The Roar | Volume 13 | Special Edition | March 2018

A WHITNEY HIGH STUDENT MEDIA PUBLICATION

THE ROAR

VOLUME 13 SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2018

THE THINGS WE CARRY FEATURING iPAD CRUTCHES VAPE SWIM CAP PILLS DEPRESSION BABIES FOOD DIABETES CAMERA DESIGNER BAG ILLNESS LAWN CHAIR 4.0 GPA SUPERSTITION PLANNER HIPPO BACKPACK WEBSITE whitneyupdate.com INSTAGRAM @detailsyearbook

SNAPCHAT @whitneyupdate TWITTER @whitneyupdate

THE THINGS WE CARRY special edition ON THE COVER Vincent Le, Brandon Badolato, Emma Accacian photo illustration by ASHLEY BLISS

IN THIS ISSUE 4 Celine Anderson prepares for any scenario 6 Mr. Shawn Robin adjusts to fatherhood 7 Nathan Walsh type 1 diabetes 8 Hannah Gottenberg lives with depression 9 Keri Chen maintains a 4.0 GPA 10 Logan Watkins suffers from multiple chronic illnesses 12 Marlon Mramor spends a year away from Germany 13 Sara Strandberg always has extra food 14 Mrs. Kirsten Parker juggled two sets of twins 16 Noah Otto experiments with vaping 17 Serjeoh Nakata makes lunch entertaining 18 Matthew Sherer gets around on crutches 19 Reese Phillips relies on her lucky white T-shirt 20 Tracy Bontilao brings her iPad to every class 21 Sean Moore carries a designer backpack 22 Morgan Votava packs an extra cap and goggles 24 Zach Schreiner captures with his camera

THE ROAR is a student publication produced

by Whitney High Student Media. The news magazine 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.

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Whitney High Student Media staffers practice ethical student journalism by providing fair and balanced coverage as determined by community standards.

Students working to publish each issue strive for 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.

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Britney Flint Lizzie Salvato Madilyn Sindelar Danica Tran ADVISER Sarah Nichols, MJE

STAFF Emma Accacian Alianna Aviles Izzie Bartholomew Karina Bedi Ashley Bliss Shannon Bone Camryn Buchholz AJ Cabrera Cassie Copeland

EmC Cowles Zoey Cummings Sienna Eagle McKenna Ellis Maximo Esguerra Ella Ho Ching Brenden Jacoby Emma Kachmar Anjani Kedia Renese Lopez

Cameryn Oakes Kellen O’Brien Coleton Matics Emily Pontes Adam Purvis Marley Sky Isabella Soto Jadea Tisdale Blake Wong

photo illustration by ASHLEY BLISS

STAFF EDITORIAL

F

rom a backpack to notebooks to lunch, high schoolers carry a myriad of necessities. But besides the basics needed to endure classes, most people carry something personal: their own personality and story.

Every person carries something, and visible or not, they must be respected and understood for their physical and figurative burdens. That’s why we chose to highlight the students who carry unique possessions and their stories.

Most people think of themselves carrying physical items: a purse or backpack or wallet. Some carried items even follow trends: Hydroflasks, kendamas, fidget spinners. Possessions serve as another way for people to fit in with the “cool” stereotype; those who choose to or are unable to own an item following a mainstream fad can be left out and isolated. Some items are fun, others helpful and necessary, such as time-saving tools or medical accessories designed to keep students safe.

Others may be exciting but dangerous or forbidden, such as a vape pen, which is why we chose to feature students who carry a variety of these items each day.

The Feb. 14 shooting deaths at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, have drawn attention to gun violence and raised national debate about shootings along with President Donald Trump’s suggestion of arming teachers. While we chose not to feature individuals carrying guns in this special edition, you can read students’ perspectives and poll results on our news website, whitneyupdate.com.

Students in Mrs. Emilie Cavolt’s Honors LA III classes were given the option to read “The Things They Carried”

by Tim O’Brien. The novel describes the experiences of an American platoon fighting on the ground during the Vietnam War through the things the soldiers carried from weapons and drugs to responsibility and the deaths of their comrades. Similar to O’Brien, in this issue we feature those who carry unique items and the stories behind them. Additional students and the things they carry are featured online.

What people do not usually classify as “carrying” are their emotional and personal strains, like the anxiety of an upcoming test or stress over an assignment. Some invisible burdens are even larger and are surrounded by stigma, making them almost impossible to talk about.

In this issue, we attempted to write a story on a student who carried the secret of being transgender and another on teen pregnancy. According to the Centers of Disease and Control and Prevention, 22 out of 1000 teenagers 15-19 years old carried babies to term, and according to the Williams Institute of UCLA School of Law, 150,000 teens ages 13-17 identify as transgender in the nation.

With situations so prevalent in society, we should be able to support those in this situation; we know it is happening here, and we want to localize, create understanding and give voices to those affected. Unfortunately, due to the superficial shame surrounding the topics, we were unable to include them; during the interview process, sources became uncomfortable due to outside pressure and changed their minds about being featured.

Students should not have to feel guilty about the luggage that makes them unique. They should be feel comfortable within their school and society enough to share their story.

Without support from those around them, students will shoulder their burdens alone. Having others aware of what each student carries inside is a helpful and healthy part of handling day-to-day lives. As it turns out, most students are carrying way too much, and they need to know about the resources available to help. Like in O’Brien’s novel, some burdens are universal, and as a student body we can take steps to providing support. The counseling department should be emphasized especially with freshmen. It can easily be interwoven in more senior mentoring lessons, letting students become familiar with the counseling services, including peer counseling, immediately upon arriving here. We should focus on creating a positive and safe school environment using encouraging language and recognition. n

10-0 AGREE

staff editorial, illustration by ASHLEY BLISS

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THE THINGS WE CARRY

PULLING THE WEIGHT

OF PERFECTION T

he 7:40 bell rang, and she barely made it to class on time, running across campus with her multiple bags, pencil pouches and lunch. But at least she had everything she could possibly need. For Celine Anderson, this daily routine keeps her feeling both put together and more productive in school.

Anderson first began packing multiple bags when she started middle school, due to the transition from having her own desk in elementary school to sharing a desk with multiple other students during the day.

“I liked to always be prepared for school when I was younger, but probably when I started middle school [and it was the first time I didn’t have my own desk], I had to find a better way to carry my stuff around,” Anderson said.

Another important reason for Anderson to carry her essential bags is because she wants to make

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sure that she is always prepared with any item she could possibly use.

“I believe school is a time you should be prepared for, and I’m just a bit of a worrier. My main pencil box in my backpack is really important, [that and my essentials, because I get heartburn, so I always need to make sure I have my Tums],” Anderson said.

Although she decided it was best to carry multiple bags to school, a big memory with her grandmother reminds her not to over-pack.

“There was a time when my grandma was staying with me. She always has tons of bags, and one time at Disneyland she carried everything while my family and I went on the rides. She sort of became the pack mule, so that always reminds me not to overpack, which I usually fail at, but I would still rather be overpacked than super duper overpacked,” Anderson said.

A typical day of fully

packed bags for Anderson “I like to lift up my consists of her backpack, sisters and play with them, with about five smaller and one time while we bags inside it for anything were playing around, I tore she could possibly need, a muscle in my arm, so or that a classmate would now I am currently using need, during the day. my pink ZÜCA, a rolling, “I have binders, one for locker-shaped bag, with every class I have. There’s locker pockets in it, which the book I’m reading, is actually very useful usually with a because I “I HAVE BINDERS, back-up book, can stack ONE FOR EVERY or the second my other one in a series, CLASS I HAVE. bags on a gel pen pencil THERE’S THE BOOK top of it,” pouch, a pen Anderson I’M READING, and highlighter said.

USUALLY WITH A pencil pouch, Overall, eraser and pencil BACK-UP BOOK, her torn pencil pouch muscle OR THE SECOND and then I have hasn’t ONE IN A SERIES.” my essentials affected her bag with my Tums. My bag-packing routine, but it umbrella is always with is not her preferred method me. I always have my lunch of organization. packed with water, and Anderson said, “Even then my phone, keys and though I used to use the wallet,” Anderson said.

ZÜCA bag in middle Her main backpack school, I like my regular is the bag she almost backpack on my shoulder, always carries, but due to because I just feel more put a recent injury in her arm, together, and I think the Anderson had to make most important place to the switch to a completely feel prepared is at school.” n different bag.

CELINE ANDERSON rolling backpack

story by SIENNA EAGLE, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

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CARRYING A NEW

RESPONSIBILITY MR. SHAWN ROBIN newborn

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A

fter coming home from running errands, Mrs. Alli Robin, wife of Mr. Shawn Robin, walked in crying with only one dog although she left with two. Robin’s first thought was one of the dogs accidentally died. But to his surprise and joy, the other dog was just in another room and his wife was emotional because she discovered she was pregnant.

“My wife and I always planned on having a kid. We didn’t know how long it would take her to get pregnant but it was faster than we thought and it wasn’t the exact time we thought. We thought we would have a few more months,” Robin said.

Between teaching his geography and government classes and taking care of his newborn, Elias, Robin’s time is limited. For a couple that used to take trips whenever they felt like it, Robin and his wife have struggled with matching their schedules so that someone is always watching their son. Robin took three weeks off when his son was first born where they shared responsibility, but since they had to go back to work, they have split their time with Elias into “shifts” in order to fit his schedule as a teacher and hers as a resource teacher.

“Now that I’m back to work we almost have like shifts where she takes care of the baby till I get home around 3 p.m. and then till I put him to sleep. So from 3-11 p.m. is

my shift and the rest of the shift is my wife’s shift. When I go back on paternity leave that will be flip-flopped,” Robin said.

Having a newborn has been a completely new experience for Robin that has come with new challenges. Since Elias is still so young, they haven’t gotten the chance to go on a vacation as a family yet; however, Robin and his family recently went to San Francisco for the Chinese New Year Parade.

Throughout the trip they had to carry a few extra items such as a stroller, stroller cover, diaper bag and lots of extra milk.

“Before [Elias], I would take random trips but now it has to be all planned out and until he is six months we are limited to what kind of trips we take because he can’t be exposed to anything. We recently got him all his vaccines so he is going out in public more now. We are mostly affected by when we want to go out,” Robin said.

Having a newborn has also included a lot of firsts for Robin and his wife. One of his favorite memories is when his son started smiling back at him.

Robin said, “He recently just started smiling, and also making call and response back to me. So if I make a howl noise, he will make a noise back. A couple days ago I was making howling noises and he started to mimic back to me.” n

story by LIZZIE SALVATO, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

BUILDING HABITS FOR

L

NATHAN WALSH type 1 diabetes

story by MARLEY SKY, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

iving with a lifelong disease is not a feat many people have experienced. For every breakfast, lunch and dinner Nathan Walsh must log the nutrition facts for every item he consumes due to his Type 1 diabetes.

“I have to test my blood sugar level and put in the insulin in for the food I’m eating, which is a bother because I just want to eat the food right then and there,” Walsh said.

From the age of 6, Walsh began the continuous routine of logging the glucose, carbohydrates and sugars of every meal and snack he ate to get the insulin he needs.

By using an insulin pump and meter, he records every calorie and nutrient that enters his body.

“I carry a thing I call a meter. It’s a device you put a tiny strip into and you actually prick your finger to draw blood, I put the blood drop into to the little strip and the meter reads the blood and gives you a number according to the number of glucose in the blood. I also carry around an insulin pump and what this does, since my pancreas doesn’t produce insulin

LIFE

I need for my food is it manually puts the insulin into my body for me,” Walsh said.

Although Walsh can eat and drink almost anything he wants, it has to be regulated and fit into a healthy lifestyle, which can be difficult to keep up.

“I’m in soccer and I’ve always got to look at the nutritional information on packages for the amount of carbohydrates and the serving size as well. It’s

“IT’S A LOT HARDER TO DRINK A SODA COMPARED TO AN APPLE. I HAVE TO PUT THE INSULIN SOMETIMES 30 MINUTES IN ADVANCE.” a lot harder to drink a soda compared to an apple. I have to put the insulin sometimes 30 minutes in advance, compared to being able to just eat the apple. I see a doctor every three months to check if my ALC level. Which is my average blood sugar level that is checked at every doctor’s appointment to see if it has fluctuated from the last appointment,” Walsh said.

These day-to-day actions have become routine, but to others, carrying the meter and checking so often is a difficult concept to comprehend, causing peers to have misconceptions about diabetes.

“I feel like a lot of people kind of misunderstand it.

The common theme with diabetes is that you’re unhealthy and overweight. Which can be kind of annoying.

They’ll ask you ‘Oh. Did you eat too much candy?’ Which I can’t really blame them for because that’s what their parents tell them.,” Walsh said.

Surviving with diabetes is something Walsh does with ease now, but living with it has caused him to advance in skills that not many people his age have.

Walsh said, “It’s building good habits for myself. I have responsibilities. I can take care of myself; I learned to do this when I was six. Overall, it’s pretty great that I can do these things myself.

I feel that having the willpower and strength to do so is something I’ve gained.” n WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

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HANNAH GOTTENBERG depression

GET TING

THE RIGHT D

HELP

eciding what to wear, what to pack for lunch, or even what school supplies to put into her backpack, Hannah Gottenberg chooses what exactly she is bringing with her to school every day. But every day, there is one thing she just can’t choose to not bring to school that day: her depression.

Based on studies carried out by Suicide.org, approximately 20 percent of all teens experience some sort of depression before reaching adulthood, and only 30 percent of them will seek treatment for it. In perspective to campus, that would mean out of our campus of 1,867 students, about 373 students would have depression and only 112 of them would seek help in any fashion. Of these hypothetical 112 students who sought help, Gottenberg was one of them.

“It took a lot of nerve to talk about [my depression] and open up. I was hospitalized for about a week. After I was released, I went to a full time counselor for about three or four months,” Gottenberg said.

Clinical depression, though, is not simply feelings of sadness that go away after a few weeks. For people who have depression, it is not uncommon to experience such things as irritability,

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loss of interest, anxiety or even fatigue. “ I found myself pushing my friends away and distancing myself from my family. I felt that no one would understand what I was going through and I would be judged,” Gottenberg said.

Most people who have depression still attempt to carry out their daily lives, and for students, this means balancing heavy loads of schoolwork, tests and learning as well as their own mental health.

“Having depression majorly impacted school. My grades were dropping and I was not as engaged as I usually was. Classes were difficult because I could not focus on the school work. I was constantly worrying about my depression and not focused. Tests were very challenging and caused a lot of anxiety because I was not engaged in class and did not know the material,” Gottenberg said.

Although this challenge is similar among other students who have clinical depression, how they cope differentiates one from another.

“I spent numerous sessions [in the Sutter Center for Psychiatry] on how to positively cope with stressful situations. I began journaling when

I was in the hospital and I still write everyday. Journaling helps me express my feelings in ways I cannot in person. Somedays I write pages and other days I write a few words,” Gottenberg said.

With the negative stigma surrounding mental health, it is

“IT TOOK A LOT OF NERVE TO TALK ABOUT [MY DEPRESSION] AND OPEN UP. I WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR ABOUT A WEEK. AFTER I WAS RELEASED, I WENT TO COUNSELING FOR ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.” harder for students to seek the appropriate help that they need.

Gottenberg said, “Depression is a worldwide issue and individuals need to accept it. Even though depression is very hard to overcome, getting the right medical care is the most important. The negative stigma has detrimental impacts on students all over the world. Students should not have to be afraid to open up and talk about their feelings. People may judge and say hurtful things, but getting the right help is the most important.” n story by CAMERYN OAKES, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

KERI CHEN 4.0 student

PLANNER OF

take it off my desk so that I can keep tabs on what I have to do,” Chen said.

Time management and her system of importance has also been essential to Chen’s success.

“I keep a clock right next to [my planner], and when I sit down at the beginning of doing my homework I open my planner and I start making a list of priorities. Everything I write down in my planner, I’ll write a one next to the highest priority, then a two, three, four, five and six down the line. The lowest priority things can get pushed over onto the next day, but I try and always finish the highest priorities,” Chen said.

However, no matter how organized she is, sometimes there are simply not enough hours in the day to complete every task Chen sets for herself.

“The latest I’ve ever stayed up was when I pulled two all nighters in a row, because I making the green spaces greener and had just come back from Seattle for a band helping the community members. trip. I had some tests the day we got back I’m the vice president of Interact and the day after that was the AP test for Club on our campus, and I’m also the AP World, so I had to make up all of my secretary of Science Olympiad,” Chen work and study for AP World. It was crazy; said.

I don’t remember much of what happened In order to afterwards, but I “I KEEP A CLOCK RIGHT NEXT TO carry out her ended up getting agenda each day, [MY PLANNER], AND WHEN I SIT a 5 on the test, organization so I guess it was DOWN AT THE BEGINNING OF plays a crucial it in the DOING MY HOMEWORK I OPEN MY worth role in Chen’s end,” Chen said.

PLANNER AND I START MAKING A routine. With Although multiple AP maintaining a LIST OF PRIORITIES.” classes and high GPA can extracurriculars to balance, a come with many sleepless nights, Chen’s systematic way of life has been internal motivation is a constant reminder extremely beneficial for her. she needs to push herself in order to “First of all, I keep a planner and I achieve her ultimate goal. have eight pens, each color being for Chen said, “The pressure is mostly selfa different class and black being for imposed and also from colleges because extracurriculars and stuff I have to I have this probably unhealthy habit keep track of outside of class. I keep of always Googling college acceptance all of my homework in my planner statistics and things like that to try and because writing stuff down is so keep myself at the level that I think I need much easier to memorize than saving to be. Ideally, I would love to go to UCLA, everything on my phone. It’s also just maybe the Claremont colleges down there so pretty and it makes you want to and in a dream world, maybe Stanford. At look at it and really pay attention to this point, I’d like to end up at law school. I it because it looks so nice. I usually don’t really know where I want to go after have my planner out on my desk, that, but it seems like an interesting path even while I’m studying, and I don’t for me.” n

PRIORITIES

I

nstead of coming home from a long day at school with relaxation on her mind, Keri Chen goes straight back to the books again.

Free time is a rare occurrence between maintaining a 4.57 academic weighted 10-12 GPA and participating in events around the community and school.

As a junior, Chen is taking AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP Psychology, AP US History, Honors French III and Honors LA III. Needing every second of the day to accomplish her task list, Chen is always up and studying.

“Most days I spend at least three or four hours studying on top of all the extracurriculars that I do. And on nights before a big test, or even any test at all, I study like crazy, which is maybe like five or six hours a day,” Chen said.

When she is not studying or doing homework, Chen is highly involved on and off campus.

“I play in the Placer County Youth Orchestra. I’m employed as a math tutor for kids grade six through 10, I do a lot of volunteer work with the Woodland Tree Foundation, which is going out and beautifying the area by story by BRITNEY FLINT, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

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I

wake up in pain. I go to school in pain. I work while in pain. I hang out with my friends in pain. Ninetyfive percent of my existence is lived in pain, that’s just my life.”

Carrying both Crohn’s disease and Raynaud’s disease, Logan Watkins constantly battles symptoms from both conditions on a daily basis. Logan also experienced the active effects of H-Pylori last year, which took a toll on his health.

“Raynaud’s disease is where there is very little blood streaming to your hands or feet, so my hands are normally colder. Crohn’s is the inflammation of the digestive tract, so my stomach is always in pain.

H-Pylori is a bacterial infection that two-thirds of the world has but only some people feel the effects of it, which basically feels like a corkscrew is constantly just drilling into the intestines,” Watkins said.

When Watkins’ symptoms from these diseases are heightened, he unexpectedly goes into shock and blacks out due to his body being overwhelmed by pain.

He said, “I wake up with pain in my stomach. I’m extremely nauseous.

Then I usually lay there for an hour, get up, then sometimes I go to school, where I’m in even more pain. Then I start to get really hot and start to go into shock and start shaking. From there, my vision starts to fade and I lose hearing. Then, I completely black out. Then everyone is staring at me until I’m taken into the pod where all the teachers are staring at me not really knowing what to do. One time they threw a blanket over me and thought I was dying and wanted to call an ambulance. I said no. Usually from there I just take a nap. I still wake up in pain.” Watkins recalled multiple times he experienced this scenario while on campus.

“Episodes like this have happened four times at school, although I usually don’t go to school if I’m in that much pain,” Watkins said.

Feelings of “being on edge all the time,” are provoked due to not knowing when or where he could go

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into shock and black out. While he I had antispasmodic pills which helped endured episodes at school, he has with the pain, but I don’t take it often experienced just as many with his because it just puts me to sleep. So friend Spencer Seltzer. since I don’t take any pills anymore, “He has blacked out while hanging I’m pretty much in pain all the time,” out with me around four times. I feel Watkins said. really bad for the time specifically Living normally and looking when we were in Walmart and [Logan] toward the future is what helps Logan was in such a great amount of pain get through his internal struggles. where he doubled down and fell to “At first, I just wanted to lay in bed the floor, I was just kind of stood all the time, which I did for a bit. But there like ‘What do then I realized I had no I do?’ It’s tough to money, no way to pay bills, “NO ONE know how to react I would starve to death.

UNDERSTANDS when you know that Then I thought I need to MY SITUATION. you are powerless to go to school so I can go to help. There’s not really I’M CONSTANTLY college so I can get a job. much that you can Now I basically ‘fake it till IN PAIN. MY do. It’s more shocking I make it.’ I just pretend than anything, it’s like FRIENDS LAUGH like I’m not in pain. I just ABOUT IT BECAUSE get over it and deal with it. watching someone have a seizure, you I try not to think about it THEY DEAL WITH kind of have to let most of the time,” Watkins UNCOMFORTABLE it pass. One time it said.

SITUATIONS WITH happened when we With being HUMOR.” were driving home tormented with a myriad of from stuff and we just symptoms on a daily basis, had to drop him off because he was in Watkins feels isolated with just him so much pain,” Seltzer said. and his conditions.

Regardless of Watkins’ abrupt “There have been no positives. I’m episodes and unremitting discomfort, too tired to do anything. I have no life he still juggles school and a job like a because I physically can’t do anything,” typical high school senior.

Watkins said.

“I miss school a lot, however I have Functioning independently, three T.A. periods and one peerWatkins finds strength within himself teacher period, so if I do miss school and carries his massive burden on his it’s not detrimental. And luckily with own shoulders. my job as the person who just hands “How can I turn to the people out parking passes at Lake Natoma, it around me for support? I am the one is really flexible where I can just call who experiences the pain. There’s not someone on the grounds to take my really any ways my friends or family place when I need to leave on days can help me with dealing with that where I’m really affected and just feel that I can’t do for myself. I’ve dealt really sick” Watkins said. with this for so long now that it has As relentless as the internal become normalized to them; just suffering can get, he chooses not take ‘Another Day in the Life of Logan.’ I any medication for his diseases or to don’t expect a lot from them,” help soften the pain.

Watkins said.

“I don’t take any now, but before I After graduation, Watkins plans to used to take 10 pills a day. They were attend Sierra College and transfer to a antibiotics and they were horseshitfour-year university, possibly majoring sized pills, the bottle is bigger than in economics. my hand. I don’t take them anymore Watkins said, “Yeah, I’m definitely because they were for H-Pylori, I had in pain all of the time, but that won’t Crohn’s pills then I stopped taking stop me from pursuing my goals for those because they didn’t do anything. the future.” n

LOGAN WATKINS two rare diseases

P U S H I N G PA S T

THE PAIN story by ELLA HO CHING, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

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THE THINGS WE CARRY

THE HIPPO FROM

GERMANY

W

ith his suitcase in hand, Marlon Mramor walked down the halls of the airport to board the plane leaving Hamburg, Germany destined for Sacramento where he spends the next 10 months as a foreign exchange student. With a range of emotions from nervousness to excitement to uncertainty running though his mind, one thing brought comfort to Mramor as he started this new journey is the knowledge of being able to carry a piece of home with him. This came in the form of a stuffed hippopotamus toy he has had since he was a little kid.

Starting at a very young age, Mramor’s parents gifted him a series of identical stuffed hippo toys at different ages that gradually got bigger in size as he did. While he didn’t bring each of these with him to the United States, Mramor decided to bring the largest version, which is big enough that he can hardly reach his arms all the way around its body.

While preparing to leave home, his mom helped

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him pick out which toy from his childhood to bring, and while Mramor struggled to decide which one he wanted, his mom always knew how much the hippo meant to him so it was the obvious best fit in her mind.

“I think about my family when I see it because it is super soft and my mom is super soft, and it smells like home.

My father loves it so much because he has my littler one and I have the big one, so it is like we both have one to connect to each other,” Mramor said.

Being away from home allows Mramor to experience things that are vastly different from his everyday life. American culture is something he had only seen portrayed through movies and TV shows. Nervous about what the new American family might think about his more childish memento from home, Mramor and his parents planned to disguise it in a discreet box before he left home, allowing him to have the comfort from home but not stress about being selfconscious. His host family

MARLON MRAMOR childhood memento

embraced him so much, however, that Mramor now feels comfortable enough to leave the toy near his bed, out in the open, as constant visual reminder of home.

Connecting with family and friends back home is a challenge due to the time difference and is mostly done on the weekends. It is easy to forget just how much he misses the familiarity of home while keeping busy with the new classes, friends and activities such as football games, dances

and the school musical.

He is reminded of this absence however during the holidays, when the presence of the hippo brought Mramor the most comfort.

Mramor said, “Christmas Eve … was the only day that I was really like ‘I want to go home’, but [my hippo] was helping me because it is most of the time with me, so when I need it but most of the time I don’t need it because it’s so great here because I enjoy all of the activities and school spirit.” n

story by EMMA ACCACIAN photo by ASHLEY BLISS

COMFORT

FOOD F

or high school students, waking up early enough to pack a lunch or asking their parents to pack it for them in their busy schedules is hard enough. But carrying around extras for others and packing enough food to provide enough energy for 16-hour days is the reality for Sara Strandberg.

“The tradition of packing extra food started when I was in seventh grade. My best friend Chelsea was going through a tough situation at home, so my mom packed a lunch for her every day. Ever since then it has just become a habit. The person who packs my lunch varies, but for the most part it switches between my mom and [me],” Strandberg said.

As Strandberg’s schedule became busier once she transferred here, she needed to pack an even bigger lunch for her long days.

“After school I have dance team practice from 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. and then I go to Studio 65, from 5 -10:30 p.m. In that time span I don’t have a chance to go home like a normal student would, so I don’t have a choice to not bring lots of food. I am extremely hungry with my busy

schedule,” Strandberg said.

Even though Strandberg’s daily schedules are busy and long, she is always understanding that her friends have long days also.

“Usually Thursdays are my busiest days. To school I carry a brown paper bag with a large bag of almonds, a Clif bar, a Yerba Mate drink, and for the main portion of my lunch I bring salami, cheese and crackers. Lastly I carry a huge bag of gummies from Winco.

I usually just lay those on my lunch table and let my friends eat however much they want. I don’t know why it makes them so happy, but I’ll do anything for my friends,” Strandberg said.

Though, it’s not always the easiest to constantly share.

Strandberg said, “Sometimes I do get annoyed when people ask for food, especially when I’m tired or just hungry. But I only feel that way if it’s a bad day. I try not to take it out on friends. On a normal basis it’s never really a problem to share.

No one ever really relies on me to bring food but they just know when I am school sitting at our table that I will always have something for them.” n

story by MCKENNA ELLIS, photo by LIZZIE SALVATO

SARA STRANDBERG brown paper bag of food

WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

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THE THINGS WE CARRY

ORGANIZED CHAOS

T

rying to change the diapers of not one but two infants, Mrs. Kirsten Parker called upon her multitasking skills. When she heard her doorbell ring and saw two toddler boys outside the door, her patience was stretched even further.

But after carrying two sets of fraternal twins within 25 months of each other, being stretched thin was a common occurrence for Mrs. Parker.

As a 20-year-old married junior in college, Parker had stomach pains, but instead of finding something was wrong as expected, she learned she was carrying twins. One month before her due date, she had contractions during Christmas mass, and her sons, Shawn and Trevor, were delivered three days after. A couple years later, before starting graduate school, the Parkers decided to try to have one more baby; instead, Parker ended up carrying two again. This pair of twins were born two months early; their son David had to stay in the NICU for two weeks and their daughter Caitlyn for almost three.

Having four children to care for was especially difficult. “[My husband] works very long days, and he travels a lot. There were times when he travelled for months and was only home for every other weekend … and years when he travelled about half the year as far as workweeks,” Parker said.

A working husband wasn’t the only reason she found herself carrying the responsibility of the children alone.

“Probably the first 10 years I was very stuck on me doing it all. I was teaching, I was coaching, I was taking care of the kids, I was doing all that

14 THE ROAR

MARCH 2018

stuff. I had a really hard time with and read a book or grade papers so asking people to help me with carpools I wasn’t on my feet the whole time. I or taking so-and-so to practice. I don’t remember a day the kids were all sick know if I felt it like a fault or that’s and I wasn’t feeling well - I think they just me trying to be to make sure had the flu. We tossed toys in and out everything needs to be,” Parker said. and played peek-a-boo, and I wasn’t In the absence of her husband, being climbed on anymore,” Parker found other Parker said. methods to get the help “EVERYBODY WAS To this day, her she needed to raise NEEDY, WANTING TO rheumatoid arthritis four kids.

SIT ON MY LAP. I JUST continues to be a “I was pretty young she carries in NEEDED TO REST, SO problem still, so everyone we daily life, even though I LITERALLY CLIMBED her children are grown knew all worked. I actually employed a and don’t need to be INTO THE PLAYPEN. lot of my students at taken care of. In recent THEY WERE ALL ON that time, [who] would years, Parker stopped THE OUTSIDE ...

AND come over to babysit or teaching for one whole THEY THOUGHT THAT year to complete trials be like a mom’s helper so I could get work to find the correct WAS THE GREATEST done,” Parker said. medication, and she was THING EVER.” The need for absent last semester in supplemental support between Thanksgiving to wasn’t the only burden Parker carried.

Winter Break.

Throughout high school and college, “I had hip surgery over the summer she had symptoms of rheumatoid because I tore stuff and had the arthritis, an autoimmune disorder arthritis in there, so I went off my affecting one’s joints. Following Caitlyn medicine for a month. It was really and David’s birth, Parker dislocated hard coming back, so I took off so I her shoulder in a fender bender. After could switch my meds again. I tried about six months, she started to show to do it while I was here at school, symptoms pain and inflammation. but it got to the point I couldn’t drive.

Within the next year, she was officially The side effects made me dizzy and diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, nauseous, and I didn’t think it was although her circumstances are safe, so I took off three weeks to get different. She doesn’t have a positive adjusted and am now feeling much blood test for rheumatoid arthritis, but better again,” Parker said. she carries a positive blood test for all But when her children were young, the symptoms. The pain proved to be her disease was just another barrier another obstacle. she overcame as a mother of multiple.

“I tried to rest when they did, even Parker had to be assertive and if they just went to read in their room extremely organized to juggle all four or whatever, I would sit on the couch children, especially when she started

MRS. KIRSTEN PARKER two sets of twins

student teaching and then teaching when the kids were in preschool and kindergarten.

“When they were all little, if someone needed a diaper changing, they all got a diaper change. I just laid them down and did an assembly line.

Everyone had lunch at the same time; everyone went to bed at the same time. It just helped because I needed time to study and whatnot. I would put all three boys on the same soccer team or same baseball team while I could still do that and be very upfront sort of saying like, “I need to be on a team that practices Tuesday and story by DANICA TRAN, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

Thursday.” I was very forward with all those things to make sure they didn’t conflict with dance Monday [and] Wednesday or things like that,” Parker said.

Although there were challenges to raising four kids, Parker had support in the form of the Sacramento Twins Club, now known as the Sacramento Mothers of Multiples. At the time, the group contained about 70 mothers who had twins of all ages. The group counseled each other, vented about their days and arranged outings with their children and activities for just the mothers such as bunco and movie

nights. When Parker was put on bed rest during her second pregnancy, mothers in the group made and brought her meals. After she raised her twins, she found a way to give back to the group.

Parker said, “I taught parenting classes since I had to be superorganized, so that was fun for me because I was teaching somebody. I was teaching parents, other adults, but I was 22-ish and most of the people I was teaching was late 30s, early 40s. A lot of those ladies had a hard time getting advice from a 22-year-old.” n

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THE THINGS WE CARRY

NOAH OTTO 4.0 student vape

H

e wakes up at 7 a.m. to his excruciatingly loud alarm, immediately reaching for his snooze button and then his vape.

Then he is on his way to school, blasting his music, continuously taking hit after hit. After school it’s more vaping, whether with his friends, alone or even at breaks during his shifts at Taco Bell. Regardless of location, Noah Otto is guaranteed to carry his vape with him.

Otto was first introduced to vaping in the eighth grade. Hanging out with kids much older than him, Otto experienced new things. His first exposure to vaping didn’t remain a one-time thing.

“I hung out with sophomores, and I was only an eighth grader. They did it and I liked it, so I guess I just did it too then,” Otto said.

Now Otto considers himself to be an avid vaper; his vape is almost never out of his sight. But his behavior

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THE ROAR MARCH 2018

toward vaping has evolved. At first, Otto used nicotine-free vape juice, but as that became boring he began using juices with 3 mg and 6 mg of nicotine.

“I use vape juice with nicotine because it gives you a head rush, which is very nice. It also calms your nerves in your body,” Otto said.

The vaping trend has been marked toward adults as a way to give up smoking cigarettes. But students here aren’t using vape to wean themselves off of harsher nicotine substances.

Some vape for reasons such as stress or even social aspects.

“I do it for calming reasons, as it eases the nerves in my body, as well as for social reasons, like at parties and such,” Otto said.

With the recent crackdown on on campus vaping, students earn two days of on-campus suspension when caught with vaping materials on school grounds, as California Education Code 48900 prohibits any

possession of tobacco or any other nicotine product when on campus.

With this recent action carried out by administration, Otto has been taking extra caution when carrying his vape in order to prevent disciplinary action.

“I leave my vape in my car or even at home. That way I don’t take it on campus and then get caught with it and get it taken away,” Otto said.

Although vaping has earned a negative stigma, especially with many teachers advising against vaping after recently cracking down on the activity at school, Noah would rather acknowledge its benefits rather than the negative aspects.

Otto said, “All kids out there are 100 percent aware vape isn’t good for them. But what people don’t realize is that it is a lot healthier than cigarettes teenagers used to smoke, and yet it gives them the same feeling.” n

story by EMMA KACHMAR, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

SITTING WITH THE

SQUAD

A

mongst backpacks, notebooks and sports bags around campus, Serjeoh Nakata stands out carrying a small, blue and white spray painted lawn chair with his friends.

“My friend Max had the idea to bring lawn chairs to school and sit in them at lunch, so we did. We wanted to just relax before the end of our day away from the noisy cafeteria, and we bring a speaker to play our music on,” Nakata said.

Nakata and his friends listen to a variety of music, ranging from YouTube’s Majestic Casual playlist to personalized playlists on Spotify. This was originally Maximo Esguerra’s idea.

“In the cafeteria, whenever we sat on the benches, there was no back support to lean on and it was very uncomfortable, but I would always forget about it and stretch my back and end up falling.” Esguerra said.

“Back during the summer season, my friend and I would bring our lawn chairs practically everyday, but we don’t as much because of the cold weather,” Nakata said.

Nakata and Esguerra also started bringing lawn chairs because they thought it would be an enjoyable tradition.

“It was a fun way to have our own little hangout away from most of the kids, and also because we thought it would be really comfortable and relaxing,” Nakata said.

Nakata usually transports the lawn chair in Esguerra’s car to and from school. “[My chair] is not too heavy since it’s kind of small, I’d say not much heavier than story by ANJANI KEDIA, photo by LIZZIE SALVATO

just my binder … [and] during school I usually just have to carry it around to each class,” Nakata said.

Not only did the chairs provide Nakata and his friends with comfort, but they also contribute to his high school experience by “improving lunch times for since it was something different than being at the normal tables all the time, and it was very peaceful,” Nakata said.

“There is a tree by the office that we would sit under everyday … [and] bring a speaker to play our music on … [because] we wanted to just relax before the end of our day away from the noisy cafeteria,” Nakata said.

Even though Esguerra and Nakata are the only ones among their friends to bring these lawn chairs, it bonded them together and them to experience something unique.

“A lot of times we get stares from people walking by whenever we sit in them, and since we would do it by the office we would get a lot of teachers that walk by and comment about it. People would also question me whenever they see me just walking into class with a chair in my hand, and I usually just tell them it’s for sitting at lunch,” Nakata said.

These chairs not only set them apart from everyone else on campus, but also allowed Nakata and his friends to create a peaceful and isolated environment. Nakata says it definitely will be reminder of his senior year with his friends. n

SERJEOH NAKATA lawn chairs at lunch

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THE THINGS WE CARRY

CRUTCHING TO

CLASS

T

he ability to walk and use leg muscles is a simple luxury many take for granted. Under normal circumstances, most don’t think anything of it, whether it be to go get food, hang out with friends or even to walk to bed. Instead, Matthew Sherer must rely on crutches to get around.

“I broke my fibula at wrestling practice and the ER put me in a cast and gave me crutches,” Sherer said.

Sherer´s wrestling season was only half-way through when he suffered an injury to his right fibula.

“I was at practice and a kid threw me and as we came down, my leg was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the bone basically snapped in half,” Sherer said.

Sherer went to the ER, who determined whether he would need a soft cast or a hard cast and how long he would need crutches.

“I had to get surgery.

Originally they had given me a cast for only three weeks, but after that they determined I needed a cast for longer. It completely ended my wrestling season.

The only bright side was that I was able to have more free time,” Sherer said.

Sherer was given crutches to move around. While this might appear as a burden to

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THE ROAR MARCH 2018

most people, Sherer found a way to make the most of it. Instead of hindering his walking speed, it now seems natural and as second nature as walking.

“I’ve never been marked tardy due to my crutches.

It’s a fun challenge to get to my classes in time now.

The worst part about having crutches at school is having to sit through the whole P.E. period doing nothing. It’s so boring,” Sherer said.

As a way to maintain his P.E. credits and not fall behind, Sherer was appointed as a P.E. TA. “Every major injury is treated differently. Since Matt is an athlete, his parents and I decided it would be easiest for him to be my T.A., so he could get his homework done and not fall behind,” Mrs. April Steele said.

While his broken fibula still prevents him from running and jumping, his friends still accommodate for his needs and turned a sad situation into a fun joke.

Sherer said, “My friends still treat me the same. We do most of the same things and when I can’t do them, they try and include me as much as possible. However, they still think its funny to park as far away as possible from the place we are supposed to get to just to watch me hobble.” n

MATTHEW SHERER crutches

story by BRENDEN JACOBY, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

SIDELINE

SUPERSTITIONS

REESE PHILLIPS lucky shirt

story by EMILY PONTES, photo by LIZZIE SALVATO

F

rom eating a certain granola bar for breakfast to wearing the same shirt every game, athlete superstitions are a complete mental game but can heavily impact their physical game. In Reese Phillips’ case, as a part of her uniform she carries a white Whitney cheer shirt over her uniform before she cheers at football games and it is her only good luck charm. Since eighth grade in middle school, Phillips wears a white Whitney cheer shirt before every football or basketball game when warming up with her team. She feels a drastic difference when not wearing her shirt during warm-ups.

“I forgot it at two games and I could notice a huge difference in my performance and energy,” Phillips said.

Phillips even brought the shirt with her to her Nationals cheer competition in Los Angeles at Knott’s Berry Farm in eighth grade.

Her best friend Alyssa Miller had the same superstition, which made Phillips give it a try.

She feels it helps her “hit [her] stunts and stick [her] tumbling,”

Phillips said.

When having the stress and pressure to do approximately 15 back tucks and build around 20 stunts flawlessly each game, Phillips said she feels the tradition is a necessity to calm her nerves.

“I will never stop because I know it helps me and clams me down.

My teammates thought it was different but were used to it since in cheerleading, there are a lot of superstitions,” Phillips said.

Outside of cheer Phillips has gotten asked why she wears a wornout Whitney shirt over her uniform which can look uncomfortable especially when practicing in the beating sun with a long sleeve liner on. She says her go-to answer is always that it is good luck. Although Phillips is a multi-athlete, she only wears her lucky shirt during sideline cheer, never for soccer or STUNT. Phillips does not plan to stop carrying the lucky shirt, as the results have always been positive.

Phillips said, “My superstition makes me always have a positive attitude before n games.” n WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

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THE THINGS WE CARRY

iPAD OF

PAPER TRACEY BONTILAO technology

R

ather than hauling a backpack filled with notebooks and worksheets, Tracey Bontilao carries only a 12.9 inch iPad pro, a stylus and a keyboard with her to school every day for each of her eight classes.

After Bontilao received an iPad pro for Christmas, she began using it as an alternative to traditional paper and pencil. Her goal was essentially to reduce her paper usage and help conserve the environment. Instead of using an excess amount of paper, she places all her files onto her iPad. “For my harder AP classes I kinda realized that I was accumulating so much paper, and it was so wasteful. To condense everything into one place and make it so that I wasn’t wasting that much paper, I wanted to start taking them digitally,” Bontilao said.

Along with environmental reasons, going digital has other benefits for Bontilao. Simply by taking a picture, making a copy of the PDF online or scanning a worksheet then returning it to her teacher, she can store it into her Google Drive for eventual use.

“I’m in a lot of classes where I could possibly retake them in the future. For my AP Bio or AP Psychology classes, I could look back on these notes with a purpose instead of just wasting my time now.

I have the information I’ve learned now available to me for the future,” Bontilao said.

Going into the second semester, Bontilao wasn’t sure how her teachers and peers would react when

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THE ROAR MARCH 2018

she had to explain why she no longer used paper.

However, her teachers were very understanding and encouraged her actions, despite the minor inconveniences that arise when digitally turning in an assignment. For her teachers, all of Bontilao’s papers are found separately in their email instead of among the stack of papers from the rest of her classmates.

While teachers have been understanding, Bontilao said she understands the responsibility she has to uphold academic integrity.

“With this, I feel like you have to be a trustworthy student because it is digital and you can copy and paste signatures wherever you want, I think they have to trust that I won’t do that, especially in math and Spanish where they don’t really know and it is a lot notes,” Bontilao said.

Since she began using it for this spring semester, Bontilao has saved 300 pages for AP Psychology, 50 pages for philosophy, 80 pages for AP Biology, 50 pages for Honors Spanish III, 40 pages for AP United States History, 40 pages for Integrated Math III, 120 pages for AP Environmental Science and 20 pages for Honors LA IV. By seeing how much paper she has already saved, she realizes how her actions have made an impact on the environment.

Bontilao said, “As much as you can, try to limit the amount of paper you use ... even if you just do it for one class or once a week. Making that little effort to limit the amount of paper you use could have a significant impact over the years.” n

story by AJ CABRERA, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

THE FINER THINGS IN

LIFE

A

Jansport backpack from Amazon costs about $30.

However, some people pay over 20 times that amount just to buy a similar product from a designer label. There are many ways people express themselves and fashion is one. Wearing designer clothes or carrying designer bags has become a trend throughout this generation.

“I’m proud to carry a designer bag, but I don’t think it makes me better than anyone else,” Sean Moore said.

Moore carries an MCM backpack that he bought for himself as an early Christmas gift. This bag alone costs $820. The bag is tan and has black lettering.

He carries it to school and uses it as his school bag. In it he keeps everything he needs for a school day.

Before Moore bought this bag, he wanted it for a little over a year. He said he liked how the bags looked and he’s always had an expensive taste.

He first saw one that his favorite story by EMILY COWLES, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

rapper, XXXtentacion, owned and it caught his eye.

Moore saved up his money from his job at Tillys. It took him two weeks to save the money he needed to buy the bag. During school Moore gets complimented on his style and is often told it looks cool.

“To some people it may be just a backpack but, to me, it’s a reward. I worked for that money and I wanted to treat myself,” Moore said.

While Moore plans to buy another bag for next year, Janah Delaney is going to keep hers for the rest of her education.

“I don’t care about the label, I care more for the quality. I had my backpack since sophomore year and I plan on keeping it throughout college,” Delaney said.

Delaney carries a Michael Kors bag that cost $170. The reason she chose an expensive bag over a non-expensive bag was to make sure it was always dependable and didn’t have to worry about a zipper breaking. n

SEAN MOORE designer bags

WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

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THE THINGS WE CARRY

P

ushing past the sea of countless my goggles fueled me to beat my time,” swimmers waiting for their Votava said. individual moment to shine, She finished the race with a time Morgan Votava steps behind her of 59.31, a personal best she had been block designated for lane five. She is working toward since the first time she surrounded by hundreds of people in entered the water 12 years ago.

Federal Way, Washington. Athletes on Votava has been swimming since the pool deck stretching, parents and she was 4. She started on California teammates in the stands and swimmers Capital Aquatics (CCA) and currently in the water, but at that moment it’s swims for Davis Arden just her.

Racing Team (DART). However, She visualizes her upcoming race, Votava is not the first person the 100 yard backstroke, the perfect in her family to excel in the pool. race she is about to execute. She begins “My mom swam when she was in her final stretches, adjusts her swimsuit high school, and I grew up watching and cap, stretches her goggles over her my sister swim. I immediately wanted head when the band suddenly snaps in to join, because it looked really half. Her nerves spike as she frantically exciting,” Votava said. realizes what just Her older sister, happened. She takes “GOGGLES SNAPPING AND Lauren, graduated off sprinting to her CAPS RIPPING ARE SUPER here in 2015 team tent, in search COMMON IN SWIM. MOST and attends the for her extra pair of University of goggles she carries in PEOPLE HAVE A BACK-UP.” Idaho on a full her swim bag in case ride swimming something happens. She finally finds scholarship. Lauren has always been her pair of black Speedo Vanquisher, someone Morgan can look up to. and sprints back to her block, just in “She has always taught me to push time for her heat to be called up to the myself to be the best I can and never starting blocks. give up,” “Goggles snapping and caps ripping Votava said. are super common in swim. Most Votava’s favorite part of being part people have a back-up, but when you of the swim program is the memories are that close to racing there is no she has made of her 12 years, most chance you will be able to go to your notably travel meets, which are usually backpack and grab a new pair. It’s best championship meets. to ask a teammate or even a stranger, “My favorite part is is getting to so that you don’t miss your race,” travel to different places for swim Votava said. meets. My favorite memory was when Lucky for her, Votava was close I got to go to Hawaii for Age Group enough to her team tent, she was able Western Zones and race there while to grab her extra set of goggles and spending time with my friends,” make it back to the blocks before Votava said. At meets she has seen her event. it all.

“The adrenaline from searching for Swim caps and goggles are not

CHECK OUT www.whitneyupdate.com for more in this series

22

THE ROAR MARCH 2018

NIA TRINIDAD inhaler

ROBERT JONES fishing rod

the only malfunction that commonly occur at meets. Swimsuits, more specifically tech suits, are known to rip often because of the paper-like material they are made with. This material allows swimmers to feel faster in the water, because the suits compress and activate muscles. It’s created to detract water, allowing the swimmer to be more powerful in the water. However, these tech suits are very expensive, costing between $300$500 depending on the color, style and producer.

“My black LZR Racer Elite 2 tech suit ripped at high school champs my freshman year and I had to swim with it on because I didn’t have time to change, and then after my race I changed into my extra suit,” Votava said.

Votava continues to excel in the pool at her club team and in high school. She placed first in the 100 yard backstroke event, as well as was on the 400 freestyle relay that took first at the Capital Valley Conference championships last year. She has also placed second overall in the 200 individual medley at last year’s CIF Sac-Joaquin Section meet.

After high school Votava plans to follow in her sister’s footsteps.

“I plan on swimming in college, and my goal is to go to a Division 1 school, however I’m not sure what school yet,” Votava said.

“My goal is to win one of my events at the varsity sections, as well as help the team win another league championship and qualify for state.”

As Votava pushes toward those goals, she knows what to carry with her along the way. n

LANEY PADUVERIS special memory

PREPARED FOR

ANYTHING MORGAN VOTAVA extra equipment

story by MADILYN SINDELAR, photo by ASHLEY BLISS

WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

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THE THINGS WE CARRY

BEHIND

ZACH SCHREINER video camera

THE

LENS

W

hile on vacation with his family in Hawaii, Zach Schreiner saw sea turtles right next to him while snorkeling.

He was able to see the animals in their natural habitat and their own whole world created under the water. Then he was able to relive it over and over with a recording he took, knowing it was an experience unique to just him that nobody else had experienced in that way. From then Schreiner realized he wanted to pursue videography.

Starting as a basic hobby to create memories on family vacations, Schreiner has developed his skills the committee Schreiner has started through the video committee in to think of ideas for the future and leadership class. how he could use his skills after high “It started out as just videos I have school. made from vacations or fun times “I plan on being in the same for me to enjoy and look back on. I committee and possibly being a enjoyed it so much I started taking commissioner since I have videos of more things,” experienced a year in the “BEYOND THAT Schreiner said. committee already. I don’t IT HAS TAUGHT know if this could be my For Schreiner his interest started two years ME TO MAKE main career but definitely ago and has continued a hobby that can bring in THE MOST OF to build as he carries his some money,” Schreiner said. camera inside and outside EVERY SITUATION Even though he realized of school. With that he has BECAUSE I WANT his interest two years ago learned lessons not only TO CAPTURE THE he decided to take an from recording but life alternative route from the BEST VIDEO. lessons as well. broadcast program and “I have taught myself through work in a smaller setting that is more watching other videos and watching individual. videos made by my peers. It has also “With time, I have saved up money taught me that I enjoy just making from birthdays and Christmas to buy videos of vacations and sporting a Sony a6500. I choose to do the video events. Beyond that it has taught me committee instead of [the] broadcast to make the most of every situation [program] at our school since it is a because I want to capture the best more strict setup that tells news and video, but to get the best video I want information. Although we do many to be doing something cool,” Schreiner highlight and promotional videos, I said. feel we have more creative freedom, As one of the underclassmen on for we are not graded on it and we

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THE ROAR MARCH 2018

don’t have to follow guidelines. We make videos for a purpose in our own ways,” Schreiner said.

Schreiner has chosen to take a different view on the high school experience in order to see it from an alternate side of the average student.

“It is a different perspective from behind the camera because there are different lenses and I get into different angles I usually wouldn’t live life from.

I just want people to enjoy the content and to be inspired by the videos my committee and I make,” Schreiner said.

Through his videos he provides joy to students all around campus who watch the videos but also himself.

Schreiner said, “Some of the best moments behind the camera is when you get that one in a million shot, whether it be a basketball dunk, football touchdown, animal in nature or just something you don’t see often.

It is so rewarding because you know you have captured something rare that will be there forever. It is a reason to get out and do adventurous things and connect with people through these videos.” n story by RENESE LOPEZ, photo by LIZZIE SALVATO