March, 2008 - Contra Costa Journalism.net

–4
'Mrs. FYI' new
vice principal at
Northgate
–2
Consectetuer
–3
Mmmmmmm!
Cloned burgers?
news
OPINION
Who would you vote
for if you could vote for
president?
Consectetuer
March 2008
CVHS switches
athletic leagues
–5
CC Spin
News & Views from Contra Costa County High Schools
March 2008
Miller wants NCLB law renewed
By Karly Lee
Clayton Valley HS
George Miller, congressman from the 7th District
of California which includes portions of Contra Costa
and Solano Counties, is working hard to get the No
Child Left Behind Law renewed while also trying to
change the standards of the law.
The No Child Left Behind Law, passed in 2002
to ensure that all children have a fair and equal level
of education, must be renewed every five years. Unless lawmakers vote to abolish it, or pass changes
to it this year, it will remain in effect. Because it is
a federal law, NCLB applies to all school districts in
the United States.
Miller is chair of the House Committee on Education and Labor renewed or altered law must come
through him and his committee.
NCLB is under attack by various education groups
for its stress on standardized tests and many states
for its cost and what they say are unreimbursed
mandates of the law.
Democrats voted to rewrite the law this year, but
if it is rewritten, there is not much time left to push
75%
Is the percent increase of
California public schools
identified as chronically struggling under NCLB, 8% of the
state's schools.
Christian Science Monitor,
Mar. 1, 2007
NCLB page 5
Grisham honored by Women Commission
By Alyssa Fagan
Joni Lynn
Grisham,
an 18-year
teaching
veteran at
Pittsburgh
High School,
was inducted
into Contra
Costa
Commission
for Women
March 20.
Pittsburgh HS
As a college student years
ago, Joni Grisham ventured to
Point Molate in Richmond. At the
whaling station, she saw the dead
animals on hooks and men with
knives slicing them open, just to
get their oil.
Grisham was so horrified
by the scene, she decided to
change her major from history to
science. As a teacher at Pittsburg
High School for 18 years, Grisham
worked to pass on her passion
for nature and preservation to
students.
On March 20, she will be
honored for her environmental
activism and inducted into the
photo by
Alyssa Fagan,
Pittsburgh HS
Northgate groundbreaking
By Cassie Stover
Northgate HS
By the end of the school year, Northgate High
athletes will have a new football field and track. Ground
was broken for the new sports complex during a
ceremony on Oct. 16.
“I am very excited about it,” said Kassie Wenzell, project manager of the sports complex and
representative of the Northgate Community Pride
Foundation, which helped raised funds for the construction. “It is the result of a lot of hard word, a lot
of team work.”
Northgate’s athletes have been using the old
football field and track since the school was built
in 1974. Overused and under-maintained, the turf
was uneven and full of potholes that left athletes
prone to injuries. Thirty years of poor drainage led
to flooding and eventually eroded the surrounding
dirt track. Lack of stadium lights and inadequate
bleacher seating made it impossible to have home
games at night.
The new sports complex will have a rubberized,
all-weather track surface and a football field of artificial turf. The features will help minimize injuries
and eliminate climate damage.
So far, the Northgate foundation, a nonprofit
group of parents and community residents,
has raised $1.2 million for the first phase of the
project, which includes the track and field. The total
cost of this phase is estimated to be $1.3 million. The
next stage of the project will include the installation
of lights, bleachers and a press box.
Money was donated by local residents and
businesses, the Mt. Diablo Unified School District
and the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation.
“The beauty of this occasion is the community,”
said Superintendent Gary McHenry.
During construction, lacrosse and track and field
athletes have been practicing on a blacktop court.
Northgate’s homecoming football game had to be
held on Mt. Diablo’s field.
Senior football players said at the ground-breaking ceremony that they remembered discussion of
a new field during their freshman year. “I want to
thank the community for sticking with us so long,”
said player Casey Diebert.
GROUNDBREAKING page 2
Contra Costa Commission for
Women’s Hall of Fame.
At Pittsburg, Grisham has
tried to get students and others
to understand how important it
is to preserve the environment.
With Club P.O.W.E.R., a community
service group she helped start,
she organized an annual whale
watching trip to Monterey, and
last summer arranged a field trip
to Yellowstone National Park.
She still runs the Pittsburg
High Natural Science Museum
despite retiring from teaching last
year. She also has helped restore
wetlands and clean up Kirker
Creek, planted trees at Contra
GRISHAM page 2
EPIDEMIC!
1 in 4 Teen women infected
• A CDC study released Mar. 11
found 26% of young women
between the ages of 14 and
19 is infected with a STD.
3.2 Million
• That translates into over 3 million young women with HPV,
chlamydia, herpes simplex
vitus and trichomoniasis.
African Americans at 48%
• African American teenage
girls were most severely affected with nearly half infected
with an STD. White teen
women were at 20%.
HPV, Chlamdia most common
• Human papillomavirus at 18%
and chlamydia (4%) were the
two most common STDs.
STD screening needed
• STD screening is critical to
prevention strategies.
Centers for Disease Control,
March 11, 2008
Volume 1, Issue 1
Staph virus
plagues
CC school
campuses
By Lauren Davis
Ygnacio Valley HS
Personal hygiene is becoming more important than ever
with the discovery of a virus that
is everywhere around but may
not be obvious to students. Within the past few months,
several cases of staph infection,
also known as MRSA, have been
discovered on school campuses
throughout the nation. Ashton Bonds, 17, a student at Staunton River High
School in Virginia was killed
from a staph infection. He
wasn’t aware of the infection
until being admitted to the
hospital where he remained
for more than a week before
he suddenly died. Staph is a dangerous infection because it is resistant
to most antibiotics and it can
thrive in school bathrooms,
gyms, and locker rooms. This antibiotic-resistant
“super bug,” is a common germ
that many people carry on their
skin, in their nasal-passage, or
under their fingernails. The most common way
to contract staph is an open
wound coming in contact with
excess bacteria that can be
found on campus. Shortly after the young
man from Virginia died, several cases were found among
schools in California, including Mt. Diablo School District
and schools in surrounding
towns. Students at Freedom High
School contracted the disease,
followed by students at Northgate, Harvest Park Middle
School in Pleasanton, and
students and faculty at Sequoia
Middle School. As word gets out, more and
more schools have been testing
their students and sterilizing
their campuses. Some schools have even
shut down, canceling school
days, so they can make sure
that their campus is a safe and
healthy environment to be in.
Students at both College
Park High School and PleasSee SUPERBUG page 5
News
2
March 2008
CC Spin
'Mrs. FYI' new Northgate vice principal
Yiannakopoulos Contra Costa native
By Lina Pervez
Northgate HS
For Northgate High School’s junior class, there’s
a new source of help, "FYI."
Christina Filios Yiannakopoulos is the new viceprincipal of Northgate High School, but you can just
call her by her nickname, Mrs. FYI.
It’s an apt name for what she’ll be doing. At
Northgate, the vice-principal is a mentor to the class.
Students report to the vice-principal for misconduct,
questions, class activities, or any other concerns
regarding their high school career. The junior class
has been without a vice-principal for four month until
Filios’ appointment.
Filios Yiannakopoulos, whose long name is of
Greek heritage, was nicknamed Mrs. FYI by one of
her students several years ago. She also goes by
Mrs. Filios.
Filios, 34, said teaching rewarding, but feels that
her administration position allows her to connect with
both students and teachers, and provides her the
opportunity to support wider visions and goals.
“I had heard of Northgate’s high academic
standards, enthusiastic students, and the supportive
local community,” she said, when asked why she
She is a
die-hard
fan of the
Oakland
Raiders,
A's, and
Warriors.
In short,
she is a
big fan of
Oakland
sports.
applied for the job.
Filios was born and raised in Walnut Creek
and graduated from Carondelet High School. She
attended Santa Clara University, where she majored
in English. She stayed at SCU to earn her teaching
credentials and a master’s degree, and later went
to San Jose State University to earn her master’s in
administration.
Filios knew early on that she wanted to become a
teacher because of her love for literature and a desire
to make a difference. She said she was inspired to
pursue administration by Principal Rich Knapp of
her previous place of employment, Ann Sobrato High
in Morgan Hill. She taught English there and later
became an administrator.
Filios recently moved back to Walnut Creek so
she could be closer to family and friends. She also
wanted to shorten the commute of her husband,
George, who works as a caterer in Oakland.
In her spare time, Filios enjoys gardening, reading historical fiction and mystery books and cooking.
She is also a fan of the Oakland Raiders, A’s, and
Warriors. Her favorite shows on television are CSI
and 24, and she said that her second career choice
would most certainly be a forensic scientist.
NEW VP Christina Filios Yiannakapoulos steps in to
fill the vacant vice-principal spot at Northgate High
School.
photo by Cassie Stover, Northgate HS
Recitation event pays
off for Pittsburg pals
Students earn cash for oratory
By April Quilon
Pittsburg HS
Pittsburg High seniors Joslynn Aquino and Maria Sandoval
participated in the County Final of the First Annual Poetry Out
Loud Recitation Contest at the School House Theater in Pleasant
Hill on February 23.
Students from Contra Costa Country high schools Deer
Valley, Mt. Diablo, Los Lomas, Miramonte, and Salesian gathered
to compete for the chance of representing the county at the
California championship.
“I could not have been prouder of our students,” said
Pittsburg High drama teacher Makaela Huntsinger. “They showed
remarkably well.”
After an emotional roller coaster of poetic performance,
Aquino took fourth place with her recitations of Tony Hoagland’s
“Beauty” and “When I was Fair and Young” by Queen Elizabeth I.
For her efforts, she received a $50 gift certificate from Berkshire
Books in Concord.
“The hardest part was controlling my voice and actions
on stage,” Aquino said. “I was very nervous up on stage, but I’d
totally do it again. It was a great experience.”
Although Sandoval did not place, she said her experience did
not go to waste. “The whole experience turned out much different
than I expected. Everybody was super cool and friendly,” she said.
“It’s a bummer that I’m a graduating this year, because I would
totally participate in this contest again if I had the chance.”
Groundbreaking for new field
From GROUNDBREAKING page 1
Soccer captain T.J. Kelley said that he wanted to encourage
students to “make it important to win on this field.”
The Northgate Community Pride Foundation has been working to
update the school’s campus for over a decade. The gym was renovated in
2000, and the Little Theatre was modernized in 2006. The foundation’s
next project is the construction of an aquatics center. More information
about the foundation is available at www.northgatepride.org.
Clayton Valley celebrates anniversary
Miranda Lutz & Ben Silverberg
Clayton Valley HS
With the fifty year anniversary of Clayton Valley
fast approaching CVHS is getting ready to celebrate the
big event.
“There has already been one meeting to start planning the event and there will be another one at the end
of this month” says Principal Gary Swanson.
One of the more difficult jobs that the committee planning the anniversary will have to do is contacting former
Alumni. They are especially hoping to get some Alumni
who were in the first graduating class of Clayton Valley
in 1960 to come. Some of the original staff from Clayton
Valley will also come back to help celebrate.
One goal of this celebration is to commemorate all
that Clayton Valley’s staff members and students have
achieved. Having halls of fame will help bring this goal
to life. Of course there will be an athletic hall of fame and
another of the committee’s job is to find a way to categorize
other halls of fame.
There will be two celebrations beginning in the fall of
next year and another one during the springtime.
The festivities in the fall will last a whole weekend
and will definitely include a special Alumni football game
against our rivals when the school opened: Mt. Diablo
High School. Many people are looking forward to this
monumental event and can’t wait to show students the
history of the school, the history that they will one day be
a part of. Mr. Swanson is looking for currents students as
well as alumni to participate in the fiftieth anniversary.
Clayton Valley has survived many changes throughout its fifty year history. Many trends, styles, and ways of
life have passed through Clayton Valley’s halls. Students,
staff members and principals have come and gone; from
Dan G. Della who was the principal when the school opened
in 1958 to Gary Swanson who is the principal today.
Mrs. Dillion a teacher here at Clayton Valley attended CV from 1995-1999. She noticed that teachers
have become younger as the years passed, and that
there seems to be less school spirit than when she went
to Clayton Valley. Mr. Almond, a PE. teacher, is another
former Clayton Valley student. Since graduating in 2001
he’s notice that the school campus has become dirtier,
but the sports teams seem to have stayed consistent
in talent.
Grisham inspires students
From GRISHAM page 1
Loma Reservoir and worked with the Lindsay Museum
in Walnut Creek.
Chemistry teacher Randy Jang said that Grisham
has paid for countless items for the school’s science
museum from her own pocket.
“She wants what’s best for the kids,” states
Jang, who is organizing a teachers’ table for the
induction event. “It’s more than just a job for her;
it’s a lifestyle.”
Grisham said jokingly that the award was her
reimbursement for the museum items.
Getting student engaged and interested in what
she has to say and teach them is key, Grisham believes.
“When the teacher has enthusiasm, the kids can’t help
it when you show them or expose them and get them
to interact and be just as excited,” she said.
Brian Hart, a Pittsburg High senior, said that
Grisham was one of his favorite teachers. “She had
a strong hand so her class didn’t get out of hand
like many classes can,” he said. “She also had a
sense of humor, allowing her class to be fun while
you learned.”
Senior Edward Rodriguez also spoke highly of
Grisham. “She is a great teacher,” he said. “When
you put your heart and soul into your work and
have fun with it, then you know that it is the right
job for you.”
To Grisham, the biggest challenge in teaching
was at the beginning of her career, when she had
limited resources. “As time went by and I was able
to work with UC Berkeley, it became a lot easier and
more interesting and we were able to show students
that science was fun,” she said.
Grisham has a garden at home, but “native
plants only.” She ripped out her lawn because it
required too much water. In addition to the garden,
she has three dogs, two cats, and recently paid her
respects to a deceased iguana.
What concerns Grisham most about the environment is habitat loss. “If you can save the habitat, then
you save whatever life is in the habitat,” she explains,
“It’s not about one thing in the habitat. Everything is
a part of each other, and if one tiny part is declining,
the others will soon follow.”
CC Spin
Opinions
AP—Always
perfect
3
March 2008
If you could vote, who would
you vote to be president?
Asked of students at Pittsburgh and Ygnacio Valley High Schools.
T
he alarm sounds, with a blaring noise that immediately
wakes up anyone within 10 feet of it.
The clock glows an iridescently red 6:00 am, as
you sigh and slowly walk towards the kitchen for breakfast.
Your day starts at 7 a.m., as do many high school
students’. You have a "0" period; you are taking Advanced
Placement English, AP Econ and Government, Calculus, and to
round it all off your electives are AP Spanish and AP Biology.
After school you go to volleyball practice until almost 6 p.m., and then you’ve got
at least three hours of homework to plow
through before hitting the sack at, the earliest, midnight.
Whew! Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Plenty of high school students have schedSTAFF WRITER
ules just like yours, packed with advanced
Ygnacio VHS
placement classes and extracurricular
events.
Juniors Adam Conn and Michelle Fu only have time for
one or two extracurricular activities because of their heavily
packed academic schedules.
There are many different reasons for having tight days,
such as pressure from your parents, or maybe you fell behind
some year earlier and need to make up the credits.
Either way, in the back of everyone’s mind is the inevitable dread: getting into college is getting harder and harder.
Students are running themselves ragged trying to get up
to the standards of Stanford and Cal Berkeley, barely having
any time for social events or getting together with friends.
When asked how much time they spend on advanced
placement homework a night, junior Stephanie Raso and
sophomore Sameena Mashhood both agreed about an one to
two hours per advanced placement subject.
Do students really need carry such heavy loads to succeed? As the colleges turn more and more away each year,
it’s not necessarily balancing AP classes and sports that can
make you noticeable.
“Stick to one thing you’re passionate about,” says Erin
Searfus, a senior. “Colleges like to see that.”
Many people who are accepted into esteemed universities
do exactly what Erin points out; find something that you like to
do and stick to it. You don’t have to juggle different things to
get accepted.
If you enjoy singing, join choir and try out for the musical. If you enjoy drama, join the Drama Club and audition
for Ygnacio Valley's many school productions. Just try not to
handle too much.
Some students who take too many advanced placement
classes get burnt out. While it is possible to take multiple
advanced placement classes, it is necessary to break up the
workload into small sections and make sure you take breaks
in between.
It is also important to take advanced placement classes
when you can handle them, because according to AP World
History teacher Mr. Weber, “AP classes are good if you want to
go to college.”
AP US History teacher Mr. Shaw also comments, “It gets
people prepared for the pace of college courses, and helps
develop higher level thinking skills.”
You CAN get into college and you CAN be successful, you
just have to make sure that you like what you’re doing and
don’t stress out too much.
Either way, in the
back of everyone’s
mind is the inevitable
dread: getting into
college is getting
harder and harder.
“I would vote for Obama
because he seems to have
interesting political ideas and
it seems like he would connect
with the world. Jose Cortez,
12, Pittsburg HS
“I am having a tough time
voting because I feel that our
country is still discriminates
against African Americans and
women. Nia Gregory, 11,
Pittsburg HS
“Clinton. She has a good health
care plan and a strong voice for
women.” Rachel Cefalu10,
Ygnacio Valley HS
“Obama. I agree with what he
is trying to do for the people.”
Patrick Race 10, Ygnacio
Valley HS
“If I were able to vote for
President, I would vote for Hilary
Clinton because. . . we’ve never
had a woman in charge.”
Aurelia Bowman, 10,
Pittsburg HS
“ Obama. He’d be the first black
president which is different, and
he'd have a positive influence.”
Shelita Brown 11, Ygnacio Valley HS
“I would vote for Clinton because she wants to end the war
in Iraq. She could be the first
female President.”
Wendell Uytengsu, 9,
Pittsburg HS
“Clinton. She’d be the first
female, and women are just as
good as men.” Areli Aguilar,
10, Ygnacio Valley HS
“If I were able to vote for
President, I would vote Obama
because he would be the first
black President and it would
change a lot of things.”
Terrance Crowley, 11,
Pittsburg HS
Pittsburgh High interviews by Jasmine Esquivel and Shanelynn Manuel, photos by Nitda
Sayvaseth. Ygnacio Valley High interviews by Nicole Wilson, photos by Enrico Aguilar
REVIEW
Time to get stuck.on.stupid
By Marie Villafuerte & Mark Ryabtsev
Ygnacio Valley HS
C
alifornia has produced many innovative and successful bands. From the
Red Hot Chili Peppers to Green Day,
it shows that talent and new styles can be
expected from The Golden State.
And now there is a new group that has
the same passion and originality as those that
preceded it.
That band is Stuck.On.Stupid. A local band
whose members go to Ygnacio Valley HS.
Their talent is undeniable – from Mike
Morris’ outstanding bass playing to Izzat
Bajalia’s incomparable drumming to Billy Jennings’ supreme guitar playing and vocals.
Now you may not be too familiar with
Stuck.On.Stupid, but their performance at
Homecoming was definitely their coming out
party.
They rocked Ygnacio Valley like no other
band has and truly left an impression.
Soon after, friend requests began to
ooze into their MySpace music profile (www.
myspace.com/thegoodstuckonstupid) from
those who know that this new sound is a hit
and want to be informed when new songs are
available.
People can’t get enough of their best song
yet, “Lost Logic.”
It’s a reggae puck song that deals with
topics about “fighting against the wrong
things,” says Jennings.
So it’s time to ask yourself if you want to
listen to the same songs on the radio or your
iPod everyday, or if you’re ready for the new
sensation that is on the cusp of taking the
local music scene by storm and to places and
heights that it has never been before?
4
March 2008
Opinions
CC Spin
Mmmm . . .
Cloneburgers!
Graphic Opinion
S
Editorial
A voice for Contra Costa youth
Welcome to the first edition of CC Spin.
This newspaper is a collaboration between student journalism programs in the
Contra Costa County Schools, the Contra
Costa County Office of Education, the Lesher
Foundation, the Contra Costa Times, and the
California Scholastic Journalism Initiative.
Under increasing pressure from
high stakes testing mandates and
Have an opinion?
tight budgets, many student publications in the public schools are strugWant to contribute?
gling to stay alive. The purpose of CC
Want to comment?
Spin is afford Contra Costa students
a larger venue for their views and
[email protected]
news, and support to help them keep
their school publications going.
As for the reading public, we hope that
you learn more about the schools in your
neighborhood and develop an appreciation for
the many positive things youth in this community are involved in.
All stories, news and opinion, are researched and written by students at one of
four county high schools—Clayton Valley High
School, Northgate High School, Pittsburg High
School, and Ygnacio Valley High School.
Staff from the Contra Costa Times meet
with the student journalists once a month to
present on topics useful to the students and
assist in their development as writers and
reporters.
The County Office of Education facilitates
the grant funds from Lesher Foundation that make this effort possible.
Students e-mail their stories to a
professional journalist who acts as
writing coach and copy editor. She
helps the students improve and refine
their stories.
CSJI works with the teachers and
coordinates this effort.
This is the first edition and we are still
working out some o f the kinks, but we intend
to print more before the end of the academic
year and continue in the fall. Our expectation
is that each issue will improve over its predecessors. Your feedbacks would be a welcome
part of that process
And if you are a student who likes to
write–we want to hear from you!
Last month, the FDA gave the thumbs up
to cloned food as being safe to eat, but that
doesn’t mean we’ll be eating them anytime
soon at our nearest McDonald’s. Many people,
including scientists, shake their heads in disapproval at the idea because it’s risky, unethical, immoral, or just plain weird. As a fellow
meat-lover and science nerd, I, too shake my
head along with them but mainly for another
reason: What’s the point?
Cows don’t seem to
have lost interest to reproduce, pigs continue to make
piglets, and there are plenty
of sheep as well. Evidently
there’s no shortage of food,
so why pour our money into
creating something we really
Kristina Lorilla
Pittsburgh HS
don’t need?
According to cloners,
there IS a shortage of something but it’s not
in the quantity of food, but the quality. In other
words, the purpose of cloning animals is to
make the “perfect” animal, which results in
better-tasting meat. Proof of this is unknown.
Apparently surveys indicate that meat-lovers
complain a lot that the quality of the meat they
buy is disappointing.
Surveys also indicate that America is the
fattest nation on earth. Obviously we could life
without cloned meat unless biotechnologists
made it so that eating it would provide a stronger immune system or help burn fat, but then
we’d be diving into genetic modification, a
totally different topic. Perhaps it would be best
for our health and our wallets that we waste
our money on something more productive, like
alternative gas, food pills, or jet packs.
Another thing- aren’t clones identical,
exactly the same gene-for-gene, as the animal
they were cloned from? So how would you
get better-tasting meat from cloning when it
would be exactly the same? The answer: You
wouldn’t, unless biotechnologists created a
tasty gene, which again would be in the realm
of genetic modification.
However, if cloned animal products were
to enter the market, imagine the price. A normal cow would cost around $1,000 whereas
its cloned counterpart would be $20,000,
which doesn’t seem to help America’s falling
See CLONEBURGERS
page 5
CC Spin
CC Spin is printed by the Contra Costa Times but all copy, photos, art and other contents
are written, photographed, drawn or produced by students at Clayton Valley, Northgate, Pittsburg and Ygnacio Valley High Schools. Story development is supervised by the journalism
advisers at the participating schools. Professional journalists coach the students and guide
their reporting and writing. Staff members of the Contra Costa Times instruct participating
students in professional journalism standards and practices.
CC Spin is a product of the collaboration of The Lesher Foundation, the Contra Costa Times,
the Contra Costa County Office of Education, and the California Scholastic Journalism Initiative.
All opinions expressed in CC Spin are the views of the student authors and do not represent
the opinion of the Contra Costa Times, any school, district or county educational authority, or
the California Scholastic Journalism Initiative.
CC Spin is a product of student journalists and is guided by the strictures of
The First Amendment, the ethics guidelines of the Society of Professional Journalists and
California Education Code sections 45907 and 48950.
Facilitators
Kevin Keane
Executive Editor, Contra Costa Times
Vice President, California Newspapers
Partnership
Steve O’Donoghue
California Scholastic Journalism Initiative
Coordinator
Faculty Advisers
Kathleen Odne
Executive Director
Lesher Foundation
Hosay Jamili
Clayton Valley High School
Peggy Marshburn
Chief Communications Officer
Contra Costa County Office of Education
Jason Haley
Ygnacio Valley High School
Sally Savage, Principal,
Student Programs
Contra Costa County Office of Education
Rick Pyle
Pittsburg High School
Phuong Ly
Writing Coach/Copy Editor
John Miller/Karen Jenkins
Northgate High School
News
CC Spin
5
March 2008
Alum excels at CVHS switches athletic leagues
De la Salle leaves Bay Valley Athletic League in 2008 as well
college hoop
By Katie McEllistrim
Clayton Valley HS
By Carl Freschl
Northgate HS
Haley Dahlgard knew what she wanted when she
graduated from Northgate last year. She wanted to
play basketball at the college level. Picking where to
play was the challenge.
Dahlgard received offers from UC-San Diego,
Sonoma State, Humboldt State, University of AlaskaFairbanks, Fresno Pacific, Westmont College, and
Hope College. She didn’t pick any of them.
Instead, she chose to expand her options by
writing to college coaches across the country. Her
letter intrigued Denison University, a Division III
private school in Ohio.
The coaches looked at Dahlgard’s game tapes
and invited her for a visit.
Dahlgard decided to go to Denison and has been
on a roll ever since. A
starting guard, she
was named at the
end of the season
as the Co-Newcomer
of the year by the
North Coast Athletic
Conference. The Big
Reds won their fourth
consecutive NCAC
tournament championship. Dahlgard led
her team with 50 3pointers this season
and an average of
9.9 points and 3.5
rebounds a game.
“I thought that
the basketball players were extremely
nice, and I could see myself playing for that coach
for the next four years,” Dahlgard said of her decision to go to Denison. “I ended up really enjoying the
campus and professors and students I met.”
When she was a senior at Northgate, she scored
17.8 points a game and shot 46 percent from the
3-point range.
In college, Dahlgard said she has had to adjust
to the increased speed and physicality of the players. “The college game is very fast paced and all the
players are a lot stronger,” she said.
During the summer and winter Break, Dahlgard
came back to Northgate to work with her former
team. “Haley was a great teammate and an incredible
shooter,” said Kelley Peterson, a Northgate junior.
Dahlgard recommends contacting coaches and
visiting campuses if students are interested in playing
sports at the collegiate level. But she warns that only
those with a lot of heart in the game will succeed.
“Playing on a collegiate athletic team takes up a
lot of time and is only for those who really love playing
and are willing to work hard,” she said.
Cloneburgers
From CLONEBURGERS page 4
economy.
The cloning process itself isn’t perfected,
either. Studies have shown that clone babies
have a higher incidence of abnormalities
compared to their nature-born twins, such
as underdeveloped organs, weaker immune
systems, etc. Due to such deformities, clones
tend to be more susceptible to diseases, have
a lower life-expectancy, or die immediately or
during birth which is why the mothers are super juiced with an array of chemicals to keep
the clone baby alive.
The FDA says these deformities pose few,
if any, health risks if eaten. However, as the
saying goes, “You are what you eat.” I say this
belongs in the lab and out of our burgers.
Starting next school year, Clayton Valley’s
sports teams are switching out of the Bay Valley
Athletic League.
In the new league Clayton Valley will participate
in, which is yet to be named, CV will be able to play
schools closer to the area such as Ygnacio Valley,
Concord, Mt. Diablo, Berean, College Park and
Northgate High School.
“I’m excited for the upcoming football season
because a lot of the schools we are going to play think
they are better than us, but I can’t wait to take them
down,” says football player Michael Banks about the
new rivals he will face during next year’s season.
CV athletes seem to be more confident about
the teams they will soon be playing.
CV leaves
Pittsburg,
Heritage,
Antioch,
Deer
Valley,
Liberty,
Freedom
and Ygnacio Valley
behind.
“If we keep working hard, I think we will do a
lot better next year,” said Junior Nick Cole about the
league switch.
According to Cole, the teams we will be playing
next year aren’t known to be as much competition as
the teams CV’s football team played last season, which
include Pittsburg, Heritage, Antioch, Deer Valley, Liberty, Freedom and Ygnacio Valley High School.
De La Salle High School will also be leaving the
BVAL league next year as they switch into the East
Bay Athletic League, leaving their independent status
they have had since 1998.
Clayton Valley Football coach Herc Pardi stated
in the Contra Costa Times that he will miss having
the choice to schedule our team to play the Spartans
“Having one of the best teams in the country in your
league was pretty special,” said Pardi.
Miller's NCLB revisions may not be acted on
From MILLIER WANTS NCLB page 1
Teachers could
vie for
$10,000
bonuses
under Rep.
George
Miller's
NCLB bill
it throw Congress, especially with the focus on the
November presidential race.
Miller wrote a 1,036-page draft bill of his proposed changes to the law. Senior Republican committeeman Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeaon of Santa
Clarita wrote the bill with Miller.
Miller’s bill does not suit everyone’s wants or
thoughts on the law, so there is controversy over it.
The law has standards that each school needs to
reach and some people believe that the standards
are too high; others think they are too low. Miller’s
bill is in between the two views.
Some of the standards include student assessment in math and reading through testing but in
2007-2008 science will also be added in as well.
“Just testing those two items isn’t complete.
They should be tested through other ways, such
as the arts, or in the shops. Assessment should
encompass more than math and English,” said math
teacher Ralph Dorsey on the student assessment of
the No Child Left Behind Law.
The law states that when a school cannot meet
the standards after three years that it must offer free
tutoring and the chance to transfer to all students
attending that school. If a school does not meet the
standards of the No Child Left Behind Law after five
years, the school can be compelled to hire a new
staff, change leadership, convert to a charter school,
or close down.
In Miller’s draft bill, he expands the standards
that students and schools are required to meet under
the law. Students’ progress would not be measured by
a test, but how much the student improved throughout
the school year.
Miller wants the school’s standards to be broadened as well. To do this, the bill proposed that schools
are not to be judged solely on math and English
scores. For high schools, factors such as graduation
rates, dropout rates, and college enrollment could
be factored into whether the school reached the
standards of the law.
Miller would reward outstanding teachers with a
$10,000 bonus and those who teach subjects where
there are teacher shortages, for example, special
education, math and science, would receive $12,500
bonuses in his new bill.
Some, including teacher union do not believe
that this is a fair proposal because of the different
working conditions teachers face.
Spanish teacher Misha Doig said she does not
think that the teacher bonuses are fair.
'Superbug' hard to eradicate
From STAPH VIRUS page 1
ant Hill Middle have been treated for a virus called
Impetigo, which is the step before Staph. If so many schools so close to Ygnacio Valley
High have been found to carry the virus, what’s to
say YVHS isn’t? Keeping a campus clean and sanitary
now has new importance. Health official advise students and school
personnel take the few extra steps to the garbage
can, to clean up after themselves when in the gym,
locker rooms, bathrooms and even classrooms.
It is important to try and avoid unsanitary
situations. Washing hands regularly can prevent
the virus. Students should avoid touching things in
public places as much as possible. Extra precautions you can take include using hand sanitizer, wearing clean clothes, cleaning
sporting equipment after each use, keeping your
finger nails short, and avoiding contact with other
people. Students should be sure to thoroughly clean
and cover any open wounds. Coming in contact with
a person with an infected open wound is the most
common way of spreading Staph.
Signs that you may have staph include a sore
that hasn’t begun to heal within 48 hours, wounds
that are red, swollen, develop boils or blisters, and
are hot to touch may be infected. If you think you may have contracted staph,
see a doctor immediately. Features
6
CC Spin
March 2008
Why women want Dave Grohl’s babies
Hip hop beyond
MTV, VH1 world
By Abdul Bassa
Clayton Valley HS
W
By Edward Cendejas
Pittsburg HS
Pittsburg High and UC Santa Barbara alumni
Kristina Boyer wants to have Dave Grohl’s children.
Oddly enough, I’ve encountered several women who’ve
made the same claim in the last couple weeks since
the Foo Fighters played Oakland’s Oracle Arena.
“I’m totally down with that,” Boyer states, giving a look that shows she’s being neither funny nor
ironically hip.
Grohl, 39, the lead singer and guitarist for the
Foo’s, has an undeniable aura to him. Every song he
writes has substance to it. He has near-perfect teeth.
His hair is awesome.
The origins of Grohl’s groupie-getting career
started when he left Virginia to join Nirvana as their
drummer in 1990. He played with the band for four
years until singer Kurt Cobain committed suicide.
Nirvana broke up immediately after Cobain’s death.
Grohl then formed the Foo Fighters in 1995, releasing
their first album Foo Fighters featuring the hit single
“Big Me.” The hits, as they say, kept coming.
Women want this man. Why you ask? Well, he
is a rock star. Plain and simple, women want the bad
boys, the rock stars.
David Grohl just so happens to be both. What
seems to work best for Grohl is good, old fashioned
personality. He simply comes across as everybody’s
best friend, like Dale Carnegie gone wild, and it’s a
great night at the rock show.
Despite all the tail flying around Oracle Arena,
however, Grohl seems to enjoy the role of family
man. According to online sources, Grohl has been
married twice: first to Jennifer Youngblood from
1993-1997, then to former MTV producer Jordyn
Blum in 2003.
Grohl and his second wife welcomed their first
child, daughter Violet Maye, in 2006.
As much of a lady killer Grohl is, he’s unfortunately taken forever. Or at least until divorce.
Review
'Deadline' is an intriguing read
By Dustin Ignacio
Staff Writer
W
hat if you only had one year to live .
. . and you knew it?” This question
is intuitively asked and hilariously
answered by acclaimed author Chris Crutcher
and his most recent novel: “Deadline” (2007),
published by Greenwillow Books.
Senior Ben Wolf lives in the small town
of Trout, Idaho, where he coasts through high
school as the captain of the cross-country
team and is overshadowed by his younger
brother, Cody, the local quarterback hero.
Then, an unexpected diagnosis by his doctor
reveals that he possesses a rare incurable
blood disease. He has no more than a year to
live.
Ben decides to fulfill his last months without treatment or medical attention. He vows to
never tell a soul about his condition, not even
his family. He wants to live with no regrets, no
fears and no consequences.
With his doctor’s help, Ben joins the
Cougars’ varsity football team, hoping to leave
a mark on Trout High and gain new respect
toward Cody. At only 123 pounds, Ben must
face players nearly twice his size. He surprises everyone at practice with his strong
tackles and is soon assigned to special teams
and defense.
His interests, however, are not only focused on the gridiron, but also on the captain
of the girls’ volleyball team and leading reporter of the school newspaper, Dallas Suzuki.
Dallas is a tall, half-Japanese athlete who has
caught Ben’s heart since the moment he laid
his eyes upon her. With nothing to lose, Ben
rushes to meet her and asks her to homecoming. She accepts.
Ben also begins reading everything
he could get his hands on, and his favorite
text became a biography on Malcolm X. He
obsessed over fighting discrimination in his
hometown. For is senior project, Ben wants to
rename one street after Malcolm X.
Time passes rapidly, and Ben suffers
unpredictable consequences on the way to
his grave. He gets more sick and fatigued,
encounters relationship problems with Dallas
and fights alone against the town of Trout to
rename the road. And finally, he must reveal
the darkest secret he had kept from everyone.
Crutcher’s novel portrays the realities
of teenhood wrapped tightly in a ribbon of
laughter. The simplicity and use of pop culture
creates a comfortable background for any
student reader. Easy to follow and at only 316
pages, this would be a breeze for the average
bookworm.
Overall, I give Crutcher’s tale a four out
of five stars for making me grin and break out
the Kleenex box throughout the entire story.
This is well worth reading in the short
time one has left on this little planet. The
message presented in “Deadline” is clear:
seize the day, please.
ith the country’s plethora of new hip hop artists
dulling the desire for tasteful lyrics and replacing
them with synthetic doses of one or two-hit wonder “Crunk” and “Hyphy” discographies, one may feel the
state of hip hop as a genre is deteriorating.
The feeling though well warranted is false, if you believe that all present day artists have to offer is what you
see on MTV or VH1 (in the two-minute intervals between
reality shows) or what everybody and their mother’s are
requesting on the radio than you haven’t looked hard
enough.
If feel offended or strongly disagree turn what ever
“Crank Dat” song you fancy up and go about your day as
you were, but be you the few that do agree here are five
artists and groups you’ve probably never heard of but will
probably enjoy:
1. Immortal Technique—Hailed as one of the most
politically aware rappers of present day, Immortal Technique delivers hard-hitting eyebrow-raising lyrics that
have the hairs on the back of your neck rising as you listen. Tech as fans often refer to him as, raps about issues
of war, racism, religion, and numerous other political
hot topics rather than the popular misogyny, and jewelry
that others choose as the base of their lyrics. Suggested
Songs: Bin Laden, Freedom Of Speech
2. The Frontline—Arising from the Northern California city of Richmond, The Frontline a duo consisting
of rappers Locksmith and Left made their debut in the
Bay Area Hip hop scene amidst the mainstreaming of the
“Hyphy” culture however this group maintains distance
from the brand. Like Immortal Technique, Frontline uses
hard-core lyrics and often reference political issues in
their songs as well as the need for change in Richmond
pointing attention to the city’s rising crime rate.
Both Locksmith and Left do not smoke or drink nor
do they glorify either in any of their songs. Though politically active, Frontline have numerous club anthems under
their belt. Suggested Songs: It’s Goin’ Down, The Truth,
Bang It, What Do You Believe In?
3. Talib Kweli—Talib Kweli though considerably wellknown is extremely underrated, he is politically aware,
active in urban New York communities and has worked
with the likes of legendary producers Just Blaze, DJ Quick
and Hi-Tek.
Talib Kweli possesses somewhat of a positive vibe to
his songs and through his record label Blacksmith promotes artists with the same feel like Strong Arm Steady
and Jean Grae. Suggested Songs: Listen!!!, Get By
4. Crooked I—Crooked I is more of just an incredible lyricist than an incredibly conscious rapper, though
at times making good points about socio-economic topics
Crooked I stays true to the “Gangster Rap” mantra. Every
week on Wednesdays he releases a free downloadable
song on an instrumental of a fan’s choice or his own
about a topic of his own or a fan’s suggestion, Crooked I
is one of a few artists whom actually listens to fans. Suggested Songs: New West Anthem, My Life, Any of the Hip
hop Weekly Freestyles
5. Mos Def—Mos Def, like Talib Kweli and Immortal
Technique is very politically aware and is a very active
critic of conservative policies and a great defender of his
religion; Islam, in the media. He is one of the few rappers to bring up the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as well as
the civil rights issue of the Jena Six. Suggested Songs:
Katrina Clap, Beef, Jumpoff
Whether it be the extremely conscious lyrics of Talib
Kweli or Mos Def or the hard-core verses of Crooked I and
The Frontline, hip hop has more to offer than just uninspired dance songs and shoe advertisements.
Features
CC Spin
7
CVHS performing arts gala
By Sara Casey
Clayton Valley HS
The Clayton Valley Performing Arts Center Action
Committee (CVPACAC) presented “A Night of Entertainment” Gala on Friday, November 2. What a night of
entertainment it was.
Showcasing the Gala were students from CVHS.
The performances ranged from instrumental, to vocals,
and even dramatic skits in the soon to be old theater/
multi-use room. Through the back door were gallery
displays of students’ art and photography.
This event was the kick off to launch the campaign
for a performing arts center at CVHS.
Throughout the performances, there would be
‘hiccups’ of persuasive testimonials from former CVHS
Another favorite was Joaquin and Pablo Jara
singing with Mr. Wills. Another crowd pleaser was four
of the Arts Academy students’ rendition of William
Shakespeare’s, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” When
Zach Rowe walked on stage in a ruffled white dress,
nearly everyone was in tears.
Other performances were by a few chorus
groups, the symphonic band, and two scenes by the
Improv Group.
Since there was no admission fee to enter the
Gala, many wondered how it helped the Foundation.
“It helped by showing the public how much
potential all these kids have and how much it
would really mean to us all if we had it,” said Arts
Academy student Jacqueline Grohs.
“It helped
by showing
the public
how much
potential
all these
kids have,”
—Jacqueline Grohs.
March 2008
“It raised money, as well, through donations
and raffles.”
Arts Academy students could be seen everywhere, not only on stage, but backstage, to the
side of the stage, in the audience, collecting tickets, managing auctions, and above all, enjoying the
night. The promise of a new theater is important
to those who have had to cope with the minimal
conditions.
“I’m in the Academy for Drama, and I’m striving for a new theater,” said Grohs, “not just for
me, but for classes to come, for a nice working and
performing space.”
Local bands rock CTAP helps parents
CVHS rally
understand web world
T
he roof of the Clayton Valley High gymnasium shook from
the audiences’ cheers for the musical talents of local
bands, Dripsound and Foolsville Heroes, who both delivered spectacular performances at the rallies on Oct.12.
Dripsound got the crowd of excited CV students warmed
up with one of their hit songs, “Hollow.” With their rock/experimental sounds, everyone received a chance to delve into their
inner rocker and really get into the performance.
“I thought that they were good, but the acoustics in the
gym suck, so you can’t really hear the vocals”, said senior
Brian Prell. Aside from the bad acoustics in the gym, Dripsound managed to work through that and perform at the top
of their game, leaving most students as newly made fans.
Dripsound, consisting of Vince Bruno (Bass/Vocals),
Dom Bruno (Guitar), and Chris Brophy (Drums), is one of
Concord’s aspiring local bands.
Some of their musical influences include; The Mars Volta,
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jimi Hendrix, Arctic
Monkeys, and Queens of the Stone Age. They
are currently looking to book more shows in
the future and planning to record their first
CD within the next month or so. So be sure to
keep an eye out for any upcoming events to
promote their unique and wondrous music.
Allyza Leongson
The second band to perform at the rally
Clayton VHS
was none other than Foolsville Heroes, with
“Caravanity,” which left the crowd applauding
and cheering for more.
Formed by Max Marcil (Bass/Vocals), Dylan Trent
(Rhythm guitar/Vocals), Casey Garcia (Drums, and Zack Rowe
(Lead Guitar), Foolsville Heroes’ sounds are more alternative,
with a splash of rock, and a hint of pop- a yummy combination, don’t you think?
Clayton Valley student, Steven DeWitt had this to say about
Foolsville; “. . . They are an awesome band, and I hope they do
more shows, ‘cause I have seen them at their best.”
Some of Foolsville’s influences consist of great bands
such as; Greenday, The Rocket Summer, The Strokes, The
Clash, and more. They are also an aspiring band looking to
land more shows and events.
Word is, they are currently planning to record some new
material at Lightning Studios with the assistance of Breaking
Custom’s (another local band) own, Joe Skandalaris. So fans,
keep your ears open!
All in all, the bands performances blew the crowd away
with their unique styles and different sounds. But don’t think
that the rally will be the last place you’ll get to see Dripsound
or Foolsville Heroes. To stay updated on any upcoming events,
both bands have music myspace accounts at; www.myspace.
com/Dripsound and www.myspace.com/FoolsvilleHeroes.
But for all you non-myspacers out there, they’ll be sure to
get the word out to you. So if you are a newly made fan, never
fear, it doesn’t look like these bands will be fading from the
lime light anytime soon
By Staff Write
Northgate HS
A
large group of concerned parents attended
an informational seminar on Internet Safety
and Cyber Bullying on Jan 17 at 7:30 p.m.
in the Little Theatre.
The program was led by AT&T Education
Advocate Linda Uhrenholt, a technology expert for
teachers and administrators, and co-developed
by CTAP Region IV, a branch of the California
Technology Assistance project.
Unlike traditional bullying, which usually
ends along with the school day, cyber bullying
can follow a student 24/7. Cyber bullying occurs when technology is used for harassment,
impersonation, exclusion, and stalking.
A survey from seven anonymous Los Lomas High School students
recounted their online experiences and gave advice. One
student was bullied online
because her older brother had
enemies. Another student said
it was important that the school
district monitor, not block, certain Internet sites. Uhrenholt
and Dr. Riley explained that
students have ways of getting
through the blocks.
Uhrenholt compared the
difference between Web 1.0
and Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is the
new, interactive version made
up of social networking sites,
places to read write, and
create.
Uhrenholt explained,
“Web 1.0 is the equivalent of a plain cup of
coffee, while Web 2.0 could be compared to a
decaf nonfat latte.”
Uhrenholt spoke of herself as a “digital
immigrant,” a person who grew up without
technology and has learned to adapt. The youth
of today, she said, are “digital natives,” people
who can work the system with ease.
While navigating hundreds of social networking sites and other virtual worlds such as
Club Penguin, Uhrenholt admitted, “I don’t know
what’s going on, but the kids sure do.”
Sites such as Passado, Facebook, Myspace,
and Twitter were mentioned as methods of social
networking, all of which carry the same user
risks. Pages from the CTAP website encouraged
teenagers be smart about what information they
posted online.
CTAP’s website contains links for teachers
and parents to read real life stories and articles
about cyber bullying. Links such as “Personal
Information,” and “Inappropriate Content” inform
parents of what they should watch out for while
networking online.
Dr. Riley reminded parents that if the cyber
bullying takes place off campus, the school cannot
do anything about it unless it causes a problem
on campus. Riley stated that to solve the problem
administrators “must appeal to the better side of
everyone” and that they had had success in doing so. She also stated, “We all need to be most
concerned about hurting other people.”
Uhrenholt recommended notifying an adult
at the first signs of online bullying, but admitted
that the Internet was a “gray area,” in which
only a certain amount could be done to solve
the problem.
She said, “Parents must talk to their children
about their online activities and make sure they
are being safe, in other words, not talking to
strangers.”
One parent mentioned, “Younger and younger
kids are getting more and more sophisticated.”
Uhrenholt stressed that parents should talk
to their children about online safety as early as
middle school. She advised using “teachable moments,” such as items in the newspaper, as opportunities to discuss cyber safety with children.
She also cautioned parents, “Don’t ignore
some of the technology just because it’s not online.” Cell phones have also become a gateway
for cyber bullies, and threatening text messages
can run up the costs on a wireless bill.
Parents should educate themselves about
new technologies before simply telling their
teenager that he or she cannot have a Myspace.
As Uhrenholt tells parents, “You might not ever
blog, but you should know what it is.”
More information can be found at CTAP IV’s
website, www.ctap4.org/cyber safety/.
FREEDOM
It looks good on you.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
guarantees that your thoughts, speech, and expression
of beliefs can be displayed proudly and boldly.
The First Amendment – Keep It Strong!
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of RELIGION,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom of SPEECH,
or of the PRESS; or the right of the people peaceably to ASSEMBLE,
and to PETITION the government for a redress of grievances.
This message made possible by the
Illinois Press Association Foundation and Copley First Amendment Center
www.illinoisfirstamendmentcenter.com