The SOHDA Howl, Vol. 1, Issue 8

“Where Academics Meet The Arts”
School of History and Dramatic Arts
http://sohda-lausd-ca.schoolloop.com
2050 N. San Fernando Road Los Angeles
California 90065
VOLUME I NO. VIII
Newsletter Staff
Editors-in-Chief
Alexia Baca
June 2015
Last Words to Teachers From Seniors
By Joanna Gil, Staff Writer
As our 2015 seniors leave the nest and settle into a different
Mariah
Hernandez
environment as college students, students took the time to write a few
Copy Editors
excellent bunch of teachers have helped us expand our knowledge
Leslie Espinoza
inside the classroom and out. Before the school year ends, the class of
Adrian Sanchez
words about their teachers who have watched them grow. These
2015 would like to say thank you for being such amazing teachers!
“Although I have not had him since my junior year, Mr.
Layout Editor
Trujillo has taught me many
Alejandro Alvarez
things throughout high school,
which have altered my ways of
Staff
Eileen Arce
expanded my knowledge of science, the world, and people around
Janette Aviles
me, and for this I will always be grateful.”
-Savannah Renteria
Abigail
Arredondo
“Ms. Ryley is a great teacher. Although I do not have a
Jessica Celestino
very close relationship with her personally, she is always willing to
Jennifer
Franquez
Joanna Gil
(Mr. Trujillo, Science Teacher)
thinking and understanding. He
lend a helping hand, whether it be school related, or any personal
(Ms. Ryley, History Teacher)
problem.”
-Zuguey Llamas
Maria Guzman
Diana Herrera
Table of Contents
Martha Jovel
Zuguey Llamas
Jorge Miranda
Yuliza Parra
Alexia Salguero
Savannah
Renteria
Emma Sanchez
Page 2: Last Words to Teachers From Seniors
Page 8: Book Review/ Movie Review
Page 3: Where is Class of ’15 Going
Page 9: June Horoscope
Page 4: Senior Sippin’ Up Their SoHDA
Page 10: Puzzle and Games
Page 5: What Will Seniors Miss About SoHDA
Page 11: Graduation Crossword Puzzle
Page 6: Behind the Scenes of the “I Have A
Dream” Speech/ Total Death of
Nepal Earthquake
Page 7: Dear Dude
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Last Words to Teachers From Seniors
“Mr. Martinez has always been brutally honest with all of his students. He gives us advice that
will help us both in college and in adult life. Also, he is cynically sarcastic, which I like
because I can relate to that, and I know that he acts as if he doesn’t care, but deep down, I
suspect that he does.”
-Mariah Hernandez
“Mr. Reyes is a remarkable teacher because throughout the
years that I have had him as a teacher, he has taught me
many things, besides history. Whenever I need someone to
talk to about a problem, he is always there for me and all of
his students.”
(Mr. Martinez, English Teacher)
-Maricruz Jaimez
“Mr. Berlin is one of the most respected teachers at
SoHDA because he is always willing to be there for his
students and is very patient. If a student has a problem with
a lesson, Mr. Berlin makes it possible for anyone to
understand the material and does not leave any student
(Mr. Reyes, History Teacher)
behind.”
-Pablo Aguilar
“Mr. Campbell reminds me that not all teachers have to be
teachers-they can be friends too. I want to thank him for
being an adult I can trust, and that says a lot because I don’t
(Mr. Berlin, Math Teacher)
trust many. He is one of the few teachers that wants to
sacrifice his free time for students and help us reach our full
potential. Mr. Campbell is a wise man that inspires me to do bigger and greater things in life.”
-Alexia Baca
“Mr. Lewis was a great mentor to me throughout these four years that I have known him. He is a
great athletic director and has great taste in music.”
-Erick Espinoza
(Mr. Campbell, English Teacher)
(Mr. Lewis, Physical Education Teacher)
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Where is Class of ‘15 Going?
By Yuliza Parra, Staff Writer
Our class worked really hard the past four years to get where they are going and I hope that their accomplishments will be
acknowledged, here are some schools and forces where many of our seniors are attending.
MERCED
LOS ANGELES
Jessica Celestino
Erick Espinoza
Yuliza Parra
Christopher Arambula
LOS ANGELES
Alex Guillen
Maricarmen Cortez
Kimberly Du
Eddy Sosa
Angel Olivos
Fabian Torres
Henry Matute
Jocelyn Delgado
Isael Diaz
Michelle Alarcon
Mayra Lopez
Marlon Rodriguez
Alex Guillen
Miguel Castillo
Alejandro Villeraldo
Ana Hernandez
Alexia Baca
SAN FRANCISCO
Oscar Caballero
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
RIVERSIDE
BERKELEY
Mariah Hernandez
Vicky Lin
DAVIS
Moises Celis
Martha Jovel
Denise Mora
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
NORTHRIDGE
POMONA
LONG BEACH BAKERSFIELD
Kimberly Gutierrez
Andy Rosas
Danny Cach
Luis Olvera
Rosio Rodriguez
Linda Posada
Heather Talag
Quelvin Martinez
Christy Leon
Korey Ocampo
Heidi Pezqueda
Emely Mendez
Pablo Aguilar
Maria Flores
Sutilux Phothirath
Silvia Manon
Abel Perez
Eric Rascon
SAN DIEGO
Andrea Estrada
DOMINGUEZ HILLS
Maria Guzman
SAN BERNARDINO
Laura Garcia
CHANNEL ISLANDS
Oscar Salazar
GLENDALE
Karla Alvarez
Chris Davila
Yanci Aguilar
Brian Solano
Henry Soto
Isae Arreola
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PASADENA
Luis Sanchez
Maricruz Jaimez
Jacqueline Ruiz
Anton Kopp
Lenny Cardenas
Brian Salazar
Michelle Miclat
Joel Delgado
Savannah Renteria
Annette Cortez
Brian Segura
Brian Rodriguez
Heaven Cordova
Jazmine Olmos
Anaid Reyes
ARMED FORCES
US NAVY
Mariana Rosales
US ARMY
Miguel Tejeda
Nontanee Krutnet
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Seniors Sippin’ Up Their SoHDA
Yuliza Parra, Staff Writer
SoHDA has been the home of many members of our senior class,
including myself, for the past four years. These past four years have
allowed us all to grow as both students and members of society. Our new
school welcomed its very first freshman class in September of 2011, and
will say goodbye to class of 2015 this June. Despite our lack of typical high
school characteristics, we gained various experiences that we would not
have received at larger high schools around us, or even on other campuses.
“My time at SoHDA has been great. When I started, it was a new high
school and many of the activities took time to start, but I can say that these
past four years have been great. I’ve met so many new people, and they
have made my high school experience amazing. I can say that this school
has prepared me to face the real world. These teachers have given me
confidence and trust in myself. So, in that case, I’m counting down the days
until we leave,” said Abel Perez.
At SoHDA, we did not have the typical high school experience,
due to the lack of history behind it, and activities took a while to become
established. Our athletics struggled to begin and they are still developing themselves every year. Although athletics are a not a
SoHDA-specific activity, many of our seniors still were part of the first year teams. Many of Sotomayor’s teams did not succeed in
numbers, but they did succeed in becoming established and continuing. Manuel (Manny) Delatorre was one of these students. He
played on the first year’s basketball team along with participating in our track and field team for four continuous years. He stated
that, “Personally, I’d say my time at SoHDA was pretty great throughout my four years, and though senior year has been stressful,
I’ve had such a great experience. I’ve learned so much here and I feel like at a larger
school I would not have gotten the attention that I did here.”
In these four years, we have grown together and have seen the members of our class
come and go. Each one of the newly added members to our SoHDA family have had
a different experience, and I felt it was best to ask one of them about how he felt
coming into a new home for their last year of high school. Erick Amador, former Art
Lab student, said that he “still feels that the closing of Art Lab was unfortunate, but
SoHDA’s students and staff have been trying so hard to make [our] experience a
better one.”
One of the students who were new to our small family was Vicky Lin. She transferred
here, during her sophomore year, from John Marshall High School. She stated that,
“SoHDA was different from what I expected high school to be. I came from a larger
school where cliques were larger and much more influential and staff members were much more difficult to get a hold of.
Overall ,I’m glad I moved over here because I feel like my experience here was much more beneficial than the one I would have
received at my other high school.”
We are slowly coming to the end of our high school careers and starting to decide where to go next. Soon, many of us will
attend college, join the armed forces, or go into the working world. Regardless of what choices we make and what our future holds
for us, we will remember our time here and will always be SoHDA Superstars.
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What Will Senors Miss About SoHDA?
By Eileen Arce, Staff Writer
As the school year comes to a close, the seniors will be
leaving SoHDA, so I decided to ask a few seniors what
they will miss the most about SoHDA and entering
their respective paths in life out of curiosity.
Fabian Torres: “I won’t really miss anything about
SoHDA.”
Alex Guillen: “I’ll miss Mr. Berlin most of all.”
Jose Mireles: “I’ll miss my friends the most.”
Karla Cabrera: “ I am going to miss being next to
ArtLAB’s building and Martinez’s class.”
Erika Vargas: “I am going to miss playing
basketball.”
Mayra Lopez: “I’m going to miss Mandy.”
Quelvin Martinez: “I am going to miss everything.”
Karla Alvarez: “What I am going to miss most is the staff. They have been there for me since I was a freshman, and they were
always there for the best advice, whether it was personal, or academic issues.”
Sunny Mejia: “Honestly, I will miss all the people here.”
Savannah Renteria: “I’m going to miss the whole thing. It was like a home for me. I’m going to miss the comfort. The entire
setting was so spontaneous and interesting. I am going to miss seeing the same faces everyday.”
Martha Jovel: “Being able to turn in late work, friends (obviously), and the teachers. Excuses for not doing work, and not getting
in trouble for being absent.
Joannna Gil: “I am going to miss the teachers mostly.”
Zuguey Llamas: “My friends, the teachers too. I will miss the goldfish.”
Alexia Baca: “The teachers because I am not going to see them as often. It is going to be a weird transition from seeing them
everyday to seeing them God knows when.”
Alexia Salguero: “I am going to miss the long lunch lines. I will also miss the table me and friends always sit at.”
Yuliza Parra: “I’m going to miss the teachers and Jackie.”
Jessica Celestino: “I’m going to miss Martinez and Reyes.”
Behind the Scene of the "I Have A Dream" Speech
By Janette Aviles, Staff Writer
On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington D.C. It is
one of the most famous speeches in American history. King perceived that one day the nation should be free without any color
discrimination, and his words influenced the federal government to take actions to acknowledge racial equality. He delivered his
speech to over 250,000 civil rights supporters to make a movement in America, and he fought until his death to see the nation live
according to its creed: to hold truths and self-evidence and treat each other as equal men and women, regardless of what skin color
we were born with.
Many believed this was an African-American issue, but in reality, it was an issue for all races. It kept different races from
getting married together, or what is known as interracial couples with either a Negro, a mulatto, or any person with 1/8 Negro
blood. Interracial would be sent to prison, or fined $1,000. There was also an issue with children's education because the
privileges for colored races to sit in front of the school bus were stripped.
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Behind the Scenes of the "I Have A Dream" Speech
I had the honor to interview Dierdire Marlowe, who was present in the occasion King's "I Have a Dream" speech. As Ms.
Marlowe remembers when she was a little girl, she never realized how popular this speech was going to be in American history.
When she sees the recordings of the day King delivered his speech, she sees the people clapping and cheering, but when she was
present, she remembers seeing adults crying of happiness and gaining hope for equality in the nation. During the time the speech
was given, Ms. Marlowe expected violence, riots, just chaos in general, but instead the audience was very peaceful and united.
Ms. Marlowe explained how it struck people as odd that King did not just focus on one race, but that he focused on all
races. It influenced many to take a stand and make a difference for what they believed. When I asked Ms. Marlowe if she believed if
our nation has rose up and lived up to the true meaning of its creed, she expressed, "I believe that our nation is working its way, but
we are not far enough. We are still growing, but it is a difference from what many experienced back when racism was a huge issue."
Then I asked Ms. Marlowe the following question: Do you believe that we will ever become a nation of equality? She
responded with, "No, I don't think we would ever become a state of justice because there is always going to be someone
complaining about something, but I believe that we are capable of getting close. " Ms. Marlowe shares ignore by being an audience
member for the "I Have a Dream" speech influenced her occupation. She works with high school students because she finds it
important to have equity and access, and she enjoys teaching kids the moral principles of fair judgment.
Ms. Marlowe indicates how instead of celebrating King's day by not working, it should be viewed as a day of service
because he was a man that wanted to better the nation.
Total Death of Nepal Earthquake
By Jorge Miranda, Staff Writer
“We we need help, please help,” says a sign in the village of
Pauwathok, Nepal. The villagers of Pauwathok believe that they will not
receive any help from its government, despite the Capitol being 30 miles
away, because the government and soldiers have not visited the ruined city
after the earthquake. One morning, police trucks passed through the city, and
(Soldiers finding bodies of dead people after the
7.8 Nepal Earthquake, Huffington Post)
a man asked, “Are we invisible to you?” The trucks transported weapons
outside the city, not helping the people.
This 7.8 magnitude earthquake affected more than 8.1 million people
out of the total 28 million people in Nepal. The governments’ latest number, which was reported Sunday, May 3rd is determined that
there are 7,040 dead, and there is hope to find survivors. There are still many aftershocks occurring, which seem to frighten the
villagers more.
This small village was not the only village ruined. Different parts of Nepal
were ruined as well; there have been about 2,560 deaths and 1,622 in Kathmandu, and
about 90% of Sindupalchok had been destroyed. There are are approximately
80
homes that are habitable and the rest are destroyed.
There recently has been help for the people of Nepal from a truck filled with
rice, noodles, and medical supplies. These are from the state of Sindupalchok teachers
who have gotten donations from around the world and charities.
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, so they need help. They
need tents, food, support and money to help out with the costs. Many people were hurt by the
disaster, and they have no medicine to relieve their pain. What can you do to help?
Sources: huffingtonpost.com
(Map of Asia, where Nepal is
located, Google Images)
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Dear Dude
When should I begin to visit college campuses? I’m a
junior this year and I know I have to apply this
upcoming fall, but I have no idea about anything.
I recommend that you look into what colleges you want to
go to first, and from there, make a list of which ones you
want to schedule a tour with. In order to make an
appointment to get a tour, you would have to check each
school’s website and see how and when they operate. I think
visiting over the summer would be a great idea to help you
choose what you need to apple to.
I don’t know what to pack for college. I know I’ll need
my toothbrush and some money, but what else? (I’m
dorming).
Begin by making a list. See what you absolutely need (bedding, toiletries, clothing, etc.) and then what you want to take (comforting
things from home, photos, etc.) I recommend getting index cards and making lists for each specific category to pack for. One would
be for your room, the other for toiletries, another for electronics, etc. That way, you know what you already have to take, and what
you need to purchase.
I need to go to summer school, but I’m not sure on what my options are. Where should I go, and who should I talk to?
Talk to Ms. Lee and see what options you have. You can attend summer school here, another local high school, or you can attend at
an adult school. Whatever would work best for you is what I recommend, but just do not wait until the last minute to go and talk to
Ms Lee.
My boyfriend cheated on me, but he doesn’t know that I know. He thinks that I’m clueless and continues to act like
everything is fine. What should I do?
If you are absolutely certain that he did cheat, then you should confront him about it. Make sure that you are in a safe place when
doing so and have someone to go to after everything happens. He may deny it and say that nothing happened, or he may tell you the
truth. Prepare yourself with whatever may happen during that conversation. If you feel like boundaries were crossed and it was
something that really hurt you, you should consider breaking off your relationship, since it causes such a huge disturbance in your
life. I hope everything is okay and everything works out for you.
I’m afraid that my friends and I aren’t going to hang out after graduation. We all are attending different schools and school
systems. What do you think we should do so we don’t lose the bond that we created?
I wouldn’t worry so much about it right now if I were you. You still have the whole summer to spend with them. I think you should
talk to your friends about your concerns and see how they feel about everything. You’re going to be busy too, so don’t feel bad that
you won’t talk everyday. Make the best of the time you have and make plans to talk weekly or bi-weekly and to meet during winter,
Thanksgiving, and/or spring break.
What do you recommend to do over the summer to stay busy?
I would say to read a few good books. This way, when you have nothing to do at all, you can continue working your brain and have
some time to yourself. Make sure it is something fun and enjoyable, this way not only are you “staying busy,” but having fun as
well. You can also look for internships over the summer that will help build your resumé, along with giving you something else to
put on your brag sheet.
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Book Review
By Jennifer Franquez, Staff Writer
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
By Jesse Andrews
Plot:
Up until senior year, Greg has maintained a personality of being
antisocial and invisible. He only has one friend, Earl. He and Earl spend their
free time making movies about the most dumb remakes of best film. They
never make movies for anybody but themselves, until he meets Rachel. Greg’s
mother gets an idea that Greg should become friends with Rachel because she
is diagnosed with leukemia. When Rachel decides to stop treatment, Greg
resides from his little world and makes a film for Rachel while becoming
more outgoing. Greg was a person who never knew what to do with his life.
He hates to receive a compliment instead, he would rather get into a fight.
Review:
(Me and Earl and the Dying
You would think that a book that involving cancer and death is really tragic,
girl cover; www.google.com)
but this book provides an alternative perspective. This book has humor and
exhibits love in a kindful way. I shed a couple tears, because it involves cancer
and reminded me that there is a possibility that Rachel will die. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is not like
The Fault in Our Stars, it was funny and only gave a couple tears. The book did not just focus on Rachel; it
focused on Greg and Earl and their experience in the world. It was about them entering a world where they do
not know what to expect. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl will premiere in theaters on June 12, 2015.
Movie Review
By Jennifer Franquez and Abigail Arredondo, Staff Writers
The Avengers: Age of Ultron
Director: Joss Whedon
Screenwriter: Joss Whedon
Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
Release date: May 1, 2015
Ratings: 5/5
Plot:
The Avengers: Age of Ultron is the second film to The Avengers franchise. Iron Man whose
real name is Tony Stark, who wants to create Ultron, a system that helps Stark’s safety robots, in order
to take a rest from fighting. Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver’s sister, manipulates Stark’s mind in order to
see a vision of his greater fear which is the loss of his friends. Ultron, on the other hand, views that the
world has been plagued with the existence of humans, so he creates an army to kill every human being, by using a weapon called
the Tesseract, which is a blue cube that serves as a portal to another world, through destroying mankind by a man-made meteor.
Now the the team has assembled once again to stop Ultron.
Review:
No words can explain how good the movie was. It was amazing. It consisted of a lot action and humor. My friends and I
were laughing the whole time! We see the Avengers again for a second time to save the world from a robot that literally controls the
internet and knows everything of everyone that has ever existed. It was so amazing, all the action really satisfied, me and my
friends. We loved it so much we had to see it for a second time. We saw the life stories of some of the members from the team. It
gets emotional near the end, like a couple tears. This movie is really great to watch with your friends and family. Now we will have
to wait until 2018 and 2019 for the next two installments to the Avengers franchise.
!8
June Horoscopes
By Emma Sanchez, Staff Writer
http://www.horoscope.com/
Aries: (March 21-April 19)
Lately, you may be feeling moody. You may just want to be alone and not cooperate with others. It is okay to deserve to have your
own peace and enjoy your own company, but you will have to come out of your shell at times so others do not get offended. Try to
be patient.
Taurus: (April 20-May 20)
You may be feeling like there are weights on your shoulders. Something is weighing you down and it is up to you to fix it. This
feeling of being stuck in an ongoing conflict is affecting you in bad ways: it may be affecting your schoolwork, or your social life.
Problems will go on as long as you allow them to.
Gemini: (May 21-June 20)
Your emotions may be going crazy over a special someone. Love is very exciting and fun, but be careful because things could also
end badly. Try not to obsess over this person. You do not want to seem clingy or needy because that might drive the other person
away. Love is very complicated.
Cancer: (June 21- July 22)
Sometimes it is okay to want a fresh start. Things are not going so well and you want to eliminate that. You have the potential and
the patience to fix what you want. Keep in mind that fresh starts aren’t easy. Do what you think is right, and end what is wrong.
Leo: (July 23- August 22)
Being generous could have a positive affect on you. Those who are kind and generous are generally much happier. Whenever you
have a chance to offer something or help some one, take that chance. You could make someone’s day 10 times better with an act of
kindness.
Virgo: (August 23- September 22)
A family member may seem to be very distant right now. Don’t be offended by this! They might be going through an emotional
crisis and may not want to include you right now. Do not pressure them into speaking to you. Eventually they will tell you when the
time is right. Be patient.
Libra: (September 23- October 22)
Communication has been off with your friends, or loved ones. Things are confusing and it is very stressful. Having poor
communication skills can cause a lot of tension and conflict. Try to talk to this person to see what is the latest update in their life, or
feelings.
Scorpio: (October 23- November 21)
Someone close to you may be giving you a hard time. They may be very isolated and upset. Though this is uncomfortable and you
might want to try and resolve it, it is best to give this person their space. Sometimes people just want to be alone and cope with the
feelings they have.
Sagittarius: (November 22- December 21)
Many things seem fun to do, but friends are holding you back. Don’t be afraid to take risks! People could think what they want, but
in the end, it is your thoughts that matter. Don’t miss out on opportunities that could be beneficial to you. If your friends are not
supportive of your choices then maybe you should consider new friends.
Capricorn: (December 22- January 19)
You may have encountered a situation in which your feelings were hurt or you heart got broken. Dealing with these types of
emotions is not easy. You might want to sit around and be sad but that will not make you feel any better. Distract yourself from
whatever is hurting you. But remember, the number one thing that fixes everything is time.
Aquarius: (January 20- February 18)
Your To-Do-List is piling up. You are starting to slack off on your duties at home or at school. This is not a path you want to go
down! You will eventually encounter the stress of rushing everything at the last minute. Try setting small realistic goals each day
and get something done.
Pisces: (February 19- March 20)
Some situations you can’t figure out yourself and that’s okay. Seeking advice from someone older and experienced is normal. You
can also use this as an opportunity to break barriers with an older relative. Talking about feelings and gaining advice could be
beneficial you and to others as well.
!9
Puzzles and Games
By Jorge Miranda, Staff Writer
Number Blocks
The missing numbers are integers between 0 and
8.
The numbers in each row add up to totals to the
right.
The numbers in each column add up to the totals
along the bottom.
The diagonal lines also add up the totals to the
right.
Answers:
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