The Flash Magazine | Volume 32, Issue 1 | October 17, 2024

The Perfect Storm

(full story on page 09)

Her Optimism Project

(full story on page 19)

One Set at a Time

(full story on page 33)

THE FLASH

EDITORAL

Newsom’s

new phone ban did ... nothing?

Gavin Newsom fulfilled his promise to restrict phone use in schools by signing a bill last month that essentially leaves all the details up to schools. The only real requirement is that schools maintain “a policy to limit or prohibit” the use of phones during the school day. This bill is a political stunt --- so watered down and vague as to accomplish nothing but codify the issues already present in many school’s policies.

In July, we published an editorial arguing that schools should be able to decide for themselves how to approach smartphones. This is still true. But Newsom’s bill doesn’t give more agency to schools. Instead, it introduces another layer of confusion without the clarifying power of a statewide ban.

Newsom’s bill explicitly allows individual teachers to make exceptions in their classrooms. At Rocklin High School, uneven enforcement already hinders school administrators’ efforts to keep phones out of the classroom. The phone pocket policy, for example, is applied differently from teacher to teacher, creating friction between staff and frustration among students.

In our last editorial, we argued that physically restricting access to smartphones could jeopardize student safety and inconvenience parents who may need to reach their kids during school hours. Smartphones are the fastest way for parents and students to communicate, which makes them invaluable in an emergency like a school shooting. The bill includes a line that waves away the issues by making an exception for emergency scenarios. But in practice, this does nothing to protect student safety — if phones are frequently confiscated or stored in a place inaccessible to students during class time, it doesn’t matter whether the law allows them to access them or not. If Newsom truly cared about the safety of students, he would need to give clear guidelines to schools on what they should or shouldn’t do to limit phone use.

Each school should have the power to decide what is right for its students. But a bill that requires schools to limit phone use without any guidance on how is not only unnecessary but potentially harmful.

By: The Editoral Board

in this issue,

NEWS/FEATURE:

03. Honoring Roots

05. There’s No Place like FLOCO

07. AP & Art

09. The Perfect Storm

11. Overclocked Underclassmen

13. Life After the Cap and Gown

17. Zoned Out

19. Where Passion Meets Opportunity: Dance Club

21. Her Optimism Project

23. Don’t Listen to Them, Listen to Me

25. Your School, Your Story

27. Top Shots

SPORTS:

29. Touchdowns and Tempos

31. Behind the Curtains

33. Beyond the Endzone

35. One Set at a Time

37. Going No Contact

EDITORS-IN-CHIEFS:

Radian Hong

Milana Kozlova

Cassiopeia Le

SECTION

EDITORS:

Cole Broumas

Shane Byron

Olivia Cruz

Bhoomi Kumari

Saraswathi Murugan

EDITORS-INTRAINING:

Micah Bielling

Kaelyn Cunningham

Ashley Kim

Cole Mccoy

Bailee Sexton

Honoring Roots Authenticity allows students to adapt to a new culture and remain who they are

In the United States, immigration and foreign-born residents make up around 13.7% of the population or 45.3 million people, according to the census. Many of these people face significant challenges on their road to finding their place in a new country. One of those challenges is holding onto their original culture as they adapt. Several Rocklin High School (RHS) students have shared their stories on why they moved here, their experiences in America, and the advice they would give to those who are thinking of moving to Rocklin.

“I left my family behind, like my parents, they’re not here.”

-Esdras

Barriosperea

People who move to America come from a variety of backgrounds and have a multitude of reasons for moving. Esdras Barriosperea is a junior at RHS who moved from Guatemala to Rocklin. With translations provided by Steven Jimenez, Barriosperea said, “The reason I moved here was for a better life. Because, society-wise in Guatemala, it’s not the best circumstance to grow up and have a family. So I moved here to give myself a better chance.” People have also moved to reunite with their families. RHS junior Ekaterina Galkina said she moved from Russia “to meet with my father’s family. To live here and have a better life.”

Immigrants have to adapt and experience a culture that is different from where they originally came. Some of this is positive. Junior Jinyi Zhou said, “The studies aren’t as harsh like they are in China or other Asian countries. I think that’s pretty good.”

Esdras Barriosperea wears the jacket he got in Guatemala before he left

Barriosperea said, “I feel more liberty and more freedom, where I don’t feel so restricted or have fear of going out and enjoying life with my friends and family.”

Although there can be good parts of moving to a new country, there are also aspects which some people don’t enjoy. Barriosperea said, “One of them was that I left my family behind, like my parents, they’re not here. And my

younger siblings, like my sisters, they’re not here as well. It’s just me and my older sister.” Although RHS’s student immigrants have to adapt to the new environment, they still find ways to hold onto their original culture. Some of those ways include celebrating holidays or traditions from their homeplace. Zhou said, “We all speak Chinese when we’re home … we’ll also often eat dumplings when we’re at home.” Her family also celebrates holidays

JASON CARDANINI

Jinyi Zhou holds a special pendant from China before

like the moon festival and the new year.

They also stay in touch with their families back home. Barriosperea said he talks to his parents “every single day.” This continuing contact helps studentimmigrants stay connected to who they are.

RHS’s student-immigrants also have learned a few tips and tricks that help with adapting to a new environment. Galkina said, “You need to move somewhere where people can speak your language, and it will help you not fall into depression.”

Barrisoperea also gave some advice for those moving to America. He said, “ Although it will be hard, try not to be sad. Because you might be sad that you left your home country or your family, but you will see them again one day. To work hard, never give up. If you have dreams, go after them.”

By: Jason Cardanini, Staff Reporter

Top 5 countries of origin for immigrants in California

Vietnam - 521,100

India - 508,800

China - 784,700

The Philippines - 807,300

Mexico - 3,800,000

Ekaterina Galkina holds a pendant from Russia that she got before she came to America

she moved

JASON CARDANINI

JASON CARDANINI

There’s no place like FLOCO

The House Where the Magic Unfolds

Homecoming (HOCO) festivities at Rocklin High School (RHS) are not taken lightly. From spirit rallies to the float parade, HOCO week is packed with activities designed to ignite school pride. The excitement starts as early as the Friday night football games and crescendos into the big dance. But for many students, the real magic happens behind the scenes — particularly in the weeks leading up to the event, when float construction dominates the agenda. For years, these traditions have brought students together, not just to celebrate but to connect.

One of the most cherished traditions is float construction, or FLOCO, where each class builds a themed float for the parade, showcasing their creativity and teamwork. It’s a sight that has become synonymous with Rocklin pride — families, alumni, and community members all gather to see the colorful, hand-made floats paraded through the school’s grounds. The float parade isn’t just an RHS hallmark, it’s a vibrant repre-

sentation of the community spirit that thrives at the school. Whether it’s the intricately designed floats, the late nights spent working on them, or the bonds that form in the process, float construction has become a rite of passage for many students.

At the core of this tradition lies an undeniable sense of camaraderie. In the weeks before homecoming, class divisions fall away as students from different friend groups come together, united by one goal: building the best float. Each year, new memories are made, from the laughter shared during pomping sessions to the last-minute scrambles to perfect the float. This dedication shows up in every tiny detail, from the slope of the structure to the precision of the painted designs.

But for RHS juniors, the tradition of homecoming float construction is more than just a task, it’s a bonding experience, with junior

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

NATHAN THORNDYKE

MICAH BIELLING

Paige Knight’s home serving as the hub of creativity and teamwork for the past three years. During the last week of September, RHS students got together to bring their float to life.

“I would recommend it in a heart beat,” -Paige

Knight

As float construction season kicked into high gear, students flocked to Knight’s house to bring their collective vision to life. Junior Ava Mendoza said, “I got to talk with people after school and really connect. I saw the whole process of float building, which I never had before, and it’s a lot of work — pumping, stringing — but it’s still fun.” Paige’s front yard is more than just a float construction site; it’s a space for collaboration and camaraderie. With every strip of tissue paper, commonly known as “pomps,” a sense of community builds. Despite the challenges — like the wind that once blew away several pomps — Knight and her team have learned to adapt.

“We figured out how to tarp things overnight so they wouldn’t get damaged,” she said. But beyond the practical challenges, there’s something magical about seeing the entire project come together. “One of my most memorable moments hosting FLOCO is seeing the connections people make while working together on this giant goal,” Knight said with pride. “By the end of the week, when we all gather for a group photo, it really hits you — this amazing group of people built something grand.”

“I’ve been hosting Floco since freshman year because my house is relatively close to Rocklin, so it gave students the chance to walk or bike here if they couldn’t get a ride,” Knight said. As for future hosts, Paige offers some advice: “Trust the process. At some point, it may not look like you’ll finish in time, but the class officers know how to adapt. And let your neighbors know what’s going on — they’ll probably love what you’re doing and want to support you.”

By: Ashley Kim, Editor-in-Training

What unique qualities does this AP have that others dont? Art & AP

The College Board offers 39 AP courses, many of which require students to study content throughout the year and take the final exam in May. Most of these courses require students to answer multiple-choice questions and free-response questions. However, a few classes are exceptions, one of them being AP Art and Design.

AP Art and Design consists of three separate AP classes: AP Art and Design 2-D, AP Art and Design 3-D, and AP Art Drawing. The differences between each of these are the constraints in which one can work. AP Art Drawing for example includes “analog and digital drawing, painting, printmaking, and mixed media work,” according to the College Board. Students who take AP Art are required to create artworks or “sustained investigations” throughout the year to then send a portfo-

lio off to CollegeBoard for grading. These sustained investigations are all based on the students’ sustained investigation questions, which they use to explore their themes and create art pieces that showcase their experience and thoughts about their topic. Once the sustained investigations are completed, artists choose a few “selected works” that will showcase their findings and understanding of their questions.

Ella Pizzuti, a senior at Rocklin High School (RHS) is currently taking AP Art Drawing. Her sustained investigation question explores “how growing up affects creativity,” she said.

“I took AP Art because I have always enjoyed art since I was young, and I think having it as a class helps me set aside time to do something that I enjoy,” she said.

Despite the class lacking the traditional tests, quizzes, and homework, Pizzuti said, “The class isn’t super difficult since the entire class is kind of centered around what you want to create, but the deadlines make it more difficult.” Compared to other AP classes such as AP Government which Pizzuti is currently taking, “AP Art is different than an average AP class because it definitely gives you more freedom to create what you want,” Pizzuti said. “I think the hard part is making sure your pieces convey what you need them to

ELLA PIZZUTI

BEN SACKINSKY

because they may make sense to you but not anyone else.” Because of this, the College Board gives space for the students to describe their art and their processes as well as the meaning behind it to bring more clarity for the graders.

RHS senior Ben Sackinsky is also taking AP Art Drawing. Sackinsky has been creatively involved with ASB by being in charge of designing the winning floats every year in addition to taking creative photos and designs for the school.

“I decided to take AP Art because I wanted to improve my artistic skills along with putting together a strong portfolio of pieces,” he said. Sackinskiy has taken numerous AP courses throughout his high school career, and based on his experience he said, “Compared to the other AP classes, AP art teaches you to push yourself creatively. It is one of the only AP’s that you get to express yourself in. Sometimes schoolwork can feel so impersonal, but AP art

“ It can be hard to hone in your artistic style, and I feel AP Art teaches you how to navigate that process.”

- Ben Sackinsky

is the exact opposite.” There are only a handful of AP Art students each year, but Art 3 and 4 also play a part in the process of helping the AP students, mainly through critiques. “My favorite part of the class is the critiques. I love being able to see everyone’s pieces and giving them compliments on what they did. The whole class is so supportive and it’s amazing to share a space with such creative and talented students,” said Sackinsky.

There is no prerequisite for taking AP Art; just having some experience with taking an art class at school or having experience with art materials makes one eligible for AP Art and Design. Pizzuli said, “I would 100% recommend it to others. Even if you aren’t amazing at art, I think it can be a great way to explore how you like to create art and interpret different things.”

By: Milana Kozlova, Editor-in-Chief

ELLA PIZZUTI

BEN SACKINSKY

BEN SACKINSKY

BEN SACKINSKY

BEN SACKINSKY

THE PERFECT STORM

What it took to build a mental health space

Rocklin High School has transformed its library into a dedicated mental health and student resource center over the summer. The project was set in motion by a combination of declining enrollment, retirements, and a growing need for mental health services. The student resource center now offers a place for students to connect, a renewed peer counseling program, and new world language books that were previously unavailable.

“We don’t know what it’s called yet, and that’s kind of part of the excitement,” said RHS principal Davis Stewart. “We really want to get student voices.”

The transformation is part of a larger effort to address the mental health needs of Rocklin High’s students, an initiative that’s been in the works for years. “Back in my first years as principal, we had a couple of suicides on campus and we did a lot of research on wellness centers,” said

Mr. Stewart. “But funding and space were always the challenges.”

Nine years later, the “perfect storm” of factors has made this vision a reality. As Mr. Stewart put it, “We’ve had retirements, we’ve had space open up, and we were super protective of it. And we made it happen.”

Kelly Stephans, RUSD’s District librarian, explained that it was tough to find sturdy furniture that had already been pieced together and fit the minimal budget she was given. Nevertheless, Ms. Stephans and the library clerk, Lynn Bruice, put together every piece of furniture currently in the space a week before the school year started.

I wanted it to be like a shelter from the storm.

BEFORE

The library will also house the school’s counseling team, which has been spread across campus. “I could see permanent offices built up where you’d have an entire mental health team. Right now, we’re a bit divided, but this space could change that,” said Mr. Stewart.

Kelly Stephans spearheaded the design of the new space. “I wanted this to be like a shelter from the storm ... a place students could go when they were feeling overwhelmed or stressed,” she explained. The new space will offer traditional library services, counseling, and access to peer counselors.

One of the biggest impacts has been on the library’s circulation of books, which has increased by 140% since the space started welcoming students in a more inclusive and relaxed environment. “So just by having more students come in here and

feel welcome, they’re checking out more books, which makes my librarian heart very happy,” said Ms. Stephans. In addition, Stephans wrote and applied for a Rocklin Educational Excellence Foundation (REEF) grant which provided funding for all 16 libraries in the district to get the latest world language novels.

“I’ve never had a lot of experience writing grants, but when you’re passionate about something, you get things done,” she said. The new books have been a massive help for the school’s diverse student body, particularly its Russian and Ukrainian students. “It was so great to see their faces

light up when they saw a book they could actually read,” Stephens said.

One unique aspect of this project is the involvement of students in the design process. “Hearing what students wanted — better lighting, comfortable furniture, greenery — was huge,” said Stephens. “We want this to feel like a student union, where they have ownership of the space.”

Stephens also noted that she hopes the space continues to evolve and change with its student body instead of remaining stagnant.

It was so great to see their faces light up when they saw a book they could actually read.

As Rocklin High moves forward with this project, Mr. Stewart hopes to create a model for other schools in the district. “We’re the first in the district to have something like this,” he said. “But we want to get things right, and we hope this will serve as a model for others.” For now, the focus remains on ensuring that students feel welcome, supported, and seen in this evolving space.

By: Saraswathi Murugan, Senior-Editor

KELLY STEPHENS

KELLY STEPHANS

Overclocked Underclassmen

Some sophmores are taking AP classes usually reserved for juniors and seniors.

In a room full of juniors and seniors, RHS sophomore Nuha Hamid is one of two underclassmen taking AP Computer Science A (APCSA).

At RHS, a few students have been taking APCSA and other AP classes at grade levels younger than normal. Teachers have grade level restrictions in place for a reason. APCSA teacher Geoffrey Clarion said, “Sophomores tend to perform not as well compared to a senior just because of maturity issues, study habits and test taking skills.”

However, exceptions are made. After Hamid participated in a coding competition called CodeWars last year, Mr. Clarion asked her to join his class instead of taking the recommended one. These suggestions are made to students who

participate in CodeWars to encourage them to pursue computer science.

At first, Hamid was unsure about joining the class and wanted to follow the designated pathway. After taking the leap to join the class, Hamid realized that she was one of only two sophomores in the class. That scared her, and made her wonder if she “was doing something wrong.”

Mr. Clarion said one of the reasons for grade level restrictions is that the “administration would prefer that seniors who have not had a chance to take the class and who may have been turned down in previous years should have the opportunity to take the class before leaving high school.”

In general, even when classes may be mentally difficult for younger people, some younger students will be fine. In fact, they may get benefits. For example, younger students are exposed to the message that they need to work harder to succeed as much as everyone else, leading to a better work ethic.

Hamid herself performs well in the class despite the academic challenges. Even though her stress “has gotten a bit more” due to fast-paced work, she still enjoys the class. “I wasn’t too worried, because I really enjoy programming. Challenges are something I welcome when it comes to that.”

” I wanted something challenging...

Her stress in the class is not constant, however. “I feel like it’s going up and down. It sort of went up at the beginning, and now it’s slowing down. I think it’ll just depend on how hard the work is,” Hamid said.

Sophomores Rohitjeyan Kulanthaivel and Nathaniel Knolle both wanted to take APCSA along with Hamid. Unlike Nuha, they both did not participate in CodeWars. They were both denied entry by the counselors because they were too young to take the class. They currently take APCSP.

”

Kulanthaivel “wanted a challenge” from the class. “I do feel like APCSA would be more challenging,” he said.

He also does not find much sense in the age

restrictions. “I feel like I should get into any class I want, as long as it’s not too hard for me,” he said. Kulanthaivel says that without age restrictions, people can “learn their boundaries and see what they’re capable of.”

Knolle also wanted a challenge. “I heard that AP Computer Science Principles was pretty easy, but APCSA would be a lot harder.” He also wanted a better tool for game development, using the programming language the class uses.

Knolle said he somewhat understands the age restrictions. He knows that “the school might have other reasons why there is an age limit.” However, he agrees with Kulanthaivel that “the student should be able to decide how difficult a class he wants to take.”

Both Knolle and Kulanthaivel know the possible academic and mental challenges of being in the class. Kulanthaivel knew that there would be “a bit of a heavy workload because this is meant for students that have taken two years of computer science in the past.” Knolle said that classes are “always manageable” and that he would survive without much difficulty.

Kulanthaivel said he has always been interested in computer science. “I think I started

Rohitjeyan Kulanthaivel

“Learn their boundaries and see what they’re capable of.“

computer science around five or six,” he said. He wants to take APCSA because he heard that APCSP is “one of the easiest” AP classes. He wants a challenge, and he hopes that APCSA will help him next year.

Knolle enjoys computer science and he thinks that taking the class would be “actually pretty fun” for him. Even though he has to take the previous course, Knolle still wants to take APCSA next year.

Even though Hamid is one of the only sophomores taking the class, she still has fun with other classmates. “I’m kind of glad that there are new people in my classes this year because I’m meeting people who are also interested in the things I’m interested in, which is really fun,” she said. She takes the class alongside people “who are into computer science, math, and physics.

Mr. Clarion agrees that motivation is “one of the major factors” to succeed in a hard AP class, academically and mentally. He also says that to succeed in the class, people need “soft skills and being able to work in a group, skills that are typically developed as students grow older.”

AP Stats?

Based on the class of 2023 (2023-2024 school year)

“The student should be able to decide how hard a class he wants to take.“

The whole point for Hamid to take the class is that she wanted “something challenging,” and she got what she wanted. “AP Computer Science A has really fulfilled that for me.”

By: Kevin Feng, Staff Reporter

A Peek into the Current Lives of the 2023 RHS

Valedictorians

SURAJ SWAMINATHAN

HEY RHS!

A wrong story was pasted on the original page. Here is the correct story :)

Suraj Swaminathan, Rocklin High School’s 2023 valedictorian, is currently at UC San Diego (UCSD) and pursuing the pre-med track. He opened up about his RHS life and current college experience.

“College is great. I live five minutes from the beach, so I have been taking surfing lessons and try to hit the waves whenever the tide is right,” said Swaminathan.

Now a pre-med student, Swaminathan is preparing to take the MCAT in the coming year. Despite the demands of his major, he remains unfazed. “I have always known I wanted to be a doctor,” said Swaminathan. “I am not someone who can sit behind a desk for long, I need to be up, moving, and interacting with people. Medicine, especially neurology, ties my love for biology and psychology together, and that’s why I am drawn to it.”

Swaminathan recalled his memories from RHS, particularly in his favorite classes such as AP Biology and AP Chemistry. “With my

buddies I got in trouble a lot because we’d messed up the experiments,” he said. “Either intentionally or unintentionally because we were having a good time. I remember we used to burn different salts in the Bunsen burners because they’d turned different colors and then we got yelled at a little. Those were some of my favorite memories, messing around in class.”

Outside of academics, Swaminathan was active in tennis and made close friendships with peers like Kirajit Singh and Rishit Sharma. Whether they were practicing on the tennis court or spending time at rallies and carnivals, Swaminathan emphasized the importance of community. “The people you surround yourself with truly shape your experience,” he said.

Reflecting on his growth since high school, Swaminathan noted that graduation marked a pivotal moment for his life. “It hit me then that life is short, and many of the people I saw

every day, I might never see again. It made me realize how important it is to live in the moment and cherish the present,” he said.

In college, Swaminathan said he had time to reassess his priorities. “Rocklin was rigorous, and in some ways, college feels easier. The freedom to manage your schedule and time is refreshing.” He added that being exposed to a more diverse student body at UCSD has broadened his perspectives, allowing him to form friendships with people from different backgrounds.

Swaminathan said his outlook on life continues to change, but he strives for balance and happiness in all that he does. “Success in life is measured by how much happiness you bring to yourselves and those around you,” he said. “At the end of the day, life is temporary and we don’t carry anything on whether that be the wealth, your fame, or anything for that matter. So you got to maximize the happiness that you feel in your entire lifetime.”

BHOOMI KUMARI

SURAJ SWAMINATHAN

Rishit Sharma, a Rocklin High School alum, talked about his high school experience and shared how it shaped him as he transitioned through college life at UC Irvine.

“High school was fun,” Sharma said. “I felt like I met my group of people. The highlights were definitely being in class with your friends, messing around, and going to football games. The energy at those games was crazy.”

When asked about the academic side of high school, Sharma admitted to struggling with maintaining a strong work ethic.

“Academics were definitely a grind, but I just knocked it out. I can’t lie, compared to most people I have a terrible work ethic,” Sharma said. “I’d say don’t ask me for study tips because I don’t have any. But I got the work done when I needed to.”

As he reflected on his transition to college,

RISHIT SHARMA

“I spent a lot of time on my phone and doing things ‘for the plot’ instead of being more focused.”

Sharma said his perspective has shifted, especially in terms of responsibility. “In college, no one hovers over you to make sure you get things done. You have to learn self-reliance and accountability. It’s all about having your own vision and making the most of your time because you’re only young for so long,” he said.

Joining a fraternity helped Sharma break out of his shell and connect with more people. “It’s like socialization on steroids,” he said. “You meet so many new people, and you just have to balance that with academics and your career goals.”

When reflecting on any regrets or lessons he learned from RHS, Sharma admitted he wished he had been more organized. “Looking back, I wish my work ethic had been better. I spent a lot of time on my phone and doing things for the plot instead of being more focused,” said Sharma.

One aspect of high school that Sharma cherishes is the influence of his teachers and friends. “You are who you surround yourself with,” he said. “My friends were focused academically, which pushed me to be my best and brought out my best,” said Sharma.

As for his teachers, Sharma fondly remembered Mr. Warner and Mr. Clarion for their support during his time at Rocklin High.

Despite the challenges, Sharma has a positive outlook on his future. He said he is determined to continue pursuing his degrees in computer science and engineering. “It’s not something I’m super passionate about, but I’m good at it, so I’m sticking it out to see where it goes,” he said.

For those still navigating high school, Sharma had one message. “Just live life. You’re only young once, so make the most of it,” he said.

By: Bhoomi Kumari, Senior-Editor

RISHIT SHARMA

RISHIT SHARMA

Tyler Lin, a graduate of Rocklin High School and current student at New York University (NYU), opened up about his transition to college life, sharing the challenges he faced and offering advice for current high school students.

“The biggest challenge I faced when transitioning to college was living independently,” Lin said. “All of a sudden, I didn’t have my parents to wake me up, cook me food, or guide me through life anymore.”

For Lin, moving away from home and taking on responsibilities by himself was a difficult adjustment. To manage this new independence, he started planning out his schedule using tools like Google Calendar and Notion, which allowed him to organize his classes and club activities. “Doing things with friends helps a lot too. It’s a lot easier to go to the gym or cook a meal when you have someone to do it with,” said Lin.

Despite initial worries about making friends at a large university, Lin found that putting himself out there was key. “I’m a pretty introverted person, so I worried about making friends. But it really is true that so many others have the same worries and are also looking to make friends,” said Lin.

By attending orientation events and joining clubs, Lin was able to overcome his fears and build a social circle. “The biggest hurdle is

TYLER LIN

making those first few friends. Once you have those they’ll introduce you to their friends, and it’s much easier to grow your circle,” he said.

“Mr. Werner was definitely the RHS teacher who impacted me the most,” Lin said. Mr. Werner’s dedication to Thunder Esports, as well as other clubs like Coding Club and CSHS, left a lasting impression on him.

“Our trips to national championships in Los Angeles and Orlando, as well as the construction of our Esports Lab, would not have been possible without his diligence and dedication, “ said Lin.

When asked about the most important skills high school students should develop, Lin said to keep an open mind. “At a large college, you’ll meet a huge variety of people, all with different personalities, viewpoints, and backgrounds,” he said. “Those different perspectives can be a huge help in developing yourself, both academically and morally, but that

growth won’t happen if you aren’t willing to listen and talk to people who are different from you.”

“Nobody’s perfect, and I definitely made my fair share of mistakes during my freshman year of college, but it always ended up being not as bad as I initially thought it would be,” said Lin.

Balancing academics with social life has been another aspect of Lin’s college experience. “Scheduling is key,” he said. “Knowing which days are my busy days and which days I’ll have more free time helps a ton when I’m planning which assignments to do or when I have time to spend with friends,” Lin said.

Lin makes an effort to keep his weekends free for social activities, using his free time during the week to complete assignments in advance. “Everyone wants to go out on weekends, so I try to get as much work done as possible during the week,” he said.

Sunny Liu, a Rocklin High School graduate now at Harvard, reflected on her journey from high school to college, emphasizing the importance of balance, hard work, and fun along the way.

“My high school experience provide_d me with a lot of opportunities to learn about multiple fields in diverse contexts, which definitely helped me prepare to explore in college,” Liu said. She said the variety of classes and extracurriculars at Rocklin High broadened her perspective and readied her for the rigor of university.

However, the transition to college wasn’t without its challenges. “The biggest challenge

“I balanced my academics well in both high school and college,” she said. “I made sure to stay on top of my schoolwork, but I also prioritized time for myself to recharge and hang out with friends, which is really important.”

I faced was definitely transitioning to a more rigorous college schedule and workload,” she said. “Everyone here is very academically talented and ambitious, so it was difficult adjusting to that culture.”

Despite the academic pressure, Liu was able to overcome these challenges by maintaining a balance between work and enjoyment. “I just worked hard and made sure I also had fun while in college,” said Liu.

A defining moment for Sunny in high school was her participation in cyber-

“Something unexpected I learned about myself during high school and college was that it’s okay to not know everything and to ask for help when needed.”

security competitions with her team. “They were really hard and challenging because they lasted six hours, but I had so much fun working with my team on these challenges,” she said. “It really taught me good teamwork and communication, and the value of having fun while working hard.”

Reflecting on her college experience so far, Liu shared how the people she’s met have changed her understanding of the world. “Those who had the biggest impact on me in college are those from different backgrounds than mine,” she said.

“One of my closest friends is from a rural area in Arkansas, and her background really shaped my understanding of others,” Liu said. “It puts life into perspective and shaped how I view the world now.”

Liu also learned some valuable lessons about herself throughout her academic journey. “Something unexpected I learned about myself during high school and college was that it’s okay to not know everything and to ask for help when needed,” Liu said. “You’re not alone, and there are so many people out there who support you and want to watch you succeed.”

For current high school seniors preparing for college applications, Liu said to, “Be authentic and true to yourself in your applications, essays, or activities. Make sure that you are representing the best parts of you that make you unique, and you’ll be totally fine. Don’t stress too much about college and take it easy on yourself.”

By: Bhoomi Kumari, Senior-Editor

Zoned UT

Why can’t people focus anymore?

Attention spans are shrinking. Right now, the average attention span while using a digital device sits at just 47 seconds. In addition, ADHD is on the rise, increasing by 9% in older children, 11% in adolescents, and 5% in adults. These are not astronomical numbers, but, slowly and surely, attention span is declining.

“Every year it’s getting just a little bit worse,” Rocklin Elementary School teacher Jennifer Bradford said. “There’s this general rule for the amount of time that kids can listen. Basically, an 11-year-old should be able to sustain attention for about 11 minutes. So a five-yearold, five minutes. And I think even though most of my class can probably still do that, every year there’s a wider gap between the kids who can and can’t.”

but screens. For instance, a study found that children from two to four years old spend about two and a half hours on screens every day and that children from five to eight years old spend about three hours on screens each day. Children are growing up in a world where spending time on screens is normalized, a fact further accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic when children attended school virtually.

Mrs. Bradford believes that students going to school via Zoom impacted attention spans, especially those of younger children. “I’m sure you know that it’s easy when you’re on Zoom to be doing something entirely different. But to the teacher, it still appears as if you’re listening. And so kids were learning kind of early on that it maybe wasn’t necessary or important to give your full attention

“Every year it’s getting just a little bit worse ... every year there’s a wider gap between the kids who can and can’t.”

- Mrs. Bradford

Why are attention spans getting worse? RHS

Positive Psychology teacher Scott Bergemann pointed out one of the more obvious reasons. “I think social media, phones on hand at all times, definitely contributes to the lack of attention,” he said. “We can scroll for pleasure, call whoever we want to, look up whatever you want to, and I think that does take away the quality of boredom, because you don’t necessarily ever have the opportunity to be bored. I think that does degrade attention spans somehow.”

As screens become increasingly prevalent, attention spans will only worsen. Especially, people worry about the effects on younger people who have grown up knowing nothing

to a task because we were still giving good grades,” she said.

COVID is not the only thing that impacted attention spans, though. The widespread practice of multitasking is also decreasing attention span because multitasking forces the brain to constantly switch its focus. This makes it harder for the brain to remember and understand information. However, high school students do not like to think that multitasking is not productive, said Mr. Bergemann.

“I have an argument with almost every single class once a week about multitasking,” he said. “I am of the belief that multitasking is impossible. Freshmen, who I generally teach,

and high school students in general, don’t like the idea that multitasking is not possible, because they want to be able to do multiple things at once.” If students are continuing to multitask despite the evidence that it does not work, this could be a factor in their decreasing attention spans.

However, students are not the only ones whose attention spans are diminishing. Even for people who were not born into the digital age, technology can still erode their attention spans. Mr. Bergemann shared that his own attention span has worsened over time. “Last night, I put a podcast on that was a talk show type thing,” he said. “I put it on the TV when I had some time to myself, and then within two minutes, I was on my phone looking at news instead of watching the news program that I had put on. It’s like one thing is not enough.”

Mrs. Bradford has also seen her attention span change over time. “I don’t watch a ton of TV, I don’t have a ton of social media apps or anything like that. But I do notice that the moment I’m sitting in the car waiting, or if I even have a minute or two where I’m bored, my first instinct is to grab my phone. I didn’t have a phone when I was a teenager, so it hasn’t always been an instinct, but it’s something that I have to be really aware of,” she said.

One can only imagine that if students’ attention spans are worsening, this is going to affect the way they function. One of the ways it could affect students is by making it harder for them to think deeply about material they are learning. Mr. Bergemann said, “I can think back to some of the political cartoons that students created the first or second year I was teaching. They suggested a certain thought process that students were having about the world around them that was pretty impressive, that suggested they must be engaging with the world around them. [They were] thinking about it in a way that students today, I’m not saying they don’t, because they get certain stuff from Tiktok and Instagram that is going to be helping you form a perspective on the world, but I don’t know if it’s the same level

“Within two minutes, I was on my phone looking at news instead of watching the news program that I had put on. It’s like one thing is not enough.”

- Mr. Bergemann

of depth that I saw eight to nine years ago.”

Changing attention spans are not just impacting students, however. They are also changing our culture. RHS teacher Eric Sturgeon, who teaches both Positive Psychology and AP Psychology, said that the decrease in attention spans “seems to be shaping a culture of instant gratification and pleasure seeking. I think people expect quick answers and struggle with patience.”

Mrs. Bradford also said that changing attention spans can affect patience, especially now that information is so readily available. “Even when I was in college, if I needed information, I had to go to the library,” she said. “[I had to] search for the book, open the book, find the information. We can type in Google and have a credible source pretty quickly for pretty much anything we want to know. Even Amazon Prime, you know, you need groceries, you can have them in two hours without going to the store. Or, you know, you need a pack of socks. It’ll be here tomorrow morning if you pay three extra dollars. All of that is just affecting our patience. We think that we deserve everything right away. And so there’s that lack of understanding that some things are worth waiting for.”

However, once people realize that their attention spans are worsening, it can be difficult to know what to do about it. Mr. Sturgeon said, “I encourage students to do focused work. [It’s also] being mindful of what you do during breaks. Whereas a lot of us will get the urge to scroll and passively pass the time, we need to learn that we’re most creative in those breaks.”

Mrs. Bradford suggested that goal setting could help. “Setting a goal helps us to focus on that goal,” she said. “[Also] just focusing on one thing at a time, not multitasking.” Mr. Bergemann added,“I think that definitely an

actionable thing that people could do right now is develop a meditation practice, which I think begins to train the mind and the attention.”

By: Audrey Tzeng, Staff Reporter

CAMILLE SCHROEDER

CAMILLE SCHROEDER

WHERE PASSION MEETS OPP RTUNITY:

Dance

club opens doors for students with a yearning passion to dance.

It is easy to say that the Rocklin High School dance program is exceptional; there are classes to suit every dancer’s ability along with three showcases that highlight the hard work that the dancers execute all year long. With over 230 dancers in total who are enrolled in these classes, there are still a plethora of students who would love to join but can’t due to various reasons. Many students have availability conflicts regarding schedules or may be too nervous to join one of the six classes that are offered. Seniors Varshuu Manojkumar

and Olivia Grayden have taken notice of this problem that many Rocklin High School students are facing and decided to take matters into their own hands, creating the dance club.

After looking through the yearbook and realizing there had been a dance club in previous years that was never active, Grayden and Manojkumar decided to revive it. “I didn’t even know that we had a dance club. So I was like, let’s make the dance club happen,” Graydon said. They plan to meet every other Wednesday in the dance room during Flex. They have many visions for their club, one being to“ try to get people to enjoy dance,

in a safe space, because dance is something anyone could do. You don’t have to be good at it.”

They also hope that their club can contribute to the dance program at Rocklin High School. “Someone might come to Dance Club and then get inspired and want to join a dance class, and then it’ll expand our dance program,” Graydon said. Along with creating a growing and welcoming environment where anyone can learn how to dance, their main priority is to “just have fun.” Achieving a fun environment will be very easy for them.

OLIVIA CRUZ

“We will not be presenting slide shows, like many other clubs do,” Manojkumar said. “Our club is really just about dancing and being active.”

At every club meeting, they plan to have choreographers come into the dance room and teach different styles of dance. “I want to have someone come teach in a culture dance, I want to have someone come teach a partner dance, and I might even have a teacher come and teach line dancing,” Graydon said. Along with giving opportunities for students to dance, they want to give the opportunity for students to choreograph. “We want it to be a safe space where you can just try and choreograph something without any judgment,” Grayden said.

Starting up a new club is not an easy thing, there are many challenges that may arise. The biggest challenge that Manojkumar and Graydon have faced is “getting people to choreograph because a lot of people are not confident enough to do that.” To overcome this, they are making it a goal to keep their supportive environment in hopes that it will encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and choreograph.

Another struggle they’ve experienced is getting people to join the club. As their club has only made its first debut at club rush in early September, not many people know about

it. “As the year goes on, we will spread the word about our club through social media, and hopefully the members of the dance club will help with this process by telling their friends,” Manojkumar said.

Despite the obstacles they have encountered, there is much that they are excited about regarding their club. “I’m excited to see people who have never danced before grow. I’m excited to see them have fun dancing for the first time, and then maybe see them join the dance program after that,” Graydon said.

“I’m also excited to see what people are going to choreograph and like different types of dances that we will learn that aren’t regular styles, like culture dances, tap, whatever it may be,” Manojkumar said. “All of it is super exciting.”

By: Olivia Cruz, Senior-Editor

Follow Rocklin Dance Club’s Instagram, where you’ll get updates about upcoming meetings! @rocklin_danceclub

“We want it to be a safe space... ”

Her Project

How an RHS senior makes an impact

16-year-old Simran Saluja walked past the security guards with a load of clothing, books, and hygiene products in her arms. Ever since her first clothing drive generated more donations than many smaller organizations could store, she’d been working closely with the San Diego women’s shelter Door of Hope to provide women from abusive households with the skills and supplies they need to get back on their feet. She’d been by before to drop off donations, but this was the first time she was actually going into the shelter.

The inside of the building looked a lot like an apartment complex. Clean, well-kept. In the hall outside the room where she was host-

ing her workshop, Saluja met and struck up a conversation with a tall, tired-looking woman in her 30s. Her name was Sandra.

Saluja soon learned that Sandra was a single mother of four kids who had escaped her abusive household and was taking refuge at the shelter until she could find a steady job.

“When I first met her, she was a little lost,” Saluja said. “It seemed like she didn’t really know what to do or where to go.”

Saluja said that along with the shelter’s own resources, her workshops helped Sandra get an interview and “get more settled after losing her home and her job and her family.”

“She told me that she wanted her daughter to take inspiration from what we were doing so that when they were in a better place, she could also give back to her community,” Saluja said. “That really struck me because I didn’t know that I was able to really make such an impact on other people.”

Now with chapters in four US states and two

The Optimism Project’s medical checkup camp in India

countries, The Optimism Project grew from an eighth grader’s simple idea: a social media page dedicated to informing the community about women’s issues.

“What inspired me to start this organization was actually my mom,” Saluja said. “As I was growing up, I knew that especially in the Indian community, sometimes things can be a little bit unfair to women.”

RISHABH BHUTANI

RISHABH BHUTANI

SIMRAN SALUJA

Saluja said she started her organization to give back to the community and help women get out of bad situations. The first step was assembling a team of like-minded students.

The project quickly expanded from posts about women’s rights and mental health to drives and fundraisers. After getting comfortable with these activities, Saluja began to host more elaborate events like webinars and informational speakers.

The Optimism Project now has chapters in Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, Texas, Arizona, and even India. Most of the growth took place via social media and word of mouth, with friends of friends using their networks to start new chapters.

“We tried to take it one step at a time,” Saluja said. “And once we were comfortable in one area of what we were doing, we’d try to get more uncomfortable and do something bigger. And just keep taking those steps until we got to where we are.”

Disha Sankhla, a childhood friend of Saluja’s, oversees the organization’s Arizona chapter. She said that in addition to providing an avenue to pursue her passion for service, The Optimism Project has helped her “reconnect”

Donations collected in one of The Optimism Project’s women’s hygiene drives

with Saluja after Saluja moved away from Arizona.

Even though they cannot collaborate in person, Saluja, Sankhla, and other leaders have worked closely on projects including a new podcast. Sankhla wrote the script, and those in California hosted it.

Saluja has learned a lot from running the organization. “Everything is harder than it seems to be when you’re first doing it,” she said. “When we were planning events and things like that, it seemed so easy and it seemed very simple.”

“But I really learned that there are a lot of nuances to everything.”

Saluja said she plans on starting club chapters at high schools in the near future. She is currently conducting interviews to hire other youth leaders interested in starting a chapter at their schools. She also said she hopes to expand the organization’s medical camps and drives that provide access to medicine and

doctors in underprivileged areas for free.

Balancing all this with school responsibilities took some getting used to, Saluja said.

“Oftentimes it doesn’t really seem like work because I feel like I’m just doing it for fun,” she said. “Like I’m helping other people and I enjoy it. So anytime I get an extra second, I’m just constantly looking at our website, contacting the other team members, and we’re just trying to do what we can in the time that we have.”

Saluja said that her experience with The Optimism Project was part of what inspired her desire to go into medicine.

“Obviously I went into it wanting to help people, but I didn’t know the extent to which my work could change other people’s lives,” she said. “The work that I’ve done so far has given me the opportunity to see people at the place where they need the most help, and it’s given me more passion for doing what I want to do in the future.”

By: Radian Hong, Editor-in-Chief

RISHABH BHUTANI

SIMRAN SALUJA

“ Listen to me

Rocklin Teachers Break Their Own Stereotypes

Mrs.

Don’t Listen to them, Don’t Listen to them, Yadon

What do you think your stereotype is?

It depends on who you ask. So, I feel like if you ask students close to me, they’ll say that I’m kind-hearted, sweet, caring, and fun. But if you get a student who doesn’t like me, they’re definitely gonna say I’m mean, that I yell when I’m only using a stern voice. So, I think my stereotypes on campus are very polar opposites of each other’s opinions.

Can you give me an example of a student who would say bad things about you?

Somebody who falls asleep in class, doesn’t do their homework, or rolls their eyes at me is probably going to be someone who says they don’t like me.

People who get in trouble constantly will think that I’m picking on them ...

when, in fact, they’re just doing things and not behaving appropriately in my class. So, I’ll call them out on it. I’m really big on not doing things like that for disrespect.

Making my own stereotype...

I just think I’m hilarious. I’ll like laugh at my own jokes. Like, I think I’m the funniest person in the world. Um, so maybe they should think I’m funnier than I than they think I am. But, that I am nice, and that I and genuinely care, I have cried for other students before because of them crying; that’s how much I truly care. I think that that would probably be is like people think I am mean because I don’t care, but it’s more in my mind that I’m just strict on my rules. I just wish people would see that. I think that I genuinely, genuinely love all my kids.

And when students [roll their eyes] and I call them out for being rude, they don’t like that.

What was the most difficult lesson you’ve learned through teaching?

It’s not always about me; kids are gonna have their bad days. I would say that because it feels personal when someone calls you something. Because how was that not personal? And so I just have to think like, I don’t know their home life, I don’t know their friend life, I don’t know their sport life, you know, like there’s so many aspects. And so I just have to say, it’s not personal.

And then just not yelling at kids, like, I will always say, use a certain voice. That’s never gonna not be my personality. Like I’m always gonna do that. So, I know there’s teachers that do yell, and so I’m not trying to ever talk bad [about them], but in my opinion, as a teacher who used to yell, and sometimes does accidentally, it breaks students down, and that doesn’t build your relationship. And so that’s another thing. Like, I tell myself, like, the more I act a certain way, I can’t build that relationship. But again, that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be stern.

Do you think the nice stereotype is accurate?

I mean, I would say I’m actually in the middle; I’m a very kind-hearted person. You just have to come to me with stuff. Some students will be having a bad day, and in turn, it seems to me like they’re ignoring me or being rude. They [should] come to me and say, ‘Hey, Mrs. Yadon. I’m having a bad day; please let me do my thing.’ [And I’ll let them.]

I do actually think I’m one of the nicer teachers and more understanding. It’s just you have to actually talk to me about stuff. I also do understand high schoolers don’t like being told no, and when you use a stern voice in a high schooler’s head, that’s gonna come off as yelling, even if it’s not. And the only reason I know I’m not yelling is because I used to yell, and so I know the difference of me my first year teacher yelling, my first year teaching, as when I would yell, versus now I just like, use a very stern voice.

But now I’m just like, they’re high schoolers, like, you know, like, our brains are not fully developed, you know, our emotions are heightened in this age. So I just kind of take it as, like, it’s not personal against me. They could be having a bad day.

BAILEE SEXTON

BAILEE SEXTON

“Well, I think it mostly depends on the student. I think sometimes younger students early on see me as someone who is kind of severe, harsh, or intimidating. I honestly don’t think that’s always expected. I hate to say it, but I believe that if I were a male, I might be perceived differently initially with that kind of attitude.

I noticed that there is a transition once [students] get to know me, and they see that the reason why I might be perceived that way is because I have a plan every day; I’m trying to get them somewhere. I’m trying to help them learn something. I think [students] get to the point where they [realize] like, ‘Oh, she’s a really caring person,’ after getting to know me after a while. If I didn’t care, I would just let you sit there and do nothing, right? I’m not going to let you do that because I care.

Well, I think that I’m a very direct person. I don’t always take the softer way of saying something. I usually just say what I think and feel – and it sometimes feels like I’m almost too direct. I guess I’m just used to [being perceived that way]. I know who I am, and I’ve always been comfortable with that. And I can put my head down on my pillow at night and know that I worked hard and did what I needed to do. I tried my hardest, and I did my best today. I like to reflect on the things that I don’t think I did my best on and try to do better the next day.

First and foremost, my number one job when I come to school is to make sure that I am teaching the curriculum that I am assigned to teach. I want to develop relationships with my students because I genuinely like this age group of people. But I understand it takes time, and I let the process happen. I don’t push the issue. It’s not like I come here to school going:

DeMaria

‘Okay, I hope they like me better today.’ I hope that they learn something today, and I hope that over time, we have developed a relationship. I also hope to take the opportunities when they arise to have teachable moments besides the content.

In my opinion...

I don’t think you have to like everybody, and I don’t think everybody has to like me. I would say that I’m confident in the fact that in my cumulative career, I think I’ve done more good than harm.

I don’t want to be perceived as their friend, but I want to be perceived as their teacher because I want them to feel like I’m doing my job, but I also want them to know that I care about them. So being a teacher doesn’t mean I don’t care about you, but

...I don’t want to be your friend ...

because I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to be your friend. You have your peers as your friends. And I save the little notes from people you know that say nice things about you. Because I’m like, okay, sometimes you just need to hear that.

If people talked about you, what would you want them to say?

I dont care if I’m known, but I would hope they would say I was a good teacher. I was an effective teacher, and that I didn’t give up on students. I got them where they needed to go, and they learned something. That’s why I care about my family. What are the most important things to me in life? My family and doing my job well, and, you know, trying to be a healthy, happy person.

What was the most difficult lesson you’ve learned through teaching?

I think the hardest thing that people have to do is to learn how to forgive themselves. Try not to hold on to [experiences] like we did the best.

Try again. Move on. Try to forgive yourself. I have an easier time forgiving others than forgiving myself, and that’s something you have to like constantly. It feels like every relationship you have, whether with students, your family, or your dog, is like, okay, how can I make that better? And I can make it better by trying again, but not harping on this sense that I did it wrong and can’t move past it like I have to go, okay, that happened. That’s what you would do differently. That’s what you might think about instead of saying that’s the end.

By: Bailee Sexton, Editor-in-Training

What do you think your stereotype is?

Do you think the first stereotype is accurate?

Do you want the students to see you more as a teacher or as your own person?

BAILEE SEXTON

BAILEE SEXTON

Raising Siblings

“I’m really passionate about hanging out with my little siblings, so I want to have a good personality around them”

- Bella Siders

BEING A ROLE MODEL AND TEACHER

I’m really passionate about hanging out with my little siblings, because I’m the oldest sibling. So, I want to have a good personality around them. I do stuff that’ll make me have a better personality.

Growing up, I didn’t have the best role models and I just don’t want them to get into anything bad that they would regret later on. So I feel if they had one role model that just looked after them, that they would probably grow up to have a better perspective on things.

MEET THE KIDS

They’re really young, so I’ve been trying to work with them on a lot of different things as they grow up, because they don’t really know a

Your School,

whole lot, because they’re all young. Just drawing with them or teaching them how to do certain things, rather than just putting them in front of a screen and leaving them there. I feel just building up their mindset on good stuff, rather than just doing other stuff.

My youngest is actually only seven-months right now, so I can’t do much about that one. But my other youngest, he’s three, and his name is Oliver. He did have a hearing problem, so it was really hard. I took a sign language class last year to help him and sign to him, so we knew what he was trying to say to us a little bit.

My other youngest’s name is Wesley. He’s four, and he has autism, so it’s hard to work with him on certain areas he’s not gonna understand. But he’s honestly a super sweet kid, all of them are super sweet, but it’s just a little hard to work with him. He really wants to just kind of be by himself a lot. So it’s just join in on the game that he’s already doing. It’s never really oh, let’s go do this. It’s basically what he wants to do, and then you just kind of have to go along with it.

My other sibling, she is still young, but I’m the oldest. She’s eightyears old, and it’s a little hard, because she’s trying to have a different mindset. She’s getting older, so she has a little bit more of an attitude right now, but we’ll work on that.

FAVORITE ACTIVITIES

They all like to paint and draw a lot, or whatever I’m doing, basically they want to do. So, I try to do stuff that I know they’ll actually like. We have a trampoline, so I’ll go take them on the trampoline. Or, we’ll go outside. They really like to go play in the water, so I take them out into the pool a lot. That’s the main stuff they really like to do.

SUFFER A BIT FOR MEMORIES

It is kind of annoying to always have them on my back constantly. But, I also enjoy it because then I get to make memories with them because they’re not gonna always want to be with me. So it’s just easier to make the memories now, because I know when they grow up, they’re not gonna always want to be with me. So it’s just nice to have them with me all the time, but also not.

If they have a good role model to make the good decisions, I’m not worried. I get to see them grow up. But I love to do stuff with them. In the moment, I’m gonna think ‘Oh, this is really annoying. I just want them to back off.’ But, when they get older and get more independent, then they won’t really need for help or anything, so it’s gonna be sad.

By: Claire Martin Staff Reporter

Your Story

An ongoing series investigating the everyday lives of RHS students

Bunny Ballet with G uns

“I went to my performance, I think it was in Elk Grove, and none of my classmates showed up.” – Esmeralda Martinez

BALLET

Dance [is my passion]. I used to do ballet when I was way younger. I started ballet around either four or five years old, and then ended around eight years old. So when I was doing ballet around five years old … and there was this one performance we did … We had fake guns … we had to point [them] at each other. I think, like, the whole point of it was we were bunnies or something, and we were just hopping around and everything. And the guns made me laugh so much, just because we had to point them at each other and point it at the audience. And at the end, we had to fall with the gun and shoot in the air.

COVID’S IMPACT

Scan this QR to read more “Your School, Your Story” profiles on our website...

At first I, stopped … because of COVID and since obviously we couldn’t be dancing around each other, and you had to stay six feet apart. So it was very hard for the dance teacher to make us all dance together and in group dances … I stopped and then we went back to school around seventh grade, and then I stopped dancing [in 7th grade], and I went right back [into dance] when I hit eighth grade. But then I left it, and then now in high school, I got into the Dance 1 program, and I started to enjoy it more.

FOLKLÓRICO

I also, my [old] school had this program. It was a Mexican type of dance, and it was called, Folklórico. And then I have this [memory], I performed at Arden Mall one time.  Since, like, everyone goes, and it was on a Saturday. So, it was really busy … and my shoe almost fell off … They were heels and [they] untied, it wrapped around my leg and it untied. Like, it almost slipped off of my foot when I was dancing, but thank goodness it didn’t.

LYRICAL JAZZ

But I think now my favorite [genre of dance] is jazz. I’m taking Dance 1 right now but I used to do hip hop, jazz, and lyrical. I did that for six years, but I went on and off. I have this memory, my dance teacher taught us choreography. It was kind of like jazz, but also lyrical. I went to my performance, I think it was in Elk Grove, and none of my classmates showed up. So it was just me, and I was so nervous, because I was kind of, like, looking at the other people dancing. It was just so embarrassing, because there was a lot of people [there] too. It was at a park and then I had to go on stage by myself, and I had to still perform the dance. I had this hat on, and it was also really windy, so when I was dancing, my hat would fly off, and I kept going to pick it up, and they were just telling me to leave it. …My parents were like you should have just left the hat … But I think I still did really good. My teacher told me that since none of my classmates showed up, I still did really good. And I kept my focus straight.

By: Matthew Wojciak Staff Reporter

TOPSHOTS TOPSHOTS

Scan this QR code for free top shots all taken by students in Rocklin Media. If you love photography and are interested in being a future photojournalism student, you can contact jrubinstein@rocklinusd.org

TALAN PETERSON

CASSIOPEIA LE

JASON CERONE

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

JOSHUA GUNTER

BEN TURNER

JOSHUA GUNTER

COLE BROUMAS

RISHABH BHUTANI

KIANA BARNES

SEHAJPAUL BASRA

PEP BAND

FNL SONG LIST

Beginning of Game - All We Do Is Win

Kick Off - We Will Rock You

Offense - Go Big Blue

Defense - The Imperial March

First Downs - Go Thunder

Score/Touchdown - Fight Song

Quarter Breaks - Everytime We Touch

End of Game - Alma Mater/Fight Song

TOUCHDOWNS AND TEMPOS

A look inside of Bands Impact on Friday Night Lights

The lights buzzing, helmets clashing, and drums pounding fuel the crowd’s roars, as the band sets the rhythm and tempo of the game giving not only the crowd but players energy. Marching band and pep band showcase how they play a key role in Friday Night Lights (FNL).

Jeffrey Hayman, the band teacher at Rocklin High School (RHS), is going into his second year of teaching here. When asked how he thinks the band contributes to the energy of FNL he said, “I think it’s a large contributor. I think one of the special things about Friday Night Lights or the American football culture in general is that it’s so much about the pageantry.” That pageantry is our school spirit, and here at RHS many factors go into our spirit.

“ So many different parts come together to provide an atmosphere,”

- Jeffery Hayman

people out there — cheer and the storm also play key roles in showcasing that school spirit. Mr. Hayman said he feels like the experience of FNL is unique due to “many different parts coming together to provide an atmosphere.” Each of these programs contributes to the atmosphere in its own way, and with that comes traditions. Since Mr. Hayman is fairly new to RHS, he plans on creating some of his own. “They’re just [traditions] that I’m trying to start, you know, because traditions have to come from somewhere, and it’s kind of fun,” he said.

Junior Talia Gridley is heavily involved in the pep band and is also a drum major. Gridley is one of the key leaders in executing a great performance during FNL.

During FNL, the band is not the only

“We play a lot of music that people can do stuff with, especially the student section,”

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she said.

She said she feels that the pep band is a large contributor and that they try to play whenever they can to bring more energy not only to the crowd but to the players as well. The pep band plays many interactive songs to get the crowd, the storm, and cheer involved. For example, they will play We Will Rock You by Queen, getting the crowd to stomp, stomp, clap before every kickoff.

Gridley has also been a part of many of the traditions that are being created. Before the season starts, the band always has band camp where “everybody gets to meet each other, we go over the songs, we work on the field shows, and it’s a lot of fun.” Once the season starts the band puts in a lot of time in and outside of school to prepare for FNL just as sports teams prepare. Every Friday before the game starts, the band gets there at 5 pm and they start to rehearse and go over what they will be playing. Like the football team, after rehearsing, they have their own type of “team” dinner before the game. There they build more relationships and relax before they perform.

Grant McGarry is a junior at RHS and a kicker on the varsity football team. He is specifically the kicker for kickoff, and every time he goes out there he hears that stomp, stomp, clap that was started by the band. He said he feels as a player that the storm and band work in sync to build an incredible atmosphere. When asked how the energy is when they play away, he said he feels “like the energy [isn’t] the same.”

Without the band, the team “ha[s] to find [their] own energy,” McGarry said. When they play away, they still go through their regular hype routine consisting of coach speeches and chants, but when the game starts there is a type of “silence” from the crowd.

As the game comes to an end and the players start to shake hands and the fans start to exit, the band continues to play and keeps the energy alive till everybody leaves the field. Without the band, FNL would not be the same.

By: Cole Broumas, Sports-Editor

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Behind The Curtains

A look into the upcoming

Dance

4 Project

One upcoming event stands out this year: the Dance 4 Project, a new show featuring 32 dancers from the RHS dance program.

Nearly every aspect of this dance show will be new. This year’s performance will be held at a venue and feature various arrangements, smaller groups performing, and even a senior spotlight. Often, it is difficult to see the hard work and dedication it takes to put on such a show. RHS dance teacher Sarah Blankenship said the hardest part of planning is “the endless hours and the sleepless nights of putting it together, [and] not being able to see my family for that whole week.”

VARSHUU MANOJKUMAR

VARSHUU MANOJKUMAR

One unique part of the Dance 4 Project is that nearly all of the choreography is created by students. Choreography requires not only creativity but also the necessary technical skill set to perform the moves. Senior Olivia Cruz, one of the choreographers, said, “I have a big mirror in my room, so I’ll stand in front of it for hours, brainstorming ideas.”

Every show that the Rocklin High dance program produces requires hours from Mrs. Blankenship and the students. The dancers spend time rehearsing, refining, and perfecting their routines every dance period. As the show dates get closer, nearly all dancers spend hours outside school practicing while balancing school work and extracurriculars.

Mrs. Blankenship, the driving force behind the dance program, described the entire process of putting it together as “motivating.” She admires her students’ commitment to growing and embracing their best selves, she said.

Set to come on stage December 6 and 7, the Dance 4 project will “embody the spirit and culture of Rocklin High School,” Mrs. Blankenship said. Junior Isabella Zhang, one of the several student choreographers, said she believes the show will be “a really good turning point” and expressed her gratitude for being part of it.

For many of the performing students, dance isn’t just a fun elective — it’s their passion and an essential part of who they are. Zhang said, “I think it’s really special what you do with the movements and how beautiful it makes you feel.”

By: Varshuu Manojkumar, Staff Reporter

VARSHUU MANOJKUMAR

Beyond the End Zone

More then just your FNL Storm Leaders

Athletics and school spirit go beyond touchdowns and Friday Night Lights (FNL). Athletic leadership at Rocklin High School (RHS) works not only to highlight the popular sports and bring attention to those athletes, but also the less popular athletic programs, incorporating ways to get students excited and involved. RHS has been respected by many schools in the area for its school spirit and athletic events which are largely credited to the athletic leadership program. From planning the sports game themes to getting the Rocklin community involved in RHS sporting events, its members strive to foster an electrifying and positive environment for our hundreds of athletes and spectators.

One of our amazing storm leaders, senior Dylan Nuzz, has been a part of athletic leadership for two years.

“Athletics is a really big thing for me, so I thought it would be a great way to be involved with the campus and also still sticking to athletics,” he said.

Our storm leaders are a big part of the class and work hard to bring energy and support to the games. During the birth of the athletic leadership program, they were basically TAs who helped out former athletic director Ryan Spears with planning events. Athletic leadership and PE teacher Jeff Harter said, “Those guys would help out, have conversations, have time to set up and plan events, and then we’ve kinda just taken that to a whole new level.”

The athletic leadership class not only focuses on highlighting our athletes and sports events but also on getting students involved in events. Part of their job is getting the younger elementary school kids

KAELYN CUNNINGHAM

excited to be a part of RHS one day. They work with the feeder elementary schools like Breen and Twin Oaks to promote RHS pride by having cheerleaders and football players visit them on game day Fridays to get them excited to come out to our events. In addition, they visit them to talk about what high school is like and how they can make a positive impact in their school right now.

“I thought it would be a great way to be involved with the campus and also still sticking to athletics,” - Dylan Nuzz

Along with promoting our campus, they also celebrate our students and athletes. Athletic leadership does athlete of the week as well as fan of the week, which is an attempt to get students to dress out in game themes and cheer loudly to raise the hype of the games. Mr. Harter said they are “trying to incorporate celebrating our students who are coming out to games and cheering loudly and supporting our athletes that are out there on the field or the court or in the pool, wherever it may be.” Their Instagram and TikTok: @rocklinstorm

also works to prompt all things sports and events to get as much school and community attendance as they can.

Due to the pandemic, the year got cut short and then the class got broken up into two different classes, which caused a disruption. “We weren’t always on the same page,” Nuzz said, which made it difficult for the classes to work together. Now that they are in one period again, he said, “This year it’s really nice because it feels like a lot of unity, and makes the class feel really close. Which makes it a lot more fun and easier to get stuff done.”

Athletic leadership is a pretty new way to get involved in the campus, yet it has already grown so much, and you can see and feel the impact they are making. There’s a lot more work than students really see being put into this class to make RHS feel like RHS.

By: Kaelyn Cunningham, Edior-in-Training

Why did Harter Step Down as Athletic Director?

Jeff Harter had been athletic director for the past two years when he decided to step down from his role last school year. There wasn’t one specific reason for his decision, he said.

“Athletic Director is a fun job but a very time-consuming job, a lot of hours. My girls are eight, five, and two right now,” he said. He said he felt that stepping down would be better for his family. Teacher and tennis coach Dale Eckenburg stepped up to the role to replace Mr. Harter.

Mr. Harter is still staying involved with athletics and the school in the ways he can while still maintaining the family time that is so important to him. He took up the job of being the Athletic Leadership teacher a few years back and has been working to make it more than just sports and football. He strives to make his students better people as well as keep our school spirited.

“Athletics is such a big job,” he said. “It needs more people involved, more students. It needs adults to be able to guide and mentor those students.” He takes these students under his wing and works with them to get involved and inspire others to get involved. He said he wants to bring the RHS community together and help this school feel closer than before.

Since stepping down, he has had more time for the important things in his life and still stays connected to the campus.

“[Athletic leadership] is still definitely keeping me busy,” he said. “I’m having to juggle my schedule and make sure I can be in multiple places and do all the different things that we’re trying to do to help out.”

One Set At A Time

A new coach means things are running different and looking foward to a successful

As the Rocklin High School (RHS) varsity volleyball team gets ready for the rest of the season, they are excited to see what the new season will bring. This year, a new coaching staff led by Bret Almazan-Cezar shows a promising future. One of the standout features of Mr. Almazan-Cezar’s coaching style is his emphasis on creating a relaxed environment. Mr. Almazan-Cezar plays more relaxed music rather than the typical “hype” music that this and other teams have played before.

Giana Bogan, a starting junior outside hitter shared, “I think it makes you play better because you just come in more relaxed and calm.”

This mindset is crucial, especially for the team needing to live up to high expectations this year — last year, they were in

the running to win state. By creating a high-pressure practice, the team will be able to perform just as usual in a very pressured situation such as game point in playoffs. Players report feeling more confident and prepared, with many saying how this warm-up helps calm their nerves before games. “It helps with your mindset going into the game,” Bogan shared. The relaxed

“Every single rep is a championship rep.”

-Bret Almazan-Cezar

atmosphere calms them and helps them tune out the world around them and focus on volleyball.

The inclusion of three freshmen this year has also re-energized team spirit. “It’s really fun having the freshmen on the team. They’re just so fun to be around,” Bogan said, emphasizing the sisterly bonds forming within the team. This friendship not only helps team chemistry but also makes practices more enjoyable, creating a positive experience.

Mr. Almazan-Cezar’s background in marching band plays an important role in his coaching tech-

niques. He applies rules and lessons from marching band, where precision and teamwork are essential.

“I was taught in marching band, we were there to be perfect [and] if we can play volleyball perfectly, then we’ll be successful, and the scoreboard will take care of itself,” he said. This focus on perfection shows in Mr. Almazan-Cezar’s practices, which are structured to work around one skill. It can be difficult to keep focus while focusing on one skill, but he said, “Every single rep is a championship rep.” Making sure every touch is the best they can do will show in game situations when it has been a long game and they are in a close situation.

The coaching staff’s size has also been a game changer, allowing for more individualized instruction. “With a bigger coaching staff, players receive more personalized feedback,” Mr. Almazan-Cezar said. Each player getting the one-on-one guidance

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BAILEE SEXTON

ELI ANDERSON

they need makes all the difference in their gameplay and helps them all around as an athlete. Having more coaches allows the team to run a practice where they work on one skill at a time, called a block, as a team and gradually progress to more complex, game-like situations.

“We check for understanding of what we learned in the block,” Mr. Almazan-Cezar explained, making sure that each player is engaged and understanding the drills. Understanding what they have learned will translate into the game and help them perform to their best ability.

With the new coaching staff, the varsity volleyball team is not only doing well with the change but also getting individualized help and coming together as a team.

By: Tessa Wagnon, Staff Reporter

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BAILEE SEXTON

BAILEE SEXTON

ELI ANDERSON

ELI ANDERSON

ELI ANDERSON

Going No-Contact

A freshman girl’s inspiring switch from tackle to flag football

It was time to hang up the pads and put on the flags for Joslyn Cetina. Cetina, a freshman at Rocklin High School (RHS), decided to walk away from the Rocklin junior tackle football team and join girls flag football after playing tackle her whole life.

Flag football is on the rise with more and more girls joining every year. With many not being able to fulfill their love for tackle football, this sport gives a great opportunity to still keep going with their passion. Cetina, a first year flag football

“I could not have made a better decision,” -Joslyn Cetina

player, said, “I haven’t been able to keep up with the boys in tackle football, and when the opportunity became available to play flag, I took it.” This sport has been growing on campus with every girl’s love for football and desire to play even without the physicality aspect. It allows everyone to play the sport

they love and creates a lot of inclusivity on campus. Cetina said, “I actually found out about tryouts about 20 minutes before. I was out at lunch with some of my tackle football teammates, kind of just talking about everything I had experienced with them the past four years of me playing tackle. I ended up heading over to the first day of tryouts, and it went awesome. I could not have made a better decision.” Going from tackle football to flag has its major differences.

“You know that [tackle] football mentality, there really is nothing else like it, but I think flag football has overall helped me out with opportunities for the future,” Cetina said. “It’s made me [who I am] and it’s helped me make some amazing friendships along the way.” This sport brings a hard working nature to RHS on a competitive level, while also bringing positivity to something that this school has already had established since the start.

Rocklin High School is known for maintaining good sports programs all around, and not just excelling in one or two sports. The effect these sports teams have on the students creates a huge impact on campus.

“Positivity keeps up the energy”

-Robyn Nguyen

“I think it’s gotten many more girls involved on campus, giving everyone a better high school experience,” Cetina said. “It is holding girls accountable to being good students on campus, and I think overall it made campus culture a lot more positive.”

Keeping an uplifting environment throughout campus is always a top priority, and some may wonder, how does this team keep up their

CJ SHAFER

strong dynamic and competitiveness?

Varsity player Robyn Nguyen said, “Definitely working together as a team, and especially when we get down or we make a mistake, like an interception or a bad throw, [we] gotta lift each other up, because positivity keeps up the energy.” Ryan Spears, the coach of the girls varsity flag football team talked about how much this sport changed his life. After coaching for years on RHS campus, Mr. Spears has made a major impact across campus.

“I coached here for 17 years, and then when flag football came around, I wasn’t going to coach at all ever — I was done coaching,” he said. “Then flag football came around, and I’m like, you know what, this sounds really fun. Best decision I’ve ever made in my coaching career, and the most fun I’ve ever had coaching.”

By: Tristan Gurkin and Alexia Offner, Staff Reporters

photo creds: Cj Shafer

CJ SHAFER

CJ SHAFER

CJ SHAFER

Your School, Your Story

Raising Siblings

“I’m really passionate about hanging out with my little siblings...”

(Check out the full story about Bella Siders on page 21)

UPCOMING

EVENTS: 10/26: Creepy Concert 11/1: After Football Dance 11/13-11/17: Twelve Huntsmen play 12/6-12/7: Dance 4 Showcase 12/13-12/14: Winter Choral Concert

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KIANA BARNES