2008
Everyone's a critic
Forum
3
"I liked the Rejuvena
tion Week they planned..
It was relaxing. It was
good to see ASB being
able to come up with
creative ideas for the
student body."
ASB doesn't deserve negative comments
f t * C helsea C allas
%
Staff Reporter
Walking through the front
doors of school the first day of
Rejuvenation Week prompted
me to take a deep breath.
Why? Because the sign told
me to. Rejuvenation Week was
a very stressful week for me,
but knowing our Associated
Student Body wanted to help
was enough to comfort me at
least a little. Apparently some
students didn't feel the same.
Complaints about the
lunch period which wasn’t
the promised full hour, the
scream which was "stupid” and
about the week. School can
be stresH l, and a week isn't
going to make it all go away.
That wasn't the point of
Rejuvenation Week. The point
was to help us handle our
stress a little better and have
something fun to look forward
.to.
We should be grateful that
we have an active student
body that comes up with
new ways to make our time
in high school a little more
enjoyable. I know I complain
about my stress a minimum of
seven times a week, and I hear
my friends complain about
stress at least that much, if not
more. So what did ASB do?
They planned ways to make a
week more relaxing and some
students did whatever they
could to pick it apart.
A point of criticism was
that a lunch was promised that
would be an hour long and
that it was cut short. The plan
had been to add the 20 minute
break to the 40 minute lunch
and end up with an hour long
lunch. But they didn't factor
in that the passing periods for
break wouldn't be factored
into lunch, thus making lunch
shorter than promised. It was
a mistake, but it didn't make
Rejuvenation Week a failure.
Some said that was that the
No Homework Day wasn't
successful because students
had tests or quizzes later in the
week that they had to study
for so they ended up having
work on Wednesday. However,
there would have been more
homework on top of the
studying if it weren't for No
Homework Wednesday. Even
if teachers did give homework
on Wednesday, they were
asked by ASB not to, so
students shouldn't direct their
criticism towards ASB.
Complaints about the
ten second scream and the
nap / reading time, came from
people who admittedly didn't
participate. Maybe if they had
given it a shot, they would
have found themselves feeling
rejuvenated. There was a
legitimate argument that there
was no warning for the nap, so
maybe next time an intercom
announcement would be
helpful for everyone to know
when the nap starts.
I'm not saying Rejuvenation
Week was perfect, but it didn't
deserve all the criticism it
received. It was a great effort.
So far this year, our ASB
has put on the amazing Harry
Potter-themed Spirit Week as
well as a successful Canned
Food Drive. Even then there
were students saying these
events were stupid. I suppose
there are always going to
be critics. I think it's good
to question what's going on
around you, but having an
open mind to change is also
very important. Sadly, it
seemed as though students
refused to give a new idea a
chance. I guess you can say I'm
a critic of all the critics.
So...for the next ASB event,
try to keep an open mind and
give ASB the respect they
deserve. Many hours go into
planning and carrying out
these school events so spend
your time taking advantage of
them instead of complaining.
— Jennifer
Kearns, freshman
■
They definitely amped
up the spirit. It seems like
there are more events to
get everyone involved."
— M a tth e w Oh,
senior
^Election update: candidates persist in primaries
-jm
A dam ._ H
olmes
__________
________________________________
_________
Staff Reporter
The most exciting election
since the Gore-Bush election
of 2000 is rapidly becoming
more intense and important.
An election that began in
the latter part of 2006 with
over 40 eligible candidates,
has been shortened to
three serious candidates:
two Democrats and one
Republican.
Recently, candidate Mike
Huckabee withdrew from
the election on Mar. 4, after
losing the Texas primary.
Huckabee now endorses
John McCain, after it became
evidently clear that he would
not be able to exceed the 209
delegates he won.
Arizona senator McCain
is the presumptive nominee
of the Republican party and
continues to win primary
after primary. However, as
I watch him celebrate these
victories, I can't help but
notice that this man runs a
campaign that is somewhat
similar to the race run by
George W. Bush.
He believes that the Iraq
War should continue, is
against publicly funded
health care, and is for gun
control. On the other hand,
he does not condone torture
of enemy combatants and is
more concerned about the
environment.
It is quite clear that this
country is ready for change,
and it is unclear if that
change will come if McCain
is elected president.
needs to continue to work
and New York senator
hard on his campaign if he is
Hillary Clinton is running a
going to defeat Clinton.
very close race with fellow
He is positive about
Democratic nominee Barack
ending the war in Iraq,
Obama. Clinton had lost
believes in decreasing
11 primaries before the
dependence on foreign oil,
Mar. 4 primaries, with the
and believes global warming
defeats threatening to end
is a serious problem that
her campaign. However,
should be confronted.
on Mar. 4, Clinton won the
Obama seems to be taking
Texas, Ohio and Rhode
the most flak among his
Island primaries. Texas was
opponents, especially about
especially important state to
his middle name being
win, and these victories kept
Hussein (which actually
Clinton in the race.
P means "good" or "handsome"
Clinton feels strongly .
in Arabic) and about a photo
about many of the issues that
that recently surfaced that
shows him in clothing that
such as ending the war in
is similar to clothing worn
Iraq, plans to address
by some terrorists (In reality,
environmental challenges
" it was traditional garb that
America faces, and hopes to
he wore on a 2006 trip to
implement universal health
Kenya.)
care.
I also notice that Obama
is spouting the least amount
However, it bothers me
of trash-talk toward his
that she continues to verbally
opponents. If a candidate is
attack Obama about his
so popular among voters and
experience or lack thereof.
does not spread lies about his
The way I see it, if the man
opponent, then this speaks
has been able to m ake it this
volumes about his character.
far, there is no question that
he is appropriate for the job.
By the end of April, we
Obama, an Illinois senator,
will know whether Clinton
seems to be the most popular
or Obama is the Democratic
choice, and is in a close race
nominee. Then, we will
with Clinton. With a recent
finally be able to get to the
win in Wyoming, Obama *
real election!
D em ocratic nom inee
What is the best thing
ASB has done this
year?
"I like how they spend
their extra time making
it a better place for us to
go to school. Rejuvena
tion Week gave people
more school spirit."
— M e lis s a
Andre, ju n io r
"I liked the long lunch
hour. The couches
were very com fort
able."
— Ryan
M cO u ire,
sophomore
MTV influences teens with trashy shows
C helsea C allas
Staff Reporter
MTV stands for Music
Television, but the music
aspect of the channel is nearly
non-existent: they're only in
the wee hours of the morning
or subtle background to
shows with no integrity and
no originality. Spring Break is
when the channel reveals its
worst material of all.
MT¥ sets bad example_________ m
continued on page 7
Photos
by Malia Chong