Raven Report Sequoia High School
Volume Viii, Issue 2
1201 Brewster Ave. Redwood City, CA 94062
October 15, 2014
Powderpuff players sustain multiple injuries Piazza said. Teams were coached by juniors and seniors on the The seniors defeated the varsity football team. In addition to girls who juniors 6-2 in the annual Powderpuff flag football game played football in the game, Oct. 7, but more notably, there were concerns about the game left many players the boys who were cheeron both teams with injuries leading, specifically because they were using flyers withranging in severity. A junior injured her collar- out having been properly bone and was taken to urgent and safely trained to do so. care directly following the Flyers were dropped during practices, game; another “People need to calm and flips were sustained a possible concussion down; it’s just a game not completed the after being tack- that’s supposed to be during performance, led; and a senior fun.” in sprained her —Allison Amaya, resulting backs hitting wrist. junior the ground. “People need Regular to calm down, it’s just a game that’s sup- sports clearance packets reposed to be fun,” junior Al- quire a physical examination signed off by a doctor, as well lison Amaya said. In regular season football, as signatures from the school there are many precautions athletic director, treasurer, taken to prevent injuries such librarian and health office as sports clearance packets, before athletes are allowed to wearing pads and helmets practice. In contrast, the powderand instruction in preventing puff waiver only required a injuries. In the 5-6 practices that signature from a parent and the two teams had to prepare was due the night of the for the game, much of this game. Last year, a player tore her was overlooked, as both teams prioritized gaining the skillset ACL during the game, and last week, during Hillsdale needed to hopefully win. “I thought that, as play- High School’s Powderpuff ers, we could have been more game, a player sustained a informed about the rules and spinal concussion and was how to play more safely, espe- unable to move the right side cially when it came to the de- of her body for seven minfensive line,” senior Brittany utes.
By EMILY DUCKER News Editor
Photos courtesy of Katie Fazio
After juniors and seniors faced off for the annual Powderpuff game, several injuries called the current safety measures into question.
The power of printing: new class reinvents school tech 9 and is taught by tech teacher Cameron Dodge on Tuesdays from 3:455:45 p.m. in room 241. “If [students] start moving in Imagine you could design any- this area, they could change lives,” thing you wanted online and have it Dodge said. “They could come up in your hands within hours. with something that has never been A 3D printing class offered done before.” through SAFE teaches students how Dodge created the SAFE class afto print their own designed objects ter obtaining the $2,000 printer for on campus. The class started on Aug. free from Autodesk, a world leader in By SUNAINA BUTLER and PHILIP TYSON Staff Reporters
Feature:
Teachers, students and social media Page
Spread:
Lunch food, explored
3
Page 4-5
3D printing. He previously taught a Maya elective class, in which students could animate and print designs, but he wanted to make this printer available to all students, so he decided to create the SAFE class. Several students, such as freshman Samuel Reynaga Cazares, are excited by the idea of printing a concrete object. “I tell [the computer] what to do
and it does it. I’m the mind,” Reynaga Cazares said. “It makes me feel powerful because I’m able to make the computer do what I want.” So far he has created an iPod case and a money clip. “Everyone should be in the 3D printing class,” Reynaga said. “It’s available to everyone, and it’s free.” Although the skateboard he had See 3D PRINTING, page 2
Freshmen Officers:
President: Vice President: Secretary: Treasurer:
Maya Metro Katie Uthman Sammie Ellard Geneva Schroeder
2
News
New sign language club educates students about deaf culture
cousin, who attended an American Sign Language class in college. “We want to raise awareness of deaf culture in our school, so that if anyone ever meets The first time you meet someone you say someone deaf, they can help them and make hello, and that’s how you start to connect with them feel more comfortable” said Rosales. Judi Ahonen, Sequoia’s a person. “Hearing loss impacts many Deaf/Hard of Hearing SpeImagine if you couldn’t hear aspects of a person’s life, in- cialist attends the club and that hello, that the connection cluding communication and wants to make connections is never made. learning.” between students that are One way Sequoia is reach—Judi Ahonen, hard of hearing at Sequoia ing out is through new AmeriDeaf and Hard of can Sign Language club. Hearing Specialist and the club members. Ahonen meets with seven The club, founded this year hard of hearing students twice by juniors Emma Cromwell and Brianna Rosales, will teach members the a week to help them with their general educaalphabet as well as key phrases in sign language. tion. “Hearing loss impacts many aspects of a perTheir goal for the year is to have members be able to sign their names and communicate son’s life, including communication and learning,” said Ahonen. with other signers. In addition to teaching sign language, the “I’ve always felt like sign language is a really cool way to communicate and it can really club aims to raise money for deaf schools in expand human interaction, especially when order to help those students get the education you’re limited in other ways,” said junior Leah they need. The club meets every Friday during lunch in Pachkowski, a member of the club. room 225. Rosales was inspired to start the club by her
By DOMINICK GRAHAM and JASLEEN PELIA-LUTZKER Staff Reporters
Photo by Sunaina Butler
Freshman Samuel Reynaga Cazares printed his own money clip and iPhone case.
3D printing from page 1
hoped to make will not fit in Sequoia’s printer’s dimensions, Reynaga Cazares still works toward gaining more knowledge about computers and the CAD program the class has gotten to work with. Freshman Kenya Ontiveros, who was drawn to the class by her love of technology, has also gotten involved with the SAFE class. “I like to make things,” she said. “I’ve always had this little thing with mechanics and tech.” So far she has enjoyed Thingiverse because of the
vast amount of objects she can print, all waiting for the click of a button. She continues to go each week to discover new ideas. Dodge finds everything about the class so exciting because of the path it can lead students toward. He hopes to encourage his class to go after science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) as future courses in life. “I’m hoping students will be making things that meet their needs,” he said. “And if they start to create things people want, they could start their own business.” The ability to do so much with 3D printing and CAD
will help the students go after the ambitious pursuit of technology. Dodge likes this idea because as a teacher, he gets to learn with the students and grow in his knowledge of design, too. Best of all for Sequoia students, they can drop in at any time, and they’ll be able to print something tangible that they can take home. “The students are there just because they want to be there,” Dodge said. “There’s not a lot of pressure because I don’t have to give tests and exams. And the students are able to walk away with something that they built in their hands. That’s pretty exciting.”
Corrections from Issue 1: In the “Save the Date” spread, the date of Prom was incorrectly listed. Prom is May 2. In “Gender Equality at Sequoia,” interviewee Nicole Hwang is a sophomore.
October 15, 2014
Pamoja offers online elective alternatives
natio, a course that allows students who started in Spanish I in high school to take an SL Spanish course. “In online learning, the Juniors Anna Spaletta content is not just focused and Purvi Tandel thought on the basic fields like the IB Diploma was out of reading and writing, listentheir reach when they re- ing and comprehension,” alized they could not take Tandel said. “You also get IB Spanish this school year. involved in the culture and Then they heard about get to experience the culPamoja, a program that of- ture.” Some courses present fers IB elective courses online, and now that diploma the information in an inis within their reach once teractive classroom set-up, where students can press a again. This is the second year “raise hand” button to anSequoia has offered Pamo- swer a question posed in ja, an IB site that connects real-time by the professor, get involved students from discusaround the “You’re behind sev- in world in an in- en hours, and if you sions or talk teractive class- don’t schedule your directly with room to fulfill Skype as soon as it the professor the requirements goes up, you might to practice for certain IB get your interview at oral skills for foreign lanelectives. 3 a.m.” Students can —Anna Spaletta, guage classchoose between junior es. This forsix groups of mat allows classes to take on their own time, in their students to interact with their peers from all over the own homes. “Communication is real- world, but it can also cause ly stressed in online-learn- complications with timing. “You’re behind seven ing because we are not in a face-to-face environment,” hours, and if you don’t Tandel said. “There are dis- schedule your Skype as cussions and forums where soon as it goes up, you we post our comments and might get your interview at 3 a.m.,” Spaletta said. issues.” Students work with Pamoja was introduced at Sequoia in response to classmates and teachers growing concern about from all over the world for the minimal number of IB the duration of the twoelectives currently offered year course. This allows students of at Sequoia, which posed an issue for students with full different backgrounds and schedules who needed an IB cultures to share a multielective to get the diploma. tude of perspectives not Both Tandel and Spaletta always present in the tradiare taking IB Spanish Ab- tional classroom setting. By CLAIRE BUGOS and REBEKAH WESTERLIND Managing Editor and Staff Reporter
The Raven Report is underwritten by the Sequoia High School Education Foundation Follow us: @ravenreport and check out our website ravenreport.org
3
Feature
Oc tober 15, 2014
New adviser energizes ASB with purple spirit By CARMEN VESCIA Managing Editor
New Student Activities Director Corey Uhalde is no stranger to purple pride. Six years’ experience as head coach of the varsity baseball team has taught him a thing or two about spirit, and he’s amassed a collection of purple suits and Hawaiian shirts that make him one of the most easily recognizable teachers on campus. He’s already made a positive impression and helped implement some changes, including moving the homecoming dance to the new gym. “He’s incredibly encouraging and spirited, and he’s just brought this light to our classroom,” senior ASB President Megan Day said. “He’s brought this newfound energy, and he’s given everybody a lot of motivation.” He came to Sequoia in 2009
as a history teacher, and although this marks his first year as Student Activities Director, Uhalde has a background in leadership. “I had a great experience when I was in high school, and mostly it was because I sort of had my hand in a lot of different things,” Uhalde said. “I saw so many people who couldn’t wait to get out of high school, and I wasn’t like that. I loved the time that I spent there; I could have done it over and over again.” Although switching from traditional teaching to being Student Activities Director required adaptations, he’s embraced his new, less-traditional role. “I’m a big supporter of all the non-classroom things that go on on campus. I think that the education that students get while they’re in high school— the academic part—is the most important, but there’s so much
Photo by Carmen Vescia
This is Uhalde’s sixth year at Sequoia and first as Student Activities Director. more that goes into social development,” Uhalde said. “Not all that stuff comes in a textbook, so it’s nice to be able to hit on some of those things.” The change in leadership also required current ASB members to adapt, but Day
was impressed by the relatively smooth transition. “He met us halfway, and he came in confident from the start. He brought his energy and his humor and made it a light-hearted change,” Day said.
Uhalde’s new ideas, such as t-shirt sales for the Palo Alto versus Sequoia football game that brought in $6,000, have started the year well for ASB. “He’s young, so he can connect to the students. He kind of knows what the kids want and what the teachers want,” sophomore ASB member Colston Reinhoff said. Uhalde has high hopes for the upcoming year and aims to improve school spirit and involve all students in decisions about school culture and events by keeping his door open. “If I’m bringing one thing to the class, I really just hope it’s energy,” Uhalde said. “This is a job that will never end. There are always improvements that can be made, and I just hope that by being energetic and fully committed to those changes and that progress myself, that it will reflect in the output that’s visible to everyone.”
Teachers who tweet: student-staff social media interactions spark discussion about policy By TREVOR CROWELL and ERIK HUISMAN Staff Reporters The increasing trend of teachers and students interacting on social media has recently received negative attention and raised questions about comments and posts made in cyberspace. Earlier this April, Krista Hodges, a teacher at Newark Memorial High School in the East Bay, tweeted about what would be the best things about the end of the school year: “To be away from the ones who truly test my patience and make my trigger finger itchy.” Hodges was disciplined by the district with a written reprimand. She has since apologized for her self-proclaimed unprofessional behavior and continued to teach at Newark Memorial. However, the tweets led to a full-scale police investigation. As numbers of student and teacher social media users have mounted, it has become common for teachers to integrate this style of communication into their classrooms. Teachers tweet, post homework on Facebook or use Instagram in classes. Often times this communication can be helpful and key in the success of students. However, this method of communication has generated discussions about social media policy at school. “There is a district technology agreement for teachers and administrators regarding network services and comput-
ers. But as far as social media, no, there is no written policy,” Principal Sean Priest said. Because of the lack of policy, many students and teachers use social media as a way to connect for educational purposes regarding school work, but also for athletics and other activities. “It’s a really easy way to access the students,” French teacher Karina Chin said. “If all the kids are on Facebook, then I might as well create something for them that is really easy to use.” Chin uses a Facebook page to post homework or other assignments specifically for her class.
Due to the sheer number of social media users, teachers and coaches are finding it easier to use these websites as an advantage like a Facebook page where students can look up homework or upcoming class events. Some AVID teachers, sports coaches or club advisers also use Twitter, Instagram or Facebook to provide advertising for certain events in that class or activity. “Before [Sequoia] adopted School Loop, we didn’t really have any way to communicate to kids about class assignments or homework,” Chin said. But the line is drawn at educational purposes for social media. Most teachers
don’t ‘friend’ students while they are still in school. Despite the lack of defined district policy on teacher and student interaction on social media, there have been past occasions of suspensions for overstepped boundaries on social media interaction. “Inappropriate behavior is inappropriate behavior, no matter the platform,” Priest said. And, as social media grows, the question of policy in this type matter is being addressed. However, whether a direct rule is the best solution remains an unanswered question. “I could see that coming because social media is on the rise,” Chemistry teacher Jamie Beacom said. “But most teachers are responsible and they morally know what is right and wrong to write or say.” Although Beacom does not use social media for class assignments, he regularly posts on his Twitter account that students have access to. Still, the very fact that issues have arisen keeps the conversation on social media rules alive. Though incidents can be a very serious matter, some look past these problems and see how a social media can be a valuable tool that schools can have inside the classroom. Beacom said, “As long as it is being used properly, social media can be a organized and good way for ensuring maximum success of students by connecting it to something they use every day.”
Special
4
Veteran cafeteria workers serve district for over 20 years
Breaking down
With more than 700 hungry students buying lunches every day, cafeteria operators have a lot on their hands. We sat down with veteran workers Eva-Lena Lyssand and Losehina Pupunu, who together have worked in the food service for 40 years, to see what their daily schedule is like. Can you describe an average work day for you? LP: I get here at 6:30 a.m. EL: We start preparing breakfast and then we start preparing lunch, we have to inspect and wash the fruits and we set up our stations with all that is necessary like trays and napkins and condiments and get milk ready, so we’re constantly working. After that, of course, there’s cleanup, prepping for the next day, washing trays, ordering all the foods from different places. LP: Our day finishes at quarter after one, but sometimes it goes later.
What is the best part of your job? LP: I like communicating with the kids and making them happy. I get personal with the kids, you know I say ‘I’m happy to see you today,’ I greet them very normally when I see them. EL: I really enjoy the students here—they make me smile, they make me laugh, they’re funny, they’re wonderful kids. LP: If you’re nice to the kids, the kids are nice to you. If you mistreat the kids then you know they won’t come back to you (laughs). EL: It’s just mutual respect I think...the nicer [we] are at the window, and the more they know exactly what they want [and the lines go faster]. If they stand there and procrastinate, then the lines go slow, and that’s not good. We need to get everybody served quickly, so they can sit down for lunch.” LP: Our main focus is to make the kids happy, what their needs are, what they want, what they want to eat, and provide for them. EL: If they don’t like a certain product, we relay that to our big boss and we try something else.
What is most rewarding about being in food service? EL: You [meet students] first when they’re short and small freshmen and they’re all so cute and naive, and then when they’re seniors it’s like ‘Oh wow, where are you going to go?’ I always ask that, and it’s so exciting. [It] is just so important that they continue their education.” EL: I had one student two years ago who wrote me a card before she graduated and that was really [good] to hear because it was important that I made her smile everyday. If we could hear that more often from students, that would be great. I just want them to realize that we are human, like their parents or normal people. We’re not just these food service people hidden in the background. That’s why I like to interact with the kids. LP: The kids give me gifts every year, for thanks for my service, they always say ‘you’re the best lunch lady.’
Read more at ravenreport.org —XAVI BOLUÑA and ABIGAIL WANG
School Lu
School lunch is an integral part of so man people actually get all three meals at Seq total eat lunch served here every day. But v the long process behind making the m The Raven Report looked at the compone the purchasing of produc
Café Sequo
Multiple open serving windows would increase speed of service A salad bar for those onl interested in veggies
Another water bottle filling station to keep students hydrated
Circular tables to increase inclusivity and a café-like feel
A redesign of the multi-purpose room would encourage students Circular tables, improved flow for ordering food, and fruit and v students requested in a survey. Staff Editorial
School lunches deserve more appreciation
School lunches: cursed with the bad reputation of being terrible food since high schools first started handing out trays. We’ve all heard and probably voiced complaints about how unappealing school food is, often without actually knowing how the food tastes or stopping to think about who prepares it. However, it’s time we appreciate the hard work that goes into feeding our school and realize the negative ef-
fects our complaints can have. From the workers in the district office to the lunch ladies who hand you the finished products wrapped in foil, an incredible amount of time and care is put into each and every entree. The process begins at 4 a.m. when we’re all fast asleep and doesn’t end until the late afternoon when SAFE meals are handed out. Eight women make thousands of meals every day at the district office.
They do their best to supply us with both healthy and tasty food. Sure, it’s easy for us to complain since we’re not the ones waking up before dawn. But since we aren’t, a little gratitude will go a long way. The team of lunch ladies also works all day feeding the 500-600 students who eat brunch and 700 who eat lunch, so they deserve our recognition, not our grumbles. A simple smile and thank you when they hand
us our food could let them know we appreciate all they do to keep our stomachs full. Even though some might argue insulting the food can’t be hurtful, around 50 percent of students here are part of the Free and Reduced Lunch Program, and some of them only eat the meals they have at school. By dismissing the food as disgusting or unhealthy, we can unintentionally make our classmates uncomfortable
Feature
unch
ny students’ days, and many quoia. Over 700 students in very few people understand meals students eat every day. ent of school lunches, from ce to eating in the cafeteria.
oia
ly
Free fresh fruit to take for snacks
5
Lunches made fresh every day by small staff in district facility By DALIA JUDE and CLAIRE BUGOS Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor Among the long lunch lines lie common misconceptions about the origins of the food that serves an average of 700 students every day at Sequoia. It takes approximately eight hours for the food students eat at lunch to be prepared, transported and distributed at the lunch windows at Sequoia—and it is all done by eight people for a district of about 10,000 students. Arriving at the food preparation and distribution facility near the district offices at 4 a.m. and working until 10 a.m., the production staff at 300 James St. does everything from assembling salads to wrapping burritos fresh daily. “We buy fruits and vegetables from local growers [in] Stockton and the [Central] Valley,” said Nora DeCaro, Director of Food Services for the SUHSD. “For the most part, we’re able to get our fruits and vegetables locally so we don’t have to resort to canned fruit.” Contrary to popular belief, all of the ingredients are delivered to the production facility each day and the entrees are prepared to be served at that day’s breakfast, brunch, lunch and after school SAFE mealtimes. “They do all the prep, and then we have a cooler over here and we have two trucks that take all of this food out in
the morning so your sandwich is made food she serves. in the morning and it’s delivered to “If I’m not willing to eat it myself I’m your school site in time to be served for certainly not going to consider serving it lunch,” DeCaro said. “Students have to students. I’m very unhappy with some this perception that the food isn’t freshly of the [food] that I’ve seen, and it’s getmade every day; that somehow it’s com- ting to be a little bit more challenging to ing from I don’t know where.” find food products that we can afford to At Sequoia, about half of the student serve on the lunch program that I conbody is part of the Free and Reduced sider to be food,” she said. Lunch program, a government-subsiAt Sequoia alone, an average of 700 dized initiative which students are served decreases the cost of lunch and 500-600 eat “Students have this perceplunch for students whose breakfast and brunch. tion that the food isn’t freshly families meet income This leaves DeCaro made every day; that somehow qualifications. and her staff to find a it’s coming from I don’t know This year the district balance between ensurwhere.” has switched to 100 ing every student that —Nora DeCaro, percent whole grain needs lunch gets fed Director of Food Services products in continuing and limiting leftovers with the wellness policy to reduce waste. DeCathat was set in place in 2010 to ensure ro’s goal is to limit lunch leftovers to 20 a healthier standard for food served on entrees or fewer per day, though that school campuses. This policy is what number is often higher when there is a prompted the switch from soda to fruit conflicting school event that serves food juice in the vending machines and regu- simultaneously. lates the type of snack food served based Although DeCaro has reached out to on nutritional content. organizations such as Second Harvest “We have very similar items on the Food Bank, the cooked meals do not fit menu that we’ve always pretty much their needs, and are thus thrown away at had, but they’re really brand new this the end of each day. year because the recipes have been redeAs shown in our diagram (left), a resigned to meet these requirements. So cycling and composting system in Seyou’re secretly getting more whole grains quoia’s cafeteria would help to cut down and more fruits and vegetables, and you Sequoia’s environmental footprint, foldon’t even know it,” DeCaro said. lowing the implementation of the popuApart from state regulations, DeCaro lar reusable water bottle filling station has her own standards for the quality of outside the MPR.
Sequoia Says:
If you could change one thing about the cafeteria, what would it be? Graphic created by Dalia Jude and Claire Bugos using easel.ly
s to eat more school lunch. vegetable offerings are what
n
or embarrassed. Sure, school lunches aren’t gourmet. But how could we expect them to be? Sometimes they’re soggy or cold, but they’re always prepared thoughtfully. We should be thoughtful in return. This can be as simple as thanking the lunch ladies when they serve us, informing others of the hard work that goes into preparation and showing some respect by stifling our complaints.
“There’s never enough food [for everyone. We should] split up lunch periods so freshmen are with sophomores and juniors are with seniors.” —Senior Lourdes Gomez “Faster lines. It was better when we could go to any window for whatever food we wanted.” —Junior Yazmin Moreno “If there’s a game going on, like a Giant’s game, have it playing up on a big screen in the cafeteria.” —Freshman Cristian Navarro “Bring back teriyaki chicken. Oh, and more comfortable [cafeteria chairs]— a little cushy for your tushie.” —Senior Roberto Alvarez —Compiled by Claire Bugos, Xavi Boluña and Abigail Wang
Most popular entrée: spicy chicken
6
Feature/Opinion
October 15, 2014
All Shook Up: The fall musical is in full swing with five rehearsals per week. Here we feature a cast member and an unappreciated aspect: tech crew.
Musical cast member transcends physical limits By EMMA BLUMENGREEN Staff Reporter This year’s fall musical will shake things up on Nov. 21 with 29 cast members, including one who will roll her way into the spotlight. “There is this one part where some people have to do back flips across the stage,” said Junior Nate Bartoshuk who plays the lead male role. “And there’s a girl who Remy lets hop on the back of her wheelchair. There’s this huge smile on Remy’s face and it’s really heart warming.” Photo by Rebekah Westerlind During rehearsals, coordiZerber participates in the musical’s ensemble numbers. nation and footwork pose as challenges to freshman Remy As results came back, Zer“I am honored to work with Zerber, who enjoys dancing ber discovered she got a part her, I truly am,” Reibstein said. the most. in the ensemble. Zerber ad“There are times when I don’t “I like that we get to move mits she wasn’t expecting to a lot,” Zerber said. “Even even think of her challenges, get cast but was excited when though I can’t do it with my but think of her as just part of she did. feet, I try to do it with my the show, and that’s because of Bartoshuk was pleased by how she presents herself.” hands.” this result as well. Zerber decided to audition Choreographer Lauren “When I saw her at rehearsReibstein does include more for the musical after receiving als, I was really excited,” Bararm movements into the a flyer from her teacher. toshuk said. “I can’t walk, but I’ve recovchoreography but also be“I’m excited that she gets lieves Zerber has the ability ered [my ability to] talk,” Zerthat opportunity.” ber said. “I’m just not so loud.” to overcome her challenges.
Age does matter: Keep the Halloween spark without trick-or-treating By SABRINA VILLANUEVA AVALOS Opinion Editor There comes a time in life where we must turn in our beloved Halloween costumes and pick up some candy to give out to the next generation of little trick-or-treaters, who are probably our brothers and sisters. I know this is a harsh reality to face, but it is part of growing up. I’m not saying you have to stop at 5 years old, but if you’re a high schooler planning your trick-or-treating route, maybe you should reconsider the way you spend the holiday. It’s difficult to determine a specific age, so ask yourself this. Are you still shopping in the kid section of costumes, or have you graduated to the adult aisle? If you said the adult aisle… I
think you know what I’m going to say. Unsure of how to spend your Halloween night? Have no fear, there are plenty of events going on so you don’t miss out on the fun. Head to a block party filled with kids and adults. There are houses to visit if you really can’t resist, but typically people just leave giant bins of candy outside to fulfill the community’s every need. Or head into a haunted house for some real childhood fun. The spirit of Halloween is not just asking for candy; it’s facing your fears and laughing at your reactions later. Open your mind and try something new. There are so many other opportunities on this day, and you can even munch on some treats while you’re at it. So hang up your witches’ hats and cat tails; it’s time to start carving the pumpkin and stop being one. Let the little ones take control of the trick-ortreating, and move on to bigger and better candy endeavors.
Photo courtesy ofTalitha Cargill
Tech members have access to this bird’s eye view when controlling the lighting.
Tech lights up Carrington’s stage By CAMRYN HABECKER Staff Reporter Few people know about those who work behind the scenes: tech crew, an afterschool activity for students who want to learn about the technical side of theater. “When you walk in, you feel scared, but everyone is very nice and supportive; we’re like a big family,” senior Henry Blas said. Tech crew has a lot of jobs. “We all do a bit of everything. I focus a lot on lights and do some sound things. We build sets and construct them,” sophomore Talitha Cargill said. The instructor for the crew is Dave Briggs, more com-
monly known as ‘Papa Bear.’ “I like to think that I’m teaching them a lot of stuff they will use in the future,” Briggs said. Students learn basic programming, building sets, using a soundboard and working the lights. Occasionally on the weekends tech crew works for private shows that are hosted in Carrington Hall, including a church group held every Sunday, rehearsals for talent shows and shows presented by people unaffiliated with the school. “They don’t get enough recognition,” sophomore Colston Rienhoff said. “There would be no show without tech.”
Sequoia High School
Raven Report 2014-2015
Editor-in-Chief Dalia Jude Managing Editors Claire Bugos Carmen Vescia News Editor Emily Ducker
Feature Editor Abigail Wang
Opinion Editor Sports Editor Sabrina Villanueva Avalos Lily Friebel Online Editor Glenn Billman Staff Reporters Emma Blumen-Green, Xavi Boluña, Sunaina Butler, Samantha Caswell, Lauren Cresta, Trevor Crowell, Isabel DeCastro, Nora Fossenier, Dominick Graham, Camryn Habecker, Erik Huisman, Madeline Pei, Jasleen Pelia-Lutzker, Cam Rebosio, Chaz Rosado, Zack Rosenblatt, Madalene Schorr, Mars Svec-Burdick, Philip Tyson, Iridian Villanueva, Erik West, Rebekah Westerlind Adviser Kim Vinh
October 15, 2014
7
Feature
Talent show embraces Hispanic culture The Spanish Club talent show, which took place Oct. 3 at 7 p.m., was hosted as a fundraiser for the club’s upcoming trip to Spain. The night was filled with performances ranging from singing and dancing to banjo and jazz. The night ended with a raffle for prizes including Spanish soccer jerseys and Sequoia merchandise.
Top: Jazz band opened the show with three performances. Right: Junior Teagan Webb was introduced to the banjo and bluegrass music at the Strawberry Music Festival, which she attends each year with family and friends. Webb remembers seeing a performer that she knew playing the banjo at the festival and it caught her eye. “I love that [the banjo] sounds so cool, [yet] it doesn’t take that much effort,” Webb said.
Top: Junior James Kiraly played a saxophone solo. Kiraly has been around music his entire life, leading him to join Jazz Club his freshman year. “I love the freedom and the idea of playing what you want and creating new music,” he said.
Right: Junior Jason Escobedo tap danced.
—Compiled by IRIDIAN VILLANUEVA
Photos courtesy of Katie Fazio
Class overcrowding leads to additional summer courses By LAUREN CRESTA and NORA FOSSENIER Staff Reporters
With a record high population of 2,115 students and an average class size of 34 some students will be forced to take science classes this summer. These classes will be held at local community colleges, including Foothill College which is almost 15 miles away. They will be paid for by Sequoia, rather than by the students attending them. The district gives each school a certain amount of money for staffing summer courses, which is based off of how many students need to take classes over the summer. Sequoia also uses money from SHS Education Foundation funds. “When I first went in my Chemistry class, there weren’t enough seats. There were people sitting at lab tables,” sophomore Gabi Siguenza said. Some larger classes have also been broken into two periods to reduce the amounts of students in one class. A fifth period Chemistry class was
added to accommodate students from other overflowing periods. Teachers find that when there are more students to teach, they have fewer chances to speak to students oneon-one and help them with individual issues, keeping them from grasping concepts or making connections. “With larger class sizes, there’s more demands on my time and energy,” Biology teacher Rebecca Rush said. “Each student will have their own questions, and it’s my job to answer them.” However, in classes such as Dance P.E., having more students can be beneficial and add to the feel of the dance. The SUHSD has received a bond for $265 million for construction projects that will help accommodate the influx of students in the coming years. “[For] long term plans and goals, we’re going to need more facilities,” Instructional Vice Principal Stephen Ready said. “I think from my office the biggest thing is that we’ll need more staffing.” Sequoia plans on adding a new building, prioritizing science labs and traditional classrooms.
Girls volleyball
Photo courtesy of Debra Carrubba
“I think we’re a really tall team, so we have a lot of strength in the offense, and we work really well together.” —Angela Hudelson, senior
Record: 4-1
For more mid-season reports, see page 8
8
Sports
October 15, 2014
Day in the life: taking a swing at golf
pened. I swung the driver as hard as I could, felt the raw power of the weighted club and I’ve never been one for the began to believe in myself. And in that moment, hisquiet, peaceful art of golf. Hitting things with clubs as a form tory was made. I can now of entertainment I can under- proudly call myself the one and stand. But expecting a micro- only golfer who hit the ball so scopic ball to travel hundreds badly it made a 90 degree turn and slammed of yards and into her ankle. into an equally “All my dreams were That’s right—I small hole after accomplished as the ball bruised myself only three hits? went, perfectly straight, golfing. Modern day guided by the hand of After that I miracle. God himself, directly As I was pre- towards the middle of the launched ball after ball into paring to prac- hole... before veering the vast— tice with the catastrophically left.” but incredgirls golf team, ibly close— I tried to psych myself up. I wasn’t too bad at unknown. I hit balls with such mini-golf. Five years ago. This intensity that deer ran from the surrounding trees… straight will be great, I thought. I arrived at Crystal Springs into the driving range. And my Golf Course in Burlingame, swing was so fierce that they stepped past the other golf- came closer, a mere hundred ers practicing on the driving feet away from me, and layed range and examined my destiny down. Which might be a good reftucked behind the rolling brown hills. I wondered if beginner’s erence point for how short my luck is real and embraced the drives actually went. But no deer could keep me power of positive thinking. As the coach handed me a down. As I moved from drivweighted club, I highly doubted ing to putting, I realized that my golf ball would manage to a career as a pro golfer was in go anywhere. But then it hap- my reach. Hole-in-one, hole-in-
By GLENN BILLMAN Online Editor
Photo by Xavi Boluña
You can’t grasp the nuances of a sport from merely observing. After my time with the golf team, I bear witness to the complex, precise movements required to master golf.
one, hole-in-one I chanted. All my dreams were accomplished as the ball went, perfectly straight, guided by the hand of God himself, directly towards the middle of the hole. Before veering catastrophically left. As I continue on with my training, it becomes apparent that I know absolutely nothing
Boys water polo
By LILY FRIEBEL Sports Editor
Record: 1-2
Girls water polo
“Our team’s best strength is our bond. That’s really what we have been building off. Most of us have been playing together, or have known each other for three or more years.” —Natasha Kervick, senior Record: 0-4
Photo by Glenn Billman
Mid-season
reports
—Compiled by Erik West
“We are in the higher division, so it is really hard to win, but we are doing well fighting every match, we have not been winning, but that is fine with us, everybody is improving which is definitely the most important thing.” —Sadie Rhen, junior Record: 0-7
Cross Country
the coaches, the way I swung the club would break my wrists. After my day on the golf team, I can admire the intensity, finesse and concentration that golfing requires. But come next fall, I’ll be back in the pool for water polo season so I can—like in any reasonable sport—drown all who oppose me.
Cheer coach pushes team to their best
“Our main objective for the season is to make CCS. I know that Sequoia boys water polo hasn’t made CCS in 30-40 years.” — Robert Vogel, senior
Girls tennis
about golf. It turns out that the proper way to hold a golf club involves twisting your pinky and pointer fingers together—a method which ensures intense cramping sensations. The way I moved my hips, arms and feet was criticized so many times I felt like a poorly trained backup dancer. And according to
“We run with each other, we work out with each other, in the races we push each other constantly, we pair up when we have to do core work that way we push each other more.” —Charlie Utecht, senior
Girls golf “I think our best strength is keeping positive because if you hit a bad shot you want to go and hit a good one so just shaking it off [is imortant].” —Mady Fitzgerald, sophomore Record: 5-1
The cheerleading team has acquired a new and younger face this year as coach. Sam McLeod, graduate of Woodside High School’s class of 2011, has taken over as head cheer coach in replacement of Stacy Morell. “I was actually a dance team coach, and this is my first time kind of migrating in the cheer world, but it’s been really exciting,” McLeod said. McLeod’s family owns the dance studio, Studio S. Broadway, in downtown Redwood City, where she dances. She was on the dance team at Woodside after she transferred from Saint Francis High School where she was on the cheer team. She is now on a scholarship for cheer at Menlo College. “She acts really mature so we don’t act like we are talking to a friend, [but] she has the power and the authority over us,” captain Meg Sillivos said. This year, the team is focussing on a few common goals: winning at Nationals, improv-
ing team chemistry and achieving their own personal goals. “I enjoy cheer because I like bringing the spirit to the school. That’s the number one aspect of cheer that is so important,” McLeod said. “I told those girls from day one we can throw cool tricks, but if there’s no school spirit, there’s just no point. The more into it they are, the most successful they are going to be.” The coaching style has changed since McLeod took over. She gives the cheerleaders more freedom to help choreograph routines giving them the chance to have their voice heard and express their opinions. They try to come up with new routines for every half time at every home game. “[She] listens to you, she always tries to make sure you’re comfortable. She has a nice style that reflects really well on the routines we do,” junior Brennan Cattalini said. At Nationals last year, the team took home a fourth place title. Their ultimate goal this year is to win overall, but they are hoping to place to move onto the second round.