Beware, clear the air
nd e r t ig E-C e 6-7 Pag
The only thing us humans are meant to inhale is oxygen, but that doesn’t seem to stop the smoke from spreading.
September 2015
Volume XXVIII, Issue I
Bombs don’t bluff A bomb threat hoax highlights the consequences of misusing Text-a-Tip. By Kristine Liao, Co-Editor-in-Chief
A
bomb threat hoax jolted the SMCHS community on Sept. 8. An SMCHS sophomore reported through the Text-a-Tip program that he overheard two upperclassmen talk about a bomb in a locker. When later confronted by authorities, he confessed he faked the situation in hopes of having school cancelled that day. The student was promptly suspended and then withdrawn from the school by his parents before his disciplinary review board meeting that could have led to expulsion. “I don’t think [he] thought through the consequences,” said Principal Raymond Dunne. “It’s like running into a movie theater and yelling, ‘Fire!’ when there’s no fire. It has consequences if you do something like that.”
At 7:27 a.m., the SMCHS school officials and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department were notified through the Text-a-Tip program about a potential bomb on campus. Because Text-a-Tip is confidential but not private, officials were able to identify the informant. At 7:35 a.m., the student was called into the dean’s office for an explanation of his story. In his description, the student claimed the two suspects were
u p perclassmen in long uniform pants, one in khaki and the other in navy blue. “Initially, that raised a question on my part,” said Principal Raymond Dunne. “Very few boys wear long pants, except photo by Amanda Zou
on Mass day, and knowing that it was going to be 100 degrees, it was probably not a wise choice.” Since the bookstore only sold four pairs of long navy pants this year, Dunne was able to get the names of the four purchasers. At around 8 a.m., personnel from the Sheriff’s Department arrived on campus and began their investigation. The sheriffs took over the interview process and asked Dunne to send an email out to notify the teachers. “[The sheriffs] did not recommend any plan of evacuation because this wasn’t a direct threat to the school -- someone didn’t call in on the phone and say, ‘There’s a bomb at your school,’” Dunne said. “It was overhearing, so they did not feel that the story had all truth to it. But they said if they found [anything] they would not hesitate to tell us to evacuate the school.” At 8:20 a.m., following the sheriffs’ procedure, Dunne sent out the first email, which asked teachers to search their classroom for a male student wearing a uniform shirt and long navy blue pants. “Everybody operates under ‘need to know’ [public safety policy],” said Jerry Holloway, Dean of Students. “At the time, we didn’t have all the facts. I know there’s people who thought they should know more at the time, but it’s worse to get wrong information than knowing the information.” At 8:55 a.m., Dunne send out a second email, which included a more detailed description of the suspect. He also made a schoolwide announcement informing teachers to check their emails and respond if necessary. continued on page 2
In this issue
Girls gone orange
An open letter to Donald Trump
page 2
page 3
●
●
TaekWONdo ●
page 10
Check us out online!
www.smchseagleeye.com
The Eagle Eye
2
News
Girls gone orange The SMCHS girls basketball team partners with Orangetheory Fitness for its preseason training. By Kristine Liao, Co-Editorin-Chief & Camille Manese, Staff Writer
T
he weight room at SMCHS can be a crowded, smelly hotspot for student athletes, so the girls basketball team has decided to venture out of The Nest in search of a place to call its own. The girls basketball team is entering the third week of its nineweek partnership with Orangetheory. Every Monday and Wednesday after school, the girls jog to the studio on Antonio Parkway for an hour-long workout composed of interval rotations among treadmills, rowing machines and weights. “It had to be a unique situation for us to not work out [at SMCHS], and this was so unique,” said Craig Debusk, girls basketball head coach. “The workout can’t be simulated. It has a high intensity, creative, fun atmosphere that would take our girls to the next level.” Over the summer, Debusk struck up a deal with Orangetheory Fitness for his team’s preseason training, making SMCHS the first high school in Orange County to partner up the workout studio. As a member himself, Debusk wanted to share his positive experience at Orangetheory with his team. “I work out there and now I’m probably in the best shape of my life since college,” he said. “[The girls are] sore, but they haven’t had this much fun working out and it’s something we get to do together,” The frosh/soph, junior varsity and varsity teams, along with the coaches, all participate in the workout. These sessions provide cardio and strength training and is coupled with the team’s on-court basketball training Tuesdays and Thursdays. “They play upbeat music and it’s
Juggling oranges - With their newfound dose of Vitamin C, the SMCHS basketball girls prepare for the winter season.
not too hot -- it’s more of a luxurious way to work out to be honest,” said senior team captain Catie Woodward. “Before doing this, we were just out on the track and all you think about is how hot it is and how your legs hurt.” Although luxurious, money isn’t an issue. After the school discount, the pricing turned out to be less than $5 workout for each person as opposed to the regular price of $19. “It wasn’t about the money, it was about getting the girls in shape and building a relationship between the school and a local business were both parties benefit,” Debusk said. “We’re going to give [Orangetheory] business through
word of mouth and advertising. It’s a win-win situation.” While the SMCHS weight room is shared by three other sports teams and only has one treadmill and no rowing machines, Orangetheory has enough and a wider variety of equipment available for the team to use. “We keep the body guessing,” said Ryan Shin, studio manager of Orangetheory in RSM. “We create muscle confusion. One day they’ll do a power workout, one day they’ll do a strength workout, another day they’ll do an endurance workout.” Orangetheory also prides itself on its heart-rate technology. A monitor is strapped around one’s
sternum during the workout and continuously transmits each individual’s heart-rate data to a display screen. There are five heart-rate zones -grey, blue, green, orange and red -and each signify a percentage range of how much of one’s maximum heart rate is being used. “It’s a very cool way to see how our body is being affected as we do the work,” Woodward said. “It definitely helps me challenge myself. If I’m not in the right zone, I am able to realize that I need to push myself harder or slow it down. It’s a motivator.” At the end of each workout, Orangetheory sends each individual
all photos by Amanda Zou
a summary of his or her workout that includes the final heart-rate graph and the number of calories burned. The 60-minute workout also produces an afterburn that continues to burn calories for 2436 hours after the workout. “It takes us to another level physically and mentally,” Debusk said. “Working out isn’t always fun, but it’s part of the sport to remain injury free and to stay in shape. It’s so unique to be able to this together.” They may have flocked elsewhere for now, but once the winter season comes, these lady Eagles will migrate back to The Nest, ready to kill it on the court.
Text-a-Tip bomb threat hoax continued from page 1 At the same time, the deans were dispatched to visit each upperclassmen classroom to conduct a fake dress-code check as a secondary measure for locating the suspect. “The class did not seem to be excessively anxious, but rather more curious as to what was happening,” religion teacher Ann Nunes wrote in an email. “As for myself, I felt confident in the ability of the school and law enforcement to assess the situation and inform us accordingly if a need arose.” At 9:07 a.m., the bomb squad and the bomb-sniffing dogs arrived, although the dogs were never needed to be used to search the campus. In the course of the sheriffs’ questioning, the student informant began to change his story. Instead of long pants and light brown
hair, he now claimed the suspects were wearing shorts and had dark brown hair. Within an hour and a half of questioning done by both SMCHS school officials and the sheriffs, the
“When anyone makes a false bomb threat, it’s actually a felony, it’s a criminal act, it’s a violation of the law,” Holloway said. “But it’s up to the Sheriff’s Department, we don’t know what they’re going to
“
I don’t think [he] thought through the consequences. It’s like running into a movie theater and yelling, ‘Fire!’ when there’s no fire. ~ Raymond Dunne, Principal
”
student confessed he had made up the whole story because he did not want to take a test in one of his classes. He had seen the hoax succeed at another school on a social media site.
do at this point.” By 9:30 a.m., SMCHS had returned to normal. “The school staff, OCSD, and OCFA personnel on scene reacted appropriately, without overreact-
ing,” Lt. Ron Kennedy wrote in a post on NextDoor.com. “This is exactly how an incident response should happen.” At 1:22 p.m., Dunne sent out a third email, giving parents and staff a summary of the incident. The student was suspended and no longer attends SMCHS. “Certainly it was good to hear that the threat was not a reality,” Nunes wrote. “However, after hearing the story, I was saddened to think that a student was so self-absorbed and thoughtless in his actions.” The Text-a-Tip program is regularly used during the school year, mainly receiving reports on issues regarding family, bullying or drugs. Dunne said the incident on Sept. 8 was, “really the first [hoax through Text-a-Tip] that we’ve ever had.” “The thought of something so violent and threatening being at a place I’m supposed to feel most
safe and protected is hard to digest,” said senior Michelle Reiss. “After finding out it was a hoax, I was still uneasy about the whole situation. It’s something you just don’t take lightly.” In November 2014, Text-a-Tip was used to report an SMCHS junior who posted a photo of a gun on social media. Because of the program, authorities were able to act immediately and the student left the school as a consequence of his actions. “We want you to use Text-a-Tip and we want when it’s valid, but there were a lot of resources put today that didn’t need to be put,” Dunne said. “All the sheriffs [were] out there and the Fire Department was here. Everybody was here because obviously it’s a very serious situation, and all for not. We need to treat Text-a-Tip as a valuable tool to really help in a situation, not hurt.”
The Eagle Eye
Editorials
3
Oh, Donald An open letter to Donald Trump.
By Ivanna Rea, Staff Writer & Cristina Zapata, Feature & Opinion Editor
H
ola, Señor Trump. Or should we say, hello, Mr. Trump? It could be that a non-English language makes you uneasy, but this is America, land of the free. Well... Maybe not for long. Congratulations, Mr. Trump. Considering you lead the Republican presidential polls, you must be one heck of a politician. Perhaps that makes up for the kind of man you are. You claim to be a nice person because you donate to charities, but let us tell you something: that does not cover up the fact that you’re plain ugly -- on the inside. You should be glad your integrity wasn’t a contestant in any of your beauty pageants. You’re the perfect embodiment of what’s called a xenophobe -- fancy word for racist. In a CNN interview you stated, “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems. They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people.” You deeply offend just about anyone by generalizing and assuming that the majority of immigrants are criminals. It’s not just us who have recognized your charming comments. Others such as Macy’s, NBC, your two ex-wives, Univision and Televisa have ended all ties with you mainly because of your nerve. By fusing crimes with immigration, you fail to recognize that your accusations are not backed up by hard evidence. According to The Center of Immigration Studies, “there is no evidence immigrants commit more crimes than native-born Americans.” Your presidential plan Cinco de Bye-O -- real classy title, by the way -- has various little holes that would consecutively add up to its failure. First of all, repealing the 14th amendment would take hard persuasion to get the Supreme Court to stop enforcing it. Second, building a wall between the country of Mexico and the United States is close to impossible; it’s 2,000 miles long and over property rights and rigid terrain. Lastly, how is it even possible to deport 11 million people? According to the national review, “it is estimated by the conservative American Action Forum that mass deportation would take about 20 years and cost about $500 billion for all the police, judges, lawyers and enforcement agents (and bus drivers!) needed to expel 11 million people.” So good luck with that. When you were pressed by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, you promised to deport all immigrants, yet you didn’t know how you were going to get the money or forces to do the work. In fact, you said you were going to hire, “great people who know what they’re doing.” Mr. Trump, does this imply you have no idea what you’re doing? Another group of people that fall victim to your colorful, insulting judgements also makes up half of the world population -- women. Didn’t your own mother teach you to treat others the way you want to be treated? It seems you have misplaced your moral compass along with your filter. Once in a 2006 interview on The Insider, you called Rosie O’Donnell a “disgusting person inside and out” and proceeded to say that she was a “slob with a fat, ugly face.” This is not the only time, Mr. Trump, that you’ve explicitly insulted a person’s looks for no valid reason. In April 2015, you brilliantly called Huffington Post editor Arianna Huffington “a dog” on Twitter. We’re sure HuffingtonPost.com has a few personality tests you can take to find out what kind of animal you are. If insulting people and making empty promises is what you’re best at, we are in deep trouble. How can you imagine yourself as the President of the United States when your ego is more significant than your political savvy? Really, we’d be better off if Donald Duck ran the country. Godspeed, Mr. Trump. illustration by Shannon Pierson
If you have a different opinion of Donald Trump, you are welcome to share your thoughts with us via email: ivana.rea@smhsstudents.org and christina.zapata@smhsstudents.org
Dividing it up
I
Looking for an annulment from the struggles of my parents’ divorce.
t’s been 14 years and I’m still forgetting which house I left my shoes at. To add onto that, it’s 6:55 a.m. and I still haven’t packed my bag to bring to my mom’s place. Granted, divorce can be a difficult living arrangement, moving from house to house, but it’s always the source of my energy--keeping me on my toes, physically and mentally. Nowadays, with the fourteen years of experience under my belt, I consider myself a pro at handling the struggles of my parent’s divorce. Especially during my three years at SMCHS, I’ve witnessed friends and even strangers go through their parents’ divorce, just like I did and at times, my advice would be their helping hand. Although I’m not a therapist, my own experience with my parents’ divorce gave me an extra boost to support those who are new to the system of divorce. Ergo, here are my top five obstacles and how I like to deal with them:
1. The Frequent Trips
Trust me, almost no one enjoys switching houses three times a week, especially students with backpacks that outweigh themselves. Over the years, I’ve learned that this mobile conformity has become a system in my life that can be categorized along with
breathing, eating and sleeping-it’s just routine. I know it’s not fun having to carry your set of clothes, sports gear and books over to your mom’s or dad’s, but my advice would be to look at the positive factor -- the fact that you get to see both your parents. So keep your head held high and enjoy your time there.
es
By Chloe Le, News & Sports Editor
3. More Family, More Embarrassment
2. The Forgetful Relaps-
I cannot even count how many times I’ve forgotten something at one house during my stay at the other, especially when it comes to homework. Leaving behind my essay at my dad’s and then not remembering until the next day was a huge issue because 1) I would always remember the next day, 2) I was always at my mom’s whenever I remembered and 3) it would call for a huge face palm on my part. Although I blamed my parents for this for quite some time, I realize now that it wasn’t logical for me to blame my father for forgetting to grab my essay off the printer. My advice is to
keep a planner or calendar, in your backpack, to track upcoming projects, essays or even small assignments along with your schedule of your home rotation.
Illustrations by Shannon Pierson
Here’s the most humiliating scenario laid out for you (true story, this actually happened to me): you’re playing your first playoff game. You’re feeling pretty confident and you just assisted a goal. You then hear an orchestra of screaming and yelling, as if someone had just let all the animals roam free from the local zoo. Of course, you know exactly whom this cacophony is directed towards--sadly to say, it’s you. See, the problem with having two parents and possibly two stepparents is the abundant amount of family members that follow you everywhere you go. And yes, it’s a cringe-worthy, nose-scrunching occasion. After yelling at my 50 or so family members, it’s rewarding feeling to know that I have a whole cheerleading squad ready to celebrate your every step.
4. The Different Set of Conduct
It’s always a burden, trying to remember which house I can put my feet on the furniture without having to then whip out the Windex and wash cloth. The worst part is when I accidentally did the dishes at my dad’s place when it never was chore to begin with. However, it is at my mom’s, bringing the complication of deciphering which rules to follow at which home. Unfortunately, it took me an excessive time to get used to the two sets of rules. So don’t be like me and don’t be afraid to ask your parents for friendly (I emphasize friendly) reminders of the rules at each house. Your parents aren’t as scary as you think they are. 5. The Parental Lectures Because you now live in two houses, there’s always that issue of getting in trouble with your parents. Who am I kidding? It’s more of a daily routine. Unfortunately, you have twice the amount of lectures and the punishment might even be doubled. The plus side? Word gets around pretty slowly in a divorced family so run hard and fast. Kidding--just sit down with your hands folded, smile and nod as if you were listening to every word they were saying. Because you were. Obviously.
The Eagle Eye
4
Feature
courtesy photos
Say cheese - Mandy and Meghan McClure (L), Charlie, Maggie and Jane Jennison (C), and Jane and Charlie Horner (R) smile for the family camera.
Blessings not burdens SMCHS girls share their stories on growing up with special needs siblings. By Taylor Gather, Staff Writer
N
ot everyone lives in a perfect world. For junior Meghan McClure, her older sister Mandy who was born with Down syndrome, knows this best. Although it’s not the typical “cookie-cutter’ situation, Meghan has alw a y s s e e n a best friend in Mandy. “ M y r e l a tionship with my older sister Mandy is like any other relationship with a sister,” McClure said. “We may ge t
photo by Kristine Liao
mad at each other sometimes but at the end of the day she will always be my best friend.” Some may think that living with a special needs sibling could be a burden, when really it’s not that different. Although Mandy might need more medical attention than most, Meghan
believes she’s the glue to the McClure family. “She brings us all together in a way that is unique because we all learn from her and see what she goes through every day versus what
better, and I constantly find myself wanting to make Mandy proud. I consider myself a positive person, but she definitely influences that.” And Meghan isn’t the only SMCHS student that feels blessed
“
I am the luckiest person in the world because she is the happiest person in my life and has the best perspective. She immediately puts a smile on your face every time you see her. ~ Meghan McClure, junior
”
we go through,” McClure said. Although shy in public, Meghan always seems to be the truest form of herself with Mandy. “I am definitely the best version of myself and I have the most fun when I’m with her,” McClure said. “We do the goofy stuff that I wouldn’t do with anyone else, like sing High School Musical in the car or watch Grey’s Anatomy and talk about McDreamy and McSteamy. We watch The Vampire Diaries, where I’m team Damon and she’s team Stefan.” Meghan aspires to be like her big sister, who has always been her inspiration and role model. “Everyone always tells me that Mandy is lucky to have me as a sister when in reality I am lucky to have her,” McClure said. “She is the person who motivates me to do
by her special needs sibling. Senior Jane Horner has a 14-yearold brother, Charlie, who also has Down Syndrome. Horner finds that going to Rubio’s every Taco Tuesday with him puts her at ease. Charlie doesn’t only make Jane’s life better, but he touches the lives of those around him in a similar way. “He just makes every day better in general,” Horner said. “He is such a breath of fresh air and is so nice to everyone.” Even junior Maggie Jennison has a sister and a brother, Jane and Charlie, who were both diagnosed with N-glycanase deficiency in 2014. “I remember dressing Jane up since she was my first and only sister,” Jennison said. “I would paint her nails, which I still do almost every day, and put makeup on her
since it’s her favorite thing.” Not only do they give the Jennison family a different perspective on life, they also provide them with a lifelong amount of memories. “Growing up with them has made me who I am today,” Jennison said. “They have made me so grateful for the little things like waking up and smiling every day. My little sister Jane and brother Charlie are never sad or complain about anything, and I wish I could be like that.” Although the sibling’s special needs make certain physical activities harder for them, their positive take on life motivates these SMCHS sisters. One person’s optimistic attitude can make a difference in a community of people. Special needs kids have also inspired Maggie Jennison and Meghan McClure to get more involved in organizations and events like the Special Olympics. “The people that participate in Special Olympics are just so happy, even if they don’t get that strike while bowling or get a hole-in-one while playing golf,” Jennison said. “Just being around the people at Special Olympics or even my brother and sister puts a smile on my face and makes me thankful.” Relationships like Meghan and Mandy’s not only redefine what we know to be ‘cookie-cutter’, but change the mold altogether. Having a sister like Mandy has not only shaped Meghan’s approach to life, but has been a reflection of all the blessings that her sister brings to not just her but to everyone’s lives. Maybe “perfect” comes in many shapes and sizes.
The Eagle Eye
5
Feature
Tip #1
Tip #9
If you get a detention from Ace, ask if you can flip a coin to get out of it. Always remember to propose the classic “Heads, I win; tails, you lose” deal.
Yes, there are two sets of stairs in the S building. If you ever feel like avoiding traffic or you just want to see the mystical stairs, they’re located behind the building.
Tip #8
Freshman, don’t be scared to go into the student section. Upperclassmen, don’t kick them out! We aren’t going to be ranked as the #1 student section if a quarter of the school population is missing from the stands.
Tip #2
Should you get caught catching up on sleep in class, just raise your hands in prayer and say, “Amen”.
I
By Claire Robidoux, Staff Writer
n a high school full of bullies, insane teachers and gross school lunches, (according to Ned Bigby from Ned’s Declassified) I’ve decided to do the impossible: create a guide that will help you survive high school. While SMCHS might not have teachers as crazy as Mr. Sweeny or kids as strange as Coconut Head, there are still relentless deans, rigorous classes and four years in the wild world known as high school.
Tip #7
If you need a quiet place to de-stress or unwind, the Sacred Heart Chapel is always open to students. Take a breather as a reliever from the stresses of high school’s demanding curriculum.
Tip #5
Tip #3
If you have Mr. Hirschman for math, ask him if your class throw a fiesta every first Tuesday of the month. Nothing goes better with equations like some chips and guacamole.
Doors push outward in the B building. Remember that the next time you are opening the door or walking down the hall. You’ll dodge a concussion and save mom big bucks.
Tip #6
Tip #4
On the school days when you feel like you are on the brink of starvation, head down to Campus Ministry. They sometimes leave out plates and bowls of snacks for the students. That should save you from hunger.
Join a club or two (or five)! Go to Club Rush- located in the gym -Tuesday, Sept. 29 to check out all the clubs and, of course, to take advantage of all the free food.
Illustrations by Claire Robidoux
A home away from home SMCHS International Students work with JR Education Group to find the perfect homestay.
By Shannon Pierson, Co-Editor-in-Chief
E
veryone knows that home is where the heart is, and for most of us, that’s right here in Orange County. But SMCHS international students who leave their native homes to study abroad have to look harder for it during their time here. For the first five years of SMCHS’s International student program, students worked with an assortment of different agencies and outlets to find their host families. As the school’s international population typically hovers around 75 students, the amount of varying agencies used made it challenging for administration to keep track of student living situations. For this 2015-16 school year, the SMCHS Administration Department mandated that nonlocal international students work with JR Education Group to make their homestay arrangements. “Before, we had multiple companies that were handling the [home stay arrangements],” said International Student Coordinator Jeff Reinert. “Administration wanted to put it all under one roof, and JR Ed-
ucation was an agency based in the area. It made it easier to handle for the students because everyone had one place to go.” The JR Education Group not only brings order and organization to the homestay process, but ensures the well-being of its students, approaching making homestay arrangements with student “fit” in mind. Students apply for homestays by filling out a detailed application that notes their personality traits and typical home life expectations. “I go through everything: their food preferences, their activities, their life styles,” said JR Education Group Homestay Coordinator Stephanie Karr. “I look at all aspects of it. It’s the fun part of my job.” Karr personally processes every SMCHS international student host family, requiring all applicants to undergo extensive background checks, interviews and home inspections. Once approved, host families keep JR Education informed by completing monthly student evaluations to monitor their student’s progress in their school and home life. This all done to ensure that students will spend
the school year in a safe environment with engaged host families. “We oversee all aspects [of the process], making sure that the families are treating these kids like kids,” Karr said. The big push for this proce-
“The previous agency I used didn’t really have high quality homestays,” said Chinese junior Yuxuan “Anna” Zhai. “Lots of my friends and I were not really satisfied with the homestays they put us in. The host family I lived
“
“We oversee all aspects [of the process], making sure that the families are treating these kids like kids.” ~ Stephanie Karr, JR Education Group Homstay Coordinator
”
dural change came from SMCHS President Andy Sulick, who had implemented the JR Education homestay program at JSerra High School during his term as Assistant Headmaster. Upon moving on to SMCHS last year, Sulick identified some issues with other homestay agencies used by students and ushered in an improved system.
in last year sometimes didn’t give me rides and good food, and, if we didn’t like our homestay, the agency hardly ever let us change to a new one.” In order to promote communication and accessibility for host parents and students, JR Education now holds an on-site office at SMCHS. Located in administra-
tion, the office is occupied by Karr herself and is open to the public during lunch and after school hours. Questions and complaints about the homestay process can be addressed here. “Some agencies don’t have good host family resources, which causes a lot of problems,” said Chinese junior Ziyi “Elaine” You. “A lot of host families don’t know what they should do [in their role as host parents]. Some are even like boarders, not host parents. Now that JR is actively involved in the [homestay process], the new students are put into great families.” Saturday, August 22, in the SMCHS banquet hall, JR Education Group hosted a luncheon to welcome SMCHS student host parents to the JR Education program. During the event, the agency’s CEO Richard Woo spoke about the hardships and payoffs of host parenting, and emphasized the importance of fostering a relationship with one’s student. “The bottom line is that they’re all kids and they need the lead from someone -- either from their family [overseas] or from us,” Woo said. “Just be a family. That’s what they need.”
The Eagle Eye
8
Feature
Rewriting history New AP US History changes lead to controversy among conservatives.
By Alexa Hines, Managing editor & Alana Mayes, Staff Writer
C
ollege Board is rewriting American history. Well… they’re at least changing how we’ll be taught it. The new curriculum was released by College Board, and is in effect this 2015 school year, following the criticism from the 2014-15 framework. The criticism last year generally revolved around the American identity. College Board is a nonprofit organization that primarily deals with standardized tests like the SAT, but also is in charge of the AP curriculum and testing. The framework for the 2015-16 school year for AP United States History, better known as APUSH, was designed to be a more critical of history to allow students to draw their own conclusions and think critically. The 2015-16 framework now appears to rid the course of any controversy over history topics such as imperialism, slavery, racism and American identity. It is supposed to be more balanced approach. The tone is significantly altered in the outline. For example, the 2014-15 version states that the Europeans "helped increase the intensity and destruc-
tiveness of American Indian warfare." Now it clarifies that the Europeans' introduction of guns and alcohol "stimulated changes" in native communities. Based on the example, College Board intended for students to draw their own conclusions as to whether or not America and Europe did what was right in history and it does not offer bias as to what the right choice is. College Board is opposed to bias that tries to promote too much of the idea of “American Exceptionalism,” the theory that the United States is better than other countries and that we excel in all aspects of the world, considering that they do promote critical thinking and analyzing history for oneself. Conservative historians, the primary complainants of the 2014-15 coursework, accused last year’s course outline of being biased and too critical of Americans. They wanted to reroute the focus to American exceptionalism. The one main issue critics have about the old guidelines is how they failed to mention specific historical figures, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. These are the figures who most teachers still find necessary to a well-rounded APUSH curriculum. It appears now that the conservatives may have a somewhat victory in the changes to 2015-16
Illustration by Roland Pan
Made in the U.S.A. - American history has many facets and APUSH tries to inform its students about them all.
framework. The new guidelines convey a different understanding of the history of the United States with the emphasis on critical thinking and rewording the guidelines to allow teachers to plan as they see fit and allow students to draw their own conclusions and analyze history through their own eyes. So are the conservatives happy? Well, some are. The new framework appeases some minds be-
cause it is toned differently to be more unbiased when speaking of American history and historical figures. Ultimately, they give the College Board credit for listening to the critics. The College Board explains that the new guidelines are simply what they are called: guidelines. They’re not lesson plans. The teachers are merely advised to use the guidelines to cre-
ate lesson plans in preparation for the national AP exam in May. In making the lesson plans, they can and should mention all important historical figures, wars, and other American history. The College Board hopes that this 2015-16 coursework appeased the minds, arguments, and complaints by any cultures, people and political parties. They also hope they reached a solution to benefit all the students.
Class police
New software allows teachers to see if students are working hard or hardly working. By Sarah Turner, Staff Writer
A
message on Skype and a quick game of Tetris on the Yoga may seem harmless, but the new and improved Class Policy has made its stealthy appearance, catching unaware students committing those classroom offenses. Students, proceed with caution. Teachers have a new tool to confirm the students’ focus and keep them from getting distracted… which doesn’t happen that often, right? “Class Policy is basically a classroom management software,” said IT Director Scott Bricker. “In most classes your teacher can lock everything else out so that students can’t go wander or play games or check their personal email.” So while students are busy doodling nothing short of a beautiful masterpiece, teachers use Class Policy to “shut down everything on your computer except what has been allowed,” said Religion teacher Samantha Stephenson. The software also gives teachers the ability to take screenshots of what is on the student’s screen. This new installation gives
Oh no! - Better not get caught playing Flow Free.
teachers a better opportunity to control the focus level of their classes. In doing this, they ensure that their classroom is not watching videos or deep into online shopping. Last year Dyno was introduced to keep students on task with the tablets, but to many teachers and students, it wasn’t very efficient. “Whenever Dyno was used in any of my classes, none of my apps would open, even if we were al-
lowed to open them, and the overall functionality of my tablet wasn’t very good,” said junior McKenna Malasavage. With Class Policies, this functionality has greatly improved. “The purpose and the intention is the same it just works a lot better than Dyno did,” Stephenson said. “It’s a lot easier to use and has a much simpler format and it has fewer problems.” Because teachers enjoy the pro-
photo by Sarah Turner
gram, it shouldn’t come as a great surprise when that sneaky little message pops up warning students that they’re being watched. It sounds creepier than it is. Whenever this warning pops up, the reaction of the students gives teachers an idea of who is off task. “Kids look around like, ‘Is it me, is it me, is it just happening to me?’ and everyone else is just working diligently,” said religion teacher Randy Lopez. “That tells me that
kid was doing something he wasn’t supposed to be doing.” Bricker emphasizes that “the goal isn’t to punish kids or make it harder,” as much as it might seem like it is. The students, however, voice a different opinion. “At times, I think it can be an invasion of privacy,” Malasavage said. “If I needed to email a teacher or deal with something else, I wouldn’t be able to without being notified or in trouble.” Despite recognizing a potential invasion of privacy, Malasavage agrees that the software helps with focus. “It helps me stay on task because I know that I can’t try anything else that might distract me,” Malasavage said. The controversy over this software continues, but the main goal is to keep classes on task. “Even in faculty meetings and in my graduate classes it can be a useful tool keeping people from being distracted,” Stephenson said. “It just eliminates temptations, that’s all.” So it’s back to old school passing notes and doodling on notebook paper. But that’s only if you’re really bored... which of course never happens in school.
The Eagle Eye
Sports
o t b d l e e s s s s e e r d St com l e W
air-pull h e h t e to
ing, jaw-dropping life of a
Commitment issues - (L-R) Juniors Brett Neilon, Gretchen Reinert and Grant Calcaterra begin the race towards their future goals.
By Dani Segovia & Sarah Turner, Staff Writers
L
ooking to the bumpy road ahead doesn’t sound the least bit appealing. Despite that cliché phrase your mom says about how it will “all be worth it in the end,” nobody wants to venture into unknown territory without knowing that it will indeed, “all be worth it in the end.” Unfortunately, that’s the only way to find out. A handful of SMCHS students put their faith in athleticism to get into the college of their dreams. No pressure or anything. It’s a bumpy road, with the occasional blood, sweat, and tears, but these athletes fight through for what they hope will be the best four years of their lives. “It can be stressful because if I really like a school, it doesn’t matter if the coach doesn’t like me,” said junior volleyball player Gretchen Reinert. “Some days are more stressful because being re-
cruited isn’t solely based on your talent level.” Committed students avoid the endless applications, essays and nail-biting anticipation that have academic students struggling. But as nice as it sounds, recruitment process can be just as stressful. It’s a time consuming and anxiety-filled process to simply find a school to contact. “As much as I love seeing my friends succeed and get offers, it makes me want it even more” said varsity football player junior Grant Calcaterra. “Being on a team with so many other great players, I can be easy to be overlooked. It can be discouraging.” During this tense time, students also deal with the demands of high school academics. Just because a college’s main focus may be athleticism, academic performance isn’t over-looked. “Certain schools want me to take the ACT as soon as possible but I haven’t taken a full year of Geom-
studen t athl
9
ete.
all photos by Amanda Zou
That’s a wrap - (L-R) Seniors Machaela George and Grant Shoults and junior Claire Calcaterra have crossed the finish line of high school
etry yet,” Reinert said, “If I don’t understand [Geometry] my ACT score won’t make the cut for a higher academic school.” Struggling to balance competing priorities, students anticipate the moment when a college contacts them, and it never ceases to be an honor. Junior Brett Neilon has offers to play football from UCLA, Cal, ASU and University of Hawaii. “When Hawaii offered me it was after the coach watched me during a competition and my online coach told me they had an offer,” Neilon said. “I gave him a call and I was shocked. I ran downstairs and woke up my dad screaming…it was really exciting.” Regardless of the stress involved, students need reminders to step back and breathe. “I called a coach and [forgot to] tell them my name in the message so they didn’t know who I was,” Reinert said. “Another time a coach complimented me and as I walked away I tripped. It reminded me
Run Eagles run
that I need to stop stressing out so much, because coaches are just people too.” After committing, demands of school and athletics don’t disappear. Senior Machaela George committed in her sophomore year to Santa Clara University. “There’s always the pressure to justify why they picked me,” George said. “I have been training consistently for the past year in order to maintain my fitness and prepare for when I do go to Santa Clara.” The pressure upon committing to a college is different, but there is a tremendous relief once the decision is made. Junior Claire Calcaterra verbally committed to Kansas State University at the end of her sophomore year, experiencing her first breath of fresh air in a while. “I have definitely started to appreciate things more,” Calcaterra said. “We get so focused on grades, friends, and how good we are in sports. Now I feel like I have the
opportunity to actually live life.” Now these athletes have the time to embrace opportunities that they didn’t have time for before making the choice. Once senior swimmer Grant Shoults committed to Stanford University, he felt “a massive weight” lift off of his shoulders. “I’m going to focus on getting in better shape to prepare for Olympic Trials this upcoming summer,” Shoults said. “I’m also going to make the time to go to more SM events and support the school [because] I feel like I haven’t done all I wanted to at school.” Seeing the result of years of hard work, students quickly forget the cost in time and effort. “Recruiting process was stressful but looking back, all of the stress I was put through was worth every bit,” Shoults said. “Stanford was always the bar I set when I pushed myself and I don’t think that it’ll fully set in until I’m on campus next fall and I put on that cap with the big ‘S’ and a tree on it.”
It’s one hill of a sport.
By Chloe Le, News & Sports Editor & Ryan Ramos, Staff Writer
O
n the horizon, they appeared an intimidating, poised and united mass. A family by choice -- this overwhelming throng of runners is SMCHS’ Cross Country team and it is their philosophy to show power in numbers. At least… that was the goal. Losing close to 20 runners from the 2014 roster was a serious obstacle to overcome. The team had not anticipated such a dramatic drop in the roster and it was threatening to affect their confidence. “Because we lost our seniors and other runners, this season is going to be our rebuilding one,” said Gil Garcia, Head Coach of the Cross Country team. The team experienced a massive decrease in numbers, due in part to the sport’s occurring in the fall. Runners found it difficult to adjust to the new school schedule.
“I left because I’m in full IB,” said junior Mary Retoske. “I enjoyed Cross Country, but a lot is happening with my family and my parents wanted me to drop something so I could adjust to things and not fall behind.” Runners like junior Maddy Finlayson had to face a greater challenge than just late nights with school work and her tablet. In late July, going into her sophomore year, Finlayson developed a severe case of pneumonia, resulting in asthma. The physical struggle caused the runner to sacrifice her passion for her health. “For me, it was a hard decision,” Finlayson said. “I still really love running and everyone on the cross country team has become so close. I run on my own time now, but it was hard to leave the people that I consider a second family. Not only did students drop the sport due to academics and inju-
ries, many students felt that other sports took precedence over Cross Country. “In all honesty, I was really focused on track and high jump,” said junior Mckenna Malasavage. “Cross Country wasn’t one of my main focuses at the time and I really found myself in track.” Even though some students decided not to continue running, they were still able to leave with the satisfaction of an even greater truth--a life lesson. “No matter what, whether it’s running or even school, you have to push forward,” said Finlayson. “That kind of dedication and perseverance is really hard to learn but I improved a lot and by the end of the season, I learned that you have to work hard to get what you want. That will stay with me for the rest of my life.” The family bond among runners continues, as does their positive
photo by Ryan Ramos
Oh my jog - The cross country team endures through the season despite experiencing a drop in runners this year.
outlook toward the future of the SMHS Cross Country team. “I think, for the most part, our team dealt with the decrease in runners pretty well,” said junior Dana Simmons. “Everyone leaving gave us even more determination to work even harder, get better times and to improve on ourselves as a team and individually.” The team was able to push forward in the season, not demoralized but positively “running” with the flow. While the numbers got smaller, the team’s attitude and motivation grew. “There’s this motto we like to
say,” Simmons said. “We say, ‘Every day is a great day to die,’ which may seem morbid but it really isn’t. It represents what makes our team a true family. We give all we have to these races as a family and none of that would be possible without each and every member or our family.” Through the highs and lows, the Cross Country team started a new race this year, with fewer members but more soul and emotional strength. The team runs together with even more purpose than before. They run with a single goal: victory.
The Eagle Eye
10
Sports
TaekWONdo Senior Raelyn Browning’s World Championship medal in taekwondo is small in size but a big accomplishment in her heart.
By Allison De La Bastida, Staff Writter & Amanda Zou, Photo Editor
B
right lipstick and a scrawny torso is how senior Raelyn Browning defines herself, but that description is grossly inadequate. Despite her light demeanor and skinny arms, the 2015 Weapons World Champion can kick major butt. While most of us were laying on the beach praying for a good tan, Browning was training her “scrawny” body in hopes to achieve a title in Taekwondo. Browning competes in two divisions in Taekwondo: weapons and form. Forms is the performance
than just a sore body after competitions. “Before my freshman year, I won just enough to get a taste of how awesome it felt that I didn’t want to give it up,” Browning said “I got so close to winning in competitions, I couldn’t just not finish. I had to get there.” Browning’s repeated defeat in competition fueled her with determination to win. “I just wanted to win, just once, to show the other girls that I could,” Browning said. As a high achiever in other aspects of her life than Taekwondo, it was almost a foreign concept for her to not be winning. “Obviously losing is very hard, especially if you are in your tweens,”
“
I won just enough to get a taste of how awesome it felt that I didn’t want to give it up. I couldn’t just finish. I had to get there. ~ Raelyn Browning, senior
”
When she won again her sophomore year, the award affirmed her ability. “The break I took for color guard was kind of like a mental reset,” Browning said. “I had been pushing myself for so long, so that when I lost, I always thought it was because the judges hated me, which isn’t true. I just never had the chance to stop, take a step back and see things objectively.”
courtesy photo
Strike a pose - Moments after winning, Raelyn Browning is immediately overcome with a great smile to match her red lipstick.
of typical moves of kicking and punching associated with Taekwondo. Weapons is similar, applying all of the forms, but using weapons in performance. “The entire morning of the championship I was just running through my head and noting how I had forgotten to do ‘this’ and ‘that’,” Browning said. “Logically I knew I was going to do good, but what if I didn’t practice enough and that would be my downfall.” Browning hasn’t made the predictable journey to her title since joining Taekwondo at the age of nine. Unlike many other athletes, she is quick to admit that winning in Taekwondo was a once in a blue moon type of experience. It wasn’t up until freshman year that things started to change, and she started going home with more
Browning said. “I had never lost before in anything else that I had done, so it was a really big struggle for me.” She kept on following through with her routine, until she realized sophomore year she did not have any high school P.E. credits. She decided take a break from Taekwondo to focus on scoring those credits in color guard. The decision turned out to be one of her biggest blessings. “When I started competing again it turned out I had gotten stronger and was a lot better at what I used to do,” Browning said. “I started to win more often, and that same feeling of winning kept escalating. It felt awesome.” Even with her freshman year state championship title, she still didn’t feel deserving of her award.
Many times, Browning found she had no competition in her tournaments. She always looked to her rival friend, Brooke, whom she had competed against since she was nine, as the main source of competition. “Sometimes I didn’t have a lot of competition when I was younger, but I had her,” Browning said. “And my pride would just tell me, ‘I can’t lose now’.” The girls became very good friends and shared several opinions on competing and how they could improve themselves. “Our experience is very similar, we both lost a lot when we were younger,” Browning said. “So when I was competing against her, it almost felt like I was competing against myself.” As the year of competition accelerated, neither girl let up. Their friendly competition climaxed on the day of the World Championship. “I performed and I thought I did really well, and then Brooke went up,” Browning said. “Not only had she won [in that division], but I had tied with this other girl and she beat me for the tie. So I went from first place to third place at the biggest competition in the entire organization all within a half hour.” Browning’s drop in placement ignited her competitive instincts. After patiently waiting for her turn in the second division, she channeled those emotions into her performance, which determined her win. “After that, I just went for it,” Browning said. “When you compete, and you’re standing in front of the judges, you have all this adrenaline rushing through you. It feels like you just had a quadruple shot of espresso on top of
photo by Amanda Zou
Tastes like gold - The Weapons World Championship medal earned by Raelyn Browning adds flavor to her Taekwondo journey.
a Red Bull. You get all this anxiety and energy and when you are able to center that, it’s the best feeling ever.” She received a nearly perfect score, and won the competition in the Taekwondo Weapons Division. “It was just this moment of disbelief,” Browning said “You can see my face when they gave me the score, and I’m looking at the judges for a good five seconds and it just
feels like forever. It was just this moment of ‘I did it,’ and it felt so surreal.” Browning reflects on how the moment she became World Weapons Champion solidified her confidence. She continues to practice Taekwondo, but has given up extreme competitions in favor of focusing on training the next generation of Taekwondo World Champions.
The Eagle Eye Staff Staff Adviser Debra Barbre Co Editor-in-Chiefs Kristine Liao Shannon Pierson Managing Editor Alexa Hines Copy Editor Perla Shaheen Marketing & Publicity Editor Lauren Kesic Photo Editor Amanda Zou News & Sports Editor Chloe Le Feature & Opinion Editor Cristina Zapata
Staff Writers Allison De La Bastida Taylor Gather Dessi Gomez Camille Manese Alana Mayes Ryan Ramos Ivanna Rea Claire Robidoux Dani Segovia Sarah Turner
The Eagle Eye
Sports
11
Something
uper
Mom, where did you put my bear socks? By Chloe Le, News & Sports Editor
C
rossing your fingers? Check. Sign of the cross? Check. Greek playlist? Definite check. You may not know it yet but everyone has a superstition. Whether it’s shaking out your arms before a meet, triple knotting your shoe laces, or even saying a quick “Hail Mary” before the whistle blows. It’s an obligated routine before your big moment and for some reason, you just have to do it. That, my friend, is a superstition. It may seem ridiculous, maybe even insane, but for various athletes at SMCHS, superstitions are not something to joke about. “I have these pair of socks that I’ve worn to all my races since freshman year,” said junior Samantha Walsh, varsity track sprinter. “But one time I found a hole in them and I was freaking out. It’s one of my biggest superstitions, so I actually tried sewing them the day of the meet.” Most superstitions come from a certain origin. Maybe from when you were younger and it just became
habit. But for soccer player, junior Nick Tedesco, his superstition consisting of kissing his lucky soccer ball and listening to Greek music came from out of the blue. “One day before a game, I was joking around with my team and said if kissed this soccer ball it would make us win, and we actually won that game,” Tedesco said. “From then on, it’s been a regular routine. The Greek music started from pure randomness. I was on my way to a game and I took my mom’s phone, put her playlist on shuffle and Greek music started playing and I played really well during that game.” For varsity swimmer, senior Kristi Fecarotta, the eight arm circles, kicking out legs and the repetitive “on and off” of her goggles not only grant her luck, but also keep her mentally balanced before her meets. “They set up the term for how I swim,” Fecarotta said. “My mentality is much different since swimming is an individual sport. So having a superstition keeps me focused.”
Many athlete’s superstitions started with a successful event from their youth. It became part of their daily lives. “I’ve worn my athletic sliders to every single practice and game since I was 11 years old,” said senior Logan Docterman, varsity lacrosse player. “My first game to present.” If there’s one sport that highly depends on luck, it’s got to be baseball. The reason behind the madness is because it’s a “routine” sport. Many baseball players have a specific system they must follow or else their thinking and playing is thrown off. “In baseball, luck is a huge part of the game,” said junior Joey Myers, varsity baseball player. “As an infielder, I rely on luck to get good hops. If I don’t wear my bear socks, bad hops will find me wherever I go and I don’t look as good
without them anyway.” If the superstition is not followed through, the worst possible scenarios play throughout a player’s mind. “I always wear my white compression shirt on game days,” Park said. “I even wear it under my school uniform. It’s my lucky charm. But if I didn’t wear that shirt, I would most likely make seven errors, strike out five times or just forget how to play baseball entirely.” In reality, all
superstitions amount to luck. Luck is the foundation to every superstition and without it, the mindset of the athlete would crumble. “Heck yeah, I believe in luck!” Tedesco said. “It’s the only way my superstition will work. I mean, how else could the Patriots have won the Super Bowl?” There is some rationale to superstition, however. The serendipity athletes find in their “lucky charm” is a big factor in playing a sport. It may seem unlikely for a superstition to ground an athlete mentally, while he moves around physically, but that is exactly what a superstition does. “In a way, my superstition defines who I am as a person,” Docterman said. “People around me might not be able to see it or notice it, but I do. My superstition defines me, p h y s i c a l l y, mentally, and emotionally.”
all photos by Chloe Le
Check us out online!
smchseagleeye.com
The Eagle Eye
12
Sports
A Tale of Two Apps
The rise of VSCO causes controversy due to its similarities to Instagram. By Dessi Gomez, Staff Writer & Perla Shaheen, Copy Editor
T
his link seems to show up in everyone’s Instagram bios. By the tap of a finger, curious followers are sent into a completely separate social medium. They’re transported to a whole new world -- that of VSCO. Formally known as Visual Supply Company, VSCO was founded in 2011, roughly a year after the founding of Instagram. Ironically, its startup owes much of its success to Instagram, where a large part of its superbly edited photos are shared using the hashtag: #VSCOCam. The company even finished as runner-up for Apple’s renowned “App of the Year” award in the 2013. While many choose to download Instagram for the purpose of racking up likes and obtaining followers, the drive to get VSCO is different. “I feel like I can post more on VSCO that resembles myself and I can kind of make it my own blog,” said junior Delaney McCabe. “Instagram is more of you with friends saying ‘This is what I did today’, but VSCO is through the eyes of your
Picture perfect profiles - The profile pages of Instagram and VSCO seem similar in format but are different in content.
lens without you in it.” People who use VSCO can post photos alongside journal entries while also being able to update various collections. The co-founders of VSCO aim to “honor art and its
artists while fueling a worldwide creative movement through innovative tools”. “I find that VSCO has more abstract photographs of what people enjoy,” said senior Adam Volpo.
“On Instagram people post more of what they think others will enjoy.” Opposing Instagram’s “know and be known” characteristic, VSCO is very much an anti-social social network. Users can’t leave comments, nor can they click a heart icon to “like” a post. Currently, VSCO’s main purpose is for people is to follow photographers with work they admire. “The photographers I follow inspire me to take better photos,” McCabe said. “I love being able to see other people’s creativity with their cameras rather than seeing selfies of people from orange county.” Because of its emphasis on art and unique photo edits, VSCO is
photo by Amanda Zou
users that in total share over 60 million posts a day. On the other hand, VSCO does not acknowledge its members as “users”, but rather “creative peers”. The VSCOcam edits promote the artistic side of all who choose to make a profile. “You can post multiple photos from the same day without worrying about clogging feeds because as long as you enjoy the photo, you post it,” Volpo said. “VSCO is actually for photography, Instagram is for people to judge you.” One aspect of the competition between these two apps is popularity. Questions arise about VSCO’s potential success in the future and whether it could ever equal or sur-
“
Instagram is more of you with your friends saying ‘This is what I did today’, but VSCO is through the eyes of your lens without you actually being in it. ~ Delaney McCabe, junior
”
designed to let the images speak for themselves. On the other hand, Instagram keeps more of a crowded feed of hashtags and shout outs that can feel noisy to some users. “I like editing my photos on VSCO in different ways than I would on Instagram,” said senior McKenna Krogius. “I definitely prefer VSCO because I can share more photos at a time without people getting annoyed and unfollowing me.” Instagram is centered around the masses with its connected population at around 300 million
pass that of Instagram. “VSCO is definitely getting to be bigger than it used to be, but I wouldn’t say that it will be more popular than Instagram,” Krogius said. “With so many people already addicted to the social aspect of Instagram, it will be hard for VSCO to become established like that.” Because VSCO provides such a drastic alternative to Instagram, it’s hard to compare the two. However although more people use Instagram, it doesn’t provide the opportunity of free and artistic expression like VSCO does.
By Lauren Kesic, Marketing & Publicity Editor
E
ighth grader Caleb Johnson* walks into a clubhouse party. Middle-schoolers dance in the center of the room while others socialize on the outskirts of the dance floor. Chatter and hip-hop aren’t the only things circulating around the room. Smoke fills the air, milky at first, then gone in a few seconds. The smoke comes from an ecig, an e-cig offered to Johnson. He brings the device to his lips, presses its power button, inhales the vapor and exhales the smoke.
photo by Amanda Zou
Off to court - Senior Kayla Jahangiri’s bill on banning e-cigs on campus was brought to the Senate and included in an overarching law requiring e-cigs to be labelled as tobacco products.
Electronic cigarettes, better known as e-cigs, are battery-powered cigarettes that heat up flavored liquid to create vapor. When inhaled, the vapor gives the feeling of having a smoke. This action is known as vaping, and a sky-rocketing amount of teens are doing it -- creating one of the country’s most controversial fads. According to the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey, the use of ecigs among high school students has increased from 4.5 percent in 2013 to 13.4 percent in 2014. Since e-cigs were originally created as a device that helps people quit smoking, people do not doubt the belief that e-cigs are a healthier alternative to regular cigarettes “Smoking cigs was never a thing for us, but smoking e-cigs was,” said Johnson, now a junior at SMCHS. “I smoked my first e-cig at a party [during the] summer going into eighth grade and by the end of September, I owned my own e-cig and had several different juices.” Flavored e-cig juices appeal to adolescents just like cherry-flavored cigarettes appealed to teens many years ago. Companies also give users the option to design their own e-cigs.
The idea of personalizing e-cig juices and the device itself is part of the reason why Johnson thinks smoking e-cigs is a safe and fun activity. “Juices take away from the idea that you’re smoking something related to a cigarette,” he said. “So it’s like you’re smoking candy instead. My juices have zero nicotine in them. I don’t want to get addicted and eventually take up smoking cigs. I mean, my friends only smoke ecigs, so I don’t want to be the first to try [actual] cigs. But what Johnson and other antinicotine e-cig smokers don’t realize is that there’s no guarantee that what their smoking truly does have “zero nicotine” content. Since the Federal Drug Administration does not regulate e-cigs and their juices, consumers currently do not know:
1. the potential risks of ecigarettes when used as intended, 2. how much nicotine or other potentially harmful chemicals are being inhaled during use, or 3. whether there are any benefits associated with using these products. Source: FDA
According to the American Lung Association, “a 2014 study showed wide ranging nicotine levels in ecigarettes and substantial variability between listed and actual nicotine levels in these products.” “Back when cigarettes were new, people thought they were great too – healthy and cool,” said senior Kayla Jahangiri. “Turns out we were wrong, and I don’t doubt that we could be wrong about e-cigs too.” In 2014, Jahangiri, Mock Legislature representative, wrote a comprehensive bill that would ban students
from smoking e-cigs on high school campuses in California. The bill was passed in the Mock Legislature called Youth and Government, sent to Governor Jerry Brown and then handed to the State Senate. “E-cigarettes are a fairly new concept and with this novelty comes ignorance,” Jahangiri said. “The lack of knowledge we have on e-cigs should call for extra regulation, not less. I see more teenagers smoking them than adults, because they think it’s ‘cool.’ What’s not cool is not only putting yourself in danger, but putting your classmates in danger too. At the Senate, Jahangiri’s bill was one of many e-cig bills that inspired the creation of an overarching law requiring e-cigs to be labelled as tobacco products, which subsequently puts e-cigs under the same laws and restrictions as that of regular cigarettes. “This solves countless issues, including the one I advocated for, but it hasn’t stopped much of the use,” Jahangiri said. “I don’t think the problem is going to be solved until people realize that it isn’t ‘healthy’ or ‘cool’ to vape. And I think that’s a long way to go.” According to the FDA, e-cigs “are designed to deliver nicotine, flavor and other chemicals.” The addictive chemical nicotine that is found in all tobacco products, which now includes e-cigs, has been shown to reduce bone health and increase blood pressure and sugar. “The liquid inside e-cigarettes is based on a chemical called propylene glycol, and we know that propylene glycol, a chemical used in anti-freeze, can be harmful when inhaled, sometimes triggering asthma and heart attacks” said postdoctoral fellow Lauren Dutra. The uncertainty of the values of nicotine and other potentially harmful chemicals contradict the popular belief that e-cigs are healthier than cigarettes. No long-term studies currently show the health effects of ecigs so the harm they have on users’ health in the long-run remains un-
answered. Three years later, Johnson reminisces the first time he was ever exposed to e-cigs. Since he first smoked an e-cig at that eighth grade party, he has hopped on the train of the vaping community. “I vape when I’m with my friends or at a party,” Johnson said. “I have this sense that if [I] don’t want to be drinking or smoking at a party that I should at least have something in my hand so I won’t be pressured to do anything I don’t want to. So I carry my e-cig around and so far it’s kept me out of trouble.” Teenagers follow in Johnson’s footsteps as smoking e-cigs becomes a fad of their generation. Ignorant to the potential health risks, teenagers
still think they are making a safe decision. So they continue to put the device to their lips, press its power button, inhale the vapor and exhale a sigh of relief. *name changed for privacy
The Eagle Eye newspaper staff conducted an anonymous, randomly stratified survey of 400 SMCHS students about their experiences.
37
percent of underclassmen and
46 percent of upperclassmen have smoked an e-cig. The survey was conducted by randomly approaching 50 male and 50 female students from each grade
illustration by Eiffel Feng