Stagg Line 2012-13 Issue 8

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ASB keeps busy throughout year blanca mendoza

They take part in almost all campus activities.

That is, after they prepare and make all the activities possible.

Dealing with administration, teachers, and other school officials to get the approvals sounds like a difficult task. This job is left to the Associated Student Body leadership class.

Along with all the duties they face, once more the ASB class faces another obstacle. Sometime on Saturday, the ASB student store was broken into.

Over the years ASB has managed and handled all school activities from winter formals to prom and lunchtime activities.

However, it is not always fun and games when coordinating all these events.

“It takes a lot of time and paperwork,” said junior Alex Rebultan. “It is a struggle to keep up with what the students want and what administration wants, you feel the pressure of trying to please everyone.”

In addition to ASB facing many obstacles when trying to do their job, they have held many successful activities. One of them being this year’s Circle of Friends Prom.

ASB coordinated the music played and various students from ASB participated in dancing with special needs students.

Special Education teacher Alex Cordova expressed his gratitude toward the participation of ASB in the dance.

He said, “We couldn’t have done it without the help of those awesome kids,” he said. “It is really a great thing to see all the students of Stagg come together for our special needs students,” a rare act that ASB was willing to change.

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Although ASB has had a lot of great memorable moments of achievement and success, they have also encountered really harsh moments of major difficulties.

Last weekend, ASB was broken into, along with the H-wing. Principal Andre Phillips was informed on Sunday morning at 3:30 a.m. There were various signs of forced entry.

All of ASB’s new inventory was gone and what remains are a few left-over sweaters from the past years .

Something like this can tear a class apart and its no doubt that ASB students were hurt by this act of aggression.

However, it is not tearing them apart, but rather bringing them together and creating a stronger class.

“Walking in a room full of broken glass really makes things hard to believe, and it definitely feels like an invasion of personal space,” Rebultan said. “We just feel confused. Why would someone do this?”

They are continuing to work as a unit despite the setback.

Although this tragedy occurred, ASB leaders like Rebultan plan to use what they have to make something better.

“They didn’t take everything and we will still try to do our job.”

Furthermore, they are expressing their school spirit in every way they can.

This is not the first time something like this happened. A few years ago, ASB noticed signs of forced entry in the Student Activities office, but that time the culprit wasn’t able to get in.

Break-ins can often really damage and desensitize people to feel a certain way.

However, this ASB class plans to push forward and not let these obstacles interfere with their purpose, which is to bring peace, unity and leadership to this campus.

It definitely feels like an invasion of personal space.

We just feel confused. Why would someone do this?”

Alex Rebultan Junior

photos by Jada Johnson

(Top) and Dellanira Alcauter (Bottom two)

(Top) Sophomore Vincent Grayson and Junior Alex Rebultan pack up what’s left of the Student Store inventory after the break in over the weekend of May 19. (Bottom left) Sophomore Robert Archibeque enjoys the music ASB played at the Circle of Friends second annual prom. (Bottom right) A group of juniors participate in an ASB sponsored game of tug-of-war

P P icking up after state level loss veronica vargo

No surprise that a team in this year’s MESA program has taken a step past Regionals. Yael Castillo, Brooklyn Omstead, Gabriel Zuniga, and Anthony Nichols went on to represent Northern California for their creation of the prosthetic arm.

At the University of the Pacific on May 11, Stagg battled against five other high schools, all looking to advance to Nationals. They had already swept Regionals and they thought it was a for-sure win in the State competition. However, that wasn’t the case this year.

The team walked in with high hopes as each member prepared for the eight-hour day ahead of them. They set up their board, gave their speech that was featured by a PowerPoint. And that’s when things derailed, but the minds of the MESA team were still on track.

“The pictures just weren’t going up on the screen,” said Zuniga, the only sophomore in the group.

Apparently they had the pictures linked to their MESA advisor Andrew Walter’s iMac computer and the pictures did not show up on the provided PC laptop. They saw this as the first mistake of the evening.

Later they realized that there was nothing they could do and continued on with that in the back of their minds. From then on, their nerves showed in every facial expression made.

As they walked through the room containing the boards explaining their prosthetic arm’s materials and process, they oohed and aahed at the other schools’ boards.

“The middle schoolers’ boards were better than ours,” said Omstead, the junior who created the academic board.

They had more than enough faith in their prosthetic arm that they were confident this wouldn’t have a great effect on the overall competition score.

When it came down to the testing of the device, Stagg’s MESA team was more than nervous.

Tension filled the small gymnasium.

Each team thought out and acted quickly to maintain success through the trials.

When Stagg went up to the first obstacle, they had smiles on their faces. The judge then read the instructions and said, “GO!” Castillo had to use the arm to grab items on a table and put them into a crate to see how much weight the arm could lift. They were given 15 seconds to grab as much as they could and their points were based on the weight in the crate.

Then they returned to their table and waited for their next obstacle.

Nichols used the arm to place three screws of varying sizes into a piece of wood. After each screw was in a pre-made hole, he had to place a nut on the screw. In the blink of an eye, Nichols had the first two done. But he struggled with the smallest screw. Trying and trying, his team held their breath behind him and when he finally had the

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5.24.13 Vol. 56 No. 8

Amos Alonzo Stagg High School 1621 Brookside Rd. Stockton, CA 95207

MESA advisor Andrew Walter and junior Brooklyn Omstead comfort senior Yael Castillo after the long road to State comes to an end. photo by

Fe Valencia

nut secure, they let out a sigh of relief.

There was one opponent that was right on their tail and that made the team more nervous.

Finally, they were onto the last task and the last thing to add to the overall score.

Using tennis balls, ping-pong balls, and sandbags, they had to throw them into three different buckets at different distances. Nichols and Castillo worked together during their trials to complete the task.

After Castillo raced against the clock to throw the last ping-pongballs into any bucket, they returned to their table and let their hands lay at their sides.

The judges announced that the audience was then allowed to talk

to the team and final scores would be calculated.

Walter arrived at the table with words of encouragement. “No one else’s (prosthetic arm) is as good as ours to win Nationals,” he said.

Going through each of the categories, Stagg placed third in oral presentation, second in technical paper, distance accuracy, and design efficiency. They took first in display board, object relocation, and the dexterity task.

There was a pause as the announcer told the places for overall classification. Stagg’s team members crossed their fingers as they wondered who would continue onto Nationals. Stagg was awarded second place and their close opponent Los Angeles High School representing LA Metro took home the blue ribbon.

Staggonline Want to know what’s happening on campus?

Follow us @staggonline.

Also, see if you’re featured in our weekly galleries.

Yearbooks Yearbooks are being sold before school or at lunch in room B-2. They are $80, cash only.

Good-bye seniors Graduation is June 4.

Underclassmen wishing to attend should ask seniors early since tickets are limited.

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Opinion

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Editorial

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Still proud of ‘cursed’ competitors

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t may seem with many playoff “almosts” and losses that Stagg has fallen under some savage curse.

Whereas many students dwell on the losses, we would like to recognize the hard work and dedication of a few admirable accomplishments.

Congratulations to all of those who have achieved this year.

To Wayne Brooks: the leader of our football team, congratulations for being invited to an elite combine for high school quarterbacks. We’re sure you’ll bring us all the way into the endzone next year.

And to the entire varsity football team, congratulations for making it to playoffs for the fourth year in a row.

We’ve all dried our eyes and are ready for the next season. Pleasant Grove won’t even know what hit ‘em next year.

To Andres Flores: congratulations for winning varsity Scholar of the Year for having the highest GPA on the team and for being inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. Any college would be lucky to have you.

A huge congratulations to the varsity girls basketball team for making the playoffs for the first time in several years. We

all remember how loud the gym was during the game. The gym was packed!

Much like the girls basketball team, girls soccer and the baseball team lost to Bella Vista in the first round of playoffs. Making it to the playoffs in the first place is more than enough to be proud. Bella Vista is in for a rude awakening next year.

Girls badminton. The two words make all opponents quiver with fear. By no sur-

graphic by Alyssa

Rojas

prise, the girls badminton team has gone undefeated for the sixth year in a row for Sections and ninth in TCAL. Congratulations to you girls on your win at Sections.

You’re true champions.

Track and field came in second in Sections. Congratulations to you guys for running, throwing, and jumping your hearts out.

Congratulations to Wang Xiong, Emily

Cornelison, and Jonathan Moreno for getting the annual Stockton Record Pinnacle Awards for being the top students in the school for academics. It’s hard enough getting straight A’s. We seriously don’t know how you did it.

Salvador Pasillas, Samantha Gonzalez, and Brian Walker wrote their way to the top. All three swept the state competition for inspirational women writing contest.

You guys are a inspiration to all.

Congratulations to Jada Johnson for winning the essay contest on whether slavery was a moral or a legal issue. You certainly blew through that $250 fast.

To Gabriel Zuniga, Brooklyn Omstead, Yael Castillo, and Anthony Nichols: you are amazing! That prosthetic arm should be renamed the Ninth Wonder! Congratulations to you four for making it to sweeping regionals and winning second at state.

And finally, congratulations to the staff of the Stagg Line for winning your seventh Pacemaker, the Pulitzer of high school journalism.

Whether you came in first, second, third, or just got honorable mention, we’re proud of you. Be proud of yourself too.

Take precaution with meds Rapping up the Year Proper handling reduces overdoses

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hat can help you can also possibly kill you.

People don’t realize that the average pain killers can be the cause for liver failure, seizures, and overdoses.

Every year there are approximately 20,000 overdoses in the United States from prescription drugs as well as over the counter.

This does not include the other 30,000 people who have liver failure due to misuse of OTC painkillers and acid blockers. Just a little extra intake, like Tylenol and aspirin, can cause baylin moran liver damage increasing chances of an overdose.

Along with liver failure, other health problems include stomach bleeding and immune system failure.

It’s also been noticed that teens will overdose on OTC drugs for the side effects, yet they don’t know it can be fatal.

While prescription drugs have their flaws, they’re also a safer, more reliable way of receiving medicine instead of taking unnecessary doses of painkillers.

They are safer in a sense that a doctor has actually prescribed them and has instructed the patient on how much and how often to use the prescribed medication.

There is an easy way to prevent misuse, as well as overdose.

All a consumer has to do is read the label and take the proper amount. Some symptoms of overdose on painkillers or acid blockers would include nausea, blurred sight, and

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vomiting.

Later possibilities from not getting treated would be a possible coma or even death. Much like illegal drugs, prescription and OTC drugs can become addictive, then the consumer can go through withdrawls.

On top of that the body can become accustomed to a drug after it is used often.

It becomes harder and harder to take effect because your immune system stops communicating with the drug. Because of this, many people unsuccessfully attempted to overdose thinking all they needed to do was increase the dosage.

In 2010 there was more than 12 million reports of people taking prescription painkillers for nonmedical purposes.

Two years before, in 2008, there was 14,800 deaths caused by overdose, which is more deaths than some hard drugs like heroin and cocaine.

Some prescription medicines are taken without the actual “okay” from a doctor, but taken at home from a family member or friend’s permission.

While it’s hard to prevent medication overdose, there are other solutions such as find another remedy, go to the doctors, and read labels.

People tend to jump straight to the pain relievers whenever they have a slight headache or growing pain, but what if, instead, they found natural cures like hot water bottles or hot packets for the area of pain and in some cases cold packs.

Another solution is that if someone continues to have certain pains or headaches they can visit a doctor so that they can give the user proper help or medication.

Professionals can give tips and advice on how to go about the situations without painkillers.

So instead of jumping straight to the prescription drugs, I would think trying these other solutions would be a wise alternative.

All a consumer has to do is read the label and take the proper amount.”

Amos Alonzo Stagg High School 1621 Brookside Rd. Stockton, CA 95207 (209) 933-7445 ext. 8487 The Stagg Line newspaper is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association and the California Newspaper Publishers Association.

Awards and recognitions include the following: XX 19 consecutive NSPA All-American rankings XX NSPA Hall of Fame, 2005 XX NSPA First-Place Best of Show five times XX NSPA Newspaper Pacemaker seven times XX JEA Impact Award, 2002 Stagg Line student journalists have won many awards and scholarships over the years, including California Journalist of the Year, National Story of the Year, and National Photo of the Year.

Adrianna Owens

Stagg ‘Thrift Shop’ parody Lyrics by DJ AirWalker and Based Veronica

I’m gonna go to Stagg Got my snapback attached to my pocket I-I-I’m duckin’ so CSM’s don’t run up This is freakin’ awesome.

I walk up into class like what up is it 2 o clock?

I’m so pumped bout to get some swag from the student shop Bald on his head, I love Paffdaddy Students like dang “why’s he so damn happy” Rollin’ in half asleep, headin’ into Ray-G Dressed fresh hella clean oh crap where’s my ID Draped in a polo hat, just got this new tat Probably shouldn’t got this, smells like the wrestling mat But hey it was 99 cents!

I be poppin’ it, lockin’ it, bout to go get some condiments Passin’ up on the lunch line that you fools be standin’ in But me and Snoopy talkin’ man I’m runnin’, geting off campus and Savin’ my money, I’m hella hungry like Kobe SWISH Imma go bolly style, sike dancing gagnam style No for real- ask Ms. Spector- can we try this zumba out?

Cinnamon tea spoon and some ice blisters Brown and gold t-shirt, wearin’ it to win it They had a pizza contest, I won a pizza contest Get a new pool, better grab a life vest Hello, hello, Sherm man in bio The Tank ain’t got nothing on my board game, hell no I could take some shape-ups, make them cool, wear those Hype beasts be like “aw those kicks is fresh, yo” ...

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Editor-in-Chief

Stinkssssssssssssssssssssssss

Editor-in-Chief

Don Bott Adviser

The Stagg Line newspaper is published monthly and distributed free of charge to students and faculty. Our newspaper is a long-standing open forum for free student expression. Student editors and reporters make content and style decisions with the adviser offering guidance. Editorials reflect the view of the entire editorial board and therefore are unsigned. Opinion columns reflect the view of the writer. Readers are welcomed to write letters to the editor. We will make every effort to print any letter as long as it is not libelous. Letters longer than 250 words may be edited.

Unsigned letters will be printed only in unusual circumstances, and only when we know who the writer is. Letters may be brought to the newspaper room, A-8, or emailed to dbott@stockton.k12.ca.us

for the full song go to Staggonline.net Jada Johnson News Editor Veronica Vargo Opinion Editor Devin Wickstrom Features Editor Alexus Plascencia Entertainment Editor Jessica Mangili Sports Editor Alyssa Rojas Graphics Editor Dellanira Alcauter Photo Editor Michealla Foules Web Editor Brian Walker Social Media Editor Nuvia Cervantes Copy Editor

Staff

William Alexander Angel Gonzalez Marcella Hawkins Allison Ho Miranda Maurino Blanca Mendoza Baylin Moran Trisha Newman Marleene Pheav Arriana Smith Araceli Valencia Chao Xiong Senior Edition Staff

Annamarie Cunningham Victorious Gemma Damon Heine Gabriella Miller Annamarie Rodriguez Reanna Rodriguez Rebecca Romero

Opinion

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Inspirational author changes perspectives Going organic is a small but easy step toward improvement

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adrianna owens

t one point, I was annoyed with AP English, thinking it was too much work.

And when we were assigned to read Eric Schlosser’s “Fast Food Nation,” it only furthered my pessimism. However, once I sunk in my chair and started reading, I was intrigued. From the very first paragraph, if not sentence, I was hooked.

The words that stood out so boldly on the page entered my thoughts, wedged into the crevices of my mind.

I began to realize that maybe I was living wrong, that maybe I was giving my money to the wrong companies and buying the wrong foods.

A few months after reading the book, I, along with other students, was offered the opportunity to meet Schlosser, and have dinner with him before he gave a lecture at the University of the Pacific. As I waited in line for food the night of the dinner, I made several glances to a table near a sleek podium in the front of the room that had reserved signs on just a few of the place settings. I sat at that same table and we chatted while eating our dinner — all vegan, all organic.

The conversation all felt so strange, but in a good way. Because while we were talking about nuclear weapons and motorcycles (which surprisingly can be connected to this fast food world), I couldn’t believe that not only is Schlosser an amazing writer but also an amazing speaker. He knows just how to construct his sentences without even seeming to think about it. Every sentence that emerged from his lips was as eloquent as the paragraphs in his book.

I realized that the impact of reading the book and meeting Schlosser goes far beyond the classroom and the night of the dinner.

Every two weeks or so, a box of organic fruits and vegetables is delivered to my front porch.

Before reading “Fast Food Nation” and meeting the man behind the work, I thought this was a waste of time and money. I would ask my dad why he didn’t just stop at the grocery store and buy the fruits himself.

The box that is delivered comes from local farms, and is free of synthetic-pesticides and other such chemicals that are buried into the ground or injected into each plant. Not only are there better fruits and veggies to eat, but there are animals that are raised organically aren’t fed animal byproducts or steroids to enhance growth, and in addition, they get more room to roam around, instead of being packed in tight stables.

Studies have shown that runoff from farms or cattle-holding facilities that leak into rivers have either killed fish, or made them grow an extra eye or appendage. And it is this carelessness that disgusts me, that made me realize how beneficial eating organic can be to not only myself, but to the environment.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, organic farming has many benefits on the environment. It uses less energy, is helping pollution, bettering soil, and doesn’t create deformed fish.

Now, I’m not saying that one can never indulge in the pleasures of non-organic or even processed foods. What I am saying is that we can all do our part. Not by stocking up on organic foods and throwing out everything else, but by simply knowing what is out there and what we are putting our bodies through when eating junk foods or denying organic foods.

If there’s one thing I learned from the dinner with Schlosser, it’s that knowledge truly is power.

To get ahead in this fast food nation, we must know what we are facing every day. And with this knowledge, we can succeed.

I now look at my English class differently. Sure, the workload can be troublesome, but great things can come from embracing that workload. Instead of taking the reading as just another assignment, I critically devoured the book. I was thinking and scratching commentary into the margins. I took what I learned and applied it to how I live.

I came to the conclusion that if we pick up organic apples and strawberries -- these fruits typically have the most pesticides -- we can start a path to a better life, one in which we can truly, as Schlosser would say, “have it our way.”

on’t panic, it’s Organic Still confused about how to do your part to help the environment?

These fruits and veggies are the most important to buy organic.

 Apples

 Nectarines

 Celery

 Peaches

 Cherry tomatoes

 Potatoes

 Cucumbers

 Spinach

 Grapes

 Strawberries

 Hot peppers

 Sweet bell peppers

 Kale

 Summer squash source: ewg.org graphic by Adrianna

Owens

photo courtesy of

Dellanira Alcauter and Adrianna Owens

Dellanira Alcauter (left) and Adrianna Owens (right) pose with Eric Schlosser, author of “Fast Food Nation” (middle) after a book signing. Before this, theyenjoyed a dinner and lecture by Schlosser.

Empowering speech brings more passion to life dellanira alcauter Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to meet your favorite celebrity? Or someone of high importance in society? Many would imagine it as the happiest moment of their lives, and they’d be jumping up and down, crazed with excitement.

But I can honestly say, none of this applied to me. I wasn’t even fully conscious of what was happening; I was so nervous that I didn’t realize my idol, my inspiration, and my role model, Eric Schlosser, was sitting across the table from me. It all felt surreal, like I was in a dream.

I remember thinking to myself, this isn’t really happening. I didn’t believe it, I had to prove to myself that I was really there next to him.

As crazy as this may seem, I almost felt like I was going to pass out from how nervous I was. But finally, I worked up the courage to compliment his book.

I noted how every single word linked to the sentence, to the paragraph, to the chapter, and to the book as a whole. He showed appreciation of my comments but didn’t seem too self-centered, which made the moment even more surreal.

Reading “Fast Food Nation,” I felt as though Schlosser was speaking directly to me, like I was meant to read his book and be inspired by it.

Although at first I might not have realized it, this is the biggest motivation I’ve had in my life for a long time.

There are teachers that tell me to do my personal best and go above and beyond, but none of them had touched me like Schlosser did. He made me feel empowered, like I could really achieve anything I wanted. And even though the subject of the book was fast food, I applied it to life in general.

Through the reading of his book I gained knowledge. Knowledge of the corrupt ongoings in fast food. Schlosser shed a new side of America.

One that is too ugly to be willingly revealed. The fact that he had the courage to write a whole book on the atrocities fast food is causing to America motivates me to want to do the same. Not necessarily on fast food, but I want to expose any harm society is causing.

No matter how big and corrupt the fast food nation is, no matter how tough and tiring the obstacles may be, you can always fight.

There’s only one requirement to this, and that is having will power. As cheesy as it may sound, if you believe in yourself you can do it.

For the longest time, I had felt that I could never overcome obstacles in my life. I felt that not only my personal problems, but the problems around me, were too tough to tackle.

But after having read Schlosser’s book, I no longer feel the same.

He has inspired me to take on any challenge and the most rigorous courses offered in school.

He has motivated me to continue and expand my education.

At the dinner Schlosser spoke of the passion he felt for exposing fast food. Seeing that motivation instilled passion in me. Passion to follow my dreams and persevere.

In his book he gave the example of various fast food entrepreneurs like Ray Kroc, Carl N. Karcher, and J.R. Simplot. When he told their stories, he spoke of their never ending perseverance and how it was that they made it to the top. Sometimes that’s all most people need, a reminder that anything is possible.

Meeting him was the climax of my journey to success. He had motivated me through his book, and meeting him in person only reassured me that I could succeed.

Thanks to him I am one step closer to knowledge, one step closer to freedom, and one step closer to power.

Sexual preference brings about hate crimes

ust the other day, as I stood In fact, according to the at a bus stop near school, a interview, Collins feels proud to car raced by with a whoosh finally be out; he feels a weight that blew my hair about; it off of his shoulders. also left my hair a bit wet and He looks to the people who sticky. say that he can’t play basketball The driver had thrown a anymore because of his sexuality Sweet Tea at a lesbian couple in the eyes and says watch me. sitting on the bus stop bench.

Many In the LGBT commu With wet shoes, they comnity are doing the same. plained how people could be They look at the judgment in so rude. Looking furious they the eye of society and say, “So dried off their shoes, and where what.”

I would have been sitting with In the 67 years that the NBA an ugly smirk on my face, they has been in veronica vargo paused a moment only to break existence, and into laughter. the 144 years I asked why they laughed and all that one said Major League Baseball has, only was, “At we least we both got splashed; the whole one man has came out to be world can know I’m gay for her.” openly gay.

They didn’t pay any mind to the actions of the That says something. driver. They just kept on sitting and laughing,the It makes you wonder how fury now long gone. many others are just in the closet No matter how much members of the LGBT afraid to do what Collins did community get name-called or even criticized, because of judgement and names they remain resilient and shine brighter than when used in the tabloids. they had been a “closeted” member.

What Collins represents is For example, National Basketball Association something that gives the LGBT members of proplayer Jason Collins says he feels much better in fessional sports hope for the future. But it’s things his interview with Sports Illustrated magazine, out like the throwing of sweet tea that keeps some in of the closet, although I’m sure he would prefer fear of what there is to expect. not to be in the spotlight.

When people say things like, “Lesbos!” or However, that isn’t the point.

“Look at those fags,” openly gay people mostly pay Collins dodges all the comments that are made no mind. about him. Even though the ones made about him Then again, we don’t think about the people could affect his career, he remains resilient. who aren’t a member of LGBT and how they take

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these offensive comments. Depending on the person, I guess it wouldn’t affect them at all, but I can think of a few people who would take a stand.

Collins’ resilience should serve as a model. So are people with the same attitude as the lesbian couple on the bench.

They look past the impulsive words and see themselves for who they are and accept it.

Being part of the LGBT community is not a bad thing.

It’s like saying one day everybody was wearing black Nike socks and because one person decided to wear white ones, they are in the wrong; that’s not true.

Just because someone decides to wave their rainbow flag and come out as gay or lesbian or any other sexuality doesn’t mean that there is an automatic right to judge.

The way I see it is if two people are happy let them be, regardless of sexual preference.

There shouldn’t be a need to reject LGBT members such things as the right to marry.

It takes more courage to be sitting there on a bench, like the openly lesbian couple did, than it does to anonymously throw a sweet tea at two people.

The couple didn’t think that because they chose to show affection in public, that they would be a victim of a hate crime.

And I could surely say that the driver of the car didn’t think about…well he probably didn’t think about anything.

Nuvia Cervantes

They look past the impulsive words and see themselves for who they are and accept it.”

art by

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LGBT community prove themselves to be resilient to remarks

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Features

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Day of rememberance often mistaken for reason to celebrate ariana smith When you think of Memorial Day what pops into your head first? Barbecuing, family reunions, relaxing? There are many different ways to celebrate it. Maybe your family as its own traditions. but what exactly is the true meaning of Memorial Day? With the name itself sounding like memory, Memorial Day is a time to remember all the servicemen and women who fought to keep the country safe.

“We’ll take a picnic and go to the cemetery there’s always a huge ceremony,” said freshman Emily Brawley as she explains her own family tradition.

Brawley, having many family members who are in different branches of military, stresses that all veterans should be remembered. And more people should at least take a few moments to remember

what the day stands for.

“They fought for us and our country,” said Brawley. “Everything they stood for will be forgotten if the holiday fades away.”

Memorial Day, not to be confused with Veterans Day, is devoted to the men and women that passed away in or after war. Veterans Day is a day created to thank to the surviving veterans.

Sophomore Melissa Salvador feels similar to Bowlen in the same aspects that people need to respect those who are brave enough to risk their lives to protect the lives of others.

Salvador describes how she’s spending her Memorial Day at a family reunion barbecuing as their family tradition lives on. She will be remembering her grandfather who long ago fought in World War II and more recently passed away I. Her family will cook all of his favorite foods and eat for him.

trisha newman

dellanira alcauter

What are you getting?

Here are some unique flavors the store offers. ffGuanabana: Fruit bits mixed in. ffRose Petals: With actual rose petals.

ffQueso Fresco: Cheese flavored. ffTequila: Non-alcoholic, but tastes like it.

Graphic by Dellanira Alcauter and Devin Wickstrom

educate them about Memorial Day at the same time.

Sophomore Jonathan Villanueva has brother-inlaw who is in the Marines and therefore has great respect for the people who went to war and fought for freedom.

“I see him with great respect he’s a role model and hero in some cases,” Villanueva said.

His family celebrates it with food and company but holds back from getting too deep into the holiday.

Brawley, Salvador, and Villanueva all agree that Memorial Day has become a forgotten holiday and are sad that to some people it’s just another day and they don’t view the holiday the way they do.

“Honestly it doesn’t matter how they spend Memorial Day,” Salvador said. “As long as they know the meaning.”

Dedication changes student’s future plans

Adding a new flavor to tradition What started off as a family tradition turned into an aspiring business for Gerardo Chavez, previous owner of Tocumbo Paleteria y Neveria.

That has led many students to start their own tradition: heading to the ice cream shop after school to get treats.

“Seventy-five years ago my grandpa started making ice cream for the village (he lived in),” said Chavez, 51, in Spanish. “From there the idea (to make continue making ice cream) sprung up and it became a typical thing for the village.”

Chavez was 12 years old when he began making ice cream and popsicles. Besides the fact that it was a family tradition, he’d acquired a passion for ice cream making.

He opened an ice cream shop in Tocumbo, Michoacan, and kept it for 35 years. Then his brothers gave him the opportunity to come to America and open an ice cream shop.

He shared that one of his biggest obstacles was thinking to himself, “How am I going to get Americans to like my ice cream?” But no matter what stress he was under, it didn’t affect his ice cream making. “It all comes naturally to me. I have fun making the ice cream and I don’t get annoyed or mad,” Chavez said.

Although most of the recipes he uses are traditional, he likes to invent some of his own. This is one of the many reasons students are attracted to the place.

“The main reason I went there was because it was different,” junior Ryan McLaughlin said. “It’s kind of like a hole in the wall place. They have flavors

“Before he died I helped him do everything. I looked up to him, he played the ukulele so I started to play,” said Salvador.

Some families celebrate Memorial Day by having family reunions and barbecues but what are some other ways to celebrate this important day?

Families can donate to veterans who have gotten wounded or lost their lives in war. People can also observe the national moment of remembrance. The moment occurs at exactly 3 o’clock p.m. and is one minute long. This moment is to be spent anyway you like. It’s the sentiment that counts.

Like Brawley’s family you can visit grave site and put flower on the veterans headstones. A fun way to spend the day is to break out your best patriotic fashion pieces like badges, pins, hats, and shirts.

Another fun way to celebrate is to make crafts with your younger siblings like a American flag and

Photo by Dellanira Alcauter

Worker at Tocumbo Paleteria y Neveria makes a mangonada. This is a popular snack among students.

you can’t find anywhere else. One of the flavors I tried was rose petals ice cream.” (The ice cream actually has rose petals in it).

Not only is there ice cream with flowers in it, but theres also queso fresco (cheese), gansitos (Mexican dessert), guanabana (fruit), and tequila ice cream.

Apart from selling ice cream, they also sell snacks and fruit drinks. And paired with a shop full of wacky flavors is a Cuban restaurant named “Elsa’s Paladar.”

Chavez has brought the essence of Tocumbo Michoacan to America. McLaughlin agrees, “The different flavors of ice cream bring out their family’s culture.”

Senior Jorge Hernandez shared that “(the mangonadas) looked great, they tasted great, and they made my taste buds feel great. Everything was just great.”

Besides the great taste to their snacks is the fact that they use all natural fruits.

“The process of ice cream making is all natural,” Chavez said. He buys fresh fruit and makes new batches of ice cream every day.

Six months ago, Chavez sold the ice cream shop to Alejandro Zaveda. Chavez wants to open up a shop somewhere else, “Maybe in Los Angeles,” he shared.

Through his new business, Zaveda has found a similar interest for ice cream. “I want to keep this as my job. I want to make it my profession.”

An important factor in Zaveda’s management of the shop is making sure the customers feel welcome.

He shared that “you have to treat the customers like you would treat your mom or your family.”

Certainly, the customers get this feel from the store. Senior Javier Grajeda said, “When you go in you feel welcome, it’s like a family place. They greet you with open arms.”

Not only is the shop very welcoming, but it is traditional. “He’s keeping his childhood and traditions alive,” said junior Teresa Zacarias. “That opens us up to new cultures and it feels nice to know that by going to the shop were helping keep the tradition.”

Chavez felt that one of his biggest obstacles was going to be making Americans like his ice cream, but he has certainly overcome it. And not only has he overcome it, he’s also inspired others to do the same. “When I see him making the ice cream, it makes me want to learn too,” said Zaveda.

His whole family is involved in the shop. “Between us all, I think we can make (the business) bigger.”

From hearing everyone’s positive comments and seeing the hustle and bustle, they are definitely headed in the right direction.

Sweat glazing down his forehead. The pressure of being onstage is almost everlasting. His fingers roam the keyboard, searching for the right notes.

His eyes glance up at the sheet music. Concentration is key.

This is Emmanuel Collins’ experience as he performs at the celebration of Black History Month in the theater in front of many students.

“He was born to be on the stage; outgoing, dynamic,” said Mark Swope, choir teacher.

Tall, thin, clean cut, stage smile and a confident grin, Collins, junior, dedicates his time to being a musician and singer. It all started his eighth grade year when he accidently got put into a piano and choir class, and from there he “just went with the flow.”

At first he did not realize that he had any musical interest, but after being in the course for a few weeks, he grew to love music and what he could accomplish with it, and is now making life changing decisions based upon this love for music.

Starting his freshman year he took piano class with Swope and checked one out. He remembers on that hot summer day vividly walking the levee with a keyboard on his shoulders. How much more dedication can be put forward from a young musician? He wasn’t made to carry a 60-key keyboard home, he did it because he loves music and it’s a big part of his life.

“He is really good, amazing at the piano. I respect him as a musician,” said Gabriel Alvarez, junior, another person to notice Collins’ potential after having done a collaboration with him.

Swope also believes Collins has a great ear, he can hear melodies and harmonies with ease. “I think music will always be a part of him,” he said.

“He is music.”

With the talents that Collins already acquires, he also has the ability to compose lyrics. When referring to songwriting he says, “Music releases some of the emotions I have.”

The first time he performed was at church and even then he said he was pretty comfortable. Every now and then one can catch him after school singing or rapping with other talented musicians on campus, and can see the true passion firsthand.

After high school, Collins plans to attend a music institute in Los Angeles in hopes to become a professional producer/songwriter. With the fact that he is pretty confident in his music career, he has no back-up plan. Becoming attached to music was “more like destiny,” according to Collins.

His main reason for being dedicated to music is to make sure that all genres of music can reach out to someone, somewhere. He thinks that every type has a way to connect to someone and that they all have great stories to offer behind each verse.

“I want to see that all that all music, from country to rap is listenable to everyone.”

Photo by Alexus Plascencia

Junior Emmanuel Collins practices the piano in Swope’s choir class as well as in his piano class. Swope also lent Collins a keyboard to take home for high school. home for high school. home for high school. home for high school. home for high school.

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Overcoming hardships

Lopez reaches goal of becoming a teacher miranda maurino

Photos by Jada Johnson and Devin Wickstrom

Lopez dedicates his time to help both his honor and regular students.

What are

It was a Friday afternoon when Spanish teacher Julio Lopez left his town in Michoacan, Mexico, to come to the United States. Arriving in his new country that same weekend, Lopez took Monday off and Tuesday his family was already signing him up for Fremont Middle School. The start may have seemed sudden but school has always been a top priority in his family.

Since his grandmother was born here, Lopez had the opportunity to come to the U.S. legally. As soon as he came here, school was the first thing on his mind. Soon after his arrival, the school year ended and Lopez began working at the age of 14 picking tomatoes.

September soon came and it was time for him to enroll at Franklin High School. Lopez had different ideas. “I didn’t want to go back to school. I was making money and putting it into pesos, so I thought, why should I go back to school?”

His family, however, had their mind set on him getting his education.

“My uncle told me I had to go back to school. He said that he had a lot of respect for people that worked in fields, but they don’t get paid a lot. They told me you are young you need to learn the language. I knew in the back of my mind I needed to learn the language, it was my future.” With the wise words of his uncle, he went back to school thinking of his future.

Lopez’s father and grandfather have always had strong beliefs about education. He said that sometimes in small towns where the father was the head of the family and the family was large, they would take their sons out of school to work.

“My dad and grandpa didn’t do that. Those two are my heroes.” In 1996, the year of Lopez’ graduation, his high school counselor pulled

him into his office and asked him what he wanted to do in the future since there were some scholarships available. He gave him a week to decide.

“I told him I wanted to have a career teaching or being a news reporter.”The following week, Lopez went back to his counselor and told him that he wanted to be a teacher.

“I chose this because I think teachers are the ones that can change a student’s life. If it wasn’t for those teachers at Franklin who taught me English, I wouldn’t be here. I admire this profession.”

One of his inspirations to pursue a teaching career was a teacher he had back in Mexico, Carmen, who would walk 10 miles every day to teach them.

Sophomore Selena Magallanes, Spanish 3-4 Honors student, is one of many that Lopez has made an impact on. “He’s a good teacher. He inspires me to try harder in Spanish because he’s fluent and I want to do that too.”

Lopez gives instructions for his students’ daily work.

you

doing this summer?

“

I go all around Asia visiting family. We usually go to Vietnam and Thailand.

Nguyen Hoang sophomore

You can catch junior Taylor Garcia hitting up the beach in Hawaii.

“

I have family in North Dakota.

We’ll be going to Mt. Rushmore and America’s Mall.

Justin Eckerty freshman

Sophomore Anjelique Guerrero will be having a blast at Universal Studios over the break.

Graphic by Devin Wickstrom and Alexus Plascenia

Coping with the loss of a loved one marcella hawkins In life, one will gain and lose things every day. One loses friends and precious gifts just as they can gain them. The challenge of getting over losing someone close is hard and it takes a toll on those who experience it.

“It was like losing a piece of me,” sophomore Breanna Joyner said. She knows about this toll and how it can affect people.

“Somedays I had to force myself through the day. I just zone out and my mind goes blank so I don’t have to think or feel the pain.”

She not only lost her mother,

“

Somedays I had to force myself through the day. I just zone out and my mind goes blank.

Breanna Joyner sophomore

but she watched her as she got worse. She took care of her until she became too sick and had to be put into hospice. A week later Joyner lost her mother to renal failure, a medical condition where the kidneys fail to properly filter waste products from the blood, and liver failure.

Her mother’s death didn’t seem real to her at first, but then it sunk in. She began planning her mother’s funeral. She booked a church and made flower arrangements for the funeral by herself. She chose the urn for her mother’s ashes, which had dolphins on it and her mom loved them and they once went swimming with them. Joyner tried to

spend as much time as she could with her mother. “I miss the little moments we had,” she said.

“Whether it was eating ice cream or going to Burger King; it was just getting to spend time with her that I loved.”

For Joyner, some days are harder than others. She said one day she’ll be fine and the next she will be overly distraught. When this happens she likes to take time for herself and just be alone but she doesn’t feel like it because she knows that she has friends and family behind her.

Knowing that the pain won’t hurt as much in time, she tries to stay positive. She focuses on getting good grades and getting prepared for college. Her mother’s passing has inspired her to give back to her country. She has decided that after high school she wants to join the Navy.

Another person who knows about this toll is freshman Alexander Buenrostro. He also just lost someone close to him: his stepmom. Her death came as a shock to his family. She passed away in her sleep due to an unknown cause. When the family found out that she had died they were stunned. “There was little to

Photo courtesy of Alex Buenestro

Buenrostro and his family were always close until his stepmother passed, which brought a shock to the rest of the family. no communication. We just sat around and did nothing,” Buenrostro said.

He recalls things about his stepmom. He said that she was “strictly OCD,” that everything had to be clean and that she would always find that one tiny

thing like a Cheerio.

The loss of his stepmom has affected him. “I wasn’t able to work or concentrate,” Buenrostro said.

To cope, he would spend time with family and friends and just try to get his mind off of things.

This experience has caused Buen-

rostro to look at life differently.

He said that his dad plays a big part in why he keeps pushing on and keeps him strong. He said that things are slowly returning to normal and when they do, he’ll be glad.

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5.24.13

Local band has big plans toward fame

nuvia cervantes Bands -- everyone has a favorite. Whether the band’s genre revolves around rap, pop, or liquid metal, acoustic, foreign, or instrumental. Most famous bands are well-known because they are professional. That is, they are signed to a record company and have spent years touring the world and promoting their name, perfecting their sound as they move along.

Because of the famous bands, local ones tend to be overlooked.

There is a local band right here at Stagg. They are called Forgetting Last Friday and they consist of juniors Howard Jones on lead guitar, Jalal Saleh on drums, Mitchell Woodbury on bass, freshman Brian Magana on rhythm guitar, and junior Gabriel Alvarez on vocals. The band does not play one specific genre, but rather juggles around, incorporating alternative and metal core into their sound.

Forgetting Last Friday is a band dedicated to its music. They have managed to complete a couple songs through the practice sessions they hold. Two songs, “Revival” and “Vice or Virtue,” have already been recorded and the rest are still being worked on. Freshman Gabrielle Khan said, “(Forgetting Last Friday) actually sounds pretty good.”

The band members love to play their instruments and have lots of fun doing so. While they do play for the enjoyment, they still have enough room to be serious about going big. Already they have delivered three performances, two at the Plea for Peace

Members (from left to right) Jalal Saleh, Brian Magana, and Howard Jones practice in a spare bedroom at Jones’ house.

in downtown Stockton and one at the Retro Roseville in Roseville. At each location a sizable crowd showed up, obviously enjoying the music given off by their performances. Woodbury said, “The crowd loved us... They tried to (start a mosh pit), but it didn’t work out really well.”

Alvarez also said, “We got people that actually (hardcore) danced to our music.”

“We’re signing to a label, Backbreaker Records,” Jones said. “We are also touring during the summer.” They have already planned out some of the places they are going to perform at and will be driving their way, hoping to cover several places in California and work their way mostly through the middle of the United States, like Utah, and a little farther into Louisiana. The farthest state they plan on hitting is Florida.

“We’ve only been going six months and we already have recognition,” Alvarez said.

Another big thing Forgetting Last Friday is working on is getting their name out into the open.

“We usually promote through Facebook and word of mouth,” Woodbury said.

Just because they are a local band does not mean that they should be underestimated. This is a group of really talented young teenagers who have worked on knitting their skills together to try to improve the way their music sounds. They have no room for put-downs and call-offs, but could use a word of praise or two to help them along the way.

Photos courtesy by Gabriel Alvarez

From left to right Howard Jones, Brian Magana, Gabriel Alvarez, and Jalal Saleh pose in their band photo for their official Facebook page.

Watch them play!

Here is a list of the bands’ upcoming shows. To stay updated, visit their Facebook page.

BATTLE Shooter

July 2 - Oklahoma City, Okla.

July 9 - Little Rock, Ark.

July 3 - Dallas, TX

July - 11 Tulsa, Okla.

July 4 - Tyler, TX

July - 12 Kansas City, Mo.

July 6 - Hattiesburg, Miss.

July - 13 Wichita, Kan.

July 7 - Metairie, La.

July 15 - Denver, Colo.

GAMES

graphics by Adrianna

e h t of

Adventure

Grenades are flying; bullets are flung from an assault rifle; and a man’s life is being taken.

But it’s unreal, literally.

It’s a simulation, a game taking place in an alternate version of reality.

It’s a group of gamers acting under the names of some of the world’s finest soldiers, like the Navy Seals. Others are groups of futuristic soldiers like “Halo’s” Spartans or “Mass Effect’s” Spectres. But in any case, these task forces, fictional or real, serve a purpose. That is to entertain the player and to create an artificial reality to make them a part of something amazing.

But with shooters, a person is thrown into the situation of the men and women who fight everyday for what they believe in. They are tossed headfirst into war.

It’s to have the audience ex-

plore a new universe, or expand upon an old one by questing and doing many difficult tasks for miscellaneous people who want you to do their work.

Shooters have a higher purpose.

They give players a mission according to a story-driven campaign that gives the player something they will never experience in their lifetime.

For example, the president orders you to kill the dictator of a small island. This leads to complications like your squad dying, being stranded in uncharted territories, and being left to die with a rampant AI. In adventure games, you’re left wondering if anything exciting will ever happen. Adventure games are dull and boring in comparison to the thrill-a-minute style of shooters.

Many players game through multiple genres but find shooters to be most appealing. They

come back for more shooters as the games are released. It is a fantastic sight when you see people flocking to the midnight release of the next “Call of Duty” or “Halo” game.

Adventure games are unwanted, but tolerated anyway.

This is why most gamers stick to shooters. It has a broad range of categories and sub genres to give diversity to the gaming industry.

Adventure games seem to be the ugly duckling, but they will never become a graceful swan.

They will bumble about trying to fulfill the needs of a small audience that grows impatient.

Shooters started out on top and haven’t fallen down. They rule the gaming industry with a smile and a regal kindness.

They are bought in the millions within days. Shooters have won the hearts and minds of men and women of the world over. They are the best in the business.

Which do you prefer, shooting zombies or slaying dragons?

I honestly prefer the latter, as in defeating the vicious Volvagia from “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.” It’s the mindpuzzling logic and supreme survivor skills that makes adventure games much more stimulating.

As to shooters, there isn’t much more than: “Shoot that guy! Watch out!” Pew Pew! Bang! Bang!

Adventure games and shooter games are different, but they have a striking similarity that makes it fairly difficult to rip the two genres apart.

That is, these video games usually have a mash of both.

“Bioshock,” a first person Sci-fi shooter, takes place in an underwater utopia named Rapture.

There, a stranded man wanders

ff Good: The multiplayer and zombie modes are fantastic. ff Bad: The campaign is short and doesn’t live up to the original.

ff Good: All around good game; campaign was phenomenal ff Bad: The multiplayer mode “Spartan Ops” could be better.

ff Good: Highly customizable multiplayer mode, and high paced. ff Bad: The campaign was too lengthy, as it takes 14 hours to complete.

ff Good: Campaign and multiplayer modes are great. ff Bad: The graphics can get a bit too extreme at some moments.

william alexander

Owens

marleene pheav

through the perilous city with many weapons of defense, along with a mysterious radioed friend, guiding him to safety. Safe from the unidentified killers, at least for a moment.

Even though “Bioshock” is categorized as a shooter, its campaign is packed with exploration, bursting from beginning to end. It is truly a perfect combination of gunshots and discovery. The collectible audio tapes, the growth in power and weapons, and the excitement to completing the story gives the player a satisfying feel when finishing the game.

But aside from “Bioshock,” other video games, such as the “Call of Duty” series, are very interactive in their campaigns.

Video games that balance the genres out are usually favored by gamers. But straight through adventure games are much better

than straight through shooter games.

For instance, the “Legend of Zelda” series, one of my favorites, is an amazing RPG (roleplaying games) that doesn’t involve any guns but is loved by many gamers worldwide.

One must use logic and common sense to muscle through difficult levels of numerous temples. If the character is in battle with a mini-boss, it isn’t as easy as shooting it dead. There are certain tactics that must be achieved, and that is one of the reasons why adventure games are so interesting and successfully popular.

Overall, adventures have a lot of varied storylines, as compared to shooters, which may become annoyingly repetitive.

Mixed categories are fabulous, but full-time shooters are a big fat no.

ff Good: Story line and graphics are amazing. ff Bad: Fi, the assistant character, is very bothersome.

ff Good: The plot is very fun and characters are a joy. ff Bad: The multiplayer lobby could be better.

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Undefeated once again

Girls badminton wins Section for sixth straight year alexus plascencia

Focused minds and faces of determination fill the gym. Shuttlecocks fly everywhere, rackets are swung. The only sound heard throughout the room is the swish of the air moving through

“

the rackets.

Although very successful in the past, each of the badminton girls continue to push hard to continue their winning streak.

The varsity badminton girls team have worked hard to prepare for their sixth consecutive year of Section, which they won again this year.

“They win every year, so it’s no surprise,” coach Hung Nguyen said. “I think it’s because they have more experience now.”

According to junior Lynzie Vang, coach Nguyen always has a plan. Every year they aim towards the league championship, and then Sections. He sets up a ladder for them; he sets goals for them to reach step, by step.

“He taught the team not to get mad at ourselves when we mess up, and to always stay calm,” senior Bao Hoang said.

But Nguyen’s great support wasn’t all that helped. The girls knew what their

job was.

They knew they had to work hard individually, and of course as a team.

Constantly they contributed all of their time, dedication, and effort to make their victory possible.

“Bao is one of the most hard working along with Papow,” senior Cathleen San Marcos said.

“They stay from the beginning of the practice to the very end.” For her senior year Hoang tried her hardest to stay undefeated. “Our mindset was we had to win, and get to Sectionals,” Hoang said.

“We all helped each other.”

Along with Hoang, senior Papow Her takes advantage of every minute she has, and practices until the coach closes the gym.

“My motivation is my competition,” Her said. “When I’m practicing, I think of all the teams I want to beat.”

Thinking back to her freshman year, Her realizes how far she’s come.

“I’m proud to be where I’m at; I sucked my freshman year.”

Though the teammates were all dependable, some struggled with going from playing doubles to singles. Some doubles had lost their partner because they were better off as playing a single.

“It was actually hard because I was so used to having a partner,” Vang said.

But with knowing she had to stay successful, Vang kept moving forward.

“They know what to take each year,” Nguyen said. “It’s a well built program, they know their expectations.”

He (coach Nguyen) usually always has a plan. He sets up the ladder that allows us to take everything one step at a time.“ Lynzie Vang junior

Photo by Dellanira Alcauter

Who knows pitcher Arista Dutra the best

sister Ariana Dutra

teammate or Maxine Contreras

Green

Color

Green

Green

“Titanium” by David Guetta

Warm-up Song

“Stay” by Rihanna

Anything by Justin Bieber

Yellow

Gatorade

Yellow

Blue

“Pitch Perfect”

Movie

“Finding Nemo”

“Perks of Being a Wallflower”

Athlete

Taco truck burrito

Pre-game meal

Tripping

Game day superstition

Graphic By Jessica Mangili and Araceli Valencia

Climbing over the net

This year has been a learning experience for the boys tennis team. It has been the first year for all of them to learn the concepts and skills, to get a taste of competition, to learn how to work with one another.

They all agree that they didn’t have the best league this year, but they are determined to build their skills and be more competitive next season.

?

Jennie Finch

Photos by Dellanira Alcauter

Partners Papow Her (top) and Wang Xiong (bottom), seniors, spend extra time preparing their technique for Sectionals.

No Answer

Jennie Finch

Fruit

Burrito

To put Icy Hot on her arm

Stepping on the foul line

“

Preferably, Arburua plays singles rather than doubles.

He isn’t the type of person who takes dependability well. “You have to have good communication, and be very quick with it.”

His best singles game was against Tokay, resulting in tiebreakers. “It was the closest game I ever had.”

Vincente Arburua sophomore

“

Tennis and football are two different worlds.” Cerda feels like he felt closer to people on a comparably small tennis team, rather than a whole football team because he spent most of the season with his group of defensive linemen. Cerda says the coaching experiences are very different.

He describes football as more yelling to get them to run and a lot more intense.

Rigoberto Cerda senior

Graphic By Jessica Mangili and Michealla Foules

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5.24.13

Program offers more than good food angel gonzalez The classroom is warm, as if it has been bottled up, but once the door opens, the warmth rushes out. Then, entering to hear the clicking of tools and the voices that come from every angle, you notice the people are running around, passing ingredients or dishes.

It’s chaos, but amidst the seemingly insane class, you sense the organization. All the pots are neatly hanging and everything is in its place place.

Then the smell engulfs you.

The deep rustic fragrance of ground beef but the delicate light aroma of thyme, rosemary, and oregano surrounds you and pulls you further in.

Then you are greeted by Jim Pettis, the teacher.

Welcome to culinary class.

The class cooks all things from hamburgers and meat loaf to lasagna and ribs. Pettis, a chef before he came to teach, who helps guide the students.

But, this program doesn’t just help to guide the students on how to maintain a household. The students learn how to iron, wash the dishes and help the cooking go smoothly.

“First, we want kids that want to be in the program and not just put here because there is no room in other classes,” Pettis said. “If they don’t want to be in here, we send them to the counselor.”

The class runs like clockwork after this.

“We learn how to cut things and learn new things every day,” Evelyn Rodriguez, a junior, said.

Students in the class must learn the correct way to handle kitchen utensils and are required to take the course seriously, as there are projects in which students must find their own recipes.

“Sometimes we create our own recipes and then

“

present them,” Rodriguez said.It’s our job to find what we have and what we don’t to tell Mr Pettis and he goes and gets the groceries.

The students use tasting to grade each other on how good their food is based on a rubric.

“They know when they do something right,” Pettis says, referring to how the students know when their dish is good or bad.

If the dish is bad or not as good as it could be Pettis says they try to find where they went wrong and help fix it for next time.

This may seem too structured but students say that it is a fun class and it is intended to be but the students are still using sharp things and safety is always a big concern.

“This class is so much fun,” said Trenton Raney, a junior.

He also said that people have to realize that they can’t sit at home without knowing how to cook, and that once this is noticed, joy can come from cooking.

“A lot of people don’t want to cook, but when you do you have fun.” he said.

“People work together making lunches for the teachers,” Raney said.

These lunches are really helpful to the teachers who receive them.

Ty Pafford, English teacher, has been ordering from culinary for four years now and says he enjoys the variety, the convenience with online ordering and the value.

The food is good and for only five dollars is not that bad, Pafford said.

The money goes directly to the culinary program and Pettis uses the money for groceries.

“When I don’t feel like making a lunch,” Paffor said, “I know Mr. Pettis is making something delicious.”

When I don’t feel like making lunch, I know Mr. Pettis is making something delicious.

Ty Pafford English teacher

photo by

Dellanira Alcauter

Junior Hilary Scott prepares shredded chicken for a refreshing salad to be delivered to a paying teacher.

4 0 0 0

1 2 3 4

4000

5 6 7 8 VALID THRU

DHO R CAR O I N E S

1 4 0 0 /

LDER

6 0 1 0

KING

As juniors approach their senior year, here are various costs to keep in mind to have a complete senior year.

These costs are approximated and some won’t apply to everyone.

MEMORABILIA Yearbook: $80 Prom: $100-$500 Senior trip: $250 (Annual Disneyland GradNite)

Senior pictures:$50-$500 Senior annoucement package: $199 (Such as choice of jewerly, senior bag, t-shirt, etc..)

Dances/formal: $200

COLLEGE READINESS College applications:$25-$80* Testing (price below is per test) ACT:

$50*

SAT: $50* AP: $80*

College entrance exams: $18 College orientation: $100 College housing deposit: $300

GRADUATION Cap & gown: $70-$80 Graduation extra tickets: $5 each Graduation apparel: $100-$300 Graduation party/dinner: $100-700 *Fee waivers may reduce the cost

GRAND TOTAL:$3,492 (cost includes highest price for each cost)

But senior memories...

PRICELESS

Science teacher heads for hills michealla foules

He stuck it out. He accomplished not quitting. “I’m the tortoise not the hare,” he said, “but I win the race.”

Aged with a friendly smile, suited with a cluttered white beard, along with a welcoming, bright attitude, Donald Campbell would most likely be recognized by biology students.

As the school year comes to an end, so are his days of being employed as a high school teacher.

“I’m 65 and a half,” he said.

“It’s time to retire.”

This year is Campbell’s second and last year teaching at Stagg.

Before, he taught at Marshall Middle School, IBML, and others, completing 22 years of work in Stockton.

Forty-four years ago, in 1969, Campbell started his teaching career. He taught for 37 years, then took a break. During that break, he completed two years of graduate school, and worked as a mailman, construction worker, and a temporary employee.

A year later, Campbell went back into teaching by joining the Peace Corps — an American Service Organization that helps people in other countries in different

areas like health, agriculture, and education.

“It was a wonderful experience teaching in Thailand. The students are respectful and very polite.” When Campbell returned, he resumed work as a teacher.

Like every teacher, Campbell had challenges of dealing with a defiant student. However, Campbell said this year’s students were well-behaved.

“Even though the students are talkative, they’re not serious behavior kids,” he said. “I had an enjoyable last year.”

Still, Campbell faced one of the most heartbreaking times in the past year. Last November, his wife died of cancer. Campbell was out for three weeks of school.

When he returned, Campbell encountered what would be the greatest memory in his years at Stagg. Art teacher Robert Aldrich and five of his classes designed a huge card, in sympathy for his loss. The card was filled with pages of sweet, meaningful notes from his students.

“I really appreciated this when I came back in November,” Campbell said. “I’m very grateful.

It really made me feel good.”

Sophomore Matthew Greenberg says he would tell anyone

that Campbell is “funny, smart, and cares a lot about his students.”

“Mr.Campbell is hilarious,” said D’Gene Griffin, a sophomore. “He’s my favorite teacher.”

Greenberg describes his retirement as bittersweet. “He’s a great teacher and I’m going to miss him,” he said, “but he’ll get to retire and relax on his own time.”

Campbell has adventures planned after his retirement. “I mainly want to pursue my hobbies and interests.” He has many interests, but the activity at the top of his list is playing golf. Another would be Tai-chi.

“Tai-chi is what helped me survive the 22 years.”

His other interests include reading, photography, drawing, music, hiking, exercising, yoga, eating healthy, and traveling.

He hopes to travel to Japan, Thailand, and Hawaii. He also plans to visit family and friends from coast to coast.

Campbell owns a house 4,000 feet up in the mountains. “That’s where I’ll live,” he laughs. “I think I’ll stay in the hills most of the time.”

He’ll come down to visit from time to time. “And of course to play golf with friends.”

Campbell shows off his good-bye card from his students that art teacher Robert Aldrich created for him. photo by

Dellanira Alcauter