Category: News

  • Who Cares? Poly Peer Counselors Cares

    Do you ever feel like you need to talk to someone about something that’s bothering you or you just want to get it off your chest?

    Poly has a place where students can do exactly that, and it is called the CARE Center in room 205. Mr. Gray is the counselor, and the hours are from 7:30 AM to 1 PM Monday through Friday.

    Students can go there for personal concerns, family problems, academic problems, to improve relationships in school or at home, child abuse, sexual abuse, depression, self harm, suicidal thoughts, student-athlete issues, or anything they are struggling with.

    If students need help, they can tell their teacher during class, and get a pass to the CARE Center. The center is not an excuse to get out of class. Other options, besides going to the center during class, is to go during nutrition or lunch.

    Counseling groups consist of personal development, stress and anxiety, and grief and loss. It also has groups to help support parents and teachers.

    “If a student is ever scared to go to the CARE Center, you should know that everything you talk about in there is completely confidential,” Senior Lily Brossus said. “No one will know what you share, not your parents, friends, or teachers. It’s a safe environment, and if you have problems, I encourage people to go if they need help.”

    The CARE Center is a safe place, and Poly students are encouraged to go seek help. All of the counselors are supportive, and the center helps approximately 1,500 students each year.

    “Everyone should know that it’s okay to talk about your problems, because us peer counselors are students at Poly just like all the kids who come in,” Senior Zenita Leang stated. “We’ve experienced things like some of the people who come in.”

    “It’s a really safe place where you can meet new people who really care about you and want to help you with your problems or whatever you have going on in your life that’s bothering you,” senior Abby Rubin explained.

    The CARE Center has helped people with all kinds of problems, no matter how big or small. The counselors are there to listen, give advice, and guide students while they are struggling. They are also there to make students feel better and like they are cared about.

    “As a freshman and sophomore, I learned that the CARE Center was a place where you could go for help,” Leang said. “I realized that it’s a very useful and valuable resource to have and it was something I wanted to be part of to help fellow students out and make them feel better.”

  • Hit the Books at the Michelle Obama Public Library

    Hit the Books at the Michelle Obama Public Library

    The Michelle Obama Library celebrated its one-year anniversary on September 10th, 2017. The library is about 5.2 miles away down Atlantic Street from Poly.

    Ana Villalpando has been an assistant librarian at the Michelle Obama Library for over a year. She makes sure that “patrons have a satisfying experience” by tending to their library needs. Villalpando has her BA in philosophy and is currently enrolled at CSULB for her MA in social and cultural of education. Villalpando would like to inform the Poly community of the library’s vast resources.

    “The library has Mac computers equipped with Photoshop, Adobe, and Final Cut Pro (video editing software) programs. All computers have Excel and Microsoft Word,” Villalpando said. “Some computers have database software for any student looking to strengthen their SAT, ACT, or any standardized test skills. iPads are also available upon request for students.”

    The library provides many opportunities to win special prizes. The community can enter for the chance to win two movie tickets if they sign up for a library card. For the chance to win $100 dollars in movie tickets, dress up in a Teen Titan costume, upload the photo to Instagram and tag the Long Beach Public Library. These offers end in September.

    Villalpando explained the various study rooms in the library available for students.

    “There are two designated study and quiet rooms available to students upon reservation. These rooms are enclosed and have tables and chairs,” Villalpando said. “The study rooms have a TV available that can connect to the student’s device. Quiet rooms also contain white boards.”

    The rooms are the perfect place for a group project or study group to meet. Villalpando also explained that there are several comfortable “booth” like tables with outlets for students to use.

    Villalpando is very enthusiastic about the library’s homework help program for students.

    “Students who would like assistance with their homework can utilize the library’s Family Learning Program,” Villalpando said. “The program hours are the same as the library’s hours.”

    The library offers many events throughout the year. The library also hosts college talks for high school students every Wednesday in September starting at 4:30 PM. Kim Turrisi, initial producer of web series Pretty Little Liars and author of Just a Normal Day is holding a book talk on October 4th. Editor and publisher for Wannabe Press Russell Nohelty will be hosting a graphic novel workshop on October 11th at 4 PM.

    The library owns three 3D printers. Library cardholders are allowed one free print of their choice a month. If interested in learning how to use a 3D printer, ask a librarian.

  • Blood Drive Success

    On Thursday, June 1, Student Commission helped host this semester’s blood drives in Poly’s big gym. The blood donated went to Cedars-Sinai blood donor services for people in need of blood in hospitals.

    To be a donor, students needed to be 16 years old and 135 pounds or more with a signed consent form and a valid picture ID or 17 years or older and at least 110 pounds.

    Commissioner and junior Ha “Caitlin” Lam said usually 250 students donate, but this semester approximately 300 people each donated a pint of blood. Students who donated were rewarded with either a free shirt or a free pint of Baskin-Robbins ice cream.

    Lam said, “We contacted them a year in advance to let them know we wanted to donate. Poly loves community service.”

    Sophomore Aren Jacob Agoncillo, who donated blood, said, “I wanted to give blood because I was told that I have a blood type that’s very rare and I could give it to anyone and I just wanted to help the people who need it.”

    Sophomore donor Cohan Gifford Manzon said, “I donated because I was willing to do anything to help someone and it’s not that hard just to give back to whoever needs it… I wasn’t nervous at first but then I saw the blood coming out and my arm started getting tired but I kept going because I knew it was for a good cause.”

  • Letter to the Graduating Class

    Dear graduating Jackrabbits,

    It is finally here, the day we never thought would come. Graduation is just around the corner. Excuse me, life is just around the corner. After four years of no sleep, terribly crowded parties, and being surrounded by annoying and immature people and teachers you have to see everyday, you will now be moving on to fouryears of even less sleep, even more crowded and crazy parties, and at least somewhat mature and less annoying people. But this time, you don’t necessarily have to go to the classes with the annoying professors.

     

    Instead of stressing about what to wear for school the next day, you will start worrying about how you are going to pay for your next meal, or if you are going to be able to pay off your hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans. But not to worry little bunnies, we will get through it. After all, we are Jackrabbits. We are from Poly, the home of scholars and champions – that’s us!

    So cherish these last days of high school. Be extra nice to the teachers you cannot stand. Wish a beautiful life to that one girl in your fifth period English class that you have never talked to because why not?

    Now you can all start fresh in the next chapter of your lives. If you are truant in high school, make the extra effort to go to your Introduction to Biology class nearly every time. If you have never been to a high school football game, try to go to a college game of any kind; they are a lot more exciting. If you never made an effort to talk to high school guys, try with college  ones. They are supposed to be more sophisticated and accepting (yeah right).

    This is just the beginning – today high school graduation, tomorrow you are graduating from law school or medical school. Heck, you could be graduating from clown school if you really wanted to. Just remember to always do what you love, not necessarily what makes the most money.

    And do not be so stressed, puh-lease! If you find yourself having a mental breakdown because you are doing all your studying for a final the night before, first of all, you are crazy, and second, just calm down. In five years you will not remember that final. Just breathe, eat some chocolate, do some yoga, smell some roses. Everything will be fine in the end.  I know this is cliche, but never doubt yourself! We all are capable of amazing things, and if you ever need a reminder of that,  I am sure you can contact one of your fellow former Jackrabbits. Good luck to you all! WE DID IT!

  • Poly Students get the Chance to Visit Europe this Summer

    Poly Students get the Chance to Visit Europe this Summer

    As the year is coming to a close, summer vacation is already being planned out and organized for certain students taking French and German. Poly is fortunate enough to have multiple language departments embarking on cultural trips to allow students to embrace the language they have studied during their high school years. This summer, Poly’s French and German students have the opportunity to travel and stay with foreign exchange families to broaden their understandings with real, cultural experiences.

    For German students, the exchange has been occurring over this past school year. Poly junior and German student Ella Christensen explained, “German exchange students come around spring break to stay with American students and then during summer, American students go to stay with the same family in Germany from July to August.”

    While in Germany, Poly students have a variety of activities and places to go. Junior Aubrey Chapman said, “I am going to go to school for a week while I am there to see what schools in Germany are like and my German exchange student is taking me to Paris and Athens.”

    The French language department will travel to France and like Poly’s German department, French foreign exchange students had come to stay with Poly students during this school year. The French exchange students “attended cheer, swim, and cross country practice,” according to sophomore Matlynn Giles. Giles continued to explain that Poly students going to France to stay as foreign exchange students “was an option and one-third of Poly’s French students are doing the dual French-American program.”

    The foreign exchange program Poly has provided for its students studying French and German is continuing to inspire and influence students to learn more about different cultures.

  • Class Eliminations Expected In the Fall

    Home economics, creative writing, Black history, marine biology, foods and nutrition, and film analysis are all offered as electives and available to all students, but next year that will all change.

    These classes are a versatile group that teach students a unique set of skills.  Although Poly does provide the classes, they are not responsible for what happens to them. The Long Beach Unified School District decided that Poly offered too many electives, and needed to focus on academics.

    To make up for losing electives, Poly now offers a multitude of APs for students to take. Creative writing has been a class choice for 100 years and taught by Brett Alexander for four years. Alexander emphasizes  that having the ability to write well is vital, and that being able to compose something that has meaning is an important skill.

    “It’s sad that students won’t get to express themselves in [the] classroom; it’d be a bummer that future kids won’t have a good course like that,” said junior Ella Christensen.

    Alexander commented, “I’ve really enjoyed it because students come in [and] spill everything onto a piece of paper without a time limit. It’s been fun. I have students from every academy; it’s a great class to have.”  Alexander, along with other teachers at Poly, is very sad to see the class go.

    Anne Smith is a long-term substitute this semester, taking the place of Gayle Boone-Beegle who had taught home economics and foods and nutrition at Poly for over 20 years. Smith said, “What I like most about teaching this class is that students find something that they didn’t expect they could do is very interesting; it’s my favorite thing.”

    Students are exposed to real life skills, like learning the steps to forming a good and wholesome diet, or experimenting with a recipe or dish foreign to them. Many of the eliminated electives would have informed students on things they would have otherwise never gotten the chance to be educated on.

  • Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

    Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

    “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes,” said Benjamin Franklin. And while many people are afraid of death, almost every American is afraid of the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). Through the Long Beach Financial Assistance Center (LBFAC), Economics teacher and site coordinator Dan Adler, along with his students, seek to help vanquish the fear of the IRS in the hearts of Poly and the surrounding community. The LBFAC is a newly formed 501(c)3, or non-profit charity, that features VITA, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Explained senior Danielle Gallandt, “VITA is a program in which Poly students become volunteer tax preparers so they can prepare taxes at no cost to the client. We help individuals and families with low to average incomes who shouldn’t have to pay to get their taxes done.” VITA is a national program sanctioned by the IRS, and volunteers have to become certified to able to prepare taxes. “They come in and take a few lessons with me,” explained Adler about the certification process. “Then I have them do a few paper returns because I think you learn a lot from doing returns that aren’t on the computer. Then they do a series of practice returns on an IRSsponsored website, and then they have to take a test on an
    IRS-sponsored website.” After becoming certified, these students then shadow an experienced preparer and then do a few returns with another preparer watching before doing a return independently, and even then, every return is reviewed by an advanced level preparer or site coordinator. Because VITA is a free tax service, as compared to paid services like H&R Block, its clients are often deeply thankful for its services. “I remember doing a lady’s taxes whose twins sons had just died,” said senior Leonel Tiscareño, a certified preparer in both Spanish and English. “She took on $7,000 in funeral expenses and was extremely appreciative we were doing her taxes for free over a paid site.” Stories like these are not uncommon, and VITA students often are preparing taxes for immigrant families or are preparing upwards of five prior years of taxes for someone who has fallen behind and is faced with serious consequences from the IRS. VITA is not only beneficial for its clients, but the student volunteers also gain from doing taxes. Said junior Kendra Viloria, “I started VITA as a sophomore and the most rewarding part for me was getting to know people and talk about their lives.” Most all preparers agree how incredible it is to be able to actually understand the American tax code.

  • Poly Students Participate in C-SPAN Documentary Competition

    Poly Students Participate in C-SPAN Documentary Competition

    This year many of our Poly freshmen participated in the StudentCam 2017 competition. After long hours of researching, interviews, downloads, and editing many students who submitted their films were awarded for all of their hard work.

    StudentCam, an annual competition of video documentaries, was started by C-Span. It encourages all students from grades six through twelve to create a short five to seven minute film on an analyzed topic. “Your message to Washington” was the StudentCam theme, each video had to answer the question “What is the most urgent issue for the new president and congress to address in 2017?”

    This year, Poly students thought critically about issues that affect our communities and our nation, in order to properly address the theme. PACE Freshman made over 70 documentaries ranging in topics from The Farm Bill to Ocean Pollution to Voting Rights.

    “The recording process took so many takes and retakes, and cropping each error was so tiring, I had to tape my phone to the ceiling to get the perfect recording angle,” commented freshman Kassandra Khieve, when she was asked how stressful the project was.

    Films like “Plastic Ocean Pollution,” “Affordable Housing: The Solution to the Homelessness Crisis,” “Atmosphere of Denial,” “What’s the Catch?” and “Underwater Noise Pollution,” from our freshmen were awarded as Honorable Freshmen, each receiving $250.

    Lucy Nottonson and Heather Davis and their piece, “The Importance of Wetlands” won third place,and they received $750. Megan Dines, a part of the team including Elizabeth Requejo and Bailey Cervana who created, “Underwater Noise Pollution,”  said, “it was interesting to learn and research about my topic, it also raised my grade, I liked it.”

  • Poly’s JROTC Competition

    Poly’s JROTC Competition

    On Saturday, March 18, from 7 A.M. – 3 P.M. Poly’s first Battalion Army JROTC program, a leadership program whose mission is, had their annual Army Navy Competition against Cabrillo and Lakewood on our school’s campus both have a Marine and Navy junior JROTC. The schools compete in sit-ups and push-ups, drill, and rifle-twirling. Students in JROTC were ranked in these activities and were rewarded for their participation in this event. The Jackrabbits also tried to win back the big trophy from the Cabrillo Jaguars. The Cabrillo Jaguars had won the trophy from the Jackrabbits for the past two years.

    All students
    participate in some sort of fashion, there were many pads which are specific areas in which activities take place. The ninth graders during the whole day were judged by their cadets. The cadets are usually seniors for the fact that thse students are more experienced than other new students in JROTC.

    Master Sergeant Denmark had great confidence that Poly’s JROTC would have the chance to win back the trophy from Cabrillo, which they had won since 2010. As she stated “We have been preparing

     

    the students to do their best in the competitions, so I have hope that we will win back our title.” However, things did not go as planned, the jackrabbits did not win back the big trophy, but they did get some rewards for their great participation in the Saturday event.

     

    BC Commander, Senior Ashley Huendo states, “I was pretty excited but it was also really terrifying and mostly for my cadets that had this experience for the first time.”

  • Intercultural Week

    Intercultural Week

    The Intercultural Fair is a long-standing Poly tradition. The fair follows a week filled with dress up days and fun activities. This year’s theme is “Poly Meets World.” Activities Director My Nyoc Nguyen described the theme, “It’s appropriate because we’re talking about cultural appreciation, kind of like a world vision.”

    Student clubs sell various cultural foods to represent the diversity of the world and this school. Some well known​ favorites include hots links from JROTC and cheesecake from Speech and Debate. Teacher Brett Alexander, supervisor of Speech and Debate explained the cheesecake tradition, “People like it, and I don’t have to fix it. Once you establish yourself, it’s something people get used to.”

    In addition to food, the fair also involves entertainment on the Rally Stage. The lineup includes performances from Seoul of K-Pop, T-Lost, DJ ME, Theatre Arts, and Jazz I, as well as many other student entertainment groups.

  • International News Tidbits

    20 Ghanainans Die After a Freak Accident

        In a popular waterfall spot in Kintampo, Ghana a tree fell over during a storm and killed those swimming in the water. About 20 Ghanians were killed, most of them being students and many more were injured. Kintempo is in the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana.

    The site at Kintampo is one of the country’s top tourist destinations, drawing large numbers of local and foreign visitors. Emergency officials called the incident a “freak accident”.

    A representative for the Fire Service said that 18 students died at the scene,  two others later died in the hospital and 11 others were still receiving treatment. They are receiving treatment at the Kintampo Municipal hospital.

    US Man Held For Sending Flashing Tweet to Epileptic Twitter

          In December of last year John Rayne Rivello, a 29 year old from Maryland, sent a tweet to Kurt Eichenwald of an image with a flashing light

    The image contained text reading “You deserve a seizure for your post”.

    Eichenwald who is a senior writer at Newsweek magazine and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair is well-known to suffer with epilepsy. Rivello had sent messages to other Twitter users trying to coordinate a virtual attack. He allegedly said “I hope this sends him into a seizure” and “Let’s see if he dies”

    This is retaliation to Eichenwald frequently criticizing of President Donald Trump on Twitter.

    The case will be heard in Eichenwald’s state, Texas and Rivello has been charged with criminal cyberstalking and could face up to a 10-year sentence. Research is being done about virtual causes of epileptic seizures.

    Four Dead After Terrorist Attack Near the British House of Parliament

    Shortly before 15:00 GMT(8:00 AM PST) on March 22, a car was driven over Westminster Bridge. This car hit and injured multiple people.

    After this attack a man with a knife continued the attack and allegedly “tried to enter Parliament ”.

    Four people were killed and 40 more were injured.

    Eight victims are being treated at Kings College Hospital. Two of them are in critical condition while another two are in stable condition.

    Authorities have still not identified the attacker.

    The victims included London Metropolitan Police Constable Keith Palmer, 48, a 15-year veteran who was a husband and a father. Palmer was stabbed at the House of Commons and died despite the efforts of doctors and a passing government minister to save him.

  • Today Small Learning Communities, Tomorrow Pathways

     

     

     

    The buzz around campus is that the district has changed what used to be Small Learning Communities (SLCs): METS, BEACH, JUSTICE, CIC, Pacrim, MEDS and PACE into what will be called Pathways. Many students go into great detail describing their displeasure with the name change. Some, on the other hand, believe it should change into just a one word phrase rather than the “confusing” term “Small Learning Communities,” making it seem like they are separate parts of the school.


    When asked how about his feelings toward the change sophomore Jayden Nem in the MEDs pathway replied, “I think it’s kind of fine, but at the same time I don’t like it. They should leave it as Academies or Programs. The change is gonna be confusing considering this is like the third time they’ve changed the name. Keep it one word and it’ll be fine. I don’t really know the reason it’s being changed but it should stay as it is. Overall though, I don’t really think it matters, but it should stay one word instead of changing all the time and then them not informing the students.”

    Sophomore Juan Camarena in the BEACH pathway gave his opinion on the matter saying he felt that it was unnecessary to change the name, “When I applied for Poly they asked me what academy I wanted to be in. Then later they called them Learning Communities or something [and] now they’re Pathways. I think it’s very confusing and dumb, to be honest, because they aren’t telling us when they change it, they just kinda spring it on us, as if it doesn’t affect us.”

    METS counselor Charles Acosta stepped in to shed some light on the situation and clarify on why they have changed the name from Small Learning Communities (SLC) to Academies to Pathways saying, “They changed the name of the now Pathways from Small Learning Communities or SLC because the theme changed. Before, they were based off preparing for college [and] A-G courses, but now we know not everyone wants to go to college and not everyone is interested in colleges; they don’t want to be in school another four years or pay those college debts, so they changed them to Career Pathways.”

    There continues to be confusion, but also indifference about the name change. Just remember whatever the name, students still come to school to get an education and socialize.