Tag: Long Beach Poly

  • Summer’s New Album: Bops or Flops?

    Summer’s New Album: Bops or Flops?

     

    Summer Walker dropped her second studio album Still Over It on November 5 for the world to listen to and some people have mixed feelings about it. 

    Many people had very high hopes and expectations for this album, as her debut album Over It was a success all over the world. With major past hits like “Girls Need Love” and “Playing Games,” people were expecting Still Over It to have no skips and be filled with heartbreaking ballads as well as some cute love songs. 

    The lead single of this album was called “Ex For a Reason,” and featured the City Girls. It helped set the tone of the album, as the album was full of breakup songs and sad melodies. When the full album was released people listened to it with excitement, as they had waited two years for a new album from Walker to drop. After listening to the album some people have expressed their disappointment, while many others have expressed their love for the collection of songs. 

    Sophomore MEDS student Cheyenne Clark says that she loved the album, as she can tie some of it into experiences she’s had. She said, “My favorite songs would be ‘Insane, No Love,’ and ‘Closure,’ those being the songs that really hit me because they’re about healing or the after effects of a break-up.”

    Madison Williams, a CIC sophomore, said she had “been waiting for her to drop an album for a while” and had set “high expectations for the album.” She said that Walker definitely reached them. Her favorite song off of it is “Insane,” A song about the feeling of going crazy over a significant other’s own actions. 

    On the contrary, PACE senior Brie Lao said, “All the songs sound the same, just like on Summer’s last album. The song’s are okay, but there is nothing really good about this album.” She isn’t alone in this opinion, in fact on a poll taken from local students, 24% of people said that they did not like Walker’s album, or that it wasn’t that good. Still, this album is loved by 76% of students polled at Poly.  

    Walker has been a prominent female RnB artist since the release of her first official collection of songs titled Last Day of Summer in October of 2018. She has a strong fan base of teenage and young adult girls, who find comfort in her music and find ways to relate to her lyrics. Still Over It was a highly anticipated album and is having a large amount of commercial success. Overall, this album is loved and Walker’s next album will be as well. 

  • School reopening is a good idea – but not for me!

    Jackrabbits are officially returning to school! As of March 2021, Polytechnic High School and the rest of LBUSD has announced that students are able to take a survey and decide if they would like to return to school and do hybrid learning or continue doing school online. 

     

    I feel like this is a good thing because I have noticed that many students have slept during Zoom sessions or do not take online classes as seriously. So I feel like having that hybrid option could really help students bring up their grades. 

     

    On the other hand, Covid-19 is still going around, so when students return it could expose students to the virus. We would have to do things like clean desks, wear a mask the whole time and keep our distance from teachers and other students. 

     

    Me personally, I think I will continue to do online instead of hybrid. I feel like the two days of the week in school isn’t going to help or affect me or my grade. I would like to return to school, but only if everything was back to normal. Overall, I think hybrid learning will be a lot of help for many students who can get on-hand help if they need it, but I don’t think it would be worth it for me.

     

  • Boredom Strikes: What to do when class is over?

    This school year has already been different from anything students have ever experienced. Most students start school at 7:50 am. We wake up to open our computer sometimes not even getting ready for the day. For the first time in its history, the Long Beach Unified School District is forced into homeschooling across the entire district.  For seniors this school year is new to them in many ways with the responsibility of applying to colleges, scholarships or finding a job. With school being online and ending a bit earlier for most seniors, the remainder of the day goes to homework. Even after doing homework and some studying there is still time in the day that can be filled by doing many activities. Have you been active? Have you been eating because you’re bored? Have you been sleeping your days away? Here are a few safe ways to fill your days during the pandemic:

     

    • After classes go on a walk or run

    A 30 minutes walk or run through your neighborhood or the closest park(with a mask) may be just enough activity you desire. 30 minutes of activity is just the start of creating healthy habits. If you wish to start working out there are many free personal trainer videos on YouTube and websites that can help you begin your journey at home and at your own pace.

     

    • Make breakfast/ learn how to cook your favorite meal?

    There are many YouTube videos as well as cooking shows that can be streamed to help you discover new meals to cook. You can also find blogs giving detailed steps on the food you are trying to create.

     

    • Bake desserts

    On Netflix there are a number of baking series available giving insight on different desserts and how to make them. If you don’t have access to cooking shows there are always YouTube videos you can watch as well. You can also be creative and create your own sweet treat using your favorite ingredients and prior skills.

     

    • Try different hairstyles

    Although many people will not get to see your hairstyle getting up and trying a different look builds confidence and may change your mood. YouTube and Pinterest have some of the best ideas for new hairstyles.

     

    • Paint or draw 

    Painting and drawing always helps me express myself. If you feel as if you’re not artistic whatsoever then this isn’t the activity for you. Painting and drawing can be time consuming and expensive if you are dedicated. Supplies can be found at a local drug store, 99 cent store and art and crafts stores such as Michaels. Getting your emotions down on paper can be a therapeutic experience called art therapy, different colors, styles and texture can inflict certain types of emotions and even relief. In art there are no mistakes, anything you make is beautiful. 

     

    • Discover different diets 

    There are many ways you can start healthy eating habits. Blogs and YouTube can be essential tools to your new journey. Here’s a helpful link to a blog I used when I began my Keto diet: 

    https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/essential-guide-to-healthy-eating/

     

    • Discover new movies or shows 

    There are many ways to watch movies or series either way it can be streamed through various apps. If you sign up for subscriptions for at least $9 a month each you can have access to Netflix, Hulu, HBO, STARZ and for a few dollars more you can subscribe to Disney Plus. All of these streaming apps include  original shows and  movies and a variety of popular movies and series from various networks. There are also movies that are and able to rent that can be streamed through YouTube. My personal favorite shows at the moment are Hannibal, One on One, Sister Sister, Moesha and Grand Army, which can be found on Netflix.

     

  • My Braces Experience

    My Braces Experience

    I feel at some point everyone wanted to have braces whether you needed them or not. Prior to me having braces, I would see people with them, and I never really realized that these people were having their teeth moved by it every single day. 

     

    Before I get into my experience with having them I wanna give a brief explanation of what braces are. Braces have different parts to it, so first brackets (this is what holds your wire) are glued to every tooth, then you start with a thin wire  placed to go through each bracket, your wire is what is moving your teeth. Braces wires come in different thicknesses, you usually start with a thin wire, and upgrade to a thicker one little by little then the wire us attached to the bracket by rubber bands, which are your choice of color. Then every month you MUST go in for a check up where they change your color bands (may switch to different colors) and the bands may be smaller making your braces tighter, which makes your teeth move a bit faster, and you may also get a new wire, but that depends on how much your teeth has moved since your last check up. Braces straighten your teeth, and also fixes your jaw, over bite, and under bite.

     

    Now I have had my braces for about 4 months now and let me tell you something… these braces have a lot more maintenance than I thought! 

     

    So first thing I had to do was go in for a consultation where they see if you can benefit from braces treatment. The next thing they do is fix anything with your teeth, for example, one of my teeth had a root canal so before I got my braces they had to get that removed and I also had a small hole in my tooth that they had to fill. After all that is done they sized my teeth to add molar bands (brackets on your molars but wrapped around the tooth instead of just in front). After that the next appointment is when you get your full set of braces. 

     

    Now I was really excited to get these braces – I been waiting forever to get my teeth straighten – but what I didn’t realize was the maintenance that came with braces. Literally ANYTHING you eat will get stuck in your braces and it’s not easy to get the food out. I always have to rinse out my mouth after I eat. And within the four months I’ve had braces, I’ve broken four brackets total off my teeth, which you have to go in and get redone. I have also had my wire come out on the ends many times, which you also have to go in and get placed back in, if your wire comes out at the ends your braces will NOT work. 

     

    And going in every month is a lot too, when you go in every month they tighten your braces, so you feel some pressure on your teeth for about two days and if you miss appointments your braces won’t work because you didn’t go get the adjustments you need. Also if you miss your monthly appointment that adds another month to your braces treatment. Braces has also changed what I eat, I try to stay away from hard foods because it’s better than breaking off your brackets and that’s hard for me because I like crunchy foods.  

     

    It has also affected my night routine. In order to keep my teeth clean and white, I brush my teeth for 10 minutes each night, which is a long time to be brushing your teeth, not saying 10 minutes is needed but you know I gotta keep these teeth nice and white and especially since you gotta get in between your braces. You’re also supposed to floss every night which is difficult to do cause you have to go in between your braces before even being about to floss, but I went ahead and purchased myself a water floss to make it easier, it’s like a water gun that constantly shoot out water to clean out the food from in between your braces and teeth. This replaces regular flossing completely and it’s way faster. 

    But the results in my teeth in just four months are amazing!  The before and after pictures of my teeth show you the results: p

     

     

  • Opinion: Canceled SAT

    This month, all of Long Beach Poly’s students were notified that the October 14 SAT was canceled. I believe this was the right move by the school, to place health before anything else, but I and a lot of my peers can’t help but feel that we are at a disadvantage. 

    As a senior, I have not taken the SAT and many of my peers have not taken it either. Even though many colleges and universities have made the SAT optional, the word optional makes it feel as if it is still something crucial. 

    Even before quarantine, the SAT was inaccessible and too time-consuming for students. While some students can splurge on tutors and prep books, other students only have access to YouTube and libraries that only contain books that are outdated and worn out.  Not only that, but the high price of the SAT was not designed for communities of lower socioeconomic status. Even with the fee waiver, it still does not account for the money needed for a tutor.

    When the best variable used to predict a high SAT score is high household income, there should be a red flag. Throughout my 17 years in America, the one thing I am most certain of is that institutions continue to marginalize and overlook poor communities. In addition, how do we know if the SAT is an effective way of measuring intelligence? It can’t possibly be that intelligence is constant because each student is unique and come from their own culture. Due to this rich diversity, each student is intelligent in their own ways, yet the SAT fails to take that into consideration.

    In the future, I can only hope that the SAT can change. That the SAT can become a test that doesn’t measure income but truly measures a child’s own individual intelligence and potential for success.

     

  • New Dog in Town

    New Dog in Town

    Kelly Rodriguez, center, with Zion, left, and King, right.

    This is Zion, my dog. The small dog is my sister’s dog, named King. We are going to talk about King first. We got King when he was two weeks old. My mom got him from my grampa for $50. We have had him for two years now. He´s really smart and we don´t have to put a leash on him. Also, we never trained King or Zion.

     

    Zion is a really good dog. We got him when he was two months old. Zion was my brother’s dog at first. My brother’s name is James. He paid $400 for Zion he was supposed to pay 800, but my tia’s girlfriend was friends with the girl who sold Zion to us. James and I agreed that I would take care of Zion when he’s at work.

    Zion when he was a puppy.

    So I took care of Zion and my brother would come home and not give him any attention because he was tired and Zion would make a lot of mess, so my brother decided he wants to sell him and my mom was okay with it because she doesn’t want him. After all, he’s going to grow big but I told both of them no I’ll keep him since I take care of him more than my brother since he’s always working. My mom said no I can´t keep him but I begged her to let me keep him and she said okay.

     

    Now Zion is seven months. He’s a husky mixed with a   german shepherd. Zion still makes a lot of mess. I walk him every day for like 30 minutes or less. I take him everywhere with me because my mom doesn´t want him in the house. Sometimes when I try to go somewhere I can´t because of him since my mom doesn´t want to babysit him, so I just stay home or try to figure out something.

    Zion is in the festive Halloween spirit.

    Zion is an indoor dog because I live in an apartment and my neighbor has other dogs outside and they don´t want Zion close to their dog because he’s big so I try to take him out when I go somewhere.

     

    Zion loves meeting new people and kids, he is so nice to them. One day we went to the dog beach and he lay down next to someone and tried to hug them – I got a little jealous.

     

    Zion is my whole world, the only one who makes me happy. Also, dogs are better than people.

     

    Kelly Rodriguez with Zion.

  • My New Normal: Kelly Rodriguez

    When I first wake up I get my Chromebook to start my first period without getting ready. Sometimes I sleep in my class or watch youtube when my teachers are not talking or when I am done with my work. My son (dog) always wants to play while I’m in class so I go outside with him while I’m in class and let him run around or just throw his toys so he can get it.

    Also, I have some reasons why I don’t like online school. One of them is I have a lot of siblings in the house. There is nowhere in the house that you can be by yourself. Also, my mom tells me to pick up my son’s (dog’s) mess or to clean up or help her with the kids because she doesn’t know how to work the Chromebook. It’s just hard to learn when there are a lot of people in the house. A lot of my teachers don’t know how to give examples of how things work online or how to work some of the apps they tell us to get on. Sometimes I don’t feel like being on zoom with them.

  • Humans of Quarantine: Chilling, Exhausted, and Not Missing the Beach

    Humans of Quarantine: Chilling, Exhausted, and Not Missing the Beach

    “Lately I have been feeling extremely exhausted and overwhelmed by not only school and distance-learning, but from my community being torn apart and all over the place from past/recent tragedies.”
    —Mahogani Sogules-Corbin

     

    “Quarantine just means I don’t have to worry as much about wearing sunscreen.”
    —Sophia DelBello
    Reymar Santos, High Life Staff Writer: “This is my Uncle Eddie, he’s been chilling and pushing through this quarantine and he said, ‘Make the most of the time spent with your family because that is all that we can do. Enjoy life that’s it.’ “
    “Life WAS like a box of chocolates, but now its as uneventful as a Kit Kat Bar from the 99¢ store.”
    —Christian Gisborne
  • How Covid-19 Affects Youth’s Mental Health

    How Covid-19 Affects Youth’s Mental Health

    Mental health, though often stigmatized, has been an issue since before Covid 19 shifted our everyday lives. Now, as stay at home orders displace us from our work and school environments and our everyday routine, mental health continues to be a top issue, especially among young people. 

     

    According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 10–20% of adolescents globally experience mental health conditions, yet these remain undiagnosed and untreated. 

     

    At least one in five youth aged 9–17 years currently has a diagnosable mental health disorder that causes some degree of impairment; one in 10 has a disorder that causes significant impairment. 

     

    Regardless of whether youth have a diagnosed or undiagnosed disorder, factors such as isolation, fear, and a lack of engagement with friends and peers can negatively affect a young person’s mental health and lead to stress and anxiety.

     

    As social distancing, isolation, and online learning become the norm, how has this taken a toll on students’ mental well-being?  Four Poly students were asked how the Covid 19 pandemic has affected their mental health personally. Here’s what they said:

     

    Lizette Karina Ramon, Pace Senior

    “It’s been so hard because I’ve had a lack of motivation for doing things. This whole situation is depressing, and the way our country is handling this pandemic is frustrating. My mental health has not been the best because I try my best to be optimistic but the way things are going, I don’t think they are going to get better soon. I’m just very tired mentally.”

     

     

     

     

    Luis Cuahtli Sanchez, Justice Junior

    “You lose a lot of motivation for doing school work just for passing, it’s like they’re simply giving us things to do and not giving things for us to learn. 

     

    But I’ve forced myself to get used to this because this pandemic will last a long while so it’s better to make it easier for me rather than harder. 

     

    But still….just knowing this virus is out there and there’s no vaccine just scares me, it can infect anyone, my friends, my family and even me. But there’s no point in being scared all day, there are still things that have to be done and we can only hope for the best outcome for everyone in the future and hope this ends soon. This has affected me quite a lot and it takes time to get used to it.”

     

    Maya Morales, CIC Freshman

    “The first few weeks were easy mentally. I was being lazy but I was happy. After about a month or so, I started to feel depressed. It went on for a few days and the whole time I didn’t leave my house at all. I didn’t want to go anywhere and for some reason, I would just listen to sad music and make myself even more sad and cry. So dramatic!

     I think just being inside all the time and feeling a little lonely because my sister, my mom and my dad would work for so long, it messed with me a little. But I learned you just need to be a little more active and not simply do homework and stay in the house all day. Working-out or any physical exercise like a walk helps boost your mental health and makes you a little more productive.”

     

    Lance Manago, Meds Senior

     

    “I’m doing pretty good honestly. Online school is okay, but I just miss everything about waking up early and driving to school and seeing all my friends and teachers.

    I would say it didn’t affect my mental health but rather affected my physical health. I’m an outside person, I love being outside and try to be active every day. 

    I was also looking forward to graduation and prom and grad night, it truly sucks what class of 2020 has to go through”

     

  • Celebrating HERstory!

    Celebrating HERstory!

    Happy Women’s History Month!

    The High Life staff features some of the inspiring women they admire.

    Don’t forget to celebrate the women in your life everyday!

  • Hairspray! Feb 20-22

    Hairspray! Feb 20-22

    The Poly Theater Department is opening Hairspray on February 20 in the Andrew Osman Performing Arts Center. Auditions were held for all Poly students the last three days before Thanksgiving break in 2019, and the chosen cast has been working hard the past three months for this production.
    Hairspray follows the story of Tracy Turnblad, an overweight high school girl who auditions for a local TV dance show, The Corny Collins Show, with dance moves inspired by her African-American classmates met in detention. Much of the plot follows her attempts to integrate the show.
    “This particular story is very culturally-relevant even though it takes place in the 1960s,” drama director, Linda Bon, said. “It has a timeless message that I think most students will appreciate and enjoy.”
    Hairspray will perform at 6:30 P.M. on February 20-22, plus an additional matinee showing on Saturday (February 22) at 1:30 P.M. Tickets cost $10 per student and $15 per adult but are available for presale at a discounted price through the banker.
    Athea Aguel and Gabby Kaiser are both starring as Tracy. Mara Stanford and Maile Quinn are cast as Penny (Tracy’s best friend), Lucas Nguyen has been cast as Link (Tracy’s love interest), and Joseph Diress and Elijah Simmons are both starring as Seaweed (Penny’s love interest). The play’s main antagonist, Amber, is played by Hannah Gardiner, and her mother, Velma, is played by Amanda Angeles and Mica Ramos.
    Select roles are double cast, so certain nights will have different actors portraying the characters. Mara Stanford, cast as Penny in Cast A, said she loves working with her counterpart to pull off the show, even if they are not going to be starring at the same time.
    Althea Aguel couldn’t believe she was cast as Tracy for Cast B while still a freshman.
    “I think everyone was cast…according to their personality and skill level,” she said. “Everyone’s really passionate about it. It’s exciting to be in a place where everyone loves what they’re doing.”
    Every cast member has put their “heart and soul” into the making of the musical, she said, so she encourages everyone to come and support.
    “It’s such an exciting entertainment mode because of the music and dancing,” Bon said. “The script is hilarious, so I think that most high school students would enjoy it more than they think they would.”
    “It’s a lot of fun. Everyone’s so talented, leads are fantastic, other than me,” Stanford joked before adding, “I’m really proud of everybody.”

  • Onision and Chris Hansen

    Youtube has been trying to enforce regulations to keep viewers safe from creators. But, what happens when Youtube fails to create safety measures fast enough? YouTube creators have been abusing their platform for their gains– whether it’s to make more money or for their selfish needs. Logan Paul demonstrated this behavior when he exploited a suicide victim and XtremeGamez, demonstrated this behavior when he pretended to be dying. Both did it for views.
    Chris Hansen, known for his segment, How to Catch a Predator, took it in his own hands, to shut down creators who abused their power. In November 2019, Hansen debuted his new YouTube series, Have a Seat with Chris Hansen and addressed controversial YouTuber, Onision.
    Hansen realized that Onision’s online actions have been questionable. Concerningly, Onision has a series online where he comments on underage girl bodies. He once stated that cutters are “white girls” doing it for attention. Mockingly saying “I’m just gonna put lines in my skin because that makes sense.”
    But that was not the cause of Hansen’s investigations. Hansen began investigating after it came to his concern that Onision has been grooming his fans, specifically underage girls.
    Onision, along with his fiance, Kai Anderson, is being accused of grooming a fifteen-year-old girl named Sarah, for sex and eighteen-year-old model, Billie Webb. Both victims spoke out against the abuse they witnessed by Anderson and Onision on Chris Hansen’s new YouTube series.
    After Hansen created attention towards the situation, the FBI has created an open investigation. The FBI currently is looking at Onision’s alleged predatory behavior and child grooming.
    Chris Hansen attempted to receive a response from Onision, to allow him to defend himself. However, Onision called the police on him for “internet stalking,” and filed a lawsuit on Hansen.
    Onision seems to be avoiding any repercussions and uses his fans as a barrier from the law. The Onision and Chris Hansen drama shows the dark side of Youtube. portraying it as a site to exploit viewers for income and personal pleasures.