Tag: Poly High Life

  • 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

     

     

  • Dancers Bust a Move (Photo Gallery)

    Dancers Bust a Move (Photo Gallery)

    On November 7th, Poly’s dance program held their annual winter dance show at the Andrew Osman Performing Arts Center. Featuring choreographies by Cynthia Negrete, the event showcased performances from Poly’s Dance Team as well as Negrete’s dance classes.

     

    Photos by Nick Eismann, Contributing Photographer

  • Creativity at its Finest

    Creativity at its Finest

    A new mural and garden have recently been added to the school. Both the mural and garden are located northeast of the 600 building. The mural was created by one of Poly’s very own students. Ahmad Ali, an 11th grader in the intensive studies program, was the one who created the design for the mural. The chance to create the mural was given to all the art classes at Poly, but in the end Ali’s design won and was chosen.

    Intensive studies teacher Indria Jimenez feels like the garden is a great chance for the students to learn about gardening and healthy eating habits. Also, they’re going to have inclusion between the general education classes and intensive studies students by developing STEM, environmental science, and gardening lessons.

    To make the garden and mural come all together, a lot of people put in time and effort into the process. A local artist volunteered to come and outline the students art work for free. Auto mechanics teacher Chris McColm gave used tires for them to use as planters. Two additional garden beds will be donated by Bobby M and Mr.Hazel. Also, students from multiple programs provided help in painting the garden beds and tire planters. The paint was donated by Allan H-building maintenance worker. With the help from all these amazing people and students the mural and garden was created.

  • The Wait Pays Off

    The Wait Pays Off

    On December 19, 2017, Poly had its grand re-opening for its auditorium after an almost three-year renovation. The service was held at the side entrance on 15th Street and included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, along with a string quartet and Jazz One playing and caroling to welcome the guests. There to welcome back the public to Poly’s auditorium were board of education members, such as Megan Kerr, and Poly staff, including choral music director, Brian Dokko.

    The renovation was long overdue but was finally pursued in January 2015, mainly due to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requiring access for people with wheelchairs, along with the damages from the earthquake of 1933.

    Now with the changes, the auditorium has an elevator lift available for those that require it. The building also has “the original stage but new interior walls and ceilings, seats, lighting and sound,” according to Dokko. The latest model of the walls and ceiling have allowed for better acoustics for choral music and the cushioned seats have the audience in a more comfortable state during performances.

    However, the alterations do come with a cost.

    “We got rid of the balcony and suffered the loss of around 400 seats,” Dokko said. “We are just over 1100 seats now.” But, it’s a price worth paying especially no longer having to go offsite for performances.

    Poly’s choral, instrumental, and dance concerts along with events such as Jackrabbit Pageant and Baccalaureate are ready to take on the old stage of the new auditorium.

    “I’m super happy,” Dokko said. “It feels wonderful to be back. It’s been so long. We forgot how it feels like to be in here.”

  • A Night to Remember

     

  • Freedom in Philly

    Two weeks ago on Thursday, November 2 through Sunday, November 5, three Poly students were chosen to be a part of the Freedom Foundation Youth Conference. Juniors Carina Ayala and Lenny Khan, along with Senior Elaina Miskiel were the chosen participants to go to Philadelphia and experience the fundamentals of the program. They stayed on the Freedom Foundation’s campus at Valley Forge.

    The Freedom Foundation was started in 1945 and has been running successfully ever since. It’s focused on “overcoming challenges to freedom by providing experiential educational programs while challenging participants to examine our history and discuss the issues of the day” according to their website. Each of their programs have been thoughtfully planned out and designed to ensure that both young people and adults gain new or deeper appreciation for the significance of the founding documents and acquire tools for engaged, responsible citizenship.

    Since its beginning, Freedom Foundation’s mission was and still is to educate Americans on rights and responsibilities, honor acts of civic virtue, and challenge all to reject apathy and get involved.

    Carina Ayala explained that her experience “definitely changed the way [she] think about Congress” and “[she’s] learned so much”. All participants expressed their enjoyment of the time they had and the new information that they learned. Lenny Khan said, “It was good to see other’s perspectives on how they view politics. It was fun to meet others from other states.”

    During their trip Ayala, Miskiel, Khan, other students from other schools had the chance to go around the city and sight see some of Philadelphia’s landscapes. Some of the landmarks that they had the opportunity to see in person were the Liberty Bell, the Independence Hall, the Philadelphia Courthouse, and where George Washington’s home used to stand. They had the opportunity to be a part of a mock trial of the Masterpiece Cake Shop, Ltd. versus Colorado Civil Rights Commission while in the courthouse which is in fact a real case that will occur on December 5 of this year.

    Khan described the lessons that the trip taught him personally: “Be more open, don’t shut other people’s thoughts down. Consider other’s ideas not only your own.”

  • Poly’s Day in Court

    On November 2 Poly’s mock trial team tackled the first round of the court case People vs. Davidson and were rewarded by a winning verdict. The trial happened at the Los Angeles Superior Court with real judges and attorneys.

    Charlie Dodson is an AP World History teacher and is the advisor of the mock trial club at Poly.

         “The Constitutional Rights Foundation sets this [mock trial] up every year,” Dodson said. “A competition for LA county, which over 60 schools participate in  and our school has participated for a number of years. Teams are divided into prosecution and defense. We are given a single case.”

         Sophomore Tammy Pham described the experience  she encountered as a member of the club.

    “You are presented with a case and you would have to go into court and present to the judge whether the defendant is guilty or innocent, depending on the side you are on,” said Pham.

    Poly’s mock trial team was given the case, People vs. Davidson, and Dodson explained that the case was centered around Casey Davidson’s felony of the murder of Alex Thompson with a walking stick.

    “The case was about murder,” he said. “There are forensic reports for the prosecution and a rebuttal. There are witnesses for the prosecution and for the defense. For round one, our job was to defend Casey Davidson, the defendant, to prove him not guilty by creating reasonable doubt, which we did.”

    Senior Marco Romero is the president of the Mock Trial club. He was on the defense team for the case and described the difficult, yet exciting experience.

    “I think it is a great way to expose people who either want to be lawyers, want to step out their comfort zone, or just want to get a taste of what lawyers do,” Romero said. “The competition is judged by a real life judge and scored by either lawyers or law students.”

  • Hit the Books at the Michelle Obama Public Library

    Hit the Books at the Michelle Obama Public Library

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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