Currently, he teaches three separate English courses: English 1, English Language and Composition AP, and Power and Justice.  The differences between their curriculum, as Mr. Evans explained, are the depth and speed in which the courses progress, and the complexity of the types of reading and writing.  Recently, however, Mr. Evans has been slowly integrating writing synthesis papers into all three of his classes.   The synthesis paper—drawing on three separate sources and combining them to establish a concurrent point—is already a large part of the English AP class curriculum; however, upcoming changes in standardized testing will require all students to demonstrate ability in this style of writing.

As a teacher of the aforementioned courses, Mr. Evans has 5 class periods, yet usually stays for the full day at school.  Though he agreed that each year requires putting in a great deal of time and effort into teaching, and providing additional help when necessary, Mr. Evans asserted that it is all worth it in the end; “one of the greatest things about teaching is seeing student growth and comparing students’ performances from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”

Interestingly, this passionate, dedicated instructor did not always have an innate desire to go into the field of education.  In college, Mr. Evans tried out television and film production courses, but later decided that he wanted a more stable occupation.  He had always been strong in reading and writing; naturally, he chose to instruct in the English department.   Yet even before teaching, he had a slightly different educational career in mind.  Earning his teaching credential at Long Beach State, and his Master’s degree in education at Azusa Pacific University, he had initially intended to become an administrator.

Now, Mr. Evans is more than pleased that he ultimately chose to become a teacher; he sees himself “teaching here at West for perhaps another 20 years.”  As for other future plans, he admitted that that notion of someday publishing a book is a fun one.  For now, you can catch Mr. Evans in room 4201; perhaps in the future, students will be glimpsing his name on the cover of a best-seller.

In the simplest terms, “both bills are aimed at foreign websites that infringe copyrighted material. The bills are commonly associated with media piracy, but may also apply to counterfeit consumer goods and medication” (pcworld.com).  Though this rigid attempt to abolish the illegal sharing and distribution of music files, movies, faux designer products, and drugs through foreign criminals, can be universally agreed is a noble cause, it seems as if the whole internet is in opposition to SOPA and PIPA.

The main source of this intense disdain comes from the ambiguity of the language of the bills (quite similar to the vagueness of NDAA).  Outrage is fueled by the belief by many that the can government so choose to interpret the bills in a way in which it is essentially censoring the Internet.  Reddit.com gives a simple example of how the government can use the loose wording of SOPA to its advantage: “‘Facilitation’ can often be argued as simply teaching or demonstrating how to do something. Under this definition, a site could be targeted for something as simple as describing how to rip a Blu-Ray. This language also makes it clear that the legislation is not solely targeting sites ‘dedicated to theft.’”  In addition, the government can order a website to remove and/or censor all links to a certain domain, even if the links were posted by forum users and even if the links themselves do not contain infringement content.

Clearly, the bills have been generating much controversy, dispute, and protest ever since their conceptions in May 2011 (PIPA) and October 2011 (SOPA).  The most notable, influential protest occurred on January 18th, in which numerous well-known websites, including Google, Wikipedia, Craigslist, Wired, Reddit, and Boing Boing participated in a 24-hr “blackout.”   During this time period, any attempt at access to the sites was met with a page encouraging people to sign internet petitions against SOPA and PIPA, listing phone numbers of local senators, or simply providing more information to educate the public.  The “blackout” proved to be successful; millions of people utilized social networking sites to share articles and links to petitions, and it was confirmed that at the end of the day, over 4.5 billion people had signed Google’s online petition.

Currently, SOPA has been delayed on account of President Obama’s statement that he would not support a bill which threatened freedom of speech and internet security. Yet those in opposition should not be celebrating just yet; the bill has already been scheduled for review and debate in February.  Furthermore, the Senate plans to vote on PIPA on January 24th.

A four-day school week is something that would greatly benefit students. With shorter weeks class days would have to be longer in order to keep up with the required learning hours per week given by the state. However, this would keep teachers from having to rush through their assignments and lessons because class periods would be longer. More students would be able to ask questions and the teachers could give more detailed explanations.

As well as the benefit of longer class periods, a school practicing this four-day week have found that drop out rates have decreased and so has the number of absent students. By having a third day added to the weekend, students feel more refreshed to come back to school and feel the school to weekend ratio much more balanced. With all of the positivity, students pay more attention in class. Many thought that with fewer days at school test scores would drop, however it was shown that student’s grades did not drop, and some even rose.

With that third day, students can also manage their extracurricular activities better. More students felt inclined to join more organizations because they feel like the will not be overwhelmed. By joining more activities, the students are able to broaden their horizons and become more well-rounded.

Some of the schools who have implemented this schedule use the fifth day to have teacher meetings and training days. These help keep the staff on the same page and the teachers are able to educate more efficiently during the week.

Not only are there an abundance of benefits for students, but the districts also save money. Even though students are going to school for the same amount of time as a five-day school week, the four-day school week allows the school to close an extra day, which saves transportation, heating, and power fees. With the saved money, the school can provide better accommodations and teaching equipment, or hire better teachers who require more pay. Also, schools could save money on hiring substitute teachers, because full-time teachers would no longer have to take days off from work for doctor appointments, vacations and other out-of-school issues.

Though some are more skeptical about the idea it is clear that the number of pros is incredibly high and would be an incredible improvement to our schools today.

CON

It is no hidden fact that school brings stress. Many would jump at the opportunity to have a condensed school week if possible. Talk of switching from a traditional five-day school week to a four-day school week has been circulating around the country, much to the pleasure of weary students. An abbreviated week sounds great, but is it really going to help us or hurt us?

Supporters of a shorter week state that the benefits include saving district money from operating costs and ameliorating the problems of teacher layoffs, but they fail to acknowledge the cons, which outnumber the pros. One problem that stems from brief school weeks is the decreased teaching and learning time in the classroom. Teachers will inevitably be forced to pack tons of learning material into a four-day week, and as a result, students will have to learn at a much faster pace. Also, the longer weekend may result in students completely forgetting the topics they have learned. Ultimately, this will result in lowered testing scores and will negatively affect student’s grades. Additionally, in order to make up for a missed day of school, the day is expected to be prolonged. Will students be able to sit attentively for a longer duration of time? Again, this ties in the concern that due to a shorter week, a student’s ability to perform well in school will begin to deteriorate. One other crucial downfall that is derived from a shorter week is that there will be less time for extracurricular activities due to a longer school day. The time one would normally devote to sports and clubs would be limited — cutting off integral parts of a student’s free time.

Along with diminishing school performance, another fault that stems from a condensed school week is limited child care. With parents working a five-day week might be necessary for both parent and child.

As the library filled up, the presenters took to the stage to talk about the specifics of greener technology. Min Su (11) presented a greener world where people donated their electrical appliances to reduce the number of toxic hazards at landfills and save the environment. In addition, Eunice Park (11) presented a piece on how to save energy by hanging clothes instead of just tossing the clothes into the dryer. The event lasted two hours as the various ideas were presented to the audience. Lynn Dinh (11), a curious spectator stated, “We walked around… and looked at posters.” The exhibits showcased bits and pieces of various innovative ideas to save the planet. Everything from ‘floating’ maglev trains to tips on how to save every watt of electricity was presented to the audience.

As the audience awed at the photos and diagrams that the Sustainable Society class had set up, there was an underlying urgent message. The one idea that was woven throughout the presentation was that of improvement in our country. Many of the projects that would have been considered innovative and even crazy have already become commonplace in many parts of the world. As the Sustainable Society students pointed out, “there is a dire need for change.” The tone of the entire presentation was directed at inspiring action and hope for a better future.

Drumming since her freshman year, Yasaki’s initial interest in percussion was influenced by  her two older sisters, who had both been in Drumline before her.  Her previous experience in band and keyboarding contributed to her being chosen as captain, a position which entails “dedication, communication, a lot of practice, and respect for others to get respect in return,” according to Yasaki.

Such a leadership role is certainly not easy.  In her opinion, the most difficult aspect of being a part of Drumline is “the many hours that are put into practices and competitions.”  Due to the fact that many of the other Drumline members are enrolled in multiple honors and AP courses, “getting homework done easily on days where a practice is scheduled is very tough.”  Very tough indeed, seeing as the typical practice schedule is from 3 P.M. to 6 P.M. on Mondays, 6 P.M. to 9 P.M. on Wednesdays, and occasional weekend practices that can last as long as 8 hours!

With such long, rigorous hours, one may expect Yasaki to have virtually no free time.  However, she still finds time for frequent involvement at her Buddhist church, and Taiko, a Japanese form of drumming.  In addition, she takes part in winter Drumline, which is optional, which consists of much more work than fall season, and “definitely an extracurricular [Yasaki is] proud to be a part of.”  When she is not leading the West’s Drumline, volunteering at church or Taiko drumming, Yasaki can be found texting incessantly, playing games on her iPod, and spending time with friends.

Though in college, Yasaki “[does not] plan on joining any Drumline groups” and will “be focusing more on academics,” she loves Drumline.  Yasaki asserted fondly that in Drumline, “we have fun, have inside jokes, and definitely fight, but in the end, we’re all back on good terms. We act like a family.”

The Warriors followed through with their previous promises to perform well, as giving up is not an option for the team. The Lady Warriors implemented skill, talent, and effort as they paved their way to victory. Watching them play, it was evident that their long, strenuous practices rightfully paid off. Varsity Forward, Shonteau-Trudeau Katoa (12) exclaimed, “There was so much energy on the court, and it felt as if the team was connected as one throughout the game. We knew that if a certain player needed assistance in guarding off another player, we would jump in and help her, while another player would focus on the offense.” Anything that could be done to ensure satisfying results for the team was done.

Their evident readiness allowed them to obtain the victory and show the opposing team who owned the court.  Guard Jaime Kusumoto (11) reflected, “Looking up at the scoreboard and seeing the final score, was presumably the greatest feeling. We deserved the win and it simply just goes to show how hard we work.” Captain Nicole Nitake (12), in agreement with Kusumoto’s statement, stated, “We played a great game. We were focused and ready to dominate with our positive and confident mindset and this allowed us to seize the win. We know we are a ‘tough’ team capable of winning when we set our minds to it, the important thing is translating that theory into our games, and we did just that.” The Warriors are ready to continue advancing up the scoreboards and they know that if they incorporate the same energy and skill into their upcoming game against {insert info} they have almost a guaranteed victory.

Currently holding a 7-1 record in Bay League play, the Lady Warriors are unstoppable and ready for anything that comes their way.

   Students at West High have the ability to find their passion, the activity that motivates them to do better. From January 10-12, several students from the Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced levels of the Dance Department dedicated their hearts out on stage for their show, Synergy.

Jenna Hoover (12) commented, ‘Synergy is all about working and dancing together on stage. When we’re apart, we don’t have the same energy together. Each one of us is represents the different parts of a whole.” Jenna performed in different styles, from contemporary to the energetic hip-hop genre. Starting the show with the song Gravity by Sara Bareilles, Advanced Dance followed each others’ movements by the choreography of Stefanie Eriksen (12). Eriksen is not only a dance choreographer, but is part of the West High Drill Team as well as the Co-Ed Hip Hop Team. With dance surrounding her life, it is no surprise that she loves what she does. She stated, “When choreographing dances, it is a lot of pressure. But in the end, I really enjoy dancing to the songs my whole team worked so hard on.”

Beginning dancer Carol Boyd (10) danced to the contemporary song All the Right Moves by One Republic with her team. She remarked, “I am so glad I joined dance, because I [love] to perform. I was extremely nervous on stage, but knew that my whole team was with me.” The Beginning dance team also danced to the infamous Lady Gaga song Glorious and Once Step at a Time by Jordan Sparks.

Towards the end, the momentum did not stop. Advanced Dancer Victoria Yi (12) choreographed a dance to Katy Perry’s California Girls with Intermediate Dance. The girls came out with pink shirts and headbands, loving theCalifornia life. With loud cheers and claps, Yi was extremely proud of her girls.

The show ended with a farewell and appreciation from the entire dance department as they bowed to the audience. Now that Synergy has come and gone, it is time to look towards the Spring Dance Concert through May 2-4.

   A nationally-known, professional youth speaker, Salazar employs many tools in his presentations including tasteful humor, empowering insights, potent skits, and relatable connections in order to inspire and motivate thousands of teens acrossAmerica. Speaking at over 150 events a year, Salazar is well-recognized and respected as being a dynamic speaker. During the assembly, Salazar began with talking about his childhood, telling personal anecdotes that had everyone in the audience laughing. Then, he transitioned into the hardships of his past, specifically about his “wanting to fit in”, gang life, shoplifting, financial struggles, a sister addicted to meth, and a runaway father. When asked about what fueled his desire for public speaking, he answered, “I think it was something that was just always wired in me. Ever since I was little, whenever I wanted to do something, I wanted to do it out loud. Whether it was playing basketball or riding bikes with my friends, I wanted to do it in the best possible way. [My friends and I] always searched for ways to be creative. While biking, we’d think up crazy ideas like, ‘Why don’t we design a crazy ramp or something?’ We generally just always looked for ways to do things differently. So when I got into public speaking, the motives remained the same. I wanted to find ways to communicate my presentations to kids in a creative way I knew they’d understand. That’s why we involved the humor, skits, and incorporated information in a relatable manner. So that’s what I really enjoy doing – just being creative and just shocking kids, because what makes kids excited is when you’re excited. You can’t take people to a place you’ve never been.” Salazar always finds some type of way to connect with the audience in a way they will understand and benefit.

   When asked about his empowering skit Dennis, which featured a physically disabled boy named Dennis and highlighted the theme of friendship and dreams, and from where he received his inspiration from, he replied, “My little sister Gaby, who has Fragile X and a little boy named Scotty Barnett who was one of my students. It was originally written by a group of guys called the Skit Guys, and I was able to adapt it and make it into my own thing. So I really have to give the credit to them for coming up with it. But I try to do it in a very respectful way, and if you don’t hear my story about my sister or hear the story about Scotty, it could be taken very offensively. But that’s the beauty of being able to speak through it and say ‘We’re going to honor them through this.’ The messages of diversity and ‘no-excuses’ in the skit are very powerful and essentially, that’s the true beauty of it.”

   Salazar cites his family as his biggest inspirations stating, “My wife and kids are my biggest motivators.” He changes up the topics he presents at each school he visits stating, “Each school is different. They each go through different things, maybe a school is having problems with bullying or drugs, or a school recently experienced a tragedy such as a death or suicide; therefore, I try to adapt my program to what exactly that school is feeling. To be there and to feel the audience is amazing. The message is almost a living thing.”

   Salazar’s book, Born on Accident, Living with Purpose comes out this year and the most important thing he wants readers to get out of it is that “no one is born on accident, everyone has a purpose, and it’s just a matter of getting out there and finding your purpose.” Salazar’s speeches embody a special message – one of hope, determination, hard work, and courage.

  How did he do this? On New Year’s Eve, 2011, Obama surreptitiously signed H.R. 1540, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 or NDAA, into law.  What exactly is the NDAA? This 565-page, $662 billion law allows the government to detain, torture, and imprison you indefinitely without trial, should you pose as a threat to the government in any way whatsoever, or give off the impression that you are involved with al-Qaeda, the Taliban or “related forces.” So you may want to think twice about what you post to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr because whatever you post on the Internet can and will be monitored, and if the government deems your posts as overly-rebellious or threatening to theU.S., they will take immediate action. 

  But wait a minute.  Does the Bill of Rights not protect freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly? Does it not prohibit unreasonable searches and seizures? Does it not guarantee due process in a court of law, a quick hearing, and trial by jury?  Does it not prohibit excessive bail, fines and punishment? And were the Constitution and the Bill of Rights not established in order to limit the power of government, not the freedom of the people?  Unfortunately for us, all of these supposedly irrevocable rights once promised by these historic legal documents are essentially rendered obsolete and useless by H.R. 1540.

  Exacerbating the current outrage with the content of this law is the fact that Obama had previously expressed intention to veto the legislation altogether.  Then, in an act of utter hypocrisy, he passed it!  The Huffington Post reported that in his signing statement, Obama declared that he “signed [the] bill despite having serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists.” So once again, Obama has failed to remain steadfast in his word; only this time, the results of his capriciousness will be undoubtedly catastrophic.

   The NDAA has now made it legal to torture and imprisonU.S.citizens without fair trial.  The Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution are no longer sacred.  And if you are still considering casting your vote for Barack Obama this November, you seriously need to reevaluate your choice, unless you want to continue to be governed by a leader who is steering our country towards a military-dominated, totalitarian government.