The Roar | Volume 10 | Issue 4| February 2015 by Whitney High Student Media

ROAR

THE

Volume 10 | Special Edition | February 2015

A WHITNEY HIGH STUDENT MEDIA PUBLICATION

whitneyupdate.com

@whitneyupdate

@detailsyearbook

What’s it like to be you? IN THIS ISSUE Konner Macias balances practice, AP classes and clubs. He developed an app on scheduling his life. n page 6

Garrett Cardoza ran track in order to stay in shape for his other sports but then found a new love. n page 12

JONATHAN SMITH came from China and wants to be a police officer to protect others. n page 15 Zach Cameron shares his school, birthday and home as a quadruplet. n page 16

FEATURED TWEETS During the past few weeks, we used Twitter to reach out to the student body with an invitation to tweet quick responses using #thisisthelife to answer one question: “What’s it like to be you?” Here’s a collection showing some of those responses. The theme will continue to appear on Twitter as well as periodically on Instagram @detailsyearbook. The Whitney life is comprised of a variety of experiences — funny, touching, challenging, serious, inspiring — and Whitney High Student Media aims to tell as many of those as possible.

ROAR THE

editors-in-chief

Ariella appleby ABI BROOKS HARMONY REILLY carsen van der linden

staff missie caracut Selena cervantes camelia coffman kristen elsayegh rylea gillis olivia grahl amanda johnson

lily jones sarah martinez rachel marquardt desiree stone joel timms miranda woolley sierra young

adviser SARAH NICHOLS, MJE

kolette king feels proud of her parents who left Liberia to give her a better life. n page 17 Angie Reed tells of her experiences as an actress and the proudest moment of her career. n page 18 JOSIAH WILLIAMS sees his dad everyday during school. Read how he feels about his dad teaching here. n page 19

The Roar is a student publication produced by Whitney High Student Media. The news magazine is an open 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 www.whitneyupdate.com for news, sports, opinion, entertainment and more.

Whitney High School 701 Wildcat Blvd. Rocklin, Calif. 95765 916-632-6500

Cover photo illustration by Harmony Reilly

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

you

telling your

story staff editorial

We applaud the students featured in this issue for sharing their stories. We ask you to share insights to your personal experience, too, as we continue #thisisthelife on social media. And we promise to treat your stories with care.

t takes a lot to get a person to open up. For someone to reveal their true self, to take off the masks, to drop the acts they use to guard themselves, is no small accomplishment. When that happens, the outside world can get a glimpse at who that person is. For some, this can be absolutely horrifying. Even if the well-guarded parts are completely and totally normal, it can be against our nature to become vulnerable and let those walls down. So when it does happen, it is a beautiful thing. Our staff has one goal in mind: to find out what it’s like to be you. We wanted to share the stories and shed light on why those stories need to be told. This was a wonderfully unique opportunity to get into contact with a multitude of students to find out what makes you the people we see today. We chose to produce this special edition of The Roar during Scholastic Journalism Week, something we’ve been celebrating in C-2 and with media programs nationwide on social media as #SJW2015, in order to contribute to the telling and understanding of each of these stories. It is also no accident that this issue is coming out after I Believe Week. We feel this is our way of adding to the conversation and helping in the goals of promoting kindness, paying it forward and bringing unity on campus through the work we put into this issue. For most of these individuals featured here, it really was a great thing. Their stories appear on the next 17 pages. We commend their bravery for opening up, letting us into their homes, and allowing us to tell their valuable stories. There is no greater privilege that we can ask for as journalists, and are thankful. But there were some who felt as though their story was better left unwritten. A few students decided it was in their best interest not to shed light on their experiences. We asked, and they said no. This was a phenomenon we had experienced before. Some people simply do not want to be sources, and that’s a fact we have to deal with. But never before had we seen so many people, each with vastly differing perspectives and situations, decide to back out of the stories in progress and to avoid letting readers see that true side of themselves. No matter what the reasoning was, it was always strange and

disappointing to hear. Our purpose is to tell stories, and in this issue, where individual stories play such a large role, there was a perfect chance to show a different side of people. It is unfortunate that some did not feel comfortable enough in their environment to let the truth be told. It is not the purpose of telling a story to “put a spin on it” or find something incriminating to exploit. At least, not for us. We, as a staff, want to find out what makes you the person you are, and let people know your story. Because your story and the stories of everyone around you, both on and off campus, are what make all of us human. When we see something about someone we didn’t know before, or that is generally kept under wraps, it adds to our understanding of what makes that individual unique, and it changes our perspective. This brings us together. This is why it is a shame some people would avoid speaking to us, or What’s it like to be you? simply bailing at the last minute. It’s a question we plan to keep Of course, sometimes it’s difficult to share your story. Particularly if a large asking. And we think it’s one part of what it’s like to be you is a struggle you’ve had to face or are currently battling. you should ask others, too. Often times it’s your fear of the world reacting in the wrong way that you keep the walls standing. And that is why it is so important that we try to create an environment in our school and throughout our community that allows people the freedom to open up and share who they are without backlash. Activities like the kindness lessons from ASB and Breaking Down the Walls are good first steps in the process, but it takes a real willingness to understand, tolerate and then accept that each person is different. Sharing the stories of a few students who were willing to share is a good first step. In this issue we reject the idea that some things should be left unsaid. We know that each person we show here adds to our experience in the world, and that there really is something incredible about shedding light on the individual. We hope that this issue does its part to reveal that. And we invite you to ask others “What’s it like to be you?” more often as a way to create understanding.

WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

italy overton

from

cheer mats to wrestling mats

BY SELENA CERVANTES

rom pom poms to mouth guards. From memorizing routines and chants to memorizing skills and maneuvers. Italy Overton went from being a long-time cheerleader to a member of the wrestling team. “I’ve been doing cheer since the third grade, because I always loved the stunts and dancing,” Overton said. Although Overton had cheered for six years, including on the freshman cheer team, she felt the fun had become outweighed by the bad. “I felt like I was surrounded by drama and fakeness, which didn’t sit well with me,” Overton said. It wasn’t until sophomore year that one of her best friends suggested she tryout for the team.When “I also like that I have a way to release confronting her parents with her new ambitions, Overton my aggression in a positive way.” did not get the reaction she — ITALY OVERTON had hoped for. “My mom didn’t want me to do it at all, and no one thought I could handle it, but the previous years of cheer had taught me discipline and now they’re really supportive,” Overton said. Being on the team has led to close friendships and trust among her teammates that she never expected. “The friendships I’ve made are much stronger than any other relationships I’ve had, because at the end of the day you know they have your back,” Overton said. Being a female in what most would consider a male sport can be a challenge but in the end Overton feels her work has paid off. “You have to work hard at your strength and to be fit because a lot of the guys are naturally leaner at the same weight. The fact that I have lost track of how many times I’ve placed has definitely kept me motivated throughout this process. I also like that I have a way to release my aggression in a positive way,” Overton said. Wrestling has not only help Ovetrton physically but has also shaped who she has become as a person. “Wrestling pushes people and builds character. I’ve seen Italy push through obstacles, both physical and mental, and has learned to be more self motivated since shes joined the team,” Kurtz said. Even though it can be hard, wrestling has made a positive impact on Overton’s life. Kurtz said, “It’s really helped Italy learn how to mentally handle situations, and to physically push herself past her limits.”

THE ROAR | SPECIAL EDITION

OVERTON TALKS ABOUT SKILLS SHE’S LEARNED THAT APPLY TO HER EVERYDAY LIFE 4

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

mr. scott collins

new desk, new room,

BY RACHEL MARQUARDT

new campus

e steps out of the door of his new home and into the sunlight. After just 10 minutes of walking, he walks onto campus. Social studies teacher Mr. Scott Collins never believed his first job in Rocklin would be so close to his home. And after years of trying occupation after occupation, he was glad to find a job that he really enjoyed and was passionate about. After finding his passion, he can now help kids go through the process he went through, and help them find themselves as he did. Collins started his transition into the real world after college. He took broadcasting classes with an eye toward radio and explored college football, life coaching, real estate and screenwriting. He also thought of going back to law school with an eye toward politics. But he didn’t feel any of these suited his personality. “I had all sorts of professions. And that was a really wonderful experience, to have that freedom to find what I wanted to do, and that time to be very open ended,” Collins said. Collins decided that after rejecting it four years prior, he would go back into teaching. He taught government, econ, AVID and world history prior to his move from Los Angeles. “I really missed working with young people, helping young people unlock themselves and showing them a couple things I learned along the way,” Collins said. As a new teacher here, Collins is building his reputation and getting used to the little things, such as a new desk, a new classroom and a whole new campus. “The first week or two feels like there’s always a ton to do, and a ton to learn,” Collins said. Although he went through a lot of changes in a new area, he didn’t feel pressured or nervous about the process. “I don’t really think about [the pressure]. I try to focus on the process and control the controllable. Everyone has been really helpful, really kind.

It’s been a really easy transition,” Collins said. To help with the transition, Mr. Shawn Robin was assigned to Collins to help him with adjusting to the school’s system and technology, such as Edline and Schoology. Robin saw a unique drive and confidence in Collins when they first met. “From day one I knew he had a good work ethic. I could tell he was a go-getter, he was here to start picking up the Whitney way. You could tell he wanted to adapt to any of our ideas and bring in his own ideas as well,” Robin said. Collins also strives for a connection with his students so they will not fear to answer or ask questions. A way to do that, Collins believes, is to place himself in the shoes of his student. “There’s not a day at this job that goes by that I don’t actively don’t try to remember what it was like to be 15 years old,” Collins said. He feels that if he truly strives to help the kids and think as they do, he can achieve greatness not just in himself, but in them as well. In a classroom, Collins mainly values student interaction to build connections and relationships. “I feel like I can always talk to Mr. Collins whenever I’m struggling or need clarification with something. I don’t have any fears of him judging me if I need help, which is one of the best qualities a teacher can have,” AP World student Marina Lee said. Instead of looking for new paths, Collins is looking to help his students in APW and Economics through their process of becoming themselves just as he went through a process to find his love for teaching. Collins said, “I’ve had such a good life. A LISTEN TO MR. COLLINS’ history job opens up, I’m fortunate enough to get 5 STEPS FOR NEW TEACHERS it, and now I’m walking to school every day.” ON SOUNDCLOUD

WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

konner macias

finding the balance BY ARIELLA APPLEBY

pening the daily planner app he created, Konner Macias sits down every morning and plans his day down to the minute. Macias had to find a way to balance AP classes, his clubs and tennis. The only way he felt he could do this was to prioritize. “I dealt with [stress through] prioritizing and time management. You have to figure out when to put 150 percent and where to put 95 percent. I have to make sure that during that time I’m productive I’m not being distracted. I’m not going on YouTube or Reddit,” Macias said. At the age of 12, Macias started his tennis career. His dad, a retired professional tennis player in the European circuit, helped him along the way. “I started late. Before [tennis] I played baseball for seven years as an all star, but then I got tired of it so I said, ‘Dad, can you teach me to play tennis?’ From there I [played] as much as I could so that freshman year I was able to start at Number One,” Macias said. Constantly playing caused Macias’ tennis rackets to break their strings. The $30 stringing fee started to add up. So to fix the problem he invested in a tennis stringer. “I started my own business as a tennis stringer. I ended up getting sponsorship from stringing companies [and bought a stringer], and from there instead of just stringing my racket,” Macias said. Macias’ decided to charge $15. He created a website, shirts and business cards to promote his new business. “I went to one of our high school tournaments and brought my stringer. I was able to string in front of all of the players. They would give me the rackets and I was able to make a lot of money. I’m still doing this now. [I’m working now] to a lesser degree, but that was a good experience running a business,” Macias said. Macias plays at JMG Tennis Academy in Sacramento against top ranked national tennis players who help him prepare for tournaments. He had to find a balance between homework and practice, which was especially difficult during his sophomore and junior years. “I’d travel 30 minutes out my day. I would go there and train for two hours and then back I get home and eat. I wouldn’t start my homework till like 8 at night. From 8 to 11 was when I really try to get all of my homework done,” Macias said. The class load during his sophomore year really helped him understand how to study. “Pre-cal really pushed me to my limit. I used to be really good at math and my very first test in pre-cal was a 68%. That made me so mad, so I totally changed my work ethic. I had to change from studying 30 minutes before a test to studying three hours two days before the test. I started setting up study groups. I went in after school to talk to the teacher and by the end of the first semester I was able to pull out the A. That was one of my greatest achievements, pulling off that A after starting out so terribly,” Macias said. Macias dreams of becoming a quantitative trader because it combines his favorite subjects, math and computer science. “Ever since that pre-cal ordeal, I started to get very intense with math because I had to. | CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

THE ROAR | SPECIAL EDITION

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

samantha willis I learned more than I ever did and math became one of my strengths after that. So, I said why not I work into finance where I can apply mathematics, economics and computer science into one realm. A quantitative trader would be working on Wall Street for major banks and investment firms. These people are able to do mathematical economics and apply math to Econ. [They are] able to write programs to systematically correct and makes stuff easier for big businesses to run,” Macias said. Macias has used what he learns in his ROP AP Computer Science class and applied it to his everyday life by creating an app to schedule his time. In the app he lists what he has to do that day and approximately how long it will take him. It budgets his time according to his list. “I always used a piece of paper. I’d be doing this like what do I have to do, and create time-slots and I was tired of tearing up a paper in wasting it. So I was like, ‘let’s just do what we learned.’ We can make programs that do loops and what not. I was like I can do this so I did and that was all. It took me about a day. I showed it to my teacher and now he thinks I’m a computer science God. I’m just applying what he taught us,” Macias said. Macias also is using the tools from AP Computer Science to create an app to help him in tennis. “I am in the process of making my own self project. It’s this tennis tracker app. It is going to be a scoreboard of the match going through it. I got the scoreboard down, but part of the app you have to report to it after the points over of how the person lost point or percentages. You’re able to learn how many first serves am I making, how many winners have I hit, what errors are there, what stroke am I making the errors on, it gives you a full diagnosis of your match after each one,” Macias said. But after all of the work he does in tennis and academics, Macias still finds time to help his friends and teammates. “People in the tennis academy frown upon people who play high school tennis because they think it’s a waste of time. I played just to be part of the team environment, but I became attached to the guys. I got all these guys to come out and I invested a lot time into them over summer. Monday through Friday we would practice 8 to 10 morning. For the last two summers I was up there and I was able to teach these guys. I was able to teach and coach and prove someone make them feel great about themselves,” Macias said. Macias’s hard work in tennis and in academics created opportunities for college. “I got offered a scholarship and three-fourths’ ride scholarship to Florida Tech because I’ve been Number One for the high school varsity team since freshman year. I got ranked in the top 300 in the nation. Being able to balance tennis and school -- that’s my main thing,” Macias said. Macias verbally committed to Florida Tech but is waiting to see if he gets accepted at his other dream schools, like Stanford, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, University of California Berkeley and UCLA, before actually signing.

No cure, no problem BY DESIREE STONE

er once black eyelashes had begun to turn white and she noticed the loss of pigmentation in the inside of her right arm, resulting in irregular white patches that felt like normal skin. Samantha Willis first noticed this discoloration of her skin in August last year. “The corner of my eyelashes were turning white, as well as the ends of my eyebrows. I noticed white patchy skin on the inside of my arm, too. This was all before the start of my junior year, but I didn’t go to the doctor until last December,” Willis said. Willis received her diagnosis right before Christmas in 2013. “When my doctor told me I had Vitiligo I was really self-conscious and it upset me quite a bit. He told me everyone’s case is different, so he didn’t know if it was going to spread or not,” Willis said. According to the Mayo Clinic, Vitiligo is a disease that causes the loss of skin color in blotches. The degree to which the discoloration will spread is unpredictable and the cause is unknown. There is no cure. “I use two different topical ointments. They don’t turn the skin back to its original color, but they’re supposed to stop the white patches from spreading,” Willis said. Willis tries not to focus too much on her unique situation but admits there are difficulties in dealing with her skin ailment. “It’s really hard to have [Vitiligo], especially on my face. It

makes me feel different and like everyone only sees my Vitiligo when they see me. I don’t want to be defined by my disorder. For a long time I was depressed about the way that I looked,” Willis said. Despite her condition, Willis keeps a positive outlook with the support of herfriends and family. “I talked a lot with my parents and close friends and I decided that I couldn’t let some white skin dictate my life. So I chose to pretend like it wasn’t there and move on with my life,” Willis said. Willis has managed to maintain a 3.7 GPA and has been a part of the girls’ varsity basketball program for three years. “I have not let my Vitiligo affect my schoolwork and sports life. I mean, yeah, my Vitiligo is a part of my life now, but I refuse to make it the biggest part,” Willis said. Willis hopes to attend San Diego State University. Willis said, “I want to study film and I’m so scared, honestly, but I’m also excited. My family is everything and it’s “Vitiligo is a part of my life hard to imagine now but I refuse to make it now being with them the biggest part.” everyday, — SAMI WILLIS but at the same time am super excited about becoming my own person and meeting new people and starting my life for real. I do not think my skin condition will be a problem when I go off to college because there are so so many people out there who have something about them that makes them different, just like me.”

WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

anthony ocken

road to

the

ABI BROOKS

because his knee was all messed up already and I saw it coming. But, when he goes in to the Marines he’s going to be fully recovered, so it won’t affect him,” Sanderson said. Sanderson said Ocken’s knee will be fully healed by the time he enters into the Marines and it will not affect his performance in the military. “My plans were to enlist right after high school for the Marines. My method of service would be a military police but now, the Marines won’t take me for another six months after my full recovery in a year. Then they won’t deploy me out for another six months after that. So a good solid two years,” Ocken said. Because of the injury, Ocken had to come up and what could possibly happen if I join the with a new game plan for the first two years after Marines. It’s just something that I feel like once graduation before he can join the Marines. the time comes, I’ll be ready to die and give my “My plans are to go to Sierra College for two life for my country when it comes down to it,” years, probably get my AA degree in criminal Ocken said. justice. The only advantage I will get in the Although Ocken had decided to put his life Marines is because I did ROTC for four years. on the line right after graduation, his plans will So, I get one rank up, but that’s it,” Ocken said. have to wait. During a soccer game last year After a year of recovery, with his competitive team, when Ocken’s doctor signs Ocken suffered an injury to his “My friends that I wanted to go with him off for physical activity, left knee. he will need to wait another “The guy came in on my left are going in without me, and it’s six months to train and side and pretty much kicked life-changing, it really is.” exercise before enlisting so my knee cap on purpose. He he can be ready. — ANTHONY OCKEN tore one of my ACL’s that Despite Ocken’s inability crosses over to my left side. My to enlist directly after graduation, Garet meniscus was jammed inside my knee on both Sanderson and Christan Flores, Ocken’s friends sides and my MCL on my left side was messed and fellow enlistment partners, will be enlisting up,” Ocken said. without him. Ocken’s close friend and enlisting buddy, “My friends that I wanted to go with are going Garet Sanderson, said the injury was not a total in without me, and it’s life-changing. It has been surprise due to Ocken’s already injured knee. my plan now for years and years to enlist right “I kind of knew it was going to happen after high school, and it’s a major setback for me, having to wait this long,” Ocken said. Seeing past this setback, Ocken is still willing and ready to join the Marines when is he able to. Ocken said, “What I’m most looking forward to is serving my country, having the respect and having the brotherhood with my fellow Marines.”

recovery

emper Fidelis. Always Faithful. This is the motto Marines live and die by. Being willing and able to join the U.S. Marine Corps and putting their life on the line for their country is something a few are able to say. “When I was younger, around middle school, I saw the people in the military as heroes. They were just the people I looked up to and since then I’ve always wanted to be in the military and serve my country,” Anthony Ocken said. Out of all the branches of the military, the Marines is Ocken’s top choice. “The Marines, in my opinion, are the best. Their uniform looks amazing and they are the most elite out of the branches, considering they are the few and the proud. Not a lot of people can make it through the Marine boot camp. I believe I can make it through,” Ocken said. Given the danger that comes with joining any part of the military, Ocken has had to think about the worst case scenario. “Right now, it makes me think about dying

THE ROAR | SPECIAL EDITION

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

kourtney nham

juggling

life

best on the court. The people off the court mean just as much to her, and she knows she can rely on people cheering her on. “There’s definitely a lot more pride that comes from playing on the school team, because you get the connection with the whole X-Factor. That’s something Whitney does well; we really support sports,” Nham said. Although leadership and basketball drive her to her best in all areas of her life, a major part of her life would be left out if Kat Nham, her older sister, wasn’t there supporting her all the way. Kat’s success in her own high school experience have been what pushes Kourtney to do her best, Kat serves as ASB President, and also plays on the girls’ varsity basketball team. “It’s a lot to compete with in a way, and it’s hard to characterize Kat because she’s good in so many ways,” Nham said. This pushing to be better has not created a rift between the two sisters. Kourtney still greatly admires and loves her sibling for who she is. “I love her more than anything, but she’s really impressive. I always feel like I have to live up to that, but I’m always looking for ways to define myself on my own terms,” Kourtney Nham said. As for becoming her own person and defining who she is, Kourtney has decided who she wants people to see her as. “I want to be someone that people look up to, I want to be someone’s role model. Like how Kat has been for me, I want to be that for other people. I want people to look at me and say ‘She’s hardworking, she’s intelligent, she’s dedicated, and she’s really compassionate,’” Nham said. “I hope one day people can see me as that role model. I want to impact someone’s life,” Nham said. And so the juggling act continues, a constant mash-up of leadership, basketball, and school work with motivation from a successful older sister. Nham said, “Overall, there’s a lot of stress involvedin this lifestyle, but you just have to SEE NHAM IN ACTION plan ahead, and things will go great.” WITH THIS PHOTO GALLERY

BY JOEL TIMMS

o every juggling act, there’s the performer keeping all the pins in place. For Kourtney Nham, leadership has been a major factor in tying everything together, a sort of social and mental focal point that helps her refocus on what’s important to her. Nham has decided that for her, the best high school experience is a melding of every aspect of school. “Coming into freshman year I wasn’t really all that outgoing, but being in leadership gave me the opportunity to meet a whole bunch of people that are really cool, and I probably wouldn’t have as many friends as I do if it weren’t for leadership; it really broke me out of my shell,” Nham said. Taking the class has been a unique opportunity for Nham since freshman year, where she fell into a position quickly and enjoyed helping others. However, this year is different. “I’m the co-commissioner of publicity, and the only sophomore commissioner, so we deal with all the advertisement and make sure the school knows what’s coming up. As commissioner, I’m in charge of the committee,” Nham said. Being a commissioner means being a part of the executive board, which meets every other Monday at 6:15 a.m., another thing to juggle. Nham said she doesn’t mind this, though, and said the early times are more than worth the benefits that students can reap. “I honestly feel like I have a second family in leadership. It’s amazing to see that I have as many friends as I do, mostly because of leadership,” Nham said. Leadership isn’t the only part of Nham’s life here that she enjoys, however. Playing basketball for the school including being the girls’ freshman basketball team’s captain last year, and the captain of the JV team this season. “I have a great passion for leadership, but basketball as well. I’ve definitely made a lot of connections through basketball, and it really helped me form lots of awesome friendships,” Nham said. It’s not just playing the sport and being active that motivates Nham to do her

WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

kaitlyn townsley

dancing despite

for the next few years. “I spent a lot of time at Shriner’s Hospital when I was younger for checkups and MRIs. It was like I grew up there,” Townsley said. Although Townsley was too young to remember most of it, her parents went through an emotional strain of feeling helpless while their baby was at a high risk of being paralyzed. “My mom would go to the bathroom to cry during doctor’s appointments. Everything I went through was really hard for them to watch,” Townsley said. Despite all odds, her back functions properly. She has participated in track and cross country, ice skating, gymnastics and dance. At age 3, she began to take dance classes is currently in Dance IV while also taking classes at Dance Elite All Stars. Her long term goals include dancing on a college team. The only reminder of her disorder is a scar that stretches halfway down her back.

the

BY SIERRA YOUNG

defect

Before she was born, doctors confirmed that Kaitlyn Townsley would be born with a spinal tumor called Spina Bifida. The birth defect causes a temporary gap in the spinal column. Most cases of Spina Bifida, or tethered spinal cord, are mild. However, Townsley’s case caused her to develop a tumor, and operation at a young age came with a risk of paralysis in the lower body as well as respiratory complications. Townsley’s first doctor thought it best to wait until she was 3 to remove the tumor. However, neurosurgeons, urologists, and orthopedic surgeons at Shriners Children’s Hospital, which specializes in spinal cord injuries, burns, orthopedic conditions and cleft lip and palate, agreed to remove the tumor when she was nine months old to allow her a chance to be mobile later on. “The doctors called it a miracle. At the time, I was the youngest to have been operated on at Shriner’s Hospital because most patients were older than me,” Townsley said. Even with the surgery at an early age, there was a high chance that she might never be able to walk. The operation was successful, but a fraction of the tumor still remained in her lower spine, so she had to get tests often

T goal

reaching the

BY MISSIE CARACUT

THE ROAR | SPECIAL EDITION

wenty minutes before the ODP soccer game, Clayton Sato juggles the soccer ball, trying to ease his nerves. When Sato arrived as a freshman in 2013, he tried out for the boys’ varsity soccer team and played two games, scoring one goal each game. This year, Sato made the team again as a starter averaging one-to-two goals. “My mom would always tell me that when I was 1, she would grab my arms and swing my foot to kick the ball and she said I would laugh and love it,” Sato said. Sato currently ranks 62 in California according to Maxpreps.com, a site that holds athlete records all over the nation. In July 2014, Sato qualified for an Olympic Development Program (ODP) regional camp held in Oregon, where he competed with different athletes across the nation. ODP is a nationwide process where athletes are found and developed to be promoted to U.S. professional soccer teams. Sato qualified for the regional level, the second of the third he could qualify for. Sato’s older brother, Nathan Sato, who played for the varsity team, has been one of the major influences in his soccer career. “[Clayton] has progressed consistently as a player both physically and mentally becoming one of the best players I’ve ever been with,”

said Nathan Sato. Sato feels that his realationship with his brother has grown deeper through their love of soccer. “When I was younger I would go out and play with my brother and we would train all day long competing against each other and [we] would work on our foot skills or [we would] just pass the ball to each other, [which] has helped me a lot with my success since then,” Sato said. Sato grew up with older siblings who played soccer but said his biggest role model is his mom. “Without all the things [my mom] does for me nothing would be the same,” Sato said. When Sato isn’t playing for Whitney, he’s playing competitively for Placer United one of the many soccer clubs in Rocklin. One of his biggest challenges, however, is making sure to not be lazy and to tell himself to train more. “For the next two years of high school, my goals are to win a sectional title and to make a San Joaquin all-section team. After high school, however, my goals are to play soccer in college and hopefully make it pro one day,” Sato said. Sato runs out onto the field ready for the challenge.

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

coming of

BY AMANDA JOHNSON

ven on a crowded dance floor where hundreds of people are dancing and mingling, it takes no time at all to spot the birthday girl. Sage Valenzuela was practically floating on a cloud of green tulle and sparkling sequins. The day had come. “It was like a fairy tale,” Valenzuela said. A quinceañera is an awakening for Latina girls, marking the the transition from childhood into womanhood. “It’s what I’ve waited for my entire life,” Valenzuela said. On Dec. 29, 2014, 370 people gathered in Tepechitlán, Mexico to celebrate Valenzuela’s coming of age. But before the grand event could actually take place, a year’s worth of preparation and planning had to happen. “Many steps have to be taken and many decisions have to be made to ensure everything goes to perfection,” Valenzuela said. In the year-long planning process, Valenzuela’s family’s to-do list included purchasing her $2,000 dress, reserving a DJ, planning the catering, and picking out bouquets and center pieces for the ballroom and church. The morning of Valenzuela’s big day, she went to a salon to get her hair and makeup done, accompanied by her mom and sister. Right after, she changed into her extravagant dress and was picked up in a carriage to be taken to the ceremony. “The church ceremony was really nice. The father gave me a lot of advice and it really made me think of how thankful I should be of my parents for supporting me through everything,” Valenzuela said. After the main part of the event concluded, she was taken to her photoshoot. Valenzuela got professional pictures taken of her in her dress and crown, and with her family and friends. She then set out in the carriage to the Yaki ballroom for her reception. As she entered the ballroom and saw all of her guests looking at her, she realized then that they were all there just for her, to celebrate her and her new beginnings. “I wasn’t nervous at all but I did cry at one point because I didn’t want the day to end and I was the

age

sage valenzuela

happiest I’ve ever have been. Everyone was so kind so I felt very grateful,” Valenzuela said. During the after party, she and her company feasted on turkey rolls, green spaghetti, fruit salad and bread rolls— food much different from the more common dishes of cabrito, roasted goat; picadillo, ground beef; and pan de polvo, sweetbread. “The food wasn’t traditional, but none of the party really was. I didn’t think it was necessary to follow tradition because I wanted it to be my own,” Valenzuela said. Following the meal came the symbolic ballroom dance. Many gathered to see her and her father waltz alone on the dance floor. “This was one of my favorite parts. I took my father’s arm and we had the first dance. He felt so close to my heart in that moment,” she said. After the first dance, they toasted to Venezuela and gave thanks to the people who came and supported her, then cut the cake. “The cake was orange-flavored, but white. It had two square layers with little swirl designs on top and flowers on the side,” Valenzuela said. To top off the night, Valenzuela danced to music, this time with all of her guests.

“It’s what I’ve waited for my entire life.” — SAGE VALENZUELA “My favorite part was the end of the night when I did the waltz. I danced with eight boys, like a ballroom waltz you would see in the movies,” Valenzuela said. On a night where her loved ones came to support her as she embraced her religious customs, the virtue of family, and her social responsibilities as a young woman, Valenzuela couldn’t have imagined it any better. Valenzuela said, “I never expected it to be so perfect. It almost felt unreal.”

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WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

sage garrettvalenzuela cardoza

running for the BY RYLEA GILLIS

record

hat started as a casual afterschool activity has become the focus of one student athlete’s life outside of the classroom. Garrett Cardoza took up track and field in seventh grade as a way to stay busy while his other sports weren’t in season. Prior to middle school, Cardoza grew up playing common youth sports like soccer, baseball and football, which was his focus until he realized his heart was somewhere else. He participated in elementary cross country meets as well, but still he didn’t realize running would become his future. As he progressed as a runner into high school and began to excel at track meets, Cardoza had to make a decision: stick with football and try to be a standout in a sport focused on team success, or begin his journey as a dedicated track athlete, an opportunity to be recognized based on his individual achievements. “Freshman year, I realized track was a more realistic option than football for my future. I talked to friends and family and they all encouraged me to focus on track,” Cardoza said. Choosing the running path, Cardoza didn’t return to football, the sport he had known all his life, last summer when practices started. He instead began training with a local competitive track club, Revolution Express, to further his progress in the sport. “My friend Hannah told me about it because she’s on the club team, and I joined it because it offers more exposure to big meets and college scouts than school track does. It’s a lot more diverse and you have more independence as a runner,” Cardoza said. The competitive track season starts in January and goes until July, but Cardoza dedicated last February through May to his school track season, training with Revolution Express during the remaining months. During his competitive season, Cardoza has the opportunity to attend big meets across the country that he doesn’t get to experience in high school track. Cardoza’s times in the 100, 200 and 400 meter races during the 2014 competitive season were fast enough to qualify him for the USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in Humble, Texas last July. He placed 35th and 34th, respectively, in the 100 meter and 200 meter races, events Cardoza doesn’t even specialize in.

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books

In the 400 meter dash, Cardoza’s best race, he placed 17th out of 48 boys in his age group. Despite his success as a first year competitor at this national meet, Cardoza intends to return this year and improve upon his last year’s feats. But this summer he won’t be sporting the purple Revolution Express uniform he raced in during his rookie competitive season — Cardoza made the decision to compete unattached from a club this season and seek individual training on his own. “Running unattached isn’t much different except I’ll have to register for meets by myself. I’ve been training with Coach Michael Reid at American River College since August. He has a lot of knowledge to offer, and that has made me faster,” Cardoza said. Although high school track doesn’t expose Cardoza to as big a stage as competitive track does, he improves a lot as a runner during the season, and has shined at meets while wearing maroon and gold. Cardoza hopes to take it one step further this track season and advance to the CIF State Championship, where he believes with hard work in the upcoming months he will be able to place high. Beyond high school, he has dreams of running track at a Pac-12 college such as the University of Washington or University of Oregon. Eventually, he hopes to become good enough to turn professional and compete worldwide.

SEE STATS FROM CARDOZA’S 2014 SEASON IN THIS INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC ON THINGLINK

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

worth wait

megan monnahan*

the

BY SARAH MARTINEZ

he house was always hustling and bustling. While some people came in and out, others stayed for months or years at a time. It was constantly full of life, but never lively. “Foster care was definitely different than a regular house,” Megan Monnahan* said. Monnahan spent nearly the first five years of her life in the foster care system along with her younger sister Lexi*. “In foster care we were on a schedule. We had to have everyone fed by this time or we could only do certain things here and there. I remember it was a big house with usually about six or seven kids at a time and about five parents who [took] care of us,” Monnahan said. All those children Monnahan and Lexi watched come and go, left them wondering what a real family was like. From April 25, 2005 and so on, they were able to experience it first hand. “At first we didn’t know we were going to get adopted. We’d go on ‘trips’ to the house of a family and eventually they became a whole day. When we found out that we were going to be actually living with these people we were just happy. We were comfortable with our brothers, and we loved the dog, Gracie, who was our first pet ever. It was just all exciting and new for us,” Monnahan said. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Adoption and Foster Care Statistics report of 2003 22,432 children aged out of foster. Of those emancipated youths 37 percent became homeless, only 6 percent graduated with college degrees and 33 percent reported not having enough to eat as researched by the Jim Casey Youth organization. “When I was in there the oldest was 15, my [current] age. She never got adopted, never got a family, and I think of her still wondering what became of her knowing she didn’t get the experience me and my sister got, but

maybe it turned out good, who knows?” Monnahan said. The five years Monnahan and her sister waited in foster care, they spent side-by-side, their sisterly bond growing the longer they waited. “It makes me grateful that they didn’t split me “[Being in foster care] definitely gave me a and my sister up because different perspective in life because now I I know many cases where that has happened and the know what a real family is like.” siblings never get to know each other, but I was lucky — MEGAN MONNAHAN enough to be with her,” Monnahan said. Even though Monnahan has been with her family for almost 10 years she will never forget the years spent waiting. Monnahan said, “It definitely gave me a different perspective in life because now I know what a real family is like. Now today as I sit here with my family playing video games or laughing I think of all the kids in foster care that don’t have homes or get homes. Just that alone makes me absolutely sure that I will adopt when I’m older because I would never want a kid to be in the position.” *Note from the editors: We changed this page from its original print version after receiving new information about the nature of the adoption. Names have been changed in order to protect the identities of subjects in question because of a request for confidentiality on behalf of the parents made after the original story appeared in print.

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WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

isabella lasmarias

ball is life BY LILY JONES

“My coach [Joe Kim], tells me to do shorter drills for a shorter amount of time than all of the other girls because whenever he starts hearing me pant and seeing that I’m out of breath he thinks I’m too tired to play. But I disagree because I can handle my asthma and I like pushing myself to keep going as if I could play like all the other girls,” Lasmarias said. Lasmarias has had a long time passion for basketball. It started when her family would take her to Los Angeles Lakers basketball games. From this the Lakers are now her favorite team. Her family is supportive of her when she’s having difficulties while playing games or at practice. “My mom tries to go to any game she can. She isn’t ever nervous for me because she knows how much I love playing. She knows how hard it was for me as team manager to have to sit and watch the game while sitting on the bench and not being able to play with the girls,” Lasmarias said. Doctor appointments, constantly carrying a nebulizer and worrying that asthma attacks could occur at any time kept Lasmarias on her toes. She said being surround by positivity from her friends and family keeps her condition tame. Lasmarias said, “It can get hectic and crazy at times, but my family is always important to me and trying to be happy and love everyone is also really big for me.”

unning up and down the court, seeing the crowd decked out in the school colors with pom poms and posters waving in the air. Suddenly, all muscles tighten, breathing gets short and coughing gets out of control. Then there is a realization, it’s not a reaction from the game that is doing this to her body. Isabella Lasmarias had been playing basketball since eighth grade and has had asthma since she was 7 years old. Lasmarias played on the freshman team last year, but this year her asthma cut her time on the JV team short. “I play point guard, but I was manager for a while because of my asthma and I couldn’t try out for the team because I was having so many problems with it,” Lasmarias said. According to Kids Health, fast-paced sports like soccer and basketball, and winter sports like skiing or ice hockey, can be major triggers for people who suffer from asthma. “When Bella is going through problems with her asthma at games or at practice, I guide her through breathing slower and to get more air in her lungs because I know how she feels because I had asthma as well,” JV player Christelle Jara said. Doing warm-ups before a game, cool-downs during a game and breathing through the nose instead of the mouth while playing are ways asthma patients can keep their asthma attacks under control when in action.

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“I can handle my asthma and I like pushing myself to keep going as if I could play like all the other girls.” — ISABELLA LASMARIAS

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

jonathan smith

here from

China

BY CAMELIA COFFMAN

Shakily walking along the railroad tracks, I felt myself quiver in the freezing breeze. I have 45 minutes more of dragging my feet through a shortcut before I can get to my elementary school. Jonathan Smith, 17, lived through this daily schedule of walking to school in Shanghai, China, returning home, doing homework and going to bed until 2011, when he was adopted by a loving family in California. “The only English I knew were the words ‘toilet’ and ‘food,’ which I learned in school in China. But it was not enough,” Smith said. Smith was more than ecstatic when it came to the news of his adoption, but he couldn’t believe he would have to leave his friends and favorite food in China. “The best part about China “I did almost everything with my friends; besides my friends was the we played soccer, basketball, ping-pong Chinese food, which is much different here than in China,” and watched movies together.” Smith said. In China, school is — JONATHAN SMITH extremely different than in California, Smith said, because of the workload, and the amount of classes. “I had eight classes per day in China and I also had to turn in school work before I could go home. Instead of moving to different classrooms the teachers would switch to their assigned classrooms,” Smith said. Smith was placed in an orphanage at a young age when his parents passed away. Although Smith left his friends behind, he still has a scrapbook that he has kept since he left the orphanage which holds all of the precious memories he had while in China. Smith also changed his name multiple times to adjust to the American culture. “My given name is Xu Zhong Peng, but then I changed it to Jonathan ZhongPeng Smith, then to Jonathan Mason Smith because I wanted to keep it as normal as possible. I got [the name Xu Zhong Peng] the day I got taken into the orphanage,” Smith said. To help his integration into America, soccer and basketball have impacted Smith in a way that led him to join a competitive soccer team. “Playing soccer for RUSC U19 and playing basketball really helped me through my move here,” Smith said. Not only did Smith adapt to the culture by involving himself in sports, but he also got to know his new siblings from his adoptive parents. “I feel great to have [my brother and sister] in my life; they are my first siblings and my only siblings,” Smith said. Now riding the bus to school everyday, Smith feels that his move from China was positive because his future has a better career path. Smith said, “I want to be a cop to protect people because I know how it feels when no one has your back. I knew what it felt like to be picked on all the time.”

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WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

the camerons

it takes

fourtango to

BY OLIVIA GRAHL

ach Cameron is used to we can help each other with homework never being alone. From and can study for the same test with morning to night, he always each other,” Hannah Cameron said. has a companion whether Having such a busy house means that be a friend, his older dealing with a lot of scheduling overlap. brother Ryan, and one of his three other Balancing school, sports, friends and twins. According to ABC News, the family can be difficult. chances of having quadruplets is about “We usually have to share a car one in 800,000. For Hannah, Matthew, and it gets really complicated. Usually Jacob and Zach Cameron, being a one of our brothers likes to drive and quadruplet is a part of everyday life. drop us off or our parents have to drop “Most people are shocked and one of us off, it gets really confusing. surprised by [finding out I’m a Our parent’s will go to one game and quadruplet.] They always say, ‘Oh my the other parent will go to the other gosh, your poor mom,’” Zach Cameron game. Or they’ll split up weekends, like said. they’ll go to one game one weekend and The Camerons have dealt with a different game the next weekend,” having four siblings of the same age Hannah said. for almost 17 years, and have become According to mycollegeguide.org, accustomed to having others always numerous colleges throughout the around. Having three other people the United States offer scholarships when same age may seem difficult, but the one or more of a set of multiples attend Camerons enjoy it. their school. “I like [being a quadruplet] “With financial because whenever you need aid, it’s a little bit “Having siblings your own age is challenging for help or guidance through something you have others having to pay for better then you realize.” to help you. For instance, college because — ZACH CAMERON there’s four of help with homework and understanding concepts that us having to go you may not know but my through at once, sister might,” Zach said. but our parent’s have good jobs so it’s Between the four siblings, Hannah is not as hard as other families with four the eldest, and the only girl. kids. I want to split up, but some of my “I like being the only girl because brothers want to follow me to college. I can be by myself and not have to be We might end up going to the same bothered by them. I don’t have to share college, and then transferring for our clothes with any siblings and I get to majors,” Hannah said. have my own room,” Hannah said. Despite having a constantly full The quadruplets aren’t the only house of people and animals alike, the family members. Living under the Camerons find themselves enjoying the Cameron roof are parents Bruce and constant company. Tracy, older brother Ryan, and family Zach said, “We make everything dog Sammy. To add to the family work as much as we can, besides there’s tree, two guinea pigs, five fish and the plenty more kids in other families that occasional fostered kitten. have more kids than us and they make “You always have someone to talk to. it work.” It’s never boring and it’s good because

THE ROAR | SPECIAL EDITION

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

kolette king

two cultures

in one

BY KRISTEN EL SAYEGH

y parents have accents, and I don’t. Call it society in age.” Raised by Liberian parents, Kolette King redefines the meaning of new generation of African Americans. From the time they migrated over 20 years ago, King’s parents have made it their goal to instill African values and culture in their American-born children. The 1980s was a decade of change for the small African border country. The assassination of President William R. Tolbert fueled an overthrow of the sitting government. Order broke down in the preceeding Civil War. Amidst the chaos, many Liberians siezed the opportunity to migrate to the United States. Among their number were King’s parents, who were met with another hostile environment. “When my parents migrated, they experienced some discrimination. Being black in a predominantly white neighborhood was hard enough, but coming straight from Africa was even harder,” King said. King said that the number one value taught by Liberian parents is education. In the late 90s and early 2000s, Liberia’s literacy rate was at a meager 60 percent due to ongoing warfare. Though school was compulsory, many students were provided with a meager amount of supplies, and were forced to study in unhealthy environments. “Education isn’t something everyone gets.

My siblings and I were taught to excel in part of our diet,” King said. school and appreciate all the resources She already has plans for the food and fun that are provided here. We try to appreciate at her own graduation party even though it is everything,” King said. still months away. King and her family are extremely involved “I’ll have a ceremony at a hall with all of in the modern Liberian community, based in my family, and we’ll all be dressed up nice. Sacramento. Her parents serve on the Liberian Everyone who wants to can speak about me board, whose and any memories they members work to have about me. There “Education isn’t something everyone gets. My unite the Liberian will be lots of African siblings and I were taught to excel in school and food and music, and community and create plans to help the next day we’ll have appreciate all the resources that are provided the country itself. a barbecue at a park,” Since education King said. here. We try to appreciate everything.” is so greatly valued, Experiencing — KOLETTE KING the community takes Liberia in person is in pride in its fullher future plans, too. blown graduation parties. Parties occur almost She hopes to travel there to pass down every week during the summer months. Loud her culture to the next generation. As for her music and an abundance of food is always a parents, King has kept most of the same values part of the festivities. Older generations tend but categorizes herself as more socially liberal. to wear traditional African clothing. “I don’t know what it’s like to live in a third “I like to get involved in graduation parties world country. But, at the end of the day we’re because they truly are a celebration and I like all the same people,” King said. seeing all my Liberian friends. Parties are a big deal and each one is different,” King said. From rice dishes to delectable desserts, Liberian food varies completely and has had a TRY A LIBERIAN DESSERT LIKE THE major impact on African culture. ONES COMMON AT PARTIES KING ATTENDS WITH HER FAMILY “As far as recipes go, Liberians don’t really have any. We use estimation and whatever comes naturally. Rice is also a big

WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

angie reed

life in

the

limelight WATCH ANGIE REED ON YOUTUBE @ ONLYAALITTLECRAZY

BY HARMONY REILLY

est case scenario, Angie Reed wins the award and has a wonderful night. Worst case scenario, she’s left in an Eeyore onesie and nothing to show for her hard work and dedication besides her memories. She wasn’t expecting to win it. But the moment her name was called, she knew that acting was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. “I got nominated for [the Elly award] sometime in August. I was kind of astonished because I’ve been trying to get nominated for this award for past six years of my life. I got [to the awards ceremony] and I was dressed in my favorite dress I’ve worn to any event. So I had to go change into this Eeyore onesie backstage [to perform the song I was nominated for], then I realized that the Elly category I’m nominated in was right before my performance. Then they called my name and I had to come out on stage in the onesie. I said, “Wow, I’m in a onesie,” and the entire audience started to laugh and I had to make a speech. I said, “By the way, I promise I did not wear a onesie to the event, I actually look nice,” then I said thank you to Sarta — they were the distributors. And then I said thank you again and I walked off the stage,” Reed said. Reed has been on stage since she was born, from touring with her mother, a professional jazz singer, to performing in community theatre. “I was a very adult kid for my age. I didn’t get that chance to gradually grow up, I just kind of had to do it all at once. When I was about six and a half, my mom said “I got this job offer, and it’s in Branson, Missouri, and it means we’re going to take your kitty and we’re going to travel across the country so that mommy can perform on live television, and you might be able to as well. And so we traveled all the way across the country in a blue Subaru with my cat, all of our luggage, and my art supplies, and we were even on the Lawrence Welk show,” Reed said. Reed said that theatre and singing — being on stage — are what make her feel more alive. When she’s performing, she can forget who she is for a while and pretend to be and live out someone else’s life. “In like fifth or sixth grade, I started to do musicals at the same time [as

THE ROAR | SPECIAL EDITION

my mother was touring] at the Rocklin Community Theatre. When I was in school, I was being a different person, and when I was out of school I was being a different person, so it was one of those things where I never had to be myself, because I wasn’t comfortable being myself,” Reed said. Her love and passion for theatre grew beyond a simple pastime. “The only place I was really safe was in theatre. The only place people actually take you for who you are is when you’re in that sort of “I was a very adult kid for my age. I didn’t environment, where everybody has talent and everybody wants get that chance to gradually grow up, I to succeed and everybody wants to see everybody else succeed,” just kind of had to do it all at once.” Reed said. — ANGIE REED Theatre to Reed is her escape, like how singing helps her anxiety. “I have one [song] that is already being worked in the studio. I’m trying to write four, but I don’t know if I’m going to get to that goal. I’m trying to get them up on YouTube and from there I really wish they would go on iTunes. When I was at the Rocklin High School VAPA assembly when I did some parts of ‘Somebody To Love,’ I had a bunch of people ask if I had an album on iTunes, and I’m hoping to fulfill that,” Reed said. Though she doesn’t have anything yet on iTunes, Reed is working on original songs in the studio with plans for release sometime this year. She said the reason she makes music is to make other people feel different than they do in their day-to-day lives. Reed said, “I like to make music because I get rid of everything that makes me anxious. I think of it as putting my piano compositions with my poetry, and I feel like it connects. My whole goal when I decided I wanted to be an entertainer was that I want to make people to feel different than they do in real life, and I think I can do that with my music. That’s why I strive to be the best I can be.”

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

At home,

campus

josiah williams

Josiah Williams shares life in high school with his father BY MIRANDA WOOLLEY

ntegrated 1 and calculus teacher Joel Williams holds a few titles such as Joel, Mr. Williams and Coach Williams, but to his son Josiah, it’s simply Dad. “It only took me about a week or so to adjust to him being at school with me. It was a pretty quick adjustment. He’s been helping me the last few years, so it’s nothing new,“ Josiah Williams said. Having his dad at school can have its perks, but it can also be tough. “No one has made fun of me, which is good, however it can be hard hearing others make fun of my dad. I’ve heard anything from, ‘He’s the best teacher ever’ to, ‘He’s so unfair and weird.’ When it’s negative I’ll usually just try to ignore it. It’s one of those things you have to shake off. I don’t want to make anyone feel like they have to treat me different because I’m a teacher’s kid,” Williams said. Williams said when he told his friends that Mr. Williams was his dad, a lot of them didn’t believe him. “At first they didn’t believe me because we don’t look anything alike. Then they would be very careful with what they said around me, but they eventually got used to it.” Williams not only spends time with his dad at home and school but also in soccer. Mr. Williams is the boys’ varsity soccer coach and Williams plays soccer. School and sports are an escape for some students away from parents but Williams is with his dad all day, every day which is okay with Williams. “It’s actually really nice having him there with me. He’s always there to help me and encourage me, plus I feel like its strengthened “I was scared at first about him working at our bond. It’s given us a lot more to talk about. Suddenly the school I now attend but he’s really given I actually enjoy talking to him me my personal space and has pretty much about work. We usually talk about his soccer coaching let me be a teenager.” job at Whitney. We’ve spent — JOSIAH WILLIAMS hours talking about the soccer program,” Williams said. Since Williams already spends a lot of time with his dad it probably wouldn’t be a big deal having his dad as the soccer coach, but it has affected Williams. “It’s weird having my dad as a soccer coach more so than a teacher because his choice directly affected the whole program including me, It’s still something I’m not used to” Williams said. Knowing that his dad can know anything Williams does, and his grades and having the ability to talk to his teachers can put pressure and be intimidating, but Williams says it’s not as bad as it may sound. “I was scared at first about him working at the school I now attend but he’s really given me my personal space and has pretty much let me be a teenager.I don’t feel that much pressure but it can be hard knowing he’s not afraid to talk to my teachers about my progress” Williams said. Williams said, “I think my dad enjoys having me at the school with him, honestly. He’s very patient and it’s definitely strengthened our bond. He’s always encouraging me to do better, plus he helps me on my math homework. My dad and I have always been close but now that he works at the school we have become even closer. If anything him being here makes Whitney a homier place. I love having my dad at my school; it’s a great privilege.”

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WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE

jake olson

taking it to the

level J BY CARSEN VAN DER LINDEN

ake Olson reaches for his mouse and pauses the recording. “Okay, that sounded pretty good. We’re going to try it one more time.” “Alright,” says his friend Kyle Carter. He leans in closer to the mic, and Olson begins the recording. “Damn Krauts!” Carter yells into the mic. Olson stops the recording, and the pair burst out laughing. Completing the character voicing for a comically-redneck American soldier was just one small step in the painstaking journey Olson has gone through to create his own indie video game from the desk of his own room. “My mom was watching me play a lot of video games, and she told me that, instead of just sitting around all day, I should just make my own game. So I did, and that’s basically how I got to the spot where I’m at right now,” Olson said. The game currently involves the player controlling a single character, battling on several original and unique maps against and endless wave of enemies to increase and beat your own score. “The game is called ‘Lost Battalion: All-Out Warfare’, and it’s actually based on a real event and real people,” Olson said. While not holding strictly to the historical event, Olson’s World War I 2D horizontal scroller was originally inspired by the story of the United States 77th division and a battle over the Argonne Forest. Consisting of 554 American soldiers, their story of being trapped behind enemy lines and largely outnumbered coined the name Lost Battalion. “They weren’t really lost, so to speak, but they couldn’t be rescued because they were in such a horrible situation. It’s not going to go very deep into the story, it’s just going to be the setting in which the game takes place,” Olson said. The World War 1 storyline in Olson’s game stems from his love of the subject in the classroom. “All of the games I’ve tried to make, the common theme is World War One, because my history teacher Mr. [Paul] Hanks really inspired me and got me interested in learning about World War I. I just find that whole time period so fascinating,” Olson said. Olson’s first attempt to create a 3D shooter ended in failure and prompted him to start with a simpler model. He now has a 2D platformer, which Olson describes as “very much like Mario with guns.” “I originally made a 3D World War One game called ‘Operation August,’ and it was so bad. Nothing would work. But it didn’t discourage me at all, and I just decided to move to something similar and go into 2D instead of 3D,” Olson said. ‘Lost Battalion: All-Out Warfare’ is now on Steam’s Greenlight, a testing ground for new games created by Indie developers like Olson. After paying a $100 fee, and if the game receives enough votes from the community, it we be released onto Steam for the world to purchase and play on their PCs. “One of the biggest reasons I picked Unity [as my development software] was because you don’t have to pay any money until you make 100,000 dollars. If I reached the point of success where I had to pay

THE ROAR | SPECIAL EDITION

someone a little money because I made $100,000, I would be extremely happy,” Olson said. Even when Olson has the opportunity to make money off of his game, it will still be widely accessible to gamers for several reasons. “It’ll be no more than a burger and fries. I’m going to make this game very cheap to download. I want as many people to play this as possible. It’s going to be short, you’ll probably get about 10 hours of gameplay out of it, realistically, simply because it’s a game made by one person,” Olson said. With Steam’s Greenlight program getting thousands of submissions from up and coming developers monthly, the competition can be daunting. But Olson says that, despite the quantity, he has a game that surpasses many opposing submissions. “I’ve checked the other competition, and I feel like my game is miles above theirs,” Olson said. “Now, that’s just me, and maybe I’m a little biased. But I feel like based on a lot of the other stuff that gets put up, mine is simply better.” Olson said the reason for his confidence is his commitment to small details in gameplay and the immense amount of time and effort he has spent working to make his product as good as it can be. “I’ve spent hundreds of hours on this game, easily. There are 156 unique Photoshop pictures going into the game, which was definitely the most painstaking part of the whole project,” Olson said. Olson also has a commitment to create a game with no operational issues upon release. “I just want this to be a very quality-oriented game. If someone’s going to worry about something, it’ll be the gameplay. They simply won’t like the game, and that’s their problem. But I do not want anyone saying in the comments of my game, ‘It’s buggy.’ I’ve sent it to a couple friends, they’ve all been playing it, they’ve pointed out some things to fix.” Olson said. Even after the game is released, Olson wants to utilize the coding talent of friend Mitchell Morehead, who is now working full time on the project. They will add new content, ranging from much-needed mechanics like leaderboards and enemy spawn-limits to future ideas like DLC and perks to improve the depth of the game after initial purchase. “He was originally just there when I had a question, but [Morehead] is going to be going all-out now,” Olson said. Currently in ROTC, Olson plans to graduate high school, get his degree in computer science, and eventually join the Army. “It’s definitely going to continue to be a hobby. Maybe I’ll somehow stumble upon success, but for now it’ll remain something I do for fun,” Olson said. Olson hopes that, given time, he will be able to improve his skills and create more games down the road. Olson said, “I don’t care if this game does horribly. I’m going to be making another, hands-down. I want to try to tackle 3D again after such an abysmal failure the first time and going to 2D. I think I’m ready to try again. I’ll be a lot better than I was before.”