Raven Report Sequoia High School
Volume V, Issue 8
1201 Brewster Ave. Redwood City, CA 94062
june 1, 2012
Senior receives Gates Millenium Scholarship
By SARINA GROSS Editor-in-Chief
Photo by Kim Vinh
The Raven Report was awarded a tenth place Best of Show award in the eight page tabloid category this April at the JEA/NSPA national journalism convention in Seattle.
Cañas cheerleads for a change By ARACELI EFIGENIO Staff Reporter
In the beginning of the season, he could not complete a cartwheel, but by the end, he could single-handedly toss spirited cheerleaders at heights that made onlookers hold their breaths. Senior Alexis Cañas’ position as the only male cheerleader on the team broke down barriers and created new opportunities for future pom pom wielders.
During his first and only season this year it was not all baked goods and cheerful facial expressions; Cañas faced criticism for his decision to be the only male cheerleader. “When we went to tournaments girls would be like ‘Is he gay?’” said Cañas. “I didn’t really care; you just have to be very secure of yourself.” All of those thoughtless comments made will not be in vain because of Cañas involvement in cheer; more male stu-
dents were inspired to try out for next year. “Now that people can see that it’s not bad for boys to be a cheerleader; people won’t judge them like they thought. They would be more secure with themselves,” said Cañas. “It just takes one person to try out.” Through the cheer team’s first place win in the Bay and their eighth place Go to CHEER page 3
Senior Roberto Pablo Pimienta received the prestigious 2012 Gates Millenium Scholarship April 17, which will fully fund his tuition and expenses at Stanford University. The scholarship, awarded to only 1,000 of 24,000 national applicants, also pays for Pimienta’s graduate school tuition and provides mentorship and career guidance. Pimienta said the Canada College TriO Upward Bound Program and the International Baccalaureate Program greatly helped him throughout high school and the college admission process. In addition to being an IB Diploma candidate and a part of Upward Bound since his sophomore year, Pimienta has also spent much of his time doing community service for the local immigrant community. Pimienta is the co-president of the DREAM club and an active member of the Immigrant Youth Ac-
tion Team. He has tutored ESL students in English. “Senior year it struck me,” Pimienta said. “As the college news kept coming, I was like, ‘I need to find a way to pay for college,’ so I applied to as many scholarships as I could.” Although he received several other scholarships, Pimienta said he will decline some of these offers. Pimienta said he has lost count of the number of scholarships he applied to, but he estimates the number is around 30 to 40. Pimienta said he chose to attend Stanford University because he already knew a small network of people there. He spent the summers of 2010 and 2011 as well as five months his senior year conducting research about the toxicity of nanoparticles at Stanford. Pimienta said he plans to major in either chemistry or bioengineering and eventually earn a postgraduate degree. “Take advantage of opportunities that are offered here, or seek your own opportunities,” Pimienta said.
Badminton goes undefeated in Ocean Division By PETER BUGOS and JARRETT CROWELL Staff Reporters
While some kids cannot wait to leave the hot and smelly gym after practice, the badminton team is happy to stay after hours working on their game. Thanks to the hard work, the team is on the cusp of a CCS playoff appearance after an astounding 14-0 season. “This is the best badminton team I have ever coached at Sequoia,” said head coach Steven Wong. “We have great individuals, but also get great help from coach Du (Nguyen),” said
Feature:
Sequoia’s GPA Revealed Page 3
Wong. Wong has been coaching the badminton team at Sequoia on and off for seven years, and he knows what makes a great team. “This season has been special because of our team unity, because people actually want to be a part of the badminton team.” said Wong. “The dedication of the team is reflected by the record.” Sophomore Nick Chang has also been one of the benefactors of Wong’s great coaching. “Mr. Wong has been playing against our doubles team, which has helped by improving our shoots to
Opinion:
Where are the seniors headed? Page 4-5
get the other team off balance,” said Chang. Senior Kevin Hill, a four year badminton player has been working on improving his game. “This year I got a lot better because I worked on footwork and form instead of just playing,” said Hill. Apparently, that was the cause of the success this year. “This team has been special because everyone actually cares about winning and improving,” said Hill. Junior team captain Cinthia Segovia also agrees. “We have come together as a team, and there is a sense of friendship. Ev-
erybody supports each other. That is what makes us better players,” said Segovia, who plays the number one position on the girls team. Though there is friendly encouragement, every point a team gets adds up. “It gives you responsibility because the game is on you, you carry on a lot of the weight, and you are always important to the team. Every person plays their part,” said Segovia. “Being undefeated gives us lots of confidence going into each game. It gives the team as a whole a positive atmosphere and that is what leads us to success,” said Hill.
Congratulations Seniors! The Raven Report wishes the senior class of 2012 good luck with their next steps in life. Congrats graduates!