The Roar | Volume 11 | Issue 3 | December 2015

VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 3 • DECEMBER 2015

THE ROAR put a on it

RING

Josh Lewis proposes to longtime girlfriend

no meat, no problem

vegan alternative holiday recipes

the future is

NOW

Oculus Rift glasses help users experience virtual reality

double duty

teachers double as varsity head coaches

crazy peeling away the

STIGMA digging deep into mental illness

community debates proposed health facility

A WHITNEY HIGH STUDENT MEDIA PUBLICATION whitneyupdate.com

@whitneyupdate

@whitneyupdate

@detailsyearbook

IN THIS ISSUE DECEMBER 2015

mental

health comes

HOME

@whitneyupdate @detailsyearbook @whitneyupdate whitneyupdate.com WHITNEY HIGH SCHOOL 701 WILDCAT BLVD. ROCKLIN, CALIF. 95765

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OLIVIA GRAHL

17

STAFF

K. MOORHEAD

8

D. SPEED

16

19

LIFESTYLE page 5 TOFURKY, NOT TURKEY

NEWS

page 8 MENTAL HEALTH COMES

HOME Proposed behavioral mental health facility raises concerns from community members

FEATURE

page 14 THE DEADLIEST DRUG Personal stories from those affected by depression, anxiety page 16 TAKING THE NEXT STEP Josh Lewis proposes to his girlfriend

ADVISER 5

S. YOUNG

Alternative recipes for the holiday season page 6 RITA’S New dessert spot sells unique frozen creations page 7 ‘THE FORCE AWAKENS’ Hype for the new Star Wars movie opening Dec. 18

HALEY BALLESTIN MISSIE CARACUT RYLEA GILLIS ONA IGBINEDION BELLA JACOBS BENJAMIN KIM LILY JONES RACHEL MARQUARDT SARAH MARTINEZ KRISTEN MCILVAIN KACIE NICHOLSON DANIEL SHARRAH BRENDEN SMITH SIERRA YOUNG

SARAH NICHOLS, MJE

TECH

page 17 THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS Virtual reality becomes more realistic

SPORTS

page 18 QUARRY CLASSIC

Varsity basketball team crushes Rocklin on the road page 20 ‘KRAFTING’ A LEGACY Justin Kraft plays two varsity sports ON THE COVER: Because of the controversy surrounding a proposed behavioral health facility in our neighborhood and the number of students struggling with depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges, we decided to look at the stigma behind mental illness.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION by SARAH MARTINEZ & WILLIAM MURBACH

The Roar is a student publication produced by Whitney High Student Media. The newsmagazine is a public forum for student expression. Student editors make all content decisions.

Columns represent the viewpoints of individual writers and are not representative of the opinions of the student body, faculty or administration of Whitney High School or Rocklin Unified School District.

Staff members of The Roar practice ethical student journalism by providing fair and balanced coverage as determined by community standards.

Students working to publish each issue strive to achieve accuracy by checking sources, spelling and quotes as well as obtaining a variety of credible sources.

The staff regrets any errors or omissions.

Visit whitneyupdate.com for news, sports, opinion, entertainment and more.

EDITORIAL

‘I’m not my illness’

H

aving a mental illness does not make someone consequences such as hospitalization EDITORAIL VOTE crazy, or dangerous or insane. The negative stigma and death.

12-0 agree on mental health must change. People need to be People who don’t recognize mental educated on the facts behind mental illnesses in health conditions as serious medical order to understand what they truly are. problems,are only welcoming larger problems in the future.

One in five teens suffer from a mental illness, according to Knowing the facts is not the only way to stop the stigma. the National Alliance on Mental Illness. If this statistic holds Knowing the emotional impact negative attitudes have toward true, that means about 400 students at this school suffer from those affected can help. mental health problems.

The hashtag #stopstigma is a Twitter campaign that has been The residents of Rocklin are debating whether to place expanding over the past years. Most recently, the hashtag blew a behavioral health facility near this school’s campus. The up Dec. 1 for World AIDS Day. It raises awareness for mental need for mental health hospitals in Placer County is large, but health issues and other stereotypes while educating followers residents are worried over the placement near multiple schools. on the warning signs and support systems available.

At a Dec. 8 meeting hosted by Universal Health Services, we Kindness lessons do not break down the facts of mental were appalled by the outrageous behavior from community illness. Yes, bullying is problem that contributes to health members. People are behaving irrationally, and not thinking issues. Yes, being kind to others can help reduce the risk of before they act. Those with concerns should go to meetings mental illness. However, to truly stop mental illness, students to educate themselves more on the topic. should be educated on what it is. ASB should teach students the Over the past six weeks, we have been following this different types of mental illness, their warning signs and how to discussion, attending meetings and talking to people involved. help those students affected through kindness lessons.

Members of our staff have family and friends who suffer from If people began to recognize warning signs of mental illness. mental illness in themselves and those around People do not realize taht mental illnesses are just as real as them, it would save lives. Mental health needs to physical illnesses. be recognized by everyone. Education is the first Having depression isn’t simply seeing the glass half empty. step. Residents should attend meetings to educate Having an eating disorder isn’t just deciding to skip lunch. themselves more on the topic. The next meeting is scheduled Having anxiety isn’t just stress. Mental illnesses are medical for Jan. 19, but might change depending on the approximated conditions that affect one’s mood, personality and thinking number of participants. To find out the most updated meeting and can be treated through the use of prescription medication, time, visit rocklin.ca.us. counseling and other long-term treatments.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, mood disorders are the third most common cause of hospitalization in the U.S. for both youth and adults aged 18-44.

Another misconception about mental illness is the cause: mental illness is not a choice. People don’t get to choose whether to have bipolar disorder, or depression or anxiety.

Doctors are still uncovering the reasons behind mental illnesses. They have found genetics, environment and lifestyle combine to influence whether someone develops a mental health condition. Biochemical processes, circuits and basic brain structure may also contribute to an illness.

Mental illness does make not make someone crazy. Mental illness is not something to be ashamed of. Mental illness is not something to hide until it goes away.

Mental health issues tend to develop more commonly in young people. Fifty percent of mental health conditions begin by age 14, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. This is because the young are more susceptible to traumatic situations that lead to mental illness such as bullying, social pressures and abuse.

Students who think they might be suffering mental illness should talk with parent, counselor, doctor or other trusted adult. Being open about feelings, concerns and other information can make a major difference.

Because people are unaware of the seriousness of mental illness, many cases go untreated. Lack of treatment can lead to major ARTWORK BY R. MARQUARDT

FINAL SAY:

NEWS

applying for aid How to apply for a FASFA grant

STEP 1

Go to https://fafsa.gov/m.

STEP 2 Create a FASFA ID.

STEP 3

STEP 4

Submit form.

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, developed in 1992. It is aid given from the government for college based on what the applicant’s family can provide. It can come in the form of student grants, work study and loan amounts.

college students share their tips “It was kind of difficult because I didn’t have answers for all the questions immediately and some of them were difficult to understand.”

TAYLOR LARD, CLASS OF ‘15

senior survey ARE YOU PLANNING TO ATTEND A FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL?

M. CARACUT

Answer all questions (generally takes about 20-25 minutes).

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FASFA IS?

ARE YOU FILLING OUT THE FASFA?

SOURCE: 185 responses from a Survey Monkey Poll Dec. 10

“The form is very straightforward and pretty easy to get through.”

ARIELLA APPLEBY, CLASS OF ‘15

“It wasn’t too hard because I tried to complete it as quick as possible without having to stress over school work and FAFSA at the same time.”

DOBIEN CORTEZ, CLASS OF ‘15

“I filled out the FASFA because it makes things easier. That way you can focus your money for college on other things like books and living costs.”

TYLER MARTINEZ, CLASS OF ‘15

4 WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

STORY BY HALEY BALLESTIN & MISSIE CARACUT

LIFESTYLE

TOFURKY

Vegetarians eat alternative holiday meals

S. YOUNG

4

1

5

QUINOA AND KALE STUFFED SWEET POTATOES This dish was the family favorite. The potatoes need a long time to cook.

A

WILD RICE STUFFING Despite the base being rice instead of bread, it tastes very similar to traditional stuffing.

PUMPKIN MUFFINS These muffins only require two ingredients, or three if you add pumpkin pie spice for more pumpkin flavor.

ccording to a 2014 survey on vgr.org, 4 percent of teens ages GREEN BEAN 8-18 follow a vegetarian-based diet. There are various types of CASSEROLE vegetarianism such as lacto, ovo and lacto-ovo vegetarian The green beans and vegan. should be boiled Vegan is a type of vegetarianism that excludes any animal longer than products including meat, fish, milk and milk products and eggs, compared to the cooking lacto-ovo-vegetarian that includes eggs and milk products.

Rachel Mackenzie became vegan overnight after watching documentaries instructions call for. such as “Cowspiracy,” a film made to shed light on the environmental impact of the animal agriculture industry.

“I’m super new to [veganism]. This Thanksgiving I had a semi-traditional WHAT IS YOUR meal. I made all of my own recipes so nothing would have butter. I had DIETARY stuffing made with tempeh, a meat substitute, and I made my own pumpkin bread,” Mackenzie said.

PREFERENCE? Lexi Luboda has been vegetarian for a year.

“I just eat the normal Thanksgiving or Christmas food that doesn’t have meat in it. I usually cook tofu as a substitute,” Luboda said. other Monica Martinez became vegetarian when she was in fourth grade and vegetarian vegan SOURCE: 185 is the only member of her family to be vegetarian. responses “I cook my own meals when my family eats something that can’t be of Survey Monkey Poll eaten without the meat,” Martinez said. paleo normal diet

6

5% 3% 2%

2% 88%

on Dec. 9

STORY BY SIERRA YOUNG

S. YOUNG

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH If you’re planning on eating the shell, opt for a butternut squash.

S. YOUNG

3

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE For more pumpkin flavor, add pumpkin pie spice.

S. YOUNG

2

S. YOUNG

As a vegan, I’m often asked the question: “What do you eat on Thanksgiving and Christmas?” To keep it simple and similar to when I was only vegetarian, the options are endless: mashed potatoes made with non-dairy milk, green beans, (some) dinner rolls and tofurky.

However, this year, I decided to try some nontraditional, yet actually traditional. At the original Thanksgiving, there were no pies or turkeys but berries, nuts and grains.

S. YOUNG

NOT TURKEY

SCAN HERE for these vegan holiday dishes and more, scan to open our Pinterest, Whitney Details.

5 DECEMBER 2015

LIFESTYLE

H. BALLESTIN

Scan to watch multimedia packages from WHSM reporters about Rita’s.

FLAVOR “[My gelati] had both the ice and the custard on it, so it was really weird to taste them both at the same time, because they’re such different textures.” ­OLIVIA GRAHL “I thought the flavors, like dragonfruit, were really interesting even though they didn’t seem like they would fit well together.”

BENJAMIN KIM “The flavors at Rita’s were great! The tart flavors like green apple weren’t sour enough for me, though.”

MADELEINE WOODWARD

6 WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

SERVICE

VALUE

“The server was extremely nice and cheery, which made the restaurant seem pleasant and welcoming.”

RYLEA GILLIS

“I spent $10 on two large gelatis. It was definitely worth the money. I would recommend Rita’s.”

DANNY SHARRAH

“There were [20 of us] there on a Thursday night and only one worker, but she was still really patient and helpful.”

LILY JONES

“Rita’s was worth the money because of all of the unique and delicious flavors.”

JAKE BLUMENSTEIN

“Even though there was only one worker at the time, she was very helpful and friendly. The service was well done.”

MISSIE CARACUT

“I had a Sour Patch Kids gelati with vanilla custard, and the price was very reasonable. Whatever you are in the mood for, for the price you need, Rita’s has it.

I will definitely go back.”

RACHEL MARQUARDT

H. BALLESTIN

H. BALLESTIN

H. BALLESTIN

H. BALLESTIN

New frozen dessert shop opens at Sunset and Park

Rita’s Italian Ice 2230 Sunset Blvd #340 Rocklin, CA 95765 HOURS: Sun.-Thurs.

12 p.m.-9 p.m.

Fri.-Sat. 12 p.m.-10 p.m.

MENU ITEMS: Frozen custard Italian ice Gelati Cream ice Misto shake Blendini Milkshakes SOCIAL: Instagram: @ritas.rocklin Facebook: Rita’s Rocklin

STORY BY SIERRA YOUNG

LIFESTYLE

I

Star Wars fever spreads as highly-anticipated movie opening approaches

K. NICHOLSON

THE FORCE AWAKENS once again MOVIE TIMES ON DEC. 18

t all started May 25, 1977 when the first Star “I want some of the old locations to come back from Wars movie was brought to life and for anyone past movies. I want some of the ones that bring back Blue Oaks with a curious eye to revel in its story. After $775 some of the memories from the old movies. We never 9 a.m, 12:20 p.m. million made from the first movie and five more saw those in the second one [of the newest trilogy], 3:40 p.m, 7 p.m. high-grossing movies, Star Wars and it would be pretty cool to see those,” 10:20 p.m. is poised to make a comeback with the Katie Chiappone said.

10:20 a.m. newest movie, “The Force Awakens.”

The Star Wars franchise includes 11:40 a.m, 1:40 p.m.

HATS OFF The movie’s trailer made small debuts accessories, products and new merchandise, 3 p.m, 5 p.m.

SEASONAL on TV, teasing the crowd with only short adding to the hype. Ample Hills Creamery 6:20 p.m, 8:20 p.m.

ACCESSORIES clips of what was to come. That was until has a dark side and light side ice cream. The 9:40 p.m. the official 2:35 trailer aired on dark side is made with dark chocolate and 11:40 p.m. national television. espresso ice cream, and the light side with The preview shows bits and pieces marshmallow and crispie clusters. This ice Studio Movie Grill of what is to come, including new cream comes in a four pack online from 9 a.m, 10 a.m. characters with new faces as well as the Ample Hills for $36.

11 a.m, 12 p.m. old characters, including Han Solo and Stores in the Roseville Galleria offer 1:30 p.m, 2:30 p.m.

Chewbacca. Though not shown in the shirts to bring fans to their stores. Torrid 4:30 p.m, 5 p.m. $9.99 trailer, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker is selling shirts for both the new movie 6 p.m, 8 p.m.

Party City are set to appear in the film as well. and some with prints of the classic movies. 8:30 p.m.

Fans of the older movies are excited Target has toys such as a remote control 9:30 p.m, 11:30 p.m. for the new and returning characters BB-8 for $79.99 and Kylo Ren’s lightsaber and conflicts. for $29.99. The chain also has shirts from “[I hope to see] that original conflict $9-$16, posters and other accessories.

UA Olympus Point of good versus evil and the story in Furthermore, fans can buy matching ugly Stadium $20 it because it’s so immersive with the Christmas sweaters with the Death Star on 9 a.m, 10:30 a.m.

Honcho different civilizations and the people in them online from Tee Fury for $25-$27.

Noon, 1:20 p.m. it,” Danni Dymond said.

Fans bought movie tickets months in 3:20 p.m, 4:40 p.m.

While some are interested in the story advance, selling out times quickly as people 5:10 p.m, 6:40 p.m. line and conflicts, others are interested in rushed to get their own.

8 p.m. the props and weapons.

“We had to check different theaters in Elk 8:30 p.m.

“Something I’m really excited to see Grove, and a lot of theaters were already 10:30 p.m. [is] Kylo Ren’s lightsaber. I want to know sold out. But then we found one, luckily,” 11:20 p.m. $19.99 how it’s made and how it sounds,” Shane Lewis said.

Walmart Leone said. He plays Star Wars video The day the movie comes out, SCAN HERE games and is interested in both the expanded universe Studio Movie Grill will be using all of its to test your and what is shown in the movies. theaters to show the movie, which sold out Star Wars Though many are interested in the movie’s quickly for the first day. knowledge. quality and props, some question about smaller but “The Force Awakens” hits theaters Dec. 18 memorable things. with late night showings Dec. 17.

STORY BY KACIE NICHOLSON

7

DECEMBER 2015

NEWS

mental

health comes

HOME

A proposed behavioral health facility has Rocklin residents concerned about the proximity to schools

T

he Northern California Behavioral Health Facility has been in discussions over the last 20 months.

Residents of the community have been concerned about its construction since, and the debate over whether or not to build the facility and it’s location began.

The 102-bed facility will cover a total of 58,000 square feet with fencing lining the entire perimeter. It is to proposed to be built on a 7-acre stretch of land in the Orchard Creek business park on West Ranch Drive, near the intersection of University Avenue. Builders found the location to be a prime spot due to its proximity to Highway 65 and the currently underconstruction off-ramp, as well as the lack of mental facilities in Placer County.

This puts the facility in close proximity to not only, but also Twelve Bridges Middle School, two other elementary schools and The Pines, an elderly resident home.

“I am not opposed to building a psychiatric hospital in Rocklin or within Placer County. I think there are better locations. The hospital’s proposed location is 597 feet from Whitney High School and several other schools and parks, where literally thousands of kids walk and congregate each

8 WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

and every day,” Joe Patterson said.

Patterson works for a non-profit association and lives in Whitney Ranch. He heard of the proposed facility from his neighbor, and has been active in the debate since.

While some citizens are worried of the safety of the neighboring community, the facility will have around the clock surveillance.

“I’m really not concerned for surrounding houses’ safety due to all of the precautions that they will issue. It’s hard to get out. Having had been in them, I know they keep you until they think you’re ready to leave,” Chloe Parker said.

Parker received past treatments at Heritage Oaks as well as an outpatient program at the Sutter Receiving Home.

Treatment for suicidal ideation and self-harm continued six days before she was released from Heritage Oaks.

Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) is the company that will own and maintain the facility. They currently own or manage more than 235 facilities in 37 states including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the United Kingdom and employ more than 700,000 people according to their website; uhsinc.com.

Patients within the county are currently being transferred

STORY BY OLIVIA GRAHL & SARAH MARTINEZ

to the closest behavioral health hospitals, which are both located in Sacramento and are nearing full capacity.

The facility is to host non-criminal guests for a shortterm stay according to city planner Troy Holt, however some patients may be under involuntary stay. Despite the noncriminal guests, some residents are still concerned about the safety of the community.

“Universal Health Services, the builder of the hospital, has acknowledged that the majority of the patients will be involuntary holds (5150 or 5250). By legal definition, those are individuals that are either a danger to themselves, a danger to others or gravely disabled. This is why the psychiatric hospital will have a fence with unclimbable fabric — clearly UHS knows that involuntarily held patients can be dangerous.

Putting this facility next to so many schools is not wise planning,” Patterson said.

However, others aren’t worried about possible dangers.

“The people who need this hospital, and who will be in it, are not ‘crazy.’ The stigma surrounding mental illness is overwhelming and damaging, and the ‘fear’ that people have of the facility probably is because of the stigma around mental health. Those of us with mental illnesses deserve care and support,” Parker said.

Construction of the facility is expected to last nine to twelve months with 2018 to be its projected completion date if the proposition passes.

At the school board Nov. 18, about 10 people came to the microphone to voice their concerns. Since then, they have added the proposed building to their Dec. 16 agenda. They have been receiving parent and community questions throughout

this process.

“Our first priority is student safety at all campuses, and on its face this proposal just raises concern giving its proximity to the Whitney campus. The board directed the superintendent to engage an outside, third party to perform an analysis on behalf of the school district of this type facility so close to Whitney High. For example, we need to know more about what services will be provided at this facility, the history of the operator, do they have a long history of successfully and safely operating these facilities, the security measures incorporated into the facility and are there other such facilities elsewhere within a similar proximity to a school and if so, what has been their experience,” Rocklin Unified School Board President Todd Lowell said.

Concerned members of the community have begun media and community outreach to help citizens become aware of the proposition. A Facebook group, Concerned Families of the Greater Whitney Ranch Area, currently has over 1100 members. Opponents developed a petition at weprotectourchildren.com.

Patterson said, “Professionally, we are a diverse group that includes nurses, doctors, firefighters, police officers, social workers and other professions that work on the front lines with patients that suffer from mental illnesses. Personally, we are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles that will protect the safety of our children and loved ones above all else.”

Visit whitneyupdate.com for ongoing coverage about the proposed facility.

9 DECEMBER 2015

O. GRAHL

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE FACILITY?

Meeting Facilitator Heidi Koble opens by going over the agenda at the meeting on Dec. 8.

Community members posted questions they wanted Universal Health Services representatives to answer.

O. GRAHL

SCAN HERE to watch a clip from the city Q&A meeting Dec. 8 at Twelve Bridges Middle School.

UHS breakdown THE HISTORY — Universal Health Services, Inc. is a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest hospital management companies in the United States. It was founded in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania in 1979 by Alan B. Miller, who currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman. Since then, the company has grown to own and operate over 236 hospitals, four in their first year of operation.

THE FINANCES — UHS stock is sold on the New York Stock Exchange and was selling at $117.09 as of Dec. 7. The stock price appreciated 37 percent in 2014. In their 2014 financial report, UHS released that their net revenue was $8,065,326,000.

THE RECOGNITION — Fortune Magazine listed UHS as one of the World’s Most

Admired Companies in the health care industry year after year. Forty-six of the companies facilities made it to the Top Performers on Key Quality Measures list by The Joint Committee in 2013.

THE MISSION STATEMENT — “To provide superior quality health care services that:

PATIENTS recommend to family and friends, PHYSICIANS prefer for their patients, PURCHASERS select for their clients, EMPLOYEES are proud of, and INVESTORS seek for long-term returns.”

SOURCE: Universal Health Services, Inc. 2014 Annual Report

10 WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

“I believe everyone should have the right to the proper medical care they need to get back on their feet. If this is the only location they could use, that is fine by me.

I don’t think people should be worried; these people are under close watch and care, which is why they are placed in the health facility in the first place. People need to stop worrying about themselves, and focus on the life or death needs or others.”

MADDIE ANDERSON

“There are many misconceptions about the construction of the hospital. People are too ignorant to see that building this facility will help those in our community who suffer from mental illnesses such as depression or anorexia.”

DANNY LIU

“If you had a family member with a mental illness then you would be 100 percent for this construction.

Not enough behavioral health facilities exist, especially in this area. It doesn’t provide any potential danger to the community either. The only effects it has will be beneficial, so I stand with the construction of the facility.

More facilities like these should be built so I’m not opposing the construction of one just because it’s relatively close to my school and home.”

CAMERYN OAKES

“I’m against having a mental facility built near here. Having mentally unstable people in a densely populated area with people ranging from kindergarteners to senior citizens is just poor decision making.”

NOAH LEWIS

OPINION

BUILD RIP IT UP

I

BUILD IT

by DANIEL SHARRAH

OR

IT UP

A

NOT IN MY TOWN

by RACHEL MARQUARDT

mental health facility next to a high school, a middle t confuses me why the people of Rocklin do not want a school, and two elementary schools. Okay, this makes mental health facility near school. It is centrally located sense. between Sacramento and Auburn. It can provide needed This is the worst possible thing for Rocklin to do. medical and psychological treatment for families in our It’s dangerous, and even if there is a slim chance of community at a closer distance than before. This could be more cost-efficient for them and could allow more visits to the escape, the people of Rocklin shouldn’t have to be worried about patient, which would help them recover faster. It is also not any this situation in the first place. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be built, closer than Thunder Valley Casino and the dump. These places but I’m saying that it should be built anywhere but near a high school such as Whitney, and a middle school and offend other people with different views, but two elementary schools. they are as close to the school as the planned The danger of an escapee from a mental hospital.

HOW DO YOU FEEL facility is something no parent or student should With this closer hospital, families could get ABOUT THE FACILITY have to worry about. A student goes to school help for a traumatic situation or a drug abuse BEING NEAR five days a week, for seven hours a day. Just problem. Mental health facilities care for more THE SCHOOL? knowing that there is a mental facility near the ordinary mental disorders and they also help high school makes students fearful for their veterans and suicidal patients. If this hospital own safety. It should be the priority of officials to can help people from killing or harming make sure that students feel safe in their school. themselves, it could save countless spouses of students The building of this mental facility prohibits from being widows and countless children are for the that. from losing a parent and countless parents construction Here’s the thing that the people of Rocklin from losing a child. also need to understand: escaping a mental People are worried about patients escaping, facility is possible. It has happened, and quite but any hospital that has been built has had of students are frankly has happened multiple times. Even an immense amount of security. At a typical against the with high walls and 24-hour security, escape hospital there are plenty of guards near the construction from mental facilities has happened. We cannot entrance and all of the floors. If that doesn’t predict the danger that the person escaping can make you feel safe, I don’t know what does. cause, but that is a risk I’m sure no one wants to If someone happens to head toward school, take. But the thing we can be positive of is that there will be guards after the patient and the don’t know it is very uncommon to be placed in a mental campus police will be informed. So the threat is enough about facility, with only 5.8 percent of American adults minimal if there happens to be a break out. the topic suffering from intense mental illness according This campus also has locked gates and SOURCE: Survey Monkey Poll to hcup-us.ahrq.gov. This means the severity monitors walking arounf with students’ safety Results on Dec. 9 of that person’s illness is very significant to the in mind. situation they have been placed in. I’m sure that the parents of The people that get put into mental health facilities are not students would not want this person in a mental facility to have harmful to society also, they are a danger to themselves so even a slim chance of having the ability to have contact with their they go to these facilities to get the help so they do not hurt child. themselves even more. If the people are a danger to society, This mental facility is a risk Rocklin residents need to they should be put in juvy or prison instead of a mental health reconsider, even with precautions, security and high fences. hospital.

There are children playing baseball, children playing and students Building a mental health facility is an obvious choice. learning just on that other side of the fence. Just one escape, just one jump and those children are in danger. And we have the chance to stop it. So why don’t we?

43% 21%

36%

11 DECEMBER 2015

HEALTH

ne insa

o d r i e w

luna

tic

y z a cr

obsesse d

mad

M

ental illnesses can affect anyone at any age and can lead to life-threatening situations.

“A mental illness is a condition that impacts a person’s thinking, feeling or mood,” according to NAMI, the National Alliance on

Mental Illness.

It is affecting teens more and more because there many factors in their lives that contribute to it.

“Mental illness has gone up for teens. Because of being better at seeing and identifying mental illness, we are seeing more; [for example] increased drug use, too much stress in jobs, college, school, money and changes in life and society,” Dr. Ken Larson, child psychologist and professor at William Jessup University said.

Depression is only one of the mental illnesses that affect almost one-fourth of the American population.

Other forms of illnesses include multiple types of anxiety,

12 WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

b o j nut

repairing the damage

challenging the stigma surrounding

MENTAL HEALTH mood, psychotic, eating and personality disorders. Many of these disorders share common emotional and physical symptoms such as restlessness or persistent feelings of sadness.

Kylie McLendon has experienced anxiety in her family and has felt herself.

“I personally was struggling with it for four years before I decided to take medication to help me cope with it. Before I took the [medicine], I couldn’t do ‘normal’ daily tasks such as going to school. I would miss a good two to three days of the school week. The medicine has definitely helped me cope with it and I’m able to attend school more regularly,” McLendon said.

Medication such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications and detox medications are prescribed to help patients cope with these disorders. McLendon used Fluoxetine, or more commonly known as Prozac to help her deal with her symptoms of dizziness and numbness that she feels

STORY BY MISSIE CARACUT & ONA IGBINEDION

the FACTS behind mental illness MENTAL HEALTH FACTS • eating disorders have the highest mortality rate out of all mental illnesses

Serious mental illness costs America $193.2 billion in lost earnings per year

• mood disorders are the third most common cause of hospitlization in the U.S • about 20 percent of teens experience severe mental disorders in a given year • biological factors such as genes, physical illness, injury or brain chemistry can lead to mental health problems SOURCES: Mental Health America, nami.org, WebMD

mental health disorders in children ages 8-15

1 out of 4 Americans suffer from depression

mental health at WHS

HOW CAN YOUR PEER COUNSELOR HELP? throughout her body.

Eva Meeks also has dealt with anxiety and depression through herself and her mother.

“After about six months of having panic attacks I tried neurofeedback. I did several sessions of that but it didn’t work. [Using] neurofeedback I learned several techniques to try and control my breathing and to calm myself. I then went on medication from April to the end of July. I had to switch a couple different medications but it mostly helped control my anxiety and depression that came along with the anxiety,” Meeks said.

There are other methods to deal with mental illness rather than medication.

Therapy, support groups and relaxation techniques are some of the ways people treat mental illness. Meeks

used neurofeedback, which is where a person’s brain are measured to produce a signal that is used as feedback to teach a person self-regulation of their brain function.

“When I first started having panic attacks I didn’t know what was going on. I think that if I were to have been educated on what the signs are then It could have been easier to grasp and easier to deal with,” Meeks said.

McLendon said she thinks that it would benefit students to learn about the various types of mental illness.

She said, “There are so many different forms of it and [different levels of] how badly you can have each one. [Students] could learn a lot and even decide if they think they have a mental illness as well as what they can do to control it.”

Q: Where do students go if they

want to talk about anxiety?

A: Yes, students can come to us if they would like to talk about grades, graduation requirements and personal problems.

Q&A with Terry Pham

Q: How do you help students deal

with their anxiety?

A: We can do a lot by just lending students a hand to let them know that [we] can talk to you about anything without fear of being scrutinized and judged.

Q: What advice do you have for students with anxiety?

A: Don’t be afraid to speak up. Speak to a

counselor, a close teacher, a trusted adult, or a friend. We really do care and are rooting for you.

The peer counselors are available every period and can be found in the peer counseling center located in the office.

13 DECEMBER 2015

FEATURE

taking the

K. MOORHEAD

next step

Josh Lewis pops the big question to Rebecca Halwachs

16 WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

what could come from it. He said [God] brought him to Joshua 1:19, which talks about being strong and courageous and not being afraid of what people would say but being confident in what they believe in.

He started to go ring shopping with his friend Robert LaPeer.

“It was a good decision on his part; they had been together for a year before that. They love each other a lot, so I think it was a great idea,” LaPeer said.

With support from his friends on the cross country team, Lewis is really excited to make the next big step.

“I think it is an amazing act of faith. It is so cool to see someone our age that is so confident in their future,” Hattie Groat said.

Their wedding will be next year on July 16. Both students have been building their own savings account for the last few years so they have some money for the event.

“We are trying to keep the wedding cheap, but still fun. We are going to have a fancy taco bar for dinner,” Lewis said.

The distance for the two is not hard because they are not looking to each other for their fulfillment in life; Lewis said they look to Christ for their fulfillment whenever they feel lonely.

Lewis said, “I wish that everyday I could see her and kiss her and just hang out, because she is my best friend in the whole world.”

K. MOORHEAD

B

eing together for only a year and two months, Josh Lewis asked the biggest question of his life to the love of his life, Rebecca Halwachs.On Oct. 3, 2015 their life changed: Rebecca and Josh took the next step.

“From the very beginning of our relationship I always had the intentions or end goal of marrying her. I realized last year that dating isn’t a game,” Lewis said.

As a high school student, Lewis was kind of nervous for the decision he was making. He had been planning this day for almost three months.

The actual proposal took place in Arizona where Rebecca attends Grand Canyon University.

Later on during his visit, Josh asked Rebecca if she wanted to go on a walk.

They always take walks, so she wouldn’t have thought anything from it.

“I asked her if we were really ready to get married, she said ‘Yeah I really do,’ and then I said, ‘Yeah, me too,” Lewis said.

Lewis got down on one knee and asked her to marry him.

“When I was going to ask her I obviously felt quite nervous, not because I didn’t know what the outcome would be but because I was about to ask the biggest question in my life. God spoke to both of us and showed us that he wanted us to get married this summer,” Lewis said.

At first Lewis said he was a little nervous of

WHAT AGE DO YOU THINK THE READINESS IS FOR MARRIAGE? 25-28 (44%) 21-25 (42%) 18-21 (7%) 28 and older (7%) SOURCE: 185 responses on Survey Monkey Poll as of Dec. 10

TEACHERS SHARE WHEN THEY WERE MARRIED

MARRIED FOR — 7 years AGE MARRIED — 33 years old BEFORE MARRIAGE — 2 years

MRS. TIFFANY FEUERBACH

MARRIED FOR — 21 years AGE MARRIED — 24 years old BEFORE MARRIAGE — 6 months

MR. MARK SNOW

STORY BY ISABELLA JACOBS & KRISTEN MCILVAIN

TECH

through the

looking glass New technology makes reality virtual

I

t’s always in those sci-fi movies, books, and even TV shows. AVEGANT GLYPH Far off in the future, it will be possible to experience things in a single room, or with just some glasses.

SONY VR However, virtual HEADSET reality is definitely fast approaching in multiple ways.

The Oculus Rift is GOOGLE just one of multiple CARDnew gadgets appearing BOARD on the market for virtual reality. It all started when Palmer SAMSUNG Luckey built his own GEAR VR prototype in just a few months. After being shown at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), one of the world’s largest video game conferences, the product gained nearly $2.5 million in just four months.

Eventually, Facebook bought the product for two billion dollars. This change caused it to change from not just video games but giving people the ability to experience anything, whether it be traveling the world from a room, or be with someone “in person.”

However, it does still largely revolve around video games, as it comes with an Xbox One controller, and a unique controller that tries to give the user a more immersive experience.

Priced at only $350, the actual technology is about as expensive as most consoles, and hopes to really advance the world.

For some, this will mean being able to practice jobs such as performing surgeries or flying a plane, and things that most people learn, like driving. However, most of the public (us) will be able to watch TV without anyone else seeing, play games with no distractions, and watch basketball with no long drive or paying for expensive food.

While these could be used with the Rift, Oculus has publicly said that the main focus is gaming and will stay that way.

STORY BY BENJAMIN KIM

PROS

CONS

Price: $600 Release date: soon Resolution: 2560x1440 Field of View: 45

• realistic picture • battery powered • compatible with multiple devices • looks like headphones

• more expensive than similar products • smaller field of view • low battery life

Price: $400 Release date: 2016 Resolution: 1920x1080 Field of View: 100

• high refresh rate • low latency • multiplayer compatibility

• release date: early 2016 • compatible only with PlayStation • requires a cord

Price: $25-85 Release Date: 2015 Resolution: Phone screen Field of View: 90

• inexpensive • can be used across multiple devices

• made of cardboard • requires a phone • not compatible with all phones

Price: $200 Release Date: 2015 Resolution: 2560x1400 Field of View: 96

• available to purchase • working user interface • cordless

• only works with select Samsung phones • dangerous if you don’t sit down

“I think the Oculus Rift is a really cool idea.

I think it brings gaming to a whole different level than it used to be. Although there were failures of virtual realities before, I think with the technology that we have it will be really cool. I’m highly considering buying the Oculus Rift definitely; I think it’s a really cool step in the direction of gaming for the future,” Matthew Aquino said.

Although it is a step in a great direction, it could still take some time for virtual reality to take off for people who want to use it, as for now, it just acts as if the viewer was in a movie theater, instead of in the movie. Even for some TV shows, the real only change is that it takes up the entire field of view.

“I think that if they changed a little bit on how TV was done, like field of view, then it would be pretty cool but with games they could do something more but with TV, it will be a little bit harder although I think it can be done,” Ronnie Saini said.

The Oculus Rift could quite possibly be one of the biggest breakthroughs, leading to a new age of science and advancements thought only to be found in fiction.

WHAT YOU SAID “I think games in general that have a really good wide open map would be really cool on the Oculus.”

MATTHEW AQUINO

“Shooting games and sci-fi games would be best on the Oculus Rift.”

RONNIE SAINI

“I don’t think I will use the Oculus Rift for anything else like watching TV.”

ARJUN RANDHAWA

17 DECEMBER 2015

SPORTS

CLASSIC

D. SHARRAH

QUARRY

Men’s varsity basketball team wins 85-60 in annual Rocklin match-up POST-GAME PERSPECTIVES

‘CAT STATS

D. SHARRAH

throw 63% free percentage

11

three-pointers

20

points scored by Matthew Willis

7

assists by Jashon Lewis

4

steals by Brian Sterri

8

blocks by Mushin Ali

85-60 final

D. SHARRAH

SOURCE: Coach Alex Anderson

18 WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

TOP: In the student section at Rocklin, The Pride cheers on the men’s varsity basketball team Dec. 9 in the fifth annual Quarry Classic. MIDDLE: Matthew Willis and Brian Sterri high-five after a play.

BOTTOM: The dance team performs a hip-hop routine at halftime to a mix of “Stop Sign,” “Drop” and “Upgrade You.”

“Being in the student section was fun and intense. We exercised positive motivation and cheered the entire game.”

MATT HONBERGER — FAN

“Every time we heard [the crowd] yell for us, it made us want to hit the next skill even better.”

KAITLYN LARSON — CHEER

“The crowd added an extra level of excitement to our team and made us want to play better.”

MATTHEW WILLIS ­ — MEN’S BASKETBALL

“We always do a hip-hop routine at the Quarry Classic, which entertains the crowd more than our usual pom routines.”

KYLIE WEBB — DANCE

STORY BY RYLEA GILLIS AND DANIEL SHARRAH

SPORTS

COACHING

D. SPEED

on campus

PHOTO ABOVE: Women’s varsity water polo Coach Zack Davis meets with the team at halftime of their game against Oakmont.

Coaches adjust to two different roles at school

L

STORY BY DANIEL SHARRAH

D. SHARRAH

ittle do people know, that 21 teachers or aids at school go straight from teaching their classes ON-CAMPUS VS. to going to practice and coaching teams. These people are on-campus coaches.

OFF-CAMPUS On-campus coaches are coaches who have a job on campus and are located at school during the day. Off-campus coaches are coaches who do not have a job at school.

21 on-campus Some sports have a switch of on-campus and off campus coaches as athletes move up to coaches different levels of the sport. Men’s basketball is an example, varsity head coach Nick French is an education specialist and varsity assistant coach Alex Anderson of that system and has a mix of on campus and off campus coaches in the program.

47 off-campus “Coach [Alex] Anderson was always at school so you could go talk to him and Coach [Lance] Ohara coaches can’t really be talked to other than practice,” Jaxon Haynes said.

Athletes with off-campus coaches have certain limitations that could be overcome if they had an on-campus coach.

“You can’t really see the coaches any time you want during the day; you have to wait until practice. Whereas some coaches, you can go into their class and talk about things anytime,” Maverik Eaton said.

On the other hand, coaches have a benefit or disadvantage depending on whether or not they have a job at school.

“As an on-campus coach, athletes have the opportunity to see me at break, intervention and lunch so it is nice to have more of a bond, especially if I have some of my students in class,” Mr. Alex Anderson said.

Along with accessibility, coaches on campus have the opportunity to check grades easily at any time during the school day.

Anderson said, “We can easily send an email to Athletic director secretary Ms. [Kathy] Maxey or Athletic Director Mr. [Jason] Feuerbach down in the office to check grades and we can easily email teachers since we work together.”

RIGHT PHOTO: Men’s varsity basketball Coach Nick French argues a foul at the team’s game against Woodcreek.

19 DECEMBER 2015

SPORTS

H

e nervously hustled onto the field to line up for his first football game ever. He had experience in other sports like soccer and basketball, but this was unlike anything he had done before. Before he knew it, he had scored a touchdown. Then another. Then another.

Three on the day, in his first game ever.

Justin Kraft grew up in sports. He got a taste of the action at just four years old and hasn’t stopped since. Soccer and tee-ball introduced him to the world of athletics, but it wasn’t until he started playing basketball that he found his love for sports. His last sport to pick up was football, the one that would develop into his best, according to his parents.

“After I started playing football in fifth grade, my parents began to think it was my best sport over basketball. Scoring three times in your first game was pretty unheard of,” Kraft said.

By the time he entered high school, he had decided to focus on football and basketball in order to be a standout in two sports rather than try to keep up in many.

He noticed a considerable difference in the intensity of high school sports compared to youth, but Kraft felt he was ready for the next level of play.

“High school sports are much more competitive and physically demanding, but my youth sports coaches did a good job preparing me for the transition,” Kraft said.

Kraft played freshman football with the rest of his friends that he grew up with in the Whitney Junior Wildcats youth football program. They executed their fourth straight undefeated season and finished as league champions.

20 WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

a legacy

R. GILLIS

‘KRAFTING’

When basketball season rolled around, Kraft got the opportunity to play at a higher level.

“I made the JV basketball team as a freshman. It was pretty cool being able to play against some tougher competition during the season,” Kraft said.

The team finished the season 22-4 adding another league champion title under Kraft’s belt for the year. He contributed 160 points to the team throughout the season, making him their second highest scorer. JV basketball wouldn’t be Kraft’s last look at a higher level of play.

After Kraft finished his duties as a pulled-up member of the varsity team for their short playoff stint, he went straight to spring football conditioning practices every day after school. It didn’t take long for Coach Paul Doherty to spot the varsity-level talent in Kraft.

“His talent and ability was evident immediately and he had a lot of success in the weight room. His consistent attendance at practices and workouts and his effort and commitment to improve convinced the coaches that he could handle varsity football. He was incredibly coachable, eager to learn and he continued to excel in all that we asked of him,” Doherty said.

Kraft earned his position on the team as one of three starting receivers on the offense quarterbacked by Hunter Rodrigues. He amassed 872 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns on the year, a mark that was the ninth best in the section. Kraft also served the team as a cornerback, kick returner, punt returner and kick holder.

After the team’s final game, a first-

round playoff loss to Del Oro, Kraft again would transition into basketball season to play at a higher level — this time varsity.

Kraft had played with the varsity team during their summer league and was aware he was likely to be on the regular season team as well, but nonetheless he felt honored to be officially placed on the varsity roster.

“Playing two varsity sports as a sophomore is pretty cool. Being able to play better competition and get a feel for how it’s gonna be the next two years is great,” Kraft said.

Although Justin’s athletic ability is what got him the spot on two varsity teams, he credits his success thus far to everyone but himself.

“All the coaches I’ve had, my parents and my teammates have really pushed me to get better throughout my life and that’s why I’m here now,” Kraft said.

Kraft also believes sports have made him the person he is today.

“Growing up playing sports has helped me build character that I apply to life everyday. I’ve learned that playing sports is a privilege and to not take it for granted,” Kraft said.

Kraft plans on taking his passion for sports even further after his high school career.

Kraft said, “I haven’t really thought about what schools yet but I Scan to see an interactive would definitely like ThingLink with to play either football Kraft’s 2015 or basketball at the football highlights. collegiate level.”

STORY BY RYLEA GILLIS