Author: adviser

  • First Job Hacks

    All teens are looking for jobs to make money, but some teens may not know how to work in a job setting. Some things teens should know when having a job is to be vulnerable, which means it’s okay to ask questions if you’re unsure or if you need advice.

    You also want to build great relationships with co-workers, bosses, and managers or people you’d like to work with. You might get a position you don’t want to work at, but just be patient. Do what you have to do and start at the bottom and make your way to the top in position of power.

    If you find a prospective job, research the company and people who work there before applying to make sure it’s the correct fit for you.

    Work on your body language, like posture and hand placement to show dedication and to exude confidence.

    Once you find a job, make sure you’re interested in it. Pick a career you love to do because when you’re working it won’t actually feel like work and you’ll be enjoying it more than feeling like you’re forced to doing something.

    Do it with a passion and put your all into it. Yes it will be stressful but worth it because not only are you helping yourself you’re helping others around you. Granted, sometimes you are just working to earn money and hate your job, but make sure the money is actually worth it.

    Moral of the story is to know what you want to do and actually do it with a passion while knowing the ins & outs of having a job.

  • Hipp Ripp

    Comic by Brandon Hipp

  • ROTC Pays College Tuition

    ROTC Pays College Tuition

    It is officially college season and this is the time when high school seniors are working on college applications and looking for any and all ways to get money for tuition.

    Unfortunately, not all scholarships guarantee a full ride for college. However there is always the choice of a military scholarship that does in fact pay for all years of a student’s college education. The Air Force, Army, and Navy branches of the military have Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs in colleges that give scholarships to anyone willing to apply.

    While the scholarship provides students with full college tuition, in return the student has to be committed before the start of their sophomore year in college to stay in the program while they remain in school. That student has to not only be committed to the ROTC program but also to being a commissioned officer in the military at a minimum of four years after college. The choice of being enlisted to the military is always a choice but there is also the choice of going into the military as a Health professional; there are many choices for health professions in the military, anyone can be anything from a Doctor to Obstetrician to Veterinarian and anything in between.

    Unfortunately neither the Marines nor the Coast Guard have the option of ROTC for college students but they do have something similar. The Marines have an option under the Naval ROTC program that allows students to apply for a Marine Corps scholarship and the Coast Guard has a separate program called the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative that gives students who may be interested, the chance to get a scholarship as well.

  • Hidden Talent at Poly

    Jacqueline Garcia is one of Poly’s few signed models. She started modeling at a young age and has stuck with it ever since.

    Garcia got her start by “being in beauty pageants because of the glamour part of it.” She said it really helped her confidence grow and allowed her to get away from being shy. Garcia got her break as a model when she was fifteen.

    She entered and won a beauty pageant called Miss Covergirl and won “scholarship money as well as the cover of a magazine sponsored by Disney,” said Garcia. Thereafter, she had photographers and agencies lining up at her door step.

    Garcia’s love for modeling still remains strong to this day. “I love the creative side of it, especially now that I’ve gotten more comfortable to express my ideas to make shoots fit my personal style.”

    With the help of her modeling, Garcia has decided she wants to pursue a degree in marketing one day. “Modeling has helped me make connections through the industry and make any friendships with awesome people who all have interesting and vibrant personalities.”

    Garcia claims that modeling is not as easy as it appears to be. “You have to be very aware of every part of you as well as your environment. It also depends on the people that you get to work with, luckily I have never had a negative  experience with photographers or designers but I have heard my fair share of horror stories.”

    Garcia has effortlessly managed to balance her social life and her work life. She is excited to see what is in store for her future and is grateful for all the support she has had in pursuing modeling.

  • Eric Wilson, #20

    Eric Wilson, #20

    Senior year means the end of an era for most students, but for Poly’s linebacker, Eric Wilson, this year is only the beginning.

    Wilson has been playing football for his entire high school career at Poly. He has met “incredible people from coaches and players to staff members” during his time at Poly. These people became his support system and his family. He said that the type of environment Poly has created for him is the reason it has kept him here the past four years.

    Being at Poly has allowed Wilson to “take on more of a leadership role on the team and form bonds that no one will be able to take from [him].” He has also has been given the extra confidence boost towards extraordinary goals with the help of being on varsity football for the past three years.

    Wilson said, “One of my long term goals is to play in the NFL.” But unlike his other teammates he also hopes to become “a professional saxophonist and win a Grammy award.”

    After high school, he plans to continue his football career and plans to double major in business sports management and music.

    The football star is notably popular among the Poly community. Wilson’s optimistic quality outshines the students around him. It is a characteristic that is necessary for playing on a team with such a great reputation.

    At the start of this year’s football season, Wilson said he “expected us [Poly] to go undefeated.” Even with our loss to Mission Viejo, he said, “our team can win the CIF Southern section championship and state title.”

    Wilson never loses sight of what he wants. When Wilson puts his mind to something, nothing will stand in his way.

    Poly football has played an important factor in who Wilson is today. He said, “through our football program, I’ve learned how to be a better young man, son and brother.” A teammate on and off the field, Poly’s football team is more than lucky to have the number 20.

  • Horoscopes

    What the Signs Are Doing in the Middle of the Night 

    Aries: On Tumblr

    Taurus: Watching Anime

    Gemini: Playing Mario Kart

    Cancer: Sleeping

    Leo: Admiring themselves in the mirror

    Virgo: Redecorating their room

    Libra: Doing homework they should’ve done weeks ago

    Scorpio: Plotting revenge

    Sagittarius: Fantasizing

    Capricorn: Petting their cats

    Aquarius: Drawing

    Pisces: Dreaming

  • DACA is Still a Thing

    DACA is Still a Thing

    About 9 months into his presidency, Donald Trump has managed to repeatedly mortify many Hispanic families. Apart from the fact that he is still working on building his “border wall,” he has repealed DACA impacting many Hispanic members who were part of the program.

    The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was created by former President Barack Obama in 2012 and allows certain people, or Dreamers, who come to the U.S. illegally as minors to be protected from immediate deportation. Recipients are able to request “consideration of deferred action” for a period of two years which is then to be renewed.

    DACA increased wages and labor-force participation of DACA-eligible immigrants and has increased the odds for a career and better standards of living than previous family members.

    One Poly student has felt the impact of Trump’s DACA repeal.

    “I, out of my whole family and my two brothers, am a DACA recipient,” the anonymous student said. “One of them is graduating this year and when he got the news it struck our whole family hard.’’

    Around 800 college and university presidents have signed their institutions support onto a letter urging Congress to pass legislation as soon as possible to permanently protect Dreamers. These universities would like to provide security for dreamers who currently study on their campuses, and who will be seeking an education with their establishments in the future.

    “Colleges and universities have seen these remarkable people up close, in our classrooms and as our colleagues and friends,” according to the letter posed to congressional representatives. “Despite the challenges they face, they have made incredible contributions to our country and its economy and security.”

    Many people think that DACA is no longer an issue, however, it still impacts a wide variety of Poly’s surrounding communities.

    “The repealing of DACA was a big hit to many other families and I know, some way, my family such as other families will not stop fighting for our loved one’s dreams,” the anonymous DACA recipient said.

  • PAAL Students Under the STARS

    On October 26, PAAL had its second annual “Monsters Under the Stars” horror movie night. It took place on the PAAL campus, which is located on Long Beach Boulevard and 16th Street. The hosts of the event had mixed feelings concerning the overall turnout.

    “The night was successful,” said Marisol Ibanez, the Activities Director and a teacher from PAAL.

    “Roughly 75 students attended. That’s approximately 25% of the campus, which is really impressive. However, we only had about two students from the Poly campus show up, which is really disappointing, because we expected a larger Poly audience. ”

    The campus was lit up with orange and purple lights, and the movie was projected on an inflatable screen.

    “The design of the campus quad is like an outdoor amphitheatre, which creates these natural steps for people to sit and chill with blankets and pillows,” Ibanez said.

    PAAL students chose to screen 1408, which is about a father who loses his daughter and becomes a paranormal investigator who stays at a haunted hotel where no one can leave. Before the sun went down, scary short films were played before 1408  started rolling its tape.

    In comparison, “PSC is basically the ASB at PAAL,” Ibanez said.

    “PAAL has no formal representation on the Poly ASB. That’s why we are working together to support one another. Mr. Puth came to show his support for the event, and it was greatly appreciated. It takes a lot of resources to host an event, and we need Poly’s support to transition our events from events that foster a positive campus community and experience to events that generate income.”

  • Camp Flog Gnaw Recap

    The iconic music festival, Camp Flog Gnaw, drew in people from all across the globe to join Tyler, The Creator. They celebrated their 6th annual music festival  at the Exposition Park in Los Angeles.  Myself and a few other lucky Jackrabbits had the honor of attending this world renowned festival. Many look forward to this year’s event, and not only for the astounding live performances, but also its carnival aspect that features all sorts of fun games and prizes.

    The various performances catered to many different genres including Lana Del Rey, Kid Cudi, and many more. The boy band Brockhampton brought to life the main stage performing one of his many great hits, “Queer,” off their latest album SATURATION. Saturday night ended with Lana Del Rey. Many of the audience’s inner 2012 fangirl spirit came screaming out, singing along to all her oldies from the Born To Die album.

    Go big or go home, am I right? That’s how Sunday felt. The energy everyone brought to the carnival radiated through the festival from the fashion and the people, to the weather and the food. Some people were dressed head to toe in all colors of the rainbow and some people were dressed in hardly nothing. Each person had their own voice that projected itself either through the exotic food they were eating  or the vibrant outfits they were wearing.

    It was gloomy, sunny, and cold, but all I could think of was that it beat walking around in 100 degrees and dwelling in my own sweat.

    Another exciting part of the festival was when Playboi Carti’s set had multiple mosh pits, people climbing trees, and  all sorts of people jumpin’ & bumpin’.

    Throughout the weekend, there were several special guests  that made an appearance: YG, Ty Dolla Sign, Mac DeMarco, ASAP Mob, G-Eazy, etc.

    But the set everyone truly looked forward to was ASAP Rocky’s. Known for his amazing performances, all anyone had to say was, it was wild, you just had to be there. 11/10 recommend, it is definitely worth your time and money. Until next year, Camp Flog Gnaw, thank you Tyler!

  • Video Class Receives Grant

    Video Class Receives Grant

    Contemporary Video is a class that allows students to explore the world of film, from scriptwriting to editing. The class can be difficult for students, even more so without the proper equipment. Contemporary Video teacher Laura Stringer realized this problem and set out a plan of action to get the necessary funds for her class.

    “I’ve never really taught this kind of class before, which in itself can be difficult, but not having the proper equipment doubles the challenge,” Stringer said.

    She, along with the other film teachers in the Long Beach Unified School District sought out for a grant.

    The Career for Technical Education (CTE) decided to give a state grant of a $200,000 range to the teachers. The changes within our school are already inaction, as room 804 received new computers on October 26.

    “These are from the last millennium,” Stringer sang in pure excitement as she and her class carried out the outdated machines. Her wooden tables are the next to go, and she has plans for a new layout for her room for the following year.

    New air conditioners and a possible field trip are expected to be in her possession by spring. By December, she plans to obtain new cameras, desks, and blackout curtains.

    “We can practice filming some sort of show for the school, with the curtains,” Stringer said with a wide smile. “Maybe with news, maybe even with The High Life, anything really. I went back [to college] for my credential just for this class. I’m very excited.”

    Contemporary video is a PARTS class, which offers students a chance to expose themselves to careers in film beyond college. The goal of the class is for the students to have a hands-on experience in filmmaking.

    Although the class does have the new Mac computers installed and ready to use, the class itself is far from ready. Students are to use their own personal devices as there are not any cameras. Any editing is to be on hold until the spring.

  • Pac Rim, PACE, and CIC Offer Shadow Program for 8th Grade Students

    With November approaching quickly, seniors at Poly are deciding where they would like to attend college. However, seniors are not the only ones choosing their next destination for their education– eighth graders across the LBUSD district are faced with the same dilemma.

    From October 16 to December 6, PACE, CIC and Pac Rim will host eighth graders as shadow students at Poly.

    Pac Rim and CIC facilitator Jeffrey Inui said, “Shadowing is an opportunity for kids to see the school and the programs in greater detail. The way Poly does it, is that we set up individual hosts with students. The reason we do it this way is because it gives [students] a genuine experience about what the classes are and what the programs are.”

    Cindy Stuart, the PACE office assistant, went into detail about how the shadowing program goes about.

    “[Eighth graders] apply through the district, and I get a list of emails,” Stuart said. “I email the parent and the eighth graders the application and ask them about their favorite subject or sport. And then I have a list of juniors and seniors that want to have a shadow. I then go through their schedules and try to match them. We had 250 [the day when applications were open], and then I cut it off the second day at 300.”

    Inui, on the other hand, explained the shadow program for CIC and Pac Rim.

    “[Eighth graders] design the experience,” Inui said. “Eighth graders can choose anybody. Pac Rim has always done [shadowing], but it wasn’t official until last year. You couldn’t even choose Pac Rim if you wanted to shadow it. This year we have 500 to 600 requests to shadow.”

    However, smaller learning communities (SLCs), or pathways, do not have shadow days for prospective students. According to Inui, the SLCs about four years ago attempted to give eight graders the chance to shadow their programs.

    Besides Millikan and Poly, other LBUSD high schools opted out of initiating shadow programs for eighth graders because of the incessant amount of effort, work, commitment and time it takes to accomplish.

    Another upcoming event, is the Eighth Grade Choice Night on November 28.

    “The pathways will all present– not just CIC and PACE,” Inui said. “Families will be welcome to visit the campus and see projects. Student council and music groups get heavily involved. Usually I get 300 to 400 parents show up. There will be translators that the district provides.”

    Senior Gabby Gliane, alongside Student Commission and the rest of link crew, will host the event.

    “We will be joining forces to help kids to come to Poly,” Gliane said. “We are going to try and have games and a little orientation, so it can be fun.”

    The PACE representatives will present the the program through Michelle Aberle’s powerpoint presentations, which are 30 minutes in length and occur five times throughout the night.

    “Aberle also invites seniors to come and help out [during choice night],” Stuart said.

  • Even Moore League Titles

    Even Moore League Titles

    On October 20th Poly’s Girl’s Tennis defeated Wilson High School 13 to 5. And more recently the Poly’s Girl’s Tennis Team dominated the Moore Leagues, finishing the regular season with an outstanding 19-0, ranking them third in the division 3 playoffs

    As of October 30th Poly’s Girl’s Tennis won the Moore League girls doubles finals, at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center. It was no ordinary game, with much adrenaline pumping and the crowd cheering.

    The game was came down to Poly juniors Mey Phy and Sarah Soderburg vs Poly freshman Ava Deguzman and sophomore Kate Johnson, the match was fierce yet a good display of sportsmanship and friendship. The match was won by the youngins Deguzman and Johnson, with the score being 6-3 and 7-6.

    So what’s next in store for the Girls Tennis Team? With the Moore League out of the way the team can focus on the CIF playoffs, whilst keeping the grind centered on winning a  championship.