Raven Report issue 7

Raven Report Sequoia High School

Volume V, Issue 7

1201 Brewster Ave. Redwood City, CA 94062

dance your heart out

May 4, 2012

Academies focus on potential futures

By TY DEWES Staff Reporter

Sitting in class and listening to the teacher talk seems to be a normal routine for a class. What if going to class meant designing video games or creating videos? How about going to class and preparing to pursue a career in medicine?

The Health Careers Academy (HCA) and the Electronic Arts Academy (EAA) are the two academies at Sequoia. Within the academies, students Advanced dance performers Audrey Inglis and Nick Pauley lead a happening hip-hop routine. take classes specific to their academy. These include video game design, movie production for the EAA, Carrington Theater on April 20-21 at 7:30 p.m. may have and human health classes, such as health profes felt like the center of a concert with all the screaming of sions or medical clinical, for the HCA. the enthusiastic crowd. The only difference is that the “rock You don’t have to know that your going into the stars” who performed were Sequoia’s very own Ad vanced, Intercareer to be in the academies. You can join just to mediate, and alumni dancers. The performances this year did not fail learn more about the subjects taught. to shine whether hard hitting hip hop, emotional contemporary “We get to experience and learn about the difdances, or even some lesser used styles such as pointe and tap. ferent health careers that are out there,” said HCA Sequoia dance shows have a legacy of stellar performance and showsophomore Lauren Delgado. manship, and this year’s performances most certainly did not disapYou can join the academies as a sophomore, and point. —ALSACE PATRONE you get to stay with the same people throughout your whole high school career. “[We] get to know each other a lot better, and we already know a lot about each other,” said EAA senior Katherine Zea. Not only are the classes the same every year, the class sizes are smaller than other classes, with a normal teacher to student ratio of 1:25 in the academies.

“We are able to spend more time with the student [in the academies],” said EAA social studies Photos by Tiffany Ah Tye See ACADEMIES, page 2

Miss Representation weighs in on abusive media

By LAUREN KIRKPATRICK Feature Editor I decided to quit gymnastics at age six because I thought I was too fat to wear a leotard (I probably weighed 40 lbs). Two years later, I quit ballet for the same reason (I held out a little longer, though, because I was allowed to wear a tutu and a ballet wrap sweater to cover all 50 lbs of me). In fourth grade, I made a diet plan that was supposed to get me into my Lim-

Editorial:

Cyberbullying Revisted Page 4

ited Too “goal jeans” by Christmas (spoiler:never ended up losing that ten pounds). A countless number of similar events have ensued since, all of which are embarrassing and sound like uncomfortable jokes.

While I know that my experiences are personal and somewhat extreme, the documentary Miss Representation claims that stories like mine are all too common and part of a broader issue: the media’s mission is to sell America’s youth the idea that the value of women is based on their beauty and desirability. Although I typically roll my eyes at the notion that sexism is anything but archaic, I arrived at last month’s Carlmont

Opinion: Asian Stereotypes Debunked

Page 6

screening of Miss Representation.

As the film diagnosed the problems with the portrayal of women in the media and gave its symptoms, my perspective changed. The statistics that women comprise 51 percent of the population but only 17 percent of congress, the US is 90th in the world in terms of women in national legislatures, 1 in 6 women are survivors of rape or attempted rape, and that the rates of depression among young women have doubled in the past 10 years, make it clear that even if we don’t notice it, as a society we are somehow getting the message that women are the inferior sex.

And before the title even rolls it

is clear where this message is coming from.

A series of images flash quickly across the opening screen: Jessica Simpson squirming in a red bikini atop a soapy car, a “Toddlers and Tiaras” six-year-old fussing over her stuffed rhinestone bra and falsies, Nelly throwing bills at a woman’s grinding crotch. Director Jennifer Siebel Newsom intercuts these images with ones of women acclaimed for quite different contributions: Hillary Clinton being pinned by a newscaster as “haggard” and a “bitch,” an interview clip of Sarah Palin being asked about breast implants, See REPRESENTATION, page 6

156 students responded to a Facebook survey:

Can the school punish you for what you put on Facebook?

18% yes, if it’s illegal

76% No.

6% yes, if it involves the school

2 Author visits campus

Matt de la Peña, a published and acclaimed author, is visiting Sequoia to give a presentation to students. On May 8, de la Peña will present in Carrington Hall during fifth period. De la Peña is the author of four novels and a picture book, “A Nation’s Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis.”

“I love to write about kids growing up on the ‘wrong side of the tracks.’ My goal is to populate my books with characters that many people don’t pay attention to,” said de la Peña.

De la Peña’s first novel, “Ball Don’t Lie”, was published in 2005 and was later made into a feature film that came out in 2008. Since then, de la Peña has written three other novels. All of de la Peña’s books have been recognized with awards from YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association, which is part of the American Library Association.

On Jan. 1, de la Peña’s book, “Mexican Whiteboy”, was banned from Arizona curriculum because it was considered anti-white. As of date, it is unlawful to teach de la Peña’s book in class, but students are allowed to read the book for leisure. The ban does not apply to any other states.

De la Peña currently lives in Brooklyn, where he teaches creative writing classes, but

news was convinced to visit by Sharon Levin, a Sequoia parent.

“I met Matt three and a half years ago at the National Council of Teachers of English Conference. I heard him again last year at NCTE and I thought he could really connect with our Sequoia students,” said Levin.

According to de la Peña, he and Levin spoke about a visit several times before the May 8 visit was scheduled. De la Peña will be talking about how he found books and became a reader in his presentation to Sequoia students.

“I want students to take away whatever feels right -- and I hope they teach me things, too,” said de la Peña.

—ERICK CASTRO

Small spring musical opens The Sequoia Players will be breaking out their conjunctions and adverbs for this spring’s musical, School House Rock Jr., premiering on May 4.

“People will probably recognize a lot of tunes, like “I’m Just a Bill” and “Three Is a Magic Number,” said sophomore Franny Vescia, a cast member. Some can remember watching the cartoons as children or humming along to the catchy tunes.

School House Rock was a series of short, yet educational clips designed for children during the 70s and 80s. School House Rock would air and

Ever download an app? If you get a text message the next day saying, “There’s a security problem with the app you downloaded,” would you read it? Would you click the link in the text?

Let’s say you bought an airline ticket online. Hours later, you get an email from an email address that has the name of your airline in it, saying your ticket is attached.

Would you download it?

In these examples you were scammed—and your money, your identity, and probably your credit are all getting ready to fly out the window. What happened?

“Phishing” scams have been around for years. Phishing simply means someone is “fishing” for your key personal or financial information. Having this information allows them to rip you off. Scammers can send millions of emails at once, knowing they will find someone who will respond to them.

Until recently, most of these scams have been too sloppy with poor spelling and English mistakes, or too far-fetched, like, “I’m looking for a

teach children about English and history through songs.

The play uses the songs and simple story lines from the cartoons in its plot. Children of our generation might not have grown up with the show, but episodes are still shown in schools or on TV. The play is about a young teacher who is worried about teaching for the first time. Parts of his personality, played by the actors, try to ease his worries about his first day, through singing and dancing.

Those who do know about the play already tend to know about its small cast of 10.

“I’m not going to lie, I do have some concerns about turnout,” said Vescia. But the smaller cast seems to work to their advantage. “I’ve done shows with larger casts at other theaters,” said Vescia, “and I find I actually prefer working with a smaller group.”

And, as Vescia is quick to point out, the cast works collaborates well to put their play together.

“We all work wonderfully together... we are supportive of each other as performers and encourage each other as we learn our solos,” said Vescia.

“We definitely banter and tease each other, but it’s all good fun,” said Vescia.

“Hopefully people will decide to come out and support [us], because it’s a funny show and we are putting a lot of time and effort into making it a great production.”

—SOPHIE MILLER

Quiz Kids take the quiz of their life in D.C. Junior Quiz Kids Michael Wucher, William Baker, Triston Knoth, and Logan Billman recently won the California Regional Event in televised debates, and took their most challenging test yet last weekend in Wash. D.C., where they competed with 160 other teams.

The team members all specialize in their own branch of history.

“I started to like Roman and Byzantine history from eighth grade. In eighth grade I played Rome Total War which started my interest in Roman and Byzantine society,” said Wucher.

Baker focuses on American and British history.

Knoth’s fascination in physics has helped him find a taste in history.

“There is this phenomenon, a mind-blowing implication for reality in physics,” said Knoth. To prepare for the main event, Knoth rarely studies but makes sure he nails down his practice quizzes.

“I am a competitive person.

I prefer a normal quiz because history is not my strength and I believe [the competition] will be very challenging,” Knoth said.

—BOGART SANDOVAL

The latest “phishing” scams friend to hold my ten million dollars!” to trap most people.

But the latest scams aren’t sloppy, they’re actually very slick. And they are very dangerous because there is always at least one element that makes them believable.

• The “Problem with your downloaded app” scam: scammers know that virtually anyone who gets their email will pay attention to this—and some scam emails even have very impressive websites that back up the scam. They, of course, ask for your personal and financial details to “solve” the problem.

Bingo, you’ve been phished.

• “Your ticket is attached” scam: this is probably the scariest scam, since it rings so true. Let’s say you ordered a ticket on American Airlines’ website sometime in the past few months for a future trip. You receive an email from supportAtAmericanairlines.com and think it must be your ticket. You download the file without thinking. But the email address and website are phony, not American Airlines. Simply by downloading the file you are ruined.

How do you protect yourself?

Please read carefully: • Virtually no reputable company will send downloadable

Acadmies (Continued from page 1)

“Teacher Taja Henderson.

“We are able to give them more direction and insight.”

Both academies also have a special program called the mentor program. Adults with experience in jobs relating to health or electronics come in to class to help students for about two hours or more each month. Mentors helps students with their resume, their skills for interviews, and give insight on how a job in this area would be.

“They take you under their wing,” said EAA senior Roman Cendejas.

“They prepare you for careers and it has helped a lot of people. I was able to get some work over the summer thanks to my mentor.”

The academies help you prepare for majors in college depending on which academy you are in, and they help you gain credit for some classes for college.

“I see it as opportunities,” said junior Alejandro Castro, who is in the HCA. “It teaches you a lot about teamwork.”

The close-knit community helps students learn better and helps them make friends that last throughout high school.

“We’re acting in front of each other, we’re laughing about the dumbest things, I mean it feels like we are family,” said Cendejas.

files in an email or text message.

For instance, airlines do not send tickets as attachments. Ever. So, don’t download attachments without thinking!

• No reputable company will contact you and ask you to confirm your personal data via links in its email or text.

• Never go to a website address—or call a phone number—in any suspect email. Instead, go to a published website address or call the company directly to ask if they sent the email.

Fall for one—just one—phishing scam and you’re in for months of hassle. Why go there? Falling for one phishing scam is a very big deal.

June 21: “Lunch & Learn” at the credit union from 11:30 to 1:00!

Insurance 101 and what you need to know in the event of a disaster.

Space is limited so reserve your seat!

530 El Camino Real, P.O. Box 5413, Redwood City (650) 366-7777

Serving employees and their families in the following districts: Redwood City Sequoia San Carlos Belmont Ravenswood Las Lomitas Menlo Park Portola Valley Woodside Canada College

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feature

Coach Huber gets a kick out of generosity

By ARACELI EFIGENIO Staff Reporter Equipped with his powerful voice and snazzy sneakers, Ewald Huber confronts each day at Sequoia with a smile before his retirement this June.

Although many only know him as a P.E. teacher, he is also a cancer survivor, coach, and a caring husband.

Students have been Huber’s priority ever since he volunteered as soccer coach for the Peninsula Athletic League over 30 years ago. He developed a true love for “the kids,” which is what he calls all of his students.

“After that it wasn’t

just teaching, it was steering the bad kids in the right direction. That’s what teaching is all about,” said Huber.

Over the years he has helped countless numbers of people who have struggled because he is prepared to do whatever it takes to help.

“Just to give them a leading hand. It’s no fault of theirs. It’s like ‘Hey I’m here for you. If your heart hurts, I’ll try to fix it,’” said Huber. “I love doing what I’m doing: helping others.”

Five years ago he hired Melissa Schmidt to become the new girls varsity soccer head coach and they have developed a father-daughter relationship.

“He cares so much about his students. He will go above and beyond for everyone,” said Schmidt. “He would do anything for you, like when I got in a car accident he tried to loan me a car.”

He is the only coach who has won a soccer CCS championship at both Sequoia and Woodside.

None of his teams have ever had a losing season or dropped down from the Bay to Ocean division.

“It’s all [due] to my players, not me,” said Huber.

Diagnosed with a tumor in his vocal chord, Huber underwent radiation for seven weeks, and lost 28 pounds in two months.

“I’m still standing,” said Huber.

Ever since he met her at a dance, his wife, Rosaleen has stood by his side. They travel to their hometowns in Hockenheim, Germany and Ireland every two years.

“Rose and I have never been apart ever. We never have any plans, but we see everything,” said Huber.

“Every pot has its own lid.”

Married for 33 years, Huber is the proud father of two.

“In high school I was probably in love every two weeks,” said Huber. “I don’t know what it is; you just know that’s the person you want to be with the rest

Staff stories color Sequoia

Ton-Tho teaches with future in mind

But Ton-Tho wasn’t always a Sequoia Chemistry teacher. He emmigrated from Vietnam as a Vietnamese Boat person, meaning he was one of many refugees fleeing from the new Communist governOn the first day of school he told all of his stu- ment. They were trying to escape imprisonment and dents that, if we didn’t do our homework, he would avoid being deported to re-education camps. They kill us... or throw us out the window. Take your pick. traveled on fishing boats that contained only water AS Chemistry teacher Te Ton-Tho is often de- and a net to catch fish for food. scribed as the loudest teacher on campus, or the cra“My boat’s first stop was in Malaysia and they ziest. Every friday he tells us that we can have a night didn’t allow us to land,” Ton-Tho said. “[The Malayoff to go to “IHOP or KFC.” Every day he explains sian soldiers] towed us out to the sea and they cut the lesson and then asks us to help him scheme ways the rope and shot at us-- they shot in the direction in which he can convince his wife that the boat was supposed to to give him more than two go.” dollars and fifty cents of alAfter he arrived, he flew “[I use nicknames] because the to Washington lowance a day.

D.C. nickname is why I remember If I had never escaped this that [Ameri[the students] forever,. When ca]“Iwasthought Chemistry classroom envia beautiful area and I give my students a nick- everything was strange and ronment, I would never have name, I feel close to them. “ new. The road was big and expected anything different from his demands that we -Te Ton-Tho I thought that [the peodrop the class. But when I AS Chemistry Teacher ple] talked too fast... and I sat down to ask him some felt lonely. At that time, I questions and expected cramissed Vietnam.” zy answers, I couldn’t have been There was about a week more wrong. to a week and a half first semester when Ton-Tho I asked him why he doesn’t bother to learn our wasn’t in class and we were told by our substitute names, and calls us anything from Lousy Girl to that he had a family emergency. In that week, all of Handsome Boy, to 8.87 GPA, and Big Eyes instead. us had to teach ourselves the concepts in order for “[I use nicknames] because the nickname is why us not to fall behind schedule. We had no idea what I remember [the students] forever,” Ton-Tho said. we were doing and some of us began to realize how “When I give my students a nickname, I feel close much we needed Ton-Tho in order for us to underto them. The nicknames that I give are very cute and stand the material. they help me to remember the personality of the stu“I teach [the concept] with molecules and I teach dent two, four, and ten years after they have left my it straight from the book and [the students] don’t class. For example, ‘Sleeping Tiger’ tells me that the get it,” Ton-Tho said. But “when I make up the stostudent is very strong, but he or she can do much ries with boy, girl, tiger, elephant, then they underbetter after they wake up.” stand the concept.”

Out of all the jobs Ton-To could have, he chose to To Ton-Tho, I may always be just “Reporter Girl,” be a Chemistry teacher, one of the hardest subjects but that means so much more than just the two that he himself failed multiple times. words he says. I may never again take Chemistry, but “I want to transfer my knowledge to the new I know if I end up taking it in college, I will be well persons and I try to teach them what is right and prepared because of what I learned at Sequoia. wrong when they make decisions. I try to teach my “I know that I want the best for my students,” he students how to think and the reward is when I see said. “I want to teach them to go to college. I want my students understanding a difficult concept and to teach them to be a good student and a responsible they say ‘ahhh’ or ‘I get it’ in class.” person.”

By LAUREL DEARBORN News Editor

Stephens keeps campus spotless

By LILY HARTZELL Staff Reporter Imagine Sequoia without the MPR. Without the science or 200 wings. With typewriters instead of computers. When Cherry Stephens first arrived here in 1988, the pool used to be about where the quad is now.

Stephens, Sequoia’s plant manager, has been working here for 23 years and four months.

After graduating from Menlo-Atherton High School and spending six years in the military, Stephens came to Sequoia.

Currently one brother works as Plant Manager at Menlo-Atherton High School, and the other, Oliver, works as a campus aide here.

“Coming from the army to Sequoia was an easy transition for me. We had to make sure all was ‘spit shined’ as we all called it.”

Stephens worked as a custodian for eight years, and then as lead custodian. She has been plant manager for about ten years now.

“I make sure the campus is taken care of,” she said. She manages all the custodians, dividing the school into routes for day and night custodians.

“The best part of my job is that I love being a supervisor. I love being around the kids. Some of them are so polite. Also the staff, it feels like family sometimes” said Stephens. “The worst part is lifting heavy boxes, but everything else is fine.”

Over the years the community has changed along with the campus.

“Ms. Marchbanks, a former principal, really brought up the students’ achievement,” said Stephens.

“For me, Sequoia is a place of family and friends where we take care of our students’ higher education,” Stephens said.

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Opinion Staff Editorial

Sequoia High School Raven Report 2011-2012

From fist fights to Facebook Cyberbullying should be addressed in policy

Stories of harassment, victimization and suicides have flooded the national news in recent years. Schools across the country have responded by adopting policies to both prevent and discipline bullying, including Sequoia, who will adopting an anti-bullying policy for the 2012-2013 school year. “[An anti-bullying policy] sends a clear message that bullying is not tolerated on our campuses,” said Spanish teacher Edith Salvatore.

Currently, Sequoia has a zero-tolerance Anti-Harassment Policy that disciplines hate speech regarding sexual orientation or race, sexual harassment, and violence. Under this policy, a student is allowed one offense, and must go through a series of questions regarding the incident; any additional offense may be punishable by detention, suspension, or expulsion.

However, the terms “harassment” and “bullying” are loosely defined when it comes to policy making, making the enforcement of policies that do not show zero tolerance for bullying of any sort difficult. We believe that bullying can occur over any medium; whether it be verbal and physical harassment, Facebook or Twitter, all forms are unacceptable and must be punished.

With the current Anti-Harassment Policy serving as the only disciplinary rule against these kinds of conflicts, instances of bullying often fall through the cracks of this policy, leaving aggressors unpunished and victims without support.

In May of 2011, a report was published by the San Mateo County 2010-11 Grand Jury called “Bullying within the County School Districts: A Survey of Policy within San Mateo County School Districts.” An information packet distributed at a Board meeting regarding the potential bullying policy summarized the results of the survey, stating that “out of 23 school districts in San Mateo County, only two districts had an anti-bullying policy separate and distinct from an anti-harassment policy. Sixteen other districts had an anti-harassment policy that mentioned bullying, but not in detail.”

With the new anti-bullying policy that is being pushed to be approved, bullying of any form will not be tolerated. Under this policy, physical, verbal, written, or cyberbullying will not be tolerated in any medium.

“I think the biggest advantage to the new policy is

changing the label of antiharassment to bullying,” said Principal Bonnie Hansen.

“Most students don’t want to be a bully, so that verbiage catches attention and makes people think about actions that could be considered bullying.”

The Raven Report fully supports establishing an antibullying policy at Sequoia; however, while the policy mentions cyberbullying as an unacceptable offense, it also states that it can only discipline actions on school campus or district transportation.

We feel that is not a sufficient address to cyberbullying, and would not allow the administration to adequately punish those participating in bullying via technology at home.

If a student comes to the administration with concerns of online bullying that occurs off school campus, the situation should be handled with the same level of discipline as if it were on campus.

The Sequoia district should adopt a policy that either adequately includes or specifically addresses the issue of bullying over the computer outside of school in order to sufficiently prevent and condemn bullying of all kinds.

Editor-in-Chief Sarina Gross Layout Editor Caroline Lempert News Editor Laurel Dearborn Feature Editors Anna Dagum and Lauren Kirkpatrick Opinion Editor Tiffany Ah Tye Staff Reporters Hanna Bolaños Peter Bugos Erick Castro Jarrett Crowell Ty Dewes Cole Dunbar Araceli Efigenio Taisha Griffie Sophie Miller Lily Hartzell Layne Diener Matthew Morrow Bogie Sandoval Hagop Narkizian Alsace Patrone Adviser Kim Vinh Mission Statement The Raven Report provides Sequoia High School with informative, engaging, and relevant news.

The staff exercises integrity and adaptability, promoting justice and transparency through professional reporting about the school, the community, and the world.

Letters to the Editor The Raven Report welcomes letters to the editor from students, parents, or community members at Room 308 or by email to ravenreport09@gmail. com. Letters must include the writer’s full name and ID number. The staff reserves the right to edit for space and style.

Respond to what you read about in our issue, suggest a topic, or participate in a survey! Search for Sequoia High School Raven Report on Facebook and like our page.

I volunteer Suzanne Collins as tribute

By LAYNE DIENER Staff Reporter You have been drafted to represent your community in a competition where you have to kill 23 other kids.

You’re malnourished, exhausted, with no allies except possibly a boy your age, who is in love with you. If you don’t live under a rock, you know I’m talking about The Hunger Games. My interpretation of this trilogy? Suzanne Collins: sicko.

I went to the midnight premiere without reading the books, but fell asleep about fifteen minutes into the film (it had been a long week). I woke up when a little girl died (everyone around me was crying, I awkwardly wasn’t), and of course managed to wake up just in time to find out that

somebody named Katniss and some other kid, Peeta (short for Peter? or spelled like the chip? I was confused) won whatever the Hunger Games were. Woo-hoo.

I was eventually convinced to read the book. It was moving at a glacial pace, nothing was really happening for a while. The only reason I continued to read was because I knew the action would start eventually, and it would start to get good... and then it did. Once I finished the first half of the book, I couldn’t put it down until I finished it, and I made sure everyone I talked to knew I was Team Peeta. I was so excited to see the movie (again).

I liked the movie for the most part.

There were of course important aspects of the book that the movie left out, but what movie version of a book doesn’t do that? I kept a running list in my head of all the things that the movie either left out or messed up, but I won’t include that list because it’s

boring, and already all over the internet.

I started the second book after seeing the movie, and noticed that again, 200 pages was going by, yet nothing was happening. I started to wonder, “Why did she publish a sequel? She could have just ended it at The Hunger Games...” but then it happened again.

Within a page, the action had started, the Quarter Quells, and the book didn’t seem pointless anymore. But then I noticed every time something important happened, Katniss would just pass out and “wake up a day later,” and see how things had changed around her. It was anticlimactic and annoying.

Aside from Collins’ (or her Editor’s, who really knows) frustrating writing style, her idea of the future is hardly a bright one. When The Hunger Games isn’t focusing on Katniss being torn between boys (Go Pita Chip!), it’s describing the brutal kill-

ings of the kids she’s up against in the arena. I was able to stomach the first book, but the second and third books were a different story. Collins gets really dark, and if you don’t want me to spoil it for you, stop reading this article.

If you like most of the characters aside from Katniss, Peeta and Gale, don’t finish the series because everyone else dies. Well, that’s not entirely true. Katniss’ mother lives, and so does their cat Buttercup (I actually appreciated that, Collins). If you consider yourself to be a genuinely happy person, or if you like fulfilling, happy endings, don’t finish the series.

It might break you.

I wouldn’t consider myself happygo-lucky, but I’ll admit that I cried for most of the second and third books, not because I was so in love with Peeta (that was only partly it), but because Collins was truly torturing me.

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Opinion

Insensitive me: Political Correctness Endangers Free Speech

By HAGOP NARKIZIAN see.” As sexist, creepy, and small-minded as these comStaff Reporter ments may sound, he still If I has every right to make h a v e them, and you have every to not of- disagree. fended You don’t need to lose you be- yourself because something fore in said about someone else my life, hurts your feelings. If LimI sin- baugh was to post videos of c e r e l y his sex life online we would apologize. I will be getting have a video worse than to you shortly; please take a Rebecca Black’s “Friday.” number.

However, that wouldn’t alStop trying to regulate low me to send Rush my my political incorrectness. eye-doctor bill if I chose to I’ll say what I want, when watch them.

I want, W e and to Offending people in an article are conw h o m about easily offended people, stantly I want; told not being offended by nonif you to use offensive things... it’s like don’t the Flike it, Inception for stupid people. word, please the Skindly screw off :). word, the C-word, the BIn the 1970’s a group word, R-word, the Y-word, known as the “New Left” the X-word, the Z-word, (a descendant of the Ameri- the Σ-word...etc.. But why? can Communist Party of the If you’re offended by my early 20th century—yes we vocabulary, too bad; it’s not had one) invented political my problem. correctness: a method of There are obviously cerspeaking and behaving that tain words that are used to minimizes offense towards maliciously target specific others. groups of people, such as Since this time, the qual- the N-word. ity of public discourse has Phrases that exercise taken a nosedive. We’ve racism and bigotry should become so restricted in our be discouraged in order speech that our ideas have to maintain a civil and recollapsed to meaningless spectful society. But politijabber. cal correctness has become What was intended to so excessive that it’s now help build respect within preventing the intellectual communities has been per- society it was intended to verted into the horrific idea preserve. that everyone must be pamWhat happened to the pered and completely com- days when we focused fortable at all times. on ideas instead of literal Well princess, as nice and words? Everyone needs to cozy as that little bubble relax, and focus on what is, get over it. Realize that matters. when I call Sarah Palin’s Why don’t you try dofamily “sluts,” you don’t ing something about the need to declare war on my severely abused children in speech. Just look at the fact Tibet instead—oh wait, no that two-thirds of her teen- one made a 30 minute long age kids already have chil- YouTube video about them. dren.

Eleanor Roosevelt once Recently there was an said, “Great minds discuss outrage over comments ideas, average minds discuss made by conservative radio events, small minds discuss host Rush Limbaugh. After people.” If something said Sandra Fluke, a young law legitimately offends you, student, spoke up about there is no need for a huge contraceptives, Limbaugh uproar; The world has bigdemanded that he wants ger problems, and it’s in “videos of all [Fluke’s] sex your best interest to grow posted online so [he] can a thicker skin and move on.

Brochures inform, but experience incites

College visits renew enthusiasm

By HANNA BOLAÑOS Staff Reporter College admission can become most high schoolers’ great white whale (if you don’t get the reference, cross Harvard off your list).

We’ve completed so many assessments in high school that we’ve almost lost sight of what we’re even working towards—oh yeah, getting into college. This goal seems obvious, but it slips my mind when I’m climbing my own Everest of homework. Over Spring Break, I actually got to see the potential reward of doing well in high school when I took a college trip to Boston.

I visited five schools during the trip: Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern University, Brandeis University, and Tufts University. I had visited college campuses before, and had seen the expansive green grass, the classic architecture, and heard the bells tolling on the hour, but something felt different this time: I actually imagined myself sitting on those lawns and walking those halls, as an undergraduate.

At Tufts, I sat in on an Anthropology class of 40 students or so. There was

no announced agenda, no “what, why, how,” and no boring kickoffs (thank god).

The students were sitting at desks with their laptops like they were in a coffee shop.

They discussed the effect of technology on urban spaces by means of discussion and youtube videos. For the full 75 minutes, every student in the room was either participating in discussion or rapidly typing notes. Not once did the teacher stop to regain the attention of the class, and everyone wanted to be there.

The 75 minutes flew by.

There was no announced agenda, no “what, why, how,” and no boring kickoffs (thank god).

Each college on my trip had a different vibe, a different student body, and different things to offer, none of which could be understood from a college website. Some have spacious quads; some are located along the length of a few blocks; some are in suburban areas; and some are located in the city itself. but I tried to keep an open mind throughout. I also took a student-led tour of each campus. There is such a thing as a bad tour guide (as I discovered), so don’t let that sway your opinion about the school.

If you don’t have the op-

portunity to visit colleges in another state, you can have an equally inspiring experience at a local college like San Jose State, Cañada College, or UC Berkeley. Sign up for a campus tour, ask the students walking around campus how they like it there, sit in on a class if possible, just go for the experience of feeling what your future could be like.

Even though visiting college campuses was really inspiring, I remembered there was still something between me and the college experience; admission. There I was trying to picture myself at these amazing places when I haven’t even applied, let alone gotten in.

College admission is maybe the most cut-throat competition of today, and the visits only served as a reminder of that. It was scary and motivating at the same time.

On the plane ride home, my IB history homework didn’t seem as taxing as before, since I had a better sense of how the work would get me somewhere great.

Visiting colleges provided a sense of a tangible goal, a peak at the top of that Mount Everest of high school homework. Right at the summit, there is a big spacious quad, brick style residence halls, and an entire student population of intelligent people just like you who are psyched to experience the reward of their high school toil.

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6

Feature

Sequoia Says: Prom? Asians do procrastinate: “I would get some of my friends and write prom on our stomachs and then ask her.”

— Senior Jordan Lam “[Have the guy] coming in a hot air balloon with pimped out clothes and a pimp cane.”

—Junior Melissa Aguilar “Take gasoline and spell prom, then light it on fire.”

—Sophomore Chris Hunter “I would want the guy to shoot off fireworks and spell out ‘Will you go to prom with me?’

I love fireworks.”

—Freshman Alleah Aliakbar Compiled by Peter Bugos, Erick Castro, Ty Dewes, and Cole Dunbar

Prom invitations test student creativity

By MATTHEW MORROW Staff Reporter Vibrant corsages. Vintage tuxedos. Full-length dresses. This year, there are some really brave souls who went the extra mile to ask someone to prom.

The people sitting next to you may have asked more than just “Will you go to prom with me?”

“I wanted to do something fun,” junior Michael Muir said. Muir spent a week planning how to ask junior Alyssa Bliss to prom.

Two of his friends helped him write “prom” on over one thousand

sticky notes. They then covered her whole bedroom wall with them.

Junior Amanda Willett asked her best friend sophomore Cassidy Thompson to prom, by creating a mash up of popular love songs.

“I was kind of surprised, and a little embarrassed,” said Thompson.

Junior Drew Tweedy’s sister helped him to create a poster for junior Hanna Singh, with ten reasons why she should go to prom with him.

“I think you’re hot. I’m hot. It works,” was one of the reasons.

“I wanted it to be something different,” said Tweedy.

TRUCK SHOW

I’ll think of a headline later

By TIFFANY AH TYE Opinion Editor “Hey, you’re smart, help me with this problem!”

“Your parents must be sooo strict.”

“Don’t you play badminton?”

To many, I’m just another Asian girl who is probably a smart kid. In reality, I’m probably one of the biggest procrastinators you’ll ever meet. I don't finish my homework a week before it’s due. I don’t get the best grades. And I don’t speak an Asian language (although I’d like to).

I’m a slacker - I hate doing anything that involves me actually getting up and doing work. I’m great at reading - if someone turns the page for me. I love my Kindle, mostly because I don't even have to flip a page; the only thing I have to do is click a button.

My math skills are absolutely zilch.

I don't know the difference between a function and a non-function - I’m not even sure how I passed geometry.

Yet, people still think of me as overachieving. But why is that? I know so many more people who have better grades and that do much more. Yet, they are treated differently; people think that it’s natural for Asians to always go above and beyond. I don't think that I’m different from any other student, and I don't identify myself as strictly Asian; does anyone really define themselves by their race? Each personality is so dynamic that it can’t simply be described by a generalization about their race; not all Latinos speak Spanish, not all Caucasian people are rich, and not all Asians are smart.

The Asian population at Sequoia

is so small, yet the stereotypes are fairly pronounced. It doesn’t necessarily hurt to be stereotyped; I know that people don’t mean it when they say that all Asians look the same. But nonetheless, I sometimes wish that I didn't have a stereotype that I’m identified by when I first meet someone.

Asians aren't the only people who are stereotyped; I know that there are people who are against undocumented students (and sometimes make that very clear), but I know many undocumented students who have great grades, and who really strive and work towards their goals.

I am Asian: I eat rice with almost every meal (what do you guys eat, bread?), have an aversion to dairy products, and the only time I’ve driven was at Malibu Grand Prix, and I ended up crashing and spinning out.

“It’s embarrassing for me to say that I’m what people would say ‘whitewash.’ But nonetheless, regardless of my flaw, I’m proud to be Asian. I feel [it] is a factor of who I am today such as my interests [and] my motives”, said junior Try Khov.

Stereotypes shouldn’t define us. I don’t get the best grades; I don’t do the most community service, and I’m not taking the absolute hardest classes.

But sometimes, the stress of what others expect from me for being Asian, and supposedly smart, overrides what I expect from myself.

However, I am proud to be Asian, no matter how small the Asian population is, and no matter how large the stereotypes are. Some Asians may identify themselves as “bananas”, a term that identifies them as being Asian, but feeling white. I, however, see myself as a “lemon” - Asian inside and out, and proud of it!

REPRESENTATION (Continued from page 1)

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a reporter calling Nancy Pelosi “the wicked witch of the west,” Condoleezza Rice headlining an article as a “dominatrix.”

I am not offended by such images, and in fact idolize many of them (I’m an admitted sucker for tabloids and fashion magazines). However, within the context of Miss Representation’s exposé I could see the unattainable standards for women this sets and how dangerous they are. As the film unravels into a collage of interviews, statistics, and an assortment of the media we are exposed to on a daily basis, the severity of the messages we’ve become numb to surfaces.

“Girls get the message from very early on that what’s most important is

how they look. That their value, their worth, depends on that. And boys get the message that this is what is important about girls. We get it from everywhere we look,” said one of the film’s many acclaimed interviewees Jean Kilbourne, who is an author and scholar at the Wellesley Center for Women. “The effect is primarily subconscious, it is very harmful, but for the most part we’re not really aware of that.”

This is by no means damage that can be alleviated in one documentary sitting. But personally, I have begun to recognize these insecurities as a reflection of an abusive media, rather than of an inherent failure to measure up.

7

Feature

Y u no have privacy settings?!

Education code extends beyond school grounds

By ANNA DAGUM Feature Editor With memes targeted at teachers and students, as well as the aftermath of numerous drunken party nights littering Facebook’s Sunday morning newsfeed, the Sequoia administration encourages students to consider their privacy settings before posting photos of themselves or others online.

“There are great things about technology, but this is not one of them,” said Principal Bonnie Hansen. “People are getting hurt and people are being hurtful even when they don’t mean to be.”

Because our generation is the first to begin using these social networking sites as a way of communication and everyday life, for many students, the lines are still blurred concerning the legality of what you can and cannot on Facebook.

“What’s important for students to understand is that anything a student types, they have to be comfortable with. Because in our day and age, anything you post is public,” said Hansen.

Many cases of online “behavior” have recently made the news; A senior in Indiana was recently expelled from Garrett High School for tweeting the F-word multiple times. Other schools across the country have been asking students to shut down their Facebook

accounts and even being fined money for posting scandalous photos.

This begs the question: how much authority does a school have in the virtual world of the internet? And how much should it have?

“I can’t imagine how awful my life would be if I had to read all the tweets students send out,” joked administrative vice principal Sean Priest. “All we can do here is operate under the California Education Code.”

There is a section of this code, however, that deals with rule enforcement and more specifically rule enforcement on the internet.

Code 48900 states that a student can be suspended or expelled if he or she fails to adhere to the enforcements in this code including bullying and cyberbullying. This area of the code was amended more recently, as the prevalence of high school interaction has moved online. Thus said, the term “online” doesn’t always correlate with the term “outside of school grounds.”

“The only way that the school can lawfully enforce a punishment is if there’s a nexus [connection] with the school,” said Priest.

This means that anything that a student posts during school, at a school event or on a student’s way to or from school is culpable under the California Education Code.

“We’ll be a lot better at this in the

next five years,” said Hansen. “The California Education Code around it is very new so we’re all still trying to figure out how to deal with this kind of communication.”

Incidents of cyberbullying and other forms of harmful activity via internet have been subject to investigation by the school.

“We’re not monitoring student Facebook pages,” said Priest, “we don’t have the bandwidth for that.”

“It’s always because a student comes to us,” said Hansen.

When a student reports an incident of cyberbullying to the administration, it is liable for investigation. The school does not need a warrant to search a phone or facebook page.

“We have a responsibility to students to make sure that the school is safe,” said Priest. “When parents send their students to prom or another school event, they expect them to be safe. If the evidence is what someone posts online, and that’s what we have to go with, that student will get punished.”

However, students must keep in mind that Facebook privacy settings can only go so far to protect the individual.

“Just don’t put it in writing,” said Hansen. “Because unfortunately in this day and age with technology what it is, it’s not safe.”

M

indGap

asters Youtube

By JARRETT CROWELL Staff Reporter Since middle school, five sophomores have been building their friendship and making people laugh one video at a time.

The group of Henry Zatarain, Jonathan Bravo, Kellen Gillooley, Gareth Wang, and Evan Schulz started the Youtube channel MindGapProductions. The videos are mostly comedy improvisation, and planning the story is not a huge part of the process.

“We plan up to an extent, but the movie takes a mind of its own,” said director Zatarain, who has been interested in filmmaking since an early age.

“My dad went to double feature James Bond movies and classic thrillers. He would show me the movies that he used to see.

Watching them made me realize that the purpose of a movie is so that one can sit down and enjoy him or herself,” said Zatarain.

Besides the love of videos, MindGap has helped the group grow their friendship.

“It is something we always have fun with, and is just a great excuse to get together with the guys,” said Jonathan Bravo.

The Youtube channel has also helped the boys keep their friendships up between schools.

“Two kids from Carlmont also make videos with us, and it’s a great way to keep our friendship going,”said Bravo.

Also, in 2011, MindGap entered a contest for a local Allied Waste company to reveal how easy it is to recycle and how good it is for the community.

However, “We’re in the learning stage, and we are not exactly sure of the course we want to take,” said Zatarain.

MindGap fans also have opinions on the videos.

“I like the videos because they are just messing around and it looks like they are having a good time,” said fellow sophomore Celeste Adler.

MindGap has used various backdrops for each video, each unique and fun. Whether the films are shot in Henry’s backyard or the Central Middle School band room, each setting puts a spin on each videos.

“Henry has the best costumes and Jonathan plays the best parts, but they are all around funny videos because of the random stuff that is incorporated. Funny props, funny costumes, I love the videos,” said Adler.

Find more mingap videos at http://www.youtube.com/ mindgapproductions.

Sports 8 Tennis aces a strong season Girls lacrosse team fights volleying back once again to improve first season sport, all of the team members must do well for a victory. High school Staff Reporter tennis is scored out of seven games; The boys tennis team at Sequoia a school must win the majority to swatted down oposition like there win the match against the opposwas nothing there. They almost ing school. One person cannot carry went undefeated with a score of 10-2 the team on his back. “There are difin the Peninsula Athletic League ferent heroes each game; everyone Ocean Division, and has gotten steps up when needed,” said Satterly.

Tennis has a good better since last year’s playing environthree-way tie. ment that both the The team just finplayers and coachished its season last es enjoy. “It was a Friday with the innice, friendly, easy dividual PAL touratmosphere to play nament. The PAL sports,” Satterly said tournament is for all McKenney endivisions. There was courages team also the PAL team members to support tournament, which Photo by Sequoia Athletics others during their was held on the weekend of April 20.

Senior Daniel Jude serves games. The coach The boys tennis against the Westmoor Rams. has been very successful. “We enteam is a group composed of 11 seniors and 4 non- courage our guys to cheer the others seniors who have been playing for on it really is a ‘support your whole multiple years. Head coach Phil team’ environment.”

“I don’t really see [cheering] a lot McKenney said, “These guys have played together for the last three in the other teams in the league. I think that is something our coach years; the team is very cohesive.”

The team has trained a lot to get has instilled in us,” Senior Daniel to where they were at the end of the Jude said.

The team is considering holding season. Their second place victory is a fundraiser tournament open to all a result of their work. “We do work hard and it is a culmination of what high schools in the ocean and bay we are working towards,” said Senior divisions. If Sequoia hosts the tournament it will be open to about 100 Cameron Satterly.

Although tennis is often thought entries and will most likely be held of as an individual or dual–person on the third weekend of June.

By COLE DUNBAR

By TAISHA GRIFFIE Staff Reporter The girl’s lacrosse, or also known as the “lax” team, is working extremely hard towards their first win. On April 19 girls lacrosse played a tough game against Pioneer leaving the score to 2-10.

The girls performed well offensively by getting in two shots.

“For all the girls on the team this is their first year they have played on a lacrosse team,” said sophomore midfielder Kate Elliott.

“I had never done anything like lacrosse before and it sounded like a really good opportunity,” said freshman Sarah Gilbert. Because of how new the sport is to most of the girls, they continue to learn the basics and improve their newly found skills.

“As a team I think it would be really cool if we could improve our defense.

I know we have the potential to start shutting down these teams’ offense,” said sophomore midfielder Kate Boudreau. Boudreau was the very first on her team to score a goal during their game versus Saratoga on April 8.

The girls have made an incredible improvement since their game on April 18 versus Gunn scoring 0-14.

Some of the girl’s lacrosse players have set some personal goals for the end of the lacrosse season.

“Individually, I want to score more goals and win more ground balls. As

Photo courtesy of Sequoia Lacrosse

a team, I want us to win at least one game this season. I know these teams are beatable,” said Boudreau.

“I hope that by the end of the season I have the basics down and I can start to build on the fundamentals,” said Elliott.

As of right now the girl’s lacrosse team can be labeled as the underdogs, but they refuse to give up.

“Even though we are not the best team in the league, we still have such great spirit on our team.

It is so fun to improve as a team the little things are exciting to us,” said Boudreau.

Catch the girls lacrosse last home game tonight at 7p.m.versus Pioneer.