Raven Report Sequoia High School
Volume vi, Issue 6
1201 Brewster Ave. Redwood City, CA 94062
March 13, 2013
Boys basketball team makes a run at CCS
“All of our CCS games were big team victories,” Woo said. “In the Fremont Sunnyvale game, we didn’t have anyone score more than For the first time since the 1990s, the Var- 10 [points]. We got there as a team. A lot of sity Boys Basketball team went to CCS. As our wins this year have been team wins.” the 15th seed out of the 16 teams to qualify, “It’s nice to have more of a team effort bethe team was not optimistic about its chances, cause [the opponent] can’t just go and double but ended up making it to the third round of team [one person] every time,” senior Julian the playoffs. Bertero added. “They have to be careful of ev“We just wanted to get [to CCS], said Var- eryone on the court.” sity head coach Fine Lauese. “I felt like we Unfortunately, the Cherokee’s CCS winwere peaking at the right time and we could ning streak came to an end when they lost make a nice little run at the 50-56 to Santa Teresa High end of the season. To do School on Feb. 23. With “As a whole, I thought what we did was huge.” 29 turnovers and 50 percent The Cherokees defi- it was a very successful shooting from the free throw nitely did have an exciting season. We took third in our line, the team was somewhat CCS run with a 57-53 win regular season and for us to disappointed with its play. over Independence High make the run we made in “We’re proud of our accomSchool and a 38-36 buzzer the postseason is huge.” plishments, but we also feel beater win over Fremont like we could’ve done more,” —Coach Fine Lauese of Sunnyvale. The game in Woo said. “The Santa Teresa which senior Jerod Woo game was a 6-point game, and made the winning layup with five seconds to I don’t think we hit a three until the third go. quarter.” “I made it with like a second left, time ran Despite the loss, however, Lauese feels the out, the buzzer sounded and the whole bench game reflected well on the team. and the crowd went crazy and the whole team “I was very proud of how the kids played in dog piled me,” Woo said. “It was my best high the Santa Teresa game,” Lauese said. school basketball moment ever.” “[It] speaks a lot to the character of our Even with Woo’s game saving basket, the team. Most games with 29 turnovers would team feels that both CCS victories were the be blowouts.” result of a team effort. See BASKETBALL, page 8
By HANNA BOLAÑOS Editor-in-Chief
Photo courtesy of Samuel Chang for Prep2Prep
Sequoia defeated Fremont of Sunnyvale to advance to the third round.
Use of Edmodo creates digital connections among students By LILY HARTZELL Feature Editor English teacher Justine Rutigliano started using Edmodo three years ago. Now, Edmodo is being used by 27 classes at Sequoia ranging from IB Environmental Systems and Societies to ILS Applied Academics. “I needed a sort of digital locker and a way to communicate and have forums,” Rutigliano said. Edmodo turned out to be useful with its folders that can organize handouts by unit and are transferable from year to year. This is also helpful if students are absent from class. “We have access to articles we looked at in class related to the books we’re reading. [They] are really helpful when we’re writing about them lat-
Opinion:
er,” senior Hannah Westerlind said. In addition, a community is built between students as they can ask each other for help. “It’s nice if you have questions because there are bazillions of people there. You don’t have to send 30 texts and wait,” senior Sofia Dueñas said. Sophomore English teacher Abigail Korman uses the site for quizzing and turn-in features. However, she doesn’t think the site’s data collection is perfect. “I would like to have some way for students to give instantaneous responses so I could track the data,” Korman said. When she gave her students an online quiz, Edmodo only gave her a pie chart of the results, which was not the information she wanted. Korman also keeps the class calendar updated on the site with school-wide and subject-
specific events. “It’s a comfort or safety net for you if you forget stuff,” Korman said. “I had a calendar on the wall, but [students] couldn’t reference it at home.” Some teachers require digital submission of assignments to save paper and class time. However, the midnight deadline for submission isn’t always convenient. “If I could turn things in in the morning, that would be really helpful because I like to go to bed early,” Westerlind said. Although most think Edmodo works well for the features it provides, it doesn’t do everything. “It would be so great if EdModo and Infinite Campus were linked so I could do attendance and kids could check See EDMODO, page 2
Sports:
A review of The Melt Girls soccer makes CCS
Page 7
Page 8
ASB Leadership students petition board for CTE credit By ANNA DAGUM News Editor Associated Student Body leadership (ASB) students junior Samantha Peyton and senior Nick Pauley attended the school board meeting Jan. 30 to advocate for this class to be counted for Career and Technical Education (CTE) credits. ASB students provide the school with rallies, blood drives, and prom; but despite the responsibility and planning that goes into managing these events, ASB does not count as an academic course. “We learn tons of valuable skills in this class and being in student government in general,” Peyton said. “The classes offered at this school for the credit don’t necessarily pertain to every student’s interest here. Students who need CTE credits maybe aren’t interested in taking Wood
or Foods and may not be taking Academy classes.” This CTE credit is designated to approved courses which prepare students for college and life after high school, such as Journalism or ITGS. “I bet that ASB meets a lot, if not all, of those [CTE] standards,” Instructional Vice Principal Lisa Gleaton said. Although the case did not make the agenda for the next school board meeting, a separate task force has been set up of teachers and administrators to decide whether the CTE credit should even be a requirement any more. If the CTE credit remains, the task force will reevaluate all the classes, including ASB, to see if they fit the criteria. “If your love is leadership, it’s almost as if there’s a penalty for taking it,” Gleaton said. “I would definitely support ASB in becoming a CTE class.”
By the Numbers
$4,085,527 The cost of the new building
2
News
“Many things didn’t function in the beginning, but at the same time, it’s a beautiful room and it’s a wonderful new setting.” —Claudia Meyer-Kispersky, German
“I like that when I look out I see trees, and I think the newness of the building feels a little college campus-y” —Jane Woodman, English
“[The process of moving] was very smooth. We had a lot of support from the administration.” —Roberto Verdeses, Spanish
“Three of us teachers were sharing two rooms, and now we all have out own rooms, and it makes our life a lot easier.” —Nicole DeRosa, math
“I think [the art room] was really well thought out. Things are in the right place for students to be creative and to store their work.” —Clare Szydlowski, art
New building opens
The old woodshop building was originally constructed as part of the Works Progress Administration in the 1930’s under Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. —Compiled by Erick Castro and Matvari Maharaj
A (more) convenient truth
What you can do to help the environment By SIMON GREENHILL and LILY HARTZELL Staff Reporter and Feature Editor Okay, so your parents bought you a Prius. Your roof is covered with solar panels. All of your appliances are energy-star rated. Heck, you might even say you’re an environmentalist. Wait, did you just throw that paper bag in the trash? Is that the third time you’ve used hand sanitizer today? I swear you left the lights on again last night. Though we often hear about major environmental changes, many of us don’t remember the simple tasks that make a much bigger difference than we realize. As important as it is to make large-scale changes to our lifestyles in order to save the environment, it is just as important to start small. “Don’t completely change your lifestyle to adhere to an ideal environmental state, but do little things because [they] all add up,” junior Chris Ortiz said. Here are a few easy things you can do:
Avoid anti-antibacterials
With everyone sneezing, coughing and blowing their noses, it can be tempting to take a few good squirts of Purell every five minutes. If it’s 99.99 percent effective you should be safe, right? Not necessarily. Instead, the .01 percent remaining does not wipe out the strongest bacteria. They breed and become even stronger. Plus, some bacteria is good for both you and the environment. If we’re killing them all off, we’re upsetting a fine balance in the bacterial world. Rather than relying on hand sanitizer, use non-antibacterial soap. The soap used in Sequoia bathrooms is antibacterial, so only use it when you really need it and wash your hands at home.
Decrease waste
What’s the best way to avoid creating more waste? Instead of buying something brand new, buy something used. It’s so simple, it’s easy to forget. “When you buy new things just because, more manufacturing and more pollution happen, but if you get used things, you’re reusing them,” Ortiz said. Try shopping at second-hand stores or listing sites like Craigslist. “Buy things at thrift stores—not just clothes, but cooking utensils, kitchen supplies, camping stuff. You save a lot of carbon emissions, water and other environmental damage,” said Environmental Systems and Societies teacher Catherine Lemmi. Next time you absolutely need a new backscratcher, at least browse around and see if you can pick up somebody’s old one. It’ll save you money and will reduce the amount of waste in landfills.
Conserve water
You’re clearing the table after dinner and several water glasses are still partly full, so you walk over to the sink and spend way too much time moving the glass up and down to change the splash size as you pour it out. Here’s a secret: the splashes are even more exciting when they’re bouncing off of thirsty plants. “If I have water left over, I’ll put it in the plants outside,” junior Emma Peyton said. Not only does this help reduce the need for sprinklers, but it puts the water to good use instead of throwing it down the drain. To take water conservation one step further, you can put a bucket in your shower. As you wait for it to heat up the water fills the bucket. Move it aside as you shower, and when it’s full dump it on your plants. “I have a clock in the shower, and I try to limit my showers. It’s easy to let the time go past when you’re just standing there with the warm water.”
FBI advocates for cyber-safety Peter D. Lee, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s San Francisco Community Outreach division, visited Sequoia’s Carrington Hall on Feb. 12 to promote cyber-safety. Lee advocated communication between parents and students about what students are doing online, such as open discussion about what information students put online. Having conversations about cyberbullying and cybersafety instead of lecturing and involved the audience throughout the evening. One activity highlighted the difference between parents who thought their children did not have Facebook accounts and the number of students that actually did. Many parents were unaware that their children had Facebook accounts. –ERICK CASTRO
Students travel down to the South By BECCA MELMON and KYLE SHEA Staff Reporters Visiting the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was killed and meeting Billy Kyles the last person King was with before he died are just a few of the activities the 12 students who went on Sojourn to the Past got to enjoy. These seniors, juniors and sophomores left Feb. 14 and returned Feb. 23 after a full week of immersing themselves in our country’s past. “It [was] an eye opening experience, something I couldn’t really experience at school,” said sophomore Sasha Levin-Guracar. Sojourn to the Past tries to supplement students’ educations about our country’s past and teach them they never learned in school in a way that is exciting and not straight out of the textbook. “When we learn about the Civil Rights [in school] we get a few paragraphs about Dr. King and how he was the only one that led everything and it was great, but no one knows anything about the other important milestones and other leaders who are just as important,” Menendez-Brennan said. “We got to see the balcony where it happened and we turned around and saw the window in the building where the sniper shot came from,” Menendez-Brennan said. They also traveled to Little Rock, Ark., where they arrived at the location where Bloody Sunday, the first attempt at a march from Selma to Montgomery, took place. There, they met Congressman John Lewis, who was beaten for marching. Also in Little Rock, they visited Central High School, the first integrated high school. “We would be standing somewhere and they would tell us to take out a picture from our binder and it would be exactly where we were standing,” Levin-Guracar said.
EDMODO, from page 1 their grades all in one interface,” Rutigliano said. Korman has supplemented her in-class feedback with other sites to get instant participation with data she can manipulate. “Edmodo is cool, but the bigger story is what technology will look like in the classroom,” Korman said. “Edmodo is just a small part of a bigger, really current thing.”
3
Feature
Rape statistics remain unseen, students remain unaware
—Written and compiled by Araceli Efigenio, Feature Editor
Teen rape is real. It’s the smile with hidden sorrow in the hallway. It’s eating away at the person sitting next to you in class. It’s a secret buried in adolescence. We don’t talk about it because it’s uncomfortable, yet all teens are affected whether they know it or not, even those at Sequoia. According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, 44 percent of all victims of rape in the United States are under the age of 18. Girls 16 to 19 are four times more likely to be abused than the general population of victims. 93 percent of juvenile assault victims knew their attackers beforehand, and 97 percent of rapists never spend a single day in jail. The statistics should not be
awe-striking. The media portrays rape stories regularly like that of the Jerry Sandusky trial in 2011. However, media coverage also reveals that we don’t take rape as seriously as we should. Just this year, two women reported that they sexually assault ed by Notre Dame football players, only to be ignored by the school. Ten days following the incident, one victim committed suicide. She received threatening messages such as “Messing with Notre Dame football is a bad idea.” Five days after her death, the school began its investigation. No wonder we have elected officials like ex-U.S. Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) who made an
Recent Media Coverage
Todd Akin “Legitimate Rape” Aug.19 2012
Sandusky Trial Began June 11 2012
Aspiring model struts her way to confidence
Ohio Football Rape Scandal Jan. 3 2013
India Gang Rape Dec. 16 2012
Notre Dame Football Sexual Assault Scandal Sept. 2012
Cardinal Roger Mahony Feb. 23 2013
Body image insecurities endanger teenage health By BRIANNA ESCOBEDO, CAM REBOSIO and SABRINA VILLANUEVA Staff Reporters
By LORNA WAKE Staff Reporter
At the Miss California Teen 2013 Pageant, junior Rachel Hoke stood in front of hundreds of people. “It was very nerve wracking seeing that there were all these people judging you based on just your looks,” Hoke said. Finding support from her friends throughout her pageant experience wasn’t a problem. But, Hoke’s parents worry about her future and want her to focus on other things besides modeling. “My parents are afraid I am going to do [modeling] over college, which I’m not. I want to go to UCLA and actually get an education,” Hoke said. “I don’t want to lose a sense of who I am by choosing to model.” Hoke, who stands at 6-feettall, started modeling to boost her self-confidence Hoke has looked past the fact that people judge her for her appearance when she
inane statement about “legitimate rape”: “the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” No wonder when a 16-yearold girl from Steubenville, Ohio was raped, fellow Ohio students made a video to make fun of her. “It isn’t really rape because you don’t know if she wanted to or not,” one student said. No wonder people think rape is a joke. It’s time to realize that we are not safe. The barrier between the news and ourselves must be torn down. This isn’t to say that we should live in fear, it just means that we should be aware of our choices. “It’s always important to be aware of your surroundings to
know who you’re with,” guidWe have to protect each other ance counselor Lisa McCahon and, if tragedy does strike, help said. “Be cautious about not be- those abused even if it simply ing alone, stay with friends at means listening. all times, responsibly get home. “[Victims] may not be ready Be aware of the decisions you’re to tell you, but you’re open when making, and ask yourself if it’s they’re ready,” McCahon said. putting you in a vulnerable posi“A lot of the time the victim tion.” blames themHowever, the selves; there’s quality of the a lot of emo80-90% of rapes are not decisions we tional turreported to authorities. make does not moil.” One in three American justify making We may women will be fun of sexual think we sexually assaulted. assault. Rape is know the Over 50% of rapes never okay. impact of occur in the No matrape, but in victim’s home. ter where they reality the came from, what issue is greatthey said, who er in size. they hung out with, what they We have become desensitized smoked, what they drank, what to sexual violence and okay with they wore, or who they are, rape others being raped because that, is never funny. of course, could never happen to “There needs to be more edu- us. cation around rape; and, when a The truth is, it can happen to victim is under the influence, the you. The statistics and stories in person committing the assault is the media are there for a reason. still liable,” McCahon said. It’s time we start caring.
Photo courtesy Raphael Maglonzo
Hoke won the title of Miss San Mateo County Teen.
models, and has taken another perspective on the modeling world. At a recent pageant, she had to present herself in front of eight judges and 500 people, walking on stage in six-inch heels and wearing various outfits. Hoke placed 23rd out of 120 other girls. Hoke has been asked to model for two agencies. She is currently taking headshots for Ford Models and getting into runway with MGM. Although she isn’t getting paid for her modeling work at the moment, Hoke finds the experience she gains worth all the time and money she puts into it.
age issues. Boys suffer from them as well, although they may be more silent about them. “[Boys] often don’t want to talk about it Per·fect. One word, two syllables, infinite or don’t understand that it’s an eating disordefinitions. Everyone has their own idea of der. They [think it’s] a girls’ issue,” Romero what a “perfect” person looks like, and ev- said. eryone wants to be that person. The ways in According to the National Association of which “perfection” is sometimes sought af- Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, ter, however, can be dangerous. an estimated 10-15 percent of those with eiMany people try to stay thin by limiting ther anorexia or bulimia are male. their intake of food. After a while, not eating Although the causes of disorders can vary, can become a severe problem. some believe the media encourages them. “Sometimes it starts off as a simple diet, “I feel like [the media] normalizes it and then it becomes very obsessive,” Teen Re- make it seem like it’s okay to want to be that source Center Director Judy Romero said. skinny,” Jazmin said. “[People] think ‘I’m going to control this Once a person develops an eating disorand nobody is going to make me der, it’s hard to stop. Sopheat.’” omore Whitney* began National Association There are various kinds of eatmodeling at a young age. of Anorexia Nervosa and ing disorders. One is anorexia She felt the need to look Associated Disorders nervosa, or starving oneself to like the other taller, skinnier Hotline lose weight. Those with bulimia girls; that’s when her disor(847) 831-3438 nervosa vomit or abuse laxatives der took over. to prevent weight gain after eat“I get hungry and after a ing. while I don’t feel it anymore. I’ll feel it when Sophomore Jazmin* has been anorexic I’m about to faint,” Whitney said. and bulimic for three years, and hasn’t been The most effective way to deal with an able to recover. She started with skipping eating disorder is to talk to someone. meals, but once her parents forced her to eat, “If they can get help before it turns into she developed bulimia. Eventually, she end- an eating disorder, the chances are higher for ed up in the hospital for three days. [recovery],” Romero said. Girls are not the only ones with body im*names have been changed to protect interviewees identities
4
Special
Why do they do it?
An in-depth look at four teachers’ reasons to teach
52.2% A 46.6%
Laura Davidson: the search for balance
of sequoia’s teachers hold a master’s degree or higher
of new teachers leave the profession within the first 5 years
s a student at Princeton University, was my passion,” she said. English teacher Laura Davidson felt As a teacher, Davidson throws herself completely pushed away from education and into into her work, both mentally and emotionally. Like the corporate world. “At Princeton, many teachers, she knows how difficult it is to find a [teaching] just was not a path. There healthy balance between her work and personal life. were all these conduits to Wall Street “Being a teacher, where you’re focused on the needs and directly to law school and goof so many and their problems ing to the capitol in DC,” she said. “I feel like there was some place in the become your problems, you’re Unsure about her career plans, back of my mind that knew that I was feeling them, they haunt you going to be a teacher someday, but I Davidson graduated from Princlike they haunt that person, it’s eton in 2006 and took a job in was frightened to be a teacher.” hard to turn it off at the end of —English teacher Laura Davidson the day.” public relations in the Bay Area. Quickly, though, Davidson was In addition, Davidson can dissatisfied with her work, realizfeel victimized by the press. ing that she didn’t care about what she was doing. “The work that I do is really fulfilling. [What discourEven then, before immersing herself completely in ages me] is what I’m reading in the media, this whole education, Davidson was emotionally drawn to teach- rhetoric that something’s wrong with education. . . ing. Let’s blame the people who are trying to do the best “I feel like there was some place in the back of my with the little that they have.” mind that knew that I was going to be a teacher someDespite the challenges and struggles Davidson has day, but I was frightened to be a teacher,” she said. faced as a teacher, she is committed to and enthusiasWhen a family friend left a lucrative career as a high- tic about her work. “I’m so fortunate that I get to do profile executive to become a high school teacher, Da- what I like to do already, and I get to share that with all vidson began to consider teaching. “I didn’t want to these people who are compelled to do it with me. It’s work for 25 years and then figure out that [teaching] so much fun,” she said.
Dy Nguyen: a return to teaching
W
hen she start- in another way. ed teaching in “I thought I could do some work in 2006, special a legislative way, changing the laws to education and help change education for the better,” English teacher she said. Dy Nguyen had While at the law firm, Nguyen plans to change the world. made a realization. “I love working “I was really young and naïve when I with youth. I love working with kids. I started at [age] 22, I felt like I needed to just didn’t know how to make it work be a superwoman. I needed to save every for me.” With time, Nguyen began to kid and change every broken part of the think about what had originally driven system,” she said. her away from education, and what she Quickly, Nguyen realized that her needed to do to make a successful redreams were unrealistic, and that teach- turn. ing hadn’t lived Three years up to her expectalater, Nguyen has “I got burnt out. It was a lot of work, tions. “Sometimes come full circle. very little appreciation, very little pay.” [teaching] felt “Coming back, —English and Special Education very ineffective. I what changed is teacher Dy Nguyen got burnt out. It that [though] I’m was a lot of work, still really idealvery little appreistic, it’s about ciation, very little pay.” balance, and it’s about sustainability.” After only two years, Nguyen de- This year is her first back at Sequoia. “I cided to leave the teaching profession changed the way I viewed the job and altogether, taking her vision of a better the world, and I realized that I can do world with her. Working at a law firm as this. I came back to prove that I can, and a paralegal, Nguyen hoped to do good it’s been amazing so far.”
in 2012, only 39% of teachers reported that they were “Very Satisfied” with their jobs.
5
Feature
Every day, teachers face a multitude of challenges, both inside and outside of the classroom. Teachers are often expected to work well beyond their paid hours, advising extracurricular activities and making preparations for future classes. Sequoia’s teachers hold degrees from some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including Princeton, Harvard and Stanford. Sixty-nine of them hold graduate degrees. Rather than working in the corporate world (and making much more money), teachers choose to help raise the next generation. Teachers are, in that sense, some of society’s most generous and necessary constituents. In this series of mini-features, I’ve looked into why teachers choose to teach. Why, rather than having a “normal” nine-to-five job, more money, and more personal time, do they sacrifice themselves for us, their students? For these four educators, it’s about more than just themselves. —Written and compiled by Simon Greenhill Photo by Simon Greenhill
What do you know about Sequoia’s Teachers? Debolina Dutta:
64-36
a second career
$54,819 W
Female-Male teacher ratio at Sequoia
national average salary for teachers
24.12
average studentteacher ratio in California
Average Years of Total Experience
Average years of Experience in Sequoia Union High SChool District
Years of Teaching experience 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Eric Kobrick: drawing satisfaction from chaos
E
arly on, social studies teacher Eric Kobrick knew that he would be an educator. Inspired by a high school English teacher, he started on the path to teaching. “She was much more a mentor than a teacher, and she kind of cursed me, she said, ‘you know, I think you’re going to become a teacher,’” he said. “I kind of resisted it in a way, I said, ‘hell no, that’s crazy.’” As a teacher, Kobrick has faced stereotypes and challenges both within the school and in the wider community. “All you have to do is read the newspaper to realize that there’s millions of people who think that [teachers] have it easy, that we basically babysit and get paid really well for doing it. As preposterous as I think that is, I realize that it’s out there for a lot of people,” he said. Now a 13-year veteran, Kobrick is unfrazzled by the demands of the job. Whereas a majority of teachers leave the profession after only a few years, Kobrick has retained a passion for teaching. For Kobrick, teaching has never been bland or boring. To him, teaching is dy-
namic and multifaceted, more than just repeating the same lecture three times every day. Part of Kobrick’s passion comes from having an opportunity to mentor the next generation. As a male teacher in a profession dominated by females, Kobrick has had the chance to reach young men in an intellectual, academic setting in ways that his female colleagues have not. “There’s something to be said for having a male role model, where academics are cool and interesting, and you can still have a diverse life and be smart. Coming from a guy, that allows more guys to feel like that’s okay,” he said. “You can still be masculine and be intelligent.” Regardless of the churning world around him, Kobrick finds deep satisfaction in his job. “I feel mentally that I roll up my sleeves everyday and I go to work,” he said. “Do I think the system is unbalanced and unfair and broken sometimes? Absolutely. But me doing my dharma, my duty, I feel that I can do it faithfully and honestly and I don’t have regrets about what I do.”
hen she was in high school and college, Debolina Dutta planned to go into pre-med. Despite familial pressures, Dutta eventually switched her focus to environmental science and
marine biology. Like most recent college graduates, Dutta had a very idealistic vision of her career as an environmental scientist. “I graduated from college thinking I would do something that had this tremendous impact in the world. . . and I wanted to be rich. So I entered [the field of environmental science] and it was really interesting but it just didn’t feel super fulfilling,” she said. Working for a company which assessed the environmental impact of major projects in the oil and gas industry, Dutta was quickly dissatisfied by the fact that she was not fostering a major change in her field. “I was still working for the utilities industry, I wasn’t changing regulation or changing mindset, I was just working in the system,” she said. “I just wanted a “On a daily basis I get to bigger impact.” work with young people After working at who are going to shape various odd jobs — the world, and that is refrom administrator ally exciting. I would at the mayor’s office only leave [Sequoia] if I to member of UC- left education entirely.” SF’s AIDS Health —Environmental Systems Project— Dutta and Societies teacher fell into teaching by Debolina Dutta chance. When she was offered a position as a long-term substitute teacher, Dutta decided to give it a try. “I didn’t really have any intention of being a teacher but ended up falling in love with it.” As she settled into her new career in education, much of Dutta’s family didn’t take her seriously. “For a while, I had family members who called this a hobby,” she said. Nonetheless, Dutta was adamant about keeping her job as a teacher. For her, teaching is much more than a second career. “If we want the next generation to have a really good education, it needs to come from people who want to do it. It’s not some fall back profession, it’s their first choice.” Dutta fervently fights society’s stereotypes on teachers, working to dispel the derogatory assumptions that even some of her family and friends still hold. “It’s a very, very demanding profession. And it’s not an equal ratio of work output to financial earnings,” she said. “I definitely work as hard as my friends who are corporate lawyers.”
6
Opinion Staff Editorial
STOP, collaborate and listen: It’s time to prioritize safety
Between homework, the SATs and finding a prom date, students have enough things causing stress in their lives. Getting to school safely should not be one of them. Many students cross Brewster Avenue as part of their daily commute, yet its lack of sufficient traffic regulation and safety enforcement has been a main factor in collisions involving students getting to or from school. There are no stop signs on Brewster along Sequoia’s perimeter, and speeding cars exiting El Camino Real rarely yield to pedestrians. In the past year, numerous accidents have happened at the intersection of Brewster Avenue and Elwood Street, adjacent to Sequoia’s teacher parking lot. We have witnessed multiple instances in which a student crossing Brewster at the intersection was either hit or nearly hit by oncoming traffic that did not yield to the pedestrians or bikers. A 4-way stop would regulate whose turn it is to go in a safer way. Sequoia students are not the only ones being put in danger by the intersection’s lack of safety enforcement. North Star Academy, McKinley Institute of Technology, Redeemer Lutheran School and Our Lady of Mount Carmel School are all accessible from the Northeast
by Brewster. A stop sign at one intersection would not only regulate traffic in that specific location, but slow down speeding cars and make drivers more aware of potential pedestrians in the following blocks. Neighboring schools have put various measures in place to ensure the safety of their commuting students. The intersections around the schools’ borders have either stop signs or traffic guards regulating traffic and preventing accidents. Additionally, the intersection’s proximity to Sequoia means that student drivers will be present. In an area where there will inevitably be new drivers with provisional licenses, busy intersections should be monitored with extra precaution. When a driver is running late for the morning bell and distracted by the looming tardy, he or she is more likely to speed and neglect pedestrians. While there will always be negligent drivers, the number of incidents at this intersection could be significantly reduced by simply installing a stop sign. Though it may slightly back up traffic along Brewster, it will be a minor inconvenience in comparison to the countless number of potential collisions that will be avoided. Getting a tardy is a small price to pay for saving a life.
What kind
of Girl Scout cookie are you? Thin Mints
The ORIGINAL cookie. Eating this cookie shows people that you are a person of class, and you have a respect and appreciation for the classics. You dress to the nines every day, and make sure that you keep it original.
The lover boy or girl. You are filled with such sweet, sweet love, which truly does bring the boys and girls to the yard.
Do-si-dos
The traditional one. People know when they see you eating this cookie that you’re a person of conventional morals and always keep your pinky up while drinking milk and eating cookies. Savannah Smiles
Staff Reporters Angie Calderón Becca Melmon Brianna Escobedo Cam Rebosio Carlos Garcia Carmen Vescia Claire Bugos Dalia Jude Glenn Billman Hagop Narkizian Jenna Paliughi Kyle Shea Lorna Wake Matvari Maharaj Paul Kiraly Sabrina Villanueva-Avalos Simon Greenhill 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, community and world. Letters to the Editor The Raven Report welcomes letters to the editor from students, parents, or community members, sent to adviser Kim Vinh 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.
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The Sequoia High School Education Foundation (SHSEF) is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) and supports projects and programs to ensure that each and every student has the opportunity to reach his or her highest potential. They raise funds for academic enrichment programs, professional development for faculty and staff, as well as student and family support.
Trefoils
The optimistic one. You, despite the 10 hours of homework ahead, the pouring rain and the fact that TOK has convinced you that don’t even exist, are still smiling.
The do-everything-er. You dabble in a little bit of everything. In school every class is your favorite, and you’ve tried every single sport at least once. Your experience in life allows you to deal with the massive flavor blast from this wild beast of a cookie.
Tagalongs
Samoas
The bad boy. You make sure to always wear a leather jacket, but you don’t listen to what society tells you. You do what you want. If you want peanut butter, chocolate and a cookie at the same time, you’ll have it. — Compiled by Erick Castro and Ty Dewes, Page Editors Photos courtesy of www.girlscoutcookies.org
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
Dulce de Leche
The misunderstood teenager. With a hard, rigid exterior, you attempt to hide your soft interior from the world that may judge you for it.
Sequoia High School
Raven Report
Over the years, Girl Scout cookies have transformed. From the original sugar cookie of the early 1900s, to the Peanut Butter Sandwich, Shortbread and Chocolate Mints of the 1950s, Girl Scout cookies have grown to include the 11 flavors they have today. Today’s Girl Scout cookies are classy, flashy and all kinds of sassy. What do the cookies you eat say about you?
Scouts build leadership By JENNA PALIUGHI Staff Reporter BEING A BOY SCOUT is all about building trust, gaining leadership and reaching one’s full potential. “For me, Boy Scouts was a really big, important aspect of my life,” said junior Alex Ruhlman, a Boy Scout who was awarded the Eagle Award, the highest award for immense dedication and concentration on a community service project. For his project he helped remodel a local Air Force gift shop. “I repainted the walls, powerwashed the roads, moved weeds from rock beds and gave it a bunch of new supplies,” Ruhlman said. Boy Scouts also aims to teach scouts the skills necessary to survive in the wilderness. The scouts learn how to pitch a tent and make a fire, all while building important leadership qualities useful for aspects of life beyond scouting. “[Boy Scouts] teaches you a lot of skills that you can apply to life,” said junior Peter Bugos, a scout for eight years.
BEING A GIRL SCOUT is more than just selling cookies and earning patches. The Girl Scouts’ programs help children and teenagers build relationships, learn life lessons and become leaders in their communities. “[Girl scouts] helps you learn a lot of life skills. I know how to organize an event now, I know how to run a business and a lot of what I learned about computers is from a patch I earned when I was eight,” said freshman Mijal Epelman, who has been a Girl Scout for ten years. Girl Scouts allows girls to express themselves in a safe environment in which they can meet new people. “You make a lot of lifelong friends, you make a lot of lifelong connections,” Epelman said. In the local Redwood City and Emerald Hills Girl Scouts there are 36 troops with 460 girls. “[Girl Scouts] has given me the opportunities to do things I wouldn’t have done otherwise,” said freshman Emily Ducker, a 10 year Girl Scout member.
7
Opinion
It is easy being cheesy: The Melt impresses By JARRETT CROWELL and TY DEWES Page Editors
Grilled cheese: not the easiest thing to find in downtown Redwood City, but no need to be Feta up with it. The Melt recently opened near the movie theater, and no, we are not just stringing you along. You Gouda believe us; but enough with the puns, they’re getting cheesy. Just when it seemed that downtown could not add to its amazing repertoire of eateries, The Melt opened—a grilled cheese paradise. “I prefer The Melt over Five Guys or Chipotle. I like it because it is something different,” junior Nikki Shintaku said. There are various types of breads and cheeses to choose from, and you can add tomatoes or bacon for free. That’s right, bacon for no extra charge. Ordering the full meal also gets you soup and chips. The Italian Job—our fa-
Photos by Simon Greenhill
Fun Fact: All utensils can be either recycled or composted. Price: Meal: $8.75, grilled cheese: $4.95, soup: $3.95 Recommended dessert: The S’more Melt Rating: 4.5/5 vorite—is two thick pieces may do some damage to your of spicy garlic bread filled taste buds, there’s no need to with Fontina and Provolone worry; The Melt has an array cheese. It comes with an Ital- of beverages from juices to ian sausage and healthy sodas pepper soup, like Izze. And perfect for dip- For dessert, we recommend even if you ping. don’t order a going for the chocolate This grilled marshmallow s’more melt. drink, The Melt cheese packs will provide some heat, but you with a huge the garlic and soup come to- glass that you can fill to your gether for the perfect combo. heart’s content with water and While this sandwich’s spice delicious ice (yes, the ice was
delicious, you have to try it). For dessert, we recommend going for the chocolate marshmallow s’more melt. This bad boy is served warm on plain bread, with the marshmallow and chocolate practically dripping out of the middle. Each bite brings back memories of camping with the family and chowing down on those warm, crunchy and smooth marshmallow s’mores. Parking in downtown Red-
wood City, especially so close to the movie theatre, can be a hassle, but The Melt’s proximity to Sequoia makes it a prime location to walk to on collaboration days and Friday afternoons. Even though The Melt can be a quick place to stop and grab a bite to eat after school or before a movie, the atmosphere of the place invited us to sit and stay awhile. The restaurant offers indoor or outdoor seating, as well as a screen that gives updates on when your order will be ready. “It’s really convenient, the service is good, the people are really nice,” said Shintaku. “I like the screen that has your initials. It’s nice because you can just look at the screen and see if they are working on your food, or if your food is done,” Shintaku said. Overall, we’d rate The Melt as a “Go.” For a new place on the block, it is a solid venue and a great place to grab lunch or a light dinner.
Flesh-eating zombies of “The Walking Dead” rise in popularity By CARLOS GARCIA Staff Reporter Blood, guts and gore. Death. Betrayal. Paranoia. And a disease that turns humans into flesh eating cannibals. All of this in one action-packed show. This jaw-dropping experience of survival known as “The Walking Dead” has been popular amongst many students, including myself. The show is based on the comic book “The
Walking Dead,” by Robert Kirkman, and its interesting plot and action makes it god-like. The show is in the midst of its third season on AMC on Sundays at 9 p.m. or 6 p.m. if you have Dish or Direct TV. So far it has been the best season yet with a conflict between two groups: Woodbury, a town full of people, and the Rick Grimes’ group, a surviving group of people that viewers have seen since the the first season. I like this show not just because of the
Win every argument 3 simple steps to success
Spluttering and stuttering. Speaking in a whisper. Screaming until your face is purple. Foot stomping. Name-calling. Spitting. People Magazine references. If your methods of arguing include any of these, your tactics may need revision. Whether you love to be right, like to prove people wrong, hardly ever speak or can’t keep your mouth shut, arguing is an essential part of our everyday lives. If you don’t know how to be persuasive, how will you ever get your friend to pay you back? Why should your parents buy you a pet iguana? How will you convince your math teacher to postpone that test that you forgot to study for? Winning an argument seems simple enough, but coming out on top isn’t as easy as you might think. After talking to junior Celeste Adler and Speech and Debate members senior Anna Roach and sophomore Evan Hart, we compiled some tips that may help you increase your victory rate.
gore and action, but because of the plot and characters. The show has many twisted endings and unexpected outcomes: Daryl Dixon, a crossbow-shooting zombie hunter, or Rick Grime, a sheriff who leads his group, all make this show unique. Not only are the plot and characters interesting, but the action is as well. Zombies being shot in the face and huge gun fire scenes put me on the edge of my seat. There is a lot of drama in the show. Character interactions and big disputes help me decide which side I am on.
I don’t believe there is any other show like “The Walking Dead” out there. Its uniqueness brings a lot to the table, and its popularity might have to do with the popularity of zombies right now. Zombies are big right now and many youngsters like the idea of killing zombies and therefore “The Walking Dead” is popular. There will be a zombie apocalypse one day, and we will have to prepare, and what better way to do that than watch “The Walking Dead.”
Know your opponent When in a heated debate with your mother, don’t call her “dude” or “homie.” You don’t have to sound like a Harvard professor, but keep YOLO and #SWAG out of it. On the other hand, while talking with friends, speaking in slang may be the best way to get your points across (unless, of course, you hang out with the Speech and Debate Club). Know the facts Facts are the substance of any argument, and if you don’t have any, you might as well surrender before you begin.The credibility of sources matter too—quoting The New York Times will be much more convincing than referencing the tabloids (unless you’re discussing whether your favorite Bachelor contestant got a spray tan or not). Be Confident The way you present your argument is almost as important as the argument itself. If it doesn’t sound or look like you believe what you’re saying, no one else will take you seriously. If 50 percent of what you say is “um” or “like,” you’ll come across as unsure and nervous, not to mention boring.
—Written and compiled by Claire Bugos and Carmen Vescia
8
Sports
Freshman writer’s aviation career goes up, up and away By GLENN BILLMAN Staff Reporter While juniors are stressing over what to put on their résumés, freshman Evan IsensteinBrand’s has been full since age nine: writing a monthly column in Atlantic Flyer, hosting a radio show, contributing to the Pacifica Tribune and In Flight USA magazine, taking photograph requests for abroad, building his own website and flying a plane occasionally. “When you’re flying a plane, it’s the best feeling in the world, because your arm is controlling such a huge plane. Your every move controls something so
much bigger,” Isenstein-Brand said. Isenstein-Brand plans to get his glider license this summer, and his pilot’s license when he turns sixteen. Until then, he enjoys going up with other pilots. Because he is legally not allowed to pilot takeoffs or landings, Isenstein-Brand enjoys the middle part of a flight when he is allowed to pilot the plane. Even when he’s not flying, much of Isenstein-Brand’s free time is devoted to aviation. He enjoys photographing and writing reviews of air shows that he regularly attends. Isenstein-Brand has interviewed more than 40 pilots for
his writings, among them famous World War II veterans, current military pilots and air show fliers. In the future, Isenstein-Brand is determined to turn his love for planes into a career. Because of the great education and opportunities involved, Isenstein-Brand would like to go into military services as a pilot. However, because of his slight red-green color blindness, he isn’t allowed to fly for the Navy or the Air Force as an adult. Yet, he still hopes that he can fly for the Army, which has a less strict stance on color blindness. He is considering being a private pilot after serving.
Photo courtesy of Evan Isenstein-Brand
Freshman Evan Isenstein-Brand soars above the Bay Area.
Successful season awaits badminton By PAUL KIRALY Staff Reporter
Sequoia girls varsity soccer ended the season undefeated, and made it to the first round of CCS.
Photo by Glenn Billman
Girls soccer climbs up level to Bay division By ANGIE CALDERÓN Staff Reporter Sequoia girls varsity soccer finished their season undefeated with a 4-0 victory against Half Moon Bay on Feb. 14. They will be moving up to the PAL-Bay Division next season, despite a 0-1 loss in overtime at the CCS playoffs against Alisal Feb. 20. “The team is great, we’re all really good friends and I think this was our best year,” senior starting forward Mariana Frey said. The Half Moon Bay game was also an-
other chance to honor the nine seniors who will graduate this year, some of whom have been playing for the Cherokees for the past four years. “The girls were awesome. They came out really hard and scored and kept scoring,” said varsity coach Melissa Schmidt, referring to the Half Moon Bay game. “[We] got to end the game with all the seniors on the field.” The Cherokees were strong against the Cougars’ side when sophomore Sarah Huber scored their first goal in the 4th minute. Just 12 minutes later, senior
Emma Martino scored the second goal. The game continued into the second half with a third goal by Huber in the 53rd minute. Hubert scored the final goal as well, advancing the team into the CCS playoff game against Alisal. “It was one of those moments where soccer isn’t fair, and that was one of those games where they got lucky, and we couldn’t,” said Schmidt. “The high points of it, though, were that the girls played hands-down the best game they’ve played all year. They played with a ton of heart and a ton of skill.”
The sound of birdies piercing the air, squeaky sneakers and Mr. Wong motivating players. After an undefeated season last year, the badminton team has moved up to the PAL Bay League and is excited about the new competition. “I think my team will succeed this season because of the hard training,” freshman doubles player Timmy Tantivilaisin said. “There is a lot of great teamwork and I think that will really help us out.” With the tough competition, the team may encounter some obstacles since three of its top players have graduated. Head coach Steven Wong, however, is inspiring his current players to up their game. “Mr.Wong is just really good at motivating us to do better,” junior Nick Chang said. “He pushes us to be better than what we already are.” After making it to CCS last year, the badminton team hopes to dominate again this year. “With strong work ethic and the support of coaches Du and Vinh we have no doubt the season will be as successful as the last,” Wong said. “Even though we have a huge team of over 60 players we all function as one unit, one family.”
BASKETBALL
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from page 1 A lot of it was just the effort and the leadership of our seniors.” Though they may not have won the championship, the team made great memories throughout the season, particularly about their coach. “Every day in the locker room we would be doing just the stupidest stuff and then Fine would walk in and everyone’s like, ‘oh, we’re so screwed he’s gonna make us run till we die,” Bertero said. “And then we would run ‘til we died,” Woo added, “but it would be completely worth it. Fine’s gonna miss us. He might not know it yet, but he’s gonna miss us.” Even with the intense practice sessions, the team respects their coaching staff. “With Fine and the rest of the staff, you know they got your back, you know that they’re gonna stand up for you, and if you ever need anything you know you can ask them,” Bertero said. “We’re a big family.”
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