Issue 1 - December 2012 - Curriculum and Resources

El Guerrero
Pueblo Magnet High School
Vol. 57, No. 1
1
December 2012
EL GUERRERO STAFF POLICY
El Guerrero
2012 - 13
Pueblo Magnet High School
Tucson, AZ USA
El Guerrero is a student-written and student-edited publication at
Pueblo High Magnet School in Tucson, Arizona. We acknowledge
the importance of providing a forum for student voice, discussion
and open debate.
We recognize the multicultural diversity at Pueblo and will strive
to cover and report on as many of this school’s events, issues and
people as possible.
Co-Editors-in-chief
Alejandra Durazo
Cassandra Gutierrez
Advisor
M r. R a n a K . M e d h i
We acknowledge that El Guerrero is in no way a free-lance
publication.
Principal
M s . V i v i Wa t t
We also recognize that although the school board and/or Pueblo
Magnet High School’s administration are our publishers and peruses
El Guerrero before publication, the responsibility for the proper
conduct of El Guerrero rests with the students.
S TA F F :
News Editors
Maricela Bravo
Hilario Ochoa
Clarissa Romero
Sharon Martinez
El Guerrero will not be used as a public relations tool by
administration and will not refrain from writing about controversial
topics as they arise as long as these topics are of interest and
informative to the Pueblo Magnet High School community.
Features Editors
Samantha Bernal
Stephanie Gomez
Marie Heredia
Alexandra Ochoa
El Guerrero will not be used to advance selfish interests of any
group or clique of students or faculty. It will not publish material that
is libelous (written with the intent to harm), obscene or deemed in
bad taste.
Sports Editors
Ramiro Gonzalez
Joseph Ochoa
Opinions Editors
Myranda Bencomo
Mariano Soto
We understand that the newspaper editor and the staff occupy
positions which possess the power to injure individuals and
institutions, but our actions at all times will be conditioned by
restraint, a strong sense of responsibility and an extreme care for
accuracy.
Advice Columnist
“Alice”
Photo Editors
Anais Salais
E z r a Va l e n z u e l a
Business Managers
Monica Martinez
Blanca Ruiz
Therefore, in all of the editorials, in-depth stories, signed letters, and
other articles which may be considered for publication, the following
guidelines will be followed:
Public Relations
Sabrina Parra
All available facts that can be produced from all pertinent
sources will be obtained before anything is written or published.
We w e l c o m e y o u r c o m m e n t s / s u g g e s t i o n s !
El Guerrero
c / o M r. R a n a M e d h i
Pueblo Magnet High School
3 5 0 0 S . 1 2 t h Av e n u e
Tu c s o n , A Z 8 5 7 1 3
520.225.4520
If all the facts cannot be gathered before a publication deadline,
the above-mentioned articles will be held from publication until
such time as that information can be obtained.
The effect on all of the school and the community will be
carefully considered.
[email protected]
On the cover: Editor-in-chief “Sassy” Cassy Gutierrez gets into the holiday spirit
with PHS mascots Wally and Wanda.
All letters to the editor must be original and signed. No
anonymous letters will be printed. No anonymous sources will be
used in stories unless the topic can hurt the source(s) or damage
their reputations.
Thanks to the following: Mr. Pete Pederson and Ms. Emma Tarazon for their
technical support and advice; Ms. Vivi Watt for her perusal of the newspaper;
Mr. Paul Larson and Ms. Becky Taylor for the press conference; sophomore
Karina Del Campo for the bobcat photo; Cassandra Valenzuela for two of the
football photos; senior Erik Garcia for the Romney-Obama drawing; junior Brian
Esperza for the 9/11 drawing; senior Krizia Palomino for the Stephanie De La
Torre photo; senior Joyce Soto for the “Ask Alice” drawing; former student and
graduate Marco Moreno for the Hurricane Sandy and Nor’easter photos..and, of
course, all of the students, teachers, staff members and administrators who gave
up their time to help us complete our stories.
Signed editorials represent the opinion of the writer and not
necessarily of the newspaper staff, the newspaper advisor and/or
the school as a whole.
Letters to the editor should be taken to Room T4B or placed in Mr.
Medhi’s mailbox. Also, letters can be emailed to rana.medhi@
tusd1.org.
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Letters from the Editors-In-Chief
Dress For Success—Not for Las Vegas Boulevard!
Forgive the Dust
By Ale Durazo, editor-in-chief
By Cassandra Gutierrez, editor-in-chief
My name is Ale
Durazo, and I was
selected to be one of
the two editors-inchief for El Guerrero
this school year. I am
a four-year veteran
of the journalism
program, and I have
enjoyed every second
of it. As one of the
editors, I will be
writing a column
in all of our issues
throughout the 201213 school year, and
trust me, I have a lot
to “say”.
Even though we are near the end of the first semester of the 2012-13
school year, I’d like to say, “Welcome back to another year at Pueblo!”
My name is Cassandra Gutierrez, but most people call me Cassy
(although Mr. Medhi refers to me as “Sassy Cassy”). Maybe I am a bit
sassy. I am one of the two editors-in-chief for El Guerrero this school
year at PHS, and I will be writing a letter in this and future issues of EG
about an array of topics. Due to almost an entirely new staff this year,
our first issue (which is actually more like four issues in one—as far as
the volume of stories included in this issue) took much longer than we
anticipated.
I would like to first write about all of the changes that are occurring
on our campus this year. Who can ignore all of the remodeling that is
happening (especially in the auditorium, band room and mariachi room)?
Walking around campus, I have been admiring how our campus is being
beautified with new foliage—beautiful flowers and plants inside brick
planters. And green grass!!! All of these new improvements are really
helping to make the school look more alive. I know that many of us are
surprised to finally see plants on campus; thanks to Assistant Principal
Frank Rosthenhausler, this new botanical life is possible.
Most of us can’t
believe that the days
in this first semester
are quickly waning.
Somehow we have all survived the brutal weather earlier this semester.
The stifling heat and humidity now seems like a million years ago—
especially now that we are experiencing much cooler mornings. With the
colder temperatures, at least our students are “covering up”, but spring
always comes early in Tucson…
As for the construction and all of the barriers that we students have to
tolerate, I know it’s very annoying at times, but hang in there, Warriors,
because in the end, I’m sure it will all be worth it. All this dust, in the
end, will make us students feel even more proud to attend Pueblo. I know
we all cannot wait to see how our new auditorium will look after it’s
completely finished.
So when you guys see the construction workers, make sure to thank them
for all the hard work and effort they are putting into this campus.
So far this year, I have noticed some of the audacious clothing that both
girls and guys are wearing. Some girls choose to wear transparent shirts;
and, some guys actually think they are sexy when they wear pants that
expose their buttocks. Administration is supposed to enforce the dress
code at Pueblo, but I suppose with 1,700 students at PHS, it’s challenging
to catch every student who violates the dress code. But, most of us
students are embarrassed and appalled to see girls exposing their breasts
and guys boasting their behinds. The point of school is to learn and not to
be in a pageant of half-naked models.
Now it’s time for a lecture to my fellow seniors…
Are you all on track to graduate? If you are not sure, be certain to contact
your counselor—and soon! This semester flew by; you can all expect the
same for next semester. So, it’s important to stay on top of applications
for scholarships because
there’s a lot of money out
there for us. For help with
applications for colleges
and scholarships, seek the
assistance of our career
counselors, Mr. Romero
and/or Mr. Ostroff, in the
College and Career Center
in Room 259. Those of
you who have committed
to (or have thought about
committing to) the military,
check your ASVAB
scores and retake the test
if necessary. Again—talk
to our career counselors
and to your academic
counselors regularly.
Why can’t some students show a little more respect at our school?
Some students’ lack of classy attire is not a new trend, but I think that
this situation has worsened. During my freshman year, a lot of students at
Pueblo wore “skinnys” and Vans with a solid-colored shirt. As the years
have progressed, however, it seems that students started getting bolder
and showing a lot more skin.
One of my teachers recently told me, “Is this what a 50%-off sale
means—that the clothes are also halfway finished?”
We all have an obligation to dress like students and not like we are
auditioning to be Las Vegas prostitutes. Every student attending Pueblo
is a representative of this school, and until we show the community and
each other that we respect rules and can adhere to proper dress, we will
always be perceived negatively in the press.
In essence, dress for success! You might actually feel better about
yourselves, too.
I look forward to the
second half of the 20122013 school year, and I
wish you all the best!
Happy holidays, Warriors! See you all in 2013!
3
Letters To the Editors
Another Bell Schedule?!?
As a senior, I’m still trying to adjust to this
year’s bell schedule. It’s true that we seniors
have had a different bell schedule for all
of our four years at Pueblo. After having
participated in so many of them, I definitely
am in a position to state that I strongly believe
that we should return to having all six periods
on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and
having block days on Thursday (Periods 1,
3, 5) and Friday (Periods 2, 4, 6). This socalled “optional zero periods” we have now is
just that: ZERO! Students are definitely not
taking advantage of this time. Students are
just sleeping in an extra 90 minutes four days
a week and are already complaining about
having to come in “early” on Wednesday
when there is no conference period/optional
zero period. I know that I’ll be graduating
next semester, but I care about the quality
of education for future Warriors at Pueblo.
If we’re supposed to be a “D” school, I
don’t know why administration took away
potentially valuable classroom instruction time.
Sincerely,
Lupita Contreras, senior
To Eat (Or Not To Eat)
Vending machines are always off during lunch,
which means that for a lot of students who
don’t want to eat the school’s food or don’t
have enough money to pay, they can’t eat,
so they just go hungry. These students
should have access to the vending
machines to at least be able to enjoy
a snack—to have some food in their
system.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Oscar Polanco, senior
Dayyanna Meraz, sophomore
Why is there only chocolate milk and white
milk at the cafeteria? I would love to see
Pueblo’s cafeteria offer strawberry milk! Also,
where are all of the pickles and cheese for my
burgers?!?
Sincerely,
América Cárdenas, freshman
What’s up with all of the cockroaches and
grasshoppers in the hallways? There are
especially by Ms. Flenard’s classroom [Room
120] and Mr. Gray’s art class
I want to know who decides what food we
students eat! I wonder if they’re eating this
so-called ‘cuisine’. Students should have the
opportunity to voice more lunch choices.
[Room 127]. Pueblo is being overtaken by
bugs!
Sincerely,
Alex Hardan, freshman
Sincerely,
Cynthia Rojas, sophomore
Bathroom Talk
What About Our Finals?
The boys’ bathrooms are disgusting! The sinks
don’t even work so there’s no way to wash our
hands. Isn’t that against the law?
I’m shocked that we students have a schoolwide assembly on Dec. 13, the week before
finals. I’m a freshman, and this is the first time
that I’m taking finals, so I suppose that I’m a
little nervous about thee tests. But, I do feel
that administration could not have chosen a
worse day for this Career Fair. We students
should be in our classes received last-minute
instructions regarding our final examinations.
Many of us students need to do well on our
finals in order to pass our classes this first
semester. Even having one less class before
finals can really affect us. Don’t get me wrong;
I think a Career and College Fair is a great
idea, but the timing is very bad. This fair could
have been postponed until early January when
we return after the holidays, when the second
semester is beginning. In fact, an assembly at
the beginning of the second semester would
be good for us students because it would be
like a New Year’s resolution for us and keep us
focused on being more professional.
Sincerely,
Luis Hernandez, sophomore
What’s up with custodians cleaning the
restrooms during school hours? Once I went
into the girls’ restroom and a male custodian
was cleaning the restroom!
Sincerely,
Sandra Iniguez, freshman
Bugs Taking Over Pueblo?
The carpet in the library is disgusting! What’s
up with all of those spots? They look like
“accident” stains! And, also, why are there so
many spiders at this school? They are in most
of my classrooms, and one of my friends on
the swim team earlier this semester said that
even the pool had black widow spiders!
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Sincerely,
América Cárdenas, freshman
Letter from Ms. Watt
From the Principal’s Desk
“Leadership, Involvement, and School Spirit at Pueblo”
productive protocol in getting their message across. All of this
communication makes a difference!
.
After talking to about 300 students at lunch and looking at
data from the first quarter, I am pleased to see and hear that
more students feel conference is worthwhile, and that they are
attending. This means that Pueblo students are making positive
choices and taking responsibility for improving achievement and
raising their grades. In addition to attending conference periods,
more and more students have gained access to TUSD stats and
are tracking their own academic progress. Many students are
also making Data notebooks, where they can organize their test
scores and benchmarks to track their own academic growth. This
is an effective way to prepare yourselves for college and beyond!
Dear Warriors,
Taking pride in your school is beneficial to you in so many
ways. In fact, participation in high school activities is often a
predictor of later success—in college, in your future careers, and
becoming a contributing member of society.
Here are just a few examples of how Pueblo Warriors are
contributing to our school in positive ways:
I have met with the WolfPAC (Principal’s Advisory Council)
three times so far this year. The idea for WolfPAC came from
an all day retreat sponsored by YES in September. WolfPAC
meetings are held every other Friday at 8:00 a.m. in the Library
Conference Room. Students and I have discussed the bell
schedule, conference period, electives and why Pueblo is a ‘D’
school. As a result, I have heard great ideas and feedback from
students. To continue this trend, I would like to invite each and
every one of you to join us and be part of the WolfPAC. Let me
hear your voices!
As the fall sports season ends and we move into the winter
season, I would like to compliment our swimmers, golf
team, football team, volleyball players—as well as our Cheer
and Pomline groups—for their commitment and hard work.
Participating in sports allows our students to learn about
teamwork and how working with others can help individuals find
success. It is also a great way to keep healthy and fit for life. I
look forward to seeing the same effort and commitment from our
basketball and soccer players—as well as the members of our
wrestling team—this winter.
Several months ago, I met with MEChA to discuss the
transportation issue at Pueblo. Through commitment and
perseverance, several students had organized student
and community members to voice their concerns about
bussing at Pueblo. Because of their request, I scheduled a
transportation forum at Pueblo and since then have been in
continued discussion with the Transportation Department in
TUSD. These student leaders have followed a respectful and
Thank you, Student Council, YES, and Prism Club members!
You continue to commit to your leadership roles and improving
school spirit. (Come out to the next Pep Assembly!) These
groups continue to give students a voice in our school and
help to prevent bullying. These student leaders are not only
instrumental in helping to create a positive culture and
environment in our school, but they are also
learning leadership skills that they will have for a
lifetime.
More and more students know about and are
participating in “Community Schools” classes
before and after school. Tenth graders know they
need to stay on track for graduation and are making
up algebra and English 9—as well as participating
in enrichment classes.
Last but not least, we all know that Pueblo is
undergoing change. We are collectively striving to
improve our school and we are on the right track
to getting there. I appreciate our students because
they are so flexible and willing to embrace the
changes.
Warriors, keep up the good work! You are
awesome! Good luck in your finals, have happy
holidays and a restful winter vacation.
Mrs. Watt
5
‘D’ for ‘Determination’
By Marie Heredia
Pueblo Magnet High School has faced
many changes for the 2012-13 school
year. Unfortunately, not all of those
changes are positive. Pueblo has earned
a new “grade”; the Arizona Department
of Education (ADE) has given Pueblo
a “D” grade, falling a letter grade from
the previous year’s “C”.
Only one other high school in TUSD
received a “D” grade: Catalina High
Magnet School. Even Cholla Magnet
High School, which Pueblo routinely
compares itself to because of its similar
size and ethnic make-up, earned a “C”.
This year, a report card was
administered to all schools and districts
in Arizona in place of the Adequate
Yearly Progress (AYP) labels that were
used in the past. These labels emphasize
results in sub-groups, such as special
education students, English language
learners; and is a federal measurement,
from the No Child Left Behind Act, of
whether schools meet or do not meet
standards based on state mandated
AIMS (Arizona Instrument to Measure
Standards) tests.
The grades are also based on the growth
of student achievement, school’s
graduation rate and progression rate.
According to Pueblo’s principal, Ms.
Vivi Watt, Pueblo earned a “D”, missing
a “C” by just one point, due partly to
a low graduation rate as well as ELL
(English Language Learners) students’
scores on AZELLA tests—and also
students’ AIMS test scores.
According to Watt, there is only one
way to move—up; there are no “F”
schools. However, Watt added that
receiving a “D” for this school year
could prove to be an advantage for
Pueblo.
Watt stated if Pueblo received another
“D” this year, we could become a
“turn-around” school, or “restructured”
school. The key word, she emphasized,
is “could”. She said that there are
various ways the district can implement
a possible reconstruction. This may
involve the removal of the current
administration as well as replacing half
of the teaching staff. Watt reiterated
that the consequences of earning a “D”
this school year does not necessarily
mandate permanent changes or the
school’s reconstruction.
In terms of the school districts in
general, Flowing Wells School District
earned a “B” while Vail School District,
Catalina Foothills School District,
and Tanque Verde School Districts all
achieved “A”s. TUSD and Sunnyside
School District receiving C average
grades.
Pueblo’s giant “D” certainly did not
help with the district’s “C” average.
We were not the only ones to receive
this dismal evaluation. In the entire
Tucson Unified School District, 16 of
84 schools also earned “D”s, which
is actually an improvement from the
previous year when 27 schools had “D”s
in the district.
Arizona is in the bottom 10 states,
ranking 44th on the annual report, that
measures state education policies and
program, which was released from the
Education Research Center. This is not
surprising since Arizona spends less
on education than any other American
state.
However, despite the grim numbers
and low evaluations, Watt said that
she remains “very optimistic” about
Pueblo’s improvement.
“I’m not giving up and neither should
the Pueblo community,” Watt said.
“[Because of our ‘D’ status] I feel all
the more energized to make changes so
that our students can perform at higher
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levels.” She added, “I am not too
worried because I am very certain we
will raise our grade, starting with this
school year.”
Watt explained that to improve our “D”
grade, we must do better in attendance,
and students must achieve higher
grades.
“Students should complete their
homework and stay on-task in the
classroom,” Watt said. She added,
“Failure is not an option, and practice
indicates achievement, which is exactly
what we would like from our students
here at Pueblo.”
Watt added that administration has
begun to implement the Response
to Intervention (RPI) model, which
happens when students have earned
“D”s or “F”s and are in need of an
intervention. Credit recovery and
workshops also will help this situation.
Watt said that the first thing she thinks
we can do in order to raise our “D”
grade is to “improve teaching and
learning in regular classrooms first, and
clearly communicate to students that we
have higher expectations for them.”
Some teachers and staff members
believe that Pueblo’s “D” grade is also
due to our school operating on 25% less
of the budget than previous years.
Not only does this “D” give Pueblo an
even worse reputation but really also
gives students less of a chance to gain
great opportunities.
Dr. Andrew Lettes, biotechnology
teacher, said “Volunteers are already so
skeptical to volunteer here at Pueblo,
and now this report card gives Pueblo
an even worse reputation when it
shouldn’t because students are so great
with guests and can gain so much more
if they have those experiences with
volunteers.” Lettes paused and added,
“Clearly, this [‘D’] grade does not
reflect our intrinsic worth.”
Lettes encourages the Pueblo
community to do their part because, “If
we each do our own little thing to help,
it will not be coordinated—and thus
will accomplish nothing. Our efforts
have to be in concert to make real
improvements.”
Other teachers, including Mr. Cristobál
Santa Cruz, American history teacher,
agree with Lettes about the “D” grade
being a reflection of Pueblo.
Santa Cruz said, “This [‘D’] grade does
not reflect students because the label
gives all Pueblo students a black eye,
and that is undeserved. As for teachers,
I don’t believe that the exams that
students fail are clear indications that
teachers are failures!”
Although Santa Cruz believes Pueblo’s
“D” grade does not reflect Pueblo, he
stated, “It makes me wonder if I’ll have
a job here next year.” He suggests “All
current sophomores need to take AIMS
seriously and pass the first time around.
We also have to focus on all of the
juniors who failed last year and ensure
that they pass this year.”
know we are doing our absolute best to
do better here at Pueblo, and that is all
that matters.”
Parents are also in disbelief with the
grade Pueblo has received.
The mother of senior Yahaira Perez
stated, “I thought that Pueblo was doing
better because my daughters were
improving a lot.”
Watt also expressed that expecting
more from our students’ parents is
instrumental in raising our grade.
“Parents can support their children’s
education,” Watt said, “by making sure
that they attend school regularly and
monitor their homework—as well as
establishing contact with their teachers
Ms. Mary Wallace, American
government teacher, does not agree
completely on whether the grade is a
reflection of Pueblo.
Wallace said, “I wish I could say
this [‘D’ grade] wasn’t a reflection
of Pueblo…The graduation rate and
AIMS math scores are what killed us [to
receive a ‘D’ grade].”
Many students know of Pueblo’s “D”
status and feel genuinely concerned;
some actually admitted that they were
embarrassed to attend a “D”-rated
high school. However, many, too, are
taking our low grade with a grain of salt
because many express that they do not
believe that Pueblo received the grade it
deserved.
Senior Kaila Placencio stated, “Wow,
from what I see around campus and in
my classrooms, Pueblo does not look
like it’s doing that bad. I would have
never guessed we were a ‘D’ school.”
Senior Esmeralda Martinez said, “The
[‘D’] grade doesn’t matter because we
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and ensuring that they are always aware
of their children’s grades.”
The long-term goal for Pueblo—and
all schools—is to be evaluated as an
“A” school, which according to the
criterion set by the Arizona Department
of Education, demonstrates an excellent
level of performance, and those schools
that boast 90% of students passing
AIMS and achieve a greater academic
growth than most schools.
“On a scale from one to 10 regarding
how confident I am that Pueblo’s grade
can improve from a ‘D’ to at least a ‘C’
is a nine,” Watt said. “It’s bad luck to
say ‘10’. However, we definitely have
effective support systems in place to
improve our grade.”
Students, Parents Resist Sun Tran Plan; 4 Yellow Buses Return
By Hilario Ochoa and Sabrina Parra
vices at other high schools in TUSD.”
Early this school year, Tucson Unified
School District introduced a new transportation system for primarily Pueblo Magnet
High School, replacing the traditional
yellow school buses with Sun Tran city
buses.
He added, “Sun Tran continues to be an
effective option for students in special
programs.”
Even though TUSD students have been
utilizing Sun Tran buses for years, this
transportation system has never been neither forced nor funded by the district.
This transition was made by the TUSD
Governing Board in an effort to help the
district save some of its $17 million deficit, Larson said.
TUSD Director of Transportation Mr.
Paul Larson said, “It costs [the district]
about $100 per month to transport a single
student on a yellow bus, as opposed to
costing about $42 per month to transport a
single student on a Sun Tran bus.”
He added that although the use of Sun
Tran buses will save the district money
(approximately $100,000), this transportation change also created concerns of
many parents and students alike. Most of
the concerns have been primarily about
students’ safety.
However, due to parental, student and
some administrative opposition to the use
of city buses, most of the Pueblo Sun Tran
bus riders were switched to yellow buses
on Nov. 26.
“The transition to yellow buses [on Nov.
26] was nearly flawless,” Larson said.
“There will be some students, because of
location and special programs, who will
continue to ride Sun Tran. Students will
not have the choice of choosing between
riding the yellow bus or receiving the Sun
Tran bus pass.”
Pueblo was not the only school that had
been affected by the decision to use Sun
Tran buses to transport students to and
from their schools.
“Yellow buses took over service for about
80 students at Cholla,” Larson said, “and
there were no changes to Sun Tran ser-
Some parents were upset that Pueblo was
the only high school that this transportation issue affected so much, and they were
very vocal about this issue at public meetings earlier this semester.
Many parents argued, too, that yellow
buses that were made specifically and
solely for student transportation could
be monitored better. School buses also
always had passengers that were the same
age. Parents were quick to express concerns that Sun Tran buses were not as safe
as yellow buses due to the general public
using them also.
Although Sun Tran buses are installed
with six video/audio recording cameras
that are placed throughout the vehicles,
some parents are concerned about their
children’s safety due to Sun Tran buses
not having permanent security officers.
“[These cameras] prevent people from
committing violent crimes because they
know they are being recorded,” said
Larson. “You would have to be nuts to do
something crazy on a Sun Tran bus.”
Despite Larson’s assertions, students have
complained about being harassed on the
Sun Tran buses this semester.
One student, senior Vivi Valenzuela, said
that she was harassed on a Sun Tran bus
leaving Pueblo in October. She said that
one day, after she had been dropped off
at the Laos Center near Irvington and 6th
Avenue, she waited for bus number 27.
During that time, a man approached her
and sat near her on a bus bench.
“He asked me if I had a boyfriend, and I
tried to ignore him,” said Valenzuela. “He
stayed near me and made me feel uncomfortable. When the bus finally arrived,
I got on board, and he followed me. He
tried to sit next to me again on the bus
even after I tried to get away from him.
When I got up, he also stood up. That’s
when I reached into my back pocket and
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retrieved my mace—pointed it towards his
face and told him to ‘Kiss off!’”
Valenzuela said that she made sure that
when she departed the bus, the man did
not follow her. She added that she never
told her family this situation because she
did not want to worry them.
Another student, sophomore Isaac Montiel, said, “I have been pressured about
purchasing drugs on Sun Tran buses.”
Senior Sammy Terrazas said that one day
after leaving school on a crowded Sun
Tran bus—when people were actually
standing shoulder to shoulder—a bus
driver berated him for stepping over a line
that is off limits to bus riders.
“I’ve never heard a bus driver yell at his
customers so loudly,” said Terrazas. “It
sort of freaked me out. It’s like the bus
driver totally lost his mind, and I felt
uncomfortable for the rest of the time I
remained on the bus.”
Sophomore Mark Gomez recalled, “My
friend and I were sitting on the bus, and a
crazy-looking guy was staring at us in a
demeaning way that made me feel uncomfortable and unsafe.”
More serious accounts have occurred. Senior Mariano Soto said that several years
ago, upon leaving school and heading
home on a Sun Tran bus, he was followed
off the vehicle by two men.
“I was minding my own business,” Soto
said. “There were no provocations on the
bus—they just decided to pick on me that
day. I got a little suspicious when they
exited the bus when I did because usually
nobody gets off the bus at my stop.”
This is when Soto said three men approached him and, at gun-point, demanded his phone, backpack, shoes and MP3.
Soto said that he reported this incident to
Tucson Police Department, and a report
was filed. These three men were never
caught.
Sun Tran was contacted about this
incident, but claimed that there were not
responsible for Soto’s assault and theft
due to the actual crime not occurring on the bus.
and the opportunities to ride the city bus. Some students said that
they actually felt safer on a Sun Tran bus than a traditional school
bus.
“Despite this trauma, I still ride Sun Tran buses, but I’m always
aware of people I’m riding with,” Soto said.
Sophomore Andrea Martinez said, “I like the fact that I could stay
after school late for tutoring and still catch the bus home. I would
not consider Sun Tran buses unsafe because they are usually too
crowded—too many witnesses!”
One of Pueblo’s security monitors, Mr. Virgil Henderson, who
has heard of several negative stories about students riding Sun
Tran buses, said, “One thing is for sure, I would never let my
daughter ride the city bus—not only to and from school but
anywhere.”
Senior Jesus Castillo said, “I love riding Sun Tran buses because
I am able to see more of the city. It sure beats riding the boring
school bus—some of which do not have any air conditioning or
heating. I also get a chance to meet new people every day when
I’m on a Sun Tran bus.” He paused and said, “I also like the fact
that our Sun Tran buses could also be used for transportation elsewhere—they were not just for school purposes.”
Another concern that has remained of parents is that Sun Tran
buses are sometimes overcrowded, which they feel could pose a
serious safety hazard for their children.
The maximum capacity of a Sun Tran bus is about 70 people,
according to Larson. However, some students have claimed that
they have been on city buses that were so crowded that they were
forced to wait for the next bus or had to stand while the bus was
moving.
Throughout this semester—after all of the meetings between
parents, administrators, students and bus officials—TUSD agreed
that they would add four yellow buses for students’ transportation
to and from school.
Sophomore Zelin Pallanes said, “I think it’s interesting that on
school buses students are not allowed to stand while the buses are
moving, but on Sun Tran buses, standing is routine.”
Parents and students who want all of the buses to be back in service believe that this is a positive first step.
Teachers, too, are concerned for the safety of their students.
Ms. Angie Lopez, a parent of a Pueblo student, has been very
concerned about the way her daughter has been transported to
and from school.
English teacher Ms. Anne Abbott-Gee said, “I don’t understand
how they [Sun Tran] could cram all of these students onto one
bus!”
“It’s a tragedy that Pueblo students have to be exposed to the
public negatively through this issue,” Lopez said. “I’m glad that
Pueblo students and their parents got back most of their yellow
school buses, but I’ll be a lot happier when I learn that all of them
are back in service for the Pueblo kids.”
Larson said that if overcrowding Sun Tran buses become a problem, the district will provide more city buses.
Not all students have experienced negative events riding Sun
Tran buses; in fact, many students have enjoyed the experience
Sophomores Mark Gomez and Taylor Toltin relieved to be traveling on a TUSD bus
9
Welcome, Ms. Shaw, to the ‘Pack’!
By “Sassy” Cassy Gutierrez
After nearly a semester, everybody has noticed that
Pueblo Magnet High School has a new addition to its
administrative team: Ms. Kathi Shaw, who is now assistant
principal of teaching and learning.
Shaw, who is beginning her 22nd year working in TUSD,
said that she earned a master’s degree in educational
leadership—which she said has well-prepared her for an
administrative position.
Shaw first worked at Pueblo as an intern last year, working
directly with PHS Principal Vivi Watt.
“I loved my experience as an intern,” Shaw affirmed. “I
fell in love with Pueblo and the students! Pueblo is truly a
hidden jewel in the district.”
Teaching and being involved in education was not always
Shaw’s dream, she admitted, although she said that this
field sort of “found” her first. She recalled that years ago, when
she used to coach her daughter’s softball team, one of the parents
suggested to Shaw that she pursue education because she was a
“natural” at working with children.
Shaw said that she firmly believes in public education—she has
faith in the system.
“Faculty and staff members at Pueblo are firmly dedicated to
improving student achievement,” Shaw said.
She added, “Public schools are places for learning, as well
as cultural places, and the culture at Pueblo is definitely very
inviting and very rich.”
“I took the suggestion seriously,” Shaw admitted. “I decided to
start substitute teaching—giving education a shot. I found out
immediately that I loved working with kids, and so I decided to
earn a degree as a teacher.”
Shaw expressed that she does have a little bit of time for some
hobbies when she is not busy with administrative duties.
Shaw’s next step in her career was to become involved with
professional development at the district level, but she wanted
to make a bigger difference, so she aimed for an administrative
position.
“I love to travel and read,” she said. “My two ‘babies’ [one
daughter who is 29 and one son who is 27] are getting married
next year, so I’ll be very busy with those events.”
Despite Shaw’s love of the Pueblo community, she admitted that
Pueblo has “a lot of challenges” but that “the school has great
potential for improvements.
At the end of the day, however, Shaw said that she likes to reflect
on her primary goal—the real reason why she is at Pueblo.
“I really want to support and help teachers become the best
teachers they can be,” Shaw said. “I want them to build
relationships with their students and help them maintain a strong
focus on student achievement.”
“There’s a lot of room to grow,” Shaw said. “I very much want to
help this school, especially by improving student achievement.”
Shaw expressed that Pueblo has a lot of strengths to work
with but also admits that the school’s weaknesses need a lot of
attention.
Shaw paused and said, “I know we can all make Pueblo a
better learning environment. I thank Ms. Watt for giving me the
opportunity to make a positive difference at this school.”
She stated that the sense of community at this school is very
strong, “but students don’t believe in themselves as much as they
should, and many believe that they cannot achieve true academic
success.”
Principal Vivi Watt said, “Ms. Shaw has a vast amount of
knowledge in teaching and learning and has a passion for
improving the instruction in our classrooms.”
“The faith here at Pueblo is weak,” stated Shaw, “and we need to
improve in that area.”
10
AIMS, Lunch Interrupted by Fire
The original site of bathroom fire
By Myranda Bencomo and Ezra Valenzuela
students at Pueblo confused about where to go—without a
teacher or specific location on the football field.
On Thursday, Oct. 25, a fire that was set on the second floor in
the east wing of the building in the boys’ restroom generated a
lot of black smoke and interrupted AIMS testing for hundreds of
students and first lunch for hundreds of more Warriors.
When students were allowed to return to classes, many of them
were allowed to eat their lunch first.
“It’s sad that a student would cause this much damage on a day
of AIMS,” Santa Cruz stated.
Soon after first period began, the fire alarm was triggered by
smoke that was generated by the fire. A student had intentionally set the toilet paper dispenser on fire. A student who witnessed
the fire immediately informed English teacher Ms. Kelly Crane.
Pueblo Principal Vivi Watt said, “I would like to think that if the
person who started the fire would have understood how severe
the situation was, they truly wouldn’t have started it.”
“I thought the student was joking, but I had to check just to be
sure,” Crane said. “When I saw the smoke, I tried to stay calm,
and tried not to panic.”
Watt added that she was not present when this fire occurred
and would like to commend two of her assistant principals, Ms.
Kathi Shaw and Mr. Frank Rosthenhausler, for handling this
situation.
Crane added that she could not find a fire extinguisher, and her
level of anxiety increased as the smoke became very thick and
black.
“They [Shaw and Rosthenhausler] did a wonderful job!” exclaimed Watt.
She found a fire extinguisher near the classroom of history
teacher Mr. Cristobal Santa Cruz, which is adjacent to her own
room. By this time, Santa Cruz was well aware of the fire. He
rushed into the restroom and used the fire extinguisher that
Crane had.
Rosthenhausler said he believes that the student who started the
fire did not think of the potential problems that this fire would
generate.
He added, “Whoever started this fire needs to take responsibility for their actions and turn themselves in to face the consequences.”
He was able to put out the fire, which did not only destroy
school property, but also interrupted the math portion of AIMS.
At the same time, first lunch was interrupted, leaving half the
11
First Quarter Grades: Slippin’ On Down, Down, Down…
By Samantha Bernal and Mariano
Soto
After receiving the news early in
the school year that Pueblo had
earned a “D” school status from the
Arizona Department of Education—
just when we thought our students
couldn’t sink any lower at Pueblo
Magnet High School, academically
speaking—students’ first quarters
grades dropped in three
core subject areas.
procrastinate too much.”
The number of F’s that students
earned in their social studies classes
also dropped by more than four
percentage points from this year to
last year (29.15% this first quarter
compared to 24.96% failures for
the first quarter during the 2011-12
school year).
The number of D’s and
F’s at the first quarter
plummeted compared to
last year’s poor grades at
the same time—in three
out of four core subjects:
social studies, science
and math. Only grades in
English improved from a
year ago.
Dr. Lolly Levine, Pueblo science
teacher, said that too many students
are aiming for D’s.
“To me, a ‘D’ is a failing grade,”
Levine said. “If I had ever brought
home a D when I was in school, I
would have been in trouble. If it were
up to me, I would eliminate D’s from
the grading system.” She paused
and echoed what Klein
asserted: “We teachers
only see our students three
times a week. Also, classes
are very long, and by the
time students attend their
sixth period class, they are
tired.”
English was the only
core subject that
showed improvement in
comparison to the first
quarters of 2011 and 2012.
Students earned more D’s
Last year, more than 30%
and F’s in math than the
of all Pueblo students’
other three core subjects.
English grades were an
Michael Malina and Adam Rogers hit the F; this year, at the end of
According to statistics,
first quarter, the number
books, hoping to improve their grades
more than 16% of all
was “just” 25%, which
students in math classes
was, according to most
earned a D for the first quarter; 36%
Economics teacher Mr. Travis Klein
English teachers, a “significant
earned an F. More than half of all
said, “The schedule has something
improvement”, but still “very
Pueblo students enrolled in math
to do with this drop. Students are
disappointing overall.”
courses either failed or are in danger
not in school enough. Also, last
of failing. This number is slightly
year, the Gear-Up Program helped
“I’m pleased with the English
worse than last year’s grim statistics
students in their academics, and that
Department having the lowest rate of
in math at the end of the first quarter. program has since left.” Klein paused D’s and F’s at first quarter compared
and added, “Increasing parental
to last year’s first quarter grades—at
“There really is no significant change involvement would also greatly help
least when they are compared to
[from last year’s math scores],” said
improve students’ academic scores.”
the other three core subjects,” said
Mr. Nathan Adams, Pueblo math
English teacher Mr. Don Robertson.
teacher. He added, “It seems to
Science grades stayed relatively the
“In my department, we teachers
me that kids just don’t care. There
same from last year to this year at
are focusing more on one-on-one
seems to be a cultural of failure
the first quarter, but still more than
time between [English] teacher and
[at Pueblo]. Students have a lack
44% of all students in science classes student. I think this helps students a
of organizational skills and they
earned either a D or an F.
great deal.”
12
English teacher Ms. Karen Rimmell has another theory
why English grades improved at the end of first quarter
this school year compared to last year at this time. “We
English teachers are very adamant about teaching our
students PIE [Point-Illustration-Explanation] to ensure
that they are prepared for the writing portion of AIMS,”
she said. “Also, investing time in SSR [Sustained Silent
Reading] has helped our students to greatly hone their
reading skills.”
Ms. Yolanda Sotelo, Pueblo’s English Department chair,
said, “We [English] teachers spend a great deal of our
time preparing students for AIMS that it couldn’t help
but teach our students how to be more critical readers
and writers.”
Administration is clearly upset by the number of D’s and
F’s at the first quarter.
Ms. Ana Gallegos, assistant principal of curriculum
and community, said that some of our students are not
academically ready for high school.
“Many of our students are lacking basic math skills,”
Gallegos said, “and many of our students procrastinate
about doing their assignments, which leads to failure for
many of them. As a result, they do not learn as much as
they should. This definitely is exemplified by the high
number of F’s and D’s at Pueblo.”
Gallegos added that students should be taking advantage
of attending zero conference periods on the four days of
the week that they are available and to commit to staying
after school and receive tutoring in subjects that they
need help in.
“We [administration and teachers] also encourage parents
to become more actively involved in their children’s
educational success,” Gallegos said.
She added that a lot of attention is given to freshmen and
sophomores this year, and if they fail, then we encourage
them to attend the 21st Century Program that offers
students opportunities to make up credits and to stay on
track of graduating on time.
“We need everybody participating in becoming more
motivated—to become better students and to earn higher
grades,” Gallegos insisted. “We are a Pueblo community,
and we should be in this together.”
Gallegos hopes that Pueblo students value
their academics to decrease D’s and F’s.
13
Renovations to Improve ‘Old School’ Pueblo
By Hilario Ochoa
teachers, and the improvements will also provide us with new
and better tools for learning.”
In hopes of beautifying the school and updating some very old
areas, Pueblo Magnet High School is involved in many different
construction projects. Much of this construction involves
complicated and sophisticated building restructuring and
modernizing some buildings with state of the art technology.
The plans for these renovations were drawn in March of 2012,
and even though most of the construction projects were projected
to be done in November, some of the projects will not be finished
until early next semester, Rosthenhausler said.
The new changes that are being made include a new designed
auditorium, which consists of new lighting equipment, new
sound equipment, new curtains, a new paint job, an east entrance
and dressing rooms.
“There are always unexpected bumps in these kinds of projects,”
Rosthenhausler said.
Project manager Mr. Jeffery
Shaw of Halberd and Kroll
Construction Company said,
“There are always challenges
when working with construction.
However, our main difficulty that
has set back the estimated project
end time is the [old] age of the
building.”
New changes are also
being made to the
Little Theatre, which
will include a new
control room, new
lights, a new sound
system and a new
stage. Other projects
that are concurrent
include work in the
band room, auto
shop and art rooms
that will include
new equipment,
carpets, cabinets and
ceilings. Some of
these improvements
have already been
completed; others
will take longer—
extending into next
semester.
Pueblo was constructed 56 years
ago, in 1956, although various
other parts of the campus were
not finished for years afterwards,
stretching all of the way into the
1970s and 1980s.
Due to the building’s age, many
of the areas in which construction
is being worked upon tend to be
inefficient. Thus, replacements
and repairs must be made prior to
additions to the building.
Shaw said, “When all is done, these changes will prove to be
beneficial to the school. The new equipment will give students
here at Pueblo better and more updated learning opportunities.”
According to construction worker Mr. Joel Almeida, teams
of other construction workers are also committed to other
projects around campus, including fixing and installing the air
conditioning units in numerous classrooms across campus—as
well as Lever Gym.
With the construction still in progress, students have learned to
be very creative about getting to their classes. This has caused a
great deal of congestion in the hallways. Although this was more
of a concern at the beginning of the year—as students had to find
alternative ways to get to their classes—this still remains a worry
for Rosthenhausler.
“These changes aren’t costing Pueblo a dime,” said Mr. Frank
Rosthenhausler, assistant principal of athletics, security and
environment.
He added that the money used to fund these projects is being paid
for from a bond that was approved six years ago. He said that
the construction projects will end up costing approximately $2.6
million.
“This [new construction design] is something that no other high
schools in the district currently have,” said Rosthenhausler.
“These new additions will improve our school in many ways.
They make our school more attractive to fine arts students and
“The biggest concern is student safety,” he asserted, “and luckily
I don’t think this has affected student achievement.”
Rosthenhausler said that other than students crowding the
hallways during passing periods, all of the construction projects
are progressing well.
14
“Change is always hard,” said Rosthenhausler, “but these
changes will inevitably be good for Pueblo.”
Students Urged to Follow Rules—
New and Old
By Myranda Bencomo
There are not many new rules this school
year, but there are some that are being
enforced more than last year. There are a few new rules, such as the
“white line” and a new rule for tardy
students. The “white line” is a rule that has
been created to keep the patio cleaner.
“We found out that the school had a serious
trash and gum problem,” Principal Vivi
Watt said. “Students were not throwing
away their trash or gum in the proper
places.”
Students believe that this white line rule has
been keeping our school cleaner
Sophomore Kevin Cabada said, “Rules like
this [white line] help our school to become
a better and cleaner environment.”
Then, there is the tardy rule, which affects
all students who are late to school or class.
Students must now sign in at the front
office for excused tardies if they entered
class late. Also, if a student is late to class,
he or she must sign a sheet which teachers
then give to administration for attendance
data or disciplinary action.
Senior Desmond Bentley said, “At the
beginning of the school year, I was late to
class practically everyday. It was fun, but
I will not be late anymore because they
[administrators] are really strict about
absences and being tardy this year.”
Bentley was required to attend after school
detention for one week.
Another sophomore, Hector Ochoa, said,
“I really paid the price because I ended up
not going to detention after I was assigned
time there. I was required to be in ATS
[Alternative to Suspension—or “in-house”
suspension]. Next time—and hopefully
there isn’t a next time—I will just go to
detention when assigned.”
According to Watt, tardies have not been
as much of a problem this school year
because class starts at 9 a.m. (on M-TTh-F) and not at 7:30 a.m. Another reason
why tardies have decreased is because the
passing period has also been increased from
six minutes last year to seven minutes this
school year.
However, Watt said that tardies, especially
on Wednesday mornings, still remain a
problem. Administration and teachers are
working on ideas to combat the tardy crisis
on Wednesday.
She added, “Sometimes our monitors are
often too busy to enforce all of the rules
all of the time. This is why it is especially
important for students to know all of the
rules and know what is expected of them.”
This school year, Coach Adrian Koch is
helping administrators with the referral
process. He wants students and teachers to
understand that the assistant principals are
to receive the first referrals—so that they
are first to respond to the information and
to do the correct procedures.
Then, the assistant principals will send
the information to Koch, and he will deal
with the student according to the discipline
matrix and the Rights and Responsibilities
guidelines.
Koch said that teachers should begin to
see more students being assigned morning
conference periods to raise their low
grades.
“Rather than punishing students, we [the
administrative team] are trying to be
proactive rather than reactive,” Koch said.
He added, “Administration is trying to
get students into zero periods rather than
assigning them ATS—which is better for
everybody in the end.”
Punishing students with detention time
is administrators’ first choice, Watt said.
Morning detention takes place during zero
periods (7:30-9:00 a.m. on M-T-TH-F),
and after school on the same days.
If a student fails to go to an assigned
detention, “progressive discipline” will be
implemented, Watt added.
Progressive discipline consists of two steps
to ensure that Pueblo students actually
attend detention. The first step would be
for students to be assigned a detention date
and time; the second step would involve
students being assigned ATS, (Alternative
to Suspension), according to Assistant
Principal Frank Rosthenhausler.
Of course, ATS and after school detention
are not necessarily assigned to students
who break tardy rules.
“I broke a window and cussed out two
teachers,” sophomore David Alegria said.
“I learned my lesson and will not do it
anymore.” Alegria ended up receiving two
weeks of ATS.
Administration being tough and looking tough about the
rules this year
15
PHS: School With Best Coolers in Winter;
Best Heaters in Summer*
By Samantha Bernal and Mariano Soto
Way back to almost the very beginning
of the school year, on August 9,
Pueblo’s administration kicked off the
new school year with an assembly in
the Lever Gym.
Some students have great memories
and recall the torturously high
temperatures inside the gym.
While our administrators were
presenting their power points to
separate classes (grouped by grade
levels), hundreds of students (and
teachers) were literally dripping
with sweat. This event reminded
everybody that it was going to
be a long summer—and that our
school desperately needs to have air
conditioning when and where it is most
crucial, as well as heating in the winter
months.
“After about 15 minutes, the assembly
became like a sauna—and that’s when
the assembly became a waste of our
time,” said senior Anna Marie Mamake.
“I don’t know what part administrators
don’t understand, but when it’s that
hot and miserable, students will not
listen no matter who is speaking and
what the subject is about. Absolutely
no learning can take place.” She added,
“No wonder our school is considered a
‘D’ school!”
Ms. Mary Wallace, social studies
teacher, said that her heater has not
been working properly.
Another senior, Siana DeLaCruz, said,
“Having no air conditioning makes our
school look really bad and prevents
students from staying focused—and
gives them a physical excuse not
to stay focused.” She paused and
added, “I seem to learn a lot more
in classrooms that have adequate air
conditioning during the hot months and
heating during the winter months. It
only makes sense. Students just want to
be comfortable.”
She added, “I have no control of how
cold or hot it gets in my classroom, but
I’d rather be too cold in here because
I don’t want to be sweating from an
overactive heater.”
Teachers also have complained
insistently to administrators about their
classroom discomfort; some of these
complaints have lasted years.
“I love my cold room,” Wallace said,
“even though my students complain
about and hate how cold it gets in
there! I tell them to start wearing
sweaters to stay comfortable.”
Senior Rafael Gonzalez, who is in
Wallace’s classroom during fifth
period, said, “It’s always cold in her
room, and sometimes this distracts
me from learning. All I can think
about is how cold it is. When I put a
sweater on, then it gets too hot. I’d
love to be room temperature so that I
could be comfortable and actually pay
attention.”
Mr. Pete Pederson, who teaches graphic
arts, tech apps and yearbook, said,
“I’ve experienced 10 years of problems
with air conditioning and heating
[in T-2]. I can’t count the number of
work orders that I’ve submitted every
year since I’ve been at Pueblo. I not
only have a lack of air conditioning
in the summer, it gets very cold in the
classroom during the winter months.”
He added, “Air conditioning units
have been leaking [for years] and have
ruined a pallet of paper that was valued
close to two thousand dollars. Earlier
this school year, one unit was leaking
everyday, and I had to use the trash
can to collect the water and dump it
out every three days.” He paused and
said, “I am very disappointed that the
air conditioning can’t be fixed after a
decade.”
Ms. Wallace’s class longs for new heating unit.
16
Two more T-Building educators,
Ms. Rebecca Baltos (who teaches
exceptional ed) and Ms. Kristina Ruiz
(a teaching assistant who also works
with exceptional ed students), recently
experienced a shock in their classroom,
T-3; the room was exceptionally hot.
“When I walked in to my classroom,
I was overwhelmed with the heat!”
Baltos said. “I was most worried about
how my students would react.”
She added that her students did, indeed,
find the classroom uncomfortable and
were often asking her, “Why is it so hot
in the classroom?”
The problem with this exceptional
heat was due to some bad wiring,
Baltos said, which caused a power
surge. When this problem was finally
repaired, the heat had been on for two
consecutive days.
“By then, the temperature had reached
106 degrees in the classroom,” Baltos
said.
There may not be any immediate help
for educators and their students in the
T-Building, but Principal Vivi Watt said
that there is mechanical work being
done in the central area. Pueblo will
also soon have a new boiler and air
conditioning unit for the auditorium.
Lever Gym, as well as the kitchen and
cafeteria areas, will also be equipped
with air conditioning/heating units.
Watt said that everything is scheduled
to be done by the end of the spring
2013 semester.
“To be on the safe side, I’ll say that all
of the new units will be operational by
summer,” Watt affirmed.
[*Advisor’s note: Five years ago, one
of our former teachers, the awesome,
legendary and inspirational Mr. Wayne
Comrie, who taught history, said
this in a story regarding a lack of air
conditioning in his classroom. We
thought his words would make a great
headline.]
Pueblo Held Hostage by Bobcat
By Oscar Polanco
“I was able to spot the
bobcat in the tree,” Watt
said. “It was a very tense
moment.”
On Tuesday, Nov. 13,
Pueblo students heard the
announcement from Principal
Vivi Watt that our campus was
on soft lock-down due to a
bobcat on school grounds.
When Arizona Game
and Fish arrived, the
bobcat was camouflaged
under some foliage in
a tree, but it was at last
spotted—at which time,
the bobcat received
three “shots” from a
tranquilizer gun. The
bobcat was at first
startled—then walked
onto the roof, but after a
few seconds, the animal
collapsed on its side.
At 7:30 a.m., two Pueblo
students reported to Watt that
they had just seen “a big cat”.
Among the first students to
see the bobcat were senior
Wanya Simmons and junior
Maura Puentes.
Simmons recalled, “After
arriving to Pueblo, Maura was
walking ahead of me, and she
turned around and asked me, ‘Is that a statue?’
She was referring to the bobcat, although after
the ‘statue’ moved a bit, it was pretty obvious
that Pueblo was going to have an exciting day.
Wow! Nobody ever really sees a bobcat—we
just see them on TV once in a while! It all
seemed surreal!”
Simmons and Puentes reported this sighting to
Principal Watt quickly.
Watt said, “I immediately reacted to this
situation.”
She said that she quickly called Assistant
Principal Frank Rosthenhausler and told him
about it. Then, Rosthenhausler and security
staff members rushed to the area where the
bobcat was reported to have been seen—in the
construction zone, east of the auditorium.
At first, they did not see the bobcat, Rosthenhausler said.
Security monitor Mr. Miguel Sandoval, said
that he did not see the bobcat at first either when
students reported seeing the feline in a tree.
“But, after a while of staring, I saw movement
in the area,” Sandoval said. “That’s when I knew
we were in trouble.”
Sandoval said that the bobcat jumped back into a
citrus tree—and he said that was when he called
Arizona Game and Fish to report the incident.
By this time, Principal Watt was at the scene.
17
Arizona Game and
Fish personnel and Pueblo resource officer Mr.
Miguel Figueroa helped to remove the cat from
the roof.
Watt said, “The bobcat was then put into a crate
and taken off campus.” She paused and said, “I
really don’t know how it got on campus. They
are strong jumpers, so I assume that it jumped
over the fence.”
Rosthenhausler assures the Pueblo community
that the bobcat was, indeed, taken to a
more “natural” environment in the Tortolita
Mountains, northwest of Tucson city limits.
“This is the first time that I’ve had participated
in locking down a school due to an animal,”
Watt said, “and hopefully it’s the last time.”
Election 2012: Who were YOU going for?
By “Sassy’ Cassy Gutierrez
and the military involvement in the Middle East.”
Chris Singh, junior: “I was hoping that Mitt Romney would
win. President Roosevelt once said, ‘The more you know
about the past, the better prepared you are for the future!’
Obama hasn’t done anything in four years, and he’s not
going to do anything in the next four, either.”
Victor Grijalva, senior: “I wanted Obama to win because he
made more sense about everything. Romney just wanted to
do everything his way. I think that if Romney had won, he
would have really hurt this nation beyond repair.”
Carlos Flores, senior: “I think Obama will do a lot more
if they [members of the House and Senate] give him the
flexibility that he needs.”
Michelle Fierro, junior: “I personally wanted Obama to
win, and I ‘m glad that he did. He came into office while
the economy was bad, and he only had four years to try
and fix it. Clearly, that was not enough time. He needs four
more years to finish what he started.”
Greg Robles, senior: “I wanted Romney to win because
America needs a different plan to fix the economy, and
Obama’s plan doesn’t seem to be doing any good for our
country.”
Fernanda Gonzalez, senior: “I was going for Obama
because he’s helping all the students who have been
working hard through their lives in school, and just because
they are not legal, they cannot achieve their goals. These
students definitely deserve the chance to have opportunities
in this country. Obama believes in the Dream Act, and
that’s why I supported him to be President for another four
years.”
Jose Luevanos, senior: “I wanted Romney to win because it
seemed that he really did want to make a difference for this
country. He seemed very sincere about wanting to make
changes in the country that Obama wasn’t able to do in his
first term as President.”
Karina Arcarez, senior: “Although Obama hasn’t made
enough changes, I believe that he deserved to keep his
position as president. It’s going to take time to repair what
Bush messed up [2001-09].”
Villy Langi-Germanotta, junior: “I went for Obama because
nobody can change anything in four years. Romney was
just annoying, and he brought religion in to his campaign
too much. I also didn’t like Romney because he said that he
didn’t like Lady Gaga.”
Stephanie Acosta, junior: “I was going for Obama because
he is younger and more in touch with the people of
America.”
Valerie Kurkowski, junior: “I personally wasn’t going for
either Obama nor Romney because they’re all retarded and
neither should be allowed to participate in politics!”
Michell Alvarez, senior: “I supported Obama for reelection
this year because he is trying to help Mexican students to
get an education—supporting the Dream Act.”
Aaron Flores, senior: “I went for Obama because he’s
black!”
Michael Malena, senior: “I favored Romney because I
agreed with his policies, and I believed that he would
increase jobs for Americans.”
Jennifer Rivas, junior: “I wanted Obama to win because he
is already our president, so he already knows more about
being president than Romney.”
Jessica Arcarez, junior: “Obama is our first AfricanAmerican president, I’m proud of him because he made
some great decisions so far.”
Erika Campaña, senior: “I was going for Obama during the
election because I think he needs another four years to fully
carry out his plans for health improvements, social issues
Adam Rogers, senior: “I supported Obama during this
election because he kept the economy at the same level. We
could have easily become a country that experienced a true
depression. I think that it’s going to take a lot longer than
four years to fix the economy.”
Santos Babosa, sophomore: “I favored Obama because he
can clean up the mistakes that he made during his first term.
Being President for a second term will allow him to focus
on the issues that really need to be fixed and refined in this
country—like the economy and health care.”
America Valencia, senior: “I was going for Obama because
our economy is actually a bit better than it was four years
ago. I think he just needs to keep doing what he has been
doing for the past four years but just get a whole lot tougher
18
about it—stay firm!”
to focus on the economy—it needs be his first priority as
President. This issue will remain his biggest hurdle during
his second term because the problem remains so huge.”
Robert Medrano, junior: “I was going for Obama because I
support his vision and plan for ‘Obamacare’.”
Several social studies teachers also jumped in—sharing
their opinions about how President Obama’s second term
(2013-17) could be successful.
Mr. Bruce Smith, social studies teacher, said, “Obama
needs to bring down the unemployment rate in this country.
If it can be decreased to about six percent, then our country
would be drastically better.”
Ms. Leticia Velasquez, who teaches social studies, said,
“I think Obama needs to continue to work at improving
bipartisan relationships because it’s going to be his best
option for success in his second term.”
Another social studies teacher, Ms. Josephine Rincón, said,
“In order to have a successful second term, Obama needs
In a mock election that students participated in before the
election, Pueblo students voted: 948 for Obama; 75 for
Romney—according to social studies teacher Ms. Mary
Wallace.
19
Seniors Recall 9/11 Tragedy
Compiled by Sharon Martinez
my first grade teacher, Ms. Gonzales. We were halfway to
school when my mom got a call from my dad. As soon as
my mom ended the call, she rushed back home in a hurry.
I knew that something was wrong.” (Justin Martinez)
This past 9/11 marked the 11th anniversary of the tragedy
that changed our country forever. Sadly, this may be the
last year that we are able to ask students what they recall
about that day. In fact, many seniors have absolutely
no memory of 9/11, but some were able to recollect that
fateful day. Most of the seniors in this article were in the
first grade at the time of 9/11.
“My teacher turned on the computer and showed the
whole class what was happening. As a six-year-old, I
wasn’t really concerned. When I went home, it was all that
was on TV, and I remember that my mom and grandma
couldn’t stop talking about it.” (Adam Rogers)
“I remember like if it was yesterday, sitting in my first
grade class and being told that we were under attack.
Being six years old and having someone tell you what’s
going on is an extremely hard thing to process as a child.
I remember people saying from this tragic event, ‘Where
was God when this happened?’ It was such a sad thing to
hear, and to this day I sometimes find myself asking that
same exact question.” (Lupita Mendiaz)
“My teacher was crying, and I didn’t know why. All of
the students just sat there in our seats, and all I could feel
was fear. When I arrived home, I heard, ‘Oh, God! There
are people jumping out of those buildings!’ That’s when I
realized that the situation was serious.” (Luis Miranda)
“I was in the first grade when 9/11 happened, and we were
about to leave for Peter Howell Elementary School. My
grandma was going to take me to school, but I remember
that she stopped in front of the TV. I was really confused.
I recall her falling onto the couch in tears, with her hand
over her mouth. I finally looked up to the TV, seeing the
playback of the second plane crashing into the South
Tower of the World Trade Center. At school, our teacher
asked us if we had known what had happened. I was the
first to raise my hand and say that a plane crashed into
a tall building. I remember saying this without a care in
the world—not really knowing that a lot of people were
trapped in there and that a lot of them would die. I look
back now and wish I would have been older and would
have known what was really going on. Nearly 3,000
innocent people died on 9/11. My heart went out to all of
them, but that is not enough, I know. I will always feel
and remember all of the victims…all of the people who
suffered.” (Anyssa Benitez)
“I was in kindergarten, and all I remember is being on soft
lockdown all day at school. I was watching Channel 13 on
TV when I got home. I was scared that my house would
also be attacked.” (Ben LaTurco)
“Remembering back to 9/11, I was seven years old. I
was scared to go to school. I didn’t want a terrorist to do
something to my school. Once I was at school, I noticed
that the school was kind of empty. Many parents kept
their children home, and I remember that a lot of teachers
didn’t show up that morning.” (Esteban Durazo)
“When the 9/11 tragedy happened, I was in first grade, and
our teacher explained to us what had happened. I didn’t
understand at the time. Two days later, however, we were
told that one of my friend’s uncle had passed away in the
9/11 tragedy. He was a firefighter. All that week, we wrote
letters to the family members of our hero. We also lit up
candles in memory of all the people who passed away.”
(Lupita Contreras)
“I remember being at a morning assembly when the
principal announced that the World Trade Center had
been attacked. Later on, our class went to the classroom
and turned on the TV. All I remember is our school being
released early that day. It was a day of chaos, and I’ll
never forget it.” (Jay Tapia)
“I remember seeing teachers crying and talking on the
phone. Parents were coming to the school to pick up their
kids early. When I got home, my mom and I were sitting
on the couch watching TV, and the screen was showing
the Twin Towers on fire and lots of black smoke. My
mother was crying, and I knew something terrible had
happened.” (Samantha Bernal)
“It was a normal Tuesday, and I was awakened and full of
excitement as I was getting ready to go to Van Buskirk to
20
“I was in first grade on 9/11, and I remember I was
fighting with one of my friends so that I could get on this
rocking horse that my teacher, Ms. Gonzales, had in the
class. When I finally got on the rocking horse, I remember
looking at my teacher, and she was looking at the TV with
her hand on her mouth. She was shocked. She was looking
21
at images from 9/11.” (Anthony
Gaxiola)
“My parents’ eyes were glued to the
TV, which is something that I’ve
never seen them do before. I didn’t
pay much attention to it because I
was only six years old. When I got
home from school, it still didn’t feel
right. My usual happy, cheerful first
grade teacher didn’t even greet us at
the door like she usually did.” (Jamila
Murillo)
“It felt like a normal day at school. I
was ignorant of current events. I seem
to remember that my family was
mourning over the deaths of many
while I was watching cartoons.”
(Sergio Centeno)
“I was really scared on 9/11. I
thought that the entire country was
going to experience what New York
was going through. My elementary
school had a lockdown that morning
of 9/11, and I remember that I had
an upset stomach. I got anxious and
threw up.” (Manuel Armenta)
“I remember leaving to go to school
and my mother telling me to be
careful and listen to the teachers if
there were any warnings. Back then,
I wasn’t sure what was going on, but
now when I look back on that day,
America was under attack; it was a
day of hell for the people of New
York.” (Alonso Esparza)
“I was sitting in my classroom,
and I was reading a book with my
friends. Then I heard the principal
make an announcement to the
teachers, ordering them to turn on the
television. His voice was filled with
concern. I remember seeing absolute
destruction, anarchy on the TV. The
Twin Towers were full of smoke,
and they kept showing replays of the
South Tower being attacked after the
first one had already been hit. My
teacher had tears in her eyes. It turned
out her son worked in one of the Twin
Towers.” (Rodger Seratt)
“When 9/11 happened, I was still
living in Mexico. But I remember
people talking about that horrific
tragedy the United States was
facing.” (Jesus Otero)
“I can’t believe this is the 11th
anniversary of 9/11! I remember my
mom was really worried because her
best friend was in New York. It took
me a whole day to understand what
happened.” (Miguel Cano)
“What I remember from 9/11 is
waking up to go to school like a
normal day. Nothing seemed out of
the ordinary, and no one could have
imagined the outcome of the day. At
the time, I didn’t know what to think.
At the time, I didn’t know how to feel
sympathy for the victims of 9/11. But
now that I’m older and have a better
understanding, my mind-set has
definitely changed.” (Bryan Ortega)
“I remember my teacher and the
other first grade teachers discussing
what they should do while the
administration would give the orders.
They lined us up to call our parents.
I can’t really remember what my dad
was talking about; I just remember
him telling me he loved me. School
was dismissed, and my brother, who
was in second grade, picked me up
from class. We walked home like we
usually do, and I remember he and
I rushing to get home and whenever
a car passed by, we would duck and
hide with fear.” (Ruth Perez)
“I remember seeing the World Trade
Center buildings collapse to the
ground. A lot of smoke was all over
the place. I remember the images of
people screaming and crying. I also
remember seeing the scenes of people
jumping from the burning buildings,
so desperate that some of them were
using their shirts and jackets as
parachutes. All I could do was watch
these people plummet to the ground.
22
These were the most horrible images
that I’ve ever seen on TV.” (Oscar
Garate)
“I was coming home from school
with my mom and sister, and on the
radio we heard what was going on
in New York. I didn’t understand the
whole thing until I got home, and my
dad was by the TV, and his phone was
ringing like crazy! A lot of people
kept calling him to see what he
knew and how it happened because
he worked for the government. He
cried and cried because he knew
many people in New York.” (Kaila
Placencio)
“As young as I was, I knew what was
going on. My dad had explained to
me from the captions on the TV. It
really was a crazy morning.” (Alex
Romo)
“I just remember my teacher crying,
being scared and telling us to be
calm. After a while, we started
watching the news and saw replays
of the second plane hitting the South
Tower. My teacher was in tears.”
(Carlos Valdez)
“My mom rushed in the room where
I was watching TV. She changed
the channel to the local news,
and I remember seeing images
of the buildings on fire and not
understanding what it was.” (Aaron
Barrera)
“On 9/11, I remember being at school
like if nothing was going on. It wasn’t
until after school when my family
started talking about it. My sisters
were in high school and middle
school, so they were more aware of
what was happening. I remember that
my grandfather was really worried
about the terrorist attacks since
he was in the military.” (Lynette
Gallegos)
“A lady ran in my class and told
my teacher to turn the news on. My
teacher turned on the TV and saw
what was happening. She fell on her
knees and started crying, praying
to God and said, ‘Don’t let them be
hurt!’ My teacher’s name was Mrs.
Cain, and her sister, brother and
father worked at the World Trade
Center. We later found out that her
father jumped out of the building and
my teacher’s brother and sister stayed
in the building, although we never
learned of their fate. We never saw
Mrs. Cain again—she never came
back.” (Sammy Terrazas)
As a young child, 9/11 definitely
traumatized me and many of my
friends, who are now seniors. Sadly,
some of our first memories were the
horrific images of the World Trade
Center being attacked—as well
as the Pentagon. We continued to
hear about this tragedy for years as
we progressed through elementary
school.
And then there are some seniors who
have absolutely no memory of 9/11,
and perhaps they are the lucky ones.
This year’s seniors at Pueblo—and
twelfth graders all over the nation—
are among the last students in k-12
schools who will have any memories
of 9/11 at all. Somehow, 11 years
have passed since America changed
forever. We hear from our teachers
how our country will never be the
same—that we’re stuck in a post-9/11
funk. Since we seniors don’t have any
real abstract memories of a world
before 9/11, I guess we don’t know
what we’re missing. We’ll continue
to be required to take off our shoes at
airports and be subjected to full-body
x-rays.
I’m glad that I don’t remember the
pre-9/11 world, for I wouldn’t want to
compare a so-called “better” world
to what my generation is stuck with.
What I don’t know can’t hurt me.
The Freedom Tower in NYC, which will be part of a
larger building complex, will be completed in 2014.
23
Seniors Check Out
College Night at TCC
By Ramiro Gonzalez
On the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 16, an estimated 100 seniors
from Pueblo Magnet High School were among the several
thousand students across the city who participated in this
year’s College Night at the Tucson Convention Center, an
event that many students look forward to so that they can
better prepare for their futures.
More than 100 different colleges and universities were
represented at College Night this year, including all of
Arizona’s primary higher education establishments. Also
present were many colleges and universities from as far away
as the East Coast.
One of Pueblo’s seniors to attend College Night, Erick
Gutierrez, said, “This event was very helpful, and I was able
to learn a lot of different things from different colleges.”
Gutierrez said that he plans to attend the University of
Arizona; in fact, he admitted recently that he has been accepted.
Khadija Abdi and Siana DeLaCruz enjoying College Night
Another senior who took time out to attend the TCC event, Brandon
Garcia, said “Wow! There was so much information! I really learned
a lot about a lot of different colleges. I’m most likely going to attend
Pima Community College to pursue an associate degree in criminal
justice and eventually become a cop.”
Senior Francisco Orozco, who is interested in Northern Arizona
University (in Flagstaff) said, “I’m really glad that I checked out
College Night. Everybody was very helpful, and I learned a lot about
different colleges—all of the different options that are available for
students.”
Senior Emmanuel Matanza said, “At College Night, I learned that
there are a lot of different programs that colleges offer. Right now
I’m checking out Ohio State University.”
Senior Abigail Moraga said, “One of my things that I found very
informative at College Night was all of the scholarship information
that colleges offer.” She paused and said, “I am currently planning to
attend NAU after graduation.”
College and Career Center coordinator Mr. Ruben Romero said
that seniors at this point should be: (1) earning the best grades this
semester; (2) applying for colleges/universities;
(4) applying for scholarships; and (4) preparing
to fill out their FAFSA (financial aid) forms in
January.
Mr. Saúl Ostroff, another career counselor, said,
“Every senior on Pueblo’s campus should be
visiting the Career Center in Room 254 often.”
Ostroff added, “Mr. Romero and I are available
usually every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday in the mornings to give help regarding
college applications, scholarships and any other
information regarding post-high school plans.”
Senior Brandon Garcia added that he encourages
all of this year’s juniors—who will be seniors
next year—to make plans now to attend College
Night.
Senior Fernanda Gonzalez Vann-Pratt enjoys College Night with her parents.
24
“Just being with all of those other college-bound
seniors was inspirational,” he said. “As much as
I love high school life, I can’t wait to start my
new life in college. As much as I hate to admit it,
I wish graduation were tomorrow so that I could
move on with life.”
Class of ’12 Grad Endures Hurricane Sandy Nor’easter
By “Sassy” Cassy Gutierrez
For several days in late October, the
northeastern United States suffered one
of that regions most devastating events—
Hurricane Sandy—that pulverized
dozens of towns along the Eastern coast,
especially in the New Jersey/New York
areas. Weeks later, even into December,
thousands of people are still homeless and
tens of thousands are still cleaning up the
mess.
Pueblo’s own graduate from last spring,
Marcos Moreno, who has been attending
St. John’s University in Queens, NY (one
of the five boroughs of New York City),
experienced first-hand some of the horrific
effects of this dramatic natural disaster.
“Even though Queens was hit hard by
Hurricane Sandy, St. John’s was spared,”
Moreno said. “The Nor’easter storm that
followed a few days later, however, was
quite a snow event for us.”
Moreno, who received a full-ride
scholarship to St. John’s University, is
pursuing a double major in psychology
and biology with a pre-med intent, is
referring to a weather phenomenon known
as a “Nor’easter”, a storm that occurs
along the East Coast of the United States.
A Nor’easter gets its name from the
direction the wind is coming from. These
storms can cause severe coastal flooding,
coastal erosion, hurricane force winds or
blizzard conditions, and although they are
not common, weather scientists predict
that more of these Nor’easters will plague
the East Coast as global warming worsens.
Damage done by winds of Hurricane Sandy
Moreno added that St. John’s University
was well-prepared for storm damage. The
school even had back-up generators in the
event that they were needed.
“With the exception of school being
cancelled for a few days—mostly for the
sake of our professors who had to travel
to and from school—students’ lives at St.
John’s University were not disrupted,”
Moreno said.
Hurricane Sandy is responsible for the
deaths of more than 80 people in the
United States. Another 60+ people were
killed in the Caribbean when Sandy was
just beginning its deadly path. More than
40 of the deaths in the U.S. were in the
New York City area alone. In addition,
nearly eight million power outages were
caused by Hurricane Sandy’s wrath. In
total, tens of billions of dollars worth
of damage was caused due to Hurricane
Sandy and the Nor’easter that followed.
Clean-up in many areas of the Northeast is
continuing, and even into early December,
hundreds of people in a region where
winter arrives early remain without
electricity. The estimated price tag of this
event may end up being in America’s Top
five most costliest natural disasters in
history.
Moreno added, “We [St. John’s University
and I] were lucky, but sadly many [in the
area] were not.”
The 2000 motion picture, The Perfect
Storm, was based on a true story about a
Nor’easter that killed the entire fishing
crew of the Andrea Gail.
“St. John’s experienced no flooding,
no power outages, and no gas or utility
shortages of any kind,” Moreno said. “My
friends and I even casually joked that St.
John’s—being a religious institution—was
unaffected by Sandy as it was ‘protected
by God’.” He added, “St. John’s was
actually well-protected due to the school
being built on a hill.”
The Nor’easter that followed Sandy, with view of Manhatten in background
25
Class of 2016: By Stephanie Gomez and Clarissa Romero
prepared, overall, than some classes in the past.” He paused and
said, “I hope that trend continues. They need to remember that
Mr. Ruben Romero [another career counselor at Pueblo] and I are
always here for them in the Career Center.”
Every year, they are easy to spot—those freshmen! Yes, even after nearly a semester of being on Pueblo’s campus, some of them
seem a little dazed and confused, as well as a little nervous. We
seniors, especially on the newspaper staff, truly want the best for
our freshmen. We want them to stay in school and someday, like
us, be seniors. We all start off being tortured as freshmen, but in
the end, we all end up being seniors—just a semester away from
graduation.
As much as upperclassmen may “pick” on freshmen, secretly
they all want our freshmen to endure, succeed and eventually
graduate. Many seniors have offered free advice on surviving
(and eventually thriving!) their first year of high school:
· Always be prepared to make a good first impression;
According to the registrar’s office, Pueblo’s freshman population
includes 475 freshmen, nearly 30% of the entire PHS student
enrollment. Yes, the “bright and sunny” Class of ’16 has arrived!
Now, we just have to ensure that they stay.
· Have a healthy work ethic;
· Learn time management;
· Be on time to your classes and appointments;
Truly, we want our freshmen to stay in school and succeed; yes,
we want our enrollment numbers to remain impressive and never
give the district a reason to “shut us down” like other schools in
the district due to an embarrassing $17 million deficit.
· Start thinking about college and/or careers;
· Get involved with school (join a club or be on a sports
team);
Career counselor Mr. Saúl Ostroff believes that it’s not too early
for freshmen to start thinking about and preparing for college.
· See your counselor for advice on taking the right path;
“I am pleasantly surprised with this year’s freshman class because they are willing to learn—as well as have dreams and ambitions,” Ostroff said. “They seemed to come into Pueblo better
· Messing up your freshman year will make your senior
year miserable;
26
Freshman Year Survival Guide
· Take every day seriously;
· Know your “Sweet 16” (four years of English, four
years of math, three years of science, two years of a foreign language, two years of social studies, and one year
of fine arts);
· There is no room for immaturity in your plans for success;
· It’s okay to be a nerd;
· Know your GPA (grade point average);
· Be social without compromising your grades;
· Do not let your “crush” distract you from what is really
important; and,
· Enjoy your freedom while it lasts…
Teachers, too, across Pueblo have contributed to this list besides
the ones already mentioned:
· Have regular attendance;
· Earn good grades in all of your classes;
· Complete all of your assignments in all of your classes;
· Stay positive at all times;
· Get sufficient sleep (at least eight hours);
· Eat a hearty breakfast to fuel your morning brain;
· Pay attention in class;
· Always ask questions when you don’t understand a lesson/concept;
· Take advantage of conference periods in the morning;
· Use after school tutoring services;
· Establish positive rapports (relationships) with your
teachers;
we were freshmen in the 2009-10 school year.
· Study for quizzes and tests;
You only get one opportunity to be a freshman, so you might as
well do it right.
· Don’t cave in to peer pressure; and
· Don’t sleep in class.
Freshmen, even though you may think you know everything,
trust me… You know very little. One semester of high school
will not and does not turn you into an expert high school student.
We seniors truly know the meaning of being a high school student—and, trust me, many of us seniors wish that we had heeded
the advice and “wisdom” from upperclassmen and teachers when
According to counselor Ms. Jean Mulvaney, “Freshmen will
guarantee themselves success if they attend classes every day,
utilize conference periods, always log on to TUSD stats to check
their academic achievements in all of their classes, always ask
teachers for help, and, finally, they should regularly and routinely
complete their homework.”
27
Senior Class President Gives Class of ’13 Reality Check
By Carina Huerta
Senior class president, Ms. Stephanie De La Torre (sometimes
known simply as “DLT”), recently spoke to beginning
journalism students about some very important information
that seniors should heed very closely. As the first semester is
coming to an end, procrastination, she said, could be a senior’s
worst enemy.
“Currently, there are too many seniors who don’t even know
if they’re walking on graduation night [Thursday, May 23,
2013],” De La Torre said. “We want everyone in our senior
class to participate!”
“I think that if we seniors take care of business early on, we
can enjoy the second semester a whole lot more,” De La Torre
said.
She urges all seniors to take appointments with their
counselors seriously. This semester, the counselors have
attempted to connect with every senior, DLT said.
“It’s not too late for seniors to figure out a plan to graduate on
time if they are missing one or two credits,” DLT said. “But,
don’t delay any longer. We should all be hearing soft sounds
of ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ [the traditional graduation theme
song] at this point.”
DLT also emphasizes to her senior peers to make sure they
have passed all three portions of AIMS.
“I know a few seniors, believe it or not, who aren’t sure if they
need to take AIMS again during the spring testing dates,” she
said.
January.
According to President DLT, seniors should also be applying
for colleges and making plans for post-high school life. An
abundance of scholarships are available for students to apply
for college. All seniors should be blazing a trail to the College
and Career Center and seeking Mr. Ruben Romero or Mr. Saúl
Ostroff for more help or assistance.
“I think the pageant will be exciting again this year, and
hopefully continues to be a tradition at Pueblo for years to
come,” De La Torre stated.
Another event that DLT is promoting is an event called the
Powder Puff Girls. DLT said that this event will be a seniorheld event, inviting girls from all grade levels to play in a
football tournament—all to raise money for prom and other
events sponsored by the senior class. More information will
be provided early next semester, De La Torre said.
“A lot of seniors don’t think they qualify academically for
some of these scholarships,” De La Torre affirmed, “but some
of these scholarships are not even based on grades.”
DLT said that the senior class will be very busy next semester
raising money and sponsoring a lot of fun events—primarily,
the prom, which is scheduled to be held on Saturday, April
13, 2013. To raise money for this costly tradition, DLT said
that the (second annual) “Mr. Pueblo Warrior” pageant will
generate a lot of revenue; the event is scheduled for late
DLT also wants to remind seniors that they should have their
cap and gown orders completed before the winter vacation.
She can help students contact Herf Jones for orders.
28
“I think that if we seniors take care of business early on, we
will be able to enjoy the second semester,” De La Torre said.
29
Wa r r i o r s S h o w S p i r i t
30
O n H a l l o we e n !
31
Homecoming 2012: ‘Successful But Untimely’
By Anais Salais
festivities.
Homecoming week (Sept. 24-28) turned out
to be eventful as always, from the spirit week
themes, the spirit assembly, the tailgate party,
the actual football game, homecoming royalty
and of course the dance.
Salazar said, “For sure, [the spirit assembly]
ended up being a competition between the
seniors and juniors, but in the end, the seniors
were triumphant, winning the spirit stick.”
The highlight of all spirit festivities was,
hands down, the crowning of the homecoming
royalty. This year’s king and queen were Aaron
Flores and Lyleanna “China” Urquidez.
Flores said, “[Being crowned homecoming
king was] something different,
a really good experience that I
could never forget.” He added, “If
it weren’t for China [Urquidez], I
wouldn’t have won.”
The tailgate party, the next day (before the
football game) proved to be exceptionally
successful to a lot of the participating clubs,
including the Fiesta Warriors who earned a lot
of money for their kettle corn. Student Council
also sold a lot of “moustaches”.
Offensive guard/defensive tackler Javier
Lamadrid, a senior, said, “We started the game
off really great. We took the lead, and we
stayed positive. However, we just couldn’t stop
their running attack.”
Despite Buena’s lead, the Warriors were
determined to keep up and their offensive
power, which allowed them to score several
more touchdowns in the second half.
Lamadrid said, “We were able to put up a lot
of points against the Colts, and we had a great
scheme.”
Despite the Warriors’ tenacity to remain
positive and to be triumphant, Buena’s
explosive offense was enough to win
the game, with a final score of 58-31.
Urquidez said, “It [being crowned
queen] felt great—such a fun
experience. I loved it! I’m really
happy people nominated Aaron and
me. We worked so hard throughout
the week, and I still want to publicly
thank everybody who voted for us.”
Receiver and junior Isaiah Clayton said,
“We didn’t play at our best potential.
If we had played as a team, then the
outcome would’ve been different.”
Homecoming festivities came to a close
with the traditional homecoming dance,
which was themed “Glow Hard”. The
dance, held in the cafeteria, turned out
to be enjoyable and entertaining.
Before the electrifying crowning
of the king and queen, the entire
previous week at Pueblo featured
a very diverse set of themes—
including “animal kingdom”,
“formal day”, “decades day” and, of
course, “class colors day”.
Class of 2015 President Destiny
Felix said, “The dance turned out
exceptionally well for being planned at
the last minute.”
Esmeralda Salazar, chair of the spirit
committee, said the days were based
much on students’ suggestions.
Most people who were asked about
homecoming thought that all of the
events were successful.
Sophomore Jorge Ruiz, who is also
a member of student council, said,
“It was so much fun seeing people
dressed up. I think that my personal
favorite theme during homecoming
week was ‘decades day’. I really
liked the 1980’s, so that’s the decade
that I chose to dress like. I think that
most students’ favorite homecoming
week theme was also ‘decades
day’.”
Student Body president, senior Anjelica
Booth, said, “Homecoming was very
successful, but the week was a bit
untimely—selecting teachers’ grading
day as our homecoming and having the
assembly in the morning instead of the
afternoon.”
Booth paused and said, “Only about
100 students attended the spirit
assembly. I’m hoping that the next spirit
assembly [scheduled for Dec. 14] can be after
school.”
Lyleanna Urquidez and Aaron Flores crowned Queen and King
This year’s spirit assembly, which was held
on Thursday, Sept. 27 in the morning during
“zero (conference) period” instead of at the
end of the school day as in past years, was
“boycotted” by most students. Attendance
was, according to some, “shockingly low”, but
students from all grade levels were present to
compete once again for the traditional spirit
stick and to get pumped for the following day’s
Then, the football game…
The Warriors faced the Buena Colts from
Sierra Vista. Both teams had a strong offensive
line, which kept the game exhilarating and the
crowd on their toes. The Warriors started the
game scoring the first touchdown, but Buena
came back securing the lead before the end of
the second quarter.
32
She said that administration stated that no class
time can be given for assemblies this year
because they would interfere with academics.
“We’ll have to wait and see if future
assemblies can be in the afternoon,” Booth
said.
Warrior Wrestlers Host Tournament, Begin Season With Win
By Samantha Bernal and Mariano Soto
Pueblo had its very first wrestling match on
Wednesday, Nov. 21, against the Nogales
Apaches and victoriously won by six points
(30-24). Last year, the Apaches ended up
being the victors against us Warriors in the
William Bell Tournament, so this match was
especially important to the Pueblo wrestling
team.
According to Coach Steve Lopez, this victory
against Nogales was not a surprise because
the team was ready.
“We have a combination of both experienced
players and young members on the team,”
Lopez said. “Half of the team consists of
first-year players, which is good because you
can’t teach experience.”
Coach Lopez added that this year’s team is
“so much better than last year’s team.”
“Last year, there were a tremendous amount
of injuries and quitters,” Lopez said. “So
far this season, everybody is working really
hard.”
Assistant coach of the wrestling team, Mr.
Manny Galvan, also is positive about this
season.
“We have a young but very promising team
this year, and we are confident that the team
will do well—although they will be tested a
lot this season,” Galvan said.
The last time Pueblo hosted the William
Bell Tournament was back during the 200708 season—with the same team that later
became the State wrestling champs in the
Feb. 2008.
According to Coach Lopez, “The tournament
was a lot of work, but I really enjoyed having
this event at Pueblo this year. I also really
enjoyed knowing that many of our students—
as well as our faculty and staff members—
came out and support our wrestling team.”
He added, “I’m excited because we have
some kids who really want to learn wrestling
and are working hard. We may not have any
real superstars—at least not yet—but we do
have a great team of committed wrestlers.”
English teacher Ms. Karen Rimmell, who has
been an avid supporter of Pueblo’s wrestling
program, said, “Although I was unable to
go to the team’s first match against Nogales,
I know that our wrestlers are working hard
and doing their best to represent pueblo. I
am always impressed by the wrestling team’s
commitment to the sport and to doing well
academically especially throughout their
season.”
Many players on the wrestling team this year
are new, and the William Bell Tournament
was these wrestlers’ first opportunity to
really compete.
Senior Lawrence Michael said, “I’m new
One player, junior John Grijalva, said, “The
match against Nogales was okay, but we
saw that night that we still have a lot of
weaknesses that we need to eliminate.”
Senior Jonathan Valencia said, “The match
was a nice start, but it was not satisfying
because it proved to us that we have a lot of
improvements to make.”
Following this match, Pueblo hosted the
William Bell Tournament on Nov. 30 – Dec.
1, and Pueblo, along with 15 other wrestling
teams in Arizona competed against one
another.
Pueblo was able to place fifth out of 15 teams
at the tournament, and the team had two
champions: Christian Felix and Sean Berube.
Both players went undefeated during the
tournament, finishing with a 9-0 record.
34
on wrestling mat this year, but I am ready
for anything and I hope I go to State in the
process.”
He added, “I really think that we’re a strong
team this year, and I know that we have
individual as well as team strengths that will
give us the ability to win.
“I think the wrestling team has a strong future
as long as all of these younger players stay
with the program throughout the rest of their
high school years and keep learning about the
sport,” Michael stated.
Senior Sean Berube said that he and his team
members are eager to participate in the Moon
Valley Tournament in Phoenix against a lot of
wrestling teams around the region.
“The team is refining a lot of their strengths
to become stronger,” Berube said. “We’re
doing lots of drills and sparring to prepare
us.”
Coach Lopez feels confident about the Moon
Valley Tournament over the holiday break.
“I expect us to win at least ten matches,”
Lopez said. “I expect two or three of our
wrestlers to advance to finals and two or three
to place.”
Thanks from Alvaro Gallegos!
By “Sassy’ Cassy Gutierrez
Alvaro Gallegos (Class of 2012), would like to thank
everyone who helped him pay for his Arizona State
Championship ring for his wrestling accomplishments
last season.
Gallegos, also known as “Baby”, was undefeated (500!) during the 2011-12 wrestling season. He earned a
state champion title in his weight class (106 pounds).
For this achievement, Gallegos was “awarded” a ring
for this championship. Unfortunately, Gallegos had to
pay for the ring—an expense that he could not afford.
However, with all of the generous donations from the
Pueblo Warriors community, Alvaro is now wearing his
well-deserved ring.
“I haven’t taken the time to thank everyone who helped
me,” Gallegos said. “So, I’m now publicly saying thank
you from the bottom of my heart to all of those who
helped me get my ring!” He added, “Having this ring
because of all of your generosity truly means a lot to me.”
school work and to be a devoted member of the wrestling
team.”
Another student, senior Johnny Valencia, said, “Alvaro
pushes me and my teammates to be better and to reach
our try potential.”
Gallegos also would like to thank all of his coaches,
supporting family and friends who encouraged him to
become state champ.
Gallegos has advice for not only the wrestlers this
school year but for all Pueblo Magnet High School
students: “Always try your best and never give up. If
you something enough, then you can get it through
perseverance.”
“Without all of the help from them—always cheering me
on—I would have never been able to be state champ,”
Gallegos said. “I’m proud to call myself a Warrior
Alumni!”
Despite his busy schedule as a freshman at
the University of Arizona, Gallegos continues
to support the wrestling team by helping the
coaches with this year’s current wrestling
students.
Wrestling coach Mr. Steve Lopez (who is also
math teacher at Pueblo) said, “Alvaro is a super
hard worker. He takes time out of his busy
schedule to talk to the guys on the wrestling
team and always inspire them.”
Junior Mark Martinez said, “If Alvaro committed
to enrolling in AP classes when he was in high
school and still had time to wrestle, then so can
I! He has definitely inspired me to balance my
35
Gallegos in action last spring
36
Despite 3-7 Record, Varsity Football Persevered
By Anais Salais
Way back near the beginning of
the semester, on Friday morning,
August 24, the varsity football
team listened attentively to head
football coach Mr. Adrian Koch,
who wanted to give the players
a “pep talk” regarding the first
game of the season against
Tucson High that would take
place later that night on Pueblo’s
home turf.
Five words that Coach Koch
said resonated with the players
throughout the day and
throughout the game: “I won’t
let you down.”
“Too many times we’ve let ourselves
down or we let our brothers down
[because] we don’t see a desire to
excel or be successful,” said Koch.
“So, by saying, ‘I won’t let you
down’, it reminds us that there are
more people depending on us to do
our jobs.”
This year’s team seems tenacious
about being more positive and
coming together as a team. In fact,
this season’s players prepared for this
season since the end of last season.
Coach Koch affirmed that the players
were more committed this year than
last and worked hard both on and off
the field.
Center/linebacker, junior Jeren
Gunnels said, “[Practicing,
conditioning and training were] a
lot of hard work especially during
the heat of the summer and during
the school year—all dedicated to
football.”
“The coaches pushed us more this
season to our best abilities,” added
receiver junior Isaiah Clayton, who,
last year, broke George Corral’s
record from several years ago (a 99yard kickoff return)with a 100 yard
kickoff return.
Game 1: Friday, August 24:
Unfortunately, Pueblo lost to Tucson
High to begin their season, with a
final score of 50-6. Running back/
linebacker, junior Vincent Palma
scored the touchdown for the
Warriors in the game against the
Badgers.
Palma, said, “I thought we started off
well, and I thought we started to slow
down because Tucson High made
some key adjustments coming out of
half time which allowed them to put
up so many points.”
Even though the final score of the
game was not how the Warriors
would have liked to kick off their
season, Coach Koch and the team
feels there are positive lessons that
the team learned.
Quarterback (and senior) Richard
Gastelo said, “No one likes losing,
but I like how we fought hard until
37
the end.”
Offensive guard/defensive tackle (and
senior) Javier Lamadrid said, “I was
discouraged, but after watching the
film [of Friday night’s game] it really
helped us do better with our future
games.”
Despite the loss of the first game,
Coach Koch and the players remained
positive about the remainder of this
year’s season; after all, there was a lot
left to play and a lot of excitement.
Game 2: Friday, August 31: The
Warriors came back from their loss
against Tucson High. Their second
game against the Cholla Chargers
took place at Tucson High (due to
construction on Cholla’s football
field). The Warriors played their
hardest and were triumphant with
the final score of 27-13. Receiver,
junior, Isaiah Clayton scored 3 of the
touchdowns in Pueblo’s game against
the Chargers.
Game 3: Friday, September 7: This
was another “away game” for the
Warriors—this time at Catalina. The
Warriors fought hard but were short by
one point; the final score of the game
was 27-26. Coach Koch called the
game a “heartbreaker” and said, “We
played well enough to win but lost by
one point, but you can’t turn over the
ball six times and expect to win.”
Game 4: Friday, September 14:
This home game was against Flowing
Wells High School—and a second
victory for the Warriors, with a final
score of 48-36. Coach Koch felt his
team finally played a complete game
and said, “We never gave up and just
believed in each other. I think this was
a game that spectators could see the
team had potential when they play
together.”
Game 5: Friday, September 21:
The next game was at home again—
this time against the Sunnyside
Blue Devils. The Warriors felt they
started off strong, but unfortunately
were beaten with the score of 4213. Quarterback and senior Richard
Gastelo said, “We played hard in the
beginning, but it seems like when one
thing went bad, everything fell apart.”
Game 6: Friday, September 28:
Pueblo’s homecoming game against
Buena (Sierra Vista) High School
proved to be a misfortune despite
a first-half lead and second half
resurgence. However, the Colts proved
to be even more formidable; the final
score was 58-31. (More about this
game is featured in the “homecoming”
section of the paper.)
nominated after his 231 yards on 15
carries and three touchdowns during
the Douglas game. “It made me happy
to be nominated for something like
that, because it doesn’t happen often,
it made me proud of myself,” said
Palma.
Game 7: Friday, October 5:
For game nine, the Warriors faced
Sahuarita, which was the Warriors’ last
home game and also Senior Night. Too
many turnovers seemed to overcome
the Warriors, and the win was
definitely Sahuarita’s with the final
score of 59-17. “It felt good going into
the first half, but during the second
half we had a turnover, and the wheels
fell off of the cart,” said Coach Koch.
Pueblo traveled to Vail’s Cienega
High School for game seven; Pueblo
was defeated with a score of 49-7.
Receiver and junior Isaiah Clayton
scored Pueblo’s sole touchdown by a
tip pass with five seconds left in the
game.
Game 8: Friday, October 12:
The Warriors came back with a
vengeance in game eight to play
Douglas on their home turf with
a score of 49-28. This game was
instrumental to boost morale on
the team. One player in particular
was singled out for his outstanding
performance during the game. Junior
Vincent Palma was nominated for the
Marine Corps “Elite Warrior of the
Week” award which recognizes the
top football players in the entire state
of Arizona for that week. Palma was
Game 9: Friday, October 19:
Game 10: Friday, October 26:
In the last game of the season, the
Warriors traveled to Nogales to play
the Apaches. The Warriors started
off well, driving down on their first
possession, but it was not enough to
come out on top. The game ended
with the score of 56-7, the Apaches
definitely clobbering the Warriors.
Tight end and senior Aaron Flores
said, “We came out playing hard, but
they scored points on us, and we ended
up losing our composure. They just
ran away with the game.” He paused
and added, “Our last game made us
realize a lot, but none of us had any
regrets.”
Throughout the entire football season,
Coach Koch said that his team
did their best to persevere through
adversity, and they didn’t go down this
year without putting up a fight. Players
expressed that they felt confident that
working hard even before the season
officially began helped the team be
more united and feel confident that
next year the team will be victorious.
Coach Koch said, “Each year brings
its new promises and new challenges.
We all just hope that we don’t make
the same mistakes as the last year.”
38
Ladies Warriors Spike the Competition
By Joseph Ochoa and Sabrina Parra
The 2012-13 school year brought forth a
determined group of lady Warriors, as the girls’
volleyball team prepared for competition.
This year’s varsity team strived to stray from
the “dead last” title, which was so effortlessly
acquired last season, according to returning
players.
The captain of the Pueblo varsity team, sophomore
Destiny Felix (who is also this year’s sophomore
class president), said, “Our mind set revolved
around winning, and we focused on that. [We] had
confidence in ourselves [and] had the mentality
and fortitude. If we had stayed positive throughout
the entire season, I know we could have been even
more successful. We just needed to stay focused.”
“What we really needed to help us is more this
seasons was more support from the students and the
community,” Felix said.
She continued, “The shameful past of defeat continued
to haunt us, but we learned from our past mistakes and
ended up being a stronger team in the end.”
When compared to previous seasons, the varsity team
made some drastic improvements, Felix added, and
despite a lot of losses, the team came very close to
winning many of their games.
Coach Chan said, “Next year there will be a lot of
seniors and juniors on the team—so our team will be
more experienced. I predict that we will have a very
successful season.”
The team ended up with a 1-17 record, but this did not
daunt the teammates.
Junior Kellie Maddox said, “This season, the team
did a decent job. We had a lot of
improvements to make. Towards the
end of the season, we started to finally
work as a team.” She paused and
added, “Next year, our season will
definitely be better because we’ve
already started recruiting, and we’ll
have a more experienced team.”
Varsity volleyball coach Mr. Daniel
Chan stated, “The volleyball team was
a lot more experienced than last year,
but this year they didn’t do as well as
I had hoped.” He added, “They were
a young team [...], but they improved
with every game.”
39
Arizona Defeats Prop 204: Why Am I Not So Surprised?
By Maricela Bravo
The Arizona Sales Tax Renewal
Amendment, commonly known
to the public as Proposition 204,
stirred great debate prior to the
election last month on Nov.
6. Voters went to the polls to
decide whether or not to support
education.
The proposition was heavily
defeated.
Many thought that this proposition
was, indeed, in our best interest
of our embarrassingly bad state’s
public educational system.
However, I believe the reason for
Prop 204 not passing is because
people were ill-informed regarding
the benefits the proposition
promised. Many voters failed to understand
that Proposition 204 was not
about collecting a new tax from
taxpayers. For some reason, the
advertisements in media did
not stress this enough! This tax
already existed, and if Prop 204
had passed, this money that was
already being collected would
have been allocated specifically
to education. At a time when so
many schools are being closed, this
money would have been a blessing
to the community and in the best
interests for thousands of Tucson
students.
Most of the ads on television were
negative regarding Proposition
204—asserting that if the
proposition passed, Arizona would
have the second highest taxes in
the nation. (Tennessee currently
ranks “number one”.)
Arizona now spends less on
students than any other state in the
entire nation. Our state has never
historically been a big spender in
education, but now we have hit
rock bottom.
If Prop 204 had passed, the one
cent tax would have been funneled
to public education—directly to
our dilapidated and often destitute
schools. I do not know who does
not understand or comprehend
that money is desperately needed
in Arizona’s pathetic educational
system. When many voters see a
proposition that involves a new tax,
many think, “Oh, no! A new tax!”
Just the word “tax” scares most
people—especially in this fragile
economy. Once again—
many did not understand that
taxpaying voters would not
be taxed at all—that the tax in
question already existed.
Proposition 204 would have
funded nearly $200 million
towards new educational
reforms that are desperately
needed in schools to help
improve failing or near-failing
schools (clearing the throat)
like Pueblo. The money
would have also established
scholarships for in-state
college students and awarded
more money to GED (General
Educational Development)
programs. The money would
have also been used to help
fund technical educational
programs so that high school
students could graduate ready
to enter the workforce.
On Nov. 6, Proposition
40
204 did not just lose—it was
clobbered…annihilated…totally
axed by voters by almost a twoto-one margin (986,376 Arizona
voters defeated the proposition;
only 532,728 voters supported
Prop 204). This worries me
greatly—especially in a state that
already ranks at the bottom for
educational funding. This means
that nearly one million voters in
Arizona do not understand (or at
least are not sensitive to) the state’s
educational deficiencies.
I am proud to be an American
and to live in a democracy that
recognizes the votes of its people.
But, the defeat of Proposition 204
embarrasses and shames me to be
an Arizonan.
Proposition 204: A Band-Aid On An Ulcer
Joseph Ochoa
Prior to elections last month, November 6th withheld great dispute concerning Arizona’s Sale Tax Renewal
Amendment, otherwise known as
Proposition 204. Citizens, obtaining
their right to vote for the well-being
of our community, did exactly that.
Proposition 204 was pulverized, and
for this I am most grateful—even as a
non-taxpayer.
From a personal perspective, the
defeat of Prop 204 was, indeed, in
the best interest of Arizona families.
Though many assume the results
were due to a lack of informative media on the amendment, the actual reasoning was in regard to the uselessness of the proposition, which would
inevitably be the financial downfall
of Arizona.
lar of the $1 billion price tag is tied
directly to performance measures.
Many fail to comprehend that the
proposition was not to conjure a new
tax upon community members, but
to merely increase the tax that has
already existed. This increase would
have been in no way, shape, or form
the solution to the financial collapse
of our schools and entire public
education system. The problem with
public education is that schools are
ill-managed and ill-financed.
The truth is, since 2001, education
spending per pupil in Arizona has
increased 39% through 2011, while
classroom dollars have fallen 6.7%.
Exactly, how would Proposition 204
grant solutions to this problem and
distribute more money to the students? Don’t worry, I’ll wait. The
proposition never really was clear
about how the money would have
been allocated to schools. Too much
of the proposition—at least in most
media formats—was vague about
how money would be distributed to
public education.
If you were a firm supporter of
Proposition 204, do not cast blame
upon misinformed taxpayers, but
direct Uncle Sam to the direction of
our educational hierarchies. Why decrease the income of Arizona families
to only increase the greed of the ones
responsible for excessive
and totally futile educational spending?
Supporters of Proposition
204 continue to be mournful in response to the loss
of the abundance of money
promised to new educational reforms for failing and/or
near-failing schools, the establishment of in-state college scholarships, and the
improvement of General
Educational Development
programs. However, promises made to be broken. In
actuality no great deal was
indeed documented and/
or required to be allocated
to classrooms, where it is
truly needed. Rather, 80%
of the money suspected to
be gained by the increase of
taxes would be handed out
to the support of road maintenance, transportation,
and special interest groups.
Less than 10 cents per dol41
Furthermore, the proposition would
have rewarded bad performance with
more income due to its equal treatment of failing schools and those
schools that were deemed successful.
Proposition 204 would have enabled
Arizona students and schools to fail.
This so-deemed “solution” in reality would have only inflicted serious damage to Arizona’s ability to
responsibly balance its budget and
provide much needed simplification
to Arizona’s convoluted sales tax
code—all the while immobilizing all
motions to improve student achievement as well as Arizona’s substandard education system.
Passing Prop 204 would have simply
announced that the old way of doing
things is fine—that spending with
no reform and no accountability is
acceptable. Clearly, it’s time that Arizona’s educational system—that old
dog—learn some new tricks.
There is no other issue that is more
significant than Arizona’s education
system. However, Proposition 204
is just a band-aid to an ulcerous system. What this state needs is real and
meaningful educational reform.
Ask
Alice
42
Dear Alice,
I think that by the time I’m a senior, I am
hoping not to be undecided about what career
I’m going to pursue. Should I really be worried
right now?
Sincerely,
Mr. Undecided
Dear Undecided,
Choosing what you want to do for at least the
next 40 years of one’s life can be difficult. Don’t
stress about not knowing what you want for
yourself, but keep in mind that this year will go
by quickly. Thankfully, Pueblo has many career
inventories and programs that help students
like you figure out their future. Take advantage
of these programs and employees who are
professionally capable of carefully helping you
to choose your career. Believe it or not, you’re
not the only one who is undecided regarding
a future career. Students who are already
studying in universities or colleges enroll in
school as “undecided”. It’s not until after they
finish their general studies that they finally
decide on their careers. So take your time
because this is a very important issue. After all,
it’s your future we’re talking about.
Dear Alice,
My friend is a homosexual and is scared to
tell people because he’s afraid that he’ll get
jumped. What do I do?
Sincerely,
Concerned
Dear Concerned,
With all the chaos happening around the world
regarding homosexual people, it is almost
normal for your friend to feel a little paranoid.
We live in a very judgmental world. The only
thing your friend should really be worried
about is accepting himself. If he doesn’t want to
tell anyone, he doesn’t have to. In case he wants
to open up to anyone, it should be a limited
amount of people—the ones he trusts and feels
comfortable with. Pueblo offers solace for our
homosexual students—a gay-straight alliance
called PRISM. Being a member of this club
could help him since it seems he’s very worried
about his peers finding out. Tell him to keep
in mind that it is illegal in Arizona to bully or
harass people—and that includes all crimes
against homosexuals. Also, tell your friend
that if students are harassing him, he needs to
report these incidents to an adult at Pueblo.
Dear Alice,
I told my friend to stop smoking because it’s
bad for you, but he didn’t listen. He’s no longer
in school, and I feel bad that he didn’t stay in
school. I would like to believe that I tried my
best. However, I still feel guilty about not doing
enough for him. Should I feel this way?
later in life, “What if…?” Unless you see signs
of her talking to someone else or seeing that
she has a crush on someone other than you,
nothing should stop you from at least telling
her how you feel.
Sincerely,
Friend with Guilty Conscience
Dear Alice,
Dear “Guilty”,
Let me start off by saying that you did a good
job by trying to discourage your friend to quit
smoking. I’m sorry that he no longer attends
Pueblo, but at least you know that you did
your best to try to do what is right. Remember,
people learn from their mistakes. If your friend
is one of those people who refuses to seek help
or to accept help, then you should not feel
guilty about that; he has made a conscious
decision to not accept your advice. I hope that
you didn’t sever ties with him—it sounds as
if he could use a friend like you. In fact, you
sound as if you could be a great friend to a lot
of people because of your caring nature.
Dear Alice,
I saw a very intimate couple on campus in a
rather passionate act. Later, I saw them in the
hallway, and they recognized me from earlier
when they were caught being sleazy. I wish I
could erase this episode from my memory. How
do I stop feeling awkward about this?
Sincerely,
Traumatized for Life
I have been talking to a girl for a year already.
At first, I had feelings for her, but now I
don’t, so I don’t know how to tell her that our
romance is over. I don’t know what is holding
me back from revealing exactly how I feel
about her now—that I just want to be friends
with her. However, I keep feeding her lies just
to keep the peace with her. My friends are
telling me to be honest with her, but I don’t
know how to tell her. What should I do?
Sincerely,
Puppeteer
Dear Puppeteer,
First off, you need to think about yourself
first. If you don’t feel anything for her, you
shouldn’t be lying because in the end, you’re
only hurting yourself. If she is not your “one
in a million”, then set her free. Your friends
are just concerned about your well being. They
know, too, that it’s not fair for you to keep the
girl on a string. Do the ethical act: Tell her
the truth. There’s no rule that you two cannot
be friends—which is never an insult or a
consolation.
Dear Alice,
Dear TFL:
This is totally understandable considering
that you three attend the same school. The
good news is—this school year is almost half
over. All you can do is start minding your own
business; don’t let this unfortunate incident
phase you. You are the only one that can stop
this uncomfortable feeling. Start off by not
looking at them directly when you see them.
When you know that they are approaching you,
don’t show any attention to them. Please do not
be scarred by this atrocity for the rest of your
life.
Dear Alice,
I have had a big crush on a friend, and I am
afraid that if I tell her she will not feel the same
or that she will look at me differently. Should I
tell her anyway?
Sincerely,
Crushed
Dear Crushed One,
Get out of your comfort zone! You’ll never
know how she feels until you try. You do not
want to be the person who says to themselves
43
During my middle school years, I became best
friends with somebody who I now hate the
most. Actually, I don’t hate her—I just hate
what’s happened to us and how she changed.
At one time, we were like sisters—in fact, we
were soul mates. When I see her now, I just feel
so bad for us. I can’t seem to forget how many
times I’ve allowed myself to be hurt by her.
What should I do?
Sincerely,
Missin’ My Sis
Dear Lonely Sis,
This is a deep issue that definitely deserves
resolution between you and your nemesis—who
actually doesn’t sound like a nemesis when you
described her. Friendships are very special
bonds, and it sounds as if your friendship was,
indeed, genuine. Think about what really is
bothering you. Is it because it seems like she
forgot you so quickly? Or, do you miss the
closeness you both shared with one another?
Perhaps you two should bury the hatchet and
realize that your friendship has been a vital
aspect to your lives. Sometimes friendships take
a break, too. Think of your friendship as like a
marriage—there needs to be loyalty, respect,
honesty and trust.
What Do Warriors Really Want for Christmas?
Compiled by Stephanie Gomez and Clarissa Romero
An El Guerrero tradition is to ask the Pueblo Magnet High School
community—students, faculty, staff members and administrators—
what they would like for Christmas. This year’s compilation—like all
years in the past—consists of eclectic choices.
Jennifer Gomez, sophomore: “For Christmas I would like a Kid Cudi
album and a Kid Cudi sweater.”
Mr. Frank Rosthenhausler (assistant principal): “I want all of my students to
have a safe and fun holiday. I also want Shakira!”
Veronica Robles, senior: “I want tamales and green Cortez shoes, and I want
to be able to spend time with my little brother and sisters!”
Ms. Rosa Pizano (Business Office finance manager): “I would love to have a
laptop and to spend time with my family.”
Ms. Leticia Velasquez (government/American history teacher): “I want a
Phillip Alvarez, senior: “I’m not materialistic; I just want my family to tiger charm from the Phoenix zoo to go on my charm bracelet.”
be together.”
Reina Guzman, senior: “I would like a blue Mustang with 24-inch rims, a
Edith Quiroz, senior: “I would love an Apple laptop, a new Camaro,
laptop, an Iphone 4, and an IPod touch.”
bunches of tamales and good health and happiness for my family.”
Sammy Terrazas, senior: “My only Christmas wish is to go back into time
Cecelia Machado, sophomore: “I would like a Mac computer.”
and to right all of my wrongs.”
Cynthia Rojas, sophomore: “I want a low rider; I have always wanted
one.”
Dania Gonzales, freshman: “I want more piercings for Christmas.”
Jesus Ramirez, junior: “I want someone to cuddle with. I also want a 2013
Boss Mustang, grey with black barricade in front, and 8-cylinder engine
with a V8 engine hoss compatible, LED lights 22’s, and 2 exhaust.”
Joey Rico, freshman: “I would like my two front teeth and the girl
from Transformers 3.”
Melissa Bustamante, junior: “For Christmas, I want Vans, boots, a Tom
Brady jersey, a Chicago Bulls hat, a tattoo, and Zayn Malik from One
Direction. Oh! I also want Stephanie Gomez to meet Harry Styles.”
Martin Lopez, sophomore: “I would like a car and good grades.”
Ms. Susie Ugalde-Vazquez (secretary): “I would like for my family to be
together and maybe win the lottery.”
Oscar Polanco, senior: “I do not want anything. I am satisfied with
what I have, but a Dean Martin CD would not hurt.”
Ms. Evelia Lopez (Parent Mentor): “I want my mother to find peace,
which is the most important thing right now.”
Mr. Ned Gray (art teacher): “I would like world peace. Just kidding!
Actually, I would like good things to eat and good friends to be with.”
Coach Adrian Koch: “I wouldn’t like anything. I would like for those who
are less fortunate and do not have a safe environment to be safe and to have
Ms. Obdulia Gonzalez (librarian): “I would love for everyone in Amer- something to be thankful for. I would also like for my son to have a roof
ica to have a good job that they truly enjoy and for the nation to have a over his head and hope that all students have the same thing. I am not a
materialistic person.”
good economy.”
Abel Lugo, senior: “I would like a new PC laptop to replace my old
broken PC.”
Alfonso Gutierrez, junior: “I would like a nice trumpet, a Nintendo DS with
Pokemon Black 2, and to spend the day with a close friend.”
Yajaira Barcelo, senior: “All I want is to be with my family and
friends, and Liam Payne! I want Santa to bring me One Direction
posters, watches, shirts, shoes, chains, bracelets, and their second
album! And I want an autograph of Harry E. Styles, Zayn J. Malik,
Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Liam Payne!”
Maria Melendez, senior: “I would like an Ipod touch and also to spend
time with my family from Texas. I would also love to have a One Direction
shirt.”
Melissa Barraza, senior: “I would like a new real exquisite car so that
my best friend, Somayra Luna, won’t have a ‘dilemma’ and can return
to Pueblo. I would be able to drive her to school and home everyday.”
Cisco Orozco, senior: “I would like a new quad.”
Ms. Nora Monge, monitor: “I want health for all of my family and for
them to have a happy life because I love them.”
Victor Garcia Rodriquez, sophomore: “I want a challenger SRT…I
don’t want to work…and I want a mansion and a watermelon…also
lots of money.”
Ms. Teresa Toro (counselor): “Besides peace, love and health, I would like a
Tiffany bracelet on the side.”
Carina Huerta, senior: “I don’t even know… Maybe a huge Teddy bear…?”
Gilbert Becerra, freshman: “I would like to spend time with my family and
friends.”
Anthony Rivera, freshman: “I would like a pony and unlimited Panda Express.”
Vanessa Gonzales, sophomore: “I would like Snickers and a phone!”
On behalf of everybody at El Guerrero: HAPPY HOLIDAYS!