Volume 2, Issue 3 - Port of Los Angeles High School

Volume 2, Issue 3
Principal Scotti bids POLAHS farewell
Special
points of
interest:
• Elevated Thinking
Pg. 2
• LA Lakers visit Boys
and Girls Club pg. 3
• Detention; Yea or
Nay? Pg. 4
• Tv Drama brought
to you Pg. 5
• Thanksgiving Traditions Pg. 7
Inside
this
Issue:
Clubs
2
Mari-Times
3
The Growl (Opinions)4
Entertainment
5
Health
6
Features
7
Dear Petey (Advice) 8
Comics
9
Sports
10
November 6, 2014
By Leah Becerra and Jazmin Maya
Staff Writers
On Friday, Oct. 24, Principal Gaetano “Tom”
“Even though I’m leaving, and some peoScotti departed from POLAHS. This came after ple are disappointed and saddened by it, what
the principal released a letter to every student they’ll realize is that as long as the school
and parent at POLAHS informing them of his holds onto the wonderful group of teachers,
resignation from the school on Monday, Oct. 20. they can continue on without me,” he said.
In the letter,
Scotti said that some memScotti described the
bers of the Board of Trustees
decision as “uncalled or emailed him about
doubtedly the most
their sadness over his resignadifficult decision of
tion, while others congratumy professional calated him on the new position.
reer,” and stated that
Jayme Wilson, President of
he would be leavthe Board of Trustees, sent Scotti a
ing in a few weeks.
letter thanking him for his “years of
Catching many
dedicated service and leadership.”
students and fac“The number of lives that have
ulty by surprise, his
been shaped and directed in a
last day at school Former Principal Scotti seen in frount of POLAHS positive way during your tenure
was commemorated school building
as teacher, acting principal, and
nonetheless. At two Photo courtasy of the Daily Breeze
principal at POLAHS cannot be
o’clock, as students
overestimated,” Wilson wrote.
lined up against the hallway near their classAndrew Zhong, a POLAHS 2011 gradurooms, Green Day’s “Time of Your Life” played ate, visited the school after hearing about Scotover the school’s intercom. Scotti then made his ti’s departure. He shared how Scotti’s help
way through the hallways, shaking hands, giv- got him into the UC system and added that
ing hugs and collecting posters from students. “we [POLAHS students] are not only a part
“As hard as it was for us to say goodbye to one of a school, but a part of Scotti’s family, too.”
person that we care so much about,” said 12th grade
English teacher Tammy Clark, “imagine what it
would be like for him to say goodbye to nearly a
thousand people that he cared about. Mr. Scotti did
it; he said goodbye in the most respectful way.”
“He was a principal like no other,”
said
freshman
Itza
Martinez.
In a sit-down interview, Scotti described
his feelings on resigning from POLAHS
and mentioned his new position as Director of Special Education for the Inner-City
Educational Foundation (ICEF), a charter organization in the Crenshaw District.
“I thought I would stay at PO- Banners placed on the walls of the school carrying mesLAHS
forever,”
Scotti
said. sages of good will to Principal Scotti
Scotti added that during his time at PO- Photo courtesy of Editorial Staff/The Anchor
LAHS, he has become very proud of the
teaching staff put together over the years.
Page 2
Volume 2,
Issue 3
Think
higher and higher
By Christian Sanchez
Staff Photographer
The Elevated Thinkers Club
is held in room 220 every Tuesday during lunch by moderator
Donald
Ormsby and president
Anthony Jana. In the Elevated
Thinkers Club POLAHS students
talk freely on some of the questionable issues in the world today.
“We want to create a club
where kids could talk about stuff
they normally wouldn’t talk about
with their friends, as well as being a safe place where coordinators won’t judge and would rath-
er help,” said president Jana.
“Anthony is a good student, and
I think students should question the
world around them, and that’s what
this club does,” Ormsby added.
Upon hearing about the club,
Senior Gustavo Martinez encouraged the club’s ideas and
added that, “ It makes us challenge what we commonly accept
in history.”
All new members are welcomed to come and talk about
the many conspiracy theories. President Anthony Jana explains the concept of the Elevated
Speaking out for equal minds for all
Thinkers Club
Christian Sanchez/ The Anchor
By Danyai Young
Staff Writer
Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) is a club that provides a safe
haven for students to feel comfortable sharing their sexual orientation and social class. GSA takes place every Tuesday at lunch in
room 224 with Math teacher and club moderator Elspeth Carden.
“I’m a part of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community, or LGBT community, so this is the perfect
way to socialize with my friends who are also a part of the
LGBT community at school,” said sophomore Erica Bernard.
Students enjoy opening up and having honest
conversations
while
attending
club
meetings.
“GSA is a place where everyone can speak their
Shooting for the goal
minds and discuss what they don’t say out loud,”
said President of GSA and junior Evelyn Ibarra.
“GSA is a group about equality where everyone can be
themselves,” said Guadalupe Navarro sophomore at POLAHS.
“The club overall has very nice members and it is reassuring to know that the school has clubs to represent all
membes of the studentbody,” said junior Matthew Amiot.
“I feel like in this society people feel different and are
in need to go to a safe environment and GSA provides that
safe environment for anyone not just for the LGBT community but for their allies and friends,” said Carden.
By Austin Labador
Staff Writer
Field Hockey Club meets in room 213 every Monday after school, and is supervised by
Spanish and Environmental Engineering teacher
Rachel Bruhnke. In the club, students plan and
discuss the possibility of bringing the sport of
field hockey to POLAHS. Currently, the club
does not have equipment, but is looking to eventually raise enough to get their games started.
“We all have a passion for something different, instead of other sports,” said 11th grade Vice Field Hockey members writing ideas
President Emily Haugen when asked why they sup- of the future of the club
port field hockey instead of other popular sports. Photographer Christian Sanchez/
The Anchor
The club is considering fundraising opportunities in order to start purchasing
field
hockey
equipment.
“We can’t start playing field hockey until we
fundraise enough to get the supplies we need,” said
sophomore D’artagnan Lorica. “We need to get the
field hockey sticks, goals, and other equipment.”
“I think field hockey is interesting because of the action, the teamwork, and that
the game never slows down,” said 11th
grade student Reynaldo Montano when
asked what was interesting about the club.
Field Hockey Club is a great place for
students that are interested in team activities, sports, and meeting new people.
Volume 2, Issue 3
Page 3
Spanish
department brings culture to Fall Festival
By Samantha Franco
Staff Writer
POLAHS Spanish classes shared
Dia de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead)
projects at the Fall Festival on Oct. 31.
The Mexican holiday honors those that
have passed away and is celebrated on
Sunday Nov. 2. Students prepared poems, alters, and paper plates honoring
deceased family members or celebrities that were influential in their lives.
“It’s a day to make fun; to see
death as a continuation of life,” POLAHS Spanish teacher Maria Marin said.
“Death is a universal aspect
that we can all relate with,” said
AP Spanish and Spanish 2 teacher
Irene Atristain- Sandoval Atristain.
Marin stated that not many people know about this particular celebration. She stressed the importance about
learning the culture of different places.
“All
these
celebrations give us an understanding of
culture,” she said.
Atristain- Sandoval shared
a similar opinion with Marin.
“[It’s]
important
not to lose our roots,”
Atristain-Sandoval
added.
Students who participated
in this event were proud that
their work could be showcased at the fall festival .
“Well personally I want to
let people know that death, yeah,
it’s scary, but it’s celebrated to remember people who have passed
way. It’s just nice to remember
them in a happy way instead o
mourning over them,” said POLAHS junior Marcella Gomez.
Boys
and girls meet LA Lakers
By Hannah Smith and Mary Worthington
Staff Writers
On Monday,x Oct. 27, the Los Angeles Lakers visited the local Boys and Girls Club on 5th street in San Pedro.
New floors were installed in the Boys and Girls Club gymnasium upon winning an online contest. According to the nba.
com the YOU Grant, which is given by the Los Angeles Lakers
Youth Foundation (LYF), is open to any non profit oganization
that “serve the Los Angeles-area.” The organizations that apply
for the grant are reviewed by the LYF who then select five proposals which are then voted upon by the public via online voting.
“We [the club] applied for a grant and once we were in the running for the grant, we had to get everyone’s email and everyone had to
vote, and it was between us and another club,” explained POLAHS
sophomore Christopher Williamson, a spokesperson at the event.
The Lakers also hosted an event for the children at the
Boys and Girls Club for those who got to participate in the meet
and greet. This also helped to “break in” the new court floors.
At the event, the Lakers conducted drills and even gave
kids pointers on how to play their best when it comes to playing basketball. Students who attended the event had a great time
and felt that the event helped improve their performance a lot.
“It was cool that the Lakers took their time out of their day
An alter presented on Dia De Los Muertos on Nov. 1
Photographer Melissa Yanes/ The Anchor
just to come for the kids,” said POLAHS junior Chris Hales.
The event also allowed the kids to socialize with the Lakers and get to know the team in person.
Senior
Tommy
McInnis
was
able
to
chat
with A.C. Green and thinks he is a nice guy.
“He
gave
us
some
good
advice
and
good
positive
feedback,”
said
McInnis.
Hilda Chacon, a volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club, believes that
the Lakers
coming to
this event
will benefit
the
Club
by bringing
more people and good
publicity
to the club.
Participants of the meet and greet with the LA Lakers
Photo courtesy of www.nba.com
Page 4 Volume 2, Issue 3
Tardies and detention
By Anthony Reynoso
Staff Writer
POLAHS has a rule that if a student receives seven tardies they
must serve detention. The detentions are held either after school or
during lunch. It would be unfair that the select few who are constantly
tardy get no punishment, when most of the student body arrives on time.
When students have detention during lunch, they pick up trash
off of the floor of the campus. Students in detention are also required
to wear reflective vests to distinguish them from the other students.
Individuals with after-school detention sit down and do their homework, or study for a class if they have no homework. Both of these
types of detentions are very productive and are not a waste of time.
Having punishments for being tardy prepares the students for
being a better student and doing well in life after high school. In a real
job an employee can get fired for being late a few times. It’s better
to learn to be punctual now than learn it the hard way in the future.
Sometimes it is not the student’s fault that they are tardy, but those
tardies can be excused with a note from a parent. Situations where a
student can absolutely not get to school on time can be brought up
to the school to see if something can be done. However, if a student
is late because they want to sleep in, there is no excuse. School is
necessary to become successful in life. School is love, school is life.
NEW POLL?
ALWAYS!
Go to:
http://polahsanchor.polldaddy.com/s/the-anchor-polahspoll-2
No detention for tardiness
by Leah Becerra
Staff Writer
Imagine sitting in class, taking notes in Geometry or reading a chapter of your textbook in English, and the classroom
door slowly opens, and in comes a Teacher’s Assistant (T.A.)
holding letters. The T.A. hands the letters to your teacher and
skips off to another class. Your teacher then places the letters on certain desks, including yours. What’s in the letter?
A note inviting you to detention for accumulating tardies.
At POLAHS, students who are not at his or her seat when
class starts are considered tardy. After seven unexcused tardies, those students receive a fifty-minute after school detention. While students who are late in between classes during the
school day are accountable for their tardiness, students who are
late coming to school in the mornings depend on others to get
to school. These students are punished for things that are out of
their control. Most students rely on their parents to drop them
off on time and others carpool with friends or take the bus.
POLAHS senior Rebecca Thomas agrees that detention for
tardiness is unnecessary when understanding a student’s situation.
“Since I don’t have my license, I rely on my parents to get
me to school on time,” added Thomas. “If they’re late, I’m late.”
Can students really be penalized for being tardy in the morning if
their parents, their friend’s parents or their bus drivers are running late?
According to the POLAHS Student Handbook, students
can be penalized unless they can provide an appropriate note
excusing their tardiness. Excused tardies only include health
related appointments, family situations, and circumstances
discussed with the school ahead of time. However, some parents unwilling to write a note blaming themselves for waking up late in the morning (which would show how irresponsible they are for their child) they would rather send their child
without a note and let them face the consequences. The bus
driver wouldn’t write a note for not doing his job right either.
While it is unfair for students to receive detention for their
driver’s carelessness, what if a student has his or her own license or
lives close to the school? Of course students who drive themselves
to school can easily be blamed for their tardiness, along students
who live minutes away from the school. However, some of these
students may face certain circumstances that do not permit coming
to school on time. For example, students may have responsibilities to tend to in the mornings like helping younger siblings prepare for school, completing their chores, making breakfast for the
family, and other unique tasks. Although these are valid excuses,
will school administrators see them as viable as the student does?
In conclusion, POLAHS should not have a detention consequence for tardiness, due to the numerous, valid reasons a student can be late to class.
Volume 2, Issue 3
The dead walk again:
Walking Dead returns
to AMC
Pink Floyd is back for
one last album
By Alicia Moser
Staff Writer
By Alicia Moser
Staff Writer
As
of Oct. 12 , season five of
The Walking Dead has emerged on
AMC. The season features sixteen episodes to be aired this fall and early 2015.
Based on the comic book by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, and Tony Moore, The
Walking Dead tells the story of several survivors who now have to live their lives post
a zombie apocalypse. They seek refuge in a
world trodden with zombies (also referred
to as “walkers”) whose lethal bite is capable
of executing humans in a matter of seconds.
Most of the series focuses on the
challenges the survivors face as they
overcome obstacles presented by the
chaos of a world run by zombies.
Season five picks up where season
four left off, but it is easy for new viewers to understood without prior seasons.
Season four ended with the group
of survivors heading toward Terminus, said to be a sanctuary. This sanctuary ends up not being so safe, and Terminus inhabitants had them imprisoned
by the end of the season’s finale. Season
five will reveal the fate of the survivors.
Season five has been received well
by critics. Metacritic.com has awarded the new season a score of 80 out of
100, with “generally positive reviews.”
Season five airs Sundays at 9:00 PM.
Page 5
Who will survive this season on the
Walking dead
Photo Courtesy: www.comicbook.com
Ouija promotional poster
Photo courtesy of
http://www.thecinemasnob.com/
Nov. 10 will mark the release of Pink
Floyd’s newest album, The Endless River.
The album will debut after a twenty year lapse
in the band’s recording efforts, but an official statement from the band members has
confirmed that the album will be their last.
The Endless River will be released
by Parlophone Records and produced
by members David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, Martin Glover, and Andy Jackson.
The standard edition of the album is
composed of eighteen tracks of “mainly ambient and instrumental music” according to the members of Pink Floyd.
The progressive rock band released a promotional song entitled “Louder Than Words” back
in Oct., consisting of a rhythmic blend of guitar
and synthesizer. The track is noteworthy in that it
was written entirely by Floyd’s lead guitarist, David Gilmour, and his wife, Polly Samson. With
lyrics written entirely by Samson, “Louder Than
Words” concludes the track listing of the album.
Twenty years after The Division Bell was
released, Gilmour is back at it, mostly using
tracks that were originally cut from their last album and reworking them to fit the 21st century.
Amazon.com has released a statement confirming that The Endless River has become the
most pre-ordered album of 2014 and is likely
to pass up One Direction’s Midnight Memories as the most pre-ordered album of all time.
According to the BBC, Gilmour and drummer
Nick Mason confirmed that this new album will be
their last, adding, “it’s a shame, but this is the end.”
Ouija hits the theaters, conjoured spirits take over viewers
By Helayana Elmore
Staff Writer
The new horror movie Ouija has come out just in time for Hallowen. The story follows the life of Debbie Galardi, a teenage girl
who once played the Ouija “game” alone. By doing this, Debbie
broke the ultimate rule: never play by yourself. Ever since, she has
been continuously haunted by spirits. Debbie’s best friend, Laine,
and others notice she has not been herself lately because of this.
After the tragic death of Debbie (people assume that Debbie must have committed suicide) Laine feels that Debbie is
still around somewhere. Laine has the idea of contacting Debbie
through the same ouija board Debbie once used in her house. Laine,
with the help of her friends, come in contact with the a spirit they
believe to be Debbie. Is that who they are really reaching out to?
On
collider.com,
actress
Olivia Cooke explains what it was like to play Laine.
“It was a no-brainer to play such a strong female, which
she is. That definitely speaks to me. I like to play as strong
a character as possible, so it really spoke to me,” said Cooke.
Page 6
Volume 2, Issue 3
Don’t suck on me mosquitos: West Nile Virus
By Samantha Kittel
Staff Writer
West Nile Virus is a disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes.
According to mayoclinic.org, although
very common, only 20 percent of people
who contract the virus experience symptoms. In fact, only 1 percent of people
receive a serious case of West Nile.
Symptoms of West Nile Virus include:
fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, back
pain, skin rash, swollen lymph glands, and
eye pain. 80 percent of people don’t experi-
ence symptoms at all. West Nile is rarely
fatal, and highly curable. Most people
infected can recover without treatment.
Over-the-counter pain relievers can help
with any symptoms of the West Nile Virus.
31 human cases have been reported
in Los Angeles County so far. Luckily,
none have been fatal. Hopefully, the number of cases will not rise much higher.
Because West Nile is transmitted by
mosquitoes, it can be easily prevented as
well. The use of bug repellants keep mosquitos away, therefore fending off the disease.
Another way to prevent West Nile is to wear
thick clothing. If the mosquitoes cannot
reach skin, they cannot transmit the disease.
If you experience any symptoms of
West Nile, call your doctor to help prevent
a serious case. Remember, West Nile can be
fatal. So take the necessary precautions to
prevent a serious case of West Nile Virus.
Don’t let whooping cough get to you The spread of Ebola
by Jessica Jones
Staff Writer
With the winter season quickly approaching, more people are
getting sick and chances of getting whooping cough, also known as
pertussis, are higher. According to KidsHealth.org, whooping cough
is an infection of the respiratory system that is caused by a bacteria
called Bordetella pertussis. It is most common in infants younger
than six months old, adolescents ranging in 11 to 18 years of age, and
pregnant women. As reported by NatureWorldNews.com, California often experiences outbreaks of this virus every three to four years.
According to KidsHealth.org, the symptoms of this virus include a runny nose, sneezing, mild coughing, a fever,
and a dry irritating cough. After a few weeks of coughing, it
tends to worsen and the patient begins to experience extreme
cough spells, which can lead to vomiting. It is most commonly spread through the inhaling of the pertussis bacteria,
caused by being coughed on by a person with whooping cough.
However, the common symptoms may not even show up in
infants, which make the disease even more frightening. The Center
for Disease Control (CDC) states, “In babies, the cough can be
minimal or not even there. They may instead have life-threatening pauses in breathing (apnea).” This is why parents are advised
to get their young children vaccinated once they are old enough.
As stated by the CDC website, vaccines have been developed
to immunize children and adults and have been required in many
schools throughout Los Angeles county and California. The children’s vaccine is called DTaP and the adult vaccine is called Tdap.
POLAHS
biology
teacher
Margaret
LaBouff
recommends
that
her
students
get
the
vaccine.
“I got the vaccine to protect myself and prevent spreading it to others, especially my students or my children,” she said.
The symptoms of whooping cough may be terrifying at times. However, knowing the facts may help. If you
or anyone you know experience symptoms, consult a physician and avoid contact with infants or pregnant women.
By Melissa Navarro and Chelsea
Jennings
Staff Writers
Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever is an
An ultrastructural
infectious disease marked by fever and
internal bleeding. The current Ebola out- morphology of the Ebola
break began in West Africa, and there have Virus.
been three reported cases in the United Courtesy of Reuters.com
States, as well as other countries such as
Spain. The first case was Thomas Eric Duncan, who flew into Dallas, Texas from Africa and was hospitalized and diagnosed for having symptoms linked to Ebola. Two nurses who were in charge of
Duncan, Amber Vinson and Nina Pham, caught the disease while
being in contact with Duncan, but have been treated and released.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), some
of the symptoms which are associated with Ebola include: fevers higher than 101.5°F, severe headaches, muscle pains, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pains and unexplained
bruising or bleeding. According to the CDC, Ebola is transmitted through blood or bodily fluids including urine, saliva, sweat,
feces, vomit, breast milk and semen of a person with Ebola.
More Americans live in fear that Ebola will spread and infect their communities, but the disease is actually quite rare. As
stated by the researchers at the Laboratory for the Modeling of
Biological and Socio-Technical Systems at Northeastern University in Boston, the “effective management and isolation of cases
is keeping the number of [Ebola] cases to deal with to a very limited number, lowering the risk of losing control of the outbreak.”
“I think [Ebola] is a bad disease,” POLAHS biology teacher Aaron Martell said. “I think it’s overblown. People are getting a little too panicked. It’s not as easily transmitted as people think, but for those that do have it, it’s pretty bad.”
Even though the disease is not prevalent in the U.S., there are
precautions people can take to prevent Ebola from spreading. Some
methods of protection according to the CDC are to: wash hands
frequently or use hand sanitizer, avoid contact with blood and
body fluids of any person who is sick, and not handle any items
that have been in contact with a person’s blood or body fluids.
Volume 2, Issue 3
Page 7
POLAHS staff shares Thanksgiving traditions
By Ximena Ruiz and Jaida Nabayan
Staff Writers
Every year on the last Thursday of November, the traditional Thanksgiving holiday
is celebrated throughout America. Thanksgiving is celebrated differently by everyone, including POLAHS staff members. Photoshop
teacher and IT administrator Erick Miseroy,
Spanish teacher Maria Marin, and Logistics
and Maritime Studies teacher Anthony DeSanto all celebrate this holiday in unique ways.
Marin celebrates Thanksgiving with
her family, and claims it is one of the
most meaningful holidays for her and her
family. She always appreciates the spirit of Thanksgiving with her loved ones.
“My family and I have always celebrated that holiday,” said Marin. “My
sister and I were born here, but my parents were born in Mexico. It’s very meaningful to them, especially my mom.”
Marin further explained how her
mother takes care of cooking traditional Thanksgiving foods and ensuring all
members of the family, about 60 people
in total, share what they are thankful for.
Miseroy is also very busy during Thanksgiving. However, he explained that he does not
enjoy this day due to the chaotic schedule he has.
“I have Thanksgiving lunch in Pedro
with my wife’s family, father, mother, all the
other relatives that we have. Then I drive up to
Simi Valley with my daughters,” said Miseroy.
Miseroy said his Thanksgiving does
not end until he is back home at 10 p.m.
DeSanto also celebrates Thanksgiving
with
his
family,
including his mother, sister, and brother.
“As far as things we eat, it’s the traditional turkey, kind of thing, cranberry
sauce, sweet potatoes,” said
DeSanto.
DeSanto said his Thanksgiving tra-
POLAHS teacher Maria Marin writes expressions of thanks on paper feathers and places
them on a turkey as part of her tradition.
Photo courtesy of Maria Marin
ditions have evolved over the years.
“When I was a kid we used to have
football games, but that has kind of gone by
the wayside,” he said. “We are all older.”
Soup kitchens aid community
Lending a helping hand, one bag at a time
As the holidays approach, various organizations in
our community set up events such as soup kitchens, canned
food drives, and toy drives to help those in need. One of
these organizations is the Long Beach Rescue Mission.
The Long Beach Rescue Mission opened in
1972, and is located in Long Beach Calif. This organization focuses on helping the homeless. They
host an annual Easter Basket Giveaway, Thanksgiving Dinner, Christmas Toy and Stocking giveaway, Long Beach Marathon, as well as other events.
Last year they served over 187,000 meals
to the homeless for Thanksgiving. In addition,
they offer homeless shelter for men and women.
The mission has many community volunteers
that donate their time to helping with the events.
“I volunteer here every Easter and Thanksgiving. I really enjoy volunteering for this mission.
The staff is really friendly.” says Remie
M. from Newport Beach, Calif.
on Yelp.com.
“I volunteered here for Thanksgiving two years
in a row and plan to continue. [Its a] wonderful way
to give back and take care of our community,” says
resident of Long Beach, Calif. Jenet M. on Yelp.Com.
With the number of homeless in our community,
foundations such as these are beneficial for our communities. If you would like to volunteer, you can visit
their website at http://www.lbrm.org/volunteer or visit
their facility at 1430 Pacific Ave Long Beach, Ca 90813.
POLAHS hosts an annual canned
food drive during the Thanksgiving season to the aid families in
need in the surrounding community.
Environmental engineering and
Spanish teacher Rachel Bruhnke was the
most recent host of the drive. She managed
its organization, while the school assigned
each grade level certain foods to donate.
“Last year it was a student idea;
one student in my Spanish class thought
about it, and we just jumped on the idea
because we had just watched a film
about food and health,” said Bruhnke.
Bruhnke works with students to create the bags of collected food during their
free time, before school, nutrition, and
lunch. Last year, about twenty students
went before school to lend a hand to
Bruhnke. They set up stations in her classroom for each food item and then the bags
were handed out before Thanksgiving.
Parents drove into the POLAHS parking
lot and received the bags with discretion.
“I enjoyed helping out in the food
drive and the community because it feels
good to help people,” said Junior Shellsea Miller who volunteered last year
“also my friends were very encouraging,
By Vania Patino
Staff Writer
By Amelia Samuelu
Staff Writer
which ultimately led me to volunteer.”
Food drives are efficient ways
to help the community and those in
it. They provide a way for students
to be involved in their community,
and help others in need, students say.
“I decided to help out at the canned
food drive because I knew it was for a
good cause and I felt like I should do my
part and contribute to that,” said Junior
Isabella Trusella. “I feel like I benefitted
from the experience as well because I feel
it made me a well rounded person and
brought my awareness to people in need.”
Juniors Riley Delusio, Shellsea Miller,
Anthony Jenna, and Amber Araiza placing
food donations in bags to be distributed.
Amelia Samuelu/ The Anchor
The Anchor
Staff
Editor-in-Chief/
Mari-Times and Sports Editor
David Carter
Clubs Editor
Jesus Zamora
The Growl and Health Editor
Mika Verner
Entertainment Editor
Anthony Romero
Features Editor
Aldo Andrade
Comics and Advice Editor
Ashley Anderson
Business Managers
Norma Mancha
Andrea Sanchez
Staff Writers
Kassandra Albaran
Leah Becerra
Sophie Duran
Helana Elmore
Madison Flores
Samantha Franco
Dayan Gurrola
Samantha Gurolla
Chealsea Jennings
Jessica Jones
Samantha Kittell
Austin Labador
Hector Magana
Chantal MartinezLopez
Jazmin Maya
Alicia Moser
Melissa Navarro
Vania Patino
Anthony Reynoso
Ariana Quihuiz
Amelia Samuelu
Hannah Smith
Shatnee Thomas
McKayla
Willis
Campos
Joseph Worthigton
Mary Worthington
Danyai Young
Staff Photographers
Ashley Ardiaz
Amber Avaiza
Jose Frausto
Jaelene Galaz
Kyara Galloway
Kiara Henry
Adolfo Mora
Ximena Ruiz
Christian Sanchez
Melissa Yanes
Staff Artists
Chloe Baltazar
Lori Quijano
Eduardo Ramirez
Jose Zamora
Augustin Zamrano
Advisers
Rachael LopezLavalle
Allison Norman
Page 8 Volume 2, Issue 3
Dear Petey,
It has been 10 weeks since school began. Since the beginning of the school year, I have
had a feeling that my teacher has it out to get me. Right now, I don’t have the best grade in her
class, but I want to have a good grade. What should I do?
Sincerly,
Paranoid POLAHS Student
Dear Paranoid POLAHS Student,
The beginning of the school year is always the hardest part. The transition between two
grades can be stressful. But remember, your teachers have only your best interests in mind.
The chances are, your teacher is not intentionally dropping your grade. The best thing you
can do is to go to their classrooms during their tutoring hours. All teachers have tutoring after
school at least once a week. Talk to them about how you can increase your grade in their class,
and they will be sure to talk with you one on one to help your grade.
Sincerly,
Petey
Dear Petey,
I’ve been friends with this girl for about a year. We met last year here at POLAHS when
I was a freshman and she was a junior. We spent A LOT of time together. This year I met this
sophomore and started hanging with her. We became really close, and now we hang out a lot.
I really like them both. The only problem is...both of my friends HATE each other! Whenever
I’m with one, they talk trash about the other. When I make plans with one, the other one gets
mad and says “Fine. Have fun with your best friend.” I don’t want to have to chose between
the two of them! Is there anything I can do to get them to stop?
Sincerely,
Stuck In The Middle
Dear Stuck In The Middle,
Having a best friend is great, but having two can be a little rough when they don’t like one
another. They can’t read your mind, so what you need to do is talk to them. Let them know
how you feel. Tell them that you really like hanging out with both of them, and that what they
say when you have plans with the other hurts you. If they can’t stand each other, they don’t
have to hang out with one another. They can both spend time with you separately. If you have
already made plans with one, tell them you would love to hang out any other time and make a
date. If they refuse, maybe they aren’t as great a friend as you thought. Best of luck!
Sincerely,
Petey
Dear Petey,
I am a sophomore here at POLAHS, and during the summer I met this guy at a family
friend’s party. He seemed to catch my eye when I was dancing with one of my cousins. After I
sat down, he came up to me and we started talking. After a few months, I have realized he definitely is worth my time! I love his personality and he is so dreamy. The only thing in the way of
us being together is the fact we go to different high schools. I don’t know what I should do!
Sincerely,
Dancing Darla
Dear Dancing Darla,
Wow! This guy sounds great, if he is everything you are telling me. If you believe he is
worth your time then you should definately not hold back; give a relationship with him a try!
But you have to make big sacrifices if you are going to make this relationship work, especially
because you have to make time for both school and him. It might be overwhelming at times,
just because you might have so much on your plate by having to worry about the person you
are with, making time to be able to see them, and keeping up with school work. I’m pretty sure
you are going to be able to pull through and make things work if you stay focused! Hopefully
everything works out for you perfectly. Best of luck!
Sincerely,
Petey
Volume 2, Issue 3
Jose Zamora/ The Anchor
Agustin Zamorano/ The Anchor
Michael Aluzio/ The Anchor
Hector Magana/ The Anchor
Page 9
Page 10
Volume 2, Issue 3
A win for cross country runners Working hard to make the cut
By Kassandra Albarran
Staff Writer
The
POLAHS
Cross
Country runners beat their rival, James A. Foshay Learning Center, on Oct. 23 at Peck
Park. Several schools’ cross
country team came to represent their school that day.
“I am determined because
I know I can finish this race,”
stated Junior Daisy Torres.
The girls’ cross country
runners managed to finish the
race in under 34 minutes. Junior
Natalie Rivas was the first girl to
complete the race for POLAHS
in 22 minutes and 28 seconds.
Sophomore Sarah Streator finished the race for POLAHS
in 33 minutes and 59 seconds.
The boys’ cross country
runners concluded the race in
under 26 minutes. Senior Julias
Page was the first boy to fin-
By Ariana Quihuiz
Staff Writer
ish the race for POLAHS in 19
minutes and two seconds. Junior
Fernando Guerrero wrapped
up the race for POLAHS in
25 minutes and 38 seconds.
“I feel happy I got my fastest
time in four years at Peck Park.
I want to break 19.stated Page
I’m happy we’re undefeated so
far. I’m happy we got the best
time in four years,” stated Page.
“I feel really tried, but
good. Some people cheated
by cutting though,” claimed
Junior Fernando Guerrero.
The cross country runners felt thrilled yet nervous
before their race and accomplished after the race .
“It’s a love-hate relationship. You hate running, but once
you finish it, you kind of love it,”
said Senior Melissa Rodriguez.
Final tryouts for POLAHS’
soccer teams were held at Bogdanovich Park on Oct. 25. Both the
girls and boys teams had their tryouts simultaneously, with 21 girls
and 28 boys trying out for the teams.
These rigorous try-outs consist of a great deal of pacer runs
and stretching to get warmed up.
To get a sense of skill, the
girls were split into two teams
and played a scrimmage against
each other, while boys executed
a drill of kicking soccer balls into
a net. After an allotted time, the
girls and boys switched drills.
There is no junior varsity and
varsity teams for soccer. There is
only one team for both boys and
Recruiting for girls basketball
By Ariana Quizhuiz
Staff Writer
POLAHS
girls’
basketball had their final tryouts at
Bogdanovich Park on Oct. 17.
Luckily for the girls trying out,
no cuts will have to be made.
At the tryouts girls Varsity
coach Roger Cosgrove, who conducted the try-outs, made it clear
that the girls have to maintain a
grade point average higher than a
2.0 and continuously show up to
practice. Academics always come
first, but dedication and commitment is also key to a successful team.
Try-outs can be just as rigorous as practices, and coach
Cosgrove is adamant about having the girls do a great deal of
running. He had the girls execute
sprints, “suicide drills”, “follow
the leader” runs, laps around the
court and “karaoke” drills. This
Students push themselves to make
may tire them out, but in the end the mens soccer team.
there is a method to the madness. Photographer Ashley Ardiaz/ The
“In a game we have Anchor
to be able to perform in ad“I’ve been playing on Varverse conditions,” said Cos- sity since I was a freshman, so
grove during the running drills. I wanted to play again my seCosgrove is setting the nior year and finish off strong,”
girls up for success, as practic- added senior Mayan Rodriguez.
ing everything leaves nothing
“I’ve been playing since I was
to chance. This is a lesson that six. I played last year and it was
many of the girls trying out al- really fun, so I wanted to try out
ready know, as they prepared and again this year,” said sophomore
practiced for the final try-outs. Kyerstin Galloway. “Ball is life.”
“I practiced with my mom because she used to be a basketball
player,” said freshman JulissaAyala.
According to the returning Lady Bears, commitment
and dedication are traits that
come naturally by now and have
set them up for future endeavors to have a successful year.
girls, and in order to be recruited
there are some qualifications.
“One is to have good
grades. After that I look for players who work hard, hustle, and
have a positive attitude,” said
girls soccer coach and boys assistant coach Javier Torres.
“I just like to see first touch,
play simple, and concentrate,”
added boys soccer coach and girls
assistant coach, Gerry Pineda.
Many of those trying-out
for the teams have been playing soccer for a significant
amount of time and have developed a passion for the game.
“I have been playing soccer since I was six,” said
sophomore Shawnie Carolla.
“I have been playing soccer ever since I was five, and
I have been playing on the
school team since freshman
year,” added senior Casey Kane.
The roster containing the
the new girls and boys soccer teams was released on Oct.
28 and is on the sports board
near the Multi Purpose Room.
POLAHS Senior Kellen McMurry
attempts to serve the ball signaling
the begining of the game.
Photographer Kiara Henry The
Anchor
Mens Cross country runners race
for the finish line.
Photographer Jose Frausto/ The
Anchor

Download Report