Author: adviser

  • Girls Basketball

    The Poly Jackrabbits girls basketball team won a home conference game by a score of 76- 33 against Millikan on February 1.

    The girls started off the game well, with the first quarter score being 26-8. The more games the girls have played, the more used to things they are. Their competitive side always gives them the advantage. Varsity team player, Makauaenalahni Diamond Salevao, said it best when she stated, “It was a good game. It was a little more competitive, I feel like I could have played better.”

    It seems no matter how great the Lady Jackrabbits play, they always

    feel the need for improvement. They stay hard on themselves and practice just as hard. With an overall record of 20-3, that hard work is definitely paying off.

    On the February 7, they played the Cabrillo Jaguars and the Jackrabbits ended up winning once again. There was nothing for them to worry about, as they ended the game with a score of 86-16.

    On Thursday, February 9, they will play yet another game against Compton. They have so much going on that when Makauaenalahni Diamond Salevao was interviewed, she was unclear on which game was which. As far as she’s concerned, “All the games are competitive, hard, and still very fun.”

  • JJ’s Jam of the month: “Yes. I’m Ready”- Barbara Mason

    Not everyone has been in love, but at one point, we’ve all wanted to be. People of all ages find themselves wanting someone to spend every moment with. More than a want, but a need for love. We all need love. This song expresses the stage of being ready for a relationship. Whether it’s your first relationship or your millionth, new love can be so difficult. It’s hard to start over, to trust and be vulnerable to a new person. It can take a whole lifetime to find the right person or it can take no time at all, but when you do decide to take that first step, it’s the most beautiful and terrifying thing. The good thing is, from that point on, it gets easier, or so they tell me.

  • I Hate High School Couples and You Should Too

    I Hate High School Couples and You Should Too

    “Oh my God I have like the best boyfriend ever! He’s so romantic!”
    Who. The Hell. Cares? Stop bragging about your boyfriend, you both are so irrelevant. What? You think you’re something special because he took you to Denny’s and you guys saw a movie? Sweetie, that is not romance, he is just trying to get you in bed by the end of the day. Did he show up to your house with a box of chocolate and a rose? How cliché! First of all, he got the gross chocolate from Wal-Mart and he ate half the box anyway, then he picked the rose from some random old lady’s garden. He put minimal thought into this. And honestly, if you are going to buy into his crap you can at least keep it to yourself; there is nothing more frustrating than trying to get to class and having to walk slowly behind two idiots trying to cuddle and walk at the same time. You look ridiculous. By the way, I hope you realize all your friends hate him too; they think he’s a douche. They are right to think this. You wouldn’t notice, though, because you’re too busy thinking you’re in love. You girls really need to calm the hell down. No, you don’t need a boyfriend, what you need is to do your damn homework. So does he. I know he’s failing at least three classes because he’s too busy flirting with you (and your best friend when you’re not paying attention). But that’s none of my business. *Sips tea* Bye, loser. Happy Valentine’s Day!

  • Child Prostitution Is Still A No

    Many news articles have come out recently stating that child prostitution has been legalized in California. This is because Governor Edmund Gerald “Jerry” Brown, Jr. signed into law SB-1322 (Senate Bill No. 1322) on September 26, 2016. This bill changed the way prostitution would be treated for minors. The existing laws were that it was a “crime to solicit or engage in any act of prostitution” or to “loiter in any public place with the intent to commit prostitution.” SB-1322 made the existing laws about prostitution in California inapplicable for those under the age of 18. This bill allows children who are trafficked into prostitution to no longer be tried as criminals, but instead as victims. So instead of having to serve prison time, Child Protective Services will be called.
    Many of those against this new legislation claim that it will cause an increase in prostitution because now more children will want to prostitute because there will be almost no consequences. They also claim that more pimps will target children knowing that they don’t have to worry about the prostitutes getting caught and going to prison. This could be true in a minute minority of instances, but in the majority this will make it much easier for those victims of human trafficking to seek help.

  • Flowers for Nobody

    You walk into a store
    Red packages in the shape of hearts invade every possible space.
    You watch as nervous boyfriends and husbands approach
    the flower display.

    Hoping for a perfect bouquet of roses, their petals velvety- soft, the color of A bleeding heart.
    You turn away.

    But later, as you’re about to leave the store,
    You turn back towards the flower display,
    You ignore the looks of the boyfriends and husbands.
    You feel their pity upon your back as you grab a bouquet of the most Perfect red roses.

    It’s as if
    They know there is nobody to… So
    You walk away.
    You and your flowers
    For nobody.

     

  • Comedy Sports: Teachers vs. Students

    Poly Comedy Sportz hosted a teachers versus students event on Friday, February 3, in the Poly Playhouse. Teachers versus students was a great event if you were looking for a good laugh. Admission was three dollars and they had snacks for sale too. It was an overall good audience of students and parents.

    In the event, teachers and students that participated were divided into two teams: staff and students, and played games for points.

    They had different types of games such as improvisation games, jokes, and even dance battles. At the end of the event, they played slow motion music and announced each of the players off the stage. One of the top players for the staff was journalism teacher Daryl Holmlund, who had some pretty good jokes. “A shoe walks into a bar. The bartender says, ‘We don’t accept your kind.’ The shoe says, ‘well, why not?’ The bartender says, ‘I’m sorry, we’re just giving you the boot,’” told Holmlund. There were many other fun jokes like this. Drama teacher and captain of the staff team Linda Bon said, “The staff came off swinging with all their weapon unleashed and some ended up browned-bagged. The staff triumphed.”

    Brown-bagged is when a player said an offensive or just plain bad joke. They would get a brown bag put over their head and had to ask the crowd for an apology. Algebra teacher Steven Perrin, who got browned- bagged twice, said “We all had a great time and I’m sorry if they did not appreciate my jokes.”

    The staff dominated most of the games and won the final score. “Although the students are experienced pros, the staff just appeared to want it more,” Bon said. The participating students were Ryan Bacon, Kaelah Franklin, Shank Vamanrav, Gabby Kaiser, Nicolas Garcia- Zacher, Mika Dao, Adrianna Luna, Eliana Valenzuela, and Veggie Bacon.

  • All District Side-by-Side

    On February 1 and 2, Poly students performed in the All District side by side concert. The concert consisted of an orchestra that was half high school musicians and half of the Long Beach Symphony.

    The event is a great opportunity for the high school musicians to learn from the best of the best. Professional studio musician Carole Castillo said, “ I wish they had this event when I was your age.” The high schoolers who had the privilege of attending the event got a lot from it. Junior viola player, Jordan Sutter puts it best: “There’s this awesome sort of energy here, kinda like listening to live music except we get to be a part of it.”

    The professional musicians at the event make sure the atmosphere is comfortable for the high schoolers. “All the regular people help and support the high schoolers, so it’s not an intimidating opportunity,” said professional trombonist Andrew Malloy.

    The side-by-side orchestra played for elementary school kids and encouraged them to start learning an instrument and continue practicing their instruments. The kids were so excited to listen to classical music, they even sung along with the First Movement of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.

    The band’s set consisted of three patriotic songs. It might be because the U.S. is currently being lead by an orange, but there’s something refreshing about good old American Propaganda.

  • Letter to My Ex

    Dear Bitter Loser,
    You really need to get your life together. You screwed up, deal with it! Stop calling and texting me; I blocked you for a reason. Stop texting my friends; they hate you and so do I. No, we can’t be friends. I tried being your friend after the break up; you screwed that up too. I don’t care that you miss me; the feeling isn’t mutual. I don’t care if your life is falling apart; it’s not my problem anymore. No, we can’t “talk it out,” there is nothing left to say. You f’d up. I hate you. End of story. Have a nice life, or maybe don’t; I couldn’t care less.

    Yours for-never, Jordyn

  • Does Valentine’s = Love?

    Does Valentine’s = Love?

    Love is a very beautiful thing. It can be possible for two soulmates to find each other at such a young age, but all this puppy love makes me roll my eyes so far back in my head, I’m scared they’ll fall out one day. I would love for a guy to offer me his hand, dance with me, and ask me questions other than “Send nudes?” but, sadly those days of young romance are just gone.
    For example, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were both already married when they met each other. Yoko had been married twice and was 36 years old. I have yet to meet a couple who genuinely love each other and who have lasted as many years.

    I don’t believe that romance is dead, I believe love evolves, and relationships change. Since the Victorian era, women’s only goal in life has been to catch a husband and pop out a bunch of babies. The way we date may have changed, but our end goal hasn’t, and why is that? This is a new era and a new generation. Love is so much more than one day of gifts, than a marriage, than planning a future together. Love is now, love is for everyone, and it’s everywhere. Spreading love is everything, but being in love isn’t. Focus on yourself, be the amazing person you deserve, reach your goals, marriage doesn’t equal success.

    If real love comes around, don’t celebrate it once a year with expensive gifts and empty promises. Love is everyday, Valentine’s is everyday. Single, taken, interested, irritated, high school is our time to grind, not plan a wedding.

  • Perfect Timing: A Love Story

    Perfect Timing: A Love Story

    Savanna was shy, but a very sweet girl. There was a huge party coming up and her friends practically begged her to go. After a while she finally gave in. When she got to the party she expected her friends to meet her, but they didn’t. She didn’t recognize a single person there.

    Eventually a group of strangers introduced themselves to her; most of them were guys but there was one that caught her attention. His name was Jeremy. When jeremy first met Savanna, he thought she was beyond beautiful , he was almost too shy to say hello. Jeremy and Savanna ended up talking the entire party. They opened up completely in a matter of moments. Nobody thought they were strangers; they felt as if they’ve always been one– they clicked. Time flew by and they found themselves apart going to different homes, without so much as each other’s digits.

    Weeks went by and Savanna would find herself wondering where Jeremy went. Was he thinking about her? One day all the girls were talking about some new guy in school and she wanted to see what it was all about. They bumped into each other, it was raining and she felt it. She knew she had finally found her Jeremy. Jeremy couldn’t tell if he was dreaming or not. This time he wasn’t going to let Savanna slip away. They hung at school everyday, constantly wondering if they each felt the same.

    Months went by and still neither of them would confess until one day Savanna found the courage to  finally tell Jeremy her feelings for him. Jeremy was walking on the air, he considered himself lucky to have such an amazing girl. She was his . He was hers. And they would never be alone again.

  • No Environmental Justice, No Peace

    My fellow People of Color are going through a struggle everyday, either it’s discrimination for the pigment of our skin, our culture, or our simple morals in life. When I think of the definition of environmental injustice, I automatically think of low income, impoverished communities, a variety of ethnicities, toxic dirty air, pollution all around, and nobody enforcing a law, regulations, or policies.

    My name is Michelle Casian. I am here coming to you as a Youth Organizer with Communities for a Better Environment. I am here as a Woman of Color and a front line community member saying that I stand against these unjust oil refineries that are a part of the breaking of treaties like No DAPL (Dakota Access Pipeline). I am living proof as someone who is fighting for my community against the oppressive powers that threaten to take the rights that everyone should be receiving.  At the end of the day, it shouldn’t matter about the color of your skin, your income, or anything you identify as. You have the human right to clean air, water, and soil.

    One thing I witness everyday is having to carry a burden that our communities have to deal with. We live next to a very industrial city that is heavily oil influenced. We’re next to one of the largest oil refineries on the West Coast (Tesoro) and the largest oil drilling site west of the Mississippi River. We deal with our air being so polluted that it puts us at a higher risk of getting cancer, asthma, and other diseases. You’ll never see an oil refinery located in the backyard of someone’s home in Beverly Hills, but we have to deal with a whole block of oil refineries in the very backyard of residents in Wilmington, CA, and we have to assume that that’s totally normal? Either way, if these oil companies actually tried to go put a refinery in a community like Malibu, everyone would lose their mind. That community would demand to get that refinery covered up or gone for good, and based off of their income, they’ll get their wishes granted, which has happened in the past. What I’m trying to say is, why is it acceptable that a local community like Wilmington has to deal with this, but other folks don’t?

    This is an example of environmental racism. Some people can’t seem to get the hint that the environment is a serious problem, and especially for lower income communities. People have grown so used to getting treated badly that they think these situations are totally normal. We have a requirement to inform those who are not aware of this injustice and to fight for our right to clean air, water, and soil.

  • Songs About Loving

    1. “Silly Love Songs” by Wings

    2. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Haley Reinhart

    3. “I Want to Write You a Song” by One
    Direction
    4. “Friday, I’m In Love” by the Cure

    5. “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele

    6. “Helplessly” by Tatiana Manaois

    7. “As Long as You Love Me” by Sleeping at Last