Fountain Valley High School
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Issue No. 2 | Volume XXX | Oct 2013
Student band brings “folk ska” to FVHS Student band Panoramic brings new musical flavor to the local scene with its own genre of selfdubbed “folk ska.” By Rachel Phillips Staff Writer
Home-grown on the Fountain Valley campus, Panoramic is a new student band ready to make a splash with students and the community, flaunting a unique style of music called “folk ska.” Composed of guitarist Austin Jenkins (‘14), lyricist Alex Vercnocke (‘14) and drummer Campbell Grihalva (‘15), the band plays its music with a completely new flavor, one even its own members can’t agree on. “I call [folk ska music] something like acoustic nineties,” said Jenkins. “It’s more like a combination of acoustic, pop, punk, indie, rock,” countered Vercnocke. “I think we all agree it’s not folk, and it’s not ska, but somehow those things put together are nothing like them separately,” said Grihalva. The music genre, however, isn’t the only unique thing about Panoramic. Vercnocke and Jenkins formed the band during the past spring break, after leaving their last band feeling disappointed with their inability to play the music
FVHS air conditioning uncovered Extreme temperatures in classrooms are a result of glitches in the AC system. ByAmina Ahmed Staff Writer
Both students and teachers are aware that temperatures in classrooms can be extreme. “ I don’t think that our AC system is efficient; I think its very frustrating,” said art teacher JoAnna Jones. “When I left work the other day my water bottle was still cold from the morning because my classroom is so cold. I don’t even need a fridge in my room
(From left) Jenkins, Vercnocke and Grihalva are happy to have found a band that fits them.
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they truly loved. They went acoustic, and started writing music for a completely new band. Just like that, Panoramic was born. When asked about his
inspiration for his writing, Vercnocke said, “It’s whatever I’m doing at the time. For example, our single “Friends” is ironically exactly about not having friends, and it ties into
anymore because my lunch stays cold.” “The problem is that there is no in between; if you call and say that you’re classroom is too cold the AC is shut down and its like a sauna. There is no normal 68 or 70 degree norm,” said Jones. Teachers have no control over classroom temperatures. Instead, it is the district that operates the main server for the air conditioning of all HBUHSD schools. At FVHS, a new AC system is still being worked out. This system was implemented as a result of an upgrade and modernization of the air conditioning system. The old air conditioners, most of which were falling apart, were removed and replaced by upgraded air quality systems for the school. The air conditioning is controlled by temperature sensors in classrooms and a computer in Lloyd Chesmore’s office. Lloyd Chesmore is in charge of maintenance, custo-
dians, and ground keepers at FVHS. Although Chesmore has access to the AC system, the school district has the main computer in its office, which is controlled by Patrick Stellorn, who is the Director of Maintenance, Operations and Transportation as well as the Public Safety Manager. The district has used large amounts of funds to have the new AC installed and to try to keep it running smoothly, but so far this has not been the case. “At times the district had to bring in the people who originally installed it to work out any problems. This worked for about a year, but now that the parts are getting old and have had to been replaced, the system has not been running as smoothly,” said Chesmore. History and psychology teacher Gianina Carbone does not believe that the current AC system is efficient. “If the school district can trust teachers to teach our students, I don’t
how my life was at the time,” said Vercnocke. “The song comes in and out of relevance, but I wrote it at a time when it was particularly relevant to me.” Although Panoramic has played a few shows thus far with their small set list, the release of their impending album, appropriately titled Self-Titled, will hopefully lead to greater success. “We don’t really have an audience yet,” said Jenkins, “but we’re working on it. We’ve played on-campus and at some small venues, just trying to get our sound out there.” “We want to become local legends,” said Vercnocke. “We play our music where we can.” Besides hearing their music at lunch, students may have also spotted some of Panoramic’s merchandise floating around campus; the band has been selling $10 tshirts advertising their slogan “folk ska pan.” Students can also look out for new shirts, to be released with the new album. Overall, though, the band is focused on their own sound before their own success. “My real goal, and this sounds lame,” said Vercnocke,” is just to make music. And hopefully, people like it.” To listen, visit soundcloud. com/folkskapan, or for more information, visit facebook.com/folkskapan. understand why they cannot trust us to flip a switch and control the air conditioning in our own classrooms.” Some students even bring blankets to school to use in specific classrooms where the air conditioning is simply too cold. Katrina Lien (‘14) said, “Its hard for me to concentrate during class when its freezing.” Chesmore explained that glitches have been found in this new system, not just in the computer that controls it at FVHS but in the air conditioning units on the roofs as well. In addition, if there is a refrigerator or microwave close to a sensor in a classroom, it can give off a false setting and either make it too hot or too cold. See FVHS air conditioning uncovered, Page 4