PAGE 5:
PAGE 9:
Junior Lauren Larrabee returns to full-time swimming after a rowing respite.
Juniors Alex Bushberg and Skovran Cunningham and freshman Aidan Cunningham marvel at a quesarito from Chipotle’s secret menu.
THEOctagon SCDSOCTAGON.COM
VOL. XXXVII, NO. 7
April 29, 2014
Teacher Kellie Whited and senior Maddy Mahla perform a song on April 18 in the talent show. The event was held in the MP room, which is shared by the drama, music and various other departments. The stage is small and is separated from the audience only The MP room is one of many buildings that will be replaced as part of the school’s master plan in the next 15 years. According to band direcperforming arts center would mean fewer accidents when moving instruments in and out of storage. (Photo by Elena Lipman)
Medallion adviser to be replaced By Zoe Bowlus
Page Editor
Teacher Joel Rickert will not return next year. Now the school sitions as AP Art History teacher
faculty.
School pushes for new MS tech building But performing arts center is still far in future By Garrett Kaighn
Editor-in-Chief
T such classes.
surfaces. Renovations,
the school.
Medallion,
Point of Interest Gatsby-themed Prom
Chemistry teacher leaving after just one semester By Kamira Patel
The Student Council has chosen “The Great Gatsby” as the theme of Prom, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 17. The theme was chosen in the hope that students will dress up in fashions from the
Editor-in-Chief
vintage dinner jackets. The dance will be held in the Grand Capitol Plaza Ballroom (1025 Ninth St.). Tickets will be $45-55. The Winter Ball was held there two years ago, in the building’s “Silver Ballroom.” Student Council adviser Patricia Jacobsen said the Silver Ballroom goes with the Gatsby theme because there’s a large chandelier in the middle of the
ment to teach for one se
more locally.
in less than a year. Robin Altman.
“I have grown so accustomed to the teaching style of Altman and Covey.” –Jagjit Lally, sophomore
Art-Deco, a style popular during the 1920’s. The Student Council looked at several other venues, but decided on the Silver Ballroom due to its aesthetics and because the venue doesn’t require catering, allowing students to dine at restaurants of their choice before the dance. —Austin Talamantes Altman,
Chemistry teacher Robin Altman and senior Ryan Ho prepare for a sophomore chemistry lab. (Photo by Cissy Shi)
2 Feature
The Octagon
April 29, 2014
Juniors Ryan Hoddick, Claire Pinson, Erin Reddy, Melissa Vazquez, Ethan Ham, Grant Miner, Maxwell Shukuya and Emma Williams arrive at Patricia Fels’s English class from 1:56-2 p.m. on April 24. Although class technically begins at 1:55, none were marked tardy. (Photos by Cissy Shi)
The bell is really just a guideline
Students, teachers and administrators all differ on what being late means By Aishwarya Nadgauda
Page Editor
T Sophomores Jenny Kerb and Emma Brown walk to English class after elective, three minutes after the class has technically begun. (Photo by Cissy Shi)
“On the sign-in sheet, under excuse, I wrote ‘I am not late’“ —Melissa Vazquez, junior
minutes late to class, I am not going to mark them tardy. It’s when they come in halfway through the class that it becomes a problem. ” —Jane Batarseh, Latin teacher
Tardiness by Number of Students
20 28 17
12 Late because of socializing
38
19
Late dismissal from previous Finishing work/ studying before class class
Late because
Late once a week
11 late more than twice a week
105 students polled
Sleeping in
The Octagon
News 3
April 29, 2014
Which of these is your least favorite part of the SAT? A) Obscure vocabulary words B) Penalties for wrong answers C) Mandatory essay D) Weirdly-worded questions E) All of the above
“I feel cheated.”
–Melissa Vazquez, junior
By Emma Williams
Page Editor
“With the SAT, I felt like I was being tricked the whole time.” –Maddy Mahla, senior
Practice Test 1. Have you taken the SAT? A) Yes: 40% B) No: 60% 2. What do you think of the changes being made to the SAT? A) I like them: 35% B) I don’t like them: 8% C) I don’t know/don’t care: 57% Results based on a recent Octagon poll of 83 students.
Math teacher to become dean of student life
Point of Interest Promotional ’80s posters
By Zoe Bowlus
Page Editor
-
Patricia Jacobsen
-
-
—Connor Martin
Tom Wroten, director of technology, poses as Ferris Bueller. (Photo by Michael Cvetich)
4Sports
The Octagon
April 29, 2014
Baseball, girls’ soccer struggle as seasons close Baseball Crack. Senior Patrick Talamantes drops his bat of the park. stronger if their pitching improved.
“When
I
swung,
it
games. Results from the game able at press time.
—Patrick Talamantes, senior
Girls’ Soccer he said. In the April 22 game against Western Sierra, freshman David Boley takes a pitch while coach Chris Millsback and junior Ethan Ham look on from third base (above). Sophomore Emma Belliveau battles a Western Sierra defender, April 22 (left). Sophomore Brad Petchauer and freshman Zane Jakobs take practice shots at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex (right). (Photos by Jacob Sands, Elena Lipman and Cissy Shi)
soccer team.
ral athlete. The
girls
are
I one sub on the bench. Although the
tell
upperclassmen
—Natalie Brown, freshman
he said. “The seniors have per
afraid to take the shot and
“She has one of the best push for a top three position. up. think having that distance is an advantage be said her perspective is dif
Junior Dominic Stephen rests his arm after cutting it during a dive into second base (Photo by Jacob Sands)
Golf See Golf
Sports Boosters’ Athletes of the Month Caroline Mehta Junior Caroline Mehta
Johann Dias Sophomore Johann Dias,
singles tennis matches,
Athletes of the Month are chosen by the athletic department on behalf of the Sports Boosters
The Octagon
Sports 5
April 29, 2014
Golf: Team still strong despite lack of seniors
Junior returns to swimming after year-long hiatus spent rowing By Micaela Bennett-Smith Page Editor
J
unior Lauren Larrabee remembers the exact time and place she redis covered her passion for swimming. It was early on a warm day, Sept. 6, 2013 to be exact, and Larrabee, who had spent her whole life around pools, found her self at Taylor Pool while visiting Occidental College. She was watching the end of the Occiden tal swim team’s practice when she realized something: she needed to swim. no longer a swimmer. Well, she was no longer a competitive swim mer, having hung up her goggles a year earlier and dedicated herself to the Capital Crew Rowing program as a coxswain. It was on that day that Larrabee decided to get back in the water. Four months later, after returning to train ing in the pool, Lauren Larrabee commands her boat at the May Southwest Junior Regional Championships at Lake Natoma (above). Larrabee swims at the Summer Sanders Invitational, spring 2012 (right). (Photos courtesy of Larrabee)
Larrabee was posting the best times of her three times a week and even attending Satur life. day conditioning. And the competitive swim It was a surprise to everyone, but given circuit is notorious for grueling meets that L a r r a b e e ’s background, perhaps it span Friday, Satur day and Sunday several times a month. shouldn’t have been. After all, Lar rabee was all but born to swim. Her times im proved as she got older, but her enthusiasm waned. Both of her Swimming became a task to ac parents swam for Sacramento State “I never really said, ‘I’m complish, like homework. University, and Moving to the competitive her older brother going to swim for my- team had been the right decision Tyler, ’09, swam self, because I like this.’ because she was faster than the varsity at Colo on her rec team, but she felt Every day I dreaded go- kids rado College. like she was losing interest. ing to practice.” Larrabee start “It was kind of a given that I ed swimming —Lauren Larrabee, junior was going to swim,” Larrabee when she was just said. 4 years old, pro “I never really said, ‘I’m going gressing enough to swim for myself, because I like at age 8 that she outgrew her local Gold River this.’ Every day I dreaded going to practice.” swim club and moved up to the “big leagues,” So after her freshman year of high school, so to speak: Spare Time Aquatics Sacramento Larrabee started thinking of other options. She had a cousin who rowed crew for Har At STAS Larrabee began swimming two vard, and her best friend was a rower. hours every day, attending morning practices other sports because of my size, and crew looked fun,” Larrabee said.
tant on the idea of Lauren dropping swim ming. “To be honest, it was really hard on me,” Pam said. “She’s a very talented swimmer and she’d devoted so many years to perfecting her strokes and her race strategy and I felt really sad that she was going to possibly be giving all that up.” Larrabee wrote a letter to her parents ex plaining the reasons why she wanted to switch sports, which helped sway both parents.
pro we were working with kept telling me I was going to be the ‘dark horse.’ He came back and watched me later and told me he had been right.” On the other hand, Kaighn feels that he hasn’t played as well as he expected. “I tend to not do well in matches,” he you are only hitting the ball for about 10 minutes and thinking about all that you’ve done wrong the rest of the time. “It gets to you.” In the last match, Country Day placed “What killed us was the guys on the back of the team who didn’t have good
Tung said that one of the weakest as pects of the team is the many other ac tivities many members are involved in. “We’re all kind of spread a bit thin,” he said. Sophomore Brad Petchauer and Kai ghn said the team needs to work on con sistency. “We all hit well on the driving range,” Petchauer said. “We can do really well, Personally, Tung says he could work most on consistency when chipping. “When I do it well, it’s really, really good,” he said. “But when I don’t do it pletely wrong direction.” At press time, the team was prepar nament on April 28 that would decide whether they would go to sectionals. The top two teams and the top six indi viduals who are not on those teams play in sectionals. Coach Kaighn said he felt optimistic about the team’s chances of making it to sectionals. Hilton feels similarly. “We have good endurance over 18 holes,” he said. “As long as nobody blows up and plays a really high round, we should make it into sectionals.”
See Swimming, page 11
Boys’ lacrosse stays stuck in discouraging no-win slump By Madison Judd Reporter
Head coach Brooke Wells said that the growing number of losses is because the team doesn’t play in an organized league, which means that they mainly play against schools willing to
Although the team has struggled to gain a win, Wells said that many aspects of the game have improved since the be ginning of the season. During the game against Saint Mary’s, the boys stayed in the game because of a change in defensive tactics during the second half, he said. The team implemented a new strategy, called an attacking zone, where the defensemen stayed close to the opponent’s The change was due to only eight players being on the
against Country Day, he said. However, this is only one of the problems the team faces. Since they do not compete in a structured league, they play the varsity teams from schools with populations of up to 5,000 students, Wells said. For instance, Saint Mary’s High School, in Stockton, whom and eight underclassmen. “Our team of eight held with them, but it was like facing the Russians during World War II,” Wells said. “There was line after line after line of very strong players.” Sophomore Brad Petchauer and junior Alex Bushberg had an additional explanation for the tough season. that when star player Donald Hutchinson, ‘13, graduated, it changed the team dynamic. victories,” Petchauer said.
normal 10, they will continue to use it. This was not the only improvement during the season. Individual defensive skills and team passing have im proved the most, Wells said. on getting groundballs, catching and shooting, but they are improving,” Wells said. Bushberg agreed. “A couple of our new or inexperienced players have really stepped it up this year, which you can see when we are at the games,” Bushberg said. “They have developed better stick skills, and they are now able to beat their opponents when they are racing to get a ball.” The team’s last chance to pull out a victory was on Mon day, April 28, against Lincoln High School. Results were un known at press time.
Junior Skovran Cunningham catches the ball in his stick while playing against the Casa Roble Rams, April 21. Freshman Aidan Cunningham runs to support him. Country Day lost the game, 11-10. (Photo by Kamira Patel)
6 Doc, I’d really like some... SKUNKWEED SPLIM reefer wake and bake
Centerpoint
The Octagon
DOOBAGE
brown budda
I
DITCHWEED jumba lachi boo ACE
weed HEMP 420 the old ali baba splam cannabis
CANADIAN BAM BAM
mary jane assassin of youth CHEEBA
BUD
pot
LULA
texas tea wacky tobaccky belyando spruce bo bo bush
DANK
DIRT GRASS
It took me only 90 seconds to convince a doctor to recommend me for a medical marijuana prescription—something that I neither wanted, nor needed— for symptoms I didn’t have and couldn’t prove.
But I don’t know if I was really convincing anybody. The doctor had probably made up his mind before I even walked in the door.
By Connor Martin
tions. for marijuana stronger. I also put down that I have asthma, which I do. I wasn’t sure how this would
I told her, adding that I had an appointment.
how easy it is to obtain a marijuana license. And those stories made me wonder: how easy would it be for me to get one? So as a social experiment, I set out to answer my question. To be clear, I haven’t Aside from initial permission for this experiment, my parents played no part in the process. Even if my parents were not consenting, the process would have run smoothly Here’s what happened.
out paperwork, it became clear that almost no one made appointments.
aunt mary
Unsure of where to start, I entered “best place to get medical marijuana license sacramento” into Google Search. with recommendations for physicians who are “lib eral” with their medical cannabis recommendations. who specialize in handing out these licenses.
I knew I needed to fabricate a medical excuse, but thought insomnia and headaches would be too weak, even if I do settled on a condition I once had, so that I would have medical records to prove it. Early last summer, I experienced a
test came back negative.
{
mended chiropractic treatment, sports massages and stretching, which did actually relieve the pain. This would make the perfect excuse: marijuana for pain relief.
schedule an appointment for 3 p.m. on a Saturday to seem less suspicious and questions the doctor might ask. The evaluation center website told me to bring any relevant medical records to the appointment. So shortly before the appointment, I picked up a copy of my records pertaining to the burning sensation.
pretend I didn’t ask you that question. If (the doctor) asks, just say “Oh, yeah, my parents told me to get this.” Or if you feel like it, just— you know— don’t tell him the truth.’”
The old lady hobbled into the exam room when it was her turn. After signing a sheet acknowledging possible dangers of marijuana, I handed the paper work to the nurse. “Are you in high school?” she asked. “Oh, no. Seriously?” The way she asked me this ques tion sounded as if she was planning on asking me on a date if I wasn’t. “Is that a problem?” I asked.
schoolers,” she said. Great. There went my story. But after a long pause she said, “I’m just gonna pretend I didn’t ask you that question.
I laughed out of shock. Was my nurse advising me to lie to the doctor so I could get pot? And she seemed to really care, as if she felt bad for wasting my time. It was her goal, it
The old lady came out of the exam room. “That’s not a real person in there,” she whispered in an excited tone to the waiting patients. I had no idea what she was talking about and assumed either dementia or drugs were
The number of medical marijuana dispensaries near Sacramento Graphics by Kamira Patel
A second nurse rushed in. She must have been monitoring the Skype sessions. I was so embarrassed. “I’m sorry!” I said. “I thought he wanted me to call.” “Oh that’s okay,” the nurse responded understandingly, but frantically. She typed in an instant message, “sorry that was pt.” I don’t know what “pt” stood for. I thought it might be “patient,” but I’m pretty sure it was the nurse’s initials, as if she was covering for my mistake. The nurse left the room after minimizing Skype and telling me not to touch anything. So I sat on my hands and waited for several minutes more. Suddenly an older man with thin gray hair showed up on the computer. He looked as I greeted him as politely as possible to make up for the premature call. He seemed eager to cut to the chase, but also bored with his routine. “How is medical cannabis going to help your condition?” I started my rehearsed response.
There was no way I was going to get this license. “And you haven’t ever used marijuana?” he asked.
I let out a nervous laugh, realizing how stupid my response sounded. I was a teen, with no idea how to smoke pot, with no one to show me, and with little reason to use it.
which had to be high based on my heart rate, she
“‘I wouldn’t do edibles if you’re new to pot,’ she said. ‘I mean edibles (mess) me up. Like one brownie and I’m out.’”
so I don’t recommend them for beginners. “And you have medical documents to show that you have the burning sensation,” he asked. “Okay, you’re good,” he said. Success.
energy drinks today?” “Uhhh… yes,” I lied. I had drunk only one cup of She went through a list of questions to verify my medical history. When she got to “Are you in high school?”, we both laughed and she reiterated her instructions to avoid this topic, or lie my way through it. Then she asked if I’d ever used cannabis.
61
computer the message, “ready 1.” I was in Exam Room 1. I guessed that this was an invitation to call him.
my heartbeat. Oh, crap. Was this some sort of primitive lie detector?
tion center. How convenient!
The number of cannabis clinics in the Sacramento area listed on Yelp!
at the computer screen. I started to wonder if I needed to do anything, because noth ing was happening. So I clicked on the minimized window for Skype. In the instant message por tion, the doctor had sent my
“Are you surrounded by people who can teach you how to use it?” nurse was apologetic for my wait, nonetheless. “Sorry it took so long,” she said. “Do not get mad at me, okay?” She took me into a separate room to ask me some preliminary questions.
your blood pressure.” lie my way to a license for pot? I cringed, imagining all of the judgmental faces I would receive from the adult patients in the waiting room, from the nurses and from the doctor.
made a lot of sense. After sending my information to the doctor, wherever he was, the nurse led me into the exam room. A computer on a desk was set up facing a chair. I sat down, and the nurse left without telling me what “But after a long pause she said, ‘I’m just gonna to do.
guess they were return customers, as marijuana licenses must be renewed annually with a reexamination. “Eyyy! Whatchoo, doin’?” The nurse said enthusiastically to a young woman who just
“I had suspected this would all be easy—to get the license. But I didn’t think the nursing staff would be rooting for me.”
LAUGHING GRASS
79
an asthmatic. out the paperwork.
COLORADO COCKTAIL
The number of states that have legalized the use of marijuana as medical treatment
“So we use a method called Telemedicine.” She then explained that Telemedicine is basically a normal doctor’s appointment, except the doctor isn’t on site, so the patient talks with the doctor over Skype or FaceTime.
patients stared unhappily out the window. The nurse wasn’t at her desk, so I took a clipboard with paperwork.
drug talks, and that includes most “medical” applications. Because, let’s face it, most medical marijuana users are more interested in get
20
April 29, 2014
“I’ve never used pot.”
I took a few seconds to laugh to myself in the exam room, before going back to the front desk.
Genuinely happy, she printed out the necessary paperwork, complete with a fax of the doctor’s signature.
“So after this appointment,” I said, “I’m unsure I actually want to use pot. I feel too inexperienced. Say I wanted to just forget this whole appointment…? This isn’t trackable,
lying face. this time. “Oh… okay. So are you going to smoke it?” she asked. “I don’t think so,” I said, gesturing towards my lungs with a concerned expression. “I was to keep the pain at bay, but, if anything, it has become worse!” I took a few deep breaths to muster my courage. “I’m not a criminal; I’m just acting,” I reminded myself, heading for the door. After turning the sticky doorknob, I walked into the waiting room, where I saw a large large gauges who looked my age. I silently rejoiced that I wasn’t the only teen there.
one brownie and I’m out.” That cracked me up, and she stared at me as if I was an idiot.
What she told me next shocked me more than anything.
She assured me that it wasn’t, adding that if I wanted to terminate my license, I could do so in person whenever I felt like it, which I did the following week. risk of being traceable. The nurse volunteered that she technically isn’t allowed to recommend a marijuana dis But in a hushed tone, she told me about a good shop that is “hella close” to the evalua tion center. On my way out, she noted that if I drive with marijuana, I should put it in the trunk because if a cop smelled it, I could be arrested for a DUI. She also mentioned that I shouldn’t smoke in my car.
7
6 Doc, I’d really like some... SKUNKWEED SPLIM reefer wake and bake
Centerpoint
The Octagon
DOOBAGE
brown budda
I
DITCHWEED jumba lachi boo ACE
weed HEMP 420 the old ali baba splam cannabis
CANADIAN BAM BAM
mary jane assassin of youth CHEEBA
BUD
pot
LULA
texas tea wacky tobaccky belyando spruce bo bo bush
DANK
DIRT GRASS
It took me only 90 seconds to convince a doctor to recommend me for a medical marijuana prescription—something that I neither wanted, nor needed— for symptoms I didn’t have and couldn’t prove.
But I don’t know if I was really convincing anybody. The doctor had probably made up his mind before I even walked in the door.
By Connor Martin
tions. for marijuana stronger. I also put down that I have asthma, which I do. I wasn’t sure how this would
I told her, adding that I had an appointment.
how easy it is to obtain a marijuana license. And those stories made me wonder: how easy would it be for me to get one? So as a social experiment, I set out to answer my question. To be clear, I haven’t Aside from initial permission for this experiment, my parents played no part in the process. Even if my parents were not consenting, the process would have run smoothly Here’s what happened.
out paperwork, it became clear that almost no one made appointments.
aunt mary
Unsure of where to start, I entered “best place to get medical marijuana license sacramento” into Google Search. with recommendations for physicians who are “lib eral” with their medical cannabis recommendations. who specialize in handing out these licenses.
I knew I needed to fabricate a medical excuse, but thought insomnia and headaches would be too weak, even if I do settled on a condition I once had, so that I would have medical records to prove it. Early last summer, I experienced a
test came back negative.
{
mended chiropractic treatment, sports massages and stretching, which did actually relieve the pain. This would make the perfect excuse: marijuana for pain relief.
schedule an appointment for 3 p.m. on a Saturday to seem less suspicious and questions the doctor might ask. The evaluation center website told me to bring any relevant medical records to the appointment. So shortly before the appointment, I picked up a copy of my records pertaining to the burning sensation.
pretend I didn’t ask you that question. If (the doctor) asks, just say “Oh, yeah, my parents told me to get this.” Or if you feel like it, just— you know— don’t tell him the truth.’”
The old lady hobbled into the exam room when it was her turn. After signing a sheet acknowledging possible dangers of marijuana, I handed the paper work to the nurse. “Are you in high school?” she asked. “Oh, no. Seriously?” The way she asked me this ques tion sounded as if she was planning on asking me on a date if I wasn’t. “Is that a problem?” I asked.
schoolers,” she said. Great. There went my story. But after a long pause she said, “I’m just gonna pretend I didn’t ask you that question.
I laughed out of shock. Was my nurse advising me to lie to the doctor so I could get pot? And she seemed to really care, as if she felt bad for wasting my time. It was her goal, it
The old lady came out of the exam room. “That’s not a real person in there,” she whispered in an excited tone to the waiting patients. I had no idea what she was talking about and assumed either dementia or drugs were
The number of medical marijuana dispensaries near Sacramento Graphics by Kamira Patel
A second nurse rushed in. She must have been monitoring the Skype sessions. I was so embarrassed. “I’m sorry!” I said. “I thought he wanted me to call.” “Oh that’s okay,” the nurse responded understandingly, but frantically. She typed in an instant message, “sorry that was pt.” I don’t know what “pt” stood for. I thought it might be “patient,” but I’m pretty sure it was the nurse’s initials, as if she was covering for my mistake. The nurse left the room after minimizing Skype and telling me not to touch anything. So I sat on my hands and waited for several minutes more. Suddenly an older man with thin gray hair showed up on the computer. He looked as I greeted him as politely as possible to make up for the premature call. He seemed eager to cut to the chase, but also bored with his routine. “How is medical cannabis going to help your condition?” I started my rehearsed response.
There was no way I was going to get this license. “And you haven’t ever used marijuana?” he asked.
I let out a nervous laugh, realizing how stupid my response sounded. I was a teen, with no idea how to smoke pot, with no one to show me, and with little reason to use it.
which had to be high based on my heart rate, she
“‘I wouldn’t do edibles if you’re new to pot,’ she said. ‘I mean edibles (mess) me up. Like one brownie and I’m out.’”
so I don’t recommend them for beginners. “And you have medical documents to show that you have the burning sensation,” he asked. “Okay, you’re good,” he said. Success.
energy drinks today?” “Uhhh… yes,” I lied. I had drunk only one cup of She went through a list of questions to verify my medical history. When she got to “Are you in high school?”, we both laughed and she reiterated her instructions to avoid this topic, or lie my way through it. Then she asked if I’d ever used cannabis.
61
computer the message, “ready 1.” I was in Exam Room 1. I guessed that this was an invitation to call him.
my heartbeat. Oh, crap. Was this some sort of primitive lie detector?
tion center. How convenient!
The number of cannabis clinics in the Sacramento area listed on Yelp!
at the computer screen. I started to wonder if I needed to do anything, because noth ing was happening. So I clicked on the minimized window for Skype. In the instant message por tion, the doctor had sent my
“Are you surrounded by people who can teach you how to use it?” nurse was apologetic for my wait, nonetheless. “Sorry it took so long,” she said. “Do not get mad at me, okay?” She took me into a separate room to ask me some preliminary questions.
your blood pressure.” lie my way to a license for pot? I cringed, imagining all of the judgmental faces I would receive from the adult patients in the waiting room, from the nurses and from the doctor.
made a lot of sense. After sending my information to the doctor, wherever he was, the nurse led me into the exam room. A computer on a desk was set up facing a chair. I sat down, and the nurse left without telling me what “But after a long pause she said, ‘I’m just gonna to do.
guess they were return customers, as marijuana licenses must be renewed annually with a reexamination. “Eyyy! Whatchoo, doin’?” The nurse said enthusiastically to a young woman who just
“I had suspected this would all be easy—to get the license. But I didn’t think the nursing staff would be rooting for me.”
LAUGHING GRASS
79
an asthmatic. out the paperwork.
COLORADO COCKTAIL
The number of states that have legalized the use of marijuana as medical treatment
“So we use a method called Telemedicine.” She then explained that Telemedicine is basically a normal doctor’s appointment, except the doctor isn’t on site, so the patient talks with the doctor over Skype or FaceTime.
patients stared unhappily out the window. The nurse wasn’t at her desk, so I took a clipboard with paperwork.
drug talks, and that includes most “medical” applications. Because, let’s face it, most medical marijuana users are more interested in get
20
April 29, 2014
“I’ve never used pot.”
I took a few seconds to laugh to myself in the exam room, before going back to the front desk.
Genuinely happy, she printed out the necessary paperwork, complete with a fax of the doctor’s signature.
“So after this appointment,” I said, “I’m unsure I actually want to use pot. I feel too inexperienced. Say I wanted to just forget this whole appointment…? This isn’t trackable,
lying face. this time. “Oh… okay. So are you going to smoke it?” she asked. “I don’t think so,” I said, gesturing towards my lungs with a concerned expression. “I was to keep the pain at bay, but, if anything, it has become worse!” I took a few deep breaths to muster my courage. “I’m not a criminal; I’m just acting,” I reminded myself, heading for the door. After turning the sticky doorknob, I walked into the waiting room, where I saw a large large gauges who looked my age. I silently rejoiced that I wasn’t the only teen there.
one brownie and I’m out.” That cracked me up, and she stared at me as if I was an idiot.
What she told me next shocked me more than anything.
She assured me that it wasn’t, adding that if I wanted to terminate my license, I could do so in person whenever I felt like it, which I did the following week. risk of being traceable. The nurse volunteered that she technically isn’t allowed to recommend a marijuana dis But in a hushed tone, she told me about a good shop that is “hella close” to the evalua tion center. On my way out, she noted that if I drive with marijuana, I should put it in the trunk because if a cop smelled it, I could be arrested for a DUI. She also mentioned that I shouldn’t smoke in my car.
7
8Editorial
The Octagon
“Tardiness” by Jacob Sands
April 29, 2014
By Grant Miner
My Angle The social justice league: Words of peace and love from atop the high horse
EDITORIAL: Teachers, why not try these easy ways to reduce tardiness? There’s no denying it—we have a tardiness problem. In a recent Octagon poll, 77 percent of students adweek (see story, page 2). Yet few of those infractions are recorded, meaning chronic tardiness often goes unpunished. Now don’t get us wrong, we love not suffering lunch One complaint that many students have is that they don’t actually know when they’re marked tardy. Different teachers have different policies: some indiscriminately mark students late after 8:20; some wait until they start teaching; and others are apathetic. It’s great that teachers are free to have their own rules were made clear—or, even better, if teachers simply told their students when they are marked tardy. Obviously, it’s not necessary to point it out if a student is half an hour late, but the border between “on time” and “tardy” can be blurred even 10 minutes into the class period. when a student strolls in after class has begun, but an email or comment after class could work as well and not disrupt the lesson. It would also be helpful if students were emailed
when they are close to getting detentions—that way they wouldn’t be surprised and might be more inclined to improve their behavior. During classes in the middle of the day, teachers tend to be even less strict about marking students tardy. This makes sense, since there is no passing period and students are often let out of classes late, but it can be remedied. Teachers should not continue lecturing past the bell or begin a new topic at 2:39 when the next class begins at 2:40. This habit just causes the next class to run late as well. And on top of that, maybe teachers should be more strict during periods immediately after breaks. That Perhaps it would be better to have a brief passing period between classes, so it would be entirely the student’s responsibility to be on time and the teachers would not have to be subjective in their policies. just be counterproductive because it would further encourage students to dawdle between classes. And, of course, the ultimate solution to the tardiness issue is for students to just show up to class on time— but that may be a losing battle.
The Octagon Editors-in-Chief Garrett Kaighn Connor Martin Kamira Patel Online Editors-in-Chief Ryan Ho David Myers Copy Editor Garrett Kaighn Business Manager Garrett Kaighn News Editor Emma Williams Editorial Editor Zoe Bowlus Community Editor Grant Miner Sports Editors Micaela Bennett-Smith Eric Hilton Centerpoint Editor Kamira Patel
Opinion Editor Maxwell Shukuya Feature Editors Connor Martin Aishwarya Nadgauda Photo Editor Cissy Shi Assistant Copy Editor Amelia Fineberg Reporters Avi Bhullar Daniel Hernried Zane Jakobs Elena Lipman Madison Judd Austin Talamantes Manson Tung Cartoonist Jacob Sands Adviser Patricia Fels
The Octagon is published eight times a year by highschool journalism students of Sacramento Country Day School, 2636 Latham Drive, Sacramento, Calif. 95864. Phone: (916) 481-8811, ext. 347. The online Octagon (www.scdsoctagon.com) is updated daily.
Orchids
&
Onions
When visiting colleges, you’ll notice that there are certain buzzwords that get thrown around a lot by admissions officers and tour guides. “Inviting, welcoming, diverse, rigorous, student leadership.” If you’re ever bored, write them down in rows and play bingo with your parents. One term, however, makes me wince every time it’s said: “social justice.” It’s an odd word to wince at, to be sure. It’s almost like finding freedom of speech and religious tolerance concepts that should be avoided in polite company. Nevertheless, the discussion of “social justice” has worked its way into my list of taboos, along with religion, politics and money. This is because when a college admissions officer tells me that their students are dedicated to social justice, I almost always know what they mean. While two or three out of every 10 “social justice warriors” may dedicate their free time to noble causes such as volunteerism and other altruistic endeavors, most are fighting the good fight from behind their laptops. They will usually have a Tumblr (a popular blog site) in which they will catalogue the various ways they are victimized by society. In a very (very) small percentage of cases, the legitimate problems that exist between genders, races and sexual preferences in our society will be addressed. However, most of the rhetoric spewing from these new-age soapboxes is about how horrible it is that the new “Disney” princess is white and that her very existence is the worst thing to happen to women’s rights in the past century. The core tenet of these communities is the checking of “privilege.” “Privilege” is the social status by which people are sorted by race, sexual preference, gender and other social statistics to see who is allowed to have a voice in the current discourse. The irony is, apparently, lost on them. As a white, heterosexual male, my privilege-o-meter is off the charts. Thus, unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), my opinions on the matter will never be considered. After all, how can they retain their reputations of being open-minded if they let just anyone speak his mind? Just keep walking on those eggshells and be quiet, because if you say something, someone, somewhere will be offended. But, hey, I’ve been told I’m 1/256 Native American, so at least I have that going for me.
rchids to. . . Student Council for making the talent show extra exciting.The Newlywed Game was amusing, and the prizes hidden under the chairs were a fun addition.
O
nions to. . . the weather gods for sending rain on Grandparents’ Day. Because of you, the picnic had to be cancelled. Way to put a damper on the day!
O
rchids to. . . the Easter bunny for delivering eggs. And thank you to those generous teachers who contributed bonus points for their classes to hide in the eggs.
nions to. . . the pesky wasps that swarm around the lockers. We don’t want wasp stings; we just want insect-free access to our books and backpacks.
O
O
The Octagon
Opinion 9
April 29, 2014
S
ometimes, the normal menu doesn’t cut it. That’s why we’ve sought out the secret menu items at popular places near school. These dishes don’t appear on the menus. Instead, they are passed on by word of mouth or over the Internet.
n u e m
secret Exploring Jamba’s dirty side
I walked in and asked the man for a screaming orgasm. After paying and leaving, I realized that Mom, don’t worry; it’s not what you think. The “Screaming Orgasm” is actually an item on the “secret” menu at Jamba Juice. If the thought of more smoothie goodness than you ever imagined is getting the better of you right now, you aren’t alone. I, too, was amazed when I heard about the list. To see how good these secret recipes really are, I went to the Jamba Juice in Loehmann’s Pla za and asked for these three secret smoothies: Fruity Pebbles, Screaming Orgasm and Choco late Covered Strawberries.
tasted like a sweet, creamy milk shake. It’s made with soy milk and lime, raspberry, pineapple and orange sherbets. I can’t enjoy smoothies when they are cloyingly sweet.
I can’t believe it’s not cocaine
For most teenagers, this mantra is one of the
Nachos aren’t the big cheese at Chipotle
to Chipotle hundreds, if not thousands, of times, and I had never heard of these options until the week before. Instead, the waiter nonchalantly prepared my secret items. In fact, the only way to visibly tell that I wasn’t getting some
in my usual fare: black beans, chicken, mild and medium salsa, guacamole, sour cream, more cheese and, of course, lettuce.
“I had even higher expectations for the Screaming Orgasm, but, yet again, I was disappointed.” ing Orgasm, but, yet again, I was disappointed. It tasted like a Strawberry Surf Rider, a smooth ie on the regular menu, and there was nothing unique about it. The ingredients include peach juice, strawber ries, mangoes, and pineapple sherbet. My favorite was the Chocolate Covered Strawberries smoothie. It was rich and velvety ever had a Chocolate Moo’d, it tastes like that but with strawberries added. It’s made with fro zen yogurt and strawberries. Overall, I wasn’t really pleased with the smoothies I chose; however, these are just three vors, just look up “Jamba Juice secret menu list”
is His prophet. Understandably, one can get tired of the or place, even with the seasonal drinks, so here are some suggestions that aren’t the usual fare.
“The drink is four shots of espresso over ice with four pumps of white chocolate syrup mixed in.”
gooey nature of the quesadilla. The melted cheese was a glue that held everything together in a way my mouth just hadn’t felt be fore. However, the layer of melty goodness was far too thin for my The drink is four shots of espresso over ice with and seasoned chicken, rendering it quite mundane. Overall, the quesarito was good, but not as good as the lauda has its own Facebook page that you can like. Fun fact: it already
Like I said: cocaine, but not illegal. Of course, you can adjust the syrup to taste. But with four pumps, it’s pretty sweet.
My quesarito was rung up at the price of a regular burrito quesadilla on how the bill is rung up.
all. Instead, the usual shredded cheddar cheese was lightly sprin kled on top. Nachos should be about the cheese and the chips, and Chipotle’s are lacking in that department In addition, the chips became soggy almost instantly, creating My advice is to stick with Chipotle’s original fare. They don’t
just to name a few.
items
with one, two or three shots of espresso added. If
If you’re in the mood for chai, but want a little kick, you can order a “Dirty Chai,” which is a chai latte with a shot of espresso. Theoretically, you can order more shots, but make sure it’s still chai with espresso instead of the other way around. Though Peet’s doesn’t have all of the tools to compete with Starbucks’s “breakfast milk shakes,” some creativity can still be managed. If you’re not very fond of sleeping, that is.
10 News
Medallion: Asst. librarian in line to replace long-time yearbook adviser
The Octagon the day. It’s almost like being Clark Kent, she said. “Only I can’t
yearbook class. However, she has experience working with azine in college. Hawkins said she is “nervously excited” about taking on this new position.
Altman: Both of this year’s chemistry teachers here only one semester
advisers there.
Hawkins said she thinks the convention helped give her a Medallion class next year.
“We would be delighted to have him return,” he said. Assistant librarian Mollie Hawkins will advise the Me
April 29, 2014
chemistry will have yet another twist.” Despite their worries, both Lally and Conner said they
tacts and learned a lot
Some students, however, are less worried about the change.
making a great year book better.” Going to the convention also al lowed her to spend time with some
“I got to learn a lot about the way they share ideas and work as a team. “Also, there’s nothing like bond ing over long air port lines or a
knows how the class is going to be, including the teacher’s style, personality and expectations,” Conner said.
liked that she used visual aids to help us better understand
“(Rickert) has been such a great leader with yearbook, so I have really big —Mollie Hawkins, assistant librarian
school in the South.
he or she will do a great job.”
year.
having a good college textbook. The teacher is just there to
adjustment when the new chemistry teacher starts.
When asked what he will miss most about Altman, Lally tion. “I know it will be really special,” she said. “I’m really ex possible.
Yearbook adviser Joel Rickert works on his laptop in the French room, which doubles as the yearbook workroom. (Photo by Cissy Shi)
greatly missed.” “Dr. Altman’s strong work ethic, her kind and calm ap proach to students, and her ability to help students under
The Octagon
Remainder11
April 29, 2014
Renovations: L-shaped building should go next
“It’s progressing, it is getting better—it’s just sometimes I feel like I’m the last guy in line. And that’s just the way it is.” —Bob Ratcliff, band director
“What would I want? I’d want the Mondavi Center.” —Bob Ratcliff
Swimming: junior girl says she’s never been happier
Thanks for
keeping us in the black...
The Martin Family The Williams Family The Tung Family The Bowlus Family The Judd Family The Hilton Family
12 Feature
DIETING
DUDES
The Octagon
April 29, 2014
Pick up any Cosmopolitan magazine from the past month and chances are you’ll
By Maxwell Shukuya Junior Ryan Hoddick
Manson Tung
Junior George Cvetich
Junior Grant Miner
Graphic by Kamira Patel and Connor Martin