the time they spend teaching, it’s important that they prioritize and manage their time well. Some teacher coaches have even been given help by other teachers and administrators in managing their time. See TEACHERS, page C3

Despite the build up, the event is loved by many

Gazette illustration /CARISSA LEWIS

Friday, December 16, 2016

Grizz Quiz

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Compiled by Kate Booth

Tyler Boyer Water Polo

What winter holiday do you celebrate?

Who do you celebrate with?

What’s a Christmas tradition you have?

What’s your favorite holiday cookie?

What is your favorite season?

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Madeline Frey Band

Christmas.

Mostly my family but sometimes my friends.

My parents do elf on the shelf for my sisters.

Those sugar cookies with the designs on them.

Spring because of all the colors.

My family.

We watch “A Christmas Story” and eat food.

Leah Thomas Band

Katie Misik Track and Field

Jake Ritter Cross Country

Christmas.

Usually friends and family, this year probably my girlfriend as well. We always put ornaments on the tree together the night before Christmas.

Chocolate Chip.

The Christmas cookies with icing on them.

Winter because it’s cold.

Spring because the weather is so nice and the trees are so beautiful.

I celebrate with my mom and my brother.

My family and extended family.

Every Christmas Eve we sleep in the living room and then we all wake up at the same time.

We go over to my grandma or cousins’ house and have Chrismas breakfast.

My mom’s homemade chocolate chip cookies.

I love pumpkin spice cookies.

Fall or winter.

I like summer because I like the way everything looks and I like swimming.

POLO: Team undefeated in league

Continued from page C1

Diemer, a junior at GBHS. Diemer had been to a few water polo games before the sections game, but said he will be attending more in the future. “I would love to continue to go the games in the future,” Diemer said. Besides being able to cheer on his friends and watch a great game, Diemer was able to celebrate with the team by joining them in the pool after the game. Winning was a huge accomplishment for the water polo team. “It was great to see that all of the work we put in during the past few years finally paid off,” said senior Michael Plastino, who has been playing for GBHS since his fresh-

man year. GBHS water polo has had a successful season ending their season on a high note. This year’s team was the first team to win the D1 section game in all of GBHS water polo history. Besides being section champs, GBHS water polo was a very successful Granite Bay sports team this year. If water polo continues to play as well as they did this year, GBHS students could be going or water polo games to cheer on the team. Current GBHS senior and Tribe leader Dillon Ruddell was unable to make it to the sections game, but wishes he was able to go. “The Tribe leaders,” Ruddell said, “will definitely encourage

next year’s leaders to go games,” Ruddell said. Besides winning sections, four players were titled All American Athletes. Seniors, Jackson Macleane, Michael Plastino, Connor MacDonald and Logan Swanson have been playing for GBHS since they were Freshmen. All American Athletes are the best athletes from teams in both California and Hawaii. There are a total of eleven players named All Americans, four of which came from GBHS this year. “I am honored that the coaches and players of our section think so highly of me and it feels great that all of my hard work has been Special to The Gazette /LORI KAMBE recognized,” MacDonald said. Christian Murphy rises out of the water to take a shot at the goal during a game against Leland.

Freshman starts on varsity soccer team as goalie BY MAX SCHWARTZ

mschwartz.gazette@gmail.com

Summer Holt is a starting goalie on Granite Bay women’s soccer team, as only a freshman. Holt said began playing soccer at a very young age after messing around with her older siblings. “I’ve been playing soccer (since) I was 5 years old,” Holt said. “Before that, however, I was always messing around with a ball because my brother and sister both played.” Ever since then she hasn’t stopped doing what she loves. “When I started I just kind of jumped into it, I have never looked back since and I love every second of it.” Holt said.

Holt made the team as a freshman along four other freshman. “It was such an honor making varsity as a freshman,” Holt said. “I was so excited when I saw my name on the list and even more excited to see three other freshmen on the list as well.” Holt accredits her getting on the varsity team to the hard work she does for soccer. “ I put a lot of work, time, and effort into soccer, and I think making varsity is a reward for that.” Hold said. “ I train Monday through Friday, typically with two games throughout the week. My club team also offers and program where we train Wednesday and Sunday nights.” Holt added that making varsity doesn’t mean she

BAUMGARTEN: Golfer succeeding Continued from page C1

we’ve already created so many memories. On and off the field, this is a great group of girls with a lot of potential.” Holt said. Summer Holt has a very bright future ahead of her and through the hard work and determination she has brought to the varsity team this year, there is no doubt that she is making it to college with the talent she has.

TEACHERS: Finding time for coaching duties Continued from page C2 ing his prep period which meant he would have to find another time to do his prep period work, which he usually did during his lunch, before school, and at night after his kids went to bed. However, this year, he has been given a prep period. “This year, Jennifer Leighton and Tim Healy, with the help from my department and Lisa Vaughan, were able to give me a section of Athletic PE so I will actually have prep time in my schedule AND I’m super pumped and grateful for that,” Sherman said. With the immense amount of time teachers put into teaching and teacher coaches put into coaching, it can

become stressful and it’s important that teacher coaches remember the reason they participate in both. “I truly believe people need balance in their life,” Lawrence said. “Academics alone do not provide young adults with exposure to the multitude of life skills that will be necessary in their future. Many of the qualities I possess that have helped me succeed in life were not learned in the classroom but rather on decks and on the fields of athletics.” Sherman has a business degree and originally planned to be a pharmaceutical sales rep, but he enjoyed working with high school students more. “My passion has always been

SPORTS BRIEFS Senior Isaiah Lewis is ready to become a Buffalo. The GBHS football player is going to graduate early and get a head start on his football career at the University of Colorado. “I am graduating early to get school started, but also to be able to learn the playbook and participate in spring ball to compete this upcoming season,” Lewis said. Lewis will graduate GBHS on January and start his Colorado experience on the 17th. Lewis is looking forward to the next stage in his life. “I am looking forward to a new environment, making new relationships, and continuing “the Rise,” Lewis said.

working with high school students and passion is more important than making money,” Sherman said. Along with having the ability to pursue both passions for coaching and teaching, teacher coaches are able to develop relationships not only with their students, but with their players as well. “Football, I told my freshmen who I just finished with, ‘You guys now made it into the club, forever, you’re my guys,’” Valentine said. Although teachers, coaches, and teachers who are also coaches must dedicate a lot of time to their jobs and it can often be tiring and stressful, they enjoy it. “If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t do it,” Smith said. Isaiah Lewis GBHS football player will graduate in January to pursue football at the University of Colorado

The decision was hard for him, but in the end he and his family decided it was best for them both. I am excited to start my next chapter and see what the future holds,” Lewis said. “I will miss my family and friends more than anything.” -Compiled by Cole Kahmann

Your names. Your faces. The Gazette.

Baumgarten when they recruited him to play golf for their program, which has been in the top five teams at the NCAA National Championship for each of its last four seasons. This season’s results have proven just as promising, with the team finishing first in four of five fall tournaments. Most recently, the team competed in and won the East Lake Cup in Atlanta, Georgia. Baumgarten has been instrumental in the seven-man team’s success, especially at East Lake. “Winning East Lake is one of my greatest accomplishments in my entire golf career,” Baumgarten said. Starting as a freshman is one thing, but playing in the final pairing in the title match against defending NCAA champion Oregon is another – and that’s exactly the position Baumgarten found himself in. “I was extremely happy when my coach put me in the anchor spot in the championship match,” Baumgarten said. “It allowed me to prove myself.” He ended up defeating his opponent five and four, including two incredible hole-outs from the bunker, to bring home the victory for Illinois. “To come out and get the win that clinched our team victory was special and something I won’t ever forget,” Baumgarten said. Tim Healy, GBHS varsity boy’s golf team coach, worked with Baumgarten throughout his years at Granite Bay.

“I thought Bryan was one of the neatest young men we’ve ever had in this program,” Healy said. “Bryan was one of those athletes who never seemed to allow adversity to affect him. In fact, it usually made him a little bit sharper and made him compete even harder.” With Baumgarten’s stellar contribution to Granite Bay High’s golf team, Healy also expected to see great things from him in college as well. “I’m not surprised that, as a true freshman, he is starting for one of the top five programs in the nation,” Healy said. “I think he’s that good – I think he can take this as far as he wants to go.” While the future can hold many paths for Baumgarten, Healy is supportive of whatever he decides and is confident in his long-term abilities. “If he wants to go into business, if he wants to do other things with his skills, more power to him,” Healy said. “But at the same time, do I think he has the potential to play professionally? Yeah, I really do.” As Baumgarten looks ahead to Illinois’ spring tournament schedule that will take him all over the country, he will likely continue as a key contributor to the team’s success, as they vie for the NCAA championship title. Clearly, Baumgarten hasn’t disappointed so far, and Healy sees a nothing but a bright future ahead of him. “Bryan’s one of those kids who, essentially, refuses to lose,” Healy said. “He’s a multi-talented kid with a phenomenal head his shoulders.”

eases up. “I definitely still have to work hard in training to prove myself, there’s no doubt about that, but the team makes the whole experience great” Though the youngest, Holt says the seniors are approachable. “On a team full of many upperclassmen, I feel intimidated in a way, and I sometimes feel a little nervous, but everyone is so welcoming and they make me and the other underclassmen feel better about ourselves” Holt said Holt believes the team is going to have a really good season this year looking ahead. “Our team is looking really good this year, We’re playing and bonding really well with each other and

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Friday, December 16, 2016

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PATTERSON: Cannon tradition looks to be continued for future seasons

Continued from page C2 new marshal in charge, and he once again proposed the cannon idea. This time, the marshal was all in. “He said, ‘I like that idea, I want to see it, and I want to hear it,” Patterson said. From there Patterson shot his cannon at every game he could until Tim Healy, a GBHS government/ economics teacher and the athletic director, to ld Patterson that he just got word from the Northern California commissioner’s office for sports saying there can’t be any noise makers during a football game. “OK, I’m just glad I had been doing it as long as I have,” Patterson said. This August right before school started, Patterson found out he could indeed fire the cannon again. Since then, the cannon ritual at GBHS has continued and has gotten positive feedback from students and football players all around campus. “I dig it – it rattles kids up,” sophomore Jake McKillop said. “Yeah, that’s Mr. Patterson, and that’s our team. … We’re out here at a pretty cool football game listening to something that other schools cannot offer. It’s a special venue here at Granite Bay.” Sophomore Ben Hilburn agreed.

“I think it’s really exciting, it pumps up the players, and it pumps up the tribe,” Hilburn said. “It gets everyone going, when that cannon goes off in the beginning everyone just gets excited, and it makes me just personally feel good and I like it.” Patterson will fire the cannon once when the players run the field, after the national anthem, after each touchdown scored by the Grizzlies and at the end of every home game. “I think that it really starts the games with a bang, and it’s kind of our thing,” junior Camille Franklin said. “We love to hear it – it’s a part of our school, and if they got rid of it I’d be very upset.” Not only do the students love the tradition, Patterson does as well. “I really enjoy it,” Patterson said. “Usually the kids in my class love it – they come in on Mondays saying, ‘Mr. Patterson, you scared me again.’ The thing I like about it is that everyone at Granite Bay does something – and I shoot the cannon at games. I really enjoy it, and I love my job.” As for next year, Patterson said he definitely wants to carry on the tradition and fire his beloved cannon at the games. “If all systems are a go,” Patterson said, “absolutely.”

Fan enjoys being spirited Griggs enourages her friends to attend games and show their support at most sporting events BY PAIGE ERICKSON

perickson.gazette@gmail.com

Students at Granite Bay High School show their support for their school sports teams. Every year, countless different students display a positive attitude and spirit. One student in particular shows her grizzly pride at every game she attends. Rain or shine, the fan of the month always shows up. Senior Danielle Griggs is a dedicated sports fan at GBHS who shares her school spirit. She has been attending games at GB for the past three years and looks forward to all of them. Griggs enjoys going to games for several reasons. She likes to see her friends and watch her peers from school have a great time. “My favorite memory was when we won our last home game,” said Griggs. “We made playoffs and I ran onto the field with the Tribe.” Griggs makes efforts to attend all sports, but her favorite two to watch are football and volleyball. “I like football because the tribe is super big,” said Griggs. “I also like volleyball games because they are really fast paced.” Before games, Griggs gets hyped with friends by playing pump up music. She also practices her cheering as much as she can. Griggs dresses up in school attire to further show her support for teams. “I put on grizzly gear and green, black and silver beads,” said Griggs. At games, Griggs not only cheers on her team, but encourages the “rivals.”

Danielle Griggs GBHS senior has energy at every game and tries to make as many memories as she can

“We are there to support our team, not to tear the other team down,” said Griggs. To do this, she makes sure everything she cheers is positive. You can be sure to see Griggs in the Tribe section when attending games. “The atmosphere is so positive and I enjoy cheering with my friends in the Tribe,” said Griggs. After an exciting play or just to get the team pumped, the Tribe leaders lead students in different cheers. “My favorite cheer is the GO GB GO GB GO,” said Griggs. “It is so fun and I like how loud everyone gets.” Griggs encourages people to attend games to be apart of a fun, energetic environment. The amount of people who go to the games makes every sports event even more fun. “My favorite part is seeing how many students show up and how everyone cheers together,” said Griggs. Griggs has so much pride for all of the Grizzly teams. She displays her spirit every day, especially ar games when she has a great time cheering on her classmates. “I think it’s important to support our teams because they work hard,” said Griggs. “We are all Grizzlies and should support one another.”

The GBHS Homecoming Bonfire Rally featured a number of exciting events, from fireworks to teacher Bill Patterson’s firing of the cannon, to get students hyped for the game.

Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

WINNING: The effect of success on teams Continued from page C1

“just goes with the territory” and “the competitive nature” adds a high level of intensity to practices. “We got to the point where we couldn’t even scrimmage anymore in practice,” MacLeane said. “No one wants to admit that they can be beat by anyone else.” The sport has continually evolved to become more and more aggressive, so much so that MacLeane describes it as “MMA in the water.” “How hard these guys are willing to work – they have to put their whole lives on hold,” MacLeane said. “In the summer they don’t go on vacation, they play water polo – it never stops.” MacLeane understands the difficulty of committing to a team for such an extended period of time, but players and coaches have reaped the rewards. With an overall record of 30-2, the Grizzlies placed four players – Michael Plastino, Connor MacDonald, Logan Swanson and Jackson MacLeane – on the all-American list, something coach MacLeane has never seen in all his years of coaching. “It is a testament to all that work,” MacLeane said. “The fact that they are willing to achieve something together, and accept those roles together, to do something that is very difficult.” In late October and early November, the GBHS football team went on a three-game winning streak, momentarily distracting fans from what was ultimately a difficult season. “People are quick to speculate about the football team because they only see what goes on under the lights on Friday,” senior safety Sven Pollock said. The worst winning percentage of the season occurred after the team lost its first three league games and its record dropped from 1-3 to 1-6.

“People in the community always want something to talk about – that’s why rumors are spread,” Pollock said. “They talk badly or try to interject their own opinions on why we’re losing or how we could do better. Winning definitely covers up complications that might be going on behind the scenes. Winning is the ultimate goal, so if that happens then there’s not much to complain about.” The football team’s three-game winning streak to close out the Sierra Foothill League season allowed the Grizzlies to sneak into the playoffs, where they lost 42-17 to Grant to end their season. After that first-round loss, more frustration from players surfaced. “Coach (Jeff) Evans hasn’t been a good fit for Granite Bay,” Pollock said. “His coaching style hasn’t worked for the last two years, and I don’t think it’ll get better unless there is a significant modification to the way he handles the team.” Pollock later expressed frustration with the team changing multiple things since the parting of coach Ernie Cooper such as practice structure, implementing new offensive and defensive schemes and even new uniforms. “We all wanted to add to the Granite Bay legacy,” Pollock said. “Nobody wanted to be a part of the Evans era.” As a head coach for the Grizzlies, Evans has a career record of 11-13. While critics don’t appreciate the results the program has experienced in the last two years, supporters insist those changes have only been in the best interests of the team. “Coach (Ernie) Cooper established a culture of pride, selflessness and intensity during his time as head coach,” Evans said. “As the head coach, I look to continue that.” Although some players were critical, others remained indifferent or were supportive. Some noted that coaching wasn’t

the issue for the Grizzlies. “Evans has been nothing short of perfect in being our head coach,” junior quarterback Jade Foddrill said. Foddrill said Evans’ ability to push the team helps them develop both on the field, and off the field. “From what I see, the coaches don’t show favoritism,” Foddrill said. “They play someone based on his work ethic and commitment to the team.” From senior running back Griffin Vidaurri’s perspective, when the team won, it only added to the issues that were at hand. “(Winning) didn’t cover up anything – as a team, we decided to play for ourselves, not the coaches,” Vidaurri said. “If anything it made it worse because the coaches’ ego went up a few notches each game we won.” The team had scenarios “plenty of times” in which coaches or players broke out against each other, but “that’s just football for you,” Vidaurri said. Vidaurri said he doesn’t think the team can return to a state championship level in the near future, and the main issues this season were “team division, the wrong players at the wrong positions and players not knowing their jobs.” Although ridiculed, Evans, in an interview in September, recognized the strong following and foundation the football program already has. “Granite Bay will remain a wellrespected and successful program in the long term,” Evans said in September, “because the traditions we have established and continue today are effective in life and sports. “Our guys will work hard in the classroom, they will train hard in the weight room and the football field, and they will be good people – those are culture emphases that will not waiver under my watch.” The GBHS varsity boys’ water polo team, left, celebrates its section title after the Grizzlies beat Davis 8-6 in the championship game.

Special to the Gazette /CHRISTIAN MURPHY

Your names. Your faces.

The Gazette.

Friday, December 16, 2016

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Girls’ water polo wins league Team succeeds with hard work BY MAX SCHWARTZ

mschwartz.gazette@gmail.com

When thinking of Granite Bay High School’s successful sports, most acknowledge football or basketball. However, girls’ water polo also has an astounding record. The girls’ water polo team finished its league season with a record of 7-1. The Grizzlies won the Sierra Foothill League and got to the quarterfinals of Div. 1 Sac-Joaquin Section tournament. “It was very exciting to be part of that win during my final season as a Grizzly,” said Ann Marie Seidel, who has played all four years of high school. Winning league is a feat that hasn’t been achieved by girls’ water polo in several years. “This is the first year since I have been here (as a coach) that the girls’ program has won league and eight years since the girls’ program won league outright,” said Mike Saldana, the girls’ varsity coach. Saldana said the team has been different than all of the teams he has coached in the past 17 years. “This team by far improved the most,” Saldana said. “The one thing this team had over all other teams was their willingness to take verbal instruction in and out of the water.”

Although the team had a strong refor with a smaller squad this season. cord, the entire season was not easy. “Last year’s team and the team before “We got off to a rough start in the had a lot of talent, but the teams as beginning of the season,” junior player a whole didn’t work as well together Maya Jones said. “Teams that we knew because of a divide caused by certain we should’ve beaten we lost to.” But despite the rough losses, the team players,” Jones said. “This year the problematic people didn’t return which came back to be successful. “The next practice was our most pro- was super good for us as a team because our chemistry was so great.” ductive meeting of the year,” Saldana said. “We were all The team won the able to refocus for league championship the remainder of when the Grizzlies beat the season.” We got off to a Woodcreek 3-1 in late The team also Octobert point. Then rough start in suffered from a low they went to sections number of players. the beginning where they beat Tur“We lost a lot of of the season. lock 9-2 in the opening seasoned players Teams that round before losing 8-6 and … the beginning (of the season) in double overtime to we knew we was a bit of a should’ve beat- Oakdale. bumpy road,” said Coach Saldana considKimberly Ruybal, en we lost to. ered it a moral victory the mother of a because of the progress varsity player. the team made from the – Maya Jones, junior Fortunately, the early days of the season. players overcame girls’ water polo player “Even though we lost the odds and used the low numbers to and our season ended, their advantage. taking Oakdale to double “All the girls who stayed were exovertime, a team that completely mantremely committed to the team and handled us in the beginning of the our goals, so we were very focused and season, made not only having our girls determined to show our strengths,” believe they could compete with a team Seidel said like that, but they actually did comJones said there were problems with pete,” Saldana said. “That game was so the team’s dynamics last year, another issue that the team was able to make up close it could have gone either way.”

Special to the Gazette/CAROL SEIDEL

Senior Ann-Marie Seidel looks to get the ball before her opponent does. The girls ended their Sierra Foothill League season with a 7-1 record.

Ramalia excels at wrestling, commits to Stanford GBHS seniors expects to maintain strong season

Special to the Gazette /JOHN SACHS

Jack Ramalia, a varsity wrestler, executes a single leg take down against a Freedom High School varsity wrestler at the Tim Brown Memorial Tournament. He was named the Most Impressive Wrestler at the tournament.

Senior finishes last season with an impressive win

BY BELLA HAMILTON

bhamilton.gazette@gmail.com

Wrestling is a high-intensity, concentration-filled sport that is very competitive across the globe. The sport pushes athletes to their full potential and helps them demonstrate their strength and determination. Granite Bay High School senior and wrestler Jack Ramalia is blazing a new trail at Granite Bay High. Ramalia, who is on the GBHS wrestling team for his fourth varsity season this winter, weighs 146 pounds. He has a pre-season record of 34-11 and is currently ranked No. 44 in USA’s Future Olympian Wrestling rankings. Robert Cooley, Ramalia’s coach, has coached Ramalia for nine years, ever since he joined the Grizzlies’ Kids club. “Jack trains at a level that few can reach,” Cooley said. “He gives his all every day. His goal is to be the best and not come up short. He finds the best to train with and trains.” Ramalia committed to Stanford University for wrestling on Dec. 10. Recently, Ramalia went to preseason nationals in Las Vegas, where he finished first, winning the preseason title in his weight class, despite a slew of ranked wrestlers who were competing in the event. In the California World Challenge in October, Ramalia also won the cham-

pionship in his weight class. In the past year, Ramalia has placed in four tournaments and won twice. According to Ramalia, he competed in “a 64-man bracket with kids from all over the U.S.” At preseason nationals, Ramalia went 5-0, winning against wrestlers from New Mexico, Oregon and Oklahoma. “I love winning,” Ramalia said. “It’s the best feeling because you don’t have teammates to lean on in matches, and your coaches can only help so much.” Ramalia trains with his coach Ryan Loder, a GBHS graduate who became an all-American wrestler in college. Loder works at APEX Wrestling Academy where Ramalia often trains. Ramalia’s training regimen also includes runs every morning before school. According to Ramalia, it’s all in the practice – the better prepared wrestler wins. “He has only started his climb to the top – and I am looking forward to him reaching the top,” Cooley said. The road to being a successful athlete is hard, and Ramalia is pushing through with determination and drive. According to Cooley, Ramalia is an intense wrestler, but also a fun athlete to coach. “He teaches others to help them get better,” Cooley said. “Helping others also helps him perfect his own skills.”

Connor MacDonald Senior has water polo for four years and hopes to continue in college.

Varsity player’s final year for Grizzlies is bittersweet BY BELLA HAMILTON

bhamilton.gazette@gmail.com

Connor MacDonald, a senior at GBHS shares his love for water polo and how it pushes him to his fullest potential. MacDonald has been playing water polo at GBHS for four years, from freshman to senior year. Ending his final year at GBHS in first place and undefeated with a winning record of 30-2, Connor’s last water polo season as a Grizzly has gone swimmingly. The hard work and dedication the sport demands so something that MacDonald like about the sport. “I love how much the sport requires out of an athlete to be successful,” MacDonald said. “Through all the insane workouts and never ending hours of practice the sport really allowed me to make extremely strong bonds with my teammates and life long friends.” MacDonald joined the water polo team after he didn’t make the soccer team, and he has been playing ever since. MacDonald plans to continue water polo through college and is in the process of being recruited, where he hopes to go to a Division I school. MacDonald enjoys playing and pushing him-

self as the goalie of the varsity team. In addition he also enjoys swimming MacDonald has been doing for 11 years. He said he enjoys the adrenaline from competing. “Games get extremely exciting,” MacDonald said. “That energy is something that I can’t get enough of.”

Special to the Gazette /MELANIE DEMURE

Junior Carly Wallace and Senior Daia Ernst block a ball in a game against Folsom High School.

SPORTS BRIEFS Volleyball re-entered playoffs

Typically once a team makes it into playoffs all it takes is one loss to knock them out. The Granite Bay High School girls’ volleyball team, however, got a second chance this year. The team went 7-5 in league, making it into the 2016 Division II CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Girls’ Volleyball tournament. After sweeping Inderkum High School 3-0 in the first round of playoffs, the team lost to Elk Grove High School 2-3. GBHS senior Daia Ernst, a three year varsity player, said she thought she had played her final high school game after the loss at EGHS. “I don’t think any of us expected to get the bid back into the state tournament,” Ernst said. “I didn’t even know that was a possibility. It was definitely exciting

to find out we were getting another opportunity to play together as a team.” Since they believed their season was over, Ernst said they didn’t have any practice scheduled. However, a week after the team’s loss, the players were notified that they were placed in the 2016 Division II CIF State Girls’ Volleyball Tournament. While the team did lose their game against Presentation High School 2-3, it was a close game according to Ernst. “The game was a fight until the end,” Ernst said. “Losing was disappointing, but receiving the opportunity to go out and play again was worth it.” Ernst said she has gone into playoffs every year she’s played on varsity and this was the first time they were re-entered into playoffs. “I am happy with how my last season of high school volleyball went,” Ernst said. “I was able to play with an amazing group of players who are my friends on and off the court.” -by Ali Lemos, Gazette sports editor

Friday, December 16, 2016

w The Granite Bay Gazette

SECOND LOOK

Girls’ soccer team transitions to winter BY MILAN FRENCH

mfrench.gazette@gmail.com

The girls’ soccer team had a recent change in playing season, moving from the fall to the winter. “It’s hard because it can be like 30 degrees at night,” Granite Bay High School junior and varsity soccer player Katie Hartmeier said. Expectations are high this season, even with Winter Sports new athletes coming into Update the team. “We have 24 people, which is more than usual, and more than half of our team is underclassmen.” As of Dec. 12, the girls’ varsity soccer team had a record of 2-0. “We have a lot of people who are not as experienced,” Hartmeier said, “but everyone’s really good and the skill level and talent level (are) high.” Junior Emily Talmi said she wants to “win league and the championship and spend time with (her) friends (this season).” Although there are many new team members, the players have already developed friendships with one another. “Everyone already is really close as a team even though we’ve only been playing together for two and a half weeks,” Hartmeier said. “We played really well both of our preseason games so far.”

Special to Gazette /DAVID COWLES

Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

Boys’ Soccer As of Dec. 12, the boys’ soccer team had a record of 3-1. Many players are excited for league and have improved their athletic abilities since last season. “I’m really excited about the competition,” GBHS junior and varsity player Dean Wilson said. “There are a lot of really good teams out there.” The team plans to focus on developing its technique this season. “The play style will be different than last year because last year we had a lot bigger and stronger players, but this year it’s more technical possession style plays,” GBHS junior and varsity soccer player Connor Vivaldi said. Players also have high hopes for the team as the season continues. “I think last year we struggled physically,” Wilson said, “but this year I think we are more capable and I also think we distribute the ball better.” The team plans to improve with the help of their coach. “Our coach is really implementing his style of play on us because we’re capable of playing it,” Vivaldi said. “It’s a matter of executing it and … I think we will be able to do that this year,” Wilson said the team gets along well and communicates efficiently. The team’s upcoming games take place on Jan. 3 at 7 P.M. at Woodcreek High School and Jan. 5 at 3 P.M. at GBHS against Rocklin High School.

Special to the Gazette /SERAFIN GARCIA

Wrestling The wrestling team is younger than it has been in previous years. GBHS wrestling Coach Robert Cooley said there are only three seniors on the team. “They are the core of our team,” Cooley said. “(They are) great leaders and role models.” The team has high expectations. “Everyone is dedicated to having our team make our statement,” Cooley said. “We are going to put a lot in and see what we get out.” The GBHS wrestling team has a tournament at the Asics. “(There) should be over 50 teams attending from all around California and some out of state,” Cooley said. You can also catch wrestling on Jan. 6 and 7 when they go to the Doc Buchanan Invitational at Clovis High School. Boys’ Basketball The boys’ varsity basketball team has upcoming games on Dec. 20 at 4:30 p.m. at Franklin High School and Dec. 21 at 7:00 p.m. at Whitney High School. They have a tournament in San Diego on Dec. 22. There are four seniors on the team. As of Dec. 12, the team’s record was 4-1. Girls’ Basketball Girls’ basketball is back in season and has high hopes for excelling in their league. Unlike most of the sports teams this season, the girls’ basketball team has more upperclassmen than what they had last season. “Last year we only had two seniors, and this year we have four seniors, so … our team is mostly underclassmen,” GBHS senior and varsity player Monica Contreras said. The team is still in preseason, but many of the players are expecting the season to be a great one. “I didn’t really know what to expect this year,” Contreras said. “We have 15 on the team this year and that’s the biggest group the girls team has ever had. I am expecting for us to do better than last year.”

Special to the Gazette /JOHN SACHS

wSydney Greer, Gemma Rizzuto, Sarah Thomas and Isabella Tkachuk, top left, pose at the start of the soccer season. Junior Mckenna Cowles joins other GBHS girls on the Upper Natoma Rowing club team. Junior Logan Fechner, middle, rows with his teammate. Jack Ramalia, above, topples another wrestler. Abby Marjama, right, prepares to hit a volleyball.

Special to the Gazette /KAREN FISHER

GS The Gazette’s arts and entertainment guide.

December 2016

GREENSCREEN A look into students’ winter break plans

PAGES 10&11 Gazette photo /WHITNEY KNORP

Page 2

December 2016

sneak peek.

Gazette illustrations/ NATASHA CHANDA

wSee page 5 Cats and dogs standoff

Special to the Gazette/ COLLEEN VIVALDI

wSee pages 10 & 11 Holiday and Winter trips

wSee page 20 New Years resolutions

Kanye West disappoints Sacramento fans

Artist cancels show and entire Saint Pablo tour for personal reasons

xcitement had been building for weeks as soon as Kanye West voicing them. announced his newest Saint Pablo Tour dates, one of them beHe should be able to voice his political and social opinions withing at Sacramento’s new Golden 1 Center on Nov. 21. out fearing backlash, which sadly is very difficult to do in today’s This was huge, since it has been rare to see such popular artists society. performing in the Sacramento area. I think we live in one of the most judgmental environments, Unlike other concerts, I didn’t see the usual appreciation posts and making it extremely difficult for people to say how they really feel. videos of how great the concert was. Debating with others without feeling attacked is next to impossible. Instead I came across a number of disgruntled fans ranting about Unlike most others, I respect the underlying message West got the show being an immense disappointment. across by canceling the show. West arrived almost an hour and a half late, People need to learn to respect what othperformed briefly with Kid Cudi, received unaers are saying and not target them for their mused feedback for his rants about the media thoughts, whether they agree with them or not. and Donald Trump for about 20 minutes and The cancellation sent the message that he is then cancelled the rest of the show. not going to stand for others disrespecting what For the next couple of days, all I heard were he has to say, which is a really important skill conversations about Kanye’s disappointing to have. show and his disrespect for his fans. Because so many individuals are unable to I do believe West’s actions were extremely simply agree to disagree and protest the views inconsiderate, especially since his fans paid of others respectfully, the socio-political divide hundreds of dollars to see him in concert. At in this country is becoming larger and larger. the same time, West, possibly unintentionally, The amount of backlash received for voicing brought to light an issue that I think is really an opinion, whether it’s on social media or in prevalent in the United States today. person, is one of the main factors that led to the nchanda.gazette@gmail.com This situation is a prime example of the averunprecedented results of this year’s presidential age citizen’s inability to respect the views of election. another person, and sadly, it is something that I see and experience Debate is necessary for society to progress, but by creating an enon a daily basis. vironment where individuals are afraid to debate because of fear of While ranting on stage at a San Jose concert about his support for their views being attacked, ideas are not put to use and compromises president-elect Donald Trump, West was continuously booed and are unable to be made. had items thrown at him, driving him to cancel the show, a similar There is always going to be someone or something I won’t agree situation to what occurred in Sacramento. with, but it is my responsibility to disagree and protest without disI agree that his rants were extremely haphazard and confusing, and respecting the opposing group and their ideals. for the sake of keeping a strong fan base, he definitely should have You preach what you want to preach, and I’ll do the same. been more aware of who his audience was. Sure, I might not agree with you, and I will respectfully make that Yes, many of the things he said were not smart in terms of pleasing known, but I will not take away your right to voice your opinions. his fans and maintaining a strong media front, but at the same time, *** they were still his own opinions. We should not be targeting him for Natasha Chanda, senior, is a Gazette Greenscreen editor

COMMENTARY

natasha chanda

Guide to Green Screen

Page 3 Gazette Baking competition Page 4 Top Tweets Page 5 Cats v Dogs Page 6 Food reviews

Page 7 Music Reviews Page 8 Multicultural Christmas Page 10/11 Winter trips Page 9 Holiday Movie Guide

Gazette Illustration /AMANDA PRATHER

Upcoming GBHS Events for December and January December 20-21 Finals December 21-January 10 Winter Break January 20 Neon dance

Page 12/13

Page 17 Dance Show

Page 14 RIP vine

Page 18 Concert reviews

Page 15 Mannequin Challenge Page 16 Follow Friday

Page 19 Movie reviews Page 20 Coffee shop trend

Winterball Askings

Page 3

December 2016

bake off.

Balls of Fun

Gazette file illustration/TROY PAWLAK Gazette illustrations AMANDA PRATHER

Gazette annual baking competition heats up with cookies and hot chocolate

26% Gazette photo /COLE KAHMANN

74% A Twitter poll shows the results of this competition with Isabella Tkachuk, Gazette Sports editor, taking the win.

BY COLE KAHMANN

ckahmann.gazette@gmail.com

nother year, another loss. 74% to 26% are now the numbers that define who I am as a baker. After I lost the world-famous gingerbread contest, I thought I had a chance this year. I had everything: the idea, the motivation, and the passion. The only thing lacking was apparently the skill. My big idea this year was to make cookies that were in the shape and color of candy canes. But once I spilled the almond extract, I should have known the plan was too complex for me. To start things off, I combined the ingredients and made the cookies into the candy cane shape. Afterwards, I was supposed to roll dough into red and white colored strands, then twist the rolls into a candy cane. Unfortunately, the dough was very sticky and I couldn’t get it off my hand. I had to use a lot of flour, at the expense of flavor, to even get the dough off my hands. I put the rolled dough on the pan and tried to shape them as neatly as I could. Finally, I put them in the oven and waited like every amateur baker does. I hoped that despite the cookies looking terrible going in, they would come out looking great. Like most pros know, this phenomenon doesn’t usually happen. They came out cracked, runny in some parts and overbaked in others. Worse,, they tasted like flour coated almonds. I tried using some white frosting to hold them together, but it didn’t work. Then my genius idea hit me: I would challenge Isabella head on by making cookie balls. I smashed up all my hard work and emotion invested in the cookies and made them into little frosting cookie balls. My thinking behind the plan was that copying her design would make our design equal and the frosting would cover up for the terrible taste. After being satisfied with that, I moved on to conquering the extravagant hot chocolate. I had to strike a balance between classic taste and exciting change. To make this happen, I decided to crush up peppermint into the mug. When that was done, I felt I needed something else to set my drink apart. Then came fatal mistake number two: adding protein powder to the mug. Yes protein powder tastes disgusting, but I felt like the chocolate flavor might blend with the pre-existing chocolate flavor and add some extra benefits At least by the end of the bake off I could say that I tried my best and got creative when things took a turn for the worse.

Gazette photo /ISABELLA TKACHUK

BY ISABELLA TKACHUK itkachuk.gazette@gmail.com

hat are the holidays without some friendly competition? Just the holidays. I am not one to brag, but I did beat Cole once again. This year, instead of making gingerbread houses, Cole and I decided to make some sort of holiday dessert, along with a tasty drink. I chose to make oreo cookie truffles and some homemade hot chocolate. Taking into account the results from last year, this competition was already over. In other words, I was destined to win. Cole did all the trash talking. From trying to throw off my game to talking himself up constantly, I kept my cool as I watched him struggle to form his almond flavored candy cane cookies into, believe it or not, candy canes. I just worked away, for I had made this recipe multiple times before. As I finished shaping my oreo dough into balls, I noticed that Cole’s cookies had literally crumbled. Not saying that I was confident from the start, but seeing his sad creation fail was just the cherry on top. After I came back from retrieving my delicious holiday treat, Cole told me he was going to go with my idea of “cookie balls.” Was I mad? Not really. Disappointed? Pretty much. For I had already known Cole lacked creativity, but finding out he too lacked originality just left me speechless. As dramatic as that may sound, it wasn’t that big of a deal. I knew I would still win this competition with flying colors. My recipe hadn’t failed me before, and it wouldn’t fail me now. After we both finished, we moved onto the hot chocolate making. Let me just say, Cole was unprepared once again. Not only was I made fun of for making my homemade hot chocolate on the stove, Cole had actually tried to sway the judges by adding protein powder to his. One word: disgusting. Okay okay, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and give him credit for creativity on that one, but honestly speaking don’t try that home. In the end after tasting both of our cookie balls and hot chocolates, I had won. Once again, I had taken the competition. Even though my humbleness was portrayed throughout the competition, I did have to brag about my two peat championship. Once again dissatisfied and upset, Cole insisted we make a Granite Bay Today Twitter poll, asking fellow GBHS students their opinions on which dessert looked more appetizing. Let’s just say the results came back and Cole regretted the poll. Until Cole and I decide to bake again next holiday season, I’ll be signing autographs and teasing him for the rest of the year.

December 2016

Page 4

current.

Top Tweets

Gazette illustration/AMANDA PRATHER

Spirited tweets by Granite Bay High School students BY AMANDA PRATHER aprather.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette file illustrations/THOMAS TAYLOR

Netflix Picks

Twitter

BY MCKENNA ARAM

maram.gazette@gmail.com

1. Black Mirror “Black Mirror” is a British television series where each episode mirrors a mini-movie focused on the dark and possible consequences of future technological innovations. 2. Sense 8 The science-fiction drama follows eight characters from around the globe that are all mentally connected by their superhuman powers. Together they endeavor to find out the truth about how they obtained their powers and why they are all telepathically linked.

I have made more friends in one day with houseparty than I have my entire life

dillon

28 Retweets

@DillonRuddell

100 Likes

Being in E15M was the most impactful experience of my life. Please keep your community safe & our families whole, and never drink and drive.

Brennan Holt

17 Retweets

@brennanholt_

3. Bloodline The suburban Rayburn family, tormented by past secrets that could possibly resurface, are forced to commit immoral acts to protect their name.

159 Likes

Huge shout out to GBHS Media for putting an amazing video together for Every 15 Minutes!

4. iZombie After Liv Moore undergoes zombie transformation, she takes up a job at the coroner’s office to suppress her flesh-eating tendencies. She absorbs the personalities of each corpse brain she eats, which helps her to solve the murder of each of the victims.

Daphne Peter

43 Likes

3 Retweets

@daphne_peter

Tommorow is our first basketball game!!! It’s a new season let’s go grizzlies

5. Master of None “Master of None” follows famous actor Aziz Ansari’s life as Dev Shaw: a 30 year old actor in New York City trying to make it big.

GBHS TRIBE

12 Retweets 21 Likes

@TRIBEGBHS

Poll of the Month:

Winter Break Destinations

Poll conducted by SYDNEY ZABELL

szabell.gazette@gmail.com

e ho m g in St

of ut O

ut -o O

co e th

f-s

try

10 ow n

Poll out of 113 Granite Bay High School Students

f-t

Staying home – 44

ut -o

Out-of-state – 20

Out of the country– 20

Out-of-town – 29

Number of People

Winter Break Plans

December 2016

Page 5

pet wars.

Cats vs Dogs

BY AMANDA PRATHER

aprather.gazette@gmail.com

ats and dogs, the infamous standoff. America’s two most treasured pets, yet some are far to one side of the argument. Some say dogs are a man’s best friend, and others will argue that cats are just misunderstood, yet kind crea-

tures. According to the Humane Society of the United States APPA survey, it is estimated that 70 million dogs and 74.1 million cats are currently owned as pets in the United States. Also, there is an average of two cats and 1.43 dogs owned per household. For two seemingly loved pets, why such controversy? Lauren Smith, senior, is on the cat side of this debate. “Cats are the superior animal because they are much more low maintenance than dogs,” Smith said. Smith said that cats are easier to care for because they groom themselves, and don’t need to be taken outside to the bathroom. “They don’t require a lot of time and attention from their owners,” Smith said. Smith said that although dogs are said to be man’s best friend, cats are even better

because of their ability to cuddle with you and sit in your lap. Smith also added that a cat’s purring sound is much more pleasing than the sound of a dog barking and growling at you. Greg Warren, senior, qualified on the issue and expressed his love for both species. “I like dogs because you can teach them tricks like how to fetch, as well as run around with them,” Warren said. However, Warren also said he enjoys cats and how they snuggle with you. Although cats and dogs may seem like opposite animals in gimmicks and actions, they provide some of the same emotion and satisfaction. These animals are our friends and companions, who knows if they know what we are saying to them or how much we love them but I think most everyone can agree that pets are not just an animal that exists in your house, they are a friend. Shannon Litchfield, senior, said that she prefers dogs over cats because they can always cheer her up. Litchfield has been a part of Guide Dogs for the Blind and other service dog organizations and said she has seen the amazing things dogs can learn and adapt to. “The dogs are always so happy to greet me,” Litchfield said. Although the controversy, cats and dogs are both beloved pets for most students and households. “My cat is like my best friend,” said Smith, “I can always rely on him for a laugh.”

Gazette illustrations/NATASHA CHANDA

Page 6

(Mostly) our own Thanksgiving dinners The Richmonds BY REESE RICHMOND

rrichmond.gazette@gmail.com

ith pie being a very popular Thanksgiving food, many consider it an essential at the table during Thanksgiving. I am one of those people. Luckily, one of the best places to get pie is just 25 minutes away. Ikeda’s, located in Auburn, close to Foresthill Bridge, is a market and with a restaurant. They sell multiple flavors of pie such as marionberry, apple, pecan, and the most popular during Thanksgiving, pumpkin. They sell many more flavors but these are some popular ones. Every summer, my family and I purchase their marionberry and apple pie on our way up to Tahoe and it’s one of my favorite parts of the trip. Not only are their pies amazing, but the also have good burgers, fries, and grilled cheese at their restaurant. In their grocery store, they sell fresh fruits and vegetable and many candies and snacks that you can’t find at your local Safeway. Although they have other foods at their restaurant and sell more than pie in the grocery store, to me, their pie remains the best thing they sell. With their pies being so popular, my mom had to call them and put pies on hold to pick them up later in the day. Their pies are so popular that you basically have to reserve the pies to ensure that you get the flavors you want. Not only does Ikeda’s have amazing pies and food, but the atmosphere of the restaurant and market is fun and friendly. It offers a sense of familiarity as if it were owned by friends of yours. Although it’s very busy, it adds to the outgoing and social environment. My cousin said their apple pie was

December 2016

food.

The Gazette staff reviews holiday feasts this year.

The Catamaran the best he’s ever had and I could say the same for their pumpkin pie. Their pies are freshly made and that’s what I want Thanksgiving dessert to taste like. With Thanksgiving being a family based holiday, it’s important to have food everyone enjoys. From my experience, all my family members and myself loved their pies. Families don’t always get along but when it comes to Ikeda’s pies, we can all agree that they’re incredible.

Gazette photo / REECE RICHMOND

Thanksgiving dinners vary from house to house, this family found some great pies at Ikedas.

BY MAX SCHWARTZ

mschwartz.gazette@gmail.com

y Thanksgiving experience was unconventional to say the least. I was in San Diego. Traveling on Thanksgiving isn’t necessarily super out of the ordinary considering that I haven’t been home for the holiday since fifth grade, so I knew to some degree that we would be going somewhere that wasn’t a traditional Thanksgiving dinner type, but when I heard that we were going to an upscale buffet I was a little bit taken aback. I usually associate my buffet experiences with left out food and messy serving stations, but to my surprise I was wrong. Our dinner reservation was at 3 o’clock, oddly our reservation was the last seating of the day with seatings beginning at 11 a.m. Once we found our table we were immediately greeted by a very nice waiter who asked us what drinks we wanted, all of the kids got sparkling apple cider and the adults, mimosas. We were then able to get up and get the food. When I walked into the room that had all of the food, I was awestruck. There was food of all categories still sticking to the normal Thanksgiving style. There was a carving station that had turkey and pork loin, a seafood station with oysters, crawfish, crab and mussels, and miscellaneous stations scattered throughout that had random food. My plan was to start small and not put too much on my plate. I ended up breaking that rule in a good minute. I created a pile of just about everything that looked good. My first plate included Ciceri e Tria, a slice of turkey, crab legs, stuffing with gravy, and mac and cheese.

When I sat down I was ecstatic to eat. I started with the crab legs which were delicious and perfectly cooked. The Ciceri e Tria, which is a pasta dish with chickpeas was absolutely delicious and tasted like a main course from an exclusively Italian restaurant. The stuffinggravy-mashed potatoes-combo was decent, the mashed potatoes were almost frothy. The cornbread stuffing and sage gravy were pretty typical, nothing special, but they weren’t bad at all. Last, but certainly not least was the mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was the most delicious part of the meal without a doubt. It had the perfect consistency with the breadcrumbs and melted cheese on top creating the perfect bite. Even though the buffet wasn’t the most traditional Thanksgiving persay, it still held true with preparation and some foods. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who is in the Mission Bay area.

Gazette photo /MAX SCHWARTZ

This Thanksgiving dinner offered a variety of options in a potluck style meal.

The Hamiltons BY BELLA HAMILTON

bhamilton.gazette@gmail.com

his year, I had Thanksgiving at my house for the first time in years. My family always goes somewhere different every year, but this year my parents and uncle cooked. I have never been a big fan of stuffing, so I steered clear of the it this year, but piled the rest of the foods on my plate. The turkey was moist, delicious and full of flavor, making the star of this meal one to be remembered. The rolls were soft and buttery, and still warm – as if just coming out of the oven. The bread was something I’m going to be looking forward to until next Thanksgiving. The ham was perfect, made with pineapple and had a different, tropical type flavor from the sweetness of the pineapple. The ham was by far my favorite part of the meal and it was something I got

seconds of. Though the savory options of Thanksgiving this year were great, the real star of the show was the dessert. In a line up and down the dining table was a wide variety of pies, ice creams, brownies and cookies-a sweet tooth’s dream. By the time dessert rolled around, however, I was stuffed from the delicious array of savory foods. I started off by trying a homemade banana cream pie – my favorite. It was delicious, with the perfect balance of whipped cream, the crisp, golden crust and the creamy banana filling. The second pie I tried was the pumpkin pie, which was a classic. The pumpkin pie was the same as every year, a dependable option for people who like the classic Thanksgiving flavor. The other options we had at my family’s house was brownies, which were moist, chocolate-filled and delicious.

December 2016

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tune in.

Nightride Tinashe BY STEPHENIE KANG skang.gazette@gmail.com

an you still dream if your eyes are open? The logical, immediate answer is yes – take a look around any classroom and at least one person’s glazed-over eyes will tip one off to the fact that yes, whether one’s eyelids are shut or not is completely independent of whether they are mentally present. But can you still have the dream experience? Can you look around and see the world’s hazy lines and illogical discrepancies that once recognized the taut, delicate strings holding reality together break and the whole structure comes crumbling down? Yes. If Tinashe’s new album, Nightride is any indication, you can return to the dream state even in your daylight hours. Just look at the track names: “Lucid Dreaming,” “Spacetime,” and “C’est La

Vie.” Already the mood is set for one of the dreamiest album you’ve ever listened to – but there’s a reason why dreams are only eight hours long. Altogether, her album is too heavy for light listening. There are too few moments of respite or true ecstasy to make Tinashe’s brilliant, yet at times overdone, musical style bearable for very long. Overdone, not in terms of production, but because listening to this album feels like crying – painful, hard-to-breathe crying, and I feel like I’m trying to swim in a suffocating ocean of warm melted amber and seeing the world around me through its undulations. And, of course, everything is illuminated with her brilliance. This ocean of amber is teeming with her indisputable musical talent that makes this album one of the best ones I’ve listened to in a long while. Who else can blend elements of chip tune in with R&B? Only Tinashe.

Yet, surprisingly, her talent has not allowed her the same mainstream success as other artists. Although she has had critical acclaim with her 2014 Aquarius and one mainstream hit “2 On,” not much else has stuck. In an interview with XONecole, Tinashe said, “I think it comes from a place of there is only room for one. Or there is only room for two…There is a Beyoncé, there is a Rihanna, there is Zendaya, there is a Jourdan Dunn. There is a black girl in all of these positions and we don’t need another one… There can’t be room (for us all).” Maybe this is a fact she’s resigned to. Although Nightride as a whole is very good, none of the songs could exactly be considered earworms. They’re too much of a drag, they’re too smart, they’re too much for the average listener. And yet – the last of “Sacrifices” fades out, its chords going around in circles. And she whispers “I will not be ignored.”

RCA Records

Nightride was released November 4, 2016.

B+

Skip to: “Spacetime”

We got it from here… Thank You 4 Your Service A Tribe Called Quest BY CONNOR HINSON

chinson.gazette@gmail.com

T Epic Records

We got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service was released on November 11, 2016.

A+

Skip to: “We the People...”

he 90s were a transitional period for hip-hop. Groups like the Wu-Tang Clan, N.W.A., Public Enemy and De La Soul were revolutionizing everything from conscious hip-hop to gangsta rap, often blurring the lines between the two. However, you’d be hard pressed to find a 90s hip-hop contemporary group more artful with its production, more socially aware with its lyricism, more bold in its presentation than A Tribe Called Quest. After an 18 year hiatus, Q-Tip, Phife Dawg (who sadly passed away March 22, 2016), Ali Shaheed Muhammad and even Jarobi White – the often absent fourth member of ATCQ – have come together for a final album. Along with its “fellow tribesmen” Busta Rhymes and Consequence, ATCQ created a simultaneous send-off to Phife and bow-wrap on its remarkable legacy.

We got it from here… Thank You 4 Your Service manages to be fiercely original; where Tribe could have simply copy-pasted the exact jazz-rap style that made them famous, they instead modernized (without conforming to modern trends). In fact, this album could just as easily exist in 1996 as in 2016, and it would be no less relevant or revolutionary. The hook on “We the People… ,” mimics our nation’s encroaching zeitgeist, “All you Black folks, you must go/ All you Mexicans, you must go.” ATCQ champions the marginalized, backed by a distorted, driving guitar melody which complements the track’s vocals. While often political, they also find time to recognize and pay respect to their successors, like in the song “Dis Generation,” where Q-Tip raps: “Talk to Joey, Earl, Kendrick, and Cole, gatekeepers of flow/ They are the extensions of instinctual soul.” These are more than just nods, as both Kendrick Lamar and Anderson Paak are

featured on the tracks “Conrad Tokyo” and “Movin Backwards,” respectively. Tribe’s recognition for new artists proves its awareness of the genre, not jaded to hip-hop’s evolving tendencies. The production is rooted in the samplebased style Tribe is known for. However, rather than sticking with jazz as the band’s principle medium, Q-Tip samples everything from Musical Youth (Dis Generation), to Elton John (Solid Wall of Sound), to even the soundtrack to Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory (The Space Program). Lyrically, too, the album lives up to Tribe’s high standard. The hook on “Black Spasmodic” is especially catchy, while also reminding the listener of Tribe’s roots “They don’t make thugs of this caliber/ Who kept up the buzz the whole calendar.” Beat for beat, We got it from here… Thank You 4 Your Service lives up to, and often surpasses, the incredibly high standard set by ATCQ on its previous albums. In fact, it might be the best hip-hop album of the year.

24K Magic Bruno Mars BY KATE BOOTH

kbooth.gazette@gmail.com

runo Mars’ new album 24K Magic is the definition of suave. Bruno continues to flaunt his impeccably polished swagger with smooth new jams like “That’s What I Like” and “Finesse.” The album starts with the funky 80s beats of “25K Magic.” Then, before you know it, you’re wrapped up in the slow and easy rhythms of “Chunky.” Pretty soon “Perm” is stealing the show with its soulful sounds. It’s not hard to get swept up in the album’s brilliant tracks. Perhaps one of the most extraordinary things about Bruno Mars (aside from his music) is his humility. In a Sixty Minutes interview, he spoke about his childhood homelessness. Bruno Mars grew up in Hawaii and throughout the years, he and his family sang

at hotels for money during the day and slept where they could – including an abandoned house – at night. Despite these harsh conditions, he said that those were some of the best memories of his life. Michael Jackson and Prince are often referenced as his inspirations. Although their influence can be heard in his music, as I sang along to his album I noticed a striking similarity to Queen. Not necessarily in tonality, but in application. They both have an extraordinary way of layering unique sounds and rhythms in flawless synchrony. Despite the fact that Bruno Mars has been compared to other talented artists, there is no debate that he has his own sound and has carved out his own name among the greats. This album is wonderful in its versatility. It’s the type of album that can be played for a wide variety of people and various events. It doesn’t stray too far toward pop, R&B or electronic music that it would be unpalat-

able for any one group. Music is simply another form of communication. It’s a way of communicating that transcends words. Music connects us with one another and the world around us. Perhaps that’s why I’m so taken with Bruno’s music. The breadth of the audience he’s able to touch is astounding. Somehow, Bruno Mars is able to stay modern while creating songs that have a nostalgic beat to them, again extending his audience from the young to the old. His song “Perm” is even a tribute to James Brown. I think 24K Magic really showcases Bruno Mars’ style. It’s cool, it’s funky and it’s impossible to get out of your head – in a good way. I think Bruno Mars is really coming into his own, and I’m excited to see what he comes out with yet. He’s not the type of musician who fades into irrelevance, but rather his songs become more iconic over time.

Atlantic Recording Corporation

24K Magic was released on November 18, 2016.

Skip to: “Perm”

Page 8

multicultural.

December 2016

Christmas Across Cultures Gazette file illustration /TROY PAWLAK

Students of different backgrounds discuss how they celebrate the holidays BY SABINA MAHAVNI

smahavni.gazette@gmail.com

hristmas, although primarily a Christian holiday, is celebrated in a variety of ways from culture to culture. Each culture or religion adds its own unique touch to the popular winter holiday. Instead of celebrating Christmas for religious reasons, Divya Shetty, GBHS junior, and her family incorporate their own cultural traditions into the holiday. “My dad makes this Indian (food)...he makes chapati and idli with curry and chutney,” Shetty said. “He makes Indian desserts, and sometimes we have family over.” Shetty’s family bakes and exchanges presents on Christmas, like many other American families. However, because both of her parents come from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, they use the holidays as a chance to celebrate togetherness rather than a specific religion. “We kind of just (celebrate Christmas) for the fun and festivities because that’s what the American culture is, but we don’t really believe in everything Christmas represents- besides happiness,” Shetty said. Even though the original meaning of Christmas has Christian roots, it is clear that not every American family

Gazette illustration /NATASHA CHANDA

incorporates religion into the celebrations. Blake Edelman, a junior, similarly enjoys the nonreligious aspects of Christmas due to the fact that one side of his family is Jewish. His family chooses to make the joyous day a celebration and happiness and beloved traditions. “Every year we go and we buy a tree, and we’ll put it up together,” Edelman said. “Then we’ll go over to my grandmother’s house for dinner on Christmas Eve and then open presents early in the morning.” For the Edelman family, opening presents on Christmas morning is an exciting ritual including waking up at 4:00 A.M. to see the final reveal of what’s underneath the tree. “Everyone gets really excited,” Edelman said. “We always make a huge deal out of Christmas.” Although, some people of other cultures and religions do choose to partake in Christmas festivities for the sake of celebration, others choose to avoid the holiday altogether. “No one in my family celebrates Christmas,” said Ricky Frank, a junior. “We are all Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Frank’s religion omits the celebration of all holidays, but his family has their own way of celebrating in the winter. In January, in honor of his parents’ marriage during the holidays, the Franks have a white elephant

gift-giving event. “We pick names out of a hat, and we give each other gifts,” Frank said. Frank believes that because his family does not pursue commercial holidays and celebrations, he greatly values family and togetherness. “(Not celebrating holidays) makes you appreciate things more because we don’t focus much on the presents; we focus more on each other,” Frank said. For those who are Christian by faith, going to church on Christmas is the popular custom. “My family isn’t that religious, but around Christmas we do go to church with my mom,” said Savannah Martin, a junior. Martin and her family do partake in the church ceremonies Christmas morning, but like Shetty and Edelman, they enjoy Christmas mainly because of all the joy and love it entails. “Religion doesn’t contribute a ton in our family in the concept of actually going to church,” Martin said. “We appreciate everything that has been given to us, and (Christmas) is more so a day of love.”

December 2016

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holiday movies.

Don’t bury these movies in the snow Best underated holiday films for your winter break

Tokyo Godfathers

hristmas Eve night in Tokyo, three transients discover an abandoned newborn hidden behind a pile of garbage. With only a hotel key and a stack of photographs as clues to the identity of whomever deserted the baby, they set off into the city to reunite a family. Director Satoshi Kon breaks away from his usual reality-warping style in exchange for a more grounded, reserved story. Along with the change of style comes a change of tone: “Tokyo Godfathers” is easily Kon’s funniest work. This film is especially interesting because it doesn’t ascribe to the usual holiday movie tropes; there are no upper-middle class suburban white folks to be seen. Instead, the three main characters–a middle aged alcoholic, a transgender woman and a runaway teen– keep the film from losing its relevance, over a decade later.

Krampus

’ve found myself having to defend this film nearly every time it’s brought up in conversation (which, to be honest, isn’t often). I genuinely don’t understand the hate this movie gets, and I feel it’s because no one gave it a chance. “Krampus” is a horror-comedy directed by Michael Dougherty, the man behind the excellent “Trick ‘r Treat.” It centers around a feuding family together at Christmas time, forced to defend one another from a creature of Austrian folk-tale. The movie is incredibly campy, akin to older Sam Rami films, and nails the vibe of movies like “Gremlins,” from which it draws its influence. Additionally, most of the visual effects are practical, a craft lost in modern cinema.

Metropolitan

“M

etropolitan” is not really a film about the holidays. In fact, it’s not about much of anything. The film sees a group of collegeage New York socialites (see: Urban Haute Bourgeoisie) on break winter break from their ivy-league schools. They sit around in their rich parents’ houses talking about everything and nothing. Most of the film is dedicated to these often hilarious moments. Their conversations are ostensibly intellectual, but ultimately devolve to gossiping about one thing or another. “Metropolitan’s” style of humor can be offputting at first, but it ends up being the highlight of the film. –by Connor Hinson, Gazette news editor

Gazette illustrations /KATIE COLOGNA

Pages 10 & 11

December 2016

(not) home for the holidays.

VI VA LD I

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Winter Break Wanderlust

LE EN /C OL tte ze

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O KN Y TN E HI /W o ot ph

I VN HA MA

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GBHS students will travel to diverse locations this holiday season, including India, bottom left, and New York, top left and top right.

inter break is approaching quickly and travel planning has begun. This year, winter break is longer and many students at Granite Bay High School will be traveling to places all over the world. GBHS senior Sanjna Saini will be flying to India for the third time to explore the place where her parents are from. Saini will be spending time in Punjab, New Delhi, Ludhiana and Patiala. “It’s been 11 years since I’ve been to India,” Saini said. “I am looking forward to visiting with my cousins and family friends.” While in Ludhiana, Saini will be attending a wedding and an engagement party. “I’m most excited for the wedding,” Saini said. “One of my favorite memories is when my uncle got married and I was given money, which I bought a lot of candy with.” People in India allow Saini to participate in a culture that differs from her typical California experiences. “Natives have certain norms and beliefs, such as what to wear and what to do in order to keep yourself safe,” Saini said. Saini also said that the atmosphere is very distinct, noisy and busy. “It is very congested with people walking everywhere and trying to sell you random things,” said Saini. One place Saini has visited while in India is the Wedding House, also called the Pavilion Mall This is a place where people gather to get ready, cook food and get mehndi done. “This is my favorite place to go,” Saini said. “It is where my favorite actor, Varun Dhawan, once walked in 2013.” Saini will be in India for a few weeks, exploring different places and catching up with friends.

“When I am there it feels like a second home,” Saini said. Another student at GBHS, Kamelia Shaharova, a senior, will be traveling to New York over winter break. “It’s my first time going there,” said Shaharova. “I’m going for about a week to visit my sister because she lives there now.” The month of December is a popular time in New York to celebrate the holiday and New Year. “I’m excited to see the ball drop,” said Shaharova. “I think Christmas in New York is going to be really pretty.” Ann-Marie Seidel, a senior at GBHS, traveled to England last winter break to spend Christmas and New Year with her English family. “The atmosphere in London is amazing especially around the holidays,” said Seidel. While in London for three weeks, Seidel spent time with her aunt, uncle and cousins. “I was most excited to see my family and to revisit the places I had been to during past visits,” said Seidel. “My grandparents live in a small little village and I love going down to the shops and pubs.” There are several tourist activities in England, such as the London Eye and the London dungeons. Shopping centers are also popular areas. “The street style and fashion trends in London are always ahead of those in America,” said Seidel. “I enjoy buying pieces which haven’t become super mainstream back in the states.” Seidel said that the streets of London offer a unique and rich view of a mixture of modern and classical architecture, but the most obvious difference of being in London is the accents. Many students at GBHS have family and friends who live in different parts of the world, and winter break allows for students to spend time in these memorable places. “I feel at home when I am back in England,” said Seidel. “I love to see all my family and when we are all together it is a very special time.”

BY PAIGE ERICKSON

perickson.gazette@gmail.com

Sp e

cia

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I LD VA

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Granite Bay High School students discuss their plans to travel over winter break

England, bottom right, is a popular travel spot for students to travel to in the winter due to its appealing tourist destinations. Gazette photo /WHITNEY KNORP

Page 12

December 2016

winterballin’.

Winterball asks

Special to the Gazette /THOMAS HAGNER Special to the Gazette /ETHAN BIRCH

James Stinson and Andrea Hagner, seniors, are going to be the champions of winterball along with left, Brad Devitto and Tia Stirling who will be swinging into winterball.

GBHS students get creative for this season’s formal dance BY KATE BOOTH

kbooth.gazette@gmail.com

oday on our wild safari, we will observe the habits of the north American high schooler. Quick, look there, just beyond those bushes! We can see the students dancing. Watch as they do something called “grinding” to something called “electronic beats.” No, that’s not the sound of wild animals dying, that is, in fact, music. Watch how they keep their faces as slack as possible, as to not seem too interested in the activity at hand. The habits of the north American high schooler can seem odd and tedious to outsiders. In the pursuit of science, we shall explore the rituals these creatures perform prior to, as to better understand these unique specimens. As the holiday season fast approaches so do Winter Ball askings. Winter Ball askings are an interesting phenomenon at Granite Bay High School. Each year students come up with new unique ways to ask one another to this fabulous event.

One person who went above and beyond in this feat is BasilHassoun. Basil is a senior at GBHS and asked out his date Hannah Stubee by taking her up in a plane and holding up a sign that read “Will you go to WB with me?” His winter ball proposal sure did set the bar sky high. Not to worry though, proposals took off all over. When Logan Johnson asked his date Ally Burnham to WB by writing, “WB?” in the sand, it was a shore thing. When he brought out roses and her dog, she knew he was fur real. Kristen Thompson, a junior at GBHS, asked out her date Delaney Dannet with a pizza and roses. Ah, the classic pizza proposal, some might say it’s cheesy, but personally I think it’s a delicious idea that can’t be topped! Perhaps you would like to ask a special someone to the dance but you feel more nervous than a baby pangolin just thinking about it. The fear of rejection crumpling you into a ball awaiting the inevitable release of sweet, sweet death is certainly a pos-

Gazette file illustrations/TROY PAWLAK

December 2016

Page 13

winterballinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Dancing like snowflakes

Special to the Gazette /RHONDA BRASSE

TANNER BRASSE KENNEDY HEALY

Special to the Gazette /COLLIN TANNER

COLLIN TANNER AND SARAH THOMAS

Special to the Gazette /CURTIS MCCARTHY

KASEY YEAN AND CURTIS MCCARTHY

Special to the Gazette /TARA ZAMIRA

BENNETT MANTZ AND PAIGE TATTERSALL

Special to the Gazette /ERIKA BISHOP

CHASE MANNSFELD AND MEGAN NIMTZ

Page 14

vine’s farewell.

December 2016

6 seconds over, 6 feet under Social media for short videos announces plans to discontinue app BY PAIGE ERICKSON

perickson.gazette@gmail.com

t’s time. The entertaining network of 6-second videos has officially been announced to shut down. In the past few months, Vine users got word that the short-video app would be discontinued in the upcoming months. “I believe the app is shutting down because it peaked a while ago but never reached the popularity of other social media apps,” Ben Gould, a Granite Bay High School senior, said. “In short, I believe it was a business decision to shut the app down.” Vine was originally founded in 2012 by Dom Hofmann, Rus Yusupov and Colin Kroll, and later that year, the company was acquired by Twitter for $30 million. At first, Vine’s reputation grew. The app paved a way for people to be themselves and share their creations with others. “Vine allowed me to create original, real content,” Hnin Thuzar, a GBHS senior, said. “It also granted me the ability to brighten up people’s days.” Although Vine rapidly gained popularity, many expected its shutdown. Solange Francois, a blogger and traveller, shared her opinions about Vine in her blog, which she posted almost four years ago. “I shared my thoughts on Vine because I was enjoying commentating on social media at the time,” Francois said. “I felt that Vine had really brought something new to the table and would have a significant influence on the way social media and video progressed.” In the first six months of joining the social media world, Vine became the number one app on the iTunes App Store, and there were once 200 million people actively using the app. However, Vine struggled to maintain its popularity with competition from Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. “I didn’t expect Vine to have a short life but wasn’t sure on its longevity,” Francois said. “I thought it would last for some time but knew it would face tough competition.”

Vine’s main competitors constantly updated their apps to make them new and fresh. “Instagram has evolved and now has a video feature for people to share content and connect with others,” Thuzar said. Also, Vine is seen by some as just unnecessary, as you can look up just about every Vine on YouTube. However, many Vine users continued to support the app. With unlimited freedom, Vine became a raw and real platform for users. Because of this, however, many issues came about. “Vine didn’t have filters,” Francois said, “which made censoring a big issue.” It didn’t take long for users to gain fame with their high numbers of followers. Multiple popular users quickly became Vine famous and prominent figures within the app. King Bach, Nash Grier and Brittany Furlan are all people who got their starts on Vine, each eventually gaining over nine million followers. “Given that humans require social interactions and that the entire premise behind social media is to connect with people quickly, social media has gained popularity rapidly,” Gould said. “For this reason, individuals who use social media as almost an art form have gained a lot of attention.” Viners such as these are credited with creating endless laughter and putting smiles on faces around the world. With such big reputations, though, and such a large attraction from viewers, the app made it harder for users with fewer followers to receive credit for their content. “I didn’t like that Vine became led by ‘professional’ Viners. It wasn’t really somewhere you could connect with your friends,” Francois said. “There were a lot of Vine ‘stars,’ which made it less friendly to regular users.” Even with its struggles, Vine never failed to make people smile. Many will miss the app that opened a new kind of social media, where it is okay to be yourself and share your personality. Vine will never be forgotten and may it rest in peace.

December 2016

Page 15

still trending.

The Mannequin Challenge Yet another amusing trend spreads across the GBHS campus BY REESE RICHMOND

rrichmond.gazette@gmail.com

ho would’ve thought that taking a video with a song playing in the background while people pose like mannequins would become a trend. Well it has with the mannequin challenge. Last month, teenagers around the U.S. started posting videos of themselves posing like mannequins and posting them to Twitter and other social media. Most of the videos include the song “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd, featuring Gucci Mane playing in the background. It wasn’t long until the challenge went viral and more and more teens began to post their own rendition of the challenge. Soon, famous people and groups caught on to the trend and gave it a try. All the members who were being rewarded Presidential Medals of Freedom from President Barack Obama, such as Robert De Niro, Miley Cyrus, Ellen DeGeneres and Tracee Ellis Ross, among others, took a video of themselves doing the challenge in the White House. Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton and Bon Jovi made their own just hours before the U.S. election. Taking the challenge to a whole new level, Blac Chyna, fiance of Rob Kardashian, did the challenge while she was in labor. With Granite Bay High School’s history of catching on to trends quickly, it makes sense that the mannequin challenge had reached the school within days. One of the first mannequin challenges to have taken place at GBHS was created by football players. Soon, the volleyball and cheer team made one. For the cheerleaders, the mannequin challenge was an actual challenge, but they

still managed to do it. “(It was) hard because we do stunts, so trying to hold our flyers super still without shaking was a challenge,” junior Kasey Yean said. Not only were sports teams taking part in the challenge, but GBHS science teacher Andrew Phillips had his third and fourth periods each make a video in a competition to see whose was better. “We took five-10 minutes to decide what we were going to do,” senior Selena De La Torre said. “Once we got into our positions, Phillips walked through the door and walked around the whole room trying to get everyone in the video.” Although De La Torre was part of the third-period class that lost the competition, she still had fun taking part in the challenge. It might seem difficult to get a lot of people to be quiet and still while someone takes a video, but senior Tristan Conde managed to get the entire cafeteria to take part in the challenge during a first lunch. In order to get everyone’s attention, Conde stood on top of a seat and screamed. “We did it one time – then we had to re-do it the next day,” Conde said. “It was pretty easy, but some people kept on moving, so I had to crop them out.” During the video that took place in the cafeteria that Conde recorded, it was extremely silent while everyone stayed quiet and still for the video. As junior Ben Law opened his phone, the key song – “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd, featuring Gucci Mane – coincidentally started playing. “At first I was just going on my phone,” Law said, “and when I opened my phone, the song started playing and my friends started laughing, so I kept playing it.”

Gazette illustration /NATASHA CHANDA

Page 16

December 2016

current.

Mixtape - Holiday Favorites

Artist of the Month allison doleschal 1) What is your favorite piece you’ve ever done? “‘The Perks of Existing,’ because I illustrated a lot of the stuff that I was going through and it was just well constructed.”

BY WHITNEY KNORP

wknorp.gazette@gmail.com

1) I’ll Be Home for Christmas- Michael Buble Buble’s soulful voice is a Christmas music essential this holiday season. Gazette photo /KATIE COLOGNA

2) Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays- *NSYNC This pop piece proves to remain an iconic and uplifting holiday celebration tune and a staple in any holiday playlist. 3) Sleigh Ride- Carpenters The Carpenters have a sweet, soothing sound that makes this classic winter song into a warm and comforting rendition. 4) My Grown Up Christmas List- Kelly Clarkson Kelly Clarkson tugs at our heartstrings with this wistful song that shows the way our desires evolve and mature as we get older and realize what the world really needs for Christmas. 5) My Only Wish (This Year)- Britney Spears Christmas music meets pop love song in Britney Spear’s piece about wishing and hopefulness in the face of loneliness in the holiday season.

3) What are your favorite colors to paint with? “I prefer painting with cool colors, but I usually end up painting with warm colors.” 4) What got you interested in art? “My mom ended up putting me in art when I was a freshman and then it grew on me and I ended up loving it and I’ve taken it every semester since.” 5) What is your favorite thing about art? “My favorite thing about art is probably my ability to express myself without being judged and being able to create whatever I’m feeling and it almost works as an outlet.”

Compiled by Katie Cologna

FRESHMAN 2019 v s. VS. SENIOR 2016

Follow Friday

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2) How do you get inspiration from your paintings? “Most of my ideas come from kind of what I’m going through and they’re illustrated mostly through the symbolism of whatever’s happening in that point in my life.”

What is your favorite thing about the holiday season?

Jacob Carlson, GBHS senior

Matthew Soran, GBHS freshman

Matthew: “Spending time with my family and just playing games with them.” Jacob: “Sitting by the fire with my family.”

Follow @georgiaruth_ for cute pictures with clever captions.

Compiled by Milan French

Gazette photo /MILAN FRENCH

Compiled by Milan French

December 2016

Page 17

winter dance show.

Behind the curtains of the dance show Take a peek backstage of the winter performance

BY ALI LEMOS

alemos.gazette@gmail.com

or three nights, twice a year, Granite Bay High School students put on a dance show to showcase the talent they’ve learned throughout the semester. Students and parents alike come out to support all the hardwork of the dancers, but what really goes on behind the scenes of a dance show? This year there are two beginning dance classes and one intermediate and advanced combination class. The dance class is taught by Deserie Milburn, who used to teach at a studio. She said the biggest surprise was all the behind the scenes work that goes into a show. “I edit all the music … all the lighting design, all the costumes and then I have to organize what the dancers are doing behind the scenes, and I put the (dance) order together,” Milburn said. She didn’t plan on teaching dance at GBHS when she first came to the school. “I started as a Spanish teacher here, that’s what I was hired for, and it kinda grew into this,” Milburn said. While growing into this role she learned a few things on how to structure the show. “I try not to have four lyrical pieces together so the audience doesn’t fall asleep,” Milburn said. “I try to mix it up with a variety of (styles).” Passionate dancers who have taken dance classes for a couple of semesters will often choose to become

teachers interns. Honorary T.I. Nate Moudakis is a GBHS senior who admits that he isn’t necessarily the best dancer. “Many people have the misconception that being a T.I. means you are the best dancers in the class, which is false,” Moudakis said. “I can name many dancers that are better than me, both on technique and on flexibility.” A T.I. is someone who understands how the program works and can help it to run smoother, which is why Moudakis believes Milburn choose him as a T.I. These T.I.’s help Milburn by choreographing their own dances. GBHS senior and five semester veteran, Yarelis Christian, is a T.I. for the intermediate and advanced class. “As a TI, we have to choreograph ... and set good examples for the class, as well as help with corrections whenever we do technique or just warm ups,” Christian said. In addition, T.I.’s must choose the costumes they want for their dances. “The costumes get chosen by the choreographers and what their vision is for their dance,” Christian said. “If it’s a contemporary piece to soft music, we usually go for more flowy costume choices versus hip hop where it’s usually baggier clothing.” While dancers are supposed to spend time at home to memorize their dances, T.I.’s must spend time creating their own dances to teach the class. “Personally, I’ve spent about five hours outside of

Beginning dance performs Thursday. Starting from the left Zach Grable, Sage Smith and Tommy Spradley.

school this term choreographing both my dances at home,” Christian said. “As T.I.’s we’ve spent about two hours working on our dance together outside of school hours.” Milburn said she makes sure that when her students are planning choreography, they are thinking of every aspect of their dance. “The minute (they’re) choreographing I tell (them) to think of the big picture … even if its in August,” Milburn said. “What do the costumes look like? How many dancers do you want? What’s the lighting going to be? They have to think of all of that.” While T.I.’s help to design the lighting for the show, the actual production of the lighting is done by drama students. GBHS senior Alex Weise said Milburn asked her to do the lighting because she is involved in both the drama and dance programs on campus. “I got like five minutes of training before and basically I just hit play and cue the light guys to turn the light off,” Weiss said. Milburn said she chose Weise because she has been in previous dance shows and understands when light is and isn’t needed. All these small details that go into the dance show are what make it such a memorable production each semester. “Although it’s really hectic and a bundle of nervousness backstage, it’s really fun because everyone has a common goal and that is to make the dance show look as awesome as possible!” Christian said.

Beginning dancers take the stage Thursday. From the left; Emily Hansen, Olivia Stoneman, Jordan Stradal, Joslyn Shafto, Izzy Cusano and Jordan Galbaugh.

Gazette illustrations/ KATIE COLOGNA

Gazette photos /CARISSA LEWIS

Advanced dancers, from the left, including Trinity Burley, Ethan Smith, Emily Schofield, Jake Bognacki, Natalie Hatch, Ryan Byars, Yarelis Christian, Whitney Knorp and Edward Harimoto perform Thursday.

Page 18

Yeezy..

December 2016

Kanye West concert goes south GBHS concert-goers express disappointment after Saint Pablo Tour in Sacramento BY STEPHENIE KANG

“G

skang.gazette@gmail.com

et ready to have a field day, press. Get ready, get ready. Because the show’s over.” And with that, Kanye West dropped his mic, storming to the back of his floating stage as his thousands of fans looked up at him in shock and disbelief. On Saturday, Kanye West infamously made his Sacramento fans wait one hour and 24 minutes for him to arrive to perform a few disjointed songs, rant for over fifteen minutes about a jumble of very loosely related topics and cancel the show. For the second time in a row. The first time was at the SAP center in San Jose, where West ranted about Trump for 40 minutes while fans threw various articles of clothing at him on the stage. “We’ve lost all respect for him,” Maddy Damos, a Granite Bay High School senior, said. “For someone who is so well known to waste the money of hundreds of people two concerts in a row is just horrible … He isn’t a reliable artist.” Many GBHS students went to the concert hardly expecting the senseless drivel Kanye West spouted onstage and griped on social media about the surprise cancellation. “F*** Kanye West,” Emma Hansen, a GBHS senior, said in a video posted on Instagram. Before it all crashed and burned, however, all was good in the Yeezus universe. “I had known about it for two months,” Faith Glover, a GBHS sophomore, said. “(My friend and I) got ready together.” However, as 9 P.M., the time at which the concert was supposed to start, came and passed, concert-goers started to get fidgety. “We were just sitting there with no music at all, just waiting an hour until he came out,” Anna Healy, a GBHS sophomore, said. “(At that point) we just kind of thought it wasn’t very cool anymore.” Still, when the lights finally went down and music started coming on, fans suddenly seemed to forget that fact. The aisles were flooded with

people as fans fumbled their way in dim lighting to find their seats. The concert began phenomenally. Kid Cudi came out with Kanye West to perform “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1,” and everybody was dancing desperately in their seats in an orgasma of orange and red light. “All of the people in the pit were having a great time,” Glover said. “The platform he was on was moving!” Even toward the end of the first song, however, things started getting weird: Kanye broke down on stage. “(Cudi and West) were just hugging for a good two minutes when the song was playing over the speakers, and then he let Cudi off the stage to continue on with the show,” Glover said. They went backstage and “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” played on loop as Cudi got off and Kanye collected himself. After another reiteration of “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” as well as a few more songs, Kanye West stopped abruptly a quarter into “Famous.” And then he started talking. In grainy footage of that night, Kanye is seen to almost seamlessly, casually transition from singing the chorus of “Famous” to doing something very different. “Stop it, stop it. Hey radio, f*** you! Radio f*** you!” West screeches at the top of his lungs. His voice is further amplified by the deafening speakers placed throughout the stadium, and the overall effect is intimidating. “Y’all don’t want to lose again. A lot of people here tonight felt like they lost. You know why? Because y’all been lied to.” For a good fifteen minutes, West raved passionately, his intensity never letting up the whole while, as he strided back and forth on the small floating stage, his audience disapproving wildly. “At one point someone threw their hat at Kanye and he (leaned) over the stage and yelled at the guy and said not to throw things at him while he’s talking,” Damos said. Kanye touched on a variety of subjects ranging from the new president elect Donald Trump to Beyonce to Mark Zuckerberg to Google to his

hatred for radio and MTV. “While he was talking, he’d yell at the crowd to agree with him,” Damos said. “Then he said we all need to, like, be ourselves or something stupid like that and said to prove a point he’s ending the concert now (30 minutes in) and walked off stage.” Yeezy fans were floored. Most didn’t believe it until the lights came on a few minutes later. “I was so upset!” Glover said. “Everybody was kind of just standing there. We were like ‘oh my god, is this serious, do we have to go now?’” “He’s a great performer and everything, but he was like ‘my job is to send this message’ but it was like no, you’re here to perform for us not to perform this,” Healy said. A few people tried to start “F*** Yeezy” and “F*** Kanye” chants, but they all faded out as people talked with neighboring seatmates in disbelief, wondering about refunds and trying to process what had just happened. GBHS students are significantly more nonchalant than most concert-goers about what had occurred. “I mean, I’m personally more upset he didn’t sing my favorite song,” Damos said. Videos of the event have gone viral on social media. One such video taken by a GBHS student has had over 5,000 views on it at the time this article was written, just 14 hours after it had been published. Students who posted videos of the event on social media were also contacted by media professionals for use in articles. This Gazette writer was contacted by Donie O’Sullivan, a producer for CNN, for use of the video she took of Kanye’s rant on CNN and affiliate websites. Overall, GBHS students have one resounding sentiment when it comes to the Sacramento installment of the Saint Pablo tour. “Worst concert ever,” Glover said.

Gazette photo /STEPHENIE KANG

A24

fantastic beasts and where to find them:A

Page 19

film.

WARNER BROS.PICTURES

xpectations are high for a film that follows one of the most successful sagas of all time. The disappointments were few and far between. Written by J.K. Rowling, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” was not far off from the adventures Rowling has previously written about that captured the minds of millions. Of the five proposed Fantastic Beasts films, this is the first, but this is the ninth film regarding J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world. Based in New York circa 1926, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) has entered America in search of capturing rare mythical creatures. Having no book to build from, director David Yates worked straight from the storyline, and partial script, written by Rowling. Many Potter fans, did not know what to expect from the motion picture. The film began giving an in – depth look at the events that took place before Harry Potter was born, all of which turned out to be better than anyone could have expected. Animations of mythical creatures weren’t cheesy or sloppily done, they felt real, vivid, as if I was a little kid again, raving over the idea of spells and magic. Rowling and Yates could have easily produced a film with a predictable plot just to make another couple million dollars from guaranteed viewers, but they didn’t. There were risks taken, twists in the plot line, interpretations and conclusions the audience had to make on their own – it was brilliant. Fanatics have waited five years since the last release of a film from Yates and Rowling. No, it was not the jaw dropping Deathly Hallows Part 2, but it was in fact unique, and incredibly capturing. Having no novel as a guideline, the film still contained a compelling story that was able to include all the magical aspects Potterheads know and love. My doubts lingered before viewing the film, expecting a tedious 133 minutes of above average acting, decent computer animation and a subpar soundtrack. I experienced a film which left me intrigued, picking apart the plot. I am now anxiously awaiting the next four works in the series.

Rated: R

Rated: PG-13

By: Connor Hinson chinson.gazette@gmail.com

moonlight: A+

lack. Gay. Poor. These words have inescapable connotations, societal preconceptions which dictate how someone views a person who holds one or all of these titles. Rather than tackling these issues of race, sexuality and class head on, “Moonlight” chooses to show them, raw and uncensored. The film functions as a lens through which we view Chiron – a young boy, teenager and eventually adult man – subvert and succumb to societal expectations as a gay black man living in Miami. “Moonlight” opens the same way as Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly,” with the Boris Gardiner’s song “Every N****r is a Star.” This sets the tone for the film, a search for identity in an oppressive world. Across the film’s three parts, Chiron is played by three different actors, each at a different age. All three bring something different to the role, yet maintain a cohesive and realistic character development throughout. On paper, “Moonlight” is a coming of age tale. However, its execution is infinitely better than nearly every other coming of age movie ever made. Incredibly, this film is the second ever by director Barry Jenkins, who also wrote the film. Much of the brilliance of “Moonlight” comes from its willingness to be real with its audience, to present issues without sugarcoating. Topics of drug abuse and violence aren’t hidden, being displayed with a matter-of-fact tone. It is as visceral as it is beautiful, a gut-punch which leaves you awestruck. The whole film is shot with a very shallow depth of field, placing the characters at the forefront of their setting. This shooting style is entrancing, allowing the audience to be contemporary with the characters. “Moonlight” favors visual storytelling, choosing to show its nuances rather than explaining them through dialogue. This is mirrored in Chiron’s character, quiet and reserved, as he gets across much of his attitude through body language. Chiron struggles with his self identity, which is made apparent by the titles of the three parts of the film. Each part is named after a nickname that Chiron is given throughout the movie, punctuating each phase of his life. “Moonlight” is poetic. Its ability to convey a feeling through visuals alone is nothing short of artful. “Moonlight” is the best film of the year, and maybe even of the past three or four or five years.

By: Will Anderson wanderson.gazette@gmail.com

“A

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

rrival” is challenging on both an emotional and mental level, relying on both for its character development and plot. At its surface, the movie follows Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams), a linguistics professor. In the midst of 12 UFO landings around the world, Dr. Banks is hired by the government to decipher what the aliens are saying, and as time progresses, she ends up developing a unique bond with the aliens. While the plot is not the most feasible of plots – as this is a science fiction movie – the director Denis Villeneuve does well in not giving too much attention to the alien landings, but rather focuses more on Dr. Banks’ reaction to the extraterrestrial sighting. Though its plot isn’t the most realistic, the best thing that Villeneuve does is make this movie not a story about an alien invasion but instead one that is heavily centered around its main character. The opening scene of the movie begins with Dr. Banks reminiscing about the death of her daughter. Although this originally seemed like an ambitious effort to make the audience sympathize with Dr. Banks from the very beginning, it carries more significance once the movie has ended. Villeneuve also includes a romantic relationship because in Hollywood, what movie is complete without some romance? However, because almost half of the main characters in the film aren’t even human, Villeneuve is forced to choose the physics expert for Dr. Banks. Even though their relationship doesn’t get much screen time, it was a key part in the movie. As for the emotional aspect of “Arrival,” there are several emotional scenes that really helped the audience connect with the movie. Besides the opening scene with Dr. Bank’s daughter, Banks also experiences numerous times when she is either experiencing danger, having an intimate conversation with the physics expert, or grieving over her daughter. Towards the end of the movie, Villeneuve drops a bomb of information that totally redefines the movie. It reminded me of “The Sixth Sense,” and how, if you knew the spoiler going into theater, the whole movie just became less interesting. However, “Arrival’s” spoiler didn’t really make the movie any less interesting for me. In fact, once the movie had ended, I spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the movie. At least for me, it was the first movie that blew my mind, and I would seriously recommend seeing this movie.

Rated: PG-13 By: Andrew Yung ayung.gazette@gmail.com

arrival: A

December 2016

Page 20

2017.

Gazette illustration/HANNAH XU

Don’t drop the ball on your New Year’s resolutions

BY MACKENZIE BROWN

mbrown.gazette@gmail.com

s the year comes to a close and a new one approaches, thoughts of New Year’s resolutions arise, and many of the same ones from the prior year become ideas for the coming year. These ideas typically consist of eating better, going to the gym more or procrastinating less. Many of these resolutions crash and burn, as only eight percent of all resolutions are completed, according to Statistic Brain. Although that driven eight percent are able to accomplish their resolutions, most people who try and stick with these year long goals end up in failure. Such is the case of Granite Bay High School junior Ashley Milne. “My resolution was to eat healthier and not have so many snacks in the house,” Milne said. Although this goal started out strong, it only lasted for about three weeks. The cause? “Temptations steered me away,” Milne said, referring to snacks and other foods. Similar to Milne, GBHS senior Darby Mullany has not fulfilled her resolutions. Mullany’s goal was to procrastinate

less and be more productive, a very common resolution. And along with a common resolution came an even more common result. “I did (work on my resolution) in the beginning because it was a new semester, but as the semester went on I fell into my old habits of doing things at the last minute,” Mullany said. Although she didn’t have a successful end result, Mullany’s efforts were triumphant for a short while. “I stuck with it by trying to get all of my work done before I went and did something else non-school related,” Mullany said, “but it faded because I (would) convince myself that other things were more important than the things I had to get done.” On the other hand, there are the strongwilled eight percent of people who stick to these resolutions all year long. Piper Wenstrom, GBHS sophomore, fulfilled the goal she made for herself. “I wanted to get all A’s,” Wenstrom said. With studying and ambition, she was able to earn a 4.0 GPA. Her advice for people who can’t seem to complete their resolutions? “With effort and hard work I think you can complete your New Year’s resolu-

tions,” Wenstrom said. Like Wenstrom, senior at GBHS Matt O’Malley has made and completed New Year’s resolutions. “(My resolutions were) managing stress and taking care of my mental health above all school work and responsibilities,” O’Malley said. With constant focus on his goal, O’Malley made his resolution a successful one. “I think it’s important to have a resolution that has an outcome you really wish for,” O’Malley said, “If that is the change you want so badly, the steps you need to take will be outshone by the end results.” In addition to the others with successful results, Adri Briuolo, GBHS junior, set the goal of not drinking soda for a year and stuck to it. “I just wanted to see if I could do it,” Briuolo said. She believes that people can accomplish their resolutions with consistent effort. “I think that they work depending on if you choose to follow them,” Briuolo said. “I definitely believe that the new year is a great time to set goals.” Apart from people who make resolutions and keep them and others who

make resolutions and don’t stick to them, some simply don’t make them at all. Junior Bailey Diemer never makes these year-long objectives. “I have not (made a resolution) because I like to improve all aspects of my life, not just one,” Diemer said. Although Diemer doesn’t make resolutions himself, he doesn’t frown upon people who do. “I think resolutions are a great way to motivate yourself to reach your goals,” Diemer said, “(But) I think resolutions only work if you are committed to a good resolution.” Either way, there’s no harm in attempting to set a year-long goal, especially if you accomplish it. O’Malley is a strong believer in New Year’s resolutions and encourages all to take part in them. “Resolutions are amazing,” O’Malley said. “I’m an optimist so I look forward to the idea of a ‘new start.’ Whatever I’m unhappy about or want to fix, I have the preconceived idea that I have until Jan. 1 to prepare for it. Depending on your attitude and perspective towards resolutions, I think they absolutely work.”