The Pini
n
President William McKinley High School
Vol. 91 No. 5
McKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
School evaluates safety of students
March 2013
“There’s not really much going on at school, no fights. Everyone is pretty much doing their own thing in their own world,” says Tommy Pathammovong (left) standing with Victoria Koli (right).
by Ariana Makasiale
Recent instances of school violence prompted questioning amongst schools across the nation. After the tragic Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14, almost a month later a 16-yearold from California, armed with a shotgun, opened fire in his high school classroom, critically wounding a student. In 2012 alone there were seven shot dead at an Oakland college, three Ohio teens killed by another peer, and three killed in shootings near the campus of Texas A&M University. This makes it difficult to remember that school is supposed to be the safest place for students. It also has people questioning how instances like these can be stopped. For McKinley, it’s whether or not administration has made changes that will have any effect on students. Principal Ron Okamura said, “As far as changes go, it’s more of an awareness.” Every year the school practices lockdowns and fire drills. Those are the school’s security plans just in case. “The reason why we run drills is so that in case it happens, (people) will know exactly what to do. It’ll become automatic.” Okamura says that one change that could be made is to look into hiring a School Resource OffiPlease see SAFETY, p. 2
“I don’t really come into contact with any bullying or things like that,” says Jordan Viniegas (left) with Joanna Li (right).
RS 13-0898
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SAFETY: Students report campus feels safe cer. This is an on-campus officer that could provide even more safety for the campus as well as a counseling program that can help students deal with issues. For the most part, students feel safe at McKinley. “There’s not really much going on at school, no fights. Everyone is pretty much doing their own thing in their own world,” said Tommy Pathammavong (9). Another student, Joanna Li (12), felt the same way saying, “I don’t really come into contact with any bullying or things like that.” Jordan Viniegas (11) said, “Sometimes I’ll hear students saying violent language or getting into arguments but I’ll try to keep away from that.” In the aftermath of recent school shooting, the National Rifle Association suggested arming teachers as a solution. “I
Alleged killer sends school into lockdown
don’t feel comfortable with it because not everyone is comfortable with guns,” says Okamura. This idea had mixed reviews across the nation and across campus. “Of course not. Especially if you’re an elementary teacher because you have little kids with you,” said Victoria Koli (9). Li had the same idea. “No, even if they’re trained. Some people could have issues and they could use the gun for bad purposes.” Pathammavong proposed that, “(if teachers were to have guns) they should be held in teachers lounges to be kept safe. Something like fire extinguishers that have to be opened with an ax. But (the guns) should be hidden away.”
News Tribune/MCT/2007
Stamp out Bullying • Don’t give bullying an audience • Set a good example • Help them get away • Tell a trusted adult • Be their friend
by: Ariana Makasiale
An Oahu Community Correc-
tional Center prisoner awaiting trial on second-degree murder charges escaped early Feb. 20, while being transported to Circuit Court. All schools in the Makiki District were put on lockdown. All doors were shut, all gates were locked, and student here at McKinley sat in their period 3 class through lunch and part of fifth period, awaiting news from the principal. How safe did McKinley students feel? Alexandria Allen (11) said, “At first I was a little worried (but) after a while I was more annoyed.” Fire and lockdown drills are for instances like these. They help students feel safe and prepared for when the real danger comes.
stopbullying.gov
Photo by Shirley Cabico and Shyanne Armitage
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Long lines call for students’ patience by Ariana Makasiale Before the first of every month a long line descends outside of the Business office. Students at Mckinley High School who qualify for free bus passes are very familiar with the long wait and the bustling students who are eager to go home. Besides impatient students who are seen cutting, those who are unprepared cause even bigger problems. “If students could have their I.D, out and ready, it would make the lines go by much faster,” said Edward Sariol, who works in the Business Office. “If we gave ten seconds of our time to each student it would still take over an hour to help everyone.” Students can help the process move much faster with their patience and by coming prepared.
Illustration by Annie Lien
Pinion Staff
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Adviser: Cynthia Reves Editor: Ariana Makasiale Assistant Editor: Annie Lien, Reporters: Anthony Lee, Chanel Joy Alarca, Briana Ribillia-Ramones
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THE PINION is published by the Newswriting Staff and printed by the Reprographics Learning Center. The Pinion McKinley High School 1039 South King Street Honolulu, HI 96814 Email comments or questions to mhspinion@gmail.com
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Don’t litter Creative Commons
Science Fair broadens students’ minds by Anthony Lee Every year, McKinley High School students in honor science classes are required to do a project eligible for science fair ranging from two to three months, a major bulk of a student’s school year. This is a huge project usually taking up a great percent of the student’s grade, but why do we have it, and what is it, really? This year was the 56th Annual Science and Engineering Fair. On Jan. 24, 113 projects were entered in the school-level competition and were displayed in the library. Twenty projects advanced to the district-level which took place on Feb. 8 in Kapiolani Community College. Winners of the district-level will go to the state-level 56th Annual Hawaii Science & Engineering Fair, held at the Hawaii Convention Center on April 8. Students are required to enter a project in the science fair for a class grade. Some
delve even deeper after determining their question and get really involved in their project. Some are asking an authentic question they want to figure out, and doing it for the science fair would be killing two birds with one stone. “It gives
“It can be fun if you find the right topic ...” --Dakota McArthur (11) a chance to explore and look deeper in things that spark an interest,” said Maileen Bernandez (12), a student who qualified for the state competition last year, “I didn’t take science fair seriously at first until I found a topic that really made people wonder.” Natalie Owen (11) started the project for her grade, but is thankful for the
Art by Amanda Murimoto
experience at the end. “I’m happy I accomplished the science fair because it kept my grades up, but I’d have to thank my teacher for indirectly forcing me to do it, because it is a growing experience to dress-for-success and be interviewed by [science] judges,” she said. Throughout the process, students learn a variety of skills. Bernandez answered with time management. “I didn’t plan things out well, [but] I wish I did. I didn’t get to run as many trials of my experiment as I had wanted to, but I did what I could with the time I had.” Dakota McArthur (11) participated in the school-level competition. “I think science fair is a great opportunity for students to learn more about researching and data collecting. It never fails to teach you something new. It can be fun if you find the right topic or a topic that interests you,” she said.
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Book Recommendation by Benjamin Ngo
Art by My Lu
Homeless take shelter at McKinley by Briana Ribillia-Ramones After school hours, this beautiful campus turns into a shelter for some homeless. Homeless people come at night and usually evacuate by six in the morning. This can be a problem because some of McKinley’s teachers stay late or come early to finish work. Not having security around these hours can be a little scary. Principal Ron Okumura says that he wished the homeless weren’t there. He also says the issue will only get worse if housing is not provided for these homeless. Since McKinley is a school that is located in the center of Oahu, it is easier for them to stay on our campus. The community had incidents where police come at night to talk to them. Some students don’t finish sports until night and walking through campus can be dangerous knowing there are homeless. Greta Aipia, a custodian of McKinley, said homeless are becoming more of an issue because they leave their trash, belongings and are defecating on our campus. She also said some teachers don’t feel comfortable with them. Homeless people have been here for about 4 years. Homeless stay on our campus because it’s warm for them and they have shelter. Yet it has become an issue because they do not respect our facilities.
“The Heroes of Olympus” by Rick Riordan People who like to read the Percy Jackson Series would probably know about this but for those who don’t I have already started on the next series that is a sequel to the first series. The Heroes of Olympus is a series that involves a new recently discovered camp that has a different culture yet similar origins. So far, the series is three books long and is still packed with lots of action, suspense, and some humor. I would recommend The Heroes of Olympus series to people who enjoyed the first Percy Jackson Series because it is a new twist to the story that no fan should miss.
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Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, I’d like to start off by saying that the Pinion is an excellent school newspaper. I am never disappointed when reading it, until now. I was reading the colored Pinion (Vol.91, No.4) and noticed one of the articles called “Women invade Congress” by Ariana Makasiale. The article was well written, very informative, and an interesting read. However, the use of the word “invade” in the title made me feel really uncomfortable. In a nation with a rich history of women fighting for equal rights, it’s disappointing to see that even today women are still treated unfairly at times (such as many people thinking that women should stay home to watch the kids, and that women should not make as much money as men even if they are working the same job). I understand that this article was meant to tell the accomplishments of these three women, and for them to represent the female population in order to show that women are just as capable as men. Some synonyms for the word invade are attack or overrun. The use of the word “invade” in this article greatly disappoints me. It makes me feel that the Pinion is against women being in Congress, that the Pinion is against women having the same jobs as men. Once again, I’d like to repeat that I am an avid fan of the Pinion, but in the future I suggest not only checking the word meaning, but also the connotation that comes with the word. Thank you, Anonymous Senior
Illustration by My Lu
Dear Editor, Online relationships/friendships with people you’ve never met is an issue that really has my interest. This topic is “close to home” because I know of some people who have had or are currently in relationships over online mediums. I also have these kind of friendships through online games. For me when I’m on some games once in awhile, I watch what I type and I never give out personal information. However, online relationships is a different story. These romantic relationships are much more dangerous because you’re willingly giving out information to people you do not really know. The dangerous thing about this is that you never know who you’re actually talking to. You may think you know who you’re talking to but you never know because the internet is like talking over a wall. You can talk to them but you can’t see them, nor do you ever meet them personally. It could be anyone on the other side. Anyone could be talking to you and you’d never know their real personality or even their gender. An example is, a guy talking to a “girl” online. The girl could be a guy for all he knows. And even if he asks to talk to her on the phone, the person online can easily get another girl to speak for him. Some of my friends have had romantic relationships over the internet. When I first found out, I was worried for their safety. The person they have this relationship with could be someone else. I asked them the same question, “Do you really know who they are?” In the past,
a lot of online relationships end with people meeting up and finding out their boyfriend/girlfriend is not who they said they were. I try to keep myself updated with their statuses to make sure they’re okay and that they’re safe. I know that some students on campus have friendships online through games they play, like myself. If you have friendships over the internet, know your limits and watch what you say. And if you have a romantic relationship over the internet, be careful. Let at least one person know in case there’s an emergency. Remember that not everyone is who they say they are on the internet. Sincerely, Jeramy Pasion
Dear Editor, Some think we shouldn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day at school. I think that we should because it is a day in the year where we can show our appreciation for our loved ones. Even if you don’t have a boyfriend/girlfriend you can ask someone that’s a friend to be your Valentine for the day. Valentines to some people might mean nothing, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate it in school. Many students want it so that they can show the whole school that they’re not ashamed to be all sweet and loving to their loved ones. Those balloons and bears can be left in the back. That way it won’t be so much of a distraction. There are solutions to these problems, unless you’re someone who’s really interested in balloons and can’t stop looking at them. Sincerely, John Guillermo
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Students need to recognize dangers that come with con by Annie Lien Justin Bieber suffered a concussion from running into a glass wall; Hillary Clinton suffered one from fainting. What’s next? Two people bump heads in a romantic situation and get concussions? Although fairly common, concussions can be dangerous, so it is important to understand the warning signs. Concussions are a type of brain injury caused by blows to the body. In many cases, they are caused through contact sports. Violent movement of the body, especially the head, can result in damaged nerve cells in the brain. Some people develop mild symptoms and are able to recover from a concussion within a few hours or weeks just by getting rest. However, it is imperative for everyone, including McKinley High School students, to know the symptoms of a concussion, which can lead to permanent brain damage. Students involved in sports, despite never having suffered a concussion, said they are aware of the signs and symptoms. Volleyball player Vea Mafi (11) said, “Every season or year, all athletes have to take a concussion test. That’s a test to see how our brains are functioning at the time.” She explained that athletes get tested “mentally and physically. If any of us may get a concussion, the doctors would know that we were okay before the incident.” These tests involve using their balance and the computer. Mafi has seen and heard that people get “headaches” or they “knock out” after suffering a concussion. “They, of course, get medical care and, depending on how serious their injury is, they
may not come back for the rest of the season because that’s their healing time.” Mafi said players can get their concussions from “diving for the ball hard, hitting something or someone, or falling down hard.” Soccer player Donny Sun (11) said two of her teammates suffered a concussion this season. One of them “got hit in the head by another player and had concussions before already,” whereas the other had suffered concussions many times but did not realize it until later. Individuals may become unconscious after suffering a concussion, but concussions can also occur without unconsciousness. The problem becomes severe when an individual has suffered multiple concussions or if the symptoms lasts longer than a few weeks. Cheerleader Marry Huynh (11) said, “When someone in cheer suffers a concussion, they go straight to their trainers to get it checked, and they take a test to see how bad their concussion is.” After taking a test, the cheerleader would usually get sent home to visit their doctor. A concussion often lasts for a month or “a little more.” Imaging devices do not work well when
checking concussions because they do not show any changes in the brain so doctors generally rely on signs and symptoms to tell if someone has a concussion. Huynh said that a recent incident involving a concussion was “when the flyer or the top girl fell or wasn’t caught right by their bases.” Since cheerleading is such “a vigorous sport,” measures are taken to ensure everyone’s safety. “That’s why every time we do a stunt, we make sure we have spots around to catch the flyer or prevent the
“It felt cool and weird because I never thought I could get a concussion from a minor bump on the head.” --Michelle Lai (11) backs and bases from getting hurt. Spots are people who always have their hands up in the air and make sure the stunt is safe,” said Huynh. Many people think concussions can only occur in sports, but they can happen anywhere at any time. When a person falls, gets into a car accident, or gets into a fight, head injuries can occur. The person may not realize they have a concussion until it is too late. Therefore, one must be aware of any warning signs. Michelle Lai (11) suffered a concussion from hitting her head on a car door. She started noticing the signs the day after, when she was dancing. Lai said, “I did a hair whip and when I tried to balance myself, I couldn’t because my brain waves were abnormal.”
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signs and cussions When she hit her head the day before, she said that the “impact was so powerful it caused damage to my brain, so when I did my hair whip I couldn’t handle it.” She thought she needed some ice so she went to the trainers and they recognized the signs of a concussion. She went to the doctor’s office to get a checkup and they confirmed that she had a concussion. Lai said, “It felt cool and weird because I never thought I could get a concussion from a minor bump on the head.” When she tried reading or going on the computer, she would get a headache and it was hard for her to concentrate. However, her symptoms did not last very long because her head injury was minor. Patients who have suffered from concussions said they had headaches, felt more tired and dizzy, had a hard time balancing and had some memory loss. Others have also reported nausea and vomiting and felt their muscles weaken. If any of these symptoms occur, it is critical to inform a doctor. They will most likely recommend that the individual refrain from any physical or mental activity to quickly allow the brain to heal. Once the brain fully recovers, the individual may return to their normal activities. Ways to Prevent a Concussion: 1. When playing any type of sport, make sure to wear some sort of protective gear, such as a helmet. 2. Wear a seatbelt in the car. This will protect you from accidents that may cause damage to the brain. 3. Make sure the floor is not cluttered in your house. It will allow more room for you to walk around safely. 4. In water, make sure you do not dive in if it is less than 9 feet deep. 5. Wear shoes that you feel comfortable walking in and make sure you can balance well in them. Resource taken from MayoClinic. Art by Amanda Muramoto (12)
JROTC drill teams come home champions
by Queenie Kiluwe
These are the rewards that McKinley Drill Teams came home with. The middle trophy is the West Point Cup.
On the 26th of January, the competition called: West Point Drill Meet was held at Kaimuki High School. McKinley High School showed teamwork, excellent marching, and creativity. Mckinley High School’s drill team placed:
The Great Aloha Run took place on February 16, 2013.
1st in Color Guard (list of commands performed in sequential order using the National and State Flag accompanied with two rifle guards) 1st in Armed Exhibition (a sequence of creative marching, rifle spins, and maneuvers while using a 9.5 lb. rifle) 1st in Unarmed Exhibition (a sequence of creative marching) 2nd in Unarmed Regulation (list of commands performed in sequential order using 9.5 lb. rifles ) As a result of placing in these categories, McKinley Tiger Battalion brought home the West Point Cup, which McKinley has won over 25 times. In other words, the West Point Cup comes with title of Champions. With West Point over, the Drill Team is preparing for a competition at the end of the month
called the All-Army Drill Off. Feb 16 through 18 was the Great Aloha Run weekend. On Feb 16, there was a High School Competition Fitness Challenge held at Blaisdell Center. There were five categories that each school had to compete in for the fastest time. McKinley Team won 1st place in Inverted Crab-Walk and the Three-Legged Race. With our fastest times in the other categories, we won 1st place Overall. On President’s Day, besides the Great Aloha Run, there was another high school competition but this time, just one event: The Relay Race. This race had the four fastest sprinters- two males and females- where one would sprint around the course and pass the baton to the next sprinter. And for the first time in history, McKinley High School won 1st place in that category as well. Since winning twice, our teams helped McKinley High School receive $1000.
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