Category: Arts & Culture

  • 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!

  • Horoscopes

    Signs As Most Likely To 

    ARIES:  Break a world record

    TAURUS: Become a billionaire

    GEMINI: Win the lottery but lose the ticket

    CANCER: Marry their high school sweetheart

    LEO: Become famous

    VIRGO: Become president of the US

    LIBRA: Win a Nobel Peace Prize

    SCORPIO: Never be seen again

    SAGITTARIUS: Travel the world

    CAPRICORN: Rule the world

    AQUARIUS: Become an inventor

    PISCES: Cure a disease

  • Activists of Poly: Lauren Calderon

    Activists of Poly: Lauren Calderon

    Over the past two summers, Lauren Calderon, Poly PACE senior, has run a successful Power to the Period community service project. Power to the Period is run by U by Kotex and with the objective to collect feminine hygiene products for homeless or needy women. She has collected a remarkable total of 8,792 products for donation.

    Photo above featured on Seventeen magazine. Taken August 26, 2017

    “I became involved with this campaign because I think all women deserve the right to have easy accessibility to menstrual hygiene. This is a campaign that I joined that encourages people, like myself, to collect products like pads, tampons, feminine wipes, etc., for women’s shelters in the community” said Calderon.

    Some of the products from her most recent campaign have been donated to women in the Virgin Islands, who were left without feminine hygiene products in the face of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.

    Calderon still continues to accept donations and help out her Long Beach community.

  • Letters To Sala: A Preview to the Play

    Tis the Season: Fall is finally here and with that, comes cold weather, big sweaters, football, and most importantly the Long Beach Poly Fall drama production.

    Photo by Ella Christensen Drama student Toni Bravo and Teacher Linda Bon rehearsing for the upcoming fall production

    This year’s play is called Letter’s to Sala based off the book “Sala’s Gift” by Ann Kirschner. It will be showcased on November 8.

    The play is about Sala giving her daughter the many letters she received while in multiple concentration camps. While Sala’s daughter is translating the letters, a major conflict begins to rise. This play is full of thrilling emotional scenes and amazing performances pulled off by Poly’s astounding drama class.

    Be sure to support the Long Beach Poly drama department and watch this amazing play when it debuts. There will be many talented students starring in it and it will be something you won’t want to miss.

    Join us at the Long Beach Poly Playhouse on November 8th!

  • A Catwalk Dedicated to the Runway

    From September 26 to October 3, 2017, high end designers and brand names are showcasing their collection for the upcoming seasons. This is the week that has the potential to make or break a designers career. But often, the most critical fashion of the week is streetwear. Fashion photographer Phil Oh is world renowned for his striking street style photos for capturing the effortless lifestyle of a model.

    Off-White’s high-heeled boots covered in clear plastic. A modern day Diana is perfectly captured through Abloh’s chic catwalk design. Photo courtesy of Google Photos.

    Virgil Abloh, French designer of the Off-White Spring/Summer 2018 collection, revealed his inspiration for this season was the iconic Princess of Wales, Diana. Marking her 20 year anniversary of passing, he searched through the archives to surround the whole collection based off the personality of such a resilient woman. Abloh closely examined key moments in her life and captured them through his designs.

    Anthony Vaccarello, French designer behind Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Spring 2018 collection, captivated Saint Laurent’s life from the beginning of his Moroccan garden to his self-named, unique, and individualistic brand. The show had such a large audience, some attendees were forced to stand in observation.

    Many spectators of the YSL show marveled in the glistening sparkles of the Eiffel Tower’s evening lights in the background, as well as the contemporary pieces of fashion featured in front of the monument.

    There were five cliques (or featured collection groups) throughout the YSL show. Opening up, was The Nouveau Bohemians. The Softboys, Victorian Bad Girls, Vixens, and Couture Clients With a Penchant for Clubbing continued thereafter. Closing the show were the Women With Drivers. Each portion represented the growth and surroundings Laurent experienced leading up to his designs that eventually took over the fashion world one thread at a time.

    As the hectic week came to a close, all the French designers had successfully accomplished yet another Fashion Week.

  • Poly Musicians Hop Over to CSULB for Concert

    Poly’s Concert Band and Symphonic Winds had their last concert of the year on Tuesday, June 6, at the Daniel Recital Hall at CSULB from 6:30 P.M. to 8 P.M. Most students were bothered that they could not perform in Poly’s auditorium for their final show, especially seniors.

    The concert featured two senior solos, both by Poly trumpet players, and were backed up by the Symphonic Winds band. Soloist Tatiana Tate said, “As a senior I would have liked to at least perform at least one event in the auditorium. I saw a new school building being constructed and being utilized in less time than it is taking to complete the Poly auditorium.”

    Her solo performance was movement two of Joseph Haydn’s trumpet concerto.

    The second senior solo was the first movement of Johann Hummel’s trumpet concerto, played by Justin Short.

    The Concert Band performed five pieces, pulling from several well-known band composers including John Carnahan and Frank Ticheli. Concert Band also featured Malin Hiles in “The Typewriter” by Leroy Anderson. Hiles played an antique typewriter as a percussion instrument. The percussion section played an additional piece, “Scuttlebutt” by Jim Casella.

    After the percussion ensemble, the Symphonic Winds performed a series of five pieces, including the two solos. The other pieces performed were “Noisy Wheels of Joy” by Eric Whitacre, “Inchon” by Robert W. Smith, and “Slava!” by Leonard Bernstein.

    “Inchon” is a haunting tribute to the Korean and Vietnam War veterans featuring the sounds of helicopters, simulated by bass drum heads, and ethereal alto flute solos.

    In post-concert reflection, the musicians expressed their satisfaction with their performance and are eager to begin another great year of Poly music.

  • Jazz Band End of Year Concert

    Thursday, June 8, Poly’s jazz bands are having their final concert at Cal State Long Beach’s Daniel Recital Hall from 6:30 P.M to 8:30 P.M. Students are going to be given a chance at showing how hard they have worked, practicing in class and individually, during their solos at the concert. Senior trumpeter Tatiana Tate responded, “For our trumpet section, sometimes we’ll have outside sectionals where we work on pieces that we’re struggling with and try to blend our sounds together.” Junior Eric Wilson, who is featured as a soloist on the alto sax and soprano, is playing “Barnelles,” though he further explained that he is playing lead on all the songs.

    The Jazz Band is playing a number of charts including a Sammy Nestico tune called “New Day”, “Wolf Den Funk”, “Look of Love” by Abigail Hodge, “Pick Up The Pieces” by The Average White band, and the song previously mentioned to be performed by Eric Wilson – an original song called “Barnelles” written by jazz director Chris Stevens’ son Will. Gabriel Burns, who plays the alto sax as well, is also being given a solo at the concert, performing a pop tune from the late 60’s and early 70’s called “More Today Than Yesterday”. The Jazz Band encourages you to attend the concert; Burns said, “It’s going to be a lot of fun, if you can go, you should.”

  • Jazz Band End of Year Concert

    Thursday, June 8, Poly’s jazz bands are having their final concert at Cal State Long Beach’s Daniel Recital Hall from 6:30 P.M to 8:30 P.M. Students are going to be given a chance at showing how hard they have worked, practicing in class and individually, during their solos at the concert. Senior trumpeter Tatiana Tate responded, “For our trumpet section, sometimes we’ll have outside sectionals where we work on pieces that we’re struggling with and try to blend our sounds together.” Junior Eric Wilson, who is featured as a soloist on the alto sax and soprano, is playing “Barnelles,” though he further explained that he is playing lead on all the songs.

    The Jazz Band is playing a number of charts including a Sammy Nestico tune called “New Day”, “Wolf Den Funk”, “Look of Love” by Abigail Hodge, “Pick Up The Pieces” by The Average White band, and the song previously mentioned to be performed by Eric Wilson – an original song called “Barnelles” written by jazz director Chris Stevens’ son Will. Gabriel Burns, who plays the alto sax as well, is also being given a solo at the concert, performing a pop tune from the late 60’s and early 70’s called “More Today Than Yesterday”.

    The Jazz Band encourages you to attend the concert; Burns said, “It’s going to be a lot of fun, if you can go, you should.”

  • John P. Chandatlantic, Series 1 Finale

    “Dude, I think I really messed up this time. I think I messed up bad.”

    Evan didn’t even bother rolling his eyes. He just kept right on staring at his phone. Eventually, probably realizing that he really did want to hear what I was talking about, he grunted out, “Okay, what’s up?”

    “So I was on a date with Jazz last Sunday–”

    “So yesterday.”

    “Shut up, smartarse. Anyway, we were on a date and she said the L-word.”

    “What? Really? You’re freaking out over the saying ‘I love you’? That’s weak dude.”

    “What? No, we’ve been saying that for weeks.”

    “Aw, aren’t you guys just freaking adorable.”

    I swear, if he was the kind of dude who spit on school campuses, Evan would’ve right there. What the hell is up with him?

    “Dude, what’s up with you?”

    “What’s up with you?! All you ever do these days is complain about her. Jesus, just break up with her already.”

    “What the hell dude? No!”

    “I mean, I vent to you sometimes, but that’s just when I need to vent. Everyone needs to vent sometimes. And most of the crap I tell you are my goofs anyway. Like, dude, our relationship is pretty great. I love her. Love the hell out of her. She’s, like, awesome.”

    “No you don’t.”

    “Yes I do. Screw you.”

    “Screw you! She’s not right for you, I’m telling you.”

    “You like her! You do! That’s why you’re always hanging around us! I’ve seen you glaring when I kiss her!”

    Why am I saying this? He’s pissed me off. Crap. I don’t like this. I don’t want to be angry with him. I don’t like being angry. People say things they don’t want to when they’re angry. He’s quiet. When does this class end? Stupid finals schedule. We didn’t even do anything. Last day of finals though. The bell rings. Freaking finally. Evan doesn’t rush out. I try to meet his eye.

    “I’m sorry dude. I got carried away.” He looks into his bag, then throws it over his shoulder and looks me full in the face. Has he always been this much taller than me?

    “It’s not Jazz I like, dude. It’s you.”

    And he turned and walked out, way too dramatically. I wait a second, processing, then run out of the bungalow after him. He’s speed walking, I can’t reach him. Jazz and I have plans after school anyway. There’s a cafe up the road that she recommends. Apparently, they’ve got great pancakes. That’ll be a good setting to talk about Jazz’s illness. I guess this proves it though. I can finally stop calling myself a freshman.

  • Aspiring Talent at Poly

     

     

    T-Lost

    By Ashlyn Morgan

    Staff Writer

     

    Long Beach Poly rapper Tyler Stokley also known as T-Lost is known for his unique performances on the rally stage. Tyler began rapping in 2015, but then he took a brief break and then began to rap again around late 2016. His first live performance on the Poly Rally Stage was during the Homecoming Faire.

    His raps have caught the attention of many Poly students and have caused him to become well known around campus. He has also performed on the rally stage during lunch and other fairs. Aside from his live performances, he also promotes his music on social media. Stokley stated, “I prefer performing live over recording because I can express myself more and really get into it. It involves the audience more and there’s more of a connection between the artist and the audience, too.”

    When asked about where his music inspiration comes from Stokley said, “I guess my music is inspired by the band Gorillaz. Though I’m surprised that people are actually enjoying my music and listening to it.”

    His new mix tape, “I Don’t Care”, will be released on May 15th. The album will be available on his SoundCloud, his Youtube channel, and most major music services like iTunes and Spotify. Stokley has a Youtube channel (youtube.com/Tlost), Instagram, and Soundcloud. If interested, take a listen to his music. When asked to describe his music in three words he described it as “sick, fire, and dope.”

    Eddie Valencia

    By Rebecca Lopez

    Staff Writer

         Eddie Valencia is well known around Poly for his extraordinary and unique dances. The senior’s dancing has caught the attention of many Poly students and has students from all over campus raving to see him dance. Valencia’s favorite style of dancing is “cute and sexy” and it gets the rally stage audience full of screaming fans. As a senior, he has only been dancing for two years, and he’s already performed on the rally stage about 7 or 8 times. Eddie claims that dancing is both a hobby and his passion.

    There is really no one who inspires him. Valencia said, “I don’t really look up to people because I like to do my own thing.” He doesn’t remember when his first performance was, but Eddie felt really nervous and worried about what people were going to say. He plans on pursuing a dancing career after high school and he will be focusing on K-pop.

    Recently, Valencia went to Mexico because he was invited to KCON, a Korean music festival, and performed there. While in Mexico, he had a video filmed about his dancing and it will later be released. Valencia said that being filmed was interesting because he had to have people following him around. The video will include clips of him from the convention as well.

    Eddie’s upcoming performances include the senior rally and the Poly dance show  in May.

     

     

     

    JYoungin

    By Chantera Walton

    Staff Writer

    Long Beach Polytechnic’s sophomore Jeremiah Jones, also known as JYoungin, is infamously known for being a rapper. At the young age of 16, Jeremiah is already an artist and an entrepreneur.

    Jones’s passion for music started at the age of 14, and he said, “I was inspired by my father. He used to be in the music industry and he had a couple of artists that he promoted by making T-shirts to give away to the crowd.” He is well known around school and on social media for his music. He describes his music as, “motivational, catchy, and the new vibe.”

    Jeremiah wants people to take away something valuable from his music. He does not want people to just listen to the music he wants them to listen to the message. He expresses, “I want my music to have a big impact on people. I want my music to be uplifting and motivational I want them [youth] to know if you want to do something in life then don’t let nobody tell you [that] you can’t.” He also wants his music to be positive and different. “I’m really passionate about my music, I love writing [and] leaving people with a message in my lyrics; I like to call myself a lyrical rapper because it’s certain songs that are out there that are really negative but I like to think my songs are just having fun and living in the moment,” he ssaid.

    Jeremiah has plans on releasing new music. He says he has been recording a couple of songs and they will be dropping soon.

    Romel Morris

    By Yesenia Pacheco

    Arts and Culture Editor

         Romel Morris, sophomore, began writing his rhymes at the age of five. He never took his music seriously until he was eleven and started to perform in school talent shows and street shows. He focused on rap and break dancing throughout his childhood. He has written all of his own music, and has enough material to make several mix tapes.

    He listens to all kinds of music, but his favorite genre has always been hip-hop. “I look up to a lot of local rappers, but I try not to get too into one artist. I don’t wanna end up some kinda copy cat. That ain’t me.” He said as his fingers tapped across a bar, making a basic beat he often uses for his free styles.

    When asked about his recent increase in social media followers, Morris commented, “I don’t think I’m there yet. People know me, but there’s still so much to be done. I really wanna make it.” As of right now he is taking things step by step, starting with one minute freestyle videos on his Instagram, then once he gets a solid following, he’ll startup other media sites.

    He is open to collaborating with other Poly musicians, if they have a connection and can “vibe together in a creative and intellectual kinda way.”

  • The Serialized Adventures of John P. Chandatlantic, Part 3

    I’m really starting to like this girl. She told me her name was Jazz.

    Evan says we can’t be friends now because I like Jazz. I don’t get it but he did a finger guns gesture when he said it, so I guess it was supposed to be funny. There were little question marks floating around my head at that moment.

    Then Jazz and I are walking together. Her mom picks her up around four. I can go home sooner; I don’t really want to. I told Dad I had to talk to a teacher after school. So now we’re walking around together. I hadn’t actually realized there was another set of stairs on the science building. I swear I’ve only ever seen the ones by the small gym. We stand on the stairs by the auditorium. We look at the distant skyscrapers by the beach. It’s a lovely view but I can’t help sneaking glances at her instead.

    Just say it. C’mon John, you know you like her, just tell her. C’mon, what’s the worst that could happen?

    She could grab your shirt collar and jump off the balcony, taking you with her to your horrible splat three stories below.

    She could be like Isabelle. That one hurt.

    “You know you’re really kinda cute.”

    “Thanks,” I reply, before my mind registers what she said.

    Then I whip around to look at her. She looks crushed.

    “Oh my god wait. Really? Do you mean it?”

    She does this adorable half-laugh-half-sigh. It was poetic.

    “Yeah,” she says. “I’ve been crushing on you for a few weeks now.”

    Holy-mother-of-all-holiness- thank-you-Jesus-and-Santa-Claus -and-Buddha-and-whoever-else-made-this-happen. I am shocked.

    She’s still looking hurt. I don’t know what to say. This is not how I saw this going. I am okay with this. I am very okay with this.

    I smile and she smiles back, softly. We walk down the stairs. She says she has to use the restroom.

    I wait outside. Dad says he’s here, but I don’t want to go. He calls my phone. I can’t ignore it; I pick it up and walk to one corner of the science building. I hear the bathroom door open and turn around slowly.

    All I catch is a flash of her hair and a quick glimpse of tears on her cheeks. Then she runs down the stairs.

    “Wait!” But she’s gone. What the hell just happened?

  • Cartoon Corner

    Cartoon by Ahmad Ali