The Flash: Silver Linings

ILVER S

OL. 26 | ISSUE 3 | MAY 2019

ININGS the flash

THE FLASH

editorial

F

or this issue of the Flash, we set out with a mission: to bring to life the stories of good often smeared by so much bad, stories of the beauty of humanity alongside the ugliness of it, too.

In the face of so much tragedy in the news, those stories of the power of humanity seem rare. Yet, those incidents have vanished from society. Rather, they seem to fade among the surge of news and information that bombards us each and every day.

STAFF

ALLISON MCCRARY JANAE SCHMIDT JULIA LYNN EMMA CONWAY LAUREN MILLARD CASEY MILLER LEAH MAYER POLINA PUDOVA ANDREW WOODWARD

So, we set out to find the silver lining that shines from the stories of sable clouds. We wanted to show the good.

LUKE BEZANSON

Everybody has a story, both good and bad. This is the fundamental truth that our journalism program is built on.

EMMA MORALES

Each person has a story to tell, uniquely born from their trials and triumphs, from the journeys of their life. And within each story is a little kernel of wisdom. A lesson.

ALEJANDRO GONZALES ELLIE STOUT HALEY BRADBURY GABBY BARNES HAYDEN ESSLEY

This is the message that, through the cherished guidance of Casey Nichols, we have and will continue to honor.

DARIAN SKULTETY

It is our honor to bring to light those lessons and that wisdom. It is our honor to tell the stories of Rocklin High School.

ANYA TOM

RACHEL PATTERSON CAITLYN CAFFERY MIRANDA DAVOULAS JENNA REIS ADVISOR: CASEY NICHOLS

table of

The Flash is a student media production of Rocklin High School. It is created under the policies published on the school website under the media tab. The advanced journalism class is responsible for all content. The Flash is a public forum. It is created for students, by students, about students. For inquiries, contact the staff at RocklinHSFlash@rocklinusd.org. All images are either copyright free or property of Rocklin High School.

CONTENTS 04 05 06 07 08 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22

MORE GOOD MARY SON OF A SURVIVOR A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER "I GOT YOUR BACK" HIDDEN BATTLES SLEEPING GIANT THE POWER OF YOU FINDING RELIEF THE THREE C'S SAFE SPACE SPORTSMANSHIP 60 MILES AWAY SENIORS HELPING SENIORS WE ARE ALL A TEAM BIGGER THAN BASEBALL SPREAD THE LOVE ZACK AND KENDALL HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

02

THE FLASH

M A RY

MORE GOOD MARY LATHAM'S FULL-TIME JOB AS AN OPTIMIST

“WE SHOULD STILL KEEP WORKING TOWARDS SPREADING THAT GOOD WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT ONE LIFE ACTUALLY MAY HAVE CHANGED BECAUSE OF US.” SAYS MARY LATHAM

S

trong will and determination help journalist Mary Latham through life’s toughest punches and allow her to stay optimistic throughout.

After the loss of her mother in 2013, Latham dedicated herself to a project she would create to honor her mother’s positive spirit: collecting stories of human kindness from all 50 states.

After visiting Rocklin High School last spring, Latham has continued her trip and is currently in Chicago. While Latham has been successful in her trip, she has faced numerous challenges along the way. None of which were able to deter her spirit.

“Giving up and stopping the trip never even crossed my mind.

No matter what is going on and even when my lyme disease was taking over and I was having all these health issues my favorite place to be was still in the car, I felt the best there just being on the

37

states

road. This mission has given me so much purpose and it's such a rewarding feeling to be doing what you really want to be doing and getting that message out there no matter how challenging it is,” Latham said.

In a world where every news story is another tragedy, it's easy to be bogged down by the negative things in life. Latham’s mission to constantly seek out the good in people has changed her entire outlook and has made her a better person. Not only is she able to stay optimistic and see the positive things in life, but she also finds it easier to find the good in people and see them with empathy.

“You know when you’re driving along and someone cuts you off on the highway or someone's rude at the grocery store, I’m always constantly wondering; what was their childhood like? Is something wrong at home or are they bringing their wife to the hospital

127

host homes

Follow the Journey: www.moregood.today because she’s in labor? I’m constantly wondering what’s causing them to be like that. It’s almost like this outlook where you are constantly trying to figure them out, and I always look for the good in the person because it’s usually there, it's just that maybe they are having a bad day or something is going on. It’s just such a better way of living, to look for the good stuff, and focus on that because there is a lot of bad out there and we get so inundated with it, and when you focus on it you become a very angry depressed negative person,” Latham explains.

Sometimes the negatives can feel so overwhelmingly terrible that you can no longer see the good. Latham argues that the struggles and tragedies we face humble us to the kindness of others.

“Ninety-five percent of the stories that I get all come from the sad, tragic place. We are in these vulnerable positions in our lives where we are going through something, we are much more aware of the goodness and kindness that is shown to us,” Latham said.

In life, we are given challenges to shape us into the people we are meant to be. It doesn’t make the tragedies any less painful, but maybe the pain can lead to growth. Looking for the good in every situation is by no means easy. Lots of times the good to be found is not in the situation itself, but in the empathy of the human heart.

“IT’S A CHALLENGE ALWAYS. YOU THINK THAT MAYBE IT WILL GET A LITTLE EASIER, I THINK YOU JUST GET A LITTLE MORE USED TO IT.” SAYS MARY LATHAM “It is definitely a full time job being an optimist. It can be challenging, what I have learned is that you just have to keep continuing to push yourself out of your comfort zone and say yes to opportunities because they lead somewhere. Everything happens for some kind of purpose.”

BY: LAUREN MILLARD

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MARY LATHAM

04

THE FLASH

T

SON

PRANIT KHURANA FACED A NIGHTMARE NOBODY WANTS TO FACE

Her diagnosis led to the loss of her job at Intel once she became too sick to work. On top of worrying about her health, they also had to worry about the loss of her income.

Pranit did not know about his mother's sickness for the first month, because his parents tried to keep it a secret from him and his brother, Pragnay, who attends Granite Oaks Middle School. But once it got more serious and she lost her job, Pranit had to step up and get a job to help support the family.

OF A

BY: JANAE SCHMIDT

his school year, senior Pranit Khurana faced a nightmare that nobody wants to face. In September of 2018, his mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.

SURVIVOR

1 IN 8

women will have breast cancer in their lifetime according to The American Cancer Society's Estimations and C. R. Bard

IN 2019

268,800

cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed

41,760

women will die from breast cancer

“I have seven AP classes right now, so I was already busy. I was also doing marching band so that was an activity on the side, and I was also tutoring. But since my mom was out of her job, I had to get a job to help out,” said Pranit.

In a moment of crisis, it's hard to find a silver lining. But as he reflected on the experience, Pranit was able to find it.

“It helped me and my brother grow a lot because we had all these new responsibilities. It helped my family get closer, too, because we always had to help and support each other. It definitely made us a lot closer.”

Although the new responsibilit0y was stressful, it helped Pranit grow as a person. However he didn't bear all of this alone. He told a few of his close friends who were willing to help.

“It was nice to have someone to talk to. My friends were always there for me the entire way.”

Not only were his friends there for him, but so were their family friends.

“A lot of parents and close friends would come every week and make food. My mom was the one who used to cook a lot, and my dad is always working, so he doesn't have much time to cook. It was helpful, because people always came over to help us with meals. It made it easier so we didn't have to worry about that and could focus on helping my mom. I can't even begin to express the gratitude I have for everyone that helped us.”

In such a trying time, this trial brought the Khurana family together. All the help they received from friends and family humbled them.

“Looking back, I'm grateful for how my family and I have grown. Now that my mom is doing better, I can see the positive in our story,” said Pranit.

Pranit’s mother is now is remission and is on track to go back to her job at Intel. Not every cancer story has a happy ending, but the Khurana family’s did. Not only is their mom healthy and doing well, they also learned to appreciate what they had and learned to rely on each other more.

BY: GABBY BARNES

A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER

JAMES GRACE'S PATH BECOMING A TEACHER

M

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CAITLYN KAN

ost people choose to become a firefighter because of the hype. Being a firefighter is a cool job and you are highly respected by the community. For Mr. James Grace, an English teacher at Rocklin High School, this was exactly the reason he became one.

“My proudest moment would be stopping and going to school to become a teacher,” he says.

“It seemed cool. I liked the tools and physical work of it. I also liked giving back to the community,” Grace said.

Firefighting was a learning experience for Grace, and he eventually realized that his knowledge and lessons could be used to inspire high school students.

He started as an EMT when he was 19 years old. His uncle worked with an ambulance company and got him a job cutting trees in the woods and working on the ambulance. He didn’t really enjoy working as an EMT. Grace’s end goal was to eventually join a firefighting crew.

“I felt like I would make more of an impact teaching than working as a firefighter. I’m still giving back to the community,” he said.

Obviously, the switch from being a firefighter to a teacher was a huge shift, but Grace says the biggest difference is that there is less glorification and teachers are less respected.

30%

of the total workforce will change jobs every 12 months

He got all the way to the interview process, but he was impatient and decided to quit. He liked the physical work of being a tree cutter, but he wanted a higher position. He says working alongside the Hotshot Crew, which are the people who go in and fight the most dangerous and deadly forest fires.

ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Since he has started teaching, Grace has enjoyed building relationships and seeing his students go out into the world and succeed.

“I want to see what they achieve after high school and after what I teach them. I know that the people I taught will be sharing these lessons long after I’m gone.”

Fire season is year round in California, so a lot of firefighters have to go out and be on the field for days or even weeks.

Although Grace didn’t pursue a career in firefighting, he choose another path of education and got a job that he enjoys: a decision that he doesn't regret.

“Those guys do hard work. They travel a lot and are always out and sometimes never really get to be home with their families.”

“Don’t be surprised when if what you want to do doesn’t work out how you wanted. Don’t be afraid to try something different.”

He wanted to learn more and get an education. He says he doesn't regret going to school. He is still giving back to the community and inspiring others, only in a different way.

Sometimes what you initially want to do isn't the best choice for you. Do something you know you will enjoy and always do what makes you happy.

06

THE FLASH

"I GOT YOUR

BACK" A

fter years of struggling with chronic pain in both her back and knee, Aubrey Price has finally found a way to return to her old self. Aubrey is a senior at Rocklin High School and has dealt with chronic issues with her back for most of her life. On top of that, last year, she injured her knee and spent months trying to diagnose the problem. After much patience, she finally found relief and hope in a doctor that helped her to fix her issue.

“I’ve had chronic back issues since I was eight and have had knee issues since I was 17. For my knee, I went to several doctors trying to find out exactly what was wrong, since the X-rays and MRIs weren’t showing anything extreme.

It took 15 months to figure this all out.“ These chronic issues have impacted much of what Aubrey is able to do on a day to day basis. Aubrey loves to participating physical activities, so having to limit the things she enjoys has been extremely challenging for her.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY AUBREY PRICE

100 MILLION

people suffer from chonic pain according to in the U.S. the Atlanta Medical Clinic

AUBREY PRICE AND HOW ONE DOCTOR CHANGED HER LIFE

So I drove down to Sac feeling frustrated that it was an hour away, and that I still had no answers with what was wrong with my knee.”

“I had worn a brace for the last eight months, tried different physical therapies, etc. Traffic on the way to the appointment was so bad, which made my attitude 10 times worse. We waited to see this doctor for two and a half hours, then had to get X-rays, then waited in the exam room for another 30 minutes. I was so done and just wanted to be home.”

Finally, Aubrey recieved the one thing she had hoped for: a way to finally fix her knee.

“He came in, took one look at my scans and told me exactly what was wrong with my knee. He said you need to have knee surgery.

Fast. He moved another surgery, so he could perform mine as soon as possible.”

"[THE DOCTOR] CAME IN, TOOK ONE LOOK AT MY SCANS AND TOLD ME EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY KNEE."

“A few weeks later, on my surgery day, his nurse told me how the doctor found my file.

Sutter had sent my file SAYS AUBREY PRICE to the wrong portal, and it got lost in UC Davis’s records. Somehow, “Being limited in my activities was so hard! I my doctor found the file and told his nurse he had to quit dancing, running, hiking and so wanted me as a patient, because he knew he many other things because of my knee injury. could help!”

My back has always affected these activities, but my knee just made them so much worse.”

“It’s been a hard recovery but finding a doctor who knew exactly what my problem One of the most challenging consequence was, was a major silver lining to my situation.” from these problems was going to numerous doctors and not being able to fix the problem.

After having to deal with much pain, countless For as long as she has had these issues, she limitations and a long recovery time, Aubrey has been going to various doctors in hopes was able to find a tender mercy that helped of fixing her issues. None of these doctors her tremendously throughout her situation. This seemed to have a solution for her. experience helped her find the good in a bad situation and learn how to be grateful for the “One day I was at my fourth appointment little things. with my Sutter doctor, who had no clue what was going on in my knee. He suggested I try to go to the UC Davis orthopedic department, BY: HALEY BRADBURY which specializes in teenagers and kneecaps.

HIDDEN BATTLES

THE INVISIBLE FIGHT AGAINST ULCERATIVE COLITIS

BY: CAITLYN CAFFERY

“I was originally diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 14, but my doctors recently discovered that the inflammation in my gastrointestinal tract was in my large intestine, so they thought I may have Crohn's disease.

They still aren’t really sure which one I actually have,” Grace said.

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes longlasting inflammation and ulcers in a person's digestive tract resulting in severe abdominal pain.

“The most challenging part of my illness is trying to live a normal life.

I’m constantly having to watch what I eat or change up my medication.

I have to stay on top of all my pills, and every eight weeks I go in for an injection, which I’ve finally started to do by myself without the nurse’s help.

There’s a different mountain to climb every day depending on how I’m feeling or what my symptoms are like that day,” said Gaumer.

Despite having to manage schoolwork and activities outside of school, Gaumer has her hands full looking after her health and making sure she is on top of everything.

To her peers, it may be hard to tell that she is struggling with health complications. Gaumer describes this as “the beauty of an autoimmune disease; all of the ugly stuff is on the inside.”

“I can definitely say that there have been many times where I wanted to give up. My junior year, my health hit rock bottom, and it didn’t look like it was going to get any better any time soon. I was in such a bad place, where I didn’t want to even bother trying to get better, and I didn’t want to hear anything my doctors had to say to me,” she said.

Even though Grace reached a point of no hope, she didn’t let her health problems take over her life. She continued to fight, even when she didn’t want to or didn’t think she could.

“As of recently, I have really had my health at a baseline. I’m not 100 percent in remission, but I’m not being admitted to the hospital like I have been in the past. My symptoms aren’t a violent rollercoaster anymore,” said Gaumer.

ULCERATIVE COLITIS

LET'S TALK ABOUT

S

he has the inspirational ability to find beauty within the ugly.

Grace Gaumer is a senior with and throughout her four years, she has continued to push through even during the hardest times. Her strong willpower and determination are just two characteristics that make her a role model.

U

lcerative Colitis is a disease that causes inflammation in the large intestine or colon.

This ultimately leads to sores, called ulcers, to form in the lining of the large intestine.

While this is an inflammatory bowel disease, it differs greatly from other types of bowel diseases, such as Crohn's and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. These have similar symptoms, but are completely different issues.

This disease occurs due to an abnormality in the immune system. While the immune system would usually attack the abnormality the same way it would a cold, when a person has UC, they experience an overactive immune response.

The immune systems thinks that food, bacteria and other nonharmful materials are actually invading substances and works to destroy them. This sends white blood cells into the lining of the intestines, which triggers an overactive response.

This causes the large intestine to be overworked and become inflamed.

“Dealing with my day to day issues was something that took a lot Ulcerative Colitis accounts of time. I’ve for learned that I can also be hereditary. need to let things of all ItSome inherited genes go when it comes according to hospitalizations may make The Journal of a person to my physical Current Clinical Care more likely to develop UC. health, and that has Another suspected factor is been a huge help to environmental. There could be my mental health. I’m a bacteria or virus that triggers the capable of handling so overactive immune response. much more than I ever thought I could,” she said.

While food, stress or other outside factors do not cause it, they can trigger a flare up.

Grace Gaumer is an inspiration to Symptoms of this disease include abdominal those who are also dealing with cramping, pain, fever, fatigue and weight loss. similar issues. She continues to tackle each day as it comes and refuses to BY: EMMA CONWAY give up no matter how hard it may get.

10%

08

THE FLASH

"RIGHT NOW THEY CALL IT A ‘SLEEPING GIANT’, BECAUSE THERE’S ALWAYS A CHANCE THAT IT WILL COME BACK." SAYS EMILY COOK

BY EMMA CONWAY

EMILY COOK SHARES THE STORY OF HER ILLNESS AND HER CHOICE TO CHANGE

sleeping F

GIANT

or most, change can be daunting. Having people that were in your life suddenly not be there is life-changing. The idea of having to meet new people and make friends in a strange place can be terrifying. However, this was not the case for former Rocklin High School student, Emily Cook.

You may remember Emily because her parents were an integral part of the Rocklin community. Both of them taught at elementary schools in the district. Her father, James, teaches 6th grade at Parker Whitney.

A Twin Oaks student, Emily was diagnosed with Microscopic Polyangiitis, a rare disease that can cause damage to organs, which in this case, impacted Emily's kidneys.

“I was in sixth grade, and I’ve had rheumatoid arthritis since I was six, so I’ve always gone to doctors like that, and we went to Kaiser and they wanted to do blood tests and after that they found a weird thing in it, and looking more into it, they saw that my kidneys were failing.”

After doing a biopsy, they were able to diagnose her, and Emily did chemotherapy and steroids during her sixth grade year. The disease has been in remission ever since.

During this time, her family fundraised -- just in case Emily would need a kidney transplant. However, this was not the case as her kidneys now have 75 percent function.

While they can not be sure if the disease will take effect any other time in her life, they now have the funds to be prepared if this

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY EMILY COOK

occurs.

“Right now they call it a 'sleeping giant,' cause there’s always a chance that it will come back.”

Emily has had to face many other health problems in her life, while not all of them have been her own.

“Freshman year, my grandmother went to the hospital unexpectedly. We were dealing with that and she passed away.

During that whole process my mom wasn't feeling well. She had a pain in her stomach, so we thought it was appendicitis.”

This pain was not appendicitis. What Emily and her family soon found out was that her mom, Janice, had a rare form of renal cancer that only affects approximately 100 people in the world.

The cancer was stage four, and they did treatment for some time.

Her mom dedicated what was left of her life to setting Emily up just in case her illness returned. She wanted to make sure that Emily would never have to worry about being able to get a kidney transplant if there was a need. She died in the fall of Emily's sophomore year at Rocklin.

All of the changes in her life led her to want to make one final change; switching schools. Emily made the decision to transfer to Ghidotti High School in Nevada County where she lives.

“I loved Rocklin, I really did. But I’d known the same people for so long, and I decided that I just wanted a change. I wanted to go

MICROSCOPIC POLYANGIITIS?

WHAT IS

"I’VE LEARNED JUST HOW BIG OF A SHORTAGE AND A NEED THERE IS FOR PEOPLE TO EXPLORE MEDICAL CAREERS," SAYS EMILY COOK

M

icroscopic Polyangiitis is a rare disease that occurs due to blood vessel inflammation. It can cause damage to the kidneys, lungs, joints, skin and nerves. The cause of this disease is unknown, but it is not common for it to occur in families.

There are lots of symptoms associated with MPA. It can cause the person to be fatigued, have joint pain and even have rashes near affected areas. When it takes effect on the lungs, it can cause an excess amount of coughing and, in extreme cases, coughing up blood.

Kidney disease is often a result of this disease. It can occur in people from any age range, race and background.

somewhere where nobody knew who I was and I could start over.”

Emily's older brother attended Bear River High School, so this inspired Emily to look into it.

With a passion for meeting new people, she loved the opportunity to be able to make new friends. She will finish a year of Sierra College credits while finishing high school.

Emily is thriving at her new school, making friends with the small population of students who attend. She takes a myriad of different classes, able to take subjects she is interested in on campus.

This is a widely misunderstood disease, as it was not acknowledged by medical professionals until 1944. The disease first popped up in the 1920s, but it took awhile for it to be recognized as its own disease. A reason for this is that it has many overlaps with similar illnesses. It is often confused for other immune systems diseases such as Wegener's and Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic Angiitis.

"I’D KNOWN THE SAME PEOPLE FOR SO LONG, AND I DECIDED THAT I JUST WANTED A CHANGE." SAYS EMILY COOK

She has also joined a Big Brother/Big Sister program, mentoring a elementary school boy a couple times a month. Her compassion for others shines through in the activities she takes part in.

She hopes to one day enter the medical field, holding a fascination for biology and a desire to help people with conditions like hers.

“I’ve met a lot of people with arthritis and other rheumatoid problems that have said things like ‘I wish I had a doctor who understood what it was like’ and things like that. I’ve learned just how big of a shortage and a need there is for people to explore medical careers.”

Change is the only constant in life, and the way a person reacts to change is a large part of their identity. Emily Cook not only adapts well to change, but embraces it, learning from what happens to her and always growing from it.

10

THE FLASH

A

s teenagers, it easy to think we are the only ones going through something. Constantly we find ourselves thinking ‘no one understands . . . I feel so alone . . . There is no hope . . I’m in too deep.’ Yet, everyday, we come to school, put on a brave face and act like nothing is going on.

For some, it is problems at home or mental health issues, while for others it can be peer judgement or even abusive relationships. Although it may seem impossible to bounce back or escape from these dire situations, students often forget that people understand, they are not alone, there is hope and you’re never in too deep.

Rocklin High School students are not an exception to these experiences. An anonymous student reached out and wanted to share their remission story, after struggling through a toxic situation at home, anxiety and depression.

When the situation became too much to bear, they decided to run away from home towards the end of summer break.

“I didn’t really know where else I could go and life at home was not really a good, healthy place, and I felt like I shouldn’t be there because my parents — especially my dad — would always say I was toxic. So then he would tell me to leave, but then he would say that if I ran away, he would call the police.”

After having been missing for many days, they were finally found and brought back home. Shortly after being found, they were admitted to a hospital and referred to residential (rehab), an institution that provides therapy for behavioral problems, substance abuse and mental illness.

After having spent a month in residential, the student was allowed to return home, only to discover that nothing had changed. And why? They did not apply themselves. As a result, they did not learn or grow from their time at residential and a couple months later ran away again, only to be readmitted.

“The first time I faked it through . . . it didn’t really help that much . . . the second time helped more, because when you’re surrounded and not able to get out of that situation anyway you kind of have to make the best of it. It seems like a really long time without your phone or contact with anyone. You kind of give into what they’re saying and at least try and get something from it . . . towards the end I was kind of a pro at it.”

Once they completed their second phase of residential, it was time to go back to school. However, having been absent for most of the first semester, there was a lot of makeup work to do.

“I would try and get as much work done as possible to makeup things I had missed.”

While some would have deemed the mountain of make-up work an impossible task, this student did not give up. They knew they wanted to turn their life around, and they were the only ones who could do that. After a lot of hardwork and determination, the student saw incredible results. Grades that used to be NM or Cs, were now all As and Bs. There is an important lesson that everyone can learn from this student's story. No matter how deep of a hole you have dug yourself into or how far you have strayed from the life path you were on, you can always turn your life around.

By believing in themselves and putting the work and effort needed to accomplish their goals, they completely turned their life around. They filled up the hole, found their path again and began to pave the way to their successful future.

In every issue and trial, you can find a light. For some they find light in others: a parent, teacher, friend or even a complete stranger.

However, there is one person that people always forget they can turn to: themselves.

BY: ALLISON MCCRARY

POWER of YOU

the

“The only person I can work on is myself. I had to realize that.”

FOR SOME, THE ONLY WAY TO ESCAPE A BAD SITUATION IS TO HELP THEMSELVES

Mental health struggles impacted her in many aspects of her life.

“I [first] had an anxiety attack in the bathroom by myself [in middle school], and I felt like I couldn’t tell anyone. Sometimes I would have

“I just started talking to my parents about how I felt. They first started out with therapy for a few years and then I met with the psychiatrist who gave me a diagnosis. Things are progressively getting better. I have been a lot calmer lately and I feel like I can handle more, which is rare.”

Looking back on her middle school days, she had some advice for her former self.

FINDING RELIEF ONE GIRL'S JOURNEY TO A BETTER MENTAL STATE

a rough night and it would prevent me from doing schoolwork. I didn’t know how to explain to my teachers what was going on. Later I found out it was anxiety and mild depression.”

There were a couple things that helped her in middle school, but the anxiety was still there nonetheless.

“My best friend was always there for me and made me feel normal, so it wasn’t too bad.”

She first started struggling with these mental illnesses in the eighth grade, so the big life change of going to high school was just around the corner.

“Anxiety hit me hard at the end of eighth grade year, and I tried to control it going into high school as best I could. I stopped spending time with my family and spent more time by myself.”

She had a few escapes in the form of extracurriculars, but they were only a distraction from her underlying problems.

“Swim team and extracurriculars/ hobbies (Science Olympiad, Marching Band, going on nature walks) kept me really busy, so I didn’t think about how I felt as much.”

In the end, she came to the conclusion that she needed to find help.

“I would have told my middle school self not to sell myself short. I limited all my potential. I wish that I could’ve told myself how capable she would be in the future, because I never thought I would be where I am now. I never thought that I would be getting letters from colleges, winning science awards and getting recognized for academic achievements. I wish I could tell that girl crying in the bathroom not to give up, because she’s worth everything [and she] always was.”

This is her message for others facing a similar struggle.

“To the people that also struggle with this, [I would say] be patient with yourself. Healing is not perfect.

You’re supposed to break down and build yourself back up. Healing is not a place, it’s a process.”

“For people whose parents are not supportive, I would say reach out to somebody. Literally anybody that you trust. It will save your life.”

The last piece of advice she would give to others would be to be active in solving the problem, not to run from it.

It can be easy to feel like there is no escape. However, this girl demonstrates that by having proper resources and turning to trusted people, getting help is 100 percent possible. Find what works for you and go from there.

BY: RACHAEL PATTERSON

OUT

reach

M

ental health is something many students struggle with. This is the story of a girl’s journey to find help.

Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-8255

Anxiety and Depression Association of America 240-485-1001 The Trevor Project 1-866-488-7386 Crisis Text Line text “HOME” to 741741 NAMI Help Line 800-950-6264 Teen Line 800-852-8336 Childhelp 800-422-4453 Nar-Anon Family Groups 800-477-6291 Al-Anon Family Groups 888-425-2666 Grief Recovery Hotline 1-800-445-4808 Eating Disorders Center 1-888-236-1188 Youth Crisis Hotline 1-888-236-1188 National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE

12

THE FLASH

M

ental illness has always been a controversial topic to discuss or even talk about with your closest friends.

Whether it be a certified therapist or psychiatrist or your best friend from next door you never hear it from the other side. The other side has always kept quiet in the hopes of solving their personal battles themselves or are simply too afraid to reach out for help.

BY: HAYDEN ESSLEY

C

THE THREE 'S DAVID BARTLEY: CRUSHING DEMONS WITH CONNECTIONS

However, there is one person who has struggled with these “monsters of mental illness” as he describes: Mr. David Bartley.

which admittedly it wasn’t very good -- it made me feel better and nowadays whenever I speak about it, one little layer of shame gets peeled off, I feel lighter.”

Bartley has had much previous trouble with these monsters. On August 31, 2011, he attempted to take his own life. Since that day, Bartley’s condition has improved. and it led him to reach out and to find help from other sources.

From these humble and cautious beginnings, Bartley has gone to speak 300 times about his mental illnesses, and he has even gone on to deliver a TED Talk about it, working to both shed more layers of skin for himself and to get his message out to others struggling with mental illnesses.

“When I was in the psychiatric hospital, I became friends with a middle-aged guy named Don, and we both got out [of the hospital] at around the same time, and he found a men’s depression support group. I joined and was a part of that group for six and a half years.

[It] was full of roughly middle-aged guys who were dealing with some form of mental illness, and the group was truly amazing. We sat in among each other and while each of our stories were unique, we could really understand each other. And from that group I was able to meet my current therapist and psychiatrist," Bartley said.

"THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME IS TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH PEOPLE: REMEMBER PEOPLE'S NAMES, LEVERAGE CURIOUSITY, CREATE AN UNDERSTANDING AND EXPRESS MYSELF TO PEOPLE."

“Early on I had to be really mindful to be cautious and to not cause any emotional damage to myself or to anyone else, and usually in the beginning of my talks I just dive right into the meat of the story, so I had to be mindful not to trigger myself as when I tell my story, I’m literally reliving that fateful day and that experience. So I had to make sure I didn’t deliver too many of those talks and to space them out, and then ideally to connect to someone, and it helped. At this point, however, I can give this talks multiple SAYS DAVID BARTLEY times a day and it doesn’t trigger me anymore. But I had to get to that point first, it didn’t happen overnight," says Bartley.

“As well as this group, about six years ago I was given the very first opportunity to speak, and when I was approached I didn’t want to go out and tell my story because I still had shame and embarrassment about my story. But I remember after my first talk --

“What’s interesting though is every time I give a talk, I have the same after effect as any [of the] other talks I’ve given; I feel better. And I hope the people that listen will also feel better, as I feel I’m being

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ife at high school can be tough.

There is the pressure of school, relationships, unexpected tragedies and many other things in life. Sometimes, students need to go to a place where they can talk about their problems.

of service, as this topic is not really talked about especially by a middle-aged man, and through my experiences,I believe that vulnerability breeds vulnerability.

If I’m able to disclose something intimate about myself, often times it creates a space for somebody else to share a piece of their story that maybe they’ve never shared."

Thankfully, there are counselors, peer counselors and therapists that support the students.

“Five years ago, we visited a school in the Bay Area that had a wellness center. The wellness center had therapists for students that cannot access mental health on their own accords,” says Mr. Tim Werth, one of RHS's counselors.

Through these talks, Bartley is able to both share his past experiences through sharing his own fight against mental illness. He is able to really connect to his audience, to hopefully give them crucial advice.

“If I can imagine someone in my shoes feeling what it was like for me seven years ago, they should understand that it is indeed temporary, that the most acute phase that you’re in can change.

And it’s difficult because the experience can be so compelling and overwhelming of what you believe from the lies that the monster of mental illness has convinced you is true. There’s a great guy by the name of Matt Haig who wrote a book called ‘Reasons To Live’ and in it he says ‘If you think depressed people want to be happy, you’re missing the point, a depressed person just wants the pain to end,' so I say [from] all of us who live with these conditions, we just want to get to neutral. I couldn’t imagine getting to that great place seven years ago," says Bartley.

“The three most important words for me in mental health and wellness are connection, connection, connection. The monster has no defense against connection. [Mental illness] wants to sequester me away like a jealous lover, so the most important thing for me is make connections with people; remember people's names, leverage curiosity, create an understanding and express myself to people."

Through creating these connections and giving people room to express their feelings, David Bartley is creating a better world for all of those in struggle by fighting mental illnesses and giving people a platform to open up and express themselves towards the world. His message is helping everyone create a better environment for themselves and teaching that everybody can crush those demons and monsters for good.

COUNSELORS ARE ALWAYS ON HAND TO SUPPORT STUDENTS

SAFE SPACE

At Rocklin, there is not an established wellness center, but there are places for kids to go, such as outside of the counseling offices. All four of the counselors are available to the students on a walk-in basis.

“We have four counselors at Whitney as well. We have two counselors at each middle school, and we have a counselor next door at the alternative education center (Victory High School). When we are in crisis mode, we have more people at one of the sites than others,” he says.

There is another level to the mental health model on campus. Therapists BY: LUKE BEZANSON from Wellness Together, a mental health service that works with schools, participate with some students on a curriculum called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Over the course of ten sessions, it helps students to improve and work through their mental health issues as best as possible.

As far as improvements of the mental health on campus goes, there have been increases in student walk-ins to counselor offices.

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THE FLASH

SPORTSMANSHIP 60 MILES AWAY RHS BASKETBALL BY: JENNA REIS

SERGEANT CLARK B BY: ANDREW WOODWARD

BRADY CLARK'S AFJROTC ADVENTURES

rady Clark is an average sophomore at Rocklin. He has eight classes, and hangs out with his friends on the weekend. However, one thing that sets Brady apart from others is JROTC. Brady’s eighth period class isn’t even at Rocklin. He drives over to Whitney High every silver day.

“JROTC is a military preparation organization that allows students to go to Whitney to learn about certain military things,” Brady said. It stands for Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Brady is in the Air Force branch of JROTC, so he is technically in AFJROTC. All JROTC members are required to wear their uniforms on certain days, and they have to keep them in pristine condition.

There are people who inspect their uniforms to make sure they're not missing anything.

Brady is a Cadet Master Sergeant and Recruiting NCO (Noncommissioned officer). Basically, his job is to go to recruiting events and meetings to try and get people to join JROTC. Brady has been doing it for two years, since he was a freshman at Rocklin. Once he heard about a military program offered through the school, he knew he wanted to do it.

There are about 140 students in total from Whitney and Rocklin that are in JROTC according to Brady. There are ranks that range from Recruit to General. It’s setup similar to the military where the lower ranks respond to the higher ranks. Usually higher ranks are reserved for juniors and seniors.

To get to Whitney on time, Brady has to leave at the beginning of plus on silver days.

“It’s not that bad going over there everyday, because I leave so early. Plus, I get to see my friends while I’m there,” says Brady.

After high school, Brady wants to join the Airforce. “I want to help protect our country from anything that can harm us as citizens and as a whole country.” says Brady. He does JROTC not just because he has fun doing it. He does it as a training for his future in the military.

TEAM SAVES UP MONEY TO BUY GIFT CARDS FOR PARADISE BASKETBALL TEAM

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n November 29th 2018, the Rocklin High School basketball team lifted the spirits of Paradise High School’s basketball team. Since the Paradise fire destroyed everything in its path, it damaged Paradise High School, but he campus was still standing. Paradise High was traumatized, broken and helpless after the fire.

RHS’s basketball coach, Coach Steve Taylor, was aware of the Paradise fire and the devastation it brought.

“I was talking with a personal friend, who was from the Chico area . . . who is good friends with the Paradise basketball coach,” Taylor explains.

Taylor knew that the school needed support somehow. A lot of people were donating clothes, blankets, toys, etc., and Taylor knew that donating things like that would not help much. Then he started thinking on a high schoolers level.

Taylor says, “As being the basketball coach, I thought it would be neat to help their basketball team specifically. Both [the] boys' and girls' team.”

Taylor and the girls basketball team raised $700 for each team.

The money was raised by the parents of the players, teachers, the Rocklin community and Taylor himself. Taylor had students bring things to practice. It all added up after about two weeks.

There were gift cards from Target and other stores where the teens could buy clothes or any necessities. There were also Visa gift cards donated for the students, so they can choose specifically what they want.

“We tried to be as broad as we could. Putting gas in the tank, might be the most important thing that day, and then going and buying clothes,” Taylor said.

The students at Paradise High were more than grateful for Rocklin’s generous gesture, the cards were presented to the players right before their game. Students' reactions were filled with overwhelming emotions and happiness.

So many acts of kindness go unnoticed at Rocklin, but everywhere you go you can find acts of kindness, even something as simple as a smile.

SENIORS HELPING SENIORS

RHS SENIORS HELP TWO ELDERLY COUPLES IN AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION

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n January 11, 2019, five seniors at Rocklin High witnessed a post hit and run car accident.

Sutton Lay, Logan Rafter, Sam Zaki, Cameron Enns and Cameron Swift were on their way to the Hot Shots game at Courtside after the Rocklin V.S. Del Oro basketball game.

Stopping to get gas, they saw a van arrive completely totalled.

Two elderly couples were pulling off the freeway to call the police after being hit by a car that sped away. No insurance or identities were exchanged. They were victims of a hit and run.

The couples described to the boys that they “got in this car accident coming off of Highway 65, and the people that rear ended [them] must’ve been going super fast,” said Sutton Lay.

After the crash, the car “kept driving off and didn’t pull over or say anything to [them],” said Sutton.

Parts of the car were dragging, so Cameron Swift and Sutton helped tear it off.

The elderly couples called the police three times, but the police took too long to show up. The couples decided to head home because no one was hurt.

COINCIDENCES

Sutton and his friends were persuaded to go help them because he said “it was a really, really bad accident, and we wanted to make sure everyone was OK.”

Cameron, Sutton and Sam arrived earlier than Logan and Cameron, so the first three boys came to help first. When the next two boys arrived, they ran over to help as well.

Logan worked at the senior center, Atria, so Logan was influenced to help the senior citizens from his experiences with the elderly. He was also worried they might be from Atria, which

A

Our hair wasn’t brushed, we still had pajamas on, and mascara was smeared under our eyes from crying. Workers and customers looked at us in confusion but didn't dare to ask.

Our close friend, Logan Rafter, passed away in a car accident the morning before. Only a week before, Taylor Molloy, who Logan always referred to as “Tay," went to prom with him,.

Eighteen hours after the news broke, Taylor and I walked into Jamba Juice following a night full of tears, to obtain something in our stomachs. After trying to order, but struggling after some time, Taylor said, “Sorry, we have had a rough night.”

"IT WAS PRETTY GRUESOME. THE ENTIRE BACK OF THEIR CAR WAS SMUSHED IN." SAYS LOGAN RAFTER inspired him to to aid them.

One of the men that were in the accident contacted the school, after, while at the gas station, the couples asked where they went to school.

fter a rough night filled with tragedy, a sign of him shed over us.

The worker, whose name we didn’t notice, looked at us in confusion but started to make our smoothie bowls after we ordered.

Sitting in Jamba Juice silently for quite some time trying to nibble on our smoothie bowls, the worker surprisingly came back to our table.

Setting down money and a receipt, he began to apologize for our loss and explained how he used his team card to get our purchase half off. On the verge of tears we thanked him for his act of kindness and for trying to make us feel better.

He stood in front of us for one extra second and Taylor noticed something that rocked our minds.

During second period, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Wirth, and Mr. Douglas came into each of the boys classes to recognize their act of kindness and each boy received a gift certificate to Don Quixote's.

This college-aged boy wore a black Jamba Juice hat, an apron and a green shirt under a black sweatshirt that embroidered his name.

BY: LEAH MAYER

His name was Logan.

The boy, shocked in the beginning of our story who decided to express an act of kindness over our friend’s death, had the same name.

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THE FLASH

THE UNIFIED SPORTS PROGRAM BRINGDS STUDENTS TOGETHER

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MADI HAYDN-MYER

WE ARE ALL A TEAM

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he Unified Sports Program is a chance for people with or without intellectual disabilities to play as a team. The teams are made up of people with similar ages and abilities, making practices and games fun for all.

On March 7, 2018, Rocklin High hosted the annual Unified basketball game. Thanks to the supporters from both Whitney and Rocklin, and the athletic leaders in all grades, it was an amazing game.

The game is organized by the students in the leadership program, as well as David Muscarella and the other special education teachers on campus.

Special Olympics Connecticut, who worked with Kennedy Shriver to develop the Unified Sports Program. It was made official in the early 1990s when they created a partnership with Executive Director Mike Savage that changed the future for Unified Sports.

"WE NEED TO DO MORE TO INCORPORATE OUR DISABLED STUDENTS INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF OUR CAMPUS." SAYS DAVE MUSCARELLA

“I loved playing with everyone at the game. Seeing them smile makes me smile," says Duncan Grossman.

There were chants from both sides, making sure nobody on the court was left out. No matter if a shot made it in or a pass didn’t quite make it, the energy and effort that everyone gave, made both schools winners.

Not only is this program a positive chance for our students to unite, but it is all over the world. Beau Doherty is the president of

It started as a small program and, now, has reached thousands of schools across the country, uniting everyone to play and enjoy each other as one.

Muscarella is a big part of the program as the teacher for one of the leadership classes. He says, “[This program] reminds me everyday that we need to do more to incorporate our disabled students into the mainstream of our campus.”

Overall the program provides a chance for kids all over the school to get together and have a great time.

We can cheer with them, laugh with them, and most of all, support them. So, consider signing up to look over and council those with special needs in the program.

BY: EMMA MORALES

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etween homework, friend drama or sports losses, it’s easy to get caught up in your own problems. However relevant and problematic those issues may be, when looking at the grand scheme of things there are some problems that burden people far more.

This last February, the RHS varsity baseball team came together with the varsity softball team to cut and tie homemade blankets to give to teens suffering from cancer. Due to the flood of gifts and goodies coming towards cancer patients that are little kids, the teens are often neglected.

This issue is something that is very close to the baseball program’s heart. Trevor Wildberger, more commonly known as T-Wild, played baseball and soccer for RHS. At age 17, the day before he signed his letter of commitment to attend Montana State University to play soccer, he was informed by his doctor that he had a rare type of tumorous cancer, neuroblastoma.

On August 25, 2015, after two years of treatment constantly in and out of the hospital, Trevor passed away at the age of 19.

Trevor’s parents were in attendance the night of the blanket making and spoke to both teams about Trevor and the good cause that they were making the blankets for.

BIGGER THAN BASEBALL

“It was definitely really sad because he was close to our age and he was an athlete, but I think the part that was really sad was that he got diagnosed a day before he was supposed BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL CRAFT to sign to his college,” says softball player BLANKETS FOR CANCER PATIENTS Paige Benzel, who was very affected by the speech.

Baseball head coach Steven Moller recalled a time when Trevor, right after going through intense treatments, still made it out to support his team in a crucial game against Oakridge.

Paige commented, “he never made it about himself. He always put the team before

himself. He had cancer and that was a big deal, but he still never made it about just himself.”

Freshman Tyson Troupe, one of the two freshmen on varsity, said “I thought making blankets was really fun and a really great experience. I feel very happy for the kids that are getting the blankets.”

On the same token, Paige said “It was a really fun experience. We cranked out our blanket really fast, and it was really good, I’d say.”

After blankets were made, there was one final challenge for the boys and girls.

Alex Wilcox was a softball player for Mississippi State before she passed away at age 18 due to ovarian cancer. Just days after going through intense chemotherapy, Wilcox was able to perform a four minute and twenty eight second wall sit, an already very challenging feat even disregarding the chemotherapy.

The Mississippi State softball team issued out a video challenge to those willing enough to complete it: a four minute and twenty eight second wall sit. The Rocklin boys and girls accepted the challenge.

“Oof, yeah, I was feeling that wall sit” Paige said, “even for a few days after, I’m still feeling it in my legs. Coming out of chemotherapy and doing a four minute and thirty second wall sit? That’s like, wow. It was hard, but it was fun.”

“I feel like a wimp now because that girl who went through chemo was able to do it, and I was hurting after like five seconds,” said Tyson, chuckling.

The success of this night and this project has driven the baseball program to want to make this an annual event. The importance of what these boys and girls are doing to make and impact on these kids lives makes this project so much bigger than any baseball or softball game. Trevor’s story, along with so many others, have inspired these teams to make a difference and hopefully it will stem a tree of positive impact throughout the community.

BY: CASEY MILLER

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THE FLASH

PHOTO PROVIDED

BY KENDALL MILLIGAN

CARING CARDS CLUB WRITES LETTERS OF SUPPORT TO THOSE IN NEED

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SPREAD THE LOVE

ith all the clubs Rocklin offers, it can be easy to overlook some of the clubs more focused on humanity. Enter the Caring Cards Club.

This club, which meets on silver Thursdays, makes cards for those in challenging situations, such as hospitalized children and individuals who have just undergone natural disasters.

Recipients of the cards include the citizens of Paradise, who lost their homes due to the fire.

“For the sick children, it’s to make them feel empowered . . . and we did one for the fire victims.,” club Vice President Kendall Milligan says.

Even when the sickness is terminal, the club sends cards in the hopes of raising their spirits, by letting patients know there are people who care.

“We’re just trying to brighten somebody’s day,” Kendall says.

The club started in late 2018, at which point Kendall was a member. After the former vice president moved to Florida, the president asked her if she wanted to fill the position. She accepted and now leads each meeting.

“We’ve gotten great donations from members and many people in the community, which is awesome, and it’s a really great club,” she says.

The Caring Cards Club is a must for anyone interested in helping others, both abroad and in our community. Donations are also an acceptable form of help.

BY: ALEJANDRO GONZALES

PERSERVERANCE THROUGH THE STORM

ZACK

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veryone wants to succeed, but not all work for it. Majority of high schoolers hope to get into a good college and have a reliable, high paying job. The difference between the people that get there and the people that do not, is what drives them. Rocklin High’s Zachary Beard is driven by his mom.

“I do it all for my mom, when I work hard, or achieve something, I do it for her. People tell me, ‘If she were here, she’d be proud of you, Zack.’”

Zack’s fuel for everyday, is driven by his mother’s passing from breast cancer on March 19th, 2015. He turned this tragedy into something to push him everyday and remind him of why he works so hard.

Football teammate Nic Molina says,”[Zach is] a good guy and a hard worker. He’s always competing to be the best athlete and student there is. He motivates me and the people around him. He’s a great leader.”

Monday through Thursday, Zack wakes up around 6:00 A.M. and gets ready for football at 7:00 A.M.. It takes him 10 minutes to get to school, coming from Lincoln. He shows up and works his hardest, while pushing others to follow suit.

After putting in work for football, he “hits the books” and works just as hard in the classroom. Zach pushes himself year in and year out to get a 4.0 GPA. “I work hard, because she used to watch and come to my games.Football, basketball, it didn’t matter the sport. She was there. I play as

if she were there,” says Zack.

Zack also has had to overcome a new challenge in his family’s move to Texas. He chose not to move with them, so instead he will be staying with a friend and their family for the next year and a half.

He thought about getting an apartment, but thought it would be better to be with his friend, Grayson Barnes, another junior on the football team.

Zack’s determination and perseverance has made him a leader for Rocklin’s varsity football team. He’s a leader in and out of school, and he does it all for his mother.

BY: DARIAN SKULTETY

WORKING TO HELP OTHERS, JUNIOR KENDALL MILLIGAN GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

KENDALL I

t is rare finding a person who can put a smile on anyone’s face. It is rare finding a person who spends the majority of their time giving back to the community.

It is even more rare to find a person with both of these qualities. This person is Kendall Milligan.

Kendall, a junior, works as a tutor for freshman. “I really enjoy working with kids and with people” Kendall said. “I know that it’s a bad feeling to not understand something in school, so I like tutoring other people because I feel like I am helping them understand, which makes them want to enjoy school more.”

Kendall specializes in math and English, because besides being a good writer and math student, she says that to lots of students, these subjects “don’t come naturally, so it’s nice to give a structured support when you’re teaching those students those subjects.”

On top of tutoring, Kendall babysits four to five times a week.

“Babysitting is really cool because kids can have a really cool role model to look up to, and I like to be that role model.” This job has nothing easy about it, as she says “I have about five or six families that I babysit for. One lady that I babysit for has chronic pain. I work with a lot of younger boys because I feel like mothers want a strong individual to raise them” and laughing, she said,

“and contain them. They can be a little bit crazy. But I like doing that, they are really cool to hang out with.”

When Kendall babysits, she is quite the entertainer. She says, “They like to wrestle with me, so that’s fun, even though I’m not that strong. They’ll also do airplane, where I lay down and I have them on my feet and blast off with them. They love that and they love playing horsey, where they ride on my back like a horse which is super fun. They like playing tag, hide and seek, and going to the park a lot.”

To Kendall, all this play gives her a happy, nostalgic feel. “I think the games are really fun because I get to go back to where I was in my childhood.”

However, with this many families and kids, it can be stressful. She says “it’s hard with the kids because you have to balance what they like, what they don’t like, and what interests them. Because if you’re not having them interested in what you’re doing with them, then it’s really hard to babysit them because they’re complicated to work with. As long as you get their energy out, I think that’s all that matters for all the families.”

Day in and day out, Kendall is making her family and friends happy with the work she does, as well as with the constant smile on her face.

BY: CASEY MILLER

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THE FLASH

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he vaping epidemic is skyrocketing as we progress in the 21st Century. Kids all over the world have discovered these deadly e-cigarettes,that have made their way into the classroom. With e-cigarettes, students are able to discreetly vape in class. By keeping it in a closed fist, the device vanishes from teachers' view.

As suspected, high schoolers are the most likely age group to vape. An article by Truth Initiative, a non-profit tobacco control organization aimed to guide the youth and young adults, compared the use of e-cigarettes from 2011 to 2017 and the results are staggering.

The total use of vapes in high schoolers in 2011 was 1.5 percent. In 2017, it jumped to 11.7 percent.

Currently, vaping hasn’t been as big of an issue at Rocklin since the beginning of the school year.

According to administration, last year, fifty students were suspended for vaping. This year, so far 60 students have been suspended.

Currently, the statistic of RHS students vaping is very low with 4.67 percent of students addicted, 5.84 percent of students that do it often and 7.94 percent of students that have done it a couple of times, according to an anonymous survey conducted by RHS Media.

For the most part students don’t do it, 73.83 percent have never vaped before and 7.71 percent has only done it about once or twice.

Even though the number of students vaping is low, the amount of students that are addicted is quite shocking.

Focusing on the topic of addiction, a Journalism 1 student at RHS wrote a story about another student that has come back from an addiction of vaping.

BY: ANYA TOM

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

VAPING AT ROCKLIN HIGH HAS BECOME A NOTABLE ISSSUE SINCE THE START OF THE YEAR. IMPACTING ALL.

“For journalism, I got picked a random student for a your school, your story [assignment], so basically I was just asking him questions to get to know him better. We actually hung out a couple of times and got to know him a lot more. Once I got to know him more, he told me his life story, what happened.”

The student in the story is a classic story of a clueless kid experimenting with what their friends are doing.

Soon enough that one innocent puff caused a full blown addiction to a deadly item.

“In middle school, his friend had a vape, and so he took a hit and wanted more. He just kept doing [it], and he kind of got addicted. Then he wanted one for himself because he wanted to hit it more, so he got one from his friend.”

Eventually, the student got caught and recovered from his mistakes. Creating a more meaningful life away from the burden that comes with vaping.

The student that wrote the story expressed his thoughts on what vaping did to his friend and what it does to the body.

“It doesn’t just hurt your physical [state], but your mental abilities, because all of his grades dropped. Once he stopped, his grades started getting way better. And if anyone asks him, he’ll say don’t do it.”

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The student in the story really wanted to change, but change isn’t always easy. The student who wrote the story included the struggles of the person he wrote about, “He said that the first three days were the worst, but after the hump, it was easy.”

They even have personal connections to someone who came back from an addiction from cigarettes.

“My grandpa was in the army and given cigarettes. So I made him stop, because I didn’t want him to do it anymore. I basically forced him to stop, because I spent a week with him, and every single time he wanted to smoke I said 'No.'”

TEENS VAPING IN THE LAST YEAR

according to National Institute on Drug Abuse

12 10 8

GRADE LEVEL

“After that, he got caught by the principal and was suspended.

After that, he realized it's bad, cause there’s no good that can happen. Now, he doesn’t do it, because he knows that it's really bad for you.”

Students asked what their thoughts on vaping and their opinions were mainly negative.

more willing to do it.

Those are the people that have the most chances, because if they see someone and they ask someone to take a hit and they’ll say 'yeah.' And they might get hooked on it. It kind of sucks.”

“It’s completely useless. Your brain and body doesn’t benefit from it at all,” sophomore Jasmine Harris said.

Students have taken a liking to the replacement of the cigarette.

And who knows what's going to replace the e-cigarette next.

“It’s a terrible idea if you’re starting on it thinking you won’t get addicted,” sophomore Samuel Baronowski said.

“It might phase out, but there's going to be something new to take its place. Back then it was cigarettes, but then vaping took its place.

So I’m thinking something is going to take its place. Unless they put more restrictions or policies on it.”

Overall, vaping has changed the Rocklin community as a whole.

The student that wrote the story contributed his thoughts on how vaping has affected the Rocklin community, he responded, “A lot of young kids are doing it because they see [it] around the whole campus. It's no surprise. They see a lot of people doing it in classes.”

Vaping is just another thing kids are being pressured into. With widespread use of vapes, and the culture of teenagers, many are leaning into the harmful trend.

The student in journalism 1 thought the exact same thing, He views vaping as an unnecessary thing that damages kids at a young age.

Right now vaping has started to die down as Rocklin has confiscated and put more discipline towards kids vaping. No matter how much kids are disciplined, the way the world is moving, the addiction to nicotine is not going to stop.

“I think that the people in the middle that don’t want to do it are

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THE FLASH

“The positive attitude and energy that everyone gives brightens my day. It brightens my day because everyone is just positive, so it makes you less stressed and overall just happier," says Natalia Dennis

“The positive atmosphere created by friends and teachers really brightens my day," says Dylan Cassayre

Seeing a girl I like," says Erick Trimmer "I would say P.E. brightens my day because you don't really have to learn from books, you're just doing physical activities," says Sonny Buccellato

"one thing that brightens up my day is Mr. Wagner, AKA Wags. He brightens up my day because he is so nice and super funny that I can't wait to go to his class," says Jake Moore

WHAT BRIGTHENS YOUR DAY AT RHS?

“I love sporting events at the school. I love going to them, and I love how the whole school comes together as one and supports our teams," says Alison Flacks

"Choir brightens my day because it's my favorite class, and it's a good stress reliever from class," says Georgia Remmers “I would say that My favorite teacher, Mr.Mertz brightens my day. He’s super positive,cares a lot about his students, and is passionate about his class," says Michael Bracone "It's really nice when people give you food.

I was in math today and someone gave me a cookie and it made me really happy!" says Leila Tyukayeya

“I would say that My favorite teacher, Mr.Mertz brightens my day. He’s super positive,cares a lot about his students, and is passionate about his class," says Olivia Diven

“The sun," says Ian Matthews “Mr. Muscarella because he has this effect on people where he gets along with everyone and can start a conversation out of nowhere. He appreciates all of his students. It doesn’t really matter if he knows them or not. He is very accepting of all of them and makes them want to feel happy and welcomed," says Kayla Clark

“Mr. Kaylor brightens my day at Rocklin High School because he is my best friend,” says Sophia Bussone

"JT for sure, when he does Fortnite dances at the rallies he really makes my day," says Matthew DeLucchi

THE FLASH