TOP NEWS Features
Connect with us online
Opinion
Entertainment
Sports
Junior Alana Merritt headed to Africa for summer volunteer trip
Senior Samantha Paul calls for stronger political education
Junior Isabel Fajardo thinks dressed spuds at Potato Corner don’t live up to price
Varsity volleyball team pulls off historically strong start to season
Page 7
Page 9
Page 11
Page 14
EYE OF THE TIGER Roseville High School’s student-produced publication
www.eyeofthetigernews.com
1 Tiger Way, Roseville, CA
facebook.com/eyeofthetigernews
APRIL 7, 2014 | ISSUE 11, VOLUME 12
Principal Basham to leave post
Headed to district office to serve as director of personnel services BY DANIEL WETTER
daniel.wetter@eyeofthetigernews.com
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
The year was 2006. The newly appointed principal of Roseville High School knew he had a big job ahead of him. The previous year, less than 30 percent of the school’s graduating seniors were eligible to apply to UC or CSU schools, and less than half of the school scored proficient or above on the English Language Arts portion of the annual California STAR test. On top of the sagging scores, there were growing pains. The nearly century-
old school was becoming not only outdated, but simply too small to fit the needs of the growing Roseville community. Unbeknownst to the new principal, there was also a catastrophe on the horizon: the nation was only a couple of years away from sinking into the worst economic downturn it has experienced since the Great Depression. But Brad Basham, an Oakmont High School graduate who grew up in Roseville, immediately noticed something concerning. “When I first came here, I think that
there was a feeling that Roseville High School kids weren’t able to compete or achieve at the same level as students at some of the other schools in the local area,” Basham said. “I never believed that.” Eight years later, Basham is now preparing to move on to the next part of his career. He announced at a special faculty meeting held after school two weeks ago that he would be leaving Roseville for a position with the Roseville Joint Union High School District.
“I just felt it was time to start looking at my long term goals,” Basham said. “And one of my goals is to become superintendent someday, and this is the next logical step.” While his long-term goal is to become superintendent one day, he stressed that his current focus will be on his new position as district director of personnel services. According to the district, his job will mainly involve overseeing student discipline, attendance, counseling, athletics and safety. BASHAM | Page 4
School braces for new SBAC testing Common Core rehearsal to evaluate tech readiness BY NIKAYA SOUTHWORTH nikaya.southworth@eyeofthetigernews.com
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
Freshmen Jay Razzano, George Hughes and Jimmy Jaggers give a “elevator pitch” for their 20% Project during their third-period CP English 9 class last Friday. All freshmen in the Pre-AP English and Geography and World Cultures block will spend one day a week completing self-driven projects of their choice for the rest of the school year as part of the initiative.
20% Project lets freshmen experiment National initiative gives Pre-AP students one day a week to work on projects of their choice
BY ANDREW SMITH andrew.smith@eyeofthetigernews.com
Roseville High School’s freshman Pre-Advanced Placement Geography and World Cultures and CP English 9 blocks recently implemented a popular project used in schools and businesses around the country that restructures class time in a way completely new to RHS. The assignment is called the 20% Project and is starting up this quarter for the first time in the school’s history. For the project, Geography and
English teachers are providing their students with 20 percent of their class time – one period per week – to pursue a goal outside of the normal classroom curriculum. This can include anything and everything the students are interested in, and the point of the project is to promote student freedom and creativity while meeting the mission statement of “Encouraging autonomy, mastery and purpose.” The project originated in the annals of perennial tech powerhouse Google, which encourages its employees to de-
vote 20 percent of their time at work to doing something creative outside of what they are doing specifically for the company. Several successful projects have come out of this philosophy, including the popular email client Gmail. After seeing the success Google had with the project, Kevin Brookhouser, a teacher near Monterey Bay, adapted the concept to the classroom. His original goal was to prepare students for the new work world, which he believes demands creativity, and it was in the 20% | Page 2
Math dept. preps for switch to integrated sequence BY SAMANTHA PAUL samantha.paul@eyeofthetigernews.com
Roseville High School’s math department is currently preparing for one of the most major changes to occur to mathematics education in recent years. RHS, along with the other schools in the Roseville Joint Union High School District, is switching to an Integrated Math curriculum this fall. Nearly all countries besides the United States use the integrated sequence, in which topics are not separated into subjects like Algebra 1 and Geometry, but are instead continuously combined each year. According to RHS Algebra 2 and Advanced Placement Calculus teacher Michelle Walton, the RHS math department has been preparing for the switch by adopting a new textbook,
attending preparatory conferences and utilizing online resources to view sample problems. According to Walton, the new Common Core State Standards, which the department is also working to adapt to, are consistent with either form of instruction. “Common Core [includes] all the things that every student should know by the end of high school, and [there] are two routes you can take to get there,” Walton said. Walton feels that the integrated sequence offers new and positive aspects. “I kind of like the idea of the integrated because every year you get to see a little bit more,” Walton said. “It FILE PHOTO MADISON MACHA builds more of that geometry, for example, instead of having that pulled Michelle Walton, along with other math teachers at RHS, is currently working to prepare for the upcoming switch to the Common Core-based Integrated Math course series. INTEGRATED | Page 4
Starting today, Roseville High School will play host to its inaugural administration of the national standardized tests of the future. RHS’ juniors will test-run the new Common Core tests, known as the Smarter Balanced Assessments and developed by the consortium of that same name, today, tomorrow and Wednesday during an elongated second period. However, because this year’s test is simply a trial run – conducted to make sure that the tests and materials needed to administer them are ready for the exams’ official debut next school year – the results of it will not affect RHS students or the school. The first day of testing will consist of a multiple-choice mathematics exam, and the second will be a teacher-led preparation day to get students ready to complete a performance task – consisting of an analytic essay – on the third day. SBAC | Page 2
Drought conditions force action
RJUHSD enacts conservation measures due to lack of rain BY MARC CHAPPELLE marc.chappelle@eyeofthetigernews.com
Students in the Roseville Joint Union High School District may soon notice the grass around their schools getting browner than usual as the district seems to deal with the implications of a statewide drought brought on by two years of historically dry conditions. On March 24, due to the lack of water in traditional storehouses like Folsom Lake and the Sierra Nevada snowpack, the city of Roseville mandated that both residential and commercial landowners sourcing water from its utility agency reduce their use by 20 percent. Additionally, the city is requiring commercial water customers, like RJUHSD, to curb their landscaping irrigation by 30 percent. According to the district facilities department, RJUHSD schools will have to make compromises to meet the requirement DROUGHT | Page 2
INSIDE: Upcoming Events...2 | News...2-4 | Español...5 | Sponsored Ad...6 | Features...7-8 | Opinion...9-10 | Entertainment...11-12 | Sports...13-14 | Read more at eyeofthetigernews.com.
page 2 | news
Eye of the Tiger ROSEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 1 TIGER WAY ROSEVILLE, CA 95678 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robbie Short NEWS EDITOR Ian Souza FEATURES EDITOR Marian Abdelmalek OPINION EDITOR Meghan Julin ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Isabel Fajardo SPORTS EDITOR Nick Espino Matt Tawlks COPY EDITOR Olivia Hillman PHOTO EDITOR Madison Macha Evelina Kislyanka ONLINE EDITOR Marc Chappelle ESPAñOL EDITOR Emma Carlson BUSINESS MANAGER Monica Linsangan FACULTY ADVISER Bobby Ritter STAFF WRITERS Logan Ash Chase Blatnick Justin Choi Fouad El-Chemali Michelle Im Gabe Lira Sarah Looper Max Modeste Netzy Ortega Samantha Paul Maddy Pilgrim Anna Porretta Neilson Powless Iman Richmond Katelyn Rolen Nick Sapp Daniel Ryan Haylee Sex Dean Sideris Morgan Simpson Andrew Smith Canyon Smith Nikaya Southworth Aaron Souza Marissa Stone Sydney Valenzuela Breanna Weinberg
20%: Assignment inspired by Google employee policy CONTINUED FROM FRONT vision of that goal that he designed the school-based version of the 20% Project. As part of the maiden run of the project, his students took on a wide array of goals, ranging from making a movie to teaching elderly citizens in the community how to handle the newest technology to improve their communication and daily lives. English 9 teacher Deborah Sidler first proposed bringing the project to RHS after previously experiencing it in action at her former school. “The part of the project that inspired me most to continue is that it brings the community together while also allowing students to grow and mature,” Sidler said. RHS principal Brad Basham looks forward to the benefits he thinks the project will bring to freshmen. “I just think it’s a great for students to get highly engaged and enjoy school and get connected to school, and work on something they want to work on while practicing their critical thinking skills and their literacy skills,” Basham said. Sidler first presented the idea internally to her fellow teachers in the block and got positive feedback.
Comments? Criticism? Story idea? We want to hear it. Write to us at info@eyeofthetigernews.com
Amy Mower is another teacher in the Pre-AP Geography/English block and likes the overall goal of the 20% Project. “We are trying to help students come up with a purpose and solve it,” Mower said. Despite the possible benefits, one of the main concerns some have with a project of this time scale and magnitude is that it will take away from the class time available for students to get through the rest of the curriculum in the classes. Sidler recognized that some students are concerned about the time loss, but does not believe that it will have a negative impact on their ability to get through the standards. “Is there a loss in content time?,” Sidler said. “No. [California State Content Standards and Common Core are] incorporated into the project.” However, students in the PreAP blocks who will be completing the project expressed mixed opinions about it. Freshman Lauren Roberts is going to create a healthy options cookbook for her 20% Project and enjoys the freedom the project provides. “I like the project because you can choose whatever you want,” Roberts said.
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
Freshmen will have until the end of the school year to complete their projects. Freshman project partners Sheila Sharma and Kathryn Chambers plan to take photos of various things to auction off to raise money to donate to a national cancer research program for their 20% assignment. However, Sharma thinks that, due to the extent of the project, there may not be enough time left in the school year to fully achieve their goals. “It seems like if we are going to go in-depth, [there is] not a lot of time left [with] a month-and-ahalf [of school],” Sharma said.
SBAC: Teachers upset over lost class time
SENIOR OLYMPICS
CONTRIBUTING CARTOONIST Michaela Paul
The mission of Eye of the Tiger, a news-gathering organization run by Roseville High School students, is to inform, entertain and serve as a public forum for student expression. We will accomplish our goals by reporting unbiased news while offering student perspectives in our columns and editorials. This includes, but is not limited to, prominent issues, changes and events that have an impact on the students and communities of Roseville High School. We will strive to report with depth, accuracy and timeliness. It is not our goal to evoke controversy or sensationalize issues. We do not push moral values or political agendas. Views expressed in the opinion and entertainment sections, columns and letters-to-the-editor are those of the individual author, and do not necessarily belong to Eye of the Tiger staff, this publication or Roseville High School. All letters-to-the-editor must be signed and are subject to review by the editorial board before inclusion in the newspaper. We reserve the right to edit submitted work as needed for space limitations and content. Nonattributed editorials reflect the opinion of the staff and must be approved by the entire editorial board.
april 7, 2014
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
MADISON MACHA EYE OF THE TIGER
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
Last Tuesday, April 1, Roseville High School seniors took to the court of Moeller Gym to compete in the annual Senior Olympics. Events ranged from soda-chugging contests to tug-of-wars, and the “Oozma Kappa” team eventually emerged victorious.
DROUGHT: Athletic fields may decay during summer heat CONTINUED FROM FRONT and the circumstances. For example, Roseville High School currently uses 15 million gallons of water every year – an amount not sustainable in the current environment, facilities representatives said – and Granite Bay High School sources its water from Folsom Lake, which currently sits near historic lows. To comply with the mandate, district and RHS maintenance teams have begun to limit the frequency of landscaping irrigation at all district sites. In years past, schools like RHS would water exterior and frontage landscaping every day, but the drought has caused the teams to reduce their watering to once or twice a week. for the foreseeable future. Additionally, RHS’ maintenance department is currently evaluating whether to continue its annual replacement of the water in the school’s pool. Maintenance’s cutback plan also includes similar changes for the baseball and softball upper fields, keeping a set amount of watering
days a week with shorter watering times each day. The reduction will not affect any sports for the remainder of the current school year, according to Jon Coleman, RHS assistant principal in charge of facilities. “Our goal is to maintain our facilities the best we can, faced with the cuts we are forced to implement,” Coleman said. “We don›t ever want to see any injuries of our students when they are using the fields.” However, the fields may suffer over the summer, due to the hotter temperatures. “The kids’ safety is still a primary concern, and if those fields get too hard and dead, now that does become a safety issue,” athletic director Jamie Bunch said. “Especially for football, if [the fields] dry out, and a guy gets tackled on there, he has a chance to break a collar bone. It’s like landing on cement when the grass gets hard.” Bunch speculated that sports teams will have to make compromises if the fields become
unsafe for use in the future or if the school opts to not irrigate JV fields to conserve water. This could include sharing fields between teams more often, meaning later practices for some teams. The school is also prohibited from washing down hardscapes, like cement walkways – unless they pose a safety hazard to students and staff – because of the drought. However, district maintenance is currently in talks with the city to secure the best possible outcome for RHS. According to Christopher Grimes, RJUHSD director of facilities development, the district board of trustees has asked district administration to meet directly with the water districts responsible for providing RJUHSD’s water to see if there’s a possibility of the district being exempted from the new conservation measures. Despite maintenance and city cooperation, Grimes thinks an exemption is unlikely.
“If there’s no water, it doesn’t matter who you are,” Grimes said. “There’s still no water.” City of Roseville government relations analyst Sean Bigley suggested that Grimes is right in thinking that a district exemption could be hard to achieve. “School property is considered commercial in nature,” Bigley said. Additionally, although Roseville enjoyed adequate amounts of rain over the last month, according to Bigley, it will only provide temporary relief from the drought. Snowpack that runs down from the Sierra Nevada mountains is crucial in alleviating the dry conditions, and recent findings from the California Cooperative Snow Survey show that the snowpack still remains far below average levels. “The rains have helped, but we would need a lot more rain and a lot more snow to completely end the drought,” Bigley said. “[The drought] has been building up over several years. It’s going to take some time to get out of it.”
CONTINUED FROM FRONT One aspect new to the SBAC tests is that students will take them online, using district-owned Google Chromebooks to complete them. Part of the state’s rationale for this year’s administration being a practice one is to give school districts the chance to test out their technological capabilities to conduct future devicebased assessments. However, as a result, many classes that traditionally use Chromebooks as part of their curricula have had to suspend the use of the devices for up to two weeks to allow time for RHS technology staff to prepare them for use during the testing. Each day of testing will be a rally schedule, with testing continuing through second period, which means that students in many second-period classes, including Advanced Placement classes, will miss two days of instruction over the next three days. AP United States History teacher Jessica Fork and AP Language and Composition teacher Paige Powell are both concerned about the lost instruction minutes. Fork believes that planning for the lost time would have been easier with better communication. “I’m very frustrated,” Fork said. “I feel that communication was lost and teachers should have had more insight on how testing was scheduled.” Between the earlier Early Assessment Program testing (which took place last week) and the SBAC, teachers are losing about five days of instruction time. Fork plans to hold lunchtime study sessions and opportunities for students to review for the AP test before and after school. Powell also plans to hold study sessions to make up for lost time. “The loss of instruction time the month before AP tests has been very stressful to plan,” Powell said. AP Physics teacher Cristopher Addington also plans to work around the lost time in class. “I would just advise my students to be flexible,” Addington said.
news | page 3
april 7, 2014
Uribe’s departure to shake up AP teacher assignments BY ISABEL FAJARDO
isabel.fajardo@eyeofthetigernews.com
At the conclusion of this year, Roseville High School will be losing a Tiger. The 2014-2015 school year will start without RHS science teacher Alex Uribe, who is moving to San Francisco to get married with his fiancée. He is also pursuing a teaching job there as well. “I’m sad about it,” Uribe said. “I mean, I love Roseville; I went here as a student and grew up in Roseville. Leaving it is tough, but it’s exciting, because I’m starting a new chapter in my life and leaving for good reasons. If I had some magical teleporter that would let me live in the Bay Area and let me work here, I would do it.” Because Uribe is the only current Advanced Placement Environmental Science teacher at RHS, having taught it for two years, RHS science teacher CJ Addington is to take over the course when Uribe moves away. “He’ll be great; he’s the perfect match for it,” Uribe said. “I know it matches his sort of personal life interests. He’s very interested in biology and ecology and environmental science so I think he’s the
perfect fit. Plus, he’s an experienced AP teacher, having taught AP Physics, and the kids will love him.” Though he has never taught AP Environmental Science before, Uribe will share information with Addington about the course. In addition, he is also taking a training workshop over the summer about AP Environmental Science with other teachers. “I’m kind of excited about picking up environmental science,” Addington said. “I haven’t [taught it before], but I’ve taught biology for over 20 years and I have a good background in environmental science.” Currently teaching AP Physics, Addington will have to drop the class to pick up AP Environmental Science. In his place, science teacher Mike Purvines will take up AP Physics. “I’m a little sad about it because I’ve had it for a long time and I like it,” Addington said. So far, Purvines will not have to drop any courses to teach AP Physics and is excited about the class. “I’m looking forward to [teaching AP Physics],” Purvines said. “I think it should be a lot of fun.
I like more rigor, and we have a lot of people that need to look into engineering fields and stuff like that. I feel like it’s a good class that bridges those gaps and I’m hoping to tie in the enhanced rigor with stronger connections to engineering.” Due to the changing standards of AP Physics, Purvines will have to change some of the old curriculum to fit. “We’re going to have to figure out how to fit into them, but my understanding is that the new AP Physics reduces the amount of content and just goes more in depth on smaller amounts of things,” Purvines said. “We’re probably going to have to figure out those connections and I’m just starting to play with that and look at it and see what we need to do.” To further help with his understanding of AP Physics and the class, Purvines made connections and worked with Brook Reed, the AP Physics I teacher at Woodcreek High School, to get some advice about teaching the course. “The two of us are going to be working, and it seems like we’re going to get some released days to work together and plan together,” Purvines said.
MADISON MACHA EYE OF THE TIGER
Science teacher Alex Uribe will move to the Bay Area at the conclusion of this school year after finishing out the term with his final RHS students. This will leave a gap in the AP science track, as Uribe currently teaches AP Environmental Science, which fellow science teacher CJ Addington will be picking up.
Campo construction begins soon
Permanent gate to help secure campus during school hours BY IMÁN RICHMOND
iman.richmond@eyeofthetigernews.com
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
RHS maintenance teams will begin installing a wrought-iron gate on both ends on Campo St. later this month.
In order to make Roseville High School a more secure campus, the construction of gates around Campo St. will begin later this month. Construction on the fencing will happen in two phases. The first phase is the only one that will occur during the school year, which includes the contractors setting up materials and placing posts. The second phase, being the actual construction of the fence, will not be set to start until after summer break has already started. Neither phase will disrupt or effect students. Reasons for this change are because of past events of people,
strangers or students on the campus when they should not have been. Administration believes that fencing will reduce or eliminate that problem from happening in the future. According to Director of Facilities Development for the Roseville Joint Union High School district Christopher Grimes, this is the first of many fencing projects to be set in motion on RHS campus. In addition to the fence around Campo Street, s one of the other projects include new automated fencing along the transportation yards by the 900 buildings as well. The automatic gates here will mainly be used by those who
work at the transportation yard, such as the bus drivers. “There’s a perception that having an open campus may not be as safe as having a campus with fencing that is more closed off,” Grimes said. Assistant principal Jon Coleman feels as though this will be good for RHS because the security of the students and staff are of top priority. “It will make [the campus] much safer,” Coleman said. Sophomore Kobie Ortiz is excited about the new change to the campus and feels that this will be a secure addition to the RHS campus. “I’m definitely going to feel safer,” Ortiz said. “The RHS campus is great.”
SAT/ACT workshop now available BY AARON SOUZA
aaron.souza@eyeofthetigernews.com
FILE PHOTO SYDNEY MAYNARD
RHS’ International Club, which puts on an annual International Festival, will work with other organizations from the school’s Visual and Performing Art department to put on a larger VAPA Festival this May, an event that RHS has not hosted for several years.
VAPA Fest to make return this May BY KATELYN ROLEN
katelyn.rolen@eyeofthetigernews.com
Partially in an attempt to gather more support for the visual and performing arts departments, the VAPA festival is returning to Roseville High School and is set to coincide with the International Festival. The festival is set to take place on May 1 and will feature various performances and products from each department. According to art teacher Patricia Leong, the festival includes performances from dance, artworks from various levels of art classes, booths featuring various cultures from International Club and food prepared by students in the Tiger Café. “We had 100-plus people attend last year [at the international festival],” Leong said. “Anyone can come. We have advertised the
event to eighth graders as well, and we just really want to make it a fun event to join.” The guitar class is also set to perform five different group performances in the outdoor area near the culinary building. “This venue has a feel that will copy an open market feel, no set audience, so I think it should be less formal and very laid back,” guitar teacher Brian Hack said. Also, according to Hack, the return of the VAPA festival is to raise awareness of VAPA programs because many are suffering from declining student enrollment and are receiving less support. “I have lost students to Woodcreek and other programs at other high schools that have bigger programs than we do, but the VAPA festival is a good way to raise awareness,” Hack said. “If we’re going to go down, we’ll go down
kicking and screaming.” Students are hoping to participate in various parts of the VAPA festival. “I want to do the show, it just depends on the timing,” senior Mitch Schellenger said. “If I did it then I would probably do something that I’ve performed before.” In addition to performances from the guitar and band classes, dance will be performing an Irish dance in a yet-to-be-determined location. “I would love to dance at the festival with my dance class, I’m just not sure if I can yet,” senior Celine Nunally said. According to art teacher Joyce Henry, all art levels will be displaying some of their works for sale. “I think it’s a really great event where we can all come together,” Henry said.
For the first time in several years, Roseville High School is offering SAT prep for students. The class will take place over the course of five sessions, each lasting three hours. Students can sign up for a onetime cost of $20. According to assistant principal Jason Wilson, this covers the expense of afterschool campus maintenance and services, as well as class materials. The workshop was financed by the RHS Parent Teacher Club. According to Wilson, without their involvement, the workshop
would have taken place on a later date. The class differs from previous SAT prep at RHS. In the past, students were not charged. According to Wilson, however, the new cost is necessary and should help provide incentive for students to attend. “When we did it at no cost, students showed up less and less,” Wilson said. Additionally, students will be given an SAT study guide. According to junior Emma Sessano, this is worth the extra charge. “I think that it’s worth it, to help you get into college,” Sessano said.
The classes will be taught by teachers Mark Andreatta and Sandra Schmatjen. According to Wilson, they were chosen for their backgrounds in math and English. As well as math and English, the class will cover test-taking strategies. Although the class is designed to prepare students for the SAT specifically, it will help them with a variety of tests. “It will demystify the test for them; they’ll know what to expect,” Andreatta said. “That’s the biggest thing.” The first session begins on April 7 in room P-33. RHS administration recommends registering as soon as possible.
SPRING SPORTS RALLY
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
RHS students congregated in the Moeller Gym last Friday after second period for the school’s annual spring sports rally. The theme of the rally was “black light,” meaning that students were encouraged to wear fluorescent colors that glowed under the ultraviolet lights. Rally activities included the presentation of the Junior Prom court and an intergrade dodgeball game, which the junior class won.
page 4 | news
april 7, 2014
BASHAM: Philosophy was “students first,” he says CONTINUED FROM FRONT Teachers uncertain about the future Many teachers Eye of the Tiger spoke with indicated that Basham’s announcement did not come out of the blue. “It wasn’t a surprise,” science teacher Darcee Durham said. “[I] knew it was coming at some point.” Durham sees the announcement as an opportunity for RHS, saying that the change could bring a new perspective that could help RHS move forward. However, she’s still a bit uncertain about the future. “You never know for sure who you’re going to get, and I’m sure everybody has their opinion about who’s going to be a good fit and who’s not,” Durham said. As for whom that next principal will be, the district has started a comprehensive search for a replacement both within and outside RJUHSD. The district recently had to find a replacement for Granite Bay High School’s principal, Mike McGuire, who announced his retirement in January, and already has a list of potential candidates for the job. Basham was part of the panel that conducted the first round of interviews to replace McGuire and is familiar with the process. “It’s a very inclusive process because they want to make sure they find the right fit, and they’ll do something very similar here,” Basham said. The first focus group for staff will meet today to discuss what kind of principal RHS is looking for. Future groups could include students and parents. The deadline for candidates to apply for the position is April 22. After that, the candidates will move through an extensive interview process consisting of meetings and discussions with two panels. One panel will focus on RHS’ culture, athletics and extracurricular activities and will consist of students, coaches and parents. The other panel, which will consist of counselors, administrators and department coordinators, will ask questions about applicants’ plans for the school’s leadership and curricula. After meeting with all candidates, the two panels will compare results of their interviews to make a recommendation. Deputy and incumbent superintendent Ron Severson will then make the final decision, which could come as early as the first week of May. Although teachers at Roseville are uncertain about the future, many expressed confidence in the district to make the right choice regarding Basham’s replacement. “The district typically hires
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
Basham (second from front) will step away from RHS in July after eight years as principal to work as part of RJUHSD’s district administrative team, which includes fellow administrator Steve Williams (front). really qualified people to be the leaders,” social science teacher Jessica Fork said. “Almost every school [in the district] has a strong leader.” Basham’s move to the district office will not be official until RJUHSD’s board of trustees approves his hire, which could happen as early as this week. Basham will remain as RHS principal until July. Climbing the ranks Basham, who has been an educator for 25 years, started his career as a science teacher at RHS in the 1980s. After becoming the student activities director, he saw a future for himself on the administrative side of education, and quickly earned his administrative credential. He then began to climb the ranks, and moved to Oakmont for a brief stint as assistant principal. He then served as Cooley Middle School’s principal for a year, but soon set his sights on something else. “When you think about my career, I’ve always returned to Roseville High School,” Basham said. And in 2006, he did. He became principal in July of that year, replacing John Montgomery, who now serves as the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for RJUHSD. Basham noted something unique about being Roseville’s principal, as opposed to being the leader of other schools. “It’s a combination of the rich history, the tradition and the multigenerational families that are connected to Roseville High
School, [while] at the same time embracing what’s new, and trying to blend those two worlds,” Basham said. His mark on Roseville One of Basham’s priorities was to address academics – an area that RHS had been showing meager improvement in before he arrived. The year Basham began as principal, just 34.8 percent of graduating seniors were eligible to attend a UC or CSU, and less than 30 percent were eligible the year before. Additionally, during much of Basham’s tenure as principal, the school has been designated as a Program Improvement site, a moniker assigned to schools not meeting certain requirements designated by the No Child Left Behind Act. The school first received the PI label in 2010 after one significant student subgroup failed to reach the required proficiency rate on the California High School Exit Exam. While RHS is still a PI school, Basham points to other areas of success when he considers his time trying to improve the school. Last year, 69 percent of the graduating class was eligible to attend a UC or CSU, more than double the rate in 2005. The amount of students taking Advanced Placement courses has also increased dramatically, with 61 percent of students in the class of 2013 taking at least one AP class by the time they graduated. RHS has also received the distinction as an AVID National Demonstration Site – a title given to only a couple of hundred schools in the nation – under
INTEGRATED: Teachers agree on benefits of switch CONTINUED FROM FRONT out as a separate class.” Woodcreek High School, one of the other schools in the district, is currently using materials for Algebra 1 classes from a company that would likely supply Integrated Math 1 materials to RHS. WHS principal Jess Borjon thinks that Woodcreek may bring these materials back next year. “I can see the possibility of using the same materials next year for a Pre-Integrated Math 1 course, but not the actual Integrated Math 1 course,” Borjon said. Borjon feels that the RJUHSD’s switch to integrated math will ultimately benefit students. “I’m looking forward to the shift because it will benefit students,” Borjon said. “Math will become more concrete and applicable to many more students with the integrated math approach.” Though the district is switching to integrated math, not all students will feel the effects of the change. Current students who are in Algebra 1, Geometry and
Algebra 2 classes will finish out the traditional sequence over their remaining years in high school as the courses are phased in. Student in the incoming class of 2018 will be split between traditional and integrated, with those students testing out of Algebra 1 remaining in the traditional sequence. The switch to integrated math will not significantly affect AP Statistics and Calculus students. AP Statistics teacher Chaudra Wood thinks her class will benefit from the new format. “The switch to integrated will include adding some concepts from AP Statistics back into the mathematics curriculum,” Wood said. “It will be nice for the students to have concepts that include some real-life application and less algebra … Hopefully it will help make AP Statistics a little bit easier for the students enrolling right after Algebra 2.” Many current RHS students do not like the idea of integrated math, even though they will not
be taking the integrated classes. Senior Samantha Cheek feels that math should be separated by topic. “I prefer how it is currently, because [the focus of the integrated approach] isn’t a specific subject,” Cheek said. “I’d rather have it focus on one general topic.” Junior Sierra Walker agrees with Cheek. “I don’t think that they should [switch to integrated],” Walker said. “They need [traditional] because there are all different levels of math. I think that the system is good right now.” While some students may not be as excited about the districtwide math remodel, Wood ultimately feels that the switch will have a positive impact on students. “I am looking forward to the switch to integrated math courses,” Wood said. “A fresh new look on how we can approach learning mathematics will hopefully motivate some students who have previously not found success in our curriculum.”
Basham’s stewardship. Additionally, the school has seen the growth of several key programs, including Geometry in Construction, Peer Helping, Journalism and Media Productions and the freshman course of study. “Roseville High School has shown dramatic growth in student achievement during his tenure,” Severson said. However, Basham’s attempts at raising test scores have not come without controversy. In 2010, he spearheaded the implementation of a schoolwide intervention period called PAWS in the hopes of giving extra time to struggling students who needed it. However, the period was plagued with issues from its inception, including a lack of teacher participation and few enrichment opportunities for students who didn’t need the extra intervention time. “Sometimes, you make some mistakes,” Basham said. “The intention was pure, and I still believe in embedded intervention. I still believe that we need to find ways for extra time and support for students who are struggling.” He believes the implementation of the program came at the wrong time. “It became more of a management issue more than anything,” Basham said. “It wasn’t that it wasn’t the right thing to do – we just weren’t prepared for it.” Basham has also seen many improvements made to RHS’ 100-year-old campus during his time at the helm. In 2007, the east 900 building opened, adding 15 new classrooms and one computer lab to accommodate
the school’s growing population. Also, in 2007, the Berry Street parking lot opened, expanding parking availability for students. The most recent remodel on campus came in 2011, when the 700 wing, which contains the science department, received major upgrades to its lab facilities. Much of Basham’s principalship has been dedicated to planning the future of the campus as well. In 2011, the RJUHSD board approved the Centennial Master Plan, which calls for several major improvements to the campus, including a new gym, a new classroom building and the transformation of the small gym into a museum and student lounge. The plan also envisioned closing Campo Street to through-traffic. District maintenance currently plans to begin construction on gates this summer. However, perhaps one of Basham’s biggest challenges came without warning. In late 2007, the nation entered the worst economic period since the Great Depression, which eventually led to massive cuts to the state budget, which dramatically reduced funding to RJUHSD. “We were very conservative, and we tried to make cuts as far away from the classroom as we possibly could, and we all had to tighten our belts a little bit,” Basham said. “I think that we were still successful in that students got a world-class education despite those budgetary cuts.” A “students-first” legacy As principal Basham prepares to head to the district, he has spent little time reflecting on what his
legacy will look like. “I still have probably 15 more years in education, and I hope to spend all of those in this district,” Basham said. “My legacy will be determined by the families, the students, the staff that I work with and what they recall.” It may be too early to tell what legacy Basham will leave RHS, but many teachers are happy with his eight years, saying his focus has always been on students. Teachers used phrases like “students-first” and “dedicated” to describe his tenure. “With principal Basham, you always know that the kids come first,” English teacher Paige Powell said. “Everything is about the students first.” Fork agreed with Powell, noting that she supported most of Basham’s vision for the school. “I supported pretty much all of it – you never support anybody 100-percent,” Fork said. “He has a vision for the students, and he really is for the students. It wasn’t to better his position or better the faculty’s – it was really to help improve students’ scores.” Although Basham didn’t speculate about what his legacy would look like, he agreed that “students-first” describes his philosophy well. “That’s what we’re here for,” Basham said. “I mean, if you’re here for a different purpose, you’re in the wrong profession.” He says his fondest memories at RHS center around the relationships he developed with students and staff at the school. When he was the student activities director, he formed special bonds with many students, including Wil Murray, whose father was the last victim of domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski (also known as the “Unabomber”). The summer after Murray’s father was killed, Basham and another teacher took him and some of his friends on a backpacking excursion. “Those are the types of things you remember – trying to help [Wil] and his younger brother through [that],” Basham said. Although no one currently knows who the next principal of RHS will be, Basham advises him or her to listen to those already at the school. “Don’t try to change everything overnight,” Basham said. “There’re some things that [RHS is] very proud of. [Try] to find out those things that we are proud of, try to reinforce and strengthen those programs and then find out where we do have a need.” Watch Eye of the Tiger’s full interview with principal Basham at eyeofthetigernews.com.
el 7 de abril de 2014
NOTICIAS
Basham partirá RHS después mucha mejora
POR DANIEL WETTER
daniel.wetter@eyeofthetigernews.com
Brad Basham empezó su trabajo como director de la escuela secundaria de Roseville en 2006. Habia muchas complicaciones en este tiempo, crear una gran suma de responsabilidad para Basham. Los resultados de exámenes del estado estaba empeorando y había un desastre financio en el futuro cerca. A pesar de estos problemas, Basham pasó éxito en RHS. Por ejemplo, él contribuyo al desarrollo del programa de AVID que es un programa de demonstración en los Estados Unidos. Ahora, después ocho años en RHS, Basham está preparando para su reto próximo como un director de servicios personales en
la oficina del distrito. En general, él verá cosas del disciplino, asistencia, asesoramiento, atletismo y seguridad. Con la partida de Basham, RHS ahora no está seguro del director próximo. La escuela secundaria de Granite Bay en recientemente contrató un director nuevo porque el director actual Mike McGuire se jubilará después este año escolar. Por eso, el distrito ya tiene un grupo de candidatos. Habrá muchas reuniones de maestros, administradores, padres y estudiantes para planear y revisar los candidatos. Dos paneles darán una recomendación al superintendente Ron Severson que decidirá en final. Esta decisión puede venir en la empieza de mayo.
Una moda nueva de aprendizaje viene a RHS
POR ANDREW SMITH
andrew.smith@eyeofthetigernews.com
El primer año de bloque de Pre-AP Geografía/Inglés en la escuela secundaria de Roseville está ejecutando un proyecto que se usa en las escuelas de todo el país. Se llama 20 porcentaje y se está iniciando por primera vez en RHS. En este proyecto los profesores animan a los estudiantes a seguir una meta fuera de la clase y ofrece a los estudiantes el tiempo de clase seleccionados para trabajar. Los profesores proporcionan a los estudiantes con un 20 porcentaje de su tiempo de clase para trabajar en su proyecto. El proyecto está diseñado para promover la libertad y la creatividad de los estudiantes, mientras que el cumplimiento de su misión “Fomentar la autonomía, maestría y propósito.” La idea fue adaptado a las aulas
REPORTAJES
Bradley y Vaccaro encuentran un deporte en común
POR OLIVIA HILLMAN
olivia.hillman@eyeofthetigernews.com
Maestra de Positive Power Lisa Vaccaro y el consejero Jason Bradley de la escuela secundaria de Roseville han estado montando motos de cross desde la infancia. Vaccaro disfrutó quad -montar a caballo como una niña en el sur de Utah, pero decidió cambiar a una moto cuando se mudó a California y se enteró de que no había tantos senderos cuádruples. Ella eligió una moto Honda 250, que era demasiado grande para ella, su sustitución por una Honda 150 que era más su tamaño. Bradley se inspiró para empe-
por Kevin Brookhouser, un profesor en el Área de la Bahía de Monterey. Su objetivo era preparar a los estudiantes para el nuevo mundo del trabajo que él cree que es anhelo de la creatividad, y fue a través de esta toma de conciencia de que el 20 porcentaje se hizo. En el proyecto de los estudiantes tomaron en una amplia gama de objetivos de hacer una película, a la enseñanza de personas mayores en la comunidad de cómo manejar la tecnología. Inglés 9 maestra Deborah Sidler primero propuso llevar el proyecto a RHS. A pesar de los beneficios, una de las principales preocupaciones con un proyecto de esta magnitud es el tiempo y que va a tomar, lejos del resto del plan de estudios de la clase. Sidler reconoce esto, pero no cree que va a tener un impacto negativo. zar a montar a caballo como los miembros de su familia podrían hacer excursiones a las montañas con él como pasajero en el principio. Vaccaro recuerda que su padre finalmente lo que le permite andar por sí misma cuando era niña. Ella aprecia la sensación de libertad que le daba entonces, algo que ella siente los niños de hoy en ciudades como Roseville no siempre tienen la oportunidad de experimentar. Vaccaro y Bradley tratan de salir y viajar una vez a la semana, e incluso con más frecuencia en el verano. Ni Vaccaro ni Bradley ve el ciclismo de montaña como una actividad competitiva. “Esto nunca ha sido una cosa
Una bailarina de cultura compete en SacramenPOR HAYLEE SEX Y NEILSON POWLESS haylee.sex@eyeofthetigernews.com
Estudiante de último año Tapasya Gurumurthy abraza a su cultura y el patrimonio a través del baile. Gurumurthy ha estado bailando al estilo tradicional indio de la danza, Bharthanatyam, por unos 13 años. Sus lecciones primeras fueron en el garaje de su casa, con su madre como una maestra de baile. Gurumurthy participó en un concurso en 2007, televisado en una cadena india. Gurumurthy ha estado representando a la cultura y el patrimo-
DEPORTES
Softball universitario mantiene éxito POR MARISSA STONE
marissa.stone@eyeofthetigernews.com
El equipo universitario de softball de la escuela secundaria de Roseville tiene un record total de 14-3. Se quedaron invictos hasta la derrota por 2-1 de la semana pasada a la escuela secundaria de Woodcreek. Todas las jugadoras en el equipo han estado recibiendo en la base y ha sido muy consistente con su bateo. Con un récord de victorias excepcional, su principal objetivo en este momento es simplemente mantener la concentración y continuar con el trabajo. Las Tigres finalmente jugaron la escuela secundaria de Del Oro
nio en el área de Sacramento con su competición recientemente en el Natyanjali de Sacramento. El concurso fue diseñado para recaudar fondos para el centro culturo de Sri Siddhi Vinayaka en Sacramento. Gurumurthy también se presentó en un concurso en Sacramento en 2012. Se celebró por Sangeet Bharathi y Gurumurthy se llevó a casa el primer lugar. Gurumurthy acredita a su madre por haberla ayudado a desarrollar esta habilidad. Ahora baila tres veces durante la semana por una hora.
el jueves después de que se pospuso en dos ocasiones debido a la lluvia. Fue una victoria por 3-2 después de jugar dos entradas extras para las Tigres. En el partido más reciente en el viernes contra Rocklin las jugadoras perdieron 5-4.
Voleibol universitario queda en segundo lugar POR MARC CHAPPELLE
marc.chappelle@eyeofthetigernews.com
El equipo de voleibol universitario de la escuela secundaria de Roseville está experimentando éxito histórico. Registro general del equipo se sitúa actualmente en 19-4, con un récord de la liga de 2-1, lo que los pone en un empate por el segundo lugar con la escuela secundaria de Del Oro y Nevada Union. Los Grizzlies de escuela secundaria
Español
page 5
RHS planea para Matemáticas Integradas
POR SAMATHA PAUL
samantha.paul@eyeofthetigernews.com
El departamento de matemáticas de la escuela secundaria de Roseville está preparando para uno de los cambios más importantes que se produzcan a la educación matemática en los últimos años. RHS, junto con los de otras escuelas en el distrito de Roseville, está cambiando a un plan de estudios de Matemáticas Integradas este otoño. Casi todos los países además de los Estados Unidos usan la secuencia integrada, en la que los temas no están separados en materias como álgebra 1 y geometría, sino que se combinan de forma continua cada año. Según RHS maestra de álgebra
2 y cálculo AP Michelle Walton, el departamento de matemáticas se ha estado preparando para el cambio mediante la adopción de un nuevo libro de texto, asistir a las conferencias preparatorias y la utilización de los recursos en línea. Aunque el distrito está cambiando a Matemáticas Integradas, no todos los estudiantes se sentirán los efectos del cambio. Los estudiantes que están en las clases de álgebra 1, geometría y álgebra 2 terminarán a cabo la secuencia tradicional sobre sus años en la escuela secundaria. La clase entrante del 2018 se dividirá entre lo tradicional e la integrada, con los estudiantes más avanzados de álgebra 1 en la secuencia tradicional.
Exámenes SBAC traen cambios del horario POR NIKAYA SOUTHWORTH
nikaya.southworth@eyeofthetigernews.com
Los estudiantes de la escuela secundaria de Roseville tomarán los exámenes nuevos de Common Core que se llama el Consorcio de Evaluación Inteligente Balanceado (SBAC) en el 7 y 9 de abril. Se llevará a cabo durante el periodo primero y segundo alargado. El primer día de los exámenes
incluirá matemáticas de opción múltiple, y el segundo incluirá un tiempo para preparación del desempeño de tareas que los estudiantes tomarán en el tercer día. Cada día de las pruebas serán de un horario de rally, con las pruebas de continuar hasta el segundo período. Los maestros están perdiendo unos 5 días de tiempo de instrucción.
La sequía enseña efectivos en RJUHSD POR MARC CHAPPELLE
marc.chappelle@eyeofthetigernews.com
Como una responsa de la sequía en la región del valle centro, la ciudad de Roseville ahora requiere que los dueños residenciales y comerciales reducen su uso de agua por 20 porcentajes en el 24 de marzo. Además de esta, la ciudad requiere que clientes comerciales como RJUHSD reducen el uso de agua para la tierra por 30 porcentajes. competitiva para mí”, Bradley dijo. Sin embargo, Bradley hace apreciar el impulso del auto - mejora que viene con el ciclismo de montaña. Según él, el ciclismo de montaña es un reto tanto mental como físicamente. Mientras Vaccaro y Bradley disfrutan la libertad de viajar sola en el desierto o en terreno montañoso, también les gusta la experiencia de montar con los demás, amigos y el esposo de Vaccaro, Tom Vaccaro. Aunque Vaccaro siempre pensaba en bicicleta de la suciedad como un hobby, no competitivo, su marido ha sido patrocinada y acoge con beneplácito la competencia. A él le gusta ser capaz de compartir esta afición con su esposa.
Una familia apoya St. Baldrick’s POR SARAH LOOPER
sarah.looper@eyeofthetigernews.com
Los gemelos de primer año donaron su pelo para ayudar a las víctimas que luchan contra el cáncer. Abigail y Asher Roberts decidieron donar su pelo a una organización de cáncer del St. Baldrick después de estar inspirado por sus experiencias con los miembros de la familia que tienen cáncer. Abigail y Asher tienen un hermano mayor Ethan Roberts quien es una inspiración para muchos estudiantes que participaron en
de Granite Bay ocupan el primer lugar con un récord invicto en la liga. El equipo también ha bloqueado dos victorias en torneos, llegando al primer lugar tanto en los torneos de Nor-Cal y UC Davis. El equipo jugará Grass Valley esta noche a las 6 de la tarde.
Fútbol de chicas empieza liga con empate
POR DANIEL RYAN
daniel.ryan@eyeofthetigernews.com
Para abrir el juego de liga contra Granite Bay el equipo de fútbol universitario de las muchachas la escuela secundaria de Roseville vino con un récord de 4-1-4 en la pretemporada. Ningún equipo llegó a la cima en el partido de la temporada, con un empate de 0-0 contra Granite Bay.
Escuelas en el distrito cambiarán sus totales de agua para seguir las reglas nuevas. Por ejemplo, la escuela secundaria de Roseville usa 15 millón gallones de agua cada año. Granite Bay obtiene agua del lago Folsom que está pasando bajos históricos. El distrito no está regando el paisaje cada día y hay otros efectivos para los campos de deportes, pero todo ayudará terminar la sequía.
NOTICIAS
Merritt irá a Africa POR MARIAN ABDELMALEK
marian.abdelmalek@eyeofthetigernews.com
Estudiante de tercero año Alana Merritt viajará a Tanzania en Africa este verano como parte del programa Global Leadership Adventures. Este programa permite a los adolescentes a viajar a países diferentes de todo el año para ayudar a la comunidad. Durante su viaje del 22 de junio al 14 de julio Merritt será una voluntaria en los pueblos de la escuela local primaria, así como el funcionamiento de una guardería y jugar con y cuidar de los niños. Junto con los 15 voluntarios, Merritt y sus compañeros voluntarios estarán construyendo un aula y pintar una escuela en la aldea. Fundación del St. Baldrick. En 2013, Ethan Roberts fue diagnosticado con leucemia. La organización ayuda la investigación del cáncer de la caridad para ayudar a encontrar curas para niños con cáncer. La fundación recauda dinero para la investigación del cáncer infantil, principalmente a través de eventos de cabeza de afeitado en la que los patrocinadores donan dinero en nombre de los que se afeitan la cabeza. Ellos decidieron dar su pelo en el 10 de marzo. Fuera de su familia de nueve miembros, seis miembros donaron su pelo a la fundación.
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
Director de RHS Brad Basham habla de su decisión a avanzar a la oficina del distrito. Él piensa que esta oportunidad traerle más cerca de su meta a ser superintendente de RJUHSD. Basham tiene una gran suma de recuerdos en RHS y dice que siempre encanta la comunidad de RHS.
REPORTAJES
DE CORTESÍA GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ADVENTURES
Estudiante de tercero año Alana Merritt traerá su amor para servicio a Tanzania en Africa este verano. Aquí, ella trabajará con los esfuerzos de Global Leadership Adventures en las escuelas locales. También, ella tendrá la oportunidad a hacer turismo del montón de Kilimanjaro y otras aventuras.
DEPORTES
Después de la apertura de la liga con un empate a Granite Bay, las Tigres batallaron que atraviesa la ciudad rival Woodcreek. Las Tigres ganaron 1-0 para darles su primera victoria liguera del año. Más recientemente, el equipo ganó contra la escuela secundaria de Nevada Union. Para concluir la pretemporada, las niñas enfrentaron la escuela de Natomas con una victoria 5-0.
Béisbol mejora en liga POR NICK SAPP
nick.sapp@eyeofthetigernews.com
El equipo de béisbol de Roseville abrió la liga contra Granite Bay en la semana pasada. Antes del partido Sierra Foothills de la Liga, los Tigres de RHS registró un récord de 2-6 pretemporada. Los Tigres ganaron dos veces contra Granite Bay, 5-3 y 1-0.
ROBBIE SHORT EYE OF THE TIGER
Dos jugadores de voleibol saltan para el balón durante el partido contra la escuela secundaria de Rocklin en el miércoles pasado en casa. La entrenadora Cindy Simon cree que la actitud de construcción positiva contribuye mucho a su éxito este temporada.
page 6 | sponsored
april 7, 2014
In 2013, 43 Californians lost their lives after illegally crossing the rails. The state with the next most? Texas, with 20. Find out what Union Pacific is doing to change those numbers at oli.org.
(Public service announcement sponsored by Union Pacific)
GRAPHIC BY HANA ZAREA TEXT BY ROBBIE SHORT
Features
april 7, 2014
page 7
Junior to spend summer volunteering in Africa by MARIAN ABDELMALEK
marian.abdelmalek@eyeofthetigernews.com
Junior Alana Merritt has always wanted to help others. She lives by Mark Twain’s quote, “The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer someone else up,” doing so by traveling across the world. Merritt Merritt’s passion in living by Twain’s quotes is leading her to Tanzania, in Africa, where she will be helping those living in an underprivileged village. “I know that if I’m constantly helping other people, then I’ll never be sad,” Merritt said. “I want to make my mark in the world and I want to leave the world a better place, and if I don’t do that to the best of my ability, then I won’t feel fulfilled by the time I get old.” Merritt is embarking on her trip with the Global Leadership Adventurers program, a program that allows teens to travel to different countries year-round to help in the community. The program is like a branch of a teenage peace corps, which allows people to pay to volunteer in community service abroad. Given the options of going to Thailand, Bali, Morocco or South Africa, Merritt decided that Tanzania was both the safest and best option. “I love African culture so much and I’ve always wanted to go to Africa, and I hope to go a ton in my life, not just this one time,” Merritt said. “So it was really exciting for me and it was one of my top choices.” During her trip from June 22 to July 14, Merritt will be volunteering in the school’s villages, teaching and tutoring elementary school students, as well as running a daycare and playing with and taking care of children. “I’m really looking forward to teaching the kids and spending quality time with them,” Merritt said. Merritt will be accompanied by approximately 15 other volunteers, all of them working together to help a poor village
and schools low on teaching staff and funding. Along with communicating with and teaching the students, Merritt and her fellow volunteers will be building a classroom and painting a school in the village. “I’m looking forward to seeing the progress from arriving and having nothing to leaving and having a painted classroom and just seeing the physical process of everything,” Merritt said. Merritt’s counselor, Philomena Crone, noticed the passion in from her eyes when she first told Crone about the trip. “I’m just so impressed that she has the courage to do that at such a young age and she’s so passionate about it,” Crone said. “When she talked about it to me she just had, like, a twinkle in her eye. From my perspective as a counselor it’s so fun to see a student when they find something that they’re so interested in and passionate about and how it relates to her future.” After working with the students all day, the volunteers will do community service in the village for an hour every day, the night ending with drum circles. “I’m most looking forward to the drum circles, the dresses and meeting the people who live in
Africa and hearing their stories of what life is like for them,” Merritt said. Throughout her journey in Africa, Merritt will also be given the chance to experience Africa’s environment. The volunteers will be working five days a week and the weekend will be dedicated to excursions. The group will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa, then going on a safari and staying with a group of nomads for 24 hours to learn about their culture. Merritt is looking forward to learning about African culture, as well as gaining experience for her future aspirations. “I want to do this as a career,” Merritt said. “I want to travel to other countries and help develop in any way I can whether that be education, engineering or building water wells and stuff. So, I need to get as much experience being a volunteer before I apply to be a director for one of these programs.” Merritt’s father, Sheridan Mahoney-Merritt, realizes the great impact that this trip will have on his daughter. “As a parent, I’m a little bit nervous, but mostly I’m excited because I think it will be a wonderful adventure that she’ll think
back on probably her entire life,” Mahoney-Merritt said. “[The trip] will probably have an impact on the kind of person she is for the rest of her life, so I think it may be kind of a life-changing adventure, so I’m willing to deal with the nervousness of being a parent and trust that everything will be fine. Merritt is looking forward to embracing the fashion, trying new foods and being open-minded to other cultures and is not worried about having a culture shock. “I don’t think I’m going to have a hard time with the change in culture because I love traveling, because I love experiencing other cultures, and I’m usually very accepting and open-minded of others, so I think it’s gonna be easy for me,” Merritt said. “I think that I’m gonna be able to go with the flow and enjoy being in a new world and new environment.” Both Crone and Sheridan Mahoney-Merrit hope that after this trip, Merritt will want to continue pursuing her career goals. Through this trip, Merritt wants to not only help the community and pursue her career; she hopes to leave a moral impact on those she meets.
COURTESY GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ADVENTURERS
COURTESY USAMBARA EXPEDITIONS
Merritt will travel to Tanzania this summer to help volunteer in an underprivileged village near Mt. Kilimanjaro. She hopes to learn about African culture and gain experience for her future career goals. “[When I come back] I want to say that I made some kind of an impact on them, that maybe the group – our kindness –because we’re traveling across the world to help them, will inspire them to continue to be kind in the people their community and hopefully we will be able to give
them a new approach to education and learning,” Merritt said. “I hope that they take that and continue their education with that inspiration and just to kind of show them a little bit of what Americans are like and hopefully leave a good impression on how Americans are like.”
Senior Lindsay Anderson Junior Nicole Kern loves sandals and gold jewelry receives CIF scholarship FASHION COLUMN
by MARIAN ABDELMALEK
marian.abdelmalek@eyeofthetigernews.com
How would you describe your style? I really like summertime clothes, like crochet and jean, and I really like an army green, camo kinds of colors with accents of gold jewelry. Not like laid-back, but not in a totally hipster style, but kind of in between. I like a lot of the surf kind of brands, so kind of a southern California look Who inspires your style? Well I’d say that my mom inspires me on a lot of my fashion because she gives me a lot of fashion ideas and what I can pair together and what looks the best on me. But for a certain celebrity, I would just say kind of like, not completely, but a Kylie and Kendall Jenner look, but somewhere along those lines in more of toned-down way of what they do. Maybe even like Miley Cyrus a couple years ago, when she didn’t freak out with her style. What colors do you like wearing? I like colors that work with my hair and my skin color. Like army greens and I really like the jean color and white, and I really like a royal blue and maroon as well. What do you think your style trademark is? I think people would recognize me by with how I pair my outfits with my hair. I would normally go with a royal blue with straight
ROBBIE SHORT EYE OF THE TIGER
The California Interscholastic Federation awarded Anderson the Dale Lackey Scholarship for her athletic and academic success. by breanna weinberg
breanna.weinberg@eyeofthetigernews.com
hair and like an army green with a curly hair. What are some of your favorite fashion pieces? I really really like dresses with like a cute sweater and gold accents, so like gold jewelry with curly hair and a perfect sandal – more like a gladiator sandal that elongates your legs because it comes up over your ankle. I think the key to a good outfit is really the perfect shoe because the shoe really ties it together, and when you pair the jewelry with it, it makes or breaks the outfit. What kind of brands do you like? I like really anything from PacSun, anything that’s Roxy or Billabong or O’Neil, anything along those lines because the bo-ho chic kind of SoCal look. American Eagle, sometimes even
the Hollister or Abercrombie brands when they have, not the logos on them, but a cute sweater or a crochet top. What kind of shoes do you prefer? I prefer sandals – all day, every day. I love flip flops, any type of sandal, even in the winter. What are some trends you’ve noticed around school? The Converse trend, everyone loves Converse. I never thought before that they would go cute with dresses with a cute cardigan or high-waisted skirt with a crop top. They are so cute ... Also, I think anything that’s high-waisted with a large cardigan. Large cardigans are huge right now. Do you have any fashion advice? I would say just be yourself with your style and find what
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
Kern wears a floral dress with a cardigan, gladiator sandals and gold accessories. She believes that her shoes tie together the whole
makes you comfortable, what you like, ‘cause you’re wearing the clothes, no one else is. So, when you go to the store and you ask someone’s opinion, “Do you think this looks cute on me?,” if you feel cute in it and you feel great, you should get that because you’re wearing it every day, not someone else. And feel comfortable in what you’re wearing.
Senior Lindsay Anderson recently received the Dale Lackey Scholarship for her hard work as a student athlete. Dale Lackey was the SacJoaquin section president from 1966-1978, and was the section’s first California Interscholastic Federation state president from 1978-80. The Dale Lackey Scholarship allows each school in the CIF to nominate one male and one female student from each school. The nominated student may then apply for the scholarship, and one female student and one male student are chosen from each league. The chosen students are then granted a certain amount of money and are put in the running to receive more money if they are chosen as the winner over the entire section.
“I felt really honored to be nominated,” Anderson said. “When I found out I won one of the higher scholarships, I was really surprised, because I know there are a lot of amazing student athletes throughout the section.” Anderson received $1,000 in scholarship money for being selected for the Sierra Foothills League, and many Roseville staff members believe she is very deserving of the scholarship. “I can’t think of a better deserving person,” said Josh Errecart, Anderson’s varsity basketball coach. “I know the scholarship well and I know what Lindsay has done, in terms of academics and sports, so I can’t think of a better candidate.” The winners will be awarded their scholarship money and a medal at a breakfast banquet in Lodi, where the CIF headquarters are located.
page 8 | features
april 7, 2014
Students, staff find rush riding the dirt
COURTESY JASON BRADLEY, KYLEIGH RHODES AND LISA VACCARO
Junior Kyleigh Rhodes and sophomore Kodey Orth both participate in dirt-biking competitions outside of school, whereas teacher Lisa Vaccaro and counselor Jason Bradley enjoy riding simply for fun and stress relief.
Bradley, Vaccaro enjoy biking for relaxation Junior, sophomore ride by olivia hillman
olivia.hillman@eyeofthetigernews.com
Roseville High School Positive Power teacher Lisa Vaccaro and counselor Jason Bradley have been riding dirt bikes since they were kids. Vaccaro enjoyed quad-riding as a child in southern Utah, but decided to switch to a dirt bike when she moved to California and learned there were not as many quad trails available. She started off with a Honda 250 bike, which was too large for her, replacing it with a Honda 150 that was more her size. Bradley was inspired to begin riding as his family members would take trips to the mountains, with him as a passenger in the beginning. “We would go up to the mountains for three, four days at a time, and everyone would have quads or dirt bikes, and we would go on these really fun rides, and then eventually I was old enough to the point where I could ride my own,” Bradley said. “That’s what got me into it: just being around family who had a passion for going out and riding, and experiencing the wilderness.”
Vaccaro remembers her dad eventually allowing her to ride by herself when she was growing up. She appreciated the sensation of freedom it gave her then, being able to ride freely through the desert and exploring, something she feels kids today in cities like Roseville do not always have the chance to experience. “When I was about seven, he would let me take them out in the desert by myself, then I would go exploring in the desert,” Vaccaro said. “I would ride all day until I ran out of gas.” Currently, Vaccaro has one bike, and her husband has two, including one of Vaccaro’s childhood bikes that he is trying to have refurbished. According to Bradley, he has had between eight and ten bikes over his lifetime, though not all at once. There have been times when he had both a quad and a dirt bike, but not multiple bikes at once. Both Vaccaro and Bradley try to get out and ride about once a week, and even more often in the summertime. They realize that it is difficult to squeeze in time for their
hobby with work during the week, but the weekends are ideal for their dirt biking adventures. However, according to Bradley, it gets really hot high up in the mountains during the summer, which can make dirt biking hard for extended periods during those months. Neither Vaccaro nor Bradley see dirt biking as a competitive activity. They both have used dirt biking as an experience for fun family time and relaxation away from stresses, while still being able to challenge themselves to improve in their hobby. “This has never been a competitive thing for me,” Bradley said. “There are days where the tracks are open, like in Prairie City, or Mammoth Bar in Auburn, and I will go and race with other people that just happen to be there that day, so more informal races [than competitions].” However, Bradley does appreciate the drive for self-improvement that comes with dirt biking. He continually tries to improve on his own skills, though not in professional races against other people. According to him, dirt biking
is a challenge both mentally and physically. “I like that there’s a little competition – I’m not competitive with other people when I go, because I’m not on a track, although I like riding on tracks – but you’re always trying to push yourself, go faster, try different types of trails, more aggressive terrain,” Bradley said. While Vaccaro and Bradley enjoy the freedom of riding alone in the desert or mountainous terrain, they also like the experience of riding with each other, friends and Vaccaro’s husband, Tom Vaccaro. Though Vaccaro always thought of dirt biking as just a hobby, not a competitive sport, her husband has been sponsored in races and welcomes competition. He likes being able to share this hobby with his wife. “[My] favorite part about us riding together is the fact that it is something we can do together that is fun and exciting,” Tom Vaccaro said. “[I] also think it is cool to watch [my wife] ride and improve from week to week – to be able to conquer obstacles that [she] struggled with before.”
for thrill of competition by SYDNEY VALENZUELA
sydney.valenzuela@eyeofthetigernews.com
Junior Kyleigh Rhodes and sophomore Kodey Orth share a common interest of spending weekends on the dirt track. The two Roseville High School students both race dirt bikes across the country, the former having won a national title in her division for her efforts. In addition to her national title, Rhodes also won a district title in her division and was bumped into the B-Women racing class, which is a class faster than what she raced before. Rhodes competed in her first race on March 31 after having to sit out for a time due to her breaking her collarbone. “It was nice to be back,” Rhodes said. Both racers race in a club called District 36. “We’ve been riding together for a long time,” Orth said. Both racers started when they were young. Rhodes began riding when she was seven and began racing when she was nine. Her father and younger sister race as
well. Orth began racing at age four, after his father introduced him. Rhodes finds the sport thrilling, enjoying the high adrenaline and speeds. “I like the adrenaline rush,” Rhodes said. “It’s just really fun and it’s just the sport I fell in love with. It’s different.” Orth also enjoys the high adrenaline of racing. “I like going fast and jumping and all that stuff,” Orth said. The sport takes a lot of dedication and has taken away from Rhodes’ schooling at times. With practice every week to gear for races over the weekend, Rhodes has little free time between racing and school. “I don’t have any free time at all,” Rhodes said. “I had to miss a few days [of school] when I was in Montana racing.” In addition to Montana, Rhodes has also traveled to Oregon and Arizona for races. Both Rhodes and Orth plan on continuing dirt biking. Rhodes has plans to continue racing professionally.
Roberts twins shave heads for St. Gurumurthy embraces heritage Baldrick’s to support brother Ethan by NEILSON POWLESS and HAYLEE SEX
neilson.powless@eyeofthetigernews.com
by SARAH LOOPER
sarah.looper@eyeofthetigernews.com
Two Roseville High School freshmen recently donated their hair to help cancer patients. Abigail and Asher Roberts decided to donate their hair to the St. Baldrick’s cancer organization after being inspired by their experiences with family members having cancer. Abigail and Asher’s older brother, junior Ethan Roberts, is an inspiration to many students who participated in the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Early last year, Ethan Roberts was diagnosed with leukemia. The organization is a cancer charity funding research to help find cures for children with cancer. The foundation raises money for childhood cancer research primarily through head-shaving events in which sponsors donate money in the name of those who shave their head. They made the decision to donate their hair on March 10. “I [was inspired] by my older brother Ethan and my grandfather who both have cancer,” Abigail Roberts said. Abigail Roberts took the first seat, being the first one of the two to get her haircut. “I donated 16 inches of braided hair but there was a bit more shaved off,” Abigail Roberts said. Out of their family of nine, six members donated their hair to the foundation. “My mom, dad, two brothers, Asher and Wesley, my sister Katie and myself all participated,”
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
Asher and Abigail Roberts were inspired to donate their hair to the cancerfighting organization after seeing their brother battle the disease. Abigail Roberts said. Ethan Roberts believes his family made an inspiring choice to donate their hair. “I think it’s really cool what they are doing,” Ethan Roberts said. “It’s not just our family it’s a lot of other families too and I think it is really cool that they show their support for other families and not just ours.” Asher Roberts felt he should donate his hair for other families that go through struggles of coping with cancer. “Kids all over are getting cancer and to make more people aware of this would be grand,” Asher Roberts said. “And what better way than participate in head shaving.” Abigail Roberts is focusing
on the idea of what donating her hair meant, rather than her own appearance or opinion of others. “I am fine,” Abigail Roberts said. “I don’t really care what others think of my appearance. [I have] no regrets.” The process only took approximately five minutes, but Abigail Roberts felt the shock after removing such a large amount of hair. “It’s really hard to tell the shock of seeing my head in such a state combined with the lack of weight on my head made myself giggle uncontrollably,” Abigail Roberts said. “I suppose I felt baffled and good because I knew what I had done with my hair and what type of people were going to receive it.”
Senior Tapasya Gurumurthy dances for more than just fun – she also does it to celebrate her heritage. Gurumurthy has been dancing a traditional Indian style of dance, Bharthanatyam, for approximately 13 years. “She is well-trained now and choreographs dances for performances all by herself,” Gurumurthy’s mother, Sangha Gurumurthy said. Her first lessons were in her home’s garage, with her mother giving her lessons. “Her passion and love towards dance from that day until today is something beyond words to express,” Sangha Gurumurthy said. “I, as her teacher, love her attitude of never giving up her practice until she reaches perfection.” Gurumurthy’s dancing has moved outside her home and traveled to the television of people in India. Gurumurthy was involved in a competition in 2007, televised on an Indian network. “It was just on TV,” Gurumurthy said. “It wasn’t like a specific program or anything.” Gurumurthy has been representing her culture and heritage in the Sacramento area as well, recently competing in the Sacramento Natyanjali. The competition was designed to raise money for the Sri Siddhi Vinayaka Cultural Center temple in Sacramento. Gurumurthy also performed at a competition held at a temple in Sacramento in 2012. It was held
COURTESY SANGHA GURUMURTHY
Gurumurthy has practiced the traditional Indian dance style of Bharthanatyam for more than 13 years and regularly enters in competitions. by Sangeet Bharathi, and Gurumurthy took home first place. “I got first place [in the competition],” Gurumurthy said. “I competed with a lot of other dance schools and I ended up winning.” Gurumurthy credits her mom for helping her develop this skill. “I’m under the guidance of my mom,” Gurumurthy said. “She is a dance teacher and has been my dance teacher since I was four.”
She used to attend her dance classes twice a week for an hour, but now dances three times a week for an hour. Gurumurthy enjoys both the health benefits and feelings that arise from dancing “I like how it’s good for your body, and knowing that you are doing something good, it makes it feel really good, and considering the fact that I’ve been dancing since I was four,” Gurumurthy said. “It’s just built in.”
O pinion Being a politically unaware generation is disabling april 7, 2014
BY SAMANTHA PAUL
samantha.paul@eyeofthetigernews.com
Teenagers are stereotypically known as self-centered beings, focused entirely on themselves, worrying only about what has a palpable effect on their personal routines. While as a teenager myself, I may be biased, I do not agree wholeheartedly with this statement. I do however feel that this assertion is not entirely false. No, not all teenagers are only concerned with their own affairs, but most ignore the big scheme of things when it comes to current events and political issues. Significant amounts of teenagers devote more attention to the Kardashian family or the latest SportsCenter update, rather than what executive orders President Barack Obama is enacting. I am not saying that it is wrong to be uninterested in politics; I do not always want to read what Congress is working on or hear what Obama has to say. Politics can be boring, and most people that are under 18 feel that current laws and bills do not apply to them. I can totally see this,
page 9
and I somewhat agree. Politicians do not go out of their way to appeal to the younger generation. However, it is not prudent to ignore politics entirely. Political affairs may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but deliberately remaining unaware of how our government works will eventually lead to the destruction of our country. It is necessary for America’s youth and teenage population to educate themselves on how our government works and what politics are about now. In order for our country to function efficiently in the future, it is entirely necessary for America’s youth and teenage population to be politically educated. As it is, there are thousands of people in America who make uneducated decisions when voting. If we continue to add to an already large population that is uneducated on issues like abortion, gay rights, marijuana usage and gun regulation, our country will not succeed. If our generation only adds to this population, how will we make any positive changes within our country? There are many ways that we can solve this issue. First, taking a government class truly helps educate students on what government is all about. Before taking AP Government, I truly did not have a clear sense of what our government did for our country. While I did understand basic political ideas, my knowledge did not extend to the in-depth details. It is extremely important for students to not only become
MICHAELA PAUL EYE OF THE TIGER
educated about government in a senior year government class, but that students keep up to date with current events. Whether it be browsing a news website for five minutes, or watching the news in the morning before you leave the house. Understanding what is going on in the world is necessary in order to understand current politics. Another reason that youth needs to be educated about politics is that it will allow people
to make their own decisions regarding political parties. Many people in America base their political identity only from what they have learned in their own homes, without making an effort to understand critiques of that view. If we continue to have thousands of people voting based only on what their parents have told them about politics, nothing will change in our country. Even if your parents are hardcore conservatives, make an ef-
fort to read about liberal ideals. If you are taught to be entirely liberal, look into conservative views. On every issue, look into both sides. If teenagers do not educate themselves on what political parties represent, they could end up identifying themselves as Democrat or Republican simply because their parents did. Being hard-headed about issues only because you know someone who felt the same way will not benefit anyone in the end.
Ultimately, I know that while politics may not be interesting to every teenager, learning about them is vital for our country. Whether or not you plan to become a political leader, understanding how politics work will ultimately help our country succeed. What I am trying to say is pay attention in your government class, and make decisions about issues on your own. As cheesy as it is, our generation truly is the future of American politics.
“Skinny-shaming” Hemingway rolling over in grave at contradicts true Twitter-going pseudoliterary elitists body acceptance
BY NETZY ORTEGA
netzy.ortega@eyeofthetigernews.com
Spring is finally here, and with it comes the exciting task of shopping for clothes to better fit the warmer weather. While this is a time I normally looked forward to after months of being drowned in layers, it’s been hard to go and buy what I want without fearing certain comments from people if I were to wear what I wanted. I spent my winter avoiding the sugary treats at holiday parties, exercising so that I would be warm and simply just sleeping more. As a result, I lost quite a bit of weight. That being said, I did not receive the response most would expect to get. Surprisingly, I was exposed to something I like to call “skinny-shaming” for the first time in my life. While I genuinely learned to enjoy eating healthy, others around me simply saw weight loss and took it upon themselves to tell me to constantly eat every kind of junk food they could name. I got comments telling me that I should be eating more and put on weight simply because I was not at the weight I was before. The comments varied from “go eat a hamburger” to “your arms are too skinny, they look gross.” If that wasn’t bad enough, they also targeted the touchy subject that is boys by saying things like “real men love curves.” These comments came from people who would, ironically, constantly tell others to love
their body, but they always seemed to fail to include everyone in this preaching of body acceptance with comments like “embrace your curves.” Body acceptance was surrounded around the idea that most women were not only curvy, but that being thin should not be your goal. I would be fine with people encouraging others to not aim for something unhealthy if it didn’t mean insulting those who were in fact naturally thin or have achieved it through healthy eating and exercise, rather than other means of doing so. It seems like it’s become more and more socially acceptable to put down those who are bit smaller than everyone else. Comments on someone’s thin appearance are not considered degrading to most, and if people recognize the fact that they still hurt, most find it hard to accept that they can hurt just as much. The excuses often range from saying that being thinner automatically makes you be treated better by society, to comments saying that you can hide your size while someone larger cannot. It’s really upsetting that people believe these crazy generalizations and don’t simply accept that we are all just human beings with the same ability to be hurt by the comments we may get. I am very happy that it’s no longer as acceptable to insult someone in a public space because they are large. I think the same should apply not only to them, but to not insulting anyone regardless of what size they are. We all face pressure to be one thing or another; something as superficial as our bodies should not be added to the list. People need to realize that the bodies of others are none of their business, period. And if they are going to take on this role of being all about embracing your body, that means truly accepting every kind of body out there.
BY ROBBIE SHORT
robbie.short@eyeofthetigernews.com
About a month and a half ago, I took the plunge and did something I told myself I would never do: I made a Twitter. I did so for a variety of reasons, foremost among them a desire to no longer feel like a 17-year-old geriatric patient. Though I’ve long been aware of the site’s omnipresence (and omnipotence) among people my age, it took the decline of Facebook for me to realize that it was something I should consider getting personally involved with. And so I did, and the learning curve has been steep, to say the least. I still haven’t picked up much of the dialect – because the vernacular of Twitter truly seems to represent a language unto itself – nor have I yet learned how to do some basic things, like initiate a direct message, but I think I’m starting to get the hang of the whole “tweeting” thing (as my 67 – and counting! – followers well know). However, enthralled as I’m sure anyone reading this must be by the tale of my forays into the world of 21st-century digital communication, this article really isn’t meant to be about me making a Twitter, but rather to be about what I’ve seen on the site since I did – something that can only be described as the haughty proselytizing of a sizable collection of faux-English majors. My exposure to the phenomenon first began with a single action – one of my followee’s retweeting of a quote from 1989’s
classic “Dead Poet’s Society” about the various black sins and devil’s incantations associated with using the word “very”. Curiosity piqued – and having never personally seen the movie – I decided to look into the quote a bit. A cursory review of the film’s IMDb page gave me the context of the words – said by a fictional high school English teacher as part of a lecture on the need to be specific and descriptive in one’s writing. According to the character, “very” represents the vagueness that will eventually bring along the untimely end of proper English literature (and probably humanity itself). Sarcasm aside, I need to give the teacher credit where he’s due: Being specific and descriptive in one’s writing is a good thing, and I do think the best measure of a writer is how easily he or she is able to let the reader understand exactly what they mean to get at. Be too vague, and your personal voice is lost – your essay, your speech, your article turns into something that anyone could have written, instead of being something only you could write. That being said, it’s a good thing this teacher is fictional. Banishing a word from one’s vocabulary simply because it is “common” – simply because it is a word preschool students use to describe how hungry they are, a word kindergarteners use to describe how fast their new shoes make them run – is at once foolish and elitist. (One could even say very foolish and very elitist.) Though the character in question – who goes by Mr. Keating and may be, judging by an online summary of the film, one of the most appreciated teachers of all time – may not feel exactly that way, there is this belief I sometimes feel persists among my classmates – this idea that the quality of a piece of writing can be defined by how many polysyllabic words it contains and by how often the author had to check a thesaurus to find a synonym for “exemplifies.” Too often the
first question asked of a student known to receive high grades in English classes is, “You probably use a lot of big words, right?” This is a phenomenon likely influenced by the remnants of a grade school fascination with using the biggest dictionary words you could find to impress your teacher – of pulling out strings of letters numbering eight or more while all the other kids were stuck at six. It’s also, probably, a situation created by the stereotypical image of intelligence deeply ingrained within each of us – the image of that boy or girl equipped with glasses and a pencil, holding book in hand, spewing out complexsounding esotericisms like “quotidian,” “vertiginous” and, well, “esotericism.” This is the standard we have set for what intelligence looks like – and, thanks to the trickle-down effect, what good writing looks like. Use a bunch of big words and you’re bound to come off as brilliant – use “very,” on the other hand, and you better hope Sierra still has a spot for you. Despite the flaws in that line of thought, it does have one redeeming nugget of truth – that being that smarter people generally tend to have more comprehensive vocabularies than those individuals with lower intelligence (however you want to define that abstract concept). This is mostly the result of a high correlation between intelligence levels and reading levels – smarter people usually read more words, and so usually have more at their disposal to use while speaking, thinking or writing. However, the existence of big words within a person’s vernacular does not in any way preclude his or her use of “little” ones. That I know 18 synonyms for “fast” doesn’t mean I’m not going to use that particularly “mundane” word to describe how quickly I ran to make it to Lollicup before closing time last Thursday – I might even say it was very fast. (Any random pedestrians who saw me can at-
test to the alacrity with which my feet moved – and to the inelegance with which I tripped over the curb.) Ernest Hemingway, one of the preeminent American writers of the 20th century, was known for nearly nothing but his simplified style and language (well, and also all the drinking and philandering, but I digress.) In fact, during a presentation at the University of Mississippi in the 1940s, William Faulkner, another American writer from the period, delivered one of the sickest literary burns of all time when he said that, among his contemporaries, Hemingway ranked only fourth, for “he [had] never been known to use a word that might cause the reader to check with a dictionary to see if it is properly used.” (Side note: On that same list, Faulkner placed himself second, behind only Thomas Wolfe. Bet he never used the word “very.”) Despite the criticism from Faulkner – who went on to apologize to and befriend Hemingway – the 1954 Nobel committee decided to award the author what is arguably the highest honor available to men and women of his craft: the Nobel Prize in Literature, as strong a testimony as any against the modern condemnation of simplistic writing. Though Hemingway would from there spiral into a crippling, booze-fueled depression (not to mention liver failure) that would eventually end in his self-inflicted death in 1961, his influence on modern English is still widely felt by aspiring writers today. Of particular note is his “theory of omission” – also known as the Iceberg Theory, it says that the true meaning of a story should not be evident from its base elements (including its diction), but should, rather, lie beneath the surface like the dangerous part of an iceberg. I don’t know a lot about literary theory, but I do know something about icebergs. They’re supposed to be very big.
opinion | page 10
april 7, 2014
Rivalry charity game shows room for more BY FOUAD EL-CHEMALI
fouad.elchemali@eyeofthetigernews.com
Was it just me, or was the past Roseville High School vs. Woodcreek High School staff basketball game a raging success? From the cause, to the game, to the atmosphere, the night never failed to excite. It is always great to do something when you know it is for a good cause, and for hundreds of students and parents to come out and support the Me-1 Cancer-0 Foundation as a community was amazing. The event raised over $4,000 and did so while allowing teachers to compete with our number-one rival in one last heart-pounding game. The vibe from the game was amazing in itself. People discussed the game throughout the day in school, and people had plans of what they were doing before and after the game already. The usual rivalry tweets also made an appearance on my Twitter feed the day of, and even a few days prior. It really felt like a legitimate basketball game. The day of the game, I left my house around 6 p.m. and was expecting to see a semi-full parking lot, not too much of an issue
when it came to parking. However, once I turned the corner, I was met with cars parked all the way up and down the street. People were getting out of their cars dressed from head to toe in their school colors, and I liked what I was seeing. I then went and paid for my ticket, and when I opened the doors to the gym, two crowds were filling up the bleachers. I turn to my right and see hundreds of Woodcreek kids dressed in black, and turn to my left to see even more Roseville students smothered in orange and black. Teachers then came out of the locker rooms, and everyone got on their feet and there were even tunnels and music. The lights turned off, the teachers were announced and the stadium erupted. Halftime saw a series of events, including a dance battle and a half-court shootout between five fans from each school. Unfortunately, like everything involving basketball for Roseville this year, Woodcreek won both the dance battle and half-court shootout, and ended up winning the staff game. Although we topped off our season with three losses against Woodcreek, this staff game was truly unique and special. Such a beneficial type of event should occur every once in a while. We could have anything from a varsity basketball game to even a turtle race, and the energy between the schools would still be high and competitive. This past staff game was too much fun, from the atmosphere right down the people themselves. It was an event that meant a lot, and an example of how a rivalry can be beneficial.
Focus on academics rather than overall education tragic BY KATELYN ROLEN
katelyn.rolen@eyeofthetigernews.com
As the end of the year and AP tests are approaching, something has become ever so clear to me about our education system, an epiphany if you will. School is not about learning – it is about getting good grades. Just let that sink in for a moment. Do we come to school eager to absorb some knowledge that we didn’t have previously? Not really. We come here because we want that A in AP Environmental Science. We come here because we want to be able to get into the college of our dreams. We don’t come here because we feel that it’s important to sit through the lessons that we do, or that we’re truly learning anything completely new or useful. So why are we even here if it’s not to learn? We aren’t here to learn; we’re here because it’s the law. To be blatantly honest, I think I can get by in my life without knowing the quadratic formula to the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” or knowing what one half of one fifth is. News flash, to all those math teachers that try to convince you that you need fractions for cooking, the tablespoons and cups are labeled for you, thank you very much. So to those math teachers and all teachers in gen-
eral who tell you, “You’re here to learn” to get you to be quiet, you can find solace in the fact that cooking utensils are labeled and that if it weren’t for the law, you probably wouldn’t be here. Schools need you to look good. I know that I, for one, have been pressured to take AP tests, and I’m sure that I’m not the only one. I sat and thought, “Why do they care so much about a test that doesn’t even directly affect my grade?” and then I realized – the more AP scores that come in, preferably in the 4-5 range, the better the school’s reputation. So, maybe just a little bit of that pressure from the school isn’t for your own educational benefit, maybe more for the show of it all? We have all had busy work. Ever wonder why? I have. When looking at this type of work, they tend to be lengthy but unchallenging and sometimes even irrelevant to current lessons. Though I’m not really sure about this, I think there has to be a certain amount of gradable material within the gradebook, a certain unspoken quota that has to be filled. Kind of crazy, but it almost makes sense as to why we sometimes have piles of things to do that don’t matter. So from pressures of tests to things that you will honestly never use, ask any adult that isn’t an a teacher. I think that school is a lot less about education than it is perceived to and should be. I think a lot of school is about the grades because they reflect upon the school itself, and the student as an individual is at times a second priority to the reputation of the school and the glow of administrators. However, this isn’t just a truth for RHS; sadly, it’s an unspoken rule at any high school.
MICHAELA PAUL EYE OF THE TIGER
Double standards still persist for fans of different genders, interests BY MARIAN ABDELMALEK
marian.abdelmalek@eyeofthetigernews.com
Obsessed. A word that is so often thrown around when describing something a girl likes. She likes a band? She’s obsessed. Likes a show? Obsessed. But, if a guy likes a sporting team or video game, he’s simply “interested.” Now, I’m not saying everyone is like this and I am not trying to stereotype, but in my personal experience, I am somehow obsessed with the current thing I am talking about with others. Girls are constantly seen as these obsessive human beings, who merely craze over everything and everyone they like. Take for instance, celebrities. It’s very common a for a girl to have her favorite boy band or actor as the wallpaper on her phone, but somehow that is seen as much worse than guy who has Mila Kunis or his favorite
sports team as his wallpaper. What is the difference exactly? Nothing. Both sexes appreciate the work the celebrity is producing and both could find them attractive. However, if I think Theo James or Zac Efron are attractive, why am I considered obsessed? And more importantly, why is a guy who thinks the same thing about Megan Fox not? He’s just attracted to her. The last time I checked, obsessed means a particular thing or person that fills up the mind of someone continuously, and by the means of most of the girls who think Theo James is easy on the eyes, they did not go see Divergent for him. Don’t believe me when I say this? Well, as I was sitting in the movie theater next to one of my guy friends waiting patiently for Divergent to start, the trailer for The Maze Runner came on. I slightly leaped out of my seat, my excitement was blamed on the pure fact that one of my favorite actors, Dylan O’Brien, is the leading role, and the fact that I read the book and absolutely loved it was ignored and pushed aside for only being attracted to O’Brien. I was suddenly seen as another “obsessive” girl who liked things because of someone’s looks, but the truly ironic thing was when the trailer for Noah came on, Emma
Watson introducing it, to the same boy who just looked at me weirdly seconds before commented, “I’m gonna see that because she’s in it.” Believe me now? Now I’m not saying every guy has this kind of mindset, but I am quite shocked when they don’t. It’s merely the fact that it occurs beyond the walls of the cinema and into activities and interests. A girl should be allowed to like video games as much as a guy is without being called or labeled as “obsessed.” A girl should be allowed to like an actor for something other than his looks. A girl should be allowed to like whoever and whatever she wants and not be written off as “crazy” or “obsessed.” Girls should not be seen as obsessive if they stand up for something they like. This does not by any means justify the people sticking up for Justin Bieber when he got his DUI. My point is, my whole Twitter timeline for about a week after the NFL Championship game was filled with Kaepernick and Sherman, and did I call those people obsessed or crazed because they were upset about something? No, because it’s okay to want to defend and stand up for something you like. If a girl is upset about people offending
her favorite boy band, TV show, book, or video game, it’s not okay to write her off as obsessed, because if you ever defended your favorite athlete, you’re considered obsessed as well. You have a 49ers jersey? I have a concert t-shirt. You have baseball collection cards? I have CDs. You spend your money on floor seats? Guess what, me too. You have something that you can go to with your friends and have fun? Me too. I go to concerts, you go to sporting events. A guy loves their football team, a girl loves her favorite boy band. In the end, we all stand in an arena cheering for people who are entertaining us and just because the type of entertainment is different, the passion and interest is the same. If you don’t throw around the word obsessed, I highly appreciate it. If you do, take into consideration how unfair the difference is. The type of entertainment varies, the interests vary, and the sexes vary, but those things have the same effect – they make us happy, they give us some of the best memories, and they inspire. At the end of the day, everyone likes what they like and that should not be looked down upon. Don’t forget, a girl can like something without being obsessed, and no, it’s not a miracle.
Spring sports of just as much importance BY ANDREW SMITH
andrew.smith@eyeofthetigernews.com
At the start of the year, you can find the Roseville High School Tiger Cage roaring for the football team, and in the winter,
the enthusiastic Moeller Maniacs are going insane for their Tigers. Of course, we enjoy these festivities for months, but after the basketball season comes to a close, that spirit we enjoyed for the whole first part of school seems to just slip away until the start of next year. This is an unfair recurrence for our spring athletes, who put in just as much work as a sport in any other season, and deserve to be supported and cheered on by their student body. While this is not an acceptable trend, there is not any particular class to blame. Spring
sports have not been very popular, attendance-wise, for a while. It’s seemed to become a current tradition of the school to not attend the games. And we definitely have carried on that mindset for the past few years. Even seniors around campus cannot remember a time where a significant amount of people went to any spring sports events. There is not any problem with the spring sports themselves. Personally, I believe that spring sports are just as, or even more, entertaining than those offered in other seasons. Baseball and softball are
American traditions, but somehow are not RHS traditions. These sports should be a centerpiece of athletics in the spring that the whole school can go out and watch. Boys volleyball is also an extremely entertaining sport that is a supreme display of athleticism. Golf, tennis, track, swimming, and soccer are all part of this season as well. But the one thing that these sports can count on is stands full of parents. While it is much easier to just lay on the couch and rot, we Tigers need to support our sports in all seasons, and give them the help they deserve.
Cyberbullying back in full unfortunate force BY IMÁN RICHMOND iman.richmond@eyeofthetigernews.com
It seems that cyberbullying has reared its ugly head again at Roseville High School, and if you happen to have a Twitter as most of us do, I’m sure you’ve seen it. Within recent weeks, Twitter has become a feeding ground for those who seek pleasure in “roast-
ing” each other for things that shouldn’t even be worthy of conversation – ridiculing a person’s eyebrows, for example. In all honesty, the argument that occurred was pretty funny, primarily because of the ludicrous topic itself. But we need to learn our limits. To be fair, the intention of most of these students wasn’t to offend anyone. They were just trying to get a laugh or two. But there’s a point where funny becomes cruel, and it’s about time that people learned this difference. It’s almost as if tearing people down has become a new trend. And if you’re the type that doesn’t just let it happen and actually stands up and try to put a stop to it, then you’re labeled as someone who “takes Twitter too seriously.”
We are all so quick to raise our hands at a Peer Helping assembly and say “stop bullying” and that we’ll “be the change we wish to see in the world.” However, when it comes to Twitter, feelings don’t seem to matter as long as you get a laugh out of it. Now don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying I’m an angel myself when it comes to Twitter. However, I definitely wouldn’t intentionally hurt anybody’s feelings in order to make myself look better and get a laugh out of it all. It doesn’t matter how nice you are to people at school, bullying is bullying. Hiding behind a computer screen doesn’t change anything. I’ve come to notice that bullying never has to do with the victim. It’s the bully who’s in-
secure. No one who is content with him/herself would feel the need to degrade someone else for any reason at all. In my opinion, it just seems pointless. Another aspect of this is that feelings are really affected by that sort of thing. What is it going to take for these people to realize that there really is no excuse for publicly humiliating someone like that? I do understand that these people weren’t being physically harmed by these “bullies,” and I’m sure it could be as simple as “walking away from the screen.” However, when you’re forced to go to school with these people and see them every day, it becomes constant torment, which is just as bad. Bullying is bullying. There’s no way around it.
Entertainment
april 7, 2014
Potato Corner eye-catching but unappealing BY ISABEL FAJARDO
isabel.fajardo@eyeofthetigernews.com
I can remember my first time walking through the mall and seeing the Potato Corner sign, announcing the arrival of said kiosk. Potatoes are the most versatile food in the world, being able to be baked, fried, boiled, mashed, and I was so excited to see that I would be able to get a different variety of fries at my leisure without having to go to various fast food places. Potato Corner prepares the fries in their original style, loopy (curly) or with chili cheese on top. In addition, they also offer tater tots and chips. They also offer different seasonings on top for free, ranging from BBQ to garlic and Parmesan. The sizes you can order them in are jumbo, mega and giga, which kind of threw me off because who honestly wants to
boast about eating a ‘giga-sized’ cup of fries? I love potatoes and even fries, but even I wouldn’t go that far and eat a huge cup of them. I opted for the curly fries in the jumbo size and tried two different seasonings: garlic and Parmesan, and cinnamon and sugar, which were both $3.29. For fries, they were kind of pricey. I could have easily gone to McDonalds, ordered two large fries for the price of one from Potato Corner and put my own seasoning on it. In the grand scheme of mall pricing, it’s nothing big, but for fries? A bit pricey. The garlic and parmesan fries were a little heavy on the seasoning. Though it was good, the seasoning was a little too much that it kind of detracted from the overall flavor of the potato and I had to shake a bit
FOOD
««««« VALUE
««««« OVERALL
«««««
ISABEL FAJARDO EYE OF THE TIGER
The cinnamon and sugar (top) and the garlic and parmesan (bottom) loopy fries are both available at Potato Corner. Though the fries were appealing, they were both rather pricey, especially considering that they were prepackaged.
off just to enjoy flavor without it overwhelming my taste buds. However, the cinnamon and sugar was so much better. I know it’s an odd combination and I know I kind of recoiled when I heard of the combination of anything sweet with potato, but it was surprisingly good. Potato has a neutral flavor that’s not overpowering, so I couldn’t taste it at all. It was kind of like eating a churro, but with potato instead of the dough. It was also a little disappointing to see that the potatoes were already prepacked and cut, assuming that they fry them on spot. Overall, if you’re looking for a quick way to get fries and don’t mind spending a little bit more money for the toppings, I say go for it. But if you really just want fries, I would recommend saving your money and going to any other fast-food joint. Potato Corner is located in the Westfield Galleria (1151 Galleria Blvd.) in Roseville, across from the food court. The mall is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Movie adaptation of Divergent good as book
BY KATELYN ROLEN
katelyn.rolen@eyeofthetigernews.com
COURTESY MARVEL
Chris Evans reprises his role as Captain America in the sequel to the original film and is joined by Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow. Even though movie’s plot wasn’t that interesting, its action scenes made the film entertaining.
Action scenes save the day in second Captain America movie
BY AARON SOUZA
aaron.souza@eyeofthetigernews.com
A common complaint when it comes to superhero movies is that they all follow the same basic structure. Fortunately, Captain America: The Winter Soldier did not fall into this trap. The movie takes place years after the events of Captain America: The First Avenger. To recap: Steve Rogers is a frail boy whose only dream is to become a hero in the military. He becomes the subject of an experiment to make the perfect, all-American super soldier – the experiment is a success, and after defeating the Nazi army, he is frozen in the Arctic for seventy years. After being unfrozen, Steve Rogers (A.K.A. Captain America) joins the Avengers, a superhero group dedicated to saving the world in times of crisis. He learns that a mysterious assassin known only by “The Winter Soldier” is jeopardizing world peace, and he makes it his mission to stop him. From there, the movie is packed with fight scenes, shoot-outs, car chases and other action movie clichés. It was actually kind of disappointing to see that the movie did fall into a trap of action movies with no plot and all action, even if the action scenes were really
good. I feel like Captain America deserved at least as much. The most surprising thing about this movie is Captain America’s personality – he’s not much like you’d expect him to be and I’m really glad that the producers were able to keep his personality consistent throughout the series. Those who have never seen the movies or read the comic books would expect him to be calm and level-headed. That is, until they see him throwing knives at bad guys and driving motorcycles through explosions. He’s even less patriotic than in the previous movies. Instead, he only cares about doing what he thinks is right. And even though that’s not patriotic, it kind of is in its own right. He cares about how his actions will impact others. But as the third installment of the Captain America series, it’s important for the movie to distinguish itself. For the first time, the movie puts Captain America in a fish-out-of-water situation in order to save the day. He becomes an outlaw, and we see how far he is willing to go for the greater good.
PLOT
««««« ACTING
««««« OVERALL
«««««
That was one of the good things that came from this movie. Captain America’s new pals, including agent Natasha Romanoff (A.K.A. Black Widow) and ex-soldier Sam Wilson (A.K.A. Falcon) add much-needed variety to the movie. The trio has great chemistry and it’s fun to see them work together to save the day. Still, the main appeal of the movie is its action scenes. It’s so entertaining to watch Captain America throw his shield like a Frisbee at all the bad guys, and, I hate to admit it, it’s the best thing about the entire movie. The movie’s biggest mistake is that it tries to tie in the plots of other Marvel movies, including the Iron Man series and The Avengers. It’s really hard to tie the different series into each other, especially if the plot doesn’t follow the comics. They make constant references to each other, but this only raises more questions. Why is it up to Captain America to save the entire world? Where are all the other superheroes? Do they have something better to do with their time? Are they off vacationing or something? And even though Black Widow is in The Avengers with Captain America, where is the rest of the team? I think it’s a bit shady that they didn’t include them. I personally would feel very offended if my friends didn’t invite me to save the world. Overall, the movie is best if it’s not taken too seriously. It’s very thrilling, and it’s worth watching for its originality, but definitely not for its plot.
The new trilogy is here. Divergent premiered on March 21 and I am proud to say that I was one of the lucky viewers. In short, I can describe the movie in one word: flawless. Movies based off of popular trilogies can often have cheesy acting or not live up to the standard that the books set. I found none of this to be true with Divergent. Not only did the actors seem well-versed in the roles they were to play, but the storyline of the movie was delightfully close to Veronica Roth’s book. Aside from the background and cast of the movie, there were various other aspects of the movie that will make me go back to theaters and watch it again. The movie was not lacking in action at any point. I think that everyone can appreciate a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat, no matter what genre. Divergent did just this with not only the fight scenes within the movie, but also with the general tension that was within the postapocalyptic setting. The mark of a good movie is one that can keep you anxious even during the completely docile scenes, and I found myself holding my breath during several scenes of varying degrees of action. The love story wasn’t overplayed. A bit of a spoiler alert here, but it’s kind of a given that the two main Harry’s and Sally’s fall in love. But in current
movies, a lot of the storyline is forgotten in order to accommodate the underlying love story, because everyone loves a good heartthrob. In Divergent, however, the main focus was always centered on the action within the movie and the main conflicts. That being said, you’re definitely aware that the two main characters, Tris and Four, are in love, but it’s never shoved in your face like a lot of movies like to do these days. I liked this subtle approach a lot more than a flowers-andbleeding-hearts love story without any other plotline or action. The ending didn’t leave me hanging. Sure, it’s a good idea in theory to leave the audience waiting hungrily for more, but, especially in the case of trilogies, there’s a lot of time in between films. During that time, you lose the initial interest and shock value of a cliff-hanger ending, rendering it useless. The ending of Divergent left a well-thought-out and smooth gateway into whenever the second movie should come out, and the ending also didn’t leave me frustrated that that is where they chose to end it. Altogether, this movie did not disappoint and I would highly recommend it. From the acting to the soundtrack, I personally couldn’t find a fault within the movie, especially after reading the books and having the high expectations that I did, Divergent exceeded them all.
PLOT
««««« ACTING
««««« OVERALL
«««««
COURTESY JAAP BUITENDIJK/MCT
Shailene Woodley and Theo James star opposite each other in the new movie version of Divergent, which maintains the book’s solid love story.
page 11
Dust Off the Reel
Airplane! lifts off with satire, wit BY ANNA PORRETTA
anna.porretta@eyeofthetigernews.com
Watching classic movies widens your cinematic literacy and allows you to enjoy stories and visuals that you might otherwise overlook. “Dust Off the Reel” recommends classics that Netzy Ortega or Anna Porretta enjoy, and that you will, too. We humans have a great love for making fun of each other. This affection for parody goes back centuries, originating in early Greek and Roman societies, and has endured ever since. Everyone is familiar with movies like Meet the Spartans, Disaster Movie and the Scary Movie franchise, however not many people are familiar with the movie most people credit with starting it all: Airplane! The movie was a satirical comedy based off of the 1957 drama Zero Hour! which has an almost identical plot, but because Paramount Pictures owned both films, the Airplane! writers were able to use identical lines from the original film in their script. The film follows taxi driver Ted Striker, a former pilot unable to hold a job due to being traumatized in an unnamed war and thus is afraid of flying, as he races to the airport to convince his flight attendant girlfriend Elaine Dickson not to leave him. When he finds her he begs for her to come back to him, but she rejects him and tells him she’s going to Chicago to start over. So, as any dramatic protagonist would do, he boards the flight she’s working on in an attempt to win her back. But like every disaster movie, things start to go wrong after dinner is served. From there, hilarity and amazingly executed puns ensue. If you consider yourself to be a movie-lover, you’re going to love this one and while you’re laughing, be sure to take time to appreciate how important this movie is to the history of film. Airplane! does a great job of satirizing what was going on in the late 70’s-early 80’s, including certain prejudices and taboos and American culture in general. The movie does have a few pop culture references that go over my head, being that I didn’t grow up in the late 70’s-early 80’s, but it did not put a damper on the experience I had watching the movie. The best part is this movie never gets old. I’ve probably seen it about three or four times, and I’d be more than willing to watch it again. That means a lot coming from me, being that I seldom like to watch movies over and over again, with the exception of The Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, The Princess Bride and Hottieboombalotti. Even my parents, who have grown up with this movie, didn’t object to sitting down and watching it again. In fact, my dad was more excited than I was about writing this edition of this column. Please, do yourself a favor and watch this movie. I promise you, you won’t regret it. Do not fret! Airplane! is on Netflix.
page 12 | entertainment
april 7, 2014
Perri’s Head or Heart fails to deliver either
Top 5 Spring Snacks Strawberry Green Tea ($3.55)
BY MICHELLE IM
michelle.im@eyeofthetigernews.com
COURTESY FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES/MCT
Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes, left) and Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori) are in charge of the hotel after which The Grand Budapest Hotel is named. Overall, the movie delivers a wonderful, quirky story that’s different from most films today.
Grand Budapest Hotel a five-star film LOLLICUP – This squeakyclean tea left a refreshingly light taste, fitting in perfectly with the spring season. And, of course, you need boba whenever you visit Lollicup.
Lemon-berry shortcake ($4.59)
BY JUSTIN CHOI
justin.choi@eyeofthetigernews.com
A girl sits down and opens a book. She starts reading. An old author tells a story exactly how it occurred. A young version of that same man asks an old man how he managed to acquire the hotel. That man agrees to tell his young friend a story. That story is the story of The Grand Budapest Hotel, and it is truly a grand one. The Grand Budapest Hotel recounts the adventures of Gustave H., a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. Director of Moonrise Kingdom and Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson has created 100 minutes of charming characters, exciting story, intense action, appealing visuals, beautiful music, well-balanced screenplay and overall cleverness. The lineup of actors arranged for this production is also one to behold. Main character Gustave is played by Ralph Fiennes, along with Saoirse Ronan, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton and Jeff Goldblum playing supporting roles. Newcomer Tony Revolori plays the young Moustafa as well. Firstly, the story overall is a well-paced action adventure. There are no giant plot twists or any major conundrums that appear. Nevertheless, the movie keeps itself from being flat by providing clever bits and pieces about the happenings here and there to produce a nicely blended puree of simple but very clever.
The movie is obviously not concerned with a very realistic portrayal of any actual event, but among all the colorful characters running in and out of colorful scenarios, there is a deeper metaphorical meaning to it all. One may be able to draw connections especially during the mentions of war. However, the film is not overbearing about its message as it avoids the ‘in-yourface’ method that too many movies follow. One could think of it as a cake with decorated pastry colors and toppings that hides something much deeper inside There is also a sophisticated narration that watches over the story with words that shows prowess in both vocabulary and structure. The language of the movie flows effortlessly. It is difficult to remember a single occurrence that I remember thinking to myself, “That could have been said better.” Part of this is due to the comically simple natures of some characters and their following tendencies, but such is not to discredit in anyway the actors’ great performances. The actors gave great depth to well-written characters and gave a beautiful performance. Fiennes gives Gustave a distinctive charm and genuine care for his lobby boy, which serves for both humorous and emotional scenes. His performance really ties together the overall feeling of the movie. Revolori also provides a genuine persona with the unique demeanor to his character of Zero the lobby boy. All of the other actors played their part to the point. The characters written out for them were simple, so the actors had no problem giving them a nice flair. There was a very distinctive feel to the entire movie as the
PLOT
««««« ACTING
«««««
COLD STONE – The mix of the lemon custard and the sweetness of the cake and the strawberries is the perfect combination. Anything with lemon and strawberries as a combination is perfect.
COOKIE WITH GREEN TEA CREAM ($2.65)
BEARD PAPAS – The green tea cream, only available on Fridays, adds a sweet flavor, and the crunch of the cookie makes a perfect light snack for spring.
Strawberry LEMONADE CUPCAKE ($2.95)
ESTHER’S CUPCAKES – The cupcake’s tart contents leave a good textured mix of fragrant goodness with light cream whipping. Yum.
BANANA SPLIT MASTER-BLAST ($5.04)
SONIC – The thick, creamy contents of the Master-Blast puts a fun twist on the traditional flair of the sundae. The sugary syrup sprayed over the drink reminded me of a happy childhood filled with happiness and banana. - List and photos by Isabel Fajardo and Michelle Im
OVERALL
«««««
Need for Speed lacks both exhilaration, acceleration BY HAYLEE SEX
haylee.sex@eyeofthetigernews.com
Need for Speed features highly acclaimed Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul, extreme street racing, luxury and fast cars and, of course, intense evasion of the cops. Need for Speed is technically based on the original video game also titled Need for Speed, which also includes police chases and illegal racing, much like the movie. Though it isn’t really based on any of the games in the series, some elements of Hot Pursuit and The Run are intertwined into the film. Aaron Paul – or as many know him as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad – does an outstanding job at portraying the part of the main character, Tobey Marshall. After all, he does have a good acting background. Dominic Cooper plays the part of the antagonist, Dino Brewster, and Imogen Poots plays Marshall’s love interest, Julia Maddon. Even though the acting was slightly cheesy in some parts, like most racing movies, overall the actors did a good job. There were some parts in
Need for Speed that were obviously unrealistic, such as when Marshall and Poots perform a “grasshopper” move to outrun the cops and soar over traffic onto the grassy other side. It was really, really weird to see. These were acceptable considering the fact that the movie is based on the video games and are supposed to be fantasy-like. The cars that are featured in Need for Speed are phenomenal and jaw-dropping, such as the Ford Shelby Mustang Marshall helps to fix for his enemy, Brewster, in exchange for 25 percent of the $2 million selling price. Marshall actually ends up borrowing the car from Poots so he can participate in the De Leon, a winner-takes-all street race. The beginning of the movie also features amped-up vintage cars, such as a gleaming 1965 Ford Mustang and a 1970 Ford Torino. As fans of the game may know, similar types of cars were offered to “drive.” Overall, Need for Speed is a decent movie, though it would be better to wait for it to release onto DVD, unless you like fancy cars and Aaron Paul a lot.
panning shots and artistic blend truly gave the entire film an identity of its own. It was filmed in a style that many Wes Anderson fans would not be unaware of, but to those who may not be familiar with his previous works, one can expect moving cameras and animated portions seamlessly transitioning into the movie. Despite all the amazing things that this movie managed to pull off, one aspect that some people may find off putting is its disjointed nature. There are a lot of fun moments that are part of the overarching story but some moments are a bit chaotic. Personally, I enjoyed the change of pace and found the scattered nature of the film to be delightfully charming. It was a breath of fresh air compared to the sludge of movies coming out recently that attempt serious tones and follow all-tooboring conventions. In short, this movie was brilliant. Absolutely fantastic. It sold a story through its trailers and delivered graciously. The music throughout the entire movie fit every scene so perfectly and the visual effects were greatly enhancing that I wouldn’t mind watching it again. It’s a fun and rewarding tale of moving action, not-overbearing romance, exciting mystery and clever comedy. With The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson crafted a Courtesan Au Chocolate and presented the cream-filled pastry in a pretty pink box.
Christina Perri’s head and heart come together in the release of her second full-length studio album Head or Heart. This album brings together all of what makes Perri’s status as a ballad singer, but sadly, it fails to show musical evolution and growth. Perri is a wonderful singer. Her slow, melodic voice makes up the charm for her music, as does her honest, bright personality evident in her album. She was “in love” and ready to sing, with an evident increase in confidence since her debut. The lead single “Human” emphasizes the usual soulful ballad by Perri with a piano melody in its wake. It was also sufficiently Perri in its nature, and I am sure that it had satisfied all of her current fans. Being yourself is a good thing, but the monotonous nature of Head or Heart left me wondering if Perri will change her tune or revamp herself soon. There was no drama in her album despite the dramatic and often storylike nature of her songs. It left a dull feeling akin to listening to repeating a song multiple times too many. It was a wise decision for Perri to stick with her style of music as it is her most comfortable one to sing during the early, nerve-wracking stages of her career. But this far into her career, some new flair or revamped style would have been a pleasant surprise and interesting to hear. The soulful ballads displayed in this album would be great for any of Perri’s old, loyal fans, but I doubt that any person who did
not appreciate Perri before will join the bandwagon now. No new musical style leaves no room for any growth in her career. Nonetheless, the songs provided a relaxed comfort while studying. It had a soporific effect that left my homework with the outline of my reclined head. Perhaps, this is where the head part of the album title came from. The heart most likely was attributed to the loving lyrics of all her songs. Perri seemed to have caught herself in a powerful stupor of love because love was in the air in various senses. That would be how I would describe the overall nature of Perri’s music. It left a content feeling with a hint of drowsiness. The subtle hints of progressions were barely noticeable, so it left little impression. There was no avant-garde factor to many of the songs in her album. Yet, the music video did seem to show some artistic quality to it with the unhuman, mechanic version of Perri breaking through all boundaries to become human, per the title of the track as well as the overall theme of the album.
RHYTHM
««««« LYRICS
««««« OVERALL
«««««
S ports JV girls soccer starts out undefeated with 3-0 league record
april 7, 2014
page 13
BY CANYON SMITH
canyon.smith@eyeofthetigernews.com
Starting off league with an undefeated 3-0 record, and a preseason record of 5-1-1, the Roseville High School junior varsity girls soccer team has earned the best possible start to the season. With wins against Granite Bay, Woodcreek and Nevada Union High Schools, the team will almost certainly be eligible for first place at the end of the season. In the preseason, the team was mostly playing on the offensive in games, controlling the ball in the opponent’s half for 10 or more minutes at a time. Even when the opponent had possession, it was only a matter of minutes before it was nicked away from one of the midfielders and starting their attack to keep the ball. In league, the team has had its fair share of standout players in both freshmen and sophomores alike. For the freshmen, Tahnee Smith, Alison Palmer and Jessica VanDerHaegen have held their own in the starting lineup. Smith has transitioned from right-back to stopper in a move that has greatly strengthened Roseville’s presence in the middle of the field. Being able to play the pass-
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
The JV girls soccer team remains undefeated in league with a 3-0 record under new head coach Pablo Gutierrez. The team defeated Nevada Union in their most recent game, and they look to face Del Oro next Wednesday. ing lanes and intercept passes lets Smith start a lot of counterattacks off of the dribble. Palmer has revitalized the center midfield role and works her hardest the entire game. Her hustling for loose balls has earned her a few goals along the way as well. Palmer also excels in switching the point of attack with her incisive passing.
VanDerHaegen has terrorized the full-backs of every team with her speed and ability to take on defenders. She has delivered a fair amount of the crosses that Roseville has scored on as well. She has also chipped in with a few goals for herself. Sophomores have been represented by Andrea Ludovina and
Anya Guzman. Ludovina has impressed with her control and calm demeanor on the ball. She is able to act as a pivot, distributing passes to the outside players for them to run onto. Guzman has been included because of her scoring instinct. Being one of the top scorers on the team, Guzman thrives on converting all of her chances into goals.
Coach Pablo Gutierrez has been thoroughly impressed by the team. “We haven’t allowed any goals in our first [three] games, while also putting up two or three goals at the same time,” Gutierrez said. In their first league game of the year, the RHS JV girls soccer team had an excellent showing at home against rival Granite Bay.
The soccer programs of each school are both very good and always produce a great contest. Roseville controlled the ball throughout the first half and was rewarded with a goal from Ludovina. On the defensive end, Roseville’s back line was calm and composed in dealing with the GBHS attack. Roseville controlled the ball throughout the first half and was rewarded with a goal from Ludovina. Palmer carried the ball past a number of Granite Bay players before passing to Ludovina for the goal. Roseville would go up 2-0 thanks to an impressive outside the box effort from sophomore forward Arianna Gonzales. Roseville would go on to keep the clean sheet and hold out for a 2-0 victory. In the second league contest of the year, Roseville beat Woodcreek on a second-half goal by VanDerHaegen. The RHS Lady Tigers also defeated Nevada Union 2-0 in Grass Valley last Thursday. Palmer and sophomore Samantha Ludovina accounted for the two RHS goals. Next Wednesday, the JV Lady Tigers will be facing off the Del Oro High School Eagles.
Tennis stays optimistic after losing four straight BY LOGAN ASH
logan.ash@eyeofthetigernews.com
EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
ROBBIE SHORT EYE OF THE TIGER
Both the boys and girls varsity track teams were unable to conquer the tough Granite Bay Grizzlies during their first league meet last Wednesday.
Varsity track struggles in league meet BY FOUAD EL-CHEMALI AND MORGAN SIMPSON
fouad.elchemali@eyeofthetigernews.com
BOYS
Roseville High School’s boys track and field team had its first league meet, against Granite Bay High School, last Wednesday. The varsity boys overall lost 92-42. According to distance and mid-distance coach Clara Lee, the RHS boys did a good job. “Everyone is improving so much,” Lee said. “I see a lot of great things happening in the future. I’m very proud of the boys, and they all work so hard.” Junior Arturo Sotomayor took first in the 800-meter race with a time of 1.54.63, only a tenth of a second off the school record. He was really excited and happy about his race. “I’m very happy with that race,” Sotomayor said. “I have a lot of confidence that I am going to get the school record now. I am pumped for my next race.” Senior Anthony Sanchez also contributed to the team by getting first in the mile and getting his personal best time. Sanchez was very pleased with his time. “I am very happy with my time of 4.34,” Sanchez said. “It makes me really excited for the rest of the season.” Senior Langston Clark, who just came back from a hip injury, ran in his first meet this season against GBHS and took
first in both the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles. “I’m very happy with how I did,” Clark said. “I know I’m going to get a lot better because it’s just the beginning.” The last race of the meet was the boys 4x400 relay with Sanchez and Sotomayor, along with seniors Jonathan Lopez and Richard Finical. The boys got first overall with a time of 3.30. Sanchez was surprised with how well they did. “We were hoping to hold off Granite Bay, and we ended up doing really well and getting first,” Sanchez said. Coach Lee was very happy and excited with their race. “It was really exciting to watch, and they all ran very well,” Lee said. “They are going to get so much faster which is very exciting.” Last weekend, a few of the boys competed at Stanford Invitational. The distance medley, 4x800meter relay, and 4x400 teams all qualified. Sotomayor was the only individual qualifier and will compete in the mile. The distance medley features junior Matt Sangria running the 1,200-meter, Lopez on the 400-meter, Sotomayor for the 800-meter, and Sanchez with the mile. The 800-meter relay team has Sanchez, senior Branden Leach, Sangria and Sotomayor. The 4x400 will use Leach, Sangria, Finical and Lopez.
GIRLS
The Roseville High School girls track team opened the 2014 league season by hosting the Granite Bay High School Grizzlies. Freshman Madison Meade was able to place first in the 800-meter run and the mile run. Senior Morgan Simpson placed second in the 400-meter run, and contributed to the 4x400 meter run, also called the 1,600-meter relay, that saw Roseville finish in second. In the 4x400, joining Simpson were first-time 4x400meter runners juniors Camille Cave, Aubrei Stahl and Meade. “It was my first time running the 1,600-meter relay so it was fun, and I liked contributing more to the team,” Cave said. Along with that event, Cave finished second in the 100-meter run and also second in the 200-meter run. She hopes to better and continue her success. Although the varsity girls team lost overall to Granite Bay, athletes are still optimistic about the upcoming season in league. The team will be headed to the Stanford Invitational to compete over the weekend. “We are competing at a school that has success written all over it, and I hope we succeed as well at Stanford this weekend,” senior Adrianna Reagan said. On Saturday, March 29, the Roseville Tigers’ track team traveled to Rocklin to compete in the
Rocklin Thunder Invitational. Several other schools, including Pleasant Grove, Oakmont, Whitney and Woodcreek High Schools, made the trip and competed against our track team. Overall, the RHS girls varsity team took second place at the competition. Many athletes placed, and teammates felt like the team overall fought and competed very well. “I feel like our team is improving one meet at a time, and I feel very confident in everyone on the team entering league,” Reagan said. A notable performer from the competition was Cave. She competed in the 100-meter dash, and among the many girls that competed, Cave finished in third place with a time of 13.79 seconds. Meade also placed second in both the 1,600-meter run and the 800-meter run. Meade ran the former in 5:10.99, and finished the latter with 2:22.68. Junior Sophia Diaz also placed on the day, coming in at second in the 100-meter hurdles, as well as second in the long jump. Diaz ran the hurdles in 17.20 seconds, and was proud of her performance. “I am proud of myself considering the weather conditions of the race, but I feel like there is always room for improvement,” Diaz said. Reagan was also able to cash in a first-place win for the track team with her winning performance in the high jump.
The Roseville High School boys tennis team has had a lessthan-spectacular start to their season by losing to Woodcreek, Granite Bay, Rocklin and Nevada Union High Schools. Head coach Dallas Guerrero has noticed that it is hard to win with such a small team, along with having a majority of freshmen on the team. “Our matches and practices have been rained out lately, and with such a small team, it is hard to have everyone at practices and even matches,” Guerrero said. According to Guerrero, the team is very young and it is hard to compete in the Sierra Foothills League (SFL) with the small numbers, along with the little experience that the team possesses. Guerrero thinks that they all have some room for improvement and they need to keep working hard.
Guerrero is also working with the underclassmen that need to build their basics up in order to improve their team for the future years. “I’m excited to see how they will progress, and I hope to have a strong team with them leading it in the future,” Guerrero said. The tennis team’s top players include senior Kevin Tran, junior Ben Judd and junior Dhillon Dhadda. According to Guerrero, Judd and Tran are battling back and forth for the number one spot overall. The top doubles team consists of sophomore Ben Jacobs and freshman Kendrick Ricio. However, there is always a battle for the top doubles spot, changing from week to week. “We are improving and we could only improve from here,” Guerrero said. “We are looking forward to our other league games, and we are hoping to get win a few games later on in the season.”
ROBBIE SHORT EYE OF THE TIGER
At least six swimmers on RHS’ team will compete at sections this year.
Boys swim qualifies six swimmers for sections
BY LOGAN ASH
logan.ash@eyeofthetigernews.com
The Roseville High School boys swim team has qualified six people for sections so far. Seniors Elijah Keaton and Jacob Darby qualified, along with juniors Kevin Gard and Josh McCown. Also, three underclassmen qualified for sections: sophomores Adam Botnen, Conner Janney, freshman Brannon March. The swim team has only won one swim meet this season, against Center High School, in
their one and only preseason meet. So far they have lost every meet in the Sierra Foothills League. However, McCown feels that the team is continuing to improve, posting faster times at each meet. “Everyone on the team is dropping their times at every meet,” McCown said. According to McCown, the girls and boys respective swim teams are like one big family and they get along really well with each other, and the swim meets are fun for all.
Sports
page 14
april 7, 2014
Tigers manage to stay hot in league BY MARC CHAPPELLE
marc.chappelle@eyeofthetigernews.com
ROBBIE SHORT EYE OF THE TIGER
RHS’ varsity boys volleyball team is off to a strong start this season and currently sits with an overall record of 19-4, including a mark of 2-1 in league play.
After several years of stagnant play, the Roseville High School varsity boys volleyball team is experiencing historic success. The team’s overall record currently stands at 19-4, with a league record of 2-1, which puts them in a tie for second place with the Del Oro High School Golden Eagles and the Nevada Union High School Miners. The Granite Bay High School Grizzlies hold first place with an undefeated record in league. The team has also locked down two tournament wins, coming in at first place in both the Nor-Cal and UC Davis invitationals. “I feel like the camaraderie with the parents, [who were] just as excited as the players, made it feel like a Roseville community out on the court [at the tournaments],” coach Cindy Simon said. “It wasn’t just the boys winning, I felt like everyone won together, as a team. It was really cool to watch.” The players also felt empowered by the tournament wins. “It was a great start ... it showed
us that we could actually push through this season and go to playoffs and win that, too,” junior co-captain Brian Brosnahan said. Senior co-captain Christian Habeil attributes the invitational wins to more seasoned players being on the team. Several of the team members participate in club volleyball, which allows them to improve their skills year-round. “This is the best team I’ve been on since I’ve been at Roseville,” Habeil said. “We have a lot more experience coming in, and a lot more kids playing club.” On top of the experience shared within the team, Simon cites a constructive team atmosphere as contributing to the team’s success. “The most obvious thing that I recognized right after tryouts was the team chemistry,” Simon said. “They gelled really well together and they were giving each other pointers and tips.” Notably, the squad pulled up three freshman players – Zack Mancha, Jeffery Oh and Neil Reilly. The three have all contributed to the team’s success on the court – and off.
“They’re really great additions to the team,” senior hitter Stephen Morin said. “When they’re not playing, they’re really fun to have around, they support our team and make these hilarious cheers. When they’re playing, they’re really consistent, and you don’t notice a skill gap.” Despite the team’s triumphs in both of their pre-season invitationals, the tournaments still served as a learning experience for RHS. The team nearly performed an entirely clean sweep during the UC Davis tournament, but a crack developed during a single set against Monterey Trail High School Mustangs. The Tigers let their guards down and allowed the Mustangs to pull too far ahead. “I think [the players] learned that they can’t let down, no matter the level of the play,” Simon said. The team is excited to progress in league play and aims to qualify for playoffs. The Grizzlies, Golden Eagles and Miners stand as their chief competition. “We play Nevada Union
[today],” Morin said. “It’s going to be a very good game. They lost to Granite Bay, as we did. It’ll be a close match, and it all depends on starting out strong, because we don’t want to put ourselves in a rut.” Morin also believes that positive team morale will help the team persevere through matches. “We have the physical ability to win against any team, but if we get down on ourselves, that will affect us,” Morin said. Both Morin and Simon agree that effective defense will be key to succeeding throughout the remainder of league play and in the playoffs. Simon sees playing stronger defense and digging more frequently as areas that the team needs to improve in. “[It’ll take] a good night [to beat those teams],” Simon said. “A good night of players being consistent, hitting well and playing tough defense. We have to have a majority of the starters playing on their A-game.” The team will head to Grass Valley tonight to play the Miners at 6 p.m.
Tigers take two of three from Granite Bay in first league series BY NICK SAPP
nick.sapp@eyeofthetigernews.com
The Roseville High School baseball team opened league play against Granite Bay High School last week. Prior to Sierra Foothills League play, the RHS Tigers posted a 2-6 preseason record. Despite the rough start, senior pitcher Daniel Nakamoto is optimistic that the team can turn things around. “I think in league we can scrape together some wins and hopefully make playoffs,” Nakamoto said. In the first game of the series, GBHS posted a 5-3 victory. Despite scoring three runs, the Tigers were held to two hits, with much of their production coming by way of walks and hit batsmen. The second game of the GBHS series was held at Granite Bay. The tigers faced the Grizzlies best pitcher, who is a USC committ. The team won 1-0 off a passed ball during the fifth inning with senior Chris Anderson stealing home. Junior Adam Erickson pitched a whole game and gave up four hits. RHS concluded the GBHS series at home with a 7-2 win. This gave RHS a win for the overall
series giving them two wins and one loss in league. Senior Brian Torres started the game, pitching four innings for the tigers and junior Nick Espino came into close the last three innings. The tigers tied the game at 2 when senior Mitch Schellenger hit a two run homerun over the left field wall and into the houses. RHS scored five runs in the fifth inning. It started with junior John Kidder executing a hit and run to give RHS the lead. The GBHS pitcher then loaded the bases and threw two wild pitches allowing the team to score twice. The team’s two wins prior to league play came against Laguna Creek High School and Casa Roble High School. The game against Laguna Creek ended in a 7-3 win for RHS, and the Casa Roble game was a 5-1 win for RHS. On March 27, the team competed against the Ponderosa High School Bruins. The game came down to the last inning where it was tied 1-1. Erickson started the game and continued to pitch the whole
MADISON MACHA EYE OF THE TIGER
The Tigers faced the Grizzlies in a three-game series last week, which Roseville clinched Friday with a 7-2 win. game. In the bottom of the seventh, RHS was on defense with bases loaded and one out. Up to the plate now was the batter from PHS who laid down a bunt to Erickson, who tossed the ball to catcher Andrew Grinder for the second out. With two outs, the PHS batter hit a ground ball
to second baseman Joe Butcoff, who fielded it and threw out the guy at first, although the umpire called him safe, but the team felt he was out. In the end, the Bruins emerged with a 2-1 victory. According to head coach Lance Fischer, the RHS team’s wins were good, but some of the best games were against Oak-
mont High School and PHS, even though RHS lost. “We are kind of right there,” Fischer said. “We just have been a hit or two away from a different outcome or extending the game.” The team has kept the same mentality going into league, according to Fischer. “Our foot should still be on
the gas, trying to get going, and we just have to start believing in ourselves more, but we are not changing our mentality,” Fischer said. The team has yet to create a starting lineup, but according to Fischer, their middle infielders are pretty much set. Devin Orr will be playing shortstop and Butcoff at second base. In addition, their most consistent pitcher is Erikson. Before the team started league, the team had a three-game series against themselves called the Spring Classic. The varsity team split into two teams and played three full games. The winner of this series got t-shirts. “We thought it would be a fun tradition to start and give the guys something to look forward too,” Fischer said. “It also gave everyone an opportunity to play in as much of a competitive environment as possible.” The team’s next league series is scheduled for today, tomorrow and Thursday against Woodcreek High School. The first game will be at home, along with the last game of the series.
Lady Tigers fall short to Rocklin BY MARISSA STONE
marissa.stone@eyeofthetigernews.com
The Roseville High School girls varsity softball team stands with an almost undefeated record in league, having only one loss in league totaling just two total defeats in the season, giving them an overall 14-3 record. They stood undefeated until last week’s 2-1 loss to Woodcreek High School. The Lady Tigers’ hitting and pitching have been very consistent. The two pitchers, juniors Naomi Monahan and Shaylyn Borwiak, have been a huge part in RHS’ wins, according to coach Nicole Wallace. “They have both been doing a great job and they do what they can do to help us,” Wallace said. “They share the load of the game and do very well.” As for hitting, their three main power hitters are seniors Brittani Whitten, Justine Garner and Taylor McDowell. Everyone else on the team has been getting on base and has been very consistent with their hitting. “Everyone is doing a great job hitting and our power hitters are able to run them in,” Wallace said. With an exceptional winning record, that puts a huge
ROBBIE SHORT EYE OF THE TIGER
Junior Carlie Reader has helped RHS’ varsity girls soccer team earn a second-place SFL ranking so far this season. EVELINA KISLYANKA EYE OF THE TIGER
Junior Shaylyn Borowiak, one of the Lady Tigers’ starting pitchers this season, attempts to dominate her opponents with speed and accuracy. The team has relied on its consistent pitching to win it games this season. target on their back. According to Wallace, they plan to continue to work hard, and keep improving “We are a very strong team and we have a lot of good chemistry,” Monahan said. From the beginning of the season, communication has been their number-one focus and since then, they have improved tremendously, according to Wallace. Their major goal right now is to just stay focused in the sense that they cannot settle because
they need to continue to work, especially because of the target on their back. The Lady Tigers finally played Del Oro High School on Thursday after it being postponed twice due to rain. It resulted in a 3-2 win after playing two extra innings. Overall, the team plans to go as far as they can and be as successful as they can. “Our main goal is to make it to playoffs and win a section title,” senior Danielle Crockett said.
Varsity soccer tied for second in SFL BY MARISSA STONE
marissa.stone@eyeofthetigernews.com
To open up league play against Granite Bay High School, Roseville High School’s varsity girls soccer team came in with a 4-1-4 record from the preseason. “I feel really confident about our team in entering league,” senior Milana Wolslenben said. No team came out on top in the season opener, with a tie of 0-0 against Granite Bay. GBHS spent much of the game in their attacking zone, but the Lady Tigers were able to keep them out of the goal. According to varsity head coach
Paul Stewart, the Sierra Foothills League teams are all good enough to win league. “With how important each game is, and how the points work for wins and ties and losses, I want to be able to go into the last game and not have to worry about a playoff spot,” Stewart said. After opening up league with a tie to Granite Bay, the RHS Lady Tigers battled cross-town rival Woodcreek High School. WHS came off of a 2-1 win against Del Oro High School before facing RHS. The Lady Tigers came out with a 1-0 win to give them their first
league win of the year. Junior Carlie Reader, who did not arrive until halftime, came in and scored the only goal of the game off of a pass from junior Michelle Dobler. “As a team, our goal is to become SFL league champions to repeat our last year’s season,” Wolsloben said. Most recently, the team played Nevada Union High School. With 15 minutes left in the game, the NUHS Lady Miners held a 3-1 lead. In the remaining 15 minutes, the Lady Tigers managed to make a come back and succeeded scoring three more goals to take the win.