November 7, 2019
VOL. MMXVIX, No. 7
RAM’S EAR R I O V I S TA H I G H S C H O O L
New hwy 12 roundabout, more problems than thought about
by Tuck Forbes, Staff Writer
The new roundabout that is under construction at the Highway 12 and Highway 113 intersection has been a long time coming. Back in May of 2018, the idea was originally hatched by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). It was met with a lot of backlash from the community. Nonetheless, they continued on with the roundabout plan by hiring a private contractor, OC Jones, to work on the multimillion dollar project. OC Jones started construction on the roundabout on August 23, 2019, and expects to finish by this fall.
According to Caltrans, the roundabout will reduce speeding on Highway 12 and decrease accidents by 37%-74%. Caltrans acknowledges that the roundabout will cause a slowdown during rush hour. Some problems that have been pointed out by people are the size of the roundabout and the impact it will have on Rio Vista traffic. The roundabout is a little small for trucks so they have a hard time passing through it. This is viewed as both good and bad. It will reduce truck traffic, but anyone that relies on semi trucks will be infuriated with it. Ms. Mahoney is concerned that not
many Californians know how to use roundabouts correctly. She wants people to know that they work best if you just keep going and don’t stop in the roundabout. There are also many people that think the roundabout will help. One such is Eamonn Drury who feels the roundabout will be an easier way to navigate the Highway 12 and 113 intersection. Others also feel the roundabout will help reduce the truck traffic in Rio Vista.
As of September, the roundabout has already caused the death of two senior citizens. At about 10:40 pm on September 18, a Toyota Prius carrying two senior citizens crashed into the concrete barrier in the center of the roundabout. The two passengers were an 80 year old Rio Vista man and a 79 year old Suisun woman. These two deaths will hopefully be the only ones that happen at the Highway 12 and 113 roundabout for a long time to come.
Belgium exchange student experiencing lots of firsts by Lily Griffin, Staff Writer
Day of the Dead culture brought to Spanish class by Sophia Saldana, Staff Writer
learning about the Day of the Dead fun for her students. She makes special bread and brings it to her class. She likes to show them videos that really capture the visual and colorful aspect of the special celebration of life. One of the ways Ms. Stark has her students be a part of the celebration is by making papel picado. Papel picado is colorful tissue paper cut to make beautiful and intricate designs that are hung for decorations. Another way she really tries to make her students a part of the Day of the Dead is by making their class project personal. They get to choose a loved one or a celebrity they really liked who has passed and write about them. Even the students who don’t have Ms. Stark can be included. She has a place where other kids can write the name of their loved ones, and have them on display on the altar. Ms. Stark became interested in the Day of the Dead when she was in college. She had been studying Spanish at UC Davis when she saw her first Day of the Dead celebration. She thought all of it was a very touching experience. Another reason why she is interested in The Day of the Dead is because her son is from the culture. Ms. Stark’s favorite part of the Day of the Dead is that it’s a special remembrance day for those who have passed. She says, “I like feeling that the people you love are close to you.”
the river the most and likes to watch the river run. Justine didn’t play any sports in Belgium, but when she got here she made the cheer squad. They don’t have any cheer teams back home and they have only seen cheerleading in movies so she thought it would be a fun experience to try. Her favorite class this block is US History with Mr. Porter. Her favorite American food that
Photo by: Lily Griffin
Every year on November 2, families all over the world celebrate “Día de los Muertos” or the Day of the Dead. The Day of the Dead is celebrated all throughout Mexico and by people of Mexican heritage in different parts of the world. The Day of the Dead is a celebration of life for those who have passed on. The Day of the Dead tradition was first started by the Aztecs in the 1500’s as a way of honoring the dead. During the celebratory holiday, families create beautiful ofrendas (offerings) for their loved ones. On these altars, people put water, their loved ones favorite meals, family photos, candles for every family member that has passed, and marigolds. Marigolds are the flowers of Day of the Dead. They are said to lead the spirits to their ofrendas in the world of the living and then back to the land of the dead. RVHS’s very own Spanish teacher, Ms. Stark, celebrates the holiday with her students. Ms. Stark enjoys teaching her students about the Day of the Dead because she thinks it’s important that when you’re learning a language you also learn about the culture. She also thinks it’s important to have students of Mexican/American heritage to learn these traditions. She states, “I like to teach my students cultural lessons to help keep the traditions alive.” Ms. Stark tries her best to make
This year, Rio Vista High School is happy to host an exchange student, Justine Simonis from Verviers, Belgium. She arrived at the beginning of August and will be graduating with the class of 2020, then returning home in June. She is enrolled as a senior here, but when she goes back home she will already be graduated and will start college. Justine is staying with George and Janet Salm, as well as Duda, an exchange student from Brazil. “Our relationship is the same as sisters, we talk a lot and we make company for each other. I don’t think my experience here would be the same without her.” Duda mentioned about being exchange students together. Justine came to America with the Belgium organization, WEP, an organization working with ISE (International Student Exchange). It is her first time coming out of Europe and onto a whole new continent. The reason why Justine wanted to be an exchange student is because she loves to travel and wants to improve her English. She loves meeting new people so this is a great way to do so. She sees many differences between her hometown and Rio Vista. In Belgium, instead of having one high school, like Rio Vista, they have four high schools since their town is much bigger than Rio. Verviers, Belgium is also much bigger than Rio Vista. The most difficult part for Justine about being away from home is she gets homesick, so everytime something happens, she thinks about her family and friends and realizes how much she misses them. Back home in her free time, she used to be a youth movement leader and she would work on Saturdays. During the week she likes to listen to music and watch TV series. Since Rio Vista is right on the water, Justine loves it. She likes the docks and
Justine Simonis, an exchange student from Belgium, (right) with Junior Atziri Villasenor (left) in their cheer uniforms before a home football game.
she has tried is hot cheetos or tacos. Justine is having a wonderful time exploring new things in California. She enjoys meeting new people and she definitely plans on coming back to America in the future. Justine has made many new friends from interacting with people at school and from the varsity Cheer squad. She is excited to spend this year in California going to new places. She definitely plans on coming back for vacation in the future.
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Page 2
November 7, 2019
RAM’S EAR
EDITORIAL
CURRENT EVENTS of School Events Calendar Vaping phenomenon takes over high school campuses
by Jorie Forbes, Editor-in-Chief
Vaping has become a phenomenon, and not in a good way. Adults and teens, even some kids, have become addicted or have taken up vaping as a hobby. Vaping is usually thought of as being a fun, harmless activity. Teens seem to be drawn to it because of the sweet, fruity flavors they usually have and the “nicotine high” some e-cigarettes give. But few recognize the risks. Imagine being an innocent vaper. You wake up one day with a cough, but ignore it thinking you’re getting a cold. The cough gets worse; now it’s deep and painful. You begin coughing up blood. You shiver as your body is racked with a high fever. You can barely catch your breath and your chest is killing you. You begin vomiting and having diarrhea. Your parents come to check on you and see the blood. They touch your skin and feel that you are burning up. They see the vomit. They call 9-1-1. Now you are barely conscious because you can’t breathe. The ambulance arrives and rushes you to the hospital. Your mom goes with you, crying as she holds your hand. In the emergency department, a team of nurses and doctors swarm you. They put you to sleep. The next time you wake up, there’s a tube going into your lungs. You can’t breathe on your own. Your hands are tied to the bed so that you don’t move the tube. You can’t talk. You’re terrified.
You hear your parents talking to the doctor. He’s saying you are very sick. You’ve damaged your lungs from vaping, and they don’t know if you are going to make it. As of September 26, 2019, there had been 805 cases of vaping-related illnesses and 14 deaths reported to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) across the U.S. That number has skyrocketed, with 1,479 cases of lung injury and 33 deaths reported as of October 15. According to the CDC, 15%, or roughly 222, of those cases were of people 18 years of age and younger, with the median age being 23. Vapes that contain tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC, seem to be the main cause of these illnesses and deaths, with 78% of patients reporting THC product use. If you vape, especially with THC, that could be you. Students on RVHS campus seem to think vaping is an innocent activity; just look in the bathroom during lunch. Ms. Roman said, “I don’t understand what the point of it is and I wish students wouldn’t do it on campus because it ruins things such as using the restroom for other students.” When asked, students had various opinions on the matter. One said, “Vaping is a good stress reliever.” On the other hand, a student stated, “Vaping is a horrible addiction. Once you start it’s very hard to get out of the habit.”
Schoolwide Vaping Survey Results Have you ever vaped? 9th Grade
Boys Yes 41% No 58%
Girls Yes 34% No 65%
10th Grade
Boys Yes 26% No 73%
Girls Yes 41% No 58%
11th Grade
Boys Yes 46% No 54%
Girls Yes 68% No 32%
12th Grade
Boys Yes 50% No 50%
Girls Yes 17% No 82%
Do your parents know? Yes 29%
No 71 %
Average age first tried? 14
“I don’t do it anymore”
Do you feel you are addicted? Yes 23%
No 77%
Where do you mostly vape? Home 5% School 25% With Friends 69%
What is your vape of choice? THC 41% Juice 32% Nic 27%
Why do you vape?
Flavored? Yes 80% No 25%
How do you get it? Family 12% Older Friends 55% Other 33%
(a lot of responses like this)
“I don’t know, my friends did it” “I was in a bad place at the time” “It relaxes me” “It helps my anxiety” “Helps me fit in with my friends” “I was mad” “I just tried it once because of friends” “I stopped because I lost interest” “Wax pens + weed help me sleep. I only smoke before bed” “It was a one time thing and I got in trouble for it” “It’s cool” “I like the head rush” “Why not”
10/22/19
RAM’S EAR
Published by Rio Vista High School, Digital Publications Class 410 South Fourth Street | Rio Vista, California 94571 (707)374-6336 ext. 1224 email: rvhsramsear@gmail.com Printed by School Paper Express, Wappingers Falls, New York
NOVEMBER
November 1 - Football @ Vacaville Christian (VAR) 7:00 p.m. November 3 - Cross Country Clarksburg Country Run 8:45 a.m. November 9 - Cross Country subsections @ Angel’s Camp November 11 - Veterans Day, no school November 16 - Cross Country sections @ Willow Hill, Folsom / Wrestling Scrimmage (home) 9:00 a.m. November 20 - Fall Sports Awards @ RVHS Theater 6:00 p.m. November 22 - Basketball @ Natomas (Girls JV) 3:30 p.m. (Girls VAR) 6:30 p.m. (Boys VAR) 7:00 p.m. November 23 - Basketball @ Western Sierra (Girls JV) 11:00 a.m. (Girls VAR) 2:00 p.m. (Boys VAR) 3:30 p.m. November 25 - Girls Basketball Varsity Foundation Game vs Fortune @ 6:00 p.m. November 25-29 - Thanksgiving Break November 30 - Cross Country State @ Woodward Park / Wrestling Liberty Frosh Tournament (away)
DECEMBER
December 2 - Girls Basketball vs St. Helena (home) (JV) 5:30 p.m. (VAR) 7:00 p.m. December 3 - Girls Basketball @ Delta (VAR) 6:00 p.m. December 5-7 - Western Sierra JV Girls Basketball Tournament December 6 - Girls Basketball @ ABLE Charter (JV) 5:30 p.m. (VAR) 7:00 p.m. December 7 - Wrestling @ Escalon, Girls & JV Tournament December 10 - Girls Basketball vs Esparto (home) (JV) 3:00 p.m. (VAR) 7 p.m. December 12-14 - Girls Basketball St. Helena Varsity Tournament (away) December 17 - Girls Basketball vs Delta @ 6:00 p.m. December 19-21 - Girls Basketball Sutter Tournament December 20-21 - Wrestling Lou Bronzan Varsity Tournament December 21 - Wrestling Whitney Girls & JV Tournament December 27-28 - Wrestling No Guts, No Glory Tournament
Junta de ELAC
Temas importantes que afectan a nuestros niños
6 de noviembre del 2019 a las 5:00 p.m. en la biblioteca de Riverview Middle School
Para más información, llame a las escuelas: Riverview Middle: (707) 374-2345 Rio Vista High: (707) 374-6336
Jason Veach
Realtor Lic 0190833 707-365-6388
Letters to the Editor: To be published, letters must have the author’s name, address, and telephone number.
Editor-in-Chief Jorie Forbes
Associate Editors Pete Rossi and Jaqueline Leal-Carrillo Adviser Julie Griffin
Ram’s Ear Staff Taylor Fitzgerald, Tuck Forbes, Lily Griffin, Amber Griswold, Nathan Hearn, Taylor Holyfield, Liseth Mendoza, Bryan Rish, Elicia Rodriguez, Sophia Saldana, Jason Spearman, Maia Stone, Alex Tejeda, Miguel Tejeda, Amber Tonnesen, Marivella Torres, Art Weller
Meeting your real estate needs
November 7, 2019
Page 3
RAM’S EAR
by Marivella Torres, Staff Writer
Here at Rio Vista High School some students and faculty may not know each other on campus. Teachers want students to be able to come to them for support, even if they haven’t met them; so let’s get to know the one and only Ms. Gornto. Ms. Gornto is a RVHS Alumni. In highschool, she was part of many school and extracurricular activities. She played softball, volleyball (where Ms. Reis was her coach), and soccer on the first girls soccer team here at RVHS. She was also a cheerleader. She participated in AFS, Peer Mediator, worked on float building, rallies, etc. Some things she noticed that are different from our highschool now vs when she went to school here is that they had
open campus lunch for all grades, they would say the Alma Mater at all rallies, and there were three minute passing periods. They also had a brunch break where they sold cup of noodles, hot pockets, hot dogs, nachos, and many other snacks. They also had seven periods each day. Ms. Gornto graduated from Rio Vista High School in 2002. After highschool, she attended San Joaquin Delta College for 3 years got her AS/AA and her SLPA degree. Then, she transferred to Sacramento State to get Bachelors of Science in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. She later went to Fresno State to get her Masters in Education and Social Justice. During college, she worked in Gymboree as a store manager.
RIO VISTA HIGH SCHOOL HONOR ROLL Block A First Semester 2019-2020 PRINCIPAL’S HONOR ROLL
FRESHMEN
Joy Bell Antonio Bellante Lillian Burch Daniel Cazares Breona Hoff Emily Ross Katherine Rossi Jose Torres Genesis Zepeda Karmen Zepeda
SOPHOMORES
(4.0 GPA or Above)
JUNIORS
David Forbes Daniela Arias Jaqueline Leal-Carrillo Daniel Cantine Peter Rossi Sumain Chiv Kevin Jimenez Rosales Johanna Contreras Fisher Lyon Kayla Delk Eamonn Drury Greta Dole Wyatt Hagan Scarlett Dole Lacee Myer Sam Esperson Zackary McLean Marjorie Forbes Caroline Upham Meraiah Groves Savannah Arias Jenna Holden Liseth Mendoza Fabrizio Lazo Gutierrez Devin Peterson William Lindsay Aidan Rosen Yareli Antunez Zaragoza
Karen Mesa Mandujano Melissa Mandujano Rojas
Tucker Mayfield Jaimie McDowell Kaylee Medlock McKenna Pratt Donald Roos Isabella Saldana Sophia Saldana Maia Stone Brook Summitt Adrian Tejeda
Fatima Sandoval Villanueva
Miguel Tejeda Ashlee Weller Karson Christianson Dawna Coad Preston Ebert
Hannah Eckard-Henderson Yalicza Fernandez Munguia
Cody Fuller Anna Lett Jessica Mingay Josie Preston Melissa Torres Camacho Marco Rosales Marisol Segoviano Tavares Kylah Vigil Joseph Solis Alex Tejeda Garcia Jason Tello
RAM’S HONOR ROLL (3.50 TO 3.99 GPA)
FRESHMEN
Gracie Medders Yolanda Montano Daniela Roman
Roxana Segoviano Losano
Trevan Summitt Jovany Vega Jazmyn Vigil Nathan Arrellano Noah Bidou Shannon Laurens Isaiah Molina Joshua Sanchez David Hernandez Torrez
FRESHMEN
Joshua Ayala Perez Addison Brazil Anthony Brazil Stephanie Fuller Jordan Lauritzen Devin McGahey Kiara Perkins Dominic Preciado Hector Rodriguez
SOPHOMORES
Dakota Balcer Grant Baldwin Stephanie Corona Garcia Colby Eisenhour-Libby Amy Henning Daniel Hurley Alexander Montes Alexander Ornelas Maria Segoviano Jesus Silva Figueroa Jimena Torres Ruiz Josue Arce Kyra Atkinson Jeanette Chavez Kaitlyn DuBois Spencer Emigh Jacob Rivera Calvo Bryan Salles Aidan Stovall Melissa Uribe Castillon Susana Valencia Luna
JUNIORS
Jared Beechler Manuel Belcher Lilianne Griffin Bryan Rish Lexie Steinbrook Marivella Torres Arthur Weller Jorge Arce Christian Escoto Aidan Frisbie Kawika Makua Benjamin McFarlane Ofelia Montano Everardo Ordonez Nevaeh Tesch Nathan Torres Dalia Zachary
HONOR ROLL (3.00 TO 3.49 GPA)
SOPHOMORES
Li’yah Aragon Christopher Barros
James Bautista Vasconcellos
Stephanie Cuevas Monica Garcia Hunter Goodloe Mason Kitchens Genesis Lopez Berenice Sandoval Villanueva Eric McCann Richard Trujillo Vargas Roberto Rivera Calvo Adolfo Villalpando Brandon Stebbins Kaleohano Ybanez Julissa Torres Mandujano Madison DeGroot Silva Valencia Luna Michael Gilpin Anjolina Arriola Destiny Grayson Robert Cid Dylan Rasmussen Trevor Coad Briana Shafer Ashton Frazier Roberts Raudel Tejeda Diana Freyre Ryan Witcraft Samuel Lara Ryan Zamarripa Clarissa Moore Synia Reed
JUNIORS
Alaijah Ayers Trevor Gomes Anthony Gonzalez Colin Lira Tiara Masabala
Anthony Miramontes Vargas
Macie Oglesby Hannah Riedmiller Benjamin Sisneros Carson Spradling Brian Turner Conrad Vosefski James Blake Austin Carlson Jose Chavez Mason Cobb Jeff Contreras Miguel Quimbao
SENIORS
Oscar Aguilera Rodriguez
Emily Bellante Madison Myer Kaitlyn O’Connor Valerie Rodrgiuez Megan Ross Bailey Adgate Lane Eggers Isabel Flores Sydney Saldana Brena Stovall Zoe White Per Andersson Valencia Romero Yocelyn Corona Stacy Gomez Alicea Gonzales Kaylee Kitchens Ethan Medders
Punyawat (Dep) Prommanee
Edgar Rodriguez Flores
Deanelly Martinez Lizbeth Antunez Maria Segoviano Cassandra Steinbrook Aidan Walker Lozano Segoviano Amber Griswold Samuel Sandoval Richard Zamarripa
SENIORS
Jason Avalos Magallon
Kimberly Broughton Asucena Castorena Josephine Gribsvad Jacqueline Lopez
Guadalupe Lopez Manjarrez
Carson Quintana Eric Avalos River Billoups
Yaneth Espinoza Mandujano
August Giannini Olivia Roberts Kamren Robles Andrew Tyler
SENIORS
Alexis Lackey Logan Reynolds Andreya Ayers Logan Boothe Madison Davis Kaya de Flores Zachary Tyler Ariel Carter
Javier Lopez Cisneros
Bryan Romero Jose Vega Sanchez
Courtesy of Ms. Gornto
Meet Ms. Gornto, one of our finest teachers
Ms. Gornto’s mug “Too blessed to be stressed” is a good representation of her personality.
After college, she became a Speech Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) teacher and then became a teacher here at RVHS. She teaches in room F-109 right next to the boys bathroom. She is a Study Skills and ELD teacher. Some activities Ms. Gornto loves to do for the school are chaperone prom, attend sport games, be a part of the Sunshine Committee for the staff, participate in any kind of school spirit, and be a class advisor. Ms. Gornto expresses, “I love to see everyone dress up and see the girls in their pretty dresses”
when talking about why she loves chaperoning for prom. Ms. Gornto cares a lot about her students and loves to see them do good in school. As a way to encourage her students, Ms. Gornto will buy them Dutch Bros as long as they have no F’s and above a 2.0 GPA. “My favorite thing about teaching is when my students finally see the potential I see in them and seeing them grow in the four years of high school,” Ms. Gornto said. Outside of school, Ms. Gornto loves to do many fun things. During her free time she likes to travel, go to concerts, spend quality time with her family, hanging out with her best friend Lydia, and cheer on the 49ers at their football games. Some interesting facts about Ms. Gornto are that she loves to party plan. Her favorite movie is “Wedding Crashers.” She can cluck like a chicken, she is the first person to graduate from college in her family, she was on the roller derby team, she has attended over 50 concerts, and her favorite TV Show is “The Ranch”. She is also a mother to two wonderful girls named Avery and Brielle who attend Isleton Elementary. Now that you know a little bit about Ms. Gornto, don’t be a stranger and go say hello.
KFC Mac n’ Cheese Bowl Review
by Nathan Hearn, Staff Writer
The KFC Mac and Cheese Bowl was a highly anticipated item from the KFC establishment. When I first found out about the Mac and Cheese Bowl I was giddy because I was always a fan of the KFC Famous Bowl. The two days I had to wait for the Mac and Cheese bowl to come out were very hard personally, because all I could think about was getting my hands on the Mac and Cheese Bowl. Now that I have it, here are my opinions about it. When one first bites into a Mac and Cheese Bowl the cheese hits the tongue first, which is very good considering the creaminess of KFC mac and cheese. Then the chicken hits the tongue, which is when you hit the bingo zone. The combination of the mac and cheese and chicken is simply exquisite. The texture and mouthfeel of the M.C. Bowl is very good. The crunch and bite of the chicken mixed with the creaminess of the Mac and Cheese is superb. Overall the Mac and Cheese Bowl is very good, almost too good. I would give the Mac and Cheese Bowl 9 Hearn points out of 10. But, is the Mac and Cheese Bowl better than the Famous Bowl? Yes, I do think it is better. I’ve always been a cheese man and the creamy mac and cheese is
simply missing from the regular Famous Bowl. I do think the M.C. Bowl could use another ingredient or two because although the chicken and cheese is good, I believe if they added corn or gravy into the mix it could bring up the flavor level of the M.C. Bowl to new limits that have never been reached before. I myself once bought an M.C. Bowl and then added a side of corn and a side of gravy to it and thought it was very good. But this way is very inefficient and I would only recommend doing this to the hardest of Mac and Cheese Bowl fans. I may have a positive opinion about the M.C. Bowl but a lot of people don’t share the same opinion. Like Art Weller who does not have a positive opinion of the Mac and Cheese Bowl. “I just don’t think Mac and Cheese and chicken is a good combo.” I personally don’t agree with Arthur but I can respect his opinion. Sadly, the Mac and Cheese Bowl is no longer in stock at KFC. Although it’s gone, you could just buy a side of mac and some popcorn chicken then mix them together but it will never have the same charm as ordering it off of the menu. Maybe they’ll add it to the menu again in the future, but one can only wish.
NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS November 2 Taylor Holyfield November 3 Alexis Lackey Masne Josie Preston November 4 Issac Maggard-Lamothe Aidan Rosen November 7 Presley Lostaunau November 8 Manuel Belcher Anna Lett November 9 Berenice Sandoval Villanueva November 10 Daniel Cantine Jr Erwin Reyes November 12 Adema Mount Brian Turner November 13 Macie Oglesby November 15 Logan Brown November 16 Graham Crum November 18
Anjolina Arriola Noah Bidou Dusty Travis November 19 Jesus Silva Figueroa Kristan Sosa November 20 Benny Rodriguez Kyle Williams November 22 Carina Torres Solis November 23 Alonzo Chavolla Garcia Diego Ortiz Saul Rivas November 24 Abel Garcia Raygoza Kaylee Kitchens November 25 Arthur Weller November 26 Michael Gilpin Yeraldin Mandujano Pacheco November 28 Fatima Sandoval Villanueva Alyes Trejo November 30 Valerie Diaz Nunez
Page 4
College of the month: Chico State University
by Maia Stone, Staff Writer
California State University Chico is well known as a business management and marketing school, but there are so many majors at this enjoyable school. Chico State is far enough from Rio Vista to get out and be a responsible college student, but it is close enough where visiting isn't a struggle. Getting into this school is achievable and realistic with a 65.2% acceptance rate, but a well-rounded application, high grades, and high test scores may be necessary. Chico State wants hard working students who can work well in a fastpaced environment. The campus runs on a semester schedule rather than a quarter schedule. As a result, classes are months long so it might be harder to stay on track and focused. The average applicants have a weighted 3.21 to a 4.0 GPA, which is comparable to some Ivy League schools like Princeton University and Yale University. But test scores aren't anywhere near as high as they need to be compared to Princ-
eton and Yale University. At Chico State, composite ACT scores fall between 19 and 24. For the SAT, reading and writing scores are between 440 and 550, which also goes for their math SAT scores; making the average combined SAT scores fall between 970 and 1180 for the average applicant. It allows superscoring on standardized tests, bumping up your chances of getting high test scores. Overall, Chico State is a great school to attend. It boasts a student body that is extremely hard working and a campus with beautiful views of the parks and trails to walk along. Chico is far enough to experience a different culture and meeting new people, and get out of Rio Vista. Also don't forget to study for the SAT and ACT, those high test scores will help you get into the college of your choice. They are highly valued in the application process, and many students fail to see the importance of taking these tests seriously. Even if you are an underclassman, try your hardest and study up!
New Joker brings mixed feelings to audiences
by Bryan Rish, Staff Writer
a character’s story and how they became who they are today. Despite all of the controversy, “Joker” actually did very well on opening weekend. The film made $96 million and won the Golden Lion at the Venice film festival, before it came out. The film earned an 89% from the fans, but a 63% from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics said that it wasn’t entertaining and that it was too violent. They also said that the origin story was bad but Joaquin Phoenix’s performance was incredible. I can see why the critics said that it wasn’t entertaining because there wasn’t much action in it, but I thought the story was amazing. I loved the film. The story was awesome, the cast was awesome, Todd Philips was awesome, and Joaquin was unbelievable. He is definitely Oscar worthy for his performance in this film. He takes you through this dark journey and really shows you the development of the character throughout the movie. Joaquin makes you feel for the Joker and what he goes through in his life as Arthur Fleck, before the Joker, because when he becomes the Joker you can tell that he doesn’t care about anyone or what anyone thinks anymore and finally figures out who he really is. Don’t walk in and expect another comic book movie, reason being it didn’t feel like that at all. I highly recommend everyone to see this movie. It is 10 out of 10, no joke Murray.
Has cursing become part of our everyday vocabulary?
by Jaqueline Leal, Staff Writer
Have curse words lost their shock value? Swearing has become so common that some people don’t realize they’re doing it. So if cursing is considered normal, why is it still considered wrong to do it? Although profanity can be traced back to the medieval times, it has always been considered bad, especially among young people. Curse words became taboo because they sounded harsh and they described violence. When the people of the upper class stopped using profanity, it became wrong to use those words, but recently that has changed. During recent years, cursing has become a lot more common, so much that most people have become immune to curse words. For example, Mr. Sherman, history teacher and JV baseball coach, believes cursing has become normal to us since we were exposed to it at an early age through the adults in our lives, television, or even music. Also, Junior Nathan Hearn thinks people have come immune to it because most people began using those words at an early age. Nathan also says that he doesn’t
care when people use curse words to try to offend him, at this point he feels like, “if someone called me a weenie I’d be more affected by that… I would take more personal offense because it’s not used often.” According to an opinion poll done by The New York Times in 2013, many students believe that curse words have lost their shock value because, “modern day parents don’t really enforce it.” Most of the students that answered the opinion poll think that curse words have lost all of their shock value, but that doesn’t mean that cursing should be allowed everywhere, since it can still offend some people or be considered “unprofessional”. After asking multiple people how they feel about cursing, most believe that curse words have lost most of their shock value, especially since they’re mostly used to add emphasis to a story or a reaction. But even if they lost most of their meaning, some people still believe it’s wrong to use them to offend someone or to use them in a professional setting.
Fishing and fun for everyone at the 72nd annual Bass Derby
by Elicia Rodriguez, Staff Writer
This year was the 72nd annual Rio Vista Bass Derby, which was celebrated from October 11-13, 2019. The weekend was a busy time for families and fishermen because there were a lot of different activities. The Rio Vista Bass Derby is mostly known for fishing and winners earning cash and prizes. This was a family event and children under the age of 16 were invited to catch a big bass or catfish. There were prizes for different age levels. The Bass Derby hosted a car show with lots of amazing vehicles lining the streets of downtown Rio Vista. Many know it as one of the best shows in Northern California and it’s free to everyone. On Friday, October 11, the fun started with entertainment, the carnival, food, and more. On Saturday, October 12, you could’ve enjoyed the Lions Club Pancake Breakfast before visiting the Farmers Market, Car Show, Bake Sale, and Rummage Sale. If you didn’t get enough fun from that, the day didn’t just end there. You would have been able to enjoy more food, drinks, carnival rides, live music, and even fireworks! Sunday, October 13, hometown pride heightened. The old-fashioned Bass Derby Parade debuted the theme: “Celebrating the Beauty of Rio Vista.” They highlighted the past Bass Derby Queens as well as local service organizations, school groups, and others. Then it was onto an afternoon of music, food, and rides before they started the Derby Awards ceremony. The awards were presented at 4:00 pm on Sunday, October 13 on Main Street, downtown Rio Vista. Many winners were announced at the bass tournament in categories such as:
bass sturgeon, salmon, and kids competition. Steve Cruz won first place in the adult striped bass division by catching a 29.75inch striper. He won $3,000! Carlton King placed second in the striper division with a fish measuring 29.65 inches, taking home $1500. Jason Tenorio placed third with a 29.52 inch striper, winning $1000. It was exciting to see that there were many winners in the sturgeon competition. Charles Leon won first place in the adult sturgeon division by catching a 53.17-inch sturgeon. He won $1,000 for his catch. Tim Matthews placed second in the sturgeon division with a 52.95-inch diamondback and winning $500. Jason Gargill won third place with his 51.69-inch sturgeon, receiving $250. In the salmon fishing competition, Ken Baccetti won first place in the adult division with his 27.2-pound salmon, earning $1000. Darrin Cook placed second with a 24.64-pound salmon, receiving $500. Jason Carlisle won third place with a 22.8-pound king. He won $250. The kids division of the event hosted a striped bass and catfish division. Kelsie Ellison earned first place in the bass category with a 23.93-inch striper, winning a bicycle and gift certificate. Wyatt Myers placed second with a 23.3-inch striped bass, while Leo Cheng earned the third place spot with a 23.89-inch fish. Emilio Martinez won first place in the catfish division with a 17.75 inch catfish, winning a $100 gift certificate from Sportsman’s Warehouse in Stockton. Congratulations to all the winners and best of luck next year.
Photo by: Pete Rossi
Heath Ledger, who played the Joker in The Dark Knight back in 2008, was amazing. Everyone thought that there was never going to be a performance like Heath’s again. The reason why people were doubting the new Joker was because they didn’t think Joaquin Phoenix, the new actor playing the Joker, could live up to Heath Ledger’s portrayal, due to Jared Leto’s poor performance in Suicide Squad back in 2016. I did agree with people that were doubting Joaquin, but when the first trailer came out, my opinion totally changed, after getting a little glimpse of how he was going to play the Joker. The new Joker movie has brought tons of controversy. On opening weekend, cops stood outside of multiple theaters because critics were saying that the movie was promoting violence. It was all over the news and it was starting to scare people to not go see the movie. It also brought back memories of the horrible tragedy at the opening of The Dark Knight Rises that took place in Colorado back in 2012. Hearing about this new Joker movie and what critics were saying about it worried people that something was going to happen. To prevent people from getting scared, movie theaters all around the U.S. wouldn’t allow people in if they dressed up. For some people they thought that it was too violent and it upset them, but when I watched the movie that didn’t cross my mind at all. I just thought of it as another movie explaining
November 7, 2019
RAM’S EAR
The ferris wheel at the Bass Derby carnival is always a popular ride choice.
November 7, 2019
RAM’S EAR
Mr. Rivera picked Dalia Z for going above and beyond on her project. She always adding the little extra detailof to make her piecemonth better. the
Artist
Photo by: Taylor Holyfield
by Taylor Holyfield, Staff Writer
Dalia Zachary Karina Romero WYATT HAGAN
Karina started as an art one student, and is now in art three. Since being in art three she has turned in fantastic work, Karina shows lots of great details in her art, all of her pieces display great emotions also. -Mr. Rivera
Mrs. Gomes appreciates living in a small town
App review of the month:TikTok
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by Amber Tonnesen, Staff Writer
Most of you know Musical.ly from when you were younger and you would lip sync songs with your friends or watch Baby Ariel and Lisa and Lena. Now we all know that app as TikTok. Most of us found out about TikTok by watching cringe compilations or seeing videos from Instagram. Many of us downloaded the app as a joke to watch funny videos but then stayed on the app. Most people even use the app daily and are on the app for more than 25 hours a week! TikTok was launched into the international market in 2017 and from there it took off. It was the most downloaded app in the App Store and the 6th most downloaded in the world. Within the first year of it being released, it got over 100 million users. Now it has over 1 billion users and still grows everyday! People from our school also use the app and try to get famous by getting on the “for you” page. The “for you page” is where TikTok’s users can watch or like videos, or have the option to follow or view the person’s account. “I’ve only posted one TikTok before and it did get on the for you page but it only got 500 views so I deleted it. I applaud those who have gotten famous because it’s hard,” says Daniela Arias. Some of the students at our school have gotten many
views from the TikToks they have posted. “I posted a video of my mom reuniting with her mom after nineteen years and it got 15.6k likes and almost 100k views from the whole video. I gained almost 300 followers,” says Johanna Contreras. But just like any other app, there can be a lot of hate on the app. Most videos if you go to the comments you can see people insulting the person that made the video, the people in it, and you might even see people duet the video and say hurtful things about the person. Duetting is where you can make your own video reacting to the original video. Even though the app can get hate there’s still so many good things about it. For example, you can make money on the app. To make money on the app users can go live. Sadly, to go live you have to have 1000 followers. But once you do go live, fans can join your live and give you gifts that are worth coins. TikTok coins are an in-app currency you can buy with real money. You can buy as little as 100 coins for $1.29 or you can buy 10,000 coins for as much as $134.99. You can then gift these coins to the person which turns into small amounts of money that they can collect, the more coins you get from going live the more money you get.
Photo by: Lily Griffin
Mrs. Montgomery’s
Mrs. Gomes kicking it in her new Athletic Director’s office in the media center.
by Miguel Tejeda, Staff Writer
Long-time physical education teacher and current Athletic Director of Rio Vista High, Mrs. Noelle Gomes, still loves working at the school and being a part of the community after all this time. Except for the five years she spent in Chico for college, Mrs. Gomes has lived in Rio Vista since she was eight. Before that, she had lived in Antioch, Sacramento, and a naval base in Connecticut. She loves Rio Vista because she feels it is a good place to raise a family and appreciates the closeknit community. After graduating from Rio Vista High in 1987, Mrs. Gomes attended California State University, Chico, from which she graduated in 1992. She had originally planned to major in physical education and become a teacher, but was advised instead to major in dietetics and food administration. Eventually, she realized she did not want to work in hospitals, and in 1999, Mrs. Gomes returned to school at California State University, Sacramento, to earn her teaching credential. She explained that she loves her job, but if she was not teaching, she would instead buy real estate in town and fix them up for rentals. Someday, she would also like to own a wine-tasting room. When asked about the community of the high school, Mrs. Gomes said she loves how all of the students and teachers are very close. However, she also expressed,
“I do wish that students would recognize the benefits of attending a small school, so they would have more school spirit and appreciate what they have while they are here.” Mrs. Noelle Gomes lives in Rio Vista with her husband, Warren Gomes Jr., and has two sons, Tyler and Trevor. Most of her extended family either lives in or are planning to move to Rio Vista. “We love celebrating events together and it will be even easier when everyone lives in town,” she stated. Some hobbies Mrs. Gomes likes to do are shopping at Target and all summer activities, such as swimming, boating, and camping. She also enjoys running with Axel, her dog. Her favorite movies include “The Hangover,” “Up in Smoke,” and her all-time favorite, “Pulp Fiction.” She cannot choose a favorite book but feels that “1984” by George Orwell strongly parallels modern society. Some advice Mrs. Gomes has for RVHS students is to communicate more and put down their phones. “You can’t ever go back and ‘re-do’ high school so make the most of it while you’re here,” she advised. “The years go by too fast and you only have four shots to do anything high school offers. Make connections, get involved, learn how to lead, and stand up for what is right. It will serve you well in the future. Whatever you’re watching on your phone can wait.”
Don’t forget to get your
FAFSA Done! See Ms. Alduenda if you need help
RECIPE
Caramel Apples
of the
MONTH
Ingredients: 8 apples, any variety 1 cup heavy cream, divided ¾ cup light corn syrup ½ cup unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions: Wash and completely dry apples. Insert a stick into the stem end of each. Fit heavy bottomed saucepan with a candy thermometer. Over high heat, cook ¾ cup of heavy cream, corn syrup, butter, and sugar to 280℉ (firm ball); at this point the syrup will be golden. Remove from the heat and carefuly swirl in the remaining ¾ cup of cream and vanilla. Use caution; this is very hot and it may splatter. While the caramel is hot, dip and turn the apples into the caramel to coat and let the excess drip off. Place on wax paper and let cool.
Math Department’s Problem of the Month
You bought a ten-gallon hat as a souvenir of a visit to Texas; only when you get home did you discover that the label states it to be only a six-gallon hat. By now, you were skeptical that it was even that big, and you decided to test it by trying to fill it with 6 gallons of water. The only containers you had on hand are a 9-gallon and a 4-gallon container. Using them, how were you able to pour 6 gallons into the hat?
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Make your senior trip a Restaurant Review: memory for a lifetime La Taqueria Sierra
by Jason Spearman, Staff Writer
said “Disneyland because it’s the happiest place on Earth.” However, she decided to change her answer to Hawaii. Her justification for changing it to Hawaii was, “I want to enjoy the fantastic views of the island and spend that time taking that in with my friends.” A very thoughtful answer by Emma. The next senior that was asked about her dream senior trip was Kaylee Kitchens, who would like to visit Paris, France because, “It’s super pretty, and I’ve always wanted to go and see the Eiffel Tower there.” Additionally, Per Andersson shook it up and stated that he wanted to stay in the United States and go to the great state of Texas. When asked about why he wanted to go to Texas, he replied “It’s a great state and I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.” When asked what he would do in Texas he said he is also a fan of their famous southern barbecue. Such imaginative places the 2020 seniors dream of going to. Maybe one day, RVHS will have the funds to possibly go to some of these distant places to enjoy what they have to offer. But for now, these are only a part of our dreams.
CLASS OF 2020
Concert Review:
Iron Maiden
by Taylor Holyfield, Staff Writer
La Taqueria Sierra is a small Mexican restaurant located in Antioch, California. When driving to this spot, you wouldn’t expect a small Mexican stand with outdoor eating to be around the corner. La Taqueria Sierra is surrounded by houses and a small convenience store across the street. La Taqueria Sierra is best known for their loaded shrimp nachos, (yeah, you read that right, loaded shrimp nachos!) A perk of this place is that they will make any of their nachos with any types of chips you want, you just gotta bring them. That convenience store across the street comes in handy for customers wanting to grab a small bag of different flavored chips so that you can try something new. It’s the best hole in the wall Mexican restaurant spot I’ve ever been to. I’m super picky when it comes to Mexican food, but this place is on point! If you’re feeling something really good but also willing to risk high cholesterol, go try this place, it’s worth it. They don’t hold back when it comes to adding all the extra goodies, such as extra cheese, lots of sour cream, salsa and so much more. If you aren’t a big nacho fan, they have plenty of other options. La Taqueria Sierra has a wide variety of foods and drinks. Their tacos are splendid as well as their other food choices. Some other favorites of mine that they have is their wet bur-
Photo by Taylor Holyfield
This month, a handful of seniors were selected to talk about what their dream senior trip would be and why. The class of 2020 had a lot of really gorgeous and appealing places they would love to go. For starters, Noelani Coffey said, “Milan because of its heavenly food and cuisine along with the stunning architecture of the buildings there plus the rich history.” That’s not the only thing she finds amazing about Milan. She loves the people, especially the “handsome men and their accents,” stated Noelani Coffey. Logan Boothe, another future 2020 graduate, mentioned, “I wanna go to Mexico for my dream senior trip.” His reasoning is that he wants to see all the “attractive chicas” in Mexico. Devon Roberts was another student who was asked where his dream senior trip would be. He came up with the foreign country Japan, but not for its wonderful scenery, divine cherry blossom trees, or its tremendous culture and history, but for the Japanese cartoon style known as anime. Emma Bellante, who is also very involved and devoted in her 2020 class, was asked where she wanted to go and initially
A delicious looking plate of nachos from La Taqueria, topped with shrimp and with a side of mandarin soda.
rito (which is like heaven) paired with an order of fresh chips and salsa, can’t get any better than that.
Fall sports awards night: November 20 @6pm in the Theater FOOTBALL, VOLLEYBALL, CHEER, CROSS COUNTRY
Shopping sprees during the holiday season Black Friday vs Cyber Monday
Cyber
On May 26, 2018, British metal band Iron Maiden kicked off their awaited Legacy of the Beast World Tour. This tour was themed around their older albums that came out in the 80s as songs from these albums are seen as the best and are most loved by the fans. The band began with their European leg of the tour in Estonia at the Saku Arena. It lasted about two months with the final show being on August 11, 2018, at the O2 Arena in London. Then after almost a one year break, the band started the North American leg of the tour at the BB&T Center. Currently they are on their South American leg of the tour. On September 9, 2019, Iron Maiden played a show at the Golden One Center in Sacramento. The opening act for Iron Maiden was a band called “The Raven Age”. The Raven Age is an English metalcore band formed in London by George Harris, who is Steve Harris’ son. Steve Harris being the bassist for Iron Maiden. The Raven Age has been the band’s supporting act on the North American leg of the tour. The band played an eight song set with most of the songs being from their 2019 album “Conspiracy”. They played many melodic guitar parts which made for in-
teresting songs. Personally I had never heard of this band before the show. They weren’t necessarily bad but that type of music is too heavy for my taste. The Iron Maiden show was next up. Iron Maiden started their show with one of their most popular songs, “Aces High”. This was when a fake plane dropped down and began flying above the stage. During every one of their songs there was a different backdrop or some type of extravagant stage prop to compliment the song being played. At one point Frontman Bruce Dickinson even had a flamethrower on stage. The band played a 16 song set with all their big hits. Some of which being, “The Trooper,” “The Number of the Beast,” and “Run to the Hills”. The band performed these songs perfectly. The band sounded just like they did on the record. Bruce Dickinson’s voice sounded very good despite his age. Iron Maiden’s entire show was exhilarating from start to finish. The band never had a dull moment thanks to the energetic playing from the band and the many well-thought-out stage props. This was one of the best shows I have ever been to and I enjoyed every second of it. Iron Maiden gets a 10/10.
VS
Black
Friday
Graphics by Alex Tejeda
Monday
by Pete Rossi, Staff Writer
by Tuck Forbes, Staff Writer
Black Friday, the time of crazy sales at stores full of overly-enthusiastic people. In the past, Black Friday happened the day after Thanksgiving. But in recent years, it has turned into a week-long event, in some cases spanning from the Monday before Thanksgiving to the Sunday after. The origin of Black Friday leads back to the Thanksgiving Day Parades of the 19th and 20th centuries. These parades always ended with Santa Claus, meaning Christmas is just around the corner. Traditionally, stores would start their Christmas advertisements and sales the day after these parades. Back then, Thanksgiving was the last Thursday of November and some stores wanted a longer Christmas shopping season, but didn’t want to break tradition. So in 1939, President Franklin
Delano Roosevelt made Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday of November to allow one extra week of Christmas sales. The term “Black Friday” originates from 1952 in Philadelphia and was used for the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. The term Black Friday started to become popular around the 1980s. Since 2005, Black Friday has routinely been the busiest day for shopping all year long. Over the last 14 years, an average of 172.2 million people go shopping on Black Friday weekend, which spans from Thursday to Sunday, and spend on average $45.6 billion. In the past 13 years, people have spent on average $2 billion on Cyber Monday alone. Just last year, there was almost $8 billion spent in one day, breaking the previous record by $4 billion.
November 7, 2019
Soccer is back and ready to impress
by Alex Tejeda, Staff Writer
It’s almost that time of year again. The cold, wintery, and rainy weather that comes along with the excitement of the game. Grab your jackets, blankets, hand warmers, or anything that will help you stay warm because the weather will not be kind. That’s right, it’s the start of soccer season and both boys and girls soccer are hungry for improvement. The girls soccer team is looking to comeback after a very disappointing season last year. The team went zero wins in eight league games. By looking at the record, you may think to yourself that the girls did not put enough effort but on the contrary, they worked harder and harder each and every game but still couldn’t come up with the results. With new coach Ann Roman, they’re hoping for a more enjoyable season. “I’ve been with her since I was in fifth grade. She always has something positive to say about the team, she motivates us to do our best and never give up. I’ve learned so much from her,” said freshman, Bri Shafer. The team is relatively young with over half the players being underclassmen. There are seven freshmen, five sophomores, two juniors, and five seniors. Along with most of the team being young, only six are returning players. But even with the lack of experience, they know they have what it takes to compete against the favorites for league this season. “You know the saying, new year new me? That’s basically our mindset going into this season, new
year, new fight,” expresssed senior team captain, Yocelyn Corona. The boys are ready to reach the goals they have set forth for themselves. “All I want this year is to make it to playoffs in back-to-back seasons, and to beat Delta for once,” stated Senior team captain, Anthony Ornelas. After having made it to playoffs last year for the first time since 2013, they are ready to do what it takes to get back and showcase their talent. The boys won five games and tied one out of 11, securing them third place in League last year. But this year in order to prepare for another season of tough opponents, they are taking a different approach. They’ve organized a total of six preseason games and an additional tournament to start the season on November 22 in Modesto. The tournament includes many high quality opponents which will improve the teams play and understanding of one another. This year’s boys team has lots of potential to be great, but the biggest challenge they see going into this season is themselves. “We just have to not let us get into each other’s heads. We also have to start committing to practices because that’s the only way we’re going to get better as a team,” said Sophomore Alex Ornelas. The first home game for both boys and girls soccer is on December 2 against Millennium. Girls start at 4, and boys start at 6. Make sure you come out and show your Ram Spirit!
Varsity Volleyball comes to a disappointing end
by Amber Griswold, Staff Writer
The Lady Rams Volleyball had a killer pre-season, but when it came to league, the girls struggled to perform at full potential. The Lady Rams started league playing at Vacaville Christian. Unfortunately, the girls lost but played very well. “They are always a tough game and team, they all play club together and rumor is they recruit which makes it that much harder.” Stated Senior Kaylee Kitchens. Since late July the team had many team dinners, get togethers, and practice five days a week, so it’s safe to say this team spends the majority of their time together. The Lady Rams also participated in the CIVT tournament in Sacramento where they played teams like Vanden, Forest Lake, and three more competitive schools. “I love our tournaments. I feel like it’s a great time to prepare for our tougher leagues games and get exposed to great teams and get more familiar with each others playing style,” commented Junior Jessica Mingay.
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San Juan was the last game of the season so it was senior night. The first time the Lady Rams faced the Spartans they came short of the win, going into five sets losing the last 15-10. Senior Sydney Saldana commented, “It was a heartbreaking game, losing in that close of a game is hard, we had to win to go to playoffs, but things happen and we have to move on and learn from it.” They ended the season on a good note with a win against San Juan in 5 sets, . “The game was super intense and the gym was super loud it was a fun atmosphere to play in for our last game.” Senior Katie O’Connor. It was also senior night so before the game began all eight of the seniors were recognized for their hard work the past four years here. “We will all miss the seniors, they have shaped me not only as a player but as a person we all grew up together it’s sad to see them leave,” commented Junior Caroline Upham. Good luck to the seniors on future endeavours.
Athletes of the Month
by Marivella Torres, Staff Writer
Kylee Carlson “Kylee is a second year cheerleader who has really stepped up within the past few weeks after coming back from an injury. While she may not be quite 100% yet, she is certainly happy to lend a hand where she can. Helping her fellow teammates with their backing abilities, in order achieve new stunt skills, has shown that she truly cares about the squads overall success and is also eager to get right back into the swing of things. With her help some of our first year cheerleaders have progress further and now have even more confidence when stunting.” - Coach Danielle Deflores
Katie O’Connor
Junior Varsity Volleyball
Junior Varsity Cheer
Varsity Volleyball
“Katie has been a huge asset to our team this year with her determination to be a hard hitter. She is one of our top stat holders for kills! She also brings the heat with her killer serves.” - Coach LuAnn Haley
Boone Hurley Varsity Football
“Boone does just about everything a football coach could want. He is unselfish, he is a hard worker, he is there everyday on time and will do whatever is asked of him on Friday nights. He can also play a little bit! Boone also is a very good student and representative of our football program the entire year.”- Coach Chris Medders
Boys Cross Country
Photo by: Sophia Saldana
Varsity Cheer
Zoë is a 4 year RVHS cheerleader who was selected as a varsity captain this year. She has brought a tremendous amount of spirit and personality to the varsity cheer squad over the past few years, even as a young sophomore. Often she will ask for additional coaching in order to strengthen her skills and will then gladly offer help others who need additional assistance. She is always there to lift you up if needed, whether literally or figuratively speaking! Zoë has definitely proven herself to be a great asset over the past few years in more ways than one however it’s her determination and consistency that really make her a great leader.”- Coach Danielle Deflores
Sam Esperson “He is the best of team captains. He has all the traits you’d want in a captain. hard working, dedicated, responsible and beyond that he is an amazing runner. We really enjoy having him on our cross country team. He makes coaching easy!” - Coach Noelle Gomes Senior Madison Davis hitting a downball to the opposing team
Zoe White
Bella Saldana
“Despite being injured and unable to finish the season, Bella was still a huge presence on our team. She is a captain on our team and executes every task handed to her. She can serve, pass, block and kill the ball. I’m excited to see Bella finish a season of volleyball next year, lol.” - Coach Ann Arroyo
Diego Torres
Junior Varsity Football
“Diego is there every single day and is an excellent teammate. He is learning to play the QB position, but he is an outstanding kicker as well. Diego is an excellent student and a good representative of our football program year round.” - Coach Chris Medders
Stephanie Corona Girls Cross Country
“We nominate Stephanie Corona for her most impressive breakout run at our meet at Lagoon Valley. She placed 4th overall, and dropped her course time to 25:16, which is almost a full minute drop from her race at the same course earlier this season! We are really proud of her performance, she really came through for the team!” - Coach Noelle Gomes
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Cross Country team putting in work
meet. They have meets during weekdays and weekends. The cross country runners put in a lot of work and they try to better themselves. On Wednesday, August 16, the cross country team traveled to Vacaville at Pena Adobe Park. They ran 3 miles and did a very good job, finishing their run successfully. Some runners were asked what made them want to be in cross country. “I wanted to be in cross country in high school because I have been in a cross country team when I was in elementary school,’’ stated Senior Yocelyn Corona. Edgar Rodriguez said he wanted to join because, “having good legs and a motivation form and because Mrs. Gomes made me join cross country.” Some of these runners have set some goals for themselves. “I wish to accomplish on getting a fast time on all my races and making it to sub sections,” stated Sophomore Diana Freye. Alex Ornelas, another sophomore, stated, “something I wish to accomplish would be making it to sections this year.”
Photo by: Alex Tejeda
The Rio Vista High School Cross Country team has been having a good season and has accomplished many amazing feats. This is the third year Rio Vista High School has had a XC team after 20 years. They have a boys varsity team and a girls varsity team, but they practice together. There are nine boys and eight girls. They practice Monday through Thursday for two hours. Last month, they had to practice in the heat but they still accomplished their runs and times. They usually run around town for practice, like running to the Rio Vista bridge to DH White School and back to the high school or go to the coast guard station or even Sandy Beach. Their coach is Mrs. Gomes who is also a PE teacher and is the athletic director at Rio Vista High School. The cross country team started the season good and had their first invitational meet in Lodi. They ran two miles with all the divisions. Besides the fact that they ran with all divisions, every runner did a fantastic job. Their first league meet was a 5K run at Oak Grove regional park. Every runner has been improving their time at every
The cross country team getting together for a team photo.
Photo by: Jorie Forbes
by Liseth Mendoza, Staff Writer
The varsity football team doing their traditional helmet raise during the national anthem.
Varsity football hits some bumps at the end of their season by Art Weller, Staff Writer
The varsity football team has had a few speed bumps on their journey to greatness. With a record of six and three, the boys are on their way to improving and attaining success. They have been working hard preparing for team after team, week after week, taking slow strides at improving their game and ensuring that they stay focused and ready for whatever they face. Safety Seth Mandujan stated, “We’re in it to win it. If you’re not in it, then get out.” He also said that practices have been pretty rough, but he is certain that the team can keep their heads on right and continue their mission for the title of champions. The boys have a record of 6-3. They are on the strive for glory this season and are taking the last games of the season very seriously preparing for playoffs. They expect to put up a good fight during playoffs and have a goal to go to section championships, and state championships. They have a long way to go, but their goals are still in
sight. With a lot of hard work from every player, determination, and some heart, the boys are confident that they can compete with any team thrown at them. The boys recently played San Juan and Linden. They had taken home the dub against San Juan with a score of 61-20 but unfortunately they lost to Linden with a score of 32-33. They fought hard but just barely missed the mark in the last moments of the game. They fixed their mistakes and went on to face Golden Sierra, another strong competitor in their League. That game came out as a heartbreaking loss with a score of 22-51. The team is now preparing to for their playoff run. They are confident that they can pull out on top for the first round if they all do their jobs. The work they have put in and the drive they have will carry them through this game and the next to compete in the playoffs.