October 31, 2014
OXNARD HIGH SCHOOL, 3400 W. GONZALES ROAD, OXNARD, CA. 93036
Volume 8 Issue 1
Drops Reign Over Futures
The Big Picture
OHS staff speaks out about an unfortunate truth By Aime Cano and Mayra Sanchez
People at Oxnard High School talk about their perspective on life By Vitaliy Kostylov and Tatyana Sharpe
“Young people often don’t make plans beyond tomorrow,” said Oxnard High School Migrant and Law Education Counselor Mr. Emigdio Cordova. “As adults, it is our job to educate and enlighten our students to look at options beyond tomorrow and look at five years from now, what kind of career they want to have. They, as students, must take the initiative to find out how they can get there,” said Mr. Cordova. Some students see going to school five days out of the week as an unwanted obligation. What sets some of them apart from others is that the ones still attending school have goals in mind, such as graduating. OHS Advancement Via Individual Determination (A.V.I.D.) Coordinator, Ms. Wendy Henchy said that she would like the dropout rate to “decrease...we’re getting better at systems that work to support our students.” OHS principal Dr. Riegert has been noticing great changes in students’ attitude towards school. He said, “It seems like kids are a little more engaged now. I think as teachers we are doing a good job in the classroom with our students. At the same time,
we see students being very serious about school. If we look at our dropout rates, they have decreased in the last four or five years.” It would be in the educator’s interest to understand the reason students drop out of high school. Sometimes the reasons are not always under the students’ control. “I think they lose hope, and they have so many life obstacles in their way. The lack of positive self-esteem is also a contributing factor to the dropout rate,” Ms. Henchy said. “I think they sometimes just don’t believe in themselves or they have so many other pressing responsibilities that an education is the least of their worries.” Responsibility is a key factor for educational success. According to Dr. Riegert, “Kids need to take responsibility for their education. Sometimes they do have situations at home that get in the way of it, but every case is different, and there is never one solution. The biggest role goes out to the adults. As adults, we need to realize that a failure grade is unacceptable now. A kid must want to pass to get a grade, and the teacher also has to want that kid to pass.”
Decisions, Decisions How university systems differ By Berenise Alfaro and Luis Arevalo
For students applying to universities, the most difficult decision might be deciding which school suits their career path. But how do the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), and private universities’ differ? Each system has a unique set of admission requirements. According to the College Board, UC’s require “A-G” courses. A 3.0 minimum grade point average (GPA), high scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT), extra-
curricular activities, and two personal statement essays are necessities. The CSU system also requires “A-G” courses, a minimum 2.0 GPA, an average score on the SAT or ACT, and consider extracurricular activities. Private schools differentiate from public California universities since there is no set minimum GPA, but require the SAT or ACT, extracurricular activities are highly influential on acceptance as well as letters of recommendation. Although every school
“Life is one big question... You have to find the answer,” said Oxnard High School junior Cisco Rangel. Some people go through difficult situations in life, but it is the attitude that counts.
Teenagers have to experience maturity in order to reach adulthood.
There are different challenges and obstacles during the process of living. One particular challenge that OHS junior Juan Rodriguez had to face was the absence of a parent. Rodriguez said, “It’s just me and my mom...Wherever my dad is, I don’t care anymore. He never helped me...he’s not gonna’ help me now...Don’t let it hold you down, it could be as bad as it seems but, the fact that someone still loves you, is enough to hold or keep you up.” The meaning of life is to be
has considerably different acceptance rates, the average UC admittance is lower than a CSU. According to the University of California and California Colleges, as of fall 20132014 the average UC rate is 39.5 percent, CSU rate is 58.5 percent, and private schools differ based on the institution. As stated by the University of California Admissions, “the numbers are useful only as a general guide to selectivity and not as a predictor of your chances for admission to a particular campus.” Therefore, there are no set boundaries when it comes to the chances of getting accepted to a cer-
congenial. Rangel said, “Making someone smile is probably the best thing you can get out of life...That just gives you a meaning, that gives you something to live for...Happiness is always where your home is.” Teenagers have to start deciding for themselves, at some point. “It was about tenth grade... That was when I first felt I wanted to be a teacher. I would call it a calling...It gave me a goal to shoot for as far as my education,” said mathematics teacher, Mr. John Reynolds. Adults also go through changes in life. “When we moved, it was a big change for our family...It was both positive and negative,” said Mr. Reynolds. “Looking back...There was a lot of loose morals in a lot of ways and my family had raised me...fairly strict but I think it was a good moral upbringing and they can see that I was starting to really kind of stray from those things. Later on in life...We talked about those rocky years…I came around, and it was kind of like sorry I screwed up guys,” said Mr. Reynolds. Whether it be a positive or negative experience, both aspects could define a person’s life.
tain school. Cost is a major factor when deciding which type of university system to attend. An average UC tuition per year costs $33,110 for living on campus and $29,200 for living off campus. According to the UC system, “these expenses are offset by grants and scholarships...over twothirds of UC undergraduates receive some gift aid.” Thus, allowing residents to waive off a large fraction of their fee. A CSU school fee is around $22,000 for on-campus tuition and about $23,000 for off-campus. In addition, private universities prices rank
from $60,000 for on-campus tuition to as low as $18,000, but it mainly depends on the type of school attended. Each university system is diverse. Whether it is a UC, CSU or a private school, the key factor for applicants to remember are the advantages each system can provide.
Photo by Juan Quero San Diego State University.