Ram's Ear October 2017 by Rio Vista High School "Ram's Ear"

October 6, 2017

VOL. MMXVII, NO. 6

RAM’S EAR R I O V I S TA H I G H S C H O O L

photo: Henry Rossi

Seniors Sweep Homecoming Festivities

Seniors act out scenes from the game Clue in the library and the kitchen of their creative float during halftime of the Varsity Homecoming football game.

hanging out with their friends. “They ran out of water too fast, but other than that, I had a great time,” said Mikey Arellano. It was a big hit for all the students and a great way to kick off the football season.

photo: Henry Rossi

cafeteria, and the theme was Candyland. The dance floor was covered in candy-themed decorations, and one wall even sported a person-sized castle. There were tables of candy and refreshments and lots of room for dancing on the dance floor. Students had a great time dancing and

Homecoming Queen Emma Wright, Princess Kaylee Kitchens, and Prince Logan Boothe pose on the football field after waiting all night for results (not pictured: King Blaine Dart).

The 2017 Rio Vista High School Homecoming festivities began with a very close win for the Junior Varsity Rams over the Millennium Falcons by a score of 22-14. The varsity game then began with Rio Vista’s Homecoming Court nominees taking a quick lap around the football track on convertibles, which was quickly followed by the class floats. The Varsity Rams then took on Millennium, scoring 33 unanswered points in the first half. The halftime show began with the Homecoming nominees taking a second lap around the field while they prepared for the results. This year’s Homecoming Princess nominees were Lily Griffin, Josie Preston, Madi Davis, and Kaylee Kitchens. The Prince nominees were Zach Davi, Arthur Weller, Devon Roberts, and Logan Boothe. The Queen nominees were Jaylynn Lacy, Jennifer Oropeza, Emily Fraser, and Emma Wright. Finally, the King nominees were Aiden Mayhood, Bryce

Ciaramitaro, Blaine Dart, Jaxson Miller, and Shawn Davis. The winners were Logan Boothe and Kaylee Kitchens as Prince and Princess and Blaine Dart and Emma Wright as King and Queen. This year, the class floats were all board game themed. The seniors had Clue, the juniors had Battleship, the sophomores had Monopoly and the freshmen had Scrabble. It was quite a sight as the floats made their way around the track. On some floats, students were screaming and throwing candy. On others, life-sized games were acted out and played. This year, the senior class was awarded first place for the extravagant act of murder that was put on. The sophomores got second, the juniors got third, and the freshmen came in last. The football team then went on to defeat Millennium 47-0, blowing away the competition. The Homecoming dance was held the next day. The dance took place in the

photo: Taylor Holyfield

by Emily Bellante, Staff Writer

The Varsity football team celebrates their win after securing the bell for another year.

Delta Forfeits Bell Game at Halftime

by Taylor Holyfield, Staff Writer

The 50th anniversary of Rio Vista High School football playing their rivals, the Delta Saints, went amazingly well for the Rams . The boys won by a score of 42-0 with Delta forfeiting at half time. Ethan Medders stated, “I was upset and disappointed. The Delta game is a tradition, and for them to give up was upsetting to me and the team.” Rio Vista came out to play that night and wanted to play a clean and safe game while trying to

dominate by a 100-0 score. Even though they were unable to win with a 100-0 score, they did play clean and safe and had fun while doing it. The players kept their heads up and received many compliments on how they conducted themselves during and after the game. “The score was most likely going to get ugly if we had played the whole game,” commented Coach Medders. (Continued on Page 7)

photos: Henry Rossi

Homecoming Royalty Dazzles the Field During Halftime

Freshmen Princess and Prince Candidates: Zach Davi, Lily Griffin, Art Weller, and Josie Preston.

Sophomore Princess and Prince Candidates: Logan Boothe, Kaylee Kitchens, Devon Roberts, and Madi Davis.

Junior Queen and King Candidates: Bryce Ciaramitaro, Jaylynn Lacy, Jennifer Oropeza, and Aiden Mayhood.

Senior Queen and King Candidates: Emily Fraser, Emma Wright, and Jaxson Miller (Blaine Dart and Shawn Davis not pictured).

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CURRENT EVENT

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals by Aiden D. Mayhood, Editor-In-Chief

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was a policy announced on June 15, 2012 and instituted by President Barack Obama allowing certain children coming to the United States who met several guidelines to request consideration to put off deportation action for a period of two years. This period is subject to renewal for another two years if the DACA policy expired for an individual enrolled in the program. Those enrolled in the program are eligible to work, but no legal citizenship is provided. You will not be deported if you have taken advantage of DACA. There are some misconceptions about DACA. Some tend to believe that people with criminal backgrounds can take advantage of this program. This is incorrect. If you were convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, or three or more misdemeanors, you cannot apply for DACA. This is not the only guideline for requesting to apply to DACA, but this is one of the more significant guidelines. 800,000 undocumented immigrants in the United States are currently affected by DACA. Those enrolled in the program joined it to live without fear of deportation by U.S. deportation officials and work legally without legal citizen status. However, this protection will not last forever. Attorney General Jeff Sessions formally announced on September 5, 2017 that the DACA program would be terminated, stirring up both controversy and praise from DACA and anti-DACA supporters. President Donald Trump, supporting the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, said the program was an “amnesty-first approach” and raised concern for “the millions of Americans victimized by this unfair system.” This leaves many DACA recipients vulnerable to deportation. The Department

of Homeland Security has allowed a sixmonth period, starting on September 5, 2017, to consider requests to be a DACA recipient and receive applications to approve of working. If you are currently a DACA recipient, you will continue to benefit from the program and employment authorization until the deferred action period has expired, your deferred action has been terminated because of criminal activity, or you are a threat to national security or public safety. You must renew your DACA by October 5, 2017 if you are already enrolled in the program or if your DACA will expire before October 5, 2017. If you do not do this, you will no longer be able to take advantage of the DACA program for an extended two years. If you did not request to benefit from DACA before September 5, 2017, or you did not renew your DACA before or on September 4, 2017, the DACA program is no longer available to you. If you are an undocumented student attending college or planning to attend college, and you meet the AB-540 criteria (you have attended a California high school for three or more years), you are considered California residents (even if you are undocumented) and can pay California resident tuition. If you fulfill the criteria of AB-540, you may apply for financial aid or scholarships from your school by applying through the California DREAM Act application through AB-130 and AB-131. No matter your opinion on the topic at hand, it is better to be informed about how DACA affects people in your neighborhood and community. Remember, the outcome of this decision will affect over 800,000 people in the United States, including those you may know or go to school with.

RAM’S EAR R I O V I S TA H I G H S C H O O L

Publlished by Rio Vista High School, Digital Publications Class 410 South Fourth Street | Rio Vista, CA 94571 (707) 374-6336 ext. 1224 email: rvhsramsear@gmail.com

Editor-in-Chief Aiden D. Mayhood Associate Editor Henry Rossi Features Editor Madison Myer Sports Editor Michael Arellano Graphic Designer Gavin Corley

October 6, 2017

RAM’S EAR

Staff Emily Bellante, Alexis De Santiago, Leslie Diaz, Marlys Eckard-Henderson, Isabel Flores, Jose Gutierrez Jr., Cecilia Hernandez, Taylor Holyfield, Ryann Kelly, Jennifer Ortiz, Jason Spearman Guest Writer Lane Eggers, Tillie McTeer Advisor Julie Griffin

Calendar of School Events by Henry Rossi, Associate Editor

OCTOBER______________________ October 1 - FAFSA-California Dream Act start date October 4 - Coffee with RVHS 7:25 to 8:00 a.m. October 4 - Volleyball vs. Bradshaw Christian (home) 4:30 p.m. (JV) 5:30 p.m. (V) October 5 - Volleyball @ Esparto (away) 5:30 p.m. (JV) 6:30 (V) October 6 - Block A Quarter 1 Ends, Minimum Days October 6 - Football vs. Highlands (home) 5 p.m. (JV) 7 p.m. (V) October 9 - Block A Quarter 2 Begins October 9-13 - RVHS Yearbook Week @ Lunch October 10, 12, 13 - Minimum Days October 9 - Volleyball @ Encina (away) 4:30 p.m. (JV) 5:30 p.m. (V) October 11 - All Juniors will take PSAT October 11 - Volleyball vs. Vacaville Christian (home) 4:30 p.m. (JV) 5:30 p.m. (V) October 13 - Football @ Bradshaw Christian (away) 5 p.m. (JV) 7 p.m. (V) October 13-15 - 70th Annual Bass Derby & Festival October 16 - No School October 16 - Volleyball @ Highlands (away) 4:30 p.m. (JV) 5:30 p.m. (V) October 18 - Volleyball vs. Golden Sierra (home) 4:30 p.m. (JV) 5:30 p.m. (V) October 20 - Football vs. Encina (home) 7 p.m. (V) October 23 - Volleyball vs. San Juan (home) 4:30 p.m. (JV) 5:30 p.m. (V) October 27 - 97% Attendance BBQ October 27 - Football @ San Juan (away) 5 p.m. (JV) 7 p.m. (V) October 31 - Halloween

NOVEMBER____________________ November 1 - Coffee with RHVS 7:30 to 8:00 a.m. November 3 - Honor Roll Student Showcase November 3 - Football vs. Golden Sierra (home) 7 p.m. (V) (Senior Night) November 5 - Daylight Savings Time Ends November 7 - Flag Ceremony November 9 - Progress Reports, Block A Quarter 2 November 10 - Veteran’s Day, No School November 20-24 - Thanksgiving Break, No School November 23 - Thanksgiving Day

Bass Derby____________________ Friday, October 13

4:00 - 11:00 p.m. - Carnival 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. - Vendors open, Front and Main Sreet 11:00 p.m. - Bass Derby Festival closes

Saturday, October 14

7:00 - 11:00 a.m. - Lion’s Pancake Breakfast at the Fire Station 8:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. - Car Show, Main Street 9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. - Farmer’s Market, in front of City Hall 10:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m. - Vendors open, Front and Main Sreet 12:00 p.m.- 12:00 a.m. - Carnival 3:00 p.m. - Car Show awards 3:30 - 4:00 p.m. - Hot Dog Eating Contest 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. - Bass Derby Parade 6:00 p.m. - Bass Derby Parade awards 8:30 - 9:00 p.m. - Fireworks show, over the river 12:00 a.m. - Bass Derby Festival closes

Sunday, October 15

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Vendors open, Front and Main Sreet 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. - Soap Box Derby, Main Street 12:00 - 5:00 p.m. - Carnival 4:00 p.m. - Fishing Derby awards & raffle drawing, Main Street 5:00 p.m. - Bass Festival Ends

Monday, October 16 - No school

Volunteer Opportunities

Ms. Alduenda needs volunteers to help at the Cash for College Event on November 29th from 4:30 to 8:30. Volunteers would be helping with childcare, making signs, and directing traffic. All volunteers will be fed at the end of the night.

The RioVision Volunteer Team can always use student help at their events or for one of their projects. You can text (707) 386-9265, OR just show up for a scheduled event with their form and a willingness to help.

October 6, 2017

Page 3

September 2017 “Rammie of the Month” nominees: Meagan Delancy, Blaine Dart, Cecilia Berti, Ben Sisneros, Jackie Lopez, Yamilec Carrillo, Ryan Hurley, Cameron Birdsong, Ethan Medders, Jeff Contreras, Gerardo Mandujano and Eric Avalos (top row, left to right). Lupita Ruiz, Theo McGill, Anna Fernandez, Emily Bellante, Yessenia Santiago, Betty Romero, Alondra Gutierrez, and Per Anderson (middle row). Elizabeth Webber, Trinity Gonzales, Fisher Lyon, Justin Donaldson, Devon Paminto, and Hunter Apple (bottom row). Not pictured: Kaytlin Preciado, Brennen Bellante, Kylie Goodwin, Dillon Belcher, Chance Gentry, Zoe White, Sydney Saldana, Lupita Salcedo, and Kady Feliz.

photo: Leslie Diaz

photo: Julie Griffin

RAM’S EAR

September “Rammies of the Month” Honored by Teachers “Rammie of the Month” is an great opportunity for teachers and administration to acknowledge a few of their students for their hard work, character, academic achievement, and personal achievement that they have been putting

in this school year. Each month, one to two students are chosen by each teacher to be honored and have lunch with the entire staff. Congratulations to all of September’s “Rammie of the Month” nominees!

RAM’S EAR

OPINION POLL

by Cecilia Hernandez, Staff Writer

What show/series have you last binge watched?

New Counselor Ms. Alduenda Joins Rio Vista High Staff by Leslie Diaz, Staff Writer

If you haven’t already noticed, Rio Vista High has a new counselor who grew up in Walnut Grove, California: Ms. Alduenda. She is an alumna of Delta High School and Sacramento State. She received a Bachelor’s in Social Work and a Master’s of Science in Counseling with a specialization in schools. Before coming to RVHS, Ms. Alduenda was the counselor at Walnut Grove Elementary and Bates Elementary. This year is her first official job as a counselor at a high school.

When she was asked about her dream job, Ms. Alduenda replied, “I am working in my dream job already.” She loves helping students. Her main goal of the school year is to be involved in school events and learn all of the student names at RVHS. Ms. Alduenda enjoys going to the quad during lunch to talk to students. She wants everyone to know that if you have any questions, need help, or simply want to stop by and say hi, come by her office.

Coffee with Rio Vista High School by Marlys Henderson, Staff Writer

On the first Wednesday of every month, Coffee with RVHS is held in the media center. This event was conceived to provide a comfortable setting for parents to be able to talk to the teachers and staff. According to Mrs. Turk, this event was meant to “break down the barriers with parents and teachers.” And that’s just what it did! Jeanette Goodrich said, “It’s a good

environment to communicate.” MaryEllen Lamothe thought, “It was a great way to meet the teachers I hear so much about at home.” The only thing Mrs. Turk wishes for the next event is for more parents to attend and to enjoy the coffee with all of RVHS. The next event will be held on October 4.

photo: Marlys Henderson

Caitlin Bowers (12) “The Office” Jeff Contreras (9) “The Walking Dead” Blaine Dart (12) “Malcolm in the Middle” Dawna Coad (9) “One Tree Hill” Bryan Trujillo (11) “Rick and Morty” Kaitlyn O’Conner (10) “Harry Potter” Rosa Lomeli (11) “How I Met Your Mother” Janitzi Aguilar (12) “Orange Is The New Black” Kylei Goodwin (9) “13 Reasons Why” Hunter Apple (12) “Breaking Bad” Yasmin Garcia (12) “Arrow” Jessica Mingay (9) “Riverdale” Mikayla Hagan (12) “The Defenders” Cecilia Berti (12) “Game of Thrones” Jennifer Oropeza (11) “Teen Wolf” Dillon Russell (12) “memes on iFunny” Isabella Hernandez (11) “Caillou” Ryann Kelly (11) “Supernatural” Marivella Torres (9) “Grey’s Anatomy” Hannah Burgess (12) “Family Guy & Friends” Kalia Howell (11) “Stranger Things” Justin Romero (12) “Narcos”

Ms. Alduenda, the counselor, is a new friendly face on campus.

Emma Wright and Blaine Dart’s first dance as queen and king at the Homecoming dance.

by Victoria Turk, Principal

Short-term Independent Study is an option for students who need to miss more than five days of school. Students and parents needing Independent Study must give the office five days of lead time. In addition, parents must schedule a meeting with administration to review the contract and the responsibilities of both student and parent. Students must return to school with the contract and work assignments complete. If the assignments are not complete, students will receive a zero and are not able to make up the assignments. Should students miss a midterm or a final, they will receive an Incomplete Grade until the test is scheduled and finished. It is important to note that Independent Study does not replace instructional time with teachers. Students miss valuable class time and instruction when they miss school. REMINDER: All students must attend a full school day to participate in any extracurricular activity. If the activity falls on a weekend, students must attend a full day the day before. Any pre-planned appointments must be approved at least 24 hours in advance by administration.

photo: Emily Bellante

Principal’s Message

Ms. Stark and Mr. Miller enjoy some good morning brew with parents and staff during September’s Coffee with RVHS.

Teacher Advice of the Month “My advice is similar to Maya Angelou. People will remember how you treat them. Always be Kind.” - Ms. Stark

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October 6, 2017

RAM’S EAR 1918 Netherlands Yearbook

Rio Vista High School

photos courtesty of: Netherlands Yearbooks

1940 Netherlands Yearbook

Rio Vista Joint Union High School, where the current quad is located (above). The old high school sat atop Rio Vista (top right). The new wing of Rio Vista High School was established in 1940 (bottom right).

Rio Vista High School’s Rich History

by Aiden D. Mayhood, Editor-In-Chief

Rio Vista High School, formerly known as the Rio Vista Joint Union High School, has been around for longer than you think! Founded in 1912, the district voted to get the high school in operation. The high school was located in the Masonic and Odd Fellows Hall on Main Street, which no longer stands today. This was only a temporary location. The first graduating class of the Rio Vista Joint Union High School only consisted of one person, Mabel Kalber, who went to the

University of California at Berkeley. She later returned to Rio Vista Joint Union High School and taught there. In 1915, the lower floor of the Masonic and Odd Fellows Hall began to get cramped. 50 students attended the temporary school, and it was time to get a real high school built. Rio Vista Joint Union High School was built in 1915, about where the quad is of the current campus of RVHS. It was a spectacular building facing down St. Gertrudes Avenue. The first class to attend the school was the Class of 1915.

Unfortunately, this beautiful building no longer stands, even though its superb structure could’ve lasted for a very long time. In 1940, a new wing was added to the school building, containing facilities for home economics, chemistry, physics, and music. The school also was able to provide art materials, chemistry materials, books, paper, pencils, and other supplies free of charge for their students.

Today, Rio Vista High School no longer has that 1940 wing. This was demolished to build a parking lot for teachers. The student parking lot was redone to accommodate bus and student traffic for a growing school. Many minor renovations and overhauls to the school have also been made over the years, improving the very old structure. Surely, more will be done in the future!

Samuele Franceschetti Arrives from Northern Italy

Mrs. Montgomery’s

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:

of the

MONTH

Caramel Apples photo: Isabel Flores

8 apples, any variety 1 cup heavy cream, divided 3/4 cup light corn syrup 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract

by Isabel Flores, Staff Writer

DIRECTIONS:

Wash and completely dry apples. Insert a stick into the stem-end of each. Fit heavy bottomed saucepan with a candy themometer. Over high heat, cook 3/4 cup of the cream, the corn syrup, butter, and sugar to 280 degrees Fahrenheit (firm ball); at this point, the syrup will be golden. Remove from the heat and carefully swirl the remaining 1/4 cup of cream and the vanilla. Use caution; this is very hot and it may splatter. While caramel is hot, dip and turn the apples into the caramel to coat, and let the excess drip off. Place on waxed paper and let cool.

Google Classroom for the Senior Class and their parents/guardians for information, resources, and any deadlines. Class code: (dui5z6q)

Samuele Franceschetti, AFS student, is a new face on campus.

Follow @rvhs on Instagram! For updates, resources, deadlines, community service opportunities, scholarship opportunities, and much more.

Samuele Franceschetti traveled to the little town of Rio Vista from Varese, Italy. It is in the northern part of Italy between Milan and Switzerland. He has traveled around Italy, but this is his first time being in a whole different country. His brother did an exchange during college to Belgium, and he thought that it would be a fun experience to try. As a senior, he takes AP English, Digital Imaging, Leadership, and U.S. History. This form of classes is very different for Samuele because in Italy they choose their schools. Each school has a different selection of classes (or majors) to take. Each day contains five lessons, which are all an hour each. In between classes, they have ten minutes to get to their next lecture. They start the day at 8:10 a.m. and finish at 1:10 p.m. Each

year starts on September 12 and finishes on June 8. Samuele took Italian, History, Philosophy, Math, Physics, Latin, English, Religion, and P.E. all throughout the week, not in one day. Samuele works as a lifeguard, which is fun for him because he loves to swim. As a change of pace, he’s going to practice with the football team. Samuele is excited to see all that California has to offer, especially San Francisco. “I really want to see San Francisco,” Samuele said. “I want to go as much as possible.” He also wants to visit Santa Cruz. Back in Italy, Samuele eats a lot of pasta and says it’s a nice change here. There is so much to do, see, and eat here in California. Samuele will have no problem finding something to do. Welcome to Rio Vista Samuele!

October 6, 2017

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RAM’S EAR

Artist

of the Month

#RVHS Rocks

by Ryann Kelly, Staff Writer

AUSTIN FRANCIS The lovable senior Austin Francis was chosen as Artist of the Month for his design of the upcoming mural presented by the Creative Arts Club. His designs were based on the left and right sides of the brain and how you need both to live.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Presented by Ms. Gilliland and the GSA Club

GSA Membership Skyrocketing

photo: Isabel Flores

Name That Scientist!

had breast cancer for 3 years now. She has been going through treatment since she recognized a symptom tied to breast cancer two years ago. This affected her in a traumatic way. She fell into a depression and lost a lot of weight, and her condition affected my family deeply. We all thought we would lose her. Now, she is doing amazing and is getting all the treatment she needs. I could say my aunt is a very brave woman in my eyes, and I am very proud of her for getting through this like a champ!

by Isabel Flores, Staff Writer

This female scientist is best known for her major contribution in discovering the hormone inhibin. Her research has been expanded on to identify inhibin as one of the biomarkers for Down syndrome. She was a founding member in the Association for Women in Science and a co-founder of the Women in Endocrinology Society. She has received several awards including the Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. S he is known as a strong activist for both women in science and the LGBT community. First student to bring Ms. Gilliland the correct written answer will win a prize!

The Gay-Straight Alliance, otherwise known as the GSA club, has skyrocketed in members this year. The club itself is a welcoming place full of friendly faces. The GSA club had a downfall in numbers, leaving it bare with only a few members and no guidance. However, Ms. Gilliland decided she wanted to be the advisor of the club and bring it back to life. Last year, the club was a great place to hang out and talk about any issues you had. They went to Transgender Day of Remembrance in Stockton to remember all those who lost their lives due to anti-transgender violence. This year, they plan to go on many more trips, and they welcome any new member who wants to be a part of their family. They meet Tuesday to hang out and talk and Thursdays for planning trips and other business they have to take care of. Go be a part of the GSA family!

on Sale oct. 27 & 30

Surprise your friends! distributed on halloween

Future Farmers Have Busy Month

by Lane Eggers, FFA Reporter

The Rio Vista FFA hosted a welcome back BBQ on Monday, September 25 for all of its members. There was food and dodgeball, and they had a great time. They also recently started a new Instagram! You can find them @riovistaffaofficial for updates on club meetings, activities, and more. Also, on Friday, September 22, this year’s officer team went to the COLC (Chapter Officer Leadership Conference). They look forward to applying what they learned there to better our club and make it more fun and exciting for all of their members.

by Alexis DeSantiago, Staff Writer

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) is an annual international health campaign organized by the major breast cancer organizations every October to raise awareness on the disease and to raise funds to research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure. NBCAM was founded in 1985 as a partnership with the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries (now part of AstraZeneca, producer of several anti-breast cancer drugs). In 1993, Evelyn Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of the Estee Lauder Companies, founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and established the Pink Ribbon as its symbol. Many women and men go through this (yes, men can get breast cancer too), including one of my own family members. My aunt, who is 54 years old, has

Ghost Pops MONDAY

Ms. Stark and Ms. Gornto’s ELD (English Language Development) classes recently had a writing assignment which ended with the students painting inspirational rocks and hiding them around the school. The assignment was to pick an image or a word and to give a definition and synonym to go with the word that they picked. The students also had to give an explanation as to why they chose their word and how they hoped someone felt when they found their rock on campus. “A good deed brightens a dark world” was the quote they used for inspiration.

FRIDAY

photo: Ryann Kelly

by Emily Bellante, Staff Writer

October Birthdays October 1st Yanith Espinoza Mandujano October 3rd Christopher Kimbrow October 6th Wyatt Hagan Miguel Tejeda Jr October 8th Kiara Robinsion October 9th Javier Lopez-Cisneros October 10th Jonathan Chellsen Yasmin Garcia Destyni Villa October 11th Trevor Gomes October 12th Justin Donaldson Mary Griffin Brynae Martinez October 14th Itzel Aragon

October 16th Iliana Mandujano October 19th Jason Avalos Magallon Jason Tello October 21st Kalia Howell October 22nd Griffin Bendowski Blaine Dart Khaenani Mamea October 23rd Isreal Monreal Cruz October 25th Logan Reynolds October 27th Aaliyah Maynard October 29th Tayton Summitt October 31st Benjamin Whiting

Mrs. Vielhauer’s

Math Problem of the Month Three horses are standing in a triangular field, which is exactly 100 yards on each side. One horse stands at each corner; and simultaneously all three set off running. Each horse runs after the horse in the adjacent corner on his left, thus following a curved course, which terminates in the middle of the field, all three horses arriving there together. The horses obviously ran at the same speed, but just how far did they run? First student to bring Mrs. Vielhauer the correct written answer will be honored in the next Ram’s Ear Edition!

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October 6, 2017

RAM’S EAR

The 70th Annual Bass Derby

MOVIE REVIEW by: Jennifer Ortiz

by Henry Rossi, Associate Editor

This year is the 70th annual Rio Vista Bass Derby! It will take place on the weekend of October 13th, 14th, and 15th. The yearly carnival will be open after school on Friday, all day starting at noon on Saturday, and from noon to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Vendor booths will open at 4:00 p.m, kicking off the festivities for Friday. The booths will close at 7:00 p.m., but the entertainment will continue until 11:00 p.m. when the festival closes. Saturday starts at 7:00 with the

Lion’s Pancake Breakfast at the Fire Station followed by the Farmer’s Market in front of City Hall. The Car Show will start at 8:00 a.m., and the winner will be announced at 3:00 p.m. Remember day of show entries are still accepted if you missed the October 1st deadline. This year’s first annual Hot Dog Eating Contest will be held on the corner of Front and Main at 3:30 p.m. The Bass Derby Parade will be marching down Front Street from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Don’t miss a spectacular

photo: Tammy Trujillo

Phil Boyte Leads Seniors to “Break Down the Walls”

Phil Boyte, senior guest speaker, gives a lecture on school culture. by Tillie McTeer, Guest Writer

Senior Bryan Cairo commented, “The workshop connected us personally more with our class. Before being just acquaintances and now finally, after 12 years, we are more connected from just that one session.” Another attendee, Liam Smith shared, “It was a wholesome experience, and I’m so glad I am more intertwined with my class. I highly recommend Mr. Boyte and his workshop for all schools to help the community grow as a whole.” Many other students, teachers, and parent chaperones saw the difference in walking into the gym versus walking out with a whole new perspective on their own life as well as their peers’ lives. All who have experienced Phil Boyte’s powerful speech can agree that everyone should get a chance to hear him or someone like him.

RAM’S EAR

OPINION POLL

by Cecilia Hernandez, Staff Writer

What are you most looking forward to this school year? Emma Wright (12) “Graduation” Anna Ramirez (11) “Making more memories with friends” Lily Griffin (9) “Friday night football games” Emily Bellante (10) “Prom” Dennis McNabb (12) “Marine Corps” Martin Magana (11) “Going to Family Dollar” Anthony Gonzalez (9) “Dances” Betty Romero (11) “Playing soccer” Bryan Rish (9) “Playing golf” Zachary Tyler (10) “Passing all my classes” Jaqueline Leal (9) “Having longer passing periods” Jennifer Ortiz (11) “Having the best year” Kiara Agan (12) “Senior trip/graduation” Alondra Villalpando (11) “Running ARK Club with Payton and making it a great club” Alicia Gonzales (10) “Hanging out with my friends and making memories” Michael Mason (12) “Being the FFA president” Judith Chavez (11) “ I’m looking forward to the Spirit Weeks” Zack McLean (9) “Seeing what different things the high school has for us” Alexis DeSantiago (11) “Being able to work on the yearbook” Sydney Saldana (10) “Volleyball”

This month’s movie review is on “It.” The film takes place in Derry, Maine, and it’s about seven bullied children coming together, forming a club, and defeating a monster appearing like a clown known as Pennywise. After finding out that the clown took his brother, Bill Denbrough wants to take revenge. Slowly, the killer clown begins hunting down the children. Bill Denbrough leads the club to investigate his little brother’s disappearance on a rainy day while playing with his paper boat. Mikey Arellano, an RVHS student, went to the the movie theater with his girlfriend to watch It. His favorite part of the movie was when Finn Wolfhard, one of the children, would make mom and sister jokes. He stated, “I hate scary movies.” The scariest character in the movie for him was the flute lady. One thing he would change from the movie is when the bullies were going to shoot the cat, but a cop stopped them from shooting it. Mikey would have preferred if they would have shot the cat. Mikey rated It an 8 out of 10. Another RVHS student, Ryann Kelly watched the movie with her friend and mother. The scariest character for her was Pennywise and Eddie’s mom because his mom would tell him that he had a disease just to keep him safe. Ryann Kelly rated “It” an 8.5 out of 10.

Varsity Football Recipe of the Month

photo: Emily Bellante

On Thursday, September 21, the Class of 2018 got the pleasure of interacting with motivational speaker Phil Boyte in a seniors-only workshop in the high school gym. Phil Boyte’s demeanor of “Making School Culture Feel Right” is to build kindness, equality, and unity for not only the seniors, but for the school and community as a whole. Boyte showed the seniors the power they have to positively influence each other through team building exercises, such as one-on-one and group sharing. Some parts were made to be comical, but other parts were made to be more on the serious and emotional side. An activity Boyte had them do was respond to questions he asked, which revealed unknown hardships the classmates have gone through, to show that people may not know what is beneath the surface.

fireworks show over the river at 8:30 p.m. The festivities will finally come to an end at midnight. The festival will wind down on Sunday with the Soap Box Derby taking place on Main Street from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. The Fishing Derby awards and raffle drawings will be announced at 4:00 p.m. before the Bass Festival finally comes to an end at 5:00 p.m. Don’t forget there is no school on Monday, October 16th.

The Delta Sandwich Ingredients:

by Emily Bellante

photo: Tammy Trujillo

One tough, astonishing, rugged, breathtaking and fantastic football team. One coveted bell One trash rival team One football field

Directions:

Spray your team with some determination, hard work and will power. Hype up your chosen athletes with a loud and proud fight song, an exhilarating rally and one large rivalry. Glaze your team with red and gray jerseys. Let your athletes loose on your rival team. Watch in awe as your team knocks around your rivals and kills their spirit until they can’t take it anymore and forfeit. And that’s how you make a Delta Sandwich!

October 6, 2017

Page 7

RAM’S EAR

From DQs to Team Records Despite Losses Varsity Volleyball

photo: Madison Myer

Team Keeps High Spirit

Colin Lira swims freestyle at a Rio Vista Sharks summer season swim meet. He currently holds the record for the 100 yard freestyle.

Colin Lira, a freshman at RVHS, has been swimming for seven years with the Rio Vista Sharks. During his first few years of swim, the thought of breaking records had not even come up. He was facing DQ’s (disqualifications) in what he says was every event. As the years went on, he began working harder and listening to his coach’s input to become a better swimmer. Then, the day came when Colin accomplished the goal of breaking a record. He later broke three more records and still holds two of them for the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 56.87 seconds and the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 26.25 seconds, which he accomplished this summer. During this time, he was coached by Dan Mahoney. Colin says, “Mr. Mahoney taught me almost everything I know. Honestly, I don’t think I could be where I am without all my family, coaches and friends supporting me.” Now that he has accomplished most of what the Sharks have to offer, he’s

photo: Marlys Henderson

by Cecilia Hernandez, Staff Writer

headed to Fairfield’s year-round swim team SASO, with the help and encouragement of his family and Coach Mahoney. Year-round swim gives Colin the opportunity of competing in the Junior Olympics. He started practicing with his new team in late August. He has shared that it is very different from his old practices. He now needs to remember what sets he’s doing and what times he should be getting. Although he had to leave a team he’s been a part of for seven years, he knows that if he wants to become a Junior Olympian he needs to make some changes.

Varsity volleyball athletes, Khaenani Mamea and Janet Tejeda, attempt to block the ball during a game at Winters.

by Madison Myer, Features Editor

The Lady Rams Varsity volleyball team started their season on Monday, September 11, at Bradshaw Christian. They tried their best, but they lost the first three sets 25-8, 25-13, and 25-9. The Lady Rams hosted Encina Prep for their first league home game on Wednesday, September 13. The first of the five sets was relatively close, with the Lady Rams losing 25-19. Then, the ladies took it back in the second set with a 25-17 set. Going into the third set, tied 1-1 in sets, the Lady Rams were anxious to take the overall win. It was a close third set, but the Encina Bulldogs won with a close set of 25-21. The Lady Rams came back

stronger in the fourth set to pull out an amazing win of 25-8, tying them yet again at 2-2 in sets. The fifth and final set of the night was a thriller and had everyone on the edge of their seats. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs won 16-14, ending the game. The next day, the Lady Rams traveled to Winters High School to play another game. In the first set the ladies worked together but lost 25-12. They pulled themselves back together for the second set with great communication and had the whole JV volleyball team cheering them on from the bleachers, leading to a 25-17 set victory. In the third set, the Lady Rams had some pretty nice blocks and kills, but they lost the match by a score of 25-19. In the fourth set, the Lady Rams went out with determined attitudes but weren’t able to finish strong, losing it 259, ending the game. On Monday, September 18, the Lady Rams took on the varsity Lady Falcons of Vacaville Christian High School. They also endured the obstacle of the low ceiling but proceeded to try their best. They lost the first three sets 25-6, 25-12, and 25-11, ending the game early. As of press time, the Lady Rams Varsity team had a league record of 0-3 and overall record of 3-6. Even through these losses, the Lady Rams varsity team have kept their spirits up and are determined for the rest of the season.

Taylor Holyfield Has Soccer Goals by Isabel Flores, Staff Writer

Taylor Holyfield has been playing soccer for six years, playing on the varsity team for her previous school. Taylor also plans on playing for Rio Vista High School this year. She now plays for the Santa Barbara Club, which is a club where you play outside of school and get to travel around California! Taylor has already been to many fun places such as San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and many more, leaving every Friday for a game. The team plays year-round, with 20 girls on the team. On the field, she mainly plays forward, but she also plays defense. Each month, she pays one hundred dollars to be on

the team, and everyday she trains on her own to keep up with the team and to keep herself in shape. Being on a team like this and playing against the other girls is very intimidating. “I love playing the sport,” Taylor says, “but it’s so intense because you always have to have your ‘A’-game. If you don’t, there’s another girl to take your spot.” She highly recommends getting involved with clubs and sports similar to this one but only if you’re really in love with the sport. “If you’re not, it’s a waste of time and money. You have to truly love the sport.”

Delta Forfeits (from Page 1)

“Although our Rams won, some things the team needs to work on is defense, tackling, and coverage skills,” said Shawn Davis. During the big game, the offensive and defensive line was dominant; they rushed for almost 200 yards in the first half, which showed how well the offensive line was blocking. Coach Medders would like to thank the cheerleaders and everyone for all their spirit and support. “It gets the players pumped up and just makes the game of

football even better.” Especially during Delta Week, Coach Chris Medders loves seeing everyone come and enjoy the game. While Delta has been the long-term rivals of Rio Vista for such a long time, the coaches and players both agree that the game really doesn’t even feel like a rivalry game anymore and that Bradshaw and Golden Sierra are probably the toughest games this season and are becoming more like rivals.

Madi Davis, Kaylee Kitchens, Madison Myer, Sydney Saldana, and Amber Griswold (pictured left to right) get ready for the serve during a game at Winters.

JV Volleyball Serves Up Wins

by Madison Myer, Features Editor

The Lady Rams Junior Varsity volleyball team started their official season on Monday, September 11 against Bradshaw Christian. The ladies worked together to pull off a substantial 25-10 first set and 25-21 second set for their first league win. The Lady Rams had an exciting game against Encina Prep on Wednesday, September 13 at home. They won the first set by a long shot at 25-7, but the second set was a nailbiter when the Encina Bulldogs came back to win it 29-27. The Lady Rams pulled back ahead to win the third set 15-10. The very next day, the Lady Rams were back on the court in Winters. They kept up with the Lady Warriors in a close loss of 25-22. The Lady Rams recovered in the second set when their first server, Amber Griswold, served up around 15 points in a row. The ladies kept working through with tremendous coverage, passing, and teamwork to take the set 25-6. Griswold went back out for the third set for quite a few more great serves, and with the rest of the team continuing to

dominate, they won the last set 15-2 to win the game. After this game, #21 Josie Preston stated, “During our Winters game, our serving was really good.” On Monday, September 18, the Lady Rams took the court yet again when they played at Vacaville Christian, one of the tougher teams in the league. The Lady Rams struggled a little with the low ceiling of the Vacaville gym, but they tried to persevere through it. They lost the first set 25-23. The second set had many of the girls diving all over the court to save the ball from hitting the floor. One player went to the hospital for an injury to her ankle from diving. The Lady Rams won the second set 27-25. Unfortunately, in the third set, the Lady Rams weren’t able to pull it together to bring home the win, losing 15-4. When asked if there were any games coming up that she was worried about, #3 Kaylee Kitchens, one of the JV captains, expressed, “I think the only game that I’m worried about a little bit is Vacaville because they just beat us. Also, maybe the Golden Sierra game because it was a tough game last year.”

Page 8

October 6, 2017

RAM’S EAR

Athletes of the Month

JV Boys Working on Football Culture by Taylor Holyfield, Staff Writer

The Junior Varsity football team has some great goals set for this season. The number one goal is to become better football players who want to continue playing football each year. A lot of the players on the team do not have a lot of football experience, so getting a little tougher and more ingrained into a “football culture” of grinding everyday and lifting weights was really one of the primary goals. The JV squad is defending league championships, so going back-to-back is definitely a goal. The JV team record (as of press time) is 3-1, and the players are getting better each week. “Golden Sierra is going to be a hard game this season,” commented Kawaika Makua. Drew Mackey stated, “Our game against Valley Christian was a challenge, and all we can do is learn from it. The team was a higher rank.”

photo: Madison Myer

Kawika Makua passes to Drew Mackey on third down during the game verse Valley Christian.

photo: Madison Myer

photo: Taylor Holyfield

by Madison Myer, Features Editor

According to Coach Medders some things the JV team needs to work on is their tackling, teamwork, not arguing, and seeing eye-to-eye on things. “The JV team is very young this year, and the team only has two returning starting sophomores,” Coach Medders explained. “As we saw against Valley Christian, some of the inexperience showed up.” There are a good number of freshman football players that really speak well for the future, which is great because they may need some on varsity next year. “The depth we have is a benefit as there are not a lot of players that have to play the entire game, like some varsity players do,” Coach Chris Medders added. “This helps the boys be better rested throughout the game.” Coach Medders continued, “I like

Emily Fraser #29

Blaine Dart #56

Emily is a senior on the Lady Rams varsity volleyball team this year. “Emily has become consistent and reliable in her hitting, and her serves never disappoint. Emily has an uncanny ability to lift the entire team up with her smile and make us all laugh. She is such a pleasure to coach, always receptive of feedback, and loves to cheer on her teammates. Emily is a shining vital part of our team,” commented Coach LuAnn Haley.

Blaine is a senior on the varsity football team. “Blaine is an excellent young man to coach. When I first started coaching Blaine, one of the first things that stood out was how hard he pushed himself at practice, and I know he does the same in the weight room. Blaine is a very good student and is a very positive influence on and off the field. Sometimes, we can get a little crazy on the field, and I have seen multiple occasions where Blaine has tried to calm things down (which I definitely appreciate). Blaine is also a very good football player. Blaine was all-league last year and was voted as one of the top lineman in the league as a junior. He is on track for the individual recognition this year as well, but Blaine and the team are focused on the team goals!” exclaimed Coach Chris Medders.

coaching football because I like getting to know the players. Hopefully, we are making a positive impact in their lives both on and off the field. I have coached some of these players since they were seven or eight years old, so it’s pretty wild to see them in high school going to be graduating soon.”

RAM Football Stats

Updated: September 22, 2017

photo: Alisha Arellano

photo: Taylor Holyfield

TEAM TOTALS

The Rams rush onto the field to defend the bell in the annual rivalry game versus the Delta Saints.

Mikey Arellano and Ryan Hurley celebrate a touchdown and a big run against Brookside Christian.

by Michael Arellano, Sports Editor

“We should have won, but we gave them hope.” It was another long game that was hard fought for the Rams, and their team goal of an undefeated season was busted. Week three of high school football came around, and it was the first home game. It happened to also be one of the biggest games of the season, the rivalry game against the Delta Saints. The Rams carried out their pregame rituals to get themselves hyped for the game as usual with Michael Arellano, Ryan Hurley, and Cameron Birdsong listening to motivational speeches, Blaine Dart listening to his pregame hype playlist, and Quinn McGill eating his Peanut M&M’s and chugging a Red Bull. As the Rams walked down to the bowl, they

Passing Yards

466

Rushing

1045

Tackles

205

Total Touchdowns

TACKLES

Rio Vista Varsity Rams Off to Good Start

On the night of August 25, the Rio Vista High School Rams Varsity football team marched out on the field for the first time this year. With the school coming out to a whopping 80-46 score, the Rams took the win against Brookside Christian. The first game was four hours long. Ryan Hurley was a huge play maker in the game with six touchdowns. He’d like to thank everyone for the great downfield blocks because he couldn’t have gotten the 272 yards without them. The following week, on September 1, the Rams traveled to Sacramento to go head-to-head with the Natomas Nighthawks. Unfortunately, they came short in double overtime, losing by a score of 34-28 Coach Chris Medders stated,

YARDS

were greeted by roaring stands. With the Rams rushing for over 200 yards in the first half and the score at 42-0, the Rams were pumped coming back down the hill for the second half just to see that Delta was lined up on the 50-yard line ready to forfeit. This was a real let down to the Rams because they hoped to run the score to a 100-0 victory. For the fourth week of football, Rio came out for their big Homecoming game against Millennium which was expected to be a lot more of a challenge, but it ended up being a blowout, with the score climbing to 47-0 by the end of the game. This leaves the Rams overall season record at 3-1-0 as of press time.

PLAYER

TOTAL

SOLO

Justin Donaldson

Ryan Hurley

Brennen Bellante

Quinn McGill

RUSHING

PLAYER

YARDS

CARRIES

Ryan Hurley

526

Dakota Mills

278

Ethan Medders 90

Quinn McGill

RECEIVING PLAYER

Dakota Mills

YARDS

234

REC.

Brennen Bellante 76

Ryan Hurley

Dennis McNabb