High school students in Redlands led a student walk out and march for Palestine through Redlands on Friday, May 10. The protest and march were organized through a new instagram account made by students called Redlands4Palestine. The march started at Sylvan Park and went to Redlands City Hall and back to the park.
This was the first community protest for Palestine. There were previous protests at Redlands East Valley High School and Citrus Valley High School campuses before this protest.
Students gather around at Sylvan park and get ready for the march on May 10. Students and community members socialize and get water, snacks, and masks provided before they start to march. (ANDREW MIRANDA/ Ethic News photo)
This student stands proud waving his Palestine flag for everyone to see at Sylvan park on May 10. All are socializing and very anticipated to begin the march. (ANDREW MIRANDA/ Ethic News photo)
The students and community members begin their march leaving Sylvan park and onto City Hall on May 10. The students chant for Palestine loud and proud for all to hear. (ANDREW MIRANDA/ Ethic News photo)
All are chanting and holding their flags and signs high for all to see during the march for Palestine on May 10. The group is about to pass by Redlands High School where they received supporters who joined in and some who also were heckling the cause. (ANDREW MIRANDA/ Ethic News photo)
Two students hold a banner proudly after arriving at Redlands City Hall on May 10. Students and community members will gather around a speaker and cheer for Palestine. (ANDREW MIRANDA/ Ethic News photo)
Orangewood high school won the Battle Bot San Bernardino County League Championship by winning the Overall and the Rumble Event.
The Battle Bot Tournament this year was held at Colony high school in Ontario on May 4. This year’s event was called Plastic Pandemonium.
At the event there were 13 high schools and 5 junior highs with a total of 29 competitors.
The Orangewood team was made up of students from the engineering Career Technical Education class, taught by Matt Stewart.
Battle bots are 1 pound plastic weight bots that are required to run specific motors for the educational class.
Orangewood High School juniors Sean Hutabarat and Savanna Manzo work on their battle bot at the county competition on May 4. (Christian Rolle/ Ethic News photo)
Orangewood juniors Peyton Avinger, Savanna Manzo and Sean Hutabarat watch a battle bot competition in action at the county competition on May 4. (Christian Rolle/ Ethic News photo)
Orangewood High School Engineering teacher and Battle Bot coach operates a battle bot at the county competition on May 4. (Christian Rolle/ Ethic News photo)
Orangewood High School junior Peyton Avinger and engineering teacher Matt Stewart hold up their trophies. Orangewood high school won the Battle Bot San Bernardino County League Championship by winning the Overall and the Rumble Event. (Christian Rolle/ Ethic News photo)
Winners from the battle bot competition hold their trophies. Orangewood High School won the championship and is represented by junior Peyton Avinger and teacher Matt Stewart.(Christian Rolle/ Ethic News photo)
The 2024 Citrus Valley swim season has been a challenging, rewarding, and overall great season for all of the swimmers. Every athlete has pushed themselves to keep up competitive times so they can win meets and beat personal records. The team consisted of 20 girls and 22 boys. Our Blackhawks won the majority of their meets. Both varsity and JV teams got second place at the Blackhawk Invitational this year. Then, at CBL Finals both varsity teams won second place again.
The 400 Freestyle Relay turned out to be a close race between Citrus Valley swimmers (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News photo).
Nathaniel Johnson, a JV boys sophomore swimming Event 36 the 50 breaststroke (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News photo).
What is your favorite event to swim?
Ava Northcott, a varsity girls freshman swimmer says her favorite two races are “The 100 Freestyle because it goes by very quickly, and the 200 IM because with every new stroke it feels like a new race.”
Elysa Loraine Lebig, a varsity girls senior swimmer enjoys the “100 Freestyle” because she has “been seeing a lot of improvement this year.”
Rian Walker, a JV boys freshman swimmer likes the “100 IM” because he is “able to work on all of his strokes” and the “50 Breaststroke” because it is his favorite stroke.
Evan Rout, a JV boys freshman swimming Event 32 the 50 backstroke (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News photo).
What is your favorite memory from swim?
Aaron Amaya, a JV boys junior swimmer says his “favorite swimming memory is during the 400 freestyle relay when the entire team comes together to cheer” for our swimmers.
Addison Allo, a JV girls freshman swimmer, says her favorite memory has to be “The Blackhawk Invitational.” Allo and her relay team won first place in the 400 Freestyle Relay and got “rubber ducks for it” as the prize.
Aaron Amaya, a JV boys junior swimming Event 18 the 50 butterfly (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News photo).
Why do you encourage others to join swim?
Mia Noun, a JV girls freshman swimmer, says “It’s a great experience, with team bonding and you can eat whatever you want because you’ll just burn it the next day. You also make lifelong friends.”
Trinity Le, a varsity girls senior swimmer says she “encourages others to join swim to experience a rewarding sport and a family-like community”
Elysa Loraine Lebig, a varsity girls senior swimmer says “It’s very hard and mentally tough, but that’s what makes each victory and the ending taste so sweet. Because all the hard work, perseverance you put in pays off.”
Madison Cortez, a varsity girls senior says “Swim is a really fun sport because your achievements come purely from how much you put in the work and the family environment is really supportive.”
Hayley Smith, a varsity girls senior swimmer encourages others to join swim because “it’s something that gives people a chance to try a sport that may not be their first choice.”
Jack Simonton, a varsity boys junior swimmer tells people “It’s a hard sport but when you see yourself improve as the season progresses, it is worth it.”
Yvana Van Dyke, a varsity girls freshman swimming Event 19 the 100 butterfly (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News photo).
What advice would you give a younger swimmer?
Joe Fordon, a varsity boys sophomore swimmer says “just keep your head down and do what you need to for yourself. You know exactly what you need to do to improve. Don’t let swimmers and coaches bully you around.”
Madii Greer, a varsity girls senior swimmer says “don’t let one bad meet or race affect how you view the sport or yourself.”
Rian Walker, a JV boys freshman swimmer says “don’t give up when things get hard or you feel like you’re getting slower, everyone has bad days and it will get better.”
Isabella Newell, a JV girls sophomore swimmer says she “usually lives in a bubble of denial that the meet is happening until the meet actually occurs.” When she finally realizes “that the meet is happening,” she gets “really panicked” and distracts herself “until it’s time to visualize” her race, and that always calms her down.
Ava Northcott, a varsity girls freshman swimmer says she “makes sure to eat and drink plenty of water, say a quick prayer and try to stay in a positive attitude.”
Joe Fordon, a varsity boys sophomore swimmer, goes into a meet “with a plan for the events I’m going to swim that day.”
Addison Allo, a JV girls freshman swimming Event 31 the 50 backstroke. (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News Photo).
Madii Greer, a varsity girls senior swimming Event 19 the 100 butterfly. (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News photo).
Sophia Ihmud, a varsity girls senior swimming in Event 41 the 400 Free Relay. (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News photo).
Isabella Newell, a JV girls sophomore swimming Event 39 the 400 Freestyle Relay (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News photo).
With the ending of this season, the team is losing 12 senior swimmers who are graduating. Many of the seniors say they hope to keep their passion for swimming, whether that is continuing to swim in future years or just supporting it.
Varsity girls: Madii Greer, Hayley Smith, Elysa Loraine Lebig, Ashley Sorrell, Ava Northcott, Amber Bogh, Monica Boonprakobku, Madison Cortez, Piper Gile, Sophia Ihmud, Trinity Le, Keira McDonald, Iris Price and Yvana Van Dyke
JV girls: Addison Allo, Daniela Rodriguez, Zoe Rahn, Mia Noun, Isabella Newell and Elizabeth Perez
Varsity boys: Jack Simonton, Joe Fordon, Conlan Coulter, Bryce Hitter, William Kay, Aiden Kelley, Matthew Kelley, Jonah Martinez, Dominic Pedroza, August Roth, Israel Roth, Lucas Teeter and David Thomas
JV boys: Aaron Amaya, Jacob Castaneda, Immanuel Hutabarat, Nathaniel Johnson, Caleb Odom, Carlos Quintero, Evan Rout, Adrian Salido and Rian Walker
By KYA ANTHONY, EARENDEL HENRIQUEZ, ALEX VERDUZCO and JAYLEAH PARCHMAN
The Advancement Via Individual Determination program at Redlands East Valley High School received revalidation as an AVID National Demonstration School on April 10 commemorating their accomplishments.
AVID Revalidation is an honor for the school and recognizes the dedication to pushing students forward and building a community of strong successful leaders. REV was first named a National Demonstration School in 2020.
There are approximately 300 REV students in the AVID program. This includes 60 seniors and 12 class sections of AVID.
“I’m very proud about AVID achievements. It has personally helped me a lot and made me feel a lot better in my classes,” Natalie Fauria, a REV AVID freshman student says.
According to the AVID website, to earn AVID National Demonstration School status, the program has to be an “exemplary model of the AVID College Readiness System.”
The website explains that to earn and continue National Demonstration School status “Schools undergo a rigorous validation process and are required to be revalidated every few years to ensure high levels of implementation, with quality and fidelity to AVID strategies schoolwide.”
Screenshot
The Redlands East Valley High School AVID site team from left to right: teacher Cindy Gardner, counselor LaRee Orland, AVID coordinator Jana Bailey, teacher Alex Valle, teacher Jacqueline Hernandez and teacher Diana Gamez. (Photo from instagram @revavid)
Jana Bailey has been the REV AVID coordinator for 21 years.
“I didn’t realize, until we were going through the process, that revalidation is actually very hard to sustain. In fact, there were a number of AVID schools that did not get renewed,” said Bailey.
The AVID event on April 10 included REV non-AVID students’ participation by encouraging them to wear school gear associated with any sport, club or organization on campus. The festivities continued with a free pizza lunch as well, offering it to the first 300 students that are not enrolled.
Samya Miller, a REV AVID senior student shares, “It was good, I had a great time and we had food.¨
In celebration of earning revalidation as an AVID National Demonstration School, Redlands East Valley High School AVID students pose with the AVID mural in the front of the school and hold the “AVID National Demonstration School” banner. (NALEIAH MILLER/ Ethic News photo)
“We are thankful for our entire school’s support,” said Bailey. “The majority of teachers I saw were wearing their REV or AVID gear and it means a great deal to us.”
Many district officials like Superintendent Juan Cabral, Assistant Superintendent Ken Wagner, Assistant Superintendent Sabine Robertson-Phillips, as well as the REV AVID teachers and counselors who make the program possible, were present for the honor.
The REV AVID program includes year-round activities, such as college field trips and over-nighters, community service, and team building activities. The class includes tutorials, organized notebooks, discussions, college tutors and Fun Fridays.
The REV AVID program also has the “Men of Ten” class, previously taught by REV teacher Duan Kellum and currently taught by REV teacher Alex Valle, who is new to REV AVID this year.
In explaining the Men of Ten class, Bailey says, “Nationally, boys – especially those of color – have lower retention rates in AVID and it usually occurs between 9th and 10th grades.”
REV AVID was not the first program to have the class, but Jana Bailey’s husband and Citrus Valley High School teacher Yon Okorodudu was the first in the district to implement the class when he taught AVID.
“Having the Men of Ten class was meant to encourage these students to stay in a college-going culture by providing an environment analogous to a sports team,” said Bailey. “We found that having a male teacher who is a solid role model and who gives the boys a forum to talk about issues that relates to them keeps them engaged in doing well in high school and preparing for college.”
For many AVID students, the program has a strong impact on many aspects of their life.
“‘AVID is a lifestyle’ is what one of our AVID sophomores said while on the student panel,” said Bailey.
The REV AVID program became a Gold Ribbon Program in 2015 and earned Site of Distinction in 2016, a status which the program still holds.
According to RIMS AVID website there are currently 16 schools designated as AVID National Demonstration Schools in San Bernardino County.
Redlands East Valley High School is the only school in Redlands designated as an AVID National Demonstration School.
At the age of 30, one man sold his two successful companies and started his next major adventure: becoming known as the first private company to revolutionize space aircrafts. This man was businessman and entrepreneur Elon Musk, and in 2002, this company became a reality in the form of SpaceX.
SpaceX defines their goal as “revolutioniz[ing] space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets.” Their recent works, the Falcon, Dragon, Starlink and Starship programs, are essential to developing technologies that will make the mission to other planets possible.
The rockets that are launched on the Vandenberg Space Force Base are mostly seen by people in Southern California. However, many people witnessing these launches have a muddled thought of what these bright streaks in the sky are. The most recent launches occurred these past couple weeks on March 18, April 6 and April 11.
One Citrus Valley High School freshman, Montserrat Chavez, said, “I thought [the rockets] were spreading chemicals, like maybe to decrease the population.”
Jordan James, a teacher at CVHS, states, ¨I thought they were regular airplanes, but when the sun set and I could see the shine and the reflection, I knew there were definitely actual rockets going on. The sunsets made them look very pretty.¨
The particular rockets that have been seen recently are the Falcon 9 aircrafts. Rockets from the Falcon 9 have a total of 317 launches, 275 landings and 248 reflights, and, according to SpaceX, it’s known as the “world’s first orbital class reusable rocket.”
Throughout the multiple launches, SpaceX has been able to achieve important milestones that advance the possibilities of the most powerful launch system ever to emerge. They have been able to engineer new and successful techniques when launching, such as having 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy Booster, and have successfully started up and completed a full-duration burn during ascent. During 2022, NASA and SpaceX had a modified contract to develop a human landing system called the Dearmoon Mission, which will carry the first humans to fly around the moon and back to earth. During recent launches of Falcon 9 and Starship, their main achievement was to develop more successful and advanced technology to launch rockets.
A photo taken in a Sam’s club parking lot in San bernardino. A long bright streak with a wider and bulb-like head crosses the skies at a slow rate seen on March 18, 2024. (CYNTHIA FLORES DIAZ/ Ethic news photo)
The very bright streak in the Southern California sky can also be perceived as a comet or an asteroid. Same streak on March 18, 2024. (CYNTHIA FLORES DIAZ/ Ethic News photo)
The bright streak covered a large part of the southern california sky and was a very vibrant sight to see. (CYNTHIA FLORES DIAZ/ Ethic News Photo)
On March 18, 2024 a more foggy version of the streak was seen in Redlands. The tail of the smoke trail is still very bright in the sky. (CYNTHIA FLORES DIAZ/ Ethic News photo)
A squiggly blurry bright streak which could possibly be the end of one of the Falcon 9 rockets smoke trails. Seen in Redlands on April 6,2024. (CYNHTIA FLORES DIAZ/ Ethic News photo)
The tail of the smoke trail that a Falcon 9 rocket produced on March 18, 2024. (CYNTHIA FLORES DIAZ/ Ethic News photo)
Orangewood High School students from Black Student Union and MEChA clubs visited Victoria Elementary School to read books focused on Black history and culture on Feb. 26.
The Redlands East Valley High School swim team competed in their first meet of the 2024 season. On Feb. 28 La Quinta High School hosted the meet on their home campus. The meet consisted of twelve events for both junior varsity and varsity girls and boys teams.
The first 200-meter relay event of the swim meet between Redlands East High School and La Quinta High School completed by the girls varsity team. (EARENDEL HENRIQUEZ/ Ethic News photo)
Redlands East Valley High School varsity swimmer Ashlyn Allen waits to compete in the 200-meter freestyle relay race on Feb. 28, 2024 at La Quinta High School. (EARENDEL HENRIQUEZ/ Ethic News photo)
Redlands East Valley High School varsity swimmers Kate Hienze, Lily Stanton, Emi Norland and Anissa Kothapalli pose after warming down from their races at La Quinta High School on Feb. 28, 2024. (EARENDEL HENRIQUEZ/ Ethic News photo)
Redlands East Valley High School varsity swimmer Kaylee Schan prepares to dive in and compete in the 100-meter Breaststroke event at La Quinta High School on Feb. 28, 2024 (EARENDEL HENRIQUEZ/ Ethic News photo)
The scoreboard before the boys varsity 100-meter backstoke event at La Quinta High School on Feb. 28, 2024. The scoreboard is used to track lane places, school names, competitors’ finishing times, and event types. (EARENDEL HENRIQUEZ/ Ethic News photo)
PossAbilities Club at Citrus Valley High School had a collaboration with the Peaceful Painters Club on Feb. 13 which involved a painting day for all of special education students. PossAbilites Club had a couple volunteers that helped out the students drawing and guiding the paintings.
PossAbllities officers president Savannah Hudson, vice presidents Riley Brossia and Rylie Grames pose with Maura Hampton, Madison Williams, Noelle Joiner, and LJ X. They all loved seeing the roses and colorful background. (Photo courtesy of Savannah Hudson)
Junior Adrian starts his beautiful painting with the help of his amazing supporters. (Photo courtesy of Savannah Hudson)
PossAbilities and the Peaceful Painters club collectively set up the flowers with sweet Valentine’s day cards for students to take as they please. (Photo courtesy of Savannah Hudson)
The classroom showed their wonderful spirits with the collaboration of PossAbilities and Peaceful Painters. (Photo courtesy of Savannah Hudson)
Redlands East Valley held its Winter Rally on Feb. 9 in the Wildcat gym to celebrate the announcement of the 2024 Prom Theme. The rally included student performances from Junior Varsity and Varsity Cheer, the Pacific Cultural Club, the Inspired Choir and the Winter Guard. Sports captains from each winter season sport were also introduced.
Members of the Pacific Cultural Club Aniya Smith, Daera Aguinaldo, and Camila Vargas get ready for their performance. (GEFFERY ACOSTA/Ethic News photo)
Daera Aguinaldo performing a traditional Pacific islander dance. (EARENDEL HENRIQUEZ/Ethic News photo)
REV Winter sports captains get recognition for their completed season. (EARENDEL HENRIQUEZ/Ethic News photo)
Junior and senior students volunteer to play a competitive game of balloon pop. (EARENDEL HENRIQUEZ/Ethic News photo)
REV’s 2024 Prom Theme is announced as “Mirrorball” or disco ball, inspired by Taylor Swift’s song “Mirrorball.” (EARENDEL HENRIQUEZ/Ethic News photo)
Alma Shelly-King performs as the villain in the Color Guard’s Star Wars-themed dance.(EARENDEL HENRIQUEZ/Ethic News photo)
San Bernardino Valley Community College held a Black History Month event for local high schools with various guest speakers on Feb. 2. The “Pass The Mic” field trip offered so many resources and great advice for students this year by presenting multiple important topics. Guest speakers addressed how to start your own business, the signs of domestic violence, and mental health issues. At the end of the sessions, performances were held outside with dancers, singers, and even musicians.
When the event started, all the different high schools such as San Gorgonio, Carter, Hesperia, and the four Redlands high schools: Citrus Valley, Redlands East Valley, Orangewood, and Redlands, joined together in the theater for keynote speaker Demarco Washington. Washington spoke about how to navigate college and life after high school. After the speaker’s presentation, the room broke into small groups to start the different sessions.
“The open mic event really opened my eyes to relevant conversations that are always needed as growing into young adults. I enjoyed the positivity and education on opportunities for careers and how to go about life aware and cautious of safety” says Citrus Valley senior Anniya Session.
The domestic violence presentation was one of the most emotional and serious presentations of the day. The speaker spoke about different real domestic violence cases and about how easily teens can fall victim to many different kinds of abuse such as verbal abuse and mental abuse as well as physical abuse. During the presentation, the speaker also talked about the importance of self-love and body positivity. This was to explain that people without self-love are more susceptible to different kinds of abuse.
The mindful space presentation discussed different coping mechanisms that students can use to deal with stress, depression, and anxiety. This presentation also explained how people cope in different, unconventional ways such as dancing, singing, or drawing. Students were given more important information such as the national suicide hotline number which is 988. During this presentation, there were t-shirts and water bottles given to students who remembered information about the presentation.
“The most impactful part of this all was being allowed to come together as a community,” says Orangewood senior Skye Gaynair. “We came together to not only physically see each other but to educate one another, celebrate one another, and love each other.”
After all the presentations were complete, the students were released to explore different pop-up informational booths and fill out a bingo card for every booth visited. There were multiple booths discussing how to get into business or how to start their own business. There were also sororities and other extracurriculars offered at the booths. After visiting the booths, students were given a free lunch which was a sandwich of their choice and a water bottle on the side.
To close out the event, the San Gorgonio BSU (Black Student Union) step team performed a dance and step routine for the audience. After them followed multiple other performers such as rap artists, Latin rap artists, and traditional Spanish musicians. (Naleiah Miller/ Ethic News photo)
The Pass The Mic event served as a very educational and informational event for young students. This event is important to the community because it offers information on serious topics that teens don’t often get the chance to hear. This advice information and experience will stick with students and influence them to make good decisions in the future.
“This event taught me that a sense of community matters and how important it is to see people who think or look like you being able to break unimaginable barriers,” says Gaynair.
The event was very successful as it got close to everyone who participated and did an amazing job putting together such a big event. It was a great experience to hear different stories to help make your own businesses, how to prevent domestic violence and even how to cope with mental illness.
Members from the Black Student Union at high schools in Redlands Unified School District take a picture with Dr. Alise Clouser of San Bernardino Valley College. (NALEIAH MILLER/Ethic News Photo)
Members from the Black Student Union at high schools in Redlands Unified School District, the Umoja program at San Bernardino Valley College take a picture with Dr. Alise Clouser of San Bernardino Valley College and Superintendent Juan Cabral of RUSD. (NALEIAH MILLER/Ethic News Photo)
Dr. Alise Clouser and Redlands Unified School District superintendent Juan Cabral with support team who helped coordinate the ‘Pass the Mic’ event at San Bernardino Valley College. (NALEIAH MILLER/Ethic News Photo)
College of various presentations and performances that took place at this ‘Pass the Mic’ event at San Bernardino Valley College. (NALEIAH MILLER/Ethic News Photo)
Norma Beckwith teaches Economics and World History at Orangewood High School.
“It’s what I’m passionate about and what I studied in college,” says Beckwith.
She has been teaching for 37 years. She started teaching when she was 21.
If Beckwith could compare herself to when she first started teaching she says, “I still have the same passion but I have a greater understanding for how people learn.”
What keeps her teaching for so long is that she just really enjoys it.
She’s taught in elementary, middle and high school, but likes teaching older students more.
If she chose to teach a different subject she would choose to teach math or physical education.
Beckwith loves being challenged by her students and learning from them.
Whether student feedback for teachers is good or bad Beckwith says, “Teachers are human too, and sometimes have difficulty accepting negative feedback. Feedback is information and an opportunity to improve, so I hope that we would use the feedback to improve our craft.”
Beckwith sees the challenges students face when it comes to school and that’s what influences her to help students more.
“Mrs. Beckwith’s class is super laid back and she’s always helpful with work,” says Orangewood senior Jeremiah Lopez.
Beckwith believes Orangewood is a successful support school for students behind on credits, but says there’s room from improvement such as “more afterschool activities or clubs for extra credit opportunities.”
A support system that Beckwith would recommend is a before or after school study hall where students could stop by and come in for help.
She said teaching is about “the willingness to put in the work as a teacher and for the students.”
Beckwith is going to continue teaching for 35 more months. Quitting never crossed her mind as she progressed in teaching, although her hardest obstacle was balancing work and her home life.
If Beckwith had to choose a different career than teaching she would have proceeded towards law and politics.
“What I appreciate most about Mrs. Beckwith is that she is authentically herself,” says Orangewood teacher, and Beckwith’s classroom neighbor, Renee Wilson Cornell. “No matter if she has known you for one day or 20 years you will get the same person. She is kind and honest, and a true pleasure to work with.”
She is originally from Redlands and is happily married.
Orangewood High School social studies teacher Norma Beckwith poses with a carboard cutout of former president Ronald Reagan in her classroom. Beckwith teachers United States History and economics. (DANIEL GARCIA SALAS/ Ethic News photo)
Citrus Valley High School’s girls’ varsity soccer have had a target on their backs by being Citrus Belt League champs for the past four years and running. The girls and coaches have shown tremendous dedication and hard work to get the program where it is.
Coach Delgado said, “This season was full of energy, and positivity” and that hard work paid off this 2023-2024 season where they clinched CBL for the fifth consecutive year, undefeated.
Girls Varsity Soccer hold their hands over their heart during the playing of the national anthem, prior to game time at Hodges Stadium (Photo courtesy of Scott Pearne)
Kicking CBL off in early January, the Blackhawks had their first away game in Terrier Town versus Redlands High School on January 3rd. Working with the weather, the girls had a delay in game time to adjust to the heavy rain and hail but came up victorious with a win over the Terriers 2-0. Following the next game, held on Friday, January 5, 2024, the Blackhawks held their first home game of the season against Beaumont. This game Citrus Valley came up strong and finished the game 5-0 against the Cougars. On Wednesday, Jan 10, 2024, the Citrus Valley Varsity Girls Soccer traveled to Cajon for their third game where they won their game against the Cowgirls by a score of 4-0. Moving onto their 4th game of CBL, they traveled to Redlands East Valley High School and played an intense game versus the Wildcats; leaving halftime with a lead of 4-0 the Blackhawks soon battled with a hard comeback from REV. The game left both teams huffing and puffing, leaving CV with a win over the Wildcats with a close game 4-3. Coming to the end of the first round of CBL, the Blackhawks host a home game against the T-Birds. This matchup of Yucaipa versus Citrus Valley is known for being very competitive as they battle for the number one spot in their league, at the final whistle both teams leave the field with a tie 0-0.
On Friday, January 19 the girls start round two off strong. Citrus Valley had prepared to go head to head with each school for the last time of the season. Starting back up with the terriers, the Blackhawks made it a point to come back harder than last round, proving why they have been four-time CBL champs, shutting RHS out with a score of 4-0. Traveling to Beaumont the next week to face the Cougars, CV was determined to keep the streak alive especially with a target on their backs thus far into CBL; the Blackhawks came out on top with a score of 2-0. Celebrating on their bus ride home and looking forward to the next game versus Cajon on their home field. CV works from beginning to end of this match, rising out of this match with a smile on each of the girls faces as the final score is announced 9-1.
After scoring from outside of the box, Citrus Valley Senior, Vanessa Alcala celebrates with her teammates (Photo Courtesy of Mike McCue)
Looking towards the following week with two challenging games, the girls use their goal of becoming five time CBL champs as motivation and work twice as hard at practice and film to learn from their mistakes.
“It starts with the warm-up” Elizabeth Northcott, senior and captain of the girls varsity soccer team, states prior to warm-up to encourage her teammates that they warm up with purpose and get in the game mindset.
The Blackhawks held their senior night against the Wildcats on January 29, 2024. Making it so that not only are they playing for the title but also for the seniors; as the whistle is blown the Blackhawks connect passes up along the field crossing and Junior Julia Pacioratti bangs the first goal into the back of the net creating momentum for CV to run with. The second goal, scored by Senior Vanessa Alcala and assisted by Senior Sasha Amezcua, brings the score up 2-0 against the Wildcats. From this point the Blackhawks held their ground for a shutout, working in unison and defending from the top of the field until last man, CV shut out the Wildcats 2-0; securing their spot as the Citrus Belt League champs.
The Blackhawks travel to Yucaipa for their last game of League, in the huddle prior to game time Ava Lopez Senior and the other captain for the girls varsity soccer team, reminds the seniors, “This is our last time playing against Yucaipa with this team.”
Lopez puts two goals in the back of the net within the first half of the game, with a lead of 2-0 by halftime. Coach Delgado encourages the girls during halftime to continue playing intensely, being first to the ball, and most importantly, “Do not let up.”
All the way to the final whistle the girls finished strong holding the lead over Yucaipa and a final score of 2-0.
Post win against Yucaipa High School, and the team’s last CBL game, the girls freeze this special moment in time with a picture on January 31 at 7:46pm (Photo courtesy of Cassondra Delgado)
Clinching CBL for the fifth consecutive year in a row, and fourth undefeated; Citrus Valleys girls varsity soccer team have made Blackhawk history once again leading them into CIF where they were scheduled to play JSerra High School the following week on February 8th; where the Blackhawks season sadly came to an end with a battle from start to finish they were short 0-2.
Wrapping up Coach Delgado’s first season as the new head varsity coach, Delgado shared, “Of course like any team, we did have our share of challenges however because the girls responded with hard work, effort, and were there for each other. We were able to reach our goal of winning CBL 5 years in a row.”
Many students and teachers are unaware of the impacts they have on each other. They share small details of their lives with the other, only some teachers and students try to dig deeper into the lives of the people around them. This can make it uncomfortable for students to share life challenges, circumstances and good things that are happening in their lives.
As students grow up, they face difficult challenges that they can’t talk with their parents about. Teachers and school staff are people that many students go to when challenges are presented. How much these teachers and students know about each other can affect the way they treat the other. When teachers know more about their students, students feel more comfortable in a classroom setting.
Teachers often share about their lives at the beginning of the year. Then students have a basic overview of their teachers’ lives. Some teachers share more about the experiences they go through throughout the school year. The more these teachers share about their lives the more comfortable students are with sharing their own experiences. Let’s hear what the Citrus Valley High School teachers and students think about how they have impacted the other.
Elena Villa is the theater teacher at Citrus Valley High School. (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News Photo)
Villa said that students have impacted her life by watching “little things they do everyday” and getting to “meet them on their journey, but every student has their own journey and story.” Villa hopes she has impacted a students life, and “enjoys when a student comes back and tells” her that “they are doing well.”
Rebecca Strode is the freshman English honors teacher at Citrus Valley High School. (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News Photo)
Strode said students have “absolutely” impacted her life. Strode believes her students “keep [her] young” because she gets to “see what they listen to and read.” Strode has students “who continue to come back and visit,” students have also told her that she has “impacted them in many ways.”
Jesse O’Donnell is an Integrated Math I, Integrated Math I Honors, Advanced Placement Statistics and aquatics teacher at Citrus Valley High School. (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News Photo)
O’Donnell “wouldn’t say one student has, but groups of students have [affected him], as a team.” An “example was the 2019 girls swim team, who weren’t expected to be contenders and ended up shocking everyone, and won it all.” Certain groups have reminded O’Donnell that “if we work hard we can achieve anything.” He hopes he has impacted students’ lives as well, as he teaches and coaches “to help them understand the dreams they can achieve and how to achieve them.”
Isabella Newell is a 15 year old sophomore at Citrus Valley High School. (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News Photo)
Newell believes teachers have impacted her life in every way possible. She said a teacher who has impacted her greatly is O’Donnell. First as her “math teacher and later as a coach.” Newell had been struggling all her life with the subject, but in her “freshman year of high school, O’Donnell not only made math easier, but he also got [her] excited about math.” For the first time in her life, she got an A in math. Not only did he help Newell excel in math but in swim as well. “As the year progressed Mr.O’Donnell became Coach Jesse to [her].” As a Coach he pushed Newells physical limits of swimming and he also pushed her mentally to truly believe in herself and her abilities. Without his impact on her life last year, she “wouldn’t be half the athlete or student” she is today.”
Jennifer Lim once said “Mistakes are proof that you are trying.” Newell had a teacher, at a young age, who used this quote as her classroom motto. “After hearing that quote everyday, it has truly stuck with” Newell all these years. Newell said that she “most likely hasn’t made much of an impact” on teachers, but knows that she has at least “made a few teachers laugh and smile.”
Ashley Sorrell is a 14 year old freshman at Citrus Valley High School. (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News Photo)
Sorrell believes that teachers have impacted her life in many ways. Including her “8th grade math teacher who was very patient and helped [her] understand math.” Although Sorrell doesn’t believe she has impacted a teacher she does believe that “students can affect teachers in both positive and negative ways.”
Savannah O Roark is a 15 year old sophomore at Citrus Valley High School. (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News Photo)
O Roark says “Mrs. Strode is a great example of someone who has impacted” O Roarks’ life. Strode is one of her “favorite people to talk to and she has a sense of humor that really brightens the mood and just really enjoys talking to her.” O Roark believes Mrs. Strode can seem “a little intimidating to other people but she is truly one of the sweetest people.” O Roark is glad to be “close to her and is glad [she] can go to her for anything.” O Roark thinks “everyone needs a Mrs. Strode in their life.”
Daniel Davis is a 15 year old freshman at Citrus Valley High School. (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News Photo)
Davis believes that “Coach Bruich” has impacted him and taught him “to learn to push against being uncomfortable.” Although Davis doesnt think he has positively impacted a teacher’s life, he does feel he might have negatively impacted one.
Students and teachers impact eachothers lives everyday and they don’t even realize it. They can even change each others’ views on life as well as brighten each other’s days.
By ALEX VERDUZCO, JENAIA THOMPSON, AMBER BOGH and ANGELA MOAWAD
Valentines Day is a Holiday celebrated in many countries on Feb. 14. Near the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius replaced the celebration of Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s Day. Valentines Day is celebrated for people to show their appreciation for each other, such as through greetings and gifts.
How did students at staff from different high schools around Redlands spend their Valentine’s Day?
Redlands East Valley’s Associated Student Body wrote every student’s name on a heart note placed on the bulletin downstairs in the English building as well as the gym doors (not pictured) on the morning of Feb. 14, 2024 in order to encourage students to find their name and inspire Valentine’s Day spirit. (ALEX VERDUZCO/ Ethic News Photo)
Lupe Barba, Citrus Valley High School counselor, says he “got flowers and took them to his wife at work” and she loved them. After work, Barba got “Cuca’s burritos and had a wonderful dinner.” Barba and his wife have been together for 44 years.
Kami Pham, a Citrus Valley freshman, spent Valentine’s day “sick, failing tests, and with a sore throat.”
Citrus Valley students, Dominic Stevenson a senior, Claire Olson a freshman, and Emma Ritter a junior say they had a great Valentines Day. Stevenson “played volleyball after school.” Olson “took a nap” and Ritter “hung out with friends.” (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News photo)
Jessica Washburn, office clerk at Citrus Valley, said she “went to work, went home, took a walk, and made spaghetti for her husband.”
Orangewood High School senior Kai Moyles and Kevin went to Build-A-Bear at Ontario Mills for Valentine’s Day. Moyles says Ontario Mills was packed and there was a long line at Build-a-Bear. (Photo courtesy of Kai Moyles)
Citrus Valley freshman hearts in the C building, shaped in their graduating year, 2027. (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News photo)
Jesse O’Donnell, math teacher and aquatics coach at Citrus Valley says that he “worked, coached swim practice, then coached a baseball practice for his sons.”
Rebecca Strode, English 9 Honors teacher at Citrus Valley “hosted a Galentines party” at her house for her daughter. (ANNALEIGH DE LA ROSA/ Ethic News Photo)
Chalk art of hearts can be seen in the hallway heading towards the J-Wing on Valentine’s Day morning at the Redlands East Valley High School campus. (ALEX VERDUZCO/ Ethic News photo)
Alan Perez, United States history teacher at Citrus Valley High School, spent “the first half at work” and the second half with his wife. Perez said he “took her to dinner and gave her a nice gift.” (AMBER BOGH/Ethic News Photo)
The Redlands All Star Marching Band, with a total of 95 performers, pose for the team photo in Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London, before setting off on the two and a half mile parade route. (Photo Courtesy of Austin Meiners)
High school marching bands of Redlands got the once in a lifetime opportunity to perform in the 2024 London New Years Day Parade during their 2023-24 winter break.
The preparation for such a trip began all the way back in early 2022, allowing for nearly two years to plan and rehearse. “It took some years of planning and organizing from many different people and logistics,” Citrus Valley Band Director Austin Meiners shares. “Working with three schools was challenging at first to figure out ways to communicate, but we did eventually come up with some great systems.”
The LNYDP began in 1987, first called the Lord Mayor of Westminster’s Big Parade. The parade was renamed in 1994 to the Millennium Parade until 2000 when it became the famous name everyone loves today. It started out with only 10 participating groups, nearly doubling every year.
This year, there were 93 total participating groups, ranging from marching bands to multicultural dancers to giant inflatables and over 10,000 performers showing off their talents. The parade was estimated to have over 500,000 people lining the streets of London with an additional 50 million others watching from the comfort of their homes, according to the LNYDP organizers, Destination Events.
The parade route began on Piccadilly and traveled two and a half miles through some of London’s most notable landmarks, such as The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Square, Horses Guard Palace, Tower of London and ending most notably at Westminster Abbey.
The route, being longer than any local parade that the bands have previously participated in, made for a completely different experience for Redlands students. “There were thousands of people watching us as we marched through London. The audience seemed so excited to see all the marching bands participating and they reacted so positively to us performing,” Citrus Valley Senior Danielle Diaz shares.
“The environment felt so much different. I felt more engagement from the crowd than in previous parades,” said Citrus Valley sophomore Joseph Fordon.
The marching band prepared three pieces for the parade, two for the route itself and one for their “grand finale,” Dancing Queen by the 70s group ABBA and Confident by Demi Lovato
Marching band students weren’t the only ones who participated in a performance of a lifetime. Orchestra students from all three schools participated in the LYNDP Concert Series, performing at the Holy Trinity Church in Sloane Square, London, alongside schools from all over the United Kingdom and United States.
The Redlands All Star Chamber Orchestra stands in the center of the Holy Trinity Church in Sloane Square before taking the stage for their performance in the LYNDP Concert Series. (Photo Courtesy of Austin Meiners)
Not only did Redlands students get the opportunity to perform in the LNYDP, they also were able to tour a few of the United Kingdom’s most popular locations, including the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Oxford University and the heart of London.
Redlands High School Senior, Matt Connelly, says that his favorite part of the trip was “definitely visiting Oxford, the architecture was amazing.”
Redlands East Valley Junior, Ellie Brown, shares that she enjoyed “experiencing everyday London weather and all the tours that we took.”
Citrus Valley High School holds its winter rally on Jan. 26 to start off the new semester, to celebrate the end of old sports and the start of new sports. This is the time of the semester when students of all grades are able to compete in fun games for prizes, show off their skills, and display their Blackhawk spirit and pride.
Citrus Valley High School student Kohen Ramos has his eyes on the hoop as he poses for the perfect half-court during the rally. Kohen and other students were competing for a free yearbook or prom ticket. (RONIN DELGADO/ Ethic News photo)
Citrus Valley´s varsity song put on a performance showcasing their energy and talent to the crowd at the rally. The rally for this semester was held in the Blackhawk gymnasium. (RONIN DELGADO/ Ethic News photo)
Citrus Valley High School student Elaine Saji kicked off the rally with an incredible rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, setting a patriotic tone for the new semester’s rally.(RONIN DELGADO/ Ethic News photo)
Citrus Valley juniors chanted ´25´ as loud as they could to prove to the rest of their classmen that they have the most Blackhawk pride. During every rally, all classmen cheered as loud as they can for their respective classes.(RONIN DELGADO/ Ethic News photo)
The JV cheerleaders delivered a stunning and captivating routine that electrified their peers. They performed extraordinary stunts and lifts in their routine as well as dance. (RONIN DELGADO/ Ethic News photo)
The Village of SBC hosted its 9th annual MLK Day celebration on Jan. 15, and it’s their first year of adding a resource fair. This celebration had classrooms where they learned about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., resources with free food boxes and additional information, prize-giving competitions and live performances.
When the doors opened at 10 a.m, the event started with watching videos teaching about MLK. The Chair of this event, Alise Clouser, welcomed everyone in and brought up special guest speakers such as, Mayor Eddie Tejeda, Council member Mario Saucedo and Superintendent Juan Cabral.
The students dispersed into different classrooms based on their grades with each assigned teacher. Kindergarten through second grade was Melissa Richey, third through fifth was Kayla Anthony and Zonnia Montgomery, sixth through eighth was Jiselle Bryant and Kristen Anthony, and finally ninth through twelfth was Kevin Anthony and Lyz Green.
In those classrooms, each student received a packet filled with the history of MLK. The students got to have interactive activities with the teachers and could share their own experiences based on how they felt about racism and prejudice. As the student’s grade increased, the information on MLK’s life and the improvement that he brought about for other minorities went more into depth.
In kindergarten through fifth, they got to learn who Martin Luther King Jr. was and how his kids felt during the time. Sixth through eighth grade students first went through their own lesson on how they would feel if they couldn´t be friends with others because of the color of their skin. Then, the sixth through eighth grade group learned about the accomplishment that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did at such a young age. A couple minutes later that group went to join the ninth through twelfth graders to have a debate. In this debate they argued on whether kids should listen to their parents or not.
After each class was finished, they were sent to visit the resource fair with different varieties of booths. Some of the booths consisted of Umoja from San Bernardino Valley College giving away merchandise, Redlands East Valley High School’s Black Student Union providing free face painting, the Family and Community Engagement department from Redlands Unified School District giving away free food boxes, Chicka’s Cakes giving free cupcakes, Book Mobile providing new kids books, and The Trailblazer Project giving out cartoon books.
Photo collage of various booths, speeches and activities at the MLK Celebration in Redlands on Jan. 15, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Redlands East Valley Black Student Union)
As an opener, the Anthony Family sang the National Black Anthem.
The first interactive performance was Larena Garcia from the FACE department holding a puppet show where she read a book about young Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s experience when he was child to the audience. The puppets were voiced by Kevin Antony, Kristen Anthony, and Kayla Anthony, who would give remarks based off the story with funny dialogue.
During the event the Yaya Praise Dancers performed to ‘Get Up’ by Tye Tribbett.
During the day there was a contest going on for an art and a speech one where all grades can enter and win cash prizes. K-2nd participant winner would get $75, 3rd-5th would get $100, 6th-8th would get $125, and 9th-12th would get $150.The winner of the speech contest for 9th-12th grade was Jazz Daughtery. The 3rd-5th contest winner was Langston Buffong. The winner of the K-2 contest was Xavier Buffong.
The Winners of the speech contest all grades along with Alise Clouser, chair of the event. (Photo courtesy of Redlands East Valley Black Student Union)
Closing out the event Bishop Jackie Green brought up on stage the president of REV BSU Samya Miller, Maria Saucedo and Chair event holder Alise Clouser. Then she told everyone to cross arms and link hands as we all sang “We Shall Overcome” together in harmony. After the song she then held a prayer with everyone to officially close the 9th annual Martin Luther King Jr. event.
The Family And Community Engagement Department came out to support Anthony Chavies and LaRena Garcia. Garcia read a childrens book of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. younger self. (Photo courtesy of Redlands East Valley Black Student Union)
“I was so nervous to be reading in front of such a large audience mixed with children, adults and the mayor and other city officials,” Garcia said. “But then I thought of my mom and read to everyone like she used to read to me and all of her grandchildren. The children in the audience that engaged with me and the puppets helped me calm my nerves as well.”
Black Student Union clubs from the local high schools and Umoja from San Bernardino Valley College work together to provide activities and awareness at the MLK Celebration on Jan. 15, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Redlands East Valley Black Student Union)
Kevin Anthony, treasurer of Umoja, said, “ I enjoyed connecting with the high school students and finding out their point of views on racial injustice.”
Closing out the event Bishop Jackie Green gathered everyone for prayer. (Photo courtesy of Redlands East Valley Black Student Union)
Note: This article contains the subjects and images of needles and blood.
In the heart of Redlands, California, a beacon of community service shines from the campus of Redlands East Valley High School. The school has recently organized a blood drive that not only highlights the altruistic spirit of its students but also underscores the profound impact such an event has on society and individuals alike.
This is where donors are seated to get their blood drawn. As the chairs go into a flat position, this allows the blood flow to circulate throughout the body into the blood bag. (NAILEIAH MILLER/ Ethic News photo)
Redlands East Valley High School held a blood drive on January 12, where students can get their blood drawn in order to donate and help people in need. ASB (Associated Student Body) and Life Stream worked together to host the event in the school’s gymnasium. REV opened its doors to students, faculty, and residents, turning the school gymnasium into a hub of life-saving activity. The initiative was not just a call to action but an educational experience, raising awareness about the critical need for blood donations.
Once the donor is seated, the Life Stream staff insert a needle that’s attached to the tube. Then, the tube begins to attract the blood into the blood bag. (NALEIAH MILLER/ Ethic News photo)
The benefits of this blood drive ripple through the community and beyond. Each pint of blood collected could potentially save up to three lives– a statistic that translates into a significant impact when considering the collective effort of a school community. The American Red Cross has declared an emergency blood shortage, donations are at a 20-year low. “In order to shore up the need at hospitals, an extra 8,000 blood donations would have to be collected each week,” states The Red Cross Foundation
This picture shows how you are supposed to squeeze the heart-shaped stress ball every 30 seconds. The blood pressure cuff helps to stimulate the blood and plasma transfer. (NAILEIAH MILLER/ Ethic News photo)
For individuals, the act of donating blood is both a noble gesture and a health benefit. Donors undergo a mini-physical, which can provide an early indication of health issues. Moreover, the process of blood regeneration post-donation can help to rejuvenate the body’s blood supply, which is beneficial for the donor’s health.
Plasma is drawn and collected to be used with the ALYX machine which is an apheresis machine that separates and gathers various blood components and returns what they aren’t using back to the donor. (NALEIAH MILLER/ Ethic News photo)
Furthermore, students who participate in the blood drive learn valuable lessons in civic responsibility and the importance of community engagement. ASB gain organizational and leadership skills, as they navigate the complexities of planning and executing a public health event. The blood drive becomes a living classroom for empathy and science education, teaching students about human biology and the medical processes that save lives every day.
Shown above is the station where they analyze your blood pressure and iron levels to determine if you qualify to have your blood and plasma drawn. (NAILEIAH MILLER/ Ethic News photo)
Redlands East Valley High School’s blood drive is a testament to the power of community involvement and the difference a group of dedicated individuals can make. It’s a reminder that in our interconnected society, simple acts of giving can have profound implications for the health and well-being of others. This event not only provides immediate benefits to those in need but also sows the seeds for a more compassionate and health-conscious generation.
The machine in the photo is where the plasma and blood bags are held for the process. All the bags can get easily transferred between setups with this machine. (NAILEIAH MILLER/ Ethic News photo)
Learn more about Candace May, biology teacher at Citrus Valley High School with her answers to these 20 questions.
What’s one of your hidden talents?
I am GREAT at parallel parking.
What’s one of your main hobbies?
My husband and I love playing board games and go camping!
Do you have a dream vacation, if so what would it be?
I just went on my dream vacation to London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland this summer! If I had a chance, I would love to go back again for more time and see more of the countryside and other famous cities. I would also like to visit Ireland as well.
How long have you been teaching at Citrus Valley?
This is my 8th year here at CVHS. Time has flown by.
When you were a student in high school what was your least favorite subject?
Spanish was probably my least favorite, I was horrible with it.
Who or what made you decide to start teaching?
I had a great relationship with many of my high school teachers, and I have always wanted to help others. Shout out to some of the most influential teachers: Mr. Sherrodd (band), Mr. Maxwell (AVID/AP English), and Mr. McKean (World History and Government).
If you were not teaching what would be your dream job?
I would love to work in animal conservation or something with ecology/research. Also, it would be cool to have a job that was fun and I could travel or take extended vacations.
Is there any type of sport that you have played before?
Nope
When you were in school what was your strongest subject?
My strongest subject was math; I took pre-calc and calculus and actually enjoyed it.
What’s your dream pet?
I think it would be pretty awesome to have a big cat (maybe like a lion or something?). I’ve also always wanted to own a cow; the highland coos are the cutest.
If you weren’t teaching the current subjects you are teaching right now, what else would you teach?
I would love to teach AP Environmental or perhaps give chemistry a try.
What’s your favorite holiday?
Christmas is probably my favorite holiday; I enjoy the festive decorations and cool weather.
Do you enjoy reading, if so what was your favorite book that you read?
Favorite book is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
What is your favorite music artist?
The Kooks or The Killers
Who inspired you the most throughout life?
My mom; she was the strongest and most hard-working individual. She was caring, but still would stand up for herself and others too.
What is one quote that inspires you?
“‘Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama”
When you were a kid what was your favorite thing to do?
I loved hanging out with my friends, having campfires out in the desert, and just driving around together listening to music.
What is your favorite animal?
Cow!
Are you more of an introvert or extrovert?
I am more introverted, but I often have to be extroverted as a teacher.
What is one piece of advice you would give someone as the semester comes to an end?
Do all that you can to ask for help before finals week. Take the time teachers give you in class to review or complete study materials. Do not wait until the night before to study. Consistently review and put the time and effort in.
Citrus Valley High School science teacher Candace May in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. (Photo courtesy of Candace May)
Citrus Valley High School welcomed Latino Student Union for the first time this semester. With a largely Latino demographic at Citrus Valley, the club has amassed more than 80 members and a social following. The purpose of LSU has been to promote Latino excellence by helping the community at service events and encouraging a focus on academic achievement.
The club was first introduced at Club Rush and passed out Mexican candies to those who joined. A crowd of students formed, joined together with Latino music as they waited.
Citrus Valley High School senior Jasmine Rosales, Bryana Diaz and Alina Sanchez Santacruz welcome new members to the newly formed Latino Student Union at Club Rush early in the semester. (Ethic News photo)
Dania Martinez, a senior at Citrus Valley said, “I was happy to see representation on campus.”
The first meeting filled up C-05 the room of Citrus Valley history teacher Alan Perez, the club’s advisor. Club members enjoyed fresas con crema, or strawberries with whipped cream, a traditional Mexican dessert and learned about the officers.
A group selfie with Bella Sommerfelt, Bryana Diaza Plancarte, and Ariana Gutierrez in the center of a group of club members in Citrus Valley High School teacher Alan Perez’s room. (ALINA SANCHEZ SANTA CRUZ/ Ethic News photo)
The LSU leaders also joined Victoria Elementary School and helped with their after school program. Fellow students assisted with learning activities and played with the kids during breaks.
Jose Avila Mendoza, a spirit leader in LSU, says helping the children “was nostalgic of when older kids came to my school and I was happy to give back to the community.”
The final service event of the year was for Dia de Los Muertos. Members of the club colored skulls and wrote facts to teach students at Citrus Valley about their culture and posted them in the hallways.
Latino Student Union members decorate a hallway in Citrus Valley High School for Dia de los Muertos 2023 with images, information and papel picado. (ALINA SANCHEZ SANTACRUZ/ Ethic News photo)
The 2023 winter and spring had a tremendous amount of rain causing many areas to flood, including the Santa Ana River. This flooding caused major issues for nearby residents and visitors. Issues include damage of roads, bridges, residents possessions, homes, as well as leaving trees and boulders everywhere.
Fallen trees, boulders, and other debris at the bottom of the Santa Ana River in Angeles Oaks, California. (AMBER BOGH/ Ethic News photo)
A large pile of debris is cleared by dozers while smoothing out the road. Fallen trees have been scattered everywhere due to the heavy flowing water in the Santa Ana River. (AMBER BOGH/ Ethic News photo)
An RV is pushed up against a tree by the Santa Ana River causing damages to the exterior and possessions inside. (AMBER BOGH/ Ethic News photo)
Boulders, trees, and other debris lie at the bottom of the Santa Ana river bed after flooding in 2023. (AMBER BOGH/ Ethic News photo)
One of the many bridges broken from the flooding made the roads inaccessible. Fortunately bull dozers have gone through recently and made the roads accessible again. (AMBER BOGH/ETHIC NEWS PHOTO)
The Santa Ana River originates in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows through San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange counties, eventually emptying into the Pacific Ocean through Huntington Beach.
The flooding of the Santa Ana River has impacted many people’s lives. Residents unable to get to work, losing possessions, homes, and even visitors just passing through due to the debris.
Spreading awareness and knowing about the topic as well as knowing about possible flood danger areas is important.
There are many websites that can help provide information on being in danger of a flood.
Citrus Valley High School had their first home basketball game against Grand Terrace High School on Dec. 1.
The game starts off slow for the Blackhawks, with Grand Terrace Titan’s scoring 20 points in the first quarter to Citrus Valley Blackhawks’ six points. The first point for the Blackhawks is scored by senior Jayden Call.
The Titans run a press so the Blackhawks have to run their press break.
The second quarter starts with Grand Terrace up by a big lead. Citrus Valley senior Novaiah Little-Kong scores the Blackhawks’ next point to make the score 8-30.
The Blackhawks run a zone defense to try and stop Grand Terrace from driving in the paint and getting layups.
Size-wise, Grand Terrace is a bigger school with players much taller than Citrus Valley, making it easier for them to drive in the paint and score.
The second quarter comes to the end with a score of 22-44.
The Blackhawks go into halftime and reproup to fix their mistakes and come back to try and win the game.
The Blackhawks start the third quarter down by 20 points.
Jordan Davis is in the game, a freshman on varsity and their lead scorer.
Tragically Davis goes up to block a Titan from dunking the ball but gets dunked on. The crowd goes crazy screaming. Everyone is shocked but Davis shakes it off and keeps playing.
With the third quarter coming to an end, Citrus is scoring also but they can’t get any stops so Grand Terrace keeps the lead.
The third quarter comes to the end and the score is 41-65.
It’s the start of the 4th quarter and Citrus Valley continues to run a zone defense. Grant Terrace’s players are too big and break the zone. They continue to score and Citrus Valley is trying to figure out how to stop them.
At the end of the 4th quarter Citrus valley has lost its first home game of the season to Grand Terrace. The final score is 52-75.
“We need to move the ball around better and get more rebounds,” says Citrus Valley Coach Yon Okorodudu.
Citrus Valley tried their best but Grand Terrace got the better of them.
Renee Cornell is a new social studies teacher at Orangewood High School who teaches United States history and world history.
Cornell was encouraged to become a teacher after coaching a dance team.
“Coaching the dance team kind of inspired me in a way to start teaching history,” Cornell said.
Cornell said that while coaching the dance team she was already pursuing teaching due to her parents both being teachers. With her mom teaching history Cornell fell in love with the subject and was inspired to teach history.
Max Flores, Orangewood senior, enjoys Cornell’s class because “she always has something new to do.”
“I enjoy Mrs. Cornell’s class because everyday is different,” says Orangewood senior Sandra Gaytan. “I really enjoy the beginning of class for the ‘Today’s Day in History’ cause no two days are the same and each day is different.”
Cornell’s fellow teachers notice this, too.
Norma Beckwith, Orangewood history teacher, says Cornell “brings fresh ideas to teach an old subject. As a colleague she is always willing to share her expertise and personally is fun and encouraging.”
If Cornell had to choose a different subject to teach, she said she’d choose to teach English.
“I’d choose English because it was my second favorite subject. I’ll never teach math and I’ve never liked any other subject,” Cornell said.
While her dream job earlier in life was to be a veterinarian, if teaching didn’t work out for Cornell she said would have tried to open a bakery.
Below are ten of Cornell’s favorites, fears and future goals students may not know about her.
She owns two dogs.
If a person could choose their own lifestyle Cornell says she’d choose to live close to family with an animal sanctuary on her own land and be financially stable to keep it.
Her dream vacation she wants to go on is an African safari.
Another place she wants to visit and see is Ireland.
When it comes to retiring Cornell wants to retire in Montana or Wyoming.
A dream car for her is a simple big SUV.
A skill set Cornell wants to learn is sign language.
An essential Cornell wants in her house is a section couch.
Her favorite type of food is Mexican food.
The things that scare her the most are heights or falling from a high place, saying, “ I absolutely can not do anything high, I would literally die,” she says.
Cornell originally is from Ontario and still resides in Ontario to this day. Cornell is currently married and has no children. Some at Orangewood still refer to her as “Ms. Wilson” because she got married shortly after she started teaching at Orangewood.
Beckwith says, “I am so happy that Mrs. Wilson joined our OHS family.”
Feature image: Renee Cornell stands in front of a bookcase in her classroom at Orangewood High School. (DANIEL GARCIA SALAS/ Ethic News photo)
A poster advertising the Mug of War on Dec. 7, 2023, in the morning before school started. (NALEIAH MILLER/Ethic Photo)
In the spirit of spreading holiday cheer and fostering a sense of community, Redlands East Valley High School, Redlands High School, and Citrus Valley High School each participated in a competition to see whose students show more school spirit, by giving away free hot chocolate. To become the winning school, each high school must give their students the most hot chocolate compared to the other schools. The students are encouraged to bring their own mugs to be filled up, but REV also provided disposable coffee cups with lids, if students couldn’t bring their own.
At the heart of this friendly competition lies the desire to create a nurturing and inclusive atmosphere within each school. By offering hot chocolate to their students, these high schools aim to provide a comforting respite from the chilly weather and the demanding academic environment. The act of giving something as simple as a warm beverage fosters a sense of unity and goodwill among the student body.
Each high school has come up with its unique strategy to serve the most hot chocolate cups. Whether it’s setting up dedicated hot chocolate stations outside of the entry gates, organizing multiple stands in the front of the campus, utilizing mobile carts and the water coolers (which contained hot water) from the sports teams, these schools are vying to outdo one another in terms of both quantity and quality. The competition has sparked creativity and enthusiasm among the students, with everyone eagerly participating to contribute to their school’s success.
Beyond the friendly rivalry, this hot chocolate competition serves as an opportunity to bolster school spirit and pride. Students rally behind their respective schools, cheering on their classmates as they distribute warm cups of chocolate goodness. The shared experience of sipping hot chocolate together creates a sense of camaraderie and strengthens the bonds within the student community.
While the competition itself may be light-hearted, the impact reaches beyond the boundaries of the schools. The act of distributing free hot chocolate extends a warm gesture to all students, faculty, and staff, fostering a sense of belonging and care. It serves as a reminder that even small acts of kindness can make a significant difference in brightening someone’s day.
Ultimately, this competition transcends the realm of hot chocolate and emphasizes the importance of giving. It encourages students to think beyond their own needs and consider the well-being and happiness of others. By engaging in this friendly challenge, the schools are instilling in their students the values of generosity, compassion, and community engagement.
The competition among these three high schools to give out the most free hot chocolate cups exemplifies the power of simple acts of kindness in fostering a sense of togetherness and school spirit. As the students come together to spread warmth and joy, they not only create cherished memories but also cultivate a culture of giving that extends beyond the competition. Such endeavors remind us of the significance of small gestures in building a supportive and inclusive community.
At 9:45 a.m. on Thursday morning, it was announced that, after utilizing 70 gallons of water and serving free hot chocolate to over 500 students, REV was the winner of the 2023 Mug-O-War.
REV’s ASB (Associated Student Body) also took the liberty of selling doughnuts to the students for $2 per doughnut. They provided napkins and were stationed right beside the main gate entrance. (NALEIAH MILLER/Ethic News Photo)
REV used the brand Swiss Miss (milk chocolate) to mix in with the hot water that filled everyone’s cups to make the chocolate drink for all. (NALEIAH MILLER/Ethic News Photo)
This is the heater that warmed up the water for the five stations that was set up for students, teachers, and faculty to receive their hot water for the bases of the hot chocolate. (NALEIAH MILLER/Ethic News Photo)
Two ASB members pose in front of their water station, holding their own cups to show their school spirit. (NALEIAH MILLER/Ethic News Photo)
Orangewood High School students were interviewed to get their thoughts on the school. The first students are new to Orangewood and currently going through the OASIS program, which stands for Orientation Assessment, Study Skills, Insight and Success. Next, seniors who are looking towards graduation share their thoughts.
Leilannie Flores came to Orangewood to get back on track with credits. She thinks OASIS is very easy and a good way to ease into the school. Her first impression was that the school is small and everybody is more to themselves.
Noah Madrid feels he was forced to come to Orangewood. He thinks OASIS is cool but kind of boring. His first impression was that the school is pretty cool and people are nice.
Karina Juarez came to Orangewood to get her credits back up. She thinks OASIS is a good environment. Her first impression is that it is a very friendly environment.
Andrew Contreras came to Orangewood because he feels he had to and was behind. He thinks OASIS is chill and easy. His first impression is that it’s a nice quiet school with not a lot going on.
Arius Ruiz feels she was forced to come to Orangewood. She thinks OASIS is alright and that going to school for three hours and 45 min during the orientation block is easier than seven hours. Her first impression is better than expected. She thought there was going to be fights and arguments but it’s actually chill.
Watch the video to hear thoughts from seniors at Orangewood.
The Blackhawk Theater company presented “Trap” by Stephen Gregg the week of Oct. 20.
The play is a very interactive and audience-influenced show, with much of the cast and fellow BTC members excited about this new form of production.
Citrus Valley High School students Aaron Filji, Mia , Dedrick Vazquez, and Brooklyn Bellard perform ‘Trap’ in the Blackhawk Theatre the week of Oct. 20. The play is unique in that it involves much audience participation. (Ethic News photo)
The show starts out with the protagonist, played by Kaia Yoshimitsu, describing a time when they were the most scared. As the show plays out, the main character is revealed to be a detective investigating an interesting phenomenon: an entire theater fainting to the point of almost being brain dead. The mystery is that this only happens every 16 years.
More of the cast joins the stage as they bring out additional details and evidence of what is going on. Interviews are shown through TV’s telling the audience about the phenomenon.
Cast and crew members said the show was unlike previous ones and they really enjoyed it.
Citrus Valley High School senior Anthony Rivas played Ephram in the Blackhawk Theatre Company’s production of “Trap” the week of Oct. 20. Rivas became involved in theatre last year. (Ethic News photo)
“It’s my senior year and I really like theater and last year is when I finally had courage to do the show,” says Citrus Valley senior Anthony Rivas, who plays Ephram in the play.
Rivas said that this play was “way different because “Alice” [in Wonderland] “was more kiddy and this is more serious.”
He says that he loved working on the play and that he very recently got into theater junior year.
He said that something that helped him get into the character was, “You have to put yourself in the mindset where you just wanna help.”
Rivas says that he really enjoyed playing his character and “sometimes I feel like I switch to on and off from ‘trust me and know me’ and ‘I hear noises, I hear them, no no I promise you’ like I’m schizophrenic.”
Citrus Valley High School senior Sam Rojas, who was an audience member in the play “Trap,” walks through the Citrus Valley quad. The play ran the week of Oct. 20, 2023. (JOSIE DURAZO/ Ethic News photo)
Citrus Valley senior Sam Rojas, who was an audience member, said, “You could also feel the suspense and the intensity and you could feel the emotion in the room and at the end you were just like, ‘What?’”
Citrus Valley sophomore Savannah O’Roark said, “It was different because this role is nothing like my last role. You get to really prep yourself for playing a crazy person.”
O’Roark’s experience on the show was good. She, like many others, says that the show is like nothing she’s ever done before.
“There was a lot of technical aspects,” says O’Roark. “It was very different to be sure, overall good experience.”
Working on this show O’Roark had many bombshells dropped on her. She had a role change two weeks before the cast had to have their lines memorized, and she also learned to play the keyboard for her role.
Citrus Valley High School sophomore Savannah O’Roark stands in front of the Blackhawk Theatre stage. O’Roark learned to play keyboard for her role in “Trap.” (ANGELA MOAWAD/ Ethic News photo)
“I did enjoy when I learned the keyboard for the show, because that was really fun because I don’t have any experience with it,” says O’Roark. “It was definitely out of my comfort zone, but it was fun.”
Citrus Valley senior and BTC tech crew member Jasmine Aceves says, “I love theater and I love working on shows and working on ‘Trap’ was amazing and very technical, something like I’ve never done before.”
Jasmine had a great time working on the show.
“It’s very different from the other shows because it’s very technical based,” Aceves says, “It’s not just acting on stage. It’s more interactive. I love it and I feel like breaking that fourth wall is just another way of getting closer to the audience and them getting to interact with the show.”
Citrus Valley High School senior Jasmine Aceves was a tech crew member for the production of “Trap.” Aceves says “Trap” was a very technical show. (ANGELA MOAWAD/ Ethic News photo)
Citrus Valley senior Mia Davies says, “I’m so glad I got the chance to perform again. As a senior it’s a great way to say goodbye to the department as well as meet and mentor the underclassmen.”
Mia had a good time working on the show with the cast. She says that the funniest person in the show is Keely. “Whenever she’s onstage I always have a huge smile because she nails her performances and she is truly hilarious!”
The “X is silent” in Deaux, according to the tagline of Redlands’ newest donut shop, but student taste-testers from three local high schools were not.
About twenty students from Citrus Valley High School, Orangewood High School and Redlands East Valley High School sampled a dozen donuts from the gourmet donut shop, Deaux, to share their opinions on the unique and traditional donut flavors.
Students from Citrus Valley High School, Orangewood High School and Redlands East Valley High School tried a dozen donuts from Deaux, the gourmet donut and coffee shop that opened in October of 2023 in downtown Redlands. Donuts were cut into smaller portions so that each person could sample multiple flavors if they chose. (NALIEAH MILLER and CYNTHIA FLORES DIAZ /Ethic News photo)
“It looked so cute, I liked the frosting on it. It was so good. It tasted sweet but also the lemon was very noticeable. Definitely recommend, especially if you’re looking for something gluten-free.”
Monique Varela, Citrus Valley senior
“It looked really good and very tasty. It tasted as good as it looked.”
Annaleigh De La Rosa, Citrus Valley freshman
“Very cute and formal frosting presentation. Very excited because the flavor mixture seems unique. [After tasting] The frosting was abhorrent. The flavors don’t mix well at all and the actual donut part was just the vanilla bean donut but with a nasty lemon cheese mixture on top. Very disappointing.”
Earendel Henriquez, REV junior
“From first glance, it had frosting on top going around the whole donut, also being glazed. My first impression is that the flavor of the lemon plus it being glazed adds so much delectableness to it. This donut is like a mini lemon cake, but with a bunch more flavor. A donut this great is a must-try.”
Joseph Eskander, Orangewood senior
“Looks very interesting, I have never had a donut with any sort of frosting on the exterior.”
Sam Uribe, Citrus Valley senior
“Overall the whole donut tastes just like lemon cake.”
Jayleah Parchman, REV freshman
“The Vanilla Bean was good. It was the right amount of sweet.”
Jimmy Mazariego, Orangewood senior
“The donut looked large and had the top glazed. The dough looked very fluffy and it was a nice brown color. Too chewy and not enough glaze-to-donut ration.”
Alina Sanchez Santacruz, Citrus Valley senior
“Vanilla Bean is my favorite because it’s sweet and it just tastes like a glazed cake. It’s sweet.”
K Bonna Dancy, Orangewood senior
“It was kind of like a glazed donut, but with more of a vanilla flavor.”
Sora Reynolds, Orangewood senior
“Nothing special about it for an “artisan donut.” Seems more normal than the other unique looking ones, like the pastrami. Really doughy and not very sweet, unless you have the glaze in your bite.”
Eerendal Henriquez, REV junior
“The donut itself looked good and had a nice layer of glaze that didn’t appear too heavy. It was chewy, it tasted like a mochi donut. It wasn’t overly sweet and I enjoyed that the frosting wasn’t overly sweet.”
Melanie Perez, Citrus Valley senior
“The presentation on the donut was good, shown to be very flavorful. My first impression of it made me think it was gonna be a super flavorful donut. I felt like although it had a good amount of topping on it, it was still very non-flavorful. I feel like if the dough was made with some type of chocolate or peanut butter it would’ve been more effective.”
Jayleah Parchman, REV freshman
“It’s original because the chocolate is thin like in a donut shop. I liked it.”
Amierah McWilliams, Orangewood senior
“The presentation was good. The donut looks aesthetically pleasing. The donut was great. It had nuts on top that made the donut even better. It tasted great.”
Braylon Smith, Citrus Valley freshman
“The peanut butter was really good but there was not enough of it. The chocolate was good too, really light on the palate.”
Edgar Cruz, Orangewood senior
“I enjoyed the dough of the donut, but it didn’t have enough topping on it. It reminded me more of a cake than a donut.”
Amber Bogh, Citrus Valley freshman
“The presentation was decent, it looked like the sprinkles were going to overpower the doughnut. Super sweet but really good. Airy and dense at the same time. If you like simple but with an extra kick this doughnut is the one for you.”
Josie Durazo, Citrus Valley junior
“Very basic for something more on the pricey side. Appetizing to a donut lover, but not unique compared to any other donut. Basic, but good.”
Earnedel Henriquez, REV junior
“I thought it would be kind of nasty because of the name it had but when I looked at it, it looked pretty good; it looked appealing. It was pretty sweet despite how it looked. I thought it was yummy and you can taste everything that’s inside. It was pretty good. I didn’t expect to like it, especially because of its name.”
Monique Varela, Citrus Valley senior
“The presentation was pretty basic from the outside which kind of looked like a sandwich. It didn’t have any of the frosting to be called a donut, but the shape of it was there. The overall taste was kind of confusing. The goat cheese kind of just overtook all the other ingredients, such as the bacon. There wasn’t a lot to take from this donut, however the overall texture was pretty nice and the donut was good.”
Adryiel Manalac, REV senior
“The outside gave high expectations; it looked very good and it was. The dough was flowy and tasted good. The meat in it was evenly mixed with the goat cheese which gives a sweet and savory flavor.”
Jules Acuna, Citrus Valley sophomore, and Mia Griffin, Citrus Valley freshman
“Thought it was a sandwich because there was nothing “sweet” looking about it. I was a little scared to try it because goat cheese is not appealing to look. Gross texture and taste. It smelled and tasted like smoked bacon. There was nothing ‘donut” about it. This should be listed as a sandwich. I literally had to empty it out and could only tolerate eating the dough part of it.”
Earendel Henriquez, REV junior
“It looked kinda gross from the outside, but on the inside it was just a sandwich. It was savory and didn’t have any sweetness in the dough, which was probably for the better, but had a slightly sour aftertaste. It tasted good. There was a nice balance of flavors between the pastrami, mustard, and onions. The dough on the outside was kind of dry and reminded me of a croissant.”
Hamzah Odeh, Citrus Valley freshman
“It looked kind of weird looking at it but I looked inside and it looked pretty good. I thought it was delicious and tasted like a normal sandwich, but with a kick. It was so good and a nice mix of everything that was inside of it. 100% recommend.”
Monique Varela, Citrus Valley senior
“The donut was overall pretty good-looking. The inside was filled with meat which was very appealing to look at. I was skeptical about meat-filled donut and didn’t know how it would turn out taste-wise.”
Kya Anthony, REV freshman
“It looks big and thick, but like a normal glazed donut. It had weird taste feeling in the beginning but the after-taste is pretty good and it honestly tastes like a glazed donut.”
Brianna Melliz, REV senior
“Overall they did a good job with showing how the donut would taste and the textures of it. Seeing how the donut was very baked with the frosting layering it just showed how the donut would be very crunchy. The donut had only a few things that were different from other donuts, and that was how the frosting just melts in your mouth. The outside was crunchy enough to satisfy your needs for a crunch, while the inside was very soft. That’s what makes this donut stand out from others.”
Adryiel Manalac, REV junior
“At first I think I’m tasting the miso, then the banana comes in almost as an after-taste; it almost hits you. It pairs well with the caramel.”
Christian Rolle, Orangewood senior
“It tasted like banana bread but burnt, crispy on the outside. It’s not good or bad; in the middle.”
Sophie Gomez, Orangewood senior
“It’s actually kinda gas [really good]. It tastes like really crispy banana nut bread.”
Edghar Cruz, Orangewood senior
“It’s dry. I didn’t like it.”
Jimmy Mazariegos, Orangewood senior
“The presentation was neat and had a small cute flower on the top. It had some touches of the orange color on it. It was very delicious and had a citrusy flavor to it. I had the piece with the yellow flower and it had a strong taste to it. The after taste was sweet and yummy. The flower left a strong pollen after-taste. I would recommend it to people who love a fresh and slightly citrusy treat.”
Cynthia Flores Diaz, Citrus Valley freshman
“This one’s gas. It’s fire. It’s probably the best one. The cake part is sweet and it’s like a cake, that’s what it’s like.”
K Bonna Dancy, Orangewood senior
“It tastes like fruity pebbles. It’s good, but don’t eat the flower.”
Jimmy Mazariegos, Orangewood senior
“I haven’t tried anything orange blossom flavored before, and I would have this again.”
Sora Reynolds, Orangewood senior
All of the Olive Oil and Salt donuts were gone by the end of the taste test, so they were indeed tasted. However, while we did not hear any complaints, we also did not receive any reviews.
Therefore, the jury is still out on the Olive Oil and Salt donut.
Seasonal donuts were also merrily gobbled up, leaving crumbs but no reviews.
Looks like you’ll have to check this one out yourself, too, but don’t wait too long. Per the name, it may not be around too long.
Deaux is located at 501 E. Citrus Ave. in Redlands, where Hogi Yogi was for decades.
Shop hours are Monday through Friday from 6:30 am to 6 pm or weekends from 8 am to 2 pm.
As many students and families favorite time of the year comes to an end, football season leads into playoffs and the winter sports kick off into tryouts. Girls soccer at Citrus Valley High School began the week of Oct. 16 stretching through the week until Oct. 29
Annelise Guzman, Junior and Lily Ledesma, Senior rest after participating in the Manchester United fitness test at Citrus Valley High School. Both girls cheer on the rest who are still running to encourage their teammates. (JASMINE ROSALES/ Ethic News photo)
Beginning at six in the morning until 7:30 a.m, on Oct. 16, all girls interested in trying out for the Citrus Valley High School soccer team showed up, starting with check-in and then verifying clearance to participate. After a huddle-up with the coaches, they break off for warm up with a lap around the field, followed by static and dynamic stretching.
To ease everyone into tryouts, day one consisted of running statistics on each athlete. Stats taken included: a 30-yard kick; the goal being able to lob a ball 30 yards before contact with the floor, five shots on goal within ten seconds, dribbling at speed in a zig-zag line of cones, a 40-yard sprint, and a timed 5-10-5 shuttle run. Day one was concluded with a cool down lap and stretching around the center of the pitch.
Coming back for day two of tryouts was fitness day. Changing it up this year, varsity coach Cassondra Delgado introduced the Manchester United Fitness Test to the program to test girls’ stamina. As a whole, the stamina paced test takes up to 20 minutes to be completed if done from start to finish. From one end zone to the other, girls sprint to make it in 25 seconds or under with a cool down jog of 35 seconds to get back in time for the whistle as it repeats. The fitness test goes 10 times repeating a 25:35 ratio then follows the next 10 sets going down in sprint time and up in recovery time.
Senior and returning varsity player Alaina Johnston-Cabral said that “running that fitness test was tragic but it’s more fun when you are dying with your friends.”
After the fitness test came to an end, players were called for a water break and were broken off into teams of seven to end tryouts with small sided games of seven on seven.
Posted on Instagram, “ImCollegeSoccer” provides an image of the fitness test and challenges their followers to complete it (Photo from instagram)
Returning on day three, after warm ups players got numbered off and split into eight teams to set up four fields of 1v1’s, to test players skill and offense versus defense. After 1v1’s, players then switched to 2v2’s for the remainder of the time, the players then got a chance to cool down and were dismissed.
Coming close to the end of week, the fourth day of tryouts had more scrimmaging to give coaches the opportunity to understand how players play in more game-like situations and more time to see their choice making. The whole time consisted of seven on seven games, rotating around fields giving everyone a chance to go on the bigger field.
On the last day, players were advised to bring shin guards as they would be playing the full field that day, once warmed up and stretched, players were once again split into teams and put into positions ready to kick off. In total, there were three different games, lasting about 20 minutes each to give each player a chance to be subbed in, and rotate teams around.
Returning varsity player and senior, Kylie Mccue said, “I think that tryouts went really well, there were lots of new faces to add to the program, and it was very organized with the drills and activities.”
After the scrimmages, coaches met up in the middle with everyone thanking them for all their hard work and dedication for coming out and wishing them best of luck, breaking off in a cheer.
Concluding the week of tryouts, coaches take the weekend to think over teams and reflect on notes and observations from the week to create rosters and create the game plan for the upcoming season.
Citrus Valley High School had its first rally of the year to spark energy for their homecoming on Friday, Oct. 6. At their football game that night, Citrus Valley announced their homecoming princes, princesses, kings and queens. Seniors wore customized crowns to show off their Citrus Valley senior spirit.
Citrus Valley High School senior Joshua Gonzalez storms out of the inflatable helmet after being announced at the 2023 fall rally. The rally was held in the Robert Hodges Stadium, where the Blackhawks would compete against Beaumont Cougars that evening for the Friday night Homecoming football game. (RONIN DELGADO/ Ethic News photo)
The Citrus Valley High School song and cheer team sets off the rally. The Blackhawk song and dance teams performed a variety of routines at both the Homecoming rally and football game on Oct. 6, 2023. (RONIN DELGADO/ Ethic News photo)
Dania Aguilar, Citrus Valley High School Field drum major, shows off her senior flower crown. Aguilar leads the Citrus Valley marching band during rehearsals and performances. (JULES ACUNA/ Ethic News photo)
Citrus Valley High School PossAbilities’ presidents, Savannah Hudson and Rylie Grames, show off their spirit with their senior crowns. The PossAbilities Club provides activities and opportunities for interaction for students with diverse abilities. (JULES ACUNA/ Ethic News photo)
The Citrus Valley High School senior student section shows off their crowns at their Homecoming game. The student section cheered the Blackhawk football team to a 33-24 victory against Beaumont High School on Oct. 6, 2023. (JULES ACUNA/ Ethic News photo)
Orangewood High School students attended a field trip to the LEAD Summit XII, which stands for Latino Education and Advocacy Days. The theme and name of this conference was “Ya Basta! Enough is Enough!” and it was held at the California State University of San Bernardino on Sept. 29.
The field trip was attended by MEChA Club students as well as other OHS students interested in the event. The purpose of this field trip was to raise awareness on education and violence in the community in the “Context of our Schools, Community Safety, and Law Enforcement,” as stated in the conference program.
Orangewood High School students pose for a picture outside of the conference rooms with actor Emilio Rivera, who was one of the speakers at the “Ya Basta!” themed conference. Rivera was the afternoon featured speaker, he is an American film actor and is best known for his role as “Chivo Ramirez” in the Netflix show “On My Block.” Rivera has worked hard in his acting career achieving to be in the list of successful Latino actors. (Photo courtesy of a Brown Beret member at the conference)
Morning featured speaker Dolores Huerta talks to a room full of people, with Orangewood High School students being seated in the front row. Huerta is an American labor leader and civil rights activist. She is mostly known for being the co-founder with Cesar Chavez of the National Farmers Association, later becoming the United Farm Workers of America. Huerta is a loyal fighter for Latino’s rights. (Ethic News photo)
For the opening procession of the conference, lives lost to violence and their families were honored. Students hold up pictures of the victims that were cruelly treated and hurt by their community or died at the hands of law enforcement. They shared their stories, and their names to remember and to respect them. According to the LEAD Summit program online, “We are the families, survivors, and individuals impacted by Violence in all its forms – be it assault, domestic and sexual abuse, targeted crimes, and/or police brutality and deadly force – turning our “grief into action” and seeking justice.” (Ethic News photo)
The opening ceremony is where the LEAD Summit featured Indigenous dancers to represent the culture of Native Americans and Latinos. They traditionally sang and danced for the crowd. (Ethic News photo)
Orangewood students take a picture at the Dolores Huerta foundation stand outside the conference rooms of Cal State San Bernardino with a portrait in the background of Huerta. (Ethic News photo)
Lead Speaker Emilio Rivera talking to the audience, sharing his stories, sharing his achievements, and giving them guidance and advice in life. (Ethic News photo)
Orangewood High School seniors Reina Vasquez and Kimberly Tapia take a look at the vendors and shops outside the conference rooms. These small shops are Latino owned with many varieties, everything they sold was based on the theme of Hispanic culture. (Ethic News photo)
Orangewood High School students take the last picture of their field trip at the entrance of the college, before heading back to Orangewood. (Ethic News photo)
Citrus Valley High School’s very own Blackhawks set out on the stage to present their first fall performance of the year, for only 3 days in September, from 5-6 p.m. The play, accompanied by Citrus Valley’s choir director Kimberly Anaya, was scripted by Mo Williams, with music composed by Deborah Wicks La Puma. The Citrus Valley cast had an amazing performance performed by Vallerie Morris as Piggie and Aden Sam as Elephant.
In the play, Elephant and Piggie go on multiple adventures together that test the close relationship between the two; they go to a party, wait for ice cream, and play ball, yet nothing can break the two’s friendship. (JULES ACUNA/ Ethic News photo)
Kimberly Anaya, Citrus Valley High School choir director, accompanied the cast at the Citrus Valley Theater in September to view Citrus Valley’s performance of “Elephant and Piggie’s ‘We Are In A Play!’” (JULES ACUNA/ Ethic News)
Citrus Valley High School students Vallerie Morris as Piggie and Aden Sam as Elephant, set out on the stage to present their first fall performance of the year. (JULES ACUNA/ Ethic News photo)
The performance of “Elephant and Piggie’s ‘We Are In A Play!’” is about an hour and a half, full of music and dancing, that concludes with a twist that includes a dance number with audience interactions. (JULES ACUNA/ Ethic News photo)
The Blackhawk Theatre Company had many in attendance each of the three nights of the performance. After the performance and applause, all of the cast members joined the stage and encouraged pictures with the cast, where two large lines formed of kids eager to take photos with characters from the play. (JULES ACUNA/ Ethic News)
Marcus Perry, chess club president, engages with a group of students in a game of chess at Cram Elementary School on Sept. 11, 2023. (SHEENA LE/ETHIC NEWS PHOTO).
Citrus Valley High School’s Chess Club visited Jeff Stanners’ fifth grade class at Cram Elementary on Sept. 11. With the trip, the club sought to teach the class about chess and overall get them interested in the game.
Upon arrival, the students were informed on how to play the game, then split into seven groups, each led by a Chess Club member. The club members heading each group acted as a mentor of sorts to the students, and helped to guide them in actual matches of chess for about an hour and a half.
Chess Club President Marcus Perry said, “The kids were excited to see something they had done before showing up in class. They were pumped about making the plans and trying to checkmate their opponent.” A sentiment echoed by club Vice-President Sheena Le, who said that the children “were brimming with enthusiasm, and displayed remarkable engagement with a strong desire to learn.”
Holly Truong, Citrus Valley Chess Club member, guides her group of students in a game of chess at Cram Elementary School on Sept. 11, 2023. (SHEENA LE/ETHIC NEWS PHOTO).
Surprisingly, most of the children already had prior experience playing chess. One student in particular was rather good at the game, and ended up challenging Perry in a match of chess.
While Perry did end up victorious, he still said the kid played really well and that “it’s cool to see that even a fifth grader can hold his own in chess.”
The trip went really well according to Perry.
“I was originally worried it’d be disorganized or the children would be too embarrassed to be around the big kids,” Perry said. “Overall, the trip exceeded all of my expectations.”
Following the trip to Cram, Smiley Library of Redlands reached out to the Citrus Valley Chess Club and asked if they’d be willing to create Smiley Library’s very own Chess Club, an offer that they were swiftly taken up on.
Smiley’s Chess Club will function the same way that the club does at Citrus Valley; there will be plenty of chess games set up and ready to be played for anyone who wishes, and Citrus Valley Chess Club members there to help out anyone new to the game.
Perry, who will be heading the club at Smiley just as he does for Citrus Valley, said he hopes to create an environment where people “have the opportunity to talk and play with others who like chess,” and “give people without a place to play chess somewhere to do so.”
Smiley Library’s Chess Club is projected to meet on the last Saturday of every month, and will be open to anyone who wants to go. More information about meetings for the Citrus Valley Chess Club and the Smiley Library chess club can be found on Instagram.
Orangewood High School comes out with a new cell phone policy for the 2023-2024 school year on Oct. 9 amplifying the controversy of cell phones.
After various discussions, the staff leadership team and principal of OHS, Carli Norris, came to the conclusion of establishing this new policy for the benefit of OHS students.
This flyer is posted in each teacher’s classroom at Orangewood High School reminding students of the new cell phone policy that begins on Oct. 9, 2023. (KIMBERLY TAPIA/ Ethic News photo)
The policy states that when students are to go inside class they must put their phones away until the class is dismissed or over. If students do not follow this policy there will be consequences. First, they will get a call home. Next, the phone will be taken until the end of the day, and lastly they will have their cell phone confiscated by security and their parents or guardians will have to come pick it up.
OHS Senior Reina Vasquez says, “Teachers should not have the right to take students’ property.”
Every three weeks OHS starts a new grading period or block. During Block 3 is when this cell phone policy was initiated but it will officially start to involve consequences in Block 4, which begins Oct. 9.
OHS Junior Samantha Lara says, “I think it shouldn’t be enforced.”
The goal of this policy is to support students to stay focused in class and improve in their academics.
Feature image: An Orangewood Dragons poster on the campus of Orangewood High School. (KIMBERLY TAPIA/ Ethic News photo)
By SPENCER MOORE, ADRYIEL MANALAC and JAKOB GARCIA
The student population at Redlands East Valley High School express their diverse personalities by creating outfits that act as a testament to who they are as a person. On Sept. 1, 2023, pictures to portray Wildcat fashion were collected. In each photo, the personality of each subject and their inspiration for their outfits is on display. Fashion has been one of the most consistently changing mediums for artistic expression over the years. Whether it be the bell-bottomed blue jeans of the 1970’s, the punk aesthetic of the 1980’s, or hip-hop inspired streetwear, in 2023, all manner of styles can be found on the REV campus.
Lauren Hernandez, Redlands East Valley junior, stuns in a dichromic outfit, inspired by Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 film, “Black Swan .” (ADRYIEL MANALAC/ Ethic News photo)
Orion Nurez, Redlands East Valley junior, had his outfit inspired by the Y2K era, alongside an appreciation for Maison Margiela. (ADRYIEL MANALAC/ Ethic News photo)
Jayleen Vargas, Redlands East Valley senior, received this outfit from her friend’s sister, saying, “It’s inspired by Avril Lavigne.” (ADRYIEL MANALAC/ Ethic News photo)
Ahmir Carthell Jr., Redlands East Valley senior, builds his outfit around his accessories, such as the rings that are pictured. (ADRYIEL MANALAC/ Ethic News photo)
Mia Rios, Redlands East Valley senior, likes to wear creative street wear, so long as it’s comfortable. (ADRYIEL MANALAC/ Ethic News photo)
Alexis Gamson, Redlands East Valley senior, constructed her outfit around wearing accessories, such as bracelets and necklaces. Like Orion, the outfit was inspired mostly by Y2K streetwear. (ADRYIEL MANALAC/ Ethic News photo)
Amira Kentia, Redlands East Valley senior, displays her sense of style through classic styled ripped jeans, and a black tank top, bearing a cross. (ADRYIEL MANALAC/ Ethic News photo)
Adonis Villalta, Redlands East Valley junior, bought the MSCHF “Astro Boy” boots, and wears them with pride. (ADRYIEL MANALAC/ Ethic News photo)
By CYNTHIA FLORES DIAZ, DANA EYRE and DESTINY RAMOS
Club Rush, held on Sept. 6, was a display of different arts and talents for the students of Citrus Valley to enjoy. Many brand new clubs were introduced, such as Crochet for Cause and Book Club, and many other existing clubs continued to thrive like Key Club and Pals for Paws. Almost all clubs faced success with club rush, with most presidents excitedly talking about the large numbers of students that were interested in joining their clubs.
Peaceful Painting Club, one of the new clubs on campus, is one where students will be able to have a safe, peaceful place to learn to paint. (DESTINY RAMOS/ Ethic News Photo)
The new Love Without Limits club is the go-to for community service hours and charity work. In this club, students will get to create different forms of art to sell on campus and donate the profits to charities. (DESTINY RAMOS/ Ethic News photos)
“Do you want to learn how to own your own business and make money? Come and sign up and we can help you with that!” says Entrepreneurship Club President Kiana Abella. In the Entrepreneurship club, participants will learn how to begin their own business and learn things such as how to create your own business cards. (DESTINY RAMOS/ Ethic News photos)
“We volunteer at hospitals and help students find a place in the medical field,” Caduceus Club President Brianna Illacus shares about their new club. Caduceus Club will be one of the few clubs on campus to introduce careers in the medical field and much more. (DESTINY RAMOS/ Ethic News photo)
BSU was one of the many clubs that had interactive games, including jump rope. “We wanted to offer a different variety of games because we thought it would compel people to sign up,” says BSU club President MeAnna Smith. (Photo Courtesy of MeAnna Smith)
The Crochet Care Club cabinet shares information about their new club. Crochet Care Club will teach interested parties how to crochet and make stuffed animals and blankets, and will donate finished projects to children’s hospitals, homeless shelters and animal shelters. (DESTINY RAMOS/ Ethic News photos)
San Bernardino Valley College hosted a pop up event in the Orangewood High School parking lot on the afternoon of Sept. 7. The purpose was to let students know they have a chance of going to college and share information about SBVC.
A SBVC van with two representatives from SBVC gave out free college gear, such as SBVC earbuds, t-shirts, pens, balls and tickets for SBVC sporting events. The pop up also shared info about free scholarships.
“The pop up was a great opportunity for students to gain access to some great swag but also learn about a great school,” said Carli Norris, Orangewood principal.
Orangewood career center teacher Deborah Severo said, “The idea of the pop-up event is to showcase the van. It’s covered in QR codes and San Bernardino Valley College uses it as an interactive tool. It is an informal, fun way to engage and connect with students and share about the programs at SBVC.”
Feature cover photo courtesy of Orangewood career center teacher Deborah Severo.
By MIA GRIFFIN, ALEROMI OMAGHMIi, HAMZAH ODEH, RONIN DELGADO and MEANNA SMITH
Citrus Valley High School freshman and seniors share high school experiences and aspirations during their first and last years of high school.
Citrus Valley freshman Malik Sanders said that he was most excited for the basketball season starting because he plans to join and wasn’t nervous for high school at all. He also said that up to this point his favorite classes have been theater and PE.
Citrus Valley senior Brianna Ton said the biggest accomplishment of her senior year was being nominated for Girls State because it “is a cool program.” Ton also says that while starting high school, she was nervous for new teachers. Focusing on the future, Ton says that she looks forward to college because it is her “next big thing.”
Citrus Valley freshman, Jayla Bowens said that they are “most excited about watching sports games and playing softball,” but mentioned that they are nervous about how many people go to the school. In terms of extracurriculars she was interested in, she responded “also looking forward to joining Black Student Union.”
Bryce Hitter, a senior at Citrus Valley, says that the biggest accomplishment of high school career “was placing top three in CIF finals for swim.” He is now looking forward to going to college and starting own business. Hitter also says he “will miss the social life and hanging out.” Hitter advises freshmen to “not stress and take it easy.”
Citrus Valley freshman Jesus Saldana said most excited about “attending the football games and going to homecoming,” but that was nervous about taking tests and his grades. His favorite classes so far have been Math 1 honors and PE.”
By ALEX VERDUZCO, JAYLEAH PARCHMAN and NALEIAH MILLER
Redlands East Valley High School students kicked off the year with an opening rally and home football game on Aug. 18.
The Wildcats’ gym hosted all grade levels for the opening rally announcing homecoming, upcoming football games, and introducing the fall sports’ captains. Student performances during the rally included the girls’ varsity and junior varsity spiritleaders, songleaders and the Pacific Cultural Club. REV’s Associated Student Body ASB commissioners lifted spirits by inviting students to participate in a game of musical chairs.
Redlands East Valley mascot, ‘Willy the Wildcat,’ welcomes incoming students into the gym to participate in the school rally on August 18, 2023 in Redlands, California. (ALEX VERDUZCO/Ethic News photo)
First photo: The student sections are divided up by freshmen and sophomores with posters above them, with spirit leaders, marching band, and color guard in view. Second photo: The junior and senior bleachers with posters decorated and designed by ASB above them. (ALEX VERDUZCO/Ethic News photo)
REV’s ASB commissioners held a game of musical chairs between all grade levels during the rally in Wildcat gym on Aug. 18, 2023. (ALEX VERDUZCO/Ethic News photo)
REV’s varsity cheerleaders end their performance facing the senior and junior side of the bleachers in the Wildcat gym on Aug. 18, 2023. (ALEX VERDUZCO/Ethic News photo)
First photo: Junior Varsity spirit-leaders take their turn to perform during the school rally. Second photo: Song-leaders show school spirit during their routine in the Wildcat gym on Aug. 18, 2023. (ALEX VERDUZCO/Ethic News photo)
Avery Hawkins, wildcat sophomore said, “As a varsity cheerleader this year, I look forward to FNL (Friday Night Lights) every week. It’s especially fun because of the student section and all the watching/cheering for the game.”
All students participate in singing the Wildcat Alma Mater, flashing their phone lights, linking arms and swaying in the Wildcat gym on Aug. 18, 2023.
(ALEX VERDUZCO/Ethic News photo)
Pacific Cultural Club ends as the last rally performance in the Wildcat gym on Aug. 18, 2023. (ALEX VERDUZCO/Ethic News photo)
The first varsity football game was against Vista Del Lago with the student section theme being construction. Wildcats ended the game with a score of 41-42, marking history as the high school’s first home football game on their new field.
Marching band Wildcats perform at the first football game at the Redlands East Valley High School stadium on Aug. 18, 2023. For some marching band members, this was their first high school marching band event. (NALEIAH MILLER/ Ethic News photo)
Members of the Wildcat color guard team performed at the first football game at the Redlands East Valley High School stadium on Aug. 18, 2023. (NALEIAH MILLER/ Ethic News photo)
The construction-themed student section was packed at the first football game in the new Redlands East Valley High School stadium on Aug. 18, 2023. (NALEIAH MILLER/ Ethic News photo)
REV senior, Macey Kuhi said, “I felt that the football game was able to bring everybody together and served as the perfect opportunity to simply have fun with your friends.”
Prior to the game, Aaron Henriken, REV freshman football player said, “We are gonna win this!”
The first Redlands East Valley High School varsity football game in their new stadium was against Vista Del Lago on Aug. 18, 2023. The Wildcats led for much of the game, but ended with a loss of 42-41.(NALEIAH MILLER/ Ethic News Photo)
“Football season is my favorite time of the year. The cheer team loves seeing the excitement in the crowd and especially the student section. We are so proud of our football team and can’t wait to watch them kill it this season. Thanks to everyone that joins in on our cheers and makes our Friday Night Lights so much fun,” says Amanda Morrison, REV senior.
Gratitude is something we as people should practice every day. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful. When you feel down and can’t see the positive, look around. Begin to look at small things that make a huge difference. Take a deep breath and be thankful for the air you breathe. Even being able to read and comprehend this article is something to be grateful for, something that you have that other people long for.
Let’s discuss the different types of gratitude. Gratitude comes in different forms, whether through traits, mood, or emotion. when you experience it you may have feelings of being thankful, fortunate, blessed, etc.
According to PositivePsychology.com mood gratitude is “a sense of happiness and thankfulness in response to a fortunate happenstance or tangible gift.” It’s important to experience mood gratitude often. It makes a great change whether it be lightening your mood or benefiting your mental health.
Some describe the trait of gratitude as an appreciation mood trait. The Greater Good Science Center at Berkeley states that, “Some psychologists further categorize three types of gratitude: gratitude as an “affective trait” (one’s overall tendency to have a grateful disposition).”Tending to express gratitude to others can be a chain reaction. Spreading happiness and letting those you care about that you appreciate them can make a huge difference. Try it out, whether it’s someone you know or not just express appreciation and gratitude and see how it can affect your and the other person’s mood.
Emotional gratitude is a feeling that one experiences after receiving something. That could either be a word of wisdom, gifts, or just simply a hug. Once you receive the gift you may feel strong emotions of just being present and thankful. At times it can be so powerful it could bring someone to tears. If you always seem to be on the receiving end and know how it makes you feel, try to give it to someone else. It may encourage others to do the same. It doesn’t even have to be too much, it can be as simply as letting someone know that you’re thinking about them, who knows it could possibly save someone’s life.
Here are some ways you can incorporate gratitude in your daily life and ways it can affect your mental health for the best. First start by taking a piece of paper or anything you can jot on and write down all of the blessings you have whether it be big or small. Some even take it as far as dedicating a whole journal to gratitude. To name a few things, clean water, fresh air, food to eat, free education, etc.
At times when life gets us down, we start to only be able to notice the negativity in life when in every situation there can be a lesson. Take a chance on yourself and free yourself from that negative mindset. There is so much to be thankful for.
Kya Anthony is a 15-year-old sophomore at Redlands East Valley and first-year staff member at Ethic. Anthony loves to dance, cook, take pictures, read, and eat fried chicken. Music gives her peace of mind and helps her escape, helping to comfort her and make her happy. This year, she hopes to improve her photography skills and would like to tell stories through her pieces. Some of her goals are to continue dancing, work at a dance studio, and go to college.
Alex Verduzco is a 17-year-old senior and Ethic News Chief Executive Officer at Redlands East Valley High school. Verduzco has been in journalism for the past 2 years, with previous experience as sports editor. Her writing passions include poetic and personal pieces and creating sports schedules. Though she loves writing, Verduzco intends on pursuing a career as a surgeon after graduating high school. Verduzco is involved in many clubs at REV with leadership positions such as the Wildcat Pride Association and Wildcats 4 Change. Activism has always been a passion of hers as she hopes to create an inclusive, safe space for everybody on campus. Verduzco is very committed to the publication and hopes to explore more of herself as a writer this year.
Kendra Burd is a 17-year-old senior at Redlands East Valley high school. She has been working with Ethic News all four years of her high school career. In her senior year, she is looking forward to attending college to become a radiology technician. Burd has an exciting home life with creative siblings and three pets but she still finds time to do things she is passionate about such as reading, writing, and running. Burd also enjoys horror and murder mystery media. She enjoys being a student at REV but still believes there could be a lot of improvements on campus that she is happy to be vocal about.
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