10.06.17
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School 1621 Brookside Rd. Stockton, CA 95207
Vol. 61 No. 2
the
New math class focuses on ‘real world’ BriannaRodriguez
Students enrolled in DACA are anxious about what to do now that policy is gone
IT
& under attack
“
With DACA being taken away ... they can’t even work at a car wash or at a restaurant.” SarahTorres, Immigration attorney
StephanieMatsumoto
was two years ago, immediately after she turned 15, when she first brought all the necessary paperwork and money to receive protection under the program. As the only undocumented child in her family, the fear of being deported and separated from those she loved was a constant fear in the back of her mind. But, at least for the time being, those fears would be lessened and she could live her life just a bit more normally, a bit safer. She would never have guessed that come the second time around to renew, it would only be a matter of time. She would once again live in terror of losing everything, of being sent back to her birthplace but not her home. On Sept. 5, the future hopes and dreams of almost 800,000 human beings, including this senior who asked to be anonymous, were put to a halt. It was on that day the Trump administration decided to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy. Under this policy, which President Obama signed into law in 2012, some of those who came to America illegally as minors could receive a renewable twoyear period of deferred action and other basics like a work permit, driver licence, and college enrollment. Because Congress was given six months to decide what to do with individuals previously eligible, those under DACA still temporarily have benefits. “A lot of things can be taken away from me,” the senior said. “There’s the chance of being deported or I’ll at least have to pay a lot more for college, which is going to be hard.” Losing family members to
deportation is too familiar for the senior. Tears were shed in the heartbreaking moments when others close to her were taken away, life feeling a little more empty. If she too were to be deported, going back to Mexico would be a difficult transition due to spending most of her life in the U.S. “I was brought here for a better life because I was young,” she said. “I grew up just in this country so I don’t really know my home back home.” That is one of many fears Dreamers, or those protected by DACA, have after news of the rescission. Sarah Torres, an immigration attorney and Stagg graduate, runs a law firm where she hears the same worries from her clients. For those who are undocumented, the harsh reality is that not only will they be deported, but the goals they worked toward by going to school and getting an education may be for naught. “With DACA being taken away not only can they not get
their licence but they can’t even work at a car wash or at a restaurant,” Torres said. “There’s nothing that person can legally do because that person with hopes and dreams might be deported.” To those concerned, Torres suggests seeing their immigration attorney. Since Dreamers are losing their DACA status, they may be eligible for something else. She wants them to know that other options exist and if their DACA expires anytime between Sept. 5 to March 5, they would’ve had to renew before Oct. 5 in order to get an additional year. Because Torres has personal connections with her clients and others in their position she wants them to pursue their dreams without being held back. “They don’t know if it’s even worth going to college or to graduate high school but when they get lawful immigration status, once they get DACA, everything changes,” Torres said. “Suddenly these quiet, timid kids are graduating high school, they’re getting
professional licences, and they’re getting jobs.” Former DACA recipient and senior Edwin Hidalgo who is now a U.S. citizen, is trying to reach those goals. When Hidalgo first arrived in America with his dad at a young age, he didn’t understand much about the policy. Now, he is able to appreciate all it has done for him and others like him so far. “DACA allowed us a way to provide for ourself and our family.” While he no longer needed DACA’s protection, the policy still plays a big part in his life. Since other family members are still undocumented, he and his family are tormented by thoughts of what will happen in the near future if nothing gets solved. “It was a much safer feeling because (the police) don’t go after you for certain things, and you have your back covered,” Hidalgo said. “Basically when (it) hits the fan, we’ll have to scatter and worry about our daily lives.”
Many students sit in their math classes wondering when they will apply the knowledge they learn in real life. Andrew Walter wants these students to wonder no more. The award-winning MESA adviser and Math Department Chair has introduced a new math course to Stagg’s classes. This is the first year Financial Algebra is being offered here. The class is a non traditional applications-based learning approach. As of now, Walter is the only teacher on campus teaching this class. “The concept behind this class is that students will learn how to do taxes or start their own business.” Walter said. “Students will use more applications of advanced algebra, rather than the abstract solve for a variable and put it on a graph.” This class is made up of Common Core State Standards. Basic algebra formulas, functions, and linear equations are used and put towards real world applications, such as automobile expenses. For students who are not fond of traditional algebra, this course is a better fit. The fear of algebra doesn’t arise in students since they don’t technically use “algebra,” they “solve problems.” Freshman Jada Meadows said, “I enjoy this class because it really has helped me understand how taxes and paying bills work.” Unsure of the class’s a-g credit eligibility, the teachers in the Math Department were hesitant bringing it to Stagg’s campus. Walter found the Financial Algebra textbook last year and liked it, so he decided to do some research on the class. “We found out that Los Angeles already adopted the book,” he said. “They already did all the paperwork to make sure it was a-g credit college approved, so we’re just piggybacking off their work.” Walter said if students look in real life people aren’t going to “solve for ‘X’” or graph PHOTO BY JULIAROSETE random quaAndrew Walter helps out sophomore Emily dratic funcLoomis with an activity on standard deviations, but they tion and central tendency using texting. will use all that math in jobs. This class lets students solve basic algebra functions that they would normally be scared of without them evening knowing it. Financial Algebra gives students like freshman Trey Collins the opportunity to learn skills needed in real life. “I want to get a business bachelors degree in college and I feel like this class will help me later on.” Walter claims that students will look at the applications of math in industry rather than learning individually compartmentalized math concepts. They will learn math concepts, but buried into the financial part of it. Financial Algebra is a business math that is algebra-driven. “A lot of the time students are solving for ‘X’ and don’t even know it.”
Resource officer understands campus issues JuliaRosete
In front of the school, watching for traffic violations, is school resource officer Erica Moppins. Parents dropping off their children in the morning have been stopped and sometimes cited, but it’s all in the name of public safety, says the Stockton native. For Moppins, safety is the No. 1 priority, especially when it comes to students. “A lot of parents honk and wave, and those are people that I’ve pulled over,” she said. The growing need for police patrol in the morning came from an incident that happened two years ago, when a student was hit by a car when crossing the street in front of the school. “Since that happened and I heard about that, I’m like ‘oh heck no, not on my watch,’” she said. The student, senior Rudy Cabrera, feels safer now. “It’s far better than not having someone out there watching you, risking and running that chance.”
Growing up in south Stockton, Moppins understands a lot of the situations the students are in. In her office on campus, she sometimes brings in students who are going through some especially hard times. Some students come in malnourished, not having food available to them at home. “Some kids don’t have food,” Moppins said.
“Got to hook them up.” As a child, she said where she came from caused people to see her as a suspect more than anything. One of the things she thinks that makes her successful is her approach. “When I talk to people and approach them, it’s not a ‘Hey, get over here, you’re guilty of something,’” Moppins said. “It’s just that Officer Moppins enjoys hanging around students during lunch to check in with them and see how they are doing. PHOTO BY CARLOS DAVALOS
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soft approach that you have.” The officer said that just because she’s a police officer doesn’t mean she lived a perfect life. After working in jails, where she felt like she was reaching kids too late, Moppins because an SRO and has been at Stagg since January. “Now that I’m here and I develop those relationships, I try to coach you guys as best as possible, work with you, not just hurry up and put you in the system,” she said. Junior Keith Smith is one of the students that passes by in the halls and says hello to the officer. On most days, he said he sees her joking around with students during lunch and having fun with them. “She’s pretty cool with all the kids, never mean to anybody,” Smith said. “Only in certain situations, like when kids are fighting, that’s when you’ll see her in action.” Though many see her as the officer who just hands out tickets in the morning, Moppins does more than what is asked of her.
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2
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
OPINION
10.06.17
the Stagg Line
STAFF EDITORIAL
Financial algebra applies to life O ften times in math class, you’ll hear a person complain about “when will we ever use this in real life?” You might even have thought that yourself. Now there’s a class offered that provides just that, math for real world use. Although it’s still in the early stages, Financial Algebra already shows great promise. Taught by Math Department Chair Andrew Walter, the Financial Algebra class is a non-traditional application-based approach that teaches students math based on real life situations. This is a two-year class that will cover both Algebra I and II. Los Angeles has already put the class into use and has done all the paperwork to make sure that it is a-g approved, making it easier for the Math Department to put into effect. However, only one teacher will be teaching it this year in order as a sort of test to see if it’ll work out or not. If it’s successful, then other math teachers will also offer it starting next year. This class gives students a reason for learning math and let’s them apply it in practices they might or will need in the future for jobs. Benefits of the class include providing many opportunities and being a practical class that can offer skills for students instead of classes that ask them to find the limit for some abstract function. Not to mention that in learning these skills, they’re also learning basic math that’s required by the school. Many math-phobic students should be attracted to this class as well since this can help them with their fear because they’re able to solve basic algebra problems that would normally scare them, and in turn it allows them to do better. This means that students
will be able to improve their math skills and grades without fearing it for the first time. It’s a great class for those who aren’t pursuing a career that requires advanced math and allows them to learn something useful for later on, or for those who are scared of math. This class provides real world skills that are useful and necessary for students. Hopefully this year’s class will prove to be successful and allow for more classes to be made and create more math options for students, instead of the traditional Algebra I and II.
Jumping on bandwagon clouds opinion
Buddy Project offers support and friendship
W
hen an artist does something big, everyone has their opinion whether it’s right or wrong. The majority of the time the public agrees with each other jumping on the bandwagon, but what happens to the people who disagree with it? They get criticized. Jumping on the bandwagon frequently happens with music artists, an example is Taylor Swift. When Swift and rap artist Kanye West had tension, the public felt bad for the innocent country-pop artist who seemed defenseless. People saw Swift as a guiltless kitten and West as a horrible man for interrupting her speech at the VMA’s in 2009. Those who thought the situation wasn’t a big deal were singled out and attacked. They couldn’t voice their opinion. The public was quick to attack someone who didn’t agree with them, saying something that didn’t show pity to Taylor Swift, but the issue wasn’t as big
as the public made it. During that time Swift seemed like a worthy person to the public’s eyes, while West was being bashed by his “fans” who ended up taking Swift’s sidehence the bandwagon. Back to 2017, Swift released a new song “Look What You Made Me Do.” This song isn’t explicitly directed to Kanye West, but you’d have to be blind if you couldn’t tell it was a diss towards West. This song has received bad reviews mostly, and the bandwagon was quick to turn on her saying they don’t really like Swift’s new image. The media is a huge wave; you’re either with it or against it. The public is influenced so fast by rumors and hashtags giving them invalid information, that they don’t have their own opinion. Their view is clouded by what they should do and not what they want to do. Swift’s pity bandwagon is over as she transitions to full-on pop, losing
Shannon Bradberry the innocent look. Who knows, maybe West will fire back, making a diss track that will feed into the drama that the media seems to love so much, and when he does we will see what side the bandwagon will favor. Sports teams are another example. People almost never want to be the fan of a losing team; they are embarrassed if they lose. Boxing matches are pretty intense. The boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Santos Saúl Álvarez Barragán “Canelo” was highly promoted. Bandwagon appeal makes it so that people don’t need to have a real reason to support someone, they go with the flow; since the appeal for Mayweather was more promoted, the general public is more willing to support him.
ART BY SERINASIENG
STAGG LINE Staff & Policies STAGG LINE
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School 1621 Brookside Rd. Stockton, CA 95207 The Stagg Line is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association, whose awards include the following: ff All-American: 22 times ff Hall of Fame ff First Place, Best of Show: 6 times ff National Newspaper Pacemaker: 7 times Stagg Line journalists over the years have won many awards and scholarships, including California Journalist of the Year, National Story of the Year and National Photo of the Year.
The Stagg Line newspaper is published monthly and distributed free to students and staff members. Our website staggonline.net is updated regularly with online exclusives. The Stagg Line is a long-standing open forum for free student expression. That means, student editors and reporters make content and style decisions with the adviser offering guidance. The staff editorial, which appears at the top of this page, reflects the opinion of the entire staff and therefore is not signed. A personal column is signed and reflects the writer’s point of view. Readers are welcome to submit letters for publication regarding any story published or any school issue. We will make every effort to publish any letter that is not libelous, obscene or inflammatory. Letters longer than 250 words may be edited for length. Letters may be given to any staff member, delivered to A8 or emailed to dbott@stocktonusd.net.
ART BY AMBERLYBUTLER
I
n the middle of the night on April 8, 2013, three girls at Gabby Frost’s high school were contemplating whether to take their own lives. At 1:37 a.m., Frost took to her Twitter and said the site’s over 200 million users at the time should “beg Twitter to make some kind of buddy system so everyone will always have someone there for them.” More than four years later, Frost became the CEO and founder of the Buddy Project. The Buddy Project is a global non-profit organization that pairs people around the world based on common interests. Its main focus is to prevent suicide and self harming through the buddies and by raising awareness for various mental illnesses. While it states on the site that by signing up to be partnered is by no means a therapy or counseling alternative, having someone to talk to who you can connect with on different levels is one of the best things anyone could ask for. Scrolling through my Twitter feed in July 2016, I found the organization’s account and looked into it. When I was younger, finding people that I got
GRAPHIC BY AMBERLYBUTLER
Julia Rosete along with or had common interests was difficult. Getting along with people was even harder when almost everyone in my grade knew who I was because of the moronic nicknames the other kids on the playground gave me. Though it hasn’t been as difficult or intense since I reached high school, it’s always nice to have someone to talk to outside of your in-person friends. Signing up to be paired for the first time was terrifying and exhilarating. I had no idea who I would meet, where they would be from, or what interest out of my top choices we would share. Turns out I was paired with a girl from Cambridge, England, who also enjoyed both reading and writing poetry. That was over a year ago. Since then I have had two other buddies, one from Alaska and another from Texas. Though I am only in contact with my friend from Texas, having the opportunity to interact these three girls from different backgrounds and places has been life-changing. There are no other organizations like this. A few months ago, a tweet from the Buddy Project’s Twitter account was sent out, calling for anyone who was interested in being a campus representative for their school. This person would be to not only responsible for raising awareness about mental health or the organization itself but educating people on these topics and provide support for others. They can create Instagram and Twitter accounts to help advocate and gather a following of people from their campus, showing that at whatever college of high school campus, there is someone there to help others in need. I signed up and have since created a Twitter account for Stagg. Four weeks ago, I presented to PLUS after seeing their signs around campus during Suicide Prevention Week. My purpose in doing this is not solely to show people how amazing this program is and make people join it, though I highly recommend doing so. I just want to be someone that people feel they can go to when they need a friend, educate others who may not understand mental health issues, and make this campus a place where mental health will never be ignored or shielded from its students.
EDITORS
REPORTERS
SaraAbdeltawab & StephanieJimenez editors-in-chief
ShannonBradberry
AngelVasquez news editor SamanthaBaker opinion editor
DonavinCollins AidanDanforth CarlosDavalos SolomonJuarez
StephanieMatsumoto features editor
OleediaHarris
LeslieCoronado entertainment editor
BriannaRodriguez
MariaCastillo sports editor JuliaRosete web editor
NicholasRosete SerinaSieng AlbertoValencia
KevinGutierrez photo editor
MarkWalding
AmberlyButler graphics editor
HannahWorkman
DonBott adviser
Current and older issue PDFs are available at issuu.com/staggline
10.06.17
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
Media is an ally for us all, not an enemy
OPINION
3
the Stagg Line
Rep affects students
C
atastrophic Hurricane Harvey had a devastating impact on many citizens in Houston, Texas. A woman that was rescued 36 hours after the hurricane berated on a CNN correspondent when being interviewed. While she started to become very anxious, the CNN correspondent continued to ask questions. “Y’all sit here trying to interview people during the worst times — like people are really breaking down and y’all sitting here with cameras and microphones—” Many people on media have agreed with the woman’s point of view, saying newscasters should not be interviewing people at such a difficult time. Yet these people are not considering the CNN correspondent’s job. Of course, her intention was not to get trigger the woman’s emotions. She was there to gain feedback and inform people on what is going on. We need to see the negative effects of situations, but that doesn’t mean positive things can’t come from them. Great outcomes have happened due to the media’s attention such as people donating to the Houston community after Hurricane Harvey. If anything considered insensitive or bad couldn’t broadcast then there would be no news. There will always be somebody that disagrees. Elizabeth Smart is a person who was affected by the media but is now a crime reporter. Her dark past has not deterred her from speaking up. Smart first made headlines in 2002 after being abducted from her Salt Lake City bedroom. Smart was kidnapped and then sexually abused and neglected at the age of 14. She was finally found in captivity nine months later. Since then, Smart uses her trauma to help bring others stories to the light. She claims to have had a hard time after being rescued when talking to reporters and dealing with media. Later on Smart decided that she wanted to use her experience to help others with trauma. As of now she is a contributor and activist for ABC News. I support what she is doing and think it is for a great cause. Not only is she moving forward
Oleedia Harris from such a difficult experience, but she is using her voice to give back and help others that have difficulty dealing with their own personal trauma. Of course there are some people out there that might think that the kidnapping is too much of a sensitive topic to be talked about, but if Smart wanted to she wouldn’t have to talk about it. However, instead of grieving and trying to forget what has happened, she uses her experience as an opportunity to help others, which is great use of using the media to your advantage Some see media as more than insensitive and actually malicious. I disagree with this because I find media as a tool of liberation and to sway opinions for good reason. President Trump earlier this year had stated that, “the media is out of control…” Although he stated some media was okay, his general statement was that the media is “fake.” The media is only Trump’s enemy because it represents the truth. He is trying to confuse the public so they will not believe his sad truths. Trump would like to create the illusion that the media is out of control, even though it is very much in control. He wants control of what people see from true and false. Media is not the enemy, but in fact people’s biggest ally. It is one of the biggest leaps we have taken in history, providing not only self-expression, but facts and accessibility. It enhances empathy for others’ circumstances. Media is power to the people.
ART BY AMBERLYBUTLER
Stagg’s reputation causes students to be stereotyped at local convenience stores
“A
re you from Stagg?” the security guard asked. “Yes,” my friends and I said. I felt their eyes, as I walked into the
store. Students are often asked this question as they walk into a store around school, stores like Dollar Tree or 7/11. And I understand why. It’s embarrassing and, in fact, humiliating but several students steal from these stores on a daily basis. That’s not new to me. What irks me is the generalization students have created for all of us. Stores require every student to have their ID on at all times when entering one of the establishments. If a student is caught stealing from one of the stores, it is reported to the principal, Andre Phillips. The student then faces the consequences, which I’m assuming is some sort of suspension. But this isn’t my point. It’s like we’re digging ourselves into a deeper hole. And I say “we” because I’m a student as well, obviously. Although I’m not part of this group of people that steal, their behavior affects all of us. I’ve been asked to take my backpack off, to put my ID on and to wait in line to come inside a store and I know why. I don’t blame the
employees for suspecting every student, because we’ve given them a reason to be suspicious. I don’t look like a thief yet I’m looked at when I go to the store. I’m followed by a stare, waiting to see if I’ll steal or not. I don’t blame them, I blame us. We caused this. Assumptions are made about all of us, including the ones that remain innocent. The students have done this to themselves. Maybe there is some unknown reason why students have the necessity to steal; beats me. But it frustrates me why students wonder why they’re asked to take off their backpacks. It frustrates me when they complain about having to wait in line to enter 7/11. Because at one point it was decided that only three students at a time would be allowed inside the store. Generalization comes with a little bit of truth. That generalization being that students will often steal, leading others to be seen as thieves as well. The way students are portrayed won’t change overnight. But what can change in a faster rate is they way we behave. Little by little our actions will speak differently of us, as a whole. But only if we all cooperate.
Stephanie Jimenez
People shouldn’t judge others’ decisions N ot long ago I was on Twitter looking at tweets (well duh), scrolling, scrolling, and I came across a video of a baby receiving floating lessons. The lesson consisted of flipping the baby upside down and the baby would flip itself over and float. A Twitter user quoted the video saying, “I would never do this to my child.” People were quick to raise the question “why not?” I ask the same. If this woman is teaching her baby the procedures if the child would ever to fall into a pool, why is this a bad thing? According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the No. 1 cause of death to children from ages 1 to 4. The mother is doing a great job of keeping her child from being one of those children. When it comes to tragic situations, I’ve noticed that people always find it so easy to think, “Oh, that would never happen to me,” but once it happens they wish they could have done something. As they always say, “Better safe than sorry.” When the mother posted
Maria Castillo this video, she intended to make other parents aware that tragedies can happen to anyone at anytime making sure that some can be avoided. But from reading the comments, some users attacked the woman because they didn’t understand her message. Another video that was on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter was a father with his 6 year old daughter clinging to his back with her arms and legs around him while he was cooking. The father was dancing and singing
and his daughter looked like she was enjoying her time with her father. People started commenting that it was “sexual,” and that he was a pedophile. They also commented that the girl was too old to be clinging on to her father like that. Why is it inappropriate for a father to be playful with his daughter? If it was a mother spending time with her daughter in that way then it would be seen as a way to bond. Simply because it was a man, it was seen as a horrible thing. What’s horrible is that people are easy to judge an innocent video. On Instagram, I have seen children post videos doing their own makeup. These girls, and sometimes boys, are at most 10 years old, and their makeup skills are unbelievably good. It would be expected to see praise and awh in the comments, but that’s not always the case. There were plenty of hateful comments like “children shouldn’t be wearing makeup,” “What has society done to our children,” or even saying that if the child in the video were theirs, they’d punish them.
These kids shouldn’t be criticized for putting on makeup. If they enjoy doing it, and their parents obviously don’t seem to mind, then these children should be able to post their makeup creations. Makeup can be a way for them to express themselves, as children they are growing and developing so they should not have to fear what others have to say about the way they are expressing themselves. If people find themselves offended by something like children putting on makeup, they need to ask themselves why. Why does society see something inherently sexual about wearing makeup? Why is a father playfully interacting with his daughter seen as inappropriate? Why is a baby being taught to survive in a life-or-death situation seen as dangerous? Are people too quick to judge? I understand that when people post their photos or videos online they are bound to get negative remarks, but if they are bringing to light something that can be beneficial or simply having a good time, people shouldn’t get so worked up.
GRAPHIC BY KEVINGUTIERREZ
4
FEATURES
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
Rescuing dogs gives purpose
GRAPHIC BY MARKWALDING AND SERINASIENG
StephanieMatsumoto
What qualifies as a pet? Traditionally, most would consider animals like dogs or cats. Yet, another’s mind might think of ones more unusual like snakes, pigs, and even spiders. What qualifies as a pet isn’t based on appearance but the memories made and the happiness it brings. Pets come in a variety of shapes and sizes, colors and breeds, and leave lasting impressions on the hearts of others.
Student raises many types of animals LeslieCoronado How many animals can one person raise? Typically you’d think of one or two, maybe even three. Well, how about nine? Junior AJ Tuckwood owns three dogs, one pig, one talking parakeet, and four turtles. The pig is usually found hanging around in his backyard, with the parakeet stays in its cage, basking in the sunlight. The dogs, for the most part, stay in the garage or join the pig and bird in the backyard. The dogs have been around for a while, the oldest being a 7 year old lab with a grey tinted muzzle is named Murphy, and the youngest, a 3 year old Shih Tzu named Cookie. The middle dog, is a 5 year old German Shepherd named Rocko. They got the dogs because Tuckwood’s father really loves dogs and wanted to have some around the house.
The white parrot parakeet has been around for about five years and usually stays in the backyard. It can only say one word, but it’ll say it to anyone who’ll listen. It also enjoys teasing the dogs when they’re around. “Hello! Hello!” The four turtles have been around for two years and used to share a tank with some small fishes. However, the fish mysteriously disappeared the day after the turtles moved in. “When we first bought the turtles we put them in a tank that had little fishes and we all went to sleep and when we woke up, there were no more fish,” Tuckwood said. “And we didn’t know what happened but then we realized that the turtles ate them.” The pig was something that his mother had been wanting, and would lead to his parents thinking about for two years, wondering, “how would they do in the backyard or if they would have space to run around.” Around six months ago, they finally decided
to act upon their thoughts and get a pig. They promptly named it Tuna. It used to be like the kind that you typically see on TV, small. However, within those 6 months of raising it, it grew to nearly six feet long and reaches around mid waist. Tuna, with short grey hair and a potbelly, is constantly seen eating from a large foil plate in the backyard. Initially, one would think that raising so many animals would be difficult compared to a low maintenence cat or fish. However, Tuckwood and his family say on the contrary about their house pets. “It’s not hard, because they’re all easy and mellow,” Tuckwood said. They just need to be fed and cleaned, since none of the animals are very high maintenance. Although there are occasionally some conflicts between the animals, such as the dogs playing a little too roughly with the pig or the parakeet laughing at the dogs, at the end of the day they can been seen lying down together peacefully.
Dangerous doesn’t equal bad Pet bird is a great SamanthaBaker
He was only 5 years old when his mother came home and plopped an egg in his hands, only to have a Colombian redtail boa snake suddenly hatch there. Ever since then Arron Collier, a senior, has been a reptile fanatic. Watching Animal Planet when he was a child, Collier became entranced by the creatures on the screen. He soon became a bookworm, reading up on his favorite vertebrates. After his mother delivered him his first snake, his love for unusual and dangerous critters became solidified. “How many people do you know that has reptiles?” he asked. Collier has had a multitude of animals since then. This includes a dog, cat, bearded dragon, five leopard geckos, 14 snakes of different types, even some venomous ones, 28 different lizards, 10 to 15 tarantulas, four scorpions, and three centipedes. Nowadays he owns a leopard gecko named Spot, a crested gecko named Hades, two Madagascar hissing cockroaches named Cali and
Norman, approximately 1,000 dubia roaches, a betta fish named Brad, and a rat named Ruby. Because of his aspiration to be a herpetologist, someone who studies amphibians and reptiles, when older, he even breeds his creatures at home in order to study them, much to the chagrin of his aunt who he lives with. “They’re just so different from humans.” In order to take care of them he has to do maintenance daily. He has to spray a mist of water into the habitats of the two geckos and the roaches every day, they drink from the dew formed. Collier has to clean the reptile cages often and feed the animals daily, excluding the crested gecko Hades who is fed every three days, and the roaches which are fed every few days. When showing his animals to others, he gets a variety of reactions, from delight to shock to disturbed, usually because of the amount of roaches. Watching hundreds of them move around in their terrarium is enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. Others are intrigued, such as when Collier owned a python and people would approach him
to ask for photos. Despite the wide array of dangerous animals in his arsenal, he believes that the most dangerous in his bunch of unusual pets is Ruby the rat. “I’ve never owned a rat and I don’t know how to predict what’s coming next.” Collier’s interest in scaly reptiles and crawling critters that was sparked as a child, has bred a passion that will last for the rest of his life, and a rather intriguing one at that.
COURTESY OF ARRONCOLLIER
The pictures above show some of the many animals Collier owns at home. He has collected many unique creatures over the years , which he breeds and studies. His love and interest in these animals has inspired him to be a herpetologist when older.
companion for Lugo MariaCastillo
Waking up to an ear-splitting screech for an alarm is a regular thing for office accountant Corene Lugo. This would sound horrible for some people, but for Lugo there is no better way to start the day. She had been wanting a pet, but having a dog or a cat wouldn’t work because of her busy schedule. Most of the time so she couldn’t take the dog out for walk or play with it, and a cat wouldn’t work either since it takes time to clean the kitty litter. Since her house isn’t big, she didn’t want a big maca. She wanted something small that could fill her with great joy, so a parrot it was. Having her mind set on a parrot and a companion, Lugo walked into the pet store. While they didn’t have any parrots, they did have a cockatoo. The cockatoo had been abandoned by a family at the store. “Let me see it,” Lugo said, and there it was a “cute” little 2 year old goffin cockatoo. The bird flew to her, crawled from her finger to her shoulder, and rubbed its head over her cheek. The workers couldn’t believe it because the bird would bite all of them, so much so that they were about to give it to a bird sanctuary because he was so “mean.” It was clear from that moment on to Lugo that this bird was the one for her and she was the one for the bird. Now Kona, Lugo’s bird, knows when she is home just by
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10.06.17
the Stagg Line
Without a home or an owner to care for them, stray dogs roam the streets, clueless to the constant dangers of the outside world. These furry friends come in all shapes and sizes, yet go through the same struggles on their own. They’re lost and uncared for as their paws wear out, their fur becomes matted, and survival is all that matters. However, a few lucky animals are able to find a new lease on life, thanks to people like senior Taylor Pascua and her aunt. For the past 10 to 15 years, Pascua’s aunt has been rescuing dogs by either bringing them to the shelter or taking them in as her own. While she doesn’t want too many pets, she refuses to leave them out in harsh conditions. Pascua sees a lot of herself in the animals she rescues off the streets. As an orphan herself, she was taken in by her aunt after no longer having a place to call home. “My aunt is a caring person and she can be strict sometimes but she cares for all individuals,” Pascua said. “The way she takes in dogs gave me a new outlook on life.”
PHOTO BY MARKWALDING
Two of Pascua’s dogs run around in her aunt’s backyard. All of her dogs are stray chihuahuas that were picked up off the streets. Living with dogs is something that Pascua learned to accept and even appreciate after moving in with her aunt. Pascua helps take care of the dogs by taking them on walks or carrying dog food when they’re at the store. “My biggest pet peeve is when they bark, but besides that they’re not really a problem with me because I like them all.”
The first time Pascua really came to love dogs was almost a year ago on Christmas. She and her family were on their way to help at the homeless shelter for the holidays. On the way there, she saw an older dog and a puppy on the side of a cold winter road. Though she was originally going take them to the shelter since her family was busy with the holiday,
Pascua was overwhelmed with emotions when she picked them up. “I saw the two and wanted to rescue them so I had (my aunt) go back,” Pascua said. After taking them off the streets, Pascua immediately went to the vet. One of them had a big cut on his left side and a tumor on the right of his chest.
Pascua was crushed after the veterinarian told her that the dog would only live for another three to four weeks. However, she wasn’t planning on giving up. For the next few months, she took him back for checkups. Slowly yet surely, the dog’s tumor went away. “I was heartbroken when I first saw him and since then he’s become like a best friend,” Pascua said. “They’re kind of my personal dogs and I have a personal connection with them.” Rescuing animals has affected what she wants to do in the future. While she doesn’t have any big plans, Pascua wants to be involved with helping animals and other people by getting a job like being a social worker. Overall, Pascua just wants to change the community outlook on stray animals and the homeless so more people would be willing to help and give them a better life. “Being able to go and pick out a pet is always fun but it just really felt like I was in my aunt’s shoes and I could do for these animals what she was doing for me.”
Impaired animals are family too HannahWorkman Animals are commonly known as man’s best friend. Like their human counterparts, canines are not invulnerable to physical impairments. In some occurrences, they come naturally. Pets could either be born with disabilities or complications may arise as aging progresses. In others, they can be acquired due to fascinating circumstances. Such is the case with senior Helaina Geisert’s pet, a 6-year-old Boston Terrier named Brodie. When Geisert was younger, her family brought Brodie into their home during the holiday season. A friend of the family was selling puppies, but she was able to trade her Xbox with his son for one. Welcoming a new member into the household amid Christmas festivities was exciting, to say the very least. Around the age of 1, Brodie got into a bit of a scuffle with another dog. They tried to treat his eye, which had become infected after the fight, with no success. This led to him becoming partially blind. Slight adjustments had to be made in order to accommodate his needs. “When we tried to call him to offer a treat, he sometimes didn’t know because he couldn’t see out of one eye so we had to go to the other side of his face,” Geisert said. The family also had to be wary about how they approached Brodie since he was unable to see all of his surroundings. “If you’d sneak up on him on his bad side, he’d get scared,” she said. While some may assume owning a pet who is impaired presents many challenges, Geisert
thinks it is simple: You just need to have more patience than usual and find other ways to get their attention. “If you have a deaf dog, they’re not going to hear you. If you have a blind dog, you have to use your voice and try not to startle it so easily,” she said. Junior Lance Kimes also has experience with handling blind pets. His dog, an 11-year-old dachshund named Frankie, cannot see out of either eye. The canine’s loss of vision was gradual and manifested due to older age. The family first noticed the change in Frankie when his ability to see from afar began to diminish. His eyes slowly lost their clarity and developed a glazy look. “It was subtle at first, you couldn’t really see it,” Kimes said. “You had to look at it from a side view.” When Frankie’s vision took a turn for the worse, he started to walk into things and his desire to play reduced. “He’d more or less go outside and lay there or somewhere in the house,” Kimes said. Canny ways to make the change easier for Frankie were found, such as never moving his food or water bowls so he always knows where to go when he wants to eat or drink. Despite what preconceived notions others might have, Kimes agrees that impaired animals are not an exceptional burden to owners. “I wouldn’t say owning a pet with a disability is difficult. They just need a little more special treatment than normal.”
PHOTO BY KEVINGUTIERREZ
Lance Kimes holds his dog Frankie who has white eyes due to being blind. Though his vision reduced gradually, Kimes’ love for the old dog did not.
MY FAVORITE PET MEMORY “My favorite memory is when I found out Steve and Chip were female and not male.”
PHOTO BY STEPHANIEJIMENEZ
Kona and Lugo have had many fun experiences, from taking him to the vet and finding out the bird wasn’t a girl, to him stealing a Kona coffee bean, and thus getting his name. the sound of her truck. He starts bouncing with excitement in his cage saying, “Mama! Mama!” There isn’t a boring day with Lugo and Kona. Kona can fly around her house. “His wings aren’t clipped, because I believe they were born with full wings, so they should keep their full wings.” They play hide and go seek, where she does more of the hiding and he does the seeking. He can do things on command like shake hands, go
to her, and when she says “show me how pretty you are” Kona will open up his wings and show them off. Because cockatoos can live up to 80 years, Lugo says that it will be a bird to pass down. “If something were to happen to me, he is going to my daughter,” Lugo said. “If something then were to happen to my daughter, he would go to my granddaughter.” So literally Lugo and Kona may be best friends for life.
Senior Jorge Berrelleza
“My favorite memory is when I would watch him hopping over the (tall) grass.”
Senior Denise Ramirez
“My favorite memory is when I would give him a bath and he would hide behind the bubbles and squeak every time I popped them .”
“My favorite memory is when I would hold them and they would pee on me.”
Freshman Sophia Saucedo
Senior Michael Herrera GRAPHIC BY ALBERTOVALENCIA
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Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
Horror films leave a bitter aftertaste on daily life DonavinCollins
With a single viewing of a scary movie, one of your childhood joys could suddenly be turned into your worst fear. At least that’s true for junior Tenyiah Washington, whose fear of dolls quickly developed after watching horror movie “Annabelle.” However, this wasn’t the only movie that has affected her, as she said, “I will never watch a scary movie by myself after watching ‘Paranormal Activity’ in the dark alone.” Right after watching “Annabelle,” Washington’s fear of dolls took over, unexpectedly turning her collection into a shortage. “I feel like dolls can come to life, I don’t wanna die,” she said. “I had a bunch of dolls and threw them away after watching that movie.” A fear that was never present in her had suddenly been triggered by a single movie. Movies in this certain genre sometimes cause these types of effects. If someone were to watch a scary movie on evil spirits, they could possibly begin to believe they’re real. The effects of watching this type of movie can last anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of decades. For how long depends on the person themself. Since the release of “IT,” the famous fear of clowns has once again risen. To celebrate the movie, some people have been tying red balloons around sewers and movie theaters. This of course has sparked fear in people scared of clowns. Some say that doing this is taking the movie too seriously. If it isn’t, then what exactly would be taking horror movies too serious? Thanks to the movie, apparently the clown business has declined. Children and parents across the United States have started to exclude clowns from their birthday parties. This goes to show that the movies can influence the real world. Also, like last year, clowns have been spotted more and more as Halloween approaches. This brings about the discussion of whether or not the clowns will harm people. With the given evidence, horror movies are no doubt affecting our real lives, bringing danger and fear to us. However, is it really the horror movies that influence us, or is it that people just take the movies too literally? Ciera Wallace, a senior, said that the movies are just meant for people to watch and nothing more. “They’re just movies made to have fun with your friends,” she said. “What’s wrong with watching your friends scream. You’re a scaredy cat if you don’t watch scary movies.” In fact, scary movies are Wallace’s favorite kind of movies. “I like screaming and then right after I’ll burst out laughing,” she said. “I like seeing people die and picturing myself in the movie.” However, the movies still do influence her slightly. “Some scary movies, like the ones that have to do with spirits, influence me not to go around stuff like the ouija board and pray a lot.” Like Wallace, scary movies are a need in my life. I have always loved them from when I was a child until now and will always save a place for them in my life. Unlike other movies, the audience is always on the edge of their seat, screaming at every jump-scare. They cause no harm to the world and shouldn’t be blamed. People who are influenced by a movie often blame the movie. However, it was the person’s action not the movie’s. Washington explained that if she never watched “Annabelle,” she would have all of her dolls and wouldn’t be afraid of them. But if she had just not let the movie get into her head like it did, maybe she would have kept her dolls. Whether some are influenced a bit or a lot, scary movies do affect the lives of people. As I see it, whether or not people are affected by these movies negatively, they’re just meant to be watched and nothing more. They aren’t meant to be taken even a little bit literally. Like what Wallace said, the only thing you should be getting from the movie is laughs and a couple of jump-scares. If a movie were to inspire someone to go on a killing spree, it’s not because of the movie but the person’s actions. Society shouldn’t always look for something or someone to blame.
GRAPHIC BY KEVINGUTIERREZ AND MARKWALDING
ENTERTAINMENT
the Stagg Line
10.06.17
Celebrities’ actions make them a bad influence on teenagers SerinaSieng
We all have certain people who we think highly of. Whether it be celebrities, fashion designers, parents, historical icons, athletes or anyone else who you deem important. We admire these numerous idols and determine to be just as accomplished in life. But there are other times where people unknowingly look up to some hazardous and harmful figures. Many stars do drugs, talk about violence, and create bad directions for others to follow. One of these examples is a person named Jahseh Dwayne Onfroi or widely known as XXXTentacion, who started out as a SoundCloud rapper in 2014. When Onfroy was younger, he was kicked out of his middle school and later dropped out of the 10th grade. After that, he spent a year at a juvenile detention center for gun possession. Later, he was released on bail and began his SoundCloud career. Since then, Onfroy has been arrested for multiple robberies and battery of a pregnant woman. Many of his songs are controversial, because they contain lyrics and graphic images about violence, sex and drugs. This content has outraged many people, but he still manages to gather a large following. Many people look up to him because Onfroy was fresh out juvenile detention, so you would assume at this young age, that he is trying to make a fresh start as an artist. During Onfroy’s release, SoundCloud has been becoming increasingly popular, so this might have helped contribute to his popularity when starting out as a small rapper. In a conversation with a junior named Miyah Sims, she says, “The things that he raps about is drugs, females, and stuff that is not good to be exploding out there for people, and he is a bad example.” Another example is Danielle Bregoli. She became famous after appearing on the popular television show “Dr. Phil.” She was brought by her mother because of her bad behavior like
ART BY SERINASIENG
fighting, attacking people and being mean to her. On the show she started saying her famous catchphrase “Catch me outside, how about that!” Why do so many people like Danielle Bregoli? She was 13 during her appearance on the show, and people loved her outrageous and unpredictable behavior so much, she began to rise to fame. Since then she has been charged for grand theft and marijuana possession. Many people including junior Fred Shaddai, think that she became famous for no reason. Shaddai says “I’m mad because she got famous for just being mean to her mom and
Check out staggonline.net for student perspectives doing stupid stuff. I know she became a meme on instagram and then I guess people saw that as funny and signed her. I just don’t like her because she’s
just famous for no reason pretty much, it’s not fair.” This is true, and it goes for many bad influences in our society, who gain massive amounts of attention.
GRAPHIC BY STEPHANIEJIMENEZ AND KEVINGUTIERREZ
10.06.17
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
SPORTS
the Stagg Line
Learning to play ‘all around’
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Being on varsity since freshman year makes team stronger
SaraAbdeltawab
Freshman tryouts — the nerves rushing through you, the summer conditioning you have to endure, and the people you’re all competing against, yet you still make it to a level you weren’t expecting. For sophomore Karis Carter, Charnaya Stewart and junior Cheyanne Gaines, this was the case Going to conditioning for volleyball the summer of 2016, Carter, Stewart and Gaines didn’t expect to be promoted right away to varsity, but that’s what their coach Juan Martinez had in mind for them. Each of the girls said they felt a sense of gratitude as they walked up to that piece of paper that had their names under “Varsity 2016-2017.” “I feel like I earned my spot as the middle player on the varsity team,” Carter said. “I feel like being put on varsity from day one has made me a better player.” Carter said that she’s always had a love for volleyball and being able to be at the same level that her sister was at puts her at ease. Carter also mentioned that even though she wasn’t sure she would make it, looking back on it she couldn’t see herself starting off on the freshman team. “If I played on freshman or JV I wouldn’t be as experienced,” Carter said. For Gaines the situation was much different. She says that being on varsity didn’t necessarily make her feel experienced, but it did benefit her in other ways. “I feel like being on varsity has kept me going on the right track,” Gaines said. Gaines said that not only does being at the varsity level keep her on track, but besides being an outside hitter it has also made her an “all-around” player, someone who is able to play every position. Unlike Gaines and Carter, Stewart found herself going out for the team because since middle school the sport has always been a passion of hers. “I didn’t think I would make the team, let alone varsity team,” Stewart said. “But, when he called my name I felt so happy.” Stewart also says that being on the varsity team has taught her a lot about what having a strong bond really means.
Check out staggonline.net to watch senior Alexis Miranda talk about being asked to play on varsity in her sophomore year.
PHOTO BY KEVINGUTIERREZ
“All of the girls on the team have different skills to offer,” said coach Juan Martinez, working here with Cheyanne Gaines. “When all the girls bring those skills together they are unstopable. They are a fun group of girls, I wouldn’t trade them for any other team.” She went on to say that having a stronger bond within the team is the most,” Miranda said. what has made them better players, something she couldn’t see having Since her sophomore year being put on varsity Miranda has if she started off on JV. been the setter, something she feels comfortable doing. Yet, Miranda Although she didn’t try out her freshman year and waited until caught onto the sport faster than most and says if she wanted to she her sophomore year to play the sport, for senior Alexis Miranda vol- could play other positions. “Playing at the varsity level is a privilege,” leyball is something that came easy to her. Miranda said. “But, playing on varsity when you expect to be at a “I didn’t know anyone on the team, and I think that’s what scared me different level is great feeling.”
MENTOR
Cross country hoping to take league title
Serena Kunz uses her experience to help younger golfers
AngelVasquez
AidanDanforth It is quiet and all eyes are on senior Serena Kunz as she judges the air and the angle of her shot. Breathe, concentrate, and follow through. Kunz practices her swing right next to her ball, hovering the club over it. She swings, and projects the golf ball into motion. This is only Kunz’s second year golfing, and having no prior experience golfing or with sports, she has high expectations. “I want to break 60 in a 9 hole course,” she said. “I have never picked up a club in my life, except for the occasional putt putt.” Kunz and her best friend Ashley Buffo wanted to try a sport. Undecided, the girls thought they would have more fun at tennis than golf. They found out that Kunz’s tennis swing was affected due to having a smaller wrist. “It was tennis or golf but my family and I have wrist issues so tennis didn’t work for me,” she said. Kunz’s first year golfing was different from what she expected, “I was extremely nervous, but finding out that the other players were new years too, I got more comfortable.” But by learning the basics from last year, she was fully aware of each aspect. “I pay attention to more factors then I used to.” Experience doesn’t always mean perfection. “Hitting from anywhere was my biggest problem, people just assume that it’s that easy,” she said. Having new players on the team, Kunz has become a mentor to the newer players. Kunz wants the players to learn and get better at a comfortable pace. “We will get better as time goes on and they will have fun playing,” she said. Dan Offield, having taught golf for 15 years, was prepared for the new batch of players this year. Since Kunz played two years she was represented as a veteran and experienced player than the new golfers. “I have respect for her positive personality and her best effort,” Offield said. Kunz having became president of the Golf Club and also being the contact manager she has
PHOTO BY CARLOSDAVALOS
Despite driving and putting being Kunz’s favorite things to do, she practices chipping frequently because she has to know how to do it correctly in matches. became a highlighted figure within the team. “I am someone who the team can get a hold of.” she said. On and off the field Kunz has become a helpful hand for the team, “If someone can’t get ahold of Offield I’m here.” During the first couple of weeks Kunz stepped in and helped explain the rules of the game and demonstrate the sports etiquette. Some of the techniques she taught them was how to carry the golf from hole to hole so the game could run smoothly, how to place the marker behind the ball when putting, and what to do when the ball gets lost. Kunz became passionate for the sport. It was the inconvenience that created Kunz’s curiosity for the sport. “I wish I played sooner,” she said. Senior year doesn’t always mean the end of a senior’s playing career, for Kunz golfing has become an unforgettable pastime.
This cross country season is like no other. All three coaches, head coach Dao Tep and his assistant coaches — John Avina and Mike Avina — are highly confident about taking the league title. With the new season, a closer team, and improved players, according to John Avina, these factors will lead the girls team to take league title In previous years, the girls cross country team didn’t even have enough players to compete. They would participate in meets, but their scores wouldn’t count, and they would automatically be disqualified. Towards the end of last season, though, the girls team had enough players and they placed
third. “To see how we rose from dead last to third was pretty cool,” Tep said. “It does give us coaches some hope for this season.” Recognizing the capability of taking first, all three coaches have intensified training this year. “Right now we’ve been working on different breathing and sprinting techniques,” John Avina said. “It’s definitely going to help in the long run.” Sophomore Veronica Flores is considered to be a key asset in winning league this year. Last year, she earned most valuable player for both cross country and track and field. Flores said that not only having improved players is going to help them, but also the closer bond the team has with one another. “We’re very close, especially the girls team,” Flores
said. “This helps us when we run because we encourage each other.” Senior Lizeth Barajas recognizes how hard her team works, and hopes to see that dedication continue through the season. “We’re all pushing ourselves past our limits,” Barajas said. “It’s definitely going to pay off.” Unfortunately the season hasn’t started off well. Some key runners didn’t return as expected, and new players aren’t improving as fast as the coaches want. In Mike Avina’s eyes, the girls taking title is not so guaranteed. Despite this, Tep is remaining optimistic. “I know that this team will pull through, I believe in them wholeheartedly.” “We just have to keep our heads up high and stay confident.” Head coach Dao Tep makes sure to motivate his team by reminding them to always leave their heart out on the course. Senior Lizeth Ramos and sophomore Veronica Flores listen attentively to his advice. PHOTO BY SARA ABDELTAWAB
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NEWS
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
the Stagg Line
10.06.17
With suicide, awareness is key Former student survives attempts, shares her story SamanthaBaker
“Julia. I love you.” These would have been the final words of Valentina Stover, a former Stagg student, to her little cousin had she not been found by friends after attempting to overdose on sleeping pills. Nine percent of teenagers attempt suicide, according to the Child Trends website. Stover is now ready to spread her story in the hope that it has a possibility of helping those in need and going through the same experience. She visited the campus during Suicide Awareness Week. After a car accident that ended up killing her two best friends, Stover began to experience post traumatic stress disorder at the age of 13. She began to self harm at first, but throughout the next few years she began to consume alcohol, painkillers, and sleeping pills in order to cope. She and her family at first didn’t consider depression as a real medical condition, thinking that she was just being too emotional. She began to think that something must be wrong with her for being so sad, yet Stover continued to feel as if there was no point in anything and carried a burdening sense of darkness even years after the incident because of her survivor’s guilt. She would hide her depression behind a facade of outgoing cheerfulness, effectively hiding her sadness from her peers and teachers. “She seemed happy-go-lucky with no more problems than an
“
I’m learning to pull myself out of that.” ValentinaStover alumna average kid,” said Martin Bagnasco, English teacher who had Stover as a student. Despite how others her perceived her, Stover displayed many of the typical signs of depression, such as wanting to change her appearance or sleeping most of her days away. At the age of 19, in her last suicide attempt, she ingested seven sleeping pills, chased down with Captain Morgan. Although Stover had attempted suicide before, this last time she became tired and felt a sensation of numbness seep into her legs and slowly make its way up her body which scared her, unlike the other times in which she only felt sick to her stomach and would soon throw up. In that moment she realized that perhaps she didn’t actually want to die. After being found by her friends she was taken to Dameron Hospital, where she stayed for 20 hours, then taken to a mental health facility for seven days. The staff would record everything little thing she did — when she cried — when she ate, which made her despise the facility. “When I got out my only thought process was that I’m
PHOTO BY STEPHANIEJIMENEZ
Valentina Stover has gotten many tattoos, all of which she says have a meaning behind them. One on her lower right arm shows her dedication to Project Semicolon, a campaign that raises awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. never going back there,” she said. Not only is Stover leading a happier life, but she has gone on to accomplish and experience wonderful things, such as having seven of her books published and
Presentation provides insight, facts
SaraAbdeltawab
PHOTO BY MARKWALDING
Sophomore Matthew Brock raises his hand when the presenters asked for five volunteers. They were demonstrating how many young people may consider suicide.
to help prevent suicide, he said, is to stop joking about it and that suicide would not be as big of an issue as it is. “If someone is depressed or suicidal and they hear some kids talking about how they want to kill themselves but they’re just messing around then the depressed person will feel even worse than they already do,” Brock said. “The joking is one of the biggest problems with suicide as a whole.” Throughout the year, the PLUS Team plans on providing students with other presentations about other issues commonly associated with teenagers, such as substance abuse and anti-bullying.
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above all else, most important to leading a happier life. Talking about things with others also helps her tremendously, as does writing, and she also seeks solace with her cousin on especially dif-
ficult days. “That was the difference. When I would feel like that I would isolate myself from everybody, and I’m learning to pull myself out of that.”
Noticing signs is important
NicholasRosete
Every year, 1 in 5 teens seriously consider suicide. While half of teens have contemplated or attempted suicide, approximately 12 young people’s lives are taken by suicide every day. The Peer Leaders Uniting Students Team provided these and many other statistics about youth suicide during their Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program on Sept. 13. Many students tend not to understand the real effects and causes of suicide, and this is something the PLUS Team hopes to change. After going through training, PLUS member Cierra Burdg was prepared to do her part in preventing suicide by presenting the slideshow viewed by all sophomore English classes. Burdg takes suicide very seriously and hopes to be an outlet for those who are feeling suicidal or depressed. “I know how it feels. My friends and I suffered from depression and it is not a great way to feel. I know that if I still felt that way that I would want somebody there for me.” Sophomore Matthew Brock found the presentation informative and feels as though people don’t take suicide seriously enough. He feels as though too many take suicide as a joke even though it is a very serious topic. The most important thing that people can do
traveling around the world, all before the age of 24. Though she is better than before, Stover still struggles with depression and now uses more effective ways of coping, noting that self care is,
It starts with distance — as they decide to stop going out as much, or picking up their phone to see who has texted them. They try getting rid of that emotional attachment people have to them so when they’re gone it doesn’t hurt others as much. Yet, that attachment they try removing from themselves has been building up for the many weeks, months maybe even years they have known you; they can’t break it. Instead, they break, they hit a wall they can’t get over. But despite hitting that wall they jump over it. During Suicide Prevention Month students on campus and around the district have been trying to get more students aware of the effects of suicide. Not only that, but Stagg’s Peer Leaders Uniting Students have gone from class to class to raise discussions about the topic. This issue is uncomfortable for most to talk about, but for PLUS teacher Mary Stoner the topic hits close to home. Stoner says when she was in high school a classmate and friend of hers had
taken her own life. “Had those around her been more aware of the indicators for suicide, we might have been able to help her,” Stoner said. “And so I believe it is important for everyone to understand those warning signs.” She says if no one talks about it how could people become informed that suicide is a real thing, it exist, and the effect of it could impact more people than the one who committed the act. But, how could those be aware of suicide if they don’t look out for the signs? The “I’m just tired” excuses are more than just lies, they’re signs. Maybe that person is just tired, but are they just not showing up to school for the fifth time in a row? Are they just wearing sweaters in 90 degree weather? According to National Institute of Mental Health, these are the signs. The World Psychiatry Association says, out of “90 countries 132,423 deaths of young people, suicide accounted for 9.1%.” An online study from National Institute of Mental Health shows that all it takes is actually listening to someone who doesn’t seem to be
acting like him or herself, and hearing them out to reduce the rate of suicidal thoughts. Signs a person should look out for is what someone might post and or repost as well as the lack of motivation to do anything, and any marks on one’s body. If someone were to post something around the idea of suicide that would be a red flag. Noticing a sudden change in their friends’ behavior or even an acquaintance checking their arms is something highly recommended. A person who is on the verge of having thoughts of suicide often looks at self harm as a way to cope with the sadness they may be feeling. One who refers to their life as having no purpose, or joking talks about wanting to die isn’t meant to be laughed at but more as a silent cry for help. A lot of people seem to have trouble talking out how they feel, and others refuse to speak, but that’s the moment when someone takes the time to sit down and just listen. “If a friend shares a concern with you or that they have or are considering suicide, do not ignore them,” Stoner said.