Sophomore boys find place they can call their own
Danielle Jenkins, writer
March 22, 2012
Walking out to sophomore Drew Boatwright’s backyard, the clubhouse door appeared right away. As the pasty white door swung open, two stairs led down to the carpeted surface full of empty soda cans, blankets, video games, and a mini fridge. Two bright lights beamed down from the ceiling revealing his... Read more »
Sophomore Mandeep Ballagan benefits from being bilingual
Olivia Harding, writer
March 22, 2012
“Satshriakal.” Sophomore Mandeep Ballagan pronounced in a slightly accented voice the word for ‘hello’ in her native language of Punjabi. Ballagan’s parents moved to the U. S. from Punjab, India before her birth. “Their main reason for moving to America was because of the better... Read more »
Sophomore boys find an electric new hobby
Allie Love, writer
March 22, 2012
Flashes of blue, white and orange lights beamed from sophomore Chandler Nienstedt’s fingers as he gloved on Tuesday, Dec. 6. On his face a look of concentration as he improvised finger rolls, figure eights, circles and liquids in time with the dub step song. While Nienstedt practiced, his friends,... Read more »
Freshman Jordan Matlock discusses new family additions
Jillian Mullin, writer
March 22, 2012
Just days before they gained ownership of their two adoptive children at the start of the new year, freshman Jordan Matlock sat with her family and nervously awaited the email that determined the fate of their new siblings. Over and over again, they scrolled through the few pictures they received of... Read more »
Freshman Alex Ayala finds an interesting hobby
Kelsey Barrett, writer
March 22, 2012
The hallway filled with the beat of “Drop It Like It’s Hot” as freshman Alex Ayala beat boxed to the rhythm. As he tapped his feet and nodded his head, he used tongue clicks and humming to reproduce the popular song with his own twist as a crowd gathered around to listen. His sister, junior... Read more »
Freshman Sophie Jones discusses her unique family dynamic
Ellen Bodine, writer
March 22, 2012
Freshman Sophie Jones and her father’s partner Michael Malinowski laughed as her father Jerry Jones recalled various embarrassing assumptions people made about their family over the years. On one occasion a waitress mistook Malinowski as Jerry’s father because of his graying hair. Many similar incidents... Read more »
Speakers have powerful effect on students
Kelsey Barrett, writer
March 22, 2012
With the lights dimmed on Wednesday, Sept. 28, students fell silent as guest speaker Calvin Terrell held up a T-shirt with a gang’s slogan, “Support your local white boy” across the front. He acquired the shirt when a former member quit and donated it to help influence the decrease in prejudice.... Read more »
Winter band and choir perfom successful concerts
Olivia Harding, writer
March 22, 2012
The voices of 155 singers rose from all around the Little Theatre on Monday, Dec. 5, as freshmen girls from the Mixed Choir filed into aisles. Freshmen boys walked on the floor in front of the stage while upperclassmen remained on the stage as all four choirs came together to finish the performance with... Read more »
Friends in Learning students build relationships
Ellen Bodine, writer
March 22, 2012
Senior Sammy Le handed junior Tyler Dubas pizza boxes hand-stamped by the special education students for Pizza West on Friday, Jan. 26. She smiled and patted the spot in the shopping cart where he needed to set them. Twelve students, including Le, met every block except Silver 1 to mentor special education... Read more »
Students pursue jobs that reflect interests
Lauren Shurley, writer
March 22, 2012
Four hours before the restaurant opened, senior Rayanna Gossett worked busily in the back of the crowded kitchen at Paulo and Bill. With guidance from her mentor, Jacqueline Garcia, Gossett created trays full of yogurt parfaits topped with various fruits served at the Sunday morning brunch. “Baking... Read more »

