Peavyhouse named TUHS Teacher of the Year

Volume 98, No. 5
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Taft Union High School, 701 7th St., Taft, Calif. 93268
March 25, 2011
Peavyhouse named TUHS Teacher of the Year
Tina Perez
News Editor
ELD teacher Jackie Peavyhouse
was recently named Taft Union
High School District Teacher of the
Year. She will represent the district
in the county competition, with the
winner being announced in May at a
ceremony in Bakersfield.
The intent of the Teacher of the
Year program is to pay tribute to the
efforts of the county’s teachers and
to bring public focus to the positive
achievements of California teachers
and students.
The entire faculty was asked to
nominate a teacher and then the
Teachers Association executive
committee voted on the candidates.
Peavyhouse was nominated by history teacher Brad Van Roekel.
“We share students, and they
love going to her class and have
shown a lot of improvement,” said
Van Roekel. “I think that she must
be doing something pretty special.”
Peavyhouse uses a variety of
methods to teach her students and
to interact with them because of the
students’ varied degrees of understanding of English. She modifies
grammar lessons, uses their language to explain and uses examples
and models instead of lectures.
“I just love being around kids,”
said Peavyhouse. “It is the most fun
because you get to play all day.”
ELD teacher Jackie Peavyhouse, with Principal/Superintendent Mark Richardson and TUHS Teachers’ Association president David Dennis, who presented Peavyhouse with flowers when they informed her that
she had been selected as the district Teacher of the Year. Photo by Bill Wolfe
She always wanted to be a teacher; as a child she would play schoolhouse with her brothers.
“I would be the teacher and they
would be my students,” she remembers.
Peavyhouse earned a bachelor
of arts degree in philosophy at Cal
State Bakersfield. She returned to
CSUB for her teaching credential
and masters degree. She obtained
her administrative credential from
Fresno Pacific University and her
special education credential from
National University.
Peavyhouse attended an informational meeting at the Kern County Superintendent of Schools office
along with other county nominees
in early March. She was given eight
essay questions about education to
answer as part of the next round of
the competition.
“It is such an honor and so shocking to even be nominated. There are
so many qualified teachers here,”
said Peavyhouse.
Freshman Orientation gives
incoming students a look at
everything TUHS offers
5
Faces in the
Crowd: Get to
know these folks
Andy Thibodeau got students on their feet to join him in some kinetic
activities, including the Wildcat “roar,” during his presentation. Even
teacher Kelly Morris (balcony, upper right) joined in. Photo by Bill Wolfe
Guest speaker Thibodeau
teaches students benefits
of caring, participating
6-7 ScholarAthletes
win both ways
8
Panic! at the
Disco returns
with new CD
Tina Perez
News Editor
London, Ontario native Andy
Thibodeau brought the house down
on March 16, when he spoke to the
students and staff in the auditorium.
His energetic presentation kept the
audience entertained as he educated
them about caring.
Thibodeau focused on his favorite ways of caring: showing up, participating and listening. He spoke
about the importance of enjoying
high school and participating in the
various events and functions that
our school has to offer and stretching our “care bubble.”
He also stressed the rewards
of caring: learning, changing the
world, making friends and creating
memories. “Caring people have way
more fun,” said Thibodeau. “’It was
fun’ is a much better memory than
‘It sucked’.”
He also insisted that it was never
too late to start getting involved in
school, especially for seniors, whose
graduation is just around the corner.
For those seniors who will soon be
facing the real world and a career,
“Today’s detention is tomorrow’s
‘You’re fired’.”
Thibodeau also entertained the
audience with his knowledge of
TUHS activities. He mentioned
Mock Rock and the school’s upcoming centennial anniversary next year,
and he also knew about surrounding communities, like McKittrick
and Maricopa.
Thibodeau has been a motivational speaker for the past 19 years
and has spoken in all Canadian
provinces and 38 states. He shared
his life experiences and admitted
that high school can be tough but it
is not impossible. He remembered
being “6-foot-tall and 118 pounds.
In sports, the wind was my biggest
opponent,” he joked.
He also offered advice on what
students’ priorities should be. He
continued on page 8
English teachers Jacquie White and Kevin Hughes chat with incoming
freshmen about the 9th grade curriculum. Photo by Autumn Fee
By Autumn Fee
Staff Writer
The Mullen Gym was filled wallto-wall with parents and their eighth
grade students gazing in awe at all
the booths displaying everything
Taft High has to offer. Freshman Orientation on February 28 brought out
hundreds of incoming freshmen to
earn about Taft High and, hopefully,
reduce their anxiety about starting
high school in August.
The night started off smoothly
around 6 p.m. Adults and their teens
wandered around the gym, eyes lingering on every booth they passed
by. Some stopped to converse briefly with teachers, coaches and students. Most booths were colorfully
decorated with posters and banners
showing off aspects of the class or
program, many of which had items
for students and parents to examine.
For instance, the science department
had a plasma ball, which is a glass
ball with gas and an electrode that
produces streams of light. Everyone
seemed pleased by the variety of informative displays.
All incoming freshmen received
a TUHS Class of 2015 T-shirt. The
shirt is intended to create an instant
sense of belonging.
Even though the night was going
well, the crowding in the gym caused
some people to feel uncomfortable.
“The only reason I didn’t like the
Orientation was because it was too
crowded,” said Taylor Urioste, an
eighth grader at Lincoln.
Nevertheless, the Freshman Orientation turned out to be a success.
“The evening went off without
a hitch. We had a strong turnout!”
said principal Mark Richardson.
The incoming freshmen found
out that TUHS offers more than they
had imagined.
“This was very eye-opening for
me,” said Monique Sanchez. “It really showed me what Taft High was
all about.”
After breaking through the chaos
of people, students realized how
continued on page 8
News & Opinion
Page 2
March 25, 2011
Students must have Tdap
vaccination for next year
By Tina Perez
News Editor
Scooter borrows Jessie Hutchison’s Kindle to do some reading during a tutorial class. Photo by Bill Wolfe
E-readers popular with more teens
By Tina Perez
News Editor
E-readers such as Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes and Noble’s Nook
were originally created to accommodate an older audience, but have
steadily risen in popularity among
teens. Ever since the holidays there
has been an increase in sales of ereaders and e-books to younger
readers.
Now that more e-readers are
available and competition has
brought down prices, demand has
increased considerably. Different
age and demographic groups have
been enticed by the devices because
of their convenience and the ability
to enlarge text.
“It saves so much space and
money, and I don’t have to wait until I have time to go to a bookstore to
get a new book,” said junior Jessie
Hutchison, who received a Kindle
last Christmas, at her request. She
enjoys the simplicity of having the
ability to download all of her favorite books and being able to carry
them around with her at any time.
Although it is too soon to know
if the younger readers who have adopted e-readers will stick with them
or eventually get bored of them and
replace them with a newer device,
most young readers are excited
about them and seem to prefer them
to the traditional hardcover and paperback books.
Some educators have decided to
use these devices as a platform for
education. Many high school and
college textbooks are now available
for e-readers at much lower prices,
and it is much easier to carry them
around school.
“To put all the textbooks on ereaders instead of $100 textbooks
would be wonderful,” said history
teacher John Kopp. ”Students would
just have to get out an e-reader every day.” Lockers would essentially
become obsolete.
“It is so much easier to carry my
Nook than carrying a lot of books,
and I can read in the dark,” said
sophomore Kayla Meyer. She received her Nook from her grandmother for her 16th birthday.
Most titles are relatively cheap
and because of public domain (no
longer under copyright, most classics that would be required for
class reading are free. The e-readers
themselves have dropped in price to
as low as $139 for a Kindle and $99
for a Borders Kobo.
“I have always read a lot but
now I have more books, so I read
a lot more,” said Meyer. “It makes
reading so much easier. I definitely
recommend splurging on it.”
STEM Problem-Based Learning program
gets trial run in Usrey’s science class
By Roxanna Barboza
Staff Writer
As the group of students sat together after school, they thought and
thought about how they were going
to solve the problem of the TTF Watershed Partner Project. They had to
analyze it, conduct research, brainstorm and finally test their idea. It
was going to take them a couple of
weeks. Could they solve the problem of how to manage storm water
without costs to the city or its environment?
The students will be applying the
STEM PBL method to unravel the
dilemma. STEM PBL stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics Problem-Based Learning. It was designed by the New
England Board of Higher Education
(NEBHE) to help students become
better prepared for upper-level science courses by engaging them
in different types of challenging,
hands-on projects. Most of these will
be in the area of sustainable technology.
The STEM PBL process works by
first giving the students a problem
that is impossible to solve at the onset. They embark on asking focused
questions, which helps them self-direct their research. This helps them
construct an experiment which will
lead to an answer to the problem.
Because of this method, the students
will have facts-based research and
hard, experimental data to support
their conclusions.
“The students have all been invited to experience the STEM PBL
integration,” said science teacher
Nathan Usrey “They will benefit
from the instructions, and a few will
learn special accolades for superior
performance.”
“I get to learn new concepts in a
new way by not needing the teacher’s guidance,” said freshman Cristina Diaz.
Usrey’s Integrated
Science class is involved
with the STEM PBL
program. All students
in his class have the
option to be in the program, although some
students choose not to
participate because it
competes with their already heavy workload.
Taft Union High School
and Taft College are the
only schools in California which offer students the opportunity
to be involved in the
STEM PBL program.
The recent publication by the New England Board of Education shows that the
STEM PBL method improves critical thinking,
communication
and Cristina Diaz measures the amount of water in
problem-solving skills. the gutter while Roxanna Barboza tracks the
Although stress and data as part of the PBL Watershed project .
anxiety is common in Photo by Nathan Usrey
the program, students
who persevere will arPBL program. He stayed for a week,
rive at the right answer and have the working eight hours each day.
research to prove it.
“The New England Board of
“The students will earn the title Higher Education prepared us by
of ‘Superior Scientists’ as deemed turning the teachers into students
applicable by the participating for a week,” said Usrey. “They gave
teacher and the New England Board us the hard topics, putting us in the
of Higher Education,” said Usrey.
situations that the students would
“I wanted to be in the program be put into.”
because it promised to teach science
The work that Usrey and his stuprinciples in a purely research-ori- dents have invested in the STEM
ented and experimental way,” said PBL program has opened doors for
Usrey.
Usrey to be accepted to the Fulbright
The PBL program is a demand- Japan Teacher Exchange Program
ing and exclusive one. Nearly 90 for Education in Sustainable Develteachers applied for a training work- opment this summer.
shop, with only 26 being selected
The STEM PBL program
including Usrey. Teachers had to is going to lead selected Taft High
be involved in a specialized acad- students where they’ve never been
emy. Usrey gave up some of his free before. They’re going above and
time during the summer of 2010 to beyond, and thanks to Usrey, these
go to the Photonics Center at Boston TUHS students are able to take adUniversity to learn about the STEM vantage of a special opportunity.
Starting this fall, all seventh
through twelfth graders must present proof that they have gotten
the Tdap vaccine(the pertussis, or
whooping cough, booster shot) in
order to be admitted into school.
The California legislature passed
a law last September requiring the
vaccine in an attempt to prevent another outbreak of pertussis.
Whooping cough is a contagious
respiratory disease caused by bordetella pertussis bacteria. The disease starts off with cold symptoms,
then leads to severe coughing spells
which can last several weeks or even
months. Pertussis can lead to serious
illness and even death. The infection
is spread by inhaling the bacteria
that someone has coughed out.
Last year there was a spike in
spread levels not seen since 1958,
according to the California Depart-
ment of Public Health. There were
366 cases in Kern County alone in
2010.
On Thursday, March 24 from
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. the San
Joaquin Hospital Mobile Vaccine
clinic will be at the Taft City School
District Office parking lot, located at
820 6th Street, to administer the Tdap
vaccine. Immunizations will also be available at the Rotary Health Fair at Buena Vista High School on Saturday,
April 16. Parents must be present
and they must have their child’s yellow immunization card with them.
The vaccines are free.
“It is important for everyone to
get their proof before school starts
next year,” said school nurse Teri
Jordan. “The good thing is that the
immunization is only required for
next school year.”
Clinics in Taft also offer free or
low-cost immunizations.
Trivia to impress others
By Tina Perez
News Writer
1. Whales not only communicate,
but they also speak in dialects.
2. “Bic” pens were originally to
be named after the inventor, Marcel
Bich, but marketers changed their
minds and dropped the “h” when
they thought about how the name
might be pronounced in Englishspeaking countries.
3. Mt. Everest grows half-an-inch
to an inch every year.
4. Every day is longer than the
previous day by 55 billionths of a
second.
5. Snakes don’t blink.
6. Jamie Foxx’s birth name was
Eric Bishop.
7. Legally Blond actress Reese
Witherspoon is the direct descendent of John Witherspoon, one of
the 56 signers of the Declaration of
Independence.
8. Superman was created by a
Canadian, Joe Shuster.
9. Rock and roll legend Elvis
Presley had a pet monkey named
Scatter.
10. The inventors of Pepsi, Coke
and Dr Pepper were all Civil War
veterans.
11. Adolph Hitler was a vegetarian.
12. In 1952, Queen Elizabeth was
named Time magazine’s “Man of
the Year.”
13. The elephant is the only
animal that can’t jump; it has four
knees.
14. Cacophobia is a fear of ugliness.
15, For every human on Earth,
there are 200 million insects.
Facts from Edwards, Russ and
Jack Kreismer. The Bathroom Trivia
Digest. Red-Letter Inc., 2008.
The Gusher
Taft Union High School
701 7th Street
Taft, CA 93268
(661) 763-2300
Adviser: Bill Wolfe
[email protected]
The Gusher is a monthly publication of the journalism class at
Taft Union High School. The Gusher is an open forum for students, faculty and alumni of TUHS. The opinions and views
expressed in The Gusher are the sole responsibility of the staff
and do not reflect the views of either TUHS, the TUHS
District, or the Board of Trustees. Member, NSPA
Editor-in-Chief
Nicole Frost
Entertainment Editor
Sarah Muro
Photo Editor
Grecia Almaguer
Sports Editor
Grecia Almagur
Copy Editor
Cristina Loza
Staff Writers
Roxanna Barboza
Karissa Dixon
Autumn Fee
Eloisa Garcia
Ashley Malizia
Winter Martin
Katarina Moore
Maria Solis
Features Editor
Raveena Bhakta
News Editor
Tina Perez
Features
March 25, 2011
Page 3
Survey: What’s your favorite iPhone app?
Teens crave
self-esteem
By Raveena Bhakta
Features Editor
John Usrey
App: Settings
“Pragmatism”
Jacob White
App: Reeder
“It syncs my Google RSS feeds.
It’s beautifully designed and works
very well.”
John Kopp
App: Bible
“I have access to it everywhere
- all the time - and I don’t have to
carry around a big book.”
Sharon Hill
App: Words with Friends
“It’s a great way to keep in touch
with family and friends.”
Emily Davis
App: Pandora
“It allows me to take my music
anywhere.”
Jennifer Hinojosa
App: Doodle Jump
“It’s fun to play. I can play it for
hours!”
Fears and phobias a universal experience
By Sarah Muro
Staff Writer
Fear is a basic human emotion.
When we sense danger, the brain reacts instantly. Sometimes fear is triggered by something that is startling
or unexpected (like a loud noise),
even if it’s not actually dangerous.
Fear happens to be the word we
use to describe our emotional reaction to something that seems dangerous. But the word “fear” is used
in another way too; to name something a person feels afraid of but
that is not actually dangerous.
According to teenhealth.net and
helpguide.org, fear can be healthy if
it causes a person to stay safe around
something that could be dangerous.
But sometimes a fear is unnecessary
and causes more caution than the
situation calls for.
“I’m afraid of the number eight,”
said Senior Amber Strong. “Bad
events in my life were always associated with the number eight. My
dad’s suicide happened when I was
eight and my best friend died in
2008.”
Many people have a fear of public speaking, known as glossophobia. Whether giving a report in class,
speaking at an assembly or reciting
lines in the school play, many peo-
ple are afraid of speaking in front of
others. It is one of the most common
fears.
Children often have fears of the
dark, being alone, strangers and
monsters in the closet, but as they
grow older they tend to face and
overcome these fears and phobias.
When fears last beyond an expected
age, it might be a sign that the individual is overly fearful or anxious
and may need help to finally overcome them.
People tend to avoid the situations or things they fear. But this
doesn’t help them overcome the fear;
in fact, it can do the reverse. Avoiding something scary reinforces a
fear and strengthens it. For example,
many who suffer from arachnophobia will never overcome the fear of
spiders if they don’t take the time to
educate themselves about them.
People can overcome unnecessary fears and phobias by giving
themselves the chance to learn about
and gradually get used to the thing
or situation they’re afraid of. Gradually facing a fear helps some people
overcome it; this is known as desensitization.
Phobias cause people to worry
about, dread, feel upset by and
avoid things or situations they fear
because the physical sensations of
fear can be so intense. Having certain fears could possibly interfere
with normal activities.
It can be exhausting and upsetting to feel the intense fear that goes
with having a phobia. It can be disappointing to miss out on opportunities because fear is holding you
back. And it can be confusing and
embarrassing to feel afraid of things
that others seem to have no problem
with.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is
a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the important role of thinking in how we feel and what we do.
This is provided to help those who
are trying to overcome fears and
phobias. In some cases an anti-depressant may be given to help with
anxiety and fear.
Overcoming phobias is not an
easy task at first. It takes willingness, bravery and determination.
Often the hardest part of overcoming a phobia is getting started. Once
a person decides to go for it, and
gets the right coaching and support,
it can be surprising how quickly the
fear can melt away. As the old saying goes, “You can’t defeat a fear
by going around it. You have to go
through it.”
Childhood heart defects still an issue
By Sarah Muro
Staff Writer
About 35,000 infants are born
with heart defects each year in the
United States. The defect may be so
slight that the baby appears healthy
for many years after birth, or so severe that his or her life is in immediate danger.
A normal heart has valves, arteries and chambers that carry the
blood in a circulatory pattern. When
all chambers and valves work correctly, the blood is pumped through
the heart and into the lungs for oxygen. It then travels back to the heart
and out to the body, delivering oxygen.
Many parents are unfamiliar
with the term CHD (congenital heart
defect), and if they have heard of it,
they are unsure of what it entails.
There are over 35 different types
of CHDs and for most of them there
is no cure. Some congenital heart
defects can heal over time on their
own, but others may require serious treatment. Many people with
a CHD will need at least one major
surgery in their lifetime. Sadly, thousands of infants who are born with a
CHD will not live to see their first
birthday.
A baby’s heart begins to develop
shortly after conception. While developing, structural defects can occur. These defects can involve the
walls of the heart, the valves, arteries and veins near the heart.
CHD can disrupt the normal
flow of blood through the heart. The
blood flow can slow down, go in the
wrong direction or be blocked completely. In any of these cases, treatment is necessary.
Serious congenital heart defects
are diagnosed during pregnancy, so
parents will often have time to learn
about it and prepare themselves,
according to Pediatrics for Parents.
Other times they will not find out
their child has a CHD until after he
or she is born.
In less critical cases, CHDs are
discovered during childhood. The
treatment is different for everyone
and depends on the type of heart defect. Often medication and/or surgical procedures are required to repair
or improve CHDs.
The best way to ensure a child’s
best chances if diagnosed with a
CHD is to educate yourself and others as soon as possible regarding the
symptoms that may present themselves. To learn more, visit Americanheart.org or CDHinfo.com.
Hadley Pittman
App: Ebay
“I can shop on my phone and
look at things I like.”
Kristen Coke
App: Netflix
“It gives me something to do
when I’m on the road.”
•
•
•
•
In the next issue of
The Gusher:
Faces in the Crowd
Greg Davis profile
College acceptances
IRC Lecture Hall remodeling project update
• Nicole Madsen profile
• Life in a family restaurant
While most people think teens
crave food or sex more than anything, in reality it’s self-esteem that
young people want most. According
to researchers from Ohio State University, college students preferred
getting compliments over receiving
a paycheck or seeing a friend.
Brad Bushman, a professor of
psychology and communication at
Ohio State University, said the research should “raise red flags about
the role of self-esteem in society.”
Students rated activities on how
much they liked them and how
much they wanted them. The results
showed that students liked pleasant
activities more than they wanted
them, but the difference between
liking and needing was slim.
The findings, which were published online by the Journal of Personality, suggested that many people may be too centered on boosting
their self esteem.
“I think that people are looking
for a quick fix to complex problems,”
Bushman explained. “We see it as a
cure-all to every social ill, from teen
pregnancy to violence. People think
that if only we feel better about ourselves, these things would not happen.”
Taft High isn’t immune to this social phenomenon, “shoffners quote”
explains school psychiatrist Mark
Shoffner.
Self-esteem is an important factor when growing up, which is why
words of praise, however small, can
go a long way.
“Being able to find a nitch at a
young age,” says counselor Jana
Durkan “is really good, it helps
build self-confidence.”
Confidence, though it feels good
to the individual, can be self-destructive, especially if it goes over
the top.
“There is a fine line between
self-esteem and narcissism,” added
Bushman.
TOMS Shoes allow buyers
to help clothe poor children
By Tina Perez
News Editor
Is it possible to buy shoes while
simultaneously helping children in
need? This one-for-one approach
is the mission of a small company
called TOMS Shoes.
During a trip to Argentina in
2006, Blake Mycoskie was inspired
by the extreme poverty and the
barefooted children to take action.
He used the design of the traditional Argentine shoe, the alpargata, as the solution to the problem.
“I was so overwhelmed by the
spirit of the South American people, especially those who had so
little,” said Mycoskie, according to
the TOMS Shoes website. ”And I
was instantly struck with the desire, the responsibility to do more.”
The shoes are distributed to children under the age of 18 by giving
partners, which are humanitarian and non-profit organizations.
The shoes range from $50-100.
The first year in business the
company sold 10,000 pairs of shoes.
Mycoskie returned to Argentina a
year later with his friends and family
to give back to the children who in-
spired him. TOMS gives away shoes
in over 20 countries and works with
charitable partners in fields, which
involve shoes in their program.
“I like why the company was created.And the shoes are super comfortable,” said junior Elizabeth Saldana.
The company has also collaborated with many other brands,
most recently Element Skateboards. Element will have a Onefor-One deck in their line, giving
a skateboard to a child in Durban,
South Africa for every deck sold.
The TOMS movement has spread
with youths, who have become the
driving force behind the movement.
College students created the “One
Day Without Shoes” event in 2008 to
raise awareness of children growing
up barefoot and the impact a pair
of shoes can have on a child’s life.
One of the next initiatives that
the company is taking is focusing on a condition called Podoconiosis, which is a soil-transmitted disease; there are over a
million cases in Ethiopia alone.
“Its like saving the world one
pair of shoes at a time,” said Saldana.
TOMS Shoes are available on the
official website and at skating stores.
Page 4
Features
March 25, 2011
Survey: What are the top 10 songs on your iPod?
By Cristina Loza
Copy Editor
David Norton
Cayla Fielding
Junior
1.- Pressure by Paramore
2.- Fuzzy Blue Lights by Owl
City
3.- Fireflies by Owl City
4.- Alones by Aqua Timez
5.- Hikari by Utada Hikaru
6.- Strength by Abingdon Boys
School
7.- Cherish by Ai Otsuka
8.- Listen!! By Yoko Hikasa
9.- Complication by Rookiez Is
Punk’d
10.- Saturday by The Secret
Handshake
Sophomore
John Kopp
History Teacher
1.- Hosanna by Hillsong United
2.- No Reason To Hide by Hillsong United
3.- Haven’t Met You Yet by Michael Buble
4.- City On Our Knees by Toby
Mac
5.- Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath
6.- So Long Self by Mercy Me
7.- Hoedown Throwdown by Miley Cyrus
8.- God Of This City by Chris
Tomlin
9.- No One Like You by David
Crowder
10.- Home by Michael Buble
1.- Asylum by Disturbed
2.- Stricken by Disturbed
3.- No Love by Eminem feat. Lil’
Wayne
4.- Not Afraid by Eminem
5.- The Hunt by Niyaz
6.- Psychosocial by Slipknot
7.- Before I Forget by Slipknot
8.- Mustang Nismo by Brian Tyler feat. Slash
9.- Lose Yourself by Eminem
10.- Love The Way You Lie by
By Raveena Bhakta
Features Editor
Chantelle Dockery
Junior
Courtney West
Math Teacher
Eminem feat. Rihanna
1.- Bubbly by Colbie Caillat
2.- Come Away With Me by Norah Jones
3.- The Nearness Of You by Norah Jones
4.- Everything About You by Santucs Real
5.- When In Doubt by Thousand Foot Krutch
6.- A Woman’s Worth by Alicia Keyes
7.- Sweet Tangerine by The Hush Sound
8.- We Intertwined by The Hush Sound
9.- Simple Things by Usher
10.- Save The Last Dance For Me by Michael Buble
1.- Better Off Believing by Like
the Stars
2.- Pulse by Hit The Lights
3.- The Worst Part Is Waking Up
by This Romantic Tragedy
4.- Baby We’re Invincible by A
Rocket To The Moon
5.- It’s Not Running Away If You
Have Somewhere To Go by Paddock
Park
6.- Remembering Sunday by All
Time Low
7.- A Single Moment Of Sincerity
by Asking Alexandria
8.- Take One Last Breath by Abandon All Ships
9.- Party Girl by Stephen Jerzak
10.- Petal For Petal by Chase Coy
Nancy De Avila
Junior
1.- Gravity by John Mayer
2.- Waiting for the World to
Change by John Mayer
3.- Marry You by Bruno Mars
4.- Casanova by Carrie Underwood
5.- Please Don’t Go by Mike Posner
6.- Me Enamora by Juanes
7.- Just What I Needed by The
Cars
8.- Loca by Shakira
9.- Love Letter to Japan by The
Bird and the Bee
10.- Still Haven’t Found What
I’m Looking For by U2
iPhone vs. Blackberry vs. Android: Which is best?
By Nicole Frost
Editor-In-Chief
If you’re in the market for a new Some of its downfalls are its mediophone, the three words that have cre call quality, short batmost likely caught your attention tery life and dependence
are Iphone, Android and Blackberry. on the Itunes media playAll three feature smart phones that er and organizer.
are powerful, fast and efficient; but
The Iphone 4 is about
which one is better?
$200 with a new two-year
The Iphone, offered by AT&T and contract from both carriVerizon, is the most
ers and
widely acclaimed,
the Ipand also criticized,
h o n e
of the three.
3GS is
Their
newest
$49 with a new
generation is the Iptwo-year contract
hone 4 which offers
with AT&T.
features that weren’t
B l a c k b e r r y,
available on the 3G
available for Verior the 3GS such as
zon, AT&T, Tmoa front-facing cambile and Sprint,
era, FaceTime chat,
is the more busia faster processor
ness-friendly opand a higher resolution of the three
tion display. The Ipphones. There are
hone’s web browser
seven Blackberry
is Safari and the
models available:
phone offers apps
the Torch, Curve,
for YouTube, FaBold, Storm, Style,
cebook and many,
Tour and Pearl.
many more.
The
Curve,
The Iphone 3G
Bold and Pearl
and 3GS is equipped Senior Luke Shelby tries out are “bar” shaped
with a camera with all three phones. Photo by Nicole phones that are
video recording, and Frost
equipped
with
the Iphone 4 has two
qwerty
keycameras: one in the back and the boards, the Storm is full touch screen,
front. the Torch has both and the Style is in
“It’s the best device in the en- the style of a “flip-phone.”
tire history of devices,” raves junior
Blackberry has been a subject
Matt Evans about his Iphone.
of stern criticism in the past, but
The most beneficial features of their new unveiling of the Torch
the phone are its fast web browsing has brought them back in the smart
capabilities, large variety of applica- phone spotlight. They are best for
tions and conversation-style texting. heavy “texters,” “emailers,” and
Leadership
traits can be
developed
by trying
these 5 tips
business people because of the
physical keyboard option
and versatility with other
programs and their “push
email” feature. All of the
new models have 3G and
some have Wi-Fi.
With the Blackberry phones, the
best features are
the keyboard, wide
choice of carriers and
wider compatibility. Some of
the negative aspects of the
phones are the low-resolution screens in most phones,
the slower internet processor and their tendency to lag.
Blackberry phones range from free
to $99 with a new two-year contract.
Android phones, available for
Verizon, Sprint and
T-mobile, are steadily
rising up to the prestige of the Iphone.
The Android market is an alternative
to the Itunes store in
that it provides many
applications for Android phone users.
Some of the most popular Android phones are the Motorola Droid
X and the HTC Evo 4G. One of the
perks for Android that the Iphone
doesn’t have is the variety of phones
the network offers.
There are phones from Samsung,
Motorola, HTC and T-Mobile that
all run on Android. These phones all
have different features and prices to
fit the user’s needs.
“I have the MyTouch 4G and I
love it,” said sophomore Jennifer
Chamale. “It’s really easy to use, but
the only downfall is its short battery
life.”
The Droid X has a 4.3-inch screen,
8-megapixel camera that captures
720p high-def video, and
even a hotspot mode that
lets you share our your 3G
connection over Wi-Fi. The
phone has 8 GB of built in
memory and a Micro-SD
slot for further expansion.
The Evo 4G has a 4.3inch LCD screen and an
8-megapixel camera. Both
phones are touch screen
and around $200 with a new twoyear contract.
If you want a do-it-all web-browsing phone to watch videos, social
network play with
apps and games, the
Iphone is for you.
If you are a heavy
“texter” and you’re
always on the go,
but you don’t mind
the lack of graphics
and video-streaming
quality of Blackberry,
then you’ll like the Torch, Curve, or
the Bold.
If you want a lot of power and
storage space in a phone for watch
movies, videos and taking highquality pictures, then the Android
phones are good for you.
All three phone types have their
pros and cons, but there is a good
chance that one of them fits your
needs.
Leadership is a trait that many
people wish to acquire, but how do
you get it? What makes people good
leaders? The following tips from
leadership expert John C. Maxwell
are some of the many important
qualities of good leaders. Try to apply them in your everyday life and
you’ll be closer to becoming a great
leader.
1) Charisma: Charismatic leaders attract followers. Nobody wants
to follow someone who is cynical or
unpredictable. Possessing charisma
will energize you and the people
that follow you.
Have some enthusiasm when
you’re talking to people. Take your
own approach on situations instead
of following what others do. Focus on others more than you focus
on yourself; volunteering is a great
way to learn that the world doesn’t
revolve around you.
Don’t be afraid to roll up your
sleeves
occasionally.
President
Dwight Eisenhower (1952-1960)
once said, “Leadership is the art of
getting someone to do something
you want done because he wants to
do it.”
2) Integrity: If people can’t trust
you, they won’t follow you. Having
integrity means who you are on the
inside is who you are on the outside.
People with integrity keep their
promises, walk the talk, and live up
to their values even when it’s hard.
Mahatma Gandhi taught, “We
must become the change we want to
see in the world.”
This doesn’t mean you can’t
make any mistakes; everyone makes
them. But becoming better after
making a mistake is what makes an
exceptional leader.
3) Be open: There is always room
for improvement. Listen to what
others have to say, and take their
opinions into consideration.
No one likes to be ignored, and if
you brush off the ideas of your followers, they won’t be behind you
for long.
Try to lower the level of competition within yourself; give others the
spotlight sometimes, too.
Throw in your ideas as an option, not as a priority. “Often it takes
a paradigm change - a change in
perspective - to make things work
for everyone.
If you are stubborn and inflexible
no one wins,” says Sean Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers.
4) Be concerned: Give compliments whenever you can. Share resources, encouragement and appreciation. Your kindness will definitely
be acknowledged.
5) Set goals: If you don’t know
where you are heading, then you
won’t know how to get there.
It’s important to have a clear vision so you and the people around
you know what you’re working for.
If you have a goal set in your
mind, the detours and obstacles in
your way of getting there will be
much easier to overcome.
Features
March 25, 2011
Page 5
Faces in the crowd: Unique students worth knowing
Samantha Chatman
Shelby
Shaffer
-Name five of your favorite
things.
“Dancing, writing, music, taking
care of the elderly, and doing community service.”
-Describe your dream job.
“My dream job would be a forensic crime scene investigator or a
lawyer.”
-Most embarrassing moment
you are willing to share?
“When I tripped off a curb of a
sidewalk and sprained both my ankles. That fall was terrible.”
-A victory you’re proud of?
Photo by Cristina Loza
By Cristina Loza
Copy Editor
-Oh, no! Your house is on fire!
Quick, there’s only enough time to
grab three things and get out! What
three things do you take with you?
“I would take my roommate, my
roommate’s dog and my purse.”
-Who is your inspiration and
why?
“My inspiration would definitely
be my grandfather, who is now deceased. He always had it so rough,
but always thought positive in every
way possible. He was such a hard
worker that he inspired me to work
whenever possible. For example, I
have volunteered at the Taft Goodwill over 100 hours.”
Photo by Bill Wolfe
“Writing one of the top 10 essays
out of the Oil Technology Academy seniors, about Bakersfield San
Joaquin Refining Company. For the
top essay, I received a $500 scholarship.”
By Karissa Dixon
Staff Writer
-One of your happiest memories?
If you could travel in time,
where would you go? Why?
“When I received my first paycheck from being a custodian at Taft
High.”
“The stone age, so I could give a
caveman an iPhone.”
-If you could travel in time,
where would you go and why?
I would travel to the past, to visit
with my grandfather once more.
-Best dream you’ve had [recurring or otherwise]?
I’ve dreamed that I got my own
house and vehicle.
Siddney Edwards
If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Why?
“Laser eyes, so I could engrave
stuff on the moon.”
What school accomplishment
are you most proud of? Why?
“My grades because they are the
only accomplishment I can think of
at the moment.”
You are required to perform during Mock Rock. What song do you
perform and who would perform
with you?
Allison Arnold
or online)?
“Nothing because how much
better are we than them.”
Career plans? Why?
“Right now I don’t know what or
who I want to be. I know I should,
but there’s still time.”
“Me and all my friends would
perform ‘Things that Rhyme with
Orange’ by Harrison Ford and Will.
I. Am.”
By Autumn Fee
Staff Writer
If you could travel in time,
where would you go? Why?
“If I could travel in time, it would
be back to 1969 to enjoy Woodstock.”
Magic Mountain or Disneyland? Why?
“Magic Mountain because I’m
older and it’s fun.”
Most overrated musical artist?
Why?
“Justin Bieber. He is just annoying.”
What city or country do you
dream of visiting? Why?
Photo by Maria Solis
By Maria Solis
Staff Writer
“My theme song to life is ‘Little
Lion Man.’”
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
If you could have dinner with
a famous historical figure, who
would it be? Why?
“I would want the ability to steal
others’ powers and make them my
own.”
“Janis Joplin. She’s an amazing
person and I would talk about her
life.”
Imagine: You are required to
perform at Mock Rock. What song
are you performing and who is performing with you?
“Everywhere because I only have
one life and I want to see it all.”
If you could make everyone
read one book, what would it be?
Why?
What is the appropriate punishment for bullying (either in person
“Burned because it is a very good
and interesting book.”
“I am positively, joyfully, imaginatively, enthusiastically, intelligently nonchalant.”
What is your most embarrassing
moment you are willing to share?
“My big brother pulled my pants
down in front of all my friends at
my 8th birthday party.”
If there was one rule you could
change at Taft High, what would it
be and why?
“The ‘no horses at school’ rule
because horses are cool and they
should be allowed here.”
“Hawaii because it’s so beautiful.”
What class should TUHS add to
the schedule?
“Cartoon Graphics for Comic
Books.”
What is your favorite holiday?
Why?
“Christmas because you get to
spend time with family.”
“Jersey Shore”: yes or no?
“Yes. It’s a cool show. Go Snooki.
Also, it’s a bunch of drama.”
Most embarrassing
you’re willing to share?
moment
“I ran into a wall when I was
five.”
Your house is on fire! Quick,
there’s only time to grab three
things and get out! What do you
take with you?
“My laptop, cellphone and rabbits.”
Katie Brown
“Sandra Bullock because she is a
genius in the comedy movies.”
What is the theme song to your
life?
“Me flying.”
Can you describe yourself in
one sentence of no more then 10
words?
What city or country do you
dream of visiting? Why?
Favorite actor or actress? Why?
What is the meaning of life?
Any recurring dream(s)?
“It would be laser eye power.”
“Perfect Chemistry by Simone
Elkeles Because it is a good story
and the two perspectives are great.”
“The one thing I would like to do
knowing I could not fail is life.”
“Life is about trusting our feelings, taking chances, losing, fighting, finding happiness, appreciating
the memories and learning from our
past.”
“Lady Gaga because she is overplayed and wears mayonnaise
jars.”
If you could make everyone
read one book, which one would it
be? Why?
What one thing would you like
to do if you could not fail?
Photo by Autumn Fee
If you could have one super
power, what would it be?
me when I say this but Lady Gaga is
overrated. The stuff she is coming
out with is not new. She’s trying to
copy Madonna.”
“Everyone is my inspiration because I carry and learn little parts
about them.”
By Autumn Fee
Staff Writer
Most overrated musical artist?
Why?
Elizabeth Saldana
Who is your inspiration?
Photo by Autumn Fee
“I’d perform with Leilani and
Desiree Ponce, Tina Perez and
Ana Lopez, and we’d dance to ‘It
Takes Two’ by Rob Base and DJ E-Z
Rock.”
Most overrated musical artist,
and why?
“I know everyone is going to hate
The most embarrassing moment
you are willing to share.
”It was freshman year, and we
were in PE playing kickball. I was
the last one to kick. Somehow I
managed to trip over the ball and I
fell and rolled almost all the way to
first base, in front of the whole PE
class. Even Mrs. Trejo was laughing
hard.”
What school accomplishments
are you most proud of?
“AVID Student of the Month.”
If you only had one day to live,
what would you do and who would
you spend it with?
“I’d spend it with my family, favorite cousins, and my friends. Weíd
have tons of fun, and we’d go to Orlando, Florida to Disney World just
so I can go to the Hogwarts Castle.
(I’m such a nerd!)”
Photo by Maria Solis
By Katarina Moore
Staff Writer
If you could travel in time,
where would you go? Why?
“The 1980’s because that decade
had the best music”.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Why?
“Telepathic powers, because I
could trick people.”
What song have you had on “repeat” lately? Why?
Continued on page 8
Sports Features
Page 6
March 25, 2011
Scholar-athletes compete in, out of class
Edgar Padilla scores high
in sports and academics
Hernandez goes over his Math Analysis work in an AVID tutorial. Photo
by Bill Wolfe
Michael Hernandez rises
to top with brains, effort
By Karissa Dixon
Staff Writer
cause... it’s what I do,” Hernandez
said, smiling.
“You may ask how I have enough
Michael Hernandez has a very
funny personality, yet he is extreme- time for everything and my response
ly committed to his cross-country is: my magical leprechauns help me
manage my time with school, pracand track career at TUHS.
While trying to improve as a run- tice, hanging out and homework.”
Even though he
ner, he has quite a
has practice and
few challenging “My magical
homework, he still
courses on his
hands, such as AP leprechauns help me manages to maintain
a 3.88 GPA while
U.S. History and manage my time.”
having time for
Math Analysis.
-- Michael Hernandez still
friends, sleep and
Self-determirelaxing.
nation helps him
“I have plenty of
excel
academically. Hernandez says he doesn’t time for everything, even relaxing. I
study until the day of the test in a relax by lurking on the Internet and
“panicked storm of death,” which playing ‘Monster Hunter’ on my
he admits isn’t the best thing to do, PSP,” Hernandez said.
His academic goal is to earn
but obviously it works fine for him.
“If you do the work, put in the ef- straight A’s, and his athletic goal is
fort, properly prepare and do what simply to run fast. His motivations
is needed, you will succeed. It isn’t are his coaches and teachers.
“My coaches make me run till I
that difficult, it’s just absorbing what
you need to know and showing it,” die, my teachers flood me with relentless assignments till my head
explained Hernandez.
“My ridiculous school stuff is explodes. So much love and inspirajust habit now and I just run be- tion,” said Hernandez.
Vaughn Richardson deals
with pressure to succeed
By Nicole Frost
Editor-In-Chief
Sophomore Vaughn Richardson
may be the principal’s son, but that
doesn’t mean that he gets special
treatment.
Richardson is a three-sport athlete with a 4.14 GPA. If anything,
being the principal’s son gives him
more pressure to excel.
“My dad really motivates me,”
said Richardson. “He wants me to
succeed in everything.”
Richardson plays football, basketball and tennis, but football is his
favorite.
“I’m hoping to play football in
college,” said Richardson Quarterback, if possible.“
He keeps up his grades by sim-
ply working hard. He doesn’t have
any special secrets or tricks to his
success.
“I am tired when I get home from
practice, but I still have to study and
do my homework,” said Richardson.
Some of his more difficult classes
this year are Chemistry and Advanced Algebra. These classes require him to often do homework
on the weekends, which makes his
schedule even more crowded.
“Whenever I’m stressed out I
just watch TV and hang out with my
friends to relax,” said Richardson.
Richardson has set the bar high
for himself in both sports and
school.
“My dad really motivates me. He wants
me to succeed.”
-- Vaughn Richardson
“I’d like to put myself in a good
position to go to a prestigious university,” said Richardson. “And I’d
like to play sports if possible.”
Richardson proves that, with
athletics and academics, one doesn’t
have to come before the other; you
can succeed in both. It is possible to
be a three-sport athlete with a 4.14
average.
He also takes several difficult
classes, but the one that is most
challenging for him is Advanced
Algebra. He keeps his grades up so
he can graduate with a GPA higher
than 3.0 and go on to succeed in college.
“Some strategies that help me
to excel academically are studying,
taking notes and really paying attention in class,” explained Padilla.
Every person has that someone
who motivates them to try their
best; Padilla’s inspiration is his soccer coach, Cris Flores, who is also a
teacher at Lincoln Jr. High School.
“He would get on our case when
we weren’t in class because he wanted us to succeed,” said Padilla.
Padilla has only about three hours
of extra time after school, sports and
homework. He relaxes and plays
Edgar Padilla in a moment of re- FIFA on his Xbox 360. But by the
end of the day he tries to sleep as
laxation. Photo by Roxanna Barboza
much as he can. He sleeps between
By Roxanna Barboza
7 and 10 hours a night.
Staff Writer
“Sports energize me, so by the
next day, I’ll be ready for school, not
It takes a lot of work to be a stu- slacking off,” said Padilla.
dent who has an
When Padilla
excellent
GPA
goes off to coland plays sports “Sports energize me,
lege, he would
at the same time. so by the next day, I’ll
like to be looked
One student who
to for his
be ready for school, not up
does just that is
hard work and
senior Edgar Pa- slacking off.”
improvement.
dilla.
“I will prefer
-- Edgar Padilla
He
played
school because
soccer and tennis
I’m not looking
for most of high school, but this year to be a future athlete. I just want to
he just played soccer.
focus on my education,” said Padil“I would practice from five to la. “My forte is sports because they
seven, go home to eat, do homework encourage you to do more than one
and finally fall asleep,” said Padilla. thing at a time.”
Halle Neher uses focus,
determination to excel
By Roxanna Barboza
Staff Writer
Freshman Halle Neher is starting
high school the right way. She’s a
three-sport athlete who maintains a
high GPA. Neher plays volleyball,
basketball and softball.
“My sister [senior Jessica Neher]
is the one who inspires me,” said
Neher. “I follow her steps. She’s in
AVID and plays sports, and I’m in
both.”
To do her best in her core classes,
English, math, and science, she studies and pays attention. She takes
Athletic Tutorial so she can get help
and stay on track with her work.
“You should always have enough
time for your homework,” said Neher. “Either that or you have to make
time.”
One thing that motivates her is
going to college because she wants
a bright future that will take her Photo by Roxanna Barboza
above and beyond. In order for her
to attend a college that she’ll feel
comfortable in, she needs to maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout her four cause I live with them, but with my
friends I’ll only have
years. That’s been
time during school
her goal since ju“I don’t always
or weekends,” said
nior high.
succeed, but I
Neher.
“I don’t always
School
might
succeed, but I nevnever give up.”
be torture for her
er give up,” said
-- Halle Neher
at times, but she
Neher.
knows it will pay
Her
athletic
off in the end. It is
goals are to make
varsity in each sport and to get a important to remember that while
scholarship for being an outstand- sports are entertaining, you have to
see that your education is just as iming athlete and trying her best.
“I get time with my family be- portant.
The Gusher welcomes your feedback!
What do you think of this issue of The Gusher? Have a
story idea? Got something on your mind? Letters to the
Editor can be sent to [email protected] or dropped off
in Room 107. Letters should be limited to 300 words and
must be signed.
Jeremias Xancale keeps up a fast
pace in and out of the classroom.
Photo by Eloisa Garcia
Dedication
pays off for
top runner
Jeremias
Xancale
By Eloisa Garcia
Staff Writer
Junior Jeremias Xancale, well
known for being the best runner
on both the cross-country and track
teams, is but also a very energetic
and intelligent student.
Xancale succeeds as a student
“They are always
pushing me to try
harder.”
-- Jeremias Xancale
because he manages his time wisely.
He does struggle in Math and English, but he studies before tests and
takes notes to keep his grades up.
“My family and good friends
are what motivate me to be a good
student and athlete,” said Xancale.
“They are always pushing me to
try harder, to get what I know I can
get.”
The coaches also motivate him
because they encourage him to be
better. After practice, he makes sure
to dedicate time to his homework,
even if he is tired, so he won’t fall
behind.
His academic goals are to gradu-
“I enjoy hearing
music, being alone
and sleeping when
I’m trying to relax.”
-- Jeremias Xancale
ate, go to TC and eventually become
a teacher for younger children. His
athletic goals, on the other hand, are
to improve his running times and to
be the best that he can be. He says
running is a way for him to let out
his stress and feel good about himself.
“I enjoy hearing music, being
alone and sleeping when I’m trying
to relax,” Xancale said.
After sports, school and homework he has little time for extra activities. He is in Band and Jazz Band,
which he really enjoys as well. He
can play many types of instruments,
including the saxophone.
Xancale says he treats both school
and sports the same because they
are both important.
Even after a busy day, Xancale
still finds time to spend with family
and his loved ones.
Sports Features
March 25, 2011
Page 7
Scholar-athletes: best of both worlds
Ramos stands out with
talent in sports, music
By Maria Solis
Staff Writer
Keana Arnold with her softball glove on Taft High’s memorial
walkway. Photo by Maria Solis
Discipline, balance keys
to Keana Arnold’s success
By Maria Solis
Staff Writer
Tri-sport athlete Keana Arnold
is a hard-working sophomore who
plays on the varsity volleyball and
softball teams and who played JV
basketball last year.
Arnold manages her time by
planning ahead and going with the
flow.
“You just have to plan ahead, and
let things happen. Some things you
can’t control. You have to be disciplined and know the work you have
to do,” said Arnold.
Chemistry with Mr. Heiter has
presented a challenge for Arnold because “it is a lot of work.”
She fully commits herself to all
the work she does. With homework
every weekend, her plate is full. Yet
she still maintains a 3.85 GPA and
has time to hang out with her boy-
friend for a while every day and
with her friends on the weekends
and some school days.
“Do your work and don’t slack
off, but leave time for friends and
fun. You’re only in high school once
(hopefully),” advised Arnold.
Considering the fact that she
only gets about six to seven hours
of sleep, she stays high energy during her long, busy days. To relax in
her spare time, she likes to hang out
with her boyfriend, watch movies
and eat peanut butter M&M’s.
Arnold has both academic and
sport goals for herself, although
she already excels in everything she
does.
“I plan on going to a university
to study biology and engineering. I
would like to play a sport in college
and receive scholarships for both
academics and sports,” she said.
during the week and not being able
to hang out with his friends, family
Senior Sebastian Ramos is more and girlfriend as much as he’d like.
Ramos has short- and long-term
than the winner of Best Smile in the
yearbook. He is an outstanding stu- goals for himself. In the short term,
dent, maintaining above a 3.5 grade he plans to graduate high school. In
point average with classes such as the long-term he wants to be a socAP Spanish Literature and Econom- cer player at a community college
ics, he plays on the varsity soccer and eventually transfer to a bigger
university,
team and he’s
where he
popular with
would try
the ladies.
out
for
“I always
the soccer
try to do my
team. He
best in evintends to
erything that
pursue a
I do, whethcareer as
er it’s soca
music
cer,
school
teacher, or
or anything
something
else,”said Raassociated
mos.
with muR a m o s
sic.
manages his
Apart
time by going
from
beto
practice
ing an exright
after
ceptional
school. Then
student,
he goes to
R a m o s
work at Taco
has many
de
Mexico
talents.
in the eveHe plays
ning, and afthe piano,
ter work he
drums,
goes
home
and guitar,
and does his
h o m e w o r k . Sebastian Ramos shows off some of his has a voice
the angels
He
studies musical talent. Photo by Maria Solis
probably
every
day,
envy and
two
hours
if he has a test, and he does home- possesses soccer skills that many
work practically every weekend. desire.
With his many talents, positive
After a stressful day, he likes to sit
on his bed and listen to piano music attitude and ability to talk to people,
Ramos is a very popular senior... esto relax.
“If you really like something, pecially with certain students.
“I hate to see him go, but I like
you have to make a lot of sacrifices
to watch him leave,” a sophomore
in order to do it,” said Ramos.
His main sacrifices include get- girl said about Ramos, giggling with
ting only about six hours of sleep embarrassment.
Morrow excels in sports,
AVID, Oil Tech Academy
By Winter Martin
Staff Writer
Barrera shows his athleticism in the fitness center.
Photo by Winter Martin
Jose Barrera: no senioritis
for motivated achiever
By Winter Martin
Staff Writer
There is one senior who does not
have a bad case of senioritis. Jose
Barrera is a three-sport athlete with
a GPA of 4.14.
“I guess I am self-motivated,”
says Barrera. “I do everything I do
because in the end it feels good to
know that I accomplished something.”
Barrera plays football, soccer and
tennis. His most challenging classes
this year are AP Statistics and Government.
“I hope to play soccer in college
and attend a four-year university,”
says Barrera.
Barrera’s secret?
“Do your homework the day
you get it and try to get ahead if you
can.”
“When I get home from practice
I have the energy to stay up late and
do my homework,” said Barrera.
“I maybe get five-to-six hours of
sleep,” said Barrera.
Barrera participates in the Key
Club, AVID Club and AP Bio Club.
He is also an AYSO coach and referee.
“I try to do my homework on
Friday night so that way I have free
time on the weekends,” said Barrera.
Jose Barrera is breaking the curse
of senioritis. He is still giving 100%
and not showing any signs of laziness as he finishes up his high school
career and heads off to college.
“Cornell Notes help me a lot
with staying organized and studying,” said Morrow.
Most students would rather not
Morrow thinks that doing sports
have a stressful schedule but Sa- gives her energy to do her homemantha Morrow is one of the very work and stay up late studying.
few
who
“I get a
succeed at
lot of sleep
handling all
at night,”
of her reshe said.
sponsibili“I
only
ties.
stay up till
Morrow
ten at the
is a fourmost.”
sport athlete
M o r with a 4.14
r o w ’ s
s p o r t s
GPA. She is
goals are to
a member of
go to Valley
the Oil Tech
Academy
for a secand AVID,
ond year
and she is
and to try
also
takto beat her
ing Honors
personal
English.
records.
“I hardly
“I hope
have
any
to run track
free
time
in college,”
for
myshe said.
self,” said
M o r Morrow. “I
row works
might get
hard
to
the weekdo it all.
ends to reShe has a
lax but I’m
bright fulucky if I
ture ahead
even
get Samantha Morrow manages sports and of
her;
that.”
she
knows
school with composure. Photo by Winter MarM o r - tin
what
she
row doesn’t
wants and
have
any
isn’t going
special study tips besides not cram- to let anything get in the way of it.
ming work and not studying for a Her hard work is already paying
test the night before.
off.
Juli Taylor enjoys some time on
the court. Photo by Cristina Loza
Juli Taylor
juggles four
sports and
4.14 GPA
By Cristina Loza
Copy Editor
Cross-country, volleyball, basketball, swimming and a GPA of
4.14 is not something many freshmen would be willing to juggle, but
for Juli Taylor it’s just something she
does.
Taylor’s secret to success lies in
a schedule that consists of doing as
much schoolwork as she can during
school, going to practice and finishing remaining work at home.
“I take a lot of notes and study
those notes,” she says. “It’s what
works for me.”
Taylor says that although her
favorite sport is basketball because
of the team and coach, if she had to
choose between sports and academics, she would chose academics.
Taylor sees sports as more of a recreational thing and knows academics
are something that will help her career and future more than anything
else.
Her father, math teacher Doug
Taylor, and teachers are a source of
inspiration because they push her to
be the best she can be.
Taylor’s athletic plans involve
participating in either basketball
or swimming in college, and her
academic goals are maintaining her
grades and becoming valedictorian
of her class. UCLA and Cal Poly are
her top choices and she plans on
pursuing law or maybe even acting.
“I enjoy putting myself out there
and I think it’s important that justice
is served,” said Taylor.
When she wants to lie back and
relax, she opens up a book and turns
on her iPod.
“It helps me let go,” said Taylor. “I like being in my own little
world.”
More ScholarAthletes profiles to
come in the April issue:
Andrew Arellano
Adriana Carillo
Mikaela Davis
Karla Lopez
Kevin Rivera
Kai Schoneweis
Caleb Taylor
Tyler Vega
Rachel Winfrey
Page 8
Entertainment
Panic! At The Disco’s Vices and
Virtues builds on earlier sound
March 25, 2011
House of Night series suffers from
pointless plot, immoral characters
By Tina Perez
News Editor
By Nicole Frost
Editor-in-Chief
Panic! At The Disco’s new album,
Vices and Virtues, is proof that great
things can be produced in the midst
of disaster. Lead vocalist Brendon
Urie and drummer Spencer Smith
confirm that “the show must go
on.”
Vices and Virtues, the band’s
third album, was produced after
two members left: guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Ryan Ross and bass
guitarist Jon Walker. Although the
band’s loss of their main songwriter
was expected to leave a roadblock
in Panic’s path, Urie took over the
songwriting for Vices and Virtues.
The album doesn’t quite live up
to its predecessors, A Fever You Can’t
Sweat Out and Pretty Odd, but Vices
and Virtues is more than satisfactory,
displaying maturity, catchy melodies and unique rhythmic arrangements.
The album’s first single, “The Ballad of Mona Lisa,” is a great opener.
With creepy instrumentation and
powerful vocals, “The Ballad of
Mona Lisa” showed the band’s confidence and ability to succeed even
without the other two band members.
“Hurricane” is different than
“The Ballad of Mona Lisa” but it features the same motif of eerie sounds
that resonates throughout the whole
album.
Panic! At The Disco has made a
short film, “The Overture,” that is a
compilation of songs from the new
album. The video uses strong metaphors to describe the band’s breakup, previous members and expected
obstacles.
Panic’s members may have had
some issues, but the current duo’s
repertoire is still up to par. Bottom
line: If you have been a fan of Panic!
At The Disco, you will most likely
enjoy this album.
Faces in the crowd: Katie Brown
continued from page 5
“ ‘Sweet Dreams’ by Eurythmics.
My friend Jill Maxcy got it stuck inside my head.”
What city or country do you
dream of visiting? Why?
“Ireland. I’ve seen pictures and
it’s pretty and maybe I could blend
in.”
Which teacher makes you laugh
the most?
“Mr. Cowan.”
If you could make everyone
read one book, what would it be?
Why?
“Hunger Games. It’s the best
book I’ve ever read. I’m on my second time reading the series.”
Favorite season? Why?
“Winter, because we can sit in
our pajamas, drink hot chocolate
and not look weird doing it.”
What school accomplishment
are you most proud of? Why?
“Graduating 8th grade, because
it felt like an awesome day.”
Any recurring dream(s)?
“Taft having tornadoes.”
You are required to perform
during Mock Rock. What song do
you perform (and who performs
with you)?
“ ‘Time Warp’ from The Rocky
Horror Picture Show. Katherine Bozarth, Sarah Smith and Jill Maxcy.”
Favorite holiday? Why?
“Halloween, because of the candy and dressing up.”
“Jersey Shore” -- yes or no?
Why?
“No way. There is an Oompa
Loompa on the show and she doesn’t
know where the beach is.”
Beach, mountains or desert?
Why?
“Beach, because there is fishing,
the weather is usually nice and I can
build sandcastles.”
Favorite place to eat? Why?
“Home. I’m more comfortable
and my mom makes really good tacos.”
You can change one rule at
TUHS. Which one?
“The holes in the pants, because
holes are sexy. J/K.”
If you could change the schools
colors, which two colors would you
choose? Why?
“Black and yellow, because we
would have our own theme song.”
Your house is on fire! Quick,
there’s only enough time to grab
three things and get out! What do
you take with you?
“My cat, shoes and my cell phone
and charger.”
What is your dream job?
What class should TUHS add to
the schedule?
“Veterinarian. I love animals and
soon I’ll run my own zoo.”
“A poetry class, because it would
be interesting.”
What one thing would you like
to do if you knew you could not
fail?
Most overrated musical artist?
Why?
“Justin Bieber. He’s annoying
and repeats his lyrics; he’s famous
for his ‘good looks’.”
“I’d be the next Justina Bieber.”
What is the meaning of life?
“42.”
Once in a Full
Moon blends
the social and
supernatural
By Katarina Moore
Staff Writer
Once again Ellen Schreiber, New
York Times bestselling author of
Vampire Kisses, has captured our attention with another astounding
book.
Once in a Full Moon is a captivating novel about friendship, true love,
making sacrifices and opening new
doors . Schreiberís story starts in a
small town, which is divided into
two different sections of the social
life, the Eastside (rich and popular
students) and the Westside (people
who live without the social parties,
who live without even a chance to
fit in).
Celeste is from the Eastside and
she and all of her friends have been
close since they were little. When a
new boy, Brandon Maddox, moves
into town, gossip soon spreads and
gets to school by the newcomer’s
first day.
Celeste finds herself attracted to
Brandon. The problem is, Celeste has
a meathead of a boyfriend. Celeste
and Brandon can’t deny how much
they are attracted to each other, even
though Celeste’s friends dislike it.
After Brandon rescues Celeste from
a near-tragedy, everything seems to
fall into place.
Celeste takes a break from her
boyfriend and starts to spend more
time with Brandon. Even though
Celeste and her friends went to a
psychic, who told her to beware of
a kiss under the full moon, she can’t
help herself but have a first kiss...
with a werewolf.
After that, things begin to go
downhill for their relationship, but
they get through it because they
know that nothing is better than
their love for each other.
Holocaust novel
worth reading
Many books, both fiction and
non-fiction, have been written about
the Holocaust. Most students are familiar with Diary of a Young Girl by
Anne Frank and Night by Elie Wiesel. Daniel Half Human is a powerful
Young Adult novel that has received
several honors, including being
named an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults.
As Hitler takes over Germany
in the 1930s, Daniel and his “blood
brother” Armin try to join the Hitler
Youth. But then Daniel learns he is
half-Jewish. He decides to keep it a
secret, not so much to save himself,
but to remain friends with Armin.
He’s not religious, and he feels like
a regular German. He just wants to
go on with his life. But only Armin
is admitted to the Hitler Youth. And
that’s when the plot takes a terrible
turn for Daniel.
He faces life-changing challenges
in his personal life while adjusting
to the fact that his former friends
and neighbors now hate him -- even
though he is the same person he was
before -- and would not hesitate to
turn him in to the Nazis.
One of the things that makes this
novel stand out is that it was written
P.C and Kristen Cast’s The House
of Night series (Marked, Betrayed,
Chosen, Untamed, Hunted, Tempted,
Burned and Awakened) follows angsty and confused teen fledgling
vampyre (yre, not ire) Zoe Redbird.
She is forced to move away from her
family in Broken Arrow, Okla. and
into the House of Night boarding
school, which all fledglings must
attend. At the boarding school the
fledgling is always attracting supernatural trouble and is in some sort of
social or life crisis.
The mother-daughter writing
combo started off as a sound idea,
as far as young adult novels about
vampires go, but as you read on, the
plot and characters begin to change
so much in the short period of time
that the books take place in. The result is a very complicated and difficult-to-follow story line.
Another major problem is that
the authors decided to ride on the
coattails of Stephenie Myers’s drama-filled Twilight saga. Although
not as predictable, this series is still
cheesy and tasteless.
The books are more concerned
with “who is with whom” rather
than with saving the world or whatever vampyres do. All of the characters are less than stellar role models
and are constantly partaking in illegal and immoral activities. It is understandable for characters to make
mistakes as they develop, but even-
tually it gets old and pointless. And
there are also no original or likable
characters in the whole series. All of
them are flawed beyond belief.
Another problem is extreme consumerism; the authors are constantly shoving brands into as many situations as possible. There is also the
problem of the dead vampyres not
staying dead. Even though people
are constantly dying or losing their
powers, they always miraculously
come back. And even the spelling of
vampyre is pretentious and annoying.
This is definitely one of many
vampire (vampyre) series that is not
worth your time.
What My Girlfriend Doesn’t
Know shows you can’t have it all
By Winter Martin
Staff Writer
So the beauty fell in love with the
nerd. In the book What My Girlfriend
Doesn’t Know, the all-popular Sophie starts dating the artist nobody
Robin. Robin finally gets to date
his dream girl, but it’s not all it was
cracked up to be.
Sophie and Robin start dating
over winter break and their relationships seems to be going well until
they are tested by crude remarks
from their so called “friends.” But
they stay together and grow more
and more in love. They refer to
themselves as “outlaws” rather than
outcasts.
Robin gets the chance of a lifetime
when his art teacher tells him that a
friend, who is a Harvard art profes-
sor, wants to let him take a class for
free. Robin makes new friends and
develops a new crush while he continues to date Sophie.
The young couple begins to drift
apart when Sophie’s old friend Rachel becomes an “outlaw.” Robin becomes jealous of all the time Sophie
is spending with Rachel.
Then temptation strikes when
Robin goes out with his college
friends to celebrates his classmate
Tessa’s birthday.
Robin feels on top of the world
with both a college crush and a
beautiful girlfriend, but everything
goes wrong when he chooses to take
the road of sin. It doesn’t take long
for him to realize that he can’t have
the best of both worlds.
Andy Thibodeau
Freshman Orientation
continued from page 1
continued from page 1
talked about how it was perfectly
OK to love bands and sports teams,
but that it was important to make
real friends. One day there might be
a special occasion, happy or tragic,
and those friends will be there on
those days.
“I really think that he was the
best speaker that we have had,” said
senior Brendon Frye.
many different classes, sports and
clubs are offered. They started to
figure out what they wanted to be a
part of.
“I would really like to try cooking class [Foods], and I want to be
in volleyball,” said Ashlynn Westbrook.
The success of the event lingered
on to the next few days. Tammy
Capela, eighth grade Language Arts
teacher at Lincoln said, “Most of
the incoming freshmen are wearing
their new t-shirts. They look great!”
This shows that this relatively
new Taft High tradition produces a
positive outcome.
by a German author and was a bestseller there. This is a page-turner
filled with dramatic conflicts, and it
is worth reading if you are interested
in the Holocaust or just want to read
a book you can’t put down.