Stagg Line 2018-2019 Issue #2 by Stagg Line Newspaper

Stagg Line

Home of the Delta Kings

Amos Alonzo Stagg High School

1621 Brookside Rd

Stockton, CA 95207

Volume 62 Issue 2

10.05.18

PRIDE INSIDE & S T A G G

OUTSIDE

Standout campus programs defy negative stereotypes Brianna RODRIGUEZ

EEING ONLY THE SURFACE, PEOPLE may overlook the opportunities their school provides. Describing the school’s culture, they may be superficial, not insightful. There is much more to a school than its sports facilities and successful athletic teams. There is much more than negative stereotypes.

Junior Frankie Briones crouches low to be able to pick out the white flowers in the basils. If they don’t pick them out the white flowers will kill the basil and the whole plant will be ruined. Students usually tend to the garden during fifth period.

Senior Krissi Dougherty values parts of this school that cater to the intellectual side of students. “It’s important to have more things that involve intellectual abilities rather than being physically active,” she said. “You can do stuff with your mind rather than your body.” For years the English Department here has proven to have one of the strongest out of the four comprehensive high schools in Stockton Unified School District, according to Assistant Principal Gurvinder Chauhan. She compares the English test scores to those that come from other schools. “We have had the highest SBAC scores out of the comprehensive high schools since 2016 in the ELA portion,” she said. “They’re even better than Franklin’s IB.” Programs such as literary magazine, journalism, and agriculture offer opportunities not easily found at other district schools. In just its third year, the literary magazine has become an award-winning publication. Junior Penelope Bowden has been a part of the production for two years and tells about the creative freedom students are able to have. “Lit mag is such a great class, it’s different from a normal creative writing class,” she said. “Even though we do the writing every day we have a product at the end of it. It’s all student done.”

This agricultural program has major plans for the years to come. Now led by Daniel Barrett, the program is in the process of building new facilities. Experimental orchards, garden beds, vineyards, an outdoor classroom, and a green house will be in place next semester. This class serves as a pathway for students interested in agriculture. Looking to boost electives, administration has introduced drama, coding, and speech and debate. “In speech and debate we’re putting a lot of emphasis on the idea that students, no matter the age, are put on pedestals where they have to deliver messages that ought to be clear, concise and well informed,” English teacher James Medrano said. Speech and debate is much more than the presentation of arguments put on by whining teenagers. It teaches them skills needed in everyday life, how to properly elaborate ideas and communicate with others. Medrano plans to lead a group of students to trophies in upcoming years. “I want to bring glory to Stagg through speech.” Senior Jacob Stillwell favors electives such as these. “Classes like drama allow students to develop a creative side of thinking and make sure that they’re not forced to be analytical and critical their whole school year. We should be proud. We are lucky to have all the classes

PHOTO BY KEVIN GUTIERREZ

we have.” With every district high school having special education, what sets this campus apart? “We have the best vocational program,” Principal Andre Phillips said. Campus Cafe, Lawn and Garden, Autoshop, and the Boss Center all teach special needs students skills related to occupations and everyday life. “The program has been popular,” he added. “It teaches some of the kids a skill they can use when they graduate and get a job.” Much more than learning basic math equations and how to write an essay, the vocational education prepares these students up for the real world. Teachers and administration are trying to set students up for success in the future. One of the many ways they do this is through Career Technical Education pathways. These pathways are designed to connect high school classes with college classes. With the education pathway, led by Social Studies Department Chair James Marrone, the end goal is to get students interested in the teaching field. “Starting next year we will hopefully be able to link up with UOP and Delta,” he said. “Hopefully they will come back to us as teachers later.”

Does school start too early? Studies reveal social media is not as bad as it seems Nicholas ROSETE

Waking up to a blaring alarm early in the morning is hard enough by itself, and coupling that with the realization that they need to be ready to head to school soon worsens the situation. Wouldn’t it be nice, many wonder, to wake up for school an hour later? On Sept. 20, Governor Jerry Brown vetoed SB 328. Had he provided his signature, middle and high schools would have had to start earlier than 8:30 in the morning. He says that this decision would best be handled by local communities rather than by a statewide law. Starting school an hour or more later than normal has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages that would result from this would be increased attendance along

What’s happening?

ART BY SERINA SIENG

Blood drive A blood drive will take place Oct. 25 on campus. Go to K-1 or M-1 to pick up a permission slip and sign up.

with decreased tardiness. Senior Mena Torres has struggled with punctuality since her freshman year and thinks that Stockton Unified should have implemented this time change years ago. “I struggle with waking up early in the morning,” Torres said. “When I finally get up, I don’t have much time for anything else.” Torres also thinks that the extra hour of sleep in the morning would enhance her academic performance. “It’s reasonable change to make,” she said. “Our brains aren’t fully awake until around 9 o’clock in the morning, and I definitely feel like my brain isn’t awake until around that time.” SUSD’s Director of Educational Services, Dr. Ward Andrus, said that the starting time of our schools has been a topic of conversation within our district. “One of our biggest challenges with a district this big is figuring out how schools will function if the starting time were to change,” Andrus said. He added that one of the district’s main concerns with the idea of this change has to do with the conflicting schedules between guardians and their children that would follow. “If they’re still getting dropped off at the same time when Mom and Dad are heading out to work and they drop their kids off at 7:00 but school doesn’t start until 8:30, it’s an hour and a half with an unsupervised student wandering around campus and that’s worrisome.” In terms of the effects of start time on academic performance, he thinks that it can contribute to a student’s performance, but says that we must encourage our students to do the best that they can with the circumstances they have. “It’s not so much about the structure of our school schedule as it is about the societal things that are also interplaying as well,” Andrus said. “In the morning, when school starts at the time that it starts, it’s because that was the best determination that was made.”

Trunk or treat The second annual event will be Oct. 30 from 5-7 p.m. It will take place in the Rosemarie parking lot.

Keep updated at our website staggonline.net — Click on the QR code to get there.

Angel VASQUEZ

With social media being such a widely used platform used by the masses, it’s not hard to look around and see someone glued to their phone. Stories about social media causing addiction, depression, loneliness, and many other problems seem to paint a negative picture of social media. A study conducted by Common Sense Media reveals that social media is better than it is commonly believed to be. The study showed that 29 percent of teens say that social media makes them feel less depressed, 59 percent say it doesn’t affect how they feel, and the rest say that it makes them more depressed. “It all depends on how someone grew up,” junior Brianna Garcia said. She added that if someone is raised in a strict household, they’ll be tougher and won’t be easily affected. “I don’t care what people have to say about me,” she claims. She said that social media doesn’t affect her because she doesn’t let it. “If you’re having problems on social media, just turn it off and read a book.” Social media is something that freshman Shermela Lewis avoids. “Social media is absolutely terrible,” she says. “It makes people depressed and just rots your brain.” Lewis doesn’t have any form of social media, instead preferring to read. Social media can be utilized in many different ways. The user can connect with others, promote themselves, or just pass time. Social media is so widely used, it has been said that people are revolving their lives around it. Because of this, cyberbullying and mood disorders have been claimed to happen because of this. Senior Azeeze Akhtar says that “social media does have an impact on how you feel, but it depends on how you use it.” Akhtar says that some-

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Social Media Survey

73 students were asked 6 questions about whether social media has a negative or positive effect on them. They were asked if it makes them “more” or “less”...

Less More

14 Lonely

Depressed

Anxious 3

Confident 4

Better about themselves 5

Popular 6

GRAPHIC BY KEVIN GUTIERREZ & MARISSA GONZALES

times he sees people removing posts for not getting enough likes. He said, “As long as your mindset is right and you don’t let everything get to you, social media won’t harm you.” In 2017, a study by the Child Mind Institute involving of over half a million students between the eighth and 12th grades reported that “the number exhibiting high levels of depressive symptoms increased by 33 percent between 2010 and 2015.” The study tried to correlate these responses with the rise of social media between 2007 and 2017. However, the study conducted by Common Sense Media asked questions that were directly connected with social media and how it makes the user feel. The study, in addition to showing the positive effects of social media, also reported that teens “are more likely to report a positive than a negative effect.”

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Opinion

The Stagg Line

EDITORIAL

10.05.18

Stagg offers more than just athletics classes are Campus Cafe home economics class and the auto shop class. In this class, special education program students cook and sell meals to teachers and other staff. Auto shop is another class that provides hands on learning. Students change the oil of a car, build an engine, and learn how to work with tools. This department is something that deserves recognition. Our school is also starting up an agricultural program. We are going to build vineyards, greenhouses and garden beds. Once the agricultural program takes off, students will become eligible to scholarships pertaining to agriculture. Not only does Stagg have a large Special Education Department that provides its students with many options as well as a developing Agriculture Department, they also have award winning student run publications. The StaggLine and the literary magazine have both won national honors at the Journalism

We shouldn’t stray away from talking about sex

ncomfortable, embarrassed, and ashamed. When I first began to engage in sexual activities, these feelings seemed to consume my entire being. I was embarrassed of my inexperience because I felt as if it left my partner unsatisfied. I was uncomfortable, and being the introvert I was, having sex was way outside of my comfort zone. Above all, I was ashamed of what I was doing. My parents have always told me never to have sex. And if I ever did, I should be married. Because of this, I viewed sex as something that should be kept a secret, and I believed it was wrong. I would judge people who would talk about sex openly; I felt as if it was something that people should keep to themselves. I only viewed sex in a biological way, mostly because that’s the only way I had ever talked about it. I never learned about the pleasure side of sex. All of the sexual education classes that I went through focused on sex’s main purpose, reproduction, and that it was bad otherwise. When we only talk about the science side of sex, we are not getting the full picture. Being sexually active shouldn’t be viewed as a bad thing. According to advocatesforyouth.org, 62 percent of high school seniors are sexually active. Because of the lack of sexual education our schools provide, most of these

Angel Vasquez

teens are left to figure things out themselves through experience. One way we can change this is by speaking up. People should be able to talk about their sexual experiences with one another without feeling ashamed or embarrassed. Sex is a part of humanity — it’s beautiful. Sex can empower people and make them feel good not only physically but emotionally as well. Sex is something that most people will experience at sometime or another in their life. Why should something so common be kept to ourselves? Being open about your sexual experiences with people can be not only beneficial for yourself, but also many others. Being open allows you to learn new things about yourself and what you’re doing, embrace what you are doing, and explore sex beyond reproduction. When you first begin having sex, you may feel as if you have to do certain things or feel certain ways in a sexual encounter. These feelings are mostly fueled by inexperience and the pressure to perform.

Because these people lack experience, they use what little knowledge they might have from movies, adult films, or social media and try to apply it to real life. The problem with this is that these outlets don’t show the “real” side of sex. We don’t see the confusion, the uncertainty, or the feelings of insecurity. We only see the staged and planned out scenes, and we have grown to believe that that’s what’s supposed to happen. If we were more open about our sexual encounters with people, this problem wouldn’t be so big. We wouldn’t have to rely solely on these sources — we would be able to talk to our friends and even family about questions that we might have. It is the norm for people to keep quiet about their sex lives. But by keeping completely quiet when it comes to the subject, we are creating unneeded confusion among people. By being open, I don’t mean that you have to share every detail about your sex life. And if you do, kudos to you. I’m just saying that being open about your sex life and what goes on provides gratification and reassurance. When it comes to having sex, you should feel confident in what you are doing. You should know what you are doing, and shouldn’t feel ashamed for doing it. Sex is something that most people in the world will experience, so why should we keep quiet and pretend it doesn’t happen?

Sophomore Melachi Davis helps make lasagna with vegetables that the students manage themselves. Jimmie Pettis, Campus Cafe director, shows the students how to properly layer lasagna. PHOTO BY KEVIN GUTIERREZ

Education Association Convention. This year Stagg administration is making efforts to improve the school’s attendance. Now, they are offering weekly incentives for coming to school on time. In the past, students seemed uninterested about coming to school on time or at all. Stagg has much more to offer than

it’s sports teams. We have wonderful departments and awardwinning programs. Although our school may not be perfect, the staff is working to make improvements. Stagg is not defined by its athletic achievements, we are a wonderful school that our students should be proud of.

Masculinity and femininity don’t determine gender

Yalie Ceesay

asculinity is used to describe some people but is typically associated with men, However, women can also be masculine.

From early ages we are taught only boys enjoy the color blue. Only boys throw baseballs and footballs. Only boys like toy trucks. Only boys play video games. If you do not meet the standards you are restricted to names such as a “mama’s boy” “wuss” or “gay.” Fragile masculinity is when a man feels as if his manhood is threatened by another person. As a result he might say “no homo”or “ that’s gay.” T his toxic atmosphere is created by society or family members. In today’s society men ART BY SERINA SIENG & JAKE MARCELINO

aking pride in one’s school is important. The majority of students will go to the same high school for four years, interacting with the same people almost every day. The way students view their school can make or break their high school experience. Some Stagg students tend to focus on the negative aspects of our school. By stepping back, it’s quite clear that our school has a lot of programs for its students to cherish. In these past years, Stagg athletics have flourished. The sports teams dominate in our league. Boys and girls tennis has taken the league title two years in a row, football has taken the league champion title three years in a row, and boys basketball has made it to playoffs two years in a row. At surface value, it may seem Stagg only has its athletics department to show off. Stagg’s Special Education Department is providing opportunities for students to have fun while learning life skills. Two

feel that they have to prove themselves as being a “man” by disrespecting women and demeaning them. But instead of showing how they really feel, their choice to be a “macho man” is disrespectful. Why do men need the verification that some things are for them? For example, manbuns or man-bags.Why is it that there has to be the word “man” in front of these things? Why can’t it already be accepted as unisex? I mean after all, people can do what they want, no matter what gender they are. Well, these things are usually almost always associated with fashion and beauty and that tends to be a more women dominated area. So, by adding the man before these commonly feminine terms it’s used to help men not be bashed on these “girl things.” “Honestly I don’t wear pink because I feel like it’s a girly color,” said one junior male. “If I did wear it people would say I’m gay. “ We have been raised to think that pink, purple, and colors associated with them are supposed to identify with women. We have been raised to perceive so many things as “soft” or “gay.” But liking certain things don’t automatically make you feminine. Some men won’t even say “you look handsome” to a friend because their masculinity is so fragile. Since when does complimenting your friend all of the sudden define your sexuality? The answer is never. If you are comfortable with yourself you should not care how others perceive you.

Who’s on staff?

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 and all students on campus are encouraged to volunteer ideas. 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 point of view of the writer, not the paper. 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

Current and older issue PDFs are available at issuu.com/staggline

EDITORS

REPORTERS

Maria Castillo & Kevin Gutierrez editors-in-chief / features

Shannon Bradberry

Brianna Rodriguez news

Yalie Ceesay

Oleedia Harris opinion Donavin Collins entertainment

Cevina Calderon Fine Finau Marissa Gonzales Solomon Juarez

Nicholas Rosete sports

Camila Kendall

Aidan Danforth web

Jake Marcelino

Carlos Davalos photo Serina Sieng graphics Don Bott adviser

Monze Martinez Krystena Meza Kenyon Pierce Angel Vasquez

Opinion

10.05.18

Anxiety doesn’t have to limit you R

ecently I came across the topic of anxiety in school and it really caught my eye. A person had suggested that students should not be obligated to do presentations if they happen to be suffering with anxiety. Well, I disagree. Presentations help better one’s communication skills and also prepare them for the world Oleedia Harris outside of school. This increasing epidemic of anxiety associated with school class and even actually happens to be the No.1 students just reason why high school students seek out mental failing instead health therapy. I wasn’t aware of how prominent of presenting anxiety disorders actually are, but I am aware that due to their there needs to be change on how mental health is social anxiety, approached in school. but at the end I myself have experience with anxiety. I of the day actually suffer from it to this day. Yet, I refuse to who is this let it constantly stop me from doing what I need helping? Is to do whenever I need to accomplish something. Usually whenever I am assigned a presentation there supposed to be an I get extremely excited. I love presenting and I alternative for have never been the type of person to get nervous everything when talking in front of a big crowd. somebody However, when I first started experiencing might face? anxiety and I was assigned a presentation, a The answer is terrifying feeling took over me. I started to sweat, ART BY JAKE MARCELINO no. my heart was racing, and I started to overthink So what everything. The weirdest thing was that I didn’t can be done to help students relieve their social feel like I needed to be nervous. Presenting had anxiety? What can be done to help students feel always been a piece of cake for me, why was I better about presenting rather than just getting worried about it now? And it didn’t stop there, rid of presentations altogether? The best solution I get this way when I have to go anywhere or do would have to be schools providing some sort of anything. Sometimes I get like this when I don’t help for social anxiety. Just making people face even have anything to be remotely worried about. I had refused to bring it to anybody’s attention their fears doesn’t work, especially when it comes to anxiety. because I thought I was just crazy or something. The solution is not to stop presentations or to I thought it wasn’t common because I was never exempt students from them. The solution lies in told it was. Mental health is not prioritized as making mental health more known to students. much as physical health, but it should be. Fortunately, we have the resources and if I realize how much of a complex issue anxiety anybody is struggling with social anxiety and it can be. It’s insensitive to oversimplify the issue. happens to be affecting their school work they I have researched alternatives such as presenting should utilize what’s available to get the support to the teacher individually rather than the whole

Rappers need to be aware of what they promote

s young adults, we are exposed to new things and influenced every day by what we see in social media. New artists coming into the music industry attract so much attention on sensitive topics such as drug use. Mainstream artists, along with soundcloud rappers such as Lil Peep, Lil Xan, Lil Pump, and pretty much everything with “Lil” in front of it, are terrible role models for the youth. These types of rappers are the biggest advocates of reckless behavior. With all eyes on them they are expected to act according to their stereotype. Instead of using their platforms for a good cause, they craft their content to entertain the drug culture. Through lyrics, these rappers encourage the use of marijuana, Xanax promethazine-codeine, and cocaine. Lil Xan not only has his stage name as a drug but has a songs dedicated to drugs. His song “betrayed”, has lyrics that are dedicated to the addiction aspect of xanax repeating the lines “Xans gon’ take you, Xans gon’ break you.” Earlier this year, the music industry mourned the lives of Lil Peep and Mac Miller. To my surprise and many others, it was because of a drug overdose. Social media went crazy with posts resembling eulogies. Phrases such as “he was a great artist,” “gone too soon,” and

The Stagg Line

they need. I’ve been to Healthy Start numerous times yet I didn’t even think to ask if we had a therapist, let alone book an appointment with them. It turns out our campus’s Healthy Start includes two licensed therapists. Simple things like letting students know that there is somebody they can talk to, especially a trained professional, can help them open up to potentially overcome their anxiety. Class presentations about mental health in addition to some counselling could be very beneficial. There could be so many questions and concerns that students have but never even think to mention since it seems to not be important. In

this presentation for mental health awareness there could be strategies to help overcome anxiety rather than just avoiding different social interactions altogether. Once an informative class presentation on what Healthy Start offers is completed, students could then have that leverage to help better their anxiety. It may also help them with other mental health issues that can be applied to all aspects of their life, not just presenting in school. At the end of the day you’re going to have to face social interactions whether it’s presenting a project in front of a class, getting interviewed for a job, or any other thing you’ll need to do in order to get from point A to point B in life.

Our music program deserves more recognition

my personal favorite, “He was always happy” were all over social media. These posts sparked the question, “Why would they resort to drugs if they were so happy?” Most rappers use drugs to cope with the pressure of being famous. Although they make fame seem fun and extravagant, we really don’t know the half of it. Mac Miller’s death took the media by surprise because he seemed to love his life and encourage others to find peace within themselves. Although he never really promoted any drugs besides marijuana, it is still known as a gateway drug. According to the National Institute of Health’s website, teenagers who ingest marijuana with wraps such as blunts or backwoods increase their chances to have symptoms of cannabis dependence because of the tobacco in these various wraps. Before Lil Peep died, he posted a provocative picture of him taking Xanax with a caption that stated “Fucc it,” and later that night he was found dead on his tour bus before his live performance in Tucson Arizona. Lil Peep also had explicit songs titles such as “Better off (dying)” with multiple references to cocaine. Another song titled “Giving girls cocaine” touches on literally giving woman cocaine.

Shannon Bradberry

“

It’s common for rappers to glorify the use of drugs and make it seem like drugs are the only way you’re able to have a good time.

”

I t’s common for their lyrics to glorify the use of drugs and make it seem like drugs are the only way you’re able to have a good time. They aren’t aware of their influence towards younger audiences. Having such a big influence on society, they should be more aware of how their decisions can influence their audience. Their fans look up to them as role models and I know if I had a kid I wouldn’t want them listening to music that influences them to do drugs. Younger audiences shouldn’t look at these types of artist for guidance.

aking a walk into the theater, which has seen much better days, is depressing. The classrooms are equally disheartening, as shining trophies from previous years are stacked next to dingy old curtains. The music program at Stagg has had a long history of greatness. Yet over the years it’s started to deteriorate. What’s left of the music program now is only its soul. Our current music program offers Band, Orchestra, Choir, Piano, and Guitar. However, there are only two teachers to teach these courses, making only 10 periods of a music-related class available. Across campus in nearly every subject, there’s a department. Music, along with the art department, happens to

Cevina Calderon

be one of the smallest ones. Why is that? We have new sport stadiums. So why can’t it be the music program’s turn to get some sort of funding to potentially replenish their greatness? With outdated equipment, broken instruments, and a lack of storage, it’s amazing that the

PHOTO BY KENYON PIERCE

Senior Matias Saucedo is warming up by playing Crystal Mountain by Death on his electric bass guitar. After warming up he is able to play with the orchestra.

music program is still able to even perform. The potential of this program is huge, and if given what they need, can make magic. Some might say music is “not something we’re known for,” but why can’t it be? Music can help some students with understanding other subjects. According to a 2006 Guggenheim study, “Students in the (music) program performed better in six categories of literacy and critical thinking skills.” The amount of talent our program has, despite the small number of students that participate, is insane. Some students on campus are unaware we have a music program at all. It’s a shame to know our program isn’t being thrown out there, or sufficiently advocated by counselors to students. Just because a music concert may not bring in as big of an audience as a sporting event would doesn’t mean the school should promote sports more. The music program potentially won’t bring in as big a profit as a football game, but that’s no reason to disregard its existence. Music should be encouraged to the students just as much as anything else. It’s disappointing to know that in my four years of band I’ve yet to see an administrator attend a single concert. This should change. Music and the arts as a whole are a part of our school. They shouldn’t be ignored.

The Stagg Line

Teachers get their

Features

FIGHTER

We see them at school five days out of the week as educators. It is sometimes hard to imagine what they do with their life outside of school. We might be surprised to learn. PHOTO BY KENYON PIERCE

ACTIVIST

Foshee works to empower women Fine FINAU Math teacher Ren Foshee enjoys singing and is in a Women’s Christian group called the California Central United Methodist Women’s Group. Foshee has been singing since she was 5 years old, when she moved here to America. She has always enjoyed it and loves to sing whenever she can. Other than English she also sings in Khmer, the language of Cambodians. In high school, she

joined choir and musical theatre and participated in talent shows. This was something she always loved to do. “My friends who know me well know that I’m always singing,” she said. She has been in multiple bands and is inspired. Now she is a part of a Cambodian band, which is known as the OG band. This band has been going on for a long time and plays rock and old school 80s music. Each member of the band practices

COURTESY OF REN FOSHEE

Ren Foshee practices Leo Sayer’s “More Than I Can Say” with her band. Singing, Foshee believes, can enhance the power of religion and bring people together.

about 10 songs each to perform. They perform at parties most of the time but they are working their way up to perform at other venues. Growing up Foshee has always been involved with church and is in a Women’s Christian Group. She is a very spiritual person still and has a strong belief in her religion. One thing she has a strong belief about is women have a right to be in the clergy. Seeing that women aren’t allowed to have that position she joined a group to argue against that. “Women in religion don’t have equal rights,” she said, “so there aren’t many who are pastors because it’s more male dominant. It just comes down to the rights thing. So we’re trying to be able to fight for women to be able to hold those leadership positions.” The women meet and discuss their rights within their religion including their role in the church such as being a pastor. They fight for their equality and speak up that they are also capable of having a strong position in the church. Although Foshee has been skeptical, she says “in the end I still believe in God.”

Aidan DANFORTH

Donavin COLLINS

From a classroom to a fighting ring, English teacher Timothy Allen is a proud kickboxer. Growing up, Allen would watch old kung fu movies and shows, dreaming that one day he would would become a fighter. “Dragon Ball Z,” an anime show about kung fu, influenced his fighting spirit. Instead of playing baseball or soccer, he desperately begged his parents to let him participate in a physically demanding sport like kung fu. However, his parents were worried about the financial and transportation issues the sport would bring. “They didn’t want to add more sports on my plate,” he said. Thankfully for him, a close family friend was able to teach Allen. His parents were convinced that the fighting lessons would bring out a passionate adult. “It was a natural process and I picked it up quickly,” he said. Falling in love, Allen devoted his high school career to competing. “I just enjoyed it way more than I ever thought I would.” He participated in different aspects of kung fu. Kung fu has two categories called sparring and forms. Sparring deals with the one on one combat, while forms is a sequence of fighting moves. “It’s like a dance,” he said. In forms he demonstrates his flawless technique to the judges, but he would rather be in brutal match, battling it out with an opponent like in sparring. He competed in several tournaments and did extremely well in both categories. However, as college approached, he traded fighting lessons for English classes. Allen’s passion for the sport wasn’t going to vanish. Reflecting back on his kung fu career he learned key traits that helped him throughout college. “It taught me discipline and patience,” he said. Kung fu taught him to persevere through the hardships of academics. “I developed a mindset of pushing through things and not letting the stress crumble on top of me.” Four years ago Allen finally found his old routine again. During these four years, he also learned other fighting styles. “I was introduced to Sanda,” he said. Through Sanda, Chinese kickboxing, Allen learned how to throw kicks. He also found other fighting styles like Muay Thai. Allen stresses how an outlet like kickboxing allowed him to be successful. “It helped me cope with the weirdness of going through adolescence in high school,” he said. His fighting built connections with himself, but also made a far more interesting topic for his students. “If you want to connect with your students, they have to feel like they know you.”

Driven by physical activity, a simple invitation was all it took for English teacher Bonnie Villegas to find one of her true passions. “I had neighbors down the street who had a boat, and one day they just asked me if I wanted to join them in wakeboarding,” she said. Already physically active, Villegas accepted their offer, and to this day partakes in wakeboarding. “I now have a friend with a boat, so I go about three times a summer, maybe even more.” She finds that the “exhilarating” activity helps her stay healthy, while at the same time being fun. There’s almost never a time when she declines an offer to do so. “I always go because it’s never boring.” Her motivations also include so she can “fight obesity” and “live a healthy, long life.” Being an active person plays a huge part in Villegas’ life. “I’m not just some couch potato.” Besides wakeboarding, she participates in hiking, paddleboarding, everyday gardening, and much more. Positive experiences aren’t all that she recounts of her past activities, as she’s had negative ones too. One of those outdoor activities she’ll never try again is backpacking, which she describes “grueling.” Having to carry a heavy backpack while hiking just isn’t Villegas’ cup of tea. Although she may

“

I developed a mindset of pushing through things and not letting stress crumble on top of me. Tim ALLEN English teacher

”

Tim Allen practices kickboxing at Valor Training Center twice a week. During the week, as early as 5 a.m., he starts off his day with crossfit.

MUSICIAN

McGehee produces music to express

Maria CASTILLO From country to rock and everything in between, he creates music. “Music is a part of me,” English teacher Justin McGehee said. “A lot of the time I like to mix things together that aren’t typically done,” he said. That goes for the beats and also the lyrics. He uses common expressions and changes one word of it. His song “Come As You Aren’t” is about being a fake you. PHOTO BY CARLOS DAVALOS “Pedestrian Respect” is a song he wrote about how mad a Justin McGehee produces his music on his driver gets when someone walks Alienware M18x laptop. All the instrumens are in front of them when there is no synthetic, meaning that they are just played by the computer. crosswalk. “If you think about the fact sound exactly right. He said, “I want to that as the driver if you collided with make a lot of it free because I want people them, they’d die, while your car only gets to get something out of it.” little damage.” A rap song about working Music to him is the poetry of today. in an office is another piece McGehee cre- It’s a way to get in touch with who you ated. are and a way of coping. “Music helps us All the songs are different, some are not only know how we’re feeling, but also silly, but some hit hard. “Let Me Hurt helps us decide how we want to feel.” You Again” shows the attitude that an Music can help feed the mind and abusive person has towards the person heal the soul. When his mother and they’re abusing and the things that they mother in law died within a year of each say to keep them under their power. other that’s when “an explosion of musical He said, “It’s a difficult song to lisart” started coming out of him. ten to, but if you’re someone that’s going McGehee said, “You can process anthrough this it might make you realize ger in a way that helps you acknowledge that you are in the situation and maybe what it is that you’re forgiving or in a way it’ll make you break out of it.” that feeds revenge. There’s a difference be People coming togeher because of tween the two.” music is something McGee believes in. Music overall is his passion. He said, “People resignate wih a popular song because weall go through the same things.” “I am an English teacher and I am an art McGehee has not distributed his mu- ist, therefore I am an English language sic yet because he wants to make sure they artist.”

ADVENTURER

Villegas enjoys outdoor activities with family

Allen kickboxes to stay active

S K C I K

ARTIST

McDougall discovers hidden passion Marissa GONZALES What started as a simple invite blossomed into a passion. English teacher Linda McDougall stumbled onto this hidden passion when she was invited to an instructed painting session at a restaurant. Letting her brush take the place of her familiar writer’s pen she set out on her journey of her first painting. McDougall was pleasantly surprised at how well her first painting turned out and was inspired to invest in her new passion. She bought her own materials, set up an easel, and let her brush do the talking.

PHOTO BY MARISSA GONZALES

McDougall presents her painting that she calls “The Pier.” She feels art allows for more interpretation than writing.

Over the years she’s stocked up on brushes, paints, and canvases, learning which brands she prefers as she goes. In fact, once her oldest daughter moved out she transformed her room into an in-home art studio. Having her own studio in her home has allowed her to paint more often and step away from the stress writing can bring. Art became an outlet at home that she didn’t have at work. Upon watching a few videos and taking a few lessons, McDougall learned that she preferred taking the lead herself. She began to teach herself several techniques to help her create beautiful landscapes. She enjoys the fact that art is so different from writing because it pulls her away from the world of words she sees in the classroom. “Other English teachers write, I paint,” she said. Another benefit of painting for McDougall is the emotional relief it provides. Sometimes upon beginning a painting she comes to the canvas with a lost, unfocused feeling. McDougall explained this when she began the painting of the pier she felt like a piece of her was lost. “As I painted more I imagined myself walking to the end of the pier.” Visioning this, she felt more of her soul was entering the painting, returning that sense of self that was buried in the blank canvas. Art and writing share qualities that allow McDougall to express herself. “It’s like writing but in color!” She shared that art feels more interpretive than writing as it forces you to take a deeper look at how the painting makes you feel and what you see in the colors. Art does not require prior knowledge, it relies on the individual’s own vision. Although her two passions can be similar at times they both relate to different parts of her personality. She feels that people can enjoy art without trying to force its relativity to a greater sense. This appreciation for art is something she gained after years of enjoying painting. Her hidden passion has allowed her new places to grow as a person and free herself to be her own person.

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Bonnie Villegas paddleboards with her family on the weekend. She is sitting next to her granddaughter. Villegas also enjoys hiking and camping with her family. PHOTO COURTESY OF BONNIE VILLEGAS

not do it as often as she would like to, horseback riding is another passion of Villegas. “I don’t have access to a horse so I can’t do horseback riding very often,” she said. “If I did I would ride horses more often. Other than wakeboarding, that’s my favorite activity to do.” Even the simpler activities such as gardening and hiking bring Villegas satisfaction. “Gardening is my No. 1 everyday activity to do since it’s so convenient.” From just the outside of her home, she

is able to partake in gardening every day. With a recently bought cabin, hiking is also made more convenient for her. She gets the opportunity to go hiking with her entire family, whom she usually tries to include in her activities. Despite the energy these activities may take away from Villegas, she values almost every single one because they give her the chance to have fun with her family, while at the same time keeping her health up.

SALESMAN

Vang masters the art of selling houses Shannon BRADBERRY Art and real estate are two careers that don’t necessarily involve each other, but art teacher Chuzin Vang somehow balances both of these complex professions perfectly. What started as just a crash course to earn a license turned into a side business that he hopes will thrive. Before he was a teacher, he went to a broker company and took a course on real estate. He received his certificate validating that he can be represented as a home seller, but he never

intended to actually do so. He and his friends encouraged each other to put their license to use. They took a chance investing money into a house around 2006. They all shared high hopes and expected things to be easy. “We took a major loss,” Vang said. “I learned that you really need to know your market before you jump into business.” When you invest money on a house and it doesn’t work out, you have to foreclose the property and hopefully find other buyers. With such a difficult first try, he took a six-year break and placed all his attention on teaching. “Both of these professions are so different. The balance between them is creativity.” Creativity within the process of buying homes is something Vang wants more people to understand. He explained how there’s so many different ways to find clients and persuade people to sell homes, that the process to him is a form of art. Because California is so exCOURTESY OF CHUZIN VANG pensive, he has better chances of Chuzin Vang and his business partner flipped a house in Wisconsin. success when buying and selling After investing money into the home by purchasing and renovating out of state. “The market is still it, they were able to make a decent profit. recovering in Detroit, Michigan,

CANVAS

so I plan to go there next,” Vang explained. “Usually, Wisconsin, Texas, and Florida are my go-to states for business.” He is part of an independent company called Nuwin LLC. He has been doing this since 2008 and his side business has given him opportunities he could never have imagined. This business is something he wants to make bigger in the future. Within the next few years he expects this to become a full-time career. Yes, this means he will retire from his current position as an art teacher, but he isn’t leaving his students empty handed. Vang has offered multiple students the opportunity to refer clients to his business and receive money. “This can help students learn about real life business,” he said. “If they are really passionate about it, me and my partner wouldn’t mind helping them pursue this as a career.”

Harrison and Marrone fight stigma that comes wih tattoos Brianna RODRIGUEZ Polos, watches and ties are some of what a student expects to see on a teacher. But what about tattoos? Social Studies Department Chair James Marrone breaks the stereotype of professionals not having the permanent ink on their bodies. There are different reasons for getting tattoos. An act of rebelliousness, cultural association and self-expression are a few. For Marrone it was simply because of the artwork. “The artistry of good tattoos is like

PHOTO BY CARLOS DAVALOS

James Marrone plans to add to his collection of art next month, getting tattooed by a Stagg alumn.

having a living embodiment of artwork on your personal body.” Getting his first tattoo 17 years ago, Marrone explains how the stigma regarding tattoos in a professional working environment is “starting to fade off.” He refers to the stereotype of teachers and professionals not having the pieces of art as an “antiqued version of tattoos.” “With the current culture, tattoos are a lot more appreciated,” Marrone said. Along with appreciation, there is acceptance, which is true on this campus. “Before, I was very apprehensive about getting tattoos because I thought it would be frowned upon.” His apprehension turned into a carefree spirit once he learned the importance of the person and educator one is rather than their appearance. These same opinions and ideas are shared by Benjamin Harrison, who teaches special education. “Some of the best people I know have tattoos on their neck and hands,” Harrison said.The collection of tattoos started for Harrison when he became a legal adult. Liking the way tattoos fit one’s body, he has gotten more than 45 hours worth of tattooing on his body. After a certain number both Marrone and Harrison stopped counting.“I don’t count tattoo numbers anymore, now I just have space,” Marrone said. “Eventually I will not have much space.” Instead of having numerous individual tattoos Harrison has various pieces of art tattooed on him. “I do pieces at a time.” While the process of getting a tattoo is painful, it is addicting for many. “Every three months I usually go get new tattoos,” Marrone said. Harrison, like Marrone, used to get new art every few months but has taken a slight break. “There was a time where I would go every few months,” Harrison said. “You keep going until they get finished.” Tattoos are forever. One has to be satisfied with the final product but they also are a reminder of significant things in one’s life.

“I got my first tattoo when my oldest daughter was born to commemorate her birth,” Marrone said. Most of the inspiration for his tattoos come from the most important people in his life. “My daughters’ names with the angel wings mean the most to me.” To go along with those he has a vibrant Kitsune mask to represent his wife. “It represents a woman fox spirit that takes care of a man.” Despite the generous amount of time and money the two have invested into getting tattoos, they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

PHOTO BY CARLOS DAVALOS

Benjamin Harrison’s favorite tattoo is placed on his chest. It is a cross with a scripture he can recite.

Entertainment

Netflix originals only a hit or miss Aidan DANFORTH

Netflix, a major outlet for entertainment that constantly tries to retain its audience, has created the category Netflix Originals to promote its own films. This original content satisfies the demand for movies and forces viewers to come back to the site. It’s a nice addition to the site but some of their movies aren’t as fulfilling. With its wide variety of genres, the most popular are the Netflix Originals. Their romantic comedies are widely recognized and praised by teens. Movies like “To All the Boys I’ve Loved,” “Candy Jar,” and “Kissing Booth” all have unique storylines. At times, “Kissing Booth,” was too cliche. Netflix, it seems, cared more about releasing multiple movies than perfecting one. This causes movies to either be a hit or a miss with viewers. For example, the movie had a rushed plot that left holes. It confused the viewer but it still managed to be an enjoyable film because of the themes of teen love and heartache. Viewers can enjoy the sweet sentiments like passing notes, romantic gifts, but the dialogue in the movies are overplayed. Compared to the visuals, the dialogue is basic and breaks the theatrics of the movie. Unique dialogue is fulfilling for a viewer. In “To All the Boys I’ve Loved,” the main character falls in love with the romantic interest through conversations. The main character is shy and lacks the social interactions needed. When her feelings are finally confessed, it’s a momentous occasion. The dialogue is genuine and it builds a relatable feeling. Dialogue needs to be realistic and genuine for the viewer to buy into the movie. Teen relevance is highly important to these original films. A character who branches out and changes emotionally is empowering for the audience. Although viewers won’t deal with the superficial events that happen, they still feel connected to the character. Netflix releases movies that are lovable because of the teen drama. The Netflix Originals show high school experiences in new interesting ways. The fantasies of falling in love, like in the moves, may seem far fetched but are still vastly enjoyed because of the connection with viewers. These movies satisfy the demand for good quality movies.

Out of Netflix films released within the past month, 58% scored fresh and 42% scored rotten.

The average rating of those Netflix films accounted for was 67%, with a high of 92% and a low of 41%.

GRAPHIC BY SOLOMON JUAREZ

SOURCE: ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

overshadow newer shows

Oleedia HARRIS & Maria CASTILLO We all have sweet childhood memories that we hold dear to our hearts. “And you’re watching Disney Channel,” is a phrase that many are familiar with from that time of our lives. One might even immediately picture a Disney star waving a magic wand into the shape of the Disney Channel logo and then saying what show they’re from. Disney plays a big part of those memories for many of us now. Shows such as “The Proud Family,” “Lizzie Mcguire,” and “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” hold a place in our hearts. These series help remind us of our childhood. However, they also make us realize how bad the shows that are aired on Disney are now. Older shows had more time and thought put into them and it made them so much better than what’s broadcasting now. Not only was the content better, but Disney fans were able to watch the stars grow up

right before their eyes. In fact, they were able to grow up with them. Disney Channel had way more variety. Junior Ethan Jones said that he stopped watching the channel because of how poorly they started to make the shows. “Almost all of them are live action now and they aren’t even good, I miss all of the animated series.” However, Jones does like to watch reruns of older shows whenever they’re aired. “When I think about or watch the Disney shows from

“

my childhood I think of the weekends where I would sleep in and not have a care in the world,” Jones said. “Disney used to never fail to keep me engaged and entertained.” From reality series and great original movies to quality cartoons, Disney was there by your side to comfort you. Senior Alicia Robertson looked forward to every holiday all of the seasonal marathons. “I remember being so excited for all the Halloween spin-offs. Shows like ‘Kim Possible’ and ‘Hannah Montana’ were a part of my childhood,” she said. The older shows also had

Disney used to never fail to keep me engaged and entertained. Almost all of them are live action now and aren’t even good. Ethan JONES junior

”

All generations trick-or-treating tradition for everyone. On the other hand, there are those who believe that the Halloween, a time for fright and candy, when children age to stop trick or treating is 13. roam the streets, dressed up in costumes, in search of a “You wouldn’t see any older kids going out trick or sweet treat. treating. They’re normally just going out to parties,” said The famous tradition of trick or treating has been sophomore Esmeralda Melgoza. around for decades. The question remains: How old is As teenagers begin to develop into adulthood they tend exactly too old to trick or treat? to grow out of childhood traditions. “Age doesn’t really matter. I’m going to be in my 50s “Last time I gone trick or treating I was in elementary and still knock on people’s door asking for candy,” said school,” said senior Niomie Rosas, “but I still do enjoy takfreshman Brianna Correa. ing my younger siblings around the neighborhood to trick Some who remain young at heart believe that trick or or treat.” treating shouldn’t end at a certain age. Rather it should be a Many students stopped going out trick or treating around elementary school. ART BY SERINA SIENG Possibly because of feeling too old or because adults stopped handing out as much candy to them. But when teenagers do decide to go out trick or treating they seemed to have lost that spirit. “Normally they just throw on a mask,” said freshman Michael Clark. Teenagers don’t put in as much effort into their appearance, which is probably why adults wouldn’t want to give them as much candy as to a child who is completely dressed up. Whether young or old, trick or treating should be celebrated with spirit. Without Halloween spirit it wouldn’t be as enjoyable. So if you still have the love and enjoyment for the holiday then you have the right to celebrate however way you please.

What’s new in entertainment? TV Premieres “Shark Tank” (Season 10) - Oct. 7 “Riverdale” (Season 3) - Oct. 10 “Supergirl” (Season 4) - Oct. 14 “Legacies” (Season 1) - Oct. 25 “House of Cards” (Season 26) - Nov. 2 “Outlander” (Season 4) - Nov. 4

episodes that were educational. They talked about things like how to deal with bullying, how to fix problems with friends, and how to deal with the awkwardness that comes with being a teenager. “I learned so many life lessons and was able to relate to shows like ‘That’s so Raven’,” Robertson said. “It seems like they’re not as genuine.” There happens to be a “That’s So Raven” spin-off called “Raven’s Home” airing on Disney Channel now. It’s about the main characters from the original show, Raven and her best friend Chelsea, but now they’re adults raising children of their own. The jokes are cheesier, the characters are less relatable, and the acting is visibly staged. Not to mention, the cast is much bigger than the original show, which makes it much harder to track. No matter how bad or good Disney Channel gets, older broadcasts from our childhood will always have a special place in our heart.

GRAPHIC BY CEVINA CALDERON & DONAVIN COLLINS

Camila KENDALL

Movies “A Star Is Born” (Romance) - Oct. 5 “Venom” (Science Fiction) - Oct. 5 “The Hate U Give” (Drama) - Oct. 5 “Goosebumps 2” (Fantasy) - Oct. 12 “Halloween” (Horror) - Oct. 19 “Hunter Killer” (Thriller) - Oct. 26

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ART BY SERINA SIENG

6The Stagg Line

With the spooky season approaching, horror movies have inherited an important role in Halloween. Marathons of them always run during this time. Above are the scariest franchises picked out by students. Franchises in order of popularity: “Friday the 13th” (25%), “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (22.5%), “IT” (20%), “Halloween” (17.5%), “Child’s Play” (15%)

Nearby Concerts Noah Cyrus, San Francisco - Oct. 20 Billie Eilish, Sacramento - Oct. 21 Drake & Migos, Oakland - Oct. 26 Troye Sivan, San Francisco - Nov. 1 Twenty One Pilots, Oakland - Nov. 11 Lil Xan, Sacramento - Nov. 13

Trending News Rihanna shows versatility as the new ambassador of Barbados. Celebrities react to Kanye West’s political comments made on “SNL.” YouTuber Shane Dawson continues to release episodes of his eight-part series focusing on Jake Paul’s sanity.

Sports

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The Stagg Line

STANDOUT STATS

QB Cameron Deville, LB Jabarii Pharms earn national rankings 12th in the U.S. • 5 games played • 92/174 passes completed • 1,390 yards • 19 touchdowns

Cameron Deville Quarterback Senior

9th in the U.S. Senior Cameron Deville throws the ball in the hopes to complete a pass to his wide receiver in a game against Edison. Stagg went on to lose the game 52-19.

• • • •

5 games played 88 total tackles 23 solo tackles 17.6 tackles per game

Jabarii Pharms Linebacker

PHOTO BY KENYON PIERCE

Junior

Krystena MEZA & Kevin GUTIERREZ It takes hard work and dedication for athletes to get where they are, and for these two, it shows. Junior Jabarii Pharms and senior Cameron Deville are both ranked nationally for their outstanding performances. Pharms is a linebacker and is ranked No. 9 in the nation for tackling. Deville plays quarterback and is currently ranked No. 12 in the nation for his passing yards. Pharms is seen as a natural leader by his team. He pushes himself to the limit by practicing his skills and getting better in his personal time. While he practices every day he works to improve his mental toughness. He also takes the time before games to pray with the team so that they are watched over and held in the hands of God. For Pharms, focusing on stats is not as important as focusing on his team and winning.

“I don’t really pay attention to my stats until after football season is over. The only thing I care about is helping my team win and stay humble.” Being a part of a football team, it is really hard to let your voice be heard especially being one of the youngest players on the team. “Jabarii was a sophomore last year and has gotten even better this year,” linebacker coach Jacob Pelly said. “He is very coachable and is a humble leader.” Coaches are not the only ones who have noticed Pharms’ natural leadership abilities. “The only natural leader that has caught my eye is Pharms because he lets his voice be heard,” senior Dominique James said. Pharms is known to take leadership within the whole team, this is a big deal because taking a step up and being considered as a leader to a football community is very importance.

When your opponent isn’t looking

thing else around me,” Deville said. When on the field, it is usually difficult to not focus on others or anything around you, but what led Deville to his accomplishments is focusing on himself and the game. “I transferred to Lincoln my sophomore year, I had to play the back-up role as quarterback and was forced to play safety, which was a obstacle that I had to overcome.” Another challenge, he said, is “being only about 6 feet tall (when) the ideal height for a quarterback is around 6’2” and up.” Being part of a football team is very demanding, especially of players’ time, said coach Anthony Lee. “Getting to school at 7:00 a.m. (and) not leaving until 7:30 p.m. can be really difficult for students,” he said.

Fresh legs, fresh talent

Donavin COLLINS

Imagine a football game without referees to throw the flags onto the field or a basketball game without those same referees blowing their whistles against fouls. Sports without these pivotal officials may seem far from playable, but in some sports it all comes down to the player’s integrity. Two sports where the players make the calls for themselves are tennis and golf. On the tennis court, it’s just the player and their opponent. There’s not always a coach watching, and never a referee making the calls. Kristen Price, a senior, has grown very accustomed to these circumstances and actually doesn’t mind the absence of officials. “Basically you’re your own referee, so it’s your own call on whether the ball landed in or out,” Price said. One finger up signifies the ball landed out, and a hand down reassures that the ball landed in. “The whole point is to keep your eye on the ball so you never get cheated from winning a game.” As expected, Price and others have played games where their opponent would pretend to forget the score in hopes of giving them an advantage. “That’s why you have to try to keep track of your score. They might try to manipulate you to think your idea of the score isn’t right.” However, as Price

Deville is passionate about this sport as well. He loves playing with all his friends, but on the field it’s strictly business. “I feel he’s a really good quarterback because off the field he’s all and fun and games but on the field it’s serious Cameron,” said senior Phoenix Smith. “I feel confident in Cameron as our quarterback because he puts in a lot of work and it shows in his stats,” senior Keith Smith said. Deville has been named player of the game several times throughout the years for best offensive performance and overall performance. “Cameron is just a player of the game,” quarterback coach Eric Hankins said. “He is very technical and can adjust to difficult situations quickly.” “I go out on the field and try and go with the flow of the game so I do not get distracted by any-

Brianna RODRIGUEZ & Shannon BRADBERRY PHOTO BY CAMILA KENDALL

Senior Emily Watterson keeps track of her score in a match played at Elkhorn Golf Club against McNair High School. Stagg lost the match 312-324.

has experienced, this rarely happens because players are often honest. Despite tennis hardly ever having to deal with dishonest players, senior golf player Emily Watterson recalls very different experiences from her sport. “People cheat all the time, especially if you’re new since you might not know the rules and regulations,” Watterson said. Like in tennis, this also goes to the extent of potentially costing a match. “You need to make sure they’re being honest with their number of strokes.” Despite the risks, Watterson still believes officials shouldn’t be necessary during matches. “I don’t think there should be any type of officials needed since the coaches sometimes watch,” she said. “We’re supposed to be honest anyways. Karma will come around to those who try to cheat.”

PHOTO BY SERINA SIENG

This year, cross country coach Dao Tep believes that the boys team has the potential to take league. “They’re all hard workers and put in their all during practice,” Tep said. The team consists of 12 boys, four on JV and eight on varsity. Freshman Honorio Alcocer-Castro, who goes by Juan, is something like their prized possession. Within weeks he was moved high on the depth chart. He has been running for only a year so far and falls in love with cross country more and more every single day. “Being on JV encourages me to work harder,” Juan said. “I love the competition, run-

ning also helps me improve my speed for soccer.” He anticipates his growth and appreciates the individual aspect of the running sport. The coach explained how the team as a whole motivates each other to do their absolute best when running together. “The veterans do an amazing job getting everyone to stay on track,” Tep said. “We have coach Paul Carranco, who is an alumni track runner and is always sharing tips with the kids.” He also mentioned that math teacher Rosa Martinez volunteers to ensure

they are putting their all into the sport. “If we keep working like this, there’s no doubt we will win league,” freshman Jose Gonzalez said. With the new talent the team has acquired this year, the boys cross country team has the assets needed to remain a tough competitor for the next couple of years. “The freshmen we got this year are definitely equipped for success,” Tep said. “They have tremendous talent and it’s going to be exciting to see their growth as the years go on.

Junior Rin Le leads the boys cross country team in their second SJAA Center Meet held at Franklin High School on Sept. 27.

Who’s coming to our house?

Football

Girls Tennis

Water Polo

Girls Golf

Cross Country

Girls Volleyball

Tonight vs. Franklin HS 5:00 / 7:15 PM

No remaining home games

Tuesday, Oct. 16 vs. Franklin HS 5:00 / 7:15 PM

Tuesday, Oct. 9 vs. McNair HS 3:00 PM

Thursday, Oct. 18 SJAA Center Meet #3 3:30 PM

Tuesday, Oct. 9 vs. Franklin HS 4:00 PM

The Stagg Line

News

More than just fundraising Club rush uses food to promote various clubs around campus

Dual enrollment helps to prepare Oleedia HARRIS

Monzerrath MARTINEZ Club Rush: an annual event where students gather around the quad to purchase their favorite foods. Students like Joseph Higareda, a freshman, see this as an opportunity to have a longer lunch and purchase food. “It was a good experience where everyone was coming together to eat food,” Higareda said. He took advantage of the hour long lunch to “chill,” but was actually surprised by the sights of it. “It kinda shocked me seeing how a lot of people like to interact with clubs and the school.” However, from a club officer’s perspective, there’s more to the event than just selling food to students. French Club and National Honors Society president Mario Albert, a junior, experienced first-hand what it was like for students to focus more on the food aspect. “This year a lot of people actually did not sign up, they just came for Jamba Juice.’’ Though they made profit, he had wished more people would have taken the chance to give his clubs a chance. Nadia Dutra, a senior, participated with her Korean Club for the first time. Especially since she only founded the club last year, this promotion is able to draw in students to join. English teacher Mary Stoner, Video Game Club adviser, hoped they would be able to welcome students and explain their purpose of giving video game fanatics a place to come together and find people like themselves. Polynesian Club president and founder Belinda Sauaso, a senior, wants students to really get in touch with the club’s significance. “It’s basically about

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PHOTO BY KEVIN GUTIERREZ

Senior Nadia Dutra prepares cotton candy to sell at Club Rush to fundraise money for the Korean Club. As founder and president for the new club, she used this as an opportunity to recruit new members.

“

It’s not only about what we are selling or what we are giving out. It’s about students joining our club. Nadia DUTRA senior

cherishing the culture and getting people to understand what we really do. Also how we celebrate the different dances that we do and just learn what Polynesian is about.” Freshman Diamonique Alicea was one of the students who were able to view the clubs more in depth. Out of them, she enjoyed Spanish Club for their way of presentation. “They seemed in-

”

teresting and they were also kind when I went,” Alicea said. “They weren’t just like ‘What do you want?’” In order to even have these booths out and running, there is a huge amount of setting up and planning involved. ASB senior class president Tenyiah Washington was very involved in the process and realized how much work it takes.

“Thank God that we had help from clubs to set up their own booths because we had a lot of tables to set up,” Washington said. For many clubs, this year was a great success. Spanish Club made a profit of $400, making more than they had in the past 11 years. The Senior Class sold pizza and saw great results. “We were so successful. The pizza sold out pretty fast,” Washington said. Their profit was around $700. All of the profit earned serve for greater things. Korean Club plans on taking a visit to a Korean Museum in Los Angeles. French Club holds the tradition of visiting a corn maze every October. The Video Game Club plans on purchasing a Playstation and Nintendo Switch along the way.

Adara Chavez’s school day does not end at 2:13 on Mondays or Wednesdays like almost everyone else. The senior, along with two dozen other students, are taking advantage of the Nutrition college course offered. Chavez says the Nutrition course has helped her with not only getting ready for college, but also incorporating what she’s learning into her own life. “I thought Nutrition would be interesting to not only help me with getting a leg up on college but also apply it to my life.” Chavez also said that it’s teaching her how to be college ready. “You get background of an actual college class with an actual professor and it’s a great experience.” Chavez plans on taking the college course available next semester also. Guidance Chair Laura Rodriguez was just recently informed that the Childhood Development course was approved for the second semester. She recommends that students take advantage of this opportunity to help them along the road to get ready for college. “It’s a way of advancing one’s college readiness,” Rodriguez said. “It might be challenging but it will all be worth it.” Rodriguez also said that both the Nutrition and Childhood Development courses are transferable for a university and are needed to graduate. “The Childhood Development class would meet the social and behavioral science for graduation,” she said. “It’s a free education, it doesn’t get much better than that.” Guidance technician Darshay Smith, along with guidance technician Susan Suarez, both help students apply for the course. Even though the next course isn’t until second semester, students are able to start applying for the class now to get enrolled. For students who are interested in applying for the next course, which is going to be Childhood Development, they can start by getting the information from Smith or Suarez in the Career Center.

PHOTO BY KENYON PIERCE

The nutrition professor Kristen Saccone demonstrates how digestive enzymes work. Students in the class are encouraged to take notes.

Stockton Scholars hope to eliminate local ‘brain drain’ Maria CASTILLO

Student outreach officer Griselda Rojas gives information about the Stockton Scholars’ resources regarding financial aid, networking oppurtunities and their Ambassadors Program. PHOTO BY KEVIN GUTIERREZ

What’s online?

WeeklyGallery Check out our staggonline.net website for weekly galleries featuring the scenery around campus, what the art students are creating, and the boys water polo game against Edison.

Trying to apply for college but not knowing how. Thinking that college is a stretch because of financial fears. Feeling alone because of a lack of family support. The last year of high school can be stressful. That’s why Stockton Scholars is here. Stockton Scholars not only provides scholarship money to those in need, but it’s also a support system to students. Student support officer Missy Magdalera said, “We want to make sure that they have a strong support network that will help them before, during, and after.” Stockton Scholars has many goals they hope to achieve, but

their overall purpose is to help students grow personally and academically so they will be more inclined to come back to the Stockton community and help uplift their city. “The purpose isn’t to leave, but to come back and change some things happening here,” Magdalera said, “Less than 25 percent of Stockton residents have a bachelor’s degree or any sort of college degree.” There are some ideas parents have that make them hesitant about sending their kids to college. For example, some might believe there isn’t enough help, costlier colleges are better, or kids won’t ever be able to live life away from home. Demystifying those

ideas about college is what Stockton Scholars wants to do along. Analyzing the “brain drain” is another thing that Stockton Scholars focuses on. It’s the idea of young people leaving their home town and never coming back. Stockton Scholars wants to know how to keep graduates coming back and build a stronger community. Student outreach officer Griselda Rojas said, “We want to stay connected. We want to know that the money is being used for their education.” Rojas said, “We want to brainstorm what we can do to get students to come back. Maybe a fellowship in the mayor’s office or maybe in four years our foundation will be much larger

and we’ll have more positions in different fields.” What would also happen if graduates come back is a domino effect. It can inspire younger generations to become those future leaders and see that they can be an active member of the community and be proud of their city. The newly created Ambassadors Program targets students who want to be more involved with Stockton Scholars as well as those who need extra support with the process. It will have different types of workshops dealing with applications, leadership development, or internship opportunities. For more information about Stockton Scholars visit the Career Center.

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Watch how Point Break allows sophomore Michael Escobar to open up about emotional trauma he has faced.

Weekly Sports Focus Visit our website to see Keith Smith talk about having fun in football.

Read about how Yessenia RiosEsparza got into playing golf.