Tag: Long Beach Poly High Life

  • Cleanliness and Safety as Lockdown Lifts

    Although cleanliness in most public spaces is kept up by janitorial staff or maid services, the CDC recommends that you also take preventative measures of your own.

    The Center for Disease and Control Prevention has created an extensive list of preventative measures for public places to consider when reopening to minimize contact and contamination. It’s quite extensive, so being able to quickly give a shorter list of quick behaviors to look out for both at home and out and about are important.

     

    1. Watch the staff at a restaurant.

    Keeping an eye on how they move around if they wear gloves or not, and how thoroughly they clean off surfaces could keep both yourself and others safe. Ensure that they space tables out carefully, are wiped down carefully if/when you have the chance. They should wear masks consistently, and there’s a possibility they were told to also wear gloves. While their individual cleaning habits cannot be tracked, making sure your server keeps to the guidelines can keep both yourself and others safe.

     

    2. See how they handle other customers.

    It’s not a restaurants’ responsibility to keep everyone happy, but it is their responsibility to keep everyone safe. If a customer is unwilling to wear their mask or follow the CDC guidelines for dining safely, that is their own fault. However, if the restaurant continues to cater to this individual, regardless of their dangerous behavior, the restaurant would be at fault. They are not only putting their own employees but other patrons in the restaurant in possible harm, regardless if they are dining inside or outside.

     

    3. Make sure Inside/outside dining areas are clean, and spaced out accordingly

    Inside dining has been recently allowed by Los Angeles County, but outside dining is still provided as an option. While outside dining was a way for restaurants to cope with the ban on inside dining, both are now open to the public in almost any restaurant you can think of. Some have welcomed inside dining with open arms, some less so. But the rules and needs of outside dining should still be followed in the restaurant to the best of the staff’s ability. Open windows and large/empty spaces between tables could still be upheld. Cleaning should still be done meticulously, and masks and gloves should still be worn.

    4. If you can, watch how they make food

    While some cooking is done in the background, or as passive entertainment with a small view, some diner-style restaurants have large openings where you can see into the kitchen area if you’re sitting at the right tables or booths. Get one of these, if you can, and while you wouldn’t be able to tell what each dish the workers in the kitchen are making, see if you can pick out how they make food if they’re wearing gloves while doing so, and how often they may or may not clean the counters or their hands, and if the chefs themselves wear masks. While kitchen cleanliness has always been an important part of restaurant hygiene, it’s even more important now.

     

    5. Don’t allow your own cleanliness habits to slip

    When in public, the first person you need to look out for is yourself, especially in restaurants, while keeping an eye on the environment around you, make sure you don’t put yourself or those around you in danger. Always wear a mask unless eating, ensure that you can stay a safe distance away from others, clean up after yourself, and ensure you’re touching as few surfaces as possible. 

     

     

    Now, however, there are dangers to having a less-than-suitable cleaning routine, either inside your home or out with others. Having a less than reliable cleaning staff could get your entire business shut down, and not cleaning your home properly, with parents and students now going back to work or school, could cause one or more people in the household to get sick, or worse. Weekly, routine cleaning is needed to keep everyone in a restaurant or at home safe. 

     

    1. Clean yourself off once you get home

    A quick and easy way to make sure possible hazards don’t enter your home is by tossing your clothes in the washer once you get home and putting on new, clean clothes. It’s possible that airborne and contact germs found their way onto your clothes and yourself, taking a shower and getting into clean clothes once you get home would be the best way to minimize germs entering your household.

     

    2. Make sure you have a regular cleaning schedule

    As entering and leaving your home becomes more commonplace, it’s important that you keep the spaces you frequent the cleanest. Having a reliable cleaning routine when you return home is a good thing, but germs can always enter your home, and cleaning your home often and with good disinfectant would be an easy way to keep your home and everyone in it safe.

     

    3. Make sure to clean any packages that come to your doorstep

    Home delivery before the quarantine was a common practice but became almost necessary when stuck at home and in need of quickly delivered, commonly used necessities. However, being able to know where exactly packages you order have been, or how well they’ve been handled is impossible. Along with yourself, and your home, clean the boxes that you bring into your home before opening them, and ensure anything your order is cleaned before being brought into your home. 

     

    4. Minimize the guests in your home

    Much like at the beginning of lockdown, being able to stay home and isolated with your roommates and family are the easiest ways to stay safe, but with the slowly loosening restrictions on dining, outings, and visitors, having a person or two in your home wouldn’t be a terrible idea. However, that doesn’t mean you allow them to easter through your home, forgo watching their hands, or minimizing the time they stay with you. It would be a safe bet to meet on your lawn, porch, or outside your home, and if you do allow them into your home, make sure to clean up after them, and any surfaces they touched.

     

    5. Always have cleaning supplies on standby

    Being able to keep yourself and your home clean isn’t a new idea, but with the dangers, we could still face, even with the slowly lifting precautions of the lockdown, having a small stock of cleaning supplies tucked away in a bathroom or closet could be necessary in case something worrying happens, and the harsher lockdown is put back into place. Cleaning supplies were a bit hard to come by in the beginning, and if there were to be a second lockdown, finding cleaning supplies would be near impossible.

  • 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.

     

  • An FAQ Focused on College Degrees

    With the end of every school year comes the idea of uncertainty of what’s next, and how you might get there, epically for the seniors of the 2020-21 school year. Steps can be taken to complete a college application or file for student aid or loans, but choosing what to do for the rest of your life is a strenuous decision that will have an impact on the rest of your life. Questions fly through the air and, sometimes it’s hard to find answers.

    Listed below are ten general questions that might help you choose which degree you might pursue to get the job you want:

     

    1. What are the levels of college degrees?

    College degrees have four major categories for degrees: Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral. The degrees on their own can take two to eight years to complete depending on the degree you chose, and the field you’re going to study. Associates Degrees usually take around two years to complete. Both Bachelors and Masters Degrees can take anywhere from two to a cap of six years to complete, and a Doctorate or Ph.D. takes at least four years to complete.

     

    2. Which college degree should I get for my field of study?

    The college degree you get is based entirely on what you want to do with it, and how far you think you’ll be able to go with it. Some are content with an Associates Degree, and the limited knowledge that might come with it. Many, however, would recommend a Bachelor’s Degree at least, to gain the basic knowledge of the field you’re studying. A Master’s degree is also a decent choice to achieve for any field of study, and would only require an extra year or two of study. A Doctorate of Ph.D., however, is usually reserved for medical degrees and those going into the intensive or extensive field of study, and would not be recommended by many to achieve.

     

    3. Is it good to get a Doctorate degree?

    Of course, you can get a doctorate degree, but whether you should is an entirely different matter. By getting the credentials you affirm that you know exactly what you’re talking about, but in most cases, while you’re working on getting your doctorate or Ph.D., your peers who only went for a bachelor’s or master’s degree may have already advanced and established your careers. All-in-all a doctorate or Ph.D. is not recommended. For many medical professions, however, and professions like researchers and college professors, a Ph.D. is mandatory.

     

    4. Can/Should I Double Major?

    Double majoring is a popular choice if both majors you want to obtain are close to are nearly the same profession, Like a Finance and Accounting double major, or the majors for Engineering and Mathematics. Having this extra knowledge for your field can help with gaining an internship or a job. 

    Many colleges have a chance of double majoring as well, as well as pre-made schedules for classes and possible internships to allow students to complete a double major within four/five years. Double majoring is a good idea if there’s a second major that you may need to make it further into your career.

     

    5. What is a Minor?/Should I Get a Minor?

    A minor is a second, smaller degree that you can achieve along with your major. If there is a second topic or set of classes that you may want to take that does not pertain to your chosen major enough to consider double majoring, a minor is a good choice. On its own, it’s possible to gain a minor in three years, but it is impossible to obtain a minor without simultaneously participating in a degree program of some sort. A minor cannot be obtained on its own. You can, however, obtain multiple minors as long as you’re actively working towards your major.

     

    6. What happens if I drop out of my degree?

    Dropping out of a degree program can have a very selfish or selfless reason, but regardless of why, not many hear about the aftermath unless they drop out themselves, or they hear it first or second hand. If you drop out of a degree program, you still have all the credits of any classes you finished and passed while getting your degree, but under no circumstance can you claim that you completed your program. It also might be a small scuff on your academic record, but if you dropped due to personal or familial reasons, it doesn’t matter why you needed to drop. However, getting back into school to finish your degree may be difficult, and transferring your degree to a different school may be even more difficult.

     

    7. Can I get a third Major?

    There is no limit on how many degrees any person can get, regardless of what they are or what they may be used for. The pursuit of education is a noble goal, and no college can bar you from getting as many degrees as your heart desires. However, after you fulfill graduation requirements for a bachelor’s degree, you will no longer be eligible for federal education grants.

     

    8. How would my degree be useful?

    The main goal of getting a degree would be proving to your employer and your peers that you understand what you’re talking about and that you can be trusted with the part of you job that pertains to your degree What you get your degree for, or the broad ways you can use your degree, can also be useful. If you get a degree that can be used for a wide variety of jobs, it gives you the option to choose which job you want to do. 

     

    9.  Can I continue to the next degree if I stop at an AA or Bachelors?

    If you stop at an AA or Bachelor and take a break from schooling, it’s possible to go back and advance your knowledge or the degree and your knowledge to a Bachelors or Masters. Each degree is a type of “stepping stone”, meant for the knowledge you earn to lead you to the next step. It’s always a recommendation to advance your degree to your own desire. Though the time you may take between getting one degree and taking the step to get the next degree may hinder the knowledge you remember and can affect how fast you may be able to obtain a Bachelors or Masters. It can also make it harder to go back to school because in the time off you might get a job, get married, or have kids, all of which makes it harder to go back to school!

    10. Do I Have to get a degree if I want to take college courses?

    Some colleges and universities may require you have the main goal of earning a degree to take classes at their school, but many community colleges have no requirement of getting a degree to expand your pool of knowledge, though not an ivy league school, any Community college or university is a good source of higher-grade classes for young adults wanting to take leisure classes, adults who want to expand their knowledge, or elders who want to get back into studying.

  • 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: sierra brott-hunter

     

    Online school 

    The 2021 school year has started online and at home because of Covid 19 so I am here to talk about why I like online school and why I don’t like online. My routine for online school is that I wake up like 20 minutes I get ready and I get some food. I feed my dogs and give them water. I wait for my classes to start and that’s all I do.

     

    My reasons why I like online school

    1. I  can work at my own pace. Working at my own pace does not stress me out. 
    2. It is faster to do some assignments. I basically self teach myself things and so the assignments are fast and I like typing more than writing.
    3. If I need a break I can just take a break from it. Like if I’m doing an assignment, I can just stop and work on it later.
    4. I can teach myself faster. I don’t have to wait to move on. I can just move and go. 
    5. I learn a bit faster than actual school in the classroom. In classroom learning is a bit slower than online school because when you are in class you have to learn with everyone else but when it’s online the assignments are already posted and I can just  look at it and read it and get it done and move on to the other assignments. 

    There are many more reasons why I like online school but it’s time to give my reasons why I do not like online school.

      So here we go:

    1. Classes are too long. I don’t like long classes because they are stressful and sometimes it gets boring just looking at a screen and sitting in the same spot  for that long.
    2.  Some of my teachers are giving too much work. They pile so many assignments on, I do not like the piling of the assignments because some teachers think that we only have  work for their class and pile on five assignments that are due the same day  and it gets really stressful because I have other work to do for other classes.
    3. I get a headache from staring at a screen  for 90 minutes. I don’t even stare at my phone that long. I wear glasses. I know wearing glasses helps  when you are working on a computer and everything because of the bluelight thing they have in a lesne, but I don’t like staring at a screen that long because it hurts my eyes and it gives me bad headaches. It is not healthy to be looking at a screen that long for 90 minutes straight and for 7 hours out of the day.
    4. Some of my teachers don’t know how to explain things and give examples. So in two of my clases my teacher will just give us the assignment and be like here you go, imma put you in breakout rooms and the teacher never gives us directions. Then my other teacher will be like here is the work due by the end of the week and barely  gives us an explanation on how to do it. 
    5. I start to get distracted. Staring at one thing for a long time. I lose interest in it because it will have to be explained more than three times and I start to lose interest. I will look at my phone or get up and walk around to stretch my legs.
    6. I have to help with my dogs while I’m in class. So my dogs love attention don’t get me wrong I love my dogs but they love to bother me when I’m in class. They will high pitched bark or scratch at the door or scratch me, they will walk  were my computer charger is and it will get unplugged.
    7. I don’t like turning my camera on. I hate  showing my face on camera in zoom classes because sometimes I’ll just wake up and roll outta bed and go on zoom so I will be looking crusty. It’s also kinda awkward just having your face on the screen and having other people look at you.
    8.  The teachers always calls me to read. I hate reading out loud. I am an independent reader. I like reading by myself. 
    9. Some of my teachers don’t know how to work canvas. The teacher will be like i posted an assignment  and tell us to go do it and it will be locked  till 1:06 and we will tell the teacher and the teacher will start arguing with us and  finally realize it’s locked.
    10.  Canvas assignments disappear and I sometimes have to restart them. It gets really annoying when that happens, then I just get frustrated. I can go on and on about why I don’t really like online school. There are so many more reasons but just to make it short, that is why I like and I don’t like online school.

     

  • 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
  • Long Beach Hospitals prepare for rush of patients among COVID-19 outbreak

    Long Beach Hospitals prepare for rush of patients among COVID-19 outbreak

    As of April 8, Long Beach has a total of 256 confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus, a number which Mayor Garcia says is expected to rise exponentially in the coming weeks. All businesses deemed non-essential are closed down and those that are still open, such as grocery stores, restaurants or banks are putting tight restrictions on human interaction such as placing markers at entrances and checkout lines at six foot intervals to promote social distancing. 

    Hospitals and healthcare facilities are rushing to prepare for an unavoidable rush of patients. Friday, April 3, Mayor Robert Garcia sent out an email to city residents explaining the steps these hospitals are taking in preparation. The convention center has already been converted into a 100 bed hospital and there is speculation of even using the Queen Mary as a medical facility. 

    “We are doing everything we can to prepare for the patient surge in our hospitals in the weeks ahead,” Garcia said. 

    Even with all the measures in place, cases of the virus are still surging in the United States. Recently, the US passed both Italy and China in confirmed cases topping at a staggering 300,000 people testing positive. California has seen 14,000 of the 375,000 cases in the States, even though Governor Gavin Newsom has been strict on enforcing a new “safer at home” initiative and encouraging citizens to remain inside their houses only allowing leave for work and essential shopping.  

    Due to prior limitations to testing, the number of COVID positive patients was a mystery but as a new drive through testing site opens at the Pacific LBCC campus, the number of confirmed cases are likely to rise. 

    But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do about it.

    Mayor Garcia offers this advice: “If you want to help us stop the emergency that could face our hospitals in the weeks ahead, we need you to stay home if possible and social distance.” 

  • Ready for the Real World?

    This week, I and many other seniors will be given a diploma and moving on into whatever kind of life we want to live. It is up to us to determine if we will continue education, have jobs, or just do nothing.

    I’ve been waiting for the moment to finally graduate and have my life set. But as that day is approaching closer, I dread it more and more. Why was I so excited for this as a kid and what made me think I would have everything figured out by then?

    If anything I feel more confused and overwhelmed than ever before. What exactly is in store for me? And why does it seem like I’m being pushed out into something I’m not really prepared for? Yup that’s right, adulthood. This has been a long struggle, being in in school, for SO many years. It’s routine and what I’ve been doing the past 13 years. In these 13 years what have I learned? Maybe some social skills and how kids can be cruel sometimes. The basic subjects such as math, history, english, and science. But what about managing my money? That’s only something that I’m really learning and investing in my senior year. Why does everything cost so much anyways? Applying for jobs, it’s a struggle, especially when I’ve been trying for months to get a job. Hello? I’ve been calling for so long now. Please give me a job, please.

    I’ve decided for myself that I will continue to do even more education, all in the favor of trying to have a career that will hopefully keep me stable. Good luck to me and all the other seniors who are going to struggle and try to survive.

  • Prom Dress Season

    On April 14, Rachel Suojanen, the 1-2 Japanese teacher, hosted a Prom dress giveaway called the Prom Dress Boutique at the Jewish Foundation in Long Beach.

    Students in Long Beach are given an opportunity to get a prom dress and other things that are in need of prom material.
    The Boutique is designed to be organized with dressing rooms, volunteers, etc. There will be a raffle for free makeovers and other prizes.
    Suojanen has partnered with the Women’s Philanthropy to make this event happen.
    She also let students know around campus where and how they could donate dresses, shoes, and jewelry for the event.

    Dresses from multiple sources have come in and have become resourceful for the students in need of them.
    The goal is to help young girls be themselves with the right sources, especially when shopping for Prom is expensive.
    The committee also explained that this event is for invited guests only, so it is up to the counselors to outreach to those in need.
    As well made it know to students through Schoolloop to reach out to their counselors too.
    She coordinated with counselors to make sure that they recommended students who could benefit from this event.
    The Boutique is to enlighten girls who are insecure about themselves, to make them feel better about themselves, their personalities, and embrace them individuality.

    This event will become a tradition for Long Beach to ensure that students get to have an opportunity to be themselves at prom.

  • Banker Blues

    Banker Blues

    With the AP test payment storm now complete, many Poly students have now interacted with the new banker, Lynne Amyx.
    For the past few years, Poly students have faced what seems like an ever-changing banker and system.
    It has confused many students and done little to assuage potential concerns about the organization of the high school’s financial system.
    According to Brett Alexander, Yearbook and Speech and Debate teacher, Poly was “spoiled” by the previous banker, Lovinia Ilog.
    Ilog worked as a banker at Poly for over 25 years, and had an efficient approach honed by years of experience working with the system.
    She was a “well-oiled machine” as described by Alexander and many students.

    After she left about a year and a half ago, the Poly community got a new banker by the name of Andrea Sanchez.
    Sanchez was enthusiastic but “notoriously slow” according to sophomore Jason White.
    Her hiring came at a time of a transition in Poly’s banking system from paper-based to electronic.
    This transition proved difficult for her, which may have partially caused the long lines to pay for dance tickets and AP tests that plagued the school last year.

    Several people said that at one point Sanchez left a vendor payment check for around $30,000 unsent, and it was found later on the bottom or a pile of papers.

    In addition, she also failed to deposit over $200 in personal checks that were intended for an academic program.
    Sanchez applied for a position at Wilson High School and was hired, leaving Poly.
    Alexander believes that this was largely due to better alleged opportunities at Wilson than at Poly.
    With the new electronic banking system well in place, new banker Amyx is well-positioned to succeed at Poly.
    It is in the high school’s best interest to have a well-organized and thorough banker to keep the school and students in good fiscal order.

     

    Update: A previous version of this article stated that Sanchez was transferred, however she applied for the transfer, interviewed, and it was approved.

  • 2019 C-SPAN Competition

    The 2019 Student Documentary Competition, C-Span’s StudentCam winners have been announced!
    Poly had four winning teams this year for the cable news channel’s StudentCam Competition.
    One out of the four teams earned the 2nd Prize, which is highest award Poly’s ever received compared to previous years.
    What exactly StudentCam is? C-SPAN’s “annual national video documentary competition”, according to their website, which requires students to think more in depth about issues affecting our communities and our nation.

    Students are given the platform in order to express their views on whatever topic is given for the yearly competition.
    The topic for this year was “What Does It Mean To Be American?”
    One of the requirements was to choose between a constitutional right, national characteristic, or historic event and explain how it defines the American experience.

    Competition was open to students from grade levels 6-12.
    There were middle and high school categories.
    Students could have chosen to compete individually, or in teams of either 2 or 3 members. Including clips either supporting or opposing C-SPAN video, relating with the topic.

    The length of the documentaries ranges from 5-6 minutes.
    There were about 150 winning entries announced on Wednesday March 13, according to their website calculating their votes.
    Students were asked to pick their favorite documentary out of the entries, submitted by January 20. Voting was open from Monday February 25 to midnight Sunday March 3.

    C-SPAN plans to attend Poly on April 18 to congratulate the students who earned awards. The ceremony will be held possibly in room 310 or the library, it’s still in the works.

    They as well travel with a gigantic bus across the country, where they showcase the winning entries.
    To give an idea of just how gigantic this bus is, Jeff Montooth has stated their has been “trouble fitting it anywhere at Poly”.
    The 2nd place team from Poly, awarded $1,500m was Hamid Torabzadeh, Katherine Padilla & Pia Hao, with their video titled “Retained by the People- The Promise of America”.

    There was quite a few, honorable mention winners, awarded with $250.
    The honorable mention winners consisted of students Grant Atwood, Justin Rosu and Jacob Jacoub in their video “We Didn’t All Come on the Mayflower”; Samantha Williams and Inanna Khansa, with their video “The Press and the People”; And lastly, Audrey Song with “One Person, One Vote”.