Citrus Valley High School’s mock trial team won the semi finals against Oak Hills Red on Jan. 12.
After winning against Oak Hills Red, Citrus Valley mock trial became the top team in San Bernardino County.
Acuna states, “This is my first time winning semi finals and I’m nervous but more excited.”
The mock trial team’s teacher coaches are Kathryn Fonken-Stoker and Debbie Muniz.
Fonken-Stoker states, “The team is very slightly nervous, but we’re excited.”
The team will compete in the finals on Saturday, Jan. 14. If the team wins this match, they will advance to state finals and compete to win the title of mock trial state champions.
Juliana Acuna, senior at Citrus Valley, was awarded the MVP title for her role as witness. (MEANNA SMITH/ETHIC NEWS)
High Schools across Redlands competed in a hot cocoa competition. The competition tookplace on Dec. 9 between Citrus Valley High School, Redlands East Valley High School and Redlands High School.
Citrus Valley High School, Redlands High School and Redlands East Valley High School each promoted the hot cocoa competition on their instagram accounts. (Instagram screenshots/ Ethic News media)
The competition was also named the “Mug-of-War” contest.
Kylie McCue, a Citrus Valley junior, said,”It was good. Participation was good and hopefully it will be an annual thing.”
At each high school, the student government representatives scanned identification cards, filled cups with water, and provided hot chocolate packets. Students had to come before school to have their cups filled. Citrus Valley also went out of their way to provide disposable cups to anyone who did not bring their own cup.
The winner was announced at the end of lunch. The results were posted on Instagram announcing that RHS had won the competition by 45 cups with Citrus Valley coming in second and REV placing third.
Citrus Valley junior Riley Brossia said,”Even though we lost, I think it really rallied our school spirit.”
All three high schools posted the results of the “Mug-of-War” on their instagram accounts. Citrus Valley High School and Redlands East Valley High School congratulated Redlands High School for their win. (Instagram screenshot/ Ethic News media)
Overall the competition was a big success with Citrus Valley, REV and RHS all receiving high participation in the first “Mug-of-War” hot cocoa challenge.
It was announced that this was going to be an annual tradition and this year was the first.
Upon entering, to the left is a display of outfits showing what can be put together based on what the store offers. The third mannequin has on a shirt from the popular Netflix show, Stranger Things, and its season three character, Eddie Munson’s Dungeons and Dragons campaign long sleeved tee shirt. (ALEX VERDUZCO/ Ethic News photo)
One of the newest locations of the popular retailer Hot Topic has launched and officially opened during the week of Nov. 18. This Hot Topic is located in Redlands in the Mountain Grove shopping center near popular retailers such as Tilly’s, Ulta and GAP. On the other side are restaurants like Mod Pizza, Chipotle and Waba Grill. With this new addition, it is expected to add to the teenage audience and broaden the selection of stores available in the shopping center.
In the first photo, a display case shows merchandise highlighting the Kirby character from a video game company, Nintendo. On the left a selection of shirts can be seen. Featured on their right is a little bit of their Funko Pop collectible toys that are for sale. In the second photo, a different view of the shirt selection offered at Hot Topic is shown. This specific angle features television shows, movies and characters.(ALEX VERDUZCO/ Ethic News photo)
Giavonna Galloway, a Redlands East Valley sophomore says, “I am intrigued but I’m not really excited because I don’t normally like what they sell. I’m probably going to check it out anyway because I like some of the jewelry.”
The Redlands Hot Topic location offers a replica of the Byers’ home from season one of Netflix original, Stranger Things. In this scene, Joyce Byers hangs up Christmas lights on her living room wall to communicate with her son.
(ALEX VERDUZCO/ Ethic News photo)
REV senior Eva Valtierrez says, “I think the new Hot Topic is a really cool place to shop at and it has a lot of merchandise that I really enjoy liking and purchasing. I admire the amount of accessories I’m interested in and I like that they sell little elements from my favorite movies, tv shows and bands.”
This section of Hot Topic houses a display case of horror movie merchandise such as, Halloween, that stands in front of the character tee shirts, Kirby display, and selection of Funko Pop collectibles. (ALEX VERDUZCO/ Ethic News photo)
REV junior, Brittany Arreola adds, “I like that they cater to niche interests.”
Kelly Welch, REV senior, says, “I think Hot Topic and their fanbase have shifted a lot from the 2010’s. I used to shop there religiously, but it still holds a special place in my heart.”
Hot Topic carries apparel as well as accessories such as keychains, blankets and bags ranging from Loungefly character backpacks to totebags and more. Along with the array of shirts, there is an assortment of sweaters and hoodies with character and brand merchandise.
The United States and Russia made a prisoner exchange on Dec. 8.
Brittney Griner is a professional basketball player who was captured by Russian forces in Russia. Victor Bout is an arms dealer captured by U.S. forces.
The U.S tried to include Paul Whelan in the trade but couldn’t do so. Paul Whellan is a former veteran who was captured by the Russians.
“Everything is possible,”Putin said when communicating with American officials.
He is talking about possibly trading someone else we have for Paull Whellan. The Russians really want Vadim Krasikov.
When he heard the news that he would not be included in the prisoner exchange, Whellan told CNN that he is “greatly disappointed…I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here.”
Paul Whellan has been captured and held in Russia for four years. While Griner hasn’t been there for less than one year.
The prisoner exchange has given people mixed feelings towards the decision government officials made. Some are happy that the U.S. got back an American from Russia custody. Others are upset that we gave away an arms dealer nicknamed “The Merchant of Death.”
Many people are happy to see Brittney Griner return to her home. MAny people also are upset and think the U.S. got the worst part of the deal.
The new Arrow line service opened for commuters to ride starting Oct. 24. As an extension of the MetroLink lines through San Bernardino’s transit hub, the Arrow train will connect the East Valley of San Bernardino to the rest of the Metrolink network via the San Bernardino Downtown station. It is also referred to as “The Redlands Passenger Rail Project” with most of the stops along the line being located in Redlands.
People fill the Redlands Downtown station during the ribbon cutting ceremony next to one of the Arrow trains which was open to the public for viewing on Oct. 21. (JOHNATHAN GHAZAL/Ethic News photo)
The rail project “has been more than a decade in the making, featuring new tracks, enhanced street crossings, quiet zones, and five stations along the nine mile route between downtown San Bernardino and downtown Redlands,” according to the San Bernardino County Rail Authority.
A dedication ceremony was held to mark the opening of the Arrow Rail line to the public on Oct. 21. Representative Pete Aguilar was one of the speakers at the event who spoke about the importance of new infrastructure in our community and the use of energy-efficient trains in its rolling stock.
Many important figures, including California Representative Pete Aguilar, D-California 31, participated in the ribbon-cutting event during the dedication ceremony on Oct. 21 to commemorate the opening of the Arrow rail line at the Redlands Downtown station. (JOHNATHAN GHAZAL/Ethic News photo)
Afterward, attendees were permitted to tour one of the new Arrow trains, which was displayed at the Redlands Downtown station. They had the opportunity to walk through coaches and get a glimpse of the experience of coming onboard the train and feeling the modern design inside.
One of the new Arrow trains arrived at the Downtown Redlands station in the early morning for the first day of revenue service on Monday, Oct. 24. (JOHNATHAN GHAZAL/Ethic News photo)
The line was officially opened for revenue service on Monday, Oct. 24. The first trains arrived in Redlands around 6 a.m. Small crowds were grouped together in the frigid temperatures to watch the train, now open to the public. It was a mostly uneventful morning with fewer people boarding the train than standing on the platforms. To commemorate the opening of the Redlands University station, the University of Redlands offered refreshments to onlookers and passengers at the station.
All the trains in the rolling stock are all energy efficient by utilizing hybrid engines which will later be replaced by fully electric engines in years to come.
As Congressman Aguilar said, “until those oil companies stop gouging us at the pump, we’re going to have to get more creative with what we do. Investments in transit… one way we can do that.” The trains were originally meant to be light rail vehicles, but it would have surpassed the budget given by the state grant. Instead, the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority opted for heavy diesel trains.
Passengers wait for the Sante Fe passenger train as seen in this historic photograph from more than 90 years ago. (Credit: Redlands Area Historical Society)
The historic Sante Fe train line ran through Redlands starting with the construction of the original Redlands Sante Fe Depot in 1888, but the building we are familiar with today as the Redlands Downtown station was built in 1909 to replace the former structure, according to the National Register of Historical Places. Service of the Sante Fe line ended its passenger service in 1938. The introduction of the train was vital to the city’s export of oranges, as can be seen with the last operating packing house located along the train route.
The opening of the station to passengers after more than 80 years is a momentous occasion for the City of Redlands and its residents. Redlanders will now have access to the large Metrolink network, connecting commuters across Southern California.
With the end of the midterm elections Donald Trump announced his 2024 presidential campaign.
On Tuesday night Trump presented a speech with the announcement at one of his estates in Florida which will be the head office for his campaign.
“In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States,” Trump stated.
In Trump’s speech he recalls his first-term as president and states all of the accomplishments he made. While also contrasting those accomplishments with the economy and current policies with Biden’s presidency.
Trump claimed about inflation, “As we speak, inflation is the highest in over 50 years.”
Trump referred to the withdrawal from Afghanistan as “perhaps the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country, where we lost lives, left Americans behind and surrendered $85 billion worth of the finest military equipment anywhere in the world.”
Though the United States did leave lots of military equipment worth billions, Trump’s criticism with the US withdrawal of Afghanistan is false. Estimated by the Defense Department it was actually estimated to be about $7.1 billion.
In Trump’s speech he also comments on the high prices of gas.
“We were $1.87 a gallon for gasoline, and now it’s sitting at five, six, seven and even eight dollars, and it’s gonna go really bad.”
The 2024 election will be the first presidential election after electoral votes are redistributed with the 2020 census.
Participating students from Stephen Plumb’s SkillsUSA class went to the Redlands Animal Shelter on Oct. 27. Students were taken on a tour around the facility and donated dog and cat toys to the animal shelter.
Animal control officer Kaitlyn Giroux answers questions about animals at Redlands Animal Shelter. Video recorded by Ethan Bounthavy, interview and video editing by Justen Nguyen.
Days before the anniversary of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico which was on Sept. 16, 2016, Hurricane Fiona aroused attention on Sept. 17, 2022, coming to hit the south and central regions of Puerto Rico, which were still recovering from the destruction of Maria before Fiona hit.
Fiona has caused flooding on the streets, mudslides, and has caused hundreds and thousands of people to go without power and water. Up to 20 inches of rain flood the streets, and even in some places, reaching up to 35 inches of rain.
Hurricane Fiona, currently a category four, hit Puerto Rico causing over 20 inches of rain and destroying many homes and roads. Transportation of water, food and fuel has been difficult because of the amount of damage that Fiona has caused and it has also been hard for people who have lost their homes and have no shelter. (Elijah Nouvelage from CNN)
Fiona had been considered a category one hurricane until it began heading to Bermuda and Canada, causing an abundance of damage, and quickly becoming a category four hurricane. President Biden has since declared Fiona a federal disaster.
Ponce, a city in Puerto Rico, has received more than 32 inches of rain and has caused emergency crews to save over 400 people from the flooding. The amount of rain created by Fiona has caused roads to be flooded and has also made mudslides covering the roads and streets of Puerto Rico. This has created a lack of food and water in places that have flooded the most.
Not only is there a shortage of food and water, Fiona has caused hundreds and thousands of citizens to go without power. More than 900,000 people are without power and it is still unknown when power will be brought back to them.
Fiona has caused eight deaths and many people having to be saved by troops. Nearly 150 New Jersey police officers are heading to Puerto Rico to help with the recovery process.
Two waves of 74 troops and one medical doctor are also being sent to Puerto Rico, specifically to the town Vega Baja. It is to help those who were injured during the hurricane.
From Puerto Rico itself, more than 400 members of the Puerto Rico National Guard are helping the government by holding a search and rescue. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is also helping by sending 700 of their staff members to Puerto Rico to help with the recovery efforts.
Hurricane Fiona has caused a devastating amount of damage and is also going to hit Canada. The Washington Post claims Fiona is being considered ‘a storm everybody will remember’ and may be the worst storm Canada has faced. This hurricane may take a while for Puerto Rico to recover and the economy of Puerto Rico will face a multibillion-dollar hit.
Every year on Halloween day, children go door to door collecting various types of candy which typically last a few weeks. This year many people wonder if Halloween candy will last children more than a few days.
Inflation has been on a heavy increase since early last year and is now carrying noticeable effects in citizens everyday lives. Inflation has been on an 8.2 percent increase since September of last year, vastly exceeding the Federal Reserve’s target of 2 percent.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Halloween candy prices are now 13 percent higher than last year. This marks the highest yearly jump the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has ever recorded. To understand the magnitude of this jump, it is necessary to note that in the past it has taken nine years for candy prices to jump 13 percent.
The inflation surrounding Halloween candy is largely due to the increase of prices on sugar and flour. The price of flour alone has gone up by 24 percent in just the last year.
Many US citizens are wondering how these large percent increases directly affect the prices of candy in a way that is relevant to them. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are predicted to collectively spend about 3.1 billion on Halloween candy during this year’s Halloween season. At a 13% increase, a fifteen dollar bag of the most popular assorted Halloween candy adds about two dollars onto the price.
Each classic Halloween candy has been affected in price differently by inflation. Here are the updated prices of some frequently purchased Halloween candy packs according to the US addition of Bloomberg:
Twix: $7.60
Skittles: $4.43
M&M: $4.62
Reses’s Peanut Butter Cups: $8.01
The prices of these candies are extremely expensive compared to the price of the same candy last year. The candy with the highest price jump is Recese’s Peanut Butter Cups jumping from $5.92 to this year’s price of $8.01.
Adidas has ended their partnership officially with Kanye West.
After the recent antisemitic comments said by Kanye West, Adidas and other companies such as Balenciaga and Gap also ended their partnership with him.
On Tuesday, Oct. 25 Adidas released a statement as to why they dropped Kanye West.
“Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness,” said the statemente released by the company.
With the end of their partnership Adidas has also stated that they will stop production on all Yeezy products and stop payment to companies owned by Kanye West immediately.
“After a thorough review, the company has taken the decision to terminate the partnership with Ye immediately, end production of Yeezy branded products and stop all payments to Ye and his companies,” read the statement by Adidas.
Kanye’s remarks toward the Jewish community have brought plenty of backlash and Adidas ending their partnership is just one of the consequences Kanye is facing currently.
Last week Kanye West was a guest on the podcast Drink Champs and stated “The thing about me and Adidas is like…I can say antisemitic things and Adidas can’t drop me. Now what?”
According to Forbes, with the partnership loss with Adidas Kanye West will no longer be a billionaire. Kanye West is estimated to lose $1.5 billion of his net worth.
Recently, California heard the latest news on future plans to combat climate change as of September 23, 2022.
Governor Gavin Newson and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced that by 2035 a ban on the sale of gas-powered vehicles would be implemented in the state of California.
This has been considered a huge success for environmentalists and their fight against climate change, but many voters are against this new ban. This ban will massively affect California environmentally and the rest of the country as well. But, with every progressive step toward a greener future, there’s always a behind-the-scenes.
An electric car from which leaves are being emitted alludes to “clean” fuel and non-carbon transportation. (MIA CALIVA/ETHIC NEWS)
Thousands of electric charging stations will be built in the decades to come to accommodate electronic transportation. Eventually, we will see that electric charging stations outnumber gas stations, and many gas station companies will even transform their gas stations into electric charging sites.
Electric cars come in a large variety, meaning the time taken to fully charge a vehicle can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, keeping in mind possible technological advancements in the future. For this reason, many charging stations will need to be built to provide convenience and avoid traffic as drivers likely will not wait more than 10-20 minutes to charge their car.
Naturally, we will also see home and residential charging stations becoming increasingly common.
There are currently 32 battery-electric vehicle models available in the United States. A large portion of which come from luxury brands such as Tesla, Cadillac, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz.
With the electric car market being made up mostly of luxury brands, it is evident that buying an electric car is not an accommodation many people will be able to make after 2035 and engenders the need for affordable, accessible electric vehicles.
Thankfully, new and future innovations in technology allow for the manufacturing costs of electric vehicles to become cheaper, enabling the production of more affordable cars. The battery manufacturing costs of electric cars are estimated to go down by 77% over the next decade.
California licensed driver and Citrus Valley high school 11th-grade student Mackenzie Cordova says that “due to the high increases of oil prices, having electric cars wouldn’t be the worst idea. It may save our economy in the future.”
Suddenly, the fancy electric cars that seemed so unattainable will eventually be in the same price range as the average gas-powered car.
Gas-powered cars are pictured emitting toxic greenhouse gasses with a dark background alluding to heavy air pollution. (MIA CALIVA/ETHIC NEWS)
As of 2020, 27% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation alone.
The emission of greenhouse gasses worsens climate change because it traps heat within the atmosphere, thus remitting the heat back onto Earth and heating up the planet. This causes extreme weather conditions, droughts, melting of ice caps, and increased wildfires.
In addition, greenhouse gases cause a number of health conditions, including respiratory disease caused by smog and air pollution.
To increase our Earth’s lifespan for the benefit of its inhabitants, including ourselves, decarbonization of transportation is essential.
Despite the fact that banning the sale of gas cars will become extremely beneficial to the health of our environment, our electric vehicle technology has not yet fully ensured clean, zero-carbon cars. Electric cars aren’t as “clean and green” as one may think. Electric vehicles are powered by lithium batteries and contain many other minerals, such as copper and nickel, that are quite costly and dirt to mine. Lithium is extracted from hard rock mines and the mining process causes 15 tons of carbon dioxide emissions for every single ton of mined lithium.
This makes the decarbonization of transportation far less efficient than we are aiming for. If we do not find a cleaner way to manufacture these batteries, our climate change situation will stay exactly the same. As always, we are forced to rely on future innovations and technologies.
For the sake of energy efficiency, climate change, and reduced carbon emissions, this ban will most beneficially impact our world and marks a major stepping stone for our mission in saving the planet.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s first launch of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission was a success. The DART mission’s goal of testing a method of planetary defense against near-Earth objects was achieved.
According to NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, DART was designed to prevent a potential doomsday meteorite collision with Earth. This space mission was not only NASA’s first planetary defense test, but also the world’s first successful planetary defense test.
The spacecraft was roughly the same size of a standard vending machine. The spacecraft crashed into an asteroid called Dimorphous on Sept. 26 at 7:14 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
This photo taken by the DART spacecraft pictures Didymos (a larger body which Dimorphous orbits) in the top left and Dimorphous in the bottom right corner. This photo was taken about two and a half minutes before the collision. (NASA John Hopkins APL)
Asteroid Dimorphous is about the same size as two football fields. Dimorphous is estimated by NASA officials to weigh roughly 11 billion pounds.
DART was first launched on Nov. 24 of 2021 weighing a total of 1,260 lbs. Although DART was significantly smaller than Dimorphous, speed is more important than size in space. DART was traveling at hypersonic speed when it crashed into the distant asteroid Dimorphous.
The collision was videotaped by NASA’s Demonstration Rocket For Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) satellite camera. DRACO was able to record minutes before and minutes after the collision.
Dimorphous posed no real threat to Earth however it provided the perfect opportunity to test the abilities of DART. Although it can’t be determined for another two months whether DART was actually able to alter the path of the asteroid or not, the collision is still considered a huge success because it hit its intended target.
The success of the DART mission creates protection for Earth against the possibility of a tragic asteroid impact. Although this first-time success is only a small step in the direction of total safety, it proves that humanity is no longer powerless in the event of an asteroid and Earth collision natural disaster.
The Supreme Court confirmed the right to have an abortion in the case of Roe v Wade on Jan. 22, 1973. On June 20, 2022, it was overturned.
The vote
Five out of the nine supreme justices chose to overturn the law for abortions. The members of the Court who voted on the overturn included Samuel Alito, Clarence Thoman, Niel Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.
State variations
According to politico.news out of the 50 states in the United States, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine have protections for abortions. The remaining states have either already decided to ban or are in the decision to.
The reproductiverights.org has an interactive map that shows different state policies on abortion.
Consequences
The states that have implanted the no abortion laws have varying consequences for the mother who was found guilty of having an abortion.
Ohio and Alabama have a penalty of jail time up to one year.
South Dakota and South Carolina have jail time for up to two years.
North Carolina has a three year jail sentence with an unknown fine.
Idaho, North Dakota, Arizona, Kentucky and Oklahoma have up to five years. States with up to ten years are Mississipi, Louisiana, Arkansas, West Virginia and Georgia. States with up to 14 years are Wyoming.
States with up to 15 years are Utah, Wisconsin, Missouri and Tennessee.
In Texas, a person can serve up to life for having and abortion.
Across state lines
In many instances, pregnant people who want to terminate their pregnancy but are in a state that does not allow abortions have to cross state lines into a state that does allow abortions.
According to NPR, one example of this is the ten-year old from Ohio, who was pregnant, and had to go to Indiana to terminate her pregnancy. The doctor was then harassed for preforming the abortion.
Terms to know
The Supreme Court is a court that is in charge of ensuring the American people the promise of equal justice under the law. The Supreme Court is made up of nine people. The chief justice, John Roberts, and the eight associate justices, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Elena Kargan, Sonia Sotomayor, Neil Gorsuch, Bret Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
An abortion is a medical procedure to terminate a fetus, typically done within the first trimester of a pregnancy. Many things can effect the choices of having an abortion, in some choices it may not even be what the mother wants. One of many examples of needing an abortion, is an ectopic pregnancy, in which the fertilized egg grows outside the mother’s womb, leading to major health issues and a potential death of both the mother and fetus.
From the beginning of legalizing abortions, there have been two separate groups, pro-choice and pro-life.
Pro-choice means you advocate on the decision whether mothers can choose to go through with a pregnancy or the choice to terminate the fetus.
Pro-life is when you advocate against the idea of abortions, you protest for the life of the fetus growing within the womb. The ban of abortions was ultimately decided by the supreme court.
This past week Hurricane Ian flooded Florida, destroying resident’s homes and causing people to feel through boats and air transportation.
As many rescuers search for survivors Florida counts the death toll. According to Florida’s Medical Examiners Commission the death toll has risen up to at least 100 as of Oct. 3.
“It’s just not the coast of Florida that’s been impacted. We’ve got impacts all the way through Orlando, up to the East Coast. Places like St. Augustine had devastating flooding,” said Craig Fugate, agent of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Florida is not the only place to be hit by Hurricane Ian as Fuagte stated. North and South Carolina have also contributed to the death toll from the hurricane.
“Ian could financially ruin thousands of families in Florida. There’s no better way to say it,” said Mark Friedlander of the Insurance Information Institute.
There are 1.8 million households in the counties of Florida and 1.3 of them do not have federal flood insurance. This means the Hurricane will financially affect Floridians in a very negative way.
The Insurance Information Institute, an industry-funded research group, estimates that Ian has caused at least $30 billion in damage. That would make it roughly the 12th-costliest U.S. disaster since 1980, according to the Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters.
Featured image is from the United States Census Bureau website.
Citrus Valley High School had their 2022 Homecoming dance on Sep.17 on campus. According to a video posted by the Citrus Valley Associated Student Body (ASB) class on instagram, it was their “best one yet.” The event had many activities like pool tables, a photo booth, a 360 camera, casino-style game tables, and a fro-yo truck.
ASB stuck to their word, as there was a DJ set up with screens, lasers, fog, and music to fit the theme of the night, “All of the Lights.” The dance floor was set up in front of the E-builidng in the center of the quad. A stage set up housed the DJ with five different screens, numerous laser beams aiming in all different directions, colorful spotlights, disco balls and fog machines. These special effects combined were able to transform a normal lunch area into an unrecognizable dance floor.
This year’s homecoming dance offered a few different options of sweet treats and finger food for all students, included in the price of the dance ticket. A frozen yogurt truck offered free, and technically unlimited, frozen yogurt in four different flavors: vanilla, chocolate, cookies and cream and strawberry along with both fruit and candy toppings. Other food items included french fries and hot grilled cheese sandwiches, which provided students with some vegetarian options.
Elysa Lebig, Citrus Valley junior, said that “everything except the french fries was good, but not worth the $75 ticket.”
The majority of attendees enjoyed the fro-yo truck and food stands despite the long lines.
The line was long for the 360 camera, but Citrus Valley Senior Brooklyn Timm said “it was awesome” and rated it a “10/10.”
The photo booth also had a long line and Citrus Valley Senior Lily Florez enjoyed the picture quality.
Florez also preferred the digital version “so [she] wouldn’t have to hold the physical copy of it.”
Although some students preferred the physical photos, they were still enjoyed and popular among attendees.
The commonly used game tables reappeared at this year’s Homecoming. The game tables at this year’s dance included pool, blackjack and poker. Even though there were many more tables at this year’s dance in comparison to last year, they were still packed with students who were both eager to play and eager to learn.
Hailey Barrios, Citrus Valley freshman, said, “It was very fun, very fun!”
Featured image: Citrus Valley presented their 2022 homecoming ‘All of the Lights’ on Sept. 17, 2022. (MIA CALIVA/ Ethic News Photo)
Former England ruler Queen Elizabeth II died on Sep. 8 at the age of 96. The announcement was made to the public a few hours after her death by Buckingham Palace, Scotland. According to the palace, she had died peacefully at Balmoral Castle earlier that afternoon from natural causes after being bed sick just a few days earlier. The queen’s eldest son, Charles Windsor, acceded the throne that same day becoming King Charles III of England.
Illustration of Queen Elizabeth’s II crown (Nadia Ceniceros/Ethic News Photo)
Queen Elizabeth II was born Apr. 21, 1926 and became queen of England Feb. 6, 1952 at the age of 27 until her death this year. Queen Elizabeth II reigned for over 70 years, becoming the longest serving British monarch in history. Just a year before in April of 2021, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s husband, passed away due to his age.
Her funeral was held on Sept. 19, twelve days after her death for operation “London Bridge is Down”. The operation is a plan that once the queen passes, there would be an announcement of her death by Buckingham Palace, ten days for the people of Britain to mourn her death, and her funeral.
The funeral was held in the late morning. Members of the Royal family, such as her children and all of her grandchildren, attended the funeral. United States President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden attended the funeral along with many more countries’ royals and presidents.
Many people said their last goodbyes to the queen and honored her and what she did for England and her people. During the funeral, her casket was carried by the courtage twenty-eight miles from London to Windsor in a car and was carried out by guards with her crown resting on top to get as many people to gather and say their final goodbyes.
On Sept. 8, 2022, Spanish teacher Michael Celano hosted a luncheon commemorating the French exchange student Adèle Morin and her experiences living with Jennifer Baldwin, Redlands East Valley High School’s French Teacher. The luncheon began with introductions of everyone in attendance, including ASB advisor Jennifer Garret, a number of teachers from the foreign language department, and various student body representatives.
Students and staff gathered in Michael Celano’s classroom on Sept. 8 for a luncheon commemorating the French exchange student, Adèle Morin (Spencer Moore/ETHIC News).
Morin had an arduous journey to the United States, which began with her landing in New York City, where she and other foreign exchange students explored Times Square as their tour guide assisted them in acclimating to the different cultural and societal expectations of the United States. After their original flight to New York, the students went their separate ways, with Morin flying into the Ontario International Airport, but not before she was hit with a 12 hour delay.
Fortunately for Morin, she had been taking English language classes since the beginning of 6th grade, as per French standard. To expand her linguistic knowledge, Morin began studying the English language in her personal time, beginning with her favorite English-Language television shows on Netflix.
Track team member and REV Junior Adèle Morin, focal point of Celano’s luncheon. (Spencer Moore/ETHIC News).
For American classes, Morin stated, “My favorite class would probably be AP Psych because the teacher, Mr. Brown, is very funny”.
After high school, Morin does plan to attend a four year university, and when prompted on whether she would prefer scholarship in France or the United States, Morin said, ”I don’t know, I have the ability to do either, and in Germany as well”.
Morin further stated about schooling in France versus schooling in the United States, “For school, I definitely prefer here, because of all of the teams and clubs, it’s really cool”.
Overall, the luncheon allowed for Morin to share her story as a French exchange student, and further introduced both students and staff to a foreign culture.
Citrus Valley High School’s Homecoming dance is quickly approaching. In order to get students excited for the dance, as well as giving them inspiration for attire, ASB held a Homecoming fashion show. The fashion show was held during lunch in front of the E-building on Monday, Aug. 29th. Students gathered around the stage watching as pairs of friends and couples walked down the catwalk showcasing their handshakes and outfits. Students from all grades participated in the fashion show and had a blast. This year’s homecoming theme is “All of the Lights”, and is being held at Citrus Valley High School from 7-11pm on September 17th.
Photo 1: All fashion show participants gather on the stage as the show comes to an end. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/ Ethic News Photo)
Photo 2: Sophomore Lucas Teeter grabs phone to take a point-five picture with the crowd. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/ Ethic News Photo)
Photo 3: The freshman prince, Teagan, shows off the his blue suit. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/ Ethic News Photo)
Photo 4: Freshman Teagan and Tori give their special handshake for the crowd. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/ Ethic News Photo)
Photo 5: Seniors Kaelynn and David show the crowd their homecoming outfits. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/ Ethic News Photo)
Photo 6: Fashion show participants prepare for grand finale. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/ Ethic News Photo)
The Redlands East Valley High School Mental Health Awareness Club held a suicide prevention event during lunch on Thursday Sept. 8, 2022.
The booth was held in observance of National Suicide Prevention Week which is from Sept. 4 to Sept. 10.
“I think that it’s good that more people are talking about mental health and the stigma around it,” said sophomore Eliana Campa, “So, the booth was really cool because people were able to talk about what mental health is and why it’s important.”
At the booth, there were pins with green ribbons for mental health awareness, candy for students, and a positive affirmation station. There students were able to write positive anecdotes on notes or on a poster that will be hung up at REV. Finally, an interactive mental health check was available where students could have placed a paint dot for how they were doing in a certain section.
“I was in charge of the positive affirmation notes,” said Mental Health Awareness Club Vice President and senior Amélie Palacios, “and I saw that many students were more than happy to leave a kind note for a student that would need it in the future.”
“[Mental Health Awareness Club’s] goal is to provide a safe space to learn, talk and listen to each other,” said Mental Health Awareness Club President and senior Sarinna Schwendiman.
Mental Health Awareness Club’s next event is their annual Mental Health Fair where multiple clubs from REV and organizations from the county hold educational booths with games, giveaways or resources.
On Sept. 8, 2022 during lunch time, Wildcats came by the Mental Health Awareness Club’s booth dedicated to suicide prevention. There were many activities at the booth including an interactive mental health check and a positive affirmation station. Among the Wildcats, sophomore Eliana Campa picks up a pin and reads the table cover which shows that National Suicide Prevention Week and a crisis hotline: 988. (Credit / Amélie Palacios)
Orangewood High School hosted their first Black Student Union meeting this year on Aug.31 at lunch.
The staff who attended the meeting were Orangewood AVID Coordinator and teacher LouAnn Perry, Family and Community Liaison and BSU advisor LaRena Garcia and Orangewood teacher and BSU advisor Vanessa Aranda.
There were around 35 students and pizza was provided for all the kids that attended.
“The meeting was an introduction about BSU and it was also enjoyable and entertaining,” said Orangewood senior Blessen Thomas.
At the meeting they talked about upcoming events like the Soul Food Fest on Sept. 11 at Ed Hales Park and the Historical Black College and University Fair.
“This was a good time and it was for students who wanted to join BSU. It’s a new club at Orangewood,” said Orangewood senior Anniyah Allison.
A rendering of the state street village project with a view of how state street would be connected through the ceremonial arch in the center. (Credit / Zimmerman Visual)
With close collaboration with the city and community, Village Partners Incorporated had success at the approval of their project to develop the Redlands Mall at a joint meeting between the City Council and the Planning Commission on Tuesday, May 10, 2022. For about five hours, the developers presented the design to the city officials and held discussions regarding suggestions and revisions the city council wanted to make.
A look at both sides of the split state street in an old newspaper when the construction for the Redlands Mall was to begin in 1977. (Credit / Newspapers.com)
Before its construction in the 1970s, State Street connected between the now east and west portions of the road. There were six standard city blocks that were demolished, including the historic La Posada Hotel, to make way for a new mall that would bring new business into the city. With two stories, the other being underground, stores such as Gottshalks and Harris’ occupied the building.
Its popularity began to wane in the nineties and early 2000s once the more popular stores that occupied the mall began to be replaced by lesser known companies. In 2009, Gottshalks permanently closed their store which led to the whole mall’s closure in 2010.
Since then, the building has been rendered vacant with the exception of CVS, the only remaining tenant. Though there has been controversy surrounding the appearance of the mall, its commercial parking lot has been utilized for special events such as the Redlands Bowl, the Bicycle Classic, and the Redlands Christmas Parade, just to name a few.
The new State Street Village project began with the acquisition of the mall by the private real estate investment firm, Brixton Capital Limited Partnership in July of 2014. They worked with the land developing company, Village Partners Inc., to transform the Redlands Mall into a more modern and lively space. A sample of their previous projects include the Village at Montclair and Tierra del Rey. In 2018, early designs were conceived to reconnect both sides of State Street with commercial and residential buildings on either side.
Another visual rendering of how people may spend their time around the stores and residential units. (Credit / Zimmerman Visual)
People in Redlands have been divided on whether they want new developments and high buildings or not. Mr. Macomber, an English teacher at Redlands East Valley felt, “It’s time for it to move on, it’s been abandoned for far too long.”
This future for the new look of Redlands will transform downtown for a new generation of Redlanders to experience by 2025. The reconstruction of the mall area will bring newer, modern spaces and commercial business to the community, just as the Redlands Mall did in the 80s.
Citrus Valley’s annual club rush took place on Aug. 26, 2022. Club rush is when most of the CV clubs gather together in CV’s quad to give out information about their club. This is especially helpful for incoming freshmen who want to join a club but don’t exactly know what their new school has to offer.
Club Rush was held in the quad during lunch. Some of the popular clubs at club rush included Blackhawks for Change, Asian student union, Cars and Coffee, Auto Shop, Black Student Union, Multicultural Dance, Possibilities, Hispanic Heritage, and Interact club.
In total, thirty-four Citrus Valley Clubs attended club rush. Club rush gives many students the opportunity to join a club, socialize, and to develop many skills that the clubs at Citrus Valley offer to students.
The multitude of clubs gave many options to this year’s arriving freshman.
Freshman Karla Ziga Ortega said, “I’m looking to join the Hispanic Heritage club because I love my Mexican pride and supporting people, and I’m already in Yearbook, but it would be nice to see everyone coming together and to unite.”
Freshman Ellie Caliva said, “I want to join the Asian Student Union.” The Asian Student Union is a very popular club at CV that celebrates many aspects of Asian culture.
Club Rush was considered a success by many freshmen, including Caliva, who said that “It was good, I had fun,” and Ortega, who said that she “[liked] all the free stuff, [everything] looked good. I don’t know if I can commit to everything but I’ll try to join at least one club.”
Photo 1: Students gather around the Black Student Union tent to learn more about the club. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/ Ethic News Photo)
Photo 2: Students flood the quad during lunch time, walking around with friends and peers as they learn about the clubs at Citrus Valley. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/ Ethic News Photo)
Photo 3: Students stop by the Environmental Club table to learn about the club. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/ Ethic News Photo)
Photo 4: Amber Sibbett, a sophomore at CV, passes out flyers to by passers reeling people in to join the Improv club on campus. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/ Ethic News Photo)
Photo 5: Trevor Lam, a junior at CV poses for a picture holding up a sign advertising for the Asian Student Union (ASU) at club rush (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/ Ethic News Photo)
By MAURICIO PLIEGO, ALEXANDRA VERDUZCO and GEFFREY ACOSTA
The Associative Student Body, opened up the new school year for students at Redlands East Valley High School with a rally in the Wildcat Gym on August 19. Senior Pep Commissioners Emma Guerrero, Seth Bruer and Ruben Villanueva introduced Fall sports captains and the new sports student section, the Redzone.
Jahir Garcia, a senior at REV, said, “the best one yet to start off senior year.”
Throughout the rally, various REV student groups performed, such as the Colorguard, Junior Varsity, Varsity, and Songie Cheerleaders.
Three total games were played, the first two by the students and the third by the teachers. The first was a game called “Disney Musical Chairs” where students wore distortion goggles and had to find a chair when the music was over, but the third was a tug-o-war between teachers from various departments and the loser would be “slimed” as the famous Nickelodeon game show works.
Finally, the Pep Commissioners introduced the freshman class of 2026 to “class calls” where students attempt to be the loudest to yell their graduation year.
Carey Rowan, a sophomore, said “ I liked the enthusiasm and class calls, I wish they had more seating.”
Senior Brooke Rowan said, “It was fun and went well, minimal mistakes and really hot. More seating would be nice.”
From left to right: Redlands East Valley Fall sports captains, Brooklynn Rios (12), Aliyah Maciel (12), Aubrey Rivas (12), Celine Hill (12), Analicia Swanson (12), Charlize Munar (12), Maryn Strong (12), Abigail Washburn (12), Vivian Bosch (11) and Ainsley Zercher (11). Team captains introduce themselves to the crowds of students and the sport they represent and lead. (GEFFREY ACOSTA/ Ethic News).
Senior Pep Commissioner Seth Bruer encourages the last remaining players as they wait for the music to end and run for the remaining chair in the game at rally in the Redlands East Valley High School gym. (GEFFREY ACOSTA / Ethic News)
Players from each grade are waiting for the music to end to run and find a chair to stay in the game and continue to the next round. The rally includes a variety of games, performances, and introductions by various students and organizations at Redlands East Valley High School. (GEFFREY ACOSTA / Ethic News)
California’s gas prices are going down everyday and it seems like it’s going to keep lowering.
California’s gas prices have been one of the highest in the nation, but it seems like car owners are finally getting a sense of relief.
According to the Automobile Association of America, the overall national average gas price per gallon has dropped to $4, which means it has been the lowest since March of this year. On August 12 the average U.S. price for a gallon of gas was $3.98.
Other than the national average price for gasoline, California’s average regular gas price has gone down by 11.5% compared to last month’s average.
There are a couple of reasons why gas prices are falling.
AAA spokesperson John Treanor has said “Prices in California, Like the rest of the country, are dropping due to decrease of demand.”
According to Treanor, AAA has done a survey on drivers and learned that 67% of drivers have changed how much they drive due to gas prices being on the rise.
“The demand for gas goes down as people drive less, thereby lowering the overall cost of gas,” said Treanor.
The decrease in gas prices are not officially set since the demand for gas can go high at any moment which means gas prices can go up again.
Gas prices can be very flexible and can change fast depending on the demand.
Since the beginning of the school year, high school students in the Redlands Unified School District, and around the country, have been preparing for the Advanced Placement exams offered by the College Board.
Taking place during the first two weeks of May 2022, from May 2 to 13, each AP exam takes approximately two to four hours, depending on the subject of testing.
At Redlands East Valley High School, students are expected to show up to their assigned test start time and testing sites. Testing will take place at J-35, J-23 or the media center at 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.
The Redlands Unified School District’s elementary school bands visited Citrus Valley High School for performances and instruction on Tuesday, April 14. The elementary schools included Bryn Mawr, Mission, Crafton, Highland Grove and Victoria. Beattie Middle School’s sixth and seventh grade band members also made an appearance.
During their visit, the fourth and fifth grade students sat through a performance by the third period Wind Ensemble. The advanced group has worked for many weeks preparing for the kids and their performance of “Carnegie Anthem,” “Amparito Roca,” and “Star Trek Theme,” which will also be performed at the spring concert in May.
After the ensemble was finished, the elementary students were able to perform for the high school students while getting music tips from other music coordinators who also visited Citrus Valley. By the end of their workshop, the ensemble students claimed they could hear improvement in the children’s playing.
The fifth and fourth graders of the Redlands Unified School District enjoy a day full of music at Citrus Valley High School on April 14. (DESTINY RAMOS/ Ethic News photo)
The Redlands East Valley senior class of 2022 gathered at lunch on April 29 to celebrate senior commit day—an event to recognize the future graduates education plans after high school.
Between the M and K buildings at REV, the Associated Student Body set up a small gathering of free pizza, soda and chips for the seniors attending college in the fall.
Because the grass yard between both buildings was closed off for only seniors, the students were able to enjoy the lunch with themselves and connect with each other about their plans for college.
“It was nice being able to see where other people are committed to. It makes it feel as if we’re going our separate ways but we’ll always have a shared high school experience,” says Alicia Gullon, a senior at REV with plans to attend University of California, Berkeley.
“It makes it feel as if we’re going our separate ways but we’ll always have a shared high school experience.”
Redlands East Valley High School senior Alicia Gullon
Along with eating food, the students could also take photos together in front of the photo booth with friends and sign a banner with their name and the college they plan on attending.
Between the M and K buildings at Redlands East Valley High School, Wildcat seniors Prescott Neiswender and Katelyn Kennedy pose in front of a decorated photo booth to take a photo for Senior Commit Day on April 29 during lunch. (ELLA FITZPATRICK/Ethic News photo)
Redlands East Valley seniors Giselle Sefiane Coady, Ella Martinez-Spencer, Luca Smith and Corey Ford sign a banner with their names and the colleges they plan on attending in the fall on Senior Commit Day at REV on April 29. ( ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News photo)
All students in Redlands are invited to participate in the Redlands Day of Community Service on Saturday, May 7 from 8:30 am to noon.
Steven Mapes, community member, invites everyone of all ages to come out and take part in the Redlands Day of community service. Mapes encourages students to wear their respective school colors to uplift others by seeing the youth serving in our community.
Digital image representing a day of community service created using Adobe Spark (MAURICIO PLIEGO/ Ethic image)
“One of the best things about the Community Day of Service is the way that it brings so many different people together,” said Judy Cannon, Director of Communications for the Redlands Stake of Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints. “We have all age groups and affiliations working alongside each other. It’s part of what makes Redlands so great.”
Students can obtain volunteer hours and take pride in their community by partaking in Redlands Day of Community Service.
“Some of our favorite volunteers are the students from our local high schools. They bring their youthful energy and a unique spirit of fun to the day,” said Cannon.
To volunteer visit Just Serve and search for “Redlands Day of Service May 7th, 2022.” From there, choose a project to participate in.
The projects to choose from are: Heritage Park-Grounds Landscaping, State Street Planters, Redlands Sports Park Fence-Painting, Ford Park Pond Stabilization and Gateway Ranch Cable Fencing.
On March 17, a protest was organized on Opal and Colton Avenue by #savefash, a movement created by the Redlands East Valley Associated Student Body junior class in hopes of reinstating their advisor, Matt Fashempour, of eight years.
Members of the ASB class felt that there was not an explanation given.
Robert Clarey, the REV Principal, says, “ This is a personnel decision and, as such, it would be unprofessional of me to discuss openly.”
Shannon Cockerill, current senior and ASB Executive President at REV, says, “I realize protest and petitions don’t guarantee anything, so at the very least, I hope Fashempour gets an explanation and he see’s just how many people support him and appreciates everything he does.”
Clarey says, “I hear the rumors as well, it is unfortunate that a lack of information causes people to make up their own narrative. People feel the need to be in the know…or at least to appear that they are in the know.”
More students joined the crowd throughout the morning prior to the start of school. Participants received shirts printed by a parent of one of the students involved and held student-created posters.
Redlands East Valley High School junior Nathan Derry holds a “Save Fash” poster along the sideline of Colton Avenue before school on March 17. (AVA LARSON/ Ethic News photo)
Redlands East Valley High School sophomores Lily Shaw and Amanda Morrison carry posters for passing cars to “honk for Fash” along the sideline of Colton Avenue before school on March 17. (AVA LARSON/ Ethic News photo)
At Orangewood High School, a new cell phone policy is starting on April 4. This policy was created due to cell phone abuse taking up class time. There will also be new consequences to go with it.
The new policy states that starting on April 4, teachers may allow the use of cell phones or any electronic devices for a designated time “for a specific educational opportunity” or if there is an emergency, but there must be a verbal “explicit permission” before the electronic device is pulled out to be used.
As with any rules, there are consequences for using these devices without the permission of school personnel.
According to the policy, the first offense will result in the teacher issuing a verbal warning, with the parents or guardians being notified.
The second offense will have the device confiscated for the rest of the school day, but will be “released to the student.”
The third offense will be having the device once again confiscated “for the remainder of the school day,” and parents or guardians will have to come to the Orangewood High School administration office and pick up the device.
The policy states, “Orangewood High school is not responsible for stolen, lost, or damaged electronic devices.”
Some students at Orangewood are not too pleased to be having this new policy and others say they understand the reason for it.
Johnathan McGuire, a junior at Orangewood said, “I think they should change it, not like get rid of it, but revise it.”
Monica Penunuri, a sophomore at Orangewood, states “I don’t like it, but I get it.”
Students can attend School Site Council meetings and discuss their concerns with the staff.
The State of the Union address is given annually by the President of the United States to Congress to give information on the state of the union. At this address, the President usually proposes measures to Congress that he feels necessary.
This year’s State of the Union Address was given on March 1 by President Joseph Biden.
This address covered topics such as of Eastern Europe conflicts, economy, child care, health care, immigration and Coronavirus.
Image of President Biden who gave the State of the Union Address before Congress on March 1, 2022. Here, he tackled issues affecting Americans both internationally and domestically. “Joe Biden” by Gage Skidmore is marked with CC BY-SA 2.0.
With the invasion of Ukraine at hand during the time of the speech, President Biden felt the need to address the battle between democracy and autocracy.
During his speech, Biden said, “In the battle between democracy and autocracy, democracies are rising to the moment, and the world is clearly choosing the side of peace and security.”
This sentence is referring to the many countries around the world supporting Ukraine during this crisis. Countries are sending aid in various ways to Ukraine such as supplying economic help, military equipment and medical supplies. President Biden feels that Russia is even more isolated from the world now with the help of these nations.
Biden said that Putin “badly miscalculated” when invading Ukraine.
With the U.S. cutting off Russia’s banks from the international financial system, President Biden states the U.S. is “preventing Russia’s central bank from defending the Russian ruble, making Putin’s $630 billion ‘war fund’ worthless.”
President Biden also discussed the topic of funding the police. Biden made it clear that he proposes funding the police.
Biden said, “We should all agree: The answer is not to defund the police. The answer is to fund the police with the resources and training they need to protect our communities.”
Additionally, President Biden discussed the current state of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden spoke about how a majority of the country is now mask-free and most Americans are vaccinated.
Biden said, “COVID-19 need no longer controls our lives”.
The topic of inflation was also brought up during the address.
President Biden stated that his “top priority is getting prices under control.”
He suggested that we achieve this goal with a few strategies. Firstly, he authorized releasing Strategic Petroleum Reserve oil. Biden also shunned price gouging and promoted America making its own products.
Biden said, “Instead of relying on foreign supply chains, let’s make it in America.”
He called for companies to lower the costs of goods, not the wages of employees. He wants America to start creating more cars, semiconductors, infrastructure and innovation.
Towards the end of the speech, President Biden brought up his thoughts on cancer research. His plan is to “end cancer as we know it.”
Biden aims to achieve this goal by increasing government funding to cancer research. He wants over the next 25 years for cancer death rates to decrease by 50%.
By ELLA FITZPATRICK, CYRUS ENGELSMAN, DANIELA MORA, MIA ARANDA, MIRIAM YORDANOS, AILEEN JANEE CORPUS and KENDRA BURDICK
To raise more awareness and combat the mental health stigma at Redlands East Valley High School, the Mental Health Awareness club hosted a mental health fair from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on March 8 in the main quad.
Wildcat students explore the Mental Health Fair during third period in the main quad on the East Valley campus to participate in the Mental Health Fair on Tuesday, March 8. (ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News photo)
Julie Castillo, teacher of the Mental Health Career Pathway classes at REV who advises the Mental Health Awareness club at REV, says, “People know what they hear in the media. People know what they hear from friends. People know what they hear from family. But people don’t always know what people who work in the field of mental health want them to know.”
“Many people with serious mental illness are challenged doubly. On one hand, they struggle with the symptoms and disabilities that result from the disease,” according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. “On the other, they are challenged by the stereotypes and prejudice that result from misconceptions about mental illness.”
Booths led by students from the mental health pathway classes, clubs on campus and organizations partnered with the Mental Health Awareness Club and offered a variety of different resources, education, and activities.
“The mental health fair is here to educate people who know nothing about mental health,” says Castillo.
“We always need to bring this education and awareness to the public. And that has always been our main goal: to eradicate the stigma through the education of mental health, wellness, and illness,” says Castillo.
Mental health resource and education booths
Through Castillo’s efforts, the Mental Health Awareness club and the mental health career pathway classes were able to team up with multiple mental health organizations based outside of REV.
These outside organizations that made an appearance, and also made up half of the 20 booths at the fair, included The Spring to Autumn Counseling Services, the Colton-Redlands-Yucaipa Regional Occupational Program, the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health, the Behavioral Medical Center of Loma Linda Hospital, Redlands Unified School District employees, the University of Redlands Alliance for Community Transformation and Wellness members, the Inland Empire Therapy Dogs, the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools and Generation Rise.
Ranger, a dog who works with the Inland Empire Therapy Dogs, poses for a picture looking into the sun. He joined other dogs from the program at the Mental Health Fair at REV to receive pets and belly rubs from the students visiting the fair. (ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News photo)
Wildcats students eagerly wait for their turn using the virtual reality headset offered by the Colton-Redlands-Yucaipa Regional Occupational Program on Tuesday, March 8. (ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News photo)
The other ten booths were run by students from the Mental Health Awareness Club and the mental health career pathway classes. The students put together educational booths on various mental health topics and coping skills.
Above: Joshua Zatarain, a junior at Redlands East Valley High School, plays a game at the Mental Health Awareness Club booth at the Mental Health Fair on March 8. Joshua Masangcay, a senior and the president of the Mental Health Awareness club, shows Zatarain how to play the game. The game involves throwing a ball towards a pyramid of collapsable cans; if the player successfully knocks down a can, they win the game. (ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News photo)
Redlands East Valley High School seniors Avery Zercher and Grace Mcastell, students in the mental health careers pathway classes, give a presentation on the realities of substance abuse at a booth for the Mental Health Fair on Tuesday, March 8. (ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News photo)
Redlands East Valley High School junior Breanna Routhieux and senior Alison Bradshaw provide information about different types of foods that improve brain health at their nutrition booth at the Mental Health Fair on Tuesday, March 8. (ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News photo)
REV’s clubs, including Rock Painting Club, the Wildcat Pride Association and Art Club, were also encouraged to participate in the fair with their own educational booths about stigmas and how to practice healthy mental wellness.
Rock Painting Club
The Rock Painting Club’s booth provided students with supplies to paint their own rocks that they could keep.
Redlands East Valley High School freshmen Vibha Athreya (left) and Eliana Campa (right) use the booth’s supplies to paint rocks on Tuesday, March 8 in the Wildcat quad. (MIA ARANDA/ Ethic News photo)
“Rock painting is a way to prevent stress and find a healthy coping mechanism,” said Rock Painting Club President and senior Tejazvi Gopalan.
Rock Painting Club President and senior Tejazvi Gopalan helps oversee the booth where students had the opportunity to paint their own rocks on Tuesday, March 8 in the Wildcat quad. (ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News photo)
Rock Painting Club welcomes any new members every Thursday at lunch in room K110 to paint rocks that can either be kept for personal use or be used to help decorate the campus.
Art Club
Art Club’s booth allowed students to display their emotions on paper by scribbling on paper then using colors to express the emotions they feel daily.
Art Club encourages different interpretations of art, therefore they reinforced the idea that not everyone’s color interpretations will not be the same.
“Most of us, whether we know it or not, have a mental illness of some sort. Eliminating the stigma is really going to be beneficial for the future,” said Art Club Vice President junior Lana Nutter.
Wildcat Pride Association
The Wildcat Pride Association had a booth with a game of Myth or Fact where WPA Vice President Finn Stewart would make a statement and it would be up to the player to decide if the statement was a myth or a fact. If the participant got the statement correct, then they would be able to get a raffle ticket and a candy or prize.
“Our station is about mental health in the LGBTQ+ community and how it’s stigmatized, and we have written down myths and facts about certain parts of it,” said junior and WPA Vice President Finn Stewart.
Wildcat seniors Rishi Patel, Neo Morrison and Corey Ford talk to Finn Stewart, the vice president of The Wildcat Pride Association, as they fill out an interactive worksheet for their class. The worksheet was provided by Julia Castillo to encourage students to interact with the booths at the fair by answering the questions as they went around visiting booths. (ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News photo)
The WPA had a poster presenting facts about LGBTQIA+ mental health.
Stewart said, “We have a lot of help lines. The fair will be more awareness for students to understand more about people with mental illness and understand that they shouldn’t be hidden away from society and they should be considered people too even though they are struggling with something.”
Student table on schizophrenia
The student-run schizophrenia booth offered educational information about what it’s like to have the mental illness. The booth also provided knowledge on the experiences people have when living with it.
Alicia Gullon and Shannon Cockerill, Wildcat seniors and members of the Mental Health Awareness Club, educate students on the realities of schizophrenia on Tuesday, March 8. Seniors Shireen Takkouch, Luck Mathis and Gavin Oliver watch as senior Isabella-Martinez Spencer plays an interactive game of “this or that” on the computer. (ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News photo)
REV junior Jaylene Lopez said that the booth not only had information to learn about schizophrenia but it also had an interactive game you can play. The game provided a little insight as to how it feels to have schizophrenia and if the player can handle living with it.
Lopez says, “if you really wanna learn, you’re gonna learn more about different types of mental illnesses and different ways to help cope with other mental illnesses.”
The San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health
At the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health booth, they offered pamphlets and flyers about urgent mental health care, teenage depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, adverse childhood experiences and more.
The pamphlets offered resources and included symptoms of mental health illness that are common within teens.
Volunteer Services Coordinator Susan Abito said, “This event is going to open up a dialogue between the students, where maybe they might not feel comfortable talking. But, now that everyone here and there is a lot of support, they will be more open to discuss mental health.”
Charlotte Baldes, a Wildcat senior, talks with Lana Frausto who works with the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health. Baldes and Frausto discuss mental health resources and potential volunteer program information provided at their booth at the Mental Health Fair at in the Wildcat quad on Tuesday, March 8. (ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News photo)
After two years of the pandemic, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the removal of the indoor school mask mandate to be effective on March 12. This shift in mask policy corresponds with Newsom’s Feb. 18 announcement that California had shifted into the phase of treating coronavirus as an endemic.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “We’re moving toward a time when COVID isn’t a crisis, but it’s something we can protect against and treat.”
Armani Silberzahn a sophomore states “I’m honestly really happy about it, masks were never really an issue for me to wear but if I had a choice I wouldn’t wear them. I literally just wore them for whatever safety they provided and others comfortability.”
“Several states are moving to eliminate mask mandates as the number of reported coronavirus cases dips to its lowest level since December, when the highly contagious Omicron variant touched off a wave of cases,” according to the New York Times.
Sophia Piper, a junior at Citrus Valley said, “I think it will make a divide between people with a mask and people without one. Some people won’t care. But it will definitely make a divide in the classroom.”
Posted signs around Citrus Valley High School remind staff and students to wear a mask. The school indoor mask mandate ends in California, effective after March 11. (BELLA ESPINOZA/ Ethic News photo)
A study researching COVID’s secondary attack rates focused on eight public school districts in Massachusetts, with around 70 schools and a little over 33,000 enrolled students, during the 2020–21 school year. The study found a secondary attack rate of 11.7% for the unmasked students versus the 1.7% for masked students.
Rebecca Garcia, Citrus Valley freshman, said, ”I believe the mask mandate should still be in effect. We can’t always rely on what the government says because sometimes we know our own communities better.”
With the mask mandate now taking its leave, many Americans have been urged to receive the COVID vaccine. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccine received full FDA approval after tens of thousands of clinical trials spanning up to twelve months, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
“I believe the mandate was good the way it was already,” said Christopher Kuzdal, a senior at Citrus Valley. “Since the mandate was organized so that masks were only required indoors, I think that created a good combination of masks on and off. I think at the very least, masks should be required indoors to help stop the spread.”
Up to 70% of Californians have taken the vaccine with 72M doses administered as of Mar. 9, according to Our World in Data.
In regards to mask-wearing once the mandate is lifted, Citrus Valley English teacher Stephen Howard said, “I will probably keep it on for a while depending on how the kids are doing with it. If kids are still wearing the mask I want to do what they are doing. Supporting them and what and what their choices are.”
According to the CDC, “A study of an outbreak aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, an environment notable for congregate living quarters and close working environments, found that use of face coverings on-board was associated with a 70% reduced risk of infection.”
Fernando Ramirez, Citrus Valley physical education teacher, said that he respects “people that might have compromised immune system or family members or close friends that have those issues so if they prefer me to have a mask on, I will put it on in respect to them, but if it is okay not to have it, I’ll have it off.”
A re-enactment of a student tossing a face mask into the trash can near the Citrus Valley High School outdoor quad area. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the school mask mandate will be effective after March 11. (BELLA ESPINOZA/ Ethic News photo)
K-12 schools in California will mandate the vaccine starting Jan. 1 2023 as announced by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Ramirez’s said that people “should be able to make their own choice for their own health while also exhibiting a consensus for their community. So as long as they are considerate of other people they can make good decisions.”
“I would love it if we would be more responsible when we don’t feel well and wear a mask. Hopefully we will be moving out of this,” said Howard.
National Read Across America was established in 1998 to encourage children and adults to find enjoyment in reading. March 2 has continued to be National Read Across America day, where groups such as local police, city council officials and high school students go to elementary schools to read to children.
Celebrated on the birthday of Theodore Seuss Geisel, American author of children’s books under the pen name Dr. Seuss, National Read Across America day is distinguished by the tradition of reading his stories such as “Green Eggs and Ham,” “Horton Hears a Who,” and “The Lorax.”
This year, Redlands East Valley High School students went to Crafton Elementary, Judson and Brown Elementary, Mariposa Elementary and Mentone Elementary. Each school gave the high school students two hours to read to as many classes as possible.
Shannon Cockerill, Alicia Gullon, Ella Fitzpatrick and Katelyn Kennedy read the children’s book “The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt to a group of second-grade students on Wednesday, March 2 at Mariposa Elementary School in Redlands, CA for Read Across America. (Credit to Anthony Gomez)
“Interacting with kids brings a whole new wonder of joy,” says Shannon Cockerill, a senior at REV. “When working with them, they have so much energy and joy.”
At Mariposa Elementary School, the 22 participants from REV were given booths–which were set up on the field–to coordinate. At the five booths, classes of about 20 elementary school students would rotate to as many booths as they wanted and each booth offered a different reading and activity.
Gavin Oliver, Shireen Takkouch, Carston Marich, Isabella Martinez-Spencer and Soraya Gisele Sefiane Coady read a book by Dr. Seuss to a class of elementary school students at Mariposa Elementary School on Wednesday, March 2 in Redlands, CA for Read Across America. (ELLA FITZPATRICK / Ethic News photo)
“It was a lot of fun! I helped read ‘The Day The Crayons Quit’ and helped set up relay activities for the kids,” said Alicia Gullon, a senior at REV.
Seniors Piper Hanson, Ella Fitzpatrick, Lily Cooper, Alicia Gullon, Shannon Cockerill, Emiline Morrison, Tejazvi Gopalan, Katelyn Kennedy, Denver Neff, Isha Saife, Shireen Takkouch, Riley Bouer, Nicholas Sadowski, Gavin Oliver, Carston Marich, Isabella Martinez-Spencer, Soraya Gisele Sefiane Coady, Rishi Patel, Nicholas Perna, Corey Ford, Patrick McIntyre and Sammy Zackowski pose for a photo in front of a mural on Wednesday, March 2 at Mariposa Elementary School located in Redlands, CA. They participate in Read Across America which involves reading books and playing games with the elementary students. (Courtesy of Juliann Ford)
At Judson and Brown Elementary, 13 students were given books to read to children, and hats to wear. Students were told to read their books from one class to another, rotating between classrooms and reading to all grade levels.
Similar to the group who visited Judson and Brown Elementary, the group of REV students who went to Mentone Elementary school were also instructed to go to every classroom and read a book or two to the students.
“It was really cool,” says Arnie James Corpus, a senior at REV who visited Mentone Elementary School. “All of the kids wanted to hear the stories and were full of questions. It was very heartwarming to have been able to read to them.”
Editor’s note: The Mariposa Elementary School group photo credit was mistakenly given to Ella Fitzpatrick in the original post. It has since been corrected to Juliann Ford on March 8 at 2:57 p.m.
Redlands and other cities were greeted with unexpected snowfall across the Inland Empire on Feb. 23, 2022.
According to the Washington Post, a severe drop in temperature was reported to be expected in the Central United States starting the week of Feb. 21, 2022. Cold winds of 20 to 40 degrees were set to blow into the Northern and Midwest areas of the country.
Picture taken at the end of third period at 10:36 a.m. on the top of the stairs connected to the K-wing (ELLA FITZPATRICK/ Ethic News Photo)
The sudden blast of cold weather was initially thought to only make an appearance in the early hours of the morning, being a time of colder temperature. However, near the end of third period at 10:20 a.m., students and staff at Redlands East Valley High School were surprised by a light snowfall.
During fourth period, snow began to fall in the quad area of Redlands East Valley High School (SPENCER MOORE/ Ethic News photo)
The dramatic change of weather from cloudy and partly sunny to snowing roused excitement among students and staff at REV. Some students were even let out of their classrooms to enjoy the snow, which is a rare occurrence in Redlands.
“It was super unexpected, and I like that my teacher let us all out of class to go look at it,” says Rose Blatchley, a sophomore at REV.
The snowfall lasted for almost an hour, continuing until the middle of REV’s lunchtime which starts at 12:39 p.m. and ends at 1:09 p.m..
Sophomore Jolene Kilday explains her joy in seeing the snow this time of year. (SPENCER MOORE/ Ethic News photo)
The Associated Student Body at Redlands East Valley High School is organizing its annual Executive Cabinet election for the incoming class of 2023 Seniors. The election ballot will become open on a Google Form on Feb. 9, with two candidates for three positions such as president, vice-president, and secretary with treasurer having no challenger for the position. Voting ends on Feb. 11.
An image depicting a person casting a vote in an election. (MAURICIO PLIEGO/Ethic News image)
Candidates for President
Marin Mohr
Marin Mohr is a current junior and candidate for the Executive President position. She has worked the last three years as class president and is saddened that this will be her last year campaigning but is hopeful for what the future may hold.
Marin Mohr, a junior, works in hopes to maintain her place as class president of the Class of 2023. (MAURICIO PLIEGO/Ethic News photo)
Marin Mohr is a current junior and candidate for the Executive President position. She has worked the last three years as class president and is saddened that this will be her last year campaigning but is hopeful for what the future may hold.
She has been involved in Cheer for three years and is an honors student. Mohr plans to attend a four-year college.
Mohr describes herself as a dedicated, compassionate and ambitious person. She loves being with friends, going to the beach and listening to music. She prefers to spend her free time with loved ones and traveling.
Mohr says, “I love REV’s inclusivity, school spirit, teachers, staff and all the positivity.”
If she is elected, she plans to continue her goals for the Class of 2023 as well as setting an example for the classes to follow.
Mohr says, “I have many fun ideas for school activities coming up and want to create the best possible senior year.”
Brooklynn Rios
Currently, junior Brooklynn Rios is a candidate for the Executive President position for the incoming school year. She is an involved student on campus as she is currently the Vice-president for Compact Club and Helping Hands, a member of the varsity Song Cheer, Track and Field, National Honors Society and the California Scholarship Federation.
Brooklynn Rios, a junior, hopes to become each “student’s biggest advocate” when she becomes Executive President.(MAURICIO PLIEGO/Ethic News photo)
Rios describes herself as self-motivated, creative and organized. She loves Italian food, the color pink and blasting music in the car. She prefers to use her free time with friends, go to the gym, play games with her family and watch Netflix.
She plans to attend Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California and study business marketing.
Rios loves the atmosphere at REV and the dedication of the students.
She says, “Students work their absolute hardest to achieve their goals and they are always striving for the next best thing.”
If she is elected, she plans to bring Summer Fest back because she believes that it is important to continue making memories in high school. Rios would like to bring more recognition to students in performing arts, band, sports and choir.
Rios says, “I feel our students do such amazing work, and all groups on campus deserve equal recognition.”
Candidates for Vice-President
Max Cannon
Max Cannon is a junior at REV who would consider himself observant, ambitious and driven. He loves country music, shoes, sushi and prefers using his free time with friends and playing video games.
Max Cannon, a junior, hopes to maintain his position as Vice-president as he is being challenged for the spot by Ryder Freeman.(MAURICIO PLIEGO/Ethic News photo)
Cannon is involved in varsity swimming, NHS, CSF, and Key Club and has been Vice-President for three consecutive years and hopes to gain a fourth.
He hopes to attend Brigham Young University and gain a Ph.D. in American History.
He says, “I did an Eagle Scout Project here by fixing and painting the Blackstone theater.”
Cannon loves the atmosphere that REV promotes and supports and believes that many of his teachers have had a lasting impact on him. He has enjoyed the Litterbox for both basketball and football games as it truly showed how energized the student body is.
He hopes to keep doing the work he has done the last three years and to incorporate the REVWAY into the campus.
Ryder Freeman
Ryder Freeman is a current junior at REV who would describe himself as communicative, a perfectionist and open-minded. He loves animals, being helpful and doing anything related to ASB.
Ryder Freeman, a junior, challenges Max Cannon for the Vice-President position in hopes to change the ASB System. (DANIELA MORA/Ethic News photo)
He says, “I find that I’m happiest and most productive when doing stuff that doesn’t only serve myself.”
In Freeman’s free time, he prefers to play games, spend time with his pets and be on his phone. Besides ASB, he has small involvement in Wildcats For Change.
After he graduates, he plans to spend a year helping and working for some of the teachers at REV and continue ASB, and hopefully attend college afterward.
If he is elected Executive Vice-President, he would like to address them and hopefully amend the toxicity in the class.
Freeman says, “I feel that a lot of opinions and different backgrounds are invalidated in it and I want to try and make it a class that is as welcoming as it can be.”
He hopes to become a mentor for any incoming new members of the class.
Candidates for Secretary
Morgan Dawson
As part of the graduating Class of 2023, Morgan Dawson has been secretary for two years and part of ASB for four years by the end of her senior year.
Morgan Dawson, a junior, is the current Secretary for the class of 2023 and has maintained that position for two consecutive years and hopes to finish high school with a third.(MAURICIO PLIEGO/Ethic News photo)
Dawson describes herself as positive, loving and meticulous. She feels that these are the qualities that leaders at REV should have. She loves soccer, the color pink and Açai Bowls. She spends her free time playing soccer, going to the beach with friends and driving around listening to music.
She is currently part of the varsity soccer team and she hopes to attend a four-year college and live somewhere on the coast.
Dawson says, “I love the environment of being at the beach and hope to someday live there and continue to grow as a person by getting to experience the joys of college.”
She loves the environment at REV as she feels loved and welcomed by everyone and feels that the school has given her a good foundation to enjoy her years in high school
If Dawson wins, she hopes she will be able to help lead the school in a very loving and uplifting way. She loves helping others and showing them what ASB truly stands for.
She says, “I have enjoyed the things I have done to prepare for the position of Executive Secretary over the years and hope to lead the school in a positive way.”
Faith Morales
Faith Morales, a junior at REV, describes herself as outgoing, compassionate, and creative and loves Italian food, comedy movies and her family and friends.
Faith Morales hopes to contribute to the Class of 2023 through the Secretary Position.(MAURICIO PLIEGO/Ethic News photo)
She is an involved student by being involved in Link Crew, Founder and President of Investment Club, cross country and basketball. Morales is a member of Key Club, Compact Club and Christian Club.
In her free time, she loves playing the guitar, listening to chill R&B music, spending time with friends, and being outdoors such as skateboarding, hiking, and running.
Morales says, “I hope to go to a four-year university, get a bachelor’s in kinesiology and travel across the globe helping third-world countries by being a teacher and occupational therapist.”
She has plenty of leadership experience as she has helped manage family business accounts on both Facebook and Instagram. Morales has created various websites and social platforms to market businesses and has interned in Marketing Communications with her father for three years.
Morales says, “I also have great time management skills from doing ASB, taking all AP classes, working part-time and volunteering at church 1-2 times a week.”
She hopes to be elected as Executive Secretary to be able to work cooperatively with other executive members to create a safer and more inclusive student body. Morales hopes to incorporate more inclusive events and be open to trying new things.
She says, “I speak for you, so any suggestions you have for next year, I will be sure to bring them up in our meetings.”
Treasurer
Nathan Derry
Nathan Derry is a current junior who was not challenged for his position as Executive Treasurer for the incoming school year. He considers himself to be outgoing, fun and thoughtful. Derry loves sushi, video games and the color blue.
Nathan Derry is a current junior who is excited to be Executive Treasurer for the Class of 2023 for the incoming school year. (MAURICIO PLIEGO/Ethic News photo)
He spends his free time riding dirt bikes and cliff jumping. Derry hopes to go to a decent college and start a career in computer science.
Derry says, “I think REV has a great environment and even though not all our sports are great, our student section is.”
Joseph Nardella, a 52-year-old teacher, was been taken into custody for alleged sexual assault on Jan. 14. Nardella is a seventh-grade world history and an eighth-grade US history teacher who has been teaching at Clement Middle School since 1997. He has been the Social Studies Department Chair for the past 15 years and the leader of the schools’ intramural sports program.
An 18-year-old confidential male disclosed that he was sexually assaulted by Nardella from the age of 12 to 17 years. The assault started 5 years ago, when the male was 12 years old. According to the victim, the assaults mostly happen at Nardella’s home and even sometimes at Clement.
Nardella is now being held at Central Detention Center in San Bernardino. He is being held for continuous sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 14. He is being held for a $350,000 bail. Nardella has been placed on administrative leave by the Redlands Unified School District, according to the sheriff’s office.
The booking photo of Joseph Nardella. The booking photo of Nardella had been released because the Sheriff’s department believes that there are more victims. (Courtesy to San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department)
Attorney Morgan Stewart will be representing the victim.
“We are proud of this young man coming forward and reporting this abuse,” Stewart said in an email sent on Jan. 14. “The arrest is unsurprising given the climate of the cover-up that existed at Clement Middle School.”
This could possibly be related to the other former Clement English teacher Sean Lopez situation. Lopez was accused of assaulting three underage teenage boys from 1999 to 2001. Lopez was found guilty and was sentenced to 74 years in prison.
Other allegations have been made in the past, such as former Citrus Valley High School soccer coach and English teacher Laura Whitehust. It was said that Whitehust would invite male students to her classroom, and would try to do inappropriate activities since 2007. Whitehust was arrested in 2013 and found guilty.
The Redlands Unified School and Clement Middle School homepage website has removed all information about Nardella. If his name is searched up, the page will let you click on a link about Nardella. But, the link says, “This page has moved.” The page turns into error 404.
Deputy Vanayes Quezada of the Specialized Investigations Division Crimes Against Children will be taking any important information about Nardella or any information about the case.
It’s that time of year for roses, chocolates, and teddy bears and for Citrus Valley High School multiple organizations are having fundraisers for Valentines day.
There are currently three fundraisers on campus. ASB is selling cakes for $2, Citrus Vallry’s Choir class is doing serenades for $5 which includes a stuffed animal and card as well. Ethic News is selling wooden roses and cards for $1 each. Sales began Feb. 7 until Feb. 11 and will be delivered on Valentines Day on Feb. 14. Grams will be delivered during second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth period.
The class of 2025 is selling little heart shaped cakes as a fundraiser. Each cake is two dollars, sold during lunch by the G-building. A valentines card will also be given with the cake and a message of choice. (Jasmine Rosales/ Ethic Photo)
The choir’s fundraiser will be selling teddy bears and the singing of a song during class. The buyer will choose from the songs “I’m Yours,” “Best Part,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “I’ll Be There For You,” and “My Girl.” Each valentine gram will be five dollars and will be sold during lunch in front of the F-building. (Jasmine Rosales/ Ethic Photo)
Ethic News will be selling wooden roses and heart cards for one dollar a rose and one dollar a card. Wooden roses come in a variety of colors, such as red, pink, purple, blue, and lavender. The buyer will choose from the two messages of “Happy Valentines Day” and “<3 forever” for the heart shaped wooden cards. Roses will be sold during lunch in front of the E-building. (Jasmine Rosales/ Ethic Photo)
Citrus Valley High School had a ‘CV Gets Trendy’ Spirit Week leading up to the winter rally. Citrus Valley students were encouraged to participate in this Spirit Week as a way to get excited for the upcoming Winter Rally.
Monday Jan. 24: Material Girl Monday (Dress in your best attire)
Jasmine Gurrola, Amaya Pantaleon, Lailyenna Ngo, Soriah Brunson, Natlie Velasquez, Emma Irene, Annabell Crummey and Nickolas Ramirez showed off their best attire. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/Ethic News photo)
Tuesday Jan. 25: I Wanna be a Cowboy Baby
Michael Okere and Amber Sibbett give a thumbs up for Cowboy Day. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/Ethic News photo)
Edith Gomez, Alexa Cano and Brooke Mendez smile for a picture dressed as cowgirls. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/Ethic News photo)
Angela Dov and Alexa Gonzales pose as cowgirls. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/Ethic News photo)
Wednesday Jan. 26: Anything but a backpack day
Alexa Gonzales poses with her toy shopping cart. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/Ethic News photo)
Erik Serenson holds a canvas bag for Anything But A Backpack Day. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/Ethic News photo)
Bailey Sacco decided to utilize a Home Depot bucket while Brooke Mendez used a PlayMate cooler instead of their backpack. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/Ethic News photo)
Angel Leon uses a cardboard box for her take on Anything But A Backpack Day. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/Ethic News photo)
Natalia Contreras shows off with a Lightning McQueen buggy on Jan. 26. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/Ethic News photo)
Thursday, Jan. 27: The Man, The Myth, The Legend (Dress like Adam Sandlar)
Natalia Contreras and Emma Vara showing off their best ‘Adam Sandler’ attire on Jan. 27. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/Ethic News photo)
Arianna Rodriguez poses for Adam Sandler Day on Jan. 27. (ELIZABETH MOLLOY/Ethic News photo)
Redlands High School and Redlands East Valley High School’s Black Student Unions as well as community non-profit organization Stronger Together Now have collaborated to host a book drive.
All books will be donated to Superabilitee, a tutoring service in San Bernardino. Superabilitee’s staff works with students one-on-one to help improve their literacy.
The book drive started on Jan. 17 and will last until Jan. 28. Lightly used or new book donations are requested ranging from a kindergarten to a fifth-grade level.
“The book drive was initiated by the friendship between the advisor at RHS BSU and one of our advisors here at REV’s BSU. Both have worked together with Stronger Together Now,” said REV BSU co-advisor La’Rena Garcia. “All three agree on the importance of giving back and taking care of our community.”
RHS will accept book drop-offs in classroom 450 and the office and REV in classrooms J-33, J-10, J-22 and the office.
In addition, REV BSU is hosting a raffle with the chance to win a Foodie Gift Basket to encourage participation. Students receive one raffle ticket for each book that they donate. Raffle winners will be announced on Friday, Jan. 28, at lunch.
Redlands East Valley High School Black Student Union co-advisor Duan Kellum, sophomore Alma Shelly King, junior Myla Gibson and senior Keyvon Rankin manage a booth at lunch on Jan. 25 to collect book donations. For every book a student donates, they will receive a raffle ticket to be entered into a raffle drawing for a Foodie Gift Basket. (MIA ARANDA/ Ethic News photo)
“One person brought like 45 books to the book drive,” said REV BSU member and senior Keyvon Rankin.
Fellow REV BSU member and senior Timothy Berry adds, “Some teachers have brought like over 60.”
REV BSU will be in the quad at lunch collecting book donations until the end of this week.
As of Jan. 25, REV BSU has collected approximately 150 books from students and staff.
On Sat., Jan. 22, the community had the opportunity to drop-off books in downtown Redlands from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., in which 100 books were collected, according to Garcia.
As a result of the surge of COVID-19 cases, RUSD schools distributed these rapid antigen tests to students today. (BELLA ESPINOZA/Ethic News)
By ETHIC NEWS STAFF
The Redlands Unified School District distributed iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test at-home self-test kits for all RUSD students on Jan. 12. Each student was to receive a kit that contained two tests.
Teachers and staff were given specific instructions as to how to distribute the tests and to give only one test kit per student. If a student was absent, teachers were to return their kit to the front office.
Students were informed that there was only one test kit per student. Therefore if they lost or destroyed theirs, it would not be replaced. They were told to not self administer the test during school, but rather when they arrived home.
Citrus Valley High School received their COVID test kits during second period. An announcement was made before teachers handed out one to each student.
Redlands High School students received their test kits during fourth period.
Redlands East Valley High School students received their test during their English class. REV students got their tests during different periods.
Orangewood High School students received their COVID tests during their second period advisory class.
On Jan. 12, an email was sent out to families of the RUSD by Redlands Schools Districts stating, “The test kits were provided for all students in the state of California by Governor Newsom and the California Department of Public Health.”
These tests would normally be $19.80 according to the iHealth website, but were provided for free to all RUSD students.
Number of confirmed COVID cases in the Redlands Unified School District’s high schools in the last 14 days from Jan. 12, 2021. (Redlands Unified School District Covid Dashboard https://www.redlandsusd.net/Page/18775)
Over the course of 2021, Ethic published over 200 articles and multimedia pieces. These also include articles translated to Spanish. The most popular published in 2021, according to statistics of most views, are found below.
Note that this list does not include Ethic articles published prior to 2021, that may have had more views.
Titles are listed in order from number 21 to the most viewed piece of 2021. Click each title to view the original piece.
#21. Video: 50-Questions with Ethic–Wildcat executive president chats candidly
Video created by Mauricio Pliego, Ella Fitzpatrick, and Issac Mejia, published Nov. 3, 2021 in Features.
The iconic Staples Center has been standing for 22 years, but on Dec. 25, 2021, it will begin to be renamed the Crypto.com Arena.
The Staples Center sign can be seen in three different parts of the arena. (AILEEN JANEE CORPUS/ETHIC NEWS)
The home of the Clippers and Lakers basketball teams and the Los Angeles Kings hockey team, the Staples Center was offered $700 million from Crypto.com to change their name.
This deal is one of the highest deals in sports, with other deals of this caliber being the $500 million naming deal between Intuit and the Los Angeles Clippers or the $300 million naming deal between Chase and the Golden States Warriors.
During the winter season, an ice skating rink is set up across the Staples Center and many come to skate. (AILEEN JANEE CORPUS/ Ethic News)
According to Investopedia, Crypto.com is a Singapore located cryptocurrency exchange platform “that supports trading, investing, staking, wallets, NFTs and more.” It was founded in 2016 and has a mission to “[a]ccelerate the world’s transition to cryptocurrency.”
They have been diving headfirst into the world of sports, acquiring sponsorship deals with “Formula One, the UFC, Italy’s Serie A, Paris St-Germain, and the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens” according to ESPN. The naming deal will also link Crypto.com as one of the NBA’s top sponsors as well.
In front of the Staples Center on Dec. 5, 2021, many fans can be seen walking around: either enjoying the holiday decorations, lining up for an event, or visiting nearby attractions such as the Grammy Museum and Los Angeles Convention Center. (AILEEN JANEE CORPUS/ETHIC NEWS)
The name change has garnered much attention from fans and players alike.
Former Lakers player and hall of fame Shaquille O’Neal shared his thoughts on the name change in the Big Podcast With Shaq.
“I’m glad they’re taking the name of the Staples Center down because that was our building,” he stated, “[…] Congratulations to the owners for getting a new deal. But hey, the Staples Center belongs to Shaq and Kobe, forever.”
Vannesa Bryant has also spoken out about the name change, tweeting, “[f]orever known as ‘The House That Kobe Built.’”
From a view of the Staples Center’s entrance from Figueroa Street on Dec. 5, 2021, many fans can be seen lining up to enter the arena. (AILEEN JANEE CORPUS/ETHIC NEWS)
A mural of Kawhi Leonard, a basketball player from Irvine who plays on the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team, can be seen on Chick Hearn court and Figueroa street. (AILEEN JANEE CORPUS/ETHIC NEWS)
With Dec. 25 soon approaching and the Staples Center sign being removed, it’s only a matter of time before the Lakers’ home turf is owned by Crypto.com. It is unsure what this could mean for the future of sport’s sponsorships other than the fact that they have changed forever.
ETHIC NEWS 