Orangewood High School participated in their last softball game of the season on Oct. 13 against Birch High School, hitting three home runs and concluding their season with a win.
Orangewood High School senior Jocelyn Gomez runs to first base versus Birch High School on Oct. 13. The OHS Dragons are coached by Mark Perkins. (DEBBIE DIAZ/ Ethic Photo)
Orangewood High School junior Jesse Navarro pitches to Birch High School on the Oct. 13 softball game. Navarro is the Dragons’ main softball pitcher. (DEBBIE DIAZ/Ethic photo)
Orangewood High School senior Jocelyn Gomez prepares to bat versus Birch High School on Oct. 13. As as senior in the last game of the season, Gomez played her last softball game. (DEBBIE DIAZ/ Ethic photo)
Orangewood High School junior Alicia Zaragoza waits for the coach to announce safe or out on the Oct. 13 softball game versus Birch. “Zaragoza is our best first baseman,” says OHS senior Jocelyn Gomez. (DEBBIE DIAZ/ Ethic News)
Orangewood High School senior Jocelyn Gomez rounds first base in the Oct. 13 game versus Birch High School. As a senior in the last game of the season, this is the last softball game Gomez plays for the Dragons. (DEBBIE DIAZ/ Ethic News)
It’s October and that means two things for Redlands East Valley High School and Redlands High School students: Halloween and the annual Smudge Pot football game. The Smudge Pot game is the rivalry between the REV Wildcats and the RHS Terriers.
To start off, what even is a smudge pot? A smudge pot is a device that burns oil and is placed in orchards in order to keep the trees from frosting their leaves and their fruit.
Although the use of these orchard heaters has been illegal in California since 1947, that does not stop the symbolism of the smudge pot from prevailing in Redlands, California, once home to more than 15,000 acres of orange groves.
On the smudge pot, a statement is engraved: “A perpetual trophy, honoring redlands’ citrus industry heritage, passed to the winner of the annual Redlands High School vs. Redlands East Valley High School football game, in the spirit of friendly competition and sportsmanship.” (AILEEN JANEE CORPUS/ Ethic News photos)
The beginning of this rivalry amongst two schools started in 1997, the first year that REV was open, and continues to this day every school year in October.
Per tradition, whichever school wins the football game also wins the smudge pot with the score of the game engraved on the smudge pot. In the past 23 years, Redlands East Valley High School has taken the smudge pot 14 times, and Redlands High School has taken it 10 times.
The Smudge Pot game is also a great opportunity for the REV Litterbox and the RHS Boneyard to show their school pride and high spirits. In past years, students have painted their bodies according to their school colors and have cheer-offs against the opposing school.
For this 2021-2022 school year, the Smudge Pot game will occur Friday, Oct. 15 with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. and kickoff at 7:00 p.m. at the RHS football stadium, Dodge Stadium.
Tickets to the game can be purchased at any time on the website gofan.com, and game-day tickets will be available for purchase. Tickets for adults are $8 and tickets for students are $5. Children 6 and under and students with an ASB card will be admitted to the game for free.
Good luck to both teams, and may the best team win.
A new school year started for the Redlands Unified School District and a question arose on whether or not safety is enough for students. Since last month, the district website has become updated with confirmed cases of COVID-19 through a district dashboard on their website.
The district dashboard tracks and publishes confirmed cases within a two-week period for each school.
The RUSD recently added a COVID-19 dashboard on the district website for the schools within the district. The dashboard includes a 14-day covid case chart and newly reported cases. (DESTINY RAMOS/ Ethic Photo)
COVID-19 was first discovered in December of 2019, and later caused the global pandemic that still remains, two years later. Exactly a year after the first case was discovered, the first Delta variant case was reported. Since then, it swept its way through Europe before reaching the United States in March of 2021, where the variant is now predominant.
Around the same time the Delta variant made its way to the US, most, if not all, students and staff had begun to make their return to schools all over the country. In the RUSD, learning online was an option while being on-campus was the other. Depending on the state, some students might not have had the option to learn from the comfort of their own homes. Many students were forced to go on campus or stay online, and others got to choose for themselves. Whether or not students chose to attend school in person, they would all have returned to school regardless of state in August 2021.
As students around the US began school, COVID-19 rates escalated very quickly. In the span of a month, the seven-day case rate had risen from 30,000 per week on July 20, to 145,000 cases a week by Aug. 20. More than half of these cases were reported from students and school staff around the country.
After a year of distance learning, half of the RUSD students returned to school in April. Many precautions were taken to ensure the safety of students. These precautions included the requirement of masks, social distancing, hand sanitizer stations around the school and the use of plexiglass in classrooms.
Yet, all precautions, minus the mask requirements and hand sanitizer stations, were lifted in August.
Some students agree schools are not safe to attend due to COVID-19 at the moment.
“[Covid cases] can’t be controlled and are still spreading through schools regardless of masks. They both spread through sports, and through people who didn’t even know had covid or the delta variant,” stated Jenna Tampubolon, a sophomore at Citrus Valley High School.
Others prefer to attend due to their experience with lockdown earlier in the pandemic.
“I don’t care if it’s smart or not, I’d rather live with Covid than go insane in solitude,” said Rico Weaver, a sophomore at Citrus Valley.
Homecoming has become one of the most anticipated weeks in the school year. Not only because of the dance itself, but due to the festivities surrounding the event, which includes a pep rally, carnival, spirit week, minimum day and the announcement of the Homecoming court at the Friday football game. Overall, these Homecoming celebrations help promote school spirit and welcome back students and faculty.
However, students often become accustomed to these traditions without truly knowing how Homecoming came to be.
Homecoming was originally used in colleges before it spread to high schools.
The University of Michigan is credited with beginning the tradition of Homecoming in 1911, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association,
Missouri Athletic Director Chester Brewer encouraged their alumni to return to their school for their annual football game against the University of Kansas, which drew a crowd for a weekend of festivities surrounding the game. Since then, its growing popularity among colleges has allowed homecoming to become a staple in American high schools.
The Homecoming football game also draws much excitement as the Homecoming court is announced.
The Homecoming court comprises students who are voted in to represent the student body as king, queen, princesses and princes. However, the tradition initially began with only women competing for the title of queen.
At Redlands East Valley High School, one boy and one girl from each grade level need to be nominated from a sport or club to be a candidate. Then, after a voting period that is open to all students, the princesses and princes are announced at the Homecoming pep rally during school while the senior king and queen are revealed at the Homecoming football game.
The REV Homecoming court was unveiled on Oct. 1 during their football game against Beaumont High School at Citrus Valley High School. Their court consists of the following students: Kadin Khalloufi as the king, Shannon Cockerill as the queen, Maxwell Cannon as the junior prince, Brooklyn Martinez as the junior princess, Palmer Aguilar as the sophomore prince, Amanda Morrison as the sophomore princess, Cash Dabbs as the freshman prince and Ciela Pickett as the freshman princess.
Redlands East Valley High School senior Kadin Khalloufi wins Homecoming king alongside his mother Kathi Khalloufi on Oct. 1 during halftime of the REV Homecoming football game against Beaumont High School at Hodges Stadium. Khalloufi is the varsity football captain and was playing in the Homecoming game prior to halftime. (MIA ARANDA/ Ethic News photo)
At REV, Khalloufi is a varsity football captain and participates in varsity wrestling, volleyball, Possibilities club, National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation, Key club, tutoring club and Speech and Debate.
“I think there is great honor in being the Homecoming king as you represent the majority opinion of the school,” said Khalloufi.
He continues, “It’s crazy to me that people actually wanted me to be Homecoming king and I still am in shock over it.”
Redlands East Valley High School senior Shannon Cockerill wins Homecoming queen alongside her father Brian Cockerill on Oct. 1 during halftime of the REV Homecoming football game against Beaumont High School at Hodges Stadium. (MIA ARANDA/ Ethic News photo)
At REV, Cockerill is REV Associated Student Body Executive President, varsity soccer captain, the vice president of Chess and Games club and the president of the Red Cross club. She is also a part of varsity track and field, Key club, Mental Health club, NHS, CSF, Interact club and Heal club.
“Everything I am in and have been involved in for the past four years helped me get to know a lot of people. I knew them from one activity or another and took the time to remember them and them remember me,” said Cockerill.
“Being homecoming queen to me, is more than being a popular person. It was being someone people remembered for being kind, positive and friendly.”
Redlands East Valley High School seniors Kadin Khalloufi and Shannon Cockerill are crowned as Homecoming king and queen on Oct. 1. Khalloufi and Cockerill were both involved in Homecoming activities with Khalloufi as a football captain and Cockerill as the executive president for Associated Student Body. (MIA ARANDA/ Ethic News photo)
Seeing familiar faces on campus is important and as the school year starts, Citrus Valley High School’s class of 2022 has started to realize former resident substitute Carl Keiser is back and has his own classroom.
Carl Keiser poses with Paul Beaumont, a previous teacher and now colleague. (BELLA ESPINOZA/Ethic News Photo)
After spending two years teaching moderate-to-severe disabled students in transitional kindergarten through second grade at Cram Elementary School, Keiser is now at Citrus Valley teaching grade 12 English and Integrated Math IA and IIA.
Keiser says, “My Cram students have a very near and dear place in my heart because they were my first.”
But, he is excited to tackle his first year at Citrus Valley and aims to show his students the true value of what they are learning.
Keiser says the biggest difference from subbing across campus is that he has the same students every day.
“Seeing them at the beginning of the year and then at the end of the year will be truly rewarding,” Keiser said.
Since most of his substitute teaching positions last for a month at a time, the amount of time Keiser has spent with his students is more than he normally would have.
Keiser says, “We are already past a long term sub position, so this is already uncharted territory.”
Paul Beaumont, a world history teacher at Citrus Valley and one of Keiser’s previous teachers, said that Keiser “saw the practicality of what we were teaching and saw how it could be useful.”
He has used what he learned from being a student himself and transformed that into a teaching style that encourages and guides students.
Beaumont has had a few of his students become teachers and even colleagues, but he especially believes Keiser is ready for the task of teaching.
¨It’s great to see [Keiser] grow up, mature, and thrive in his profession,” said Beaumont. “He can do whatever he wants, because he’s got the skills.”
Kenneth McGrath, Citrus Valley Advanced Placement Literature and Composition and the Expository Reading and Writing teacher, remembers Keiser as a fantastic student and being super involved in school.
McGrath said Keiser “is just capable of so much and is just starting to scratch the surface” with this new beginning.
As he establishes the foundation of his new career, Keiser has taken inspiration from McGrath, Beaumont and Maria Deveau, a fellow Spanish teacher at Citrus Valley.
With a strong team of supportive teachers, Keiser has readily made the shift from substitute to full-time teaching.
April Saibene, once a student at Redlands East Valley High School, has returned to REV this school year as a newly hired counselor. After working as a counselor at Clearwater Elementary School in Perris for two years, Saibene was first hired at REV as a temporary counselor covering grades ten to 12, last names Dj-J, but a few weeks into the school year, she obtained the permanent position.
Redlands East Valley High School counselor April Gamez in her office on Sept. 8. Gamez counsels sophomores, juniors and seniors with last names starting from Dj to J. (MIA ARANDA/ Ethic News photo)
Born in Brawley, California, Saibene lived in Mexico until the age of three; her parents were both born in Mexico, therefore she is a fluent Spanish speaker. In addition, she has lived in Redlands and Mentone. In free time, Saibene enjoys spending time with her family. She and her husband, Andrew, currently have a seven-month child named Sonny. Saibene also has three siblings: Diana Gamez (REV 05′), Frankie Gamez (REV 07′) and Angel Gamez (Citrus Valley 12′).
Saibene graduated from REV in 2010. She considers counselor Laree Orland a mentor during and after high school; Orland is currently the counselor that covers all Advancement Via Individual Determination students.
While at REV, Saibene participated in track and field and cross country, coached by Andrea Johnson, and softball with Jim Cruz and Sandy Crumrine as her coaches. She also played soccer outside of school recreationally.
Saibene, being a lover of sports, had thought she would pursue a career surrounding sports in some aspect, such as by majoring in kinesiology.
However, she ultimately decided to major in sociology.
While working toward her bachelor’s degree at Cal State University, San Bernardino, Saibene worked as a waitress at Johnny’s Tacos and Sports in Redlands for four years.
Following earning her bachelor’s degree in 2014, Saibene then worked at Tom Bell Chevrolet for two years. While she was there, she was a receptionist and worked her way up to service writer and later assistant manager.
Afterwards, Saibene attended the University of Redlands to pursue her master’s degree in school counseling while starting to substitute in the Redlands Unified School District. She graduated in 2019.
In addition to coming back to REV, Saibene is also entering the same campus as her older sister, Diana Gamez who is currently in her ninth year of teaching Spanish and Advancement Via Individual Determination teacher at REV.
Gamez used to eat lunch in her room and keep to herself, but now she tries to stop by at least once a day to visit her sister to say hello or have lunch together.
Gamez says Saibene “has a heart of gold and is very compassionate. I know she really liked working at the elementary school level, but I honestly think she’s going to do great things at REV.”
Saibene attributes her sister to being one of her role models as Gamez was the oldest and most influential to her and her siblings.
The personal one-on-one aspect of counseling is what Saibene loves most. She didn’t want to become a teacher because she feels she works better with individual, small groups compared to a big group.
Amid this pandemic, Saibene believes that dealing with grief, lack of social skills and not being cognizant of school expectations are some of the biggest challenges that students are facing.
Due to COVID-19, losing family members has become a common occurrence for some students.
As a result of distance learning for the 2020-21 school year, Saibene feels that some students haven’t developed a grasp for expectations for in-person learning, especially freshmen and sophomores who had never been on the REV campus yet.
“Technically, our seniors were only here for a year and a half, so they didn’t really get a feel for the expectations or like the rituals, you know the things that we have here at REV that make it REV,” said Saibene. “I think that’s a challenge that [students] are facing; they just don’t know and they don’t know what to expect and they all still feel scared and nervous.”
However, in order for students to be successful in high school, Saibene strongly recommends getting involved in something at school, such as clubs or sports.
“I would say make sure you stay involved, be nice to your adults, self-advocate for yourself, [and] speak up for yourself,” said Saibene.
At REV, Saibene aspires to be someone that students and staff feel comfortable coming to.
“I hope to be a safe place for students and staff where they feel comfortable with me whether it’s sharing good news or bad news, if they need some guidance, advice, or just a room for them to vent,” said Saibene.
Citrus Valley High School’s Homecoming for the 2021-22 school year is scheduled for Sept. 25. This announcement has prompted many students to ask their friend or crush to join them on the special night.
Juan Montes, a junior at Citrus Valley, asked Citrus Valley junior Ashley Pham, to homecoming on Sept. 11. Pham, a gymnast and cheerleader, said yes to Montes after he asked with a walkway of rose petals and candles and a poster that said, “If my puppy dog eyes don’t work, Maybe Leia’s will.”
“I was really surprised, because I came back from a four hour practice and that was the least thing I was expecting, so I was really happy and excited,” said Pham.
The two are attending as best friends, proving that a homecoming date doesn’t necessarily have to be a love interest.
Juan Montes asked Ashley Pham to homecoming with candles, rose petals and a sign that read, “If my puppy dog eyes won’t work, maybe Leia’s will,” referring to Pham’s dog, Leia. The pair will be attending homecoming as best friends. (Photo Courtesy of Juan Montes)
Citrus Valley seniors, Evan Burnell and Milana Espinoza, decided to go to homecoming together. Blackhawk Baseball player Brunell asked Espinoza on Sept. 10 with a bouquet of sunflowers in one hand and a poster that read, “Will you be my sunshine at hoco?” in the other.
Although the two were dating before Burnell’s proposal, they now feel their relationship is stronger than ever.
Evan Burnell and Milana Espinoza posing with each other in the school parking lot after the proposal. Prior to the homecoming proposal, the pair was already a couple. (Photo courtesy of Evan Burnell)
Citrus Valley junior Makenna Williams accepted Citrus Valley junior Julian Ramos’s homecoming proposal. Ramos, another blackhawk baseball player and member of Equality club, took Williams on Sept. 14 to the spot of their first date where he prepared candles in the shape of a heart awaiting her arrival. He asked her with a sign that said, “Will you make this night as special as our first date and go to Homecoming with me?”
Williams said, “It was fun and exciting. I got those butterflies that gave me first type of date kinda vibes.”
The pair recently celebrated their year and a half anniversary.
Ramos said, “I was pretty nervous, but I was happy when she said yes, I knew she would be happy with how I asked her.”
Citrus Valley junior Makenna Williams and Citrus Valley junior Julian Ramos posing with their homecoming proposal sign. Williams and Ramos have been together for a year and a half and are looking forward to homecoming. (Photo Courtesy to Julian Ramos)
Dylan Wright, a sophomore at Citrus Valley, asked Citrus Valley sophomore Sophia Imoud to homecoming on Sept. 9. During the evening football game, Wright walked onto the field in front of everyone in the stands and asked her to be his date.
Ihmud said, “I was really surprised. I was with my cheer team and then he came with his poster and proposed in front of everyone and I was really happy.”
Wright said, “I knew I wanted to go with her, there’s no one else I’d rather go with then. I knew I had to do something special because she is a special girl. I was scared she would say no but she said yeah.”
Sophomores Sophia Ihmud and Dylan Wright pose together on the football field after the Sept. 9 game. He asked her to homecoming with flowers and a sign that read, “Flowers are the 2nd most beautiful thing. Can I go to homecoming with the 1st?” (Photo courtesy of Sophia Ihmud)
After Citrus Valley ASB social commissioner, Emily Walos, had given a speech to the school student body to promote the event at the Homecoming Fashion Show, Citrus Valley senior varsity football player Aaron Roque asked Walos to homecoming on Sept. 10.
He went backstage with the help of Walos’s friends and was able to surprise her with a stuffed bear and sign that said, “I could not bear to go to hoco without you.”
Walos stated, “I was really surprised, because he had planned it all with my best friend. I am so excited for homecoming to have a great time.”
Although they are going to homecoming together, they are only friends but feel closer as friends.
Roque said, “I felt excited, I feel like I’m gonna have a good homecoming.”
After the ASB homecoming fashion show, senior Aaron Roque asked senior Emily Walos with a sign that read, “I could not bear to go to Hoco without you,” and a bear correlating with the sign. The two will be attending as friends. (Photo courtesy of Emily Walos)
Citrus Valley sophomore athlete Micah Magana asked Citrus Valley sophomore cheerleader Jaymie Requejo to homecoming after the Sept. 9 football game. He asked her in front of the cheer squad with a football that said, “Will you tackle me to hoco?”
Requejo said, “It was very exciting. I was happy, and I wasn’t expecting to be asked to be homecoming.”
Magana faced a challenge with the homecoming proposal as he felt anxious and nervous asking her to homecoming. Yet, the pair, who have recently begun dating, are very excited to go to homecoming together.
Micah Magana and Jaymie Requejo have been dating since the proposal on Sept. 9. (Photo Courtesy of Jaymie Requejo)
Citrus Valley senior baseball player Tevin Bookman asked Citrus Valley senior Morgan Hendricks to be his date in the quad on Sept. 9. He waited for her to come out of the E-building for lunch with the poster he created saying, “It would be an almond joy to take you to hoco.”
“I was excited. I wasn’t expecting it, so it was interesting,” said Hendricks.
The pair, who had recently started dating, believes that homecoming brings others together in a way no one would have ever imagined.
A sign filled with Almond Joy candies read, “It would be an Almond Joy to take you to homecoming,” along with flowers. (Photo courtesy of Morgan Hendricks)
Sophomore Gavin Close asked sophomore Lillyanne Cesena on Sept. 15 with a poster that said, “Roses are red, violets are blue, I really want to go to homecoming with you. Homecoming?”
Cesena said yes.
“I was nervous but I kinda had some feeling he was gonna do it so I was a little bit prepared,” said Cesena.
Gavin Close and Lillyanne Cesena stand together with the homecoming proposal sign and flowers. Close and Cesena will be attending as friends, although both believe something more may happen in the near future. (Photo courtesy of Gavin Close)
Whether or not students attend homecoming as a couple, friends, or alone, the event is a night promising memories and a fun experience.
As football slowly makes its way back to Hodges Stadium, Citrus Valley High School marching band, the Black and Gold Brigade, follows. BGB will return this fall with a brand new show with beautiful, well rehearsed music for audiences all around. BGB students have been working hard to prepare for their first big show of the season, “Accused”, after a long year of distance learning.
The marching band waits for instruction on the field during their first day of band camp. This instruction would later be used for the full field show. (Photo credit to Jeicy Jimenez)
Austin Meiners, the band director at CV, states, “It’s based loosely off ‘The Scarlet Letter’ and the whole purpose of the show is to use music written from old times classically and pop music to kind of tell a story about society misunderstanding and then eventually embracing someone who is different. It’s kind of a loose idea of that but mostly it’s just coming out of COVID and I want everyone to feel like they’re part of a team again.”
Meiners said, “The show has music, specifically for the halftime show, we’ve got classical music such as Dvorak’s Cello Concerto, that has been converted for the field. We have the main theme from a movie called ‘Kill Bill’ which is famous for that little whistle, and it also has a little bit of Billie Eilish’s ‘Bad Guy’ which is incorporated in the ballad and the closer.”
CV marching band has a variety of sections and instruments to hear in the stands and see on the field. From the woodwinds, which include the flutes, clarinets and saxophones, to the brass section, which include the tubas, trumpets and trombones, to the percussion, which include the marimbas, xylophone, snare, base and tenners. Along with color guards with their flags and rifles. These four sections come together to perform at home football games and multiple competitions across Southern California.
Just like all other school sports and extracurriculars, BGB lost their entire 2020 season. However, they had the opportunity to perform at a few football games in early 2021.
“[Losing the season] definitely had an effect on how we structured everything we do. But, we are doing our best right now to comply and be safe and responsible and give the students an opportunity to make music and art together,” Meiners stated.
Students talk amongst themselves during their time in the Blackhawk theater while learning their show music. During this time, BGB students would also prepare for a parent preview of the first few show minutes on the last day of band camp. (Photo credit to Jeicy Jimenez)
Teaching band in-person once again has given Meiners much joy after so long.
“I’m so happy to be back in this environment, the students here really give me a lot of joy. The marching band is a lot of fun, but it’s exhausting. I get home exhausted, tired and late many nights but seeing the result of their effort and their work is why I come back every day with a good attitude because I see the attitude and positivity it brings others on our campus,” Meiners explained.
Black and Gold Brigade is currently hosting a fundraiser through Snap Raise that will last from Aug. 19 to Sept. 15. Donations will be put toward new uniforms, equipment and travel costs for the season.
“I really appreciate getting some information out there and I really am glad that the marching band, I think, has a good reputation on this campus as a fun and positive school place and I hope it continues to be just that. I hope people enjoy our show,” said Meiners.
After much hard work and dedication, Black and Gold Brigade made their first appearance at the first home football game of the season on Aug. 27. The halftime show and game tunes were both major successes, according to many students and parents that attended the football game.
“They sounded and looked incredible. I can’t wait to see the completed show,” said BGB parent Christina Marin.
Black and Gold Brigade students take the form of an ‘A’ for their show titled “Accused.” The very first show on Aug. 27 was a two minute preview of what their complete show would look and sound like in competitions and future home games. (Photo contributed by Christina Marin)
BGB will have their first opener preview on Sept. 18 at Redlands High School along with other bands across the Inland Empire. Attend ready to cheer for BGB and the many other bands that take the field that night. Information on upcoming BGB performances will be advertised on the BGB Instagram and in the school bulletin.
Three teachers at Orangewood High School recall when they first heard about the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks: Mark Perkins, physical education teacher, Norma Beckwith, social studies teacher and Louise Gonzales, mathematics teacher.
Mark Perkins, P.E. teacher
Audio recording of interview on Sept. 10, 2021 with Mark Perkins, physical education teacher at Orangewood High School, on what he remembers about the 2001 attacks on the twin towers. Perkins recalls shock.
DEBBIE DIAZ: What were you doing on the day the twin towers were hit?
MARK PERKINS: I didn’t find out about the twin towers until I woke up that morning and then — I don’t know how I knew it was on the news — but it was on the news. Oh, I know how I knew it was one the news. I had a cousin, my wife’s first cousin, he was doing his residency at the closest hospital to where the twin towers fell. When they were bringing victims in, they were bringing them to his hospital. So he called us just to let us know how he was okay. So that’s how I found out that morning about the twin towers. Does that answer your question?
DIAZ: Yes. What was your reaction when you first found out?
PERKINS: I would say the biggest reaction is shock. I would say, you know, my wife grew in a country, she was born in Africa, she grew up in a country where there was war and that kind of — the kind of behavior that happened in the U.S. on that day was like what she remembered happening in the country that she grew up in Malawi in Africa. And nothing like that had ever been seen before in America. So it was just shock the fact that bad guys could come in and do that to us, and we just let it happen.
PACHECO: No one have responsibility.
DIAZ: Do you know anyone that was affected physically by the attack?
PERKINS: Like I mentioned earlier, my cousin was in his second year of residency at one of the hospitals, so he got to see a lot of the victims that were brought in. So I can’t say that specifically victims, but it was interesting hearing. I mean he could look out his hospital window, and he could see the towers smoking and on fire. You know, when they collapsed, he was a first hand witness to that kind of a thing. So it was interesting to hear from his perspective.
Norma Beckwith, history teacher
Audio recording of interview on Sept. 10, 2021 with Norma Beckwith, social studies teacher at Orangewood High School, on what she remembers about the 2001 attacks on the twin towers. Beckwith recalls disbelief.
DIAZ: What were you doing on the day the twin towers were hit?
NORMA BECKWITH: Getting ready to go to work, to teach at Clement Middle School.
DIAZ: What was your reaction when you found out?
BECKWITH: Disbelief initially. You know, when the first plane hit, it was like “What is going on?” But when the second one hit, I knew we were under attack. And then fear. Fear.
DIAZ: Do you know someone that was affected physically by the attack?
BECKWITH: No, surprisingly on the West coast I knew absolutely no one. I mean, I knew of people, friends who knew people, but I was not impacted personally — my family, my friends — but, just am forever saddened about 3,000 plus lives that were lost.
DIAZ: Right, a tragedy, right.
PACHECO: Do you believe in any conspiracies?
BECKWITH: I absolutely do not believe in conspiracy theories. We were attacked by the terrorists, Al Queda. There is no conspiracy. They’re out to ruin our way of life.
Louise Gonzales, math teacher
Audio recording of interview on Sept. 10, 2021 with Louise Gonzales, mathematics teacher at Orangewood High School, on what she remembers about the 2001 attacks on the twin towers. Gonzales recalls shock.
DIAZ: What were you doing on the day the twin towers were hit?
LOUISE GONZALES: I had just gotten to my classroom, getting ready to teach for the day.
DIAZ: And what was your reaction when you found out?
GONZALES: Shock. Shock. I didn’t really know what was going on.
DIAZ: What went through your head?
GONZALES: I just…shock. Like, “What’s going on?”
DIAZ: Do you know of someone who was affected physically by the attack?
GONZALES: No.
PACHECO: Do you believe in any conspiracies about the attack, like the government, or…?
GONZALES: No.
PACHECO: You just believe it was a terrorist attack?
The Associated Student Body at Redlands East Valley High School hosted Senior Fling on their JV baseball fields on Aug. 20 as a way to bring seniors together at the start of the school year. The event, lasting for two hours, consisted of free food from a taco vendor and activities, such as slip-and-slide, water balloons, ping pong, volleyball, cornhole and tug-a-war.
A taco vendor hands out plates of tacos, rice and beans to students on the junior varsity baseball fields at Senior Fling on Aug. 20. (MIA ARANDA/ Ethic News photo)
REV senior and ASB Multicultural Commissioner Catelyn Cummings said, “Personally, I thought not that many people were going to come. But, I feel like we had a good turnout and I feel like people are enjoying the activities, like I see someone at every station.”
Redlands East Valley High School seniors (from left to right) Lilly Cooper, Emily Retamoza and Ella Fletcher play ping pong as one of the many activities offered at Senior Fling on Aug. 20. (MIA ARANDA/ Ethic News photos)
Redlands East Valley High School seniors (from left to right) Jose Contreras, Mariah Mora, Raven Silvestre and Adrian Martin sit in the grass and chat during Senior Fling on Aug. 20. (MIA ARANDA/ Ethic News photo)
As a whole, the event was slow to prepare for and required a lot of volunteers, in addition to ASB members, to help set up. One of the main activities, the slip-and-slide, constantly demanded an ASB member to hold the hose during the event.
Redlands East Valley High School seniors (from left to right) Soraya Coady, Luca Smith, Olivia Benz, Debbra Jedrysek, Ella Fitzpatrick, and Hanah Mansilla use the slip-and-slide at Senior Fling on Aug. 20. (MIA ARANDA/ Ethic News photos)
REV senior Andrew Hallen played tug-a-war and ping pong. His favorite part about Senior Fling was “seeing new people and hanging out.”
Redlands East Valley senior Jay Gutierrez plays cornhole alongside junior Anna Engel at Senior Fling on Aug. 20. (MIA ARANDA/ Ethic News photo)
“It’s the bee’s knees,” said REV senior Keyvon Rankin. “My favorite part was losing tug-a-war, you know what I’m saying, that’s going straight into the scrapbook. I’m going to tell my kids about it.”
More information on upcoming REV senior events will be advertised on Instagram and in the school bulletin.
Governor Jerry Brown vetoed Senate Bill 328 on Sept. 20, under which California school start times would have been pushed back to 8:30 a.m. or later. The bill applied to middle and high schools, both public and charter.
Those who opposed the bill, including Brown, noted that a “one-size-fits-all approach” was not a good solution. Others pointed out that the change could cost schools great amounts of money to alter bus schedules. After-school activities such as sports would be pushed back as well. It could also pose problems for parents: later school start times could conflict with work start times, and, if parents have children at both the middle and high school level, non-staggered times could complicate dropping off their kids.
On the other hand, the bill’s supporters cited the years of scientific studies showing that teenagers tend to fall asleep and wake up later than other age groups. Subsequently, earlier school times result in widespread sleep deprivation. This is detrimental to students’ grades, test scores, brain development, and overall physical and mental health.
Despite these concerns, Brown vetoed the bill after it passed the legislature. However, the events still reflect the growing support behind later start times. Bills like this have been introduced before, and states other than California have instituted similar policies. Therefore, in the coming years, such rules may still be imposed on Californian schools.
Students at REV had their own opinions on the bill and its implications. Freshman Connor Lehigh said of the bill, “Good thing he vetoed it.” Lehigh was concerned about the later release time that would come with the later start time.
Senior Maha Quadri also opposed the bill: “While it sounds like a good idea, the amount of extracurricular activities people do on campus makes it illogical.”
University of Redlands clocktower. (BRANDON SAGLAM/ Ethic Photo)
Cynthia Mallett, Environmental Program Supervisor for the City of San Clemente, shares information on the annual California Coastal Clean-Up day and tips on keeping oceans clean. The Redlands East Valley High School Nature and Ecology Club participated in Coastal Clean-up Day at San Clemente Pier in San Clemente, California on Saturday Sept. 15, 2018. (Samantha Barajas/ Ethic video)
Most students at Citrus Valley and Redlands East Valley high schools were born after September 11, 2001. Students from both schools share what they know about 9/11. (Sept. 10, 2018; Filmed by Bella Espinoza, Maggie Snavely, Alison Bradshaw, Ella Fitzpatrick; Edited by Mia Aranda/Ethic Video)
“Whoever controls what is written down and passed along controls the minds of the people. That is why it is of the utmost importance of all generations, now and to come, to protect the press’s freedom, as they also in turn protect their own freedom. Newspapers must remain written by the people, for the people.”
By CHRISTIAN MORRISON
The power of a piece of paper and a writing utensil must never be underestimated, for what caused the greatest political and social changes in global history but a handful of yellowed, wrinkled papers with profound ideals spattered upon them?
A righteous individual, armed with paper, pen and ink, has unlimited potential to bring about positive social or political change to benefit the citizens of their native country or even the world in its entirety. Such is the case throughout American history.
Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” and the Letters of Correspondence helped to spark the Revolutionary War; William Garrison’s “The Liberator” gave a voice to the abolition movement developing in America during the Antebellum period; “The Declaration of Sentiments” would help organize and solidify the early women’s rights movement in America, which would eventually result in the equal treatment of women in America.
However, it is important not to just praise the blinding brilliance of the first spark that starts the fire, but also appreciate the small pieces of tinder that helped the spark turn into a blaze. These small pieces of tinder are formally known as local newspapers, which are crucial to the spreading of news and ideas to citizens whose knowledge of the subject is necessary for its success.
For if no one had heard of Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” and the radical beliefs it carried then could it have had such a lasting impact on American and global history? News publication, a thing so important to Americans that it was among the first things they sought to protect in the First Amendment in the “Bill of Rights,” has been of indescribable importance to American history as it was these articles that dispensed factual information that allowed for citizens to make educated opinions on subject matters that concerned them greatly.
In order to analyze the effects that newspapers have had on America as a whole, it is imperative that publications of the past be studied thoroughly so that the evolutionary traits that connect past articles to present may be made clear.
An 1808 print publication of the Troy Daily Times. Photo by CHRISTIAN MORRISON
“The Troy Daily Times” published in Troy, New York, in 1868 is an ideal piece to study that might allow for a glimpse into the past. By examining this seemingly unimportant and obscure local newspaper, it is possible to see the political issues of the time through the point of view of local New York citizens, and also analyze how regular citizens interacted with their local newspapers nearly 150 years ago.
“…while newspapers are a great source of information and a stimulus for change, it is every American’s responsibility to check the facts provided in an article to make sure they make logical sense.”
The first thing that catches the eye is the amount of advertisements that can be found on the newspaper. Promotions for people’s medicine, jewelry, crops, clothing, woodworking, books and even medicinal businesses can be found located on the newspaper’s front and back. One such advertisement for medicine reads, “Missisquoi spring water cures cancer, cures cutaneous affections, cures scrofula, and all impurities of the blood.” Upon reading this scandalous claim, it is very clear that the art of fact checking was not invented or implemented until much later.
Advertisement section in an 1808 issue of the Troy Daily Times. Photo by CHRISTIAN MORRISON
It is also evident from the advertisements in the publication that the community utilized this paper as a means to promote their local businesses to residents of the city. In a way, these advertisements are like commercials that modern day people are accustomed to watching on television. This suggests that the newspaper was well-read by most citizens of the town at the time, who were undoubtedly interested in the happenings in the world during that time. The commercialism present throughout the paper in its entirety serves as a serious reminder that, while newspapers are a great source of information and a stimulus for change, it is every American’s responsibility to check the facts provided in an article to make sure they make logical sense.
“…it is necessary to keep in mind that news articles are still written by human beings, which makes them subject to either human error or corruption of facts…”
Though mainly unbiased, it is necessary to keep in mind that news articles are still written by human beings, which makes them subject to either human error or corruption of facts due to inducements from private individuals or groups that have an interest in contorting the truth for their benefit.
Even more interesting than the advertisements are the actual news articles themselves. They are what any person today might find in any newspaper. Book reviews, international events, gossiping pieces and more can be found within the old, wrinkled pages of “The Troy Daily Times.” By reading these ink stained pages, one can see historical events never before heard of or seen in any history textbook come to life. Under the New Books section, an unknown author praises a book called “The Bird.” This book mentioned contained hundreds of engraved illustrations on natural scenes that according to the author are “faultless, and leave nothing to be desired.” It is highly recommended that all lovers of the natural world pick up a copy of this esteemed piece of literature once more come in from their country of origin, France.
“Newspapers allow for all people of all opinions to get a word in, which allows for the masses to pick which side they feel is right and give their support to it even if they go directly against government entities.”
Continuing on through the newspaper, a long-lost figure in history is revealed: a Belgian Father named De Smet, whose main purpose was to travel through the Northwest region of the United States and bring religion and education to the native peoples living there. While he was of no large historical significance, Father De Smet has some rather important observations and opinions on the state of the environment in that region and the treatment of the natives living there at the time. During his missionary work to help lead Native Americans from their “predatorial” lifestyles into modern, peaceful agrarian culture, he noted with much frustration that “the treatment of the tribes by the government agents has been far from what it ought to be.” This meaning that the tribes in that region during De Smet’s time were being treated rather poorly by the Federal government. This statement made by Father De Smet also illustrates a great truth about newspaper publishing with that being it gives a voice to those who would normally be shunned.
Newspapers allow for all people of all opinions to get a word in, which allows for the masses to pick which side they feel is right and give their support to it even if they go directly against government entities. Unfortunately, Father De Smet’s viewpoint would not be adopted by the majority of Americans and would lead to the continued abuse of the Native Americans. The condition of the Buffalo populations on the Great Plains in 1868 is also made plain through the interview of this religious figure. He noted that the Buffalo populations were decreasing rapidly as the Indian tribes of the region hunted them for much needed food. His account provides a grim foreshadowing that came true as frequent hunting of the buffalos in the Great Plains did indeed reduce their great multitudes to dwindling numbers. Through the interview of a figure that history deemed unworthy of her pages, the progress that led to well-known events and trends is made clear in a way that cannot be replicated by reading a history textbook.
“…it is necessary for all to be vigilant and actively assess the way the information is presented to them, so that they may discern if the newspaper publisher is trying to sway their opinion rather than provide them with factual information.”
Finally, we get to a prime example of yellow journalism that is displayed most clearly in an article entitled “The Destruction Caused in a Single Minute.” In this piece, the author details how a devastating earthquake caused the deaths of thousands of people and destroyed countless buildings on one peaceful day in the City of Caraccas in a single minute. The author paints a vivid picture of piles of rubble intertwined with the bodies of the victims, who were crushed underneath the piles of falling stone. However, in the article the author claims that “at least ten thousand peoples were killed in the churches alone.” This single phrase indicates that such an article was exaggerated in order to sell more papers. Though the fact that an earthquake did occur in the city of Caraccas is undeniable, it is questionable that almost 10,000 people died from being in churches at the time of the earthquake alone. This magnification of the events that occurred is but one example of what is now known as yellow-journalism, which is a tactic that newspaper publishers utilized that involved the exaggeration of certain events in order to sell more copies of their newspapers.
Due to such practices in publication, it is necessary for all to be vigilant and actively assess the way the information is presented to them, so that they may discern if the newspaper publisher is trying to sway their opinion rather than provide them with factual information. Such vigilance is required in order to keep the will of the people their will and prevent the control of the masses by media corporations that are still present to this day.
“…it is up to the people to safeguard the freedom of the press, for if the press loses their freedom so will the people who once relied upon them to aid them in the formation of their opinions.”
Looking at such an ancient informational text, one expects to find a huge difference between the way news was reported to the masses then and now. The truth though is that newspaper publishing has remained relatively unchanged. Of course, certain ways of reporting, such as yellow journalism, are now frowned upon and fact checking is now a must for newspapers to ensure that their readers are getting the most accurate information. However, beyond certain improvements in reporting tactics and the adoption of a more modern writing style newspapers remain unaltered at their core. They are a changing constant, if that makes much sense. Though the writing and reporting styles may change, newspapers will always be what they were always intended to be: pieces of paper that contains information for the masses.
As long as free speech is protected and safeguarded, newspapers will continue doing the job that they have been entrusted with from the earliest ages of the world. “The Troy Daily Times,” though historically unimportant, is an important reminder of this eternal truth. However, it is up to the people to safeguard the freedom of the press, for if the press loses their freedom so will the people who once relied upon them to aid them in the formation of their opinions.
Whoever controls what is written down and passed along controls the minds of the people. That is why it is of the utmost importance of all generations, now and to come, to protect the press’s freedom, as they also in turn protect their own freedom. Newspapers must remain written by the people, for the people. All Americans must strive to keep newspapers in the present like those found in the past: like that of “The Troy Daily Times.”
“It can hardly be argued,” Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas explained, “that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” But what about when students leave the schoolhouse gate? More specifically, when students across America and Redlands walk out of their classrooms for 17 minutes on March 14 in support of the Parkland shooting victims, will their constitutional right to free speech remain? Answer: yes—with exceptions.
To begin with, schools—and those within them—are not the bastions of free discourse that Aristotle and Sophocles might have hoped. According to the oft-quoted ruling in landmark Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines, students have a right to protest and to voice their opinions as long as it does not “materially and substantially interfere with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school.” Alternatively, in the case of Morse v. Frederick, as long as a poster saying “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” is not close to school grounds.
Even though organizers of the March 14 walkout do not plan on rolling out provocative posters onto school campuses nationwide, students’ rights to free speech can still be limited by school officials. Though not as overt as suspending students, teachers can assign tests or quizzes during the time of the walkout, and school districts have the power to label participants as truants and punish them as such. But for Redlands East Valley principal Jennifer Murillo, the opportunity to learn from the walkout is much more valuable than punishing students for leaving school.
“It’s never our intent to block or prevent a student from leaving campus or participating in some sort of protest or walkout or march,” says Murillo, “but it would be our priority to make sure that kids are safe. At the end of the day, if we can learn something from these experiences and if we can learn something that’s going to make REV better or is going to make every student’s experience here at school better as a result of it, that’s the goal. I want to focus on what we can learn from it, not how kids are going to get penalized—that’s not the point of it. The point is, ‘what statement are you trying to make and how are you going to try to make things better?’”
In essence, while students who participate will not face behavioral consequences, they will still be responsible for any and all work missed during the 17 minutes of absence.
“One of the things we’ve expressed to teachers is that students are responsible for whatever they have missed. If teachers suddenly assign a pop quiz at that time, the students who have walked out will be accountable and responsible to make that up. They have to be given the opportunity to make it up, but they won’t be penalized,” Murillo said.
Principal Murillo stated, “I would hope that people would use this opportunity to reach out to those on campus that don’t have a place or don’t seem to fit in. We all know that we can walk through campus and see all of those people who are sitting alone. If we can use this as a chance for the student body to reach out to those people or help people realize that they do have a place here, that they do count and they are important, that’s how you as a school would honor the victims and the people who have suffered with the loss of their life. So often you hear about kids and the troubled past that they have or things that have happened in their life and if we can be proactive and if we can make everybody feel that this is their home and this is their safe place, I think that would be a positive thing to come out of it.”
Redlands Unified School District superintendent Mauricio Arellano agrees. “Our principals and staff are prepared to provide a safe environment for students,” he says. “Staff has been asked to ensure that if conversations and/or debates occur amongst the students, that they facilitate, model and ensure it is done in a respectful manner and it does not disrupt the school climate.”
Arellano continues. “In the curriculum of our history books we have read about the different components of our democracy and we learned many lessons about civics and government. This is an opportunity for students and staff to create a learning opportunity and learning experience.”
Whether or not students choose to participate in the walkout, the school district is prepared to make the event a safe, inclusive environment through which to share ideas. Students can rest assured that their efforts to honor the lives lost in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in February will not be hindered by district personnel.
“In summary,” says Arellano, “our goal for Wednesday is to ensure students and staff safely continue with the rich educational program scheduled for students on that day all across the district and certainly to take a moment and think of the families, friends and educators who were affected in such a terrible manner.”
On Tuesday, March 14, 2018, Citrus Valley’s Spanish Club hosted their annual salsa contest during lunch in the Blackhawk Bistro.
For the past four years the Spanish Club has been hosting this event to see who makes the best salsa on campus. 27 people signed up to participate, and out of those, only three won.
Both students and staff members were given a slip of paper to vote on which salsa was their favorite, and after the salsa contest was over the winners of the contest were announced.
The winners for this year’s Salsa Contest were Mya Quintana (first place), Clarissa Uribe (second place), Ms. Abby Brossia and Mrs. Melanie Meyer (third place). Each of the winners received a free movie ticket to Harkins Theatre.
CV’s Spanish Club hopes to continue this tradition in the following years as they feel it is a great way for everyone to enjoy free chips and salsa
With Advanced Placement testing season on the horizon and thick reams of review packets already being doled out, many students find themselves wondering whether taking these difficult courses now will be worth it in the end. Beyond the advantage of a greater competitive edge when applying to colleges, some students elect to take these more rigorous classes with more pressing financial concerns in mind.
Traditionally, scores of four or five on the AP test can earn exemption from certain classes, placement into higher courses or credit towards a degree. This system has proven to be helpful for those looking to save money while pursuing a higher education, especially in today’s world which is so fraught with crippling student loans and dehydrated noodles. However, as of recent years, a number of colleges have come to the consensus that is sure to crush a couple of dreams and bank accounts: AP exam scores cannot replace the college experience.
Namely, Dartmouth University, part of the prestigious Ivy League, has introduced a policy that—while it will allow students to place out of introductory level classes or be exempted from certain requirements—made it so that those coveted AP test scores will not equate to credits come graduation. This change in policy all originates from the Dartmouth Psychology department growing “more and more suspicious about how good an indicator a 5 on the AP psych exam was for academic success,” according to Hakan Tell, chair of Dartmouth’s Committee on Instruction. Consequently, the department ran an experiment wherein a condensed version of the Psych I final was given all incoming students who had earned a five on the AP Psychology exam and the results were disheartening. Of the over 100 students that were involved in the study, 90 percent of them failed the Dartmouth placement test. The mere 10 percent that passed received the credit that normally only a 5 from a high-school-level test would have awarded them.
Admittedly, these findings are not necessarily universally applicable, as acknowledged Hakan Tell, but it still demonstrates that while students who troop through AP courses are better-prepared, it is dangerous to assume they have collectively mastered the material of a college-level course.
So what does this mean for those still in high school attempting to juggle all those APs that seemed like a great idea at the time?
Well, colleges—Ivy Leagues in particular—still like to see that their next crop of bright-eyed, academically ambitious undergraduates are not only choosing to challenge themselves on a high school level but excelling in those demanding courses. In fact, College Board asserts that 85 percent of selective institutions report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions. In their own words, it shows that a student is “intellectually curious, unafraid of hard work, and capable of learning the knowledge and skills expected of college students.” As charmingly optimistic and remarkably self-assured as this sounds, take one step back from the picture and this statement seems like nothing more than a collections of pretty words used to mask a scheme that has had all of us in College Board’s pocket from the second we registered for high school. But that might just be the sleep-deprived student talking.
Regardless, the question of whether to AP or not to AP will always ultimately be up to the individual. Each student’s set of motives for undertaking such academic rigor however just happens to depend on the forever changing landscape of uncertainty that is the pursuit of higher education.
Makeup can be a fun way to express creativity, art and style, but makeup can also be a huge headache to those who don’t know much about it. Of course makeup is not a necessity, nor is it mandatory for you to be comfortable with yourself, but makeup can be used in many ways such as enhancement, special effects and expression. If the thought of makeup stresses you out and you have no idea where to start, don’t panic, this guide has you covered.
If you’re new to makeup, start simple: don’t wear more than what you’re comfortable with. Start with the basics and learn to enhance your most favorable features, and with practice, also learn to create more complex looks.
SKIN
First, start with your skin. Do you have oily, dry or combination skin? Is your skin textured or smooth? Are there any features you would like to cover up? Do you have any features you would like to see even after the application of makeup such as freckles, moles or even tattoos? These simple questions will help you decide if you need primer, oil, foundation or powder. If you have oily skin, then powder will be your best friend. A nice setting powder will help absorb oil and keep makeup in place. If you have dry skin, try using moisturizers, such as lotions, primers or oils to create a base to keep your foundation from becoming patchy and flakey. If you have combination skin, try using a moisturizer that isn’t oil based. For textured skin, apply a primer before you apply your foundation, this will help fill in and minimize the appearance of pores to give your skin a more smooth look. If you’re happy with your skin and prefer no foundation, try a tinted moisturizer or even skip foundation and powder all together.
NYX shine killer primer keeps makeup matte longer, and Benefit porefessional primer helps even out textured skin for a more flawless look -both available at ulta.com
FOUNDATION
Of course you can rock your bare skin or apply only powder, but for those looking into foundation, you might want to do some research. There are thousands of foundations for you to choose from, with different formulas, application styles and benefits. While researching your foundation keep in mind the amount of coverage you want and your skin type weather its dry, oily, or combination. Once you figure out which foundation you want, you need to pick out your shade, do not be afraid to ask for help: employees at MAC, Sephora, and Ulta are there to ensure your satisfaction and are more than happy to color-match you. The last thing you want is for your face to be a completely different shade than the rest of your body. When applying foundation you can use a stipple brush which works well with textured skin, or a damp beauty sponge to create a more airbrushed look.
‘MAC studio fix’, ‘Two Faced Born This Way’, and ‘MAC match master’, are full coverage foundations that work well with oily skin – all available at ulta.com
EYEBROWS
There are lots of different eyebrow products some being easier to use than others. When choosing a brow product don’t get frustrated if you can’t get one to do the job the way you would like; there are lots more options which may suit you better. If you’ve never applied makeup to your brows before, start with a powder or even an eyeshadow the color of your brows and with an angled brush apply the powder to make the brows appear fuller. Run a clear or tinted brow gel over your natural brows to keep the hairs in place. Other options that require a bit more practice include brow pencils and pomade. Although these require more practice, they give a more precise look and are more effective in creating a false longer lasting eyebrow if desired.
CONCEALER
Concealer is similar to foundation, but more heavy-duty and with fuller coverage. Concealer can be used for covering any and every flaw or mark you may want covered. Concealer may also be used to highlight and contour your face. With a flat concealer brush, apply concealer over any problem areas, as well as under your eyes, the center of your chin and the center of your forehead and blend out with a damp beauty sponge. This will help cover any dark spots under your eyes and will help make your face appear thinner. If you would like your brows to be more sharp and precise you can use concealer and a small flat brush to carve them out.
SET YOUR FACE
You now have your base, foundation, brows and concealer. Next you’ll need something to set your face in place. Don’t worry, this isn’t as complicated as picking a base or foundation, you have three different choices: spray, powder or both. Powder is good for keeping your foundation from sliding around and absorbing excess oils and a spray is good for either keep your face matte or dewy depending on your personal preference. You can even wear them both by applying powder with a large fluffy brush then spraying your face after to ensure a longer-lasting set.
EYESHADOW
When it comes to eyeshadow, your possibilities are endless. There are pressed powder, creme shadow, loose glitter, foils, pencils, crayons, gels, bakes and so many more forms of eyeshadow that can be used in different ways to create unique looks. Prep your eyes with a concealer or eyeshadow primer and use a white or nude eyeshadow as your base. This will help your shadows blend together much easier. As long as you blend your shadows, you can’t go wrong. Have fun with your eye makeup and don’t be afraid to express yourself.
When it comes to eyeshadow, your possibilities are endless.
Photos of and by ANNAMARIE VIGIL
“When it comes to eyeshadow, your possibilities are endless.” Photos of and by ANNAMARIE VIGIL
LASHES
A lot of people choose only to wear mascara. Mascara comes in different colors and different wands. Mascara should be applied after eyeshadow to prevent lashes from looking dusty. You can layer mascara to darken, lengthen, and volumize your lashes, or you can apply one coat and call it a day. If your looking for a more dramatic twist on your lashes, try using falsies. Fake eyelashes, also called falsies, are a good way to top off your eyeshadow and can really change the final look of your makeup. Falsies come in lots of styles, lengths and colors and can be worn more than once as long as you take proper care of them. Applying false lashes, however, can be a little difficult at first. If you don’t apply them properly, they become itchy and can poke you, hang off or even completely fall off, but as long as you practice and take your time, you’ll be able to rock falsies to their full potential.
“Fake eyelashes, also called falsies, are a good way to top off your eyeshadow and can really change the final look of your makeup.” Photo of and by ANNAMARIE VIGIL
LIPS
You’ve applied your base, face makeup, brows and eye makeup, of course you can stop here, adding a pop of color to your lips can take your look to a whole other level. Try pairing a nude eyes with a pop of color on your lips or a color on your eyes with a nude lip. By doing this you are creating an illusion of contrast which may be used to add personality into your look.
Now that you know all the basics about makeup, try exploring new products. Use these tips to create a new look and explore with what works best for you, and most importantly, have fun. Makeup shouldn’t be a headache, but rather a fun way to express yourself and be more confident.
On Sunday, March 4 at 7 a.m., the annual Run Through Redlands took place for its 35th consecutive year. This was to raise money for charities and scholarships to the local youth.
The 5K, 10K and half marathon took place in Downtown Redlands, going through historical landscapes, beautiful neighborhoods and unobstructed views of the San Bernardino mountains. The streets were closed off and packed with people passionate about making a difference for their community.
Runners participate in the 5K on the Olive Street portion of the course. Photo by ZOË MYERS
The races started on Eureka Street and ended at the Redlands Bowl with people handing out ribbons while congratulating the runners. The Redlands Bowl was filled with booths and food vendors as music played and people celebrated their charitable event.
Redlands residents who were not a part of the run observed and cheered on participants as they watched from their homes. Many high school students from Redlands came together to partner up with special education students and participated in the 5K run together.
Spectators cheer on runners as they cross the finish line by the Redlands Bowl. Photo by ZOË MYERS
Isaiah Mercado, a junior at Redlands East Valley High School, said, “I’m having so much fun. I love the kids; they are so funny and make me laugh. It feels good to help and raise money for people who need it.”
Overall, the event brought the community together to show an overwhelming amount of encouragement and support to Redlands students of all abilities.
The phrase “a man’s best friend” has been known for many years, but the reasoning behind a dog and human bond was unknown until psychologist Alan Beck of Purdue University and psychiatrist Aaron Katcher of the University of Pennsylvania recorded what happens when someone pets a friendly dog. They found “that the person’s blood pressure lowered, heart rate slowed, breathing became more regular and muscle tension relaxed.” Furthermore, a study published recently in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine showed “changes in blood chemistry demonstrating reduced amounts of stress-related hormones.” This gives the owner a relaxing environment to come home to. Dogs can also lead to a more active lifestyle due to the frequent walks that dogs can require. The consistent exercise can be extremely beneficial, even if it is just a brief walk.
Studies have also shown that owning a dog can lower stress and anxiety levels just as well as some medications. Pets bring a significant amount of affection and loyalty into a person’s life, and that consistent positive affection has powerful effects on the brain; the loyalty of a dog can even be equal to a human friendship. Those who own dogs are likely to have higher self-esteem, a better temperament, and a talent for making friends. The need to belong is a central need for humans, and a dog can provide the support of a real friendship. Humans and dogs have the ability to form an unbreakable bond, which makes for an exceptional friendship.
Brandon Saglam’s 11-year-old german shepherd- husky mix, Elizabeth (BRANDON SAGLAM/ Ethic Photo)
Brandon Saglam, a junior at Citrus Valley High School, spoke about his 11-year-old German Shepard-Husky mix, Elizabeth. His family was given Elizabeth by relatives in Turkey when she was six years old, where Brandon had previously known her. When asked how Elizabeth has helped him, he said “she’s both adorable and has an attitude which is great, and if I ever need someone there to hug because I am often home alone, she’s always there.” Brandon believes her attitude is very special, as she is “extremely docile” and sometimes even acts more like a cat than a dog. She loves to receive attention and hugs, and is very special to Brandon and his family.
Jenna Achilley’s five-month-old german shepherd, Otto (courtesy Jenna Achilley)
Jenna Achilley, a junior at Citrus Valley, has a five-month-old German Shepard named Otto. Jenna’s father bought Otto from a breeder where he was on a waiting list for three years. Her father loved his personality when he got to meet Otto. Jenna went on to say that Otto “ran straight up to [her] dad, and he already favored Otto’s lineage,” so Otto was a perfect fit for the family. She thinks everything about Otto is very special and said she has “always believed that animals can tell when your emotions are off other than normal, and even though he is hyper and can’t control himself, he acts differently when he knows I’m upset.”
Rhiannon Scray’s 12 year old miniature pinscher- jack russel terrier, Max (courtesy Rhiannon Scray)
Rhiannon Scray, a junior at Citrus Valley, has a 12-year-old Miniature Pinscher-Jack Russell Terrier mix named Max. Her family got Max when he was “scratching at [her] mom’s co-worker’s door” and when she opened the door, Max bolted in and would not leave, so the co-worker offered Max to Rhiannon’s mom. Rhiannon says that Max is “the cutest dog” and “he is so full of excitement and love all the time.” He is very friendly to everyone he meets and loves to lay with his family on the couch, and especially loves laying on blankets.
Mrs. Rooney, the Advanced Placement Biology teacher at Citrus Valley, owns two dogs: Misty and Zoey. Misty is a nine-year-old yellow Labrador and Zoey is a four-year-old Doberman mix. Mrs. Rooney says that whenever she has a bad day, she goes home and they “just love me so much and they make me so happy and calm me down.” She also added that they keep her active because Zoey in particular needs to be walked often. Misty and Zoey have been a very calming presence in her life, and she said that Misty is a “very lovable pet; she just loves to be around people and loves everyone.” On the other hand, “Zoey needs to be taken care of, so I have to be very careful with her and very gentle with her. She’s very protective.” Mrs. Rooney believes that the special bond formed between the person and the dog is what really makes having a pet special.
CV teacher Mrs. Rooney’s pets: four-year-old Misty (left) a Doberman mix, and nine-year-old Zoey (right), a yellow Labrador (courtesy Mrs. Rooney)
Citrus Valley High School’s Virtual Enterprise was recently awarded the Silver Award for impact marketing in Bakersfield, California. This accomplishment was significant for the course.
Jereth Guzman, a Junior at Citrus Valley, has been involved with Virtual Enterprise since his freshman year. Photo by BRANDON SAGLAM
Citrus Valley senior Jereth Guzman, who has been involved with Virtual Enterprise since his freshman year, says, “It’s basically a class that creates not a real business, but a virtual business. We come up with ideas of what we want to create.” Virtual Enterprise gives students an opportunity to work together to be successful in pitching products and obtaining the interest of potential investors. Students in the Virtual Enterprise class are very committed to what they do. Those in the class are required to take a virtual online business class their freshman and sophomore year, so students in this class are very well-trained and professional by their junior and senior year.
When asked what the most valuable lesson learned from Virtual Enterprise is, students Joe Vigil and Jereth Guzman, both members of the class, agree that public speaking plays a prominent role. Guzman says, “It’s been a big help in not being nervous or getting caught up in words, it helps me in being fluent and straight to the point.” Vigil shares, “you have to interact with everyone and convince people, buy your product. You really have to engage in conversation.” Not only is the class essential to learning how to create and maintain a business, but the class also teaches students confidence and to work as a team effectively. “It’s interesting,” Vigil shares, “You get real close to people because it’s a small class.”
Joe Vigil, a Citrus Valley senior, recently joined the high school’s Virtual Enterprise class this year. Photo by BRANDON SAGLAM
To those who are interested in Virtual Enterprise, current students recommend that potential students understand that the class works very hard to be successful. Guzman adds, “You should definitely join to learn how to enhance your skills if you’re really interested in business and learning the whole aspect of it. If you’re not sure about joining, just know you’ll always be doing something, the whole time, you will be busy.”
Both students share the same interests in wanting to pursue business and management in the future, “I’ve always been fond of business, and it’s definitely a career I want to take on in the future,” Guzman says. Students interested in business are encouraged to take this class, Vigil shares, “It’s not as hard as you think it would be.”
The class also participates in multiple competitions and have yet to complete them all. According to Guzman, “We have one more competition. We didn’t get gold at the last competition, unfortunately, so we couldn’t move on to the trade show in New York, but we’re going to Los Angeles soon to compete again and kind of learn from our imperfections and hopefully get gold there.”
When asked what the gold award represents, Guzman states, “That’s basically the end, it’s more of like a title, and we earn self-motivation. We get awards depending on what you did proficiently, like overall, booth design and presentation. We usually get awards individually. There’s also a lot of colleges that go to the trade shows, and they look at you, and how well you present yourself, and sometimes if you’re lucky and really sell them, they’ll give you the option of attending their school.”
This year, CV’s Virtual Enterprise program has earned one bronze, six silver, and one silver state awards. In the future, Virtual Enterprise hopes to continue placing in competitions and eventually winning gold.
Josh Uslu oustide of his advanced placement United States history class at Redlands East Valley. (Ethic Photo)
Meet Josh Uslu. He is a junior at Redlands East Valley High School who plays a sport that is nearly impossible to find on a high school campus. Josh does Taekwondo and even has a national title in it.
“When I was younger I wrestled a lot. My dad and I were always messing around, and I got tired of it. I started Taekwondo four years ago because I was not good at any other sport,” Uslu said as he was describing his first experiences in Taekwondo.
“I got into my first match after six months, and I was competing with people who had been doing it for five years. I have been doing it ever since then,” said Uslu.
Flash forward several years and Uslu is a champion in Taekwondo. “Last year I had to compete…with 16, 17 and 18-year-olds because I was beating the 14 and 15-year-olds. I was the youngest, but everyone else was 17 and 18.”
That was also the year of his most memorable fight. He was fighting against his friend Samuel, a senior from San Diego. “He beat me that last year in the beginning of the year by a lot,” Uslu said, “I think to score was two to ten. I got whupped. It was in the back of my mind a lot of the time.”
By the time state championships came around, however, Uslu was ready, as he had trained specifically throughout the year to combat Samuel’s fighting style. The hard work paid off, because in the last second, he won with a kick to the stomach.
Uslu is a national Taekwondo champion. The term “national” includes the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and other southwestern states. “The level above that is ‘World.’ Everyone in their different country has their own way of Taekwondo.”
Uslu clarifies what “the American way” means. “Brawling. You know in the old cartoons when you see a bunch of smoke and don’t see what happens? That’s the kind of brawl. My mom says I’m going to get my face messed up.”
In his last tournament in Las Vegas, Uslu was up to defend his national title. “It was really surprising to me because the competitors there were all really popular. I was the only one without the words ‘district champion’ or ‘world champion’ on my back. I only had ‘state champion.’
Everyone there was renowned. To get state, it’s a point thing. For district, you get put in a room with 40 people and it’s similar to a tournament level, last man standing. I haven’t gone because it is in Arkansas.”
Uslu at the Las Vegas tournament. (Photo courtesy of Josh Uslu)
At the tournament, Uslu got two bronze medals in the 130-pound weight class and one silver in the 125-pound weight class, his natural weight.
“They had different rules at this tournament and it completely threw me off,” Uslu said, “I do kickboxing, and this was a Taekwondo tournament. I couldn’t punch them in the face. I could only punch in the body and kick them in the head. I went there and, in the second round, I was exchanging with somebody, and I accidentally knocked him down by punching him in the jaw.”
The new rules were why he got silver instead of gold. “They took two points away from me. It was instinct. He was close to my body and automatically I just punched him across his jaw.”
The new rules also affected how his coach, Todd Simpson, interacted with him during a match. “My mom, dad and instructor went. You’re not allowed to coach during Taekwondo, so he just sat there watching me there whole time,” Uslu said, “I bet he was judging me. He posted videos on Facebook telling me that I had to work on some techniques.”
Even when he’s not fighting, Uslu’s physical fitness habits play a big part in the sport. It came to the point where he had to quit other sports so they would not get in the way of his Taekwondo. “I used to do cross country, and I got super skinny. I lost ten pounds from running.” He had to stop cross country and now he trains himself. “I train five days a week, Monday through Friday, 4 to 8 p.m. every day. Saturdays and Sundays, I’m off.”
“Eating is a big part of it too,” Uslu explained, “You have to stay healthy.” He tries to avoid carbonated drinks and sweets. “I’ll eat during third, lunch and fifth. I just pack on food. I eat nuts, a sandwich and protein: The good stuff.” However, Saturdays are cheat days for him. On weekdays, Instead of three big meals, he will eat all throughout the day.
When asked about plans for life after his schooling, Uslu replied, “For my future, I want to get out of Taekwondo and go more into MMA. There’s not much money to be made in Taekwondo.”
Uslu, with some of the children he trains at the American Taekwondo Association gym. (Photo courtesy of Josh Uslu)
The last four years of Taekwondo has had a huge impact on Uslu’s life. “It taught me how to live more. I learned how to get out of my comfort zone. It takes a lot to punch somebody in the face. Respect is huge.”
There is also a lot of honor involved. “You have to go out there and do it for yourself. My dad always tells me not to do it for anybody else. Be you. I’m myself when I’m out there.”
Uslu also teaches Taekwondo to children at the American Taekwondo Association gym. “Coach Kelly, the old wrestling coach here, I teach his daughter Taekwondo.”
Josh values the process. “I do it for the experience and I do it for meeting new people,” said Uslu, “There’s something about kids who do martial arts. They have a lot a respect for the people around them. They’re all intelligent. They’re not just brutes who punch and kick. They’re good people. “
“I learned that you have to have a heart. I love my competitors—even if I lose. They give me a challenge and it’s amazing. No one is going to do this against me except me. If I lose, at least I lose at doing something I love.”
REV Speech and Debate competitors pose in the airport. Left to right, top row: Coach Stephen Verdon, senior Alex Kristoffersen, junior Amy Underwood, senior Duncan Glover, senior Ian Finley, senior Caroline Irving, junior Ethan Olson, Coach Eva Shinnerl. Bottom row: junior Maha Quadri and senior Lea Mulan Clark.
By AKUL GUPTA
On Friday, Feb. 9, the Redlands East Valley Speech and Debate team travelled to Stanford University in Palo Alto to put their skills to the test at one of the biggest annual tournaments held in California. They began competing every morning at eight, not being able to return to their hotels until nine at night. Each of the competitors had mentally prepared themselves to come out on top of every other adversary they were to compete against in their event of choice.
The debate captain, Ian Finley, earned the title of the fifth best speaker and the speech captain, Lea Mulan Clark, was Stanford Varsity Champion in Expository, winning a trophy and a Kindle Fire as prizes. Caroline Irving and Alex Kristoffersen won ninth place out of more than 130 teams in Parliamentary Debate. Ian Finley stated, “Overall, the best part of the trip is always just being with the team. They make it so much fun.” He gave the credit for their success to the two Speech and Debate coaches, Eva Shinnerl and Stephen Verdon.
When asking students about the competition Irving commented, “Stanford was a really amazing experience because it truly represents the culmination of all the tremendous parts of Speech and Debate: the high caliber competition, the long work-filled days, and the precious moments in between spent with teammates and friends. Truly it is an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world.” Amy Underwood had a similar view on the competition and stated, “Stanford was an absolutely amazing experience! We bonded so much as a team, and were able to compete against the very talented competition.” These students made it apparent that the long hours they spent together and the work they put in side-by-side made their trip a truly memorable experience.
So far, the Redlands East Valley Speech and Debate team has participated in numerous tournaments all throughout the year, winning awards in various events. On March 3, they will be taking part in the Debate State Qualifiers, and on March 10, they will compete in the Speech State Qualifiers. Their goal is to move on to the state competition and bring home multiple gold medals.
Another year, another Comedy Sportz teacher match. On Feb. 9, 2018, nine teachers put their improvisational skills to the test in Citrus Valley High School’s annual teacher match. The teacher match is the team’s biggest fundraiser, as many delighted students come and see their favorite teachers battle it out with the Comedy Sportz players for laughs. This year’s match was highly successful and was packed full of witty jokes and characterization from the beloved teachers. Of course, since Comedy Sportz is the theatre students’ athletic outlet, a highlight reel seemed to be the only fitting way to cover the hilarious night.
Scissors are the star of Dating Game: In a character game based on classic television dating show games, Spanish teacher Katheryn Fonken stole the show as a pair of scissors. Fonken went the entire game consistently creating a scissor-like movement with her arms and made a couple of very clever blade puns to help English teacher Jennifer Moon figure out what she was.
Teachers close out the first half strong: In the final game of the first half, Expert Challenge, both the students and teachers played head-to-head to decide which team had the most knowledge on various subjects, all evolving throughout the game. Advanced Placement Government and Politics teacher Ken Carpenter was the most eager onstage, coming to the playing field substantially more than the other so-called experts. The most significant part of the game was actually a stab from teacher to student by Moon to senior Sarah Wilson. While Wilson was explaining her experiences in academics, she made a minor English error. Moon shot up and urgently exclaimed, “This is why you didn’t pass last year!” which ended the game and half on a huge laugh with teachers in the lead 17 to five.
An empowered staff member graces the stage: Campus security guard, Officer Matt, was suggested to be “empowered” during the teachers’ first team game of the match, Emotional Symphony. As the guest referee, Taylor, pointed at him to express his emotions, he spouted out confident remarks like “I am the greatest person alive” in an inspirational tone. The audience was thoroughly entertained and engaged with his empowering remarks.
A sudden-death tie breaker sets the fate of the teachers. At the tail end of the match, it was revealed that the students and teachers were tied in points with 26-26. A final pun was to be made by both teams, and, being the ironically funny players they are, senior Matt Klimper and Officer Matt faced off in a Matt versus Matt battle. The audience suggestion for the final pun was “mortician.” After a quick team consultation, the students made their pun first. Klimper made a witty reference to The Addams Family as a play on the word suggested. When Officer Matt stepped into the playing field, tensions rose throughout the theatre. The audience held their breath as he began his joke set up, “185 morticians walk into a bar. The bartender says, ‘sorry, we don’t serve morticians here’ to which the morticians reply, ‘Ah, it’s DEAD in here anyways!” With that final joke, the teachers began their celebration, as it was an automatic win due to the audience’s screaming reaction. The teachers took the victory 27 to 26 and remain the comedy kings and queens of Citrus Valley.
The Redlands Galleria is a quaint antique store in Downtown Redlands. It gains the majority of its inventory through community donations, making it a very personal and heartfelt experience.
It consists of three floors and the system as to how the stock is organized is not immediately apparent to the common customer. The winding maze of furniture, paintings and knick-knacks allows patronsto find the hidden wonders in their own time.
The store contains everything from old comic books to dresses like the ones that may be found in a grandmother’s closet. Granted, there are some faded trends in the store, but old fads have been making a comeback as of late, so finding a new outfit or book to read would be an easy task.
Immediately after entering, there is a sense of the historical and sentimental value of the commodities. There are dozens of old pictures and pieces of jewelry to look at while walking through. Visiting the shop can make for a relaxed, lovely afternoon as the store is hardly crowded and is relatively quiet as a result. The tranquil surroundings make for a much more intimate experience. It allows genuine conversation to flow within the visitors personal bubble, attaining a sensation of privacy whilst exploring the vast expanse of whole other world.
Nothing completely tops going into the store and seeing first-hand all the products they have to offer. It is an experience impossible to get through online shopping, as the ability to feel the texture of the fabric or the scent of the soaps is nonexistent. Regardless of individual interests, there is something stashed away in the Redlands Galleria for everyone.
Carol Gossette, one of the founding owners, has been involved with the antique store for 17 years. The founders created this store after the success of a previous store, and bought the building in Downtown Redlands. She believes the store is “clean” and “friendly,” which can be an uncommon trait found in some stores. The sentimental value is a strong value of the stores, because it often “takes people back to their childhood” according to Gossette. “People come in and say, ‘oh, my grandma had one of those!’ It just makes people feel good.” Gossette’s advice for buying antiques is simply “buy what appeals to you” without worrying about the age or value of the piece.
The dated, classic look of antiques gives a distinct character to any space, which can be crafted as fine artworks if preserved well. Antiques can give a sense of what one was, or even what will be; they can embody past tastes and times, giving it a truly irreplaceable position in any society. By stopping by a hole-in-the-wall antique store, there is no purchasing of seemingly meaningless furniture, but of memories and stories.
Dylan Fashempour exhibiting his commitment to University of Massachusetts Boston.
Dylan “Fash” Fashempour is a star baseball player at Redlands East Valley High School. He has played for four years on the varsity team and is now taking his talents across the country to the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Fash is moving to Boston in order to fulfill his dream of playing college baseball. He is driven by his knowledge that “only seven percent of high school players end up playing in college” and his love for the game. Fash chose the school because “it’s such an amazingly beautiful city with so much history in it.” The move also brings him closer to his favorite team, the Boston Red Sox, which he called a “big bonus.”
Fashempour said that he was looking forward to “the overall college experience” and “living in Boston.”
Behind every great athlete comes a great support system and for Fash that support has come in the form of his family. On his decision to play college baseball, his mother Stephenie Fashempour, she said that “it was a little difficult at first but I wanted him to make a decision based on what was best for him. Walking around the campus I just knew it was a perfect fit for Dylan.” She added, “The entire Fashempour family is excited to see Dylan achieve his goal and while his mother can not be at every game she can still cheer him on by “streaming the home games online so we can still be at his games and I can still be his number one fan.”
Info graphic, created by Madison Isaeff, displaying Fashempour’s baseball stats.
Let’s face it. At this day and age, it’s almost impossible to get a solid eight hours of sleep every night and if you do, you’re lucky. In fact, according to the sleepfoundation.org, “only 15 percent (of students) reported sleeping 8½ hours on school nights,” which is a very small and concerning amount, considering the fact that the average teenager requires a full eight to nine hours of sleep in order to “properly function” throughout the day.
So why aren’t students getting enough sleep? Some science suggests that it’s actually biological. Due to the huge biological shift that occurs during teenage years, there are significant hormonal changes. One specific hormone called melatonin, which triggers sleepiness, is released later in the teenage body than that of an adult or a small child—which is why teens tend to get tired later in the day—hence the reason teens also seem to be more awake in the evening and at night rather than in the morning. This is also the explanation as to why mornings tend to be so hard for teens, as melatonin levels are still pretty high from being triggered so late the night before. Essentially, the body of a teenager is basically wired to stay up late and fight sleep as much as possible, but that doesn’t mean getting a good night’s rest is impossible.
So what can you do to get more sleep? Here are some tips to help you get a good night’s rest and get you feeling rejuvenated and revitalized.
Start by Destressing
It’s important to not let stress take control of our lives. Stress can cause sleep deprivation and it’s crucial you find yourself in a healthy mindset in order to gain a
Headspace is an app that allows you to schedule meditation and breathing exercise sessions, while walking you through every step of the way – Available on the app store and Google Play for free
good night’s rest. While everyone’s outlet of destressing is different, one great method, if you haven’t quite figured one out yet, is breathing exercises. Take one to three minutes of your day to practice some breathing exercises. You can even try practicing two to three times a day: when you wake up, mid-day and before you go to bed. There are even applications available to help you practice different breathing exercises and remind you when it’s time to take a breather—literally.
Set A Sleeping Schedule
It seems impossible but it’s not as hard as you would think. Take baby steps by setting an alarm at the same time every day, including the weekends. Avoid sleeping in every single weekend in order to keep your sleeping schedule consistent.
Make Your Bedroom More Inviting
Studio 3B™ Underbed Storage Bags Set of Two – available at bedbathandbeyond.com for $14.99
Surroundings are a huge factor when it comes to getting a good night’s rest. Turn your bedroom or any room in general into a retreat by making it your comfort zone. Be particular about lighting: keep it subtle and avoid bright lighting. Embrace simplicity and keep things out of sight and out of mind. A great way to do this is by investing in storage, such as containers, that are easy to access but also easy to store away like under your bed or in your closet. Decor is also important. Hang things such as art you find visually pleasing and take down stuff you no longer do or find distracting.
Cut the Caffeine
We all know caffeine is bad, so try avoiding it all together. Drinking caffeine throughout the day, from coffee to soda, can disrupt you body’s rhythms and can make falling asleep later on in the day difficult. Ensure a good night’s rest and play it safe by sticking to water.
Don’t procrastinate
Agendas like this one are great for keeping notes and reminders – Available at Target.com for $5.99
Another reason as to why students tend not to get enough sleep is procrastination. As impossible as it may seem, don’t wait till last minute to do homework or other assignments. Finish important tasks first and break everything else into small chunks, and most importantly, keep a schedule and keep it updated. Putting reminders on your phone to remind of you of important due dates and assignments or purchasing a small agenda to keep track of things are great ways to keep things in place and organized, saving you stress and time.
OpenWorm is a project dedicated to making the world’s first virtual organism. Recently, the collective has successfully digitized a worm brain and transferred the brain into a small Lego robot capable of moving in a real environment.
To elaborate, the Caenorhabditis elegans is a roundworm of only 100 cells. Capable of feeding, finding mates and avoiding predators, the worm is a paragon specimen for the experiment. In other words, the brain is primarily a system of electrical signals, and if those signals were to be mapped, theoretically an organism may be immortalized digitally.
The team behind OpenWorm was recently able to map all 302 of the worm’s neurons and map their connections. This resulted in an effective digital simulation of the worm’s brain on software. This allowed the team to create a Lego robot capable of traversing in a real life, controlled environment without any remote or artificial intelligence program.
Recently, the collective’s Twitter account shared an image of one Caenorhabditis elegans on a computer and an another, a mere simulation of the species. This image shows plenty of progress and the company tweeted out, “Alright alright – most of you guessed, left worm was the real one. Give us another couple of months `(or years) and let’s see if we can fool you.” This means that most worm experts cannot yet be fooled, but progress is being made.
Photo posted by Openworm twitter on Feb. 1, 2018. The left is a real worm and the right is simulated.
Now there is still plenty of research needed for this project, for example the robot is not capable of eating or finding a mate, but it is a start. Though the collective is nowhere near being able to map the 100 billion neurons of the human brain, perhaps the research may lead to better robotics and artificial intelligence in the future.
Redlands East Valley High School campus banners displaying Wildcat pride.
Respect – “Respect to me means treating others how you want to be treated.” Daniel Jimena, Grade 11
Ethical – “Being ethical means standing up for what you believe in.” Noah Hernandez, Grade 12
Vocal – “Being vocal means saying what you need to say and speaking out by using your voice.” Meagan Knox, Grade 11
Wildcat – “Being a Wildcat means being productive and trying to graduate.” Hannah Ralph, Grade Nine
Accountable – ”Obviously means being there for someone or something, but it also means being there on time and being there willing to do what you need to do.” Jared Carlin, Grade 12
You – ”Being myself means to meto be unique and I have a different personality and it is part of who I am.”Alexander Mercado, Grade Nine
The 60th Annual Grammy Awards took place on Sunday, January 28 on CBS with host James Corden.
The 60th Annual Grammy Awards was jam-packed with energetic, heartbreaking and inspiring moments that will be talked about for years to come. Here are some highlights from Sunday night’s show.
Bruno Mars dominates with six wins:
The 32-year-old rhythm and blues singer won big last night, winning every single category he was nominated for, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best R&B album for his song “That’s What I Like” in his “24K Magic” album. On top of his insane victories, Mars joined Cardi B for a bright and colorful performance of their new remix “Finesse,” which ended in Cardi’s new song “Bartier Cardi.” Everyone in the audience was up and dancing in this fun and energetic moment.
Broadway gets the respect it deserves:
With New York City as a backdrop, it was only fitting that the recording industry paid its respect to Broadway. There have been Broadway performances at the Grammys in the past, but they only seemed like sideshow attractions. In 2018, however, Broadway finally took center stage with Tony winners Ben Platt and Patti Lupone honoring industry-changing writers Leonard Bernstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Platt kicked it off by singing Bernstein’s “Somewhere” from the iconic “West Side Story.” Though Platt’s performance was beautiful, Patti Lupone left the room completely speechless when she revisited her legendary 1979 role as Eva Peron from “Evita.”
Chris Stapleton destroys the country music categories:
Traditional country music is not dead, and it is for the most part thanks to country and blues artist Chris Stapleton. Even when up against country music heavyweights like Eric Church, Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town, this bearded giant came out on top, winning Best Country Album, Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Album for his traditional country album, “From a Room Vol. 1.” Stapleton and Emmylou Harris also paid tribute to the late Tom Petty with the song “Wildflowers.”
Las Vegas Route 91 Festival performers honor those who died in shooting:
Out of all of last year’s losses in music, none were quite as heartbreaking and impactful as the 59 concertgoers who died in the shooting in Las Vegas. Maren Morris, Eric Church and Brothers Osborne sang “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton together while the names of every single victim came up behind them in golden boxes.
Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, Janelle Monae and more protest sexual harassment in Hollywood:
The “#TimesUp” and “#MeToo” movements to end sexual harassment in the workplace have been taking over the award show season to spread their message, so it is no surprise that the Grammys was a huge platform for the movement. White roses were worn and displayed throughout the broadcast and red carpet. Lady Gaga performed her songs “Joanne” and “Million Reasons” with a white rose on her extravagantly decorated piano. Ke$ha, who has dealt with abuse from her producer, performed her song “Praying” alongside Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello, Andra Day, Julia Michaels, Bebe Rexha and the Resistance Revival Chorus, all of which were dressed in white. Actress and singer Janelle Monae provided some direct words beforehand on the movement and what it means for women by saying, “We come in peace, but we mean business. And to those who would dare try and silence us, we offer you two words: time’s up.”
Kendrick Lamar kicks off the show with a bang:
Rapper Kendrick Lamar is widely known for the relevant social commentary found in his music. He performed his songs “DNA” and “XXX” surrounded by dancers in ski masks with the American Flag behind them. Dave Chappelle and U2 joined Lamar at the end of his set. Afterwards, he said that “the only thing more frightening than watching a black man be honest in America is being an honest black man in America. Sorry for the interruption.” His performance was followed by and enthusiastic standing ovation from the audience.
Overall, the 60th Annual Grammy Awards was packed with social commentary, somber moments and passionate performances that will surely be remembered.
Entrance to the new Threshold Art Gallery in downtown Redlands.
By Madison Isaeff and W. Parker Luitwieler
The Threshold Art Gallery is a new and flourishing art gallery in Downtown Redlands that has been attracting a large community of artists and admirers to come together and celebrate local art. It is located on Vine St. near Redland’s famous Bricks and Birch. The Threshold is the perfect place to visit during a day exploring Downtown Redlands or after a cup of local Redlands coffee. Aeron Brown and his wife Michelle Brown are the owner-operators of the gallery. Aeron Brown is not only an owner, but also a local musician, visual artist and mixed media painter. In this article, he answers several questions about the gallery, events and his own personal experience in art.
Aeron Brown (right) at the Threshold Art Gallery. Photo by MADISON ISAEFF
Q: Why did you decide to open The Threshold?
A: My friend was ready to hand this place over to someone or close it down. It just seemed like the next step in my art career to take it off his hands, and that’s all apart of the process to being an artist. You just go to the next thing and the next thing. Part of the reason why I said yes to taking The Threshold was because I really believe I already had some momentum within the community to all the artists I knew. That momentum was there, and I missed being around more of an artistic community.
Personally and spiritually, I want to make friends and give people an encounter of something different when they walk into the Threshold Art Gallery. Anyone can step into this threshold of something new in their life that they’ve never experienced. Seeing into a piece of artwork is like seeing into a portal into another place of something powerful. You’re literally opening portals for people to be inspired within this gallery.
I wanted a prominent community and hospitality in art, so I started with the Threshold. I wanted to help other artists, get to the next level in my career, and be around other artists. I wanted to see what it felt like to run my own gallery and have a storefront that would improve the community. That is my hope, to see the city of Redlands go to the next level of appreciating art.
Q: What art do you typically sell at The Threshold?
A: The art that we typically sell is called contemporary art, which means that its just art that encapsulates the present time, along with some impressionism. We currently have many types of art: acrylic paintings, digital photography, surrealist collages, hand-lettering, monoprints, wall sculptures, oil paintings, illustrations, inks and pottery. There’s a lot of stuff we have here. Right now there are 13 different artists presenting, including me as well.”
Q: What is your favorite event you have at the Threshold?
A: My favorite events are our monthly featured artist events, which always happen towards the first weekend of every month. But we’ve had a lot of events! When we first started, we had many events with the local coffee from Anne’s Coffee. They would pull up an old vintage golf cart with coffee on the back end. We’ve had a bunch of amazing live bands play as well. I also like it when we have our workshops, because people get to learn practical skills. We have them every weekend, two-hour workshops typically on Saturdays. They are $40 a chair.
Q: Who is your featured artist of the month?
A: Our featured artist for January is Elizabeth Rydell, and her exhibit this month is called “Radiant Unravelling.” She is a mixed media artist from the San Clemente area. She mixes acrylic paints, ink, dyes, stencils, multiple mediums to create paintings on canvas. She’s even been collaging found objects into paintings, pieces of doorknobs, sticks, trinkets, etc. into an abstract formation. Her art name is “Eli Ry.” Our next featured artist for February is Christine White, she is doing a Koi exhibit of paintings of beautiful fish with abstract backgrounds called “Stillness, Boldness.” Her next show and artist reception is Feb. 10 at The Threshold.
Q: What is the goal you are trying to achieve through The Threshold?
We want to help artists have a place to exhibit their work that’s high quality, in this well-presented room so they feel like their work is showcased as a cohesive set. We let artists rent a wall for their work, to not only get some exposure, but also get some sales and a place for their audiences to come. A lot of artists only sell their work online or at festivals. Here, they can sell without solely having to rely on festivals. We can encourage the city into this movement of art that isn’t just from festivals, but rather a set place to show and experience it.
It’s also a good opportunity for people to buy or collect art as well, who don’t want to spend $10,000 on a painting, like in Palm Springs or Laguna. They can come here to Redlands, their own local area and home ground, to find quality, handmade or hand painted artwork on the walls for an affordable price. There are only a few paintings hitting the thousands region, as compared to the expensive prices up to four times as high in Laguna or Palm Springs. People realize how expensive it can be to buy original artwork elsewhere. We love offering that to the community, and our biggest goal is to see good, affordable art fall into people’s hands that they, themselves, can fall in love with.
One night, a guy came in off the street and walked around going “Woah!” looking around at everything. A week later, he came back and told me, “I just wanted to let you know, your art gallery changed my life.” I said, “How?” He replies, “All my friends said I’m completely different since the day I came to this gallery. I’ve just changed my attitude on life, I’m not as sad anymore or depressed. I’m inspired to write poetry and talking to my friends about art.” He started coming around more, read poetry at a few of our events, and it was cool to see that kind of connection. That’s only one example of why I want to keep doing this, to see how it inspires people. It even got you, [referring to the writers, Madison and Parker] involved in the Downtown Redlands Art Walk and that’s huge to me and makes it worth it. This gallery really isn’t about money, we just pay the bills. The investments in people’s lives is what makes it worthwhile.
Q: What motivated you to become an artist?
A: My father was an artist. He passed away when I was about three years old. Like just about any son does to connect with their father, they follow after their father’s passions. What I found out is my father was an artist and musician. My mom had what I called her “grieving closet” where she would put all my father’s things and kind of hide it away. I would sneak into the closet, find the key, and slowly take out one of his paintings or photographs at a time. After a while all my stuff was in my closet, too. I went through a lot of my father’s poems, photographs, songs, T-shirts and artwork, etc. Then I had my first art class in high school and I was naturally a kind of drawer already because my family would tell me how good of an artist my dad was. I started to take pictures of my father and I and cut them up, then I would rearrange them spontaneously. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was starting to collage by doing that with me and my father’s stuff. Then, I would paint on top of it. I did that for some inner healing, which turned me into an artist. I started doing some logos, then some school yearbook stuff, skateboard shops, rock bands, but then I stopped doing art for a while.
I had this encounter with God that helped me want to become an artist again. Seeing God as my father rejuvenated my passion to create again. The whole “drawing for a dead father” thing really burned me out, which made me not want to create anymore at that time. That spurred my journey, and I still use the collage and painting medium. I think art heals people as it was therapeutic for me for my grieving process, which is why I still do it today. Sometimes people will stand in front of my paintings crying–quite a few, actually. They feel a deep or spiritual connection, and that is a really moving thing to me. It makes it worth everything that you put all these ridiculous amount of hours into. I have a collection on my phone of the stories of people who have been impacted emotionally, spiritually, mentally and soulfully by all my art. It’s so exciting to see those things happen, which is why I do art.
Q: Who has inspired you to be the person you are today?
A: I think it’s not really just one person, I think it’s more of just people. Like, my next door neighbors as a kid that believed in me and took me to church. I was an only child and had a dead father and a grieving mother so it was huge that someone took time to take me to church and just gave me a family. And then, I’d say very influential or supportive teachers, friends and family. Regarding inspiration from other artists, there’s a guy named Scott Ericson who lives in Portland, Oregon. He basically story-tells with his artwork, which inspired me to tell stories with my artwork. It kind of provokes you to be like, “What does this mean?” which I really love about art. If someone asks me that, we end up having a long conversation about it. All my artwork has meaning. I create artwork out of the seasons of my life, and when life feels one way or another I respond to it with a drawing or a painting.
Q: Is there any advice that you would give to beginner artists?
A: Create every day. Every single day. Even when it’s hard and you don’t feel like it, trick yourself if you have to. Tell yourself you’re only going to draw for five minutes and you’ll be there for an hour. You have to trick yourself, though. I create paintings every day. That’s the thing about creativity, it’s like if you spark a little bit of fire you’ll set it ablaze, but you have to spark the fire to let the blaze burn in you. If you never spark a little flame, you’ll never get a full fire. So, those little things like tricking yourself are really important. Artists are all emotional, and feel like they can’t create something if they aren’t inspired. Most young artists need to know that they can create even if they aren’t inspired, they need to make a habit in the practice of it. Otherwise, they won’t create anything and make excused like, “I don’t have enough time,” when that’s baloney. Most of us all have time, we just don’t make the time. I had three kids, worked five jobs, and was a Youth Pastor when I started my art career. If anybody had no time, it was me. At 9 o’clock at night, after I put my kids to sleep and got done working, I would go pick up a paintbrush and tell myself, “Just 15 minutes of painting.” And then I’d be there until two in the morning, exhausted. But I made time, and that’s how my art career started, and I started showing up at festivals, coffee shops. You just make time.
The Threshold’s next featured artist reception is at Feb. 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. featuring Christine White. There will be art, poetry readings, live music and refreshments. The address is 18 E. Vine St., Redlands, CA 92373. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Find out more about the Threshold on their instagram @thethresholdart or on their Threshold Art Gallery Facebook page. Find Aeron Brown’s artwork at @aeronrownart and his music at @aeronbrownmusic on Instagram.
The Local Control and Accountability Plan is a critical part of California’s new Local Control Funding Formula. This new addition to California school districts is a measure that places additional funding for individual school districts in the hands of the community rather than state, county or district officials.
The Local Control Funding Formula, as defined by the California Department of Education, creates funding targets based on student characteristics and provides greater flexibility to use these funds to improve student outcomes. This most targets explicitly underperforming demographics, also known as the “unduplicated count.” These include groups such as low-socioeconomic households, English language learners, and foster youth. LCFF and LCAP dollars are intended to help these specific students, but if the student body composition of a given school district’s subgroup youth exceeds 55 percent–58 percent in the case of Redlands Unified–the funding’s impact can extend to those that do not fall directly under the LCFF definition.
The Redlands Unified School District has used the additional budget through the creation of programs such as the Redlands Ready Initiative. This provides free Scholastic Aptitude Tests for juniors, five-dollar Advanced Placement exams for high schoolers, dual enrollment courses with the local community college as well as other programs to prepare students for college and career pathways.
One of the pillars of LCFF is the local control within each school district. With that requirement, school districts formulate advisory committees composed of classified and certificated staff members, students and community members. This advisory board takes a hands-on approach by looking at all the data from the programs and determining if these newly funded paths to a better school environment are genuinely helping students. From there, recommendations are provided on a scale: Expansion, Maintain, Cut Back or Eliminate. These recommendations, as well as new ideas, are then presented to the school board.
While LCAP and LCFF are still in their infancy with the 2017-18 school year being only the fourth year in effect, the Redlands Unified School District has innovated with their LCAP Advisory Committee through an open willingness to suggestion–exemplified through their eagerness for comments and questions from committee members and the launch of the ThoughtExchange trial for the city of Redlands to participate in–as well as through inviting more and more members of the community each year.
This article is the first in a series of articles on the Local Control Accountability Plan and its effects on the Redlands Unified School District.
In January 2018, Citrus Valley senior Dante Dullas was given the opportunity to perform to a national audience in the United States All-American Marching Band. The band consisted of 125 of the best high school band members in America and performed during the All-American High School Bowl halftime show. Potential band members must send in their video auditions directly to the program organizers. After a long and rigorous audition process, Dullas was chosen to play piccolo with the top high school players in the nation.
Q: Tell me about your experience at the US Army All-American Bowls. A: The US Army All American Bowl is an event where 100 of the nation’s top football players and 125 of the best marching musicians and guard members are showcased. The trip was all-expenses paid, including the flights to and from San Antonio, the hotel rooms, the food and the rehearsal gear that we wore throughout the week. The marching band rehearsed and performed in the Alamodome and had one outdoor rehearsal at the University of the Incarnate Word.
Dante Dullas and the band practicing at the Bowl.
Q: How did you receive the prestigious honor? How did you prepare? A: I was selected through a rigorous audition process: three audition videos consisting of a solo performance, a marching and playing audition, a self-introduction and a few short essay questions. I prepared the same way I would for any audition. I practiced all of the repertoire until I felt comfortable to audition. After my selection, representatives from the US Army and the All-American Games stopped at Citrus Valley for a ceremony where I was presented with the official All-American jacket.
Q: How much work was involved at the Bowl in preparation for the event? A: A lot. Before arriving to Bowl Week the musicians were required to memorize the music, sending in video recordings of us playing the music from memory. The band had nine rehearsal blocks, each lasting three to five hours. Some days our schedule called for us to wake up at 5:30 just so we could have adequate rehearsal time. Learning the drill was incredibly fast-paced and we finished the show in just under three days of rehearsal. Our lead director Dr. T. André Feagin brought in some of the nation’s leading instructors as staff to help us perfect the show in the short timeframe that we had. Both the staff and students worked tirelessly to make sure the halftime show looked and sounded its best. We were provided with brand new instruments, uniforms and rehearsal gear.
Photo taken at the halftime performance during the game.
Q: What was the most memorable experience during this whole process? A: The entire week was so absolutely phenomenal that it makes it difficult to decide what my favorite moment was. 125 people became a family as soon as we stepped on the field together and played that first note. I will never forget the friendships I have made. However, the most exhilarating experience was marching out onto the field during halftime in full uniform and seeing a wall of camouflage and hearing the roar of forty thousand people cheering for the marching band. That moment brings me chills every time it comes to mind. It was an absolute privilege to be able to honor the men and women that sacrifice for this country and represent my country through making music.
The Dullas family posing for a picture after the game.
Q: What was the experience taught you? How have you benefited as an artist and student? A: Overall, being a part of Bowl Week has changed my perspective of the armed forces and the people that serve within them. Being able to interact with soldier mentors and members of the Army Field Band has shown me that the men and women that serve are regular people just like their civilian counterparts. They each have interests, families and hobbies outside of their military duties. As a musician, it was amazing to work with the most talented musicians in the country. It was astonishing to know that this level of talent exists throughout the nation and that I was also able to perform at that capacity. Having concerts and meetings with the Army Field Band opened my eyes to the different career possibilities in music and the Army. Finally, the group of humans I was able to spend a week with were absolutely amazing people. Being around them has proven to me that the future of society is still intact and many of the instructors and Army representatives noted that we have restored their faith in our generation.
On Aug. 14, 2016, NFL quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick first sat through the national anthem before the first preseason game. Despite this, he did not receive media attention until Aug. 26 during the third preseason game since he was actually dressed out and played the game.
Initially unnoticed, his protest was quickly brought to light after Jennifer Lee Chan of Niners Nation tweeted out a photo that showed him kneeling. With media attention then swarming around Kaepernick, the 49ers released a statement confirming that Kaepernick did, in fact, take a knee throughout the anthem. When asked about his decision to take a knee, he said that he was “not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” Regardless of reason, he faced immediate backlash from a large portion of the nation.
As the debate grew, on Aug. 28, Kaepernick expanded on his statement, making it clear that the protest was a way to give a voice to those who do not share the same platform he does. In an interview with NFL.com, Kaepernick said that he felt there is not a significant push for change in the nation. Kaepernick also wanted to make it clear that he has “great respect for the men and women that have fought for this country.”
Despite this, many view his actions as extremely disrespectful. Not a single team signed Kaepernick this season, as many coaches view him as politically divisive, unbeneficial for the franchise and unfocused on football, which they believe has led to his decline in performance over the past two years. It is also speculated that coaches worry that Kaepernick is a liability, especially since he expects to be paid a starting players wage despite his statistics forcing him to come of the bench such as the increase in interceptions causing more turnovers per game and his decrease in both rushing and passing touchdowns. Despite this improvement, franchises will not sign Kaepernick because they worry about losing money due to fans boycotting games in protest.
The controversy’s impact is still relevant a year later, leading to President Trump’s comments on the league on Sept. 23, 2017. “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners,” he said, “when somebody disrespects our flag, to say ‘get that son of a b**** off the field right now – he’s fired.'” While some did support Trump’s statement, he faced resistance from athletes and celebrities alike over social media.
Trump’s proposal might violate the First Amendment if action was taken, but it is not without precedent: the NBA has a rule in place that mandates the conduct of their players before games. This rule was instituted after Denver Nuggets guard Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf refused to stand for the anthem in 1996. According to this precept, NBA players are supposed to be dressed out and all must stand for the anthem with their team. It even dictates that coaches must be dressed in at least a sports coat as a sense of formality.
Much of the NFL came together in protest of President Trump’s statement. On Sunday, Oct. 1, many players from the Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots either kneeled or linked arms together in solidarity. The entire Cowboys team including their owner kneeled, the New Orleans Saints remained on the bench, and neither team in the Seattle Seahawks game against the Tennessee Titans left the locker room during the anthem. No matter how many protested, the players were still supported by their team, and 18 of the 32 teams in the NFL participated in the protest. This led to the trending hashtag “#TakeAKnee.” This was in response to Trump’s crude comments which many athletes disagreed with, so players from those teams decided to take a knee in support of Kaepernick’s message.
Following the protest, there have been heavy debates on the issue and it is yet to be determined what actions either the league of the NFL will take place in response. Fans boycott games in some states. Despite Kaepernick’s expression of what kneeling during anthem meant to him, Fox News contributor Tami Lahren expressed during one of her final thoughts, “What exactly are you kneeling for, and why, exactly, have you chosen the flag and the anthem to do it? I bet if we asked 100 players, we’d get 100 different answers,” she explained. “And I would like to ask those same players, What would it take for you to then stand and respect the flag and the anthem,’ and again, you’d probably get 100 different answers.” Tomi continued to be very vocal over twitter and her show believing that what Kaepernick and other players done was extremely disrespectful to the United States flag and military and that their movement had no merit based on her beliefs.
In an interview with ABC News, Lebron James expressed support for his colleagues in the NFL: “It’s not about the disrespect of our flag and the military that’s made this world free.” Lebron and other athletes and celebrities continued to defend the movement despite the uproar on the issue. Specifically, on Sept. 23, John Legend responded to Trump’s call for owners to fire players who kneel by tweeting, “The White House is again urging the firing of people who exercise free speech to fight for equality and justice. Shameful.” These divisions steadily became clear amongst Americans as seen in a survey conducted by the Cato Institute showing that 61 percent of Americans oppose NFL players being “fired” for not standing for the national anthem to make a political statement, while only 38 percent agree with President Trump’s statements on Sept. 22.
The statistical spread was evaluated based on age, race and political affiliation. According to the study, all age groups, except for 65 and older, are opposed to the firing of players for kneeling, with the age group of 18 to 29 being the most against with a 71-percent-to-28-percent spread. Racially, it was seen that 55 percent of white Americans, 88 percent of African-Americans and 60 percent of Hispanics opposed President Trump’s statement. 64 percent of Independents and 80 percent of Democrats also opposed the statement, while 65 percent of Republicans favored his words. This data showed a vast difference in opinion across every group, with any remainders in percent having been indifferent.
On Oct. 15, Kaepernick would later proceed to reportedly file a lawsuit against NFL team owners for collusion as the reason he still did not receive employment by a team. Kaepernick’s attorney would later say in a statement recorded by The Guardian that “If the NFL (as well as all professional sports teams) is to remain a meritocracy, then principled and peaceful protest – which the owners themselves made great theater imitating weeks ago – should not be punished and athletes should not be denied employment based on partisan political provocation by the Executive Branch of our government,Such a precedent threatens all patriotic Americans and harkens back to our darkest days as a nation. Protecting all athletes from such collusive conduct is what compelled Mr. Kaepernick to file his grievance”
Amidst the argument, the NFL Players Association remained quiet even with the possibility of Kaepernick winning the case. After media attention began to swarm around his lawsuit, the association later said that it would support Kaepernick. While there are questions as to the amount of evidence supporting collusion or blackballing done by owners of teams of the NFL, proceedings began on the first week of January and details regarding the case has since been kept quiet.
Going into the 2018 offseason, it will be seen if Kaepernick not only wins his case but if he also joins a team. The Packers and Texans may be possible teams due to injuries to their starting quarterbacks during the 2017 to 2018 season. If Kaepernick is signed, it does not prevent him from winning his case because he could make a clear argument that he was victimized previously.
In 2016, Tarte released the original Shape Tape concealer which changed the makeup world completely, and according to Tarte Cosmetic’s official website, in 2017 this became the “best-selling, full coverage, vegan concealer” in the world. This creamy, blendable concealer provides a flawless matte finish which does not flake, crease or set into imperfections. For beauty gurus around the world, this product became a must in their daily routine, so when Tarte announced they would be coming out with a foundation version of the Shape Tape with the same full coverage and blendable formula, makeup enthusiasts across the globe were excited.
On Jan. 1, 2018, Tarte posted a video on Instagram with the caption “Are you ready to shape what your momma gave you in 2018? Coming soon to tarte.com & @Ultabeauty!” For many people this meant the release of the very anticipated Tarte Shape Tape Foundation. On Jan. 8, they then posted another video which said “America’s #1 concealer is getting a new bff… we’re another week closer to our newest launch.” At this point Tarte still had not clarified that they were releasing the anticipated Shape Tape foundation, but the beauty industry went wild and could not wait for the release, but once the foundation swatches were posted on Monday, Jan. 15, the beauty industry’s jaws dropped in complete shock.
Monday, January 15, POPSUGAR released this photo of Tarte’s new Shape Tape foundation which clearly depicts the poor shade range.
The swatches featured 12 light shades, and three shades for people of color. For many, if not all, this was completely unacceptable. Makeup artist Jeffrey Star took the controversy to Youtube in a review of the foundation saying, “To me, foundation should go from A-Z. Tarte did like A-M skipped a whole bunch then did U, Z and that’s about it.” Coverboy James Charles said, “It is 2018 and I just cannot wrap my head around how this launch even passed in the first place… not only is a launch like this racist but it’s just really really stupid.” Tarte even went to the extent of disabling their comments on the post which promoted the product, literally silencing the voices of those who needed to be heard.
Since the controversy, Tarte has come out and said they will be adding five more shades to the line. Tarte has also posted an Instagram-story apology and explanation which was deleted after 24 hours, saying, “It may be too little too late, but we can assure you this was not meant in any kind of malicious way. We all just got caught up in #shapetapenation and seeing your tweets asking for it… We wanted to get the product out as fast as possible, and we made the decision to move forward before all the shades were ready to go.We know there is no excuse, & we take full responsibility for launching this way, we lost sight of what’s really important in this industry, & for those who feel alienated in our community, we want to personally apologize. We’re doing everything in our power to bring those unfinished shades to market as fast as we can, at any cost. We CAN and WILL DO BETTER.”
This apology sparked up even more controversy as to why people of color were still being seen as minorities by having to wait for their shades. Youtuber Jasmine Brown said “They might be coming out with shades later, but we’re still put last.” Makeup artist Lauren Curtis tweeted, “I think Tarte explaining the reasons for their non existent shade range for PoC has just made things worse. Essentially they’re saying that Caucasian people are their priority & PoC come second.”
As 2018 starts off, this is a huge step back for the makeup community, and Tarte especially. Leaders in the beauty community sincerely hope that Tarte will improve on shade ranges and release full launches rather than samples of select shades in the future.
Texas, also known as the Lone Star State, has a rich history of colonization, rebellion, triumph and liberty. One can expect that, with these defining qualities, Texans have massive amounts of pride in their state, and it is true. Driving through the southwestern state, one can find flags flown over every other building, even if it is not used by the government. There are also Texas T-shirts, jackets, even boots with the state’s iconic shape imprinted on them. On the backs of every other car, university and state bumper stickers show off each citizen’s appreciation for their state. California has just as much historical significance, maybe even more, than Texas, so why do Californians have less state pride than Texans?
Walking around in California, it is difficult to see the signs of state pride. T-shirts and bumper stickers are only easy to find at airport and amusement park gift shops, and, when they are found around the state, they seem to only be used by tourists coming from out of state. California flags are only seen flying above government facilities and tourist destinations. There are very few signs of state pride displayed to express the general public’s opinion about the Golden State.
Texas is not the only state with more pride than California. One REV student spent her winter break vacation visiting family in Utah. She described all of the university logos on the backs of many of the passing cars, as well as state flags and logos everywhere within eyesight of the freeway. However, as soon as the Nevada-California border was passed, the decreased amount of state appreciation was evident, with all appearances of state logos coming to a halt.
Despite the seemingly infinite amount of songs people hear on the radio about their state, Californians do not feel pride. This is shocking considering the state’s rich history, culture, natural wonders and iconic cities. In a recent poll by USA Today, 68 percent of Texans polled agreed with the statement that their state is the best state to live in, ranking it at number five out of 50. 51 percent of Californians polled agreed that their state is the best to live in, ranking it at 17, which is not bad, but is strange considering how much more the state shows up in history textbooks compared to Alaska, the number one state in the poll.
Photo taken by TATUM MAPES at the Redlands East Valley High School soccer fields
Whether if it is political, geographical, cultural, historical, economical or completely random, there is no absolutely exact way to pinpoint the exact reason why Californians exhibit less pride in comparison other states. This is evident considering that over 323 million people live in this diverse country of 50 states, each state with its own government and culture. California’s state pride is not as high as it would seem it would be. It has major importance to the country’s culture, history and economy. The display of pride by citizens helps build up the pride of others and increases the amount of state and national pride overall.
Photographed (left to right): Rhiannon Scary, Jessica Lopez, Jaylen Loza, Makakley Montano, Megan Dinh, Emiko Miller, Ester Esho, and Serena Cuellar Not photographed: Isabella Toovey, Madeleine Thomson, and Andy Essa
After receiving the honor of being county semifinalists, the Citrus Valley Mock Trial team has yet again been recognized for their success. At the 2018 Mock Trial Awards Ceremony, Citrus Valley team members were recognized for their talent in nearly every category. Team co-captain Esther Esho received an award for Pre-Trial Defense Attorney and Prosecuting Attorney. Isabela Toovey was awarded the Pre-Trial Prosecuting Attorney award, along with a Defense Attorney award. Makaley Montano and Rhiannon Scray also took home Prosecuting Attorney awards. In addition to Rhiannon Scray’s achievement, she was also presented with the Coach’s Award for her dedication and her willingness to take on two attorney roles and a witness role. The team’s two-seasoned witnesses were also recognized for acting abilities: Madeleine Thomson, co-captain, with the Prosecution Witness award, and Andy Essa with the Defense Witness award. Not only were these individuals recognized, but also team artist Ashley Fretz earned second place in the courtroom artist competition and is now eligible to compete at the state level.
After one of the most successful seasons the team has ever had, coach Chris Carrillo is confident that the team will only grow to be even more successful. The team plans to continue an off-season practice schedule in order to ensure their place at the county finals and hopefully earn the interest of prospective members. Following this season’s success, the coaches and team members intend to return with a greater determination in order to have an even more auspicious season.
2017 proved to be a fantastic year for gamers, eliciting two new consoles and a plethora of new titles. Luckily, a new year is here, packing tons of exciting games down the pipeline. Here are 10 of the games that are worth checking out this year.
“Shadow of the Colossus” – Leap onto a mount and chase down giants in this action-adventure masterpiece. The original “Shadow of the Colossus,” released on the Play Station 2, was considered a must-play at the time, and the remake in 2018 is another must-play. Control the protagonist, Wander, as he battles colossi with the aid of his mighty steed, Agro. The game features a massive open world with lots of rich environments as well as a fantastic vegetation system which supersedes the industry standard. The game will be released February 6 for PlayStation 4.
“Kingdom Hearts 3” – The wait is coming to a close, as Square Enix’s legendary series’ third edition joins the fray. The game follows the main protagonist, Sora, as he traverses through different Disney worlds to battle in a hack-and-slash-type linear adventure. A massive story is expected of the game. This game also comes after Disney’s annexation of Marvel and Star Wars which may lead to a game like “Disney Infinity” in which characters from these different universe may interact. Only time will tell–the release is expected to be in late 2018 or early 2019.
“Monster Hunter World” – Since its debut on the PlayStation 2, Capcom’s Monster Hunter series has proved to be one of the most exciting action role-playing games to play. This year will come with the latest installment of the series, “Monster Hunter World.” With the scout flies leading the way, gather friends for an adventure of cutting down massive, prehistorically inspired monsters using massive weapons. The game has moderately fast combat, and is the first in the series to contain next-generation graphics. “Monster Hunter World” will be a flying onto shelves on Jan. 26, 2018.
“Far Cry 5” – “Watchdogs,” “Rainbow Six,” and “Assassin’s Creed” all have something in common, and that is the ultra-powerful publisher behind them, Ubisoft, which is also responsible for the action-adventure first person shooter, “Far Cry,” which gets its eleventh installment this year in “Far Cry 5.” What makes “Far Cry 5” exciting is the combination of old and new into the game to invigorate gameplay and increase the game’s lifespan. For example, the game features a new character creation system so that the player is not filling in a set character. The game also revives the old system of leaning around cover to add complexity to combat. “Far Cry 5” releases March 27, 2018, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
“God of War” – SIE Santa Monica Studio is well known for the gorey hack-and-slash game, “God of War,” which first released on the PlayStation 2 in 2005. Now, over a decade later, the series is preparing for its eighth installment named the same as the first “God of War.” This title will follow Kratos as he protects and guides his son, Atreus. The game’s combat system will differ from the previous games and will feature more role-playing game elements such as crafting and skill points. The game will also be the first to have a third person, over-the-shoulder camera, instead of the games’ usually cinematic camera. “God of War” will be unleashed on the PlayStation 4 in early 2018.
“Spider-Man” – Marvel’s web slinger has had quite the history of popular console titles, from “Spider-Man” 1 and 2 on the PlayStation 2, to somewhat dropping the ball on “Web of Shadows,” but this PlayStation 4 exclusive holds amazing promise. One of the chief reasons why is because it is being made by Insomniac Games, the legendary studio behind titles such as “Ratchet and Clank,” as well as “Spyro” and “Sunset Overdrive.” The game’s visuals from the E3 trailer look stunning. So far, Peter Parker and Miles Morales have been confirmed to be in the game as well as a completely new villain to battle alongside a number of familiar ones. “Spider-Man” will be swinging onto the PlayStation 4 in 2018.
“Red Dead Redemption 2” – A prequel to the captivating and action-packed tale of John Marston, and the third edition to the “Red Dead” series, “Red Dead Redemption 2” aims to capitalize off of the original’s success in telling the tale of Marston as the outlaw that he used to be. It is a Rockstar game, so it goes without saying that it will be held to a high standard. “Red Dead Redemption 2” will be available in stores in 2018.
“Metro Exodus” – 4A Games has made a name for itself through its marvelous action game series, “Metro.” In this most recently announced installation of the series, the player must take control of the protagonist, Artyom, in order to explore the Russian wilderness and cling to life a quarter-century after the earth was plagued by nuclear fallout. The game boasts an immersive world, deadly combat and a strong campaign with decisions affecting the overall story. “Metro Exodus” will be released for Play Station 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows later this year.
“Mega Man 11” – “Mega Man 11” will be continue Capcom’s legendary adventures of the android, Rock, as he battles other androids and robots to save the day. This game comes after the series’ 8-year-long hiatus and is a celebration of the franchise’s 30th anniversary. The game is the first of the main “Mega Man” series to utilize 3-dimensional graphic assets, and this is shown to have a profound impact on the overall look of the game as it is notably different than any of the previous titles. Not only that, but the 2017 trailer for the game shows many unique enemies and abilities to use. “Mega Man 11” is set to release in late 2018.
“Kirby Star Allies” – Nintendo’s Dreamland warrior returns for his latest console installment since “Kirby’s Return to Dreamland” in 2011. For those unfamiliar with the series, Kirby is a puffy, pink warrior capable of devouring enemies and upon doing so, gains their powers. This new title, however boasts an interesting new feature in which Kirby may befriend enemies and have them fight alongside him, creating new ways to solve puzzles and clear rooms in game. “Kirby” floats into stores March 16, 2018, for the Nintendo Switch.
Respect – ”Show respect even to people who don’t deserve it; not as a reflection of their character, but as a reflection of yours.” – Dave Willis
This quote truly reflects the meaning of respect. It displays how difficult it could be to show respect to some people and how overcoming that challenge can define who you are. If you respect those who do not show it to others it makes the respect you give even more valuable.
Ethical – “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.” – Potter Stewert
This quote is an excellent symbol of the meaning of ethics. It shows that even though you are able to do something, it does not make it right and it does not mean you should. It also touches upon the topic of doing the right thing even when others are not or are afraid to.
Vocal – “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.” – Fred Korematsu
This statement resembles the main reason behind why being vocal is a part of the REV WAY. It is up to you, the students of Redlands East Valley High School, to speak up and use your voice when you notice something is not right. Just because others are going along with something you know is wrong it does not mean you should do nothing because of what they might think.
Wildcats – “Don’t be afraid to proudly show your claws Wildcats! Let your school spirit shine!” – Fellow Wildcat
School Spirit and having pride in the school community are important features of the REV WAY. This quote calls each and every Wildcat to get involved in school activities and to not be afraid to be who you are at school and in other communities.
Accountable – ”If you want to take credit for your successes, you have to take responsibility for your mistakes too.” – Unknown
This is a connection to the importance of accountability in everyday life. It shows that if we want to be trusted and dependable we have to be honest when we are fault and take responsibility. Admitting honestly to a mistake will show how credible you are when success is reached.
You – ”Be yourself because an original is worth more than a copy.” – Unknown
This quote is a truly honest reflection that states each person should be true to who they are because another copy of someone else is not worth as much as your true self. The original you is always better than a fake version of someone who people regard as “popular” or “cool.” Being yourself is very important and that real version should be how others think of you.
Charles Austria, senior at Citrus Valley High School, received the Rotary Student of the Month award on Nov. 16, 2017, for his great academic achievement and service to community. For those who are not familiar with Rotary, it is a global network with approximately 1.2 million members who promote humanitarian work around the world. Austria currently holds a 4.73 GPA and is taking 6 Advanced Placement classes such as AP Chemistry with the hopes of majoring in Biochemistry at UC San Diego and attending medical school to become a psychian and potentially specializing in neurology and oncology in the future.
When asked about how he felt about his accomplishment, he personally felt more “shocked” but proud of his accomplishment due to the support from teachers and his counselor at CVHS. He considered his determination and his mistakes as his strengths but also as his weaknesses. He “feared of failing” in his endeavors and mentioned that without his mistakes he would not have been able to grow. Through a summer program, he met a friend who helped change his pessimistic attitude and developed a more optimistic perspective. Ultimately, this was what helped him change and become motivated to perform better in school.
With a passion for Latin, he is the current president and co-founder of Classics Club and considers himself as the pioneer of AP Latin at Citrus Valley. As the class requires a lot of commitment, he travels to Redlands High School to discuss and review material with his teacher. During lunch, he occasionally tutors other students with the Peers Tutor program specializing in all levels of math and helps his fellow classmates in AP Chemistry. In his spare time, he likes to volunteer at Helping Hands food pantry on the weekends with friends. He also mentioned that it was important to him to establish a time to work and rest. He take advantage of his free time to finish his work in advance to help reduce the overwhelming amount of stress throughout the school week. Besides volunteering with friends, he also likes to play chess, read, take pictures and travel to help him relax from school.
He felt grateful for the award but was also humble about his achievements and mentioned without the support of friends and family he would not be able to achieve as much. He relies on his mistakes to become a better version of himself and his optimistic friends who contribute to his personality and encourage him to do his best.
Redlands Career Spotlight is a weekly series in which ETHIC interviews a Redlands professional and asks him or her about their education, career, hobbies and more in order to give readers a more nuanced view into job prospects after high school. This week, ETHIC had the privilege of interviewing Redlands mayor, city councilman, congressman and University of Redlands alumnus Pete Aguilar.
Photo of House Representative Pete Aguilar provided by Press Secretary Office
Q: What is your profession, and how long have you been working?
A: I represent California’s 31st Congressional District in the US House of Representatives. The district includes the cities of Redlands, San Bernardino, Grand Terrace, Rancho Cucamonga, Loma Linda and Colton as well as portions of Rialto, Fontana and Upland. I was elected to my first two-year term in 2014, and was reelected in 2016. Before serving in Congress, I was the mayor of Redlands from 2010 to 2014, and served on the city council from 2006 to 2010.
Q: Where did you get your education? Did you enjoy your time in college?
A: I grew up right here in the Inland Empire, and I have always loved living here. So when I graduated from Yucaipa High School, I looked for local schools and decided on the University of Redlands. It was a great fit for me, and the friends I made there are still some of my best friends today.
Q: Was your job something you always wanted to do?
A: Public service has always been important to me. My first job was actually working in the cafeteria at the courthouse in San Bernardino, so I have always had a respect for working to help others. When I first ran for the Redlands City Council, I did it because I thought I could be a voice for young families in the community. I always knew I’d end up doing something where I was standing up for families in our community, but I never thought I would end up in Congress. It has been a privilege to advocate for the entire Inland Empire.
Q: What is the hardest part of your job?
A: The toughest part for me is being away from home so much. We are in Washington, D.C. for almost half the year, so that is a lot of time away from my family. I hate missing the soccer games and PTA meetings, so I definitely prefer the days I am working in the district.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: The best part of this job is giving Inland Empire families a voice in Washington. This is a region that sometimes gets overlooked in the national conversation, and it is my job to change that. Our community has a lot to offer, and I love being able to make sure that we get a seat at the table.
Q: What are the biggest misconceptions about your line of work?
A: The biggest misconception is that the two parties do not get along. The truth is, I have formed some great relationships with people from all over the country on both sides of the aisle. Republican or Democrat, I think most of the people here in Congress have good intentions and are working hard to help their communities.
Q: Do you have any advice for high school students?
A: My advice is to not be afraid to get involved. Whether it is at your school or in your community, do not be afraid to take a leadership role on an issue you are passionate about. The best way to affect change is to have a conversation, so it is important to engage with your peers, teachers and parents if there is when you believe in a cause.
Q: What is your favorite location in Redlands?
A: My favorite spot has got to be State Street. The mix of the old and new businesses, all the history and culture that is represented, it is just a really great snapshot of our city as a whole. But I can also be seen at El Burrito or Saverino’s quite often when I’m in town.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
A: Whenever I get a free moment I am with my kids. Whether we are playing sports, camping, hiking or just hanging out on the couch, there is nothing I love more than spending time with those guys.
On Dec. 15, 2018, the Redlands Unified School District released a press release stating that “Kurt Bruich, longtime head varsity coach of Redlands East Valley (REV) High School, is heading to Citrus Valley High School (CVHS). After a highly successful 16-year tenure at REV, Coach Bruich said he is ready to tackle a new challenge as head varsity football coach at CVHS.” See full press release here: REV High School’s beloved head football coach heads to Citrus Valley
By CAROLINA SANCHEZ
On Tuesday, December 12, longtime Redlands East Valley football coach Kurt Bruich announced that this semester was his last as REV’s football coach. He will start the new year as the Citrus Valley head football coach.
Year after year Coach B, as he is colloquially known, has been a stable on REV’s campus. He lead Link Crew and the football team. And every year he is one of four teachers that announce the names of students graduating. Many on campus saw him as a father figure, whether they knew him personally or not.
For the 16 years he was head coach, he has been able to take the REV football team to 11 CBL championships, countless Smudge Pot and Orange Bowl victories, a CIF Inland Division title, a Southern California Regional title and a State Championship. He took a losing-record team to a State Championship. He has sacrificed countless nights on the makeshift football field on REV’s lower fields, filled countless holes and has helped generations of boys become young men.
As expected, his exit has had mixed reactions. Students, parents, and alumni were surprised at the announcement. Many REV football players felt betrayed that Bruich was leaving for a cross-town rival. Others recognize that he left for a football program that has more support and, possibly, for a team that has a real football field.
Redlands East Valley High School is RUSD’s only comprehensive high school without its own stadium on campus. Pictured above is Citrus Valley High School’s Hodges Stadium. Photo by GABRIEL STANFIELD
Senior Mathew Whiteley said that “he and his coaching staff deserve a stadium.” Many REV alumni have called Bruich the “Greatest of All Time” because of all of the sacrifices he has made.
Football coach Kurt Bruich
Coach Bruich declined to comment at the time of the writing of this article.
In 1946, the United States government created the Atomic Energy Commission, or the AEC for short. This jump started the beginning of nuclear power for peaceful implementations, and as a result of this, in Dec. 1951, the first electricity from nuclear power was created. After this, the United States government endeavoured to hone this new and efficient power source, and in 1957, the first commercial nuclear power plant was established in Shippingport, Pennsylvania.
Since its introduction in 1957, nuclear power has proved a viable and safe source of energy and should continue implementation as shown by its ability to produce power with low-waste products with the exception of its core, the magnitude of which a paucity of reactive matter can generate power, and its standing of being clearly more reliable than other alternatives. In this less wasteful system, the longevity of the planet may be prolonged and the total health of the population more protected from pollutants.
Nuclear power is a way to produce energy with far fewer hazardous emissions than alternatives such as coal power, and therefore is less toxic to the environment. For example, to produce the same amount of electricity, a nuclear plant only emits three percent of the carbon dioxide, one of the chief factors of global warming, that a coal plant would synthesize. This shows that the usage of nuclear energy may reduce one of the biggest problems generated by human utilization of the earth’s resources. This also illuminates the clear advantage created by using this power source as it proves healthier for the earth. Another example of a difference in pollutant amounts is shown when comparing the gross materials used by the two sources. According to study by the Union of Concerned Scientists, a typical coal plant produces approximately 318,000 tons of waste per year, which consists primarily of ash and sludge, whereas the typical nuclear plant produces only 20 tons of nuclear waste for about the same power. This shows that it is objectively far less wasteful than coal.
This does come with a grain of salt, being that nuclear waste is unnatural and takes time to return to safer levels, but due to landfills proving a major human health hazard, the difference in nearly 300 tons of waste is quite significant. Nuclear power is simply far less wasteful than the popular coal power source. Consider 300 tons a year less waste piling up in landfills that could be used as industrial or even suburban areas, which are in high demand due to the growing population.
However, nuclear reactors not only emit less waste products, but also requires less materials and are cost-effective to run. For example, the cost of maintaining a nuclear plant in 2017, averaged less than $125 per megawatt-hour. This price is a bit more than conventional coal at $100, but has a miniscule fuel cost, in only being beaten by wind, solar and hydroelectric power. This shows that the revenue from the plants are going more towards trained workers in a safe facility and not in a dark and dangerous mine on long, unhealthy treks to deliver large quantities of material. It is clearly better to support workers in environments where their collective health is not at risk, therefore the cost of the production is justified.
Finally, nuclear power is a very reliable energy source. The average nuclear plant may run 18 to 24 months nonstop before needing a brief refueling session. This means that the plant can produce consistent and large quantities of electric energy, with little downtime, meaning that the workers have a consistent source of income to support their families. Furthermore, it is the most reliable source in the aspect of it having a 92 percent ratio of actual energy produced versus maximum possible. This is 18 percent higher than the runner-up, geothermal energy, at 74 percent. This shows that nuclear plants have it right, blasting out the most bang for the buck, and not wasting as much used materials. Nuclear power is a dependable source of power for these reasons.
Essentially, nuclear power is clearly the superior energy source. The pros include its very little emissions and other waste products, and it is also highly cost and time-efficient to run a nuclear plant. The cons include that the technology is newer than coal, and therefore could be perfected, and it is already well known that any escaping nuclear radiation may put the health of workers and surrounding populations of humans and wildlife in danger, not to mention the notable time it takes for nuclear waste to decay to a safe level. Though there is risk in this technology, the benefits of the implementation of this power source are undeniable.
Winter is officially here, along with its cool winds, which means less moisture in the air and dryer skin. The Korean 10-step skin care routine is all about moisture and keeping your skin bright throughout this season. Here is an introduction to Korean skincare so that your skin stays hydrated and glowing during the winter.
Graphic provided by The Little Book of Skin Care by Charlotte Cho
The first step in the Korean skin care routine is an oil-based cleanser. Oil-based cleansers are perfect for getting rid of makeup. Usually coming as oils or balms, this is the perfect time to massage your face and remove all your makeup or dirt after a long day. Simply rub on your face until all your makeup is gone and wash it off.
An essential part of Korean skin care is double cleansing. The second step is a water or foam-based cleanser. This removes all the dirt and makes sure your face is nice and clean. Simply pump on your hands, rub it in and wash off.
Next is an exfoliator. Exfoliators remove all the dead skin from your face and neck leaving your face fresh and soft like a baby. This will do magic to your pores. Simply apply to your face and wash off; some will have you let it sit as a mask for maximum effects. You only have to exfoliate a few times a week especially if you have sensitive skin.
Next is our toner. While in America we have Witch Hazel and alcohol toners, Korean toners are different. Use a toner to send moisture to your skin and restore your skin’s natural PH balance after cleansing. You can use a pad to apply and sweep across your face or—my personal favorite—apply with your hands and pat into the skin.
Next, similar to a toner is an essence. This is the heart of Korean skincare. The essence maximizes the hydration to your skin pairing with your toner to decrease dehydration. This helps in the skin repair process by keeping your cells moist. This will also keep your skin from looking dull this holiday season and keep you looking bright.
The next step includes serums and ampoules. Serums are the aiding agents in skin repair. Serums come in all types from vitamin C serums to acid serums depending on which one can help reduce wrinkles, brighten your face, lighten dark spots and restore skin discoloration most effectively for your skin type. But use them in moderation as serums usually come in small amounts.
Next is the most enjoyable part: sheet masks. There is a plethora of sheet masks on the market with many different jobs for each, from hydrating your skin to brightening your skin. Some can be peelable masks and some wash off. It is all dependent on what you would like to do and what you need for your skin. Usually leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes at night and take this time to relax. Use these 1 to 2 times a week or every day if you’d like. During these winter months I recommend a hydrating mask.
Towards the end is eye cream, used to provide moisture and brighten the sensitive skin around the eyes. Also use in small amounts as they all come in small batches. Applying with your ring finger, use these to hydrate your eye area.
Next to last, we have moisturizer, also known as an emulsion. While we typically use whatever lotion we use on our bodies, on our face, those are usually very oily and can cause acne and leave your skin feeling greasy. Use moisturizers to maximize your skin’s moisture and keep your skin full of nutrients. Once a week, try using an overnight sleeping pack as these help retain moisture and leave your skin super soft in the morning.
Last but certainly not least, we have the most important skin step which is sunscreen. While in America we only put this on at the beach or the pool on a hot and sunny day, you should apply sunscreen whenever you leave your house. While many may think it is not necessary especially during dark, cloudy days in the wintertime, this keeps you from prematurely aging and keeps your skin youthful, preventing wrinkles and sunspots. Use liberally in the morning before going out.
While this routine and its many steps may seem like a daunting process, you never use all 10 steps at once. And once you get the hang of it, it will seem like nothing. These steps and their magnificent products will help you retain moisture and look glowing during this dry winter season.
The store contains everything from old comic books to dresses like the ones that may be found in a grandmother’s closet. Granted, there are some faded trends in the store, but old fads have been making a comeback as of late, so finding a new outfit or book to read would be an easy task. 
Carol Gossette, one of the founding owners, has been involved with the antique store for 17 years. The founders created this store after the success of a previous store, and bought the building in Downtown Redlands. She believes the store is “clean” and “friendly,” which can be an uncommon trait found in some stores. The sentimental value is a strong value of the stores, because it often “takes people back to their childhood” according to Gossette. “People come in and say, ‘oh, my grandma had one of those!’ It just makes people feel good.” Gossette’s advice for buying antiques is simply “buy what appeals to you” without worrying about the age or value of the piece. 
Personally and spiritually, I want to make friends and give people an encounter of something different when they walk into the Threshold Art Gallery. Anyone can step into this threshold of something new in their life that they’ve never experienced. Seeing into a piece of artwork is like seeing into a portal into another place of something powerful. You’re literally opening portals for people to be inspired within this gallery.
Q: What art do you typically sell at The Threshold?
We want to help artists have a place to exhibit their work that’s high quality, in this well-presented room so they feel like their work is showcased as a cohesive set. We let artists rent a wall for their work, to not only get some exposure, but also get some sales and a place for their audiences to come. A lot of artists only sell their work online or at festivals. Here, they can sell without solely having to rely on festivals. We can encourage the city into this movement of art that isn’t just from festivals, but rather a set place to show and experience it.
It’s also a good opportunity for people to buy or collect art as well, who don’t want to spend $10,000 on a painting, like in Palm Springs or Laguna. They can come here to Redlands, their own local area and home ground, to find quality, handmade or hand painted artwork on the walls for an affordable price. There are only a few paintings hitting the thousands region, as compared to the expensive prices up to four times as high in Laguna or Palm Springs. People realize how expensive it can be to buy original artwork elsewhere. We love offering that to the community, and our biggest goal is to see good, affordable art fall into people’s hands that they, themselves, can fall in love with.
The Threshold’s next featured artist reception is at Feb. 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. featuring Christine White. There will be art, poetry readings, live music and refreshments. The address is 18 E. Vine St., Redlands, CA 92373. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Find out more about the Threshold on their instagram @thethresholdart or on their Threshold Art Gallery Facebook page. Find Aeron Brown’s artwork at @aeronrownart and his music at @aeronbrownmusic on Instagram.
The Local Control Funding Formula, as defined by the California Department of Education, creates funding targets based on student characteristics and provides greater flexibility to use these funds to improve student outcomes. This most targets explicitly underperforming demographics, also known as the “unduplicated count.” These include groups such as low-socioeconomic households, English language learners, and foster youth. LCFF and LCAP dollars are intended to help these specific students, but if the student body composition of a given school district’s subgroup youth exceeds 55 percent–58 percent in the case of Redlands Unified–the funding’s impact can extend to those that do not fall directly under the LCFF definition.
