LOOK INSIDE:
Late start cancelled for 2011-2012 school year
New biotech building takes shape
See page 3 for details
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The Highlander Carlmont High School Newspaper Volume II, Issue 7, April 2011 See us online at http://scotscoop.com
Changes to Carlmont By Jasmine Rishi Staff Writer
The school we attend looks a lot different than the way it looked when we were all born. Over the last 20 years, not only has the school’s architecture changed, but thousands of students have passed through Carlmont. Each generation of teenagers has brought their own different styles of fashion, slang and interests to the school. Current math teacher Mary Codianne was part of the 1973 graduating class. One of the many differences she notices between the students from then to now are their academic goals. “More students in this day are planning on going to four-year colleges,” said Codianne.
Caffeine: legal addiction
48%
“Students are also taking more advanced classes than they did when I went to Carlmont, and they spend much more time pursuing their music interests, sports, etc. It seems like in this day a lot of students just seem to have a lot more talent then when I went to school here.” Robert Tsuchiyama, a Carlmont teacher since 1988, also noticed a major difference between the academic goals of students. “With the addition of so many new and demanding courses, the curriculum has quite a bit,” said Tsuchiyama. “The top math students back then would take Calculus AB -we only had one AP option for math students back then. Today we have Calculus BC, MultiContinued on page 13
This Google Earth image from 1993 shows Carlmont prior to many improvements done during the last 18 years.
Of students surveyed said they drink coffee on a daily basis Regular caffeine consumption can reduce caffeine sensitivity
Do you like caffeinated beverages? 14% No caffeine
36% No preference
50% Caffeine
By Bridget Newman Staff Writer Wake up, shower, get dressed, and make coffee and breakfast. The stereotypical morning we have all learned from our parents and see in just about every movie or television show has become part of our daily routine. But at what age does the caffeine addiction start and is it safe? Caffeine is known all over the world to be the best method of pulling through on long work nights, meeting deadlines, and to complete that project that there just doesn’t seem to be
enough time for. “I have to drink Turkish tea every morning or else I will fall asleep in class,” commented Zelal Ugur on her morning routine. Contrary to popular belief, recent studies have shown that caffeine does not actually eliminate the need for sleep. It simply tricks your body into feeling like sleep is not needed. But in due time your need for sleep with catch up to you. Teenagers who drink caffeine on a regular basis have more
difficulty sleeping and are not capable of falling into deep sleep. Forty-eight percent of students here at Carlmont High School say they either have to drink coffee or tea in the morning to function correctly throughout the school day. “I drink coffee every morning to wake myself up. I started in 8th grade,” said sophomore, Matthew Amato. Caffeine is considered a drug. Continued on page 13
New baseball bat regulations challenging players By Erica Valbusa Staff Writer
The change in baseball bat regulations for the 2011 season has taught the Carlmont players that they cannot rely solely on home runs to win a game. The main reason for the change in bat regulations was for the safety of the players. Last year, a pitcher from Marin Catholic High School was hit in the head by a line-drive and was in a coma for 21 days. He has since recovered, but a representative from the school brought the incident to the attention of the state legislature.
The new regulation calls for all composite bats to be banned. Composite bats have an aluminum exterior, but on the inside, they have a woven graphite wall. Anything else that doesn’t meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) standard is also banned. The BBCOR standard measures the “trampoline effect” of the bat. The trampoline effect of the bat can be compared to standing on the ground and jumping, versus standing on a trampoline and jumping. The composite bats had a higher trampoline effect, and that is why the balls came off of the bat faster. The hollow core in the composite
bats ensure that the batted ball retains its pitched energy and adds to the power of the bat speed. “I had to get a new bat, and it doesn’t have as much pop and the ball doesn’t go as far,” commented pitcher and outfielder Nic Bongi. Composite bats also have a larger “sweet spot,” the place on the bat where no vibrations occur when the ball is hit there. The average sweet spot on a composite bat is about eight inches, and on other bats, it is only about three inches. With the composite bat, a hit on the sweet spot is much easier to achieve than with a hit on a wood or aluminum bat. Continued on page 13
Photos by Gianna Dimick