Oxford Academy Vol. no. 5 Issue No. 4 February, 2009 Gamutthe

GamuttheOxford Academy Vol. no. 5 Issue No. 3 dec, 2008

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staffAllen Tran

Alison Shawver

Anh-Thu Tran

Charlie Fierro

Cory Hansen

Diana Elazem

Dominique Zamora

Grace Yoo

Guadalupe Ruelas

Jessica Ayunani

Jessica Lim

John Hogan

Julie Nguyen

Katia Barron

Mai-Anh Ha

Medha Raj

Min Lee

Mousumi Shapna Islam

Priya Chakrabarti

Sarah Kim

Thy Vo

Vaibhav Birda

William Trinidad

Adviser Hiba Taylor

positionsStaff Writer

Illustrator / Layout

Staff Writer

Sports Editor

Staff Writer

News Editor

Editor-in-Chief

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Opinion Editor

Staff Writer

A&E / Lifestyle Editor

Special Features Editor

Staff Writer

Associate Editor

Staff Writer

Financial Manager

Layout Editor

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

R ecently, a friend of mine invited me to attend a lecture by the playwright Edward Albee. Born in 1928, the weathered writer, winner of several Pulitzers, author of the Zoo Story and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, was set to speak at UCLA’s

Royce Hall on Saturday, February 7th. His theme for the night: art as a catalyst, the dangers of complacency, and the need for an active seizure of consciousness in order to make our lives, unlike those of his characters, actually worth anything.

Neither of us attended (she was tutoring a friend in AP Government; I was grounded, and, after finals, didn’t have enough in me to put up a worthy fight). Though we’d both spent weeks devouring Who’s Afraid..., fearing Martha, pitying George, learning the difference between working in the history department and being the history department itself, we decided it’d be easier not to go. The distance was too far, the contracts were binding. In the battle between our love of the play and disinterest, disinterest slouched into first place and our love of the play, no less undying, bobbed off to the sidelines.

This, for the most part, seems to be the raspy cri de coeur of the Oxford student. Seniors have given up doing homework. Juniors have stopped caring. Sophomores and freshman look ahead wondering, really, if they’re in this for the long haul, or if they’d be much better off joining their cohorts at Cypress and Kennedy, getting the A’s they otherwise couldn’t, struggling through one of their APs here.

With only three months left in the school year, it’s too easy to give into our inner vagrants and leave our teachers with little more than rooms of blocks, silent, staring, wishing they were somewhere else. There’s time, still, to rediscover learning, to spend nights on the town, because high school is meant for us. As Albee said: “What could be worse than getting to the end of your life and realizing you hadn’t lived it?”

Front cover photo credit: “War is Kind”— Dominique Zamora

FEBRUARYMonday, 16 - - President’s Day (no school)Tuesday – Friday, 17-20 - - 9th, 10th, 11th Grade Registration DeadlineFriday, 27 - - CEO Play; 8th Grade Regidtration DeadlineMonday, 12 - - Spanish Trip to LACMA

MARCHWednesday, 4 - - FBLA Guest SpeakerFriday -- Saturday, 6-7 - - OA Singers Broadway ShowTuesday – Friday, 20-23 - - Class of 2009 Activity at Medieval TimesTuesday – Wednesday, 10-11 - - VE Grand Opening

senior portfolio early by four months

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2008: A YEAR in REviEwa mull over the serious and some of the strange

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this year’s homecoming lacked the rivalry of past seasons

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THE DREADED DEADlinE

all the different faces of a protestPHoTojoURnAlisM

wHY noT wHiTnEY?

PREsiDEnTiAl CollECTiBlEsobama craze hits the ebay listings

Administration implements new finals week schedule Hopingtoeasestudentstressandimprove scores, the administrationimplementedanewbellschedulespecifically designed for finalsweek,previouslytestedlastspringsemester. According to PrincipalKathy Scott, the plan originated“fromparentsand studentswhohad expressed concern overthe excessive number of finals”in a single day during the blockformat.Students received two days ofinstruction in each class duringthe week, with the exceptionof seventhperiod.Thefirst day,which lasted 60 minutes, wasdesignedas a review session forstudents,andthesecond,aperiodof90minutes,wasextended topermittimeforfullcompletionoftheexam.Several teachers have supportedthis deviation from traditionalblock structure, but with somereservations. “Normally, in a blockschedule, themaximumamountof tests I would [have needed]to write is two,” English teacherKasey Spencer said. “With thefinalsweekschedule,however,[Ihad]towritemoretestsinorderto prevent the same informationfrom appearing in two differentperiods.” Others, however, believed it

Students now receive a maximum of two final exams a day in an effort to reduce stress Allen Tran

Due to the recent auditing oftwo district schools, criteria banningnon-curricularclubsfromfundraisingis now being enforced by theadministration. All curricular clubs functionthrough ASB accounts, which allowASBTechnicianDonnaSmithtokeeprecords of their transactions. Non-curricularclubshavelessaccountabilityin theirfinances, theauditingof theother two district schools showed.Information regarding the schoolsandtheirauditremainundisclosed. “[Superintendent Joseph Farley]told [the principals] to ‘get yourschool in shape,’” Principal KathyScottsaid.“We’reinbettershapethanmostotherschoolsbutwemightget

Juniors Brandon Shinosky and Joanne Yuan use the given cluster time to prepare for their AP English Language and Composition final.

helped students both in terms oftime management and preparation

forthecollegeexamstructure. “I [liked] the plan. Since thisis a college preparatory school,we[were] able to mirror the college

examformat,”SpanishteacherSusanStephansaid.“Also,Ithinkwewere

toldenoughinadvancetoavoidtheproblem[ofshorterclasstime].” Whileteachersexpressedmixedopinions on the fixture, students

widely embraced the change,enjoying additional study time and

reducedtestingburdens. “I [liked] how it separates theclasses and since I [didn’t] have aseventh period anyway, it [was]

a nice break on Monday,” juniorBrandonShinoskysaid.

The new format especiallyappealed especially to thestudents who had firsthandexperiencedtakingthemaximumof four finals in the old blockschedule. “Althoughthenumberoftimesyou see a class is [decreased],at least the tests are evenedout,” freshman Grace An said.“I remember in seventh gradetherewasn’taschedule,sosomepeople would have up to fourfinals on the same day. It wasa nightmare; it was not onlystressfulbut impossible to studyalltherequiredinformation.” A suggestion students havebroughtup,however, ismovingEnrichmentpriortothefinalstousetheperiodforstudying. “I [didn’t] like how we had[cluster]aftertheclasswithfinalsfor that day,” junior Judy Parksaid.“Itwould[havebeen]betterifwecouldstudyrightbeforethetest instead of after, but I stillliked[theassurance]ofnotbeingbombardedwithmorethantwofinalseachday.” With general support for thefinals week proposal, Scott is

confident that it will continue tobe implemented from this pointforward, with adjustments to it ifnecessary.

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William Trinidad

audited.”Iftheschooldoesgetaudited,alackof clear transaction records fornon-curricular clubs couldposepotentialproblems. This is communicated to theclubs “when students complete theclub application paperwork,” Scottsaid. Curricular clubs such as MathClub, Environmental Science Cluband the Class Committees, supportcertain curricula (Math, Science andASB,respectively).Theyhavetherightto fundraise because they “have animpactbacktotheschool,”accordingto Scott, but “non-curricular clubs’purposesshouldbetomeet[only].” Becauseof this, the application

to create a curricular club is muchmore indepth; it requires an activeadviser, a meeting place, a meetingtime, a mission statement, whereasthe application for a non-curricularclub simply requires a name, anadviser simply tomanage the roomandapurpose. “The school must guaranteea right to assemble,” Scott said,but it “does not have to guaranteefunding.” The enforcement, however,has come at an inopportune timefor many clubs. Most already hadplannedtheirbudgetsforthecurrentschool year, expecting to fundraisein order to put on activities for thestudents.

The Character EducationOfficers (CEO), for instance, werenot informed of the change untiltheyhadstartedplanningtheirFamilyGame Night, which was postponedduetoschedulingissues. “[AssistantPrincipalRon]Hoshitoldusweweren’tallowedto[chargemoney] in general and because ofthat, we couldn’t fundraise,” clubpresidentJessicaAvilasaid. “We decided to make [FamilyGame Night] free. The food wouldhave had to come from funds wealreadyhadbutmostof themoneythat’sleftisfromlastyear,”Avilasaid. Other clubs with less roll-overfundsdonothaveasmuchleniency. “[Gay-StraightAlliance]willnow

berunningcompletelyondonations,”Alli Lindner, senior and co-founderofGSA,announcedatameetingonDec.19. Although clubs haveapproached the administration toask for reconsideration, “schools areconsideredacaptiveaudience,”Scottsaid. “We have to be careful sincemanynon-curricularclubsaresingle-interestandcan’tbepromoting[theircause].” Other information regardingthe schools and their audit remainundisclosed.

Fundraising ban for non-academic clubs:

Priya Chakrabarti

Clubs that do not support a certain curricular are now unsure of their future budgets

As a result of the senior portfoliodeadlinebeingmovedup fromMay to Jan.29,seniorshastenedtocompiletheirfoldersintime,tothefrustrationofstudents. Reviewsoflacklusterperformancesfromthe 2007-2008 school year prompted thisfourmonthacceleration.“Thereasonforthechangewastolowerstress later in the year during AP examsand senior activities,” portfolio committeemember Kasey Spencer said. “It also givesseniorsachance to reflectand revisitwhentheirpresentationsaredueinMay.” It seemed to have the opposite effect,however.Studentsfelttheadditionalstressasthedateapproached,withfinalsandcollegeapplicationsloomingaroundthecorner. “Making theportfoliodue in themidstof finals is really straining our schedules,”seniorEmilyYusaid.“Teachershavetoldusthat itwouldbedue ‘sometimearound theendoffirst semester,’ and thatwe’vehadalotoftimetoprepareinadvance,butthefactremainsthat therewerecollegeapplicationstoworryaboutbeforethefinals.” Measureshadbeentakentoensurethischangewouldbewellpublicized.Accordingto Spencer, “the committee informed allteachersoftheadjustmentsatthefirstfacultymeetinganddidongoingremindersthroughemail and announcements, making thecommunication lapsebetweenstudentsandthefacultypuzzling.” As stated in the guidelines on theOxford Academy website, the seniorpresentationdemonstrates academic growth

Fast forward the senior portfolios

Anh Thu Tran and Allen Tran

and achievement. In order todo this, students typically selecttheir best assignments for theirreflections, but this has proveninsufficientforthepanel. “The presentations havenot been what I believe OAstudents are capableofoverall,”Spencer said. “Those that trulylookbackandidentifywhattheyhaveputinandtakenoutenjoythe process and present honestpresentations.” Another hurdle for theportfolios besides the timecrunchwastheapathyorhostilitytowardstheprocess. “There has been a sensefromstudentsthatthisisa‘hoop’wearetryingtogetstudentstogothroughbuttherealityisseveralschoolsdosomethingsimilaranditisvaluedbytheentirestaffandstudentbody,”Spencersaid. This modification wasimplemented not only to helpstudents but also the panelistswho will utilize this extendedperiodtoprepare. “The earlier deadline allowspanelists to have more time aswell to review the portfolio,givingthemanopportunitytoreallyfindoutabouttheperson,enhancingthepresentationexperience at the end for both parties,”Spencersaid.

Anh Thu Tran

Earlier deadline confounds the majority of students and teachers

The lingering frustration for someseniors was that the same goal could havebeenreachedwithoutthedeadline’scollisionwithfinalsweek.

Diane Erickson, a senior cluster teacher, joins the portfolio committee this year along with other senior cluster teachers for the first time.

California budget crisis brings about more cuts Already faced with an estimated $41.6billion state budget deficit, the AnaheimUnionHighSchoolDistrictisworkingtofindsolutions thatwouldminimize the impactofGovernorArnoldSchwarzenegger’sadditionalproposed$5.1billionreductionsinprograms,staff,andtheschoolyear. The biggest change, though likelyunsustainable,couldbetheshorteningofthe180-dayschoolcalendarbyfivedays. However, “there have been a fewproposalsthathavesustainedthemselvesandhave some legitimacy,”PrincipalKathyScottsaid. “Themainone[is]categorical funding.Thegovernorhasfreedusfromtherestrictionsonthemandallowedustoputitinthegeneralfunds.” ThisfreedomcouldalleviatesomeoftheburdensomecostsbyallowingmoneythatwaspreviouslyallottedonlyforaspecificareasuchasVisual andPerformingArts tobeused to

“paybillsandmeetbasicneeds,”andspenthowevertheschoolseesfit.

Asunlikelyasinductingashorterschoolyear is, the district is prepared to fund thefull180daysandcontinueoperatingdespiterumorsaboutnotbeingabletomakepayrollinafewmonths. “Our district has been really good atmaintainingtheirreserve,”Scottsaid. “Everydistrict is supposed to maintain a certainpercentage. Our district has done thatfaithfully so if for some reason our districtweretorunoutofmoney,[they]canatleastdopayroll…throughthisschoolyearwithoutanytroubleandhopefullybythatthetime,thestatehasworkedoutfinancials.” Yet the problem still remains thatmorecostswillhave tobecutacross theboard inaddition to the $17 million saved throughpersonnel cuts last year. According to anupdatefromSupt.JosephFarley,thestatehassaidthedistrictneedstocut$37millionwithinthenexttwoyears. “We’vealreadycut17[million]sothey’relooking thisyearhowto takeoutabout$11

millionandnextyear$8-9million,”Scottsaid.“[They are] looking at it line by line to savesomeexpenses.” Further complicating the situation ishow the budget cuts may compromise theblock schedule and enrichment periods thatare costing the district more with Oxfordteachersbeingpaidthesameamountforlessinstructionaltime. “I think the next step is [the district]will either meet with me again or they’llactuallymeetwithourstaffandgiveussomeoptions,” Scott said. “My goal is to keeptheblock schedule andmaintain cluster andenrichment.” As additional time is needed to workouttheissue,thedistricthasmadeeffortstostreamlinethebudgetcutsbylookingintoeachdepartment and asking where unnecessarycostscanbeeliminated. “Justin[Farley’soffice]alone,hesaidwecan save $50,000. That’s not evenone fullteachersalarypackagebutit’satleastabitand

School and district look to make small changes to accommodate

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ifeverybodydidthat,itaddsup,”Scottsaid. The district has also initiated changessuch as blacking out schools that are notsummer school sites. In previous years, theelectricitywas still running ineverybuilding,allowingteacherstoaskforakeyandworkintheirclassroomsduringthesummer. “Ifyoudothatin22schools,you’llsavethousandsofdollars.That’swhat’sgoodaboutourdistrict,”Scottsaid.“Theycouldeasilysaywe’regoingtocutpersonnelonemoretime,butthey’rebeingverythoughtfulaboutwherewe’rebeingverycarelessinourexpendituresandthat’sprobablyinelectricity,ourutilities.” Despite the numerous anticipated cutsthatwillaffecttheschool,Scottandthedistrictare confident there will always be fundsavailabletokeeptheschoolrunning. “It’s…uncertaintimes,butifwejustkeepfocusedonwhatwe’resupposedtobedoing,we’ll get through it and make it the leastpainfulaspossibleforeverybody,”Scottsaid.

“TheendofFebruary[justwouldhave]beenamuchbettertime,”seniorEdwinNgsaid.

Judy Nguyen, member of the class of2004, was killed in a car crash in August1999.HermemoryremainsapartofOxford’shistory, but a Judy Nguyen Award wouldensuresheisnotforgotten. FrenchteacherAnnPowell-Cordonplansto sponsor, or propose, the Judy NguyenCharacterAwardtotheadministrationinthenearfuture. Knownasa“verykindperson,”accordingtoPowell-Cordon,JudyNguyenwasalso“anexceptionalstudent.” Inordertokeephermemoryalive,“weshouldhaveaJudyNguyenawardrecognizingthegoodqualitiesofthiswonderfulchild”thatare exemplified inother students atOxford,Powell-Cordon said. Such an award, givento someonewhodemonstrates thepillarsofcharacter, would create an overall positiveatmosphere. “TheJudyAwardwould[goto]someone,notnecessarilythemostvocaloroutgoing[…]butsomeonewhoexhibitspositiveactionsintheirdailylife,”teacherJenniJensensaid.

Furthermore, the award would remindstudentsoftheimpacttheyhaveonboththelearning community and the outside worldstheyparticipateindaily. “Even if you are not physically presentyouleavebehindalegacy-forJudyitwasheramazingheartandhergenuinepositivecaringpersonality.Studentsmaystopandreconsidertheirbehavior,”Jensensaid. The summer before Nguyen’s eighthgradeyearonthewayhomefromavacation,Nguyenandhermotherwereasleepwithouttheirseatbeltson.Whenoneofthetiresblewout,bothwerethrownforwardandkilled. For those that knew her, “it wasdevastating.Itmessedthemupforthewholeyear [because] they couldn’t accept that shewasgone,”teacherBruceStevenssaid. Nguyenhadhopestowritenovels.Evenafterherdeathalmosttenyearsago,herfamilymadesurethatherloveofbookslivedonatOxford. To commemorate her life and dreams,Michael Nguyen, Judy’s father, “donated

TheannualtalentshowhostedbyASBSenate,entitled“VivaLaTalent,”willfeatureperformers ranging from ballet dancers toinstrumentalgroups.Thetwoballetsoloswillbeperformedby junior Christina del Carmen, to FrankSinatra’s “Ring a Ding Ding” and eighthgraderSophiaMorgan,to“SwanLake.” “ChristinaandSophia’sperformancesarebothballetbuttheirstylesaredifferent,”Hoangsaid.“Christina’snumberisjazzyandSophia’sisclassical.”FreshmanPhoebeKimandjuniorRogerBian,haveapianomedleyduet.“Theyauditionedwithtwokeyboardssidebyside,butwehopetobringingrandpianos for the actual show,” ASB Vice-PresidentVictoriaHoangsaid.AnothergroupconsistsofjuniorsAlexUng, David Kim, Jonathon Kim, ChaseHetting,ChristopherLeon,BrianSt.Claireand Joseph Bulone who will perform “SirDuke”byStevieWonderwithamultitudeofinstruments.“Thatgrouphasasaxophone,trumpet,drums and different electric guitars,” ASBSenate member Christine Alvior said.“Seeing themall togetheronstageat theirauditionwasreallyinterestingtowatch.”

Sports medicine students learn outside the classroom M. Shapna Islam

Proposed award to keep alive her memory in the hearts and minds of Oxford students

M. Shapna Islam

The sports medicineclass, which explores thebiomechanics of the humanbody as it relates to athletictraining, took a field trip toChapmanUniversityonJan.15to learn fromundergraduatespursuing careers as certifiedathletictrainers.Athletic trainer CoryHauge has been teachingthe sports medicine coursefor the past three years andtaking students to ChapmanUniversityforthesecondtimethisyear.“It was an experience toenrich the students beyondthe classroom,” Hauge said.“They got to see a first classathletic facility including anathletic training room withfeaturesthatwedon’thaveatthisschool.”The workshop beganwith the seniors learning howthe Transcutaneous ElectricalNerve Stimulation (TENS) unit works totemporarily treat acute pain by placing theelectrodesonapartner’sskin. ThesettingontheTENSunitcangethighenoughthat“it[feels]likethearm[is]asleep,

Fieldtrip engages seniors’ sports medicine knowledge

butyoucan’tcontrolyourhand,”CameronHaygoodsaid.“IgotTaylor[Jacobsen]’shandtocurlinwards.”The second part of the ChapmanUniversity workshop focused on learning

Positive character emulated through commemorative award:

Priya Chakrabarti

$25,000toOxfordAcademysoshecouldgiveherclassmatestheworld’sgreatliterature,”saidcolumnistPaigeAustinintheOCRegisteronMar.2,2002in“Sadtalefillslibraryannex.” A decade later, what has come to beknownastheJudyTreestillliesdirectlyinfrontof room503.OriginallyplantedasOxford’sfirstChristmastree,itwasrenamedafterherthenextyearasatributetohermemory.Judy’sdeathtaughtstudents“lifeistrulyagiftandeachdayshouldbelivedasthoughitwerethelast,”seniorKimlyPhamvansaid. EvenwiththeJudyTreeandtheplaquein the library that recognizes both Nguyen’sdreams and her father’s generosity, fewstudents remember the person for whomthetreestandsinthequad.TheJudyAwardwouldremedythat. “[The award would recognize] a younggirlwho is still in themindsof [theoriginal]teachers. It would keep her memory alive,recognizinganOxfordstudentthatcharactersdignity, integrity, and perseverance,”Powell-Cordonsaid.

News-in-Brief

Talent Show

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Senior Jesus Quintana and a Chapman Univeristy undergraduate demonstrate to the group how to use the TENS unit.

what preventive measures athletes takein order to avoid common injuries such asthe tearing of the knee’s anterior cruciateligament(ACL). “We actually had to exercise, which

nobody thought wouldhappen,” Jessica Ly said. “Iwish we could have beentold earlier because then Iwould have worn a morecomfortableshirt.”Thedayendedwiththestudents practicing how toplace injured people onspineboards. “Even though we didthat last year with Mr.Cullinane, we realizedthat it’s an importantskill because the footballplayers could injure theirspineorneckandneedtobe escorted off the field,”MeganBlumenthalsaid.“Itwas interesting experienceformesinceIwantacareerinsportsmedicine.”Thefield tripcementedthe students’ knowledgeof human anatomy. Also,

the idea of college and careerbecameanearreality.

“Ihadneverbeentoacollegebeforeandseeing college students eating,walking, andworking on campus got me realizing thatthat’sgoingtobemeinafewmoremonths,”LaurenCantusaid.

Mai-Anh Ha

Oh, the Humanities! Before the Cold War heated up in the 1950’s, moststudents in the United States experienced a decidedlylight homework load. In 1948, American high schoolersweredoinganaverageof3to4hoursofhomework--perweek. Just 35 years before that, Ladies’ Home Journal,that paragon of housewife sensibility, waged a campaignagainsthomework,gettingparentsanddoctorstosaythatitdamagesthehealthofchildren.Eventhegovernmentwasonboard,withseveral states, includingCalifornia,passinganti-homeworklawsaroundtheturnofthecentury. ButtheRedScareofthe1950schangedthemindsofthosepoliticians,parents,andPhDs,whostartedtobelievethat if the United States wanted to defeat the Soviets,Americanchildrenhadtoworkharder.Giventhatall thisworkwasinpreparationforashootingwarwiththeUSSR,

inwhichbombsratherthanbookswouldplayakeyrole, theColdWarnotonlymarked theascentof

homework,butalsocatapultedmathandsciencetothetopofAmerica’seducationalpantheon. Today,mathandsciencestilloccupythisloftyposition,due to the dual threats of an increasingly educatedChinese population and global warming. Former Speakerof the House Newt Gingrich (R-GA) says that “winningthe challenge of China and India will require profounddomestic transformations, especially in math and scienceeducation” and that “we should experiment with payingstudentsfortaking...mathandscience.”Suchanattitudeoffavoritismforthesakeofthecountryexistsonbothsidesof the aisle with President Barack Obama stating he will“prioritize”mathandscienceoverothersubjects. The result of this trend are schools like Oxford, andthat’snotacompliment. Ifyouwanttotakeanadvancedmathclassasasophomore,thenthere’snoproblem,yetonlyonesemesterofeconomicsisavailable,andthecurriculum

ofthatsemesterseemsgearedmoretowardtoddlers thanyoungadults. Where’sAPWorldHistoryandPsychology?Ifwehavethetimeandthefundstoteachcalculus,asubjectthatgoesbeyondthemathrequirementforgraduation,thenwehavethetimeandthefundstoteachsociology. Notproviding social scienceandhumanitieselectivesis essentially punishing a student because his academicinterests don’t align with the nation’s academic interests.QuotingMarkTwain,“thisisirregular.Itisun-English;itisun-American;itisFrench.”Itisplacingthecollectiveabovethe individual, the very antithesis of American politicalbelief. We cannot herd students towards the maths andscienceswhen they aremore adept at theworkof socialscienceandhumanities.Trying to forcea squarepeg intoaroundhole inevitablybreakseither thepegor thehole.Eitherway,societyloses.

John Hogan

It’shardtodescribeaprotest.Suddenly,everyonecares.Peopleclump, feelall thebetter for it in thesharedwarmthoftheirbreath:“yes,yes,Iagree.”Theyspeakearnestly,eachwordfirm,eachwordreverberatingwithemotion.Theyprotestpolice brutality,wish for peace, scream for support and aid:they carry signs. They areArab. They areKorean. They areCommunist. They are insane conspiracy-theorists. They arechildren,teenagers,adults. Theyareall thedifferent facesofaprotest.Theymightbe wrong. They might be right. Their priority, however, is

to convince the passerbys, the world that the fighting muststop, people are dying, too many. I know, because I asked,wandering on the street, recorder outstretched, looking atthem,listeningtothem,askingthemquestions.Iadmiretheirresilience,theirwillingnesstostandafterdark,postersupwhileI’mtuckingtherecorderintomypocketandheadinghome.IshrugoffstrifehalfaworldawayinGaza,inanyofthesmallorlargetumultuousplacessodistantfromtheshufflingpapersofschool,notbecauseIdon’tcare,butbecausewhatcanIdo? Not much, but standing in the cold, they’re willing

All the Different Faces

to take the time, to bare themselves and their message tothe world. They connect, these jumble of people who areimmigrants; second, third, fourth-generation; students (therearealwaysstudents);completelyinsane;entirelytoosaneandgrave,knowingofhorrorsorjustimaginingthem.Rightnow,they speak of Gaza, elsewhere they murmur over same-sexmarriageandinyetanotherplacethey’rechangingtheworldonevoluntaryhandandmindatatime.They’vejumpedoffthefence,facedthebull,andcharged,inflammatorypostersinhand.

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Photo Credit: Dominque Zamora

Astheevolutionofthecellphonehasprogressed,ithaschangedfromabarelymobiledevicefewpossessedhaschangedintoacalculator,calendar,phone,computer,andcameraallinone.But there isanewuse for the cell phonenow and, as somePennsylvania teenagerscan attest, it may bringthe police bearingdown on you: sexting.Two teenage girls werecaught sending nudepicturesofthemselvestotwo teenage boys afterone boythe recipient’steacher confiscated hisphone.WhileNotjustanobnoxiousportmanteau,the practice of sendingnude pictures withtext messages is afelony and considereddistributingon of childpornography.Thearrestof the Pennsylvaniangirls brings questionsof self expression tolight which should beinvestiagated. Child pornographylaws were created toprotect children fromstranger danger, notprosecutethosewillfullydisplaying their bodies.Whilethis itmaysoundcrude, thies arrest isdemonstrative of therepressive fetishizationofthehumanbodyandthe incessant doublestandard presented toteenagers:–beseenbutnotheardwhileactingadult–,toapoint.Theteenagerswerenotsendingthephotostoadultsnorweretheycoerced,.iItwasavoluntaryactivity,butbecausetheyteenagersarenoweren’tof the “ageof consent,” they automatically lose any rightthe

righttoexpressthemselves.Theexpectationisforteenagerstobehaveasadults,butonlysofarastheyremainwithintheboxof appropriate behavior ascribed to kids: – un-sexed, docile

andpure. Thisisnotjustanisolatedincident,either;accordingtotheNationalCampaigntoSupportTeenandUnplannedPregnancy,twenty 20 percent of teenagers are reported to engage in

sexting. The arrest of the Pennsylvanian teens demonstratesalawoutoftouchwithsocietyreality.Theoverzealouspolicelawenforcementareprudishlyrestrictingthebehaviorofalarge

percent of thepopulation,but since because the lawmakers are adults and thelaw only pertains to childpornography,thecopsandteachermaysendphotosofthemselves to whomeverthey please. Becauseof this,, the disconnectbetweenyouthcultureandlaws affecting teenagersmay be inevitable. Werethis law and the prudishassumptions it upholdsfurther enforced, thosetwenty percent couldbe arrested and taken tojuvenile hall and labeledsex offenders. But unlikethe rest of the people injuvenile hall, those teenswould have not harmedanyone but merely beenexperimenting with theirsenseofself,anaturalpartofgrowingolder. The repression ofsexting is society’s whitewhale, and stigmatizing itwillonlyfurthercompoundthe problem. The issue isnotacoupleofkidssendingpictures to each other,but the way sexuality isautomatically dismissed asanimportantconversation.Thebirdsandthebeesarealittleoutdatedforthenewhi-techworld.Sexualityhasgone viral and shouting

“felon”isn’tgoingtocutitanymore.

Working a Year Off A grand tour of Europe was long considered aprerequisiteforyoungBritisharistocratsenteringauniversity.AfterWorldWarII,theBritishseethegapyear,ortakingayearoffbeforecollege,asameans to furtherworldpeaceand even today, roughly 100,000 British students delaycollege. But thegapyear isoften regardedwithapprehensionhere in the States. Living for an entire 365 days withoutenteringaclassroom,especiallyaftertwelveyearsoffaithfullyreportingbacktoschoolattheendofeverysummer,isseenas time ill spent. Students and their parents, however, failto understand that the gap year is not without purpose.Especially in thesedecliningeconomic times, thegapyearcansavedoubtfulstudentsthousandsofdollarsbyallowingthemtoexplorecareeroptionsbefore investing incollege.For most seeking a career, college and students loans areinevitable, but being sure about what direction you wantto take in life, even if itmeans taking a year off tomakethat decision, is better than meandering aimlessly through

college,flittingfrommajortomajor. Hesitant students enter college with vague careeraspirations. They flirt with various options, dabbling inphilosophy for a year, medicine the next, before finallysettling on a major. Statistics for the National Center forEducationshowthat65percentofstudentsenteringafouryearcollegewillnotgraduateinfouryearsand43percentwillnotgraduate in sixyears.With theaverageprice foraprivatefour-yearprivatecollegecurrentlyat$23,712peryear,lossduetoindecisionisnotminimal.However,soaringcostsarelesstoblamethanstudents’inabilitychooseacareer. Therootoftheproblemisthedecisionitself.Studentsdo not know what their career aspirations are, or how toreacha conclusion.With18yearsof limitedexperience, itisdifficult tocometoachoice.Agapyearallowsstudentstoexplore theiroptions.Volunteeringatanorphanagecaninspireastudenttobecomeapediatrician,asocialworker,orevenateacher.Workingatahospitalcanallowaprospectivedoctortodiscoverhisqueasinessofbloodbeforeheinvests

Guadalupe Ruelas

moneyintoamedicalcareer. Ifvolunteeringisnotanoption,studentscanworkduringthegapyear.Theaveragegraduatingsenioraccumulatesaloanof$29,000forprivateuniversities;moreifanundergraduateeducation is pursed. Consider this: if you wait tables forsixtyhoursaweekatminimumwageforayear,youwouldhaveearned$5,760beforetaxdeductions.Although$5,760mightnotseemlikealot,thatisapproximatelyone-sixthoftheaverageloan.Also,employersgenerallyconsiderstudentswhotakeayearofftoworkbetter-roundedthanthosewhodonot. Whilethegapyearisnottailoredtotheneedsofeverystudent, it allows the undecided to explore their interestsbefore investing money into an increasingly expensiveeducation.Theessenceofasuccessfulgapyear,however,istokeepactive,whetheritisgainingexperienceatahospitalorearningmoneytopay imminentstudent loans.Takingayearoff isno longera luxuriousriteofpassageforaristocrats,butsomethingwecanallnowafford.

Sexting, Can I?Cory Hansen

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opinion