Issue 7

Raven Report Sequoia High School

Volume Viii, Issue 7

New board member brings passion and unique background

1201 Brewster Ave. Redwood City, CA 94062

April 15, 2015

Not just a plane day: students work together to revamp aircraft

By CLAIRE BUGOS Managing Editor At 30, Laura Martinez has already served on the East Palo Alto city council, culminating in her two terms as the first Latina mayor. With experience in city government and education, Martinez was sworn in March 18 to her new position on the SUHSD board of trustees.

Martinez is filling the term left by former board member Olivia Martinez (to whom she has no relation), who resigned earlier this year in order to move with her family to Texas.

As a graduate of Palo Alto High School and the daughter of graduates of Carlmont and Sequoia High Schools, Martinez is familiar with the district from which students are coming. As the first in her family to graduate from college, Martinez can connect with many students who are in a similar situation as she was.

“I come from a community in East Palo Alto not too different from Bell Haven or North Fair Oaks where students just like me are the first in their families to go to college,” she said.

Members of the board looked for experience in local governance as well as a connection to the community when interviewing candidates.

“Forty percent of the district is Latino, so it’s great to have somebody who shares that with a plurality of students,” SUHSD board member Chris Thomsen said. “It’s useful that her background is different from other members’—it’s a huge asset.”

Martinez currently works at Aspire East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy, where she runs after-school programs for students and parents.

“I’m really passionate about extracurricular activities, especially sports, clubs and volunteer opportunities, [and also] college readiness and making students are equipped to take on a career after high school or go to a college,” Martinez said.

Martinez’s term ends in November and her seat will be up for election.

She plans to run for the position and if elected, will serve another four years on the board.

Feature:

Getting inked: worth the cost?

Page 3

Photos courtesy of Tim Brand

Junior Albert Hsu and sophomore Adalberto Villalobos Grijalva work on restoring a Japanese Cessna 152 airplane through the SAFE program, the plane is scheduled to be ready for flight in May.

Freshman Alex Strehlow, sophomore Thomas Greenhill and junior Evan Isenstein-Brand work once a week at the San Carlos Airport.

By CLAIRE BUGOS and ABIGAIL WANG Managing Editor and Feature Editor On a typical Monday afternoon, when most students are heading home or gearing up for sports, a team of five students and their adviser load into a van and drive off to the San Carlos Airport to spend their afternoon cleaning out handfuls of dead Japanese bugs that flew across the Pacific in the wheels of their broken Cessna 152 airplanes.

The SAFE Aviation Maintenance program, which began February 2, lets these students practice fixing airplanes. Students work with three mechanics at the airport to complete all the tasks necessary to restore the

Special:

Time to talk about money

Page 8

airplane to flying condition.

“Every time [our task] changes; one day we might be working on the wheels, another day we might be working on the engine, or paint or corrosion,” sophomore Thomas Greenhill said. “We took the wheels off twice and that’s the only thing I’ve ever done twice.”

The program was conceived by adviser Tim Brand, whose son works at the airport. He asked the owner if he would be willing to collaborate on the program, and he willingly agreed.

“It just occured to me there’s a great aviation center and mechanics, literally right across the highway from us and I just thought, ‘I wonder if there’s a way to put this together?’ Brand said. “And it just started from there.”

He approached AVP Sophia Olliver

about the idea, who then went through the process of selecting the five most committed of the 50 candidates to be a part of the program.

A few have had past experience working in aviation, and many of them have some interest in pursuing careers in aviation.

“Both [freshman Alex Strehlow and I] fly a lot of radio-controlled planes,” Greenhill said. “I almost have my glider’s license so I just want to get as much experience as I can. I’m trying to get my pilot license by the end of high school.”

Both Strehlow and Greenhill had met before the program started; however, many of the students had to learn how to work together without knowing each other previously.

“All of the sudden they have to figure out how to remove an engine with minimal instruction, so they’re forced to be teammates, they are forced to do it together and it’s really, really positive,” Brand said. “They’ve quickly grown from a group of strangers, to a dynamic group of friends.”

The group hopes to get the plane in the air by May. As for the future of the program, Brand hopes the program will expand to include helicopters in the upcoming school year. ”It’s a really big opportunity to be able to do this and it’s important that [we] treat it that way,” Strehlow said. “I mean how often can you get to say that you’re a freshman in high school and you’re working on an airplane?”

By the numbers

4:20:90

Fastest mile record held by Mark Daniels ‘72, during the South PAL finals.

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Feature

April 15, 2015

Actors perform in all school productions this year

By CAMRYN HABECKER

Staff Reporter

Auditions. Rehearsals. Cast parties.

Performances. Stage makeup. These are constant in the lives of theater kids.

Freshman Brandon Ah Tye and juniors Nate Bartoshuk and Elijah Punzal have taken on the challenge of performing in all three Sequoia productions this year.

“I was shaky at first but now I’ve done every production I could’ve done here at Sequoia,” Punzal said.

Punzal and Ah Tye both have been into acting before high school. In Bartoshuk’s case, he got many concussions from ice hockey, and wanted to find something new to do.

“I never thought that I’d find something that I’d like besides hockey. I’ve always had an interest in it. Now I’ve been thinking about going to college and studying musical theatre,” Bartoshuk said. “It’s a good experience overall for me.”

Constant involvement in productions can be stressful, but also beneficial.

“The stress of the theatre helps me cope with a lot of things. It helps me keep driving through the day. If you

happen to make a mistake, it could bring forth something greater than planned,” Punzal said.

Being in all these productions has brought many good things into their lives, like being more outgoing, and acting skills in general. Many high school actors act later in life, and these three hope to do so.

Productions have also created new friendships. To them, the theatre community is very connected like a family.

They encourage each other to be better actors, and people in general.

“I’ve changed my friend group due to production work. I met a lot of people through the cast and I’ve stuck with them,” Ah Tye said.

All of them said “All Shook Up” was their favorite production, for the music and the energy. It also taught them a little bit of history about the time period that the musical was set in.

Although auditions can seem scary, according to the boys, Daniel Broome, director of the Sequoia productions, makes the process simple and fun.

“Don’t be afraid to audition,” Punzal said. “The community is so supportive.

We like to see a lot of new faces.”

Photo courtesy of Eileen Bray

Elijah Punzal (left), Brandon Ah Tye (middle), and Nate Bartoshuk (right) have starred in all three drama productions this year.

Abusive relationships can threaten individuality Help possible with campus resources

By LAUREN CRESTA and JASLEEN PELIA-LUTZKER Staff Reporters If you have ever watched any of the High School Musical movies, you assume that all teenage relationships are easy, fun and adorable. But in reality, relationships can be incredibly complicated. Unhealthy relationships are common in teenage couples and must be addressed for the safety of the students involved.

When problems in these relationships escalate, they may become abusive, and though it may be easy to recognize an unhealthy relationship from the outside, being able to recognize that you yourself are in an unhealthy relationship is a different story.

For senior Kamilla Cardoso, her nine-month relationship in eighth grade quickly became abusive without her even realizing.

“You know when they call it the honeymoon phase, that’s how it was for the first month or so, and after that, I would be hanging out with my friends and he would [say], ‘Why are you hanging out with them, you should hang out with me?’” Cardoso said.

At the time, she believed that what was going on was completely normal. It wasn’t until she was much older she realized this was not the case.

Some common warning signs of a potentially non-physical yet abusive relationship include being forced to spend all of your time with that person like in Cardoso’s relationship, or if your partner embarrasses or threatens you.

Fortunately, at Sequoia you can get

The many types of relationships

Graphic created by Jasleen Pelia-Lutzker

There are specific characteristics that are consistent with some of the three most common types of relationships. support in this difficult situation at the Teen Resource Center (TRC).

“I would definitely like students to know that this is a safe space to come to if their relationship is causing them a lot of sadness, anxiety, conflict, or is affecting their relationships at home or at school,”said TRC Director Judy Romero. “I want to make sure all students know they can speak up if they are

feeling pressured to do something they don’t want to do.”

In Cardoso’s case, her boyfriend at the time would repeatedly slap and grab her arms.

However, she never found this alarming; she would justify the violence by participating in it herself. Then she would tell herself that because she was hitting him just as much as he was hit-

ting her, it was fair.

“After a while the [abuse] passed on to me, and we would be arguing, and I would slap him… I wasn’t always the victim,” she said.

Though Cardoso found her boyfriend’s behaviors aggravating, she believed that this was completely normal, since she couldn’t talk to her friends to get perspective on the situation.

This caused her friendships to get more and more distant, until she lost some of them altogether.

This, along with two to three arguments every day, made the relationship difficult to enjoy.

Though the bruises on Cardoso’s arms faded with time, she found the emotional strain remained hard to bear.

“I get this mental block where [when I’m in a] relationship I get scared that my feelings are going to make me blind and stupid like I was, and I just cut it off,” Cardoso said. “Every time I was in [another] relationship I was always like, what if he turns into that guy?”

Now, after taking a step back, Cardoso admits the relationship could have been helped greatly if the couple had stronger communication, and were able to sit down and talk to one another instead of letting anger take control.

This sort of counseling is exactly what the TRC on campus provides. The staff has counseling programs for couples and individuals.

“The goal of counseling is to assist the person to find out what is making them feel the way they do and find ways to resolve issues or develop positive coping mechanisms,” Romero says. “We hope this will lead them to make positive decisions.”

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Feature

April 15,2015

Students’ ink reaches further than paper

By CHAZ ROSADO Staff Reporter Even if you don’t have a tattoo, you know what the buzzing sound of a tattoo gun sounds like. And if you’re a student who has a tattoo, you know what comes along with it: looks, questions, comments, and assumptions become an everyday occurrence.

Sophomore David Guttenbeil can be recognized by a tribal sleeve on his left arm. Tattoos are notorious for being excruciatingly painful and Guttenbeil can vouch for that.

“It feels like a tiny sharp pin punching you a thousand times Photo by Chaz Rosado over and over again,” Gutten- Senior Audel Salas sports a half sleeve on his left arm. Despite California’s legal age for beil said. getting tattoos being 18, Salas’s chest, arm, and legs have ink on them.

English teacher Dy Nguyen has a tattoo of her own on future jobs. Lots of jobs prohib- by then, then by all means get it when a student had a visible the inside of her finger, read- it displaying of visible tattoos.” tattooed,”Nguyen said. tattoo of a smoking assault rifle. ing “epic.” It’s about one inch Nguyen, whose tattoo comSequoia High School has a Senior Audel Salas can be across and cost her $200. memorates her love for her policy on tattoos that coincides seen walking the hallways Still, Nguyen doesn’t think partner, thinks students need with the dress code. sporting a half sleeve on his left students in high school realize to make sure the tattoo they “Any tattoo that violates the arm. Despite California’s legal the consequences of getting get is something they can live student dress code, whether it age for getting tattoos being 18, inked. with forev- be weapons, drugs, inappropri- Salas’s chest, arm, and legs have “I do think er. Having ate language or nudity, is not ink on them.

“People with tattoos have a reputait’s strange,” waited a year permitted and must be covered “You have to know people tion of being bad people, and you Nguyen said. herself to get up,” Administrative Vice Prin- and you have to be careful too “It’s something just can’t make assumptions. I’m a her tattoo, cipal Mike Kuliga said. “It’s not or there’s big consequences,” that’s so per- normal kid: I just want to play soc- she thinks the too common of an occurrence Salas said. “They can get in manent.

Stu- cer, work and be with my family.” time should where the administration has trouble. You can get in trou— Audel Salas, senior be longer. dents this age had to intervene regarding a ble. It’s something you want to don’t know “If you student’s tattoo; we’ve only had avoid.” themselves well think of an a few instances.”

Credible tattoo shops would enough to make such a life idea, you should wait five or An instance where the ad- have priced some of Salas’s changing decision. It can affect ten years and if you still want it ministration had to step in was work at around $500, he said,

but knowing someone who gives tattoos got him his tattoos for around half the price. Salas’s most expensive tattoo comes in at $200, a cheap price for a lot of work that includes shading and covering a large area of Salas’s right upper right arm.

Some tattoo artists’ hourly rates can range anywhere from $50-200 per hour. Samantha Sue, who works at Black and Blue Tattoo in San Francisco, charges a minimum of $200 per hour.

An entire sleeve, depending on detail, shading, color and placement, can be priced from $500-3000 or more, according to crowdsourced website howmuchisit.org.

Tattoos are a visible and permanent change to your body and it’s hard as a student in high school to have one.

“Teachers looked at me like I was a bad kid just because I had tattoos. I pay attention in class, I do my work, I get good test scores. Once they found out who I really am, their view of me changed,” said Salas.

Salas knows the hardships that come with being a high school student with visible tattoos. The senior has strong opinions on tattoos and he’s going continue filling up his sleeve.

Salas’s stance on tattoos is a simple one. “People draw art, I wear mine.”

Collaborative programs support students with disabilities, reveal strengths, triumphs However, co-teaching a class can be ferently or not knowing how to find the “Whatever we cover in the classroom, challenging for teachers who have nev- right strategies yet.” we have to bridge those gaps and teach it er collaborated in such close Sequoia also has an In- in the most natural setting,” ILS teacher dependent Living Skills Nick Boldrey said.

After the fifth period bell rings on quarters.

“You have to agree (ILS) class for students For many students like Janice, the Mondays, Janice stays in her seat as her on the pacing of the with intellectual and stigma of being in an extra class with Independent teacher continues describing the rules of developmental disabil- only other students who have disabilities triangles with posters and hands-on ac- class—the approach you Living Skills ities. According to the can be a challenge in and of itself, on top tivities for another period. Janice has a want with how you manAmerican Association of of the difficulties they face in the classhearing impairment which makes it hard age the class and how you divide instruction,” Gross said.

Intellectual and Developmen- room on a daily basis. for her to comprehend information that “Sometimes it’s hard [for] everybody is presented solely aurally. Therefore, “It’s establishing how you’re going to tal Disabilities these are determined she’s enrolled in a two period geometry work together beyond teaching a group by three characteristics: an IQ below [to] understand the vision of why we class co-taught by Peter Gross and Cath- of students who have some challenges 70-75; significant limitations in two or have special ed. We have IEPs to support more adaptive areas such as self-care, students who have historically been diserine Sterne as part of a movement to with their learning.”

Study Skills classes have a similar socializing, communicating; and if the advantaged and to provide them with an promote inclusion of special education structure to AVID classes in that condition manifests itself before the age equal access to education like any other students in general education classnew material isn’t taught, of 18. student,” Nguyen said. rooms. but rather advisers “We have kids who we could teach While teaching special ed can pose Almost 13 percent mentor the students every single way, we could use the maps, specific challenges, it brings with it a of Sequoia’s student in the areas in which we could use the different set of tribody has an IndividIndividualized they need the most cards, we could umphs as well. ualized Education “Sometimes it’s hard [for] everybody [to] Education Program help. have them use “I think the Program (IEP) and understand the vision of why we have spe“It’s hard to spend their bodies, and biggest thing is the receives services and cial ed—to support students who have hisyour entire life struggling if they’re not conacknowledgment support from the Special with learning and wanting to stantly inundated torically been disadvantaged and provide of a real strength Education department. Last them with equal access to education.” or skillset. None year, Janice would have been in a Spe- give up. And then I get them and I'm with it, they’re —Dy Nguyen, Study Skills teacher of us are masters cial Day Class for math that consisted trying to motivate them to try to turn going to forget,” of all trades,” Bolof only special ed students. However, that around, “ English and Study Skills said ILS teacher Redrey said. “They in her co-taught math class, having one teacher Dy Nguyen said. “It makes becca Goodwin. sense why some students are going to The class focuses all have the ability content-area specialist and one special ed teacher allows for more individual- act out or disconnect or just stop car- on lessons such as managing a budget to stand out at something and those of ized support than any other general ed ing anymore. They’ve had a lifetime of and takes field trips to the grocery store us who are in this room are fortunate struggling with something, learning dif- to practice. enough to see it every day.” class.

By DALIA JUDE Editor-in-Chief

ILS:

IEP:

Special

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Let’s talk about the money, m Money is part of our daily lives, but it means something different to everyone, especially at a school that’s as socioeconomically diverse as ours.

It’s time we talked about it.

Cheap alternatives to popular pastimes

$75k grant targets IB inequity, access nomic status that is not representative of our school or our country,” English teacher Abbie Korman said.

Korman is also the adviser of the His alarm clock rings at 6:30 a.m., club Our Voice, which was created last five short hours after he went to sleep, year and is dedicated to encouraging stuso he can finish homework in time for dents, particularly ones who are part of first period. As he rushes from IB class a minority in their classes, to feel more to IB class, the homework keeps piling confident and comfortable speaking up on—reading, problem sets, studying for in classes.

“I think the equity grant and Our upcoming tests—until the lines of his planner are all full. But when the final Voice [are] for students who aren’t white bell of the school day rings, senior Luis and middle to upper-class to feel like they belong, just like everybody else, to Perez Ortiz’s day has barely begun.

He won’t return home until 8 p.m. feel that they have the opportunity that on Tuesdays and Thursdays when he white, middle and upper-class students works as a tutor, and that’s so he can often feel entitled to,” Korman said.

The equity grant leadership team of cook dinner and take care of his two younger siblings. Finally, the clock hits teachers and administrators is creating a 9:30 p.m. and Perez Ortiz can finally three-year program aimed at increasing the participation and start his homework.

Although 47.5 percent of stu- success of low-income Perez Ortiz’s dents are eligible for free and students in the IB proexperience isn’t reduced lunch, only 15 percent gram.

The action plan inexactly what most of the current IB diploma cancludes improving and think of when they didates are. streamlining commuhear ‘IB Diploma nication as well as crestudent.’ He has to work and support his family due to ating a mentoring support system. The financial need—both his parents work hope is to increase enrollment by edulate into the night, and his father works cating feeder middle schools and within two full-time jobs—so finding time to Sequoia.

“The IB equity grant makes it so we complete his work poses a significant pay attention to this inequity. We’re givchallenge. “[The] playing field isn’t always so ing more students the chances that every equal,” said Perez Ortiz, who will be student deserves.”

Perez Ortiz didn’t enter as a fresha first-generation college student. “I know many students who have familial man in all ICAP classes, and faced the responsibilities, who work to support challenge of switching ‘paths.’ In recent their families, and that takes a toll on years, the school has begun to reduce the their schooling. I feel that although a lot number of ICAP classes for freshmen of teachers are aware of that in the stan- and sophomores, effectively giving all dard level courses, they feel that these students a more equal opportunity to acthings aren’t present in IB, but they are cess the IB program.

Sequoia is one of five American IB for many students.”

Thanks to a $75,000 grant from the schools to receive money from the grant, International Baccalaureate Organiza- which amounted to $1.3 billion total, tion’s national “Bridging the Equity and was selected because over 35 percent Gap” program, Sequoia is making an ef- of students here are from low income fort to address inequity in IB classes to households.

“Yes, we want to increase our numbetter reflect the school’s diversity.

Although 47.5 percent of students ber,” said Erin Holst, AVID teacher, are eligible for free and reduced lunch, Social Studies Department Chair and only 15 percent of the current IB diplo- leadership team member. “But I think more so than that, we want everyone at ma candidates are.

“When you look around the major- Sequoia to have the opportunity to exity of IB classes, most of the students are cel, to succeed, to challenge themselves of a certain race and a certain socioeco- and to be a well-rounded student.”

By CARMEN VESCIA Managing Editor

Common expenses for 9th

Conversations about m

By SABRINA VILLANUEVA AVALOS Opinion Editor

“I’m getting $100 for every A I get.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it, I’ll just use my mom’s credit card.”

“Ew. Why can’t my parents take me to the Bahamas instead of Europe.”

Yes, these are actual sentences spoken by actual people who walk these hallways.

Some people are extremely financially fortunate, and that is fantastic. What isn’t fantastic, however, is how statements like these alienate those who might not be as fortunate.

As a student with a relatively low socioeconomic status, I know what it’s like to be the less fortunate student listening to comments like these. I know what it’s like to work to help provide for my family and worry about how I’m going to fund my future in college and beyond. I’ve thought about money more than so many others who seem to think that everyone has the funds to maintain an expensive social life.

This is what makes it so difficult to listen to my peers brag about brand new cars and vacation plans. For some of us, these have never been possible.

So many students have a constant worry about how their family is going to pay their rent for the upcoming month or making enough money to keep electricity on. Those of us who have jobs to support our families don’t have a stack of money set aside for luxuries; we focus

Feature

5

money, money

Common expenses for 11th and 12th

Unaliyi Parent Group works against income inequality

By EMILY DUCKER News Editor

and 10th

Additional expenses

Graphics by Dalia Jude

money should not alienate students on necessities. I learned how to balance a checkbook before most people learn what a bank account is, and vacations are rarely in the realm of possibilities.

So many students facing financial burdens like myself are unable to attend social outings such as movies or fancy dinners or expensive concerts because we don’t all have access to money all the time. In addition to that, we must deal with those who shove their wealth in our faces as if it were the answer to world peace. Intentional or not, it hurts, and these are the things that we need to look out for. I understand how cool it is that you’ve already visited five different countries before your twelfth birthday, but students need to start being more aware of who they’re bragging to.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind hearing about your vacations; if I went on one, I would talk about it too. However, there

is a very fine line between sharing your experiences and bragging about them everyday to those of us who cannot relate to your fortune.

I get it, talking about money is hard and it’s awkward, and many of us don’t know how to do it because it’s never been a worry before. However, it is something that we do need to talk about because whether you see it or not, it is going to be a huge part of our futures. I know the reality of paying bills, affording the necessary groceries and living life on a budget.

Students need to start becoming educated on the real role that money plays in our daily lives, even if they are not responsible for it now, and the best way to do this is to start talking about it. Students need to be aware that we are all in different financial situations, so we need to stop talking about money as if we are all

the same. While some of us have parents that are able to provide everything from the necessities of life to social outings with friends, others are obligated to work just to be able to afford the necessities and anything extra is a rare added bonus, if it’s even possible at all.

I’m not asking you all to stop discussing your awesome new clothes and your expensive Christmas gifts. I’m asking you to realize that the person sitting next to you may not be able to get all of those things. When you don’t know how to talk about something, find a different conversation. We all have so many other qualities and the diversity at our school is endless. There is so much more to our student body than money and material goods.

Don’t allow your ignorance about money to affect your ability to interact with those around you.

In recent years, money has become something that is on the minds of our student body, much more so than in the past. “[When I was in high school,] money was never something that I would talk about in my classes, or among my friends. We never really talked about it all,” Spanish teacher and Sequoia alum Cristelda Guillen said. “But [now, students] talk a lot more [than when I was in high school] about materialistic things like the phone or computer they have.”

With a greater emphasis on having material goods, the Unaliyi Parent Group works with the Parent Center to provide various forms of support for those families in need at Sequoia. From food, to school supplies, to even prom dresses, they work to insure that all students get the materials they need to thrive in high school.

“Last year, a moving article on homeless students in the Raven Report motivated a number of parents to form a group which we have been calling the Unaliyi Parent Group,” said parent Kristine Westerlind, founder of the group. “The general objective of this group is to find ways to connect people in need with the many resources available in our community.”

Since its creation, the members of the Unaliyi Parent Group have worked with Principal Sean Priest to develop a system which allows more staff members to request help for students and their families. They have also gotten involved with research that is being done to determine what community resources could be useful in an effective oncampus resource center for students and families.

“The hope is that all the great things happening at Sequoia can continue to thrive and grow,” said Westerlind, “and that we can have the pleasure of being a part of it.”

This income inequality is something that Sequoia’s community is well aware of. State and district funding offers a myriad of services for students from low-income families, such as free and reduced lunch and fee waivers for required tests; last year 47.5 percent of Sequoia’s student body was eligible for free and reduced lunch.

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Opinion

Free periods limit student collaboration; student lounge needed

By CARMEN VESCIA and REBEKAH WESTERLIND Managing Editor and Staff Reporter It’s 1 a.m.

This homework is impossible. I know, I’ll get help in free period tomorrow.

Flash forward nine hours. Just as my friend’s explanation begins to make sense, we’re silenced for distracting other students with our noise.

O f f i c i a l l y, all students with free periods must check in at the library and work quietly for the duration of the period. This policy doesn’t allow students to collaborate or relax.

Free periods should be free. This means students should be allowed to collaborate, eat, sleep, do yoga or just do nothing if that’s what helps them feel refreshed and prepared for their next class.

It can be helpful to talk through difficult concepts. The act of teaching someone helps solidify that material, but this valuable exchange can’t happen if the library requires silence.

Earlier this year, when freshmen and sophomores were asked in the all-school

essay about what should be prioritized during new building construction, many of them described the need for a space for student collaboration.

We understand that some students genuinely want to study quietly and focus, so there can’t be free reign out of respect for those who need peace and quiet. But other students who would benefit from a group study session, a nap or a snack or even a half an hour of goofing off to destress should have a place to do this.

Studies on power naps have proven that they can boost memory, cognition, creativity and energy level. Similarly, snacks can help increase your energy level, but the no food policy holds back any student hoping to recharge before the next class.

It’s also proven that exercise improves energy, attention, memory and accuracy while reducing stress.

Two possible solutions are to increase supervision in the library, which could open up the fireside room for student use, or creating a new space for collaboration by repurposing or constructing a student lounge in the spaces that are set to be remodeled.

We acknowledge that each student learns differently, and to fit these varied learning styles, we think that there should be more options for students during free periods. We know creating a separate study space would require a supervisor and space, but with the new construction planned around campus, now is the perfect opportunity to address these needs.

April 15, 2015

Online test prep courses aren’t worth the price

By LILY FRIEBEL Sports Editor SAT test: $52.50.

ACT plus writing test: $54.50.

These are costly exams for most college-bound students to pay every year, but now, it seems like students are paying even more.

The cost of an SAT and ACT test prep course: up to $1,199.

The cost of a private tutor: up to $100 an hour.

The stress and costs of test taking builds up, especially for upperclassmen. But even some freshmen or sophomores now take the SAT or ACT or are preparing for it.

When I did not receive the outcome I had hoped for after taking the SAT for the first time last year, I turned to Princeton Review to help me raise my score. After spending $500 and attempting the test a second time, I was disheartened to see no improvement.

Having good SAT or ACT scores are crucial, of course, for getting into college, but also for receiving scholarships. As early as 1938, Stanley Kaplan offered courses that promised to raise scores. Now Kaplan, Princeton Review and all other competitors are a part of a $4.5 billion a year industry.

These courses may provide great

TBH social media is a waste of your life

Potential physical hazards aside, people aren’t aware

By SAM CASWELL of all they’re missing when they’re glued to their phones.

Staff Reporter People watch movies of their lives without actually livI have no social media. ing them. Others pay hundreds of dollars to get concert Someone check my pulse—I tickets and watch it through a five-inch phone screen.

There also seems to be a social obligation to capture might be dead. I’m a 14-yearold girl living in the heart of every funny thing ever done to add it to your Snapchat Silicon Valley. Go ahead, gasp story. When you are goofing around with your friends, in horror. I have been told I you should feel comfortable that what you do and say have no life and that I am a los- will be kept between you and them, but it hurts when er because I don’t have a Snap- you find out that your moment was shared with your friend’s whole social network. chat, Instagram, or Facebook.

Now one could easily make the point that social But really, consider the fact that you could waste 15 days of your life just checking media is used to stay in contact with people in far off places. To that I say touché. It’s amazing how people Instagram and Snapchat in high school alone.

Social media is useless. What is the real purpose of have used social media for good purposes and have really made an impact on other’s lives. it?

For example, the Ice Bucket ChalI was not always accepting of lenge trended on social media in the fact that my friends were able Social media is a waste of your life.

2014 and raised over 100 million to have something I could not. My People say “live life to the fullest” dollars for ALS. Those are remarkparents decided that phones were not “live life to post it on Facebook.” able numbers, and fundraising solely a communication device. It campaigns can now reach much was devastating being left out of further with social media. something.

However, if you talk about the Ice Bucket ChalNow however, I hear about Facebook and Twitter running peoples’ lives and how people easily spend up lenge, you also have to mention Alex from Target and The Dress. What was the purpose of these social media to three hours per day on their social media accounts.

Social media is a waste of your life. People say “live phenomenons? What did they achieve? It just proves life to the fullest” not “live life to post it on Facebook.” the point that it is easier to attract attention to someObsessive phone use can also be dangerous. One in thing fun and mindless than to a real issue such as a every four car accidents are caused by phone use. 11 disease. While there are definite examples of social meteens die daily because they are using their phone while dia having a positive impact on peoples’ lives, the ratio between good and bad outcomes is still too far apart. driving, according to textinganddrivingsafely.com.

Free up free periods, allowing stuoutcomes those who are dedicated dents to befor their most productive. enough. However, paying to take an online course during the week, and taking the many practice tests, on top of doing homework or playing sports isn’t reasonable for everyone.

According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, students who take an online prep course only see a rise of 30 points on the SAT and less than one point on the ACT. Kaplan Test Prep draws students in by saying, “95 percent of Kaplan students get into one or more of their top choice colleges.”

California high school students score, on average, a 1503 SAT and 22.1 ACT, as of 2012, according to the Orange County Register.

At University of California at Berkeley, admitted students in 2013 scored an average between 1840 and 2240 on the SAT, and between 27 and 33 on the ACT. Sorry Kaplan, but nice try.

According to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, over 800 colleges do not require the SAT or ACT. They say the tests do not reveal students’ abilities and find that high school grades are a better reflection.

Whether it’s private tutoring or online courses, we shouldn’t be relying on paying for these forms of test prep to raise our scores.

If you study hard with an SAT or ACT test book, or free practice tests online, you can receive similar scores as you would by spending a fortune on prep courses.

Sequoia High School

Raven Report 2014-2015

Editor-in-Chief Dalia Jude Managing Editors Claire Bugos Carmen Vescia News Editor Emily Ducker

Feature Editor Abigail Wang

Opinion Editor Sabrina Villanueva Avalos Sports Editor Lily Friebel Online Editor Glenn Billman Staff Reporters Xavi Boluña, Sunaina Butler, Sam Caswell, Lauren Cresta, Trevor Crowell, Isabel DeCastro, Nora Fossenier, Dominick Graham, Camryn Habecker, Erik Huisman, Maddie Pei, Jasleen Pelia-Lutzker, Chaz Rosado, Zack Rosenblatt, Madalene Schorr, Mars Svec-Burdick, Philip Tyson, Iridian Villanueva, Erik West, Rebekah Westerlind Adviser Kim Vinh

7

Sports

April 15, 2015

Amaya sisters take on varsity softball

By IRIDIAN VILLANUEVA

Staff Reporter

Two sisters, one team. Junior Allison and freshman Danielle Amaya, both on the varsity softball team, share their passion for the sport they have been playing together since they were in preschool.

Allison has been playing on the Sequoia team since her freshman year. Danielle is following in Allison’s footsteps and made the varsity squad this year. This is the first time the sisters have played on the same team.

“There’s ups and downs to it,” Danielle said. “But when we do get along we play really well with each other.”

The sisters were first introduced to softball by their dad, Mitch Amaya. He’s the assistant coach, and he also helps them with their competitive softball travel team, where they play with out-of-state teams. Allison has been with the travel team for two years and this year will be Danielle’s first year playing on the travel team.

Allison plays center field and pitcher, while Danielle plays first and third base. Allison and Danielle both hope to continue playing in college after high school. Allison goes to camps and showcases that colleges put on where coaches watch her play and also introduce themselves. She has also attended college recruitment camps at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

“You have to introduce yourself to coaches. I’m quiet with people I don’t know, so

By ERIK WEST

Staff Reporter

Photo courtesy of Allison Amaya

Sisters Allison and Danielle Amaya play on the same softball team. Their father, Mitch, introduced his daughters to the sport when they were young. it’s really hard but you have to force yourself to do it,” Allison said.

Danielle and Allison have busy schedules with Sequoia softball practice and games Monday through Saturday, and on Sundays practice for another team.

Senior captain Claire Casey says that even though they play different positions and there’s not a lot of interactions out on the field, they manage to do their job together.

“They’re both strong hitters and a good contribution to the team,” Casey said.

The sisters also have a family history of relatives playing sports at Sequoia. Their grandfather, Paul Amaya, graduated in 1950, played baseball and won the “Jack Anderson” award for boxing. Their grandmother Helen Amaya graduated in 1953 and played softball. Their great uncle Art Amaya played basketball and baseball and is in the Sequoia Sports Hall of Fame for football.

Perfunctory questions cannot replace actual greetings are you?” followed by a sheepish laugh and then the general clatter of people moving on with their lives much too often.

It happens whenever one leaves one’s home—at Starbucks, in a meeting, or just simply walking down the street. However, “How was school?” is not distinguished by much, and that usually happens at home.

“It’s nice for people to say,” said AVP Secretary Brenda Soto. “But other times I’m so “How are you?” they ask. busy I can’t get into that con“Fine,” you answer. Maybe versation.” “good,” or even “great,” if According to Soto, about you’re feeling adventurous. half of the students and 70 “Well,” if you’re feeling par- percent of parents who come ticularly grammatically correct to the AVP ask how she is. Or, that day. But you will never re- they just start off with “I’m not spond with “awful.” You prob- sure if I’m in the right office ably didn’t even think about but...” how you actually felt before But I’m not saying posing answering. It’s a reflex. the question “How are you” But fortuisn’t morally nately, people “We miss simple human interac- j u s t i f i e d . aren’t listen- tion. Shaking hands [and] shar- The quesing. In fact, tion itself ing a quick greeting maintains they probably is not evil. some of that.” didn’t care in Asking how the first place. —Scott Stalder, Spanish teacher s o m e o n e It’s just somefeels opens thing people say. “How are up deeper conversations, alyou,” is not a question any- lowing someone to be a better more. It is a synonym for “Hi,” friend. Find out why someone and therefore it doesn’t seem to looks so happy, or how terribly always require a response in the their day is going, all with three form of an answer. little words. You can find out a I hear “How are you?” “How lot about a person while listenBy SUNAINA BUTLER Staff Reporter

Boys basketball coach named coach of the year

ing to what they say. most thoughts (e.g. the reason “When people greet each why they aren’t smiling is that other and say ‘How’s it going,’ they think their parents are getor ‘How are you doing,’ they ting divorced and they don’t don’t really expect a response. want to scare their little brothIt’s just like saying ‘Hey,’” er so they can’t say anything).

Spanish teacher Scott Stalder, Things like that. said. “But as students come [to “How are you” is bland my classroom] part of shaking when someone only asks behands and greeting them is that cause they don’t actually know I want to know, really, [if ] they what’s going on in your life. are doing okay Ask about how [or if ] somesomeone’s game thing is wrong. “How are you” is bland when went. Find out I can usually someone only asks because they if they finally tell that from don’t actually know what’s finished that the greeting.” going on in your life. Ask about novel they alWhen peo- how someone’s game went. ways wanted to ple ask “How Inquire about what is up. write. Inquire are you,” they about what is should listen to up. the answer. Be in touch not by How are you should never your word choice, but by your be a perfunctory question. Peoactions. Follow up on an event ple can ask, and just move on by asking how it went. Find with the conversation, but the out if someone is actually fine. whole point of asking a quesAnd, in the case of a teacher tion is to listen to the answer. asking at the beginning the Don’t waste your breath on class, it can be a good thing. something that neither party You practice vocabulary, and it actually cares about. sets the scene for the day.

“They don’t always let me “We miss simple human in- respond,” Soto said. “They just teraction. Shaking hands, shar- ask to ask. Which is undering a quick greeting maintains standable.” some of that,” Stalder said.

“How are you” has a place “It’s a reminder that [students] in conversation. It’s thoughthave come to Spanish class, and ful when people ask instead of we’re going to speak Spanish.” say. But we need to stop using However, no one tells some- it as a greeting. Try ‘Hello.’ It’s one they just met their inner- a classic, but it still works.

Sequoia’s Varsity Boys Basketball coach Fine Lauese was named the Daily News boys basketball coach of the year.

Sequoia finished second in the Central Coast Section (CCS) Division 1 with a 10-2 record behind Lauese’s leadership.

They lost in the quarterfinals of the CCS playoffs to the #11 seed Milpitas, who won the Pacific Athletic League (PAL) championship.

Lauese graduated from Sequoia in 1987 and has coached the boys basketball team for nine years.

He coached Sequoia’s girls basketball team for 10 years before that. This is Lauese’s first time winning an award for his coaching.

“It was a honor to be named coach of the year.

It’s good that somebody recognizes your hard work and all of the time you put in, but we don’t do it for that, we do it because we love the game, and it’s all about making them better men down the line,” Lauese said.“I really don’t think about it a whole lot, but I guess it’s good to have.”

His players have nothing but good things to say about him.

“Fine is very knowledgeable about the sport and does everything within his control to ensure he gets the most out of his players. But what makes him a good coach is that amongst the daily stretching of each player’s physical limit, and amongst the yelling and punishment, he manages to maintain a positive relationship with the team as a whole and each player as an individual,” junior Gabi Bertero said.

Sequoia has seven of their senior players graduating, and will have to rely on some young talent to step up next year.

@ravenreport

April 15, 2015 8 Sports Varsity freshmen gain leadership despite less playing time

By TREVOR CROWELL Staff Reporter The team huddles for a pre-game pep talk. The players then hustle out to their positions on the field—except for most of the freshmen.

For the majority of the few freshmen privileged enough to make the varsity squad, they must watch from the bench as the game begins. Something they must accept is the likelihood that they won’t play much.

Yet for some, it’s still worth it.

“The best part is the learning experience. If I hadn’t learned from the older guys on varsity, then I wouldn’t be able to carry on with their success when I get older,” basketball varsity freshman Zach Bene said.

By learning from the older players, younger players develop more than they would playing for the JV team.

“I enjoy it more even though I don’t get as much playing time because playing with varsity pushes me more. It’s a much more challenging and serious atmosphere playing with varsity,” varsity

Photo Courtesy of Mitch Amaya

Alex Sehl is one of several freshman who decided to play a varsity sport for the learning experience of playing with upperclassmen teammates. softball freshman pitcher Alex Sehl said.

Some coaches also find that pulling up freshmen to varsity will improve their leadership as well as their overall skill.

“He’ll be with the program and with

the varsity guys for all four years if everything works out. So in the long run, you hope that player develops and understands it early to help us with the program as far as getting better,” varsity

boys basketball coach Fine Lauese said.

“I would pull a kid up if I see that he has a potential to be a four year player.”

But playing with better competition a few times is worth it.

“Sometimes I think, ‘Oh I could have been starting and playing way more on JV.’ Then other times when I do get to play it’s much more rewarding afterwards because I know that I played at a higher level of competition,” Sehl said. “Playing with older players makes the entire game more professional. There is less goofing off and I feel much more focused on the entire game. The rest of my teammates are very positive role models.”

Some athletes have found that simply being accepted on to the varsity team will greatly increases their self-confidence.

“The fact that the other varsity players accepted me made it a lot easier to play up,” Bene said. “It was honestly more fun with them because when you are accepted by upperclassmen, it really helps your self confidence, and that positively affected how I felt about playing in general.”

—Additional reporting by ERIK WEST

New coaches bring Badminton serves up skill experience to track

By DOMINICK GRAHAM and NORA FOSSENIER Staff Reporters

By ERIK HUISMAN Staff Reporter Running. Jumping. Throwing. Track is now in full swing with over 100 athletes participating in 16 different events while being trained by a few new faces.

The new coaches for this season are head coach Don Wetteland and pole vault, relay and sprints coach Shawn Gettins. The returning coaches are Linda Shinshiro, Bruce Wernick, Gordon Bliss, Ofa Taimani and Nanci Conniff.

“The coaches are very enthusiastic and they want to bring this program to what it could potentially be,” senior Eddie Barrera said.

Coach Gordon Bliss, in his seventh season, has extensive experience in track himself as a high school and college sprinter.

“The first time I ever three stepped [three times between each hurdle], I had a mental

block, so Gordon made me stay after practice ended until I could get it. It was so frustrating but he kept pushing me, and I finally did it,” sophomore Gabi Siguenza said.

Distance coach Wernick also ran distance races in high school and college.

Most distance runners run a combination of the half mile, mile or two mile and they occasionally participate in the relays.

‘The coaches really do have the best interests for the students and they will help us,” junior Emma O’Hara said.

Shinshiro and Gettins coach the sprinters and relay runners.

Shinshiro ran track at Sequoia and set several school records. She then ran track for California Polytechnic State University.

“Linda and Shawn are very supportive,” freshman Ryan Reed said. “They have made me a much better runner.”

Badminton doesn’t seem that hard of a task until you actually step into it. This Olympic sport is actually really exhausting and hard to pick up. We were running back and forth, jumping all over the place and missing practically every hit. Meanwhile, everyone else was having intense rallies, clearing, smashing and serving.

The aim of badminton is to the “birdie” back and forth over the net and score points. Points are gained when the opposing team misses the birdie, hits it out of bounds or into the net.

“The basics are footwork and learning how to hold a racket,” coach Samir Bisteni said. “If

Sequoia Says:

What class would you like to see added to Sequoia?

“Astronomy. I feel like out of all the science classes, nothing relates to astronomy, and it would be interesting to study stars and planets.”

—Blake Carbonneau, junior —CLAIRE BUGOS AND ABIGAIL WANG

you don’t know how to do any of those, it’s really hard for you to learn the sport.”

So we focused on footwork technique. Then, it was time for us to actually hit the birdie. Or rather, fail to hit the birdie. We managed to lose every practice game, but we scored a few points.

Though the practice itself was rigorous, multiple people offered to teach us the drills.

“I like how nice all the people are,” freshman Angela Khov said. “There are seniors and juniors who help me with my technique.”

While we were busy bungling every attempt to get a point, those actually on the team were perfecting their footwork and shots.

“When we play it’s usually a friendly game, we’re not really aggressive, but we play seriously,” freshman Zachariah Holder said.

“Juggling and magic because those are two great art forms that people don’t know about and respect.”

—Dylan Sollfrank, junior

“A mechanical engineering class would be cool. A lot of kids don’t know how to take care of their car and it’s a skill they should have.”

— Delaney Brown, sophomore

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