COUGAR ChRONiclE - Corona-Norco Unified School District

Volume VII
Issue 5
Norco High School
Cougar Chronicle
Announcements:
- Come to room K-19 to
choose any of the free
prom dresses!
- Make sure to do your
best on your CSTs and
show up everyday and
your attendance will
enter you in drawing for
a Nook!
- Prom is on April
27th at the Santa Anita
Racetrack
- Graduation takes place
on May 29th!
Meet Claudia: First Ever Miss
NHS
Becca Valadez
The lights shined brightly
on the eight contestants’ faces
and while they and the crowd
anxiously waited for a name to
be called. Finally, after what felt
like forever, Journalism proudly
announced that Claudia Vidanes
was the first ever Miss Norco
High School.
Claudia, a sophomore here
at NHS, joined the pageant to be
more involved with school events.
“Not only did it seem fun, but
also a perfect way to represent
the school,” she said. While the
pageant may have looked easy, all
the girls had to attend after school
practices, which Claudia said was
“a great experience getting to
know the other girls.”
Claudia also enjoyed
how the practices gave them
opportunities to mention some
of their ideas. Over the few
short weeks that the girls had to
practice, they became close friends.
“It felt amazing that we all got
along. I am glad to experience a
pageant with amazing personalities
of the girls,” Claudia said, speaking
fondly of the other contestants.
While signing up for the pageant,
Claudia noted that she particularly
enjoyed “language arts because
you are free to express your own
opinion.” In her free time, Claudia
pursues marksmanship and is
proud to be a part of such a “male
dominate” sport.
Getting close to the other
eight contestants must have made
a big difference, because when
asked if she was nervous about
the pageant, she said no because
positive people surrounded her.
Claudia’s favorite round in the
pageant was the question round,
because it presented a scary
challenge. She also said the
questions helped her see what her
perspective in life is. Backstage
was hectic, due to the fact that the
girls only had about two minutes
in between rounds, but she said it
was worth the stress. “Although
we were pressured to dress quickly,
we managed to keep each other
smiling.”
The competition was tough,
and Claudia admitted she did not
expect to win. “To be honest, I
did not expect it because I did not
see it as a competition since all of
us were on stage representing the
school already. I believe we all won
since they helped me be who I was
onstage.”
Being crowned Miss Norco
High was at first overwhelming to
Claudia because she did not see it
coming. “I feel honored since I was
chosen out of seven other girls. To
hold the title Miss Norco High is
truly amazing.”
If you see Claudia in the
hallways or in class, be sure to tell
her congratulations. Way to go,
Miss NHS!
Formal dresses needed.
If you have any gently used formal dresses,
please take them to Ms. Jacob s’ room in K19.
ON CAMPUS
Bobby Boggs
emescal Avenue
Norco • California • 92680
Phone:
951.736.3241
Principal: Lisa Simon
Advisor: Jen Jacobs
Reporters:
Sabrina Alcala
Kristie Arreola
Travis Ayala
Xochitl Barrios
Sydney Bates
Cole Baumeister
Brianna Chanphimarn
Courtney Clarke
Alison Doyle
Sydney Fix
Tobi Katz
Cierra McClure
Alfonso Mota
Emily Patton
Jason Siegel
Jennifer Xu
Editor-in-Chief:
Alexa Diaz
Assistant Editor-inChief:
Katie Yates
Layout & Design:
Bailey Reed
Assistant Layout &
Design:
Becca Valadez
Business Manager:
Minerva Corona
April 2013
Jason Siegel
Norco volleyball star Bobby
Boggs is paving his way to
success on and off the court.
This year, Bobby was
selected to be the captain of
the volleyball team for his
confidence and leadership
skills. When asked what
his favorite part of playing
volleyball is, he says,
“The team is definitely my
favorite part, everyone gets
along so well.” The Norco
volleyball team is off to a
good start with a record of
(5-2). They recently played
against rivals Santiago,
where they won in three games.
As the season goes on,
Boggs says he feels closer to his
teammates, which helps with
the connection on the court. To
establish this connection, the
players have “many team meals
and bondings.” Although volleyball is by far his
favorite sport, he also plays football
moments was when he was accepted
on a full-ride scholarship to play
football for the Air Force Academy.
Although he was being
recruited by many other
schools, it was an easy
decision to choose the Air
Force Academy. With a smile
on his face, Boggs says, “I
accepted it on the spot. It was
really a dream come true.”
After playing football, Boggs
plans on pursuing a career in
the Air Force.
Bobby Boggs is one of
Norco High’s top athletes,
and because he has been so
during the season. But to play
successful in his athletic career, it
volleyball, Bobby says it “takes a lot opened up opportunities for future
of dedication and work, and requires endeavors. Bobby graduates this
precise fundamentals.” Boggs even
year and will further his athletic
plays professional beach volleyball
career in the air force shortly after.
in both Huntington and Newport.
Perhaps one of his proudest
Norco High Man Pageant
Emily Patton
Twelve contestants battled it
out in the Performing Arts Center
on Friday March 8th, 2013 for the
name of the fifth Mr. NHS, but
only one lucky contestant had the
fortune of winning the crown.
The man pageant is an upper
classman only event meaning the
freshmen, and sophomores have
to wait their turn. This year’s
contestants were juniors Gabe
Barton, and Adrien Rocha. The
senior contestants were Bobby
Boggs, Kyle Gonzalez, Dillon
Hedgpeth, Tito La Croix, Jake
Limon, Evan Mackie, Kevin
Megginson, Kurt Spillman, Lucas
White, and Landon Orr.
The boys went head-tohead in the beach-wear portion,
as competitor’s shirts were flying
off to show off their chiseled
physique. The beach wear portion
was the favorite amongst the girls
in the audience, as their voices
could have been heard from
Centennial.
The talent part of the
pageant showed off the
opponent’s creative thinking.
Dillon Hedgpeth and Bobby
Boggs teamed up together in the
talent portion, as roommates, best
friends, and brothers. The two
boys saw that they could not do
it without each other making up
a creative duo dance routine that
sure racked up the points from the
judges. Junior Gabe Barton did a
Magic Mike inspired routine, as
he danced in a fireman uniform.
Gabe’s performance had girls out
of their chairs, screaming at the top
of their lungs.
After the intermission
came the formal wear, and a two
question question-round. Senior
Evan Mackie was asked, “What
has been your favorite memory
from your high school years here at
Norco High?” His answer awed the
crowd, as he told the story of how
he asked his girlfriend of almost
two years, Michaela Malneritch to
be his girlfriend. He lined up all
of his friends and spelt will you
be my girlfriend on the Swimmer
and Water Polo player’s chests,
and Mackie stood at the end of
the question holding a rose out
for Michaela. The story made the
audiences hearts swoon.
Bobby Boggs was voted
most congenial out of the twelve
boys. This award is voted on by
the contestants themselves, as an
award for the most positive, or
most friendly. Bobby’s personality
defiantly shined through to the
judges and the audience.
Evan Mackie was
announced the winner and is in
the running for salutatorian for the
class of 2013, is one of the captains
of the boy’s varsity swim team
swimming one of the fastest 100 fly
times. Evan was a lifeguard for the
beach wear portion, and for talent
he danced in a sleeping bag to a
mash up of songs that had the crowd
laughing the whole time.
Evan clearly deserved the
title of Mr.NHS with a free ticket
for him to take his girlfriend to
prom.
ON CAMPUS
NHS Students Experience
Local Universities
Alexa Diaz
Before spring break began, students
her favorite part of the UCS campus was,
and were excited to learn that the school was
from Norco High School took their futures into “the Alice In Wonderland themed room in the
home to the first wireless connection and
consideration and toured the beautiful campuses library” which featured “incredible students’
successful hand transplant. The tour guide also
of the University of Southern California and the work in relation to the theme.”
informed students that UCLA is a research
University of California Los Angeles.
The second visit for the NHS students
and development-based university and they,
Hosted by the Norco High California
was USC’s main rival, UCLA. At UCLA,
if admitted, “will learn things beyond [their]
Scholarship Federation,
classroom experience.”
known as CSF, the trip
NHS junior Jason Siegel
opened many minds to two
said that he was particularly
more locations to apply to
interested in UCLA and
in the upcoming college
said, “It was motivating
application season.
the see the school and learn
The first stop on
more about it and what it
the field trip was USC,
offers.”
the famous athletic school
The visit left student
which is home to the
Katarina Maciel excited
Trojans. Among the Norco
to apply to the school. She
students were many USC
stated that the trip was
fans such as Ryan Fitterer
educational as she was able
who said that he would, in
to “experience the different
fact, be applying to USC
college atmospheres
his senior year and looks
between USC and UCLA.”
forward to his possible
CSF works to recognize
experience at the campus.
students who demonstrate
As students
outstanding academic
continued to tour the
achievement, and
campus, they learned more
throughout the year, it
about the educational
creates opportunities for
opportunities the school
student both in the club and
offers which include USC Dornsife
in
the
school
to
tour
various campuses local
Norco High students touring UCLA‘s 419-acre campus
College of Letters, Arts and Sciences,
to Southern California. the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the
students were able to enjoy a formal tour and
The club not only gave students more
School of Pharmacy, the school’s world-class
learned about the university’s North and South- options to consider in their upcoming senior
museums, libraries, and recreational facilities.
side campuses, resources, ten libraries, twenty- year, but also gave many an opportunity that
Many students noted that they loved the
two varsity sports, more than 1,000 clubs and
they would not have been able to experience
architecture of these buildings, such as Patsy
organizations, as well as the traditions and fun
otherwise.
Ruffini who said she loved the “downtown feel facts of the school.
of the campus.”
Throughout the tour many students
Norco junior Claribel Correa said that
inquired about UCLA’s Court of Sciences
AVID’s LOL Comedy Night
Bailey Reed and Minerva Corona
On a night in late February, AVID,
Advancement Via Individual Determination,
hosted a comedy night and invited students to
be hypnotized in front of a live audience.
The night started out with an illusion
that caused a participant’s head to expand.
This created a curious atmosphere and left
the audience hungry for more. The host, Joel,
then asked for volunteers who wanted to
be hypnotized. He started off by asking the
volunteers to breathe, relax, and find a focal
point on the ceiling. After his volunteers were
in a deep trance, things got crazier and crazier,
making them do silly things, such as dance and
make silly faces.
Joel and his partner, Jacqui, had
volunteers sleep while he explained what they
were going to do next. Some of the participants
even fell on the floor as they were in such
a deep sleep, and some were even snoring.
However, they all woke up before doing his
next command, sitting wide-eyed in their chairs,
waiting for either a snap or a voice command
to do their next silly act. He began the show
by explaining that the participants would feel
relaxed and refreshed and after the show, almost
like they had a full eight hours of sleep.
His first act was to make the participants
forget their names. One participant, Brandon
Tuttle, was sure his name was John, while
others like Katherine Kavianian had no idea
what her name was. He demonstrated another
part of his act called “the sleeping gun,” where
he would point an invisible gun at a participant
and he would “zap” them asleep. Another act
was the “laughing gas.” When he turned this
on, the participants would laugh hysterically.
They rolled on the floor, slapped their knees,
and practically yelled their laughter showing the
effects of this “gas.” Joel also had them dance,
flex their muscles, shake their butts, and make
their funniest faces to the audience members.
At the end of the show, Joel and Jacqui
brought out one more surprise with the hypnosis
dogs. According to them, they are the only dogs
that can really hypnotize people. These cute
puppies awed the audience with their powers
to make the participants do anything Joel
asked. Then, before releasing the participants
from their trance, his last command was to
make them laugh hysterically when anyone
shook hands with them after the show. He also
compelled them to yell “Shut Up!” when the
name of their show, “Funny Hypnosis” was
mentioned.
In all, the night was filled with laughter
and AVID put on a great show. In the future,
they hope to do something similar to this
annually with a few small changes. Ms. Mong
was so glad to see that everyone enjoyed it and
hopes to make people happy and raise money at
the same time.
Fashion
Spring Fashion 2013
By Brianna Chanphimarn
The warm weather may seem to be a
distant dream, but fashion is always looking
ahead. It is never too early to be informing
yourself about the looks that will influence
2013’s upcoming fashion trends.
Many trends from past decades are
coming back into style. Vintage fashions from
the 1960’s era are returning this spring. From
bright colors to fun patterns and prints, retro
1960’s era fashion is sure to be a huge trend
this spring. These styles include things such
as costume jewelry, pencil skirts, vintage-style
hats, and anything that takes its cues from the
bold, bright side of 1960’s fashion.
Along with the recent re-emergence of croptops, high-waisted shorts have become the
fastest-growing staple in fashion today. The
high-waisted trend has been around for many
years now. These shorts are coming back into
style from decades ago and are sure to be a
huge 2013 fashion trend.
Additional clothing trends include collarless
shirts, apron style dresses, leather skirts
and accents, floral prints, and metallic hues.
Many of these key items are pieces originally
fashionable in the sixties.
As for accessories, bold sunglasses are
becoming very popular among designers. Bold
statement sunglasses were a huge trend at the
New York Fashion Week fashion show seen in
lines such as Calvin Klein, Rebecca Minkoff,
and Michael Kors. Another upcoming accessory
trend this spring is the luxe cuff, which is a
bracelet cuff that wraps around the arm. This
new bracelet is moving from solid metal to
more embellished styles. Predictions for these
individualizing accessories are chain details,
color accents, and jewel studding on these cuffs.
As new stand-out shoe trends make
their way into fashion, other popular shoe styles
are out. The chunky looking platform pump is
quickly on its way out and thin-heeled shoes are
on their way in. Combat boots are an ongoing
trend that have been in style since last year and
will continue to be fashionable over the course
of 2013. Gladiator boots have also been spotted
on many spring fashion runways. The cut-out
details of these gladiator boots are among these
many stand-out footwear trends.
Clearly, the up and coming trends this
spring are sure to brighten up the season.
The Hunt for Affordable Makeup
By Kristie Arreola
On average, sixteen billion dollars worth
of make-up is sold each year in the United
States. Make-up is not one of the cheapest
things out there, however there are ways it can
be made affordable.
People tend to think the more expensive
the make-up is, the better the quality. However,
that is not always true. Many popular makeup brands are quite affordable.
Make-up is a product that should
take some time to look over and
not just purchased. Since make-up
is a product used on your face, you
want to be careful what kind you
get. There are some make-up brands
that may have ingredients that are
harmful for your skin. Researching
brands before purchasing products
from them is highly recommended.
Face and eye make-up are always
tricky when buying due to the fact
that many can cause breakouts and infection.
There are a ton of high-end brands that
can be easily compared to drug store brands.
Drug store brands include Maybelline, Palladio,
NYX, Sonia Kashuk, Revlon, E.L.F, Covergirl,
Milani, Neutrogena, Wet N Wild, and Loreal.
Drugstore brands are almost always less
expensive than high-end make-up brands, so
make sure you don’t forget to explore all your
options.
MAC cosmetics is a well-known highend make-up brand. All of their products are
expensive but can be easily swopped with other
brands such as NYX. While NYX is not the
only brand that is similar to MAC, there are
many other brands that can be easily compared.
NYX is a fraction of the cost of MAC make-
up. For example, just one eye shadow at MAC
is fifteen dollars, whereas NYX single eye
shadows are as low as three dollars and have
just as good color pigmentation as the leading
brands.
E.L.F cosmetics is a well known brand,
due to the low cost specifically. Everything
from E.L.F cosmetics began with one line in all
only carry, at most, ten at a time. Maybelline
mascaras are comparable to high-end brands
such as Tarte, Nars, Too Faced, and more.
There are few high-end makeup brands
that carry foundation with healthy ingredients
or ingredients that cure acne, while a myriad
of drugstore brand foundations have acne
curing and healthy ingredients. Many drugstore
foundations contain salicylic acid,
which is an ingredient in many face
washes and acne medications. Brands
such as Neutrogena, Maybelline, and
Revlon are all highly recommended
brands that do the job well.
Overall, there are many great
make-up brands and products out
there. Make-up may not always be the
easiest to shop for but, with time and
effort, great affordable products can
be found and money can be saved.
“Make-up may not always be
the easiest to shop for, but, with
time and effort, great affordable
products can be found and money
can be saved.”
white packaging and only costing one dollar.
The brand has grown so much that they have
created several different lines, one being the
studio line in a black packaging and everything
only costing three dollars. Currently there are
different products in stores and online that can
cost up to fifteen dollars. However, that is the
product of the highest value. E.L.F is a very
reasonably priced brand considering the brand
does not exceed fifteen dollars.
Maybelline is another raved about
brand and most of their products have great
reviews. Maybelline’s mascaras are highly
recommended over other brands. They have
over twenty mascaras to choose from and
are constantly coming out with new ones,
as opposed to the high-end brands which
ELF Brand Duo Eye Shadow Cream
Opinion
Workout More, Stress Less
Katie Yates
Recent studies have revealed that the
best remedy for a stressful, anxiety-prone life is
to start working on your fitness.
According to the Today Show’s “My
Health News Daily,” exercise improves
one’s mood as well as reduces anxiety
in events that are highly stressful or
emotional. However, many critics say
that one’s activity for that little amount
of time could hardly impact their daily
psychological perspectives to that extent.
Many studies have proven that mood
and behavior are heavily affected by
the amount of exercise one participates
in. In an experiment done by J.
Carson Smith, the assistant professor in
the Department of Kinesiology at the
University Of Maryland School Of Public
Health, a large group of healthy college
students were tested to see “how exercise
and physical activity affect brain function,
aging, mental health, and future emotional
stress.” Participants were divided into two
separate groups, the first group rested for thirty
minutes, while the second group participated
in a thirty minute cycling class. Their anxiety
levels were tested prior to, fifteen minutes
into the activity, and of course after the thirty
minute period. Both behaviors were equal in
reducing stress initially; however, after each
participant saw an emotionally stimulating
By Kristie Arreola
set of photographs twenty minutes after the
experiment, the results were shocking. The
resting group’s anxiety levels returned to their
original point, whereas those who were in the
Jennifer Aniston
cycling class maintained their reduced anxiety
levels. J. Carson Smith stated, “The study
findings suggest that exercise may play an
important role in helping people to better
endure life's daily anxieties and stressors.” This
experiment was so successful it was recently
published in the 2012 issue of the Journal of
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
According to the popular documentary,
“Super Size Me,” 98% of nutritionist say that
if one participates in aerobic exercise for thirty
minutes a day they maintain their current body
weight. This can be a problem for those who
want to see change in their body, that is why
continual exercise is very important and should
not be taken lightly.
Working out can change people’s lives
in more ways than just appearance. I workout
every single day and when I began focusing
on exercise and proper nutrition my life
changed juristically. Whenever I am stressed
I take at least thirty minutes out of my crazy
day to relive all the tension in my body. It
is unfathomable how much of a difference
regular aerobic exercise can make. Running is
commonly used as a therapeutic technique and
finding new ways to direct negative feelings is
very beneficial. My personal belief is; if you
are not prioritizing your health, what are you
prioritizing?
Exercise is vital for everyone’s daily
routine, all ages and sizes, in order to maintain
a healthy diet and active lifestyle. Working
out has repeatedly proven to prevent nearly all
illnesses and cause happier moods. So make
the changes your life needs, you will look and
feel better than you can even imagine.
The Cheerleading Struggle
Cheerleading has been a sport for over
one hundred years. During that time, many have
questioned cheerleading as a sport, and there
are many misconceptions regarding it.
Cheerleading is a very difficult and
skillful sport that requires a lot of time and
dedication. As a cheerleader, I personally know
that cheerleading is one of the hardest sports.
I believe that people who say cheerleading
is not a sport have no clue what they are
talking about. Many tend to judge the sport of
cheerleading without experience or knowledge
of the basics. Cheerleading is not just dancing
in skirts and yelling. It is a combination of
gymnastics, dance, cheers, stunts, and sharp
moves. It is a sport that requires fast thinking
and even faster moving.
All Star cheerleading, high school
cheerleading, and college cheerleading are
all different types of the sport, but all three
require the same morals, intentions, and goals.
All cheerleaders want to be successful with
the goal of becoming World champions. In
addition, they want to be thought highly of and
well respected. Many people think it is just
cheering for football players. However, that
is probably one of the biggest stereotypes and
insults to a cheerleader because that is not all
that we do. Even high school cheerleaders go
to competitions and other events aside from
cheering football on. College cheer requires
pumping up the crowd at college football
games and other events. All Star cheer is an all
competition sport that involves competing on
all different levels and places. All Star cheer
is an all competition sport with different cheer
circuits. All different competitions can lead to
higher levels and titles as well as opportunities
for the winners to advance to cheer in different
countries. The biggest competition is known
as Worlds where many different teams gather
from all over the World to compete. Here,
the winners are the world title holder for that
year. A lot of competitions give out prizes
such as money, cheer wear, bows, rings, and
scholarships.
soccer, cheer also does fundraisers to pay for
many of the expenses and trips.
Cheer is not the most inexpensive
sport there is, however it can be paid for with
fundraisers, bids, or many other resources. A
bid is a full paid invitation to Worlds, covering
all the expenses necessary. Along with other
sports such as football, baseball, softball, and
Cheer is a sport for many reasons. Not
because I cheer, but because of all the difficult
tasks required of the sport. It takes just as much
time, effort, and dedication as other sports and
should not be taken for granted as much as it is.
An immeasurable amount of injuries
have happened to cheerleaders during their
season, even some fatalities. Cheer is a fast
reaction sport, and if one person misses their
queue, injuries and fatalities can occur. If one
person isn’t paying attention, someone’s life
is at serious risk. Tumbling passes are the
fastest movement in cheer. The movements
and the thought process have to be quick to
avoid potential injuries. Stunting is the most
dangerous part of cheerleading, due to the fact
that your flyers’ life is in your hands. When
you throw that person in the air, you have to be
certain that you are going to catch him or her.
If you are not capable of doing so, then being
a base, back spot, etc. isn’t for you. Any time a
flyer is not caught, he or she has a risk of hitting
the ground and getting injured.
Opinion
TSA Gone Too Far?
Travis Ayala
Effective April 25th, the T.S.A
(Transportation Security
Administration) will begin to
allow small knives to be carried
onboard airliners.
This new rule proposed
by the T.S.A will allow small
blades that are 2.36 inches (6
centimeters) or shorter and less
than ½ inch wide on airlines.
Also the knives cannot be fixed
blades or lock into place. The
new rule also allows certain
sports sticks on board such
as ski poles, hockey sticks,
lacrosse sticks and even pool
cues. Other blade type objects
like, box cutters and razor
blades are still prohibited due to the fact they
continue to have an emotional connection with
the September 11th terrorist attacks.
The decision had not only shocked and
concerned 9/11 affected families but caused
outrage from travelers who cannot even carry
a certain amount of shampoo or toothpaste
TSA to allow pocket knives on planes.
without getting stopped by airport security.
TSA chief Kip Hawley who supports the
change stated, “Sharp objects can no longer
bring down aircraft,” but to those who oppose
it any sharp object can be used as a weapon and
therefore be a threat to the plane
and anyone onboard. But the
TSA argued that searching for
knives interferes with searches
for objects that can greatly
threaten the planes.
Still many greatly oppose the
new rule such as The Flight
Attendants Union Coalition and
the Coalition of Airline Pilots
Associations, which consists
of tens of thousands of pilots
and flight attendants. Normal
citizens strongly oppose the new
rule and even twenty thousand
people signed a petition to
WhiteHouse.gov, in hope to have
the TSA’s rule revoked and keep knives off
planes. But the rule still stands as affective the
25th of April, even though the TSA thinks that
this rule will bring the U.S. into alignment with
international rules many still think this rule
may cause a déjà vu of the 9/11 attacks.
Seven Things Every Girl Must Have
By Katie Yates
It is that time of year again, spring
cleaning, and it seems as though every girl is
confused about what to throw out and what
to keep. Although it seems like girls have a
million necessities, here are seven that females
just cannot live without.
Comfort is always a priority among the
ladies, which is why yoga pants and leggings
are number one on the list. Yoga pants are a
great way to make easy look fashionable. They
can be found at Victoria Secret in the price
range of forty to sixty dollars or at Target for
around twenty dollars. They are a must have for
any “lazy” day. Leggings are a more stylish and
versatile approach for a comfortable look. They
are easy to pair up with boots, cardigans, and
long tee-shirts. Leggings can be found in nearly
any color but are most popular in black, grey,
and navy. They are very affordable and easy to
find. Yoga pants and leggings are sure to please
any girl because not only are they cute but also
realistic.
The easiest way to dress up any outfit is
a good pair of earrings, such as a pair of studs.
Plain, crystal, or even diamond earrings are a
fabulous way to accessorize. Each girl has their
own style and preferences that is why studs are
a great way to glam up any wardrobe while still
showing individuality. Studs are a must have of
any season.
California weather is amazing yearround which is why Rainbow sandals are an
important part of any sun-kissed girl’s attire.
Rainbows can be seen worn around campus
year-round, even during rainy and cold
seasons. All Rainbow owners are obsessed
and seem to never want to take them off.
Maybe it is because these shoes are more than
just the average sandal; they are comfortable
beyond belief and go with nearly every outfit.
Rainbows naturally mold to their owner’s feet
which makes them comfortable to wear all day.
They can be found at Nordstrom’s, Pac Sun,
and Tilly’s for about forty dollars. Rainbows
are worth the price because they are a necessity
for every California girl.
Even though California is fortunate to
have great weather, a jacket is still important
for girls to own,
so number four
is a “hoodie”.
Every girl needs
a warm and cozy
jacket with a hood
to bundle up in
on cold days. They
don’t have to be
purchased based on
comfort alone,
since there are
many options
that include
fashion
forward styles.
Jackets can
sometimes
be the key
component in
an outfit.
Personal
preference
is the main
component
in choosing between the many “hoodies”
available. They can be found at nearly any store
and are even commonly representing clubs,
schools, and even geographical areas. A great
“hoodie” is a must-have for everyone.
Sometimes it is necessary to have some
plain and simple clothing options, which is
why solid colored v-neck tee-shirts are vital to
every wardrobe. These shirts should definitely
be a component in all closets. Everyone needs
to just go casual sometimes and v-necks are a
great and easy way to do it. They are affordable
and can be found in just about all department
stores. Plain shirts can be easily accessorized
and be made unique to every girl. Keeping it
simple with classic tee-shirts should be a trend
that is remembered by every girl.
Of course a commonly addressed
must-have for every woman is a little black
dress. Even though this item may not be the
most comfortable or the most frequently
worn, it is very important to have. If any
last minute events come up, be prepared to
whip out that little dress. Black dresses are
also easy to accessorize and can really show
one’s personality. A little black is an essential
component of all closets.
What goes best with a little black
dress? Black pumps of course! Lucky number
seven and the final requirement for all female
wardrobes is a great black heel. Heels can make
any casual outfit look classy. They can be worn
with anything from dresses to jeans and have a
total “glam-effect” for every girl. A great pair
of neutral heels will always come in handy
which make them the last must-have for every
female.
Books
Authors of Classics
By Sabrina Alcala
Throughout history, timeless stories
have been told such as Pride & Prejudice,
The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Wuthering
Heights, but what are the histories of the
geniuses behind these timeless pieces? Jane
Austen, Emily Brontë, Catherine Brontë, and
Anne Brontë all have extremely different
stories; however, their pasts have led them to
publish the stories we still read today.
Jane Austen was born in Steventon,
England, on December 16, 1775, and was the
second youngest of eight children. Having
four older brothers and one younger brother,
Jane was forced into a close relationship with
her only sister, Cassandra. Her father was
the local rector of the Church of England.
He made a respectable amount of money but
wasn’t considered rich, having eight children
to look after, and didn’t give much money for
his two daughters to marry, very similar to
Mr. Bennett from Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.
Jane and her sister Cassandra were taught by
Mrs. Cawley, their aunt, for
a short amount of time, then
went to the Abbey boarding
school to become educated in
reading.
Austen read quite a bit
when she was younger and her
father’s library was reported to
contain five hundred books by
the year 1801. She wrote that
she and her family were “great
novel readers, and not ashamed of being so.”
Austen wrote Juvenilia from the year 1787
to 1793, which contained many parodies of
literature of that time and is organized in three
volumes. They were originally written for,
and dedicated to, her family.
The earlier versions of the novels
that we later came to know as Sense and
Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, and Pride &
Prejudice had all been started and worked on
by Austen from 1795 to 1799.
Sense & Sensibility was sent to
a publisher and accepted in late 1810 or
early 1811. She remained anonymous when
it was published, as the book said it was
written “By A Lady” in October of 1811;
only her close family knew that she was
published at first. This publication encouraged
her, and she continued to work on First
Impressions, which came to be known as
Pride & Prejudice. She sold it to a publisher
in November of 1812, and “her own darling
child” as she called it, went public by January.
Four more of her works were published:
Mansfield Park in 1814, Emma in 1815,
Persuasion (finished in 1811, but published
after her death by her brother), and
Northanger Abbey (also published after her
death by her brother, finished in 1811). She
has an unfinished work, Sanditon, because of
her untimely death.
Around the time of Austen’s death,
three other female writers were born. The
Brontë sisters were three very talented women
all known for publishing classic works.
Charlotte was born on April 21, 1816, Emily
was born on July 30, 1818, and Anne was
born on January 17, 1820. They all began
to write at an early age, as they were often
left home alone and each attended different
schools along with being taught at home.
The sisters first published their collaborative
book of poetry; this was the first appearance
of their pseudonyms: Currer, Ellis, and Acton
Bell. After that, they each published their own
novels with varying success.
Charlotte published Jane Eyre in 1847
and Anne published Agnes Gray the same
year. Jane Eyre was the bestseller of the
year. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne
and Wuthering Heights by Emily were both
published in 1848. The Tenant of Wildfell
Berkeley Gold Medal for Greek and was
given a Demyship scholarship to Magdalen
College in Oxford.
In 1881, Wilde published his first
volume of poetry which was aptly named
“Poems”. Though it received varying reviews,
it helped Wilde’s writing career progress. In
the same year, Wilde travelled to New York
in December to give a series of lectures on
aesthetics. The tour was originally scheduled
to give fifty lectures and last four months but
ended up being a year long, during which
over 140 lectures were given over a course of
260 days.
On May 29, 1884, Wilde married a
woman named Constance Lloyd. They had
two sons named Cyril and Vyvyan. The boys
were born in 1885 and 1886 and compelled
Wilde to accept a job writing at a magazine
now that he had a family to support. He
worked there from 1887 to 1889.
Wilde published two volumes of children’s
stories: “The Happy Prince
and Other Tales” in 1888, and
“The House of Pomegranates”
in 1892. His first and only
novel, The Picture of Dorian
Gray, was published in 1890
in an American magazine.
The novel faced an uproar of
protests, but despite this Wilde
still expanded the story and
published it as a book. The
book implied a “homoerotic theme” and was
later used against Wilde in trials.
Wilde wrote several plays that officially
had him established as a playwright: “Lady
Windermere’s Fan” (1892), “A Woman of
No Importance” (1893), “An Ideal Husband”
(1895), and “The Importance of Being
Earnest” (1895).
Wilde was arrested in 1895 for “gross
indecency” when he was revealed to be a
homosexual; he was sentenced two years
in prison where he wrote “The Ballad of
Reading Gaol.” It was published soon before
his wife’s death in 1898.
After Wilde was released from jail,
he spent the remaining three years of his
life wandering around Europe. He visited
friends and stayed in cheap inns, unable to
be inspired again. A recurring ear infection
soon became serious, causing meningitis to
take over. Oscar Wilde died on November 30,
1900.
Every author has some history that
leads them to publish their work. These
authors have set the standard and have made
such an impression in the literature world that
we still read their work today. Take the time
to pick up one of their novels and enjoy it
today. You won’t regret it.
“These authors have set the standard
and have made such an impression in
the literature world that we still read
their work today. Take the time to pick
up one of their novels and enjoy it
today. You won’t regret it.”
Hall was successful and sold well, but
Wuthering Heights did not.
Emily and Anne died of tuberculosis.
Emily died on December 19, 1848, with Anne
following her on May 28, 1849. Charlotte
continued to write in her sisters’ absences; she
was a well-known author by then and went
on to publish Shirley in 1849 and Villette in
1853. She was married in 1854 and died of
tuberculosis on March 31, 1855.
A male author that stands out among
the crowd is Oscar Wilde. Wilde was born
on October 16, 1854, and was the second
born of three. His siblings were William and
Emily; however, Emily died at the age of ten
of a sudden fever. Her death greatly affected
the family, and Oscar, for the rest of his life,
carried an envelope with a lock of her hair
sealed within.
Oscar was enrolled in the Portora
Royal School at Enniskillen. There, Wilde
took first prize in studying classics in his
last two years at the school and was awarded
second place in drawing. He was awarded
the Royal School Scholarship to attend
Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland in the year
1871. He placed first on his exams of the
classics and was awarded the highest honor
an undergraduate could have: a Foundation
Scholarship. In 1874, Wilde won the college’s
Books
The Great Gatsby
By Sydney Fix
A novel that many consider to be one
of the best books of all time, The Great Gatsby,
is a brilliant work of literature whose story has
reached people on a universal level and has
withstood the effects of time.
The story of The Great Gatsby, written
by F. Scott Fitzgerald, occurs in the elegant
and wealth-driven 1920s. The tale is narrated
by the rich bond salesman, Nick Carraway,
living in Long Island, New York in the town
of West Egg. Next door to Mr. Carraway sits
the enormous mansion of Jay Gatsby where
illustrious parties are frequently hosted. Gatsby,
the home’s owner, is a man of mystery who is
rumored to have committed a variety of vulgar
acts and has held professions including killing
a man and acting as a German spy in the war.
When invited to one of Gatsby’s elaborate
parties, Nick unexpectedly befriends him. As
they become closer, Nick learns of Gatsby’s
love for Nick’s cousin, Daisy Buchanan. Daisy
and Gatsby had been in a relationship five years
earlier, but when he left for the war, Daisy
forgot him and married a man by the name of
Tom Buchanan. Upon Gatsby’s request, Nick
reunites the two, initiating a series of disastrous
events.
The Great Gatsby is often referred to as
a great American novel because it deals with
the concept of the “American dream.” Almost
every central character presented in the story is
living in what many define as the ideal lifestyle,
a position of wealth and high-status where they
have reached the ultimate level of happiness. It
seems to be a universal mentality that once this
point has been reached after years of longing
for it, there will come a feeling of contentment.
However, the result is quite the opposite in The
Great Gatsby. In Gatsby’s attempt to win Daisy
back, he goes to extreme lengths, including the
purchase of his mansion not far from her home.
However, when Gatsby finally does win Daisy
over, it’s not enough for him. He is not content
with winning her back, but strives to be the only
one she has ever loved. This unsatisfied attitude
is also present in the other characters that are
practically consumed by their own wealth, yet
tangled in a twist of affairs sprung from their
miserable lives.
The other essential aspect of the book’s
brilliance is Fitzgerald’s writing style. The
Still from The Great Gatsby movie 2013
high level of diction that he uses, although
difficult to understand at times, is intricate and
beautiful, as well as an accurate representation
of the time period. Fitzgerald is able to expertly
intertwine a vast assortment of figurative
language and symbols into his work that are
memorable outside of the novel. One of his
more notable descriptions is that of Nick
explaining Gatsby’s smile. The quote reads,
“He smiled understandingly- much more than
understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles
with a quality
of eternal
reassurance
in it that
you may
come
across
four or
five times
in life. It
faced – or
seemed to
face – the
whole
external
world for
an instant,
and then
concentrated on you with an irresistible
prejudice in your favor. It understood you
just as far as you wanted to be understood,
believed in you as you would like to believe in
yourself, and assured you that it had precisely
the impression of you that, at your best, you
hoped to convey. Precisely at that point it
vanished…” (Fitzgerald 48). Perhaps the most
prominent symbol in the novel is the green light
that shines from the end of Daisy’s dock and
is visible from Gatsby’s home. To Gatsby, the
light symbolizes his dream, Daisy. Throughout
the story, he stares at the green light longingly.
From a more universal standpoint, the green
light is the symbol of the American dream, or
more accurately, an ultimate dream that is held
by every individual.
The film adaption of The Great Gatsby
is set to be appearing in theaters this May.
The film is directed by Baz Luhrmann and
stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, Tobey
Maguire as Nick Carraway, and Carey Mulligan
as Daisy Buchanan. The movie is highly
anticipated and fans are eager to see how the
story will be played out on screen. Many are
impressed with the footage presented in the
trailer, but some are worried that the film will
stick to the plot alone and leave out Fitzgerald’s
ingenious symbols and themes. The film will
also be in 3D.
The Great Gatsby is a tale that deserves
to be enjoyed both by page and on screen, so be
sure to check out this classic novel before May
arrives. Its stimulating and timeless qualities
will not disappoint.
“Whenever
you feel like
criticizing
any one...just
remember that
all the people
in this world
have not had
the advantages
that you have
had.”
entertainment
By Courtney Clarke
Many artists
have recently started
their tours across the
country including
artists such as Pink!,
One Direction,
Miranda Lambert, and
numerous others.
On February 13, 2013
Pink! began her The
Truth About Love
Tour, in Phoenix
Arizona. The Truth
About Love is her
sixth concert tour. Her
sixth studio album,
The TruthAbout Love,
released in 2012,
became number one in
the United States after
selling
281,000 copies in
its debut week. The
Truth About Love has also been certified
Platinum by the Recording Industry
Association of America (RIAA). Pink!
is currently enjoying her tour with her
husband, Carey Hart, and her daughter,
Willow. The tour is just a little over
sixmonths, and Pink! and her family will
cover over 55 cities together while on the
The TruthAbout Love Tour. Pink! will be
singing songs from all six of her albums
and will certainly put on a show that the
fans certainly won’t forget.
On May 1, 2012, Carrie
Underwood announced her Blown Away
Tour. The tour is the third tour by
country music singer, who will be
promoting her fourth studio album,
Blown Away. Underwood has opening
acts lined up for her tour which include
Damien Leith, Hunter Hayes, and Kira
Isabella. The Blown Away Tour will be
Underwood’s first worldwide tour. Her
tour started in the United States and
will end in Canada. She will be putting
on performances that will definitely
leaving her fans blown away.
Pop-rock band Maroon 5 is
starting their fourth tour, which is
supporting their album, Overexposed.
The band includes members Adam
Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey
Madden, James Valentine, and Matt
Flynn. Their tour started on February
13, 2013, and will come to an end on
July 3, 2013. The Overexposed Tour
consists of shows in the Americas, Asia,
On the Road!
Maroon 5
Europe and Oceania, and dates the band's
first concerts in multiple countries.
With opening acts such as Keane, Javier
Colon, The Cab, Neon Trees, Owl City,
Evermore, and PJ Morton, the show will
definitely be unforgettable!
One Direction, the British-Irish
boy band, began their second world
tour on February 23, 2013. The highly
anticipated Take Me Home Tour sold
out in minutes as tickets sold at roughly
1,000 a minute on opening day and many
shows were added in numerous cities
Carrie Underwood
due to high demand. The
five boys of One Direction,
Niall Horan, Liam Payne,
Louis Tomlinson, Harry
Styles, and Zayn Malik will
be touring for the duration
of over 115 dates. The boys
announced their Take Me
Home Tour before their
first world tour was even
finished. The group has
sold over 14 million singles
and 8 million albums, just
in the United States. One
Direction’s debut album, Up
All Night is currently No.1
in 15 countries. They have
also won two BRIT Awards
and three MTV Video
Music Awards and a Kids
choice award. The boys of
One Direction also won
“Top New Artist of 2012.”
They are quickly climbing the ladder of
fame and success with the help of their
millions of loyal fans, killer songs, and
number one albums in multiple countries.
They have surely become a global
phenomenon.
Miranda Lambert began her Four
the Record Tour on Valentine’s Day of
2013, with opening act Dierks Bentley.
This is her fourth album and tour and
her second tour with friend, Dierks
Bentley. Miranda Lambert has written
many number one singles including
“Over You,” “Famous in a Small Town,”
“Gunpowder & Lead,” “More Like
Her,” “Baggage Claim,” “Fastest Girl in
Town,” and “Mama’s Broken Heart.” She
is also in the process of writing a new
album with girl band members Ashley
Monroe and Angaleena Presley. Her
girl band, Pistol Annies, recently went
on a small tour to promote their album
“Hell on Heels.” Lambert’s opening act,
Dierks Bentley, has been part of a total
of 13 tours with many country stars such
as Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Keith
Urban, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood,
Jake Owen, Eric Church, Jason Aldean,
Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker,
Jerrod Niemann, Eli Young Band, Lee
Brice, and multiple times with Miranda
Lambert. Their tour ends on September
21, 2013, in Florida.
These are just a few of the artists
on tour this year. Take the chance and go
enjoy one of their shows.
Entertainment
Sydney Fix
Movie Music Magic
The lights go down, the theater gets
quiet, and suddenly you hear a deep rumble
coming from the speakers surrounding you. It
subtly leads into a deep, dark theme that gives
you chills before the title of the movie has
even appeared on the screen. The power of
music in a movie is overwhelming; it sets
the tone of the movie and makes the viewers
feel more connected to the characters and
situations than ever.
Many composers such as John
Williams, Hans Zimmer, Alexandre Desplat,
Carter Burwell, James Newton Howard, and
so many more, work hard to create music
that adds to the emotions in the film. They
are the creators of sympathy and empathy,
fear and joy. Music can reach people
like nothing else can, which is why the
composers for every movie are some of the
most important people involved in the movie
making process.
For example, in “Pirates of the
Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl,” the
track ‘He’s A Pirate’ is a perfect action track.
It is first heard at the end of the movie when
Will Turner helps Captain Jack Sparrow escape
from his execution. The brass and percussion,
lively played throughout the entire song, blend
with the violin to create the iconic “Pirates
of the Caribbean” theme. It is known for the
action-packed feel it gives to listeners, making
them experience the same rush the characters
feel when locked in a swordfight with an
enemy.
In the movie “Inception,” the composer
Hans Zimmer created the track “One Simple
Idea,” which ended up becoming the theme
associated with the movie. The track is filled
with the suspense and feeling of figuring
something out. It uses string instruments
and deep, booming percussion to add to the
suspense of the theme, making the listener sit
on the edge of their seat, waiting for what is
going to happen next.
One track that makes its listeners feel
Hans Zimmer, renowned film
composer and music producer.
the same lost, sad feeling that Harry is enduring
in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”
is called “Window to the Past,” composed
by John Williams. It is the theme used when
Professor Remus Lupin is talking to Harry
about his parents. The song is intended to have
the viewers feel the sadness that Harry feels
because he never got the chance to know what
great people his parents were. The violin and
flute are used primarily in this track, made
to tug on the heartstrings by creating a more
emotional feel.
James Newton Howard composed
the song “Snow White” for the movie “Snow
White and the Huntsman” as a theme for the
main character. It opens up with trumpets,
giving the feeling of importance, then fades
out to be replaced by a quiet piano playing
a mysterious and beautiful theme, and is
soon joined by violin. This continues for
the first minute or so, until the trumpets
return to play the same theme the violins
are playing as the piano fades out. The
trumpets symbolize the royalty of Snow
White, and the gentle theme symbolizes
her purity. The music fades out on a dark
note, foreshadowing that something bad is
coming for Snow.
“Davy Jones” is the theme for the
character in “Pirates of the Caribbean:
Dead Man’s Chest.” It starts out with a soft
lullaby that sounds like it’s meant to be
playing out of a music box. It gives a feeling
of sadness and is meant to represent the lost
love Jones once had. It is then overpowered
by an organ and deep drums, still playing
to the same lullaby theme, only now with a
darkness. This sends a message: the darkness
that resides in Jones was caused by the love
that he lost. Not only does it reach out to the
audience, but it also sends a message. The track
ends with the same lullaby it began with, now
accompanied only by fading violin and silence.
This symbolizes what Davy Jones is left with in
the end: nothing but the memories.
Music in a film is essential; it connects
the audience to the movie even more and
catches their attention. It amplifies the emotions
in the movie and stays with them, even after
they can no longer remember what happened in
the movie. Music stays with you until the end.
How Oz the Great and Powerful Ruined It All
Courtney Clarke
Wicked and Oz the Great and Powerful
are both supposed to be spinoffs of The Wizard
of Oz, but it seems as if they should of spent a
little more time researching before production
of these stories.
The Wizard of Oz is the story of a
young girl from Kansas named Dorothy who
is swept away by a tornado to a magical land
called Oz. Upon arrival, she accidentally kills
the Wicked Witch of the East, infuriating her
sister, the Wicked Witch of the West. The witch
vows revenge on Dorothy, and the Good Witch,
Glinda, and gives Dorothy the ruby slippers
that the dead Witch owned to honor Dorothy for
killing the Witch. Glinda then tells Dorothy she
must follow the yellow brick road to Emerald
City to find the Wizard of Oz who would be
able to return Dorothy and her dog, Toto, home.
Along the way, Dorothy befriends a brainless
scarecrow, a heartless tin-man, and a cowardly
lion.
Wicked is the backstory of the Wizard
of Oz that tells the untold story of the witches
of Oz. In this play, it tells the story of how
Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and
Galinda the Good Witch, came to be friends.
The controversial story begins at school where
Galinda, and Elphaba meet. It all starts when
Elphaba and Galinda are put together in a room
at Shiz (the school they attend). The story then
portrays the differences between Elphaba and
Galinda and how at the end they put those
differences aside to befriend one another.
Oz the Great and Powerful is set to occur before
Wicked, and is the tale of how Oscar Diggs, a
carnival con-man, fulfilled the prophecy of Oz
and became the Wizard. The 2013 film portrays
how after Oscar arrives in Oz he is then inclined
to return order in Oz while struggling to resolve
battles with the witches and himself. During the
duration of the film, Digs comes across many
characters that he befriends, including a flying
monkey named Finley, a porcelain girl, and
with the help of Glinda, he also befriends many
munchkins, farmers, and tinkers. Throughout
the journey, all of his new acquaintances help
him to restore harmony in the Land of Oz.
Though all of these stories are great
on their own, as spinoffs the information in
them is supposed to be the same. Things such
as how things came to be, names, towns, and
characters, but it seems as if they didn’t feel the
need to incorporate the same details. Freshman,
Sydney Fix, says “Wicked was one of the
best musicals that I have ever watched. It fit
perfectly with the story of The Wizard of Oz,
and added a bunch of interesting explanations
for events that occurred in the original story.
And although Oz the Great and Powerful
was a well written story, I felt as if it didn’t
connect with the others due to mismatching
information.”
Wicked and The Wizard of Oz fit
together like cookies and milk, whereas Oz the
Great and Powerful is like the ugly duckling of
the bunch. Oz the Great and Powerful would be
a great story if it wasn’t connected to Wicked
and The Wizard of Oz, but because it is and it
gives information that strays from the original
story, it completely ruins the story of Oz.
News
Career Cruising
By Minerva Corona
A new program was recently purchased
by the district to help the NHS Cougars find
a new easy way to explore career and college
options and develop a career plan.
Career Cruising gives students a way to
explore, research, monitor, and
save any information related to
their future interests beyond high
school.
Career cruising is a fun,
neat way to do some research on
careers and it gives both a female
and male perspective of all the
careers displayed. It can also help
students make a resume, prepare
for a job interview, and find a job.
There is also a tool that can help
one check what scholarships he/
she is eligible for.
Mayra Pinedo, the NHS
Career Technician, said “The school district has
purchased this program for you. It would be
silly of you not to use it.” It is always a helpful
thing to explore what job possibilities are out
there because you never know what could catch
your eye. “My goal for you is to have a plan
for life after high school. The worst thing as
your Career Technician is to hear students say
that they have absolutely no clue what you [the
students] will do or be when they are older.”
Being young and constantly occupied,
students are not really sure of what they want
to be after they graduate from high school.
First Ever Miss NHS
By Tobi Katz
Norco High School’s
journalism class recently presented
the first ever Miss Norco High
School pageant. On February 15th
2013, NHS students piled into the
Performing Arts Center to help
support journalism.
The evening started
out with an opening number
choreographed by journalism’s
very own Kristie Arreola and
Brianna Champhimarn. This was
not a judged portion; however,
the girls still wowed the judges by
showing off their dance skills.
A pageant would not
be a pageant without a fashion
wear portion. The girls strutted
their stuff one by one to a song
that best fit their personality.
The contestants showed off their
favorite outfits to prove to our
student body that following dress
code can be cute and fun.
The judges and audience
were pleasantly surprised by the
girls’ unknown talents. Whether it
was singing, rapping, a dance or
a poem, the girls showcased their
talents and showed everyone there
is more to a pageant than just a
pretty face.
The most anticipated part
of the evening was the evening
gown portion. After the contestants
showed of their beautiful dresses,
For this reason, it is important to do as much
research as possible. It is also helpful to
research because some students may know
what they want to be but don’t know how to get
there.
Mayra shares, “I don’t expect you to have a
100 percent plan in place, but at least have a
really good idea of what your next steps will be
to get to where you want to be.”
To access all the benefits of Career
Cruising, all one has to do is log on to www.
careercruising.com. The user name will be
CNUSD- and your ID number. Your password
will be your initials followed by your birthdate.
For example John Smith, 3/15/1998 will be
js3151998.
At this age, students don’t begin to
consider the idea of colleges or applications
until junior or senior year. That is why being
prepared, organized and informed now is
essential when considering what they will do
with their future.
Women’s
History Month
By Alfonso Mota
they lined up for their on-stage
question. The girls were asked
questions about their biggest
accomplishments and their
views on certain topics. After
the question portion, the pageant
moved in to an intermission
where the anticipation to find out
who would be Miss NHS built up.
Once the pageant returned from
intermission, the girls and the
audience were eager to have the
first and second runners up and
the first ever Miss NHS revealed.
At last, it was time to
announce the winners. The lights
dimmed as the anticipation
became unbearable. The second
runner up was announced and
awarded to Celeste Filadelfia and
the first runner-up was awarded to
Rio Tiscareno. After an evening
of high nerves and excitement,
the first ever Miss NHS was
awarded to Claudia Vidanes. “I
believe every girl won the title
Miss NHS because they helped
me become the person I was on
stage,” said the newly crowned
Miss NHS. All the girls did an
amazing job and journalism is
proud of all of their hard work
and dedication throughout the
pageant process.
The theme for women’s
history month of this year is
women inspiring innovation
through imagination and focuses
on celebrating women in science,
technology, engineering and
mathematics.
Starting off as women’s
history week in 1978, women’s
history month is the result of
many national lobbying efforts
which finally resulted in Congress
declaring March as women’s
history month in 1987. The
National Women’s History Project
was the organization that led the
way in making many schools
and the general public aware and
conscious of women’s history
through these creations.
The honorees for women’s
history month of 2013 are eighteen
women chosen from the fields
of medicine robotics, computer
programming, atmospheric
chemistry, architecture and
primatology, among many others.
The honorees all come from many
distinct backgrounds and points in
history, and have achieved diverse
and remarkable accomplishments
and advancements in their fields.
Some of the honorees
this year are Hattie Elizabeth
Alexander, a pediatrician and
microbiologist who developed
the first effective remedies for
Haemophilus influenza, Marlyn
Barrett, a K-12 STEM educator
who is a coordinator of science
instruction for Worcester County
Public Schools, and Elizabeth
Blackwell, a physician who was
the first fully accredited female
doctor in the United States of
America. The full list of honorees
and short bios on them are
available online at the National
Women’s History Project website.
Women shape the world we
live in today in ways that deserve
to be commended and recognized,
whether as part of celebrating
women’s history month or just
taking personal time to do research
about the women who have left a
great impact on the world as we
know it.
News
North Korea and Nuclear Weaponry
By Sydney Bates
In January, North Korea began to
issue a series of threats against the Obama
Administration and the United States.
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong- Un, issued
statements claiming that the North Koreans
had nuclear weaponry and intent to point
them at the United States as well as possibly
at surrounding Asian Countries.
Recently, American Intelligence
made a discovery suggesting that North
Korea has advanced its weaponry at an
extraordinary rate. The United States is
taking precautionary measures to ensure
the national safety; however the threat may
not truly be futile. The Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea has issued threats similar
to these in the past, but they were never
planned terrorist attempts. The last major
confrontation that occurred between the
United States and North Korea was the
Korean War that was ended by the armistice
in 1953.
In February, North Korea confirmed
that they had conducted the third of three
nuclear tests and are planning on conducting
more. According to the New York
Times, the bomb caused seismic activity
throughout Asia and was a direct violation
of the agreement that was previously
made between the Chinese and Korean
governments.
In addition to violating the ChineseNorth Korean pacts, North Korea recently
went ballistic over the new harsher
sanctions that were put into place by the
United Nations. On March 8, 2013, USA
today posted that “The U.N. resolution
Thursday authorizes countries to:
-Inspect any North Korean vessel or
airplane, and to deny landing or port rights
if the North refuses to allow it.
-Ban exports of expensive jewelry, yachts,
luxury automobiles and racing cars to the
North.
-Freeze financial transactions or services
that could contribute to North Korea’s
nuclear or missile programs.
-Bans financial support for trade deals, such
as granting export credits, if the assistance
Mississippi and
Slavery
By Sydney Fix
On February 7, 2013, the
However, the U.S. Archivist
state of Mississippi ratified the 13th never received the paperwork that
Amendment, abolishing slavery
would finalize the ratification and
148 years late.
so slavery was never officially
th
In 1865, the 13
abolished. Batra informed a
Amendment was adopted by the
friend of this news, who then
United States, although there were spoke with Secretary of State,
multiple states that had not voted in Delbert Hosemann. Hosemann
favor of it, including Mississippi.
proceeded to send a copy of the
However, each of these states
1995 resolution to the National
eventually adopted the amendment. Archives at the Office of the
Mississippi was assumed to have
Federal Register. On February 7th,
done so as well, that is until
the Federal Register finalized the
recently.
ratification on the 13th Amendment,
Mississippi’s vital mistake
officially abolishing slavery.
was discovered after a professor
This is certainly a
at the University of Mississippi
memorable moment in our nation’s
Medical
history.
“I think it’s completely and utterly Although it
Center,
Ranjan
absurd that something as important as is an event
Batra, saw abolishing slavery was not taken more that is long
the movie
into concern and I’m appalled that overdue,
“Lincoln,” they didn’t make a point to get rid of it is better
a film that
slavery properly in the first place.” - to have
captures
resolved
NHS freshman.
the story of
it now
Abraham
rather than
th
Lincoln’s efforts to pass the 13
never. As Abraham Lincoln once
Amendment. The movie sparked
said, “I am a firm believer in the
an interest in Batra and caused him people. If given the truth, they can
to research more thoroughly on the be depended upon to meet any
topic.
national crisis. The great point is to
Through Batra’s research, he found bring them the real facts.”
that in 1995 the error had been
caught and state legislature had
voted in favor of the amendment.
could aid the North’s nuclear or missile
programs.”
North Korea expressed a feeling of
violation due to these sanctions and has
threatened to declare war if they feel their
government has been threatened in any way.
The North Korean dynasty considers
the United States an enemy of their regime,
and has stated that they only plan to attack
if they first feel threatened. In addition, they
blamed the United States and our recent
relations with the Chinese for the added
tension between the two nations.
For many years, the North Koreans
have been a war torn and strictly controlled
nation. Lately, they have been working
harder than ever to pose a threat to the
security of the United States and other
nations around the world. With the ultimate
goal of spreading communism and world
domination, the North Koreans have a
history of creating trouble for the United
Nations and will be under strict observation
in the upcoming months under the new
sanctions.
Pope’s Resignation
By Bailey Reed
For the first time in almost
600 years, a pope has decided to
step down from his position. Pope
Benedict XVI formally resigned
from the papacy on February 11,
2013 due to old age and poor
health.
In the 1370s, the Catholic
Church split into three papal
courts, one in Rome, one in France,
and later, one in Pisa. This caused
there to be three different popes
and a lot of confusion during
this Western Schism. Because of
this, in 1405, Pope Gregory XII
resigned and no one has resigned
since then, until now.
This resignation, however,
caused turmoil in the religious
community. Due to the Catholic
Church’s past, most of these
rumors which spread included
that the pope was retiring before
another scandal was uncovered;
however, the church was quick
responding that this was, in fact,
false.
A new controversy was
formed over who should be
allowed to vote for the new pope.
Cardinals who are under the age
of 80 were all eligible to vote for
the next pope. As of then, 115 of
the 120 were able to vote. There
were no declared candidates, no
campaigning, and the electors were
sworn to secrecy on the actual
voting itself. The cardinals were
locked into the conclave until they
all came to a unanimous decision
on who should be the pope.
All the cardinals were
finally gathered together, and the
doors were sealed on Tuesday,
March 12tj. It took five rounds
of voting and two days to decide
who will be the new head of the
Catholic Church. They made
the decision that Jorge Mario
Bergoglio from Argentina will lead
the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.
Known as Pope Francis the Pontiff
of Firsts, because he is the first
non-European Pope in the modern
era, he is from Latin-America. He
is also the first Jesuit, and the first
pope to assume the name Francis.
He also broke the tradition of
blessing his first public crowd, of
1,500 people, by, instead, asking
them to pray for him, and refusing
to stand on a platform that would
elevate him among the other
cardinals.
The 76-year old took the
name Francis in honor of Saint
Francis of Assisi because of his
work with the poor and living a
simple life.
Hopefully, Pope Francis
will lead the Catholic Church to a
bright future and bring unity to the
many conflicts among the Catholic
community.
News
Celebrity Favortism
By Alison Doyle
The law is a system to set rules and
boundaries for all citizens, but it seems that
some high profile stars get the royal treatment.
It is claimed that the law does not show
leniency to any one person but this concept
is questionable based on previous events.
Although the argument is undecided, it seems
in some cases the legal system might bend the
rules for certain stars. This accusation could be
controversial and create animosity towards the
courts.
Celebrities, unlike the average Joe, can
afford the best legal representation money can
buy. They may have the financial resources
but in some cases luck isn’t always on their
side. Many lawyers will take certain cases just
for the publicity, and his or her representative
could affect how the judicial system perceives
the celebrity. “Are they being favored?” one
might ask. It certainly seems as though some of
them are.
In some cases such as Lindsay Lohan
who has appeared before a judge multiple
times since 2007 without receiving jail time,
the celebrity is given special treatment by the
court system. This punishment is equivalent to
a slap on the wrist, yet if it had been an average
person, they would have been sentenced to jail
By Jennifer Xu
Everyone looks forward to that special
day where they are allowed to get away with
breaking rules. Widely known as “April Fools’
Day,” this humorous and lighthearted day is
believed to have originated as a celebration
related to the turn of seasons, while others
believe it stems from the adoption of a new
calendar.
Up until the late 18th century, New
Year’s Day was celebrated on March 25th (Feast
of the Annunciation) in most European towns.
In some areas of France, New Year’s was a
week-long holiday ending on April 1st, so many
historians suggested that April Fools originated
from the mocking of those who celebrated
on other days by those who celebrated it on
January 1st.
April Fools is commonly celebrated
here in the United States by pulling harmless
pranks on friends and family; however, this
is not necessarily the case for other countries.
In France, for example, children and adults
traditionally tack paper fish on each other’s
back as a trick and shout “April Fish!” in
their local languages. In Scotland, April
Fools’ Day is traditionally called Hunt-theGowk Day (“gowk” is Scots for a cuckoo or a
foolish person). The traditional prank is to ask
someone to deliver a sealed message requesting
help of some sort. The message reads “Dinna
laugh, dinna smile. Hunt the gowk another
mile.” The recipient, upon reading it, will
explain he can only help if he first contacts
another person and sends the victim to this
person with an identical message with the same
result.
In the United States, a few famous
pranks have managed to withstand the test
of time and are still remembered today. One
time. The troubled actress has caused many
problems for herself such as hit and runs and
stealing precious jewels. Just recently, Kanye
West and Kim Kardashian were allowed to
avoid security checkpoints at New York’s
Winona at her court hearing
Kennedy International Airport. When the
Transportation Security Administration heard
of this incident they were immediately escorted
to a private area and were properly screened.
After about a fifty min delay the celebrity
couple was cleared to board.
Although it seems celebrities get off
easier than the rest of us, maybe that’s not
the case. Martha Stewart was fairly convicted
of security fraud and obstruction of justice.
She was sentenced to five months in West
Virginia and was asked to begin incarceration
without waiting for an appeal. The prison
became known as Camp Cupcake after her
stay. Rap artist Lil’ Kim was sentenced to ten
months in jail for denying to police officers
her involvement in a shootout. Actress Winona
Ryder was caught on camera shoplifting from
a store and was found guilty of four felonies.
Robert Downey Jr. was arrested various
times for possession of heroin, cocaine, and
marijuana. While under the influence Downey
trespassed into a neighbor’s house, he was
sentenced to three years’ probation and constant
drug testing. After missing a drug test he was
sentenced to four months in a Los Angeles
County jail.
Although some stars may claim to get
special treatment, others really are forced to
face their crimes and do the time everyone is
supposed to.
April Fools
of these pranks was carried out on April 1st,
1957, by the BBC news show Panorama. The
show had announced that, thanks to a very
mild winter and the virtual elimination of
the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers
were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. It
accompanied this announcement with footage
of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti
down from trees. Huge numbers of viewers
were tricked into believing this. Many called
the BBC wanting to know how they could
grow their own spaghetti tree. To this, the
BBC diplomatically replied, “place a sprig of
spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for
the best.”
Another famous prank was done on
April 1st, 1996, by The Taco Bell Corporation.
Taco Bell had taken out a full-page ad
in six major newspapers announcing
it had bought the Liberty Bell and
was renaming it the Taco Liberty
Bell. Hundreds of outraged citizens
called the National Historic Park in
Philadelphia to show their anger. A
few hours later, Taco Bell revealed
the joke, effectively calming everyone
down. When White House press
secretary Mike McCurry was asked
about the sale, he responded that the
Lincoln Memorial had also been sold.
It would now be known, he said, as the
Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial.
For those who wish to pull a
harmless prank but are not willing to
go to extreme lengths, here are a few
simple, but effective, pranks that can
be done:
Buy a fake can of snow. Early
on April Fools’ Day, sneak outside and
spray the fake snow around the edges of your
victim’s bedroom window. Put some more on
the ground wherever it will be visible from
inside. Then, wake up your victim and tell them
it snowed during the night.
Leave a bag lying around school.
Since no one will know whom the bag belongs
to, someone will open it. Inside, leave some
embarrassing items (XXXL sized underwear,
rash cream, etc.). Be sure to include a fake ID.
Pranks like these will ensure that April
Fools’ Day will be well spent. April Fools’
Day allows people of all ages to have a chance
to become a child again. It is the one day of the
year that everyone seems to get a good laugh.
Sports Update
Faster Than The Wind
By Cole Baumeister
By Xochitl Barrios
Adrenaline rushing, heart
pumping, feet pounding; these are
the sensations that a track runner
experiences on a regular basis.
Track season is back and
filled with all sorts of events,
such as the 100 meter dash, pole
vaulting, long-distance, hurdling,
shot put and many others.
Many of the team members
have been competing since they
were a child. Adrien Rocha for
example, he has participated in
track since fourth grade. He says
that he has found a passion for
running and loves the adrenaline
rush and could not see himself
doing anything else.
Isabella Pena is an
freshman here at Norco High and
is on the varsity long distance
team. Isabella says , “ Its really
hard being on varsity because I
have to compete against older girls
and it adds a lot of pressure.”
Norco High’s annual Chet
Nicolson Relays took place on
Saturday, March 16, 2013. This
was Norco High’s thirty-ninth year
hosting this massive set of events.
This relay race is a huge fundraiser
for Track. All together there were
seventy-two events. There were
at least fifteen teams preparing
to compete. Norco High student,
Breana Morales, won first in the
Womens 1 mile run. Norco was
also second in the Womens 8x100
Meter Relay.
The boys did great as well,
in the Mens 8x100 Meter Relay
Norco recieved third place. Norco
also got first and second place in
the Womens Discus Throw.
This is just the beginning
for our track superstars, hopefully
in the future Norco High will make
some history. Great job cougars,
keep up the great work!
Norco Swim VS.
Paramount HS
As of February 11th, the
lacrosse season is well underway;
however, the team has been
rigorously practicing for months.
The team that started out
with little to no knowledge of the
sport has progressed as a unit with
excellent communication and a
firm grasp of the fundamentals of
the complicated sport. Travis Ayala
describes the unity of the team as
having “strong communication on
and off the field.”
The team has competed
in two games against Damien
High School located in LaVerne
California, winning once and
losing once.
The game of lacrosse
involves serious physical output
and requires a large amount of
mental endurance to keep up
with the complex strategy. Many
of the teammates agree that the
most difficult part of the game
is handling the non-stop chaotic
nature of every play.
An example of the
unpredictability of lacrosse is
the most recent game the team
played. The final score was 1110 against the Damien High
Spartans. Unfortunately, the team
was defeated after an eight goal
comeback that almost tied the
game.
The lacrosse team has a
promising season ahead of them,
and they have already made leaps
of progress thus far.
Norco’s Lady
Cougars
By Cierra McClure
By Travis Ayala
In early March the NHS
Swim Team swam their way to
victory beating Paramount High
School in their first non-league
meet 2,305 to 1,654.
During the meet JV boys,
Mark Green took 1st in the boys
200m freestyle, David Margolis
took 1st in the 100m individual
medley, and McKenzie Serfas took
1st in the 50m freestyle. Soon after
the JV boys took 1st in four more
events and earning a total of 535
points for all events.
Norco’s Varsity boys Jacob
Schurkman took 1st in the 50m
freestyle, a rigorous 20 laps, Trent
Bean took 1st in the 100m freestyle,
and Chad Mackie would take 1st in
the 500m freestyle. Norco’s Varsity
boys impressively took 1st in nine
events and obtained a total of 604
points.
Emotions were definitely
high for it being the first swim
meet of the season and trying
to keep a positive attitude after
getting a slow time could greatly
affect you, but for JV swimmer
Emily Patton, “The team’s positive
energy kept me pumped up and
smiling the whole meet.” This
must be true since she placed 1st in
Lacrosse Is Boss
the JV girls 100m freestyle with a
time of 1:14.32. JV girls, Claribel
Correa took 1st in the 200m
freestyle, Amber Turner took 1st in
the 100m backstroke, and Jessica
Ward followed with taking 1st in
the 100m breaststroke. JV girls
ended up taking 1st place in six
events and gaining a total of 539
points for all events.
Last but not least are the
Girls Varsity swimmers, who took
1st in seven events. For the girls
200m Individual Medley, Varsity
swimmer Breanna Erikson took 1st
place with a time of 2:48.60 over
Paramount. Also, Varsity swimmer
Cortnee Jones placed 1st in the
girls 100m backstroke with time
of 1:04.91. Impressively, Varsity
swimmers Hannah Thompson, Liz
Foust, and Michaela Malneritch all
finished one place behind the other,
with Thompson taking 1st, Foust
2nd, and Malneritch 3rd in the girls
50m freestyle.
At the end of the meet, all
swimmers times, determination,
and heart greatly contributed to
Norco’s swim team’s first nonleague victory over Paramount
High School.
Norco High’s Varsity
softball team is at it again with
a turn-out of a two loss total,
beginning the season off with a
great start.
The Cougars recently
played in the eighteenth annual
Tournament of Champions in
Bullhead, Arizona earning the title
for second place. The TOC was
held March 7th through March 9th
at Mohave High School. Featuring
nine of The Times top twenty-five
teams in the southland, including
six of the top ten.
They started the first game
of the tournament against the
Taylorsville Warriors in Utah,
winning with a score of 6-1. On
Friday March 8th, Norco Cougars
tremendously beat the Rio Rancho
Rams by a count of 7-0 scoring
runs throughout the innings played.
After crushing the Rams, Norco
won a tough game against Mission
Viejo where they had to go into
extra innings due to the score
being tied 1-1 all the way up until
the eighth inning, ending with
a score of 3-1. Saturday March
9th, the Cougars beat the Canyon
Comanches by a margin of 3-0.
In Norco’s last game they lost to
Mater Dei, 3 to 1, earning what
would be second place in a nonleague tournament.
So far, Norco Cougars
Varsity softball has played a total
of eleven games, only losing two.
Norco has the chance to return to
the CIF again this year with the
help of four new major impacts
to the team. Starting pitcher
Kristen Voller joins the Varsity
squad returning from playing on
the JV team. Kristen has already
committed to Cal State Fullerton
and is currently playing on the
FireCrackers travel team.
Kerisa Viramontes also
made Varsity as their second string
pitcher. Junior Kristina Legere, on
American Pastime, and Sophmore
Kwynn Warner, who is currently
on team Mizuno, were included to
the team as well.
Starting shortstop Kylie
Reed had already committed to
Berkeley, signing herself over
to them about five months ago
with the help of support from her
friends and family. Senior Taylor
Koenig also committed herself to
Tennessee State along with her
fellow teammate, Junior, Savannah
Clarke, who committed to be a
future California State University
Ram.
Journalism 2013
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Mission Statement:
The Cougar Chronicle is published by the journalism staff of Norco High School. Opinions in the paper are
not necessarily those of the staff, faculty, or student body of NHS. Editorials may include the opinions of the
writers. Student freedom of speech is protected in the California Education Code and satire is protected by The
Constitution.