Student walkout closes campus
by Michelle Choiselat
February 18. 2005

    What began as a normal day on campus turned sour last Thursday, after a walkout staged during second period occurred. An anonymous flyer had been floating around for some time stating the reasons for the protest. Due to the "disturbance," school was let out early at 10:30 that morning. Unfortunately, despite good intentions from the organizers, the predicted diplomatic protest erupted into a disorderly mob.
    At 8:30 that morning, a mob of over 1,500 students gathered beneath the senior benches to protest the reassignment of Assistant Principals Claudia Harris, Chris Burner, Pamela Pike, and Athletic Director Kirk McVey. According to the flyer passed out and viewed by many students, "Colton High School is already understaffed, why make things worse?"
    The few security guards on campus didn't know where to start in breaking up the outnumbering crowd. In an attempt to organize things, Senior David Sanchez was given a bullhorn and attempted to ease the yelling and screaming of the student body.
    "I understand that everyone's mad right now," he said, "this rally proves we support each other."
    Assistant Principal Chris Burner also tried to ease the students' grievances. "We totally appreciate this, and we understand what you're doing this for. But right now we need you to move to class. The best thing to do to show your support is to draft a petition."
    "Why can't he [Harry "Doc" Ervin] go instead of you?" asked one student.
    "No more Doc!" chanted the mob.
    Junior Maria Guttierez says, "We've known them [Assistant Principals] for so long. It's sad. We got to know them and respect them."
    Students were then asked to move to the auditorium but many felt that it was a trick to get their names on paper. Instead, the crowd moved to the senior benches in front of the library and the chanting continued. "Hell no, we won't go!" Not long after, benches were overturned and bottles and food were thrown up in the air. Students were climbing on the rooftops and throwing things at the people below.
    As news stations and newspapers arrived, students made a mad dash to the front of the school where the demonstration continued for another half an hour. It was during this moment that police officers and security guards from other schools had arrived, as well as most of the school board members. However, the crowd that consisted of solely students had gathered a few teachers who quietly watched the ongoing drama.
    Many agreed that the majority of students had no idea why they were out there. Senior Kevin Nguyen says, "I think this was mainly an excuse to get out of class. Only a minority care." Senior Ricardo Muro agrees, "More than half the people out here have no idea why they're here." Junior Kristina Choiselat says, "Freshman had no business being out there. They didn't know what it was like before."
    The students were then asked to move to the Varsity Softball field, and on the way small trashcan fires took place. Senior Monica Garcia says, "There's no point to it, nothing would get done."
    There is speculation that Ervin had previously known that the protest was going to happen. According to Junior Nataley Romo, Ervin approached her and a friend and asked them if they were going to participate. Another student, who wishes to remain anonymous, says, "He visited a POD class zero period and told them not to go because if they did they wouldn't be able to walk." Ervin says, "The bottom line is that students shouldn't be assembling." He felt that it was embarrassing and made the school look bad.
    Michael Townsend, the school district's spokesperson felt this was not the way to go about expressing student complaints. "The students would not conduct themselves in a manner in which we could have a discussion," he said.
    The following Saturday a small throng of students, parents, and teachers congregated outside the campus to sign a petition to be presented at a Board Meeting held yesterday, at Bloomington High School. It seemed the entire crowd shared the same sentiment. As one teacher who appeared on Channel 9 News put it, "We're not treated with respect and we fear for our jobs every day."

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President Bush's Inauguration
by Paul Heredia
February 18. 2005

    The second George W. Bush inauguration on January 20, 2005 has come and gone, but not without a day of protesting all across the country, and an address to a country waiting for a plan.
    As President Bush was sworn in for his second term, his address to the American people was heard all around the world. His address was focused on the liberty of America, the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements in every nation and culture, with the goal of ending tyranny and spreading liberty in the farthest and darkest corners of our world. He talked about his plans for the American society of "bringing the highest standards to our schools, and building an ownership society. We will widen the ownership of homes and businesses, retirement savings and health insurance- preparing our people for the challenges of life in a free society." President Bush addressed history throughout his speech trying to show that the past still means something. He talked of the Declaration of Independence, and the sound of the Liberty Bell saying " It rang as if it meant something. In our time it means something still."
    But as he spoke Americans all across the country walked out on schools and jobs; protesters rallied sending messages of "no more war," named soldiers killed, and carried flag draped caskets. These anti-Bush rallies were to send a message to the country and the government of their fear for their lives and the ongoing war in Iraq.
    So whether you're a Republican, a Democrat, Pro-Bush, Anti-Bush, or Pro-War, Anti-War Bush attempted to include all in his vision. As he said, "When our Founders declared a new order of the ages; when soldiers died in wave upon wave for a union based on liberty; when citizens marched in peaceful outrage under the banner "Freedom Now" - they were acting on an ancient hope that is meant to be fulfilled."

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Abortion: It's not a choice, it's a child
By Julia Arenas
February 18. 2005

        Picture it: a man is walking down the street, minding his own business, when in a split second; his life is on the line. A thug decides he wants to play God and shoot the man. Bang! Dead! Just like that; in a single instant someone lost their life for no apparent reason. People shake their heads and murmur that it was just a horrible tragedy, bad timing on the part of the man. So now not only does he lose his life, and maybe a family, it's his fault because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
    Now, tell me, how is this different from abortion? Woman who find out they are pregnant, and it's an unexpected or unwanted pregnancy, they panic, they freak out! Thoughts are racing through their head: how am I going to afford it? What am I going tell my parents? What am I going to do?! Abortion; it immediately comes to mind. Millions of women do it, and just like that, a tiny life is silenced.
    Women decide to play god, and snuff out a life because it's inconvenient for them to have a baby. Well what about that poor baby?! It doesn't get to have a chance at life, it doesn't get to laugh and grow, and make friends, a chance to experience life, like everyone else did, because they made a decision to have unprotected sex, for a few minutes of pleasure. For such a short time of pleasure, it ruins not one life, but two. People don't realize the seriousness of aborting a human life. The women may have, and are very likely, to have psychological side effects. In a study of 1900 women, only two percent said there were no side effects. That doesn't even include the physical side effects women are expected to have.
    Its murder! How can it not be? Just because it doesn't have a personality; because you can't see it, touch it; think twice on the person that it could have been. That it should have been! It's a faceless thing that's just a burden to the one person that's supposed to care about you above all else. The baby is a part of you, how can you even think about cutting that out of you
    People say it's not fair for the mother: "what if she can't bring herself to love it? What if she hates it and treats it cruelly? What about her future?" Well it's not fair for that baby either. In this kind of situation there is no winner! It's an unfortunate event that can be prevented! It takes mere seconds to put on a condom. The excuses "it feels better without it" or "it takes too long" just don't hold. If you are going to have unprotected sex, then don't complain when you have to take the consequences. If you're old enough to have sex, then you're old enough to take the responsibility for your actions.
    For everything else in your life, you have at least one responsibility, if not more. Parents, teachers, principals, and employers hassle you for everything from cleaning your room and getting to your job on time, to getting to school safely and doing your homework. This is expected of you and your 100% effort; abortion should be taken more seriously than cleaning your room, and yet there are mothers out there that condone this. Abortion is a harrowing experience; something that no one should have to or should go through. Isn't it enough of a tragedy when a natural abortion occurs? Why would any one want such a bad thing to purposely occur?
Complications and possible death is also another thing one must consider. The child could very possibly kill the mother. This is the only time abortion should even be considered. But just because it needs to be done does not mean it makes it right. At least they get to make the decision concerning their life. The unborn baby does not; the decision is out of its hands. No one has the right to decide who lives and who dies! What, are you God?! Do you believe you are better than God?! We humans are so arrogant as to believe we hold the right to do as we please so are lives are made easier. No one said life was going to be easy.
    There is always another option: Adoption. This way the baby gets to have a chance at life, and you get to have a chance at your future. If you know in your heart, and you can't give the kind of life a child needs, then adoption is the best way to go. It solves two problems, (and I say the word problem for lack of better word; a child should never be referred to as just a problem that needs to be solved): there are so many new procedures out there that cost thousands of dollars for women who are trying to get pregnant; if you don't want a baby in your life, surely there must be someone out there that would love to have the beautiful experience of having a child. I just think it's kind of ironic. There are millions of women out there that are hoping, begging, on their knees, praying for the miracle of a child to fill their life with happiness. And everyday women get rid of their babies with no more thought than a piece of crap. A baby that could have been someone else's instead is dead; how can people be so unaffected by that? Every child deserves to love and be loved. Abortion may kill the baby, but it will never go away. It will always be there, deep inside of your soul. It'll leave scars on your body, and in your mind. When you kill your baby, you kill a part of yourself.

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Both Sides Now: Does the Infant Center promote teen pregnancy? No!
by Julia Arenas
February 18. 2005

    The infant center is not promoting pregnancy because it is not saying to go out and get pregnant so the school can take care of your baby. It is there for the girls that need help taking care of their baby. How is the baby center promoting pregnancy when back in October of 85 there were 28 babies enrolled and now in the fall of 2004 there are 12 babies enrolled.
    Whoa! Holy Shnikies! Hold up there! What were those numbers again?
    Twenty-eight babies twenty years ago and now only 12? What' s up with that? If the infant center supposedly promotes pregnancy, aren't those numbers a little backwards?
    When you got pregnant you were sent away to another school, your whole life was changed. Seeing is believing, so how could other girls see how difficult it is, and the hard road they would have ahead of them when pregnancy occurs at such a young age if they cant even talk to the girls who are pregnant? Now at least they let you stay and graduate and have a chance like anyone else. So tell me again how, if now we only have 12 babies enrolled, it promotes pregnancy?
    If anything it promotes responsibility. Instead of going the "easy" way and dropping out the girls have to come to school and learn day by day how to survive and what to do when they get out of school. Pregnancy is no laughing matter; it is very serious and something I don't think girls would make a hasty decision about, especially in high school. It's hard to have a baby, and girls see that with the infant center.

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Both Sides Now: Does the Infant Center promote teen pregnancy? Yes!
By James Walker
February 18. 2005

    I'm supposed to be writing an article right now in which I defend the idea that the infant center promotes teen pregnancy, and so that I get a grade, I will do just that. However, I don't really believe that it does, and in fact I don't think anyone on the newspaper staff does. So, when you read this take it all opposite of what I actually say.
    The infant center promotes teen pregnancy because it lets teens know that they can have sex with no educational consequences. With that established they will run around having promiscuous sex, with the slightest bit of remorse, and when the get pregnant it's just, "Oh…oh well! We have an infant center at school. Who can say free daycare?" Do we want that? No! But we're doing it anyway.
    Think of how embarrassing it must be for the parents of the students to know that their students go to a school that promotes promiscuous sex between students. They walk through the school and see the infant center, and they're like, "Why is that there?"
    "Well you see, some students see it as a right of passage to have sex, but they don't always practice it safely. As a result, they become pregnant, and so that they don't have to quit school, we provide them with a place to leave their children while they learn," says the tour guide.
    "…That's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard. This is an outrage! OUTRAGE!"
    "But, we're only providing them a way to get an education, is there something wrong with that?"
    "OF COURSE THERE IS!!! I'm not entirely sure what, but I can tell you this: if there were another nearby school to send my child to that didn't cost $20,000 a year then I would send them to it!"
    See, people just don't agree with having an infant center at out school. All it does is encourage students to go have that sex unprotected, get pregnant, and waste our tax dollars. We should tear it down and put something really useful there, like a taco stand! Tacos are vastly more important than an outlet for teenage hedonism. Go eat a taco!!
    Now, that I'm done with that let me remind you that everything I've said is the opposite of what I feel about this issue, excepting of course the words of wisdom provided by the tour guide in the dialogue and the advice that you should go eat a taco. Tacos are great.

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Letter to the Editor
February 18. 2005

Dear Pepper Bough Editor,

     Members of the Young Democrats' club including myself were severely offended by the derogatory use of the word "Gay" in the most recent publication of the newspaper. Although the phrase in which it was used was a quotation of another student, the editor (or whoever else in charge) should have had the sense to exclude the quotation. I'm sure that the quotation would have been excluded if it used a racial slur to insult a specific group of students on campus. A significant number of gay students read the Pepper Bough , and by including that phrase in the paper, you have insulted them because whomever was in charge didn't have the sense to edit it out.
      I urge the paper to issue a formal apology to the students it has offended.

    Sincerely,
    Mark Saldana
    President, Young Democrats' Club

    Editor's Response: The Pepperbough is well aware that there are many gay students on campus who read the paper. We'd like to think we are tolerant and open minded in regards to different groups who constitute our readership. We have covered the activities of the Gay Straight Alliance several times in these pages without editorial comment and support their right to exist as a club on campus and will continue to do so..
    The use of the term "gay," in a student quote, was not meant to offend. However, we are aware that some might construe that word as being used in a derogatory manner. We should have realized that was the way that the quote was constructed. We apologize for any offense.

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Michelle's Manifesto
By Michelle Choiselat
February 18. 2005

    Bribe: Something, such as money or a favor, offered or given to a person in a position of trust to influence that person's views or conduct. In other words, the buying and selling of people because when it comes down to it, that's all it really is. So, you could say that the "AAA Program" is a buying and selling of Colton High's students. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a big supporter of the program.
    For starters, a little background info is in order. "AAA" stands for Academics, Attitude, and Attendance. Oxymoronic if you ask me since all you have to do is get a 2.0 and have perfect attendance. You see, a 2.0 GPA could be 4 D's and 2 A's, so as long as you have perfect attendance, you are eligible to be in the oh-so-exciting drawing. Yet, if a student is getting a 3.0 with less than perfect attendance, they don't get a chance at an Ipod. As long as your body is situated in one of those fancy desks every day for a month, regardless of whether or not your mind is accompanying you, you can win a snazzy electronic device. Oh, that's right, those who do receive a 3.0+ GPA receive a nice little signed certificate that we can hang on our fridges. The excitement is almost too much to endure.
    Since when was it okay to bribe people? Thanks to those character lessons, I have become a more ethically inclined individual, and I feel that bribery is totally wrong. Not only wrong, but also illegal in some cases. Besides, I don't want to be bought and sold. Sure, the flashy incentives are nice, but after a while everyone will be participating by showing up to class and then it will be next to impossible to win a prize. Plus, the bribery issue still isn't being addressed. Is perfect attendance really necessary for the students who are already excelling academically?
       Basically, we wasted an entire class period to listen to a presentation on something that is ethically questionable and totally hypocritical. We are told that valuable teaching time is wasted when students go to the restrooms in the middle of class, yet an entire period of listening to the same presentation given to us in the beginning of the year seems to make up for that lost time. First of all, it takes 20 minutes to get everyone settled down, then another 40 minutes to draw one name? One lucky student gets one cool little toy while the rest of us sit in the audience yelling like they do in The Price is Right. "Teaching time" doesn't seem to be nearly as important as it's been made out to be.

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Durd is the Word
By Sean Durdle
February 18. 2005

    I had a whole different column written for this issue, but in spite of recent events I decided to write this. To all the people who walked out of class on February 10: What were you thinking? I know over half of the students out there went out just to ditch class. "Hey I'm not going to class so that I can pretend I care about who's in the administration." First of all, all you think you know about what happened to the AP's is hearsay. Did you hear the truth from the principal, or the AP's? If you did hear something from them how do you know it's true? Do you have physical evidence or do you believe everything you're told? I've heard various versions of what really happened from teachers and faculty alike. That shows right there that not even the teachers know the whole truth.
    "Oh man, I hate all the new policies and what's going on here." Grow up people, you're not at school to get your way, you're at school to learn. So what has been specifically done to you that interrupted your learning? Did the principal come in your class and say stop learning and do this instead? Was there any point in which you were torn from your education and made to do something else? Don't try to use any cop-outs with assemblies or announcements because that's not what I'm talking about. School serves one purpose: Education. Everything else we do at school is a privilege. If you want to wear your clothes a certain way or listen to music, do it somewhere else. Getting in trouble with strict TNT or bathroom policies? That's your problem. When you get into the real world and start working, there is no excuse for tardiness or dress code. It's just the way things are, so deal with it. Come in late to a job frequently, you're fired. Not following work policies, you're fired. Get used to it, life isn't fair.
    All the people out there who think they "protested" for a just cause, what was it? Do you really think you're going to get something accomplished for ditching class and screaming at administrators? If you want to file a formal complaint, do it sincerely and stop acting like babies. There are meetings in which you can formally discuss a grievance and the outcome will be more effective then putting the school in lockdown.
    Don't get me wrong, I'm all for freedom of speech, it's what allows me to write these words. But there is also a time and place for everything. The only thing accomplished from this "protest" was an early dismissal of school, which I know everyone was happy about.
    I put the word "protest" in quotations because it doesn't even qualify as a protest. For most people it was simply a reason to get out of class and for others to think they have some semblance of power. Wow! You made it to the news! But guess what? You look like an idiot talking about things in which you barely know anything about. It wasn't a protest. It was a reason to be stupid.
    I write this knowing many people will disagree with me and in the process possibly make enemies, but I really don't care. I go to school, do my work, and leave. That's where my responsibility lies. I don't care if there's a rule saying I can't go to the bathroom at certain times, or that I have to work bell to bell because I can work around it. If I can do it so can anyone else.
    "If ignorance is bliss then wipe the smile of my face" Rage Against the Machine

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Teacher Quote
by Shauna Pardo
February 18. 2005

"If it were easy, everyone would do it!"
    Music teacher Janis Aldrich tries to be an inspiration by living her life by this quote. "Life isn't for the spectator," she exclaims. She says that a real inspiration in her life is her college advisor and her own music teacher who taught her to always achieve personal goals. "If you sit around to wait for something to happen to you, you'll never achieve anything!" Aldrich's interpretation of this is, that everything is up to you, don't count on someone else to make you successful.
    I believe this is a really wonderful quote to live by only because everyone has obstacles to overcome, everyone, and if we want to make something or someone of ourselves we have to overcome. I think this is even better to be coming from Aldrich. I believe being a music teacher is very difficult only because playing an instrument is very difficult and frustrating. I, myself could never learn, especially since I didn't put much effort into it. But I surely give many congratulations to those who are in Aldrich's class and to those who play on their own.
    Also, she's directing a comical version of the play based on the story "Princess and the Pea." Adds Aldrich: "We have a really great cast, it looks to be successful."

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Black History Month: a celebration of hopes
By Cindy Mey
February 18. 2005

    Black History Month is a chance to recognize all of the African-American achievers throughout time; celebrated during this month of February. We look to see heroes and heroines who have made Black History Month something to talk about. It's those people who have always stood up for and fought for what they believe in, and made history what it is today. People like Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat to a white man, or Harriet Tubman, who escaped from picking cotton and lived to tell her stories of suffering and pride, or Fredrick Douglas, who was the first black slave to own land.
    This month, with all honors, we would like to pay contribution to an African-American who may be the greatest heavyweight boxer in history: Muhammad Ali Haj aka Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.
    "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Something he kept in mind while he was throwing those punches in the ring, with the crowd roaring with excitement and everyone cheering him on, " Ali, Ali, Ali!" He may be the greatest champion of all time.
    What are his inspirations of becoming such a great fighter? It all started when he got his bike stolen at the age of 12. He went to tell the police, and met Joe Martin, who was also a boxing trainer. He wanted Ali to learn how to fight so he could defend himself. With Joe Martin training him, he quickly picked up, but he was very poor academically at school. " I said I was the greatest, not the smartest."
    In 1960 at the Summer Olympics he was rewarded a gold medal in the lightweight division. Proudly naming himself "Louisville Slugger" he lived by the words " I am the greatest" and "I'm young, I'm pretty, I'm fast and no one can beat me!" Later, as a young amatuer fighter, he defeated other boxers such as Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Donnie Fleeman, and won over 200 fights.
    Clay's first title fight was against World Champion Sonny Liston. He started off with body shots and jabs. His idols, Sugar Ray Robinson and Archie Moore, watching him gave him more endurance and courage to be a greater boxer that he already was. As the third round started, Ali saw Liston was becoming tired, but they went on. Right after the sixth round Liston gave in and claimed his shoulder was dislocated. As that happened Ali famously proclaimed himself "King of the World."
    Ali found himself fighting his last match with Trevor Berbick. They went a fierce ten rounds ending up with Ali losing. In 1981 he decided to retire permanently with 56 wins, 37 knockouts and 5 losses. Then, in 1982, he was diagnosed with Pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome, which made his motor functions decline. He gave hope to African-Americans and America as a whole that it doesn't matter what your skin color is, that its worth the fight in the end.
    There were many great African-Americans that have made their community what it is today. The celebration of life and liberty in this month is a good thing. It's important to know and to remember those who have stood up for themselves and their people; that it is wrong to be mistreated because of how you look or what you wear.
    "All persons held as slaves, within the rebellious states, shall henceforward be free," as Abraham Lincoln wrote in the Emancipation Proclamation that banned slavery. So celebrate who you are and where you come from.

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Exploring contraceptive myths
By Sarah Hofman
February 18. 2005

    As teens nowadays we hear all kinds of different so called "facts" about having sex and about ways to keep from getting pregnant or get someone pregnant. This article will show you some of the myths that have been going around for many years about sex and contraception methods. Not only will it tell you the myth but it will relay the actual fact.
Disclaimer: This in no way is meant to show you how to have sex so that you wont get pregnant or get someone pregnant. Since elementary school and even maybe before we have heard the abstinence is the only contraceptive that can never fail you. That is true and it still holds true to this day. But if you choose to have sex, which is your prerogative, then just make sure you are safe and don't give into all the myths about contraception, because most of the time that is all they are.
So I hope you take the information you get from the myths found on the website sexualityandu.ca to help you to be safe in your decisions.
    Myth #1: A woman can't get pregnant when she has sex for the first time.
A woman who is ovulating can get pregnant, regardless of her age or her sexual history.
    Myth #2: Pregnancy can't occur if people do it standing up or with the woman on top.
Positions during sex have very little to do with whether or not fertilization occurs. When a man deposits sperm into a woman's vagina, biological processes guide the sperm toward the woman's cervix and uterus, regardless of her position.
Myth #3: Pregnancy can't occur if a couple has sex only on the woman's "safe" days.
Since each woman's menstrual cycle is different, it's almost impossible to predict which days are safe. Sperm can survive for several days in a woman's body, so a couple could have sex well before the woman ovulates and still run the risk of a pregnancy.
Myth #4: The birth-control pill is effective as soon as you start taking it.
Depending on the day you start taking the pills, it can take up to one complete menstrual cycle before you can count on the Pill to prevent pregnancy.
            Myth #5:   The Pill can only be taken for a limited time.
In most healthy women, the Pill can be taken from puberty to menopause. Its effectiveness does not decrease as a woman gets older.
Myth #6: Contraceptives protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The only contraceptive that offers such protection is the condom. Even other barrier methods, such as the diaphragm, do nothing to keep bacteria out of the vagina. Similarly, the Pill and IUD offer no STI protection at all.
    I hope that you have learned something of value. So just be safe and remember that not having sex is the ONLY proven contraceptive that will always work.

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Infant Center: helping teen moms since 1980
By Sandy Chhin
February 18. 2005

    The Infant Center has been up and running since 1980. They've had hundreds of babies enrolled into the program since then.
    According to many who have benefited from its program, the Infant Center is a reliable place that many student parents can find trustworthy. I mean, that is exactly what you should expect if you want to have your baby in the care of others, right? So that you won't be worrying all day about what your baby is doing and so on. And I suppose it's actually very comforting to know that your baby is on the same campus as you are and that they're only a walking distance away.
    The Infant Center has a scheduled time for certain activities on a daily basis so that the baby can adapt to a schedule and so that parents know what their baby is doing at all times. It consists of; 7:15 - 8:30 when parents arrive, drop off their kids, change them, wash hands and eat breakfast. 8:30 - 9:30 is music time, story telling and book reading. 9:30 - 10:30 is social outdoor playtime where they color and do puzzles. 10:30 - 11:30 is lunchtime when they are given lunch on a one to one basis. 11:30 - 12:30 is quiet time/rug time. 12:30 - 1:30 is individual work where they do finger painting, play dough and other activity. 1:30 - 2:30 is snack time and when the parents pick up their child.
    The number of babies enrolled into the program is far fewer now then how it used to be. October 1985 had 28 babies enrolled, where October 2004 had 12 babies enrolled. This is a little less than half.
    Why the dramatic drop in enrollment? Are students just saying no to sex? One of the reasons why is, maybe because there are more contraceptives available then ever before. Now you can just go to your family doctor and you can get a pap - smear and your birth control all in one day. No questions asked and they can even keep it confidential for you. It's also become easier for people to just walk into a gas station and purchase a box of Trojans. There are also different methods of birth control, such as the shot (every three months), different kinds of pills (daily) and even a patch (worn for three weeks). All are effective in their own away, just not against STDs and AIDs. Of course, everyone should realize that the only 100% effective birth control is abstinence.
    "The numbers have dropped also because the children have secondary parents; retired grandparents, aunts and uncles and so on. Just someone available who can take care of their child until their parents get home from school," says Terry Yanez, the Lead Teacher of the Infant Center. Also parents and adults may have become more understanding of teenage pregnancy.
    Mothers who have been enrolled into the Infant Center have ended up successful in life, some with really awesome careers. Approximately 10 girls who were enrolled into the Infant Center have become teachers; one lives in Topeka, Kansas and the rest are spread out everywhere; some even teach here at Colton High. One mother lives in Grand Terrace; she is an interior decorator who is married to a lawyer.
    "We help support one another," says Terry Yanez, the Lead Teacher.

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Staff Profile: Matthew Alaniz
by Sandy Chhin
February 18. 2005

"In your whole lifetime, you have approximately 34 teachers in your elementary, middle school and high school years. I would be maybe 1/40th of your (school) life, and to say that I have changed your life, then you have problems"
    --Matthew Alaniz

    Matthew Alaniz is a World History teacher without a cause.
    He attended Cal State San Bernardino and has had experience in teaching for about five years. His students think of him as a well through out teacher who likes to get carried away with intense topics. If you ask Alaniz a question about almost anything and everything, he will give you an explanation and then some.
    The main reason why he wanted to become a teacher was because "the fact that my teachers were no good." He though of it as "this guy sucks, I can do better than him." That is an awesome inspiration to have. He told me that he has probably only had two good teachers, but the rest were horrible. I can agree with him on this one, there are a lot of horrible teachers out there -and sometimes that makes me want to become a teacher to show them how to do it. But being this young, and being less uneducated then them, I'd rather not try.
    Alaniz enjoys telling people he's a teacher. One of the daily struggles he faces is having to be optimistic for one period and having to be serious the next. He has to go through a source of high and low emotions, which is something all teachers have to go through to encourage the students to want to learn. Some students may prefer a more laid back teaching style while others prefer something more mature and serious.
    He believes that school is not real life, and that if you fail in school, it does not guarantee that you will fail in real life. He also wants his students to think of him as the role of "an older brother", not something who will "change their lives." To a lot of students, I can see that he plays the role perfectly because when they have questions, he answers them and goes beyond that, which is why a lot of his students learn from his class and want to learn.
    One of his personal quotes is "Be true to yourself." By that, he means, if you're not true to yourself then you're going to end up not being happy with yourself and you'll soon fail. For example: people who go into a series of cliques and think they fit into that group and finally, in the end, realize that they weren't that person, so they go and try to find another clique to hang out with. By that, the person ends up struggling because they are fighting to find their true selves when in the end they were being true to themselves.

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Staff Profile: Glenn Mitchell
by Divya Joseph (special to the Pepper Bough)
February 18. 2005

    It was my first day in high school and I was nervous and excited. I managed to get to my class on time through the very crowded school. When I entered the classroom, I noticed a group of smart looking students. In front of them stood an elderly man with gray hair and glasses. But under those glasses, were mean looking eyes. He looked straight at me and said, "Mr. Mitchell's class (meaning himself), yesterday was better than today." A lot of people say he's mean, tough, and even rude. But we all agree that he's an interesting character.
    English teacher Glenn Mitchell has many peculiar things that he does. For instance, every time he makes a mistake in his speech, he slaps himself! He talks about himself in the third person. He also calls himself "an old fart." Teacher and students agree that he talks too much. Half of his students don't understand what he says because of the sophisticated words he uses.
    I would have agreed to all this and said that Mitchell is weird and mean, but that was before I met him. As I got to know him better, I realized that he may have some flaws, but lets face it we all do. He's actually very nice and lenient. One time I had worked all night on a project, and it turned out pretty well. The next day, when I got to school, I realized that I had left my project at home. The project was a big part of my grade. I heard that he never collects late work but I decided to give it a try. I explained my situation to him and he let me turn it in the next day. He wasn't as mean as I had thought after all. He has a lot of patience because he patiently listens to all of our silly comments. He's a great teacher; he's very intelligent and insightful.
    If there was something I learned from this experience, it is that we should not judge anybody by the way they look. Give people a second chance before you judge them, and you'll be surprised how different they turn out to be.

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Teen Dad: Gary Garcilazo
By Jacilyn Alcantar
February 18. 2005

    Life here on campus can be full of surprises. But when you one day find out that you are to become a father, it's not only a surprise, it's a life changing experience. For Gary Garcilazo, it has had some impact on his school life.
    The first time Garcilazo found out that he was going to be a father, which was two years ago, he was scared. His parent's reaction was not too pleasant either. They were upset with him. Being a father might have an impact on your social life but for Garcilazo, he still has all of the same friends including their support. He has even gained more friends this year. Garcilazo and the mother spend time with their child here at school. "I feel better that she is here at school," says Garcilazo. Any time he wants to see her while he is at home, he just pays a visit to the mother's house since she lives with her.
    Garcilazo supports the mother of his child, who is also a student here, and helps her in any way he can. He is always there for her. School life for Garcilazo has become more of a challenge. "It's more responsibility." As for his future plans, Garcilazo still plans on attending college and being successful.

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Teen Moms: "It's do-able"
by Michelle Choiselat
February 18. 2005

        Imagine living the rest of your teenage life knowing that you would no longer be responsible for just you. Going to parties and hanging out with friends isn't as easy as it used to be because now you have helped create another living being. It's definitely not easy being a teen mom going to school, but as Senior Stephanie Coronado put it, "It's hard to do school and have a baby, but it is do-able."
        The initial reaction to both parents and grandparents is the same when the news of a baby hits. Many feelings of many people are thrown into the mix: disappointment, shock and anger, to name a few. Yet, after the birth of the child, many of those original feelings change. "They were just happy for me," says Senior Viviana Coria. For the most part, the fathers of the babies are equally happy. According to the mothers in Colton High's Infant Center, being pregnant brought about mixed feelings. Junior Crystal Baker says, "The first six months were very rough having to deal with morning sickness all day, everyday!" On the other hand, Coronado says, "I loved being pregnant. I got to eat anything I wanted."
        The fact is, these teen mothers, and all of the moms enrolled in the Infant Center, have shown society that they're just young. Wuence says, "All I have to say to them [stereotypes] is that we are all going to have children one day. We just had our babies really young."   Coronado agrees, "Having a baby is something wonderful, but waiting until your ready is much better."

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The Useless Column
Compiled by the Honey Team
February 18. 2005

·    When groundhogs predict the start of spring, they're wrong 72% of the time.
·    15% of U.S. women say they send flowers to themselves on Valentines Day.
·    Victorians believed if you put a silver coin under your pillow on Valentines Day eve, your true love would propose to you by the end of the year.
·    Love that holiday! Americans send an estimated 900 million Valentines Day cards each year.
·    Americans spend $1.1 billion on Valentines Day candy each year.
·    Poll results: What kind of flowers do most U.S. women want on Valentine's Day? Roses.
·    Poll results: 52% of Americans say they'd "rather spend a week in jail" than be president.
·    At his heaviest, President James Madison weighed 98 pounds.
·    The word "love" appears in more film titles than any other word. Second place: "Paris."
·    The famous lover Giovanni Casanova ended his life working as a librarian.
·    The first premier of British Columbia renamed himself Lover of the Universe.
·    There really is an insect called the love bug. It spends 56 hours - more than half its life - mating.
·    In one recent study, 38% of American men said "they love their cars more than women."
·    Bye, bye love: The brain chemicals that create romantic bliss fade in about 18 months.
·    When you're looking at someone you love, your pupils dilate. When you're looking at someone        you hate, they do the same thing.
·    The average American first experiences "puppy" love at 13 and "real" love at 17.
·    40% of Americans say they believe in love at first sight.
·    The average American receives their first romantic kiss at age 13.
·    85% of 18 to 24-year-olds say that every person has a "perfect match.".
·    According to English tradition, a woman will marry the first man she sees on Valentines Day
·    The first recorded Valentine was sent in 1415.
·    More roses are grown in Texas than in any country on earth.
·    Verona, Italy, the setting of Romeo and Juliet, receives 1,000 letters per year addressed to "Juliet."
·    In Wales, it's a Valentines custom to send your true love and intricately carved wooden spoon.
     On the other hand, we have different fingers. --Jack Handy

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Basketball
By Paul Heredia
February 18. 2005

    Basketball is still looking for its break out season on both boys and girls teams. With a rough end to the season both teams did not make the playoffs in the very competitive Citrus Belt League.
    Boys Basketball had an up and down season, finishing off league with a 3-11 record. Lead by second year coach Peter Goldkorn, the team has shown some improvement over the course of the season, but the CBL was just too much for the Yellowjackets. The boys finished in sixth place in their first year back in the CBL. They faced many competitive basketball teams and held their own. They fought every game, but in the end the shots did not fall their way. They never dropped their heads and kept focus on improving and understanding the game of basketball.
    The girl's basketball team had a rough season all year long in the CBL. They played hard every game but could not grasp their hands on a victory. Going 0-14 in the CBL Colton finished last in league. They worked hard trying to get a victory, and kept their focus on what the game of basketball brought their way.

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Soccer
By Paul Heredia
February 18. 2005

Boys and girls soccer ended their season on a rough note. Losing some key players early in the season and getting used to new head coaches, both soccer teams went through some adjustments, which proved to be a little much for both teams.
Boys Soccer was looking to really impact the Citrus Belt League coming off of a strong SAL championship the previous year. But with senior captain Paul Heredia going down in the first league game with a torn ACL, Colton looked for an experienced squad to take over. With strong finishing against top teams in the CBL, Colton proved that they could compete tying the CBL champions Rialto 1-1 in their final meeting, then giving second place AB Miller everything they had in a 4-2 season closer. Colton suffered with injuries all season and did not have their full squad all year. Finishing off a rough season with a record of 3-4-7 in league ending up in sixth place, the boys squad looks to come back healthy and experienced next year.
Girl's soccer looked to have a strong team this year, but with many of the girls not returning from last year's playoff team, they could not find their way to victory. The adjustments of a new coach took affect and the team looked to few seniors to lead. But, it was too much for a young squad finishing off the last part the season 3-3, but giving it everything they had to try to upset the top teams. They went into Fontana and pulled a close one out winning 3-2, and then they went into well-respected Yucaipa and showed what they are made of in a 1-0 victory. But then the girls hit a slump losing their next three games, but stayed strong and finished off their season on the right note with a 2-1 win over AB Miller. The girls finished with a 4-2-8 record in league, finishing in sixth place.

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Wrestling
By Paul Heredia
February 18. 2005

    The wrestling team ended their season off strong with a second place finish in Citrus Belt League and a second round playoff berth.
    Coming off an undefeated season in the San Andreas League, Colton wrestling was looking to show their power in the CBL. They came in strong lead by senior captain John Caldaria, who went undefeated in league. He has advanced into the third round of CIF Playoffs as an individual wrestler along with other teammates. Colton finished 6-1, taking second place in league, losing only to first place Redlands East Valley.
    Going into their second round of playoffs they came up against powerhouse Santa Ana Calvary Chapel. But, with the forfeit of six weight classes due to academic problems and weight problems, Colton suffered a devastating loss. The Yellowjackets battled all the way to the end in their 42-39 loss. The win was within their grasp, but with the forfeit of six weight classes it proved to be too much for Colton. The match was tied at 30 all with four weight classes to go, and with two victories at 125 and 130 Colton jumped ahead 39-30. But Colton had to forfeit the final two matches handing the victory to Calvary Chapel. Even with a rough ending in playoffs it said a lot for Colton wrestling, coming very close to knocking off a top ranked team, while having to forfeit six weight classes.
    Finishing off strong in both CBL and playoffs, with individual wrestlers still competing in playoffs, Colton has shown their strong program. They have marked their spot as a top program in the area and look forward to the strong seasons ahead.

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