Tag: Long Beach Poly High Life

  • Microsoft Welcomes Minority Students!

    Microsoft Welcomes Minority Students!

    Polytechnic High School was cordially invited to attend Microsoft’s annual Minority student day.
    This is the second year it is held in Southern California, but worldwide has been an event for 29 years.
    According to Microsoft’s Diversity and Inclusion Blog, 4.1% of workers are African American, 1.8% are Latino or Hispanic, and .5% are Indigenous.

    Caucasians are the majority, 55% of workers, meaning that there is a need for diversity in the technology field.
    Microsoft aims to have a more inclusive image, accepting people of all backgrounds to be successful within their company.
    In attempt to raise the number of minorities, this day hopes to inspire our generation to work within the fields of technology and business management.

    Based on how dependent humans are on technology, there will be an increase in the number of people that need to work in technologically related majors.

    The event exposed students to new technology systems, such as the HoloLens software that mixes virtual reality with the real world.
    These mixed reality systems are the foundation for future architect, engineers, and even surgeons.
    Lauren Reynolds, a senior at Poly, said, “ It was interesting to see how much technology can benefit our future in multiple aspects. It allows us to access information more conveniently by technically being hands-free.”

    Overall, there are many opportunities to benefit all students of color by being able to intern for Microsoft in college.
    The MACH program allows college students to have a head start in getting a job with the company while still being a full time student.
    Even if students are not interesting in pursuing a career in coding, the company promotes those interested in business, marketing, and even engineering to apply to the program.

  • College Courses for High School Students

    High school students taking college courses has become increasingly popular in the last few years as many high schools have been offering free opportunities to attend classes.

    Taking colleges classes as a high school student prepares students for actual college classes and it looks really good on resumes.
    Now, you may be thinking, “Why would a high school student want to add one more class to their already full schedule? And a rigorous class at that?”

    Well, there happens to be many benefits to taking college classes while also being a student in high school, despite how absurd in may sound when you’re already extremely busy.

    For beginners, a lot of these classes are open for all students regardless of financial situation, ethnicity, or gender.
    The classes offered are usually paid for by the school district so you don’t have to have to come up with money to pay for them.
    This saves you tons of money for later on when you’re in college.

    Classes that you can take now for free in high school will cost thousands of dollars later on in college.
    Another reason to take college classes as a high school student is that they prepare students for actual classes and real life settings.
    High school students already have super busy schedules with sports, clubs, volunteering, and assignments due.
    While adding an extra commitment may seem crazy, students will essentially be learning life long lessons such as time management skills, strong work ethic, critical thinking, and maturity.

    Being in a college class seems intimidating but it’s not as bad as it seems.
    You are most likely in class surrounded by people who have the same interests as you.
    Senior Tywanna Mosely, 17, also attends an Intro to Business course at LBCC.

    “I would definitely recommend that high school students take college classes. It’s a good learning experience and you also get used to the college atmosphere. It’s also cool talking to the older students,” Mosely explained when asked about her opinion about college classes.
    Miss Sylvia Womack is a specialist in the college and career center.
    Womack often meets a lot of students who take college classes through the school’s dual enrollment program that allows students to take classes for free and LBCC while still being enrolled as a high school student.
    “I would recommend that students who are confident that they can do well in a college course take college classes as a high school student. Otherwise, if they think that they won’t do that well, I wouldn’t recommend it. Students tend to forget that these classes are actual college courses and they can affect your chances of getting into the universities or colleges that you want,” Womack stated.
    Although the classes seem intimidating at first, the benefits are numerous.
    The opportunity to mature in a different environment, meet new people and teachers, and prepare yourself for your future are just some of them.

    If you know that you’ll have a high chance of getting the grade you want, think about taking college classes!
    Talk to your counselors to see if dual enrollment is good for you!

  • No More Waiting in Line; Pay for AP Tests Online

    For the first time, students at Poly will have the option of paying online for their AP tests online.
    With the high number of students taking AP classes here at Poly, the line for the school banker gets longer and longer the closer we get to AP payment deadlines.
    Those who have taken APs before know ugly that line gets sometimes. Luckily, suffering through that endless torment is no longer required.
    Students can pay for their AP tests online through the Poly website (after they’ve already registered through studentvue to take the AP tests).
    On the homepage, students can access a link to the Poly Web Store, and from here, they can add whichever AP tests they’re taking to their cart and then pay for them.
    A 2.99% non-refundable surcharge is added to all purchases, so this means each AP test price will increase from $5.00 to $5.15.
    For more information, in case there’s any questions or confusion, students can go see AP coordinator, Mr. West, in Room 132 or email him at jwest@lbschools.net.

  • Consuming Meat is Bring in the Heat

    Currently the Social Work and Advocacy in Action classes that Michael Gray teaches are working on something big.
    The reducing of meat consumption, in order to make our environment in better living conditions for the future.
    What exactly is it that students do in the Social Work and Advocacy in Action class?
    Students are given the opportunity to make changes in their community through research and action.

    Students have done surveys, such as what people know about climate change and how they feel about sexual harassment.
    The assignment they are given this time is that of starting a small change that will hopefully spread across everywhere else.
    So far in the project they have conducted a survey in order to gather information.

    One of the questions asked on this survey was, “If you knew that how much meat we consume is making climate change/climate disruption worse, would you make a change in how much you eat?” 58% said yes while 42% said no.

    There was several other questions regarding the choices students make, in order to make them think and chose more carefully.
    Other questions were asking if students knew facts, like how it takes 1,800 gallons of water to make a Quarter Pound hamburger.
    Besides asking if students knew statistics, the survey also asked, if knowing the information you have now, would you choose to switch up your way of eating to benefit our world.

    A small percentage said they would continue their ways.
    Based on the information gathered for the survey, Gray’s classes decided to take it to the next step.
    They decided to contact Long Beach City Council and Food Network to see if either of them are willing to showcase these new changes in order to impact society’s ways on a wider scale.

    Students are helping in different aspects of the project such as: video production, coming up with scripts, sending letters to both the council and tv networks and promoting this issue through advertisement.

    All of this is in the works, and have yet to be set in motion and completed.

  • Is This Weather Ok?

    El Nino has officially arrived, according to National Weather Service, switching the usual warm weather to rainy and cold weather.

    El Nino is the shift of weather patterns and winds that bring warm oceans and much rain to the Pacific Ocean. This weather is unusual and hated by most Southern Californians.

    This change in weather has affected many sports and the capability to perform everyday things.
    Poly Beach Volleyball player Ellie Requejo said, “Practices have been cancelled all week due to the rain and much of our team is unprepared for our first match on Saturday.”

    These inconveniences not only affect sports but just the basic ability to walk around school.
    Sophomore Tomas Hertzog said, “Walking around Poly is almost impossible because the only places that cover the rain are the catwalks, and they are usually full.”
    Many students across campus hate this new weather and can’t wait, now more than ever, for spring and summer to come.

    Much of Long Beach and Poly have been flooded due to the extreme amounts of rain. This flooding makes driving very dangerous especially in large vehicles.
    Due to the fact of heavy rains, the dirt roads near the YMCA Camp Oakes in Big Bear, CA (location of the Poly North) have been deemed unsafe for driving.
    To ensure safety and enjoyment for the Sophomore class, Poly North has been rescheduled for March 22-24.
    There have been cancellations, so their are limited spots are open for $60 at the banker.

  • Model United Nations, Take Flight!

    Photo Courtesy Patrick Gillogly

    Poly’s Model United Nations club and elective hosted by Mr.Gologily accompanied 30 students from February 8th – 10th to Boston, Massachusetts to participate in a simulated United Nations meetings.

    The prestigious model united nations event was hosted by Boston University coined, “BosMUN,” which invited high schools around the world to accumulate the brightest minds to solve the most debated problems.

    The venue took place at the grand Marriott Boston Copley, a big enough venue to contain several high schools and hundreds of delegates.
    At the venue a student or students would represent a country, preson, or place and debate in a committee which pertained to specific topics.
    Students argue from the country or places perspective which requires background research prior to the event.
    How students start and end the meeting, discuss, and dress is all in accordance to the real United Nations meeting.
    For example, the majority of the conference required delegates wear western business clothing which shows the seriousness in the event.
    The four committees that took place for delegates to debate about where The Economic and Financial Committee (ECOFIN),
    The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), The Disarmament and Security Committee (DISEC) , The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
    Zane Witter, known mostly for being a varsity cross country runner attended the trip in hopes to experience a model united nations with different people from other countries.

    At the trip Zane argued representing Argentine Republic on The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), committee specifically about net neutrality and smart cities.

    After the Bosmun XVII event, Zane along with many other delegates who went on the trip voiced that, “it was an eye opening experiencing,” as they all saw different perspectives and opinions on modern problems and topics that appear in today’s media.
    Bosmun wasn’t the only thing that fueled excitement for the trip as Boston itself offered more than a model united nations conference such as Prudential Center, on Newbury Street.

    The center and street is littered with popular and undiscovered places such as California Pizza Kitchen, Dig Inn, and Davids Tea which all serve modern, healthy alternatives to today’s food.
    Overall, the BosMUN XVII was a successful trip where students learned more about the world and about themselves.

  • MOLAA for the Peers

    Students from Intensive Studies program attended a free tour and workshop at the Molaa as part of their community based instruction course.
    Thanks to the generous donations from donors at the Gala in October, Molaa is able to offer free educational programs.
    Students took the public Long Beach transfit and then walked to Molaa to learn sbout trending artist such as chicana artist Edith Hernandez and Long Beach tattoos history/landmark.

  • Funds for Film

    Contemporary video teacher, Laura Stringer has been attempting to make her video class more advanced in order to help her students create and produce the best quality films.
    Doing this has been proven to be a challenge, as throughout the three years of her teaching this class she has moved rooms twice and has been denied film equipment until this year. Prior to this semester, all film students have been forced to record on their cell phones and edit on outdated computers.
    Last year, Mrs. Stringer received a grant which allowed her to purchase enough equipment for each student in her class including video cameras, a green screen, tripods and other softwares.
    While her future classroom has been under construction, Miss Stringer has been funding for a big screen on various donation websites. So far she has made close to $1,000 in donations from both students parents and anonymous supporters.
    The website that Miss Stringer is currently funding was Donors Choose, recommended to her by English teacher Miss Garcia.
    Laura Stringer believes that this website will benefit her class more quickly and efficiently then if she were to use a website like GoFundMe.com, “a host of a late night shows once paid for all the donations on this website a few years ago so i’m hoping maybe someone from the district will see this or someone with a little more extra money to spare then the average parent will seizes and be able to fund our screen.”
    Until the class is able to permanently move into their new room number and receive their big screen, they have been working on documents and critics and practicing their film critiquing skills.
    Miss Stringer expects the screen to be fully paid for and delivered in time for the next school year.

    By Yesenia Pacheco
    Poster, thanking those who donated.

  • Let’s Have that Speech!

    On January 25, Poly’s speech and debate team competed in the Spring Debate Competition.
    At this competition, sophomore Dana Kriebel and freshman Inanna Khanas made debates regarding three topics.
    The topics covered: the ethics of responsible gun ownership laws, birthright citizenships, and the Paw Act, the act that gives service dogs to veterans. Dana Kriebel won 14th out of about 65 competitors in the novist portions. Inanna won 26th which is a great achievement considering this being her first year. During this competition, 23 schools were present.
    Inanna and Dana both agreed that they “debated [their] best that [they] could have.”
    The debate for them wasn’t easier nor hard because they were about to come up with accurate evaluations in their arguments.
    They do plan on going to finals in their league.
    These two will participate in a Novice Tournament at Millikan on February 23rd. Those two, along with the whole novice debate team will suit up and perform their best at this tournament.
    The varsity debate team, last Saturday, at Arcadia High School, participated in the Spring Speech.
    There was about “4 inches of rain, but that did not stop us” said Speech and Debate teacher, Brett Alexander.
    Coco Sanabria and William “Big Sexy” Terlinda spoke in the Impromptu Speak lasting in a 5 minute speech. According to Alexander, “Coco and Big Sexy will be ready for State qualifications, I believe in them.”
    The state qualifications will be on March 1 and March 2 at CSULB. This competition will bring out 1,600 people from all over Southern California.
    This debate will be for the varsity debate team. Alexander states that he agrees, “that Coco and William are capable of qualifying for state.”
    In the 25 years that Alexander has been here he’s had 3 state champs.

    By Syanne Patton
    Freshman, Inanna Khanas

  • Shooting at Torrance

    On January 5 at Gable Bowl House, three people were shot dead and four were left injured. The victims of the shooting were all in their twenties. One allegedly was trying to stop the fight that caused the commotion. This all broke out because of a fight between fathers at a family gathering. At the bowling alley, the day had been “crowded” according to eyewitnesses.

    As far as the victims, the 20-year-old who had been the youngest among the victims, had tried to stop the fight between the shooter’s group and the other men. People inside the bowling alley said, “There were 15 shots fired” and the commotion caused countless amounts of panic and chaos. Many families fled for cover as the rounds were fired.

    In a video released on social media, a woman held one of the victims as blood soaked the floor. As the video circulated, the more people were able to identify the shooter.

    An arrest took place two days later. The shooter was a man who was 47-years-old named Reginald Wallace. Wallace was a man who had been sentenced 17 years for assault with a deadly weapon and was released in 2017. He had been on parole at the time of the shooting. Now he is being sentence 25 to life for manslaughter and violating probation. Some might say, this incident remains as a horrible way to start off 2019.

  • The World is Ending?

    As of recently the focus on climate disruption is almost non-existent or ignored. President Donald Trump has also stated it as something he does not “believe in”. With even the President not even showing an interest in this, is concerning, as this situation seems to only get worse.

    According to statistics provided by NASA, there has been a global temperature rise of about 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century. With the years passing, the climate only gets worse. Over the past 35 years, 2016 was considered one of the hottest years.

    Ocean life has had some awareness brought to it, in how plastic and trash easily gets into it, but yet after this knowledge being shared, results in fixing these issues are not as present. People advocate for these causes, such as World Wide Fund for Nature and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and yet the support is not nearly enough on a larger scale.

    Of course most people are aware about the glaciers and ice melting, but almost nothing is done in order to reverse these effects. Statistics on the effects of climate disruption are available for everyone to view, and about half a million of youth have taken action into this issue. Information gathered from the United Nations states 84% of youth believe more knowledge should be shared regarding climate, 73% feel the changes in our climate, and 89% say that the youth can make a difference.

    In what differences the youth can do is: go green, such as walking or different ways of transportation for the benefit of the earth, collaborating with others (maybe also coming together to form an organization), and finally partnering with the government, like the United Nations Joint Framework Initiative on Children, Youth and Climate Change.

  • Students Honored With Breakfast!

    As of this year, Student of the Month has been created in order to recognize students on a broader scale and on a more personal note. Teachers are able to nominate students through a letter for each month and 2 students are selected in each pathway.

    For the month of January, on Friday 18th at exactly 7:00 AM, students came in with relatives in order to celebrate their nomination along with breakfast. Of these nominees was sophomore Jeremy Puerto, as he felt “excited” and felt “super surprised” at being picked. When he received the e-mail he was “shocked” but also proud for being acknowledged. Puerto offered some advice to students, “never give up” and keep up the good work.

    Senior, Kaelah Franklin’s feelings towards being nominated was “weird” but “interesting”. Franklin was confused as to who nominated her but found out through her teacher, Linda Bon. In what she’s been doing this year to be a possibility in being nominated, is involvement with school such as: drama, stage tech, and choir. Yet with so much on her plate, she’s still able to balance everything out, and chooses to do even more.

    Senior, Thalia Hernandez was yet another nominee who felt surprised, which seems to be the common theme amongst majority of the nominees. Hernandez felt “happy” towards being selected. Besides her being surprised, she has been involved a lot with school but has admitted that in recent months, has been “falling behind” but has picked herself up.