Granite Bay Gazette, November 2017 by Karl Grubaugh

Friendsgiving

Teacher in Hall of Fame

Shamrock New service dog for diabetic staff

Mike Valentine gets recognized for athletics

New ways to celebrate the holidays emerge

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The Granite Bay Gazette GRANITE BAY HIGH SCHOOL w 1 GRIZZLY WAY w GRANITE BAY, CA w 95746 w VOLUME 21 w ISSUE 3 w THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017

COMMENTARY

sabina mahavni smahavni.gazette@gmail.com

Lose a loved one – gain respect for another one

t’s 9:02 p.m. on Oct. 18. I’m baking chocolate chip banana muffins for my journalism class, my mom’s cleaning the kitchen and my dad’s watching a documentary about the Obamas. Then the phone rings, and the room goes completely silent. A few months ago, my great aunt was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. To me, she was Badi Ammi, which means “older grandmother” in Hindi. To everybody else, she was the strong, independent woman with an unbeatable memory. She could remember everybody in the family’s birthdays, when they graduated college and any date you can think of. I can barely remember what I had for dinner last night. When I first heard about her diagnosis, I didn’t know what to make of it; I didn’t know that 80 percent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive less than a year after the diagnosis. Our family is extremely closeknit, and whenever a relative is severely ill, it takes a toll on all of us. Luckily, I was able to visit her at the Fremont Kaiser hospital and later at her home a few days before her death. Seeing how carefully and thoughtfully she was attended to in the hospital increased my respect for doctors and medical researchers, toiling away day and night in search of a cure for cancer. Thanks to the wonderful team of doctors and nurses who attended to Badi Ammi 24/7 before her death, she passed away comfortably in her own home, surrounded by her loved ones. My respect for medical staffers is quite biased – my dad is a cancer surgeon. Not only is he one of the only doctors in his specialty, but he happens to also be the only doctor in the family, which means everybody turns to him with their latest CAT scans or blood pressure reports. It also means that he has to be the voice of reason among optimistic relatives hoping for a miracle for Badi Ammi. As much as he wanted to have high hopes for her, doctors are cursed with the ability to see farther into the future than even they sometimes desire, and my dad felt it was his duty to be the bearer of bad news. I can’t begin to imagine having to always be the strong, rational thinker in medical emergencies like these. It’s hard enough to tell a patient’s family they’re going to lose a loved one, but when that patient is your family ... I know getting that call must have been devastating for my father, who loved and cared for his aunt dearly, but, as the calm and composed man that he is, he simply hung up the phone, turned to me and said, “She’s gone.” We sat in silence for about 10 minutes, not knowing what to say or do. I was half-heartedly pouring the muffin batter into cupcake liners, stifling tears and sniffles. Yes, it was a sad day, and yes, it was unfair for cancer to take her so early in her life, but it’s thanks to hardworking doctors and medical staff like my dad that she was able to live as long as she did. Some of my friends rant about how heartless and unfeeling doctors are, but I could never be more grateful for the care those Kaiser employees showed Badi Ammi, and I could never be more proud to be Dr. Vikas Mahavni’s daughter.

*** Sabina Mahavni, a senior, is a Gazette co-editor-in-chief.

Inconsistent grading policy calls for changes District proposes standard evaluation of students’ school reports and scores

BY BRAYDEN JOHNK

bjohnk.gazette@gmail.com

ouldn’t it be nice if every teacher graded with the exact same rubric and policies? However desirable it may sound, it is much easier said than done.

But this is one of the issues that the Roseville Joint Union High School District has identified and is attempting to address through an in-depth review of the district-wide grading policy. Since the fall of last year, Jess Borjon, the RJUHSD assistant superintendent of curriculum

and instruction, as well as the district’s Continuous Improvement Leadership Team have worked at rethinking and redrafting the current board policy dealing with grading policies. “Pursuing assessment practices and policy has been an ongoing pursuit in our district,” Borjon

said via email. “(The proposed changes will) better support student learning in a consistent manner.” Consistency in grading policies is a key issue being addressed by CILT. The current See GRADING, page A9

To pledge or not to pledge New controversy arises as students sit during the Pledge of Allegiance BY KATIE COLOGNA

Gazette photo/ KATIE COLOGNA

Gazette photo illustration/ SABINA MAHAVNI

As a result of a Supreme Court case decided in 1943, students in the United States have the right to respectfully decline to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance.

kcologna.gazette@gmail.com

he recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance has been an ongoing tradition within the public school system. It has become an action to which students have become accustomed once class starts, but the Pledge of Allegiance is not mandatory. If students want to remain sitting during the Pledge, they can do so, and a teacher legally cannot tell them to stand. The reasoning behind this: West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943) ruled that it is unconstitutional to make a student stand for the Pledge because it violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments. This is due to the right for religious freedom and freedom of speech. “People make this immediate judgement about somebody if they’re not standing, but it is the law,” Granite Bay High School Advanced Placement government teacher Jarrod Westberg said. “I understand why it’s the law. I understand why the courts ruled the way the courts have ruled, because our judges understand the constitution. Many people in the country do not.” The portion of the Pledge of Allegiance that perhaps most often results in protest and controversy is the line “under God,” which was pushed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to be added to the Pledge in 1954 during the Cold War. “I would say that (“under God” is) an expectation of a Christian God in that sense that here we are trying to fight communism and what not, right, but without there (being) any clear definition,” said IB World Religions and English teacher David Tastor. “Every world religion except for Buddhism believes that there is a god, that there is some greater force

bigger than us that we may or may not be dependent on.” If the “under God” phrase is the only part that makes a student or teacher uncomfortable, the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that they can simply omit the words when reciting the Pledge without receiving disciplinary punishment. What was once thought of as possible way to bring people together during the Cold War and focus the fight against communism has drastically changed in today’s society. “The whole idea of pledging your allegiance … is a big deal for our history, yes,” Westberg said. “It’s just today, it’s not something you would think is going to be a unifying issue.” In September, a teacher in Michigan made sixth-grade student, Stone Chaney, stand during the Pledge and did so by forcing him out of his chair. What was his reasoning? Stone stopped standing for the Pledge in the second grade because he made a Pledge to his family and God, not to the flag. “I struggle with the fact that a religious person, who’s only supposed to Pledge allegiance to God, is being required to Pledge allegiance to a flag, Tastor said. “For me in studying religions, God is what you Pledge allegiance to, not a flag,” Tastor added. “So if it’s just simply a political connection, then there’s no need for the word ‘God.’ For the religious person who believes firmly in that aspect, I think that’s a conundrum that they have to solve.” On the GBHS campus there are a number of students who don’t stand for the Pledge but many don’t have a particular reason. Senior Divya Shetty hasn’t been standing for the Pledge for four See PLEDGE page A7

Special education students shine through Unified Sports Second annual Special Olympics event rallies support

BY SABINA MAHAVNI

smahavni.gazette@gmail.com

ov. 3 marked the second annual Placer County Unified Sports event, giving special needs students from 10 different schools the opportunity to not only defy their physical disabilities but be a part of a team that accepts them for their unique sense of individuality. The 2017 Unified Sports event was hosted by Whitney High Rocklin in the school’s small and large gymnasiums. The Granite Bay High team played four soccer games from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with small breaks in between. Nine other schools’ special education students in Placer County – including Woodcreek, Nevada Union and Del Oro, among others – participated and brought along cheering sections that filled the gym bleachers with supportive energy.

inside This Section news

Special Olympics Unified Sports was founded in the 1960s by Eunice Kennedy Shriver with the goal of “creating a new world of inclusion and community, where every single person is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability.” Like Shriver, GBHS special education teacher Michelle Restani advocates for the program’s unifying power. “(We want) the school to get behind kids who don’t get a chance to be involved and for them to represent our school,” Restani said. “It’s a fun atmosphere, and they get to be a part of something … even with their (special) abilities.” This event gives special needs students an outlet for their energy and a way to practice effective team-building skills. “We got to watch them have complete confidence, be positive and excited because this whole event is set up for them

To test or not to test...

Sexual harassment takes the spotlight

Students weigh the importance of taking the PSAT more than once

Weinstein controversy brings light to similar issues at GBHS

Gazette photo /LOGAN EMBREE

Sophomore Blake Rudig defends his team’s goal during the Unified Sports event Friday.

to be successful,” said GBHS Paraprofessional KC Bevis. This is only the second year GBHS has taken part in the event, but the participant turnout exceeded expectations with a grand total of 25 students. Last year, despite the limited number of students, the high schoolers made the most of the situation. “They didn’t complain about how tired they were… because they were just so enthusiastic and excited about it,”

voices

See SPORTS, page A7

Respect opinions Sometimes it’s beneficial to listen to your worst enemy’s viewpoints

A10

News

Granite Bay Gazette

Thursday w November 9, 2017

NAMES IN THE NEWS

will anderson wanderson.gazette@gmail.com

Royalty voting sets new GBHS King, Queen

ake sure to take a bow when you see Granite Bay’s new homecoming king and queen Jeff Romeo and Kenzie Montoya around campus! *** Malia Luna recently qualified for cross country sections – yes she runs like a girl, and yes she runs faster than you. *** Sienna Lyford, Vanessa Richani, Hailey Rietz, Yena Jang, Yewon Jang and Deborah Dollesin combined to shoot a Masters record 365 to win their third straight Division 1 section title. That is subpar golf at its finest – they literally shot below par. *** Nash Rood, Dean Wilson, Nic Javier, Connor Vivaldi and Tyler Greene produced a Safe Driving Campaign video. Check it out on granitebaytoday.org and remember to resist the risk and make our roads a safer place by driving distraction free. *** With a 27-14 win over Rocklin, the varsity football team finishes the regular season with an 8-2 record and is back in the playoffs for the 19th consecutive year. Number one in the bracket seeding, and number one in our hearts, keep it up boys! *** Kyle Holmes produced Granite Bay’s take on the Shakespearean classic “Much Ado About Nothing.” Showings will be this evening, as well as Friday and Saturday night. There will be much ado about everything if you miss out on this brilliant production. *** Colin Wills, a GBHS sophomore and Team USA climber, won Gold at the Amer Climbing Championships and was named a Continental Champion – I’ve always wanted to climb Mount Everest, but sometimes I can’t even climb out of bed – congrats Colin! *** The Emerald Brigade just won the 43rd Annual Foothill Band Review and Field Show at Folsom High School. No need to toot their horn anymore, but the Emerald Brigade just keeps on winning their competitions! *** Yesterday was National Letter of Intent day. Congrats to all of our incredible athletes and best of luck to you as you continue your athletic careers! *** Will Anderson, a senior, is the Gazette news editor.

To test or not to test...

Gazette photo illustration /KATIE COLOGNA

The PSAT, or the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, is funded by the Roseville Joint Union High School District for anyone who takes it during their sophomore year.

Students weigh the importance of taking the PSAT multiple times during high school BY MCKENNA ARAM

maram.gazette@gmail.com

very year, millions of high school students take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, also known as the PSAT. Freshmen, sophomores and juniors can all register to take the test, although only juniors are eligible to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship which is awarded based on PSAT score. “Nearly 4.3 million students took the (test) during the 2016-17 school year, an increase of more than 46,000 from 2015-16,” said the College Board director of media relations, Maria Eugenia Alcon-Heraux. According to Alcon-Heraux, more than half of 2016 PSAT test takers were sophomores, while 42 percent were juniors. From a test that is just under three hours, a student can gain hundreds of thousands of dollars in schol-

arship money. The scholarship is worth $2,500 toward a student’s college tuition bill, but top qualifiers can earn scholarships worth up to $200,000. At Granite Bay High, although there were no National Merit Scholarship finalists named this fall, 16 seniors were named National Merit commended scholars because of their from 2016. “I was very surprised (because) I didn’t think I would get anything because California is pretty good at testing,” senior David Song said. “(All of the commended scholars) got pink slips to go the office, and we all found out (...) a couple weeks ago.” In order to be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship, students must meet their state cutoff score, which is converted to an index. For example, a PSAT score of 1,250 out of a maximum score of 1,470 converts to an index of 182, which, in 2014, was equivalent to

the 89th percentile of all national test takers. On average, the 99th percentile of all PSAT test-takers includes scores that range all the way from 1,360 to 1,520. The PSAT is scaled down to a maximum of 1,520 instead of the SAT’s maximum of 1,600 in order to help predict a student’s future SAT scores. “The PSAT was pretty much the same as my SAT,” Song said. “I got a 1,440 on the PSAT and a 1,520 on the SAT, so they’re around the same score.” In California, the minimum score for qualification is 1,470 which converts to a state index of 222. If a student’s index reaches 222 or higher, they can be considered for the scholarship. This year, the PSAT was offered on Oct. 25. “I (took) the PSAT this year to prepare myself for the real SAT, which I’ll be taking next year,” sopho-

more Summer Holt said. “I want to have a good understanding of what I know and how the test is formatted before I take the SAT.” The PSAT is offered once a year and is free for all sophomores thanks to the federal College Readiness Block Grant, which helps pay for every sophomore in the Roseville Joint Union High School District that takes the test. “I took the PSAT (this year) because I wanted to get extra practice taking standardized tests,” junior Mikayla Deblaquiere said. According to GBHS students, the distribution of sophomores and juniors who took the test this year seems to match up with national statistics – more than half were sophomore test-takers, and most of the rest were juniors. “The majority of the people I know (took) the PSAT, because I am a sophomore and most sophomores take this test,” Holt said. “My friends and I all just want to

see where our level of understanding is for this test.” Deblaquiere said it seemed like not that many juniors registered for the test at GBHS. “My goal was not to qualify for any awards, I just wanted to improve my score,” Deblaquiere said. “I think I did well except for the math section ... however, the other sections were very easy.” Although the PSAT is not utilized for college admissions, it is a great practice method to help prepare for the actual SAT, and it can provide opportunities for scholarship money. “I am honestly not too worried about what score I receive,” Holt said. “I want to do well, but I don’t think it’s something to stress over. It gives me the opportunity to review some material that I may not know about, so then I’ll be prepared for the real test.”

Class of 2018 National Merit honorees named 16 GBHS seniors receive national commendation BY JAKE CRISCIONE

jcriscione.gazette@gmail.com

hat’s the point of taking the PSAT? That exact question is asked every year by sophomores and juniors all around the nation. Along with serving as great practice for upcoming standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT, the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test allows students to qualify themselves

for National Merit Scholarship recognition and money. Every junior’s PSAT score could result in their commendation into the program as a senior, and sets them up for potentially winning thousands of dollars in the form of scholarships. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognizes and offers scholarship money to qualified high school students based on academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, employment and honors and awards received throughout high school. This year, 16 Granite Bay High seniors were named National Merit commended scholars based on their PSAT scores taken during their junior year. “I was surprised that I even qualified for

it,” said senior Michael O’Dea. “I had no idea what it was until I got it.” O’Dea scored a 1,400 on his PSAT out of a possible 1,520, and he was pleasantly surprised to find that his Selection Index Score was just good enough for him to be named a commended student. The Selection Index Score is a converted score that can be used by the NMSC to make a cut off that varies by state. David Song, another senior qualifying for the award, scored a 1440 on the PSAT he took during his junior year and also was surprised when he found out he was selected as a commended scholar. “California is notorious for having insanely high averages in standardized testing,” Song said. California’s cutoff for the class of 2018’s

Selection Index score was 222 and ranked as one of the highest in the nation. To put that into perspective, cut off scores from all other states ranged from 211-223 this year. GBHS principal Jennifer Leighton noted how “it is very difficult to achieve this honor,” and she said she is extremely proud of those who were recognized. Only semi-finalists have the chance of becoming finalists and earning scholarship money. Statistically, one percent of the semifinalists become finalists. “Last year, in the end, no one from (Roseville Joint Union High School District) received one of the prestigious scholarships,” Leighton said. What is commonly unknown regarding the See SCHOLARS, page A9

CORRECTIONS Accuracy is perhaps the most important fundamental of good journalism. It's the policy of the Gazette to correct all factual errors that are brought to our attention. Email us at: staff.granitebaytoday@gmail. com Identification Statement GRANITE BAY GAZETTE PUBLISHED EIGHT TIMES PER ACADEMIC YEAR c/o Granite Bay High School 1 Grizzly Way Granite Bay, CA 95746 Subscriptions: $25 per year/ $15 per half year

Special to the Gazette /JENNIFER LEIGHTON

Ryan McAvoy and Tori Ahmad, above, and Jamie Kanchananakhin, Ryan Haug, Stanley Huang, Michael O’Dea, Nikolay Kisel, Jai Pakhale, Eric Werner, Ryan Hunter, David Song, Steph Kang, Divya Shetty, Mackenzie Hall, Sarah Ansari and Ryan Gong, left to right, were all recognized as National Merit commended scholars in the annual National Merit Sholarship contest based on PSAT scores.

Special to the Gazette /JENNIFER LEIGHTON

Thursday, November 9, 2017

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Highly publicized Harvey Weinstein sex harassment scandal hits home

Victims of sexual harassment often feel hesitant to come out about their experiences, but with the recent hashtag #MeToo, more victims are emboldened to talk.

Gazette illustration /STEPH KANG

Weinstein brings up sexual harassment at GBHS T

BY SAMREEN SIDDIQUI ssiddiqui.gazette@gmail.com

he issue of sexual harassment has been brought to light as claims have arisen that Harvey Weinstein, a film producer, sexually harassed and assaulted women for decades. While this case has been noted for its sheer scope and duration, International Baccalaureate history and social psychology teacher Jillyan McKinney is comparatively unphased by the recent news. “My first response to the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault claims was that I was not surprised,” McKinney said. “Living on this earth for 36 years has given me a lot of understanding of what women consistently go through.” The response to this case, however, has been unprecedented. The hashtag #MeToo has been trending, and victims of sexual assault have come forth and shared their stories. “It is really good that women have started coming out with their (stories),” Granite Bay High graduate Victoria Grivette said. “We are not coddling the predators as much as we have in the past … more people are (becoming) aware of how traumatic sexual assault can be and how much

it can affect people you wouldn’t expect to have (been) affected.” While sexual harassment certainly occurs in Hollywood, senior Tanner Brasse said he can also see how that culture can be expressed on the GBHS campus, too. “The sense of entitlement with other guys on campus, and objectification about how hot a girl is, treats (girls) as more of an object than a person,” Brasse said. “That’s part of our culture. I think that sexual harassment is a prominent product of the objectification that’s prevalent in our culture, especially on Granite Bay’s campus.” Assistant principal Jessup McGregor said he is especially sensitive to the issue because of his work as an administrator on campus. “The hard part is I think a lot of it happens that isn’t reported,” McGregor said. “I hope that your story will elicit more people to bring their stuff forward, because our job is safety followed by education. Sometimes I think we get that backwards where (the education system) puts grades and education before safety, and that’s not OK – because you’re not going to get your grades and education if you don’t feel safe.” Sexual harassment isn’t just a Holly-

wood phenomenon – it happens at GBHS and on other high school campuses across the country and around the world. “I think (sexual harassment) happens on our campuses more than we think it does,” McKinney said. “Just in teaching on this campus for the past 10 years and being a teacher for the last 13, I have had hundreds of young women talk to me about what is being said, touching that is not appropriate, jokes that seem to be not OK, so … I don’t think it’s just one industry that it’s happening to. “It’s systemic and it’s a problem, and sometimes in high school we take it as a joke or it’s not that big of a deal and we brush it off and we do that too many times and it then starts to be the norm ... it’s definitely a huge problem on our own campus and campuses across the world.” Grivette, the GBHS graduate, knows how sexual harassment affects high school students today. “As somebody who is the age of a high school student, sexual harassment has affected me a lot,” Grivette said. “For example, at Sierra College, I recently had to report some guy for following me around campus, I have had people cat call me and I have had people stop me on the street to

Orchard retires early

compliment my ass and that kind of sexual harassment. Just because you might not be a legal adult yet, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen to you.” McKinney also has personal experience with sexual harassment that makes her understand why so many victims don’t normally come forward about their experiences for reasons both personal and societal. “As a victim myself, knowing that every single time you talk about (your experience) it almost feels as if you are being re-victimized and that you want to be believed and a lot of times you are not,” she said. “I think that with sexual harassment or sexual assault victims, there is such a stigma and people don’t believe you, so there is really no reason to come forward when you know that people are going to victimize you all over again, especially when the top question that is asked to sexual assault victims by the police is, ‘What were you wearing.’ ” On the other hand, Brasse thinks people refrain from talking about being the conduits for sexual harassment, and that ultimately results in even more repression of an important issue. “I think that it’s an embarrassing topic

if you’re someone who has sexually harassed someone unintentionally,” Brasse said. “As a guy, that’s not something you would want to own up to. … I think it’s easier for a lot of people to just hold it to themselves and to not come out about the issue even if it needs to be brought into the light.” Lorena Campos, the communications coordinator for the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, said she believes it’s critical not just to recognize the issue but also actively work to resolve it. “The important note in all of these conversations (about the Weinstein case) is to ask, ‘How can we change the imbalance of power and prevent sexual violence as allies and change makers in any community, industry and society?’ ” Campos said. “We need to focus on the culture that allows sexual violence to happen, and persist and commit to change that leads to ending sexual violence.” Despite the different perspectives brought to the table, however, it seems to all boil down to one thing. “More people are realizing that it doesn’t matter what you are wearing or how they are acting,” Grivette said. “Gross people are still going to do gross things.”

Until replacement arrives, former counselor keeps email open for seniors BY NICOLE GEARING

ngearing.gazette@gmail.com

On Sep. 15, students who had Kathleen Orchard as their counselor received an email announcing her retirement effective Oct. 6. Orchard has been apart of the GBHS counseling staff for many years, helping hundreds of students with their various counseling needs. A hard job with often little recognition, Orchard went above and beyond for her students, forming close and personal relationships with them. “I got fairly close with Mrs. Orchard throughout the four years of high school (and) working with my schedule,” said senior Brennan Holt, “so her retirement was a shock.” The email came with a personal letter written by Orchard herself that ensured her seniors would be taken care of. “I was a little bummed,” said senior Ryan Hunter, “she has always been really helpful and kind.” When asked about whether she knew she would be retiring mid-semester, Orchard said she had not planned on it. “I was most likely going to retire June 2018,” said Orchard, “but for a couple of reasons, I chose to retire early.” “While not ideal for GBHS, it is what is best for me.” she added. Orchard said she was well aware of the concerns her seniors might be feeling as they moved closer to the months of November and December and scrambled for letters of recommendations from teachers as well as the required letter from their counselor and tried to find answers to the questions they had about the college application process. “It is important to me that my seniors know that I have been committed to making sure my leaving did not impact their college applications in any

way.” Orchard said. “Due to a delay in the new counselor starting,” Orchard said, “I decided to write letters of recommendation for every student that was applying to a college that required one, and this has been done on my own time.” These letters seem to have been completed before her departure. “She got it done in time and before she left,” said Holt in regards to his letters of recommendations. However, some students said they still feel left in the dark as Orchard departed with the knowledge students needed heading into application season. “There are (certain aspects) about college applications, especially being an only child,” said senior Olivia Epperson, “that are really frustrating because I haven’t had anyone go through them before me, so the fact that she wasn’t here to ask any questions was really hard.” Despite students’ concerns, Orchard and the GBHS administration worked to ensure all students would make the transition smoothly. “We hired a fantastic replacement,” said principal Jennifer Leighton, “and an experienced substitute counselor – Mrs. Faust – until (the new counselor) is released from her current position.” Singh was scheduled to begin her job as a member of the GBHS counseling staff Nov. 2. “Right now we are in a holding pattern until Mrs. Singh’s arrival.” said Leighton when asked, before Singh’s arrival, about how the GBHS administration was handling the transition between counselors. Although Orchard is officially retired, she continues to keep her email open for her seniors as they finish up the final touches of their college applications. “I still have access and am checking my email regularly,” Orchard said, “for the sole purpose of making sure nothing falls through the cracks.”

NEWS BRIEFS

GBHS wins Homecoming game On Oct. 27, Granite Bay High beat Woodcreek 49-7 in the GBHS Homecoming game. The Homecoming floats, created by each class, were paraded during halftime. The sophomores took first place. Kenzie Montoya was named Homecoming Queen and Jeff Romero named Homecoming King. Band starts off strong On Sat., Oct. 14, the GBHS Emerald Brigade Band won overall sweepstakes in its first competition, the Oakmont Band competition. A week later, the Brigade took second place within its division in the Del Oro Band Review in Loomis. Then on Oct. 28, they competed in the Foothill Band Review in Pleasanton and won first place in every category but one. Two Grizzlies headed to UCSD Recently, two GBHS senior boys verbally committed to the University of California at San Diego. Spencer Richard committed for swimming and Zach Wong committed for soccer. Whitney High School hosts Placer County Unified Sports event On Friday, Whitney High hosted the second annual Placer County Unified Sports event, which allows youth with disabilities to compete in soccer games all day long. Students from 10 different schools within the Placer County area compete in the event with their classmates cheering along. - Compiled by Gazette editor McKenna Aram

Gazette photo /BRAYDEN JOHNK

Sophomores celebrate enthusiastically in front of their award-winning float.

March to the beat of your own drum. Read the Gazette.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

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Perspectives differ on unclear ‘Grizz Time’ policies Administrator Jennifer Buschman adresses students issues with the perceived strict intervention rules BY BRUCE RUSSELL

brussell.gazette@gmail.com

he reception for Granite Bay High’s new intervention period – otherwise known as “Grizz Time,” a 28-minute session where students can get assistance from teachers, complete homework or finish a test – has been mostly positive. Many struggling students are receiving valuable help they otherwise would never have gotten before the introduction of the intervention period this year. Others have benefitted from the time to study or do class work. Despite all these conveniences designed to aid students, however, there have been some challenges with the new schedule. Senior Ian Mackey said he believes he was unfairly stopped on his way to the restroom and sent back to

class during intervention. “I had to go use the restroom and this lady in a golf cart stopped me,” Mackey said. “She said you can’t leave so you have to back to class.” Mackey said he thinks this incident was more than just a simple annoyance. “I love the restriction of human rights on this campus,” Mackey said. “Every single person in human history has had to use the restroom.” Assistant principal Jennifer Buschman, who oversees Grizz Time, said the intervention period is no different than time in classes.. “Grizz Time should be treated like a class period, which is why we need students to get to where they need to go and stay there,” Buschman said. Buschman also said students must get a pass from their teacher to use the restroom during intervention, like in a normal class period. Mackey said he was never told of the requirement

that he had to have a pass to use the restroom during intervention. “The fact that I can’t even go out and use the restroom is dehumanizing,” Mackey The fact that I said. can’t even go Senior Pavlina Clem had a similar experiout and use ence to Mackey’s in the restroom is which she was ordered to go to either a class dehumanizing. or to a common area instead of being in the Ian Mackey, GBHS quad. senior Clem does agree with the GBHS administration on the necessity of cracking down on loitering during Grizz Time. “I understand why they are strict, because otherwise there’s just going to be kids sitting around the quad not doing their work,” Clem said.

New legislative bills raise eyebrows Political divide arises in society on new reforms BY JUAN PABLO FLORES

jflores.gazette@gmail.com

y the end of October, California Gov. Jerry Brown had signed or vetoed some remarkable bills among the nearly 1,000 different proposals passed on to him by the state legislature. Among the new laws, AB 19, proposed by assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), intends to provide an opportunity for first-time students to enroll in higher education by waiving the fees for the first year of tuition for community colleges in California after being signed into law by California Governor Brown. “In the end, we will benefit when (graduates) of such programs themselves become taxpayers,” history teacher Mike Valentine said. The move has received mixed reviews as it is unclear how many students would benefit and how much taxpayers will be affected by the bill. “One of the great political farces ever told is that things come without a price,”

world languages teacher Michael Trout said. “(And) this is just political theater to coddle young lemmings for votes.” The high costs associated with such a move highlight what critics of the initiative say is a trend of some state governments attempting to interfere excessively with personal choice, yet this is not limited to matters of finance. Some conservative media outlets have expressed particular uncertainty over a bill which they say threatens Constitutional liberties by mandating a correct use of gender pronouns in limited circumstances. “There is too much that can go wrong with policing speech,” Trout said. These conservative media outlets have suggested that under SB 219, some healthcare workers could be prosecuted for deliberately and repeatedly using gender pronouns deemed undesirable by the patient. Although these claims may be exaggerations based on a flawed misinterpretation of the bill, violating some elements of the anti-LGBT discrimination bill can result in prosecution. While some suggest the effects of the bill are not widespread enough to merit concern, others believe it is part of a trend. “We are seeing politicians playing politics with people’s lives and pandering to a certain demographic rather than looking out for the common good,” Trout said.

Some support other aspects of the measure as they think the conditions of such facilities are in grave need of improvement. “We must make sure people’s rights are respected,” health teacher Kathie Sinor said, “(but) I find it saddening that we need such laws to treat people with dignity and respect.” Some opponents of the measure are concerned that public health concerns might be aggravated by implications of SB 239, which reduces the penalty for people infected with HIV who knowingly expose others to the disease from a felony to a misdemeanor. The Los Angeles Times reported that Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said HIV-positive people were being discriminated against by previous laws which stipulated that willfully spreading the HIV virus is considered a felony even though spreading other communicable diseases resulted only in a misdemeanor. “Other communicable diseases have a cure (and) other STDs have no visible symptoms, (but) right now AIDS is a deadly disease,” Sinor said. “(So in such cases) there is criminal intent to cause bodily harm.” There still are mixed reactions to bill SB 149, which would have required U.S. President Donald J. Trump to release his tax returns. Some deem the issue irrel-

Beyond the restrictions on the use of restrooms during intervention, policies surrounding the entrance into common areas have left students like junior Jackson Greenwald irritated. “I was going to the cafeteria and was at the front of the line but forgot my ID,” Greenwald said. “The bell had already rung, so I walked to class instead and was stopped twice on the way by admin.” These kinds of seemingly unwarranted reactions have confirmed the suspicions held by many students that the monitoring during intervention is simply too harsh. “There are certain restrictions on this campus that are good, but this is so wholeheartedly unreasonable and just utterly stupid,” Mackey said. Buschman, however, likens Grizz Time to a mandatory study session, where everyone is able to focus and work in a comforting and supportive environment. “We are trying to help students be successful during this time – whether that means going to a class or having quiet study time,” Buschman said. “In college, all the study areas are completely quiet to be respectful of those who really need quiet to focus.”

Gazette illustration/ KATIE COLOGNA

A portrayal of a Ca. Senate Bill in regards to SB-219 which would prosecute workers who don’t use the proper gender pronouns when referring or speaking to their patient. evant while others are extremely adamant about it. Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed the measure in mid-October. “It is our business to see his tax returns and he owes it to the American people,” Sinor said. “If he can see my tax returns, I should see his.” Some believe there is an issue with transparency from the White House, saying that if Trump is unwilling to release his tax returns, then he might have something to hide. “If he has economic ties to Russia, it would show the reason for his bias in favor of (Russian president Vladimir) Putin,” junior Elliot Hyman said. Some right-leaning observers are concerned that the California state legislature – which consists of a Democratic supermajority – has become antagonistic toward Pres. Trump in the context of some recent national electoral gains made by the Republican party. Some on

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the other side of the political spectrum believe state policy makers are headed in the direction the rest of the country should be heading. “This is just more political theater (from) the left,” Trout said.“Trump had some of his tax documents leaked to the press months ago.” A number of people place emphasis on the context of the rest of the world in response to the apparent disparity between the state and nation’s political environment. “When you really look at the whole industrialized world, it’s this country that has been lagging behind,” Hyman said. The political theater in the context of history and the rest of the world is yet another subject. “We are a bit behind other countries in infrastructure and have a lot of social issues,” Valentine said.

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than later. “I started writing (my essays) at the beginning of the school year,” Hinds said, “and then edited them multiple times with my counselor, so it took a while. (It probably) took like a month or so.” It is also important that students pace themselves throughout the process in order to regulate themselves and to ensure they end BY ANDREW YUNG up finishing. ayung.gazette@gmail.com “Filling out college applications was fairly The season for applying to colleges has or easy (since) I spent a little on (the applicawill shortly end. Now all that awaits are the tion) each day,” Sakata said. acceptance – and rejection – letters. Students must make sacrifices in order to And with the press of the button to send make sure they get their applications done. off applications, a lot of stress has been lift“It takes a lot of time to sit down at a comed off of seniors. No longer do they have to puter and get your application done,” Hinds dedicate time into building their resumes and said, “especially if you want to go out, (take perfecting their essays. Instead, with the submission of applications, students’ fates now a break) and do other things.” However, in the end, most students said lies solely in the hands of the colleges. they feel the extra work they put in during However, to achieve such a release of stress, seniors must have the willpower to those times were worth the sacrifice. “Finishing (early) made it less stressful start and finish the actual task of filling out with tests going on in school since I was able college applications, which is a much more to focus on the present tests instead of coldaunting task than it sounds. Most college applications are composed of lege applications,” Hinds said. Parents also are happy when their children transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendations and essays. However, applications are able to finish their applications early. “I celebrated (once my daughter finished vary greatly from college to college, since her applications),” said Keisome colleges do not ko Sakata, whose daughter is require an essay while Mika Sakata. “I’m happy that others require essays and even require applicants she’s one step closer to colto attend an interview. lege.” Finishing The process, though However, some students seemingly straightfor- (early) made it less temper their happiness until ward, is very time-con- stressful with tests later, when the final decisions suming. from colleges are released. Often, a lot of the time going on in school. “It felt like a relief when I that applications take was finally done,” Hinds said. goes into mulling over – Mikayla Hinds, GBHS “But I didn’t feel the need to essays as students try to celebrate. I’ll celebrate when senior make sure their essays I get into some of the schools both accurately reflect I applied for.” their character and also Now all seniors can do is appeal to colleges. check their email inboxes and With that said, students mailboxes for letters from often find the essay porcolleges. tion of the application to be the least enjoyIn the meantime, they can make use of their able part of the process. time by giving advice to incoming seniors. “My least favorite part of the application “My advice would be to not procrastinate (process) was the essays,” Granite Bay High and to get (the application) done as soon as School senior Mika Sakata said. “The proyou can,” Sakata said. cess was tedious.” Seniors also advise that the incoming seHowever, the essay can also be a place where applicants can showcase their own niors really look into which colleges they are personalities and characters, and really ex- applying to and to make the best decisions. “Apply to places you feel like you fit and press themselves. major in what you want to do,” Hinds said, “I (was) able to put my true feelings into the essays and be me,” said Mikayla Hinds, who “not what anyone else wants you to do.” Lastly, once applications are in, seniors adis also a senior at GBHS. “And I was able to talk about personal experiences, and I really vise to not worry. “Once you’re done with applications, don’t enjoyed that.” To account for the time that applications stress,” Hinds said. “Just be patient and know take, many seniors start the process – includ- that you did your best, and whatever happens ing the scripting of the essays – earlier rather is meant to happen.”

Seniors embark on their final step to post-high school

Movement sets out to save countless young lives on road Gazette illustration/ BRAYDEN JOHNK

Class-led Safe Driving Campaign emphasizes avoiding texting BY JACK KEHOE

jkehoe.gazette@gmail.com

When it comes to people’s everyday lives, driving prevails as one of the most commonly shared rituals among high school students as well as other younger and older adults. This year’s leadership class, taught by Linda Dickson, has chosen one of its projects to be a “Safe Driving Campaign,” with the main focus on the Granite Bay High School community, but with their message extending to surrounding communities as well. The program is sponsored by Safety Center and Allstate Insurance, and there are a large number of schools participating statewide. “The overall goal is to help teach people around our community that texting and driving is dangerous to their and others’ lives,” said Megan Panicker, a freshmen at GBHS who helps lead the project. “We are trying to reduce the amount of accidents caused by texting and driving.” Other than just spreading the word, the group plans to have many activities

in the quad at GBHS for students to participate in, as well as regularly tweeting out social media messages and putting posters all around the campus. “We’ve gotten many clubs involved, and we are doing as much as we can to make an impact on our school and everyone around us,” said Madison Miller, a freshman leadership student. Among the activities the class has created are safe-driving action plans, teendriving survey forms, road map games, peer-led projects and more. To keep track of all of the accomplishments each school or student does for the campaign, a “road map,” which resembles a board game, helps keep track of the progress. The campaign not only has peer activities, but also has social media activities. These include Snapchat day, where students post pictures of their peers thanking Allstate and Safety Center, and #TheySay, which lets participants share their insights about the world of driving. “The students made everything for this project, including all the handouts and posters,” Dickson said. “I am mere-

ly the adviser behind the scenes.” The students involved plan to reach out to more than just the Granite Bay High community. By going to Homecoming and Bonfire, the word will spread to other schools. They also plan to go to Olympus Junior High School to advertise and alert the students, because making them aware at that age about safe driving will possibly prevent many more accidents in the future. “(The students) should pay attention because they will be driving in the future and being informed ahead of time can help them not be a distracted driver in the future,” Miller said. With many schools around the state participating in the campaign, the aim at a better future for younger drivers looks bright. Time will tell if the messages have gotten through. “It’s easier for kids to spread the word to other kids and make a safer environment than adults to adults spreading the word,” Panicker said. “Even though I don’t drive, I still believe that I can influence others like me to not text and drive.”

Club posters and flags taken down at the high school GBHS conservatives express fear of censorship of views and beliefs BY JUAN PABLO FLORES jflores.gazette@gmail.com

Concerns of a perceived trend of increasing censorship have been revived following the removal of some materials set up by the club Conservatives of Granite Bay by some students and staff members. The conservatives’ club had placed posters in anticipation of its first meeting containing expressions such as “Blue Lives Matter” in reference to the conservatives’ response to the controversial “Black Lives Matter” movement starting in last September. “We had some of our posters removed,” said senior Timothy Tsverov, president of Conservatives of Granite Bay. Earlier this year, the posters and some materials used for the Club Rush event were removed because of an apparent misunderstanding. “I know there is a policy of having posters approved by the office before being placed around, but I also know that lots of stuff gets put up that isn’t properly vetted,” said Advanced Placement U.S. History teacher Brandon Dell’Orto, the adviser of the conservative club at GBHS.

This policy, though not always followed, is crucial to advertisement and distribution. Like all clubs at GBHS, the Conservative Club is registered and would need written permission from both the Associated Student Body and the site administration for any fundraising event. The GBHS Student Handbook further states that those distributing literature must exercise this right within the time, place and manner established for the school. The policy also prohibits the distribution of commercial advertising and flyers advertising parties. “School is a place where censorship is bound to happen,” government teacher Jason Rath said. Across the nation, school officials can ban the distribution of materials that conflict with their educational mission, yet they cannot base their decision on content alone. “Once we allow (any) censorship then our rights get taken away,” Rath said. Some people suggest the values some conservatives are associated with contradict their fundamental moral conceptions.

“Some conservatives hold their adverse message. positions purely for economic rea“There is censorship going on sons (but) there is racist rhetoric in this country,” senior Colby in a substantial amount of con- Bradford said. He said that a lot of servative campaigns,” said junior the censorship has been directed Sameer Kazim, president of the against conservatives by liberal Society of Independent Thinkers, elitists. which is dedicated to discussing “The message we try to send is political matters. that conservatives are not all evil The ideas leading to censorship people as the mainstream media can come from people with differ- portrays us,” Tsverov said. ent reasons from Some people both sides of the have said that the political specsubjective nature trum. of determining Once we allow “Liberals have something to be freedom of speech (any) censorship hate speech opens until you offend then our rights get the door to censorship while others them,” Rath said, taken away. said that there is “(while) president Trump has a worrying trend come out attack- – Jason Rath, Advanced of increasing hate ing the credibility speech incidents. Placement Government of some news or“Hate speech is teacher ganizations.” anything that explicitly denounces “It may be a specific race, tempting to not gender, national let some groups of people talk (but) there is a dan- origin or sexual orientation,” Kager when you determine a group’s zim said. speech no longer protected,” Bradford says that this was a Dell’Orto said. subtle attempt to censor opinions Some members of the club say which contradict the predomithat the undue local backlash they nantly liberal beliefs of the student have received against the informa- body. tion they have distributed demon“Many people called us Nazis strates a lack of tolerance within during club Rush, and some of the liberal circles while others suggest teachers got mad about the flags that the club has been spreading an we had out during Club Rush,”

Bradford said. A club member said that in the incident a teacher with strong political views began to question the motives and reason of club members in an incrementally uncivilized way. “Some people were harassing people at our club booth and (insulting) our members,” Tsverov said. “Even (some adults) were being hostile.” Tsverov said that he has seen other people remove posters put out by the Conservative Club, and that he had to explain to a staff member the meaning behind his “Thin Blue Line” flag after they attempted to remove it from display. This flag has been used by some conservatives to counter left-wing criticism of what they deem to be unjust police brutality. In the flag, the blue represents the officer while the black background is in memory of fallen officers. The thin blue line is the border between anarchy and a civilization which police officers protect. The hostility which the club members were confronted by is reminiscent of the lack of political unity many believe characterizes the modern world. “President Trump has been a polarizing figure for (many) groups,” Rath said. The control of content in educa-

Tim Tsverov President of the Conservative Club indicates unnecessary restrictions on his club

tion have led some to ponder over the degree of censorship in the country. “Some have tried to censor speakers in universities like in the case of Milo in Berkeley,” Rath said. In response to the removals, Tsverov has said he will continue to spread his message and information about the club. He says that stopping the efforts of the Conservative Club equates giving in to censorship as some liberal groups have given in to terrorism by caving in to Islamist values. “We will continue to ensure that club members are informed on the latest occurrences related to our club,” Tsverov said. Many concord that the open spread of ideas must not be impeded for the common good. “If people cannot express all their opinions or critics,” Kazim said, “we run the risk of infringing on our unalienable rights.”

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News A7

SPORTS: GBHS shows support Continued from page A1

book, GB Media, and the Tribe cheered on the players. Bevis said. “And, these are the kids that some “They get to get out there and play and it was times just complain about walking across camreally exciting for our kids to see a lot of the Tribe pus.” members out there,” Evans said. “It’s a special Sophomore and Special Education student Dylan day.” Samuel could not contain his joy The Special Education departwhile watching his team score ment only has high hopes for goal after goal during each game. continuing this enriching activ “It was so fun because we were ity in upcoming years. playing soccer and I really liked “Hopefully it only gets bigThey get to get out it,” Dillan Samuels. ger,” Evans said. “Hopefully there and play and it Unified Sports is not only meant we can do another one in the for the participants but also to spring for a spring sport like was really exciting for bring awareness about special basketball or something like our kids to see a lot of needs programs to other students. that.” the Tribe members out “The kids that came to cheer According to Restani, all the them on get a different perspeceffort and planning that went there. tive about what some of the other into this year’s Unified Sports kids on our campus have to go field trip was well worth it to – Jeff Evans, Special Eduthrough,” Jeff Evans, Special see her students’ smiling faces. Education teacher and varsity “It’s a win-win for everycation teacher and varsity football coach, said. body,” Restani said. “I think football coach This year, not only the Special my cheeks hurt at the end Education Department but also from laughing and smiling so members of the Gazette, Yearmuch.”

ASB UPDATE Gazette: What are some of the upcoming events? Cassano: Talent Show is coming (and) it’s on Nov. 16. Gazette: What has ASB done to prepare for the Talent Show? Cassano: (The commissioners) draw the auditions and then make a theme, make decks, put it all together and give prizes. Gazette: What future events are you guys prepping for? Cassano: Winter Ball (planning) we’ll be starting in one or two weeks.

Gianna Cassano, senior student government student, discusses current and future school events.

–Compiled by Katie Cologna

PLEDGE: Personal sentiments spark constroversy among students Continued from page A1

years now. “I don’t think it’s that important,” Shetty said. “I understand it’s meant to symbolize our loyalty for our country etcetera... but I find doing it every day unnecessary. It doesn’t really have any value for us, it’s not something I believe in I guess.” Shetty has always gotten neutral responses to sitting. She does receive the occasional question of why she doesn’t stand, but nothing more. Another aspect many people don’t know about this law is that it not only includes teachers but

students as well. Students do not have the right to tell fellow students or teachers to stand for the pledge. In Westerberg’s AP Government he had an instance recently where a student told the sitting student, Julia Colby, to stand for the pledge. “I was doing my homework and I only had a little time left before we were going to take a major exam for that class and everybody was standing for the pledge but I was sitting down and a person (in the class) was coughing and saying excuse me and I just stayed sitting,” senior Julia Colby said. “At the end

Westberg was saying that’s illegal to do and you’ll get in a lot of trouble.” According to Westberg this hasn’t been a normal occasion in his class. Until recently. “Here’s the weird thing. So I ‘ve been teaching for 20 years and that was the first time seeing it in my class,” Westberg said. “Not the first time seeing a kid not stand. So I connect that to what’s been going on in the NFL (National Football League). I think people are making that connection because I have seen plenty of students in 20 years not stand. Never seen another student get mad.”

Unlike Westberg, who teaches government, other teachers and students often aren’t even aware of the law. “I teach this stuff so it’s different, but it freaks me out that we do not go into a process where we’re teaching our teachers these things,” Westberg said. Rules that students and teachers likely aren’t aware of are that a student can leave the room during the Pledge as long as they are not a disruption and the sitting participant cannot prevent others from standing for the pledge. But not only do all of these rules apply to students, but

teachers as well. If a teacher objects the recitation of the Pledge, the school district does not have the authority to make the teacher recite it (Russo v. Central School District No. 1 (2nd Cir. 1972) 469 F.2d 623). With the political polarization in the country right now, this is one of the many dividing topics, but like everything else, there is a simple solution. “I just wish people could hear each other out before the immediate knee jerk reaction. It’s just so fast to jump on another person without knowing the law, without understanding the law.” The polarization will likely

continue. There is always going to be a divide between people’s beliefs, but how that is handled could end the conflict. “I also firmly do not believe that any teacher has the right to tell a kid to stand for that flag,” Tastor said. “And that’s a tough one because I get its symbolism (...) but the long lineage of family who has fought in this military and died in this American military and the flag symbolizes this stuff, but no one should be forced in a country that professes its freedom to anything. Anything.”

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News A9

‘Rich out’ rounds up reactions Football game attire stirs up controversy in the community BY BELLA HAMILTON

bhamilton.gazette@gmail.com

icture this – a group of teen football supporters in the epitome of first world suburbia dressing up in what looks Gazette photo illustration /BRUCE RUSSELL Gazette photo illustration /BRUCE RUSSELL like thousands of dollars worth of clothing Two high school students hold hands, symbolizing unity within the Black Student Union at Granite Bay High School. perfectly accepting– daresay playing into their stereotype of being ‘white, privileged and rich.’ Nothing wrong with that. The Granite Bay High School rich out has been fun and long awaited yearly tradition at the school for a number of years. Basically, the rich out is The Tribe dressing up for the GBHS vs Del Oro High serve as their adviser this year,” Holmes said via email. demic achievement, yet touches more upon what occurs School game, mimicking the ‘rich’ and BY STEPH KANG skang.gazette@gmail.com “While the irony of the request is not lost on me, as a ‘farm’ stereotypes, respectively of both after high school has passed. schools. staff member that preaches cultural competence and In a study by the American Association of Colhe Black Student Union’s difficulty in finding Through the community, Granite Bay inclusivity, I will do everything I can to assist, facilitate leges for Teacher Education (AACTE), when lookan adviser has brought special attention to the is known as the ‘rich kid school.’ Many and advocate for this club. I want to be an ally.” ing at the National Center for Education Statistics in lack of diversity in educators on campus, despite schools in the area generalize and stereotype To supplement their mandated adviser at GBHS, the 2012, AACTE found that teachers of color comprised about everyone at Granite Bay as a ‘white pointed efforts Granite Bay High has made to fight Black Student Union also consults another adviser at solely 17.5% of the workforce, while students of color privileged kid.’ racial inequity. Roseville High School: Ms. Jones. comprised more than 45% of those in pre-kindergarten Granite bay high school students believe “We do not have a very diverse staff,” “I met (Ms. Jones) through a through 12th grade. that the tribe is meant for cheering on the Kyle Holmes, the GBHS Director of panel during the summer which was “While more diverse teachers have entered the profesfootball team, no matter what the occasion Theatre Arts and adviser for the club, basically where a lot of ethnic stusion in recent years, their numbers have not kept pace is. While more diverse said via email. “Yet, we need to be able dents got together and we all sat at with the PK–12 population shift,” AACTE said in their Rather than taking offense to the widely to identify and connect with every one of a table and ... the principals from all teachers have eninaccurate stereotype, the opposing schools our students so they feel welcomed and the schools in the Roseville District report. tered the profession ... asked us questions … so that they Yet at the heart of this story seems to be the lack of a embraced their stereotype and changed it wanted by every person on this campus.” from an insult into a fun festivity to show role for GBHS black community members to fill. GBHS has exactly zero African Ameriin recent years, their know what they can do better for school pride. At this school, due to this social vacuum, even accan staff members on campus. While it is the district for us people of color,” numbers have not “Not everyone in Granite Bay is rich, but unlikely, on top of being illegal, that the cepted spokespeople seem uncomfortable in their role, Yean said. “She offered to be a part people need to take it more lightheartedly,” district is discriminating against teachers of our club and to help out, because revealing a strange separation in their identity from kept pace with the sophomore Lexi Ward said. of color, the lack of diversity in Granite there are no African American what should hypothetically be a crucial part of it. PK–12 population The creative aspect of the tribe leaders that Bay High educators is still felt by its teachers at our school.” Yean asked for an additional opportunity to answer started this tradition is admirable, nonetheshift students. Ironically, despite the lack of diquestions and Holmes openly worried about whether he less. “It’d be nice if we had more diversity versity in staff members on campus, – AACTE was articulate enough to do justice to the club. Students look forward to the rich out, in staff members because I think that’s GBHS is doing more than most to “From the conversations I have had with Kasey and decking themselves out in ‘expensive’ one of the main things: we don’t have a close the racial inequity gap in its my other African-American students, I think we have a clothes and gold chains. Some kids wear delot of people to look up to or feel comstudent body. population of students that at times don’t feel like they signer clothes head to toe, showing the world fortable with,” Kasey Yean, one of the two co-presiLast year, the Roseville Joint Union District was have a community to identify with on our campus,” how expensive their outfit really is. dents of the club, said. “If we could have more diversity honored by the White House Cabinet and My Brother’s While most students accept the rich Holmes said as our interview came to a close. and have more teachers of all different races, I think it Keeper Task Force Chair Broderick Johnson for enrollout, the staff don’t believe in the notion of In the recording, he pauses frequently, trying to find would make everybody a little more comfortable.” ing more low-income people of color in more advanced flaunting the community’s ‘wealth,’ when in the right words. While the Black Student Union in the past has tried programs through their participation in Equal Opportureality there is a diverse array of students at “There’s not a population of people to identify with to make up for this discrepancy by asking teachers of nity Schools. our school. because it is such a small percentage of our student color to advise the club, this year, they decided to ask Yet despite its efforts, GBHS is an expression of the There has been some controversy over the body … my hope is that this club can be a place where Holmes to be their adviser due to his knowledge and nation-wide trend of an increasingly more diverse idea of the rich out, and there are many pros students feel they belong and they fit in and they are understanding of the issues they want to address. student body educated by still relatively white staff, and cons of the tradition, for one, the rich “I’m honored Kasey trusted me enough to ask me to indicating that the problem at GBHS resides not in aca- able to talk as a cohort about life at Granite Bay.” out is a great way for the tribe to come out and support our football team and keep a tradition. “The rich out has Continued from page A2 brought a lot of hype to I know it’s the Granite Bay football PSAT’s significance is the future opportunity something team,” said senior Vyas for recognition and scholarship money. Srinivasan. we’ve done “I highly recommend students try to achieve The students believe in it by studying for the PSAT,” O’dea said. keeping the notion ongo- in the past, ing, so how does our On top of the opportunities directly pertaining but I don’t staff feel about it? to one’s success on the PSAT, there is the learnthink it “I don’t think it’s a ing experience aspect as well. good idea. I know it’s represents “I would recommend younger students to something we’ve done in take the PSAT seriously, and ultimately use it who we the past, but I don’t think as practice for the SAT which really matters,” it represents who we are. Song said. Special to the Gazette /ROBERT SULLIVAN are.” World Language – Jennifer Hill, teacher Jennifer Hill world said. language Though this tradition is accepted by many teacher students, the staff at the grades,” Dell’Orto said. “So when a kid Continued from page A1 have received if they had taken the corduring the summer between his sophoschool has a completely doesn’t do something, you don’t get a responding Advanced Placement course more and junior years. different view on the grading system, which has been in place zero – (the teacher) gives them a chance at their school. “It was interesting to see how an actual idea. since October 2015, allows teachers much to make it up.” The proposed grading policy changes professor teaches a class and how to learn Students don’t see the problem with dressleeway in deciding the details of their Current policies vary significantly rewould fully eliminate this weighted and communicate with adults in the real ing up, so why does the staff? own grading structures. garding this issue. Some teachers give ze- grade bump for courses taken outside the world,” Reddy said. “I think our school is already perceived by “(Current district policy) is really ros for missed assignments, except in the district. While college course experience is one the community as ‘that really rich school” generic,” Advanced Placement United case of illness. Others will allow students The revised policy draft states: “Grades reason to take classes outside the district, (...) that’s not true for all of our students,” States History teacher and CILT member to make up assignments for reduced redit. earned in pre-approved out-of-the-district Hill said. the weighted grade remains a crucial Brandon Dell’Orto said. “It talks about “A zero in the grade book can really courses can be placed on student tranThere are many different opinions about factor, and by eliminating that benefit, the being fair and consistent, (but) there’s a hurt your grade,” GBHS senior Jordan scripts but will not be given weighted the rich out, including students who don’t number of students taking non-district lot of wiggle room – a lot of room for the Bliss said. credit.” agree with the yearly festivity. courses could drastically decrease. teacher to create their own classrooms A 50 percent versus a zero percent can Dell’Orto supports this change after “Is Granite Bay a place of materialism? Or Besides the “no zero” and out-ofsituations.” mean all the difference to many students’ losing countless students to U.S. hisa place to get to know each other?” senior district credit issues, additional topics Given this degree of flexibility, educatranscripts. tory courses at Sierra College and other Vyas Srinivasan said. addressed by the CILT include discustional processes within the district invari“Several of my teachers will give you schools, which currently give those enThe Tribe has kept the rich out going as a sions around subject mastery, summative tradition for many years, so there has been ably vary to some extent. a zero if you don’t have (an assignment) rolled the grade bump. “Schools within districts and departturned in on the assigned date,” Bliss “Kids go shop around for online courses, vs. formative assessments, and the current a need to keep the tradition going for the ments within schools do things differsaid. “I think you should always be given and they take one for a couple of hundred A-F grading scale. tradition. ently,” Dell’Orto said. the opportunity, within a reasonable The scope of student assessments and bucks, and we have no way of knowing “Just because something is a tradition,” These inevitable differences can result amount of time, to redo the assignment that they actually took it,” Dell’Orto said. grading overall is both challenging and Hill said, “it doesn’t mean that that’s somein potential inequalities among students. and get up to a 50 or 70 percent.” “We have been arguing for years that controversial. thing we should continue.” “The district is trying to make sure that Under the proposed policy change, the we can’t give extra weighted grades for “If you try to come up with a ‘one size the educational experience is the same for lowest score to be given on a missed asclasses that are not verifiable.” fits all’ system of grading, no matter what all students regardless of whatever school signment would be 50 percent. However, Many students take advantage of this you do, it’s going to run into resistance,” they attend,” Dell’Orto said. according to the revised draft of the board policy by using out-of-district courses Dell’Orto said. “This has got to be a very This ambiguity prompted the reaspolicy, teachers would still “reserve the not only as a way to fulfill graduation long, in-depth, multi-year conversation sessment of the current grading policy, right to assign zeros for students who requirements but especially as a means to that you just keep coming back to.” attempting to consolidate some common are refusing to participate in the learning boost their grade-point averages. According to Borjon, these new changes best practices in grading, so that there’s activity assigned.” Senior Akshay Reddy said he believes will go into effect “once the board apconsistency across the district Another proposed change concerns that removing this weighted grade will proves the policy – hopefully within the Notable components of the proposed the controversial subject of receiving lead to fewer students taking courses at next six months.” changes include a “no zero” policy and weighted credit for courses taken outside various colleges and less exposure to the Borjon sees these changes as enhancing the elimination of the weighted-grade of the district’s schools, either at local real-world environment. the education of all district students. component for courses taken outside of colleges or via online courses. “I think it’s a ridiculous policy, and “Improving student learning is a pasthe district. Currently, many students take outside it discourages people from obtaining sion of mine,” Borjon said. “I believe this “Some of the highlights, for example, courses, like U.S. history or statistics, and higher-level education in a broader expeis a step in the direction of doing that for are going to be things like either mandatreceive a weighted grade bump on their rience,” Reddy said. ing no or very few zeros as options for our district.” school transcripts, just like they would Reddy took statistics at Sierra College

Black Student Union returns

Student-led club reveals lack of diversity at GBHS with limited choice for adviser

SCHOLARS: Students are recognized for excellent PSAT scores BAND TOGETHER...

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GRADING: School debates new grading policy integration

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Voices

Granite Bay Gazette

A10

Thursday w November 9, 2017

GAZETTE The Granite Bay

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

Editors-in-Chief: McKenna Aram Katie Cologna Brayden Johnk Steph Kang Sabina Mahavni News Editor: Will Anderson Voices Editor: Samreen Siddiqui Lifestyle Editors: Megan Nimtz Reese Richmond Emily Talmi Sidney Zabell Green Screen Editors: Mackenzie Brown Logan Embree Jack Kehoe Dean Wilson Sports Editors: Jake Criscione Jack McGrail Max Schwartz Andrew Yung Social Media Editor: Megan Nimtz Illustrators: Katie Cologna Sabina Mahavni Samreen Siddiqui Photo Editors: Steph Kang Sabina Mahavni Staff Writers/ Photographers: Ashley Altmann Makayla Clement Spencer Cova Juan Pablo Flores Nicole Gearing Abigail Gould Isabella Hamilton Kennedy Healy May Lin Noelani Nichols Rachel Nimtz Bruce Russell Danielle Shannon

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.

Send Letters to the Editor to: gbgazette@yahoo.com Identification Statement GRANITE BAY GAZETTE PUBLISHED EIGHT TIMES PER ACADEMIC YEAR c/o Granite Bay High School 1 Grizzly Way Granite Bay, CA 95746 Subscriptions: $25 per year/ $15 per half year

Respect others’opinions regularly Listen to your worst enemies – and learn

ecently, I came across a video in which pro-choice and pro-life believers came together in a controlled environment, enabling them to discuss their differing views in a calm and courteous manner. Seldom have I witnessed such sensitive conversations being carried out so respectfully. Thus, this video resonated with me. Facilitating contentious discussion is crucial to advancement. As I walk around campus, I overhear snippets of political conversation – most of which end in some sort of heated debate ironically void of rhyme or reason. I see hatred spewed at the birth of differing perspectives. I see people wholly consumed by their own rigid beliefs – their visions clouded by their instinctive stubbornness. I see people treating people as if they are not of the very same kind. Hearing the thoughts of others – whether they are contrary or akin to our own – opens a necessary dialogue. It encourages individuals to speak up, rather than crouch in the shadows of fear because of possible backlash and potential misinterpretation. Conventionally taboo conversations need to happen – these conversations unleash an understanding that we so lack, especially in the political context. What I think people forget is the idea that everyone has a reason for their beliefs. The moral convictions of you, of your friend and of your foe are not random; they are the result of a particular upbringing, of their presence in a particular atmosphere – most likely different than your own. People’s outlooks on issues and of life holistically vary according to their familial life, their friends, their religious affiliations and a vast array of other factors. According to the Declaration of Independence, “all Men are created equal (and are) endowed with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

noelani nichols

Gazette illustration/SAMREEN SIDDIQUI

Spend the holiday with family

The voice of the Granite Bay Gazette

COMMENTARY

Society’s obliviousness to the For declared liberals, conservatives and everyone in between, fact that shaming your proall are deserving of respect. claimed adversary is in and of As difficult as it might be to apitself contradictory to the very proach topics – especially those causes people are fighting for is of personal resonance – openastounding to me. mindedly, it is greatly beneficial. Social betterment and reform I have been in situations in would cease to exist had it not which people have said things been for such opinionated people to make the hairs on the back of as us. my neck stand straight up – I disWe are the root cause of our agreed so starkly that I thought I issues – we are also the looming might explode. solution to them. In such instances, there have The complex, dimensional been times where I more than nature of the topics we are atnnichols.gazette@gmail.com definitely wanted to speak my tempting to discuss seems to mind without filter or pause. be obscuring our fundamental knowledge of But I don’t. I don’t because with those very people, I have had later conversations in which communication. If you refuse to give others a voice, others we bonded over some surprisingly similar will never hear yours. beliefs. *** I learn from those who think differently than Noelani Nichols, a senior, is a Gazette staff I. I learn from those who speak candidly and writer. from those who hardly utter a biased word.

Thanksgiving is a meaningful day n my younger and more vulnerable years, when I was just a young boy living on the East Coast, Thanksgiving didn’t really have any significance to me. Sure, it was a couple of days off from school, which I greatly appreciated, but it really was nothing more. Perhaps one of the reasons why I didn’t place much importance on Thanksgiving in the past was because my family never really did. Sure, we would participate in the typical Thanksgiving meal of turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, but to me Thanksgiving was nothing more than a day in which I was allowed to eat a lot. Coupled with the treat of football broadcast for the entire day, and that made for one very happy Asian boy. Perhaps another reason why I didn’t place much importance on the fourth Thursday of November was because my extended family didn’t live close to us, and so we did not celebrate with them. But of course times have

EDITORIAL

changed – I am no longer living on the East Coast and am no longer in the midst of my younger years. And now my extended family lives nearby and are a very large part of my Thanksgiving festivities. Because after all, isn’t family what the holidays are all about? Sure, there’s the knock off Friendsgiving that people have begun celebrating in addition to Thanksgiving. But I know, at least for me, I have always found a tremendous amount of joy in celebrating with family rather than my friends. Perhaps one of the reasons why I now place so much importance on Thanksgiving is that every year, I travel down to San Francisco and get to spend the entire week with my mother’s side of my family. I now place so much importance on family every Thanksgiving because as I have gotten older, I have realized that I have less and less time to spend with not only

COMMENTARY

andrew yung ayung.gazette@gmail.com

my extended family, but my immediate family as well. With all of the time schoolwork and extracurricular activities take up, I fear that I, as well as many of you, have not had enough time to spend with the people we love. We are often too flustered by all the work that is heaped on us, so we often decline time with our families in deference to finishing our work. But if we continue down this dangerous path, before we know it we are off to college, far away from our families and wishing that we spent more time with them

while we were still in high school. Which is why I believe Thanksgiving is so important – it offers students a break from school and activities while also allowing for students to spend time with their families. And at least for me, come Nov. 23, 2017, I know this will be one of the most important Thanksgivings I will ever have because it will mark the first large gathering of my mother’s side of my family since my grandfather died. Sure it will be difficult getting through the day without any tears, since my grandfather was always an integral part of our Thanksgiving rituals. But Thanksgiving is a day of giving thanks and spending quality time with family. So although there will be sad memories ruminating in my mind, I’ll make sure to get through the day in a happy mood, giving thanks for my family and holding my family members close. I suggest you do the same this Thanksgiving. *** Andrew Yung, a junior, is a Gazette sports editor.

It it unjust to force a pledge

reedom of expression is something America prides itself on. With the ability to convey one’s opinion, their sense of identity is found within the chaos of society. With that being said, it is indecent to take away a person’s right to not participate in the Pledge of Allegiance. In the Supreme Court case West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, the court ruled that it was unconstitutional for the school board to require students to engage in the Pledge. They backed their decision with statements concluding that the school’s demands violated the U.S Constitution. The First Amendment, granting the right of free speech and “to petition the government for a redress of grievances,” is disregarded when the Pledge is required for schools. Individuals’ rights to protest and to express their opinions become irrelevant, and instead people are forced to participate in an activity they deem to go against their current ideals. One argument surrounding this topic is that “offending” the flag by not pledging is insulting to veterans and people currently serving in the U.S military. The military deserves all of the respect and praise it can get, and it’s rare to meet an individual who thinks otherwise. Instead, people not pledging have their own personal reasons as to why they decline to participate. A prominent example is the topic of police brutality, as that was the reason why Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the National Anthem last year, and why many National Football League players continue to take a knee. Another example is the reason why one of the Gazette’s editors declined to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance this fall. A father of an autistic son and a daughter attending college this fall was deported after living in this country since he was 18 years old. In a microscopic act of protest, one of our editors didn’t participate in the Pledge the next day at school, as her feelings of anger and retaliation had no way to be expressed otherwise. People’s personal views are factors in their individuality, and in an individualistic country like America, forcing citizens to say the Pledge would completely alter one of the most significant elements of U.S. culture. Let people decide if they want to Pledge Allegiance to the United States of America or not. Because no matter how unlikeable people’s views might be, you would want the right to express your own ideals. Especially if you are reciting “with liberty” in the Pledge every single day.

School dumps men’s room air fresheners A new solution’s been discovered

he musky smell of male excrement destroys millions of innocent bathrooms every year. However, officials at one high school thinks they have a solution that could save the nostrils of an entire generation. It all started when two brothers – head custodian Ted Simmons and district facilities manager Rick Simmons – saw a faint puff of smoke and heard a muffled cough in the boys’ restroom on the east side of the Shabooty Senior High campus. Multiple eyewitness accounts confirm that the Simmons brothers requested the disgruntled freshman repeat whatever he just did in the far stall, except at a more frequent pace. Sure enough, the stench was eliminated from the bathroom and all that was left was the crisp combination of H20, Super Rush Sour Kiwi Sugar Blast flavoring, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and nicotine – vape juice for short. “That’s when it hit us,” Ted said, “and I’m not talking about the buzz.” The two examined their previous methods

of removing the horrific bathroom stench and realized they had it all wrong. “Back in ’06, we had a great run with some toxic chemicals in the east side bathrooms, but we realized it only worked because no one could actually enter the stalls without being knocked out cold,” Rick said. “That caused the library bathroom to take a turn for the worse.” The extensive list of methods was highlighted by garlic, bleach, old socks and a dead corpse – some meant to eliminate the odor, some meant to distract people from the odor and others to scare the living wits out of the odor. “Some people use Febreze or complex ventilation systems, but those can cost a facility like ours a fortune,” Ted explained. “We figured why not just use the lungs and bank accounts of our own student body?” Shabooty High now provides the Puff Puff Pass Elective which is a class offered during first period of either semester earning students significant college credit. The class is centered around students inhaling the vaporizer and then releasing the distinct and delightful scent of vape juice into the rafters of the men’s restrooms. “It seemed best to be offered during first period because it stops any smelly molecules from even entering the bathrooms – it just

SATIRE

starts the day off right,” Clout is a synonym to the assistant schedule coordi2009 slang word “Swag” – nator and office adminisusually an individual has clout trator Sue Thompson said. when they have acquired large Thompson compared the amounts of currency, are fairly benefits of the first period popular and are an overall sucelective to having P.E. at cessful human being. the start of the day because “Chad Smith is usually my it’s “a breath of fresh air favorite bathroom puffer, for that most students wish obvious reasons,” Chad’s girlthey could have.” friend Britney Johnson said. Social studies teacher Smith is the captain of the Patrick Jones has noticed football team, president and a huge drop in his second founder of the Clout Club, has period class’ overall perwanderson.gazette@gmail.com formance, but he acknowla 2.6 GPA and has a fake ID. edges how important the “We usually look for stuwork of these students is. dents who don’t have as much of a future as When asked about his personal opinion on say maybe our ‘academic elite’ do,” principal the elective, Jones was relatively enthusiastic Gene Tomlinson said. “Ideally we select stu– especially since the east side bathrooms are dents that are clearly peaking in high school. only a few feet from his room. That’s basically the demographic we aim for. “Would you rather walk a half mile across “A wise man once told me, once you hit campus to the barren wasteland that is the lirock bottom you can only go up. And thankbrary bathrooms or get a quick nicotine buzz fully, for these kids, we are hitting rock botwhile visiting the ole porcelain palace near tom for them. It’s like a spring board into life your own room?” Jones asked rhetorically. – the kids can only go up from here.” Students are selected for the Puff Puff Pass *** Elective through various merit-based ranking Will Anderson, a senior, is the Gazette news such as lung capacity, e-cig size and who has the most clout. editor.

will anderson

Thursday, November 9, 2017 w

Voices A11

The Granite Bay Gazette

school isn’t preparing us for reality HEARD High on the BAY Administration at GBHS deserves respect, but I have a few complaints I What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?

”Mashed potatoes because they’re creamy and good.”

t has always been in my nature to Of course there are some student bequestion authority, whoever it may haviors that our administration wants be. Whether it’s my soccer coach, to avoid, but they can address those inparents or teachers. dividually and not penalize the whole Even though an authority figure says school. something is right or wrong, it is our job Another concern is that during rias a society to question it and when we valry games (for example, when we do, we can truly be educated. played host to teams like Del Oro), I recently sat down with the Granite students from the opposing school Bay High administration team to ask cannot visit the other side of the staabout their thoughts and perspectives on dium to see friends from that school. some of the memorable events that have Administrators said they only block gone on within the school – and that have the other side when GBHS hosts a upset some students. school like Del Oro because it could As a stubborn high school student, I create conflict among students. mnimtz.gazette@gmail.com admit I see the world differently than a However, for other games the gate is member of the administration might because we sim- left open, allowing students to freely go from one side ply have different short-term goals. to another. Mine include being able to have fun and make the Students at GBHS have friends from different schools most of my high school career and their goal is to make and they should be allowed to see them. Also, the persure every student is safe and feels included. centage of fights that have happened at rivalry games is Many students, however, are upset about learning that extremely low and rare because our student population the number of students in the Tribe would be limited. is respectful. “We had just come off a previous game and there Even though there could be some tension in the air were some problems,” assistant principal Brian Mc- at rivalry games, students are mature enough to handle Nulty said. “So we tried to address these problems – the situation and just have fun. (and) one of them … was overcrowding down in the Again, these constraints just aren’t like the real world Tribe.” is going to be, which is what high school is supposed to I understand safety concerns. I have been in the midst prepare us for right? of the Tribe in the most exciting moments of the game, Let’s just say someone has an issue with a particular and people jump around, yell and really just have a co-worker – their boss usually isn’t going to just sepagood time – which is what these games are all about. rate them because it could cause a problem, they will Even though the administrative intention was not be expected to work it out like mature adults. to decrease spirit, cutting back on Tribe numbers did The Rich Out (at the Del Oro game, many students exactly that. We had more than 800 Tribe members in dressed up as “rich kids,” much to the consternation of the stands for the previous game, and the administra- many adults on the GBHS campus) was quite a topic tive edict to trim the numbers pretty much reduced the of conversation this school year because of perceptions of the event. Tribe by half. “It’s the suggestion that money has to do with our People regularly go to crowded sporting events and concerts that could result in someone getting hurt, but success is what we fight against 24/7,” principal Jennifer Leighton said. that shouldn’t be the main concern. Whenever I tell other people that I go to Granite Bay People go to support something they are passionate about, and there should not be unreasonable limitations High, their reaction is always something like, “Oh, so you drive a Bentley, right?” which is so not the case. on that.

COMMENTARY

megan nimtz

freshman

Gabbi Birch “Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. They’re the only contribution I have to make for the dinner, I just pop in 50 and boom – I’m the back bone of my family.”

sophomore

Maddy Earhart ”At my house, we eat potato pancakes. But not necessarily during Thanksgiving, just before and after Thanksgiving. It’s a great seasonal food.”

junior

Sam Newman “Pasta and bread. I cannot eat meat given that I’m a vegetarian, so pasta and bread are a great alternative.”

senior

Vyas Srinivasan ”Homemade pecan pie, I love it because it’s really fattening, it’s got lots of sugar in it and I love pecans. It’s my favorite pie.”

staff

Kay Bacharach Compiled by Spencer Cova

But it is their perception, and perceptions aren’t usually subject to change. Students at other schools aren’t going to take a step back and say, “I never thought that maybe not everyone at GBHS is well off.” There will always be some wealth and others who are not as fortunate – it’s life. We can try to educate people about others’ circumstances and it is very important to do so, but the reality is that people can think what they want. Is it true that having more money can increase the performance of a team because it allows for better equipment and coaches? Maybe. But ultimately, it comes down to the talent of the athletes. “Sure we live in an affluent community of Granite Bay, but not all our students are affluent,” assistant principal Jessup McGregor said. “And what does that mean to them when everyone else shows up with (dollar) bills or whatever and they don’t feel like they identify with that.” Students need to be conscious of the circumstances and feelings of others, but that doesn’t mean we should shelter them from reality. And what about the students who do enjoy dressing like they are wealthy for a game? It is all in good fun, a tradition that is not meant to harm anyone. It’s just an outfit, just clothing – not because students want to flaunt their wealth, but because they’re trying to promote the spirit of our school in a way where we all feel unified against our rival. I have tremendous respect for the difficult job high school administrators must do, but high school is supposed to prepare us for real life, and we cannot do that with so many restrictions. Students should be able to freely express themselves by wearing certain clothing for a theme or be allowed to be among their friends during a football game. If we continue to shelter students unnecessarily, they will go into the real world with those same perceptions and will have a hard time adjusting. Let’s not make the phrase “Granite Bay Bubble” more of a reality than it already is. *** Megan Nimtz, a senior, is a Gazette Features editor.

Mental health stigma needs to stop

Understanding and assistance are necessary for improvement

he subject of mental health has always been a topic that is hard for me to open up about. Whenever I start to voice my opinion, I feel myself put this psychological wall up in order to conceal my true feelings about it. I blame my hesitation to express my ideas on society’s negative stigma surrounding mental health issues, and the fear I have of venting to the people in my life I care about. Furthermore, the existing shame society has put on having psychological illnesses has left me heartbroken. People suffer from mental illnesses every day, including some of my close friends and acquaintances. I witness them internally and physically struggle with their mental issues every day, and sometimes that struggle is significant. And as for me, mental health has and always will leave a lasting impact on me. I am not afraid to say that I used to deal with depression and anxiety on a daily basis, and if this truth negatively changes the way you interpret my character, then there is a lot you need to learn. Saying that you have trouble coping with your emotions isn’t a cry for attention or a sign of weakness. It is simply stating

COMMENTARY

samreen siddiqui ssiddiqui.gazette@gmail.com

the truth. And with the drastic increase in people struggling with mental illnesses today, would revealing your mental struggles really set you apart from the crowd? According to NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about one out of every five adults experience mental illness each year. With how common issues with mental health are, why is there such a negative stigma surrounding it? For one thing, emotions are extremely challenging to handle. And with a widespread confusion about a topic, a stigma is likely to develop. Some people go through life refusing to acknowledge the things they feel, and trust me, I have been there. And there is another side to this circumstance, when every

single little emotion that is felt leaves a person’s mind in chaos. Both of these conditions explain that, no matter how “crazy” people with mental illnesses seem, there are large doses of humanity in them that can justify the struggles they have. And when these people are able to openly talk about their struggles without judgment, recovery can come a lot faster than it would if they remain closed off from the world. I didn’t talk about my mental health struggles for years, and I always wonder about how much easier it would have been for me if I defied social judgments and just expressed the truth. So, if we start treating people currently dealing with mental illnesses with kindn e s s , acceptance and re-

spect, then a large population of people will be saved from the harsh judgments of others. Let these people visit therapists, let these people feel comfortable enough to talk to you and let these people have time in order to recover from their hardships. While I have come a long way from my struggles with mental health, I still have bad days when I feel familiar and emotionally painful symptoms come

back. But with addressing my views on mental awareness, I hope to help those who are in a similar boat that I was in, and to educate others to assist these people in any way they can. Let the negative stigma about those with mental illness stop, because no matter how people view them, their recovery will eventually lead them to being some of the strongest people you will ever get to know. *** Samreen Siddiqui, a senior, is the Gazette Voices editor.

Natural law not a man-made phenomenon

Gazette illustration/SAMREEN SIDDIQUI

Seizure of God’s power by man will inevitably lead to a lack of order

cience and history concur that in the beginning, the universe – with all of its irreplaceable laws and inner workings – was not created by man. However, some innovators yielding influence today believe they can redefine and alter laws that have allowed the world to remain in relative order and functionality. These people have gone from manipulating historic and scientific evidence to generating faulty theories about our origin or morality to imposing these on impressionable students. We can observe this phenomenon in the state of California

with the inclusion of LGBT rights history in the public school curriculum following the rejection of a proposition in line with the natural law and common sense. This seizure of power exclusive to God is not only exhibited in liberals’ militant approval of personal behavior long considered abominable under the laws of God, man and nature, but also in their attempts to make irreversible changes to the environment at large. Among such heinous violations of natural law, the development of biotechnology is one which concern true conservatives.

COMMENTARY

juan pablo flores jflores.gazette@gmail.com

This ungodly form of genetic engineering not only is fundamentally different from traditional breeding, as the mutations made in the organism’s DNA are made with a gene from a radically different species, but also presents a severe risk to public and environmen-

tal health. These mutations can create proteins that can trigger allergies and diseases. The aggressive money-making tactics allegedly used by some biotechnology companies leading to much stress in agricultural communities has been the source of rightful controversy. In India, for example, farmer suicide rates skyrocketed after the adoption of commercial Bt cotton. Biotechnology is not their only method of misusing science, however. The Guardian reported that plans to spray geoengineering chemicals including stratospheric sulfate aerosols have been advanced by supporters of the practice that have gained influence with the Trump administration, which some have

also criticized for neglecting important environmental issues including so-called climate change. While there is no complete scientific consensus about the theory of climate change – which some have suggested is part of a plan for world government and population control – the consequences of introducing unnatural chemicals into the fragile ecosystems of the planet are undeniably adverse. We should have not only an appreciation for our God-given rights but also an opposition to unnatural human behavior that threatens the order and stability of the world. *** Juan Pablo Flores, a senior, is a Gazette staff writer. A longer version of this piece can be found on granitebaytoday.org.

Thursday, November 9, 2017 w The Granite Bay Gazette

Second look

News A12

Bonfire and Homecoming

ď ˇ The bonfire burns, top upper left, giving off immense light, heat and joy. Fireworks, top upper right, illuminate the sky at the halftime show. The Granite Bay High School Color Guard, above, performs as its members walk down the track. The sophomore class float participants, middle bottom left, exhibit their dance as they groove their way to first place in the float rankings. Kenzie Montoya and Jeff Romeo, the Homecoming king and queen, enjoy the halftime festivities, middle bottom right. The GBHS football team sets up for a kickoff in the game against Woodcreek. The Grizzlies won the Homecoming game 49-7.

Gazette photos by Sabina Mahavni, Katie Cologna, Samreen Siddiqui and Makayla Clement

Lifestyle

Granite Bay Gazette

B Section

Thursday w November 9, 2017

COMMENTARY

Meet Granite Bay’s ultimate service dog

Shamrock the service dog assists a diabetic staff member

emily talmi etalmi.gazette@gmail.com

With experience comes life lessons

he power of experience can be overwhelming. For many, their positive and negative experiences are balanced – allowing for those to learn from their bad experiences and cherish the happy ones. While reading the novel, “The Five People You Meet In Heaven”, by Mitch Albom, I came across a quote that strongly resonated with a situation my father had faced as a child, and a challenge I faced not too long ago. The quote states that “holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves.” As a young boy, my father faced numerous hardships – many stemming from parental issues and conflicts. Born and raised in Beersheba, Israel, his family decided to migrate to San Francisco in 1977 to better their lives and create more opportunities for themselves. Three years into living in San Francisco my father’s parents divorced, and a year after that, his father ran off to Israel and took Sharon, the youngest of the three siblings, with him, unbeknownst to everyone. The betrayal left my father feeling lost, angry, and broken – missing his little sister who he now wouldn’t see for six years. However, as time passed, he began to lose the emotional connection a child should have with their parents. It was only with his father’s diagnosis of blood and skin cancer that my father ever truly reconciled with him. On his deathbed, his father kept trying to say‘I love you’ and asking for my father, despite his throat being scratched by the tubes. My father believes that deep down no matter what happened, there will always be some love there, some good memories. Perhaps he felt sorry for him, but in the end he had to let the bad memories go and let his father pass in peace –for both of their sakes. As the quote deploys the truth that anger is a poison, I believe that feelings of resentment, sadness, and regret can also inflict pain on oneself. The summer after my junior year, I went through a break-up with a boy I had been with for a year. Sadness resided in the gut of my stomach, and my mind was continuously filled with regret and confusion. What was supposed to be a fun easy-going summer, turned out to be a dreary one, marked with unspoken thoughts and a mangled mind. As the summer days passed and the bright sun continued to glare down upon me – as if mocking my diluted happiness – I mentally lost ahold of myself. I felt the grief slowly eating me from the inside, meticulously gnawing at my heart and kneading its claws onto my chest. All of which reverberated throughout my body. As the rain in May, June, and July, ceased, I began to set fires to my mind during the months of August and September. The anger got me nowhere, many times when I hated him and the situation, I was only inflicting more pain onto myself. However, as time passed, my grief and anger began to dissipate – it no longer held the reigns to my heart and mind. It has been six months since the ending of the relationship, and I have just now found my peace of mind; thusly retrieving the piece of sanity I had lost during the journey.

***

Emily Talmi, a senior, is a Lifestyle editor.

BY MACKENZIE BROWN mbrown.gazette@gmail.com

hamrocks are known as uniimportance of Shamrock staying on task. versal symbols for hope, love “I wish people knew that they can’t just and luck and that’s exactly go up and pet him because he is working what Granite Bay High School and focused,” Angelo said. “Trying to student services attendant Aimee play with him can make him (distractBetgeorge’s service dog Shamrock ed).” represents to her. Outside of their daily routine, BetHis extremely fitting name was george and Shamrock spend time togethgiven by chance as well, proving er doing other activities, one of which is how much of a good luck charm the attending weekly meetings at Guide Dogs dog really is. for the Blind. “Shamrock was born at Guide “We go to meetings at Guide Dogs for Dogs for the Blind,” Betgeorge said. the Blind every Monday and Shamrock “As a service dog, each litter of pupgets the opportunity to socialize with othpies is assigned a letter. er working dogs and I get extra practice “Shamrock’s litter was assigned with dog handling,” Betgeorge said. “We ‘S.’ I love his name, and love finding love (the) meetings, and it’s fun because things that I can buy with Shamrocks we both get to learn.” on them. I would like to think it’s Although Shamrock is serious about because he is incredibly lucky too.” Shamrock is a diabetic alert dog his work at school, he doesn’t fail to put and his main purpose is to alert smiles on the faces of those around him. Betgeorge when her blood sugars Laura Neal, the school’s athletics coordireaches unsafe levels. nator, is constantly in close contact with “When he alerts me, I am able to Shamrock. have a snack so that my blood sugars “He lightens the mood (of) everyone don’t get dangerously low,” Betaround him. He has a soothing way about Gazette Photo /BELLA HAMILTON george said. him and makes you feel good if you are Shamrock the service dog poses for the camera while off duty. Dogs like Shamrock are trained to “ having a rough day,” Neal said. identify a scent obtained from a diabetic Angelo is in agreement and loves his when the diabetic is undergoing a low blood sugar,” according to Dogs 4 presence within the office. Diabetics. “I have never met anyone who doesn’t fall in love with him,” Betgeorge Usually anything below 70 for my blood sugar is considered low said. “Shamrock will give me a look, to ask permission to say hi to someenough for the dog to alert its owner. one, and he is great at finding people who need a little extra love and need Through this training program they learn to separate all scents from that some cheering up.” particular smell. With having a dog accompany her everywhere, Betgeorge sometimes Shamrock’s typical day mirrors Betgeorge’s as he must be with her at all runs into people who don’t understand Shamrock’s purpose. times. “I wish that people understood how important service dogs are to people “Shamrock will get up with me in the morning, usually around 5:30 who need them,” Betgeorge said. “Shamrock saves my life several times a.m. and he gets to eat breakfast. He naps under my desk while I am at a day. Most of the time though, once I explain to people, they realize how work, comes with me to the copy machine and around the office, and he amazing he is.” loves to see all of the students that come visit,” Betgeorge said. Even though making others feel good is one of Shamrock’s specialties, Although Shamrock gets a fair share of playtime and attention from his real job is what makes him such a hero. students, it isn’t always warranted. “He is a lifesaver,” Betgeorge said. “He is always with me, so I feel Lauren Angelo, a senior, has the opportunity to spend time with Shamrock because of her position as an office teacher’s assistant and knows the incomplete when he isn’t right by my side!”

Anxiety becomes an issue for adolescents

Young adults talk about their experience with the challenge and how they deal with it BY SIDNEY ZABELL

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n the increasingly busy and stressful world, many teenagers and young adults have been diagnosed with anxiety. It’s direct causes are not completely known, but a serious struggle with anxiety is becoming a reality for more and more adolescents. Alexandra Ahmad, a 2016 Granite Bay High School graduate and current University of California, Santa Cruz student, struggled with anxiety throughout high school. Ahmad’s anxiety began developing her freshman year of high school, as she just moved from Atlanta, Georgia. As she adjusted to public school, strived for good grades, and made new friends, the anxiety started appearing. “My anxiety became something I had to address my sophomore year,” Ahmad said. “I was missing lots of school because I was having debilitating panic attacks. All I wanted to do was stay inside my house, and that really isn’t a way to live.” In the beginning of her sophomore year, Ahmad began seeing a therapist to help with the anxiety. The therapist suggested she see someone who could prescribe medication, but Ahmad was initially

against this idea. “Once I was prescribed (medication), my mental state almost instantly changed,” Ahmad said. “Of course, I didn’t just stop there. I continued going to therapy up until I left for college. I am still on Prozac today.” As the medication marked a new beginning in life, something special happened – a dog showed up on her front porch. “She became my guardian angel,” Ahmad said. “She showed up just when I needed her!” Ahmad expressed great gratitude for the support from her family and friends during this time in her life. “My family and friends were super supportive and were willing to take me to all my appointments, encourage me when I needed it, and push me to confront my fears,” Ahmad said. “I appreciate them all endlessly.” Today, Ahmad still takes medication but no longer is in therapy. She is on an accelerated path towards graduating college, and says she is doing much better. “I definitely still have bad days, but in the grand scheme of things I am doing much better,” Ahmad said. “(I) would not have been able to get here without asking for help.” In any situation, it is extremely impor-

tant to ask someone for help when one is truly struggling. “I think if I could say one thing, it would be to reach out,” Ahmad said. “I know it’s scary to make yourself vulnerable, but sometimes it’s necessary.” Crissy Starosciak, a senior at Independence High School who attended GBHS through fall of her sophomore year, had anxiety heavily impact her life for the past few years. “When I was younger, my anxiety would affect me emotionally,” Starosciak said. “As I got older, my experience with anxiety became very different (…) Once I got into high school, and even now, my anxiety affects me mentally and physically. I get disoriented and start feeling panicked.” The summer before 7th grade, Starosciak moved to Granite Bay from the Bay Area. This is when her anxiety became more prominent. As Starosciak entered high school, she developed an eating disorder, and everything seemed to be giving her anxiety. “I was nervous about going out in public, seeing people at school, going places where food was involved, (and more),” Starosciak said. “My family and See ANXIETY, page B4

Gazette illustration /BRAYDEN JOHNK

In America, anxiety disorders are the most common diagnosed mental illness.

inside lifestyle Random Club

Book of the Month

National Park

TCID:BW

Friday Night Lights

ROP Firefighting

AP Insanity

Teachers and their families get together to barbeque before football games.

Students take an inside look at what it takes to be a firefighter.

Underclassmen choose to take extra AP classes than the social norm.

B2 Lifestyle

Thursday, November 9, 2017

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Students financing their way toward their future There are several aid options that seniors are able to take advantage of BY LOGAN EMBREE

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very year high school seniors are faced with one of the hardest decisions of their lives. where to go to college. There are a lot of factors that go into this decision. Such as the location of the college, their academic and athletic programs, and their admission policies. While these may seem rather important for a minority of students, they are not deal breakers. It seems like every year now, a new set of data is released that shows how much college tuition costs have risen since the last year. “The cost of college tuition has no affect on my decisions (on what college to attend). My family is financially stable thus the cost of college is irrelevant when deciding where to go.” Rishi Somanchi senior at GBHS said. While many have become accustomed to this and now consider it the normal it does have drastic effects on many students across the world. The cost of college tuition is one of the most influential factors when it comes to a college decision. It is true that it will affect some more than others. Through recent polls and research papers it has become more evident than ever that families are being forced to make difficult financial decisions concerning college choice. The amount of students that are able to attend their top choice continues to decrease, Partly in fact to college costs. For families that face the challenge, of putting several kids through college it can easily be seen how it affects the choice of each child.

The firstborn child does not wish to be a financial burden upon their parents by attending a school that will cause debt or require them to take on loans and this directly affects their choice on where to go to college. For the the second born child and further on this same challenge becomes more and more important and difficult. “If I can get into a school that is more affordable there would be no reason for me to go to a private school if I can get into a UC that is gonna cost half as much or a quarter as much for just as good of an education,” Jason Dell’Orto a senior at Granite Bay High School said. While college costs have a huge affect on the college decision of thousands of students nationwide many students are taking it into their own hands and doing what they can to help aid their parents in paying for college. The most obvious and common method is to attain a job. This can be both beneficial in the long term and harmful in the short term. “Having a job definitely limits the amount of free time I have to spend with friends or family,” Lindsay Withrow, senior at GBHS said. Having a job takes up a lot of time and for high school seniors time is a very valuable thing. Seniors that take on a part time job in order to help pay for their college tuition, fall victim to a heavy loss in time in increase in stress. Balancing a job, school, college applications and for some sports is next to impossible, but, for many, it is a necessity However obtaining a part time job is not the only way to help raise money for college. One of the most reliable yet at the same time difficult methods is through academics. There is a vast variety of scholarships and financial aid that is awarded to students with impressive academic scores and achievements. Every student in the United States has the opportunity to apply for federal aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid. The FAFSA can be completed by current and

prospective college students. Almost every student is eligible for some sort of financial aid. Needbased aid is one of the most well known and taken advantage of form of aid. For those students that do not qualify for need based aid, they may be eligible to receive a unsubsidized Stafford Loan regardless of income or circumstances. A Stafford Loan is a student loan awarded to students in the U.S. that are enrolled in accredited american institutions of higher Gazette illustration/KATIE COLOGNA education.  Items students must complete before they apply to college The FAFSA is made available to the public every year on Oct.1 and must be filled Many schools offer athletic scholarships to students out annually in in return for their attendance and participation in a order to stay eligible. certain college sports team. This method is rather While federal aid is one of the main financial aid unreliable and should be counted upon to provide it resources utilized in the U.S. there are a lot of scholis a very beneficial resource. arships that are awarded to students based purely on Even though there are many avenues in which to academic achievements. receive financial aid for college, the financial burden Many schools will offer financial aid to students still has a strong effect on a large group of people. that finished their secondary education with a Many students are forced to sacrifice their hopes relatively high grade point average or received an impressive score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, to attend a private school or a school out of state in American College Testing, or other standardized test- order to attend a state school because they are more ing avenues. affordable. If a student does not achieve outstanding grades While giving up on hopes and dreams is a situation in high school there are still many affordable and that no one like likes to find themselves, there are beneficial options that will provide the opportunity to many affordable options such as local junior colleges receive a college education. or state schools that offer very competitive educaOne of the easiest ways to receive aid to help fitions. nance college is to attend a college that is in the state Every year high school students face one of the in which you live. Almost every student that attends a hardest decisions of their lives and unfortunately college with in their resident state is eligible for an in rising college costs have made it more and more difstate scholarship that is awarded to students that stay ficult for students to attend the school of their choice within the state. but will some hard work and perseverance financial Another avenue in which to receive aid without aid can be found through many different avenues. outstanding grades and test scores is through athletics.

eing on your own for the first time with the ability to dictate your own future can be an incredible feeling – yet at same time, the freedom can be overwhelming. There’s a saying that you don’t know you love something until it’s gone, and this heavily applies to college freshman being away from home for the first time. “I do miss home. I miss my family and friends the most, but I also miss the little things like always having a full pantry and a backyard to relax in” Chase Lederer, a Washington State freshman said. For many, it’s not necessarily the materialistic elements of home that they miss the most, but the relationships. “A little part of me always misses my family and friends at home, it’s weird not always having the constant support that they give you or a familiar face to vent to,” Sydney Greer, a Cal Poly freshman said. “Try not to take that for granted.” Some are extremely preoccupied in their busy college lives and have adapting to their newfound environment without much regard for their past. “I do miss home, but not really. I just miss home cooked food (and) more space, and my parents.” Audrey Wagner, a Cal Poly freshman said. Other than campus tours and occasional overnight visits with friends, most freshmen go into their college experience not truly knowing what to expect. “One thing I wish I knew before leaving for college would be that you really are responsible for how you spend your time,” Greer

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said. “It’s very tempting to say yes every time someone asks you to go to the beach or on a hike, but you have to say no sometimes and just do your work.” An element of being on your own for the first time is staying on top of a schedule and planning out one’s day in a productive way, Special to the Gazette /SYDNEY SAMPSON but this isn’t always Granite Bay graduate Alison Bishop attends the local Chico easy. farmers market with her roomate from college “I wish I would’ve ized no one’s opinions matter at all.” known how to manDespite the potential hardships that come age my time better when it comes to classes, along with college, it is said that these 4 years social life and free time.” Lederer said. are some of the best of your life. Learning to balance work and fun is one of “I love college so much, (and) it’s so different the rights of passage of any college student’s than high school, it really makes you see things experience. differently. It’s good to get outside the bubble,” “Something I wish I knew before leaving Bishop said. is that it’s actually going to be really hard but Every college experience is different too, and really fun. It’s such an exciting time,” Alison it truly depends on whether or not the student Bishop, a Chico State freshman said. chose the right school for their personal wants For others, the best advice they can give is and needs. to truly follow your own path because once “I’m loving college (and) I am always busy someone leaves high school, they are in charge here, but it’s worth it for the experience at of their own future. WSU.” Lederer said. “You shouldn’t care what other people think For many students, college is where they find of the schools you apply to (or) end up going their passions, friends that last a lifetime, and to. Since Granite Bay is such a high achieving most importantly, themselves. school, I think that we forget not everyone is “I love college. Granite Bay was great, but cut out for schools like Cal or UCLA,” Greer I don’t miss high school at all. College is all said. “I was always embarrassed to say I was about what makes you happy and discovering going to Cal Poly SLO because a lot of people what you like,” Greer said. “No one judges from Granite Bay have it as a backup school or what you wear or how many friends you have.” call it GB 2.0, but now that I’m here I real-

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Location: Seattle, Washington Mascot: Harry the Husky Acceptance Rate: 45% Student to Faculty ratio: 17-1 Cost of Attendance: $49,986 Tuition: $34,791 - Researched by Sidney Zabell

Student

Club Club

Natalie Head

Club Name: Grizzly Pet Pantry President: Ally Clemence

1. Cherophobia is the fear of having fun. 2. Bananas are curved because they grow towards the sun. 3. When hippos are upset, their sweat turns red. 4. Heart attacks are more likely to happen on Mondays. 5. A flock of crows is known as a murder. - Compiled by Makayla Clement

Why did you create this club? I have had a huge passion for animals all my life, and everytime I travel I see a lot of homeless animals and I decided I wanted to do something about it. When do you meet? The third thursday of every month we meet inside or around Mrs. Henderson’s classroom. What is different about this club? I feel like a lot of clubs raise money, but we actually do things physically, we get donations of dog food from Incredible Pets every month. - Compiled by Abbie Gould

Gazette photo/ NOELANI NICHOLS

Gazette: What has been your favorite part of GBHS thus far? Natalie: So far, it’s been the people and the environment. Everyone is so nice; you just come here and expect high school to be like everyone says–bad and full of mean people–but everyone is just really nice. Gazette: What is your favorite class? Natalie: I really like Art 1, I like the teacher and it’s just a good class. Gazette: If you could change one thing at GBHS what would it be? Natalie: The (amount) of stress. Gazette: What are you looking forward to in the years to come? Natalie: Support from the teachers and students. - Compiled by Noelani Nichols

Thursday, November 9, 2017

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Lifestyle B3

Students learn the ropes of being a real firefighter A look into the lives of the future heros of the community BY KENNEDY HEALY

khealy.gazette@gmail.com

magine being in the presence of a wildfire and instead of running away, you go head on into it, attempting to save as many lives as possible. For many students at Granite Bay High, this is their future. They will one day be as up close and personal with natural disasters. Through the ROP Fire Science (FS) course for high school students, they learn the ropes of their future career. Ryan Gonzales, a senior at GBHS is enthusiastic about the opportunities provided by the ROP FS course. “I think ROP has been very beneficial, because it gives me some real world experience and prepares you to be ready for whatever possibilities could happen.” Gonzales said.

ROP FS course has proven difficult by many students at GBHS, but luckily, their passion for saving lives and helping their community makes it worthwhile. Colbie Orbea, a senior, is the only girl enrolled in the morning class for ROP FS and expresses how difficult the course can truly be. “The pressure to do some of the things that seem easier for guys than girls. In the way that I am not as strong(as the boys) and my build makes me have to work a little bit harder I’ve noticed,” Orbea said. Mason Lopez, a senior, believes that learning a whole new set of skills can be the most difficult part. “Learning proper techniques and use of tools is the hardest.” Lopez said. Similarly, Gonzales realizes that among all of the fun, there are still difficulties to face. “The hardest part about ROP is trying to learn and consume as much information as possible before I get my internship in December.” Gonzales said. The ROP FS course has given students the ability to understand the fundamentals of what it takes to be a real fireman. “I actually went to Santa Rosa as a volunteer, and helped with the evacuation center. They are still currently evacuating people and doing a back draft for the fire, which is a big deal. I got to help roll some hoses which is exciting for me,” Orbea said. “With the experience from my ROP I was

If you really knew me,

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able to have that knowledge and help in the ways they needed. Then also I got to help the people in the evacuation center which they really needed.” Although most people would typically be scared of pursuing such a dangerous career, the ROP students are ready to put their skills to the test. Many students use that fear in the back of their mind to drive them and they use it as motivation. “It makes me eager to help.” Lopez said. Also, Orbea and Gonzales convey a similar yearning to jump in. “It makes me really excited, because I want to help,” Orbea said. “It makes me frustrated just sitting back and watching, because I want to go out and help the people who are getting affected by this...I was able to go down on Tuesday, and see (the fire) for myself. It makes me want to be a firefighter even more.” Despite the potential danger of it all, students rise above the situation and look beyond themselves in order to make a difference. “The Santa Rosa fires do not make me nervous at all.” Gonzales said. ROP is also a great way to meet friends and network with students who have similar career interests. “There are people from other places too, like Rocklin High, Placer, Colfax, Del Oro, Whitney, Lincoln, and Antelope High,”

A young firefighter uses the water hose for the first time on duty Gazette iIllustration/ MEGAN NIMTZ

Lopez said. In respect to the high intensity situations students are put in, they find a way to come together and become closer than ever before. “I am the only girl in the morning class and I love it, and I get along really great with all the guys.” Orbea said. “We’re all so close, we’re like one giant family.” Gonzales is also excited about the enriching friendships that can develop through ROP. “The best part of ROP is creating great

friendships with your classmates.” Gonzales said. Through the extensive, yet effective ROP FS course, students are provided with the opportunity to learn more about their future careers. The highly reccomended ROP FS course, is shaping the lives of the youth, and dispensing the ability to pursue the career they desire. “I hope to be as good of a firefighter as my brother, and ROP is helping me do that!” Orbea said.

The BBQ behind the bleachers

Faculty enjoys food and each other’s company during Friday night lights BY ABBIE GOULD agould2.gazette@gmail.com

Jordan Feese

If you really knew me, you would know that I do archery in my spare time. I have my own bow, two sets of arrows, and a target in my backyard.

Kasey Yean

If you really knew me, you would know that I have a passion for filmmaking. I love getting shots and creating a story out of what I scripted.

Jake Northam

If you really knew me, you would know that my dad died last year in a car crash. This really affected my mental health and how I perceive the world.

Kolby Jennings

If you really knew me, you would know that the Air Force is my passion in life. - Compiled by Danielle Shannon

hen the tribe is rolling out at home football games, the Granite Bay High School faculty is already having fun of their own. GBHS staff and their families are barbecuing and enjoying each other’s company. “Some of us have always kind of done it for the last 10,15, 20 years with small groups and we started doing it for the staff about three years ago,” English teacher Jason Sitterud said. This reoccurring event is now becoming a tradition at the high school for many families. “We will get probably 50 people to go to it – teachers and families,” Sitterud said. Science teacher Chet Dickson and his family have been attending the barbecue since 1996. “We have brought our kids since when the school first opened – they were three and one,” Dickson said. Dickson is not the only faculty member who has been bringing their children for awhile. “All my kids grew up coming to the games, and that is some of their best memories, playing around out there,” Sitterud said. Jennifer Hill, world language teacher, said she enjoys bringing her six year old twins on Friday nights also. “My kids love it, they look forward to it every night,” Hill said. “I like how it connects my kids to the school.” While the adults cook food and talk, they fence off an area for the children. “There are always so many kids

Gazette illustration/MEGAN NIMTZ

Teachers put their cooking skills to use while grilling food for the families there and we usually will bring soccer balls or little softballs to play with and they just run around back there and play the whole time,” Hill said. Not only does this tradition benefit the faculty members’ children, but themselves as well. They are able to socialize with staff who they usually do not talk to. “This is a way to meet some people and just to get to learn about people that you work with even though you don’t immediately work with them.” Dickson said. The teachers say it is especially enjoyable to have fun and interact outside of the normal school setting.“It is really nice just being able to be with the staff for social events, that are not school related,” Hill said. “It is neat to see out of the context of outside your classroom, teachers have a bad habit of spending too much time in the classroom,

with the two or three people right outside your room,” Dickson said. Besides the fun time teachers have with each other, another favorite part is the food. “The way Mr. Sitterud has it set up is they have different people do the barbeque or a different dish or food, that kind of highlights it each time,” Dickson said. Along with the barbecued food, faculty members bring different desserts each time. However, the best part of these Friday night lights may be all the memories being made. “I think it is nice to be able to get out,” Sitterud said, “it’s just a fun way to watch the game, hang out, and do our own thing.” This enjoyable event is fun for both staff members and their families. “It is nice to see other families doing the exact same thing, creating memories,” Sitterud said.

Cheer on The Gazette

Lifestyle B4

People are attached to their fury friends

Animals serve as companions and family members BY MAKAYLA CLEMENT

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man’s best friend” – a popular quote describing the relationship between pets and their owners, yet a way of life

“They may not live long, but in the time that you do have with them, you develop an incredibly strong relationship together,” Clemence said. “It is absolutely heartbreaking and it feels like a piece of you is missing when they are gone.” Senior Iman Khatib loves how her dog lives to make her and her family happy. “Whenever I’m having a bad day and I come home and see Archie, he just starts running in circles, wagging his tail and jumping on me and I can’t help but smile,” Khatib said. Pet ownership improves both physical and mental health. It reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, helps prevent heart disease, and helps fight depression. Pets bring their owners unmeasurable amounts of joy while also relieving stress. “They provide me with so much happiness and I know I do the same for them,” Clemence said. “I believe that dogs and pets in general make everything better. I am truly happiest when I am with them.”

for others. 68 percent of United States households (or about 85 million families) own a pet according to the 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Researchers have found that oxytocin – a hormone that plays a role in triggering feelings of love and protection – occurs in both human and canine brains during the interaction between a dog and its owner or a parent and their child. Granite Bay High School senior Ally Clemence loves her pets in the same way she loves other family members. “They are just another member of my family, nothing less. Even though they can’t talk or understand what I am saying, I know they can tell if I’m happy (or) sad,” Clemence said. “They can pick up on what I am feeling and be there to comfort me.” Relationships with pets provide comfort and love in the same way human relationships do. When pets pass away, their owners are often significantly impacted. Junior Tyler Pavik says that losing a pet can be just as painful as losing a family member. “I used to always come home and play with my dog, but since she died and was no longer there anymore to greet me when I got home and cheer me up, it was heartbreaking,” Pavik said. Losing the bond between a pet and an owner can be incredibly upsetting. “I’ve lost three dogs in my life,” Clemence said. “Two of them were much harder for me because I was older when they passed, so I had much more time to bond with them.” Special to the Gazette /ALLY CLEMENCE Clemence explains the pain losing a pet Senior Ally Clemence’s dog, Annie, poses for causes. the camera.

Student

Spotlight

Junior shares hopes for the school year

Thursday, November 9, 2017

The Granite Bay Gazette

ANXIETY: Students increasingly diagnosed Continued from page B1

friends were extremely understanding and supportive.” In the spring of 2017, Starosciak began seeing a therapist and psychiatrist and was admitted into an Eating Recovery Center. “There, I was given the tools to seek proper help,” Starosciak said. “I started taking anti-anxiety medication, and it helped dramatically! Medication isn’t for everyone and I was skeptical about it at first, but once it started reducing my stress and anxiety, I felt free.” Today, Starosciak is feeling much better, but still struggles with anxiety. She recently had another panic attack that was unlike any she’d had before. “I felt nauseous, my heart was racing, and I (had) a kink in my neck as if someone was breathing right behind me,” Starosciak said. “It was very scary, and it was so bad I started to cry. Usually my anxiety doesn’t bring me to cry, so this was very challenging for me.” Starosciak prays and says she sends her troubles up to God, and recommends this as a way to bring peace to anyone dealing with anxiety. “Anxiety is totally normal and you are not alone,” Starosciak said. “I believe everyone has anxiety, it just depends on the intensity of it.” When AP Psychology and peer counseling teacher Natalie Elkin realized the stress students were dealing with in their personal lives, she decided to become a licensed therapist to help people through issues. She says this experience has enhanced her teaching of psychology and allowed her to learn different ways to interact with students and those around her. “That was actually what prompted me to go back to grad school and get my license in family and mar-

riage therapy,” Elkin said. “It was the reason I started the Peer Counseling program here… (and) I alone couldn’t help all the kids that I wanted to help.” Elkin says depression is the main reason people come in for therapy, followed by anxiety. “In some cases it’s very situational, they’re just in a really difficult place in their life and its circumstances outside of their control,” Elkin said. “For some people its chronic. They have a genetic predisposition, (and) even though things in their life are actually under control and going fine, there’s just constant ongoing anxiety.” With the rise of technology and social media, people easily start comparing themselves to others based on the posts seen. “People put the most extraordinary picture of themselves up and (it’s only) the most beautiful dress or just the right angle, and we haven’t seen that they’ve taken 500 selfies to get the one that’s perfect,” Elkin said. “We can’t help but compare.” Elkin also says the culture and pressure from high-achieving schools can contribute to anxiety from students. “The pressure is absolutely overwhelming and frankly absolutely ridiculous,” Elkin said. “I know the burden and the pressure that kids feel to be perfect at everything, to be involved in everything, to look amazing while they’re doing everything perfectly, and getting into the right colleges and all of this – we can’t do it.” Teenagers are now being asked to do the impossible with ease and feel isolated when there is a sense of struggle. Elkin noted how common it is for students to feel they are alone with their issues because it is so often looked over and ignored. People commonly act as if nothing is wrong, even when suffering inside.

“Kids don’t know because they’re not armed with the information about how to take care of themselves, how to get the tools they might need, (or) even simple tools to help deal with anxiety and depression,” Elkin said. “… Even just to know they’re not alone and know that probably most of the people they see every day feel exactly the same way they do (helps).” Elkin emphasized the benefits of having someone to talk to about the stress they are dealing with. “You have to find someone who doesn’t feel overwhelmed by the information you’re sharing and can… listen and give you the time to hear what you’re saying,” Elkin said. “We generally in our culture don’t do that, especially with friends.” If anxiety is affecting someone’s ability to function normally and affecting their sleep, appetite, focus, grades, or feelings about themselves, Elkin says it is time to seek the help of a professional. “(For anxiety), there are an unbelievable amount of tools,” Elkin said. “It’s one of the really treatable disorders… (and) medication is no replacement for therapy, especially for something like anxiety where there is really amazing cognitive behavioral tools that are proven… (to help).” Medication can help by giving people enough relief to learn skills to improve, but Elkin doesn’t recommend going straight to medication first. “The idea of pursuing… and achieving, making money, (and) buying stuff… doesn’t actually create contentment in your life,” Elkin said. “I feel like on a much broader cultural scale, we need to shift our values away from youth, beauty, and money to relationships, connection, leisure, and pleasure where you’re doing what you love.”

What has been the highlight of your year so far? I’d have to say being a part of the homecoming festivities as a member of student government. What has been your biggest struggle this year? Definitely trying to juggle three AP classes, student government, playing travel lacrosse, as well as coaching an 8th grade lacrosse team. Who is your favorite teacher? Mr. Dell’Orto is my favorite teacher. I have AP US first period and he starts off my day so positive and with so much energy. I love how much passion he puts into his job and he makes it fun to learn history. What are you most looking forward to later in the school year?

Gazette photo /SPENCER COVA

Brad Davito

I’m really excited for lacrosse season to start up in the spring. Playing varsity last year was a blast and I’m looking forward to playing a leadership role on the team this year as an upperclassmen.

-Compiled by Spencer Cova

Students challenge themselves with AP classes Sophomores chase grade bumps and impressive college resumes by taking difficult courses BY MAY LIN

mlin.gazette@gmail.com

he pressure of applying to increasingly competitive colleges forces students to find new, creative ways to stand out from their peers. A lot of students do this by overloading themselves with clubs, extracurriculars, sports, and Advanced Placement classes. “I wanted to get the grade bump and also a feel of how hard the AP classes are so I can manage my time properly,” Tirth Surti, a sophomore at Granite Bay High school who is taking 3 AP classes in one semester, said. “ I really wanted to get ahead from everyone else. If I didn’t take these AP classes, my rank in the top three would drop.” However, college credit is not guaranteed despite undertaking numerous AP classes. Reality is that some schools such as Brown University do not grant any actual credit, although some departments allow students to take a higher level course without requiring them to take a placement test. In fact, few schools award any sort of credit for exam scores below a four. “You can control what you get as a score depending on how much effort you put into the class. It’s not necessarily that risky if you control what you do,” sophomore Theodore Tran who is also currently taking three AP classes said. “I have my own work flow when it comes to AP classes. In the beginning, you can be a bit lost but after you work through all the kinks, it’s likely you’ll get that credible score and do well.” Taking and handling these rigorous courses all depends

“One of the main things AP classes do is that they can challenge and push you to new heights. I wanted to expand my knowledge and the depth that my courses go into helped me do just that,” Tran said. “In addition, it assists with the grade GPA bump and shows well on college applications.” Another way students are more likely to succeed in AP classes is to take the courses they’re passionate about.

“The competitiveness of this school in general, such as the GPA race, influenced me to do more. Academically, it (AP classes) strengthened me by gaining good habits such as time management,” sophomore Faraaz Godil, who is first in the class rank for his grade, said. “The AP classes I’m taking are pretty enjoyable and I’m interested in learning from them.”

on the student, their schedule and how comfortable they are in taking such classes since the workload may differ from what students are used to in regular College Preparatory classes. “I had to change my thought process because I greatly underestimated the AP classes at first by thinking it was just another class to take,” Tran said. Tran ended up having to sacrifice other things in order to manage his AP classes. “I did have to drop a few things and take time away from sports to get the desired results I wanted. I used to practice every day for tennis and play multiple tournaments but now, my ranking dropped because I had cut back my schedule to make time for AP classes. However, I don’t necessarily regret it because if you look at the grand scheme of things, the pros [in taking AP classes] overcomes the cons,” Tran said. It is pretty agreeable that Gazette illustration /REESE RICHMOND if a student takes AP classes, Students load up on AP classes in order to make their college applications stand out, earn a grade bump and to chalit shows that they are able to lenge themselves with a harder schedule. handle college-like courses.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Lifestyle

The Granite Bay Gazette

Military members come home

Families are excited about the troops returning for the Thanksgiving holiday BY KENNEDY HEALY

khealy.gazette@gmail.com

aydreaming about having a week of school off helps many pass the time to Thanksgiving break. However, others anxiously wait for the holidays because it means one thing — their military family members come home. Madison Culp, a former Granite Bay High School student, hasn’t seen her fiance, Austin Rothrock, in six months and is counting down the days until his return. “I haven’t seen him in almost six months now, but it does make it easier knowing he is safe when he arrives home,” Culp said. Although the family members at home fervently wait for their return, the military members who are coming home for the first time in a while typically find the adjustment to the everyday lifestyle back at home to be somewhat difficult. Rick Firebaugh, whose family lives in the Granite Bay community, is currently stationed in Afghanistan. Him and his

family have both awaited his return. “If they had a non-combat related job that was just like working in the civilian world it may be no different coming home. No real pressure, no real dangers to be aware of. For some of us that are closer to the dangers of our military efforts, yes it is weird coming home,” Firebaugh said. “ For some, those (every day movements and sounds) are movements and sounds that put us on alert or cause us to scan the crowds for weapons or a suspicious clothing that may be concealing something dangerous (...) but we all adapt and eventually deal with the transition in our own way.” Often, family members miss the small things their companions in the military offer them like hugs and conversation. GBHS senior Alyssa Sewell, whose older brother Austin Sewell is in the military, enjoys the little moments with him as well. “The best thing is just seeing him then him telling me about training. Just simply being with him,” Sewell said. Firebaugh explain the different things military members look forward to com-

ing home to. “For some it’s the first moments of being able to see and hold family and friends again, the welcome home gatherings and parties. For others it’s being able to eat home cooked food or even restaurant food that we don’t have access to while deployed,” Firebaugh said. Thanksgiving and Christmas break are hard enough to wait for, but when your family member is coming home, the anticipation can be unbearable at times. Each family has found a different and effective way of passing the time. Sewell has also found a way to make the days go faster. “Staying busy helps pass the time. I call him, snapchat, and text him constantly,” Sewell said. Culp’s method for passing the time consists of thinking of the great memories she will get to create with her fiance when she sees him next. Military members have also found effective ways of passing time until they’re reunited with their family. “Most will spend time watching recorded movies on laptops or even cell

phones or cruising their social media if they have it,” Firebaugh said. “Others will pass the time in gyms or working out and running to stay in shape. Some bases will have social events like fun runs or military bands playing to help with morale.” Firebaugh is thankful for the modern technology which enables him with easy communication with his friends and family thousands of miles away. “Today, unlike military deployments of say decades ago, we have electronic and social media to help pass the time,” Firebaugh said. Although the military members do eventually need to pack their bags and go back, it is important to remember the moments they spent together are memories that will last a lifetime and definitely hold them over until next time. “The hardest part of going back is almost always leaving family. Walking away from my wife and kids at the airport or base is the toughest for me personally. I think most military people say that’s the most difficult part of deploying,” Firebaugh said.

National Park of the Month

TOP

Desserts Tarts

Cheesecake

Pie

Rocky Mountain National Park

• Located in the state of Colorado in the Rocky Mountains and spans 265,769 acres of pristine wilderness • Attracts about 3 million visitors every year • Contains Longs Peak, the tallest mountain in the park, which rises 14, 259 feet • Offers 450 miles of streams and 156 lakes, and roughly 355 miles of maintained trails • Split by the Trail Ridge Road, which connects the east and west ends of the park and has 11 miles of the road above timberline – compiled by Brayden Johnk, co-editor-in-chief

Students maintain unconventional jobs

A DJ, a princess, a T-shirt designer and a martial arts instructor share their unique career stories BY DANIELLE SHANNON dshannon.gazette@gmail.com

any students at Granite Bay High School lead busy lives – balancing academics, athletics, and for some – unique jobs. Common places of employment for students with jobs include fast food restaurants such as Chick-fil-A and In-N-Out or coffee shops such as Dutch Bros. and Starbucks. These jobs undoubtedly require a large amount of dedication and hard work, however, various students work for businesses which offer a less common job description. Not only does senior Tyson Sitterud have one unique job, but three. Sitterud works at an indoor trampoline park during the week, works as a DJ and has a T-shirt selling business of his own. Sitterud has been working at Skyzone for a few months and works around three days per week. At Skyzone, Sitterud makes sure people are following the rules and that everyone is safe, along with cleaning toilets.

“Usually people work at restaurants or in retail, this is kind of different and odd because it’s a trampoline place. For me this is better because it’s more relaxed and a little more fun,” Sitterud said. He has also has had a job DJ-ing at parties and dances for a year and a half. “My favorite part about DJ-ing is I like music, so I get to experiment with different music and play it for other people, the environment is very fun,” Sitterud said. Another senior with an out of the ordinary job is Georgia Seagraves. Seagraves has worked for Fairy Godmother Events as a princess and character at birthday parties for five months. Her job typically consists of dressing up as a princess and partaking in activities such as storytelling, painting nails, playing games, singing and dancing. The schedule for the job is not concrete but, Seagraves usually works at four individual parties every weekend. “My favorite part about my job is creating the magic

Gelato

Special to the Gazette /NPS.GOV

with the kids for their special day – it reminds me how to be a kid again and of the simple joys in life,” Seagraves said. During the summer, senior Mika Sakata worked for Mikuni designing T-shirts. Sakata’s father is the Chief Executive Officer of the popular sushi restaurant and often spends time with other employees of the business. Sakata spent a significant amount of time coming up with ideas and designed four different T-shirt designs in order to promote the restaurant. “I liked having this job because I love designing and drawing. This task gave me a chance to work on and display my passion,” Sakata said. Senior Laynee Daniels is a martial arts instructor. She has been training since she was six and now teaches taekwondo to people of all ages. At the age of twelve, she was offered an official job at The Studio: Martial Arts and Fitness. Daniels is the second highest rank at her school which means she has many responsibilities. These responsibilities include leading classes by herself and teaching basic self defense and life skills. Daniels’ favorite part about her job is that she’s been given the opportunity to coach the United World Hanmadang team for five years in a row. “It’s a really great experience because I’m able to see students grow and be able to compete and push themselves because getting and competing in front of a lot of people and with a lot of other people from different countries is a big step for a lot of kids,” Daniels said. “It’s benefitted me because I can keep my personal health up and I can affect other people, because one of the main things I want to do is influence as many people as I can.”

Cupcakes

Sundaes

Brownies

Ice Cream

Bundt Cake

Special to the Gazette /RUTH SEAGRAVES

Senior Georgia Seagraves poses in one of her princess costumes for Fairy Godmother Princess Events.

Special to the Gazette /LISA HOWARD

Senior Laynee Daniels wears her martial arts uniform, practicing martial arts and teaching it to people of all ages.

Gazette photo /ASHLEY ALTMANN

Senior Tyson Sitterud wears an Icy Clothing Company shirt, a clothing business he created and runs.

- By Mackenzie Brown

B6 Lifestyle

Thursday, November 9, 2017

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Are high school relationships

WORTHWHILE?

Younger relationships prove to be challenging, but many conclude that they can be incredibly rewarding

BY REESE RICHMOND

rrichmond.gazette@gmail.com

s high school serves a time of learning and maturing, many agree high school relationships can be beneficial for teenage growth, especially before departing for college. However, high school relationships are often viewed as “easier” or “immature” in comparison to those of adults. The explanation for this stigma may be the fact that high school students have less to worry about and fewer responsibilities. “Obviously in high school you are usually seeing the other person every day… live somewhat close by, and don’t have to worry about the long distance aspect or someone having to move because of a job or something,” Granite Bay High School senior Katie Hartmeier said. Hartmeier also recognizes that in depending on the relationship, it can be just as mature as an adult relationship. “People in high school go through things just like people out of high school,” Hartmeier said. “I’d say it depends on the people in the relationship on how they deal with it.” Senior Ryan Hunter, Hartmeier’s boyfriend, understands the stigma of high school relationships. “For the most part, I’d agree with the stigma that (high school relationships) aren’t as seri-

ous,” Hunter said. “Most high schoolers view it as something temporary by necessity and therefore are shallower.” However, Hunter also knows that the depth behind a high school relationship is determined by the choices that the two people make. “However that’s not a restriction on what people choose to take on together, and, like Katie and I, (and) a high school relationship can be incredibly meaningful and beautiful,” Hunter said. After being in a relationship for two years and nine months, junior Grace Salazar has learned many valuable lessons of how to maintain a successful relationship. “Communication is really important in keeping any relationship strong,” Salazar said. “If two are on the same page, it’s easier to understand each other.” Along with learning the importance of communication, Salazar recognizes the necessity of patience. “Being patient and understanding is also crucial. Just being there for each other at the end of the day, regardless of any obstacles,” Salazar said. Along with becoming knowledgeable on how to maintain relationships, students in relationships have learned other life lessons as well. “I’ve learned that the most valuable thing anyone can possess is a partner that’s by your side supporting you when you need it, celebrating with you when you’ve earned it, and working hard with

every moment in between,” Hunter said. Through relationships, students gain a new maturity and personal growth as well. “I’ve learned the importance of listening, communicating, understanding and being calm,” Salazar said. “I’ve learned to compromise and think more selflessly.” With college quickly approaching for seniors, senior couples have to make the decision of what direction they’ll try and take their relationship in college. “I think we are just going to see how everything goes. We both can see us being together out of high school but we don’t want to limit each other by forcing things,” Hartmeier said. Although college can be daunting, Hunter doesn’t necessarily view it as a threat to his relationship with Hartmeier. “It’s kind of funny, but we never really talked about it in terms of college as an obstacle,” Hunter said. While college is still a bit of a ways away for Salazar and her boyfriend, given that they’re both juniors, they’ve still considered what they’ll do when it’s time for them to go to college. “We hope to stay together so we are planning to try to be together at the same school,” Salazar said. “Life is unpredictable and will take us where we are meant to go. So we will see how the future plays out, but I’m hoping for the best.”

Gazette illustration /SIDNEY ZABELL

Sports

Granite Bay Gazette

C Section

Thursday w November 9, 2017

Football stars to continue careers at Berkeley

COMMENTARY

Tattersall, Craig commit together BY MAX SCHWARTZ

mschwartz.gazette@gmail.

max schwartz mschwartz.gazette@gmail.com

Protecting your ego in sports hinders growth

Granite Bay High School Football has been home to many star athletes that have gone to the next level throughout the years. Seniors Evan Tattersall and William Craig are adding to that list with their recent commitments to University of California Berkeley. For both Tattersall and Craig, college offers aren’t foreign, having more than

twenty offers combined. When they were faced with the offers Craig said that being together was one of the goals. “Evan and I talked a bunch, and we decided that Cal would be a great fit.” Craig said. Although the sharing of the offer from Cal, it wasn’t the only one. “University of Colorado Boulder was the first offer we shared, that’s when it became a possibility that we can play together. All of these offers, at times, became cumbersome to the boys. “ constantly being texted everyday, making small talk with 20 coaches every-

day was tiresome.” Craig said. Tattersall added the same thing. “ The whole recruiting process was overrated.” Tattersall said. Craig and Tattersall have been playing with each other for a long time, which creates the chemistry they have. “They met each other on the football field, as they both attended different schools at that time, and they have been friends ever since.” Janice Craig, William Craig’s mom, said. From this young age, they attracted the attention from some of the coaches as well. “Players like (Tattersall and Craig) make themselves known early on, Will

William Craig Senior football player comitted to UC Berkeley earlier this fall

in particular, was a big kid, and Evan was known as an overall athlete.” Varsity football coach, Jeff Evans said. Evans noted that there can be a negative effect from attention from colleges. See FOOTBALL, page C5

rom a young age, I have always been involved in sports. This constant involvement has obviously given me a broad perspective on a variety of sports, similarities and all. So by my freshman year of highschool, I had played (list of all sports), all with the same common denominator of the ability to hide from the spotlight when you mess up, forget a play, etc. It was also at this time, when I was playing freshman football, that I had to learn a whole new perspective. On the freshman team, I basically only played during the “Fifth Quarter,” a period of time after the game where the second and third string players would get playing time. This was my glorious high school football experience. Consequently, the lack of a spotlight and being a third string player while playing ended up becoming an experience that ended up molding my perspective of how sports worked for me; it left my athletic growth static. This perspective however changed when I joined wrestling, initially to better my skills in football. From the first practice there were obvious differences between all of the other sports I had played before, with the biggest being that wrestling is largely an individualistic sport. As I went through these first practices, I received more coaching attention than I’d ever had before. This largely contrasts my practices in the past centered around the starters getting the time they needed. It was also during wrestling practice that it became apparent that there were no figurative corners in the room to hide in. We drilled a lot in practice (meaning that we were basically wrestling) and I got thrown around for most of it. Reflecting back on it, this was probably a situation in a larger team sport where I would stay in the back of the line, scared to embarrass myself infront of my friends. I guess this was rather ironic though, since whenever I would try to avoid embarrassing myself, I would end up doing poorly in that drill. That is why during practice, when I got pinned almost immediately, my ego and self confidence dropped. I felt myself going into a shell; I was scared to fail. This fear was the same feeling I felt in the past – a familiar feeling – and so my ultimate opponent ended up becoming myself. There aren’t many things that are worse than this feeling. In my first season, this was the case for the majority of my matches, and it was a test of my willpower. I began to try and hide, but I learned wrestling doesn’t allow you to, it prevents you to. Only you are accountable for your wins, losses and improvement. I was giving myself so many reasons to quit, a mentality I assumed from my previous athletic endeavours, but something about the sport kept drawing me in, and I grew to enjoy this feeling of achieving only what you gave in effort on the mat. My coach has this saying that after wrestling, life is easy. And he’s right. You can’t hide in life. You can’t hope for others to pick up work for you. You can’t just hide from your hardships, you must fight your fears.

*** Max Schwartz, a junior, is a Gazette sports editor.

Special to the Gazette /MIKE VALENTINE

Mike Valentine competes in the 1978 Sac-Joaquin Section Championship in the 120 yard High Hurdles event during his senior year season.

Teacher inducted into local hall of fame Mike Valentine describes his high school athletic career at Cordova High School BY SPENCER COVA

scova.gazette@gmail.com

Of all the impressive athletes to come through Granite Bay, it is unexpected that a teacher would be one of the most accomplished. This past October teacher Mike Valentine was inducted into the Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame for his monumental achievements in football and track and field. “The validation of the work I had done in high school as an individual and as a teammate was what I took to heart,” Valentine said.

Valentine graduated from Cordova High School in 1978, which the football team in that decade went 102-6-1, which was the best record of any football team in the nation. In his varsity career he helped lead his team to back-to-back Metro League titles along with a San Joaquin Section title and finished with the number one ranking in the state. “In the three years I played football at Cordova high, we lost one game,” Valentine said, “I never went into a game thinking I could lose.” Valentine played Linebacker at 165 lbs, yet was awarded

Athletes develop skills in athletic P.E.

Most Valuable Player on defense because of his speed and his tenacious playing style. “When (I) played well defensively, the team played well defensively,” Valentine said. As impressive of a player Valentine was, he attributes his success to his teammates and his coaches more than anything. “We were super well coached, (the coaches) taught us to play with our heads,” Valentine said. “(They) gave me the mindset that I’ll do whatever it takes to be successful.” Valentine has the same mindset today, “that’s not just in football, you have to believe that (you)

can get things done–because if you don’t somebody else will,” Valentine said. Valentine was a four-sport athlete, playing basketball and baseball as well as football– though the sport he was an exceptional standout in, was track and field. “I was most impressive as a hurdler, I just didn’t know it,” Valentine said. Valentine set the school record for the 110 and 300 meter hurdles and earned Most Valuable Player–as a sophomore. “Sophomore year my time was 14.6 seconds, junior year was 14.4 and senior season was

13.88,” Valentine said. To put that into context, Valentine’s personal record was the same time James Owens ran in the 1976 olympics. He broke the school, league and section record with his 110 meter hurdle time of 13.88 seconds, the record still stands today in the Metro League. “I had numerous coaches tell me that I had the most talent they had ever seen,” Valentine said. In 1978 Valentine was a favorite to be the state champion for hurdles. Just a week earlier he had beaten three future See VALENTINE, page C4

Athletics take advantage of a school period for practice BY LOGAN EMBREE

lembree.gazette@gmail.com

Late nights, early classes, and long days with little to no sleep. Last class, bell rings, moments of freedom... then back on schedule. Home quick, grab gear, out the door, back to school. On the field, whistle screaming, sweat dripping. The life of a student athlete is not for the meek at heart or weak in mind. “Being an athlete and a student at the same time puts a lot of stress on a kid,” said GBHS varsity baseball coach Pat Esposito. Not only do they have to balance the responsibilities of a normal high school

student, but manage the borderline excessive amount of commitment required by several sport teams at GBHS. While sports are very important to student athletes, their coaches and GBHS faculty realize that school comes Gazette photo/LOGAN EMBREE first and must be made a Will Anderson pitching during a varsity baseball game against Nevada Union in the spring. priority. In order to aid high pate in Athletic PE during the fourth and training before the end of school. school athletes and provide them with final period of the school day. “The more time you spend in your more time to focus on homework and The teams that require this, for example craft making it better, as far as what their education after school, several sports baseball, use this time during fourth See ATHLETIC P.E, page C3 at GBHS require that their players partici- period to hold practice and get in their

inside sports

Fan of the Month

Grizz Quiz

Athlete of the Month C5

Local Crew Team

Tribe Restrictions

Fall Sports Update

GBHS students discuss their success during the season

Administration tightens up on rules for the Tribe

GBHS fall athletics approach post season play

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Sports C2

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Local crew teams experience lots of success Sport gains popularity, and with surplus of athletes, is thriving BY NOELANI NICHOLS nnichols.gazette@gmail.com

Though, in its current state, high school sports culture remains centered around football, crew teams are making leaps and bounds in the hunt for the spotlight. On a recreational level – both at high school and at college – rowing is progressively gaining both fans and athletes. The most notable teams in the area are Capital Crew and Upper Natoma Rowing club — both from Lake Natoma and both composed of dedicated, hardworking members. In spite of the occasional friendly banter, the two teams seem to reach a consensus on a few key topics: crew is time consuming and vigorous, but is ultimately a fulfilling sport. “Crew has been a physically difficult but rewarding activity,” GBHS senior and member of Capital Crew Jack Crabtree said. Senior and member of opposing team, UNRC, Logan Fechner says that though the schedule is demanding, he and his team are able to reap great benefits — especially because of the positive environment in which crew takes place. “Practice is 3 hours (a day), 5 days a week. It’s 15 hours of scheduled practice, but I also practice in the morning and during the weekends. I go to the Aquatic Center to take out a boat and row,” Fechner said. “Before I did crew, right out of school till 7 was extra time for me where I could just finish homework or hang out with friends. Now it pretty much takes up

my entire day.” Breaks from crew are as minimal as the practices are plentiful. From mid-September to mid-May, “we have maybe 3 weeks off,” senior and Capital Crew member Julia Totty said. Amidst the taxing schedule, though, are ample opportunities to form new friendships, travel and — of course — improve in the sport. “The guys I’ve become close friends with (through crew), I feel will be my friends for life,” Crabtree said, who will soon be en route to Seattle with his team for the Head of the Lake Race. While Totty’s favorite element of crew is spending time with her network of fellow rowers and now best friends, Fechner’s is more specifically the experience that entails the social aspect too. “My favorite part about crew is going to the regattas. They are a great experience; you have to wake up at like 4 a.m. and then your entire team is (at the destination) hanging out, waiting (until it’s your turn) to race.” As their beginning-of-the-season results have portrayed, the hours of tireless work put into the sport have earned the two teams impressive titles in many different races. Special to the Gazette /SERAFIN GARCIA “(Capital Crew) is doing really well this Senior Logan Fechner and teammate Nick Garcia practice for Upper Natoma Rowing Club. season. The biggest race in the world is as more of a hobby than a possible career. doubles category,” Fechner said. Head of the Charles in Boston and we sent (this season), on October 15. We had one Scholarships among rowers — especialwomen’s single, which came in second 2 boats this year — our varsity women’s Nevertheless, even though most realize and we also raced a women’s pair (as well ly female — are not uncommon to come team sent a four and they came in twelfth the limited future they have in rowing, by in college, as crew is still a budding as) 3 men’s doubles, and they all came out of 86 boats. Our varsity men’s four Crabtree says all participants still are sport on a scholastic level. in first, second, and third — my rowing came in second out of 82,” Totty said. always “fired up and ready to perform.” But for some, like Totty, rowing serves partner, Sam and I got first place in the “We’ve only had one regatta so far

Seniors anticipate sports in college

Athletics in school can be important BY JACK MCGRAIL

jmcgrail.gazette@gmail.com

Location, tuition, population, Academic rigour, prestige, and student life. There are many differences factors to consider when applying to colleges, since some schools are small, some schools are large, some schools are spirited and others are not so much. So how important for students is a big name school, which usually comes with big-time athletics? During the season of college applications, students are looking to apply to college, and many are having a hard time looking at college without taking into account the school’s sports name and popularity. Senior Nico Maggio feels that big sports schools are much better. “Sports characteristics are very important when choosing a college,” Maggio said, “since having a good time in college is important for the next four years of your life” Obviously learning is the main focus of going to college, but some believe that students should also engage in activities outside of school. “(School)isn’t everything,” Maggio said. “Cs still get degrees so you might as well have a good time. Skills learned from interacting in college and making friends while having fun is just as

Special to the Gazette /TAMMY MAGGIO

From an early age Nico Maggio has wanted to attend a school with a large athletics program.

important as the classes.” Activities outside of school should also serve as a nice break from school for students throughout the year. “Killing yourself with schoolwork and giving up a social life for a little higher GPA or heavier course load is unnecessary,” Maggio said. “It will just lead to more stress and less productivity.” Besides, participating in these events can also

lead to bettering a student’s future. “Pregame parties and rooting for sports teams actually leads to connections,” Maggio said. “Bosses will be more likely to hire people they know and have business connections with.” For example Maggio’s cousin, who currently attends Colorado Boulder passes her classes with B and C grades on her transcript, but she frequently goes out to cheer on sports teams or have fun.

She also already has a job lined up as soon as she graduates, and she was able to have an experience at college that included more than just school. Missing out on a huge portion of college life for more studying does not necessarily lead to better jobs or wealth in life. On the other hand, some students, such as Max Johnson, who is also a GBHS senior, do not place as much emphasis on the sports. “I (do) not really look at the sports and the size aspect because the academics are much more important,” Johnson said. “There are still fraternities, tailgates, and intramural sports at smaller schools. (You don’t have to) go to a sports school.” Even though the so called college experience is an important aspect for students who think in a similar way to Johnson, these students also feel that engaging in so many extracurricular activities can be harmful. “Academics are on a level way more important than having fun or partying because failing to focus on academics will lead to a bad work ethic in college,” Johnson said. “Taking challenging courses also teaches hands-on learning and life skills, such as connecting with people.” Other students also feel that choosing a college solely because they will be able to support a big school football team is not a good idea, since students are paying thousands of dollars to attend the school and get an education. “It’s called prioritizing,” Johnson said when asked why he puts education over sports. “Being in the dorm until 2 a.m. studying because of constant parties and games is not what college is all about.” College students should also make sure that they are correctly balancing school and outside activities. “People that focus solely on keeping grades above graduation minimums are selling themselves short of what they could accomplish,” Johnson said. However, once students are able to balance both school and activities, many people believe that spending time participating in spirit events at college are just fine. “I believe that school spirit often comes from college sport,” said Tara Zamiri, another senior at GBHS. “It is always fun (to participate) and gives you something fun to do on the weekends. It gives you something to be proud of.”

Fall sports are wrapping up, winter sports begin

Basketball, soccer and wrestling all look forward to the start of their seasons BY NICOLE GEARING ngearing.gazette@gmail.com

With the end of fall comes the end of fall sports. Next up: winter sports. Coming up in the winter are boys and girls basketball, wrestling and boys and girls soccer. Often shrouded by the more popular winter sports, the Granite Bay wrestling team is busy gearing up for their season. “We’ve been practicing for about two months,” said senior Teague Dilbeck, a member of the varsity team. The team will have to fill the positions of recent Granite Bay High School graduates, including star wrestler from last year Jack Ramalia. Ramalia now wrestles for Stanford University.

However the team doesn’t appear too worried about filling the shoes of Ramalia. “We’re pretty good; we only lost three kids,” said Dilbeck “We have three seniors coming back and then two juniors and a whole bunch of underclassmen.” “Reno TUC or the Sierra Nevada Classic will be our hardest tournaments (during the) regular season,” said Dilbeck, “and for postseason it’s State.” Dilbeck is confident that the wrestling team will perform well in the upcoming season. Boys’ Basketball Students at GBHS also get to witness the start of this year’s boys and girls basketball teams.

After unexpectedly reaching the playoffs last year, the varsity boy’s basketball team has been hard at work to repeat their success. “We’ve been preparing a lot for this season,” said junior Adam Honer, “and everyday we have Athletic PE during fourth period where we do a combination of basketball and weights.” In addition to Athletic PE, the team has played in a few preseason tournaments to help them prepare for their upcoming season. “Any team in our league can win at anytime,” said Honer, “so every game will be a challenge and competitive.” However, Honer still believes that the team will be able to succeed this year. “I believe our team can win league,

and we have the right (team) to accomplish our goal,” said Honer, “I believe [we] can do well in the playoffs.” Girls’ Basketball On the girls side of basketball, they too are optimistic of the team’s success come the end of the season. Of course, with every inception of a team comes the basketball tryouts, which began November 6th. “(Tryouts) generally last a couple of days,” said varsity player Adrienne Russell,“they run like a normal practice [and] the coaches evaluate and place players on whichever team fits their skill range.” Russell is confident in the girls team saying she thinks “the team will im-

Zachary Wong Varsity soccer player gears up for the start of the new season

prove to a greater level than [they] ended [on] last season.” “I’m really excited to see how far we

HAVE AN OPINION? WRITE A GUEST COMMENTARY FOR THE GAZETTE.

See SPORTS PREVIEW, page C4

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Grizz Quiz

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Compiled by Ashley Altmann

Sports C3

Danielle Sims Soccer

Evan Chinn Cross Country

Joseph Finsthwait Water Polo

Stephanie Sciau Volleyball

Triston Haverty Football

I visit my mom’s side of the family in either Sonoma or San Jose

I usually stay home for Thanksgiving, all of my family comes over, and my dad cooks

I travel different places with my family

I go to my grandma’s house

I go to my grandparents’ house

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food?

Turkey

Stuffing

I don’t really have one

Stuffing and mashed potatoes

Turkey

What’s your favorite Fall time activity?

Carving pumpkins or going to Apple Hill

Carving pumpkins and watching Halloween movies

Bishop’s Pumpkin Patch

Snowboarding

Relaxing

Do you prefer apple pie or pumpkin pie?

Apple pie

Pumpkin pie

Apple pie

Pumpkin Pie

What is your favorite Fall color?

Orange

Red

Burgundy

Orange

Red

Where do you go/ what do you do for Thanksgiving?

Freshman excited for high school-level soccer BY ANDREW YUNG

ayung.gazette@gmail.com

The soccer season has begun, as tryouts have started for both males and females. And for most of the freshman, this will be their first exposure to playing high school sports. Michael Vaughan is one of these freshman who are trying out for soccer, and he is no stranger to the sport. “I’ve played soccer since I was six years old,” Vaughan said, “when I played for Granite Bay Soccer Club. After that I went to San Juan Soccer Club until I was in fifth grade, and then I moved to Placer United, and then now I’m back at San Juan.” With that said, soccer takes up much of Vaughan’s time.

“I practice three days a week for my club, and when I don’t have practice, I try to come to Granite Bay and shoot.” Vaughan chose soccer at an early age because of family influences. “My dad always did an indoor soccer league, and as a child I wanted to do what my dad did. But once I started playing, I realized I liked it and my passion just took off.” Part of what helped realize his niche for soccer was when he began to face harder competition. “When I decided to play competitive soccer instead of recreation, I realized that I actually enjoyed the sport. I also realized that it was very enjoyable and I ended up making a lot of friends.” Now, Vaughan hopes that all of his experience and

practice will lead him to a spot on the high school team. “This year I’m trying out, for the soccer team. Varsity has always been my dream, but I’ll probably just try out for the junior varsity team.” Vaughan believes that the soccer team for high school may be a better experience than club soccer. “I am looking forward to high school because I’ll get to play with a lot of my friends. But in club soccer, you don’t know as many people on your team, and at school I pretty much know everybody.” Vaughan also believes that the recent engagement that he has had with soccer gives him an advantage heading into the soccer season. “I was a referee this summer, and just working has changed my perspective on the game. Now, when

Air quality from wildfires affecting athletes and teams BY MAY LIN

mlin.gazette@gmail.com

“Crews on Wednesday continued to increase containment of a cluster of deadly wildfires that have ravaged Northern California, while authorities announced the discovery of another fire victim – a development that brought the fatality count to 42,” said Joseph Serna from Los Angeles Times. Just recently, dozens of savage fires were burning and the repercussions could be seen from Santa Rosa all the way to Napa. Thousands had to flee from their homes and watch aside as the only place they felt protected and safe got burned down to ashes. Miles and miles of infrastructure got destroyed, all billowing smoke as a result. However, the catastrophe that everyone is aware of also made its problems clear to areas far beyond the fire’s reach. Sports teams all over Northern California including many of our local programs had to suspend practicing due to the dangerous air quality. “All of my practices were cancelled for the week and both my games that weekend, ” Emma Broers, member of the Placer

United soccer club said. “Personally, I was very disappointed because I love playing soccer and it’s my daily routine, so not playing for a week was odd.” The same feelings were felt amongst the other girls on the team as they, too, were mentally affected by the smoke. “My team was sad not to have practice because we all love soccer but when not being able to see the people you usually see everyday makes it feel like you haven’t seen them in forever,’” Broers said. “It’s crucial we all get 4 days of practice every week to maintain our fitness, so not being able to practice was rough.” Inhaling the particles from the smoke can inflame the bronchial tubes, causing them to constrict, making it hazardous for anyone with asthma or other respiratory ailments. “My soccer club is legally mandated to cancel practice if the air quality is at a certain level, so the practices necessary to prepare us for our upcoming games had to be cancelled,” Kate Thompson, another member of the Placer United soccer club, said. “I don’t have asthma or allergies of any kind but a couple of my teammates do, so it was rough for them to breathe.”

Gazette photo /JAKE CRISCIONE

The GBHS Pool, along with many local soccer fields, have been left empty throughout the month of October. Dangerous air quality has caused the canceling of sports practices.

Because of the same problem, both junior varsity and varsity girls’ water polo final league games were canceled two weeks ago on a Friday and had to be moved to the following Monday. “It was so smokey and the other team (Del Oro) just didn’t want to play in those conditions since it was at their pool,” Rachel Finsthwait, a junior on varsity water polo, said. “I had a few headaches and a hard time breathing a couple of weeks ago, so I guess under the circumstances, it was reasonable for the coaches to cancel the game.” The inhalation of tiny smoke particles from wildfires, while unpleasant, is unlikely to cause long-term damage to healthy people unless it occurs over a prolonged period. However, the damage and disappointment had already occurred to the team. “Moving the game to Monday wasn’t necessarily a convenient idea though because we had nothing to do over the weekend. We were expected to show up on Monday and play a really important and intense game,” Finsthwait said. “My team was really frustrated that Del Oro canceled the game because they thought they could have played through it.” The letdown was also felt amongst the JV water polo girls as they had to get their game moved as well. “The cancellations of practices slowed us down because, since the game was postponed, we got no breaks and had to play 7 games almost consecutively the following week. The team was annoyed and we ended up not doing so well,” Hannah Thrash, girls’ jv water polo captain, said. Despite the outcomes GBHS faced as a result of the fire’s smoke, it is important to give condolences to the families, victims and everybody fighting the fire - emotionally and physically. “The fires are horrible and devastating. My aunt’s parents were told to evacuate and although I’ve met them only once, it was an awful thing to hear,” Thompson said. “ I hope people can come together to help the people getting affected and that the fires will be fully under control soon.”

I’m actually playing, I can see where I should be. And it also helps to know which fouls I can and cannot get away with.”

ATHLETIC PE: Varsity sports producing many pros, cons Continued from page C1

sport you play, the better chance you will have of being pretty good and having the opportunity to maybe move to the next level up,” said Esposito. Students that participate in this requirement for their sports teams will receive a letter grade at the end of the semester because the practices held meet the requirements of Athletic PE. One of the main purposes of holding practice during fourth period is to reduce the amount of time that students sacrifice to sports outside of school. “Having baseball 4th period is great because we can have a practice that doesn’t take up too much of the day,” said senior Derek Galvan. Holding practice during the final period of the school day provides student athletes with extra time to work on homework, school assignments, and extracurricular activities that would have been much harder if not impossible to do if they had practice in the afternoon following school. Athletic PE also prevents students from missing valuable class time in a fourth period class during sports season. “It is an opportunity to not lose time in classwork when the season is in and you have to leave early to go to a game,” said Esposito. Along with saving student athletes from missing class time, holding practice during fourth period also saves the time of coaches who happen to be extremely busy teachers at GBHS. Having the ability to hold practice during fourth period also gives athletes an early start by allowing them to begin practicing earlier than normal. For example GBHS basketball, a winter sport, is capable of starting to practice as early as August, where other winter sports don’t get the chance to begin until September or November.

“Most schools don’t start practices and workouts until late September, so Athletic PE gives us a jump,” said senior Patrick Lambey, a varsity basketball player at GBHS. This early “jump” gives several teams at GBHS an early and valuable head start over their competitors. Athletic PE also gives student athletes the chance to work on personal skills that may need work and to better themselves physically in the weight room. While it may seem that there are no downsides to this practice schedule, this is just not true. By requiring athletes to enroll in fourth period Athletic PE, every player is sacrificing one of their four academic classes for that semester. This can create problems with students that either need fourth period to fit in an academic class or wish to take part in a class that is only offered during fourth period. It is because of this that certain students have to give up participation in certain sports because academics are seen as the priority. While this is a sad reality, it is a reality that some students at GBHS have to face heading into varsity level sports. However, just because a student is not able to sacrifice fourth period that does not mean they will not be able to play their desired sport. Many options are still available such as participating in a local club or recreation league. While this will require time after school for practices and such it is a valid option. The benefits of using Athletic PE to hold sports practice is invaluable to several sports teams and their student athletes at GBHS by saving students and coaches time along with giving them a jumpstart on the competition. BEEP BEEP! Alarm rings, pack the bag, print the homework. Out the door and in the car. Out of the car and into the classroom. Bell rings. Back on schedule.

Sports C4

Thursday, November 9, 2017

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Soccer’s move to winter sparks strong opinions

Winter sports face new differences this season BY ABBIE GOULD

agould2.gazette@gmail.com

With the winter sports season rapidly approaching, it also means the start of high school soccer. Last year, both boy’s and girl’s soccer were changed to the winter – boy’s soccer moved from fall to winter and girl’s soccer moved from spring to winter – and now that it is almost time for the second season of winter soccer to begin, there are mixed feelings about the change. “Having soccer in the winter is kind of bittersweet,” said Mark Broers, the varsity girls soccer coach. There are both benefits and downfalls to this season change that were seen during last season. “It allows some very high level players to participate in high school soccer,” Broers said, “(since) girls who play high competition soccer in our area are not playing club and high school soccer simultaneously.” Broers said this is helpful to athletes because they are not having to juggle homework, two practices, and other extracurricular activities at the same time while also trying to stay healthy. “I saw there were a lot more injuries taking place in the spring,” Broers said, “than (what) we had last winter.” However, with these added benefits there are drawbacks. “It was one of our coldest winters we had in a long

Wong said. Also now that the boys and girls are in the same season, there are four teams vying for two fields. time” Broers said, “(and) there was frost on our back“Both the girls and boys need to practice and one packs after some of the games.” team is on the stadium,” Wong said, “and the other is With freezing temperatures it directly impacts the on the grass field which can be hard to get used to beplayers both mentally and physically. cause you are not training where you play your games.” “Mentally, there is definitely a hurdle to get over Along with the limited amount of practice space, it when it is 40, 50 degrees at the start and gets dark sooner in the winter. it drops 10 degrees by the end of the “We had to work with our other entigame.” Broers said. “Especially if you ties on campus like the marching band, football, eventually track and lacrosse for come out of the game for a period of the stadium because it is the only lighted time, it’s really hard to go right back in.” venue at Granite Bay High School.” BroThe warm up is now a more important ers said. part of the game since players need to Makena Blackburn, senior, is also not a make sure their muscles are ready and huge fan of playing soccer in the winter. not pulled. “It’s cold and rainy which makes it diffiHowever, on the player’s’ side of cult to train and play in games,” Blackthings, many players say that they did burn said. “However the team did get not like the switch. some cool gear like parkas to keep warm.” Zach Wong, a senior who played varsity soccer both before and after soccer – Makena Blackburn, varsity Blackburn does see the weather affect players as well. switched to winter, says that he would soccer player “I think the weather affects the players prefer to have soccer back in the fall. both mentally and physically,” Blackburn “A lot of the practices were forced to said, “because when the weather causes move to the indoor facility, Tinker, beyou physical discomfort you have to push cause it was raining or the weather was yourself mentally to overcome that.” pretty bad,” Wong said. However, some players did find some positive The weather caused poor field conditions, making it aspects to the season change, such as sophomore Riley difficult for teams to practice. McMahon. “The field is grass and it was not made to drain “You can play club for the entire fall season,” said properly so there are a lot of puddles after big rains,”

The weather affects the players both mentally and physically.

FAN OF THE MONTH: Athlete and fan recites best memories from high school career BY JACK MCGRAIL

jmcgrail.gazette@gmail.com

Senior basketball and baseball star Derek Galvan is excited for the winter sports season to begin after cheering on the Grizzlies throughout the fall. Galvan loves being a part of the Tribe at every game he can go to because of the chance to connect and hang out with friends and of course he loves cheering on the Grizzlies, no matter the sport. Even though he must plan his Tribe appearances around his busy schedule, he still makes it to many “football, volleyball, baseball and basketball games,” Galvan said. While being an avid fan, he is also a great athlete. Galvan is playing both varsity basketball and baseball this year, in the winter and spring respectively. He has been playing both sports since he was a young kid in the Granite Bay area, playing for the Junior Grizzlies basketball team as well as playing baseball in the Lakeside Little League. Even though Galvan spends a lot of time playing his own sports, he chooses to spend his free time supporting his fellow student-athletes.. With so many football and volleyball games that have already been played, Galvan and the Granite Bay Tribe has had plenty of opportunities to cheer on the team so far. As a result, the Tribe has conducted a bunch of classic dress-up themes during games. Although most of the Tribe themes this year have been popular among students, Galvan had one in particular that he liked. “USA theme was my favorite,” Galvan said, “because supporting the country I love was so much fun and was a great theme to celebrate in the Tribe.” When asked about his favorite sport to cheer on, Galvan was quick to answer with one of the sports that he participates in for the school. “As far as my favorite sport,” Galvan said, “basketball is the best because I enjoy cheering on my teammates on and off the court.” Being a part of the varsity basketball team allows him to support both the Tribe and the team during the games, and he gets the best of both worlds as far as being a sports fan. And Galvan’s favorite player to support?

Continued from page C2 can go,” said Russell, “(since) we have a lot of talented players who have been working really hard to earn this season.” Get ready to cheer on both the girls and boys basketball team this winter. As of last year, boys and girls soccer also joined the lineup of winter sports.

Boys’ Soccer GBHS has always seemed to be one of the top competitors for soccer in our area, as the school seems to churn out several players who continue on to the collegiate level. Many of these players who have already committed are excited for their final year at high school before they continue on to the

Senior varsity player reminisces about last year when girls’ soccer changed from spring to winter

McMahon “because you can’t play club soccer and high school soccer at the same time.” McMahon prefers to play in the winter for that reason. However, no matter how many differing opinions players have towards the seasonal change, soccer seems that it will continue to be in the winter for a long

time. “I prefer to do whatever will allow the most girls and boys to participate” Broers said, “(and) right now it looks like that is the winter time.”

Derek Galvan Fan of all sports recalls favorite player and event

“My favorite Granite Bay High School sports player is Ryan ‘tall guy’ Smith,” Galvan said. Smith happens to not only be a player on the football team, but he also doubles as Galvan’s teammate during basketball season. “Being friends outside of sports makes watching him play even more enjoyable,” Galvan said. “(That’s why) Smith’s fade route touchdown catch was one of (my favorite plays).” Besides his favorite player, Galvan also remembers his favorite game from high school. “The Woodcreek at Granite Bay basketball game last year was my favorite game of the season,” Galvan said. “The tribe was packed and hyped up for the game, and although it ended in a loss it was an extremely exciting game, especially because Woodcreek was such a good team that ended up doing very well in playoffs.” Although he is a senior and this will be his last year, Galvan believes he is still an influential Granite Bay sports fan and member of the Tribe because of his excitement and ability to get the crowd pumped for any game.

SPORTS PREVIEW: Winter sports begin with optimism

Makena Blackburn

Special to the Gazette /MIKE VALENTINE

Mike Valentine in the Cordova High School versus Berkeley High School game in 1977.

VALENTINE: Teacher gains recognition for accomplishments in two sports Continued from page C1

Olympic trial runners (one of which was also a future two time NCAA champion) for the section championship–he was in the best shape of his life and his confidence was peaking. Valentine took his mark lined up against future Olympic medalists and champions, ”imagine your normal butterflies, then magnify that feeling 100 times–that’s what it felt like,” Valentine said. College scouts watched Valentine clear the first two hurdles in front of the pack, ”I was right there, going over the third hurdle, and I brushed the hurdle with my shoe,” Valentine said, “the shoe flew off–I finished the race in 6th place.” Valentine was heartbroken and shocked in disbelief after the race. Though as a great consolation, he was invited to race in the Golden West–the biggest national high school track meet in the country at the time. Unfortunately because his confidence was no longer collegiate level. “We play a preseason tournament and some preseason games to help us get ready for the season,” said senior Zach Wong, a member of the varsity team and recent UCSD commit, “and we did really well.” When asked about which team will be the toughest to beat, Wong said it is hard to tell this early on. “Jesuit is really good, they always have a good team,” said Wong, “Rocklin has a decent team [too]. (However,) I think our team will be pretty good this year because we have a lot of returning players and seniors that can make an impact on the team.”

peaking and his body wasn’t in top condition, as the race was the day after his graduation, Valentine didn’t perform to his highest level–that was Valentine’s last race. ”If I were to do it again I would have stuck with track,” Valentine said, “but you don’t get a do over.” This did anything but overshadow Valentine’s towering list of athletic achievements, though he thinks “things happen for a reason,” Valentine said. Valentine stays involved in sports today as a football and track and field coach. He has led football teams to state championships both as a player and as a coach, and has coached runners into division one talent. “ I was meant to do something else,” Valentine said “maybe I was meant to be here.”

Girls’ Soccer The girls soccer team currently sits in a state of uncertainty. While the girls varsity team is oftentimes dominated by top club soccer players, new restrictions placed by these clubs on many of the players have the potential to jeopardize the girls team. “Placer United Academy has developed a few limitations to playing high school soccer,” said senior Nicolette Lewis, “so there might not be as many people that are returning.” The restrictions may also limit the players who have not yet started their high school

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careers. “The freshman that play for Placer United are not allowed to try out either, so I think that may change the competitiveness on the field.” As a result, many followers of the girls varsity team, including Lewis, are not sure how the team will fare this season. As all winter sports have just begun, the players are working hard to ensure a good start to the season for the Grizzlies. As all winter sports have just begun, the players are working hard to ensure a good start to the season for the Grizzlies.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Sports C5

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Admin implements rules for Tribe safety Tribe numbers to be restricted BY ASHLEY ALTMANN

aaltmann.gazette@gmail.com

After several years of frustration, the Tribe has been given a second chance to root for the Grizzlies in the end-zone. A unique feat of Granite Bay High School’s student section was once taken away due to enthusiastic students taking their cheering to the next level. Graciously, admin has given a newer generation of students the opportunity but, supposedly, has placed new restrictions on the student section. When asked his opinion on the “new rules” regarding the Tribe, assistant principal Brian McNulty said he wasn’t aware there were any new rules at all. “I think that perception is wrong. These rules have been in place since the student section was created,” McNulty said. Granite Bay’s administration claims to follow the guidelines set in place by CIF (California Interscholastic Federation), rules every school in the state must follow to keep spectators safe. “There is a preamble made by CIF that tells everybody how they are supposed to behave during the sporting event,” McNulty said. None of these restrictions are all that unreasonable. In fact, none of the violations listed by CIF

are technically forbidden, just frowned upon. “For example,” McNulty said, “in [the preamble] it says ‘thou shalt not single out a player from the other team.’” In other words, students are strongly discouraged from calling out or demeaning any player. These guidelines are set for a reason, and Grizzly fans were once at fault for disregarding them. “In the past, we’ve had students bring some questionable signs picking on a particular player. You can’t do that,” McNulty said. Over the years, the Tribe has been punished for similar misdemeanors, like the most recent breaking down the fence incident that booted us to the stands. So to help improve the overall atmosphere of the Tribe, GBHS administration and the Tribe leaders have been working together to keep the end-zone as safe as possible without taking away from the fun. “The only rule we have been implementing to keep every student safe is to keep the fence from breaking,” senior Tribe leader Kyle Sisco said, “and students know to stay safe.” Sisco said keeping the fence in tact is such a necessity in preventing chaos from ensuing. Another

Gazette photo /SABINA MAHAVNI

The Granite Bay High School Tribe celebrates Ryan Fina’s interception during the homecoming football game against Woodcreek. way Sisco and the other Tribe leaders work with Admin to keep things in order has been by scanning student IDs. According to McNulty, this gives the school better information on turn-out and helps keep down the “riff-raff.” “The scanning was intended to give administration information on which type of students attend games,” Sisco said. “I’m not sure if it has impacted us currently, but maybe it will later on in the future.”

While a good idea in theory, there has been some negative opinions regarding this new policy. Some students find it to be a hassle and are put out when friends from other schools can’t join in on the fun in the end-zone. “I don’t like the scanning because it prevents some kids from being in the Tribe because some people don’t carry their student IDs around,” sophomore Delaney Johnson said. A similar complaint has come

from freshman Kayla Morotti who is new to the whole high school football experience. Initially, she enjoyed spending Friday nights supporting her school with her friends, but the recent actions taken by GBHS Administration have spoiled that fun. “It’s super fun, but it was annoying having to get my ID card scanned because a ton of my friends forgot it and weren’t able to get in,” Morotti said. Nevertheless, even the Tribe is

still a work in progress even 21 years after its creation. Those who take the burden of being in charge will continue to try different ways and rules to perfect the spectators’ experience. “I hope in the future that all students feel like they belong in the tribe. I hope it doesn’t feel ‘cliquey.’ I think the best way to improve the tribe is to bring out as many people as possible,” Sisco said, “After that point, it is our job to take care of the atmosphere.”

Students plan athletic visits around college acceptance Team succeeds with hard work, dedication BY DANIELLE SHANNON dshannon.gazette@gmail.com

With the amplitude of college preparation going on, there’s been an increase in the amount of college visits being made by various student athletes. Students who play sports during high school often base their ultimate decision largely upon the athletic programs which would be available to them at the college or university of their choice. Colton Abrigana is a senior who has swam competitively for twelve years and throughout his entire Granite Bay High School career. Abrigana was contacted by the competitive swim program at Chapman University, and visited the campus during a recruit trip the weekend of November 4th. She hopes to swim during college in order to receive scholarships which would help pay for his education. “I wanted to see how the team is and if they were nice and to go more in-depth into the campus and what they’ve done with it since I was there.” said Abrigana. Zach Wong is another athlete partaking in college preparation having to do with

Gazette photo /MADDIE RIGGS

Senior Sienna Lyford and Carondlet High School’s Angela Bagasbas take part on a college athletic recruiting visit. “It’s the college I’m going to for four or his sports career. Wong has played soccer making these trips -- whether it be for five years depending on the classes I take for GBHS all throughout high school and students to familiarize themselves with committed to the UC San Diego in August and I wanted to make a good decision. I the campus, or their athletics programswanted to go to a college that I want to of his senior year. After September 1st, there are many questions intended to be attend for four years even if I didn’t play Wong was able to take his official visit answered during these visits. soccer, in case I get injured” Wong said. to the school; however, prior to this he’d “Is this a good campus? Is this the right vibe? Is this a good team that I like? Is There are assuredly many reasons for visited the campus numerous times.

Girls’ tennis star wins state title

Sophomore rises in State rankings after impressive season last year BY ASHLEY ALTMANN

aaltmann.gazette@gmail.com

For eight years, sophomore Olivia Teemant has perfected her swing and swiftly climbed to the top of the tennis world. At some point in her short career, she even skyrocketed to number one in the state for her age group. Now she holds her champion status on the GBHS team and is getting a whole new perspective on the tennis world. “I like it at the school because it’s actually a team sport, and you’re a part of something other than just the sport itself,” Teemant said. The girls are constantly challenging each for the number one rank. While stressful, Teemant thinks it improves everybody’s performance. “We all work really hard and are pushing each other to our fullest potential,” Teemant said. But this can create some tension within the team, as they try to bump one another down. “We challenge each other to see if we are better than them and can take their spot,” Teemant said, “I just displaced the girl who was number one and definitely want to keep my spot.” Being at the top, Teemant feels stress to remain number one as many of her competitors try to knock her down. “One hundred percent. There’s always pressure. I just beat our former number one ranked teammate, and she’s hoping to beat me again,” Teemant said.

Olivia Teemant Sophomore girls’ tennis star ranked number one in the state

Especially outside of the team environment, Teemant’s opponents are exceptionally eager to win when they compete against her. “There are some people I don’t like to play against,” Teemant said, “Not because I’m scared of losing to them, but because they’re mean, almost like they have it out for me.” Even with the nerves of being the champion, Teemant enjoys competing and preserving her title. “It was nice having the experience being the best in the state,” Teemant said, “I never thought I would get there.”

the culture right for me and does it fit me?” Wong said. Sienna Lyford is another example of a high-achieving student athlete who has visited multiple schools. Lyford has played golf competitively for six years and has played for the GBHS Girl’s Golf Team for four years. Lyford is continuing to play during college and thus, the sport had a large impact in her ultimate decision to commit to UC Irvine. “My first time visiting UC Irvine I really loved the way the campus felt, and that’s something you wouldn’t be able to find out through researching the school online,” Lyford said. Lyford knew she wanted to play for a Division 1 school, and since she would be spending a lot of time practicing and playing, factored the weather in as well. As for her visits, Lyford took most during the summer before her junior year. She went to San Jose State, University of Oregon, Cal Poly, UC Berkeley, and UC Irvine. “I definitely think visits are really helpful because athletes get to meet the coaches and see their goals and personality. You can ask them questions about how they run their program and practices,” Lyford said. “You’re able to see what the campus feels like to you because the surrounding towns can all feel different,” Lyford said. “You have to find what feels right for you and what feels like home.”

FOOTBALL: Cal gains two GB commits Continued from page C1 “(Attention from colleges) can cause them to pull away from their teammates, and give them a complex that makes them feel better which can stunt their athletic ability.” Evans said. This didn’t happen to the boys, however, making the coaches happy. They are good men, you can never project that, we were hoping they will turn out the way they did, and they exceeded our expectations.” Evans said. Their character traits have also reflected on their longtime teammates as well with their presence on the field.

“Will, being my left tackle, has done his job and kept me safe. And Evan helps me out on the field, sharing the leadership.” Jade Foddrill, varsity football quarterback, said. These traits are also picked up on by the college scouts that recruited Craig. “(scouts said) I get off the ball quickly and play aggressively and mean.” Craig said. When the rest of the team found out about the offers, there was a very positive response. “Everyone was very excited for us, they shared the experience with us.” Craig said. “It’s great to see your teammates get offered up.” Foddrill said.

DONT FLIP OUT READ THE GAZETTE

The most important traits they share come from their attitudes from Granite Bay, not just athletics. “the granite bay football program stand out is that they are not only good football players, but good men, too” Foddrill said. Both Tattersall and Craig share the athletic ability to go far, reflecting the hard work they have put in. “They have the potential to play as long as they want. I wouldn’t be surprised if both of them play in the nfl one day, but as long as they stay good people we as coaches will be happy with them.” Evans said.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

w The Granite Bay Gazette

SECOND LOOK

Every GBHS fall sport manages to qualify for postseason play BY SPENCER COVA

scova.gazette@gmail.com

Fall sports are wrapping up as the Grizzlies have been dominating the regular season. GBHS has reached the postseason in every fall sport – something few schools in the region have achieved. The finished the regular season with an 8-2 overall record and 4-2 in the Sierra Foothill Fall Sports League. They open the Update Sac-Joaquin Section Div. 2 playoffs tonight against Burbank at home. The Grizzlies are the top seed in Division 2. “The season has been going great, it’s a huge improvement from last year,” senior Blake Peterson said. The team’s only losses came to SFL powerhouse rivals Folsom and Oak Ridge; the Grizzlies finished in third place in the SFL. The Tribe can expect to be rolling out to football games deep into the fall this year as “we have a great chance of going far (into the playoffs) this year,” Peterson said.

Gazette photo /MAKAYLA CLEMENT

Gazette photo /ASHLEY ALTMANN

Boys’ Water Polo The polo team has hit some rough patches throughout the season. “We’ve been dealing with injuries all year,” said junior player Anders Hartman. That held the team back somewhat, but the Grizzlies had an undefeated league record of 6-0 and earned a place in the Div. 1 playoffs with a 15-11 overall record. The Grizzlies won their first two games in the playoffs against Franklin and Woodcreek and were scheduled to play Jesuit on Wednesday. The section championship is Saturday. “We’re on the road to win a section championship. I think we have a good chance of winning,” Hartmann said. Girls’ Water Polo Granite Bay water polo rarely falls short of expectations. This year the girls have dominated their league and have won the rights to yet another league banner. “We won the league championship 8-6 against Woodcreek,” junior player Rachel Finsthwait said. The Grizzlies beat River City and Napa in the first two rounds of the section playoffs and were scheduled to face Davis in the semifinals earlier this week. The section championship game is Saturday. “I think we’ll play really well in sections,” Finsthwait said.

Gazette photo /ASHLEY ALTMANN

Girls’ Golf The golf team is coming off a flawless regular season “(The regular season) went just amazing,” coach Jason Sitterud said. The girls continued their phenomenal performance into playoffs. The team glided through league playoffs and won the SFL championships two weeks ago with an undefeated season. Last week, the team continued their success and won the Division 1 North section and Masters titles. Earlier this week, the Grizzlies finished second in the NorCal tournament and advanced to the state championship. “They all get along really well, and encourage each other,” Sitterud said. “I just keep them fed and happy.” Girls’ Tennis With a new coaching change this year the tennis team has been flourishing. “We only lost four games this entire season and are heading into playoffs now,” Kyla Miyashiro said. The girls are 8-3 in league and are the No. 1 seed in the Div. 2 section playoffs and drew an opening-round bye. The Grizzlies beat Rodriguez last week, and they were scheduled to play River City earlier this week. The section championship match is today. “I feel confident in playoffs, our team has improved a ton since the start of the season,” Miyashiro said.

Gazette photo /DANIELLE SHANNON

Gazette photo /ASHLEY ALTMANN

wThe GBHS football team, top left, lines up for kickoff at the homecoming football game against Woodcreek. Sophomore Olivia Teemant, top right, serves in a varsity team practice. Troy Hubiak, middle, swims up the pool on an attack by the boys’ water polo team. The varsity girls’ volleyball team, middle left, prepares for a serve in a varsity game against Pleasant Valley. Kat Tianpothong, middle right, serves to her teammate during practice. Senior Jarad Harper, bottom left, outruns the Woodcreek defense along the sideline to score a Grizzly touchdown.

Cross Country The cross country team has faced high hurdles throughout the season as “a few of our better runners have had injuries,” sophomore runner Johnathan Romeo said. But that hasn’t stopped the team from taking major strides in the right direction. “The frosh-soph girls won first in their league and the rest of the team is heading to sections,” Romeo said. On the varsity level, Malia Luna qualified for the girls’ Div. 2 section championship, and the varsity boys’ team, led by junior Joseph Kennedy, also qualified. The section championship is Friday. Girls’ Volleyball Coming off of an ace of a season, the team was blocked by rival Oak Ridge from winning a league championship. The Grizzlies beat Rodriguez in the opening round of the section tournament, but they lost 3-1 to Turlock in the second round last week to end their season. Gazette photo /SABINA MAHAVNI

GS The Gazetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arts and entertainment guide.

Finally Fall

November 2017

GREEN SCREEN

Eating food with friends is the new Thanksgiving PAGES

8&9

Gazette photo/ LOGAN EMBREE

Page 2

November 2017

sneak peek.

Special to the Gazette/ ADDIE FOLLETT

Gazette photo/ WILL ANDERSON

wSee page 3 Our very own Soundcloud Superstars

wSee pages 8&9 An in depth look into Friendsgiving

STXFILMS

wSee page 16 Movie reviews for some recent hot films

Recent controversy about the pledge

The NFL has caused individuals to stand up for their rights by taking a knee

s of recent, many players from different national football which believes that one belief is not always the right one. is not league teams have been taking part in actions such as taking always the right belief certainly helps the athletes, and in the end a knee during the pledge or going as far as staying in the of it all, no one can actually force them to stand up and be proud of locker room until the game starts. their country. The real reasoning behind it was confusing to people at first, but I think they haven’t felt proud of their country for a long time now, the true reason is Donald Trump. The players do not wish to show and maybe there was one specific US or worldly issue that sort of pride in their country. “burst the bubble” so to say. Finding out what that issue was and Different singers and musicians have been getting involved too , why it drove some athletes over the edge is a possible theory or solusuch as singer John Legend, who participated in taking a knee during tion. the pledge, as well as Pharrell Williams, who Through the constant help of TV stars supportactually kneeled during one of his concerts, ing the NFL against the attacks on them from the portraying the NFL protest through doing so. President, they’ve gained a sense of freedom. In a country where every individual person In the US, freedom is seldom felt nowadays has the right to choose their actions, I believe with how complex some issues can be made out that standing during the pledge should not be to be. If athletes don’t want to participate in the something that is wildly frowned upon. pledge, then so be it, let them have their rights to When kneeling, it is still a sign of respect, their beliefs. I feel that, because they recognize that the It should in no way matter what job you carry pledge is happening and are not just standing on your shoulders when not taking the pledge, but around. Even in major settings like sporting in this case, it sadly is made out to be that way. events, the amount of distasteful words said to It’s a challenging concept for some to grasp on those not participating in the pledge should all why people choose not to pledge to the counbe let go. try, and in order to get across to those who are Another singer who actively got involved jkehoe.gazette@gmail.com uncomfortable by it, the point of freedom needs was rapper Ice Cube, who took the matter to to be stressed to them. If they do not like it, then Twitter, saying that what Trump may say to that is a personal issue. the players is not the right course of action. Standing for the pledge may be a normal everyday endeavor for Despite all the negativity coming the players’ way, some people most US citizens, but for those who do not wish to participate in it, have praised them for their actions and standing out with such bravthey should be left alone to make that choice on their behalf. ery in their beliefs. America Ferrera from “Ugly Betty” believed that the athletes had *** some real “strength and courage” doing what they were doing. Actor Olivia Wilde felt similarly. The support from the music industry Jack Kehoe, a senior, is a Gazette Greenscreen editor.

COMME NTARY

jack kehoe

Guide to Green Screen

Upcoming GBHS Events for November & December November 10-11 Fall Show November 16 Talent

December 7-8 Winter Concert

Page 3 SoundCloud

Page 7 Top Tweets

Page 11 Music Reviews

Page 14 Chinny & Wandy

Page 4&5 Food reviews

Page 8/9 Friendsgiving

Page 12 Fall Play Review

Page 15 Movie reviews

Page 6 Thanksgiving Dieting

Page 10 Music Reviews

Page 13 Mixtape

Page 16 Black Friday

November 2017

Page 3

amazing artists.

Local SoundCloud Superstars

GBHS Students find a following on popular music sharing platform.

BY WILL ANDERSON

wanderson.gazette@gmail.

e all just wanna be big rockstars and live in hilltop houses, driving 15 cars – Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger might actually have been onto something. However for youth today, the classic garage band you form with high school friends looks a little different. The music industry has transformed over recent years. Hip hop and rap are now some of the most prolific genres within the younger generations. Rapping is an easy creative outlet for many because you get out just as much as you put in. All the way from household names like Kendrick Lamar, Nas and Biggie, who have made a career out of music, to no name groups consisting of a couple buddies who hopped on a beat one weekend – hip hop and rap comes in many different forms. Instead of an electric guitar kids are turning towards production software such as Ableton, Logic Pro, Reason and GarageBand. Music stores now see more people reaching for MIDI Controllers and ditching a drum kit all together. And all of that has been the case for Granite Bay High School seniors Bailey and Cole Diemer. The twin brothers started collaborating and producing under their stage names Caviar and Big on the popular music site SoundCloud, which allows musicians to post their work for free to the public. “I’d probably say I created the account in maybe 2014, but I didn’t start posting music until early 2016,”

Bailey said. In the past year Caviar has released six songs, four of which contain features from Big. Of those six tracks, Bailey’s favorite is Money Man. “I like the chorus, I like the whole meaning to the song, I like the verses and it was a nice beat” Bailey said. “Yeah I’d agree, Money Man was fun,” Cole said. “Also lil boi was fun because we had another rapper in their – Brazy.” Completing a song can range anywhere from one productive day in the studio all the way to a few weeks to perfect the sound that they want. “The first thing we start off with, is we find a beat. Then we think of the name and the chorus of the song and then Cole usually writes his verse,” Bailey said. “After we have it written we go to the studio.” The studio Bailey refers to is in their garage and contains microphones, a laptop for mixing, headphones and other soundproofing equipment for ideal audio quality. Although it may only be a creative hobby, the sky really is the limit for any young musicians who are willing to put forth the time and effort required to push a brand and sound towards success. “You know I’m trying to win a Grammy in the future,” Bailey said jokingly. “To be honest with you if that doesn’t happen it’s going to be bad.” The majority of the music production is through Cole and Bailey, but alongside others is one of the more enjoyable things for the two of them. “It’s fun to collab with different artists, you really get to catch their vibe and they bring a whole new aspect to the music,” Cole said.

However, this brings its challenges as working with other creative minds can be at times difficult when everyone has a different idea of where they want the direction of a track to go. Despite the hiccups, the two see themselves continuing this in the near future. “I think it would be fun to perform live to see our fans, to see all the support we’ve seen online, but see it in person,” Cole said. Caviar himself says it best. “The next concert I go to is going to be my own so – when you see me on the Grammy’s you’ll be like there’s Cav and Big,” Bailey said. As for other local rap groups such as Treelake Tracks Cole said he only considers them competition “if they can compete with us.” After dropping disses back and forth the two groups have some unfinished beef even though Caviar and Big don’t see it as much. “I don’t really pay attention to the noise honestly,” Cole said, “I’m just focused on my art.” Cole’s background in music as a bassist for the local band Offshore has helped him diversify his sound and continue bringing a new fresh take to each song that he and Caviar produce. The changes in sound from garage rock to hip hop may seem drastic to listeners, but to Cole it’s all in the same realm. “I think I have a very versatile style,” Cole said. “One day I’ll do this another day I’ll do that. “It honestly all comes supernatural – it’s super easy. So to say I’m doing a different style it’s like am I? I don’t know maybe.”

Gazette photos /WILL ANDERSON

Cole and Bailey Diemers mixing up some musical magic in their garage/recording studio (left) .

Page 4

November 2017

this is how we roll.

Soy awesome sushi spots Sushi Mon BY BRUCE RUSSELL

brussell.gazette@gmail.com

ushi is a food absolutely loved by many and universally hated by others. There are simply no mixed feelings about this controversial cuisine. As a lover of this food, I have frequented a sushi joint for years by the name of Sushi Mon, located on Foothills Boulevard in Roseville. While a longer drive than our convenient Mikuni, I find the sushi superior at even cheaper prices. Before ordering any rolls I strongly recommend their miso soup which is simply the best I’ve ever had. The garlic edamame appetizer is also fantastic, as it’s an interesting twist off of the original. Another great choice is their “sunomono,” or cucumber salad. Onto the main attraction, the sushi rolls are more flavorful than any other restaurant I’ve been to. While a bit heavier on sauces than some may prefer, the quality of the fish and rice is near perfect. Another beneficial aspect of Sushi Mon are their reasonable prices. At an average of around $10 a roll, Mikuni is simply unable to compete when they’re charging more. I would not recommend Sushi Mon if you are planning to order Nigiri or Sashimi sushi, however. Unlike their very fair-priced rolls, the other varieties cost more than the competitors in the Roseville area. Sushi Mon’s service also leaves much to be desired. While it has improved in the last year or so, plates are still sometimes left on the table and waters left

The Gazette staff shares their o-fish-al top local picks for sushi!

Blue Nami empty. But since the food is so good, I am forced to forgive a few hiccups. Instead of the repeated visits to every Grizzly’s favorite japanese restaurant, why not try something different? Believe it or not, there are better alternatives outside of our five mile wide bubble.

Gazette photos /BRUCE RUSSELL

Sushi Mon provides a classic take on traditional Japanese cuisine, located in Roseville

BY SPENCER COVA

scova.gazette@gmail.com

“A

taste of Japan” and the experience of 2000’s nightclub. Blue Nami in Roseville located off of Eureka road attempts to change the casual dinner date into a vibrant and energetic experience. The restaurant may come off nauseating to some because of its nightly laser light show along with the same thumping music you would find in a Forever 21 store, but if you can get past that, you will have an amazing experience at Blue Nami. Get this: half off rolls, all the time. The sushi quality isn’t quite as good as the famed Mikuni, yet the 50% off prices make it hard not to at least compete with Mikuni. Their friendly service can not be overlooked. Upon sitting down I was greeted by the chefs at the sushi bar with a collective “Irasshaimase!” And to be honest I have no idea at all what that means, but it felt welcoming nonetheless. Because I visited the restaurant on Halloween, much of the staff was dressed up. After bringing us complimentary edamame beans my waitress, who was dressed as a spin off of the Nickelodeon TV show star Dora with a minion style backpack, cracked some guffaw worthy jokes about minions. At this point in my visit it was obvious that Blue Nami’s objective is to reel in a young crowd, with their energetic and lively atmosphere, animate service and

affordable prices. I was completely sold, the only big question now was, ‘how good is the sushi?’ I ordered the Super Lion King and Spider Roll, and they were anything but disappointing. The Super Lion King was an oven baked roll and topped with sauce that can only be described as “bomb.” The Spider Roll was above my expectations as well yet not as appetizing as the Super Lion King. When looking for a place to meet up with friends, a rejuvenating experience or good sushi for a cheap price, look no further than Blue Nami.

Gazette photo /SPENCER COVA

Blue Nami offers a trendy, upbeat environment along with sushi at low prices

Ahi Poke

BY DANIELLE SHANNON

dshannon.gazette@gmail.com

another new, trendy restaurant has opened near us called AhiPoke. It is classified as a Hawaiian fusion cuisine restaurant - they serve “poke bowls,”which typically consist of a combination of rice, fish, and other miscellaneous toppings. Poke bowls have recently experienced a large amount of popularity in Southern California, and more recently been appearing in Northern California. Even though poke bowls are of Hawaiian origin, they bore a resemblance to sushi. The new restaurant offers many different options which provide countless combination possibilities. AhiPoki provides four different “base” choices, ten different fish types, eight different sauce choices and fifteen different toppings. I recently tried the new restaurant and was pleasantly surprised. I had never before eaten at a poke bar. However, I personally love sushi and presumed that I would not like a bowl nearly as much.

AhiPoki opened in a prime location on the corner of Douglas and Sierra College, right next to Chipotle, where it will be exposed to many possible customers. The decoration inside matched very nicely and the atmosphere felt tidy and trendy. The employees were also very friendly. I ordered a bowl with a base of brown rice, spicy tuna, salmon and yellowtail for my fish choices, the house spicy sauce, and edamame, crab meat and avocado on top. Since I enjoy seafood so much, I appreciated the freshness of the fish. The tuna, yellowtail and salmon were all good, however my personal favorite was undoubtedly the salmon. The brown rice was a good choice as the base, it went well with the other flavors. The avocado, crabmeat, and edamame were all very good with the other components. Overall I loved the combination together, but if I were to go again, I would lean towards trying a different type of sauce. Their House Spicy sauce was a bit too spicy for my liking and I would’ve preferred the regular House sauce. Altogether, the restaurant exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed the food and atmosphere very much even

though beforehand, I was apprehensive. After trying out this new poke spot, I am looking forward to visiting again soon.

Gazette photo /DANIELLE SHANNON

Ahi Poke is a Hawaiianesque restaurant offering Poke bowls

November 2017

Page 5

this is how we roll.

Ninja Sushi BY MAY LIN

mlin.gazette@gmail.com

hile I rarely eat sushi, and haven’t done so in years since I moved to California, Ninja Sushi went beyond my expectations of not just being a generic restaurant with a few tables and a sushi bar. When I first entered the scene, I was greeted with happy faces and spirited servers. I looked around to find a very artistic and well organized decor, matching the Japanese feel every sushi place should have. It had two floors with cute traditional Japanese paintings hung up on walls as well as circular lamps hanging throughout the restaurant. It also had a stage to perform on as well as a vibrant color scheme. The menu was thick and full of options, ranging from spicy sushi stuffed vegetables and soup. Being my first time there, the waiter offered a few suggestions so I ordered the Cherry Blossom, California Roll, Lobster Crossing and Mousse cake. The waiting time was exceptionally fast to my surprise, being only about 5 minutes until I got all my orders.

The California Roll presented itself in 6 pieces with neatly wrapped rice and seaweed around it and inside was filled with shredded crab. There was less avocado in the roll than expected and tasted bland with just the crab but the sourness I got from the rice made up for the dish. The Lobster Crossing was beautifully plated with incredible sauces and pieces of fried lobster on top of each roll. Flavor wise, the crab mix inside was rich and had the perfect sweet and spicy sauce to blend with the neutral flavors. Last but not least, I kept coming back to one particular dish that I thought was the star of the night. The Cherry Blossom does live up to it’s name as the plating literally looked like a flower blooming. The sushi was placed in a circle with vibrant, red tuna teriyaki on top and the same sauces from the Lobster Crossing, making the presentation look fancy. Personally, I liked this dish the best because the fresh tuna,cream cheese and the tint of sourness from the rice made the whole thing taste light and fluffy, relieving myself from the heavy spice presented before by the Lobster Crossing. The biggest setback was when they ran out of the Mousse cake. However, they replaced my dessert with fried pistachio ice cream topped with breadcrumbs and

BY RACHEL NIMTZ

ushi has been becoming more and more popular lately. But with Mikuni and Blue Nami being so well known, it’s hard for other places to compete. However, Omasake Sushi did a decent effort of trying to challenge those places. I went at around 6pm and it was relatively empty. Keep in mind however, it was a Monday night and the place is brand new. Right when we sat down, the waiters came to our table with free edamame and asked what we wanted to drink. I just ordered water, but looking at the menu, they had plentiful options for sodas and other drinks. When I finally decided, I ordered the Agedashi Tofu, which is lightly fried Tofu with a sweet soy sauce. It came relatively quickly and was very good. For rolls, I ordered the Roseville roll and the California roll. Those took about 20 minutes to come, which seems slow considering that the place was pretty empty. For the Roseville roll, it was very good, but in my taste, it almost has too much on it to the point that I didn’t really know what I was eating. The California roll was good also, nothing special, pretty basic. I mean, a sushi place messing up a California Roll is like a restaurant messing up a caesar salad. The waiters and waitresses were very attentive and came back to our table frequently to ask how we were doing and if we wanted anything else. The Roseville roll was about $19.95, which is pretty expensive. But there was

Gazette photo / MAY LIN

Ninja Sushi, a popular, contemporary restaurant in Roseville, offers great presentation

Sumo Sushi

Omasake Sushi rnimtz.gazette@gmail.com

charged it at no cost. Overall, I would definitely revisit Ninja Sushi with my family and suggest the restaurant to any sushi fanatic out there as it did fulfill my expectations and stomach.

plenty of food on the roll and it was very filling. The California Roll was $4.95 and was also very good. Each roll came with 8 pieces, which is pretty standard for a sushi place. Overall, my experience of Omaske Sushi was okay, but the service and the overall atmosphere was great. However, for the price of the food, I would opt for another place.

Gazette photos / RACHEL NIMTZ

Omasake Sushi is a new restaurant off of Sierra College blvd. offering a variety of Japanese cuisine

BY ABBIE GOULD

agould2.gazette@gmail.com

n a hunt to find a non-mainstream sushi place, I stumbled upon Sumo Sushi. Located on Douglas, near lots of other popular food places, Sumo Sushi is easily forgotten about. The restaurant is small but accommodating, with a very helpful staff. With simple decorations relating back to Japan’s heritage, Sumo Sushi is not overwhelming when you walk in. Red and white lanterns hanging from the ceiling and, of course, pictures of sumo wrestlers – which ties in the name – the restaurant is decorated perfectly. Sumo Sushi gives off a welcoming feeling overall. You seat yourself, so you are able to sit wherever you want. I sat in a booth and was quickly helped by a staff member. The menu has lots of options, and for those who are not sushi fans, there are teriyaki bowls. I chose to go traditional and order a California Roll – rice, seaweed, avocado, and crab. My food arrived fast, and I was pleasantly surprised for my first time at the restaurant. The rice was sticky, but not too sticky – making the roll easy to pick up with chopsticks. The seaweed tasted fresh with a small hint of a salty taste, adding to the overall flavor. The avocado was a nice accent to the roll. It added a much needed fresh

flavor to it. The finishing touch was the crab meat. It was subtle but was easily tasted, making the whole roll. The food is well priced, not to expensive, but not scary cheap either. It is easy to get multiple rolls and share them for a reasonable price. To add to the overall feel of the restaurant, the food is served on little boats. Sumo Sushi is not a well know place, but serves extraordinary food with exceptional service. Whether it is a quick bite after school or work, lunch or a family dinner, Sumo Sushi is the place to go.

Gazette photo / ABBIE GOULD

Sumo Sushi, a popular, local Japanese restaurant, serves a variety of rolls at discounted prices

Page 6

November 2017

giving thanks.

Thanks-dieting through the holidays

Changed eating habits over the fall months and the challenges that come with them BY RACHEL NIMTZ

rnimtz.gazette@gmail.com

hanksgiving. Families and friends coming together in thanks and most importantly, eating good food. However, some people can’t enjoy the greatness of the classic Thanksgiving dinner. For some people, their diets are their choice. Others aren’t as lucky. Sophomore Tasia Thorsteinson is a vegan, but by choice. “I’m vegan partly because of health reasons, but partly because of the way the breeders treat the animals,” Thorsteinson said. Thorsteinson has been vegan for around a year, and has learned a lot. “There are lots of alternatives for Vegan foods,” Thorsteinson said. “My favorite alternative for protein is tofu.” However, the holidays are especially hard for Thorsteinson. “I’m the only vegan in my family, so I’m going to have to cook a lot of my dinner myself,” Thorsteinson said.

Thorsteinson plans on making several vegan alternatives such as vegan pumpkin pie, tofurkey, sweet potato fries and much more. “I made a vegan pumpkin pie a few weeks ago and I’m definitely planning on making it again for thanksgiving,” Thorsteinson said. However, being vegan is not easy. “There are some days I really crave certain foods,” Thorsteinson said. “But I’m going to try to stay strong for Thanksgiving.” Many others like Thorsteinson are going to have to make an alternative Thanksgiving. Senior Nicolette Lewis is intolerant to gluten and dairy. “I’ve been gluten and dairy free for a year and a half,” Lewis said. Lewis says there are many alternatives for gluten and dairy. “There are some really good gluten free breads,” Lewis said. Thanksgiving is tough on Lewis. However, like Thorsteinson, Lewis plans on staying strong through Thanksgiving. “There is a really good non-crusted quiche I like,” Lewis said. “I also really like pumpkin pie, but I’m going to try to not eat it.”

Sophomore Shreya Iyer is a vegetarian, and has been one her whole life. “My entire family is vegetarian.” Iyer said. “It’s partly because of my religion and partly because of my family.” Unlike most families, Thanksgiving at the Iyer house goes a little differently. “My families Thanksgiving is different from a normal Thanksgiving because we don’t really celebrate it like everyone else,” Iyer said. “My mom makes our favorite Indian food, we say what we are thankful for then eat the delicious food.” Sophomore Hunter Hsu also deals with food restrictions however, his are extremely severe. “My peanut allergy is severe and anaphylactic, and is a five out of six on the scale,” Hsu said. Thanksgiving time can be especially hard for Hsu, he has to take extra caution. “We make sure our thanksgiving is peanut free by either cooking yourself or checking the ingredients before we cook,” Hsu said. However, despite Hsu’s allergies, like many others with allergies, he still tries to make thanksgiving enjoyable for him and his family.

Gazette illustration /STEPHANIE KANG

Community gives full support to the less fortunate Thanks(getting) valuable resources to those in need BY MAKAYLA CLEMENT

mclement.gazette@gmail.com

or most of the people in this community, we are literally “stuffed” full of wonderful traditional food for our Thanksgiving dinners… but what about those who can’t celebrate due to financial difficulties? 46 million turkeys are consumed on Thanksgiving according to the estimates of the National Turkey Foundation. This means that 20 percent of the 228 million turkeys consumed in the U.S. are eaten on Thanksgiving. Some of us miss the struggles that go on behind the scenes; however, a great amount of people give back to their community. #Givingtuesday is celebrated the following Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It’s a global day of giving powered by social media and collaboration. It has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of resources. Giving-Tuesday is a great way to give back to

the community and provide service, and our community helps raise money in a variety of creative ways. Granite Bay High School’s Performing Arts teacher Angelika Dyadchenko shared her and her student’s talents with many in the community around the holidays to those that are less fortunate. “I’ve taken my choirs and music groups to retirement homes, and people who are alone and don’t have families. We go and perform for them during the holidays,” Dyadchenko said. “We also did a banquet with dinner and a Thanksgiving show and invited people in need.’ Small acts of kindness can be given anywhere, at any time and can be just as impactful as larger ones. Junior Sydney Sewell said that the things she does helps her feel love and gratitude for others each year, and reminds her of the importance of gratitude. “Every Thanksgiving we go through the alphabet saying something starting with the next letter that we are grateful for. This tradition makes me

really happy and thankful every year,” Sewell said. Junior Ashley Paolucci has donated to charity by using one of her passions to help others. “I participated in the 5k Turkey Trot run which takes place on Thanksgiving morning. It was a great experience, especially since it was with my whole family and we got to help people in need,” said Paolucci. Senior Paige Waid said that she helps out by making care packages and delivers them to the needy. “Around Thanksgiving time my mom and I go to the dollar store and get toothpaste, toothbrushes, snacks, gloves, etc and make care packages and we go to places where there is a lot of homeless people and we hand out these care packages to them,” Waid said. “It’s sad to see people who are less fortunate but it’s nice to make their day – especially seeing them so happy – even if what we gave them was small, it makes me feel good knowing I helped someone.”

November 2017

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Top Tweets

Gazette file illustration/AMANDA PRATHER

Spirited tweets by Granite Bay High School students BY KENNEDY HEALY khealy.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette file illustrations/THOMAS TAYLOR

Netflix Picks

Twitter

BY BELLA HAMILTON

bhamilton.gazette@gmail.com

1. The Office “The Office” is a classic sitcom following the lives of people from the Dunder MIfflin paper company. With many plot twists, laughable moments and office romances, “The Office” has all the right elements of a comedy show. However, there are many moments that warm your heart. From a crazed farmer to an embarrassingly funny boss, there is something in “The Office” for everyone. This show will keep you laughing and crying from season one to season nine.

Dentist: “it’s because you don’t floss enough” First of all, you’re the one stabbing my gums.

Addie Follett @addiefollett_

2. American crime story: People vs OJ Simpson One season. One famous crime. This show follows the complex and very controversial case of the People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson. Going deep into the story and the outcome of the infamous case, there is an air of suspense in the showing of OJ Simpson and the prosecution. Anyone who is a fan of murder mysteries and crime shows will fall in love with “American Crime Story.” 3. Once Upon a Time The fairy tales continue in this new, revived depiction of modern day fairy tales clashing with one woman dubbed the ‘savior.’ The show follows a young woman named Emma Swan, a tough woman who has been through all the troubles of living on her own in Boston. She reunites with her son that she had given up for adoption years before, and moves to a magical town, Storybrooke, Maine. She soon realizes that this town is anything but normal and all the fairy tales she knew of as a child were real, but much more dark than the Disney depiction of them. Swan is faced with the task of saving the cursed town from the mayor whose is really an evil queen in disguise. Filled with

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Wow life is so wild you guys I’m really just having an amazing time I love it all

Katie Hunter @katie_huntrr

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Reply: Well that was nice while it lasted

Katie Hunter @katie_huntrr

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“Woah no one uses Braille anymore why’d you learn it?” First of all I’m blind

Will Anderson

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Hangout Location of the Month:

“Granite Bay Parking Lot”

What is it?

he Granite Bay parking lot, commonly referred to as the GBPL, has become a popular meetup/ hangout spot in recent years. It seems surprising that students would want to return to their school campus after school hours but the GBPL is utilized for a myriad of purposes. Due to the parking lots centralized location, the GBPL is most often used as a place to meet with friends before extra curricular activities. While it may not be very appealing to the eye the Granite Bay parking lot provides a common meeting place and a popular hangout spot.

What to Look Out For

• Be ware of roller skaters that can often be found cruising around the lot • The Granite Bay parking lot has some very creative senior spots so don’t hesitate to spend the time and admire them. • The GBPL is withing walking distance of several food service restaurants. • Be careful and make sure that you are visible to other people who are visiting the lot. • Fortunately there is an ample amount of parking spaces to store your car while having fun. • Dont forget to say hello to the cement grizzly bear that dwells to the right of the shool gates.

Gazette photo/ LOGAN EMBREE

COMPILED BY LOGAN EMBREE lembree.gazette@gmail.com

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November 2017

out with the old.

Is ‘Friendsgiving’ the new ‘Thanksgiving’? A deeper look into why people partake in the faux holiday rather than the age-old tradition BY EMILY TALMI

etalmi.gazette@gmail.com

raditionally, Thanksgiving is celebrated with one’s family – however, many families don’t have the chance to be with one another during this time because of distance, work or an unsteady relationship. Many choose to celebrate with friends, thus creating “friendsgiving”. “Friendsgiving” is a gathering of close friends, where food of their choice is served and nice conversations are of the essence. “I think that the holidays can be a lonely time for people that live far away from their family or don’t really have a strong family connection,” said Robert Prichard, a Granite Bay High Advanced Placement Literature teacher said. “I think ‘friendsgiving’ is a way for them to find companionship in that time, where they might feel a heightened sense of loneliness.”

Prichard solidifies that friendsgiving can be a substitute for Thanksgiving, as it is a great option for those who seek company. Along with this idea, Friendsgiving can also be a nice outlet for those who just want to spend more time with their friends. “‘Friendsgiving’ is significant because it is an event that you can take the time to spend with your close friends and show how much you appreciate them,” senior Clare Murphy said. After moving away to Arizona her sophomore and junior year, Murphy has made it a point to make up the lost time, and spend it with her closest friends. “Since my parents still live in Arizona, I am unable to spend all of the holiday season with them. Being surrounded by my best friends and being able to celebrate our friendship distracts me from being away from my family,” Murphy said. Senior Gwendolyn Porter, a GBHS senior, shares the same thoughts with Murphy on friendsgiving..

Gazette photo /DEAN WILSON

Because of the informality in “Friendsgiving”, people tend to purchase food that is pre made rather than the traditional Thanksgiving dinner route.

“‘Friendsgiving’ would be really cool to do because I associate it as a family event, so if I were to do it with friends it would be me saying ‘hey we’re basically family now’,” Porter said. However, some may feel that friendsgiving is undermining the value of Thanksgiving. “Someone could oppose a “friendsgiving” because it is more important for that person to spend thanksgiving with family,” senior Derek Galvin said. While this may be true, many believe that friendsgiving allows for a more relaxing environment, as it avoids the conflict that many times comes with family gatherings. “I think the differences depend on the family,” Prichard said. “Some families there’s a formality or attention between generations that can create conflict in differing opinions because we don’t choose our family and sometimes those differences become heightened over time as we get older.” “Since ‘friendsgiving’ is a voluntary association, often our friends reflect our feelings. There can be a more relaxed setting, and I can imagine a less stressful environment,” Prichard said. Prichard sheds light on the matter, and finds that it would reduce the stress level for all those choosing to attend. “‘Friendsgiving’ in my mind would be like Thanksgiving without the family politics and the obstacles you have to tiptoe around at family dinners,” Porter said. Though Thanksgiving may bring about conflict, both “friendsgiving” and thanksgiving are a time to show one’s appreciation Special to the Gazette /ADDISON FOLLETT

Zach Grable, Jade Foddrill, RJ Dumke, Braeden Holliday, Tara Zamiri and Lainie Kaster enjoying Friendsgiving in 2016

Gazette photo /MEGAN NIMTZ

Noelani Nichols, Makena Blackburn, Catherine Rubino, and Megan Nimtz take an annual trip to Apple Hill to celebrate Friendsgiving

Gazette illustration /DEAN WILSON

towards others. “Thanksgiving and friendsgiving are relatively the same thing,” Murphy said. “In both cases you are celebrating relationships you have with people and ‘giving thanks’ in essence.”

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November 2017

tune in.

dvsn Morning After BY STEPHENIE KANG skang.gazette@gmail.com

n its own and especially initially, I realized that most of dsvn’s new album “Morning After” is simultaneously too much and not enough. Vintage RnB is interesting, but isn’t compelling enough to me to really draw me in when other RnB artists exist out there that are relying on the same anonymity hook, the same aloof yet gifted artist grind, the same seemingly generic RnB sound that blends one into the other and doesn’t necessarily distinguish itself from the sea of others. I think in this way, dsvn fails, because old RnB is definitely interesting in this day and age, yet isn’t interesting enough, if you catch my drift. Although their reliance on classic RnB re-

sults in a very rich sound, I felt at times it was oversaturated. This had the effect of making their music seem too over the top to the point where it was dated and unfashionable, rather than nostalgic and edgy. This came in contrast to dsvn’s lyrics. They weren’t crafted thoughtlessly, and quite a few puns existed that would do many other artists proud, yet, as I discussed in a previous review, I’m just so freaking tired of the same themes being explored over and over again in music. Especially in such an emotional genre as RnB, how many different times can one rehash the ups and downs of relationships, of life? dsvn doesn’t progress at all in these arenas. At the same time, I can understand the ultimate lack of substance in their lyrics. dsvn has made it clear that above all, they wish to maintain the element of “danger” in their music, and most pertinently to this album, cater

to a certain aesthetic over a certain ideology. Yet there’s much to be said about the power of a visual. In an interview with Pigeons and Planes, they discussed the importance of foreign films in the art direction of the album, to the point where it actually shaped the direction of the music itself. “Visuals are important to us because we know music opens the door to the unknown,” they said. “Your mind automatically starts to fill in the blanks and create what you would want to see while listening to our music.” And although at first, I was definitely unimpressed with dsvn’s sophomore attempt, after looking at their visuals’ trailer, the obvious time and care put into it, the richness and just the overall effort put into their album visuals, I started to see it. As I listened to “Mood” for the fifth time, I began to love it.

Plus Premieres

Morning After was released October 13, 2017.

Skip to: “Mood”

Any Other Way Jackie Shane BY JACK KEHOE

Numero Group

Any Other Way was released on October 20, 2017.

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Skip to : “Any Other Way”

jkehoe.gazette@gmail.com

oing through life as the person you don’t believe you are can be difficult, and Jackie Shane probably knows this better than others. At the age of 13, she came to the conclusion that she was a man living in a woman’s body. She did not come out as transgender until later, but the point still stands. She’s always been an advocate for the transgender and LGBTQ communities. Through Any Other Way, Shane shows her upbeat and quirky messages through fastpaced lyrics and a R&B style feel. It sounds a lot like older music, and feels genuine. It’s almost like the old cartoon music, with the instruments and tone used in the song.

Shane has worked with choirs and gospel groups to get to where she is now in her singing career, and through all of the experiences she had, she learned more about herself. Being a transgender, especially in an industry like the music one, proves to be difficult, as at one point Shane had to take a break from the industry altogether. Any Other Way was Shane’s first move into the digital world that we now live in, and the recognition it’s getting for the communities she was involved in is huge. Because Shane lived in the 60s era, her music was actually never studio recorded or released for quite some time, but the recent rerelease of a lot of her music has proven that she’s not forgotten. If one did not know that Shane was transgender before hearing her singing, they may

not even know, because her voice sounds like a lot of older female artists. The voice training Shane must have had to go through had to have been difficult. With Any Other Way, Jackie Shane also released a lot of extensive notes about her life experience in general. The life she lived especially during the time she lived was like no other, and it established a new concept of music. With the new release of an old time R&B / Blues album, her works are gaining the attention they deserve nowadays. The music she created doesn’t sound like all other older songs of the time period, and has some funk in them while also sounding down to earth at the same time. There’s nothing else like it out there.

Gregorian Christmas Capella Antiqua München BY JUAN PABLO FLORES

jflores.gazette@gmail.com

he season of advent is upon the world as the feast of Christmas approaches for the 2017th time. The ways people around the world commemorate the birth of Jesus are not limited to the great variety of visual art traditions ranging from Italian Presepio scenes to German Weihnachtspyramide. Few things express people’s devotion and goodwill as traditional Christmas carols, which from Gregorian Chant have developed over a vast period of time which ensures for many there will be no shortage of options of what to use for the months before Christmas. Less than six hundred years after the death of Christ, Pope Gregory I canonized this style of singing only matched by oriental Orthodoxy.

In the album, there is a good variety of themes with texts derived from various parts of the Bible from the Introit of “Rorate Sunday” to the 97th Psalm which is heard during Communion on the feast. Included also are the traditional antiphons which commemorate the wisdom and incarnation of God. Unfortunately missing is the famous “Adeste Fidelis” which is even included in albums not oriented on Christmas such as Schola Regina’s “Credo” album. The music never ceases to retain its elements of simplicity and strong religious sentiments. Practical, simple and biblical, this music style is meant to show the vows of monasticism- poverty, chastity, and obedience. Gregorian Chant not only has great religious significance but also has been credited with having various health benefits by members of the physiological community.

Some scientists have noted that the unique musical structure of Gregorian Chant can help lower blood pressure, anxiety and depression. This performance does not outdo that of the monks of Solesmes, whose anthologies and collections may be the definitive source for music of the entire liturgical year. While there are other monasteries which offer authentic Gregorian Chant also undefiled by modern interpretations or instruments, this album is still a great addition to any Christmas carol collection. The great 1993 Schola Hungarica “Gregorian Christmas” album is more unique in this respect. “Music was invented in heaven,” fourthcentury theologian John Chrysostom said. “Nothing elevates the soul, nothing gives it wings as a liturgical hymn does.”

AllMusic

Gregorian Christmas was released on November 3, 2017.

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Skip to: “Rorate Caeli Desuper”

November 2017

Page 11

tune in.

Gucci Mane Mr. Davis

BY JACK MCGRAIL

jmcgrail.gazette@gmail.com

ucci Mane mumbled through another entire album-worth of cursing, sex, and drug content which he released this month. In other news, Clinton didn’t win the presidency and the sky is literally still blue. Radric Davis, more commonly known now as Gucci Mane, is a popular rapper from Alabama who debuted in 2005. He has collaborated with a variety of other singer and songwriters including 2 Chainz, Migos, Rae

Sremmurd, and Chief Keef to name a few. Mr. Davis, Gucci Mane’s newest album, was released October 13, 2017. It is made up of 17 songs filled with tons of guest features like Migos, Slim Jxmmi, The Weeknd, Ty Dolla $ign, Big Sean, Monica, ScHoolboy Q, ASAP Rocky, and Rico Love. You can usually count on Gucci to have unique beats with an outstanding flow at the drops. Gucci, although impressing us with a few good pieces in Mr. Davis, was not as well put together as Droptopwop earlier this year. Many of his songs in Mr. Davis sound very similar to each other as far as Gucci’s flow, but it is his classic voice and tone that people

like about him. Gucci has themes that speak of his tough childhood, jail time and legal trouble he has gotten involved in, the latest being in 2014 where he served jail time for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm (and drugs) -- but come on, that’s not even bad is it? Despite recent troubles, Gucci has turned his life around somewhat. He has lost crazy amounts of weight and got married recently as well. The only criticism of his new album is that it looks like there won’t be any top Billboard hits coming out of the album, but as a whole, Mr. Davis is solid.

XXL Mag

Mr. Davis was released October 13, 2017.

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Skip to: “Gone”

Trippie Redd A Love Letter to You 2 BY BELLA HAMILTON

bhamilton.gazette@gmail.com

XXL Mag

A Love Letter To You 2 was released on October 9, 2017.

Skip to: “Overdose on L1fe”

fell in love with Trippie Redd after I heard his first album, and when I heard he released a sequel, I pounced on the chance to review his newest album. Becoming popular with over 16 million streams on his song love scars, Redd is a popular rapper that is changing the definition of music, creating a whole new genre of his own. Trippie redd, a trap artist from Ohio who has collaborated with Xxxtentacion, and DRAM on a number of songs, has come out with a new album titled A love letter to you 2. Dubbed a ‘Soundcloud’ rapper, because of his gain in popularity on the music streaming

site, Redd had released his EP’s and albums on Soundcloud to let his fans enjoy the songs for free. With a blend of melodic trap beats and a strong influence from old school rapping, Redd puts a great twist on rap, creating strong melodies and gaining popularity with collaborations with Xxxtentacion. Redd knew that making music was going to be his career was when he recorded his first song, and he knew it felt right. A sequel to his studio released album, A Love Letter To You, A Love Letter To You 2 is a long awaited album by Redd’s fans. Released on October 6th, Redd’s album has fourteen tracks on it, which include Let Me Down, Today and Feel Good. This album was a great continuation of his previously released album, carrying on the

slow but hype songs. This album is a great thing to put on when you’re on a drive at night or simply laying outside looking at the stars. There is a variety of faster and slower songs on the album, leaving a song for a wide variety of music fans. A great upbeat song on the album and my personal favorite is Back of My Mind, featuring Cydnee with a C and Chris King. Redd has changed the future of hip–hop and rap for the better and keeps on creating more music for his followers to enjoy. The album overall is a home run, and I absolutely love Redd’s style and the meanings behind his songs.

Fergie Double Douchess BY NICOLE GEARING

ngearing.gazette@gmail.com

ith her iconic singles that can be sung at the top of your lungs, no matter who you are, Fergie has done it again. Growing up, my ipod consisted of two artists, Hannah Montana and Fergie. Two polar opposites of each other, their songs were the ballads of my life. Fergie was my icon. She was the tough pretty girl who had a set of pipes. Most notably remembered by her role in the Black Eyed Peas, Fergie’s voice is recognizable by any generation. She taught us what it means to be Glamourous and that Big Girls Don’t Cry. In her newest album released Sep. 22,

Fergie once again gives us the cool girl vibes with her deep, raspy voice. With special collaborations with rappers such as Rick Ross, Axl Jack, Nicki Minaj and YG, Fergie steps up her game and further cements her role as the ultimate bad girl. While her songs on Double Duchess are a new level for Fergie, her sound still remains the same as when she first began. I think that is really special. Fergie has been out of the music scene for quite some time, only releasing a few singles, tempting her listeners with a new album she delivered and did not disappoint. Double Duchess gives a subtle nod to the old Fergie from an album titled Duchess in 2006, while showing the maturity she has underwent from then to now. Her lyrics send a strong message that women, and even moms, can still be strong

women. Her song M.I.LF.$., is her way of saying that women can still be successful while being a mom. Other songs such as Hungry and It Aint Nuttin’ show that she’s still the same Fergie she was 11 years ago. And in true Fergie style, she includes a beautiful, softer piece to further showcase the incredible range she has. Double Duchess gives Fergie fans a nostalgic sense all while experiencing a more mature artist. The strong image Fergie portrays on her new album makes it hard to believe the Duchess ever cried over boys. Now, big girs certainly aren’t crying, they are ‘makin money like it aint nuttin’. One thing is certain, this girl is still G-L-AM-O-R-O-U-S.

Directlyrics

Double Douchess was released on on September 22, 2017

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Skip to : “Just Like You”

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November 2017

a play on words.

Much

Ado About

SOMETHING

Gazette illustrations MACKENZIE BROWN KATIE COLOGNA

Theatre at GBHS offers a modern take on Shakespeare classic

ADMIT ONE

5478930

hakespeare is back in Granite Bay, and this time it’s Much Ado about Something. The Granite Bay High School Theatre program hosts its Fall play — a modern take on Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” The story takes place on campus at GBHS, where football players are adored by their peers and ASB runs the activities. The tale follows young lovers and their difficulties impressing their interests. The audience sees the trials and tribulations of being an adolescent who searches for love. The modern adaptation of the classic play brings the writings of Shakespeare to life. “Our challenge was putting flare on Shakespeare’s plays so that we’re not just watching people run around in tights,” Director Kyle Holmes said. In an age where individuals seldom use such verbose words in their speech, the setting at GBHS takes away some of the complexity of the dialogue and makes it easier to understand.

5478930

BY DEAN WILSON

dwilson.gazette@gmail.com

Since the play has been adapted from a script written in the 1500’s, the characters have been altered too. One of such characters is the ASB president Leonato, played by senior Olivia Caserta. “A lot of learning the script is inserting yourself into the character,” Caserta said.“You have to think about past emotions and use that to apply yourself into this character.” The Professional Drama class spent time in and out of school to ensure that the adaptation could be as good as possible.

Students worked together create their own world in which the play took place. Although the script remains pretty true to the original, they had to decide how a setting of GBHS would fit into the story. “Unlike other schools and other theatre programs, the Granite Bay Theatre Program is completely student run, there’s no involvement from parents or otherwise,” said supporting lead actress Georgia Seagraves. Not only was the script adjusted to be as realistic as possible, but the set was as well. Because the story takes place at Granite Bay High School, the set has been made in its exact likeness. Holmes and the cast wanted to make the set look the same as GBHS in real life. Everything down to the brick color is the same. “There are 1,037 bricks, we have a Gazette newspaper rack, and we have a trash can used on campus,” said Holmes. The set even includes four monitors which simulate posters and the screens of phones. With a cast of forty-some people, and a two hours and twenty minutes run time, the show never waits for the viewer to catch up. The old English rewards the observant viewer with subtle humor and foreshadowing throughout.

November 2017

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Artist of the Month

Mixtape - Fall

Abby Monk 1. What inspired you to join the art program at GBHS? I have always loved art. Ever since I was a kid, I always dreamed about how amazing it would be if I could be a real artist so when I found out that I could take classes for art, I was so excited. 2. What do you like most about the art program here? BY REESE RICHMOND

I would say the best part of the art program here is the teachers.

rrichmond.gazette@gmail.com

1. “Like Real People Do”- Hozier Hozier wrote “Like Real People Do” to be about a person feeling reborn by the emotions of falling in love and who doesn’t love a good love song? 2. “Blood”- The Middle East Although this song is quite long, being 5 minutes and 27 seconds, it’s incredibly calming and perfect for relaxing.

Gazette photo /MAY LIN

3. What are you currently working on?

We started a colored pencil and airbrush project but right now, it’s just ideas and sketches. 4. How do you get ideas for your art pieces?

3. “Trojans”- Atlas Genius The most upbeat song on this mixtape, “Trojans” offers a more fun and optimistic feel. With the lyrics being about change and memories, the lyrics contribute to cheerful feeling of this song.

My teacher has taught me that if you don’t have passion about your concept, then you will not have passion for your art so I get the ideas for my art pieces by expressing how I feel and finding symbols to represent the story i want to tell.

4. “Conrad”- Ben Howard His most popular song on his I Forget Where We Were album, Conrad eludes peaceful and soothing vibes.

5. How long have you been in art? Will you continue with it?

5. “A World Alone”- Lorde With its beautiful lyrics, this is more than just a “pretty” song, it speaks volumes to the truth of humans and their individual solitude in the world.

Follow Friday

Instagram

Follow @kaseyyean for humorous yet classic posts.

Compiled by Kennedy Healy

As a sophomore, I am only in Art 2 right now but I intend to continue taking as many art classes as I can before I graduate.

Compiled by May Lin

FRESHMAN 2021 201 vs VS. SENIOR 8 . Pumpkin pie or Apple pie? Grettel: Apple pie because the overall taste is better and the aftertaste of pumpkin pie isn’t as good, also apple is one of my favorite fruits. Erika Bishop: I prefer apple pie because it has apples in it and who doesn’t love apples? It’s also super good warmed up with vanilla ice cream on it on a cold day. I also don’t like the texture of pumpkin Gazette photo /RACHEL NIMTZ Gazette photo /RACHEL NIMTZ Grettel Sainz is a Erika Bishop is a pie, it grosses me out. freshmen at GBHS

senior at GBHS

Compiled by Rachel Nimtz

November 2017

Page 14

2007 was 10 yrs ago?

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Timeless Tunes and Groovy Movies

DOMINO RECORDING COMPANY

Gazette editors review old movies and albums

BY DEAN WILSON

BY WILL ANDERSON

dwilson.gazette@gmail.com

elcome to the 80’s, where music was awesome and terrible all at the same time. Where fashion was at its peak and microaggressions were allowed in cinema. Return to a simpler time in United States society where teens cared more about fast cars and social status than getting good grades – at least in Hollywood that was the case. John Hughes delivers arguably the greatest coming of age tale to ever be released in theaters. “Sixteen Candles” follows Sam, a sophomore hopelessly in love with Jake – we’ll disregard the fact that he looks like he’s in his mid 40’s – an 18-year-old senior. Combine their love story with some zany supporting characters, a gnarly red convertible and the lamest school dance of all time and you have yourself a cinematic classic. Because there are so many layers to this movie, anyone can find at least one character that they see aspects of themselves in. The plot captures the mindset of adolescents really well. Even 33 years after the movie was released, the movie still resonates with younger generations. Perhaps the most likeable character in the film is Anthony Michael Hall’s character “the geek”, who is an insecure freshmen. As the story progresses, we see the timid 14-year-old face his insecurities and become cooler in the process. Not only do we see the evolution of a nerd, that seldom happens in high school, but we’re exposed to a story arch that is really impressive for John Hughes and an 80’s comedy. And a very funny comedy at that. Every aspect of the film adds some potential for comedy, but the reason that the film is so successful is because it doesn’t overstep its boundaries. It doesn’t bombard you with jokes, but instead inserts them when they’re needed. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This isn’t some indie British comedy film where only the observant viewers are rewarded. “Sixteen Candles” has the perfect amount of blatant humor. So take a step back in time and enjoy a rom-com that blows all others away.

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efore their slicked back hair, tightly cuffed jeans and tucked in white t-shirts, the Arctic Monkeys made legitimate rock’n’roll music – not those watered down hits you hear on the radio today. I’m talking about the distorted, pissed off, playing-in-the-pub-while-the-lads-drink-a-pintand-watch-the-game kind of rock. The quartet from Sheffield England was formed in 2002 and would release their first full length LP “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” four years later in 2006 – and they absolutely nailed it. It’s as if Jack White, The Strokes and The Kooks impregnated each other and out came this punchy, upbeat masterpiece. Whatever people say they were, they aren’t anymore. But as anything evolves, there will always be those who just wish nothing ever changed in the first place – I am one of those select few. I miss the old Arctic Monkeys and it’s all in part to the sound of their debut album that made me instantly fall in love. It makes you want to dance with the girl of your dreams, get in a bar fight, and smoke a cigarette all in the same night. And that’s exactly the emotional roller coaster that any good rock album should take you on. Sure there are shades of their current more pop sound on tracks like “Mardy Bum”, “Riot Van” and “A Certain Romance”, but it’s the stark contrast to the scruffy punk tone of the rest of the LP that makes those songs so spectacular. The rugged, 5 o’clock shadow type riffs, the simpleton yet powerful basslines, the noticeable frustration in frontman Alex Turner’s vocals – it all amounts to an irresistible head banging session any time you listen to it. The impact it had on the punk pop scene in Europe is undeniable. After breaking records in sales with over 300,000 units sold in its first week, the Arctic Monkeys’ debut album was platinum in no time. If you need a break in the action, jump right into this LP. It’s cohesion and pep are a must listen for any rock’n’roll fan – it is one of the best from the 2000’s post punk alternative rock surge.

November 2017

By:Bruce Russell brussell.gazette@gmail.com

blade runner 2049: A

Rated: R

“T

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

he number one movie in the world!” is bolstered in the commercials for “Happy Death Day.” But isn’t every

STXFILMS

movie? Suspect of what seemed to be a cheesy knock off of an American classic—“Groundhog Day”—I went to see the new thriller “Happy Death Day.” As one might guess from the endless commercials, “Happy Death Day” centers on a stereotypical college sorority girl, “Tree,” trapped reliving the same day—her birthday. The shallow blonde dies on the day she was born, how ironic. While the beginning of the movie appears to be another cliche college story, it all takes a turn. The thrill and scare of the movie is mild enough even for those who are not into thrillers or horror films. Its predictability takes away the true scare. Some comedic repertoire between Tree’s attempt at solving her own murder, adds some humor to the plot. A love interest is just another component for the younger audience to enjoy. The superficial “Tree” also experiences another discovery other than the face behind her masked murderer — herself. Yes, it’s corny I know. Most of the movie itself was. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t necessarily bad, just unfortunately overdone. The easy and predictable plot was enough to keep the movie from being great, and instead fall short to just being mediocre. The overall experience wasn’t a complete waste of time or money though. “Happy Death Day” is one of those movies where you leave and think, “it wasn’t awful, just cheesy.” There is something to be said about ‘being cheesy’ however. How many cheesy movies do you continuously see over and over again? “Happy Death Day” just might be one of those cheesy movies you and your friends see around Halloween time. I’d chalk it up to a guilty pleasure. The plot is so mediocre, it almost makes it good. Almost.

hen I walked into the theater to see “The Foreigner” I was expecting to see another action packed film full of sneaky escapes quick thinking and never ending fist fights. To a certain extent I was not let down. The Foreigner delivered the action packed film I was looking for but it also brought much more to the viewer by providing a political thriller involving the British government a new type of Irish Republican Terrorists. These two storylines seem to be polar opposites and it was rather difficult to see how they could legitimately be coming into conflict during the movie. The film revolves around a plot in which the past of a humble business man named Quan, played by Jackie Chan, catches up to him and results in the unfortunate death of his daughter which is the only thing he has left to care for. This leads to a revenge-fueled vendetta to avenge his daughter which results in a cat and mouse chase between Quan, the British government and the IRA terrorists that took responsibility for the attack that killed Quan’s daughter. The film is adapted from Stephen Leather’s 1992 novel “The Chinamen” and takes place in modern day London and Belfast Ireland. During Quan’s quest for revenge he encounters a politician that is involved with the terrorists organization responsible for the attack that killed Quan’s daughter and the British government. Quan attempts to use the politician to find the people responsible for the death of his daughter. Jackie Chan does a very good job portraying a father that has just lost his daughter and it out for revenge. It was nice to see Chan’s return to the big screen and I was surprised with much more than I expected. Martin Campbell the director of the film did a great job utilizing Chan’s unique skillset to produce a valiant film that I enjoyed watching I would recommend seeing for yourself.

Rated: PG-13

Rated: R

By: Nicole Gearing ngearing.gazette@gmail.com

By:Logan Embree lembree.gazette@gmail.com

foreigner: B

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

ith today’s movies singularly focusing on action while sacrificing plot, “Blade Runner 2049” feels refreshing. Somehow, Hollywood allowed a nearly three hour, $150 million focusing on a film-noir plot, while staying faithful to its 35 year old predecessor? Count me in… The movie takes place 30 years after after the original, tasking a new blade runner, K (Ryan Gosling) with following a mystery that could start a war between humans and replicants. You see, the heart of “Blade Runner 2049” is its replicants: synthetic robots that are completely indistinguishable from real humans; they look, think, and feel exactly like a real person. Like the original, 2049 is a slow-burn. It’s long, complicated and demands analytical observation. The ambiguous nature of the film’s plot will leave many short attention spanned moviegoers just waiting for the next action setpiece. Those wanting a constant level of violence will be bored. Those expecting a story fed to them will be left frustrated by the time the credits roll. To those who want a complex, emotional tale of the dangers of artificiality, however, go buy your ticket now. Purely from a technical and artistic angle, “Blade Runner 2049” impresses. Every frame is visually stunning. A minimal but beautiful use of computor generated images delivers in recreating the depressing setting of 2049 Los Angeles. It’s cold, dark, and always raining; an omnipresent police force monitors all of its citizens. You must remember however, this isn’t “Star Wars”. Sure, the film may have flying cars and holograms, but director Denis Villeneuve’s wise choice to challenge his audience with a thought provoking story separates it from its counterpart. Most of all, the movie questions the philosophy of identity. How can you deny the humanity of a people that are identical to us, yet are treated as nothing more than slaves? I wholeheartedly urge you to go see “Blade Runner 2049”. It’s beautiful to look at, narratively interesting, and superbly acted. Even more admirable is that it’s different. With the repetitive slog of over-the-top blockbusters prevalent in today’s Hollywood, it’s invigorating to be asked to actually think again.

happy death day: C+

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film.

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‘spirited’ shopping.

November 2017

BLACK : The good, the bad and the ugly FRIDAY BY NOELANI NICHOLS

nnicholsgazette@gmail.com

t seems that this holiday season our bellies won’t be the only things expanding. Lines of deal-hungry customers are ready to form on America’s favorite money-snagging corporate holiday: Black Friday. To those who whine that Christmas is the only holiday with accompanying playlists tailored to its much exalted symbols: string lights and fir trees — don’t undermine the sweet hymns of commercialism; they’ll be ringing all throughout November 24. What was once a considerably large shopping spree is now a year-long anticipated event with eager customers streaming around the shelves of discounted clothing, appliances and trinkets. Now the festivity rallies determined campers outside of stores as early as the night before. Seniors Adri Briuolo, Sydney Esposito and Tara Zamiri all began their Black Friday adventures around 9 p.m. Thanksgiving night to get a head start. “I participated in Black Friday last year and I really just went for recreational purposes. Although, I did get a few things for a good deal,” Briuolo said. While the presence of some is recreationally motivated, others’ attendance is purely driven by the price tags. Though many had an overall positive experience, their financial ventures were not wholly without oddity.

“It was a little frightening when we were in Hollister. It had so many people in it that we could barely look around,” Briuolo said. “A girl fainted because of all the heat and walking.” The experience of Esposito and Zamiri was also full of peculiar occurrences. The two, who faced this “intimidating endeavor” together mentioned that one customer in the store American Eagle was so bent on getting her awaited discounts that she refused to leave the store for a bathroom trip. As for senior John Murphy, his purchase was not only the result of waiting in a long line or rising in the particularly early morning, but the reward of an intense, first world battle. “(This lady) and I got in a fight for this TV,” Murphy said. “Basically, we got into a loud fight and (eventually) I took

it and ran. She couldn’t keep up with me.” Enticing deals are at the epicenter of what Black Friday aims to represent, but for some this calculated marketing is completely transparent. Senior Spencer Richard claimed to despise the seemingly endless lines and the, in his eyes, false advertisement. “They say stuff is cheap but it’s not — there are no good deals whatsoever. It’s a better use of your time to just stay at home,” Richard said. Well, fear not, critics — Cyber Monday is a comparable, accessible means of securing deals at the comfort of your own couch. “Cyber Monday seems like a much better fit for me because I do most of my shopping online anyways due to my extreme dislike for the mall. You still get good deals without having to deal with all of the negatives of Black Friday crowds and chaos,” Esposito said. “I definitely think (Cyber Monday will become more popular) because online shopping is becoming more popular regardless.” “I feel like (Cyber Monday) is much easier from both the buyer’s and seller’s perspective,” Briuolo said. Regardless of motive or taste, it is doubtful that anyone truly enjoys being thrown in a mosh pit of overtired, determined shoppers — now that is a horror story.

Gazette illustrations / MACKENZIE BROWN