Raven Report Sequoia High School
Volume vi, Issue 2
P
1201 Brewster Ave. Redwood City, CA 94062
october 24, 2012
Propositions hold high stakes for schools and teachers By LILY HARTZELL Feature Editor Propositions 30 and 32 will both be on the Nov. 6 ballot and directly affect the students and teachers of California. Prop 30 proposes to temporarily increase income taxes, primarily on the rich, to prevent a $6 billion cut to California Education. It would also increase sales tax by .25 percent to prevent budget cuts from programs like Special Education. “It won’t save education in California all by itself, but it’s a necessary temporary fix to lead to ongoing financial reform,” social studies teacher Marc Crownover said. If Prop 30 is not passed, the Sequoia Union High School District will lose over $3 million in state funding in the middle of the year. Class sizes could increase, and there could also be fewer electives. “Clearly [special education and electives] are not programs we are able to or want to cut, so we have to make it up somehow [by] looking at eliminating school days, [maybe] up to 15,” Superintendent Jim Lianides said. Proposition 32 proposes to prevent unions from taking dues directly from their members’ pay checks, which could make administration difficult. It would also make it illegal for them to contribute to Political Action Committees (PACs) or to support a candidate. However, companies would still be able to contribute to PACs and campaigns. “Organized labour would lose its voice overnight if this passed,” Crownover said. “[Proposition 32] would gut [union] finances, mute their voice and watch them wither.” There are several opportunities for students to campaign for both of these propositions. Door knocking and phone banking sessions are being held by organizations around the state, and there is information in the Student Activities Center about specific local events “The more students out there, the more likely we are to convince people to vote. If we don’t care, why should they help us?”said junior Yaser Rodriguez, who has been involved in the Proposition 30 campaign. Polls have shown support for Proposition 30 wavering around 50 percent, which is the majority needed for the initiative to pass. “If Proposition 30 doesn’t pass and 32 does, school districts will be slammed, and they will have no voice with scared teachers who won’t support unions,” Crownover said. “Districts dependent on the state will be creamed, it will be a baseball bat to the head.”
Opinion:
Photo by mark bauhaus
Sammi Gembala mentors her team after being named the Bay Division’s Most Valuable Goalie last year.
Senior Gembala leads team from inside the net By LAUREL DEARBORN Sports Editor Sammi Gembala makes sure her team is awake and in the pool at six in the morning. There is no time to fool around when you’re in the top division and facing water polo powerhouses. There is no time to waste when you’re trying to make it to your third CCS tournament in a row and seven seniors have graduated. Every minute is precious. Gembala, the second-year varsity senior, helps her team from inside the goal, instructing and guiding them on towards opportunities and openings that they cannot see on their own. “As a goalie, you’re the eyes and
Deferred Action and Trust Act offer new opportunities to undocumented students By GLENN BILLMAN Staff Reporter For undocumented students, relief from uncertain situations came in the form of Deferred Action, announced in June. It is designed to help undocumented students become temporary citizens, achieve higher education, and get work permits and driver’s licenses. However, some do not
Sports:
think that the government is doing enough. “I just want [the government] to help undocumented immigrants. We just came here. We give to the country, we aren’t taking anything away. We aren’t getting any help,” sophomore Alexandra Soto said. Without Deferred Action and the DREAM Act, it is difficult for undocumented students to go to college or work legally.
By the Numbers
Five Guys vs. In-N-Out JV football performs Haka
Page 4
the ears of the team,” Gembala said. told me to go get a green packet, “As much as it’s a team sport, there fill it out and turn it in. I showed has to be somebody that’s going to up for practice the next day.” be there and tell you what to see. Knochenhauer still rememYou have to be there for your team bers that day and is thankful and be able to back them up because that he spoke up when he did. you’re the last line of defense.” “Our team was not very large and Looking at she was anthe senior now, “When you win something like that other person it may come as it isn’t about just what you’ve done. that didn’t a surprise that It’s about the fact that you have a drown and team behind you that trusted you.” Gembala alcould swim,” —senior Sammi Gembala most didn’t try he said. out for the wa“She was ter polo team her freshman year. always athletic, so I knew she “I ended up walking onto the would be a good addition.” pool deck to watch a water polo Last year, during Gemgame [one day] and Coach Dave bala’s first season on varsity, [Knochenhauer] said ‘why aren’t you she earned the title of Most Go to GEMBALA, page 8 in the pool?’” Gembala said. “He
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students ride their bikes to school each day.
“Over the years, I have seen [undocumented] students work so hard to be successful and to pursue their education, and then be denied access to college,” DREAM Club adviser Jane Slater said. “For these students, what is most unfair is that they did not make the decision to come to this country, their parents did.” Deferred Action tries to address Go to DEFERRED, page 2
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bikes can fit in the new bike rack.
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News
Invisible Children inspires students brother tried to escape...[but they] caught him and he was slaughtered before us,” Okuli Invisible Children came to said, recalling what it was like Carrington Hall Oct. 3 to in- in the LRA. form students about Joseph He spoke of how he escaped Kony’s violent crimes in north- and survived in the jungle on ern Africa and encourage them what he could find. He was resto join the cause. cued, and later came to InvisJoseph Kony is the leader ible Children. of the Lord’s Resistance Army “Wilfred was asked if he (LRA), a rebel group that trav- ever had to kill anybody and els around northern Africa, he wouldn’t answer. It was too kidnapping children and forc- personal,” Rutigliano said. ing them into an army. Kony’s Invisible Children have violent a fouracts serve “What if I told you [that you] have pronged no clear 24 hours to get out or I will kill you program to political help those and your family? You can’t even p ur p o s e like Okuli imagine what it [is] like.” except to recover —English Teacher maintain after such Justine Rutigliano traumatizp ower. The mission ing experiof Invisible Children is to stop ences, as well as to put an end Kony and put an end to LRA to Kony. violence. This program includes MeThe presentation urged stu- dia, Mobilization, Protection dents to take action by spread- and Recovery. ing awareness about Kony’s acWhen Okuli returned tions. to school, he was granted a “What if I told you [that scholarship from the Legacy you] have 24 hours to get out Scholarship Program, part of or I will kill you and your fam- Invisible Children’s Recovery ily’?” English teacher and Afri- program. He will graduate with cause adviser Justine Rutigliano a college degree as a professionsaid. “You can’t even imagine al teacher in May. what it [is] like.” “When I joined high school, Wilfred Okuli, a native I was devoted to the books...the Ugandan and Invisible Chil- word ‘ambassador’ inspired me dren representative, shared his to be the voice of the voiceless,” life story during the assem- said Okuli who is now touring bly. California, assuming the voice He is one of the many ab- of the Ugandan people and ducted kids who has taken up asking students to take a stand efforts with Invisible Children against Kony. as a “Roadie,” educating school Okuli’s parting words were; groups about the importance “We ask you to stand with us... of helping Ugandan children. to be our representative...My “Tell the world that our words of gratitude to you for brothers and sisters are still in offering your time, opportunity captivity,” Okuli said. “We are and intelligence to help us with the generation of justice. My this war.”
By CLAIRE BUGOS Staff Reporter
Photo courtesy of Eileen Bray
Freshmen visited college campuses Oct. 16 to get a sense of what college life is like.
New clubs spark student interest By SIMON GREENHILL and MATVARI MAHARAJ Staff Reporters Students crowded the quad Sept. 21 to learn about the 11 new clubs that have found their way onto Sequoia’s campus. Clubs vary from simple gatherings of friends with similar interests to involvement with international organizations. The Sweater Club, which has been very popular so far, will run clothing drives and fundraisers in order to provide the less fortunate with warmer clothes. “People don’t need to be embarrassed to join a club that’s actually for a good cause,” said junior Carson Parodi, the club’s co-president. The Fashion Club will work with the Sweater
DEFERRED, from page 1 arrived in the U.S. before they were 16, and are under 30, eligible for amnesty. “My mom immigrated here because she wanted us to have a better education, and just wanted to be able to work, because in Mexico, it’s really hard,” an anonymous undocumented junior said. At Sequoia, it is important for students to realize how difficult life can be for their peers if their immigration status is unclear. “[Coming from] a poor and humble family we don’t have a lot of the resources we need in order to have a smooth life. [It seems like] all these kids know they’re going to college, but I don’t. I’m not
Club to make sweaters and help with clothing drives. The Sweater Club will meet every other Wednesday in P1. Rise-Up Ghana is an international organization that is fundraising to help build a clinic in the village Wli Todzi where people’s access to medical care is extremely limited. “I didn’t know that it was so hard for people [in Ghana] to get just simple medical care,” said junior Julia Neish, president of Rise-Up Ghana. Rise-Up Ghana will meet every Tuesday in Room 128. A list of all of Sequoia’s clubs is posted on the school website with details on the clubs’ meeting times, locations and advisers. sure what’s going to happen,” an anonymous undocumented junior said. The Trust Act was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown on Sept. 30. If it had passed, it would have stopped the holding of suspected illegal immigrants while their fingerprints are sent to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The DREAM Club, and many other organizations, are fighting to improve immigration laws. “When the DREAMers are able to live freely, without the fears and obstacles they encounter on a daily basis, they will contribute even more to our society; financially, socially, professionally and educationally,” Slater said.
Opportunity to meet with community colleges, UC, CSU, private and out-of-state university representatives. Presentations from University of California, California State University and California Community College institutions. Event will also include a Financial Aid workshop. For questions contact: Sequoia Union High School District 650.369.1411 x2390 Cañada College at 650.306.3493
College applications getting you down? Peninsula Young Writers can help! Call Beth Harrison for personal statement coaching 650-743-1959 or email penwritelitpro@gmail.com
Vote Nov. 6 Quotes by Governor Mitt Romney
Quotes by President Barack Obama
“The key to successful schools is providing students with excellent teachers. We must recruit teachers from among our brightest students, pay them well, and provide them with excellent mentors. Accountability and school choice matter.”
“We’ve got to make college more affordable for more young people. We can’t put the middle class at a disadvantage. We can’t price out folks who are trying to make sure that they not only succeed for themselves but help the country succeed.” Obama realizes the state of the economy and the toll it takes on the youth of today. Obama will make college more affordable, which will result in more graduates ready to participate in the workforce, and ultimately make the United States more progressive.
Education
“I believe that we do best when the middle class is doing well. And what I want to do is continue the tax rates — the tax cuts that we put into place for small businesses and families.” Tax cuts for the middle class will result in the majority of Americans having more money to spend on consumables. In addition, the tax increase for the wealthy will benefit government run programs for lower income families and the elderly. Obama’s tax plan will stimulate the economy as well as benefit the poor.
“I'm not going to raise taxes on anyone, because when the economy is growing slow like this you shouldn't raise taxes on anyone."
Economy
“We've got to boost American energy production, and oil and natural gas production are higher than they've been in years. But I also believe that we've got to look at the energy sources of the future, like wind and solar and biofuels, and make those investments.” These investments in renewable energy sources are crucial in protecting the future. America has a vast potential for domestic, sustainable energy. With investments in solar, wind and hydroelectric power, we can grow these industries and create thousands of new jobs for US citizens.
“After a century of striving, a year of debate, [and] a historic vote, health care reform is no longer an unmet promise. It is the law of the land.”
The DREAM Act would encourage youth to be ambitious and embrace those academic challenges with their eyes set on a definite accomplishment: permanent citizenship. A student simply cannot be judged based on his or her status of citizenship and every hard working, meritorious student should have the chance to attend college.
Romney thinks that the United States should utilize its natural energy resources. By tapping into those resources, it creates jobs. By using our energy resources our GDP will grow which makes the United States a stronger economic powerhouse and it will allow us to lower our deficit.
“America's health care is expensive because the incentives are all wrong for the patient, the doctor, the hospital, and the insurer. Health care can't function like a market if it doesn't have incentives like a market. Fixing health care begins with fixing incentives."
Health Care
“It is long past the time that we unleash the promise of all our young people and make the DREAM Act a reality.”
Romney thinks the United States should lower taxes because if a person has more money, he or she can spend more money, which will grow the economy. He doesn’t want to only raise taxes on the wealthy because by doing so, the government is taking away hard earned money from people and it discourages success.
"We face serious competitive challenges globally unless we become serious with getting prices of energy down. It’s a great opportunity for America to develop technology to lead the world in energy efficiency and production.”
Environment
Obamacare caters to both ends of the spectrum. Individuals who don’t receive health care through an employer are granted low cost health insurance. For families who receive health care through an employer, there are certain regulations that the insurer has to follow, such as keeping your child on the plan until he or she is 26 years of age or older.
Romney thinks that teachers should get better salary if their students are more successful. Teaching shouldn’t be a job with union interference, but work where students and teachers enjoy what they do.
Romney thinks that medicare is extremely important, but that an induvidual should determine what his or her healthcare plan is. Romney believes that a person should be able to buy his or her own insurance from the private sector.
“Improving our schools is critical to the future and[the] economy. Closing the achievement gap in our schools is the civil rights issue of our time.”
Miscellaneous
Romney will put funding towards programs to level the playing field of all students, and create a stronger public school system.
Romney commentary by Staff Reporter Paul Kiraly Obama commentary and graphic design by News Editor Anna Dagum
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Feature
Battle of the burgers: In-N-Out and Five Guys face off By JARRETT CROWELL and TY DEWES Page Editors Let’s go to In-N-Out. Wait, Five Guys is closer. But In-NOut is cheaper. But Five Guys has a soda machine with 127 different sodas. Since Five Guys Burgers and Fries opened up in downtown Redwood City on Sept. 3, there has been debate over which burger joint is better. We went to both restaurants and put them through five tests to determine which restaurant is the swankest, dankest and takeittothebankest. Test 1: An evaluation of each menu. With burgers, fries, milkshakes and soda, In-N-Out has a somewhat vintage menu for those of you who prefer a simple burger joint. The Five Guys menu is loaded with burgers, hot dogs, cajun fries, grilled cheeses, free toppings and soda from the fountain of all soda fountains. The Five Guys menu has more variety, but some customers feel more choices make it hard to decide what to order. “The Five Guys menu is just a more complicated version [of the In-N-Out menu] with pickles and mushrooms,” sophomore Raul Solorio said. Despite this, we awarded point number one to Five Guys for the diversity of its menu. Test 2: How much is it? An In-N-Out cheeseburger costs around $2.15 and a Double-Double costs $3.15. Five Guys on the other hand is $3.99 for a Little Cheeseburger (one patty), and $4.49 for a Regular (two patties). For some, this may be way too much to spend on an after-school snack. “[Five Guys is] way more expensive,” said senior Nickie Pucel, who works at In-N-Out.
Five Guys offers unlimitted topping for all of its burgers. “I probably won’t go there again. In-N-Out is like half the price.” However, some argue that a Five Guys meal gives you more bang for your buck. “While the meal may seem expensive, you get a full meal. The [Regular] burgers have two patties, the toppings are free and Five Guys give you more fries. It is worth the money because it always fills you up,” said senior Karla Aviles, who works at Five Guys. Nevertheless, we awarded In-N-Out point number two for its low prices. Test 3: Location, Location. Five Guys is right next to the movie theater, and the closest In-N-Out is off Veterans Blvd. “They are both easy to get to,” Solorio said, “but Five Guys is closer to Sequoia.” Five Guys wins the point if you’re on foot, but what if you are driving? “If people are walking they
Photos By Simon Greenhill
might want to stick with Five Guys,” Pucel said, “[However] it’s a lot more of a hassle to park at Five Guys. If people can drive, we think they would go the extra distance [for In-N -Out].” This one was tough—we gave one point to Five Guys for proximity, and one point to InN-Out for having the parking situation on lock. Test 4: Service and Atmosphere. Both Five Guys and In-NOut were very kind in tak-
ing our orders. The food at Five Guys came quickly and we didn’t wait in line for very long; something that one may encounters at In-N-Out. Both restaurants have similar atmospheres—an almost ‘80s or ‘90s feel to them. One argument for why the atmosphere at Five Guys is better is the interactions between employees and customers. “At Five Guys, the employees talk to and joke around with the customers. At In-N-Out, there is not much interaction
between customer and employee. At Five Guys, the customer is the #1 priority,” Aviles said. We decided to award one point to each. They both have good systems and their staffs work together to get food out fast. Heading into the last test, Five Guys and In-N-Out are neck and neck. Five Guys has certainly given Redwood City’s most coveted and well-known burger joint a run for its money. Test 5: Taste Test. In-N-Out burgers are unique because they use a special spread. “For me it’s the buns and the spread,” Pucel said. “In-N-Out spread is like my favorite thing ever now, and I’m still not bored of it.” Five Guys, on the other hand, has toppings on toppings. The choices vary from grilled onions and jalapeno peppers to barbeque and hot sauce. They also have bacon cheeseburgers, and that bacon was c-r-i-s-p. Trust us, we know our bacon. According to Annika Galliani, who also works at Five Guys, quality is of the utmost importance to the staff. “At Five Guys, you’re getting quality food. We have a precise way of doing everything. The burger has to be perfect before we give it to a customer,” Galliani said. So, who gets that last point? Who comes out on top? We say if you’re going for simplicity, In-N-Out wins. The burgers are good, the prices are fair and the service is fast and smooth. If you have the urge to splurge, go to Five Guys. They will give you your money’s worth with toppings and sodas galore. Just don’t get mad at us when you see your receipt.
Female football player tackles gender barriers By LILY HARTZELL and CARMEN VESCIA Feature Editor and Staff Reporter This fall, female sophomore Rita Salama took the field as a defensive lineman for the otherwise all male JV football team. She had never played organized football before, but she approached Head Football Coach Rob Poulos as a freshman with an interest playing. Rita is the first girl Poulos has coached at Sequoia. What made you want to play football in high school? “To be honest, I’m not sure. I’ve loved it since I was little. I used to play football in the park with my
uncle, and we’d watch the ‘9ers.” How do the other players treat you? “They’re all really nice and respectful. Some go really easy, like 50 percent. Sometimes it makes me mad that they go easy on me.The coach tells them to treat me like I’m one of them.”
What do your friends think of you playing? “A lot of them think it’s cool. A lot of them say they want to, but they’re too scared.”
How do other teams react when they realize you’re a girl? “It’s hilarious seeing the other teams’ reactions. “Do what you want to do in I always see peolife. Follow your dreams.” ple saying ‘Dude, —Sophomore Rita Salama that’s a girl’,”
What does your family think of you playing? “The people on my mom’s side all say I should quit. They don’t want me getting hurt, and they think I should leave it as a guys’ sport.”
Do you think other girls should try football? “Other girls are scared at first, but I think they should try it. If they can go for it, go for it. Girls can do anything guys can do.”
Photo By Simon Greenhill
Rita Salama is a defensive lineman for the JV team and the first girl to play for Sequoia.
Opinion
Bikers and drivers share the road Bikers behaving badly
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Scoot over, gas guzzlers
whereas over 150 drive themselves. By SIMON GREENHILL and Contrary to popular biker be“[People in cars] don’t realLILY HARTZELL lief, drivers cannot immediately ize how scary it is to be on a bike Staff Reporter and Feature Editor stop their cars when a biker crosses with all these cars whizzing by,” M e n a c - in front of them. Quite the opWhiz. Wave. freshman Abigail Wang said. ingly riding posite happens. Bikers can die. Honk. Swerve. Driver’s road rage not only flusters on their twoIf more precautions were taken, then Cyclists get bikers, it creates an even more dangerwheeled con- fewer bikers would be in biker heaven. a lot of crap ous situation. While motorists need traptions, I understand that helmets destroy when they’re only pass a cyclist and be on their way, they glide all hope for a good hair day, but they on the road and many panic, get unreasonably anwith con- are essential to keeping biker’s heads many motor- gry, start blaring horns and swerve. viction in their eyes. You hold your from getting squished. Unless you are ists don’t know “I get honked at a lot. I’ve been yelled breath and pray to the car gods that a genie who recently escaped from that bikers are at before and I’ve almost got hit by a no one will lose their lives. You decide a bottle or a titanium robot with an lawfully given car twice,” junior Claire Harkola said. to pass them and your heart palpitates indestructible head, wear a helmet. the same rights In addition, it is terrifying to have a uncontrollably. Relief washes over you. Lights, reflective tape or having as drivers. Fear driver creep behind you for blocks beWhether anything relatively and concern cause they’re too afraid to pass - not to you’re a driver Unless you are a genie who g l o w - i n - t h e - d a r k for a cyclist’s mention dangerous. Remember what you or simply a pas- recently escaped from a bottle on your bike when safelearned senger, we’ve or a titanium robot with an riding at night is ty is understandable. Ann Drivers seem to believe that the road i all been there. indestructible head, wear a helmet. also a good idea. ger, contempt and finger- belongs solely to them, and that bicy- D r i v Some bik“One time I was pointing, however, is not. clists are a mere hindrance who don’t e r ’ s ers just don’t seem to understand that driving, it was dark, but I had my lights Drivers seem to believe that have a place in our car-driven society. Educabike lanes are meant for bikes and that on, and right as I was gonna go, a bike the road belongs solely to them, tion, stop signs are for everyone on wheels. with no reflectors passed me,” junior and that bicyclists are a mere a n d I’m not saying that all bikers are Kate Elliott said. “You really need to h i n - gently steer around us. Cyclists annoying and completely incompe- put a light d r a n c e are aware of cars and most will do tent. It is only a selective few who on your w h o their best to stay out of the way. rebel against society’s well-thought b i k e . ” d o n’t “Sometimes, there’s at least out ways of protecting bikers. Cars have a 20 feet of street next to me and Bike lanes are like mini-roads, are large place in [cars] follow behind me, and I’m specially designed for single-file machines our car- like, ‘Go around!’” Harkola said. bike riding. Sometimes bikers de- that kill driven Sure, we do things you may not cide to ride side-by-side in packs like and bikes s o c i e t y. expect. We swerve. We forget to use an environmentally friendly motor- are small, In truth, hand signals. We roll through stop cycle gang. One bike may be small air-bagless we’re al- signs. But remember, it doesn’t take enough to drive around, but an en- v e h i c l e s lowed to much to send us flying off the road. tire pack? That requires driving so that will be in the Besides, how often do drivers make slow it could make a snail sneer. lose a fight m i d d l e mistakes? How often do they for“I was driving on a one lane street a g a i n s t of a lane, get their turn signals, run through a once, and there was a pack of 50 bik- a car. on ma- red light or cut other drivers off ? ers. I had to trail behind them all the Stop jor roads Cyclists help our society way home,” junior Nick Chang said. signs, bike a n d save gas, money and often time. Unlike the white bike lanes, stop signs l a n e s , Photo by Araceli Efigenio some“If I drive, it takes me at least a half are bright red and prominently state and hel- Drivers and cyclists battle daily for space on the roads. t i m e s hour to get home, so I don’t gain that in capital letters “STOP.” You’d think mets are even on much time by driving,” said Comit would be hard to misunderstand. there for a reason. freeways. Granted, this also means that puter Science teacher Cameron “I don’t understand the thought “Just follow the rules of the we must follow the same laws as mo- Dodge, who bikes to school most days. process of a biker when they’re like road,” Castro said. “You’re less torists do and that we can be ticketed So, instead of flipping a biker ‘I’m just gonna gun it; I don’t care.’ than 200 pounds compared to for running a stop sign, a stop light or off as you drive by, remember that It’s not safe for them or anyone on a two ton vehicle. You’re not breaking any other law on the road. they are one fewer car in between the road,” senior Kevin Castro said. gonna fare well in an accident.” At Sequoia, approximately 70 peo- you and home, and turn that one-
By ARACELI EFIGENIO Feature Editor
ple ride their bikes to school every day, fingered salute into a polite wave.
Violent video games may not be a danger to high school students By CARLOS GARCIA Staff Reporter Video games such as “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2,” “Halo 4,” and “Assassins Creed 3,” are some of the most anticipated violent video games of this year. Many people question what effect these video games have on the minds of youth. Some believe the effects are positive and others think they are negative. “There are many studies that show that video games cause violence but there many studies that show that they don’t lead to violence,” psychology teacher David Weyant said. Video games can offer youth a handful of positive effects.
Video games help players think more strategically and gain problem solving skills as players think for themselves and what their next move should be in the game. Many games such as “Diablo” or “Starcraft” make players constantly think of how they should approach a problem and defeat their enemy. Many games now allow players to be physically active. The Xbox 360 now offers the Kinect, which makes players have fun while exercising. Many people used to play alone creating social problems, but now Microsoft and Sony have created social networks to go along with their games. Xbox Live and the Playstation
Network allow same amount players to comof time with municate with their family and their friends. friends. They can play Video games games together are frequently ,talk to each othcriticized for er, and even meet their violent new people. content, people This has made it believe that easy for players movies and to stay connect television as with each other Halo 4 is due to come well have an efbecome social. fect. out on Nov. 6. According to “I used to an article that was written by watch Criminal Minds--it’s the Jeremy Adam Smith, he stated most sickest thing you can get that that University of Texas on television,” junior Journey conducted a survey on 1,491 Manning said. “So I guess that students. They found that can help create sickness in a those who played games, and mind.” those who didn’t still spent the Others say that video games
don’t create aggression. Some people stay calm. “I don’t get physically mad, I just tell myself that I could have done better,” junior Larry Godinez said. “It’s nothing like raging.” Some people know how to control themselves when it comes to playing video games. Many parents worry that grades suffer due to video games, but others know how to keep up with their studies and still have some free time. “I usually do homework, then play video games,” Manning said. There are many possible effects that video games may leave on the minds of young people.
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Opinion Staff Editorial
Make the Change:
From ignorant to informed
Sequoia Says
What are you going to be for Halloween? “An orange. I like fruit.” —Sophomore Jordan Hurwitz
“Mr. Ton-Tho.”
—Junior Gareth Wang
“A nun because I wanna walk like one.” —Sophomore Dylan Habecker
Cartoon by Hanna Bolaños
“Did you see Obama’s ‘bored face’?” “Do you know that Mitt Romney is going to cancel Big Bird?” “Obama’s lapel pin was much smaller than Romney’s.” Very astute observations indeed. It is very encouraging to hear our student body buzzing about the 2012 presidential candidates. The content of their conversations; however, is another story. Debate season occurs in the month before the election and it is debatable (ha) whether or not debates will actually clear up enough issues to sway voters in one direction or another. Those already committed to a candidate will most likely stay committed. Debates are thus usually seen as an opportunity for the candidates to romance the undecided. Ninety-nine percent of the Sequoia student body is probably under 18, and will not be voting this fall. However, if students were eligible to vote, the specific reasons for their potential voting decisions might be difficult to pin down. If someone under 18 feels committed to a presidential candidate, it is most often the candidate their parents support. Or, it may be the candidate who behaves in the least moronic way. Students, and perhaps most voting adults, as well, may know nothing about the candidates past what color tie they wore at the latest debate (usually a very eclectic red or blue). But this November, we will be asked to choose the leader of our country for the next four years. Whether you are an Independent, Green Party member, Republican or Democrat, a legal
voter or not, you better be informed. You may be wondering, “if I can’t vote, why should I care?” Well, even though voting season is a little ways off for most of you, it’s never too early to start preparing. According to the United States Census Bureau, only 53 percent of the voting age population voted in the 2008 presidential election. Only half of our country cared enough to make their way to the polls four years ago. It’s not that hard to vote. You all know someone who can vote. So even if you can’t, you can encourage the other 47 percent of the country to do so. Each candidate in the presidential race has his strengths and weaknesses. But weird facial expressions and how much they sweat on camera are not strong indicators of their ability to run a country. You as a student should be watching debates, listening to the radio or reading the newspaper (heaven forbid) to learn about the candidates and their policies. You will all be eligible voters soon enough. Don’t grow up to be the person who only knows Romney’s favorite color of tie. In four years, when most of you do get to vote for the next President, your decisions should be based in fact. You need to have an understanding of the issues, not appearances. And don’t worry if you find yourself floating with Ohio in the undecided boat. It’s better to be awash and floating among the issues, than deciding to jump onto one candidate’s side, just because you didn’t like the size of the other guy’s lapel.
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“Me and my best friend are gonna be grandmas together.” —Senior Yesenia Andrade —Compiled by Araceli Efigenio
Corrections: In Issue 1, The Raven Report incorrectly reported the number of students in the freshman class. As of October 2012, there are 455 freshmen. Math teacher Donald Hoban was left out of the new teacher feature.
Sequoia High School
Raven Report 2012-2013
Editor-in-Chief Hanna Bolaños Online Editor Caroline Lempert Sports Editor Laurel Dearborn Feature Editors Lily Hartzell Araceli Efigenio News Editor Anna Dagum Page Editors Erick Castro Jarrett Crowell Ty Dewes Staff Reporters Angie Calderón Anthony Dufour Becca Melmon Brianna Escobedo Cam Rebosio Carlos Garcia Carmen Vescia Claire Bugos Dalia Jude Glenn Billman Jamie Guaspari Jenna Paliughi Kyle Shea Lorna Wake Matvari Maharaj Nayeli Garcia Paul Kiraly Sabrina Villanueva-Avalos Simon Greenhill Adviser Kim Vinh Mission Statement The Raven Report strives to provide Sequoia High School with informative, engaging and relevant news. The staff will exercise integrity and adaptability while promoting justice and transparency through professional reporting about the school, the community and the world. Letters to the Editor The Raven Report welcomes letters to the editor from students, parents, or community members, sent to Room 308 or by email to ravenreport09@gmail.com. Letters must include the writer’s full name and ID number, and the staff reserves the right to edit for space and style.
Sports
Cross country uses fleet feet at first night meet
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By ERICK CASTRO Page Editor
Cross country attended its first night meet of the season in Loomis, CA on Oct. 6—the Del Oro 4000 Invitational. According to Coach Andrew Hutchinson, he has always been interested in attending a night meet, and he found out about it from the head track coach at Westmoor High School. “This meet is the type of meet that will be a big power boost for our team,” Hutchinson said. “It’s really going to boost morale, it’s going to bring us together, it’s going to give us the good vibes that we need to continue to have a successful season.” The team drove the 2.5 hours to Loomis in a charter bus, also a first for the cross country team. There, the cross country competed against 14 other schools, including Westmoor, beginning with a race at 6:00 p.m. and ending with the final race of the day at 8: 58 p.m. “I thought it was one of the best meets of my life; I won a medal, I beat my rival, I scored as one of the very top 18,” said sophomore Charlie Utecht. Normally, cross country meets begin early in the morning and end midafternoon. Most cross country tracks span an average of three miles. The night meet was Sequoia’s first experience with a track shorter than average.
Photos By Erick Castro and Simon Greenhill
The practice before the meet, the team had a track workout and worked on speed. Despite this, there were almost no differences in how the team prepared for the meet. Motivations during the meet, on the other hand, varied. The promise of In-N-Out after the meet kept senior Julia Pokorny energized during the meet. However, more motivations were present. “The coach also promised us that Channing Tatum would be at the end with his shirt off,” senior Claire Morrison said. Morrison and Pokorny, among
Sophomore Jeremy Woodbury jumps over a hay bale against a runner from Bellarmine while the varsity boys team shouts out “for Narnia” at the start of the race in Loomis at Del Oro High School. others, ran very fast during the meet. and bonding,” Hunter said. The night meet also allowed for Despite the long drive and late Sequoia to take advantage of many time, many cross country runners, inopportunities. According to junior cluding Utecht, Morrison, Pokorny, Chris Hunter, who did not run at the and Hunter, look forward to more meet, but still went with the team, opportunities to attend night meets. the location allowed for the Sequoia “The more that we grow and the betteam to meet different teams they ter that we get, I would like to keep havwould not normally compete against. ing unique meets,” Hutchinson said. “[Meets like this] get a lot of exThe team celebrated their first citement. Everyone was looking for- night meet afterwards by driving to an ward to this meet all year, so it was In-N-Out in the area and closed the really cool to finally do it. Also, be- night out by purchasing burgers for ing on the bus and coming to In- the entire team before driving home. N-Out builds a lot of team unity
Purple people pump up crowd By DALIA JUDE and BECCA MELMON Staff Reporters The SHS Purple People, the latest addition to the cheer team, pumped up the crowd’s spirit as they made their football game debut on Sept. 7. Head Cheer Coach Stacy Morell came up with the idea for the new mascots and sophomore cheerleader Sarah Gilbert’s mother made the three costumes. Cheerleaders wear the costumes and dance around in them to excite the crowd and get them interested in the game. The purple people will always be present at football games alongside Rooty the Raven. They will also perform at cheer competitions and possibly at basketball games. All members of the cheer team are excited to see Rooty and the purple people perform alongside one another. “I think its good to have the purple people and the mascot because the more school spirit the better,” Gilbert
Photo By Stacy Morell
Three cheerleaders wear SHS mascot purple and white uniforms at the first football game. said. “They are different and they do different stuff. The mascot hangs out with the people while the purple people jump around with the cheerleaders.” Many students also seem to enjoy the performances of the mascots. “I love the purple people. They really know how to get the crowd excited and bring out every one’s school spirit,” sophomore Rachel Paul said. According to senior Jesus Camacho, who
performed as Rooty the Raven at the Sept. 7 game, the best parts about being a mascot are interacting with people and making kids smile. He can tell people enjoyed the raven mascot costume because they cheered and screamed when he came out. People especially liked when he was with the cheerleaders. To see these new mascots, come to Sequoia’s Friday night football games and show your school spirit.
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8
Sports
The Haka: the new pre-game ritual for JV football
Photo by Sabrina Villanueva
By ANTHONY DUFOUR and SABRINA VILLANUEVA Staff Reporters
“Ka mate, Ka mate. Ka ora, Ka ora. Ka mate, Ka mate. Ka ora, Ka ora. Tenei Te Tangata Puhuruhuru. Nana i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra. Upane, Upane. Upane, Kaupane. Whiti te ra!” the team says as they perform their dance. The song means, “It is death, It is death. It is life, it is life. It is death, it is death. It is life, it is life. This is the hairy man who caused the sun to shine for me again. Up the ladder, up the ladder. Up to the top. The sun shines!” Sequoia’s JV football team is per-
forming the tribal Haka dance before their games, which gets the team pumped up and ready to play. The dance was taught by sophomore players Tyler Ikeda, Ha’angana Etu, who learned it in the Poly Club last year, and Fangupo Moeaki, who learned it from his uncle. The team performed the dance for the first time on Sep. 21, against Mission-SF. The dance gives the team an energetic feeling and gets them more focused on the game. “It puts us on that level where it’s game time. Nobody’s nervous; the fear is gone.” linebacker
and offensive lineman Etu said. The Haka is a traditional Maori dance that originated in New Zealand, performed by men and women during special occasions, to acknowledge great achievements, and other entertainment purposes. The “All Blacks” rugby team began doing the dance in 1888 mainly to intimidate their opponents. JV Head Coach Cameron Farris approved the suggestion, but with two requirements. “It’s gotta be good, and we’re not gonna do it in front of the other team,” Farris said. “We’re not gonna try to intimidate them, because some-
times when you face the other team, it can be seen as bad sportsmanship.” With painted faces, upbeat spirits, and game faces on, they hustled out to the field. “If we’re willing to learn this dance to show our opponents and audience, it shows that we’re willing to do anything to win,” offensive and defensive lineman Antonio Arellano said. The team won the game 32-19. “I thought it was really cool that everybody did it,” Farris said. “It wasn’t a requirement, it was just something the players lead. [And] it wasn’t about doing it for the other team, it was about doing it for us.”
Varsity volleyball takes first place By JAMIE GUASPARI and JENNA PALIUGHI Staff Reporters Due to vigorous practices, high skill level and great teamwork, Sequoia’s girls varsity volleyball team achieved first in the gold bracket of their most recent tournament at Irvington High School on Sept. 22. Although they lost to Irvington, they still managed to win the most games in their bracket, earning them a spot in the championships. They beat Al-
varez, Fremont Christian, Aragon and Newark Memoria in the tournament. Their determination, effort, and willingness to succeed is what drives this team to victory. The team practices every single week day, except days when they have games. To the girls it’s just one aspect of many that helps them preform as well as they do. “[Practicing] helps us bond; it helps us work together on the court,” freshman Sarah Swinnerton said.
Girls tennis serves up strong end of season By ANNA DAGUM News Editor Sequoia High School’s girls tennis team wraps up the fall season Oct. 23 at Oceana. As of Oct. 16, the team was 5-2 with a PAL tournament in sight. “if we close out the rest of the season, we’ll get second place in our division.” said varsity singles player
Sarah Ciambrone. “and it’s pretty solid right now.” The tennis team is currently in Ocean division, the highest division in the Peninsula Athletic League. As of two years ago, the team acquired a new coach: Phil McKenney. “The team has been a lot better than it has been [in the past],” Ciambrone said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Photo by Alsace Patrone
Students gathered at Carrington Hall on Oct. 11 to watch the Giants vs. Reds game.
GEMBALA, from page 1
Most Valuable Goalie in the PAL Bay Division by a unanimous coaches’ vote. “When you win something like that it isn’t about just what you’ve done. It’s about the fact that you have a team behind you that trusted you,” Gembala said. “We didn’t necessarily have the best record in our league, but for all the coaches to notice that we worked well together as a team and that, for me, I was able to hold the team together
from the back and make sure that we were all together, it was a huge accomplishment for me. Gembala is excited to lead the Cherokees again this year because the team is younger. “In a game, you’re this leader and this demanding figure in the pool, but in practice you have to be a teacher,” Gembala said. “As a goalie, you can see when someone is doing something wrong because you’re always looking at everybody all the time. You have to give feedback and you have to know how to give it in a positive way.”
The team is looking to reach CCS again this year even with new additions to the team. As you walk by the pool, you’re sure to hear Gembala’s voice over the whistles and banter in the water, telling her players to drive, wing out, call for the ball and get their hands up on defense. “She has become a second coach,” Knochenhauer said. “She’s decisive, she leads the kids well, and has a good idea or what is happening in the field which is what good goalies can do.”