Stagg Line 2014-15 Issue #4 by Stagg Line Newspaper

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‘City of second chances’ prepares to survive season of stress

“We’re trying to save as much as we veronicavargo can,” Phan said. “We turn off the light if we Sophomore Andrea Martinez shares don’t need it, the water if we’re not using it; how she is “kind of scared” about the next we just don’t waste anything.” couple months for her family of five. Senior Brandon Alford does not feel the “My step-dad and my mom both work pressure of the bad economy, yet he feels at the same place, so they are both going to that the city does not encourage a “pleasant” lose their jobs,” she said. Her parents work future for students. “The city is doing bad. for Head Start. Because of a recent budget School pushes us to succeed but surrounds cut, they are losing their jobs due to the us with an unpleasant environment.” need to downsize staff. Oth Silva sees the resilience in ers have faced a similar fate. the people of Stockton while Mayor Anthony Silva acknowledging that the city says it best: “Everything bad has “hit rock bottom.” that could happen to a city “Stockton is a city of sechappened to Stockton, Calond chances,” Silva said as ifornia.” he opened his arms, his gaze The city’s general fund locked on a photograph of was nearly liquidated in Weber’s Point on the wall as 2005 when the new arena, he shares how he too strugbaseball field, cinema, and gled as a single father. hotel were built, causing “We have a national stiglasting effects on the city’s ma of negativity,” Silva said. economy. “People’s view of Stockton is On June 27, 2012, negative.” Stockton became the largest In order to better the city, city in the nation to file for the mayor plans to make bankruptcy. The issue still Stockton a business-friendhas not reached a settlement ly area and market the town on whether the city can move positively. Anthony Silva more on from the Chapter 9 debt. “Geographically, we are Approximately $700 mayor at the right place for commillion in debt, the city panies to come and make struggled to make regular payments on money,” Silva said. The money future busithe interest, accumulating debt to multiple nesses bring in will help build positivity. creditors. On Jan. 7 of the new year, Stock- But the spending isn’t quite done yet as ton representatives have to face, again, the far as renovations go. The downtown area last creditor to negotiate the payment of $35 and the improvements made lack places for million bond granted in 2009. Record re- people to live, causing the mayor to work porter Roger Phillips has been covering the with the city planner in drafting new living court cases via Twitter. complexes, so that the city can meet the re The millions of dollars being spent by quirement of a loan awarded. the city, combined with record foreclosures Just like the city, Martinez’s family is across the nation and a drop in wages and taking a new approach this Christmas. “It’s health care for city employees as the years more about making the gifts instead of buyprogressed, created an unstable Stockton. ing them,” she said. And just like the mayor, More than 300,000 people make up Martinez encourages that the city not only Stockton’s population. Bankruptcy has a help the working population but the homeripple effect that has left students and their less population as well. parents with stress, especially during the Stockton is struggling to get back on its holiday season as students are now feeling feet in light of the recent bankruptcy, and the pressure of a near-empty pocketbook. many of the citizens feel the season of stress Junior Katherine Phan admits that even as the city embarks on its new path. while her family is not feeling it as hard this Overall, Silva is confident that “the city season, they are still conserving. always finds a way to survive.”

“

The city always finds a way to survive.”

posi

ve + i Stockton

Many people complain about the city of Stockton, but have they taken the time to look at the positive side of Stockton? Some characteristics overlook the bad. Whether one is taking a stroll on the stunning Miracle Mile or enjoying the mile with entertainment, it will always be part of a positive atmosphere. graphic by Fernando Gonzalez and Esmeralda Mascorro

Dec. 19, 2014 Vol. 58 Issue 4 Find us on Facebook Search for “Stagg Line”

Keep updated at our website @staggonline

A.A Stagg High 1621 Brookside Stockton, CA 95207

As competition rises, teens struggle to find jobs esmeraldamascorro

Within a year, she applied to 30 different locations. In that span of time, she got two interviews. The desperation grew as money became scarce. She then began to try harder, calling locations weekly and strengthening her interview skills. Since the age of 16, senior Angelique Faison has been trying to find a job. She will soon be turning 18. It wasn’t until the recent seasonal hirings that she was able to get a third interview and was offered a job. Faison feels the burden of competing with adults. “I’m competing with people who already had four or five jobs, and my schedule isn’t as flexible,” Faison said. “Why would they want to hire me?” Even now that the senior has found a job, it is only

seasonal and does not guarantee a decent amount of hours. In three weeks she was only able to work 13 hours. It’s no surprise that during the holidays money becomes scarce for many students and their families. Competition in the job market is inevitable; nearly all individuals have financial needs. The problem isn’t the competition that is rising but rather the level at which it is occurring. The complication is found in the amount of minimum wage jobs that are occupied by adults. Social studies teacher Tara Hayes speaks to her students about her youth, recalling the minimum wage jobs at places like McDonald’s being predominantly for teenagers. However, today she claims that many of those Angelique Faison jobs are taken by adults, senior leaving students who seek

“

It’s kind of all luck, you have to look in the places you would least expect.”

Please see JOBS page 8

S t o c k t oArena n

The Stockton arena, located right across the waterfront, hotel, and ballpark, was opened in December 2005. The Arena is known as a key location for concerts, school graduations, indoor hockey, and much more.

Downtown Murals

Walls outside Stockton storefronts were designed with art projects in 2012. Young artists painted murals displaying historic pictures. “We are hoping to paint before the Christmas holiday,” Downtown Alliance member Sylwia Lipiec-Qualls said, as quoted in The Record. “A lot depends on the weather.”

D e l t aCollege

It’s uncommon to hear a community college offering a baccalaureate degree program, but Delta College will. For the past month or so, this proposal was being approved by legislators and Governor Jerry Brown. The college is still waiting on a decision being made by the government.

C S UStockton

Ever thought of having a CSU in Stockton? Lawmaker Susan Eggman proposed the idea of doing so. Eggman contributed to this plan by creating a bill for the state to study the possibility of opening a CSU, which will take a couple of years. graphic by Luci Thomas, Marleene Pheav, and Angel Gonzalez

2 A.A Stagg High 1621 Brookside Stockton, CA 95207 Editorial Policy 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 a story published or any school issue. We will make every effort to print any letter that is not libelous. Letters longer than 250 words may be edited for length. Letters must be signed to be printed. Letters may be given to a staff member, delivered to A-10 or emailed to dbott@ stockton.k12.ca.us.

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stagg line

Editorial

opinion

Dec. 19, 2014

Don’t stress, enjoy holidays

ear the holidays it is easy to become overwhelmed that it creates a season of frustration and stress, as opposed to joy and love. People become so worked up figuring out how to impress someone or show how much they care by purchasing gifts for friends and family, whether they can afford them or not, when actually showing how much one is grateful for another shouldn’t be a seasonal thing. It should be constant throughout the year. And the amount of money spent shouldn’t determine what someone is worth. Deeds done for a person should measure how much they mean to another. How far would someone actually go to display their love? Sending out a simple card to explain how important someone is, spending quality time with a loved one, or even just smiling and wishing a stranger happy holidays, doesn’t require much more than just a thought.

lifetime. Being able to reminisce back to the memories created during the holidays holds true meaning. What good does it do to become stressed over the price of a gift during these times? It creates so much bitterness and irritation that it makes many of them forget to show how much they care. They feel too occupied with finding expensive ways to make others happy that they don’t share how the season adds pressure art by Baylin Moran onto their life. It’s these little things that mat- us anymore. If our mom doesn’t A correct mindset can be the ter. The ones that have a lasting have a Michael Kor’s bag, she easiest solution to get through effect. won’t care to receive anything at what we see as the most difficult There’s always the huge conall. times. Something simple as recern of buying the “best” out This is where the idea develmembering to be thankful for there, the brands that everyone ops that if the gift is not expenwhat is already in front of us. has heard of. sive, then there’s no real thought Remembering to take some If we don’t purchase the new behind it. time to breathe. Remembering pair of Jordan’s for our brother, Flashy jewelry, unneeded that we’re not alone. then all of a sudden there’s no clothing, expensive electronics. In Remember the little things. reason to buy him anything at all. the end, it gets tossed to the side. Focusing on the things that If the new iPod isn’t in the hands But words from the heart, time matter and setting priorities of our sister, she won’t look up to spent with another, that lasts a straight can ease one’s mind.

Awards/Recognitions The Stagg Line is a member of National Scholastic Press Association, whose awards and recognitions include the following: ff 20 consecutive All American rankings. ff Hall of Fame ff First Place Best of Show five times ff National Newspaper Pacemaker Award seven 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. Editors

Jada Johnson Devin Wickstrom co editors in chief Veronica Vargo web editor Marcella Hawkins news editor Michealla Foules opinion editor Alexus Plascencia features editor Baylin Moran entertainment editor Araceli Valencia sports editor Esmeralda Mascorro photo editor Marleene Pheav graphics editor Angel Gonzalez video editor Nuvia Cervantes copy editor

Reporters Matteo Danforth Jenifer Flores Sathina Flores Louis Fuentez Jerry Garcia Fernando Gonzalez Celine Lopez My’Kayla Moore Trisha Newman Estefany Nunez Vanessa Salcedo Arriana Smith Luci Tomas Phillicity Uriarte-Jones Follow us Facebook: Stagg Line Twitter: @staggonline & @ stagg_sports Web: staggonline.net PDFs: issuu.com/staggline

Two sides of the story, only one being heard

he news headline tomorrow could read “Teen killed by cop in south Stockton” and we would all believe it. We would naturally side with the son/daughter, brother/sister, student or teen whose life was taken because of a “victimless” crime. We would condemn the police officer for drawing from his waist the shiny modern version of the excalibur sword that is supposed to mean power and respect. We would later all light candles at a possible stranger’s vigil, hug the mother who lost her child, and shed tears for the poor kid, for it wasn’t his fault he died by the hand of the law… then we’d riot. Yet sometimes a punishment is too extreme. Selling cigarettes tax free is almost certainly not worth the death penalty like Eric Garner, who in July was killed by a New York officer, famously known now for saying “I can’t breathe” as his last words. And stealing from a mini-mart should not get the Ferguson, Missouri boy Michael Brown shot by law enforcement. Sometimes the cop isn’t corrupt. After responding to a shooting in Stockton this past June, an officer died, according to Fox 40 news, after crashing due to gunfire at the police vehicle. Where were the demonstrations? Where was the outrage? We are so quick to jump to the defense of a citizen, but we must be convinced by some horrific story to feel sympathy for a fallen officer. The same officer who puts his life on the line every time he responds to a 911 call and then after his shift ends goes home to a family, just like everyone else does. The officer who takes an oath to protect the people, who pulls the legendary sword from the stone and uses it to enforce the laws in his designated county, who responds to our 911 calls in the first place. When we call, we expect someone to show up and handle a situation we can’t, which implies that cops have to be fearless. According to Forbes magazine, three in 33 children said they wanted to be a police officer, but not just anyone can be rewarded the bulletproof vest and badge that we all quickly reach to call when the time arises. When a woman dialed the phone to report 12-year-old Tamir Rice waving a “possibly fake” gun that scared her, she didn’t think it was the police officers that she would be scared of, since Rice was shot dead seconds after they exited their vehicles. After he already drew his last breath — not a weapon — it was discovered that it was in fact a toy gun. Tamir Rice lost his life for playing cowboys and indians, for being a kid, for being a

black kid, for being a black kid with a gun, for being a black kid with a fake gun… wait. Why was he killed, exactly? We expected the kid to be reprimanded, not killed, as he played in a community park. We expected the mighty sword to be stowed away in its sheath as the situation was handled according to the normal process of approaching a suspect, not to be retracted on impulse and cast upon the nearest target. When responding to a theft call involving Brown, we didn’t expect the target to lie there for the public to see like a public lynching from the 19th century. He stole from a mini-mart, a crime punishable with some time behind bars, not one where the sword wielder acts as the jury, and his hand the prosecutor. Because of these tragic deaths by the hands of the law, we say all enforcers are “corrupt,” we refuse to cooperate as witnesses, and we escalate the situation ourselves. The fault is not entirely the officer’s, it is the suspect’s, too. Yet, there are many people protesting inthe streets, blocking highways five states over, outrageously veronica rioting and vargo getting air time on TV because “police brutality is greater than ever.” In reality, there have been three recent headline-grabbing cases that people are using as evidence. That means four cops fall into the category of being brutal. With more and more videos that have been released, there is reason to start worrying, but is there really enough to push for anarchy? The sad part is, we could really see that headline tomorrow — “Teen killed by cop in south Stockton,” and we would damn the sword for having been pulled from the sheath. Then again… who dialed 911?

Injustice in the system calls for action, attention

hey enter the profession knowing that their lives are in danger. They’ve made a conscious decision to defend and protect the public. Their lives are on the line every second of every minute when on the clock. We hear about the memorials being held for them and our hearts ache in sorrow for defenders of our cities. This isn’t a country that hates cops and prays for their deaths. But this a country that is tired of seeing civilians murdered for holding plastic guns, merely resisting arrest, sitting in a car drinking iced tea, wearing a hoodie, or just being human. For being a black human. While approximately 109 police officers have been killed in the line of duty in 2014 — five in vehicle pursuits, 43 in gunshot fatalities and 61 in other incidents — approximately 400 citizens are killed by police officers annually. For people, young black men more recently, to feel tyrannized in a nation that pledges liberty and justice for all contends that somewhere along the line, the value of life diminished. When did it become jada johnson okay for all of the evidence to be against a cop — the fact that the chokehold was illegal, the fact that it was caught on video, the fact that the coroner ruled it a homicide — yet there isn’t an indictment? The first step to prosecuting someone was not taken. A murderer with a uniform walks the streets of New York fooling the world into believing that he is innocent. A murderer wears a protector’s uniform. The uniform is not tarnished by all cops. To attribute

all cops as corrupt is to attribute all blacks as criminals. However, if all cops are trained the same way, to empty the clip, to shoot to kill rather than shoot to hinder, there’s leeway for any cop to become corrupt. So whom do we trust? Whom do we trust to respond to our 911 calls without the mindset of shoot first, ask for forgiveness later? Whom do we trust will put rationality before nationality? Does it become up to us to make citizen’s arrests and think before calling? Or will the way in which police are trained to handle situations be changed so that we can become trusting again in our protectors? Despite blacks statistically being grouped as more violent, it isn’t a given that all blacks commit crimes. Yet, black teenagers are 2.3 times more likely to be shot by police than white teenagers. Before they commit a crime, they are seen as guilty because of their people’s mistakes. For this reason, young black people, especially males, are taught to tread softly when in the presence of a police officer. It shouldn’t matter if a person is white, black, orange, or polka dotted. It shouldn’t matter if one group of people has the highest or lowest crime rate. Nor should it matter if one group of people typically lives in a higher class area than another. People don’t become criminals because of their skin color, their race’s bad deeds, or their economic situation. People become criminals when they break the law, even when they are the law. It has been too long since we “overcame” racism for Americans to be chanting “Black Lives Matter” in a supposedly more accepting society. It has been too long since the Civil Rights movement for police not to be listening. So march on. Fight for justice for Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and the many others lost at the hands of law enforcement because it’s been too long for us to forget that we are the strength of this nation. That we are the voice and that without us, without the people, the police don’t have anyone to “protect.” It has been too quiet on the nation’s front. Let them hear you. Let them hear us.

opinion

Dec. 19, 2014

the

MATERIALISM

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Brand names don’t define the worth of items

ou can tell a lot Yet there are about a person by some products their shoes. that are only This is one of bought for the Forrest Gump’s famous logo rather than lines from the movie for their applicathat many have probation. bly heard but few have The only thing actually contemplated. that is separating In actuality, you these products really can, and not just from the more matteodanforth inexpensive by their shoes. Throughout your options are the classes, and even everyday life, famous signatures embroidered you can pick out certain people on them or the golden insignia that conform to a certain archesewn on. type based on the clothing they Well, what’s the point? wear and the brands they have What’s the point of spending adorned themselves with. $200 for a new pair of Jordans For some, they feel like you aren’t likely going to use to someone else if they are caught play basketball or hardly even not wearing a pair of Jordans or wear? they don’t have their Coach bag What’s the point of buying on their arm. a Gucci bag and bringing it to I understand that some of school if you don’t even have a these companies produce some backpack to carry your books excellent products. and the rest of your school ne Adidas comes out with some cessities? very comfortable and durable What’s the point of spendrunning shoes and JanSport has ing so much money on these big become very popular with stuname brands that you probably dents for the quality backpacks wouldn’t buy if the logo was that they create. nonexistent? Levi and True Religion have In a sad way, it makes sense, become well known for the though. When you think of a comfort their jeans bring, and big name brand, you probably skaters purchase shoes from Vans figure that their products must and DC for the grip the shoes be dependable because of the give when skateboarding. company’s popularity. Brands like these have be A well-known brand is only come mainstream in society for well-known because their custhe applicability of their prodtomers have made the assumpucts for certain activities. tion that every product they put

out is made with care and quality based on previous purchases. Shoe heads and fashionistas aren’t the only ones who have become slaves to materialism, though. People that are all about shoes wait in line hours before the new 11’s or Oreos come out to be the first people to get them, and video gamers camp outside GameStops and Best Buys to be the first people to get their hands on the new product. Others spend significant amounts of money to restore a piece of clothing to their once great glory as well as computer techs that do the same by spending hundreds of dollars to make sure their PC runs at full capacity. In all of recorded history, humanity has wanted wealth and quality materials. It’s a part of who we are. It’s embedded in our code. This is especially true during the holiday season. I think people lose sight of the true meaning of the holidays when they spend hours in checkout lines with carts full of goodies for loved ones. Society needs to wake up from the spell of materialism that has been cast over us and focus more on creating long lasting memories that will survive long after material purchases have decayed.

Buyingthe thename name or or buying buying the Buying the value? value? Classes from every grade (73 students overall) were asked why they buy

Classes from every grade (73 students overall) were asked why they buy expensive products. Nike proved to be the most popular brand and the expensive products. Nike proved to be the most popular brand and the least leastMichael was Michael Korsnowith no50 votes. 50 percent of the purchase students brand purchase was Kors with votes. percent of the students brand products of their attractiveness. products because because of their attractiveness. of the following is your Q: Which favorite brand item that you

To fit in 1%

Nike

Jordans

Homeless people inhabit the downtown area and create shelters of their own. A fence in front of the St. Mary’s Dining Hall is used to hang soiled clothes.

photos by Michealla Foules

It was affordable 8%

Quality 41%

9 5

Because it looks good 50% graphic by Jenifer Flores

After waking up screaming and disturbed from her sleep, a homeless woman rests on a bed of dirt and rocks, under a highway, in downtown Stockton.

ple do not have in what tends to happen cases of emergency. — one event triggers a Shelters also whole series of related overcrowd, and events to be created. even though they Now, Manteca will make their best is not that far from efforts to accommoStockton. If a law like date everyone who this were passed here, shows up at their the results would be doorstep, there is a drastic on the lives of limit to how many the people who stay nuviacervantes out on the streets. people a building can hold. Instant alter The homeless are still out natives must at least be offered. there on the streets, exposed to Giving the homeless warnings in the elements of nature. advance when planning to take Because this law has been down their encampments would passed, how many more might be humane. Even helping them pop up to follow along? That is move their belongings to shelters is ideal. Fort Lauderdale in Florida passed a law earlier this year that made it illegal to feed homeless people. Their actions have tremendous influence in other parts of the nation, as Los Angeles is now considering passing their own set of laws that will cripple their homeless population. The National Coalition for the Homeless conducted a report in 2013 stating that 21 cities have passed laws applying restrictions to people who feed the homeless. They also reported that this is a 47 percent increase since the last time they conducted a similar report in 2010. Some cities deal with homeless people by sending them away, just to improve their image and boost their tourism rates.

Apple product

Less fortunate deserve our compassion

Why did you buy it?

own?

New law for homeless unfair

n Stockton, it isn’t rare to see homeless people. Their presence is common near fast food joints, freeway underpasses and flea market entrances. Their lives are difficult enough without proper housing, clothing or food. They have to make do with the few supplies they do have. Well, the nearby city of Manteca has recently made the lives of the homeless even more difficult. They recently passed a law banning the homeless from setting up encampments in public areas. The Manteca police are even allowed to destroy the homeless people’s encampments and possessions without the person’s consent. Laws like these should not be passed. The homeless live in the streets because they have nowhere else left to go. Yes, these people can go to emergency shelters for basic needs including clothing and toiletries. However, they are often only temporary. Acquiring permanent housing through the programs provided by the shelters is possible, but that takes time that the homeless peo-

Seeing people living on the streets may deter visitors as it creates a sense of danger, making people believe that it isn’t safe to walk down the sidewalks. San Diego deals with their homeless situation by giving them a bus or plane ticket to another city, wiping their hands clean of the responsibilities of taking care of these people. That isn’t right. Each and every city has the obligation to take care of their residents in a proper manner, not just simply dump them onto some other city and letting homelessness become their “problem.” Everyone seems to forget that a homeless person isn’t just an old man in torn jeans, holding up a sign and asking for money. The homeless are the women, the teenagers, the children just as well as the men. Restrictive laws against the homeless only make their lives tougher and should not be put into place, especially during this time of the year when severe weather can hit and the holidays are around the corner. Cities should instead focus on coming up with funds to take care of their residents and help them rebuild their lives. Yes, it costs money, but these are living human beings we are talking about. We can’t just scrape them off the face of the earth and pretend they don’t exist.

Focus on character, not appearance

cientific, accomplished, proud, and goofy. Is there anything wrong with this combination? Apparently so, considering scientist Matt Taylor, who recently made the news for landing a spacecraft on a comet that was 300 million miles away, was criticized harshly based on his “sexist” shirt (which was created by his female friend). Okay, sure the shirt is what people notice, but what about the fact he has a beard, baylinmoran tattoos everywhere and mismatched clothes? No, just the shirt. Seems to make sense. Honestly, a brilliant man helps accomplish something important to scientific research and his shirt is what everyone cares about. Okay, let’s move away from the Matt Taylor example. How about Albert Einstein? His hair was a disaster almost all of the time. Did people whine and complain? No, because he accomplished a fundamental formula used in science that even helped create the atomic bomb. Both managed to achieve greatness but there were different reactions from the viewing people. Why? Perhaps over time expectations and priorities have changed. Or it could be the reason that Einstein wore the usual formal and nerdy attire and only had the lack of combed hair versus an entire wardrobe that was strange for a scientist like Taylor. There are many reasons that could be the cause of why these people acted the way they did. Maybe it was due to him straying from the normal scientist in a lab coat and other nerdy apparel, or perhaps it was just the content of his shirt, but none of that should matter if he can achieve greatness, even if in strange attire. It never has made sense on how people feel the need to dress a certain way in order to stand for something. Taylor was able to be the kind of guy who dresses completely different than the norm. Just because he’s a scientist doesn’t mean he should have to wear a lab coat. Is there a rule of “dress in the attire that’s been labeled as fitting for your job?” As far as I’ve known, it’s freedom of expression and yet he was shunned for expressing his friend’s creation. Unfortunately, there’s a cycle that has started with this case of Matt Taylor. Not only did he get attacked by feminists, but now the feminists are being frowned upon for “bullying” Taylor. All this time is being wasted on what? Harassing different people for having opinions? The time spent on how a person looks, what a person believes, or other needless things could be the time spent on developing a cure for something or who knows what. No, not everyone has to be a scientist, but they should at least have the courtesy to be decent human beings and try to accomplish something in their day other than, “Did you see that girl’s dress?” At the end of a day, all the comments and disapprovals about others’ choices means absolutely nothing because they’ll carry on and continue to do what they enjoy.

the

features

stagg line

Price doesn’t justify ‘shoe game’

Passed down to feet Senior Johnathan Krietz receives older brother’s army boots from boot camp

my’kaylamoore

When it comes to the term “shoe game,” one would assume the phrase associates with someone who wears a lot of Nikes, Jordans, or other well-known brands. But shoe game does not necessarily have to be footwear that is the most expensive or most flashy. “The thing about me is that I’m not a sneaker head,” Octavio Mora said. “I’m into them, just not dramatically.” The junior doesn’t like the shoes he wears because of the popularity of the brands, but because he wants a shoe that is not only stylish but also comfortable for his feet. “I’m not like many guys who love ‘Jordan,’ just knowing everyday people are making him richer,” Mora said.

louisfuentez

graphic by Jerry Garcia

Some walk in them, some run in them, some even swim in them. Some collect them, trade them, sell them, even restore them. However they are used, shoes can take people on a variety of journeys. The different brands, sizes and styles define these individuals in a way that can only be understood by stepping into their shoes.

Junior restores soles for cash

Collection creates fashion statement estefanynunez

jadajohnson Dents. Paint chips. Dirt. Torn soles. Filthy laces. These are the destroyers of our favorite shoes. And so, what happens to a pair of Jordans dirtied? For Rolando Dayrit, they get restored. Tired of throwing away money but moreover “iconic” retros, the junior decided it was time to learn a craft that would fill his pocket and save his prized possessions. Three years and 15 pairs of his own shoes later, Dayrit has started a mini company in which “I get money and they get the shoes they paid for,” he said. What used to be old toothbrushes and mediocre cleaning supplies have been replaced with top notch tools. Because of Dayrit’s passion for retros, he’s made a repair shop of his own, learning from the established locals around him. “I just went in and asked them to go over the steps with me,” he said. Freshman Adrian Dutra doesn’t know how he does it. The shoes he thought were gone were molded back to their original shape despite melting from the baseball field turf. “The sole was ripped,” he said. He bent down to the shoes Dayrit had restored for him just last week. The Cherry 12’s looked as though they had never been worn. Dayrit spent a week repairing Dutra’s shoes but this was no burden on him. “It’s not something I do just to get money,” that’s icing on the cake, he said. “I love seeing (Jordans) come back to life.” The recent boom in his mini entrepreneurship has been three years in the making. Starting in his freshman year, Dayrit began experimenting on his own shoes. “I probably restored like 15 pairs of my own shoes before I began restoring others,” he said. This is out of care for his customers. “I’d never use a product without experiment-

photo by Jada Johnson

Rolando Dayrit carefully removes shoelaces from customers’ shoes to get the grime out, and to clean it thoroughly.

ing on my own shoes first.” When he’d restored all of his shoes, he went to thrift stores in search of projects. Dutra, who was unaware of restorations, was introduced to this idea by Dayrit. “He fixed the shoes I asked my friend to customize for me,” he said. “They were messed up. Rolando made them look brand new.” Not only was the quality satisfying but the cost was “cheap.” Dayrit’s passion for restoration is strictly laced in Jordans because, he said, “Retros have a story and when (he sees) them messed up, (he) just (wants) to see them brand new again.”

Look around and you can see many people love the Lebrons, the Kobes, and of course the Jordans. And then there is Johnathan Krietz who has the plain boots. The ones that look like you can get them in a regular store and pay only $20. But these boots hold a deeper story that could be only told by the owner. “My brother gave me these shoes because he was going to be stationed in Hawaii and did not need them.” Krietz’s brother is in the army and had worn the boots through boot camp. When Krietz saw his brother go into the military he automatically wanted to go, too. He has plans of joining the Air Force and have a career as a military police officer. “You know, I just want to be a part of the military because I don’t have anything ready for me like college, so I hopped on,” Krietz said. His brother was the one who had encouraged him to go on and be a part of the Air Force because it would be a good opening for him. Before his brother was just about to leave, Krietz asked him to bring him his boots to keep. And lucky enough, he was given what he asked for. Krietz was surprised to see the boots were still in good condition after the long two months of his brother’s boot camp training. He was relieved to know that the boots were going to be durable.

Some people like collecting stamps, some prefer collecting jewelry, others like collecting bottle caps, but it links back to the fact that people commit their personal time to things that interest them. For these two girls, it’s shoes. Junior Mikayla Gombio began building her collection of shoes her freshman year. “It’s not like I got really into shoes because I’ve seen a lot people of wearing them,” Gombio said. “It just became something because I liked them.” Gombio got her first pair of black Nike Roshes in her freshman year. From there, she began to get multiple pairs of the same shoes in different colors. That seemed to spark her interest in shoes — noticing which pairs of shoes that she would love to have in her wardrobe. Instead of trading or selling hers to save money, Gombio prefers buying her shoes new. Her habit of taking great care of her shoes has totaled her collection to over 30 pairs, which consists of Nikes, Converse, Timberlands, and Jordans. Although she does spend $75 or more for a pair of Nikes at times, it all depends on what she likes. “I’m not a ‘shoe-head,’ it just depends on the shoes,” she said. “I have bought shoes for $10.”

As for sophomore Perla Gonzalez, she loves the fact that she shares the same interest with other people. She first noticed her love for shoes when she began to get them as Christmas gifts from her siblings. “It picked up from there,” Gonzalez said, “and I kind of just (stuck) with it.” Her sister works at a shoe store so she first started getting them through her because of her employee discount. “I don’t get every pair of new Jordans because I’m really picky,” she said. Although she does love shoes, she has a limit. The maximum she would pay for a pair of shoes is $170. If Gonzalez notices she doesn’t really wear a certain pair

of shoes or doesn’t show the same interest as she had before, she turns to retail. She is a member of a Facebook group called “PORTCITY SOLE,” where thousands of members around the Bay Area discuss, sell, trade and buy shoes. She does not expect the shoes to be brand new. Her main goal usually is to get a good bargain. Although she does love Jordans, those are not the only shoes she wears. Her collection also consists of combat boots, UGGs, Converse sneakers, TOMs, and even riding boots. “I’d rather have more shoes than clothes,” Gonzalez said, “because I feel like shoes are the cherries on top of the ice cream.”

Dec. 19, 2014

photo (left) by Alexus Plascencia and photo (right) courtesy of Johnathan Krietz

Senior Johnathan Krietz often wears his military combat boots that were given to him by his older brother, whom he looks up to. After high school, Krietz has hopes to join the Air Force because his brother advised him it would be a good point to start off at.

“We usually go to Mt. Shasta around the crack of dawn and the mud up there is not as dry as you might think but usually I just get a rag and wipe them off,” Krietz said. Many kids at school get agitated when someone steps on their shoes or even gets a scratch on them and don’t want to even wear the shoes again. But Krietz does not have to worry about that because the boots are so durable and do not get as messed up as a popular shoe would. High school students will ruin shoes and not hesitate to toss them to the side.

Some students like Krietz pretty much love getting their shoes a little dirty here and there. Many students do get a little made fun of because of this but don’t want to buy the high and fancy shoes that kids worship as a trend. These students love their shoes because just having them on their feet are enough to get them through the day. Like Krietz had said, he wanted to keep the shoes to remember his brother, who gave them to him almost instantly. The fact that he did that was enough for Krietz to remember him by.

Krietz was really excited to have these shoes and told some stories about them. “Well, one time I was going to a river and my cousin saw a bridge and he wanted to see if we could jump off, but we had nowhere to put our clothes so I jumped with everything on, even my boots, and it was pretty comfortable in those shoes.” Even the roughest of shoes can be durable and have style. Krietz is one to lean more on the durability rather than the look.

“I like Jordans, but I am not the type to wait in line for the new releases,” he said. Among peers throughout high school, it has become more and more common throughout the years to be put into a category depending on your appearance; where people place others can depend on things as simple as what is on their feet. Those who wear Jordans and Nikes may be classified as the “sneaker heads,” while people who wear Vans or Converse may be put into the “hipsters” category. Mora says he really doesn’t care about following the trend of having “shoe game.” “I don’t have a lot, but I am grateful for what I do have,” Mora said. “I just want shoes that are comfortable fitting; nothing

a kick’s life “I love Black Veil brides so I wrote it on my shoes, and I keep them because they’ve been through a lot with me.”

Mia Ramos junior

photo by My’Kayla Moore

Junior Octavio Mora prefers comfort over price when buying shoes. He chooses shoes to his preference opposed to what’s “trending.”

that hurts my feet, but can look nice and comfortable at the same time.”

Whether they’re old or new, studded or sparkly, we all wear them, but it’s not where they take us but the steps we take to get there.

Glen Picotte freshman

“I bought them because they’re different and colorful. I wear them when I skate because they’re comfortable.”

“I like the style of the spikes because it resembles my personality. It’s unique, punk rock.”

“They (the writing) are all punk bands. I like punk music and I’m also an anarcho-communist.”

Carolina Ramirez sophomore

Jesse Hamilton junior

graphic by Arriana Smith and Alexus Plascencia

Worn in and ready to win

Whether they were chosen for their style or customized to help the player perform better, these athletes, like others around the world, rely on their shoes. These shoes make the athlete feel at the top of their game or have confidence on the court or the field. Jennifer Sanchez, sophomore

Gabriel Sauceda, freshman

“I like the color and they make me stand out.”

“I like the way they feel. Inside they are soft and when I jump they (my feet) don’t hurt.”

Adriana “Teeny” Jimenez, senior

“My cleats are pretty awesome. They are white with turquoise cheetah print. It feels like I’m walking on clouds.”

Bobby Garcia, sophomore

Jason Rodriguez, sophomore

“(My cleats) are really light and have my last name on them. (I remember) one of my players missed a tackle then I chased him down. I felt fast.”

“It has to be name brand. KDs are lighter and my LeBron 9s have better ankle support.”

Martha Valencia, junior

“I’m dependent on them. I need to have these cause if I don’t I feel like I’m going to mess up somehow.”

photo by Alexus Plascencia

Shoes play a huge role in sophomore Perla Gonzalez’s fashion. Her shoes are what finish off her outfits.

graphic by Araceli Valencia and Angel Gonzalez

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entertainment

BEATS BY DRE

BOSE

SKULLCANDY

SONY

COST: 100$+

COST: 150$+

COST: 50$+

COST: 25$+

PROS: A very well rounded headphone and has phenominal highs, mids and lows.

PROS: Skullcandy is known for the nice bass in their headphones and the quality in the sound it delivers.

CONS: One of the more notable cons is the price. If willing to spend the money, this brand of headphones would be a great buy.

CONS: What you often see in a pair of Skullcandy headphones after constant use is that the headphones stop working in one channel or both.

PROS: A well-known and timeless brand of electronic devices, Sony’s headphone line features great tones for every range of audio it puts out.

PROS: Heavy bass and clear highs and mids. CONS: Due to the heaviness of the bass and lows, sometimes it overwhelms the other tones in the headphones.

Dec. 19, 2014

CONS: At first, the quality of the headphone sounds thin. Also, just like the Skullcandy headphones, after constant and repetitive use the channels break down.

RESULTS & FINDINGS BASED ON VARIOUS MODELS FROM EVERY MANUFACTURER

graphic by Jerry Garcia

My true love gave to me a nice review Love continues with other stories Books similar to “My True Love Gave to me”

“Shiver” by Maggie Stiefvater “Let it Snow” by John Green, Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson “Eleanor and Park” by Rainbow Rowell “Wintertown” by Stephen Edmond “Anna and the French Kiss” by Stephanie Perkins “Snow like Ashes” by Sara Rasch

graphic by Phillicity Uriarte-Jones

estefanynunez Usually around the holidays, the store racks are stocked with newly released holiday albums from singers. Unfortunately, one rarely sees authors releasing holiday-themed books around this time. Let alone an anthology of 12 holiday stories written by 12 best-selling young adult authors. “My True Love Gave To Me” consists of stories by talented authors including Holly Black, Matt De La Pena, Gayle Forman, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell, which is all edited by Stephanie Perkins. This anthology has a great collection of variety. Holiday stories that celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, The Winter Solstice, and even Krampusnacht. Stories range from 14 to 33 pages long each. Each short story is followed by another equally engaging holiday story. Readers never get bored. It’s nice to have the option of skipping forward to the next story. Protagonists in the book differ from the usual stereotypes in YA fiction. It has a variety of Asian characters, Hispanic characters, gay characters, elves, even magic — it was a great read. “Midnights,” by Rainbow Rowell, is one of my favorites. It’s about friendship, love, and is all set at Alicia’s annual New Year’s Eve party. Mags is pining over her best friend, Noel. Every year as the ball drops, Mags is forced to endure watching Noel apparently kiss anybody who wants to kiss him. It’s short, simple and sweet and I loved it. Especially for being the story that introduces the collection, I’m guilty to say I had high expectations for the rest of the book. Another one that I really liked is “It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown,” by Stephanie Perkins. It’s an interracial romance between an Anglo boy and an Asian girl. Marigold ends up buying a Christmas tree from North, who works at the Christmas tree lot next to her apartment building. They soon start getting to know one another as it turns out she needs help carrying the tree. I loved the humorous dialogue between the two and the credibility of the characters. They both have complicated lives and realistic dreams, making the story adorable. “Angels in the Snow,” by Matt De La Pena, was by far my favorite.

It’s set in New York where Shy lives while attending NYU on a full scholarship. Shy does not have money to go home so he is stuck cat-sitting for his friend in a lonely apartment building. That’s where he meets Haley and immediately develops a crush on her. As mentioned before, I loved the realistic aspect of the characters. Characters worrying about their futures and normal struggles. It was refreshing to read something I could actually relate to with my own personal life experiences. De La Pena came on campus on Nov. 19 to speak about his personal life and his writing career as a successful author. I noticed some similarities between his writing and his own life. The way Shy spoke about Haley, it reminded me of the way De La Pena spoke about his first crush. They also both attend college on scholarships. Both Shy and De La Pena have Hispanic ethnicity. I’ve never read any of De La Pena’s books before, but I quickly fell in love with his writing and wish to read more. The only fault I had with this book is dealing with the fact that they were only short stories. I wanted to read more about the lovely characters.

The love keeps giving Holiday cheer of a good rating and review.

Overall, I enjoyed reading it. The sweet stories sets a holiday festive mood. It’s a great anthalogy full of diversity, romance and variety.

sports

Dec. 19, 2014

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Athletes succeed with skill, grades

Academics affect athletes’ eligibility

Senior earns full-ride scholarship for Division I football

“I know I’m going to miss my family and friends, but this is trishanewman what’s best for me,” Taylor said. “So, I guess you could say I’m happy The chances of earning a Division 1 football scholarship are re- and not happy.” mote. Thinking realistically is important. Exposure is as equally important as a player’s build. It’s exposure If you don’t have the size, speed, and skill to play at the D1 level, at the right level that will help you get recruited. all of the odds are against you. However, no amount of exposure will make up for a lack of size, If you do acquire the size, speed, skill, and desire to play D1 foot- speed, and skill, especially at the D1 football level or any level for that ball, the odds of you receiving an athletic scholarship are better than matter. what people may lead you to believe. College coaches don’t read your local newspaper and they proba With roughly 1.5 million high school football players, the odds bly don’t attend your high school football games. are less than 1 percent. Roughly, only the top 1 percent of high school athletes are sin But what is not taken into consideration is the fact that a high cerely noticed. school football player is not competing against every other high school In fact, 98 out of 100 high school athletes never play collegiate football player in America. sports of any kind at any level. He is competing against a couple thousand athletes of the same Taylor leaves early August of 2015 to set out on his new journey age who possess the size, skill, and speed to play at that level. in Washington. The number of high school athletes that actually go on to play “It’s going to be more intense and faster,” Taylor said. “I’m excited college and pro sports is limited, and that is putting it mildly. to play on T.V. and get better.” The 6’7” 303 lb senior Tristen Taylor is a part of the 1 percent The fame and fortune of being a professional athlete can be very that has acquired the opportunity to attend a Division 1 program. attractive to an athlete in high school or college who is trying to figure He will be attending Eastern Washington University on a full-ride out what to do with their life. scholarship. Taylor is aspiring to major in sports science or criminal justice.

Welcoming a new eagle - Taylor looks forward to D1 football Age: 17

College: Eastern Washington University

Hometown: Stockton

Favorite Gatorade color: Blue

Height: 6’7”

Favorite warm-up song: “I’m Back” by Pablo Skywalkin

Weight: 303 lbs Number: 75 Position: Left tackle

Favorite drill in practice: Man on man Favorite subject in school: Math

Average tackles per game: 2.0

Favorite pre-game meal: Subway

Total sacks: 1.0

Inspiration: Shawn Taylor, father

Tristen Taylor, senior

graphic by aracelivalencia

micheallafoules

Student before athlete. This is one of the most important ideals of those who play sports. It is what molds the lifestyle of a student-athlete. Sophomore Andrew Muthart carries remorse as he is currently on academic probation for his junior varsity year of basketball. “I messed up my freshman year,” Muthart said. “It was stupid.” This athlete admits that he allowed for his grade-point average to fall below a 2.0 during the off-season in his first year of high school. As tryouts for the JV team were coming to an end, he got his wake up call at the time of cuts. “I didn’t think they would look back at my freshman grades,” he said. The sophomore was on the verge of not making the team. However, JV coach John Gilgert Jr. sees his potential. “He’s a kid to learn from his mistakes.” Gilgert is one of the coaches in the program who encourages his players to become better students, while also improving as athletes. He confiscates jerseys from students whose grades start to plummet, with F’s red flagged on grade checks and report cards. “Having grades opens up so many more doors.” He proudly recalls his last year’s team of starters, who made up the highest GPA of the team. Four of the five students main-

tained a 4.0 or above. Junior James Green was one of those JV players. He continues to strive for exceptional grades through his first semester of junior year, though he says that football season is when he struggles the most to maintain them. Green has an established routine after his football practices. He puts his priorities of classes in order, mapping out what work he needs to do for the following days. Green plans to make the workload minimal, by avoiding procrastination. Football coach Don Norton also encourages his athletes to maintain excellence in their studies. “He likes it when athletes have grades,” Green said. On game days, Norton opens room M3 for a place to do homework, eat lunch, and relax beforehand. According to Tony Espinoza, athletic director, “Sports are an incentive for doing well in the classroom, academically and behavior wise. The goal is to have athletes out there, representing athletics in a positive way.” There are two types of academic probations that can be used. One is the freshman probation which allows a first year high school student with low grades to play a sport, only during the spring semester. The other is the regular probation where again a student with a low GPA (less than a 2.0) is considered to be on the team. This probation is used once.

Teams sport Under Armour thanks to sponsorship sathinaflores

It all began with an idea. In fact, the year 1996 made it all happen. That is when a former special teams captain of the University of Maryland football team, Kevin Plank, founded a business that began from his grandmother’s basement. It is said Plank disliked the idea of having to change his sweat-soaked cotton T-shirts day after day. So Plank set out to find a solution. The solution was Under Armour. Plank allowed his football team to be the first to try out his invention of Under Armour. That started a chain reaction that lead to football becoming the one sport Under Armour is most famous for sponsoring. By the end of 1998, Under Armour outgrew Grandma’s basement and set out for Baltimore, home of the company’s headquarters. Now Under Armour is an all-time American sports clothing and accessories company of sportswear and casual apparel. Unlike regular cotton, the fabric in the Under Armour collection absorbs the sweat released from people’s bodies, leaving a dry and comfortable feeling for a prolonged period — all season gear. Throughout the 18 years, Plank has invented two more types of gear: cold gear to keep the athlete warmer

“

longer and heat gear to keep the athlete cooler. Under Armour has made significant measures in establishing their company. They have gone above and beyond. Two years ago, Tony Espinoza, athletic director, got the school started on a contract with Under Armour. With this contract Under Armour supplies team uniforms for the school. In the beginning of this year, Espinoza tried out for a contest that Under Armour sponsors every year to only high schools located in the United States. They give these high schools a chance to win and receive Under Armour products of sponsor’s choice for that year. But Stagg didn’t win. However, he was able to renew the contract allowing us to receive a whole new set of Under Armour uniforms for that year. The supplied team uniforms consists of home and away jerseys like pants and shorts. Although, Under Armour does not provide uniforms for sports like wrestling, swim, and water polo. The coaches of those sports are alAthletic director lowed to decide the brand for their teams’ uniforms. Marcus Sherman, head coach of water polo and swim, uses uniforms from Agon for custom-dyed swimwear, and Speedos. In wrestling head coach Dao Tep uses the brand Singlet for his wrestlers. But in the end Stagg is the only school to be contracted with Under Armour Espinoza said, “Under Armour takes care of us.”

Under Armour takes care of us.”

Tony Espinoza

Tony Contreras Delta Queen Classic Highlights The annual girls basketball tournament, held last week, had many surprises.

Varsity had to play against Merced and Kimball to fill in for the teams that did not show. The massive storm on the first day of the tournament kept two teams from showing up on time.

JV played with four players in the last quarter and took first place against Kimball.

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news

Dec. 19, 2014

Clogged waters threaten boating Hyacinth danger to boaters, prevents boat parade

devinwickstrom

that are heavily impacted.” The Delta is the perfect breeding ground for this highly mobile and tough plant; the vast, nutrient-rich waters serve as a buffet and it’s unlikely that San Joaquin freezes will entirely kill the plant. Even if a miracle happened and it did, the seeds, which sink to the bottom, last for 20 years so the

photo courtesy of Roger Kelly

Boaters have to be careful when in the water with the hyacinth because it could tangle in the motor and cause the boat to become trapped. So far this plant has not been able to be killed so boaters must stay aware of the waters.

hyacinth will be back when spring comes again. “It thrives on water that has a lot of nutrients in it,” Alex Breitler, a Record staff writer who focuses on environmental issues, said. “It’s an issue in the Delta because you have fertilizer from farms going into the water so it makes it reproduce really fast.” Although it may not look like it, California has been working since March to control the hyacinth. Workers have been spraying herbicides until the end of November, which is when the state’s permit ended. But the state, along with the Port of Stockton, continued to work by hiring private contractors with special boats to cut through the plant and take the hyacinth out of the water. “The state has spent several million dollars a year spraying herbicides up and down the central valley,” Breitler said. “This is supposed to reduce the invasion, but in the past few years it hasn’t worked too well.” The hyacinth plant won’t be destroyed, but it can be controlled with the proper precaution. Several years ago, the state forgot to renew its permit to spray the plant, which led to a dramatic increase in hyacinth throughout California. If the state stays on top of this issue, by renewing permits, spraying year-round and taking the plant out of the water, then future infiltrations won’t be as bad as this year. There is one more step to be taken in order to prevent this occurrence. “Boaters must be aware,” Kelly said. “If they see the hyacinth in early months, then they should report it and where it is. This definitely has to be a learning experience.”

graphic byArriana Smith, Marleene Pheav and Veronica Vargo

Each vessel in the long line is covered from bow to stern with lights, speakers and people to celebrate the holidays Port City-style: with the Lighted Boat Parade. This annual tradition usually occurs around the first weekend of December and attracts viewers from all around San Joaquin County, and sometimes beyond. Usually. This is an unusual year. Dec. 6 was supposed to be filled with festivity in the downtown area, but it wasn’t because of a pest that shows up in the Deep Water Channel around November each year. The water hyacinth plant, as many can see, covers certain areas of the delta from bank to bank, making the water seem to disappear. “This is by far the worst year I’ve ever seen,” Roger Kelly, a lifelong resident of Stockton, said. “I’ve been literally trapped by the hyacinth. There’s absolutely no way I can get my boat out of my shed.” He has lived on the water since 1999, cruises his boat throughout the year and plays an active role in the Lighted Boat Parade. Because of its natural properties, hyacinth poses a dangerous threat to amateur boaters as well as foreign trading ships, who sometimes can’t navigate the waterways at night because the hyacinth is so thick that the radars confuse it with actual land. If a brave ship decided to push through the plant, it may crash into a levee, causing a flood and thousands of dollars in repairs.

This plant is also a huge problem for avid boaters in the Delta. “It has really crippled the boating community and the economy,” Kelly said. “I’m just glad that the Department of Boating and Waterways is working to clear the Calaveras, and it sounds like they’re going to hit several more areas

Not so merry Christmas

Holiday season has teens feeling the pressure season because she’s disappointed that, without a celinelopez and vanessasalcedo job, she can’t afford to buy her family and friends On the second week of Christmas my teachers gifts. gave to me: five all-nighters, four hours of crying, three “I should be able to get them stuff, but I can’t,” mental breakdowns, two thoughts of dropout, and a she said. “It’s a nice thing to do.” month of anxiety. Some students’ stress isn’t over even after the A picture with this quote has gone viral to stu- holidays have passed. Every year during winter dents of all kinds, not only because of its humorous break, sophomore Juan Raya visits his family in twist on a Christmas carol but because many stu- Mexico, but the trip usually extends after school dents can actually relate. has already started back up. Raya said he usually As the first semester comes to an end, so do will miss about the first three days of the new sethe attention spans of many students. The constant stress of getting homework done, finishing projects, and trying to maintain a passing grade, all packed with a neat little bow on top, can overwhelm students. According to the American Psychological Association, 38 percent of stress is increased during the holidays. Of that, 56 percent is caused by school or work, 29 percent from home, and 9 percent from a combination of both. Within the 9 percent lies senior Tony Marquez, who feels crammed with presentations, essays, and finals, but is most often stressed working behind photo by Celine Lopez the counter. Marquez, who works at the McDonald’s inside Wal-Mart, said work is especially busy Sophomore Juan Raya is one of the studuring the holiday season when the store is crowded dents who may miss the first couple days of with Black Friday and last-minute Christmas shop- the new semester due to a family trip over pers. Adriana Garcia, however, is not one of those the holidays. He says that thinking about the shoppers. The junior finds stress from the holiday work can be stressful.

mester, which has happened most years since he was in fifth grade. “It’s stressful just thinking about the school work,” he said, but Raya gets back on track by asking for make-up work. English teacher Alice Henderson believes that so many people find stress from the holiday season because of the high expectations of the celebration. “Everyone is wanting to do so much and wanting to make it a perfect holiday,” she said. Itzel Godinez, a junior, agrees that the celebration is the reason for stress. “We have to get the house ready and the food ready (for guests),” she said. Preparing the house for the masses of relatives coming to visit always creates some anxiety. Henderson also said that the season is an emotional time for both people who don’t have family and for those wanting to gather with relatives for the special occasion. In this way, she relates. “I had six kids,” she said. “I wanted to make (the holiday) perfect for them.” Now, Henderson does not feel as much pressure from the holiday since her children are grown up and simply finds joy in spending time with those she loves. Whether December is overwhelming because of school or the holidays, ‘tis the season to be stressing. Fa la la la la, la la la la.

JOBS

Continued from page 1 employment unable to find a job. According to the Washington Times’ Ben Wolfgang, the number of employed high school students is the lowest it’s been in 20 years. In May of 2012, Wolfgang reported that in 1990, 32 percent of students in high schools had jobs, as opposed to the 16 percent today. He argues that the decline in percentages is an echo of the great recession. Many of the adults that students have to compete with are without a college degree. In February of 2012, New York Times reported that the amount of people over 25 who held a college degree was at 30 percent. Since many people fail to complete college degrees, they aren’t able to get jobs that pay more than minimum wage. However, in some cases, adults who find themselves overwhelmed with college debt also end up being the ones that students have to compete with. Living in a capitalist society, it is more than common to be in a competitive situation, whether it be college acceptance, job placement, or at times even a cosmetic competition. The competition that students face is based on experience, age and flexibility. However, it is not impossible to get a job as a student. Faison recently received a job offer from another place. “It’s kind of all luck, you have to look in the places you would least expect,” Faison said.