8 Prop 30 divides community between business, education

6 Look-alike versions rival TOMS shoes in popularity

15 Athletes juggle academic, financial responsibilities

12 Drama department produces “The Crucible” this month

The Roar is a student publication planned and produced by the journalism class at Whitney High School. The news magazine is an open forum for student expression. Student editors make all content decisions. Columns represent the viewpoints of individual writers and are not representative of the opinions of the student body, faculty or administration of Whitney High School or Rocklin Unified School District. Staff members of The Roar practice ethical student journalism by providing fair and balanced coverage as determined by community standards. Students working to publish each issue strive to achieve accuracy by

checking sources, spelling and quotes as well as obtaining a variety of credible sources. The staff regrets any errors or omissions. The Roar staff gladly accepts letters to the editor, either by email or delivered to Room C-2. All letters must be signed by the writer and may be edited for length or content. Libelous or potentially harmful material will not be printed. Multiple letters about the same topic may not be printed due to space limitations or may instead appear on www.whitneyupdate.com. For information about advertising, including rates, sizes and discounts, contact The Roar at theroar@rocklin.k12.ca.us.

ILAF ESUFSHAI NIELSONKAVYA PATHAKEMMA RICHIE

ARIELLA APPLEBYABI BROOKSJENICA DODGE HALEY ELLIS

THERESA KIMHARMONY REILLYKALEEN SINGH KAVLEEN SINGH

staffeditors

adviser SARAH NICHOLS, MJE

2 Whitney high Schoolthe RoaR

6

8

12

15

IN THIS ISSUE

On the cOver: Cover photo illustration by EMMA RICHIE

CARSEN VANDER LINDEN

the RoaR | Whitney high School | 701 Wildcat Blvd. | Rocklin, calif. 95765 | 916-632-6500

Visit www.whitneyupdate.comfor the latest in news, sports, entertainment, opinion and more

We’ll keep you posted.WHITNEY JOURNALISM

There’s another presidential debate on TV: change the channel. There’s a poll on Facebook about who’s running for the open senate seat: ignore and post a

picture of a cat. There’s an article in The Roar about a new proposition: skip the page and read the fun story about TOMS shoes instead. And that’s the problem. High schoolers who are just a few years away from voting are ignoring politics because it is “too boring” or “doesn’t pertain to their lives.” News flash: it does now and it will in the future as well. Of course there are always the students who live for the presidential debates and love getting into political discussions at school, but these are the exception. Most students have no knowledge of the political system until their senior year when they take a government course. And then, it’s just a class. Do they even pay attention enough to understand anything beyond what is on the next chapter test? Not usually. These students are waiting until they are 16 or 17 years old before learning what the electoral college is or before gaining any political knowledge whatsoever. And then a year or two later they take part and vote in a system they barely understand. How can we change that? The first step is to convince students that the issues discussed in the news and on TV are actually extremely important. Unless you educate yourself about the topics, you could end up voting against what you actually believe. Just getting a basic understanding about the political system and the main issues at hand should be a fundamental idea for teenagers who are about to be in the real world dealing with these issues firsthand. An easy way to start is by visiting cnn.com/studentnews. It provides election resources and has a daily news report with the latest election coverage and easy to understand political coverage. Shows like “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report” are also vastly more interesting for teens because of the hosts’ humor. And this information isn’t just for future preparation, it should be meaningful in your life now. In the current election there two propositions that affect you directly: propositions 30 and 38 (see pages 9 and 10). These involve taxes and cuts at a state level that will end up affecting district and school budgets that could cut extracurricular programs like sports and VAPA programs like art and drama. You can’t directly vote on these issues if you are not 18, of course, but having a little bit of knowledge can go a long way. You can discuss your opinions with the adults in your life who can vote and you can still be an influence in the voting process. An important thing to learn now is that your influence in the voting process never goes away. Teenagers come into the political system at a young age already feeling like their opinions and votes don’t matter and

thus take the stance that politics doesn’t matter. The political system surrounds everything that happens in everyday life, from the regulation of food to the school systems to the money you make on a job. It matters. And if you believe it doesn’t matter because it doesn’t provide you with what you want or think you deserve, then the First Amendment guarantees you the right to “petition the government for a redress of grievances.” If you don’t like something, don’t sit around complaining. Change it. But before you do, educate yourself as much as possible. It may seem boring and pointless, but this is your country and your government. Even more so, this is your state and your school district. If you’re not willing to learn and participate, then you are not allowed to complain. It’s really simple actually, you can even start by turning to pages 9 and 10 of this issue of The Roar.

EDITORIAL

3NOVEMBER 2012IssuE 2

your state,

you’ve got the POWERTake the first step to getting involved in what affects you right now and in the future

1 Educate yourselfVisit websites like CNN Student News or Huffington Post; watch shows like The Daily Show or The Colbert Report

2 Get motivated

3 Do something

Watch the presidential debates, keep up to date with election/political news or talk with your parents/other adults about your opinions and ideas

Go to a rally for a new proposition you support, volunteer to work at the polls, or petition to change something you don’t like

your chance

You can even attend a rally today (Nov. 5) on the corner of Park and Sunset from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

OPIN

ION

4 WhItNey hIgh SchOOlthe ROaR

Ready to go with her small backpack slung on her shoulders and her hair in two short blonde pigtails, 5-year-old me would never realize as she walked into her first day of kindergarten that in what seemed to be forever but was really just 12 years, she would have to start the scariest process thus far in her life: applying for college. Maybe I could flash forward a bit until I found her when she was 12 years old. She knew then that college was her goal, though getting there seemed so simple in sixth grade. It would perhaps be best and most logical to go back to Aug. 17, 2009, when the girl would be 14-years-old and starting her first day of high school.

I would stop her just as she was walking from her mom’s old maroon 4Runner to the front black gates of the school. She would be almost caught up with her two best friends at the school entrance, about to take a group photo with her cell phone. I would pretend to just be a senior whom she didn’t know and accidentally bump into her to get her attention. I would apologize, make sure she was okay and then casually ask if she was a freshman. She would be a bit intimidated but would answer with an anxious yet excited yes. Seeing her huge smile as she answered would distract me for a moment. It would remind me of that first day and how the world seemed so perfect and full of possibilities. In the few minutes I could keep her attention, I would tell her how freshmen and sophomore

year would fly by without many troubles and with relatively easy classes. I would see her turning every now and then to see if her friends were still waiting for her, and would tell her she needs to listen closely to this last bit of advice: junior year will have more struggles than she’s used to and her grades will matter infinitely more, so she can’t give up and she needs to take that extra 10 minutes to study for precal. Senior year will be exponentially more stressful than any year of her life and she will want to spend more time napping or hanging with friends, but she can’t put off the AP Lit book or studying for that AP Physics test. And then will come the applications.

She’ll be constantly filling out her name, address, email, birthday and grades from every year of high school. She’ll feel the pressure from herself to have the perfect applications to get into her favorite colleges. She’ll become tired and sick of constantly doing something for college and never getting to relax. Of course, even if I could go back and talk to her, I wouldn’t have enough time to tell her everything she needs to know. So if I could, perhaps instead I would slip a note in her backpack for her to find later that day: “You’re just starting high school and you’re excited, as you should be. But in a few years that excitement will be long forgotten and replaced with anxiety, stress and maybe even fear. I don’t want that to happen. So start assignments as soon as you get

them, study even if you think you know everything for the test, don’t waste so much time watching TV or playing games on your phone, that boy you like can wait 20 more minutes for you to finish your math homework before replying to his text, don’t worry about being cool or popular (it won’t matter in five years), and remember to breathe. And when you start filling out your college applications, remember that you have done everything you could and that not getting accepted to UC Berkeley or Stanford won’t be life or death. Each application will be scary and stressful, and, yes, they are pretty important, but you will get through them and everything will be OK.” Sadly, that letter will never be delivered to her and she will have to wait to learn all of this until she’s a senior. But I guess that’s not too bad as she is now 17 years old and though she hasn’t done everything she would advise her younger self to do, she is doing just fine.

She’s even thinking of how crazy it is that every aspect of her life right now truly does revolve around college, even her stories for journalism are college-centered. But that doesn’t worry her too much, she’s learning to manage everything better these days. All she can think about now is how this would be an interesting personal statement for an application. Too bad it’s more than 1000 words.

by SHAI NIELSON

end of high school yearsbrings college app fearsThree years of hard work, applications still seem scary with college on the horizon

Photo Illustration by SHAI NIELSON

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Recently, it seems as though companies have no shame about originality. Or, in some cases, unoriginality. TOMS, which is a shoe line designed to help those who are less fortunate, has been used as creative inspiration, which

may not be too far off from creative theft. TOMS were created in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie who desired to help those less fortunate. For every pair of TOMS that are purchased, another pair are donated to help a child in need somewhere in the world. Just like TOMS, others have decided to aid the same cause with similar styles, similar names and similar promises. A spitting image of TOMS, BOBS by Skechers, which hit store shelves in 2010, serve the same purpose as TOMS. That is, with one purchase of their shoes, another pair of shoes is shipped off to a child in the world who would otherwise be barefoot. “I think the styles are basically the same, but when I see people wearing them, I always look for the tag to see if they’re real TOMS,” Stephanie Sadoma said. Most BOBS range from $35 to $55, where TOMS can be anywhere from $54 to as much as $114. For some, the price isn’t the deciding factor, it’s the brand name. “I’d want to get TOMS because they’re the original,” Sadoma said. Sophomore Abi Thomas owns three pairs of TOMS and is fully into the idea of charity through the purchase of shoes. “TOMS has a good cause behind it. When you buy a pair of TOMS, a pair goes to a kid in need,” Thomas said. Though Thomas likes the options of TOMS shoes better, she also believes that BOBS are just as great. “If they all support a similar cause it works out for everyone,” Thomas said. Junior Karly LaMar owns six pairs of TOMS and feels strongly about the original brand of TOMS. “I would never buy (BOBS)! I don’t like copycats. I would only buy TOMS,” LaMar said. To LaMar, even though BOBS are helping a similar cause, they’re trying too hard to look like TOMS, and they don’t pull it off.“BOBS don’t look as cute, they just look awkward!” LaMar said. Both shoes are very similar, and both shoes help out almost identical causes. What shoe would you wear? It almost doesn’t matter, since both shoes look pretty much the same.

FASH

ION

6 WHItNey HIgH ScHOOltHe ROAR

by ABI BROOKS and HARMONY REILLY

After two years on the market and encouragement by TOMS to copy their idea, BOBS gain new awareness from the public

$54

SOLERIVALS

$35for a basic pair of BOBS

for a basic pair of TOMS

buy TOMS atNordstromWhole FoodsJourneys

buy BOBS atKohl’sMacy’sDSW

$17for Groove Slip-ons, a shoe similar to TOMS

2540

BOBS have been donated

to kids in countries

TOMS

How the two brands, as well as other similar shoes, match up

BOBSversus

Photo Illustrations by IlAF eSUF & eMMA RIcHIe

TOMS have been donated

to kids in countries

TECHNOLOGY

7NOVEMBER 2012IssuE 2

by JENICA DODGE & HALEY ELLIS

Apple’s iPhone 5 provides new options

another

Apple for

bigstep

It’s thinner, faster and lighter. It has a bigger screen. The new camera is 8 megapixels and is able to capture panoramic shots. And don’t forget the new iOS 6.

The new iPhone 5 is here. With a new processor, it runs faster and smoother. There is also a new sensor in the camera that allows for better pictures of moving objects or low light settings. It is the lightest Apple product the company has, weighing just 3.95 ounces. It is also is the thinnest one, with a width of 2.31 inches. Apple keeps improving its products, and the newest edition has been released. Senior Karen Garcia just received her iPhone 5. She pre-ordered the white and silver model two weeks in advance. The new phone also is available in black slate. Compared to her other phones, she said the iPhone 5 is a lot easier to use. “Having the iPhone 5 connects me to my friends more. Because of all the apps, I am able to check Twitter and Instagram without having to log onto a computer,” Garcia said. Junior Zack Tyler pre-ordered his iPhone 5 as well. It’s a great upgrade. He said he had no phone for a while, and after waiting several weeks, he finally he got his new iPhone. “I love everything about it other than the weak aluminum backing. It dents easily and the paint is beginning to come off. So get a light cover [to] keep it in pristine condition,” Tyler said. Sophomores Sara Miller and Samantha Smiley make iPhone cases. Their business is called Keep It Casey, and they sell their cases on Etsy. They will design requested ideas. The prices of these cases range from $10-25.

sophie Butler and shad McCarty hold their new iPhones. The iPhone5 is available for as low as $199 in black or white, although online orders are currently delayed due to high demand. Photo by JENICA DODGE

“Sara and I started making our own cases ever since we saw a post on Instagram of a homemade iPhone case, so we decided to try and replicate it and we figured out we were actually good at it,” said Samantha Smiley. The new camera is sure to capture everything in sight. “The camera quality is so much higher. The pictures that it can take are amazing,” Garcia said. Junior Shane Anderson has done some research on the new product from Apple. “I like the larger screen because all the other iPhone screens were too small, in my opinion,” Anderson said. Apple released a new charger for the phone, called the lightning, instead of the 30 pin charger that works for all other Apple products. This could potentially lead to a downfall because so many people have the other chargers and it would be hard because they’re not all the same. They also came out with new headphones, called the Apple EarPods. Tests of people running and jumping proved that the EarPods stay in the ear much easier and provide protection against sweat. “I have never really been ‘addicted’ to my phone but once I got my new iPhone I have to keep reminding myself to get off of it and do my homework,” Garcia said.

FEAT

URE

8 WhiTnEy high SchoolThE RoAR

Buried in the lengthy list of propositions for voters to consider this week lies one issue that could greatly impact

the future of education in this district. Proposition 30, Governor Jerry Brown’s initiative to prevent $6 billion in trigger cuts slated to occur this year, would involve a tax increase of both income and sales taxes. For individuals earning $250,000 or more, income taxes would increase by one to three percent for seven years, while sales taxes would increase by a quarter of a cent for four years. Were the proposition to fail, $4.75 million would be cut from the district’s budget adding on to the existing $6.96 million that has been cut since 2007. If the cuts take place, the school board will be forced to make executive decisions regarding the continuation of academic, extra-curricular, sports and VAPA programs. “No one school will receive direct cuts. We will need to make district-wide decisions regarding staffing, class sizes, programs and support services. These decisions will have an impact on most if not all schools,” superintendent Mr. Kevin Brown said. With these broad guidelines for equal budgeting, cuts would be made in more specific departments and programs. “We would have to reduce funding for extracurricular activities, and the voluntary athletic contribution would go up. The district currently gives $650,000 to schools each year, most of which goes to sports, and that would be reduced (if the proposition fails),” school board vice president Mr. Todd Lowell said. In preparation for making these cuts, the school board has already devised plans for the district in order to implement the possible new budget. “(We would) raise class sizes in K-3 from

by KAVYA PATHAK & EMMA RICHIE

As the election approaches, Proposition 30 divides voters on how to fund education

At the intersection of Park and Sunset, Tiffany Pelkey holds a sign at a rally by teachers in support of Prop 30 on oct. 22. Photo by EMMA RichiE

budget onthe

bAllot

FEATURE

9NOVEMBER 2012IssUE 2

26 students for each teacher to 31 students for each teacher, eliminate elementary music, reduce high school sports programs, limit transportation and mow lawns once a month instead of each week,” Brown said. However, the board plans to make as few changes as possible to the schools’ daily life despite the necessary budget cuts that could occur. “I would be least interested in cutting academic and enrichment programs, and I don’t want to reduce AP classes and electives,” Lowell said. “I also want to maintain our current high school schedule (with four classes each day), even though it’s more expensive than the 1970s model of having eight 50-minute class periods each day.” Though the district plans to keep drastic changes from occurring in schedules and core classes, cuts to electives could also deeply affect students. “I’ve been in ceramics for four years, and I definitely have noticed changes in the program, since we have not been able to do as many projects from year to year, due to cuts. My teacher has to ask for voluntary contributions from students in order to pay for materials,” Katie Gruessing said. Funding for VAPA programs has been decreasing, a trend that will not change if Proposition 30 fails. “For the music program, we get very little of our funding from the state, (due to cuts), and so we raise most of our money ourselves,” music teacher Mr. Kris Harper said. But for programs such as ceramics, which are unable to raise funds on their own, future students will face the reality of a decreasing budget. “For incoming freshmen, cuts will make it more difficult to take elective classes, since parents don’t expect to have to contribute to pay for classes in high school and so will limit electives their students can take. It will ruin

the elective experience for students,” Gruessing said. Despite these educational cuts, the opposition looks towards the tax increases and long-term fiscal consequences of Proposition 30. The arguments of those who oppose Prop 30 focus mostly on the increased taxes for small business owners, greatly affecting the economy of California as a whole. “Small business owners report income under personal tax returns (which would be taxed under the proposition). Is it appropriate to raise taxes on them?” Legislative Director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association David Wolfe said. Although the sole argument of those in favor of Prop 30 is the increase in funding for schools, Wolfe said that in reality, the schools will not be getting anything that they would not already receive in time. “Under the California constitution a certain amount of tax revenue goes to schools. The state legislature has taken money from education for many years and Prop 30 would only restore it, not give schools any new funding,” Wolfe said. The at-risk funding, whether the proposition passes or fails, is accompanied by a safety net created by the state legislature. “Trigger cuts can be undone by state legislatures,” Lowell said. “It’s the crass human reality that the legislature likely won’t cut, since the members are up for reelection and don’t want to tell their constituents that education will face huge cuts. Jerry Brown wants you to think it will be drastic, but it won’t.” Other propositions on the November ballot, such as Proposition 38, also attempt to address the issue of shrinking school funding. This proposition would increase taxes by one to two percent on people earning

$7,316 and would increase tax rates for individuals with higher incomes for the next 12 years. However, the money it could raise cannot be used to alleviate all of the district’s budget woes.

$4.75 millionin cuts to RUSD next school year if Prop 30 fails

s m wt sft

16 days of school

eliminated if Prop 30 doesn’t pass

$650,000 from RUSD for sports would be heavily reduced without more funding

$4 billion more raised by Prop 38 than Prop 30

31students in each K-3 class if Prop 30 fails, an increase from 26 per class

$1,000 increase in funding per average daily student attendance under Prop 38, compared to no increase under Prop 30

elementary music could be eliminated without Prop 30

1-3% TAXincrease on incomes under Prop 30, compared to 1-2.2% increase under Prop 38

At the intersection of Park and sunsetRTPA president Mrs. Barbara scott and superintendent Mr. Kevin Brown holds Yes on Prop 30 signs for the teachers’ rally on Oct. 22. Photo by EMMA RICHIE

Scan here to read the rest of this story online or visit WHiTnEYUPDATE.Com

Sources: RUSD’s Props 30 and 38 fact sheet, interview with school board vice president mr. Todd lowell

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Everything close to her moved farther and farther away when suddenly, it all

went black. Her parents were frantic, but this was nothing new. It was sophomore Adriana Pena’s second diabetes attack. “I was only 2 (when I got diagnosed) so I can’t really tell you how I reacted, but I do remember the pain I went through every time I needed insulin, which I got through shots. My parents were naturally sad, confused and even mad that it was me who got diabetes,” Pena said. About 80 people a day are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, an autoimmune disorder that prevents the body from producing an appropriate amount of insulin. Though the amount of people affected is constantly rising, the cause of Type 1 Diabetes remains unknown. “I was 13 months old (when I was diagnosed) and my mom and grandma noticed that it seemed as if a cold was coming onto me. I was running a high fever and I wasn’t really eating and I was sleeping a lot. I couldn’t really react when I got it because of my young age, but my family was shocked. They had no idea I would have diabetes,” freshmen Leilani Howell said. Although there is no cure for diabetes, treatment plans help those affected combat the disorder. “When a child is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, they generally have elevated blood sugar and may or may not need to be hospitalized. If they are hospitalized, it is because their body does not have the energy or glucose needed to function so their body shuts down in a sense. Their CO2 levels rise

and puts their body in a very sick state,” Kaiser Permanente nurse case manager and diabetes educator Staci Johnson said. “They would have to be on an IV drip until their blood sugar levels normalize and they would be discharged after that. Once they are discharged from the hospital, they would be considered an outpatient. Outpatients are patients who have already gone through the basics and have learned how to check their blood sugar levels on their own. Although they don’t have to be hospitalized after becoming an outpatient, they are urged to attend clinic visits with a team dedicated to educating and helping diabetes patients. “Clinic visit consists of a physician, a registered dietitian and a social worker so we address those aspects of diabetes. The doctor talks about the medical aspects of diabetes, the nurse works with how to manage the diabetes on a day to day basis, the dietician specifically talks about food and portion control and the social worker talks about how it affects the family,” Johnson said. Although hospitals do offer a supportive team, having Type 1 diabetes adds a lot of responsibility to those affected and the patients are ultimately in charge of their health. “The hardest part of diabetes is just dealing with it and constantly reminding myself to check up on it. If I don’t, it’s my life on the line. I have to test my blood sugar four to five times a day, and every time I eat I have to shoot insulin because my pancreas doesn’t produce any,” sophomore Hannah Arnold said.

Injections are only one of the treatment options offered. Some students affected by Type 1 diabetes prefer the pump to the injections. “I started doing the injections and I am now on an insulin pump and I’ve been on it since I was 10. The insulin pump is easy to use and is connected to me. It is way easier than the shots, I have to change it every three days rather than having to take like 10 shots per day,” Howell said. Regardless of the treatments patients choose, they tend to attract attention. Family members and friends can help. Howell’s friend Braedon Horn said, “Some tips for other people with diabetic friends are don’t act like anything is different, when he/she is doing something don’t make a big deal about it. Diabetes doesn’t hold anybody back; they are still totally normal and functional people.”

HEALTH

11NOVEMBER 2012IssuE 2

getinvolved!walk

a different type,a different struggle

cureto

Volunteers can walk individually or with a team. Once the free registration is complete on the JDRF website, volunteers will gain access to all JDRF fundraising tools.

ride tocure

Designed for all fitness levels, volunteers who are interested in riding to cure diabetes will have the opportunity to work with

a trainer and prepare for the event. Riders must commit to a fundraising minimum of at least $2,000 and will have the support of fundraising tools online provided by JDRF.

kidsElementary schools can sign up to be a part of a walk designed for younger participants. Each school will have their own goal. Those who participate will have access to all JDRF fundraising tools online after completing the free registration.

tocurewalk

Students living with diabetes share about its effect on their lives

story continued on PAGE 14

Words hold a lot of power. As teens can attest, gossip and rumors can affect people positively, negatively, and everything in between. Such power is explored

in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” running this week as the theater department’s fall play. Shows start at 7 p.m. and run through Nov. 10. Caitlin Schantz, who plays Elizabeth Proctor, said she enjoys the prominence of her role. “It’s really exciting for me to get into the mind of a character completely different from who I am,” she said. Megan Sanders has a supporting role as one of the girls involved in the doings of the main character, Abigail Williams. “I don’t have many lines. Since I’m an afflicted girl, it’s mostly just screaming,” Sanders said. Director Mr. Rick Eldredge said he is up to the challenge of producing a play of this caliber, which has been in production since auditions and casting at the end of August. “I think it will be difficult to pull off as a dramatic piece; it’s going to require a lot from the actors and actresses in it to pull it off successfully. We work really hard on building up the drama of every scene to keep it moving and exciting. What I’m hoping is that the audience finds it as exciting as it can be. It can be a really exciting, energetic play,” Eldredge said. The characters are an important aspect — they deliver the dialogue and engage the audience. There’s one in particular that Eldredge feels carries strong significance. “I really like the character of Reverend Hale because he goes from being super high-and-mighty and the super religious authority of the play, thinking he knows how to solve every problem to realizing that he’s made mistakes. He realizes what’s going on around him, that all these innocent people are being hung as witches. He realizes that something really bad is happening and he does everything he can to right the wrong. I love characters of journey. He has a huge journey in this play that’s really fun to watch,” Eldredge said. The audience has much to take away from this play, including things that relate to life as it is right now. “There’s so many layers to this play, and it was originally written as a commentary to McCarthyism and the Red Scare in the 1950s. (It relates to) the way that everybody was accusing other people of being communists and everything like that. But on a very basic level, it’s about rumors and gossip and people behaving badly to each other, you know? In this play, people, in order to make themselves better and

in order to escape punishment, make false accusations about other people. The teenage girls of this play, that’s what they do. So I think anybody in the audience, especially teenagers, can see how powerful it is, the power of gossip and rumors and all that sort of thing. It has a huge, devastating effect in this play. So I think people can go ‘Oh my gosh, yeah’ in this day where bullying happens (often). People can see this happens all the time, and people can keep control over the things they say and the things they do,” Eldredge said. Eldredge said he hopes that those who see the play feel like it was worth the time. “I want people to leave the play just feeling like, ‘Ah, gosh, I can’t believe this actually happened!’ I want them to go away thinking it’s an exciting play, that they had fun. Even though it’s a tragic play, it’s still exciting and I hope they leave feeling like, ‘Wow, I went on a wild ride here,’” Eldredge said. “The Crucible” is set around the first settlement of Salem, Massachusetts by the Puritans. In this society, people tended to be very extremist in their views and that led to the conflicts that the characters in the play suffered through. Eldredge said, “I hope people can see that extremism is never good. Fanaticism is never helpful. What you need are sober minds who can see things from other people’s point of view, who can work well with each other, who can actually have some compassion. That’s what I want to leave with the audience, a temperance in everybody’s behavior.”

ENTE

RTAI

NMEN

T

12 WhITNEy hIgh SchoolThE RoAR

by KAVLEEN SINGH

WORD of Mouth

Fall production of ‘The Crucible’ provides opportunity for actors to tackle challenging script, themes

Cast members playing the role of afflicted girls surround Blu Hunt as Abigail Williams during rehearsal for “The Crucible” on Oct. 24. Photo by EMMA RICHIE

READ THE REVIEWScan here to read our review fromthe opening night performance of “The Crucible” online or visit WHITNEYUPDATE.COM

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14 WhiTney high SchOOlThe ROaR

“My favorite part of cheer would definitely be stunting. It is such a workout and my stunt group I are always striving to be better. It’s extremely rewarding when we gain new skills. This is my second year cheering. My favorite memory of this season was the sleepover we had. We made bows, ate a ton, watched movies, bonded, then woke up at 9 a.m. to go to our Saturday game.”

— MaddIe dart

Though more research is being conducted on this disease, as of now, injecting insulin and maintaining a healthy diet helps control the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes. However, prevention and precaution are two key aspects to combatting the disorder. The issue of producing an adequate amount of insulin also puts pressure on doing extra curricular activities such as sports. Arnold, who runs track, must constantly make sure she checks her blood sugar before running and must also keep track of her carb intake so her levels don’t drop while running. However, some would argue that the mental strains caused by juvenile diabetes outweigh the physical ones. “At first I wanted to show everyone how strong I was so I acted or still act like I’m perfectly fine with it. But the truth is I hate it. I have even came to the point where I’ve wanted to die rather than keep up with the pain,” Pena said. “It’s been 13 years with 4 shots or more everyday of my life It’s hard to deal with it but I got great support and I know I can do it. Not too long ago I was in a hospital bed being told it was a miracle i was alive, my life was not worth skipping a few shots! My advice is keep fighting and be strong cause no one can help you till you help yourself.” It is because of similar struggles that students think awareness must be raised and support groups must be formed. “I think that people should definitely be aware about it. It is life threatening and there is no cure yet. I help out with JDRF(Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). We do a walk every year and we try and do a golf tournament each year to

raise money and try to help find a cure for diabetes,” Howell said. The 2012 Walk to Cure Diabetes took place Oct. 7. Participants could walk with a team or could walk as individuals. In addition to the walk, students can also find support by visiting the JDRF’s support group on their website. Seeing the importance of providing support for those affected with Type 1 diabetes, Kaiser Permanente does their part by holding an annual camping trip, inviting around 70 kids from ages 9 to 16. “Getting together and seeing those kids outside of the clinic is really exciting; you get to see a kid being a kid without having to talk about their diabetes,” Johnson said. “We try to put ourselves in a supportive role for the families and praise them for the improvements they’ve made, but there are times it can be quite challenging for families when they feel like they’ve done their best and still feel like there’s more to be done. Sometimes they feel a little criticized but we try our best to build relationships and build positives so they want to continue to come in and see us,” Although diabetes has a significant impact on one’s life and can be quite frustrating, Arnold offers some words of encouragement. “Don’t give up on it because it’s your life and it is going to determine how long you live. You just have to know that you’re the same person and throughout the challenge you’re going to be the same person. It’s not going to change you. There’s a saying: “Don’t let diabetes define you, let you define diabetes.”

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“This is my second year playing water polo. I like playing for Whitney because my teammates are awesome. Coach Chavez is a good coach, but he’s really strict. The practices are usually similar; first we do laps in the pool holding chairs above our heads, then we work on passing, shooting and different plays. at the end we usually do a scrimmage. My favorite memory was going to Golden Corral Buffet to celebrate after a tournament with the team.”

— tyler OlSOn

“I’ve been playing since I was 6. I like the team, the coach, and just the fact that I get to play soccer for my school. (My favorite moments have been) playing in the games. It’s a great sport! Most played sport in the world.

— Parker SteWart

“I’ve been playing since I was 4. I like how we have a good team, and how we get along well and play well together; they’re all good friends. We had team bonding at my house. We all made tie dye t-shirts, and that was fun. I like the coaches; we all get along well with them. (The team) played antelope a couple weeks ago, and it was a really close game. We ended up winning 25-23.”— tyler CaBle

“I’ve been in cross country for two years. I like that while you compete with others during the races, you’re also racing yourself to beat your own times. My teammates are awesome, and the coaches are very knowledgeable; they always try to push us to exceed our limits. The practices are pretty lax, but you still get a good workout. It’s just an all around good time.”

— kyle CurtIS

SeaSOnedathletes

1: haley ellis runs in a cross country race in Southern california on Oct. 19. Both girls’ and boys’ cross country missed school Friday for their tournament trip in los angeles. Photo by Jenica DODge 2: Zach Watkins tackles for the ball at the boys’ varsity soccer game against el camino on Oct. 3. The game resulted in a 2-2 tie. Photo by ROByn ROSenFelD

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by KALEEN SINGH AND THERESA KIM

SPORTS

15nOvembeR 2012ISSue 2

It’s a typical school morning and the sun hasn’t even risen yet, but sophomore Kat Nham can be found working out at the gym. Then between school and sleep, she juggles her

schedule of varsity girls’ basketball practice, AAU practice and studying for her AP and advanced classes. She isn’t the typical student athlete, but she isn’t alone. Students interested in taking the next step toward their goals in their sports dedicate hours after school practicing, learning techniques and working out at gyms. Sure, one may expect an athlete to have decent grades in order to stay on the team and the athletic “look” of staying fit. But what people don’t see is the stress, time and the vast amount of financial obstacles these athletes have to go through particularly the ones who plan to take their passion to the level of college athletics. Sophomore Makeila Lee spends 10 hours a week practicing, and junior Austin Harris spends about 18 hours a week dedicated to baseball, practicing four to five days a week. With the hours poured into their love for their sport, there still is school work to consider. Some students seem starved for time, especially doing homework late at night. “I get tired and I come home around eight or nine and I have homework so I go to bed late,” golfer Kelsey Ulep said. Students such as Ulep, Lee and Harris play their sport competitively outside of the school team. While it creates a struggle to fit all their educational needs into one day, they also have their reasons to spend so much time in what they’re doing, besides their love for the sport. “It gives me more training and more time to work toward goals. On the school team we work as a team, but outside of school we are evaluated individually,” Lee said. “I’ve been dancing since I was 7. I have been to college auditions, since some colleges let you audition when you are younger and meet some professors,” dancer Breanna Stewart said. Sometimes players participate in their sport because it helps guide them through school. With rules set by parents aiding athletes to focus not only on sports but also academics. “(In order to play) I have to stay focused in school and keep my grades up. I also have to make sure I have to seem like I want to play,” softball player Taylor Cotton said. But parents aren’t the only things that make athletes want to keep playing. “(Playing baseball) helps me stay focused (in school) and

stay out of trouble,” Harris said. Competitive athletes also take notice that playing on the school team is a lot different than playing on a team outside of school. “In school there is not as many serious athletes. I play with people (in golf for Nationals) that practice seven hours a day who are homeschooled and more competitive,”Ulep said. After so many years of playing, athletes know what is best for improving. “If you don’t play outside you will never get better. Playing outside helps you get better,” baseball player Trevor Abrams said. Although full of passion, there is still another looming obstacle having to face the reality of paying to pay for their teams as wells as travel expenses and coaches. Cotton travels to Los Angeles every weekend for tournaments, not to mention gym memberships and pitching lessons, too. The amount of money spent monthly for a single sport can cost from a few hundred dollars to almost $2000. With the costly expenses on the sport students can not always pay for all of their expenses. “With my (financial) situation, I get sponsored by other people,” Ulep said. Sports offered here also allow students to learn how to play the sport as well as interacting with others and having fun. Athletes must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher with one or no NMs. Living in the school boundaries, having medical insurance, and having a physical from a doctor are required. “The cost depends. Sports should be free for athletes, but some programs aren’t. Such as football camp and uniforms,” athletic director Mr. Jason Feuerbach said. With National Signing Day coming up on Nov. 21, athletes are getting ready for colleges to take a look at their grades and plays. “San Jose State came up to look at me. Stanford is waiting for my SAT scores, and (I’m interested in) UPenn and Columbia as well,” Abrams said. But some students have the honor of being accepted to a college early. “I got a full ride athletic scholarship to UC Berkeley at the start of junior year,” Cotton said. The time and dedication can sometimes time starve athletes and put an enormous amount of stress. “It can be time starving, but if you really enjoy it, it’s not stressful or hard. I go out and have fun. It’s not a job (for me),” Abrams said.

Competitive student athletes work hard to balance school sports, club teams and life to hopefully take their sports to college

Varsity baseball players Evan Beauchamp and Diego Susbilla warm up before practice on the baseball fields. Photo by THERESA KIM

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