o Booth y Pi olis er - University Interscholastic League · er y Pi olis TE MPUTERS ade game ur es...
3
Creating duct tape art, blackout poetry and origami bookmarks students embraced the possibilities provided by the libraries new Makerspace program that started this year. But this month’s Makerspace stood out from the craſt-like projects. Giving students the possibility of web surfing, gaming and movie watching, the Raspberry Pi project served as an ultimate game changer. “It fits in the palm of your hand,” librarian, Anna Runyen said. “You can create anything. I mean you have so many different options.” e Raspberry Pi is a low cost, credit card sized computer, functioning in the many ways a computer does. It has features such as cameras and sensors. Raspberry Pi users have the ability to hook up a USB connection, an HDMI output for video and an Ethernet port for Internet. And the unit holds anything needed to be stored into memory on an SD card. “So you have all that functionality of a computer, but it’s on this tiny little thing,” Runyen said. “It’s the perfect way to see if you’re wanting to take a step towards technology without sinking a bunch of money into it.” e raspberry Pi is compatible with a variety of keyboards, mouses, computer monitors and televisions. It provides a high level of education for students and adults, while being able to hold the programs such as Scratch and Python. “Raspberry Pi interests me because it allows people an inexpensive way to get started with programming as well as other computer related projects,” Instructional Technology Specialist Ryan Sanchez said. “e possibilities are really endless. You can create an Mp3 player, a Pi powered arcade cabinet, or even link several Pi’s together to create a little supercomputer.” e raspberry Pi funding has come from library fundraisers that have been collected over the past years. is money was used to purchase five kits, plus the needed accessories. “One of the groups that signed up is going to be doing a MP3 sound system,” Runyen said. “e other team signed up to do with something that hooked up with a camera. We have several people that have not identified who’s on their team yet, and what they’re making. e two teams that have done that step, and told me what they’re making, I’ve already ordered the pieces that go with their project.” Freshman Brittany Payne is one of the students who picked a project and is ready to start. Apart from the others who have not picked, Payne and her partner decided on the MP3 Player Project. “I haven’t officially started yet,” Payne said. “I mainly wanted to participate because me and my friend Leah just like to do stuff together, so we signed up just to have fun.” Freshman Leah Alberts and partner Brittany Payne say they have been very excited about the project and have researched the facts and details. “I was fascinated as to how it works, because I honestly think it’s really different. Instead of just using a computer, it’s something that’s just like a phone. And we get to see how it’s used in different ways,” Alberts said. Both Payne and Alberts find a strong pull to the credit card sized computer. Not only did friendship compel them to join, another quality forced them to join as well. “Well we both really happen to enjoy music, which is cool. And using a really cool thing with music would make it even cooler,” Alberts said. “We get to play music and we get to kind of build it and be involved with the MP3 player. We’re just really interested and focused in how it’s actually made,” Payne said. e Raspberry Pi can offer students like Payne and Alberts a creative, new outlet. “Getting involved with Raspberry Pi can spark your creativity and help hone critical thinking skills,” Sanchez said. “It can be a springboard to get students involved in more complex computer programming in the future.” Beyond a fun Makerspace project, Raspberry Pi can affect students’ futures. It can set them up for college majors, career options and a head start of skills. “I have a hard time understanding technology,” Alberts said. “With this experience I can be more open minded on what technology can actually do. Understanding technology could help me a lot.” Highlighting key knowledge and giving ideas on what a student might want to pursue once they’re out of high school, the Raspberry Pi can offer job options such as a Soſtware developer or a Database Administrator. “I think the project will be considered a success if anyone discovers an interest in computers or programming that they didn’t already know about or if it even enforces a person’s interest in computers or programming,” Sanchez said. Even if students do not choose a career in the computer industry, students with technology skills will be in demand, no matter what position they are seeking. Many jobs deal with computers and technology. It’s one of the main components of society’s foundation. “As we move into the future, programming is a skill that really everybody should have some kind of knowledge on because everything is digital now,” Runyen said. “And this helps you understand that.” Payne doesn’t plan on majoring in technology but she does see how Raspberry Pi teaches a still set including specialized techniques, dexterity and basic technology knowledge. “I want to be a doctor when I grow up,” Payne said, “but I think technology could help me understand about computers and how they’re set up and everything. So I think that would really help me in the future.” While the Raspberry Pi is a Makerspace project, the opportunity to work with the device as a mini computer is a dream maker that is bringing students together to learn. “And that’s what it’s about,” Runyen said. “It’s about people who can work together and bounce ideas off each other. It’s about people who aren’t afraid to think outside the box or try new things.” by staff reporter Izabella Solis Easy as a slice of Raspberry Pi STUDENTS CREATE LOW COST MULTI-PURPOSE FUNCTIONING COMPUTERS Add your own games to a thumb drive and wire the buttons correctly. Arcade game Upload your own music with help of programing and files. MP3 Player A camera with a USB connection makes this courageous idea come to life. Summon some friends to take silly photos. Photo Booth
Transcript of o Booth y Pi olis er - University Interscholastic League · er y Pi olis TE MPUTERS ade game ur es...
Cre
atin
g du
ct ta
pe a
rt, b
lack
out p
oetr
y an
d or
igam
i boo
kmar
ks st
uden
ts e
mbr
aced
th
e po
ssib
ilitie
s pro
vide
d by
the
libra
ries n
ew
Mak
ersp
ace
prog
ram
that
star
ted
this
year
. Bu
t thi
s mon
th’s
Mak
ersp
ace
stoo
d ou
t fro
m
the
craft
-like
pro
ject
s. G
ivin
g st
uden
ts th
e po
ssib
ility
of w
eb su
rfing
, gam
ing
and
mov
ie
wat
chin
g, th
e Ra
spbe
rry
Pi p
roje
ct se
rved
as a
n ul
timat
e ga
me
chan
ger.
“I
t fits
in th
e pa
lm o
f you
r han
d,” li
brar
ian,
A
nna
Runy
en sa
id. “
You
can
crea
te a
nyth
ing.
I m
ean
you
have
so m
any
diffe
rent
opt
ions
.”Th
e Ra
spbe
rry
Pi is
a lo
w co
st, c
redi
t car
d siz
ed co
mpu
ter,
func
tioni
ng in
the
man
y w
ays a
com
pute
r doe
s. It
has f
eatu
res s
uch
as c
amer
as a
nd se
nsor
s. Ra
spbe
rry
Pi u
sers
ha
ve th
e ab
ility
to h
ook
up a
USB
conn
ectio
n,
an H
DM
I out
put f
or v
ideo
and
an
Ethe
rnet
po
rt fo
r Int
erne
t. A
nd th
e un
it ho
lds a
nyth
ing
need
ed to
be
stor
ed in
to m
emor
y on
an
SD c
ard.
“S
o yo
u ha
ve a
ll th
at fu
nctio
nalit
y of
a
com
pute
r, bu
t it’s
on
this
tiny
little
thin
g,”
Runy
en sa
id. “
It’s t
he p
erfe
ct w
ay to
see
if yo
u’re
wan
ting
to ta
ke a
step
tow
ards
te
chno
logy
with
out s
inki
ng a
bun
ch o
f mon
ey
into
it.”
The
rasp
berr
y Pi
is co
mpa
tible
with
a v
arie
ty
of k
eybo
ards
, mou
ses,
com
pute
r mon
itors
and
te
levi
sions
. It p
rovi
des a
hig
h le
vel o
f edu
catio
n fo
r stu
dent
s and
adu
lts, w
hile
bei
ng a
ble
to
hold
the
prog
ram
s suc
h as
Scr
atch
and
Pyt
hon.
“R
aspb
erry
Pi i
nter
ests
me
beca
use
it al
low
s pe
ople
an
inex
pens
ive
way
to g
et st
arte
d w
ith
prog
ram
min
g as
wel
l as o
ther
com
pute
r rel
ated
pr
ojec
ts,”
Inst
ruct
iona
l Tec
hnol
ogy
Spec
ialis
t Ry
an S
anch
ez sa
id. “
The
poss
ibili
ties a
re re
ally
en
dles
s. Yo
u ca
n cr
eate
an
Mp3
pla
yer,
a Pi
pow
ered
arc
ade
cabi
net,
or e
ven
link
seve
ral
Pi’s
toge
ther
to cr
eate
a li
ttle
supe
rcom
pute
r.”Th
e ra
spbe
rry
Pi fu
ndin
g ha
s com
e fr
om
libra
ry fu
ndra
isers
that
hav
e be
en co
llect
ed
over
the
past
yea
rs. Th
is m
oney
was
use
d to
pu
rcha
se fi
ve k
its, p
lus t
he n
eede
d ac
cess
orie
s. “O
ne o
f the
gro
ups t
hat s
igne
d up
is g
oing
to
be
doin
g a
MP3
soun
d sy
stem
,” Ru
nyen
sa
id. “
The
othe
r tea
m si
gned
up
to d
o w
ith
som
ethi
ng th
at h
ooke
d up
with
a c
amer
a. W
e ha
ve se
vera
l peo
ple
that
hav
e no
t ide
ntifi
ed
who
’s on
thei
r tea
m y
et, a
nd w
hat t
hey’r
e m
akin
g. Th
e tw
o te
ams t
hat h
ave
done
that
st
ep, a
nd to
ld m
e w
hat t
hey’r
e m
akin
g, I’
ve
alre
ady
orde
red
the
piec
es th
at g
o w
ith th
eir
proj
ect.”
Fres
hman
Brit
tany
Pay
ne is
one
of t
he
stud
ents
who
pic
ked
a pr
ojec
t and
is re
ady
to st
art.
Apar
t fro
m th
e ot
hers
who
hav
e no
t pi
cked
, Pay
ne a
nd h
er p
artn
er d
ecid
ed o
n th
e M
P3 P
laye
r Pro
ject
. “I
hav
en’t
offici
ally
star
ted
yet,”
Pay
ne sa
id. “
I m
ainl
y w
ante
d to
par
ticip
ate
beca
use
me
and
my
frie
nd L
eah
just
like
to d
o st
uff to
geth
er, s
o w
e sig
ned
up ju
st to
hav
e fu
n.”
Fres
hman
Lea
h A
lber
ts a
nd p
artn
er B
ritta
ny
Payn
e sa
y th
ey h
ave
been
ver
y ex
cite
d ab
out
the
proj
ect a
nd h
ave
rese
arch
ed th
e fa
cts a
nd
deta
ils.
“I w
as fa
scin
ated
as t
o ho
w it
wor
ks, b
ecau
se
I hon
estly
thin
k it’
s rea
lly d
iffer
ent.
Inst
ead
of
just
usin
g a
com
pute
r, it’
s som
ethi
ng th
at’s
just
like
a ph
one.
And
we
get t
o se
e ho
w it
’s us
ed in
di
ffere
nt w
ays,”
Alb
erts
said
. Bo
th P
ayne
and
Alb
erts
find
a st
rong
pul
l to
the
cred
it ca
rd si
zed
com
pute
r. N
ot o
nly
did
frie
ndsh
ip co
mpe
l the
m to
join
, ano
ther
qu
ality
forc
ed th
em to
join
as w
ell.
“Wel
l we
both
real
ly h
appe
n to
enj
oy m
usic
, w
hich
is co
ol. A
nd u
sing
a re
ally
cool
thin
g w
ith m
usic
wou
ld m
ake
it ev
en co
oler
,” A
lber
ts
said
. “We
get t
o pl
ay m
usic
and
we
get t
o ki
nd o
f bu
ild it
and
be
invo
lved
with
the
MP3
pla
yer.
We’r
e ju
st re
ally
inte
rest
ed a
nd fo
cuse
d in
how
it’
s act
ually
mad
e,” P
ayne
said
.
The
Rasp
berr
y Pi
can
offe
r stu
dent
s lik
e Pa
yne
and
Alb
erts
a cr
eativ
e, ne
w o
utle
t. “G
ettin
g in
volv
ed w
ith R
aspb
erry
Pi c
an
spar
k yo
ur cr
eativ
ity a
nd h
elp
hone
criti
cal
thin
king
skill
s,” S
anch
ez sa
id. “
It ca
n be
a
sprin
gboa
rd to
get
stud
ents
invo
lved
in m
ore
com
plex
com
pute
r pro
gram
min
g in
the
futu
re.”
Beyo
nd a
fun
Mak
ersp
ace
proj
ect,
Rasp
berr
y Pi
can
affe
ct st
uden
ts’ fu
ture
s. It
can
set t
hem
up
for c
olle
ge m
ajor
s, ca
reer
opt
ions
an
d a
head
star
t of s
kills
. “I
hav
e a
hard
tim
e un
ders
tand
ing
tech
nolo
gy,”
Alb
erts
said
. “W
ith th
is ex
perie
nce
I can
be
mor
e op
en m
inde
d on
wha
t tec
hnol
ogy
can
actu
ally
do.
U
nder
stan
ding
tech
nolo
gy co
uld
help
me
a lo
t.”
Hig
hlig
htin
g ke
y kn
owle
dge
and
givi
ng
idea
s on
wha
t a st
uden
t mig
ht w
ant t
o pu
rsue
on
ce th
ey’re
out
of h
igh
scho
ol, t
he R
aspb
erry
Pi
can
offe
r job
opt
ions
such
as a
Soft
war
e de
velo
per o
r a D
atab
ase
Adm
inist
rato
r. “I
thin
k th
e pr
ojec
t will
be
cons
ider
ed
a su
cces
s if a
nyon
e di
scov
ers a
n in
tere
st
in co
mpu
ters
or p
rogr
amm
ing
that
they
di
dn’t
alre
ady
know
abo
ut o
r if i
t eve
n en
forc
es a
per
son’s
inte
rest
in co
mpu
ters
or
prog
ram
min
g,” S
anch
ez sa
id.
Even
if st
uden
ts d
o no
t cho
ose
a ca
reer
in
the
com
pute
r ind
ustr
y, st
uden
ts w
ith
tech
nolo
gy sk
ills w
ill b
e in
dem
and,
no
mat
ter
wha
t pos
ition
they
are
seek
ing.
Man
y jo
bs d
eal
with
com
pute
rs a
nd te
chno
logy
. It’s
one
of t
he
mai
n co
mpo
nent
s of s
ocie
ty’s
foun
datio
n.
“As w
e m
ove
into
the
futu
re, p
rogr
amm
ing
is a
skill
that
real
ly e
very
body
shou
ld
have
som
e ki
nd o
f kno
wle
dge
on b
ecau
se
ever
ythi
ng is
dig
ital n
ow,”
Run
yen
said
. “A
nd
this
help
s you
und
erst
and
that
.”Pa
yne
does
n’t p
lan
on m
ajor
ing
in
tech
nolo
gy b
ut sh
e do
es se
e ho
w R
aspb
erry
Pi
teac
hes a
still
set i
nclu
ding
spec
ializ
ed
tech
niqu
es, d
exte
rity
and
basic
tech
nolo
gy
know
ledg
e.“I
wan
t to
be a
doc
tor w
hen
I gro
w u
p,”
Payn
e sa
id, “
but I
thin
k te
chno
logy
coul
d he
lp
me
unde
rsta
nd a
bout
com
pute
rs a
nd h
ow
they
’re se
t up
and
ever
ythi
ng. S
o I t
hink
that
w
ould
real
ly h
elp
me
in th
e fu
ture
.”W
hile
the
Rasp
berr
y Pi
is a
Mak
ersp
ace
proj
ect,
the
oppo
rtun
ity to
wor
k w
ith th
e de
vice
as a
min
i com
pute
r is a
dre
am m
aker
th
at is
brin
ging
stud
ents
toge
ther
to le
arn.
“And
that
’s w
hat i
t’s a
bout
,” Ru
nyen
said
. “I
t’s a
bout
peo
ple
who
can
wor
k to
geth
er a
nd
boun
ce id
eas o
ff ea
ch o
ther
. It’s
abo
ut p
eopl
e w
ho a
ren’
t afr
aid
to th
ink
outs
ide
the
box
or
try
new
thin
gs.”
by st
aff re
port
er
Izabe
lla So
lisEasy
as a
slice
of R
aspb
erry
Pi
STU
DEN
TS C
REAT
ELO
W C
OST
MU
LTI-
PURP
OSE
FU
NC
TIO
NIN
G C
OM
PUTE
RS
Add
you
r ow
n ga
mes
to
a th
umb
driv
e an
d w
ire
the
butto
ns
corr
ectly
.
Arca
de g
ame
Upl
oad
your
ow
n m
usic
w
ith h
elp
of
prog
ram
ing
and
files
.
MP3
Pla
yer
A c
amer
a w
ith a
USB
co
nnec
tion
mak
es th
is co
urag
eous
idea
com
e to
life
. Sum
mon
som
e fr
iend
s to
take
silly
ph
otos
.
Phot
o Boo
th
The
light
s shi
ne o
n th
e fie
ld
as a
one
side
d ga
me
of la
cros
se
take
s pla
ce.
Juni
or la
cros
se p
laye
r Aly
ssa
Cor
neliu
s rus
hes d
own
the
field
and
doe
sn’t
let t
he b
all
out o
f her
sigh
t. Sh
e m
akes
a
path
for h
er te
amm
ates
as t
hey
scor
e on
the
impo
sing
team
, La
ke T
ravi
s. Th
e cl
ock
dwin
dles
do
wn
to it
s las
t sec
ond
and
the
gam
e en
ds w
ith a
n un
spar
ing
vict
ory
agai
nst L
ake
Trav
is w
ith
a fin
al sc
ore
of 2
2-0.
“Our
team
is re
ally
goo
d th
is ye
ar,”
Cor
neliu
s sai
d. “W
e ar
e un
defe
ated
in d
istric
t and
ha
ve o
nly
lost
two
gam
es. W
e ha
ve a
dev
elop
ed p
rogr
am a
nd
I fee
l lik
e w
e ar
e pr
etty
up
ther
e rig
ht n
ow.”
Cor
neliu
s disc
over
ed
lacr
osse
as a
fres
hmen
and
is
now
cur
rent
ly in
her
third
yea
r
with
the
team
. “I
t was
in m
y fr
eshm
an y
ear,
and
it w
as at
Mee
t the
Tig
ers
and
they
had
a li
ttle
boot
h th
ere,”
Cor
neliu
s sai
d. “I
’ve
play
ed a
lot o
f spo
rts b
efor
e, bu
t lac
ross
e w
as o
ne o
f the
on
ly sp
orts
I ha
dn’t
trie
d. I
had
hear
d ab
out l
acro
sse
and
it so
unde
d co
ol, s
o I j
ust d
id it
.” C
orne
lius s
ays s
he li
kes t
he
act t
hat l
acro
sse
is a
club
spor
t.“I
t’s n
ot a
par
t of s
choo
l an
d so
met
imes
it’s
even
out
of
scho
ol, s
o yo
u re
ally
get
th
ese
girls
that
show
a lo
t of
dedi
catio
n to
the
team
and
th
at’s
the
best
par
t,” C
orne
lius
said
. “Ju
st p
layi
ng w
ith g
irls
that
love
this
spor
t and
that
w
ant t
o be
out
ther
e an
d w
ant
to co
mm
it th
e tim
e.”Fo
r Cor
neliu
s and
all
of h
er
othe
r tea
mm
ates
lacr
osse
is n
ot
just
all
abou
t win
ning
, but
also
abou
t mak
ing
new
frie
nds a
nd
wor
king
toge
ther
to h
ave
fun.
“It’s
har
d to
choo
se th
e be
st
part
abo
ut b
eing
in la
cros
se,”
ju
nior
Jord
an B
aack
said
. “It
wou
ld b
e th
e te
am b
ecau
se
they
’re ju
st a
ll so
fun
to h
ang
out w
ith, a
nd it
nev
er re
ally
fe
els l
ike
a ch
ore
to p
lay
with
th
em.”
Dur
ing
a ga
me,
the
girls
’ ge
t ser
ious
and
put
thei
r wor
k fr
om p
ract
ices
to a
ctio
n.
“In
my
min
d, d
urin
g a
gam
e, I’m
ale
rt a
bout
thin
gs, n
ot ju
st
with
my
team
mat
es, b
ut w
ith
the
oppo
sing
team
too,”
juni
or
Zhan
e Sy
lvai
n sa
id. “
How
they
pl
ay, t
he p
erso
n I’m
goi
ng
agai
nst,
wha
t’s th
eir s
kill
like,
wha
t’s th
eir w
eake
st p
oint
, w
hat’s
my
adva
ntag
e ov
er th
em
and
then
as a
who
le w
hat’s
my
team
adv
anta
ge o
ver t
heirs
.” Ev
en th
ough
lacr
osse
is n
ot
the
mos
t pop
ular
spor
t, it’d
be
hard
to a
rgue
that
it d
oesn
’t ta
ke a
spec
ial p
lace
with
in
thes
e gi
rls’ d
aily
live
s.“L
acro
sse
is sp
ecia
l to
me
beca
use
it is
a sp
ort I
fell
in lo
ve w
ith it
eve
r sin
ce I
first
sinc
e pi
cked
up
a st
ick,”
C
orne
lius s
aid.
C
orne
lius s
ays t
hat s
he
know
s if s
he h
as la
cros
se o
r a
gam
e w
hen
she’s
hav
ing
a ba
d da
y, he
r tea
m w
ill b
ring
her t
o a
bette
r moo
d.“W
e al
l hav
e su
ch a
clos
e bo
nd,”
Cor
neliu
s sai
d.“Th
e bo
nd w
e’ve
had
with
the
team
ha
s dev
elop
ed m
ore
over
the
seas
on. I
thin
k a
lot o
f it h
as to
do
the
fact
that
we
are
an e
ver-
mor
e w
inni
ng te
am. W
hen
we
lose
a g
ame
it br
ings
us c
lose
r to
geth
er. W
e w
in to
geth
er, l
ose
toge
ther
and
we
play
as a
uni
t an
d no
t as i
ndiv
idua
ls.”
Lacr
osse
My H
eart
by st
aff re
port
erCh
ristia
n De
lgad
o
GIR
LS T
EAM
EA
RNS
AN
OTH
ER
VIC
TORY
, REM
AIN
S U
ND
EFEA
TED
IN
DIS
TRIC
T PL
AY
1. Ju
nior
Aly
ssa
Corn
elius
char
ges t
owar
ds th
e bal
l afte
r see
ing i
t la
nd o
n th
e gro
und.
2.
Rou
nd R
ock
Hig
h N
icole
Frea
r sw
oops
in to
take
the b
all.
3. C
edar
Rid
ge H
igh
Gra
ce E
rney
sear
ches
for o
pen
play
ers t
o co
mpl
ete a
pas
s.
1 23
phot
os b
y Ch
ristia
n D
elga
do
Need
-to-K
now
sTh
ere
are
four
qua
rter
s in
s g
ame.
Eac
h qu
arte
r, th
e cl
ock
star
ts w
ith 1
5 m
inut
es
A “c
reas
e” is
a 9
ft ra
dius
ar
ound
the
goal
. Pla
yers
ar
e no
t allo
wed
to e
nter
th
e cr
ease
.Cr
oss-
chec
king
bel
ow
the
wai
st o
r in
a ch
oppi
ng m
otio
n is
not
al
low
ed. C
heck
ing
from
be
hind
is a
lso
a m
ajor
pe
nalty
.
Reaching For The Stars Students make plans to set foundation for new club’sproposed projects, field trips, fundraising efforts
The energy in the room is positive as students walk through the door. Paint bottles and giant spheres sit on the tables. The students pick a place one by one and begin working on their celestial objects project.
“Our school generally lacks aerospace classes,” junior Syeda Gilani said. “This club was for people who were interested in that topic. It’s already gotten some people who weren’t interested at first, excited about space.
During the Middle of October, Gilani, senior Leonardo Aguilar, junior Ryland Rogers, and junior Kristina Mouton, made the NASA club official. Once English teacher Teresa Blanton agreed to sponsor it, the club attracted over 15 members across all grades. The club meets every Friday.
“Space science has been my passion since I was young and to have a club based around that with other people is really cool,” Aguilar said. “Basically I’m in charge of planning out the funds and the activities, I check the money we need and put it into our different projects. We have a lot of big goals planned this year.”
Current president of the club Gilani and vice president Aguilar have always shared a passion for the Aerospace field. Their dream is to work for NASA and be aspiring astronauts which makes them fit to plan, organize, and lead the club.
“Ever since I was little, I’ve be fascinated by space and everything beyond our planet,” Gilani said. “At a very young age I decided that this was the career for me. I’ll always
hold onto that goal and I plan on achieving it.”
The club started off with small educational activities about the solar system. The members designed rockets, and painted and presented celestial bodies such as, moons, planets, and stars.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn and grow with new people,” Rogers said. “Space and astronomy have
always fascinated me, and I think this club is the perfect chance to expand my knowledge even further. I’m excited for the new experiences.”
Currently the club is fundraising by selling shirts and planning on bake sales. They plan on doing several major projects such as the Mars Rover, which they will be working on after winter break. Their end goal is to do a stratosphere
project using a weather balloon. They also plan on taking trips to the UT observatory and the Lyndon B Johnson Space Center.
“We have a lot of fun projects planned,” Rogers said. “We’ve already started fundraising and I think we’ll be able to do a lot. It’s been going great and I think our members have a lot to learn from NASA club.”
1. Juniors Syeda Gilani and Ryland Rogers work together to cut the names of celestial objects in a cup.“This project was an opportunity to learn more about space,” Rogers said. “I thought it was very innovative because we were able to learn about celestial objects that are rarely heard of. We painted them in colors that they actually are, which is interesting to see the artistic natural variety between the planets.”2. Members of the NASA club sit together and paint models of rocketships and shuttles. “It was a creative project,” junior Syeda Gilani said. “Everyone did different designs and models.”3. Senior Allison Edwards focuses on painting the rocket boost-er to her space shuttle model. 4. Junior Justin Baham and freshman Steven Sanchez team up to create one giant space shuttle with a rocket base.
1
3 4
by staff reporter Justin Baham
photos by Rebecca White
Sophomore Jennifer Serrano comes from a family that gets sick a lot. Her grandfather has diabetes. Her cousin is battling leukemia. And at around fifty-years-old, her uncle died from lung cancer.
Serrano, HOSA’s Social Community Officer, says that despite all the sadness her family members’ illnesses and deaths have caused her, she’s continually inspired by them to pursue a medical career where she can make contributions to rid the world of the diseases that have affected her loved ones.
“I was 14, Serrano said. “I was still a freshman. My father told me the news [that my uncle passed away] on the phone while I was at school.”
At age 50, almost thirty years less than the U.S. life expectancy of 79-years-old, her uncle suddenly passed away from lung cancer, a devastating event for her and her family.
“I just felt broken down, [like] a broken puzzle trying to find its pieces,” she said. “I had a hard time working and multitasking at school and other things when I found out. I was very emotional.”
Although her uncle’s death caused grief and sadness for her entire family, Serrano says they helped her personally grow up as a person.
“I think these things tell me I have to be stronger,” Serrano said.
Serrano remembers her uncle as a caring and confident man. A good role model, he showed her the value of self-confidence, dedication and positivity.
“For me, it [lung cancer] was very depressing,” Serrano said. I looked up to him. He told me to believe myself. He taught me all of these positive things.”
Serrano’s uncle wasn’t her only family member that had an impact on her. Her cousin, a survivor of leukemia, also helped her grow and become stronger and independent.
“I got a phone call,” Serrano said. “My mom told me that my cousin was getting worse. I felt that I wasn’t good enough. I felt that I would give up on myself.”
Like her uncle, it became a sad time for her family, and especially Serrano.
“It was a hard time for me to stay strong. ‘Why me?’ I asked myself. I thought very negatively of myself.”
All of her emotions and memories would come together when she entered high school where she discovered HOSA, a national student organization dedicated to the medical
field.“I was a freshman,” Serrano said. “I never
heard of HOSA as a club. I’d never thought about it.”
Serrano, motivated by her uncle’s death and her cousin’s battle, decided to pursue a career in health science, and she found that HOSA was the best place to start.
“At that time, I didn’t know what I was,” Serrano said. “I hadn’t thought of anything. When I got into ninth grade, I was stronger.”
Jennifer found her passion for medicine in HOSA, and her uncle and cousin stayed in her head, ready to motivate her anytime she needed it.
“While competing, I think of them, and it just makes me more valuable and very strong,” Serrano said.
Eventually, Serrano earned her current role as HOSA Social Community Officer, a position she says let her express her ideas.
“I think I’m good for it,” Serrano said. “I’m comfortable being the Social Community
Officer.” She also sees HOSA as a beginning to a great
future for her in the medical field.“I like to talk to a lot of people, so I think it
[HOSA] will take me over to experiences and to a good place,” Serrano said.
Serrano says her goals today as a HOSA officer include the simplicity of happiness and being able to support others.
“I want to be person who makes others happy,” Serrano said. “I will support them [other members], and I will support myself.”
Serrano says that her motivation and independence help her meet those goals.
“I just go for it.” Serrano said. However, she continues to shows reverence
for her uncle and her cousin, both of whom will always play a role in Jennifer’s consideration of her future.
“[They] inspired me to be someone. My duty is to help them.” Serrano said. “I want to help other people, and support them.”
Family Matters by staff reporter Johnny Nguyen
photos courtesy of Laura Huynh
Through participating in HOSA sophomore Jennifer Serrano says she is building a foundation of health care knowledge to help meet her goal of working in the medical field.
HOSA Activities Provide Healthy Dose of Learning for Club Officer
Thre
e Goa
ls fo
r the
Futu
reby
staff
mem
ber S
yeda
Gila
ni
MEN
’S V
ARS
ITY
SOC
CER
TE
AM
LEA
DS
FOR
DIS
TRIC
T,
BREA
KS
REC
ORD
The
crow
d ro
ars a
s jun
ior J
ustin
Mar
tin
runs
with
the
ball.
He
dodg
es e
very
pla
yer i
n th
e w
ay a
s he
head
s str
aigh
t for
the
goal
. He
kick
s the
bal
l, la
ndin
g it
in th
e ne
t, sc
orin
g a
poin
t. Th
e te
am a
nd C
oach
Win
ston
Poo
l ch
eer h
im o
n as
they
lead
for d
istric
t 2-1
. “E
very
day
we
can
impr
ove
on th
e lit
tle
thin
gs,”
Pool
said
. “I v
iew
mys
elf a
s a
perf
ectio
nist
, so
ever
ythi
ng w
e do
in sc
hool
, pr
actic
e an
d ga
mes
we
can
alw
ays fi
nd
som
ethi
ng to
impr
ove
on.
We
are
a ve
ry
youn
g te
am th
is ye
ar a
nd e
ncou
nter
man
y up
s an
d do
wns
. One
thin
g w
e ar
e le
arni
ng is
how
to
be
cons
isten
t day
in a
nd d
ay o
ut, a
nd w
hen
we
acco
mpl
ish th
is I t
hink
our
team
will
be
able
to ta
ke th
e ne
xt st
eps a
nd d
o gr
eat t
hing
s.”Th
is ye
ar, t
he m
en’s
vars
ity so
ccer
team
, w
on d
istric
t aga
inst
Pflu
gerv
ille
Hig
h Sc
hool
an
d th
e A
kins
Cop
a Cu
p To
urna
men
t 2-1
ag
ains
t Hen
dric
kson
Hig
h sc
hool
. They
also
set a
scho
ol re
cord
with
45
goal
s, du
ring
the
gam
e ag
ains
t Pflu
gerv
ille
for t
he le
ast g
oals
let
in, t
he re
cord
was
12,
and
they
had
11
durin
g di
stric
t. “I
was
ver
y ex
cite
d ab
out s
ettin
g th
e re
cord
vs
. Pflu
gerv
ille,”
Poo
l sai
d. “O
ur te
am se
t a
goal
to a
ccom
plish
aga
inst
Pflu
gerv
ille
that
ni
ght a
nd w
e di
d it.
Pflu
gerv
ille
is a
very
goo
d te
am, b
ut to
shut
them
out
and
bea
t the
m is
a
mem
ory
I will
nev
er fo
rget
.”Th
e se
ason
end
ed w
ith M
artin
win
ning
the
dist
rict’s
Gol
den
boot
. He
scor
ed 1
2 go
als t
his
seas
on. J
unio
r Dav
id R
ojas
was
the
man
of t
he
mat
ch. Th
e te
am e
nded
with
26
play
off p
oint
s an
d a
dist
rict r
ecor
d of
8-4
-2.
“I th
ink
our s
easo
n w
ent r
eally
wel
l,” M
artin
sa
id. “
We
focu
sed
on o
ur g
oals
and
we
got
whe
re w
e w
ante
d to
be.
My
team
mat
es d
id
real
ly w
ell a
nd o
ur ch
emist
ry w
as re
ally
goo
d.”Th
is ye
ar w
as P
ool’s
firs
t yea
r tea
chin
g at
St
ony
Poin
t. H
e tr
ansf
erre
d fr
om P
fluge
rvill
e H
igh
scho
ol w
here
he
taug
ht a
nd co
ache
d fo
r
thre
e ye
ars.
“I h
ave
alw
ays h
ad a
dre
am to
bec
ome
head
co
ach
at a
6A
Hig
h Sc
hool
, and
I w
as g
iven
th
at o
ppor
tuni
ty la
st y
ear,”
Poo
l sai
d. “
I saw
th
e po
tent
ial o
f the
pla
yers
at S
tony
Poi
nt a
nd
was
exc
ited
to h
ave
an o
ppor
tuni
ty to
coac
h an
d m
ento
r the
m.”
Whe
n he
met
his
team
, Poo
l gav
e th
em
thre
e go
als.
Firs
t was
to w
in a
pre
seas
on
tour
nam
ent,
whi
ch w
as a
ccom
plish
ed b
y w
inni
ng th
e A
kins
Cop
a Cu
p to
urna
men
t.
The
seco
nd g
oal w
as to
mak
e th
e pl
ayoff
s, w
hich
was
acc
ompl
ished
by
beat
ing
McN
eil.
The
third
goa
l is t
o ad
vanc
e in
the
play
offs.
“Our
team
is v
ery
youn
g so
I ge
t to
have
a
lot o
f my
team
bac
k ne
xt y
ear,”
Poo
l sai
d.
“My
team
wor
ks e
xtre
mel
y ha
rd e
very
day
at
pra
ctic
e an
d ch
alle
nges
eac
h in
divi
dual
to
impr
ove
ever
y da
y. W
e ar
e a
very
fast
, ph
ysic
al a
nd te
chni
cal t
eam
who
striv
es o
n ou
t po
sses
sing
team
s eve
ry g
ame
we
play
.”Po
ol se
t thr
ee p
hase
s in
the
prog
ram
for
prac
tices
, a p
rese
ason
in d
istric
t pla
y an
d an
offs
easo
n. B
oth
seas
ons h
e im
plem
ente
d w
eigh
ts a
nd co
nditi
onin
g. D
urin
g th
e se
ason
, th
e te
am p
ract
iced
fund
amen
tals
ever
y da
y an
d sm
all s
ided
gam
es.
“He’s
a g
reat
coac
h,” ju
nior
Jaso
n Va
rgas
sa
id. “
We
put a
lot o
f effo
rt in
to th
e ga
mes
. C
oach
hel
ped
us b
ring
our t
eam
up
and
brou
ght t
oget
her o
ur ch
emist
ry o
n th
e fie
ld.”
The
team
has
bee
n se
tting
new
goa
ls fo
r the
ne
xt y
ear.
They
hav
e be
en p
ract
icin
g ha
rder
an
d th
ey a
re n
ow le
arni
ng n
ew ta
ctic
s and
st
rate
gy to
use
on
the
field
. “W
e m
et o
ur g
oals
and
acco
mpl
ished
man
y re
cord
s in
the
proc
ess,”
Poo
l sai
d. “Th
at b
eing
sa
id, I
alw
ays s
et m
y ex
pect
atio
ns h
igh
and
try
to ch
alle
nge
my
team
to g
et b
ette
r, I b
elie
ve
one
day
we
can
com
pete
for t
he d
istric
t titl
e an
d st
ate
cham
pion
ship
. Unt
il w
e ac
com
plish
ou
r ulti
mat
e go
al w
e w
ill a
lway
s be
hung
ry fo
r m
ore,
but w
e ha
d a
grea
t beg
inni
ng o
f our
new
pr
ogra
m, a
nd ta
ke th
e ne
xt st
ep.”
