Issue of October 25, 2001:
Volume 85, Number One
Click on a story title to see the story text
News
Navy comes to CHS
ASB selects officers
Changes greet returning students
How Colton helped NYC
Senior student passes awayOpinions
As I see it....by Amy Carrillo
Both Sides Now/War with Afghanistan (NO)
Both Sides Now/War with Afghanistan (YES)
Let's hear it for our Counselors!
Elementary school kids and stress
God Bless us every one
Let's not have another Manzanar
Death Penalty debate grows
Homecoming: some overdo itFeatures
Myths about CHS shattered
Do Anti-Drug Messages really work?
Clothes--do they define who we are?
Fact or Fiction; Urban legends for Halloween
Foreign Exchange students
Freshman just misses WTC disaster
Halloween: a complete (sort of) history
Jack the Ripper (a complete) history
New computers have campus humming on info superhighway
Say What?
Seniors reveal all
Slipknot: those bad numbers from Des Moines
Diversions
Blink 182 concert review
Fall Play preview: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
From Hell: Movie review
Horrorscopes with Madame Cleo
Nickelback CD review
Popular student hangouts
See you at the pole (to pray)
Sports
Ridin' the buckin' bull
Football starts season with a bang
Cross Country
Girls Golf
Girls Tennis
Should MJ return to the NBA?
Volleyball
Water Polo
Navy comes to CHS
By Andrew Quiroz
Oct. 25, 2001
The NJROTC (Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps) is a program designed to instill in high school students the values of leadership, discipline, citizenship, responsibility, and patriotism. It is a four-year course of study, but students are not obligated to stay in the program for all four years. Students also receive graduation credits in the NJROTC program just like any other elective course. Led by Marine Lt. Col. Mahoney, and Navy Chief Petty Officer Porter, the program also prepares the high school students for service skills.
Leadership, Discipline, Motivation and Military Service are some of the main reasons why the NJROTC has had so much success this year. This is also the first year that the NJROTC has come to Colton High School. There are 64 Colton High School students in the program . Mahoney stated that the NJROTC is a “great success.”
Those interested in joining the NJROTC, shoulc see Lt. Col. Mahoney as soon as pssible, or before the end of the month, to receive credit for the class. Mahoney says the program can change students’ lives “by developing discipline and protecting it early on in one’s lifetime-will produce successful results in whatever profession you choose. Our goal is to prepare cadets to be successful in life, either through the military or the civilian community.”
Chief Porter agrees on several points: “The NJROTC program is an outstanding program for Colton students no matter what career field an individual intends to pursue after graduation,” he noted. “A lot of people think the NJROTC program is just about preparing students for the military, but it does much more; it prepares students to take advantage of opportunities in all phases of life, based on core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. The NJROTC program builds leaders for countries future. If you’re not afraid of hard work and dedication, come by and see us.”BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS (TOP)
ASB Selects Officers
By Andrew Quiroz
Oct. 25, 2001
ASB has installed new officers and they are planning ahead to make sure that their year as Student Body Officers is the best that they have ever had. Therefore, here is a look ahead at the plans they hope will help them get through their year for serving Colton High School.
Brandi Dorado is the Junior Class President and some of her plans are: To provide a prom that no one will forget, and to make it be a night that will be remembered as the most memorable dance they’ve ever attended at Colton High School. “ASB has given me a different way to look at the Student Body,” Dorado says. “We as students get upset because we do not have certain things or we can’t do certain things, but when we finally get that chance to do those special activities or certain things, no one gets involved.”
Sandra Pearson is the ASB Vice-President and some of her plans are: To have a successful Homecoming, and she wants to prove to the Administration that Pep Assemblies will not affect grades and SAT9 Scores. She also wants to bring more school spirit, to Colton High School. When asked how she felt about ASB, Sandra stated, “Being in ASB these past 4 years, I have become an outgoing person and it has helped me become the person I am today, and it is a great club to be a part of.”
Carlos Perez is the ASB Treasurer and some of his plans are: To make sure that ASB gets all of the Fundraiser’s done like last year and get more money for next year. He also wants to make sure everyone does his or her job and be more of a leader to ASB. When asked how he feels about ASB, Carlos had to say that, “Being in ASB is such a blessing. I love it. The people are awesome, and the challenge is fun. I would not give it up for anything.”
Moorisha Taylor is the Sophomore Class President and she wants to try to get her class to be more involved in activities in school. She also wants to communicate with them one on one to try to also keep them involved, too.
Flora Guardado is the Senior Class President and she says that she is going to lead the Senior Class into the best year ever and try to retain our title as powder puff champs. She wants to try to make the Senior Class year memorable and one that they will never forget. She also wants to make freshmen feel that they are a part of us. She also hopes to make this the best year ever. She also stated, “I have a lot of dreams and goals that I hope to achieve this year.”
Jonathon Ramirez is the ASB Secretary and he has plans to make 2001-2002 the best year possible and try to make it fun for him and others. He says that he has the knowledge to perform his job to the best of his ability. He also wants to get to know everyone and get him or her rowdy, Interested, and involved more at Pep Assemblies. When asked how he felt about ASB, Jonathon said that, “Being in ASB helped me be a more responsible student. It has given me the chance to meet new people and become a leader. It has also given me the chance to get people more involved and motivated to be better students and to have a great high school experience, especially for the SENIORS.”
Alan Conrad is the ASB President and he has plans to have the best Homecoming of all of Homecoming years. He also wants to make students feel that it is not dumb to do High School Activities and he says that hopes that people out of school will look at Colton High School differently. When asked how he felt being in ASB, he stated that, “Being in ASB made me become more of a secure person. It has also made me become more of a leader. I hope that this year runs as smoothly as ASB and I are planning it to. We hope that students will get more involved, so that in their High School years, they will plan on running for ASB.” His last statement was, “Remember CHS is committed to high standards.”BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS (TOP)
Changes greet students
By Sandy Brown
Oct. 25, 2001
Could you imagine spending your Saturday mornings in school? Four hours of your day doing nothing but schoolwork and being watched by a teacher? Doesn’t sound like a fun Saturday, does it? The Colton School District is debating on enforcing a Saturday school policy. This means if you receive 6 tardies per any one class or three full day truancies expect to be spending your Saturday mornings doing work with a teacher. If you think you can get out of Saturday school by ditching, think again! You will be assigned to an additional day to serve in Saturday school. If that isn’t served then the Assistant Principal will have a conference with your parents and you will be suspended from Colton High. So, for all the students that got an extreme amount of tardies or truancies last year you might want to start being on time and showing up to class.
Since the new school year has started have you felt like you are being watched? No, we’re not going to be on the next version of CBS’s Big Brother show.Colton High has replaced their Security Sonitrol alarm system with nine video surveillance cameras. The Sonitrol system was not working very well anymore and the school had people breaking in. With the new cameras they can visually identify who breaks in the school. The cameras can also catch any acts of vandalism, graffiti, theft and ditching. There are 4 cameras, which are visible to students. These cameras are placed in different areas around the campus. The cameras are located over the Auditorium, the Macintosh gym, the all behind room 503, in the room 510 area and one in the student parking lot. The other 5 cameras remain unknown of their positions. So if you are thinking of ditching, vandalizing the school, stealing from the school, or just anything you aren’t suppose to be doing, remember, you are being watched.
Have you tried to purchase a drink from the soda machines, during school hours lately? If so, you’ve noticed that it did not work. They are set on timers from 7:30 until 2:10. The machines were set on timers to prevent students from leaving class to purchase a soda, which they would have to throw away once they re-enter class. The timers were enforced because last year Colton High School experienced a large number of students getting out of class to buy sodas with and without passes. Principal Almendarez says, “Yes, students getting classroom instruction is more important than getting soda.”
Have you ever wanted to find out your grade ahead of time and how you are doing in certain classes? Colton High has made this possible. So for all you students with access to the Internet, log on to www.ThinkWave.com. This website has many different features and tells about many upcoming and recent events which are occurring at Colton High. This web site includes details on game schedules for all sports, club information, and everything else you might want to know about Colton High School.
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How Colton helped in the World Trade Center disaster
By Sara Abusiraj
Oct. 25, 2001
Led by several student organizations, including ASB and DECA, students at Colton High have contributed over $3,000 to help the victims of the terrorist attacks on New York’s World Trade Centerand Washington D.C.’s Pentagon.
By now we all know the images of September 11, 2001. That morning at exactly 8:45 a.m. a plane crashed into World Trade Tower #1 in New York and it was supposedly an accident until another plane crashed into tower #2. At first they had no idea what had happened, but later they figured out that this was a terrorist attack. That same day two other airplanes were highjacked and one of them went into the Pentagon. The amount of people who died was a total of about six thousand, but the damage in New York was unbelievable. Both of the towers collapsed, each a hundred and ten stories tall. People’s homes are destroyed and many of their family members disappeared.
As we know this nation has come together and supported each other when we needed it most, but the question is; how did Colton Help? Well, a Couple of days after this happened Renaissance, ASB, DECA, and other clubs went around the school, classroom after classroom, to raise money. “Whenever there is a need the CHS students always raise to the occasion,” said ROP teacher Carol Tsushima when she told us about the all the money that was donated. She also said that we might try to raise more money and sell Red Cross T-shirts to help the victim’s families. ASB President Alan Conrad said, “It’s a good thing to raise money for an American tragedy,” and that we may hold a blood drive for the persons in need of blood.
Board Member Ray Abril, Jr. has donated one hundred and forty-six pints of blood his whole life and he said if we happen to exceed that, he would put in a hundred dollars toward what the school really wants. “The World Trade Center incident has affected my life by making me aware of how easily we take life for granted,” says student Sandra Pearson while talking about how suddenly something like this could happen.
Over the years many arguments, fights, and even wars have taken place, but nothing like this. People say this could have been prevented. “I am deeply saddened by the tragedy, but what’s done is done,” said Mark Vasquez. “Building burns; all that is left are ashes. I used to think that was true about everything; family, friends, feelings, but now I know that if love proves to two people that were meant to be together, nothing can keep them apart.” As far as retaliation, he made clear that we have the right man, but we should attack all Afghanistan. When questioned about how she felt, Sophomore Jeanette Krejcik stated, “I really feel bad for those who we have lost. I also feel really scared because America is under attack.”
A lot of talk has been about why this happened to begin with. Maybe it is because, as President Bush says, everyone is jealous of the way America is and how good of a life there is here. The people who actually live in the U.S. know how good it is to be American, even if they weren’t born here. It’s a tragedy what happened, and nobody deserves what happened to them, nut we have to learn that the enemy is not only the ‘DEVIL’, but people too—people who hate others, our beliefs, customs, culture, religion, and the way we live. Nobody understands why everything has to be so difficult between peoples.
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Colton Senior passes away in sleep
By Ryan Rivera and Leticia Zamora
Oct. 25, 2001
“Joseph was like a brother to me. He will always be my best friend,” said student Ralph Hernandez concerning the recent death of senior Joseph Elias Galvez.
Gavlez passed away quietly in his sleep on October 9. The cause of death is unknown at this time. He was only 18 and will be missed greatly by all that knew him. Englilsh teacher Lucy Khairullah noted that, “he was a good kid.” According to friend Connie Holt, he was “definitely a free spirit.” Teacher Michael Parshall saw Joseph as “almost always happy.”
“His smile,” is what close friend and classmate Hernandez misses most about Galvez. His laughter, his jokes, and his love of life are just some of the qualities possessed by Galvez that will help the memory of him live on.
Friends and family of Galvez were invited to celebrate his life on October 18. The service was held at Hermosa Memorial Gardens Chapel.
Hernandez expressed the feelings of many:
“I felt sad and depressed. I’m gonna miss his friendship.”BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS (TOP)
As I See It
By Amy Carrillo
Oct. 25, 2001Senior year. This year is what high school is all about. These are supposed to be the best years of our lives. You are supposed to have a ton of fun hanging out with your friends every weekend and partying every night. We’ve all seen the “Saved By The Bell” episodes where high school looked like a breeze. I’m sure that when all of us entered high school we expected to have some sort of “Saved By The Bell” moments, but high school isn’t as easy as Mark-Paul Gosselaar so vividly portrayed it to be.
I know when I stepped foot on this campus, I thought it was going to be so different from Junior High. But really, it wasn’t. You could say that now we are more mature…but sometimes I highly doubt that when we are sitting the in the Whitmer Auditorium and the lights are turned down and that select group of people feel the need to start screaming and yelling because it is going to be dark for the few short seconds before the projector lights come on. Come on people; is a dark auditorium full of students, teachers, and administrators THAT exciting to you? Doesn’t anybody find it the least bit embarrassing that some of us are almost eighteen years old and we can’t control ourselves from screaming out like we have Tourette’s Syndrome?
Senior year isn’t all that is cracked up to be. I always thought that your counselors worked with you side by side and helped you out. I never realized how much you have to do on your own. I didn’t know when to register for the SAT’s and I certainly didn’t know how to acquire college applications. If it weren’t for colleges sending me information, I probably would have never decided what college I wanted to go to.
I remember back when I was a freshman, I couldn’t wait to be a senior. You get the respect of all of the underclassmen, you didn’t have to take the STAR testing, and at the end of the year all of the seniors get to relax and wait for graduation day. Well, it isn’t exactly what I anticipated. At lunch the freshman seem to think that they can do what ever they want. When I was a freshman I stayed clear of the seniors and tried not to do anything to make them mad. I guess that things aren’t what they used to be, however old-fashioned that may sound. Sure, we don’t have to take STAR testing, but I think we have paid our dues. Then there is graduation day. I can’t say much about that because I haven’t been through it yet. But that whole thought of having to step out into the real world for the first time is kind of overwhelming. College isn’t one of those things you HAVE to do. You are paying to be there and you don’t want to waste your tuition money by taking a ditch day.
There are plenty of things that make high school a drag. But if you really think about it, the good out-weigh the bad. Sure, high school is a lot of work, but I think that when we leave Colton High School we will truly appreciate the experience.
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Both Sides Now: Should we go to war with Afghanistan? No!
By Lisa Namnath
Oct. 25, 2001
The United States of America hasn’t seen war on our territory for many years. Every war we’ve fought in has been elsewhere in the world in another place where the horror and pain isn’t felt, here. We may witness the devastation of war on other countries, but we are too young or of too short of memory to know what war feels like.
Osama bin Laden is the main suspect, yet we forget that he is innocent until proven guilty. Must we forget the rule of law in our zeal to punish? Has everyone in the heat of finding someone to blame forgotten that?
Yes, we need to find who is responsible, but not at the sacrifice of more lives. So many people have already died that those who have lost people are sick of the stories and being constantly reminded of this tragedy.
A war against terrorism… it may be a good idea, but most of America really doesn’t know what terrorism is. We all have this idea that it means to bomb someone or hijack a plane. The actual concept of terrorism is very different. We are going to war against an act of terror, not necessarily those who committed it.
I’m not saying that we should dismiss this as a simple act of fate and accept that there is no one to blame. It’s a fact of life that we will all face daily tragedies that we must over come, and sometimes it’s better to accept the occurrences.
Until someone is found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, we as Americans must begin to pick up the pieces and begin to rebuild our shaken lives and expectations of our government.
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Both Sides Now: Should we go to war with Afghanistan? Yes!
By Narmin Shahin
Oct. 25. 2001
Our army is known for its invincibility. What has happened to our country is wrong and unjust. The people who died in this incident did not deserve this. Whoever is responsible should be punished. Our prime suspect is Osama Bin Laden and he is being held in Afghanistan not to be questioned or prosecuted until enough evidence is provided to Afganistinan’s Taliban government.
The person who did this is laughing at us, because justice has not been served. The accused person that did this has not been held accountable for his wrong doings. To himself he is innocent but he committed an obscene act and still lives his normal day-to-day life. Our country needs to show that you can not push us around and get away with it. We are just beginning to take all of this in and rebuild what was destroyed but the anger will always live within us.
We should not and are not going to be silent about this; we need to speak our mind and our hearts and punish the wrongdoers. We should fight for the people who died in New York’s World Trade Center, in Pennsylvania and in Washington in the Pentagon. We need to live up to our belief in protecting our nation and use our strong army to help preserve our country, as well as to also protect us from heinous crimes commited against our society. Afganis harboring Bin Laden should also have to suffer the same consequences. Should we have gone to war with Afghanistan? The answer is simple: if we provide our nation with security, then whoever did this is going to feel the same horror we did that tragic day. We need to find justice and serenity. If we have to use our army to do it, then that is what needs to happen . . .so we can finally begin to heal.
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Let’s hear it for the Counselors! Hip Hip Hooray!!
By Ashley Jay
Oct. 25, 2001
The beginning of the year is always the most hectic. We Colton High students are forced to worry about things like “Where’s the 450 wing? … There’s no toilet paper in the bathroom! … Will I graduate on time?” … And the most stressful dilemma… “I need my schedule changed!” Of course we students all know how stressful it is decide the outcome of our “planned” futures within our short four years in high school, but try being responsible for 550 young adults.
Our counselors’ opinions, whether you realize it, appreciate it, or like it, are a gigantic part of our future life. Some of us are lucky enough to have parents who are aware of what’s going on and who know what his/her teen needs to do to be successful academically, such as applying for the S.A.T.’s or college. On the other hand, some students don’t have such supportive parents, parents who never attended collage and wouldn’t know how to start encouraging their son or daughter past the education level that they accomplished. Never fear, this is what counselors are for. Many students’ futures are changed and inspired by their teachers, but what about counselors? It’s time that we started showing counselors just how much they are needed and appreciated.
The beginning of the year brings on a swarm of angry boys and girls to the counseling office. Being a senior this year, I guess it became a little clearer of just how big the rush really is. Before I was a senior, I turned in my emergency card, picked up my schedule, and accepted any minor mistakes. This year, my agenda is a little more crucial. So I was one big ball of stress until I got into student counselor, Sharon Halter-Day’s office. So you can imagine just how stressful it is to have 550 angry and stressed out students who may or may not be worried about graduating, heading your way.
When asked if the beginning of the year is an overwhelming experience, Halter-Day answered that it is an expected event. “I have a strong desire to do anything I can to help peoples lives run more smoothly… to help them make better decisions,” was a classic opinion shared by Halter-Day. To make up for most students lack of organization, Halter-Day considers herself extremely put together. She says that she finds it unfortunate that she is not able to maintain as many personal relationships with her students. When asked to describe the negative aspects of her job, she stated “My heart is into it.”
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Elementary School kids have too much stress!
By Ashley Jay
Oct. 25, 2001
At the opening of the school year, I was invited to my eight-year-old sister and ten-year-old brother’s Open House. The rooms were filled with the usual construction paper cut outs and papier-mâché figures. Cute, happy, and careless little girls and boys ran through the buildings. Once the teacher calmed the kids down, they proceeded to go over what was expected of the small children. Half of the parents were disappointed with comments like, “Cindy is not meeting up to her math level requirements!” or “ Little Susie hasn’t turned half of her homework this year!” I was extremely surprised at the amount of poor reports that the parents were receiving…until I found out just what was expected of these premature little minds. ALGEBRA! Can you believe this? Sixth graders are expected to do algebra. I wasn’t forced to deal with this stuff until my freshmen year here at Colton High.
How does this affect us young adults you ask? Look at all of the testing they’re putting us through! Testing us and raising our curriculum level is okay with me. Not to be to negative but I thinking us Colton students need a small challenge, and to do that I guess the kiddies need a head start, but I think it’s to much to fast! I was shocked to even hear the word algebra in an elementary school. This kind of increase in expectations is causing more students to fail because they can’t meet the standard curriculum level that is now expected of them.
Come on, if we have freshmen in high school who can’t grasp some of the ideas of this kind of subject, how are sixth graders supposed to deal with it!
Every day after school I come home to see my eight-year-old sister sitting down to do her homework. When I don’t have work, I usually head out with a friend for a few hours, I come home to see her still sitting in the same place stressing over her homework.
On some occasions, I come home at her bedtime and have to help her get through her math packet so that she doesn’t get her recess taken away the next day! Have you seen the packets assigned to these little guys (All due at the end of the week!). It’s ridiculous! I’m just glad that my worries in the third grade were weather or not I would have to wait in line for the monkey bars the next day or if I would get the handball court, instead of trying to please the stress out teacher who is in deep if their students don’t perform above their level. This sounds familiar to us Colton High students doesn’t it? Rumor of shut down is forcing our teachers to push us a little more also. Do we have it as bad as the elementary students? I don’t think so.
If our score levels are so bad that their considering getting rid of us, then we need a push…more like a big shove. Most high school student’s problems are a case of laziness, not ability.
I don’t want to underestimate these kids, but some of us have higher learning abilities than others. This is especially true with young children. Although their minds are “like sponges” at this age, they need to be set at their own level of pace in order for them to catch on in the first place.
Some parents might think it’s okay to push their ten year olds to the point of ulcers and migraines, but at this age, I think that social development and a healthy lesson plan is most important.
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God Bless America
By Raquel Ramos
Oct. 25, 2001
On the morning of September 11, 2001 I switched on my radio and began to get ready like I’ve done almost every weekday since I could remember. Except that morning was different. That morning will probably never be forgotten for some of us. We all know what happened because it’s everywhere. Turned on the television and it was on every channel, it’s playing on the radio, come to school and just about every teacher has something to say about these acts of terrorism. For most people it’s enough to push you to the brink of tears, tears of fear, sadness, and anger; anything but happiness.
Meanwhile I have begun to grow a sense of warmth from within. Don’t get me wrong I did shed tears. But being the optimistic person that I am, some how always seeming to find something good in even the worst tragedies. Well I suppose this warmth could best be labeled as pride. It put a smile on my face to see how we as a country have banded together despite our now petty differences. Not only in New York has this been happening, I’ve witnessed it here, clear across the country in California. There are school clubs going from classroom to classroom collecting money, donating time. I also see that a lot of younger generations are now taking an interest in what’s going on in the world.
Some may say that it shouldn’t have taken an awful incident like this one to bring out what was there all along, and they do have a point. Though I hate to admit it but with out this happening I probably would have never taken the time to stop, listen and really think about stuff dealing with the U.S.A that does greatly affect me but I never really gave a second though to. I am fortunate enough to have the luxuries of free will and the security of protection. Now, in a different way than before, I understand that though America is not perfect, there are people out there in places where I can’t begin to even imagine the living conditions. I guess what I’ve realized is that I am proud to be an American.
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Let’s not have another Manzanar
By Narmin Shahin
Oct. 25, 2001
I am not the enemy.
As a Muslim, I grieve. As a person of Arabic descent, I cry. As an American citizen, like everyone else, I anguish at the horror of it all.
Every time something tragic occurs part of human nature is to grieve then to turn to anger, and then question why this happened. Part of this anger is finding someone or something that is excusable to blame. The pet peeves of our society have always been the recipients of this unneeded violence, even when there is nothing to blame. In recent history, several of these senseless acts have occurred in many countries, including the internment camps during World War II in which America isolated loyal Japanese citizens for several years, and more recently the happenings in Kosovo perpertrated by Milosevic.
America’s history has been altered and will forever live infamously in our memories. On the ill-fated day September 11, 2001 our country lost a giant portion of our nation’s immortality. Our population fears our nation’s ability to defend it self. The officials of our country are confident in our capability of finding and “punishing” the responsible party or parties including those “harboring” any fugitives. At this time the main fugitive is Osama bin Laden who is said to be located in Afghanistan. Some of the countries where bin Laden has been associated with are Pakistan, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia; any of these countries are subjected to our wrath.
Being a Muslim myself and an Arab-American citizen, I can relate to both sides. So much hatred has been placed upon American citizens who are of Arab descent, fear has permeated society. The magnitude of the threats that have been received by mosques, websites and Arabic people is so great that in general police protection has been requested and even then people fear their inability to protect anyone from harm. Many of them have been forced to go into hiding and deprived of their basic rights as American citizens. These occurrences are as tragic as the loss of life on the east coast of the United States.
When our nation should be pulling together and trying to piece together our crippled country, we stand on opposite sides of a very thin line pointing fingers and trying to heal alone instead of together. If this hatred continues our nation may become divided and unable to fulfill it’s obligations as united people. This lack of unity has caused our countries destruction to be amplified. Innocent lives will be lost if we don’t realize that conflict is as pointless as senseless acts of terrorism as we witnessed on September 11. If our country has ever been unified as a whole we might have been able to predict and maybe prevent this from happening. We have witnessed before this ethnic isolation and it lead to devastating consequences. If these atrocities reoccur we would not have learned from any of our past mistakes but just repeat them, not only in this instance but in the future.
Acceptance is the beginning of the road to tolerance, and that road is one we need to travel. Birds of a feather flock together; it’s something we naturally do but we need to realize, that if are to survive we need to stop separating our selves and others in to groups. Based on the actions of few we judge many. The loss of so many lives is tragic and devastating but we don’t want to lose anymore. Has not history taught us anything? Dare we repeat the mistakes of 1942, in which a terrified country, attacked and confused, turned against its own loyal citizens, primarily out of racial fear? Let’s not force some historian to update the “Farewell to Manzanar” script.
I am not the enemy. I am a loyal American.(Special thanks to Lisa Namnath in the preparation of this editorial-N.S,)
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Should we execute murderers? Yes.
By Jennifer Orozco
Oct. 25, 2001
On June 11, 2001 Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy Mc Veigh was executed by lethal injection, the first to be executed by the Federal Government since 1963. The execution was watched on closed circuit by the families of the 168 victims, most of them being children. In some cases this penalty has taken the lives of innocent men and women, and m y heart goes out to the families of this horrible inaccuracy .The right science and technology exist today that prosecutors are able to with out a doubt convict the right person for the crime, and punish them .
The Death penalty brings some kind of closure to not only the families of victims but also it reassures people living in fear of being attacked.50 years ago Americans didn’t need to have high tech security systems or take classes to defend them self, They didn’t even have to lock their car doors at night. . Now you hear people shocked to hear that their neighbor was one of the suicide terrorist who were on the planes that crashed into the WTC towers.50 years ago it was unreal to see high speed chases And today this is our reality, to turn on the T.V. and expect the weather or traffic report and see a plane crash into buildings or kids run off campus because there is kids trying to shot up the school.
The penalty is sending a good message to people planning on threatening or attacking Americans and people in general: that if you decide to endanger innocent people, your debt to society will be paid in “full”.
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Some people overdo Homecoming
By Ashley Ellison
Oct. 25, 2001
At the Riverside Convention Center, you are most likely to see, a white stretch Limo drive up. A couple gets out. She is wearing a elegant $350 gown, which she will never wear again, $100 shoes, a $50 makeover, a $75 hair do and on her right wrist is a $35 corsage, which wilt by the time the night is over. Her date is wearing a black, perfectly fitted, tuxedo. On his right jacket pocket there is a $30 boutonnière, then in his left hand is two plain pieces of paper, also known as tickets. The couple is still sitting down with their friends at the beginning of the dance, since they are still full from their $50 dinner at Claim Jumper. By looking at this couple, you would think that they are at prom, but the truth is, they are at just a simple dance that signifies school pride.
So, what is the big deal anyways? It’s not like this dance is Prom! To me Homecoming should not be as glamour’s and expensive as Prom. People should not arrive in limos, girls should not spend over $450 on themselves and guys should not end up spending over $150 on themselves with the additional costs of pictures, dinner and gas. What is the point, people are just going to forget about all of the Homecomings they go to by the time they are out of college.
I asked some Colton High students if they thought people over do it at Homecoming. Sophomore Jennifer Orozco said, “Yes, people do over do it at Homecoming, you spend just as much money at Prom and it is not as big of a deal.”
Senior, April Lewis however, doesn’t agree. She said, “No, people don’t over do it, because you have to look nice and if looking nice is expensive, then that is the price you will have to pay.
Maybe some students at Colton High School spend most of their hard earned dollars on Homecoming because it will make this dance memorable compared to others. Then other students spend all their money because they think of Homecoming as a competition of who has the most expensive dress. I think of Homecoming as a chance to dance with a lot of people and it is just fun to get dressed up and look really pretty every once in a while.
So when the next Homecoming comes around, and it is time to spend your hard earned dollars, ask yourself… am I over doing it?
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Myths about Colton High Shattered
By Priscilla Montgomery
Oct. 25, 2001
Every day we hear the familiar comment “This school sucks” or “I hate this school!” or “This school whomps.” The negative feelings at this school run high. But some students don’t feel that way. “This is the best school ever!” says junior Cody Moore. True, some things are bad at this school. But what school doesn’t have their negative side along with their many positive qualities? Junior Shawn Noble sums it up when he says, “All schools have something bad about them but this school has a lot of opportunities.” Next time someone tries to insult our great school, give them a few of our many accomplishments. Here are some of the popular misconceptions about CHS, and the truth.
#1. Our sport teams never win.
Not true! All the teams here put in a lot of hours to do their very best. You can’t insult them until you’ve worked as hard as they have. Just last year, the hard working badminton team was undefeated. Softball was one of the best teams in the entire state of California, narrowly missing a CIF title. Wrestling team was CIF champs. Track’s 4 x 1 relay team went to finals. Cheer won 2nd place countywide and our cute mascots took 8th in nationals. The tennis won league championships. The boys’ golf team got 2nd in league last year, while the girls got 4th in league. For three straight years, the girls’ soccer team has won league. Our band, unappreciated as they may be, took either sweepstakes (grand prize) or first place at every competition. The drummers took sweepstakes at every single event except for one where they got first place. Color Guard took 2nd or 1st place at every competition. And this year, we are proud to see that our football team is on a winning streak with 6-0. So as you can see, our sports programs are NOT losers.
#2. You don’t get a real education if you go to Colton High.
We Yellowjackets do get a very good education, contrary to popular belief. Many students may not know that our AP program is one of the best. We have an 80% passage rate in the English test. Our academic competition team is very good, comparing with the rest of the schools in the area. They are nationally recognized. In just last year, 4 students went to state in debate and speech. Decathlon outscored 95% of the teams in the country for the past 10 years.
#3. The only thing our school is good at is making babies.
Yes, I’ll admit we do have girls that get pregnant. But is that really the school’s fault? Consider the fact that some of the girls that use our nursery have moved from their school to ours. Our school is great because they give these people a second chance, to get their education despite their mistake. And many of you may not know, but “famous REV” has a nursery too. The only difference is theirs isn’t the first thing you see when you enter the school and their students don’t parade that fact around to students from other schools.
#4. This school will hire anyone to teach!!
Yes, there are some teachers at this school who aren’t the students’ favorite, but we do have good teachers! They are the teachers who make their subject so much fun and the ones that you would recommend anyone to take their class (and we all know who those teachers are.) So stop complaining about those teachers that make you hate math or history and start praising the teachers that gave you a whole new perspective on English or science.
#5. Colton High is so ghetto and gross.
Just because others see our school in this manner, doesn’t mean we should live up to their standards. If you’ve taken a look around or read our article on the front page, you’ll note they’re trying to change the school’s appearance. It’s up to you to change our reputation!! Always try to remember, our school is 106 years old! We have history that the other new schools like REV and Martin Luther King do not have.
So stop complaining about our school! You are going to be here for four years. So many good memories can come from high school, so make the best of it.
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Do Anti Drug messages work?
By Napa Utrapiromsuk
Oct. 25, 2001
“This is your brain on drugs,” a frying pan with eggs popping was in the old “stay off drug” commercials. We all have turned on the TV and seen the one with these kids at a party (who look like they’re twelve) and one starts to smoke, then the person they are talking to looks like a fish, because “smoking is just not cool”. But in real life how many people would really look at someone like a fish just because they smoke? We also see these ‘Fight for your Rights’ commercials with a certain person from a minority talks to the camera listing the stereotypes of their race. What do people really think? Or do when they see these commercials? Do they start laughing, or change the channel? Or maybe it might just really help them.
Most high school students think that these commercials are drawn out and over dramatic. Sophomore Kellen Gockner said, “I think they over do them and make it something that it’s not. They’re good but too dramatic.”
When the purpose of these commercials is to influence the viewer about not doing drugs yet somehow the message is lost by horrible actors, unrealistic storylines, and when put together, most people just watch it to get a laugh. Senior Carlos Morales stated that, “They affect me in the sense that if I do drugs, I can’t say that I didn’t know they were harmful, but I believe that if people are going to do it they will do it, the commercial will not stop them from doing drugs because of what someone on an ad says.”
The answer for keeping kids off drugs is not an easy one. Sophomore Holly Vo thinks that drug free commercials should, “give more real facts about what can happen and first hand experience for what can happen to people.”
However, all these efforts seem to not be working. New ideas of trying to impact younger people about drugs are developing, but the old ideas of scaring youth into not doing it have expired. I guess we all just have to sit and wait until the new drug free advertisers will come up with next…will we be rolling on the floor laughing, or actually be thinking of the effects drugs have on us?
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Clothes: Do they define who we are?
By April Lewis
Oct. 25, 2001
Drama, gossip, and friends are what high school is all about. But have you ever wondered what creates the gossip? Do you really know where the drama comes from? Have you ever just stopped and really thought about how you friends became your friends and why you and your friends talk about the girl in English class that you don’t even know? When you look around Colton High School there are so many different people and different “clics” that tend to dress alike; maybe this is the cause of all this drama and gossip in high school.
People tend to stereotype and criticize things that are different from them and what they are used to. Picture this: you and your friends are sitting at lunch and you see different people walking down the Hello Walk. The first girl is in all black, wears dark make-up, and has a pale white face from all of the cover up she is wearing. She appears to be a loner around campus. Your friends start saying that she smokes pot, is a loser, is Gothic, and doesn’t believe in God. Another girl walks down with blonde hair: she is wearing all pink, and has glitter and rhinestones everywhere on her clothes. She and her friends are popular and every guy on campus wants them. You assume she is stuck up, rich, and sleeps around. Finally, here comes a guy wearing baggy pants, a Tupac shirt, and has Old English writing on his belt. He has many friends that dress alike and they all stick together. You and your friends assume that he is in a gang, is a drug dealer, and will most likely drop out of high school or die before he even gets out of High School. All these judgments and assumptions were made based only on the way these people dress. But for all you know the gothic girl goes to church every Sunday and her parents are very strict. The rich girl you see could be poor; perhaps she works and supports herself, she is popular but maybe she could be the nicest girl that you could ever meet. Finally the gangster could be in all A.P. classes and will graduate at the top of his class and has hopes to be a doctor.
Some on campus resist this type of labeling. “The way you dress doesn’t make you who you are,” according to senior Jessica Nave. “People wear what the like and what looks nice on them. People just stereotype me because they don’t know me.” But Senior Henry Estrada disagrees: “The way you dress says a lot about you and how you are as a person. Different clicks dress alike because they are all friends and like the same style, your style says a lot about your personality.”
Of course, we all know that at school we have restrictions on the way we are allowed to dress. According to administration, students can now be suspended for wearing a Tupac shirt; even having a picture of him on your folder will resort in a dress code violation. But why is Tupac singled out? Because you wear a Tupac shirt does that mean that you a promoting bad things and that you are a gangster? Many around campus are asking why wouldn’t you get a dress code for wearing a Beatles shirt? After all, in the 60’s they were the ones promoting LSD to everyone. So are we to assume that if you wear a Beatles shirt that you like doing drugs and that you promote drugs and bad things? Principal Jerry Almendarez addressed this issue: “We used Tupac as an example because that was the only example that we could think of; we were not singling Tupac out. Anything that is violent or offensive to anyone is a dress code (violation).” Almendarez also comments, “I agree completely that the way a student dresses is a part of them but district policy is district policy and that is what I follow.”
So does the way you dress make you who you are? Do you make the outfit or does the outfit make you?…..You decide.
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Fact or Fiction? Urban legends you may have heard
By Veronica Sanchez
Oct. 25, 2001
Everyone has their own opinions and beliefs about horror stories. From generation to generation there have been many horror stories told. Over the years stories have been changed, by adding or taking out words, just to make the story better. Some horror stories are scarier then others, but then again some are creepy, scary, gruesome, bizarre, and of course unexplained. The real good ones make you get the chills, make your hair stand on end, and give you the creeps. Then at the end of the story, someone has to do something to scare you to death. But it is always up to the individual to believe if the story is true or not. Now, do you have what it takes to know what is fact and what is fiction? Here are some popular “urban legends” to keep you guessing if they are true or false.
#1. A Kid Dies from Mixing Pop Rocks and Soda Pop
A kid ate six bags of pop rocks at a party. He then proceeded to drink a six-pack of Pepsi. The two substances combined in his stomach and exploded, killing him horribly. That’s why pop rocks were taken off the market in the early eighties.
#2. A Damaged Cactus Falls Onto The Man Who Had Harmed It, Killing Him
A guy was out with his shotgun shooting signs and such. Well, he decided to blast some cacti too. As he stood within a few feet, of a giant old cactus, he blasted a few holes in its giant trunk. It gave was and fell right on top of him, crushing and impaling him with nail-like spikes. He died, being alone and unable to crawl away.#3. Teen Dies During Halloween Hanging Stunt
A teenager who pretended to hang from a gallows as part of a Halloween hayride died while performing the stunt. He was hanging from the gallows with his feet touching the ground. He was supposed to have the noose around his neck, but it’s not a noose that tightens. The tractor driver became concerned, when the teenager failed to give a speech he normally does.#4. Earthquake Kills Car Thief
A man purchased his dream car, a fancy red Porsche. It’s what he always wanted. He drove off the lot and headed to the third game of the World’s Series. During the historic game, and incredible earthquake hit. The game was called off. People came running out of the stadium for their lives. Not only had the earthquake hit, but his car had been stolen, as well. A thief had taken his car. The car remained missing for several days, as the police were preoccupied with devastation of the earthquake. Finally they found his red Porsche. It was discovered underneath a collapsed freeway. And the thief was still in it.#5. Gasoline Kills
Two students had gone out to neck in a car on an isolated country road. Afterwards, the car wouldn’t start. The girlfriend got spooked. The boyfriend said he would walk for help, but suggested she first get down on the floor of the car in the back and put a blanket over her so no one looking in would see her. He told her not to look out or get out until he returned, no matter what she heard. Then he walked off, leaving her hidden. He didn’t return, and she heard a strange tap-tap-tap sound on top of the car. Despite her growing panic, she didn’t get out and remained huddled there, all night long, listening to the irregular tapping sounds. Finally, the day grew light outside and she heard someone walking up to the car. A man’s voice called out “ Is anyone in there?” It was the local sheriff. She peeked out and he told her to get out of the car, walk down the road to the waiting sheriff’s car, and whatever she did, not to look back at the car. She walked down the road to the sheriff’s car but looked back at the last minute and saw her boyfriend’s head impaled on the CB antenna, dripping blood onto the car.#6. Baby Dies in Car
There was a dual-career couple with a little baby. One day the harried father ran out of the house and put the baby in the backseat car seat to drop off at the daycare center. But he got to thinking about this and that and forgot to drop the child off. When he went to pick the baby up after work he was told the child had never arrived. In horror, he ran out to the car to find the child dead of heat exhaustion.#7. A Prisoner Kills Himself with Playing Cards
An inmate on death row, for his throat-slashing murder, fashioned ordinary decks of pasteboards into a pip bomb, which he used to take his own life. He removed a hollow steel leg from his cot, tore several packs of playing cards into tiny pieces, and stuffed these bits into the pipe. He plugged one end tightly with a broom handle, and poured water into the other end to soak the torn cards. He then placed this device on top of the kerosene heater next to his bed, laid down, and put his head up against the open end of the pipe. The heat turned the water into steam, and when the pressure built up to a high enough level, the resulting explosion shout the bits of playing cards out of the pipe with enough force to penetrate his skull.#8. Girl’s Body found Embedded in the Grill of a Car
A man didn’t come home after work until 2 a.m. When he got upstairs to his bedroom, his wife could see he was cockeyed drunk. The next morning he was pulling out of the garage onto the driveway to go to work. His wife ran to the door to give him his lunch, which he had forgotten. She went as far as the porch and fainted. Her husband got of the car to see what was the matter. He saw an eight-year-old girl imbedded in the grill of his car.#9. Hollowed-out Bodies of Dead Babies
The air hostess, as she passed along the aisle of the plane on the transatlantic flight from Amsterdam to New York noticed that the baby, nestled between the couple who were asleep, didn’t look very well, in fact it looked extremely ill. Not wanting to disturb anyone she gently lifted up the baby and took it back her station. Feeling the baby’s forehead, she found it was cold and with a sudden panic she realized that the infant was dead. Calling upon a doctor she knew to be on board, he examined the baby and confirmed that, not only was it dead, but also it was embalmed. The child’s body had been hollowed out and it was full of the drugs that the couple was trying to smuggle into the States.
False: 1,4,5,8,9
True: 2,3,6,7
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Foreign Exchange students taking it all in
By Aubrie Patterson
Oct. 25, 2001
In all of your time at Colton High, did you ever stop to think about the wide variety of places the people here come from? Whether you knew it or not, there are some people who have come from different countries to be at CHS. Namely, three foreign exchange students, coming from places such as Columbia, Venezuela, and even Germany!
Katrin Borchert, Adiurkis Torrealba, and Diego Velasquez have traveled far in the foreign exchange program to see different places in the world. They all somehow ended up coming to California.
Adiurkis Torrealba is from Venezuela. She has only been in the U.S. for two months, but already she has taken a liking. What attracted her to this country was, she said, “The language, and the independence.” She isn’t very solid in her English, but she knows what she’s talking about. Katrin Borchert, from Germany, said that what attracted her to the program were magazines at her school about foreign exchange students, and how to get involved. She didn’t know she would be going to CA at first, but when she found out, she was excited because “it is warm,” and she thinks that’s a good thing. She has been here for 10 months, and she still is not very homesick. “There are times when I miss my family,” she says. But most of the time, she loves it.
They all traveled a long way to get here. Diego Velasquez traveled from Columbia. However, over-all, they think that it was worth it. Katrin says that the schools in Germany are less strict, and Adiurkis thinks the opposite, that it’s stricter in Venezuela. But they both agree that the schools here are a lot easier, “besides all the mess,” says Katrin. According to Adiurkis, “You don’t get to pick what classes you get. They pick for you.” They also have uniforms in Venezuela, which is a big difference from our school.
Being in another country during a time of war must be hard, but they don’t think there is anything to worry about. Katrin thinks that “it’s just strange, because we don’t have anything like this in Germany.” But she’s not afraid. Adiurkis doesn’t think you can judge the U.S. for this, because she doesn’t think it’s our fault. “I’m not going to let it affect me,” she says. Although they miss their families sometimes, they are all determined to let this be a great opportunity to learn, and, as Adiurkis says, “I want to feel like I accomplished something.” When asked if she would go home, she said that she would rather stay here for the experience, and they all know they won’t regret anything.
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Freshman just misses World Trade Center disaster
By Aubrie Patterson
Oct. 25, 2001
Have you ever wondered what would happen if all of your questions were answered, even the ones you never expected an answer from? Although Tiffani Greene, a freshman at CHS, hasn’t gotten all of her questions answered, the one that was the most tragic, catastrophic, and yet the most innocent was the one question that happened to be answered.
Visiting relatives in New York, Monday, September 10, Tiffani Greene stood on the top of one of the towers of the World Trade Center with her dad. Looking out over the edge, Tiffani noticed a low-flying plane and innocently asked her dad, “What would happen if the plane crashed into the World Trade Center?” She doesn’t know where the question came from, because, she says, “It just came out. When you think of something it just comes out.” He didn’t answer her until they got to the first floor. He told her that “It’s impossible for planes to fly that low.” And then he told her to “not ask that question anymore.” Little did he know, it is very possible.
It’s unimaginable how she could have felt the day after, when out of nowhere two planes crashed and shattered the very buildings that she had been standing on when her question was asked. She wonders if it was her asking about it that did it. She says that her little sisters think that “she jinxed it.” “But,” she argues, “they’ve been planning it for a couple of years.” She agrees that it was going to happen even if she hadn’t thought about it beforehand.
Tiffani describes the way everything looked before the terrorist attacks, before her question was answered. She says that, “it was really really nice before the twin towers were destroyed. I could look out of my hotel room and they were right there.” But the day it happened, she felt bad for all of the people that lost lives, and all of the kids that have no parents. She says it was like something was missing when she looked out of her window and the two towers were gone. “It got scary,” she remembers, “I was only 15 minutes away. I wanted to go inside, but when I turned on the TV, it was on every channel.”
However, as crazy as all of this seems, Tiffani has no fears of returning. She doesn’t go that often, and she’ll be going more and more to visit her relatives that live there. Also, she doesn’t blame any of this on herself, and she doesn’t think that it was her question that provoked it. After all, it’s hard to believe what the world would be like if all of your questions were answered as Tiffani’s were.
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History of Halloween
By Wendy Quinonez
Oct. 25, 2001
Frightening ghosts, terrified witches and intimidating graveyards. Is that what you think about when you hear the notorious word “Halloween? “ Well others might think otherwise, maybe just a plain, simple Halloween for them. Some people think it’s just for “fun” and others think it’s time for “adventure.”
Where did Halloween originate? To answer this question we have to go back to the Celts, who lived in European countries .It was the Celts who traditionally celebrated a holiday called Saheim. Saheim was celebrated on the night always a story behind an escapade and this is how it all started. Halloween origins date before the New Year began. It’s believed that on that dark mysterious night, desperate witches and ghosts went out and roamed the cemetery to bring back the dead souls back to life. November 1 was officially named as “ All Saints Day “ or “All Hallows Day “ in the 800’s. This holiday is symbolically associated with death and the supernatural. One tradition that comes along with Halloween is trick or treating. Trick or Treat was an invention made by the Irish. Groups of villages would go from house to house begging for a share of food. Those who were generous were promised a prosperous year, those who gave a little were threatened and curse. Maybe that’s the reason why some people don’t celebrate it like security guard Charles Telly: “It’s my least favorite holiday and I don’t like it.” But on the other hand there are disagreements: “ I love to dress up,” says security guard Mrs. Nicole with a smile.
You expect only young people to celebrate this holiday, but adults can have fun too. Not only this can be an experience to go out and get some candy (so you can wake up with a stomach ache) and have a party, but some people think it might be a way to get to know people. “It’s a thing you can cooperate with other people and have a good time,” explained sophomore Cynthia Raigoza.
Senior Alan Conrad explained his reason to celebrate: “It’s a time to get candy from neighbors.” But not everybody celebrates Halloween; some religions don’t celebrate this specific holiday for religious purposes. For example, Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate Halloween because they believe that celebrating this holiday is like celebrating the devil. Other religions, including some Christians, Catholics, and Muslims don’t celebrate either. Some of them, of course, don’t take it personally and consider it just for fun.
Halloween can mean different things to different people, but it’s the only time of the year to dress up and act stupid. It can be a time to show you’re real you even if it means dressing up as a girl or dressing up as a someone or something no none would expect you would want to be.
You can make your Halloween night a night you will never forget, going to a haunted house, scaring the heck out of yourselves and coming back like nothing happened. So tell me? What do you think when you hear the word “Halloween”?
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The story of Saucy Jack…Jack the Ripper that is
By Victor Valdez
Oct. 25, 2001
Bloody murder was the only thing in the eye of Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper was a murderer in London, England. His true identity is still unknown to this day, however the murders are not unknown.
Jack the Ripper murdered London prostitutes in year of 1888. He murdered five womenin all. Mary Ann Nichols was murdered on the night of August 31st. She was missing five teeth, had a cut on her tongue, and just below the chin there was a four inch cut just below the jaw, a large round incision was made that severed all tissues to the vertebrate, and the large vessels of the neck. There was an eight inch long jagged cut on the lower abdomen that severed the tissues.
Annie Chapman was murdered on the night of September 8th. She was suffocated first; her throat was cut with a jagged incision. Her tongue was swollen; there were two cuts on the spine running parallel a half-inch from each other. Her muscular structures were separated from the neck.
Elizabeth Stride was murdered on the night of September 30th. She was probably the luckiest victim of all. Maybe it was do to the fact that the ripper murdered twice in one night! She had a deep gash on neck, the arteries were lightly cut then became deeper as it went. The teeth on her lower jaw were also missing.
The second person to be murdered on that night was Catherine Eddowes. Her throat was cut six to seven inches; her jugular was cut 1 1/2 inches. Her ear was cut off. Her eyelid was cut through 1/2 inch, there was a deep cut on bridge of nose, through the nasal bone down the angle of the jaw. It divided all the cheek muscles. The tip of the nose was cut off. 1 1/2 inch cut on mouth that was parallel through lips and cheeks of skin. Her liver was stabbed. Her intestines were cut out of her and placed over her right shoulder. A flap of skin was peeled off in a triangular shape on her cheek.
Mary Jane Kelly was murdered on the night November 9th. She was probably the most badly mutilated. Her face was cut beyond recognition, slashed in all directions. Her nose cheeks, eyebrows, and ears were all partially removed. The lips were cut down to chin. Her tissues in her neck were completely severed to the bone. Her abdomen was emptied. Her breast and arms were removed. Her uterus, kidneys and one breast were found under her head. The other breast was found by her right foot. Her liver was found between her feet. Her intestines were found on the right side of her body with the spleen on the left. Flaps of skin removed from her thighs and abdomen was found on a table. The murders of Jack the Ripper are ones not to be forgotten. People of today still don’t have a clue who this horridis murderer was. He was lucky to get away but if he didn’t get away people of today may not be as interested as they are now.
For more information go to www. casebook. org.
And, of course, you can catch the new Ripper movie, From Hell, starring Johnny Depp as the real life detective in London who investigated these grisly homicides.
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New Computer Classrooms Astound and Amaze
By Priscilla Montgomery
Oct. 25, 2001
As the 20th century ended and the 21st century came in, computers have become the way of life. They’re everywhere! At home, work, libraries and even school. As Colton High joined the future, every classroom last year was connected to a computer. And this year Colton is sporting the future: a room full of computers!
Last year room 355 and 356 looked like any ordinary English classroom. But over the summer, with a little help from teachers Darlena Murray and Glenn Mitchell, it now looks like a computer lab. Each student in the class has their own computer, which is hooked up to the Internet. All assignments are done on the computer and everything is web based at their home site http://room_355. Says freshmen Gina Rangel “Its nicer than other classes. Its easier and faster.”
Each student works at their own pace doing regular English work like essays, answering questions, and preparing presentations. The Internet is allowed in this class, but only as a tool. Essays are much easier, with mistakes erased at a click and teachers never have that typical read-your-writing problem. Everything the students do is built to California curriculum, preparing the students to take the many tests at the end of the year.
Those who may not have a computer at home or may not have the Internet won’t find a problem. Everything that requires a computer is done in class. Good, old traditional reading your books and studying for the famous vocabulary tests are done at home.
Of course, in a class as high tech as this, there is no time to play. Students have been caught playing games or catching up on email. The teacher can see which site each students are visiting on their own computer. “The first time caught gets you a warning but we haven’t had too much of a problem with that,” says Murray.
All in all, these students still do the same amount of work as in a regular English class, only now they have the help of the computer. As for the rest of us: be prepared! This could be one of your future classes!
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Say What? Feature
By Megan Holden
Oct. 25, 2001
Of all the terrorist attacks we, the United States have ever encountered, we consider this to be the worst. So, in light of the September 11th tragedy, we have decided to find out just how many people are actually aware of exactly what terrorism is.
Terrorism is:“a group of people that attacks another group of people for no good reson”
Junior, Priscilla Montgomery
“A group of people that terrorize another group of people, because they are evil”
Senior, Adrian Merendon
“It’s just an act of evil, caused by evil”
Sophomore Lori Rodriguez
“An open attack on any group organized by another group of society to inturupt their way of life”
Senior, Alejandro Villalobos“A group of people that pursue acts of violence against another group because of racial feuds”
Junior Monique Jouen and Erica Meza
Although these answers may seem right, they just don’t capture the whole concept of this word. The word terrorism is defined as; “the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.” And to further help the understanding terror is; “violence (as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands.” AND even more of en explination is the -ism; “manner of action or behavior characteristic of a (specified) person or thing; prejudice or discrimination on the basis of a (specified) attribute; racism, sexism, ect.” If you don’t believe it, go look it up, references used here was from Merriam-Webster. So rather then just guessing what it is, we actually KNOW, what terrorism really is.
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Seniors Tell All
By Renee Negrete
Oct. 25, 2001
The senior year. The year we have all been waiting for. We’ve heard all the cliches—that this is the year to party, this is the year to kick it, slack off, have the time of our lives.
What will we make of it? Will all that slacking off that some of us plan to do get us into trouble? Will too many senior ditch days start to add up and harm our attendance record, and by extension, damage our classroom performance? Will we make the tragic error of not having the right priorities: you know, devoting too much time on homecoming—and not enough time on homework?
And what of time? What comes next? What are our future plans? Where will we be in one year, five years, ten years from now?
Remember, this is it; it will be over before you know it. Some say that it is the end, and some say it is just the beginning. After talking to some of the seniors on campus, many say that this is the year to live it up. Here are some of what other Seniors have to say.Quyen Nguyen: “Being a senior it is understood we only have one year left here. Some are anticipating the day we graduate; others hope the year will never end. I know knowledge will be gained this year but I hope to take with me the images of memorable nights, the cries of joys, the unforgettable smiles, and the irreplaceable friendships as well.”
Yaneli Segura: “ I hope to get a diploma, graduating from high school then go to UCR to become a pediatrician. Have fun because its my last year enjoy my senior year to the fullest.
Harmony McMillin: “I plan to get the last years of my childhood. I’m going to screw up as much as I can… because high school is very forgiving place. I want to make memories that I’ll be telling my dorm-mates about all through college. I plan on leaving a legacy and having a good time.”
Edward Marquez: “ A diploma, a 3.5 GPA, and to be grateful for the things I have this year. Also to enjoy the time I have here at Colton and to have more friends then what I already have.”
Virginia Holbrook: “There are many things I plan to get out of my senior year! I definitely plan on kicking back this year and letting it fly by. I also plan on taking this year seriously and making sure that I never miss a minute with my friends.
Vanessa Trupiano: “I plan to make this year as memorable as I can. So when I come to my ten or twenty year reunion I can look back on some happy and fun high school years.”
Melissa Zendejas: “ I plan to go to all the dances, participate in all the activities, hang out with friends then get a diploma at the end.”
Kathleen Duron: “This year I plan to have more fun and less stress, so when I graduate I can leave with lots of good memories of my senior year.”
Amanda Bean: “The number one thing I plan to get out of my last year at Colton is memories. I mean most of us have been going here for four years and all or our true friends are here. Colton is a place where we can learn and have fun with our friends. We should try to make our last year as memorable as possible because there will not be another chance at high school memories. Most of us will go our separate ways after high school and we’ll never see the same people again, but we will always have our memories, to remember the good and bad times.”
Maurice Bravo: “What I plan on getting out of high school is making the most friends as possible to share my high school memories with because memories are very important to me.”
Betty Moreno: “What I plan on getting out of my last here at high school are the grate memories to look back on with all my friends. The laughs we’ve shared, the places we’ve gone (Newport Beach), and that special someone you’ve shared your high school year with.”
DeAnna Williams: “I plan to get a better understanding of the world around me and the life I plan to make for myself.”
Tiffany Herrera: “ To have as much fun as possible”
Wendy Mendoza: “I plan to get the best education and knowledge in order to succeed in my future goals.”
Megan Campbell: “I don’t really care what I get out of my last year of high school as long as I have a fabulous time.”
Elishia Lorenz: “ Good education because it’s our last year and no drama.”
Alan Conrad: “I plan on having the best time of my life because this year is only going to come once in my life. I also plan on keeping my friends and making new ones.”
Esteban Gonzales: “What I plan to get out of this supercalifragilistic year, are just some better ideas on what I want to do after high school and just make sure that I have fun all year long.”
Tricia Precie: “ I plan on making the best out of my senior year, so by the end I have lots of memories that I can remember for the rest of my life.”
Rodolfo Martinez: “I plan to focus more on my school work, and to spend more time with all my friends.”
Kelly Teeter: “The biggest thing I think everyone will get out of senior year is memories. This is the one-year out of high school that everyone will remember the most. As for me, I hope to leave with friends I will talk to years from now and reflect back on our high school memories together.”
William Elias: “I plan to have a better understanding of my self and the world around me, and hopefully make more friends and keep the ones I have. Did I mention good grades?”
Epher Hernandez: “ I hope to pass all of my classes so I don’t have to be a super senior.”
Anthony DeCastro: “ Get 3.5 to 4.0 G.P.A. and to further my knowledge in automotive design.”
AudrieWiscowiche “ my last year of high school should be one to remember always. I plan to have the best experiences ever, with powder puff, the dances, assemblies, and of course academic achievements.
Josephine Guisa: “ I plan on having the best year in high school. Receive my diploma in June. And get a long awaited vacation after that.”
Michael Barnes: “I plan to get more heinas then last year.”
Lanitta Ware: “To have as much fun as possible. Also to go to as many parties as I can, and to receive my diploma in June.”
Anthony Richardson: “I’m eighteen, it’s senior year, you can’t be a kid anymore. You have to grow up and live life to its fullest. Responsibility and maturity is what I will gain this last year.”
Chris Garcia: “To be cool with everybody, to have fun, to take in as much as I can my last year at high school, and to try not to take life for granted.”
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Slipknot—All you need (or don’t need) to know about those bad boys from Iowa
By Victor Valdez
Oct. 25, 2001
Who is Slipknot? If you don’t know by now you must be living under a rock. These nine masked men came out of Des Moines, Iowa, and they came out strong. The members include, Corey #8, Jim #7, Shawn #6, Craig #5, Jim/James #4, Chris #3, Paul #2, Joey #1, and Sid #0. When they burst onto the scene at Ozzfest‘99, they didn’t even have an album out. When they where done, they left with plenty of fans, enough to go on to sell 1.4 million albums of their self titled CD, with out the help of MTV. They also released a 20 minute home video, titled “Welcome To Our Neighborhood”, that went platinum. Their newly released album, entitled “Iowa”, got 4/5 stars from the Rolling Stone magazine. For the first time there is a music video for Slipknot on MTV for their single, “Left Behind”. Slipknot’s “Iowa” debuted on the billboard charts at #3 selling 254,000 copies in its first week. “Why do people like this band?” you might ask.
Sophomore Andrew Hernandez put it simply when he stated, “Their music is good.” Sophomore Shad Libelt explained that he “likes them because they are unique and no one else sounds like them.” “Its high energy music,” says sophomore Richard Duran. But there are always two sides to a story. Some people may not like how it sounds, or may not agree with the lyrics. Most religious people get offended by “The Heretic Anthems” song, which says “If you’re 555, then I’m 666.” The word heretic itself means some one who holds unorthodox opinions in any field, and by the lyrics know that they are referring to religion. Sophomore Francisco Orosco said he didn’t like Slipknot because, “They scream in all their songs and each one sounds the same.” Junior Andrew Pacheco said, “I don’t like Slipknot because of their extremely limited talent and undeserved popularity, or I can just say their music sucks.” Whatever your views are, try to catch them in concert. If you like Slipknot because they are known to put on a good show, there will be plenty of them to come, you can be sure of that. For now, check out their new album and try to catch the video on MTV or on the net.
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Blink 182 Rocks the Pond
By Jennifer Montgomery
Oct. 25, 2001
On September 19th 2001, three bands came together representing divergent ends of punk rock spectrum at the Anaheim Pond, California. As the lines wrapped around the building, and the security guards checking you one by one before you get in, hundreds of teens waited anxiously to see the Blink 182 band getting ready to play hits from their newest album Take Off Your Pants And Jacket.
Midtown being the first band to perform that night played their music as many people were still making their way in. New Found Glory, being the second band to open for Blink 182, got the crowd started, and gave an excellent performance as well as Midtown. As those two bands ended, the teen filled venue watched the curtain close and got a moment to catch their breath…that is if you had the floor tickets.
Then, the moment we all have been waiting for, Blink 182 makes an exciting appearance as the curtains open. With a BLINK sign on fire in the back round and words that are not allowed to be written in this newspaper, the crowd went wild and the roar of screams filled up the venue, as the lights flashed all around.
Mark, Tom and Travis looking better than ever started off the concert with their hit song “Rockshow”. As the crowd was jumping up and down, crowd surfing, singing along, fighting for the things that Blink threw out into the crowd and throwing things all around, Blink 182 performed hit songs from their albums Cheshire Cat, Dude Ranch, Enema Of The State and of course their latest album Take Off Your Pants And Jacket.
Aside from new haircuts, little has changed in the world of punk-rockers Blink 182. The show oozed with the same irresistible, breezy songs and harmless potty-mouth humor that’s made the band one of modern rocks most popular acts of recent years. Rarely would one song pass before one or both of the band’s front men would launch into an expletive-filled outburst aimed at the audience, their parents or each other. But this only served to stoke the already hot and bothered kids who screamed and spun huge mosh pits throughout the show. Many young ladies hoisted homemade signs, such as one that read “ I want Tom’s Crotch” Even due to the tragic event that happened on September 11th, the national anthem was played in honor to all those who have died.
Later in the show, the lead singer of New Found Glory came out to jam with Blink with the song “One Good Reason”.
After about an estimate of about twenty songs or more, Travis Barker did a sweet drumming solo for the crowd in which his drum sets moved forward and away from us, and as the confetti shoots into the air and spreads throughout the crowd, Mark Hoppus makes his last appearance in a superman outfit, and the punk rockers play “Dammit” from the CD Dude Ranch before waving a good-bye.
Now that you have heard my perspective, why don’t you have one for yourself. Blink 182 will be in town once again on December 8, at the House of Blues in Anaheim California.
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Oompa Loompas invade the Whitmer
By Adriane Munoz
Oct. 25, 2001
The one and only Willy Wonka knows how to make the world taste good. And the rest of Colton will be able to join him in the upcoming play that drama teacher Stacy Jay is producing, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” The play will be presented on November 14-17, at the Whitmer Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is a story about five kids who get a magical tour through Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. The players will be: Alex Villalobos (Willy Wonka), Adrian Meredon (Charlie Bucket), Lori Rodriguez (Veruca Salt), Quyen Nguyen (Violet Beaunegarde), Neena Campbell (Mike Teavee), and Elishia Lorenz (Augustine Gloop). These kids get five golden tickets to enter the worlds most famous chocolate factory, a magical, mystical place known to most of us through the popular 1971 film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” starring Gene Wilder.
In the past couple weeks these actors have been working very hard to present this play, with an everyday practice from 2:30 to 4:30 in the afternoon. Although it is a lot of work, they enjoy acting very well. “I think God gave me a talent and I should use it to the best of my ability,” says sophmore Lori Rodriguez. It turns out that Lori isn’t the only one with a blessed talent and who enjoys it more than a life time. Senior Alex Villalobos says, “I love it, it’s just so much fun,” and senior Adrian Merendon adds: “I enjoy it a lot, you get to meet a lot of people”.
The best part about this play is “I like comedy and how you learn from the characters” says Jay. There are a lot of things that these characters like about this play. Rodriguez says, “ It gives you a chance to bond with other cast members, and I say it’s like a second family.” According to the other cast members they like the way they play their characters. Villalobos says “ I like being Wonka and just being crazy”.
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From Hell …and you’d better believe it!
By Denise Alcantar
“From Hell” starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham sure isn’t the best horror movie ever made, but it can’t help but pull you in to it with its mesmerizing dark overtone. It’s so full of visual spectacles, you find yourself admiring it after you leave the theatre, even if you didn’t exactly enjoy it.
Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore, “From Hell” is based upon the ghastly story of Jack the Ripper, taking place in Victorian London. Mary Kelly (Heather Graham) is a prostitute who lives in fear of the McQueen gang, men who have threatened her , along with her hooker friends, if they don’t pay protection money. When Kelly’s friends start to be murdered one by one, Mary assumes McQueen is the one doing it. This idea is soon put to rest by Frederick Abberline (Johnny Depp) a Scotland Yard detective. Abberline thinks this because of his visions of the crimes through the eyes of the killer.
Abberline is convinced that the killer is some sort of doctor or a person very familiar with the medical profession. He is hindered in these theories by his superior, Sir Charles Warren (Ian Richardson). Warren is concerned about the royal line to the throne. The Hughes brothers (directors) have in mind a conspiracy run by a secret society, whose sole purpose is to preserve the line to the throne. The atmosphere is all but soothing. It grips you and doesn’t let go even after it is over. The film has a dark mysterious feeling to it that sometimes gives you the goosebumps.
Depp is an amazing actor yet you may notice a raw familiarity with his characters in “T he Ninth Gate” and “ Sleepy Hollow.” He once again plays an agonized detective forced to rise above his own expectations. Yet the film has a variety of talented actors such as Ian Holm as a doctor who helps Abberline and Robby Coltrane as Depp’s lowly partner. “From Hell” horrifies, intrigues, fascinates as well as bewilders. It’s a crafty, disturbing piece filled with imaginative horror. As said before, it’s not the best horror movie you will see but it does make you think and wonder, after all it’s mostly all true. If that doesn’t give you the creeps nothing will.
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Horrorscopes (for amusement only)
By Madam Cleo(Kristi Trinidad)
Oct. 25, 2001
Aries
March 21- April 19Back to the simple things. This month, simplicity is your key to having the most successful and satisfying month. That means you’ll want to avoid situations that seem overly complex. Instead, choose to do things in the simplest manner possible. It’s also a great month to focus your time on favorite places, activities and people.
Taurus
April 20- May 20Out in front. This month leadership skills are stronger than usual. So much so, that you should put yourself into situations where you can take a greater leadership role. You’ll find you’re especially effective whey you get out in front and lead others by example. Great month to invite friends to join you.
Gemini
May 21- June 21People power. To feel you best today, spend more time socializing with others. Attending a party would fit the bill perfectly! But, that’s not the only solution. You can also go to any crowded public place where you can mingle with lots of people. Great month to go to a popular restaurant, movie and theater or store.
Cancer
June 22- July 22The language of love. This romance is a much greater possibility! So what can you do to improve your chances? You needn’t say a word. That’s because this month your nonverbal signals are the key to improving your chances of making a love connection. When meeting people this month, let your eyes and smile express your true intentions.
Leo
July 23- August 22Shiny happy person. This month your individuality will really shine. So for the best month possible, try showing off the qualities that make you different and unique. That could involve wearing your favorite clothes, sharing your hobbies and collections, or even telling others your most unique desires.
Virgo
August 23- September 22Relationships elevator going up. This month you’ll want to spend more time with someone you find special. That’s because this month the stage is set for your relationships to improve and mature. If possible, try planning something unique with that someone special. And don’t let outside influences interrupt your time together.
Libra
September 23- October 23Take time for both. This month you’ll have dual needs. On one hand, you’ll want to take part in social activities. And at the same time, you’ll need some time alone. Fortunately, you can and should do both! This month play time with others, and also try to find someplace quiet where you can spend an hour alone.
Scorpio
October 24- November 21Better shape. Great month to focus on bettering your health. That’s because this month your health and physical well being are in stronger focus. To help achieve the best results today, try to focus mostly on eating healthy foods, and getting enough rest for your body to rebuild its natural defenses.
Sagittarius
November 22- December 21Adventurous month. Do you feel like having an adventure? Well this month, you’re more likely to have an adventure when you go on a short journey. No need to go very far, just someplace you’ve wanted to go before, yet never been. This month is also a good day to surprise friend with news or a small gift.
Capricorn
December 22- January 19Make up your mind! This month spending too long making decisions won’t benefit you. In fact, it could cause you some unnecessary grief. That’s because this month you’ll tend to overanalyze your options. The simple solution to this problem is to make decisions more quickly, especially on unimportant matters.
Aquarius
January 20- February 18Different strokes for different folks. This month, more people around you will differ in their beliefs from yours. Rather than clash with all of them, listen respectfully to their opinions. Then only if absolutely necessary, try explaining your position. Great month to expose yourself to other points of view.
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Nickelback CD Review: Shut up and listen
By Jennifer Montgomery
Oct. 25, 2001
If you listen to Modern-Rock radio, than you’ve heard Nickelback. Now out with their fourth album, Silver Side Up, these Canadians have been eating up the charts with their hit single “How you remind me.” After 8 weeks being on Billboard’s modern rock singles chart, they have made their way up to number one.
Having recorded their previous album nearly three years earlier, the Vancouver, British Columbia quartet was anxious to get a new record on the shelves. Silver Side Up was written partially on the road, and was finally finished after two years of hard work on it.
Struggling just to fit in and play what people want to hear, “How you remind me” the albums first single, owns rock and pop waves and would do for Nickelback what “Outside” did for Staind.
Hitting Canada’s Pop charts with number one several weeks in a row, they are now hitting America’s billboards as being in the top five, these past few weeks. Now touring all over the world Nickelback has been promoting the album on tour since August. They played in Germany over the summer and plan to return for a full European tour later this year. Recently playing in Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Florida with 3 Doors Down these Canadian quartets showed the crowd their loud-soft dynamics, lighter waving power ballad, aggro lyrics that touch trauma topics such as abuse, goldiggin’ women and catchy chord progressions from their new album.
Now Nickelback will be touring October 11 at the Key Club In Los Angeles with Default. Tickets are on sale now at the ticket agencies near you. So here is your chance to go and see them live and enjoy their new music from Silver Side Up.
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Where we like to hang wit the homies
By Heather Weppler
Oct. 25, 2001
Every student has his or her favorite hangout—be it: a friend’s house, a local diner, or the mall. Generation after generation has had their own teenage “hot spots.” Many popular T.V. shows have hangouts: Happy Days had Arnold’s, Saved By The Bell had The Max, and looking to the slightly older crowd, Friends has Central Perk.
Of course we’re no different. One of our most popular hangouts is club Gotham. Gotham has two nights a week devoted to teens and only teens. Gotham is a dance club where hundreds of kids gather to “shake their groove thing.” The age limits are 14-19 every Tuesday and Sunday night. There is also The Nile Café (a.k.a. The Sheesh bar), a favorite of some Yellowjackets. The Nile Café is a bar where you can smoke many different kinds of Sheesh. On the other hand, patronizing the Sheesh bar is also very controversial , as smoking is illegal to anyone under 18.
Now let’s go out to eat. There are many restaurants and local places we like to kick back at. The notorious Miguel’s Jr. is one of them. Many kids like the spicy Mexican food and the comfortable atmosphere. Denny’s is also a favorite by many; it may cost you a bit more than Miguel’s but they are open all the time which makes it easy for a late night snack. The Olive Garden is another great place to eat and talk. “I love Italian food, they have pasta sales like twice a year…it rocks,” according to junior Priscilla Montgomery.
Church is a widely shared hangout. Many churches have youth groups in which teens come together to sing, play games, and learn about God. Most of the groups meet on Wednesday nights and they also have a Sunday morning High School group so that kids don’t get bored in the main service and the students can be with their peers. Many churches also host concerts in which different bands come and play for the students for a small fee. There are a variety of other bands that play at different theaters and clubs such as The Showcase Theater and Chain Reaction.
All in all we all have our special places; some aren’t as noticeable as others but they’re still where we like to hang out.
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See you at the Pole-prayer at its best
By Heather Weppler
Oct. 25, 2001
Every year students gather around their school’s flagpole to pray. The prayer is for the school, government, nation, and the world. The prayer is student-led but is backed by the school’s on campus religious club, which most likely has an advisor. This annual event is treasured by many of the students as it creates a more comfortable atmosphere. “The prayer brings us together as more than students, it brings out what you really are and helps us to adapt to school life,” says junior Narmin Shahin. No one is left out because of religion because the prayer is open to all students of any belief. The goal is to band together to glorify God and lift up the school in prayer.
See You At The Pole started with a group of teenagers in Burleson, Texas. They came together for a Disciple Now weekend in early 1990. Their hearts were called to do something more, they were compelled to pray. That night they drove to three different schools and prayed at the base of their flagpoles. They prayed for their peers, teachers, and other the local schools as well. After numerous praying sessions See You At The Pole began.
On September 12, 1990 at 7:00 a.m. more than 45,000 teenagers met at their school’s flagpole to pray in four different states. The numbers have been growing every year. Last year over three million gathered in 21 different countries. Some gatherings consisted of 2,500 students and some secondary schools had 1,000 or more. These immense gatherings show the love and need for God. There have been reports of over 10,000 people at 21 schools, which doubles the number of any year before.
To answer the question “Is See You At The Pole legal?” the answer is yes. It is a constitutionally protected form of free speech. It was affirmed in regard to “Equal Access Clubs” by the 1990’s U.S Supreme court. In 1995, president Bill Clinton directed Secretary of Education Richard Riley to prepare guidelines for what the government deemed “appropriate religious expression on school grounds.” These guidelines are in effect and being upheld by the government. See You At The Pole is specifically named as legal, appropriate, and protected.
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Brandon Marak the Bull Rider
By Melissa McElroy
Oct. 2Junior Brandon Marak is one terrific bull rider. He learned how to bull ride very quick. After the third time getting on the bull he got the hang of it. He goes state to state every weekend competing against others in bull riding. He would always place in second or third place out of 40 people. What ever place you place in you get paid a certain amount of money. He’s has only been bull riding for two years, that is very impressive to be winning second or third every time he competes. When he competes he likes the motivation of everyone watching him and cheering him on. When bull riding some people would thinks it is hard and some people would think it is easy. But to Marak he says, “It all depends on the type of bull, some bulls are easier than others, and some bulls are harder.”
When Marak was younger, he lived in Philan where he first started bull riding. Now, he owns five bulls of his own. Before bull riding he did calf roping; in a calf roping event, the contestant, mounted on a trained horse, purses a calf by throwing a looped rope around the calf ‘s neck and making the loop tight. With the cooperation of the horse, the rider yanks the calf to a halt, the rider then dismounts and, while the horse maneuvers to keep the rope taut, he ties together any three feet of the calf, rendering it helpless. He no longer does that any more. he wanted to do something more challenging, so he went to bull riding.
In the riding events, the object is for the contestant to remain mounted on a bull or bucking horse for a given period of time, usually 8 seconds. The animals, released from chutes, bolt into the arena and instinctively try to dislodge their riders by bucking—that is, by arching their backs, springing high into the air, and landing on their front feet while kicking high with their hind feet.
Marak doesn’t think it is scary. He likes it because of the rush and adrenaline. He has gotten hurt once, pretty badly. He broke his femur, the largest and strongest in the human body. The bull stepped on it. It healed and he is back riding, but not before he had to have a plate and five screws just to hold it together. He has also got knocked unconcious a couple of times. Even though he has gotten hurt it doesn’t stop him, he keeps on riding.
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Football starts year with amazing string of victories
By Paul Lopez
Oct. 25, 2001
Tomorrow night the amazing Colton Yellowjackets will bring a 1-1 league record (6-1 overall) to Yucaipa in a full contact battle here at Memorial Stadium. Colton will be stepping out on that field with some fire in their hearts ready to bring the game to the Thunderbirds.
This season, Colton High’s football team has been really working and joining together to become one precise functional unit. To become a 6-1 team, Colton really had to work hard during the off-season, and all that work paid off after an astonishing 20-19 victory against the A.B. Miller Rebels to open the season. That’s where it all begun. Then it led to successive victories over the Riverside Poly Bears, the Fontana Steelers, the Redlands East Valley Wildcats, the Bloomington Bruins, and the San Gorgonio Spartans, followed by Friday’s heartbreaking loss to the San Bernardino Cardinals. Friday saw the Jackets take an undefeated, improbable 6-0 record into their tussle with San Bernardino. They had several chances to win, but crucial errors at key moments tipped the balance in favor of the Cardinals, 14-8.
Aside from teamwork, strategy is a real strong point. The football team is now using a single wing offense that hasn’t been used since the 1940’s. For about five years Head Coach Harold Strauss has been keeping an open eye on this Notre Dame offensive play, and is using it because it is something “different.” When the play is pulled off correctly it confuses the defensive team. For the defensive line the setup confuses them because they see two different formations, and everybody on the offense shifts and most of the time the defense jumps off the ball before it is snapped. This formation has been given a lot of credit for the Jackets’ amazing beginning of the season winning streak. Some say it not only has confused opponents, but the officials as well, based on the number of penalites assessed. But Strauss is sticking with it as the team heads deep into its league schedule.A standout this year has been the team’s wingback, #22 Mark Vingua. He has led the team in both touchdowns and yards gained on the ground. His expectations for the team are for them to “go as far as they can, and make it to the finals.”
After tomorrow night’s game, the regular season schedule continues with Colton visiting Cajon, then wraps up with Colton hosting Pacific High.
Then the playoffs begin.
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Cross Country
Melissa McElroy and Lisa Namnath
Oct. 25, 2001Of the approximately thirty people on the Cross Country team, most are newcomers. Which means most of the them are just learning the ropes. They are training to become better runners with much more strength and endurance. Running builds stamina and muscles in the legs. “This year the cross country team is putting all effort into qualifying for CIF,” states Coach Bill Halley. The cross country coach Halley helps the team a lot by encouraging them to stay with their goals and never give up, no matter how depressed or discouraged they may become.
To improve the runners strength Halley has them doing almost double the hill work during practice. During practice they run to varied locations, often miles away. Cross country is long distance terrain running. Many people on the team find this sport quite easy but still others think it is quite difficult, because of the amount of training.
Many of the players think that training is not as necesary as it is but, when the team goes to competitions the amount of training a player does show in their skill as a runner. During competitions, the team does their best to win, pushing themselves to new goals and shorter times. Many of the runners have brought their times down by as much as 22 seconds, a vast improvement for a runner. Many of the runners have expressed the sentiment that they are improving and many of the runners they are competing against have run for years. Others say that it takes more commitment than just practice to be good. But whatever the requirements, the Yellowjacket cross country team is trying their hardest.
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Girls Golf
Lisa Namnath
Oct 25, 2001
“Golf isn’t an easy sport, but all the players are ready to do all they can,” state co-captains Nova Sanchez and Shannen Garcia. The Girls’ Golf team has only been established for three years, but the players are playing as if there is a tradition of legendary players to live up to. “The boys team had a great year last year, we’re just trying to keep up,” commented player Melissa Nicks on the recent successes of the team.
The team is doing great this year. Overall as well as individual scores are down, (which is good: in golf, the lower score the better) and improving isn’t a goal, it’s a reality. The current record: Wins, 8, Losses, 3.
Having noted that the team consists of two seniors, five juniors and two freshmen, one worries that the loss of the five juniors after next year will cripple our now flourishing team. Coach Tars Petrie is not worried though; he hasn’t had any problems finding players in the past. “It’s actually kind of amazing when girls show up to the first practice just because they heard about the practice times from a friend. It’s really encouraging to know that girls are eager to learn and play.”
Petrie says that there are some teams that he is specifically worried that we cannot beat. For example, Yucaipa poses a sizable threat, but also many of the teams in the league were just added or recruited so next year will be more worrisome, as those teams improve.
A new team was just added to our league, Arroyo Valley, the new high school out in San Bernardino. Right now that team is new, but the team will be expecting competition from them next year after they have been established for a year, and the players become more experienced with the game. “We’ll get better, next year our scores will be even better than now. As with anything practice makes perfect, all we can do is improve,” freshman Rebecca Walters declares with passion. The next match is Arroyo Valley at Colton’s course today at three. Good luck girls.
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Girls Tennis
By Marisa Cortez
Oct. 25, 2001
Colton’s girls tennis team faces Yucaipa today at 3:15. It should be an interesting game considering the last time they challenged each other Yucaipa won 16-2. Coach Quentin Marley feels Yucaipa is one of the most challenging teams and looks forward to playing them as well. Marley said, “The team has a good attitude and are learning.” He believes that although many girls on the team are newcomers, they all have great potential. He thinks it’s great just getting people involved.
The players are in agreement with their coach. Junior Ebony Holly shared her views on her teammates and said, “Everybody is trying really hard this year, so hopefully we’ll do better.” She feels they could improve on a few small basic things like returns, but is overall a good team as a whole.
Girls tennis has played nine matches so far and have been victorious over Bloomington and Pacific. Their matches have been close so you never really know what to expect when you go to a game. If you’re interested in attending a match, they play at Rancho Med in Colton off Cooley Drive. They have five matches left this season.
Juniors Melissa and Marissa Rico have been playing tennis for 3 years and couldn’t be having more fun. Marissa said, “We have goals for this season and hopefully we’ll fulfill them.” The team has been working hard to reach these goals.
Sophomore Christine Macias thinks, “Playing is fun if you have a challenge.” She believes that all you have to do to succeed is practice hard. Christine is considered by many to be the star player and is very flattered by this. She has been playing tennis four years now, and is an excellent player. All the players want you to come and rout for your team. As Macias says, “Cheer us on, we need all the support we can get!” Junior Melissa Rico also adds, “Don’t forget to go to the game and show your support!”
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Jordan: Should MJ return to the NBA?
By Sara Abusiraj
Oct. 25, 2001
Michael Jordan is the best player in the NBA. He is even better than Kobe Bryant! Even though many people think he has gotten too old to play, I think he is going to return as “Air Jordan,” just like he was a year ago. Coming to the Washington Wizards along with Tyrone Lue, the duo can make any loosing team a winning one. With this combination they could even become better than the Lakers. The point is that, even less known teams can come out of the shadows with a little help. Who knows? They someday might even win a championship.
In my perspective Michael Jordan is a living legend. He has been going to the practices and not letting the publicity effect his concentration. For little kids and even teenagers, he can be considered an idol because he has everything it takes and that is exactly how I feel. I think a person who loves the game so much and is willing to come back after retiring has a lot of heart.
When it comes to basketball, everything is on the line. It doesn’t matter whether you are too old, too young or just too lazy, if you have the integrity you can accomplish anything. As for Michael Jordan, well, he has already proved that he is not ready to quit something he loves to do. That should go for everybody and everything. For example, if you really like to play basketball, but your grades are in the way, the best thing to do is work as hard as you can so you can play and have fun at the same time.
For the people who are against Jordan’s return... you need to GET OVER IT!!! He IS coming back and nothing is going to stop him.
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Volleyball slams it home
By Megan Holden
Oct. 25, 2001
“We have improved a lot from last year, we have the potential to win, [now] we just have to pull together,” says Varsity Captain Erika De La Torre,of her team. Girls volleyball has had a rough season so far. Ashley Robinson, another Captain, agrees with De La Torre, by stating “we have a lot of talent, we just need to learn to work together.”
With only one win as of October 18, the girls are trying to stay positive. “Pre-season, we did okay, so we thought we might have a chance in league,” says junior Ashley Brown. But unfortunately that hasn’t happened. The girls have worked hard together to become winners, “but things just haven’t gone our way,” expresses senior Napa Utrapiromsuk.
The girls are disappointed with their season this year, but they see the amount of potential they have and will use that to be successful in future years.
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Water Polo makes a splash
By Megan Holden
Oct. 25, 2001
“Water polo here isn’t given the full credit that it deserves, we spend as much time practicing as any other team,” says Varsity Captain Jeff Slaczka. And he’s right, these guys practice everyday from 2:30 to 4:30 at the Hutton Center in Colton.
With only 6 guys returning, and a lack of interested players, the guys do what they can to prove water polo is more then just Speedos (which by the way they don’t even have to wear—quit snickering, they can wear regular trunks if they prefer). They are very dedicated to this aggressive sport, and have high hopes for a better, more experienced team next year.
Water polo has been compared to football (because of the great amount of physical contact) but without the pads. These guys are swimming up and down the pool, trying to stay afloat, catching and throwing the ball with one hand, and this is all while the opponents are climbing all over them, trying to drown them.
However, as hard as the team practices, it just isn’t enough. League season began September 7, and as of October 16, their record is 1-10. The season ends November 1, with a home game at the Hutton Center, at 3:15.
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