December Featured Writers Are UP!

Go read them all!  Yes, right now!   

And don't forget to comment on at least three (positive and specific, of course).  Comments for December reading are due by Dec. 16 (the end of the semester is coming up quickly!)

Oh, and don't forget to vote for your favorite in the sidebar poll!

"Ashlyn Gardner" by Melissa D

Recently, on December 4, 2013 a little girl named Ashlyn Gardner

shockingly passed away. She was a 3rd grade student who attended

Etiwanda Colony elementary school. What happened to her and her

younger brother affected me, and made me think a lot about different things.

Many people who live in and around the area know of this tragic event. It

was even on the channel 5 news. Ashlyn was on her way home from school

with her little brother. They were crossing the intersection at Banyan and

East Avenue, and while crossing the street in the cross walk, they both had

been hit by a pickup truck while in the intersection. Immediately after being

struck they both got treated by paramedics. After all that happened, her

brother thankfully was not injured severely. He was transported to the

hospital, as well as his sister and was released the next day with minor

injuries. Tragically, because of Ashlyn’s severe injuries she died that

Wednesday evening.

I heard more details later when I got home that day. It was around

9:00 PM when my brothers and I were getting ready for bed, and my parents

were watching TV. My dad called my brothers and I to gather with him and

my mom. He played a recorded message that was sent to Etiwanda Colony

and Summit Intermediate schools. One of my brothers attends Colony, and

the other attends Summit. When I heard the boy was going to leave from the

hospital, because he was fine, it made me so happy and relieved. Then when

I heard that the little girl had died, it really hurt me. My family and I got

emotional and saddened. Death can be very emotional for anyone, even if

they didn’t know the person. Also, knowing she was so young and having

her whole like ahead of her made it even worse. I can’t imagine what her

family and friends are going through. My younger brother Jonathan is in 4th

grade, and only 1 year older, and we can’t imagine anything ever happening

to him. We would be devastated. I had viewed the scene of the accident

while on the bus on my way home from school. Traffic in the area was

moving really slow, and everyone was stopping and trying to figure out

what was happening. I felt worried, because I did not know what happened,

and I wanted to know. Then I saw someone lying on the street, but I

couldn’t tell who it was. There were so many cars, emergency vehicles, and

many people. When I got home, right away I told my parents what I saw,

but they already knew from my younger brothers that a little girl and boy

both got hit by a car. It made me cry, because it really hurt me, and I could

not believe it.

Because of what happened, I realized and gave it much thought, we

can not take our life for granted. We need to cherish every single bit of it,

because we never know when it could end. We also need to cherish the

people we love in our lives, because we never know when they can be taken

away from us. At any time someone we love can be gone, and for me it’s

scary to think about. If it does happen we need to stay strong, and hopefully

we have family and friends who will encourage us to get through it. I really

wish in someway I could’ve gotten to know her, or met her. She seems like

one of the sweetest girls someone could ever know. Like many others who

did not know her, I feel so heartbroken, and sorry for her family and friends.

Also, for the man who hit her, I pray for him, because he now has to live

with such a bad incident. I didn’t even know Ashlyn, but it effects me like if

I did. I hope her family and friends will all get through this, and know that

she is in a better place. I am hoping if they realize this, it will give them

some peace.

"The Road to Victory" by Joshua B

      On a hot sunny day in 2012 the Etiwanda High School Boys Basketball Team was

gearing up for the pre- season. After a disappointing loss to Long Beach Poly in the semi-final

game last season, Etiwanda was focused on one thing and one thing only, winning a CIF

Championship. Would 2013 be the year for Etiwanda? After all, the only other time Etiwanda

had won a CIF was in 2008. For the graduating seniors on the team there was a burning desire to

leave a legacy that would connect them to Etiwanda for life. The pre-season began with the

starting point guard injuring his ankle. This was a devastating blow to the team and fans. Who

would step up and lead Etiwanda in his absence? Critics and haters whispered, “it was over” and

Etiwanda would fall short of achieving a CIF Championship again. After losing two tough

games in pre-season, Eitwanda had to learn how to play together. They had a few transfers from

different schools that were good but didn’t know or understand the coach’s way of playing. They

went through the league undefeated until played Rancho for the third time. Many believed Ranch

o had help from the refs, the loss would be the reason to push the Etiwanda basketball team

harder than last year. Through hard work and dedication the team rallied and ended up co-league

champions. With the starting point guard back from injury, Etiwanda began their journey to

success. They sailed through the first two rounds and once again had to face Long Beach Poly in

the semi-finals. The game was scheduled to be played at the campus of Long Beach Poly. The

team traveled to Long Beach and came face to face with the team that shattered their hopes the

year before. The gym was overflowing with family, faculty, alumni, students, and die hard

basketball fans traveling from all over to support and cheer Etiwanda to victory. In an OT

thriller Etiwanda defeated Long Beach Poly 58-55! It was an exciting moment and everyone

celebrated the victory. The celebration was short because the young men and coaching staff

needed to stay focus. Etiwanda would face a tough competitor Mater Dei High School. On 3/2/

13 the Etiwanda High School Boys’ Basketball walked into the Anaheim Convention Center

ready to battle the mighty Mater Dei High School for the championship. The crowd roared and

chanted in support of their Etiwanda Eagles. It was an exciting game from start to finish.

Etiwanda took control of the game from the start; however Mater Dei would not go down

without a fight. The end result was a 54-51 win for Etiwanda High School! The crowd and

players errupted with joy as the Etiwanda Eagles won their second CIF Championship in the

school history. Their season began with a goal and ended in victory.

"Four Years" by Shaefer T

September 12, 2013
High school.
How could I even begin to summarize that to someone in one concise answer?
Truthfully, I couldn’t. Summarizing my experience at high school would be like trying to answer
the infamous question of “What is the meaning of life?”
It’s almost impossible, am I right?
In all four years, I can honestly say that I’ve made friends, lost friends, had my heart broken, had
the urging feeling to pull my hair out, and had the desire to disappear.
I can, however, also say that I’ve learned so much, grown so much, and challenged myself to
new levels. Yet, I still can’t say I’m proud of who I am.
The sad truth is, I live in a society of teenagers where sadness is normal. Even suicide and
self infliction is a norm. It’s sad, yes, but it’s the truth.

However, I think we all have felt a new level of sadness, disappointment, and struggle. Ever
since I’ve entered high school, I felt a change internally since freshman year and up to now. I’ve
looked at the world in a different perspective. I become more impacted by things and it’s as if I
can actually feel the pain that I hear about or that I observe in my surroundings.
By the end of the day, I always find myself pondering about the little things that occur in my life. I
used to just let every day pass and put a smile on my face because nothing ever really seemed
that bad for me. Even though, ironically, I had more serious problems then, than I do now...but I
won’t go into detail about that.

Now that I’m older, it seems as if different situations just impact me more. I know I was happier
then than I am now. And I never really figured out what it was that made me happy all
this time
I’ve been trying to find that source of happiness again and
I still haven’t figured it out.
Writing this now, it saddens me to realize that I’m running out of time. I’m running out of youth. I
mean, I turn eighteen in three weeks! I graduate in 9 months…I will be in college this time next
year with a whole new batch of strangers.
And all I can think is, “Am I ready?”
Others would argue that I am, but I would very much disagree. I’m scared, and I’m lost, and I’m
confused on what I want to do and where I want to go. I have an idea of what I need to dobut
that’s the safe path. I know what I want to do, but there’s so many factors holding me back...
Trying to explain my thoughts and feelings to my parents is the most difficult thing in the world. I
know many of you would say to me that I should just follow my heart and try to achieve my
dreams. And yes, I could do that. But I don’t have the strength or courage in me to completely
defy my parents. They’ve worked their butts off for me and I know how difficult it must be for
them to deal with me, a spoiled, upper middle class, teenage girl.

In my life, I’ve made so many mistakes in what I’ve said or what I’ve done. I end up hurting people
if I say the wrong thing or say it the wrong way, and that actually ends up hurting me. I know I’m
not perfect, nor can I please everyone but I don’t think anyone could ever possibly understand
how much it hurts for me to upset others, especially those I care most about.
And even with those arguments where I lose communication with people, we end up resolving
our disputes, because we know keeping our relationship is more important. But college is just
around the corner. Our future is around the corner. Time is flying so fast that it makes my head
dizzy just trying to keep up with it.
It’s not just the fact that I’m leaving or moving on with my life. It’s the fact that we all are leaving
and moving on with our lives, and we’re moving on in different directions. It’s very true that after
high school, you only stay friends with about a third of the people you’ve met in high school. I
know it may not seem like a big deal to others. I know we all meet new people anyway. But when
you’re an only child like me, your friends become your family. And I’ve got to say, as small as my
“family” is right now, they’re the best family I could ever have. It makes me so completely and
utterly disappointed and upset that this is all ending. My parents have always told me time and
time again, that high school was the best four years of their lives. I never believed them.
However, writing this now, and knowing I’m almost done with these four years I wholeheartedly
agree.

It’s hard to explain to you all how I feel or who I think I am, because these are all thoughts that I’ve
had for these past four years already. However, as a music lover, it is only fitting to tell you the
lyrics to “Rivers and Roads” by The Head and The Heart would be the best way to explain how
I’ve felt for these years and how I feel now.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m sentimental and nostalgic, or because I feel like I hold a lot of love
in my heart, but I can say I enjoyed high school despite the tiresome obstacles it comes with. But
to my friends...I love you all. To my teachers and friends: whether or not we we see each other
again, I just want to thank you all for making high school one of the best experiences I’ve had up
to this point.

I don’t know where I’ll be, or where any of us will be in say, ten years. I only hope that God will
lead me to my promised land and guide me when I need strength.
And to everyone reading this, I hope the same for you as well.
So to the seniors reading this, enjoy everything now. I know we’ve been waiting for the end, but
when it’s said and done, we’re going to reflect back on our days here and our days in our youth.

Even in all the fatigue, stress,and sadness, there is always a shining moment there somewhere.
It might just be buried ten feet deeper than you’d expect. Just remember you can never get this
point in time back again once it’s done with.

And as Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in
a while, you might miss it.”

"A Broken Man" by Marcopolo A

I don’t remember how long I stood there. The only thing that I do remember was the rain; the rain and what I would later recall to my therapist, as one of my episodes.

 It had taken a lifetime to build my way up. And for the past two years I was able to live with myself. But this day was different. I couldn’t look at myself anymore. Every mirror showed an image of disgust, an image of failure.

“Why did I feel this way?” I would ask myself. The answer became very clear on that day. I had lost who I was. My failures, every one of my defeats; all of them were standing in front of me, glaring at me. And I couldn’t bear them any longer.  Each one was a slow and excruciating stab at my heart.

  I used to be a man that could learn from a defeat, who could rise and take life by the reins. But this year had changed everything. My defeats began to define me and on that day I tried to escape from them.

Many years later, I would recall to my therapist that without noticing, I had found myself running. I didn’t know where I was going; all I knew was that my life, everything I knew, was over.

To those of you who don’t know me, I am one of the most ambitious people that you might meet. The dishonesty, the ability to easily betray friends; those are what allowed me to reach my dreams. Defeat was something that I never took lightly.

 Though very few and far between, I began to see more and more failures within my life that day. They began to grow, and with them my ambition slowly shrank. That is where I lost myself.

ON THAT DAY, I came to the realization, that my dreams were gone; that I no longer had ambition. The fact of the matter was that I had lost everything; I had lost who I was because my failures had come to define me.

Without the help of my therapist I would never have been able to break the hold that my failures had on me. Only now I do I realize that’s it’s not your failures nor your defeats that define you, but how you react to them

I

"How to Time Travel" by Kevin M

*Warning, minor math and physics*

            Time Traveling has been something I have wanted to do for a while, and after a bit of research, I have found HOW TO TIME TRAVEL. Crazy, right? And the best part is that it’s free. While I do have this knowledge, I have not found much use for it, so I will share this research with you, my reader, and hope you can find a practical use for this power. So without further ado, I give you the one step process to travel through time.

1. Do nothing.

            Amazing right? You are already traveling through time, and depending on how fast you read, you could be almost thirty seconds in the future from the point when you started reading my “how to” guide. Everybody and everything is already traveling through time. However, this isn’t fun or powerful. If you want time travel where you can enter a different time than somebody else, then you’ll need to do something else. However, by using the laws of “Special Relativity” this is still possible and simple. Here is the guide on how to travel backwards in time. Follow every step very carefully.

1. Move

            Space and time affect each other. The faster you move the slower time will pass for you, so if you were to go for a walk around the block while your brother or sister stayed home, when you got back you would be around three femtoseconds younger than your sibling, depending on the size of your block and speed you walk. Three femtoseconds is 3*10^-15 seconds, or .000000000000003 seconds. Pretty cool, but I know, as well as other lazy people, that walking is difficult and tiring, and not all of us have the time to go for a walk, which is funny since taking a walk sends you back in time so no more using that excuse. So I have one more simple way to time travel. Pay close attention.

1.     Stand up

Gravity also affects the passage of time. More gravity means slower passage of time. If you ever work for NASA you will notice that clocks on satellites are slower than clocks on earth, but still sync up. This is because the lower gravity makes their time faster, so the slower clock keeps them always with the correct time. Although we can’t easily send people to space to time travel, gravity gets weaker the further away from something you get, so if you stand up your feet will be further back in time than your head. This means if you stand up while your friend lies down, your brain will travel faster through time than theirs. The amount of time your brain will be older than their brain is measured in, you guessed it, femtoseconds. It’ll take about one minute for your brain to travel one femtosecond faster than your friends, that’s fourteen zeros after the decimal in case you were unsure.

      If you want to time travel more than a few femtoseconds faster or slower than the people and things around you, I am sorry to say that we do not have access to technology that can do that since it would require negative energy, which is impossible. I am sorry if you were hoping to go see dinosaurs or your great great grandchildren after reading this “How to” article, but cheer up. You read this paper, which means you are now a few minutes into the future from the point you started. Allow me to be the first person the welcome you to the future… and no, we do not have robot butlers yet.

      I would like to thank minutephysics for helping me get this information and allowing me to write this “How to” article for people. I would also like to thank Mr. Schaina, a physics and calculus teacher at Etiwanda who taught me and made it so that I actually understood what I was talking about and for double-checking my facts when Sean thought I was wrong.

"Untitled" by Seohyun J

November 26, 2013

The week college applications are due.

Approximately 7:25pm

Dinnertime

Dining table

“You’re so selfish,” my father declared as he looked directly at me while I immediately looked down at my dinner to avoid any eye contact, “After all we’ve done for you, why can’t you do this one single thing for your parents?”

I was taken aback from what my father just told me.

I started to hurt on the inside.

What my father had told me lingered in my thoughts, and what he said repeated itself like a broken record player until my he sighed and continued on with what he had to say, “Why won’t you apply for that college?”

“I don’t want to apply for that college.” I replied.

The thing was I had already finished applying for the colleges I was interested in at the time and submitted my applications towards the beginning of the month so that I could be in a somewhat stress free situation for the remainder of my first semester of senior year.

Plus, I believe that if you choose a major, you can benefit from any college that you attend since it’s all up to you to make good use of your major to benefit in life by getting into an occupation that would make you happy.

In unison, both of my parents, my mother being on the couch of the living room a couple steps away from the dining room, exclaimed, “WHY WOULDN’T YOU WANT TO?!” Their tone was bitter and harsh as if my decision was wrong, almost as if it was a sin. Thus, I replied in a nonchalant tone, “Because I don’t want to. Why should I? It’s a waste of money if I don’t even want to go to that college.”

I’m pretty sure they wanted a better answer than that..

I tensed up as I heard my mother’s “rage” breathing, it’s a thing where she takes intense breaths of air. It’s a mixture of her sounding like she’s having a stroke or having trouble breathing, it’s one of the scariest things I hear in my life and it started when my older brother applied for colleges. I used to judge my brother for being careless and not respecting our parent’s wants to apply for specific colleges. However, he went around to applying to the colleges our parents wanted him to go to.

It’s my turn now.

Great.

“Don’t worry about the money,” my mother said, “and just apply for the college because you never know if you will get in!” I couldn’t differentiate whether or not she told me this to get my hopes up or to make her feel better.

Yet, I knew. We all knew deep inside. I knew I won’t be able to get into the college my parents ever-so-wonderfully dreams of me attending in the future. It reflects from the grades and scores I received all throughout high school. If I did get in, that would have be a miracle. Miracles only come once in a lifetime, though. I don’t want my miracle to be this, especially the way I’m being treated for it.

So I stressed what I said next, “I don’t want to. Why does it matter so much that I apply for that college? I’m happy with the places I applied for, aren’t you guys?”

Did I mention the word stressed?

Yeah, it seems to be that my stressing of what I had to say to my parents stressed my mother out to a whole other level.

Lovely.

My mother began to yell at me out of frustration that things weren’t going the way she intended my responses to be, “THERE IS A SET CLASS DIFFERENCE. THE COLLEGE WE WANT YOU TO APPLY FOR IS TEN TIMES BETTER THAN ALL OF THE COLLEGES YOU APPLIED FOR ADDED TOGETHER!”

My father added, observing how the situation has taken route, “Do you like seeing us like this? What’s the real reason that’s holding you back?”

That’s when the tears started rolling down.

He wanted me to say it.

He wanted me to confirm it.

I was a failure to them as a daughter.

At that moment, we all stayed silent for a minute.

I had a flashback of a memory.

I’m the type of child who’s extremely clingy towards her parents.

I always ask my mother, “Mum, do you love me?”

And she would always respond, “Yes, of course.”

Then I would ask, “How much do you love me?”

Then she would reply back, “The distance from Earth to the heavens would equal the amount of love I have for you.”

Once college application season came along, I continued to ask her what I always asked her. But at the end of her last reply, I asked her more questions.

"How To Embrace the Christmas Spirit" by Sarah D

It’s that time of the year again; time to pull out the ornaments and other decorations, play some holiday jingles, and stay up late watching Christmas movies while drinking hot chocolate. And, of course, you cannot forget to write a letter to Santa Claus! It is actually quite easy to get into the festive mood of the holiday; here are some easy steps to embrace the joys of Christmas and everything else it brings.

1.     PICK A TREE!       

Whether your tree is a fresh, sweet pine-y smelling tree or something that is pulled out of a box and put together, having a Christmas tree is the first step in getting into the holiday spirit. When picking a tree, you must find the PERFECT tree. It has to have the most precise branches to hang ornaments off of. WARNING: if choosing a fresh tree, be sure to find a tree that has lively needles, or else your tree will not last till the day of Christmas.

2.     SET THE MOOD TO DECORATE!

Before getting started make sure you have the proper setting to decorate your home. Begin by lighting your fireplace. The soft glow of the flames will bring a comforting, and warm, light into the room, perfect for the holidays. If you do not have a fireplace, there are some great apps available that will allow you to bring a simulated version of a warm fire, complete with the low crackle a real fire creates.

Along with the soft lighting, Christmas music as well as your favorite Christmas movies should help create the perfect setting to decorate. Regarding music, you can either pop in your favorite holiday CD or you can download apps such as Pandora and Songza which allow you to find your favorite artist or holiday song to get you in the cheerful, festive mood. When looking for movies you can rent DVDs, stream movies on Netflix, or even find the best classic movies on channels such as ABC family’s 25 Days of Christmas and the Hallmark Channel.

3.     DECORATE!

You’ve brought home your tree, now it’s time to decorate it along with the rest of your house. Start with the small things, such as cinnamon and baked good scented candles (or even bake your own treats!) in addition to other small ceramic trinkets that bring holiday cheer to your house. Add lights to the inside and outside of your house. You can even set up small Christmas scenes in front of your house, complete with Santa, his elves, and his reindeer. Stores such as Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and Lowe’s will have great inflatable Christmas decorations that will assist in making your home a winter wonderland! For the inside, keep it simple and classic with lighted garland and wreaths.

The tree; this is possibly one of the most staple decorations of the Christmas season; it is also one of the most fun things to do. Start by adding lights to your tree (unless it is pre-lit). Next, add all of your favorite holiday ornaments, from homemade ones (you know, the ones you made in kindergarten) to the simple seasonal colored store bought ones, to the crazy fun colored ornaments. After hanging all of those ornaments you’re not done yet! You have to top the tree! To add a center piece of sorts to your tree you may need a ladder (use with caution!). You can top your tree with an array of items including stars, angels, and decorative ribbon.

4.     WRITE YOUR LETTER!

When writing your list to Santa Claus, be sure to include how grateful you are for the things you have, after all Christmas is the time of giving. You may also want to include a small list of items that you believe that you deserve, only if you’ve been Nice. To start you letter, you can write “Dear Santa Claus” or even “What’s up Saint Nick!” Have fun with writing you letter, because you only write him once a year.

I hope this short How-to has provided you with the initial steps required to embracing the Christmas spirit. Have a wonderful holiday season, celebrate with your friends and family! And to end, in the essence of the season: “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.”

"Eyeglasses" by Adriene M

November 29, 2013 8:00 am

I was practicing and preparing for the Taekwondo Championship coming up in December. It had been two years since the last Championship I have competed in. I was facing my coach in a sparring match, and so far, it has been a good day. All my defense strategies were working and my offense strategies have not been avoided with ease. I successfully held back a laugh as my coach’s foot missed my knee guard and slammed into the wall. As my coach was about to roundhouse kick the side of my head, a sudden, past memory of mind flew through me like a ghost. I could not help but stare at my coach while a tear fell from my tired, sweaty face. My coach apparently knew what the memory was and quickly took my head gear off and gave me a bottle of water. Before he left me to rest in privacy, he told me, “You are still the same student I have trained since you were five. Nothing has changed besides the fact that you are older, stronger, and less stubborn. Nothing can change who you are, even if your eyesight is not the same anymore.”  I sat on a comfortable chair be sipped my water as I thought of that that faithful day…

December 22, 2007 (Las Vegas, Nevada. U.S Open Taekwondo Championship)

I walked toward my female opponent and shook hands with her saying, “Good luck and may the best fighter win.” She shook my hand and said, “You are no competition.” As the referee blew the whistle, I immediately caught my opponent off guard with two sidekicks to her left side followed by a flying back spinning kick to the right of her head. She landed some kicks to my right side, but were not as painful due to my advantage in speed. We had a good match that that last six minutes. I ended it by knocking her down with a forceful push kick on her chest area. I finally relaxed and turned to smile at my coach, family, and friends. Everyone smiled in return, until suddenly, they panicked and motioned me to turn around. As I turned around, I suddenly saw blackness surrounding me and a sharp pain on the side of my head…

I could not help but remember the faithful accident that caused the loss of my vision. Many people have asked why I have not quit Taekwondo as a sport and move on to something else. Well, ever since that faithful day, the only emotion I ever felt was determination. Of course, it is still painful for me to remember the accident, but I have learned to forgive my opponent and move on. Everyone expected me to fall into a depressed state and let anger run my actions, but I did not allow it to happen. Ever since I began Taekwondo, I have learned that perseverance and indomitable spirit lived within me. I have learned to rise to challenges and to never give up without a fight. I believed that eyeglasses were meant for me and that it symbolized my perseverance and indomitable spirit.

I stood up and put my water bottle on the counter and got ready to have another match with my coach. Before I headed out, I got a clean cloth and started cleaning my eyeglasses. As I cleaned it, a sudden smirk came across my face. I instantly remembered that I was going to meet my old opponent again face-to-face at the competition. I made a strong promise to myself that if we sparred face-to-face again, victory was going to land upon me along with my trust eyeglasses. As I headed out, a small voice in my head suddenly reminded me to never turn my back on any opponent…EVER AGAIN.

                                   

"A Letter to My Freshman Self" by Sydney S

A letter to my freshman self:
Hi. So, this is your first year of high school. Are you excited? You should be; these next four years will be some of the most eventful times of your life. There will be great moments and some not-so-great moments, but everything that happens will happen for a reason. So, with that being said, here are some tips to help you succeed in high school.
Tip # 1
-You're in the big leagues now; academics will not come easy anymore. If you're thinking about taking Honor's classes, take them. Just remember, honor's classes are hard for a reason; they're advanced classes! So when things get difficult, DO NOT give up. Giving up is a recipe for disaster.
Tip #2
-Don't be embarassed to ask for help. You're confident in your smarts now, but as things get harder you may feel a little less confident. Asking questions or getting tutored might seem like you're making yourself look dumb, but you're not. What's dumb is waiting until it's too late to get help, because you had too much pride.
Tip #3
-You've had the same friends since elementary and you trust them, so you're comfortable with just them. But, that shouldn't stop you from making new friends. What I'm about to say is going to scare you, but it's important that you know this: You will have only two classes with any of your closest friends in the next four years. Therefore, it is important that you step out of your comfort zone and open youself up to new relationships.
Tip #4
-Don't be lazy. Try out for sports, or the cheer squad, or band; it doesn't matter what you do, just do something that you enjoy. And if you're worried about rejection, just imagine how you'd feel if you made it.
Tip # 5
-Now, this tip is probably the most important one on the list; it will literally affect everything that you do in the next four years. You are super sensitive right now, and guess what: you still will be your senior year. That's just the way you are! So remember this: Not everyone will like you. Don't let that become your problem. Do not cry about it, do not doubt yourself and do not change yourself for them. This is your life, not theirs. Be what makes you happy and do what makes you proud.
These are only a few tips to help you have a successful high school career; a lot of the other tips, you'll get from your parents. (Listen to them; they actually know what they're talking about). These next four years will not be easy, but it can be fun. MAKE IT COUNT.
Good luck,
Me.

"Goodbye For Now" by Alyssa S

I always had some kind of connection to my grandpa. My grandpa lived in San Diego with my grandma, aunts, and uncles. My grandpa was the first person to ever teach me how to write in Spanish. One day when I was about five or six, he sat me down with a piece of paper and pen he had found and told me to write “Pop quiere un vaso de agua” which translated in English is “Pop wants a glass of water”. At first I thought, “How am I going to write this if I’m barely in first grade” but I gave it a try and I sounded out every letter and actually got it right on my first try.

My grandpa was the reason why I’m not afraid of any kind of animal because he kept pigeons, chickens, bunnies, roosters, etc.  You name the type of animal, he had it.  When I was about two, I would bug my grandma every day I visited to take me out to see the chickens. But I didn’t know how to say the word “chicken” so I would put my hands out in front of me and try to make my hands the size of a chicken and shake them back and forth. My grandma didn’t know what in the world I was doing so she followed me into the backyard and I pointed to the chicken coop. She thanks my grandpa for that and to this day she still makes fun of me for shaking my hands in the shape of a chicken.

            When it was my older sister and I at the time, we would stay with my grandpa and everyone for the summer or Christmas break. Every weekday my grandpa would call us to watch a show in Spanish called “El Chavo del Ocho”. Then at one o’clock we would watch this Spanish dating show that my mom said we weren’t allowed to watch.

            I was young and I never experienced what it was like to lose a family member. So July 6, 2007 changed me and how I viewed life forever. I remember that day clearly. My grandpa was building a big house in Tijuana so that everyone in the family could live together there. Tijuana is located in Mexico for those who might not know where that is. He left in the morning after he watered his white roses and flowers. He usually came home at about five so he could watch his Rocky Balboa movies. But he never came home. I told myself he’ll be back tomorrow morning and water his flowers and roses so I went to sleep to not think about it. The next day I woke up and my grandpa still wasn’t home. I tried to be calm because my grandma was starting to become over whelmed and scared. I remember police officers came over to the house to ask my family questions about my grandpa. My uncle eventually found him dead at the house he was building in Tijuana. From what I can remember, my grandpa was fixing a sink in one of the bathrooms and stood up way too fast. He fainted because he became too light headed so he ended up hitting his head on the sink. When he hit his head it caused some damage to his brain because he previously had brain surgery a few years earlier. My grandpa passed away three days before my eleventh birthday. It was a tough time but I knew I had to be strong for my family.

I learned to accept that it’s a part of life to lose someone you love, and that all you can do is just to enjoy your time with them while you can.

"Musical Outcast" by Jonathan M

       When people think of music they would mention big artist like Taylor Swift or Justin Bieber, etc, which are a few and media’s favorite. There must be more than just this, more than just the six artists always playing on the radio and deciding what song is a “Top hit” and play it for months. Usually, these songs are similar—lyrics only talking about money, girls and partying. For myself, I avoid the radio at all cost and explored music in a different direction.  I wanted to listen to music that has not have been getting credit and something that no one really recognizes.

                  When I was younger, I came across metal and alternative music that no one even knows about. I just wanted something different and wanted to experience what the media has shunned. When people think of metal, they always say, “it sounds like devil worshipping music” or “it sounds like cats and dogs inside a bag fighting”.   They are not use to listening to singers screaming and having loud distorted music playing all the time. They are not use to different and easily judge a book by its cover. These bands do not scream songs of the devil at all, but scream an emotion that only screaming it can only express. I see it more as, they want to scream out the pain they have faced throughout the years and carry out this opinion that should not be whispered.  The lyrics that they tend to scream are usually about their lowest point in their life, and how they came across it and overcome their problems and become a better person out of it; or getting back up to their feet and to move forward, or to never give up on your dreams or to commit yourself to help others. These were lyrics that they would write and give out word of hope to people who do not have any. These are advice that should be screamed at to everyone every day!

                  I went to these metal concerts to experience this environment that is filled with positivity in the tempo that no one is used to. Once the band starts, the crowd becomes energetic. This was sort of ironic knowing that these people were not prep kids; they were outcasts who are seen as weird, or different. They were all here to experience this emotion.  They were all broken and wanting to find a relief and seeing them all together uniting to hear messages of hope is as special moment as if it was the same type of emotion we would feel at church. I enjoy this type of fan base the most because no one is assigned seats; they are all bundled up together, penetrating each other’s personal bubble and in the end we join together as one family. During mosh pits, people would swing the air and accidently punch someone. However if they do, usually they tend to say sorry and care about one another. Moshing just seen as a way to release the anger they have been hold up, like a type of relief. And at the end of the day no one stays pretty, everyone has their voice lost and filled with happiness as if they came out of a sacred temple and all their sins have been lifted.

                  To me this experience means the world, without it, I would have been lost still trying to find a hope that I could actually experience. Music has saved my life just from little research and listening to something that never plays on the radio. Even if you do not like metal music maybe there is something different that may have your interest. See it as an adventure, to explore a world that has not seen the spotlight of the media!

"Untitled" by Alyssa C

I grew up extremely shy with terrible anxiety, I was lonely all the time, and bullied because I did not fit in with the “it” crowd. I either dressed weird, wore too much black, or my nose was flat, and even to the fact that I weighed more than average girls, or I had a really awkward laugh… the list goes on and on.  In high school, I still had tough insecurity issues that affected my relationships with friends and family.  It even affected me academically, and I lost hope and motivation to do anything at all. I lost many of my relationships with people all around me, and what was worse was that I lost myself as well. I realized I could not spend the rest of my high school career moping around with no hope. I knew this was not me; it was not the person I saw myself to become. I started to gain courage and eventually learned to talk to people more easily. I honestly feel like my sense of humor is what got people to like me, for example, when things got awkward, I just made people laugh!

Anyway, by my senior year, I had made friends with many wonderful people. I ran for Class President and during election time, all I thought about was, “how ridiculous, I would never win.”  Three best friends, couple of posters and flyers, and a few hundred votes later, “Congratulations to your new Senior Class President, Alyssa Che.”

It took me until the end of four years to figure out myself, to have a grip on who I truly am, and how? By being Class President. I know it might just sound like a stupid title to you, but to me, it was a title for myself. It let me learn to be proud of myself, it taught me to believe that if I put my mind to it, it really could happen, and as cheesy as that is, it isn’t really true unless you’ve experienced it firsthand yourself. I gained self-confidence, knowing that my class trusts me with major responsibilities to make our senior year the best it could be. The confidence others had in me gave me such a huge boost to become who I am at this moment. I turned into an outgoing and non- insecure girl, I learned to manage my priorities and time better, and most importantly, I learned to love myself and gain the strength to pursue my life’s goals. I sound like I might just be a common girl that learned her lesson, but for me, this lesson was not something common, it changed my life completely. It changed my perspectives and it kept me from falling down low when I knew I had goals that were way up high.

Out of everything I learned, I realized I was a people-pleaser my whole life, which was my original mistake in the first place. When I held the position as a leader, I realized I could not please everyone. I learned that I had to trust myself to make the best choice and that is when I truly found happiness and I am proud to say I have never been happier with where I stand right now. J

"The Best Team in Baseball" by Manuel O

 It is the the end of the off season of baseball, players  signed with teams and trades were made. I own The Los Angeles Dodgers.
We signed Robinson Cano to 10 year 276 million dollar contract. We Also signed Masahiro Tanaka to 6 year 67 million dollar deal. Our team is stacked with All stars. Our starting rotation great. Our Ace is Clayton Kershaw. He has 2 cy young awards A cy young award is given to the best pitcher that year. Our second starter is Zack Grienke. Our number three starter is Masahiro Tanaka. Our fourth starter is Hin Jin Ryu. Our number five starter is Dan Haren. These are all potential all stars. 3 of these pitchers have been an all star before.

     Our lineup Is filled with all stars to.  Our first baseman is Adrian Gonzalez. Our second baseman is Robinson Cano. Our third baseman is Hanley Ramerez, Our shortstop is a cuban rookie named Alexander Gurrero. Our outfielders are Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp and Carl Crawford.  Our catcher is A.J Ellis. Out of these eight, six of them are all stars. A.J Ellis has the most caught steeling percentage in the MLB. He has thrown out 85 percent of the people trying to steal a base on him. Adrian Gonzalez had 32 home runs last year. Robinson Cano had 27 home runs and 105 runs batted in. Hanley Ramerez stole 40 bases and hit 27 home runs. Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford combined for 80 home runs and 90 stolen bases.

      Last year we made it to the world series and we won it in 7 games.. We faced the Boston Red Sox.  Everyone in Los Angeles was very happy. We promised we would win it for our whole fan base and we kept our promise.The off season awards went great. Our players won quite a few awards.  Yasiel Puig won the Rookie of the year. The rookie of the year is given to the best rookie in their league. Clayton kershaw also won an award. He won the cy young award. Last but not least Don Mattenly won manager of the year. That award is given to the best manager in the league. Our team won four out of the six awards. That is very good. Most teams only win one or two awards. 

    The season stars tomorrow. We face the San Fransisco Giants. They are our biggest rivals. We have our ace Clayton Kershaw going on the mound to pitch for us. They have Matt Cain pitching. We have a very long rivalry together. We first played against each other in 1936. We have beat them 2001 times and they beat us 1,789 times . We beat them two hundred and two more times than they have beat us. We hope we can have another great year and repaet our championship and win it twice in a row.

"Getting a complete stranger to smile" by Leia S

A smile is a very powerful expression. Research has shown that smiling has many health benefits. Some of the benefits associated with smiling include; it’s ability to be contagious, health studies show that it can also lower your blood pressure, and relieve stress.  Therefore, one’s capability to capture a complete a complete stranger’s smile is a great act of kindness.  You will never know if someone is having a rough day, or a good day, but a smile has the ability to change that perspective on that day. 

One of the health benefits from smiling is its ability to be contagious. Here are some examples of that; one’s smile can lighten up a room, it can break the ice, and change the mood of an entire space.  In an awkward or uncomfortable situation, a person who is genuinely happy can ease the tension with just a smile. This is a great way to ease the tension; the outcome will make everybody comfortable. These results in everyone feeling comfortable and one made this happen genuinely with a single smile.  Immediately this becomes infectious in a room. Before anyone realizes, everyone is having a good time.  This is the reaction smiling gives; its ability to be contagious.

Some recent health studies also show that smiling can help lower blood pressure in people suffering from Hypertension.  This is another reason to smile and be happy there are good health benefits. Smiling has the effect on lowering blood pressure because people are generally happy when they are smiling. Being in a happy state and smiling can remove high blood pressure because you are not stressed. A smile can release happy endorphins, making one’s blood pressure at ease.  Smiling is a natural remedy for high blood pressure; also known as Hypertension.

Stress can be visible externally. Stress causes people to look tired, unhappy, and uneasy. This is not good for you, because it can make you appear unapproachable or unhappy. Smiling is a great stress reliever for this. Like I previously stated before smiling can release happy endorphins; this is important because happiness can relieve stress. With that being said, a smile can, too. Altogether, this is a natural drug that can relieves stress; smiling. Happiness and smiling is a good remedy for stress of stressful situations.

In conclusion, smiling can have a positive outcome for your health. Smiling can be contagious, infectious and a good organic remedy to some health problems.  Smiling can help lower blood pressure, and it can relieve stress. You shouldn’t overlook what a simple smiling expression can do for you or someone else; especially a stranger.  I now see a stranger smiling at me as a great act of kindness. With the many benefits associated with a simple smile, you should smile or make a stranger smile every day. This is only for the greater you or it can benefit someone else.  When out in public, a smile can do so much for you and the stranger.

"Not Forever" by David M

       One morning the old man woke up and his morning began. It was Christmas and he really hated it. He had never believed in Santa or Christmas. The old man would stay home on Christmas day and drink coffee with a picture of his wife who has cancer. One thing he wanted was his wife to come back home from the hospital cured! He knew it was impossible but part of him believed it was possible.

                  As usual he stayed home; suddenly there was a knock on the door. He looked over and knew it was the carolers. He stood up and opened the door with a slow pace hoping they would leave. When opening his cold frozen door he saw a small envelope lying on the floor. Immediately he opened the envelope to see what’s inside. In very formal paper there was nothing but “not forever”.

                  He thought it was peculiar to see this note at his door. He preserved it in an ivory box his wife used. The rest of the day he thought of the note until he was tired. He went to his bed and began to sleep. Suddenly in the cold of night he heard a loud noise that awoke him. He looked up with his heart racing and looked at his bedroom door. It seemed miles away but it was only a few feet away. He ran towards the door and opened it.  When he opened the door he looked down shaking in fear. He saw dark hole that seemed to be thousands of miles deep. He shut the door and jumped into his bed.

                  Under his sheets he trembled in fear hoping it will go away. Seconds later the door burst open and a giant human-like creature with large menacing wings entered. Its hair covered the face, the old man tried to identify it but he couldn’t. It grabbed the old man and took him over the cliff and dropped him. He yelled and closed his eyes without knowing where the hole would lead. He awoke from his slumber.

                  It was the middle of the night and he was scared. There was a knock on the door. He thought he knew what was to come. When opening the door a lady with a white dress stood there. All she said was “May I come in?” with a blank stare. The old man couldn’t tell who this was but he knew she was important. “My name is Jennifer I’m with the hospital; your wife has passed away.” The words sunk into his heart.  A single tear trickled down his cheek and off his chin. He made the women leave and he went to bed. He remembered his dream and realized something very strange. The dream was symbolic the winged creature was the women in white; the note was the message. He figured out the where the hole the “angel” tossed him into led to. It led to the bottom, sadness.

"Sacrifice" by Sabrina E

     If there was a terrible fire and I could only save one thing I would save a picture of my friend and I. She died two years ago and we didn’t have phones or ipods or anything so it’s the only picture I have. She mean everything to me but she had hard times and hard battles with diseases that over time she couldn’t handle. Her last 2 months were the hardest of hers and my life she was in immense pain and in the hospital. I refused to do anything except to be with her in the hospital. I grew depressed, very depressed I began to get bullied and she was the only one I could trust and go to. If I HAD to give it up I would give it to my other friends because they loved her as much as I did. I sleep with this picture every night and I don’t know what I would do without it. I miss her everyday

"Testing For Organic Compounds" by Devin J

Step 1 for testing for organic compounds you will need to have on the right protection. I suggest to put on goggles ,pants and shoes that cover your feet. Step 2 is to label your five test tubes. Label each test tube with a Crayola number the test tubes 1 through 5. After you label your test tube place them in a test-tube rack. Step 3 is to read your objectives. The objectives is to determine the presence of starch by a chemical test. To analyze solutions for the presence of simple reducing sugars. To analyze a sample of vegetable oil for the presence of lipids. And to analyze a sample of gelatin for the presence of protein. After doing these steps you are all ready to go.
    Part A. We are testing for Complex Carbohydrates (starch). One member of the group used separate droppers for each solution. Another person should be standing out the way from the chemicals reading the person with the droppers what chemical to put in each test tube and how many drops. For test tube 1 add 10 drops of soluble starch. For test tube 2 add 10 drops of glucose solution. For test tube 3 add 10 drops of sucrose. For test tube 4 add 10 drops of gelatin. For test tube 5 add 10 drops of water. Record the color of each test tube's. My groups table data was Starch is white, Glucose is clear, Sucrose is clear, gelatin is light yellow, water is clear. Caution if the iodine is spilled, call your teacher immediately and rinse with water. Water was the control. After we  record the data we add 3 drops of iodine solution to each test tube. Record the data of the color with the iodine. If any of the color change to a dark black its positive of starch. Our data was that starch turned into dark black positive for starch. Glucose was a dark orange negative for starch. Sucrose was a dark orange negative for starch. Gelatin was a dark orange negative for starch. Water was a dark orange negative for starch. Once the group was done recording the data on table 1 we discard the content. We gently brushed the tests tubes in soapy water one by one and then rinse it clean.
    Part B. We are testing for Simple Reducing Sugars. We used a hot plate that was boiling 300 ml of water. My group relabeled the test 1 through 5. Then we got the chemicals we needed. For test tube 1 add 10 drops of soluble starch the color was white. For test tube 2 add 10 drops of glucose solution the color was clear. For test tube 3 add 10 drops of sucrose the color was clear. For test tube 4 add 10 drops of gelatin the color was light yellow. For test tube 5 add 10 drops of water the color was clear. After we recorded the color we added 20drops of benedict's to each test tube. We boiled the chemicals for 3 minutes. Caution not to burn yourself when your getting the test tubes out the water. After the 3 minutes were up we noticed that most of the chemicals were negative for reducing sugar. Starch, sucrose, gelatin, and water were all negative for  reducing sugars. The only positive one was glucose. We recorded our data on table 2. After recording the data we gently brushed the tests tubes in soapy water one by one and then rinse it clean.
    Part C. We are testing for lipids using a brown paper. My group placed a drop of water on a piece of brown paper and circled it and on the top of the circle we wrote water. On a separate spot on the brown paper we placed a drop of oil and circled it and on the top we top of the circle we put oil. We allowed the paper towel to dry for a few minutes. After it was dry we put it in the microwave for 2 minutes. When the 2 minutes were done we held it up to the light. If a semitransparent spot is evident, the sample contains lipids. We recorded the appearance of the two spots in table 3. The water was not transparent and it was negative for lipids. Oil was transparent and was positive for lipids.
    Part D. We are testing for proteins. We made sure we label the test tube 1through 5. Use droppers we add 30 drops of 2% gelatin solution to test tube 1. 30 drops of glucose solution to test tube 2. 30 drops of starch to test tube 3. 30 drops os sucrose to test tube 4. 30 drops of water to test tube 5. We recorded the colors of each test tube in table 4. After recording we add 10 drops of biruet reagent to each test tube. When the reaction does occur ,a violer color appears to indicate the presence of the proteins. Caution biuret reagent is extremely caustic to the skin and clothing. We recorded the colors of each test tube in table 4. Discard the contents of the test tubes. We gently brushed the tests tubes in soapy water one by one and then rinse it clean. We filled in the last column of all five tables with the correct interpretation of the test results. Test tube 1 was violet and positive for protein. Test tube 2 was clear blue and negative for protein. Test tube 3 was cloudy white and negative for protein. Test tube 4 was clear blue and negative for protein. Test tube 5 was clear blue a negative for protein.
    Part E. We were testing for know substance. Put the milk, potato, amino acid, oions, unknow 1, and unknow 2 on a the brown paper. Then put the chemicals in the microwave for 3 minutes. Hold the brown paper to the light to see what kind of molecule it is. Milk is a lipid and a simple sugar. Potato isn't a lipid, it has starch, protein, my teacher added something to make it a starch. Amino acid isn't a lipid, and is a protein. Onion isn't a lipid, it has carbohydrate, sugar ,and starch. Unknow 1 didn't have lipids, had starch, and proteins. Unkow 2 didn't have lipids, and it had starch.
    I think the purpose of the lab is to test for organic compounds. This lab help me get a better understanding of starch. Starch is a polysaccharide (a coiled polymer of glucose) that can be detected in a substance by using the indicator iodine. When iodine is applied to starch, it reacts with the coiled polymer and turns from brownish yellow to bluish black. Another polysaccharide is glycogen that is found in animals. When iodine is applied to glycogen it produces an intermediate color reaction. I also didn't know that metabolism is the sum total of all of the chemical reactions in your body. The metabolism includes catabolic reaction (compound building) and anabolic reactions (compounds breaking). This lab is going to be helpful when I want to test for complex carbohydrates, simple reducing sugars, lipids, and proteins.