Category: News

  • Student Union Denied

    The Long Beach Student Union is a proposed club that seeks to better represent student opinions because it feels “the role of the student government in the formation of policy is negligible” and claims that the students of Poly High are underrepresented. The organization desired to get chartered as a club by the Associated Student Body, which is meant to serve a similar purpose. That charter was denied, but the Student Union may continue as a school organization.

    Founded by seniors Nia Gallo and Elizabeth Him and juniors Perry Loveridge and Asa Mazor-Freedman, the Student Union’s concerns began this school year with the new bell schedule. It became more important to them than ever to voice their opinions.

    “Students are underrepresented, and we want to be a bridge between students and the district. ASB is legally prohibited from doing so, so we are not trying to compete with them,” said Mazor-Freedman.

    Although Poly currently has ASB, which represents the student body, the Student Union still feels like the gap between students and the school board could be lessened. The new organization felt that the students had little say in the bell schedule dilemma that unfolded last spring; they also felt that there should be a form of communication between students and the district. The lack of student voices in the bell schedule conflict sparked the idea of a Student Union.

    “It’s a good idea; people should be open to voicing their opinions. But, they should do more research before voicing their assumptions of what the presence of ASB fails to do,” said ASB President Jeah Clemente.

    The issue was brought to Principal Joe Carlson, who seems to support the organization. A meeting was held between the Student Union and ASB on the afternoon of September 17, 2013. A final decision was made, and the Student Union was not chartered as a club by ASB.

    “It is regrettable that the message was not perceived by out Student Government as an adequate reason to charter a club. We look forward to the new freedoms available to us now that our obligation to the ASB has ended,” said Him.

    Although ASB decided not to allow the Student Union to become a club at Poly, it commended them on their efforts to start the club. It encouraged them to continue their projects as an unchartered club at Poly. They would not be participating in certain ASB planned activities including the Homecoming Faire and the Intercultural Faire.

    “We don’t wish to discourage the Student Union. We just suggest that the officers find another way to voice their concerns,” said Clemente, after the decision was made.

    Time will only tell what the Student Union will decide to do and how they will do it.

  • Student Store Faces Cold Front

    As many students have noticed, the famous freshly baked cookies that they have been anticipating all summer are no longer available at the student store, along with the burritos, nachos, and mac and cheese. To the disappointment of many Poly students, the Board of Food Services declared all food items requiring heat preparation to be banned from high school student stores. These cuts on some of the most popular food items have dramatically decreased the income of the student store.

    This loss of revenue affects not only those in charge of the store but also cuts down on the percentage of money given to Poly’s ASB.

    “We are forced to cut back by $27,000 on ASB’s budget because income has been so low. We’ll have to come up with other methods to earn money,” said activities director Terry Speir.

    Though one might assume that the Board is acting solely to provide healthier food choices for students, it is actually acting mainly in order to protect its funds.

    The majority of students are more likely to purchase their lunch from the student store because of the food options provided, subsequently reducing cafeteria dining.

    Although the economy is slowly rebounding, schools are still experiencing many financial dilemmas. Since student stores are only correlated to the school itself and cafeterias are managed by the school district, the board wants to restore the demand for cafeteria food.

    Student volunteers that spend their lunch and nutrition serving their peers are affected by the revenue loss as well. The senior volunteers, some who have been volunteering in the café since their freshman year, received benefits such as paid prom tickets as well as other senior events paid for by the student store profits. But now, these benefits are being jeopardized because of the significantly reduced income.

    The new vending machine rights that Student Store manager Mr. Ever acquired do help but are not able to compensate for the losses brought about by the Board’s cuts.

    “I hope there is an amendment on [to] the law where ‘preparing’ is mentioned so that students will have options in addition to the cafeteria. The new vending rights that Mr. Eve earned may have helped our recent losses, but we’re still far from where we used to be. It’ll be tough finding a way to earn the same money that we had in previous years,” said the student store assistant Gianna Grisolia.

    Although the cuts implemented by the Board of Food Services have greatly affected the revenue made by the student store, they continue to supply a variety of breakfast and lunch items. Some students will miss the freshly baked cookies, but the Jackrabbit Café will still be hopping.

  • Instructors from China Visit Poly

    During the first week of school, Chinese visitors entered Poly for a four-week period to observe English language instruction. These Shanghai residents plan to watch PACE’s English classes, grades nine through twelve, and see how American English instructors teach.

    Pamela Amici, AP Calculus teacher, arranged this via a Cal State Long Beach professor, Dr. Wu, who works with schools in China. She says that the Chinese teachers are reacting positively to the new environment and interacting well with their fellow American teachers in their free time.

    “They ask a lot of questions about how the Americans teach and how they engage their students,” said Amici.

    Laura Leaney, AP English teacher, agreed on the inquisitive nature of Poly’s visitors. Forty of them have already sat in five of her classes, rotating in at ten at time. However, they also travel back and forth between Stanford Middle School on Tuesdays and Poly on Wednesdays. The guests get ideas from the American teachers, while the latter observe the different cultural teaching styles, such as the emphasis on teamwork versus individuality. Every month, teachers choose a topic for a monthly newspaper, and the students must incorporate it into their articles. Chinese teachers also don’t decorate the classrooms as Americans do—the students have that job.

    “A lot of things are different,” Isabella Liu, one of the visitors, commented.

    Liu then explained how the students stay in one class the whole school year, while the teachers alternate throughout the day to teach the subjects. Liu enjoyed Poly’s classes very much, especially that of Leaney’s, and the energetic teachers. She also liked how impressive the students are.

    Leaney is aware of her methods being observed, and though she said that she teaches the same way, she appreciated the visitors’ inquisitiveness of American teaching strategies.

    “They arrived bearing a genuine interest and a humming curiosity about our teaching practices. It was a gift to host them in my class, I wish I could go to Shanghai and reciprocate their enthusiasm,” Leaney said.

    The Chinese teachers plan to continue their learning experience at Poly until October and return with a new outlook on their own teaching styles.

  • Language Students Travel Abroad

    During the summer, Poly students traveled abroad to visit places like Japan and Spain to overcome cultural boundaries and further improve their foreign language skill.

    Four students traveled to Japan along with Watson Sensei as ambassadors for the Tomodachi Initiative. The program focuses on bringing together American and Japanese students together through a cultural exchange program that was set up after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

    “The purpose of the trip was to allow the students to see the devastation in Japan firsthand and to bond with their home-stay family. They will share their experiences of their Japan trip with the other language students,” said Japanese 5-6, 7-8, and AP teacher Susan Watson.

    The students stayed with their host families and toured the entire island of Honshu. They also participated in the relief efforts of Japan by cleaning up the beaches and to learn more about the impact that it had on Japan.

    “My favorite part of the trip was the home-stay. I got to be part of a Japanese family for a little while and it was eye opening. It really showed me that although there are so many cultural differences, we are all just the same. I still stay in touch with my host sisters and will keep them in my life for years and years to come,” said senior Milada Cook.

    Two students from the Spanish language program also visited Spain for a month long stay, specifically in the city of Salamanca, using this summer as a chance to further their Spanish language skills and to learn about Spanish culture. The trip was planned by the Magellan Study Abroad program, and scholarships were offered. The groups of students were selected from all around the United States, stayed with their host families for three weeks, and traveled to cities around Spain during the final week.

    They attended language school for four hours a day—speaking entirely in Spanish—and went out on excursions during the weekends, visiting various natural and cultural landmarks in Spain.  The students also attended ceramics class, flamenco, and salsa classes as well as a cooking class.

    “It was very enlightening trip. It made me realize how important it is to learn a foreign language,” said senior Meghan Boterenbrood.

  • NAACP Awards Scholarships

    Poly scholars Nia Barbee, Kandise Le Blanc and Neyah Barbee traveled cross-country for the NAACP’s ACT-SO scholarship competition in Orlando, Florida from July 10th to the 15th.

    The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People formed a scholarship competition dubbed the Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) to empower the African American community to pursue success in areas outside stereotypical athletics by offering more than $100,000 worth of scholarships and prizes.

    “As an African American student, it was inspiring to be part of an event where so many talented and motivated students of color from across the country come together for such a positive event,” said Nia Barbee.

    The trio, 3 of the 14 gold medalists from the Long Beach Branch of ACT-SO, was sent to Florida to compete in the National Competition.

    “It was empowering and unique. Everyone brought something to the table and they were all supportive. We competed professionally but at the end of the day we all had fun together,” said Neyah Barbee.

    In addition to having the opportunity to participate in the national competition, each participant was able to attend one of more than 25 category workshops led by a professional in their particular area of interest.

    “It was great seeing so many kids who were fully devoted to a craft. Often you meet people who ‘like’ subjects, but rarely do you get the chance to meet someone who shares your enthusiasm towards what most people would belittle,” says Le Blanc.

    Senior Nia Barbee played soccer for two years and is now the Concert Mistress in Chamber Orchestra while juniors Neyah Barbee and Le Blanc run for the girls cross country team, proving that they are truly both Scholars and Champions.

  • Red Cross Demonstrates Leadership

    The Red Cross LBC (Long Beach Chapter) held a seminar from August 4-9 at Pilgrim Pines in Yucaipa, CA. The purpose of the seminar was to recruit volunteers and blood donors.

    Some Poly students from the Red Cross Club attended the seminar to further their knowledge and help fellow classmates to understand it as well.

    During the week, students attended several seminars about leadership, presentation, diversity, and conflict resolution. They also spent a lot of time furthering their teamwork skills by doing team-building exercises.

    Though it was an event geared towards education, the students still received their dosage of entertainment for the week.

    One of the team building exercises was a talent show hosted on Wednesday. Teams did a range of acts such as skits, dances, singing performances, and more. It allowed students to get to know each other on a more intimate level.

    “We focused on team building and leadership. Most of the activities involved bonding and getting to know other students. It was fun, powerful, and a great opportunity,” said senior and Red Cross Club President Viviana Van.

    On Thursday the students attended a banquet and a dance. They enjoyed plenty of food and a few hours of relaxation as a reward for their hard work and dedication.

    “The seminar gave students the ability to get to know students from all over LA county and Long Beach. It was great working with other staff members from other Red Cross Clubs. We all learned a lot,” said Van.

    Specific delegates from different schools were selected to go based on their interest in leadership and the Red Cross Organization. Many people from all over LA county were involved in the seminar. As a result, there was a higher chance of community bonding that allowed students to bond who may have otherwise not known each other.

    “The seminar was so fun and exciting. I really had a great time bonding with other students and working in teams. It was an overall great experience,” said senior Kimberly Ma.

    By the time Friday came around, many students did not want to leave their new friends and memories; however, they knew their mission and left the seminar eager to educate everyone in what they had learned during their stay.

  • Student Store Offers New Options

    A regular feature at Poly, campus vending machines are now owned and operated by the Student Store in a joint effort between the Activities Office and the Student Store. All-Sports drink machines and Snapple machines have also replaced the Fruit 66 and Gatorade machines.

    Student reactions to this switch are generally favorable.

    “It’s a nice change because I like the options better than the Fruit 66 beverage selection,” said senior Meghan Boterenbrood.

    The vending machines offer cheaper prices with water, Snapple, and All-Sports drinks only $1.00.

    “It’s a better investment all around,” said Student Store assistant Gianna Grisolia.

    The popularity of the cheaper prices was obvious the second day of school with lines at multiple vending machines.

    “Now, the vending machines are more accessible to students, and they have drinks that everybody drinks before and after P.E. and sports, all available at affordable prices,” said senior Breanna Wu.

    Last year the student store raised $4,000 in funds for the school. The added revenue from the vending machines should increase the profits.

    “The new vending machines offer a great healthy selection of beverages that are perfect for fueling us throughout the day,” said junior Ashley Andrews.

  • Cuba Welcomes Poly Jackrabbits

    Daniel Adler and students from his AP Economics class journeyed abroad to the forbidden country of Cuba from June 18 to June 26. The group of 30 spent six days in Havana and two days in Trinidad.

    The trip was planned by Distant Horizons, a travel company that has been located in Long Beach since 1985. Since direct air flight from the US to Cuba is not allowed, the group landed at Mexico City as their intermediary destination to and back.

    From roaming author Ernest Hemingway’s house to swimming in the Bay of Pigs, students had the chance to visit Cuba’s many historic sites including a memorial commemorating the 1953 Cuban Revolution, which brought rise to Dictator Fidel Castro.  They also spent much time interacting with the locals and learning Cuban culture.

    “The most fun part was playing baseball with the high school students in Cuba,” said Mr. Adler.

    Students attended seminars at the University of Havana and listened to speakers discuss the situation of their country and the problems they face. Some speakers were United States expatriates and defectors.

    “One would talk about how the United States needs change, and then another would say that it’s Cuba that needs to change,” said AP US History teacher Patrick Gillogly, who joined Mr. Adler on the trip. “It was an interesting mix of tradition and change.”

    Hiding behind the beautiful beaches and breathtaking scenery of Cuba reveal a country in distress and a firsthand lesson in economics. A victim of a U.S. financial and commercial embargo since 1960, Cuba has suffered in respect to their economy. Tourism remains the country’s most important revenue stream.

    “Our tour guide who lives there [in Cuba] talked about ration cards and how what the government handouts are not nearly enough to survive, let alone live comfortably,” said senior Aida Ylanan.

    The country is still recovering from the Special Period, a severe economic depression after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Soviet Union accounted for a large majority Cuba’s imports and exports, leaving it extremely vulnerable after their fall. Although Cuba is still a communist country, a large portion of the population is pushing for progressive measures and reform. Some private businesses have even received government permission to open.

    “I wanted my students to see an alternative economic system and judge for themselves how well it worked,” said Mr. Adler. “Regardless, the people are the same as us.”

  • New Schedule Dissected

    For the 2013-2014 school year, Poly is implementing a new bell schedule.

    This year’s bell schedule is a mixture of both the traditional and blocks structures.  In a traditional schedule, there are six class periods in a day that last for the entire school year. In a block schedule, students are able to focus more on a few classes rather than spreading their time amongst six or seven classes each day.

    In comparison to last year’s block schedule, this year’s modified block schedule allows all students to receive the same number of instructional minutes in either six or seven periods.

    Students who have periods one to six will meet in each class everyday as given in a traditional schedule.

    As in last year’s block schedule, students with the modified block schedule will alternate between their gold and green block periods; however, there are a few changes featured in the modified block schedule.

    On gold days, students report to their first period.  Nutrition is followed by seventh and ninth period. After lunch, students will go to periods five and six.  On green days, students will report to eighth and tenth period instead after nutrition. Periods one, five, and six will remain the same.

    “The new modified block schedule is a little bit confusing. It will take time to adjust to these new changes,” said senior Nia Salapare.

    According to the new bell schedule, school begins at 7:50 A.M. and ends at 2:40 P.M.—ten minutes earlier than last year’s start and end times.