September 24, 2010

September 24, 2010Issue 1

Pulse.

www.chspulse.com

Table of Contents

3 6 1012 14

News

Feature

Opinion

Sports

Art

Message from the Editors

What is this madness? Where is our beloved Falcon Free Press? Why is this a magazine? Why is this in all color?

NO WORRIES! We are still the same Falcon Free Press you have come to know and love over the past years. We have just changed with the times, and are pioneering the future of high school journalism in Placer County. We are still a publication of the Falcon Free Press, we just decided that with a new for-mat and design, this news-mag deserved a new name.

So what’s new with this magazine?-Bold, New Design-All Color-Bi-Monthly Publishing-New Website

We hope you enjoy this magazine as much as we do.

PS: Thanks to Mrs. Page for putting up with our shennanigans!

• October 1st-November 30th - Califor-nia State University Applications due. “The sooner the better, some schools have ‘rolling deadlines.’”

• September 30th 6:30pm at Placer High School Theater. “PUHSD will be hosting one district-wide Colleg Infor-mation Night. There will be represen-tatives from the UC, CSU, and Sierra College systems doing breakout ses-sions and answeing questions. Con-tact the counselors if you have any questions about this event. Admission is free.

• October 14th 6:30pm at Rocklin High School Gym. “150 four-year WASC ac-credited colleges have been invited to showcase their schools in an arena style format.” Contact the counselors if you have any questions about this event. Admission is free.

SAT Test Dates:• SAT Date. Register by Date. Late Reg-

istration Date. (collegeboard.com)Nov 6 Oct 8 Oct 22Dec 4 Nov 5 Nov 19

Jan 22 Dec 23 Jan 7ACT Test Dates:• ACT Date. Register by Date. Late Reg-

istration Date. (actstudent.org)• Oct 23 Sept 17 Oct 1

Dec 11 Nov 5 Nov 19 Feb 12 Jan 7 Jan 21 Make sure you check the bulletin board

in the college counseling center for more information.

Counselor’s Corner

-Sincerely your Editors-in-Chief Dylan Laidlaw and Daniel Graupensperger

September Pulse Magazine 03

news.

Decision turns into a tragedy when three Colfax High School students purpose-fully go too far with a couple of rocks and nearby bar-ricades. Although this event happened but two months ago, the subject is still fresh on the tongues of the Placer County community. Not all conversations directly relate to the rock throwing incident, but rather how the situation is affecting CHS and the overall community of Colfax. Although Colfax has lost a great deal of respect (the community and the school), Colfax manages to take responsibility for the inci-dent and to immediately give back to some degree. Jose Palomera, victim of the rock attack, will undergo many sur-geries on his jaw for years to come and that means costly medical bills. The Colfax foot-ball team donated all their “Battle of the Capitol” pro-ceeds from their September 3rd game against Durham to Mr. Palomera. The game earned a little over twenty-three hundred dollars, do-nated to Mr. Palomera. Along

Megan Korf Raegan LillieStaff Writers

The community of Colfax hopes to send a different message for rock throwing incident

Community Effort

with that, the head football coach of CHS, Tony Martello, wrote a letter to Mr. Palomera which expressed the sym-pathy of the Colfax football team. Likewise, the CHS music department is putting on a Fall Music Concert on Friday, October 13th at 7:30 PM in

which all the proceeds will be donated to Mr. Palomera as well. Along with CHS fun-

Andrew SindelStaff Writer

Termination of Falcon Period

draising, the town of Colfax and many other commu-nities have been sending Mr. Palomera get-well and sympathy cards. Rick Spears, Colfax High’s principal, personally dropped off the football game proceeds to Palomera and was instantly

filled with “sympathy” at the sight of Palomera’s physi-cal condition. When Spears went to meet Mr. Palomera,

Falcon Period is ex-tinct . . . at least for this year. This is the first year with both a four-by-four schedule and no Falcon Period. For the fresh-men who did not experience this Thursday study block, Fal-con Period was a period after lunch that gave students a chance to go to classes and finish homework, study, or get

he said “that he feels really good about the support and is very thankful for everyone’s prayers and apologies.” Spears also said the visit to Mr. Palomera was “pretty powerful. Palomera was very positive and had nothing negative to say about anything or anyone.” Spears also stated that Mr. Palomera is a “very, very, very nice man” and appreciates Palomera’s strength in such a life-changing situation. The Colfax commu-nity is trying to make the best of the situation by sending the message of a caring commu-nuty. Spears stated that this is “not what Colfax represents or stands for.” Colfax commu-nity members are hoping for a safe and quick recovery for Mr. Palomera. Mr. Palomera continues to be an inspira-tion to the citizens with his ever going positive outlook and forgiveness. Rick Spears mentioned, “If we want to talk about heroes and role models, Mr. Palomera is defi-antly one.” Don’t miss the con-cert in October and help show support for Mr. Palom-era.

help in their classes. At least, that is what it was designed to do. While most of the Colfax student population understood what they were supposed to be doing, there were some who took this time to hang out with friends, goof off, or just ditched the period entirely. This is a major cause of the absence of a Falcon Period this year. In addition to the

missing study block, Colfax has come out with a total of eight schedules. With two minimum day schedules, two rally schedules, and an early release schedule, the calen-dar is littered with irregular schedules. This poses a bigger challenge to teachers as they now have to plan their class structure around this changed “Falcon Period-less” schedule. Although the lack of a Falcon Period makes it

harder on clubs, students, and teachers: the time that would have been spent at this study block is distributed among our four classes. Teachers were upset with the four-by-four schedule as it took weeks from their course and made their jobs more stressful. Now they are getting more time then they originally did every Thursday at the expense of a wild-card study session.

The schedule this year contains no Falcon Period

The sign near the overpass on Canyon Way. Though this inci-dent happened a couple of months ago, community mem-bers are still feeling the impact.

Photo Credit: Daniel Graupensperger

news.

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API: # Scored at or above average2007-2008 School Year 778 2008-2009 School Year 8052009-2010 School Year 814

STAR Tests: 9th-11th Grades

English

9th 10th 11thAdvanced 38% 38% 40%Proficient 40% 29% 26%Basic 15% 23% 19%

Math 9th Grade Algebra I Geometry Algebra IIAdvanced 3% 3% 18%Proficient 22% 58% 45%Basic 33% 35% 36%

Math

10th Grade Algebra I Geometry Algebra IIAdvanced 2% 0% 4%Proficient 11% 16% 6%Basic 31% 54% 58%

Math

11th Grade Algebra I Geometry Algebra IIAdvanced 0% 0% 0%Proficient 7% 5% 6%Basic 20% 48% 24%

Test Scores Go Up

Briana CastorinaStaff Writer

Colfax High School sees a rise in test scores

In recent years dances have been a hot topic for students and administrators across the district. Some high schools have cut back the number of dances while others hold dances off campus. I sat down with Mrs. Judy Hardman, the Vice Principal of CHS to get the pulse of campus dances.

Q: How long have you been in charge of dances and dance discipline?A: I’ve been here ten years and I’ve been in charge of extra duty for all of those ten years.

Q: How many dances (including Prom) will occur this year? How does this compare to other years?A: Leadership tries to schedule fi ve dances every year and to my knowledge this year is no different. The only thing that’s changed with the dances is the time. It’s been the same number all of the years I’ve worked here. We had to change dance time due to the curfew change.

Q: Will the administration and staff limit or change that number if student behavior isn’t satisfactory?A: Behavior in recent years has become more satisfactory. About three years ago a group of parents came to us with concerns about the dances. That was the initial time when the issue was dealt with. We always had unoffi cial rules but that was the fi rst year we put them into writing. Behavior still isn’t the best it could be but at this point, I don’t see us taking away dances.

Q: Do you think the behavior has been getting worse or better with each year?A: There is a better awareness. More and more kids realize that a “club” behavior is not for school.

Q: What do you feel has been been the biggest issue at dances?A: Lighting. The dark makes the dances more anonymous and the more anonymous it is for students, the worse the behavior. Another issue is peer pressure. A lot of people display behaviors that they normally would never show. This behavior unfortu-nately has become the “norm” at dances.

Chatting AboutDances

Ally Rondoni Staff Writer

Journalist talks with Mrs. Hardman


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“The most popular cheerleader isn’t dating the quarterback!” Giorgia Riciotti (12) from Italy exclaims. She is one of eight foreign ex-change students at Colfax High School this year. When she imagined American High School, the typical movie sce-narios came to her mind. “The cheerleaders are the most beautiful girls in school and the captain of the football team is always the best look-ing guy,” Riciotti says. “And there are groups of students that have the same interest, hobby and look and so they are supposed to be friends,” Josie Schuster (12) from Ger-many adds. “I expected the Americans to be only interest-ed in football and baseball. I hardly expected anyone to be interested in soccer!” Matti Geissler (12) from Germany says, happy to continue his hobby. He enjoys PE soccer here at Colfax High School. The image of Ameri-can High School in foreign countries is infl uenced by the movie industry. Foreign stu-dents from all over the world want to come to America because they want to experi-ence the kind of school they see in movies. But when they come here, they discover that

life is not quite like a movie. “At Colfax High School the groups of friends are not like I imagined. They consist of so many different types of characters!” This was one of Schusters’ fi rst impres-sions. The prejudice that students join circles of friends that are similar to themselves is not true. Another thing that most of the exchange stu-dents noticed: the small talk. ~How are you? ~I’m good. How are you? ~I’m good! This is just one ex-ample of many small talk conversations. “When we ask someone this question, we really mean it,” Kirill Polkov from Russia says and the other exchange students agree. “Here in America it seems to be more like a habit.” When young people from other countries think about America in general, one of the fi rst things they think of is fast food. When Riciotti saw her host family’s picture for the fi rst time she was surprised that they were thin. “I thought that I would get a host family that eats differently than I do at home. Yes, I really expected to gain weight,” she says. After her fi rst day of school, Schuster was con-fused. “I expected at least

a few people to be fat,” she states, “not all Americans are fat, especially not Colfax High School students,” Schuster now knows. After comparing the American school system and other school systems they dis-covered that there are many differences. “In America you have two terms with four classes each that you can choose,” Polkov explains, “It’s very different than in Russia. We have a better developed education system.” He thinks that he learns more in Russia but he also likes the fact that in America you can choose what you want to do. “And in Italy!” Riciotti agrees. In Europe there are about 10-15 classes the whole year long. Each class is 45 minutes and there are seven different classes a day, and the next day there may be seven new classes. The girls can’t tell which one is the better system in an educa-tional view, but the American system is more relaxed. “It’s so much better than in Germa-ny,” Schuster says about the American school system. The exchange stu-dents are lucky about their decision to come to America to study and they are sure that this is something they will never regret.

Stefanie KitschkeStaff Writer

Culture ShockAmerica from the eyes of an exchange student: Similarities,

differences, prejudices and impressions

Summer is an eventful time for the town of Colfax. One of the most notable events of the summer was the student directed, acted and “teched” stage show “Jekyll and Hyde”. It ran two weekends over the summer at the Colfax movie theater and enthralled audience members each performance. “It was a really unusual and neat experience,” said Alex Bonser (11). Every member of the cast and crew has been, or is in, the CHS drama program C.O.R.E. It was this deep tie to the high school that caused the show’s director, Chase Coney (12), to donate the shows $2,200 earnings to C.O.R.E. “The money was just an afterthought,” he said. “For us it was just about doing a show. I couldn’t think of a better place for it to go; this is the program that brought us all together.” John Deaderick, director and teacher of Drama 1 and 2 at CHS, felt the same way. “I was incredibly touched and emotionally moved. It was a total surprise. He [Coney] just walked in and handed it to me.” Both hope that the money can be effectively used to help pay for C.O.R.E’s next production, Peter Pan, showing November 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th, 19th, and 20th. Coney said its “nice to put our bit in” and, “the fl y system and costumes for Peter Pan are going to be expensive. I’m happy that our money can help pay for some of that.” And what’s next for

A Generous Donation from Talented StudentsSummer Production do-nates profi ts to C.O.R.E.Ally RondoniStaff Writer

Coney? “I’d love to do this again next summer. Directing allowed me to see the craft of acting from every angle... ...All I need now is

some show ideas.”


The next time you go to a grocery store you may be surprised to see that the bag boy at the checkout line is no longer a boy, but a grown man. These days positions that were formerly considered to be “teen jobs” are being fi lled by adults. With unemployment rates so high, many adults are settling for positions that don’t require qualifi cations or degrees, which means that it is becom-ing even harder for inexperi-enced teenagers to fi nd jobs. For Colfax Senior Mikaela Nielson, job hunting has practically become a hobby. She has applied for at least ten jobs, and has yet to be hired. “In the beginning I applied for ‘cool’ jobs, like Starbucks, but after a while I started applying to places that were farther away, like in Roseville, and at places that I didn’t necessarily want to work,” said Nielson. Some people spend months looking for a job, and with a limited amount in the area, many teens are forced to apply to places that require a bit of a commute. The extra time spent driving also increases the expense for travel. The limited amount of employment in the area is one thing that causes more qualifi ed people to apply for positions that teens used to hold. This means that teens usually don’t get their fi rst pick of jobs. Even getting an interview is hard. “I’ve been to a lot of group interviews. You’re not with just a bunch of 17 year olds. You’re with people with college degrees and 40 year-olds,” Said Nielson. The main cause for this is the recession. As of June 10th unemployment was at 9.6%, which is the highest it has been in 27 years. Ac-cording to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment levels for 16-to-19-year-olds are at an

Shortages of Teen Jobs

Hannah WestStaff Writer

The “pulse” of Colfax High School is not limited to the students and teachers on the campus. While many students maintain jobs and a slew of extra-curricular activities, many of Colfax’s very own faculty fi nd pursuits outside of the classroom.Among these many is Mr. John Deaderick: AP English, Drama and Tech Theater teacher. Before receiving his job here on the CHS campus in August of 2001, Deaderick was formerly a disc jockey at KXPR and radio show KVMR Nevada City as well as a free-lance actor/director. But that is not the limit of Deaderick’s out-of-Colfax involvement.“I’ve been teaching ad-vanced acting at Sierra College in Nevada City since 1985,” Deaderick remarked, “[but] I’ve been ‘in and out’ of teaching since 1973.” Many of Deaderick’s own stu-dents from CHS even go on to take his class in Sierra College upon graduating. But impart-ing knowledge to America’s youth has not been Deader-ick’s sole career. “I sold rugs (make sure that’s ‘rugs’ not ‘drugs’) as well as teaching art in juvenile hall and writing for grants.” Yet Deaderick’s original passion might come as a shock to many. When asked what his passion was coming out of high school Deaderick said “I wanted to be a writer. But I was really into sculpture too.” And, as is the case with many students going into college, passions change and this is even more evident through Deaderick’s schooling. While at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Deaderick received his Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies as well as Minors in Studio Art and English and his Educational

Degree. From there, Deaderick’s academic pursuits did not cease – he went on to obtain his Masters in Humanities with an emphasis on Music History from California State Univer-sity Domingus Hills, a cer-tifi cate from Del Arte School of Physical Comedy, and post-graduate work in no-degree programs at Stanford University, University of the Arts in Pennsylvania, and Lincoln College at Oxford. And on top of all this, Deaderick still fi nds the time to maintain a lustrous garden, and care for his children and grandchildren – as well as participating in professional theater; his latest role being in the production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in Nevada City. When asked how he manages to balance his two teaching jobs as well as run-ning the Colfax High School drama department and steal-ing the limelight on stage, Deaderick simply stated: “It is crazy.” But Deaderick does not manage his schedule solely for personal enjoyment. As with many others in this austere economy, Deaderick admits that his “moonlighting ventures” do correlate to the need of extra income and monetary support. Surprised? Such an educated man, versed in many ways of the world, is a humble teacher here at in our little community of Colfax? There are many aspects which infl uence the happenings on the Colfax High School campus, many aspects which infl uence the “pulse” of our school. We are a part of that “pulse”, let’s keep it beating strong.

Teachers WhoGrant GutierrezStaff Writer

Moonlightalarming 21.7%. More pay-check-seeking older workers are moving into teen-friendly jobs due to a lack of employ-ment.

What has been happening? Have adults lowered their standards or have businesses raised theirs? The argument could be made either way. A large number of adults taking “teen jobs” are retirees looking to supplement their incomes. Their experience gives them a one-up on the competition, especially in a fi eld of inexperienced teen-agers. Many employers favor hiring adults for both their experience and their avail-ability. Neilson noted “The older people probably need it more than I do, and they defi nitely have more time than me.” In the state of Califor-nia a minor is only allowed to work a maximum of 20 hours per week. Add to that the lim-ited availability that a student has while attending school, and possibly even participat-ing in sports, and the chances of being hired are slim. But teens should not give up hope just yet. Volunteering is an option that gives teens the experience they need to get a job and it even looks well on a college application. Hiring teens now is important for the future. Unless the job market turns around the next generation of working class will lack skills and experience. However, not all is lost. What teens lack in experience they make up for in eagerness. Luckily there will always be a demand for young adults in the work force.

“Many employers favor hiring adults for both their experience and their availability.”

opinion.

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Social networking is a dominant aspect of our generation’s daily lives, and websites, such as Facebook, benefit us in numerous ways. Social networking is a great way to stay in touch with family. Facebook has over 500 million active users. More and more of our parents, and even grandparents, are signing up for social networking sites. Keeping in touch with relatives is normally a difficult task, especially when they live far away. Extended family members always love to hear about how their relatives are doing, and Facebook makes it that much easier to send them quick updates. Furth_ermore, it is much easier to make plans with friends and family through a website like Facebook. All it takes is a simple message or wall post. Facebook is quicker than face-to-face meetings or telephone calls, and it will most likely reach somebody faster because people spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook. Additionally, students can benefit academically from social networking. Many school clubs and organizations, even Colfax High’s own Open Studio Club, have Facebook pages

or groups. This keeps students up to date on meetings, deadlines, and other important details. Facebook can be used to confirm homework, test dates, and ask fellow classmates questions about assignments. Social networking also communicates the pulse of campus life to its students. Facebook has an app specifically for events, and now it is common to be invited to attend the Homecoming Dance, or the Drama production.

With a few simple clicks, we can “meet” new people, make plans with friends, stay connected with family, and keep current with academics. Social networking sites help us get connected and stay connected.

Social networking sites have many disadvantages people should be aware of: addiction, predators and information safety. According to an article done by CBS News, addiction to sites, such as Facebook, is very common with Americans nowadays. Users can easily spend hours on end just customizing their profiles, communicating with friends and playing games. This prevents them from accomplishing other,

more important things, such as studying or being active. Procrastination is never a good quality to possess, but by having profiles on social networks people can indulge themselves for hours. By making the choice to upload photos over studying for a test that they are taking the following day, people are hurting themselves in the long run. Predators are the number one risk when people log on to Facebook every day. Identity theft, cyber-stalking, and harassment are all caused by predators. People never

quite know when someone may be tracking their every move on social networking sites. By filling out their age, location, and other personal information, users are sharing their personal information with everyone; including strangers. This makes it easier for predators to take advantage of unsuspecting web users. This is something people on social networks have to be mindful of on a daily basis. Furthermore, Information rights are one of the main concepts the public needs to be aware of. Anything posted on a social networking site is owned by that company. This means that the site can legally sell people’s information to other businesses. Think of getting called by someone you’ve never met but they know your name, phone number, and address. The more information posted on a profile, the higher risk of this occurring. Along with that, if people choose to post some of their original work (i.e. songs, stories, etc), other people who view that work can easily copy it and say it is their own since it wasn’t copyrighted. In conclusion, social networking sites can promote addiction, expose people to predators, and violate privacy rights. Social networks are unsafe environments and should be used with caution.

Social Networking: Beneficial to SocietyTalia PanelliStaff Writer

Social Networking: It’s Not What It’s Cracked Up to Be

Aspen FairchildStaff Writer


Students at Colfax High School have recently been forced to engage in the mandatory flag salute. This sudden change in morning bulletin policy comes as a shock to students who have not said the Pledge in previous years and who question why we say the Pledge at all. According to Principal Rick Spears the state education code requires a “patriotic observance” every day at school and typically schools use the Pledge of Allegiance. When asked why the sudden change in morning schedule, Mr. Spears responded “we didn’t have an intercom system before and teachers would forget or would be too busy to cover the Pledge, although some would still do the Pledge”. According to Mr. Spears, it is required that students stand for the Pledge in “respect” for the process, but they do not have to say it. The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy and originally read as “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” In 1954 Congress added the words “under God” to the pledge, making the pledge a patriotic oath as well as a public prayer.

The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion. The government takes a religious stance (recognizing “higher power”) by adding the phrase “under God” to the Pledge and mandating the use of the Pledge. Steffi Kitschke (12) is a German foreign exchange student this year at Colfax High School with no prior exposure to the flag salute. When asked what she thought of the American practice, Steffi responded, “I don’t understand why you are doing this. I don’t know why you are talking to a flag. I don’t like it that you say ‘Under God’ because the whole of

A Mandatory Declaration of Allegiance

Photo By: www.desktopwallpaper.org

The lack of respect that today’s generation has for their surroundings, society, and themselves has changed drastically over time, and not for the bet-ter. Jenny Robinson, a researcher with the The Pew Charitable Trust, put together a poll showing that 78% of our fellow citizens believe that respect and courtesy is absent in society, and half of the perpetrators are kids between the ages of 14-18. The social skills and etiquette we witness every day is without a doubt go-ing downhill. Most of today’s youth has no

people are not religious.” When told that the flag can be viewed as a symbol for the American people Steffi responded, “If you say ‘under God’ it’s not for all people”. Students become alienated if they believe something different from their peers and the Pledge is a direct catalyst of that. The Pledge of Allegiance should not be a requirement of education code, and it should not be mandatory for students to stand even if they do not say it. Aside from being a religious statement, the Pledge is also a nationalistic statement as well. To think that one is better or different from others just because of his place of birth and

to “pledge allegiance” to the fact that he lives in a specific country outlines something fundamentally wrong with the United States of America. The Pledge is the embodiment of the Nationalist sentiment that America is infallible. Mark Twain once wrote “if there is a stain on that flag it ought not to be honored, even if it is our flag”. Do not forget America’s history of indigenous holocaust and slavery. Do not blindly pledge your allegiance. Do not substitute patriotism for humanity.

Social Skills and Etiquette of Today’s Generation Haley CostanzoStaff Writer

regard for their public actions or the way they treat people outside their group of friends. Good social skills are an asset in today’s social world, without them teens are looked down upon and labeled as a “Hooligan” or “Typical Teenager” by the adults or elders in their communities. Sometimes, even teens apply that ste-reotype to youth they don’t know. Knowing proper manners gives more confidence in various settings, helps establish a good reputation, and improves relationships with other people. Some teenagers still hold qualities such as social skills and etiquette, but a ma-

jority of them do not. One of the reasons young adults are missing these certain traits is because they are heavily influ-enced by TV Shows, music, the internet, and other technology. The influences of our generation are far broader than what people were exposed to 40 or 50 years ago. What teens see these days has a huge impact on what their actions are and what they think is acceptable be-havior. If everyone was more self-aware and improved the way they treated others, who knows what kind of positive change it could have on the world.

Spencer HitchcockStaff Writer

sports.

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Since the dawn of time, man has known pain, whether it is a scrape, or a more serious injury, such as those that are afflicted while playing a sport. Long after the initial injury, some high schools now take precautions to prevent injuries from getting worse. The most recent rule added to assure the safety of high school football athletes in particular is the concussion rule. A concussion is a result of the soft tissue of the brain slamming against the wall of the skull due to a sudden impact. During a football

Short Term Gain, Long Term Pain

game, if the referee sees any symptoms of a concussion, including nausea, dizziness, or slurred speech, he or she has the authority to take that player out of the game, and not return without a doctor’s clearing. According to Anna L. Avik, a traumatic head ex-pert, concussions are, “injuries [which] all require immediate, advanced medical treatment in a hospital setting,” in order to eliminate the possibility of long term damage. The most common injuries sustained while playing high school sports are small pieces of

bone or cartilage breaking or softening, causing permanent or long term pain on the area. Just recently, Colfax High School’s Tommy Baldoni (12) sustained a concussion and a knee injury within the same week. During the game he made a bone jarring hit and got up slow. The referee saw the end of the play and took him out of the game. The very next game,

With every high school injury, thousands of athletes continue to face long term

consequencesBailey BeanStaff Writer

three plays in, Baldoni limped off the field, with an injury to his knee. Due to injuries and other issues, many other Falcon athletes are not able to play in games or practice. Though resilient, the falcons cannot afford to lose key players such as Baldoni, but is important that athletes ensure a reasonable amount of time before returning to the field.

High school injuries, such as concussions, are becoming more common in athletes. Young athletes are at risk to long-term damages by participating in contact sports.

Copyright CHS

“Concussions ac-count for almost one in 10 sports

injuries.”Janice Lloyd:

High school ath-letes face serious

concussion risks

“Among the 1.2 million teens who play high school football, the group that ac-counts for most sports-relat-ed concussions, between 4 and 6 percent sustain con-cussions, or about 43,200 to

67,200 injuries a year.”Tara Parker-Pope: The Risk

of High School Football Tackles

Colfax Sports Schedule 9/22 Cross Country @ Renfree Park-Sacto (PVL #1)9/24 Cross Country @ Palo Alto 9/25 Cross Country @ Palo Alto 10/2 Cross Country @ Foresthill HS 10/6 Cross Country @ CHS (PVL #2)

9/24 JV/V Football vs. Davis10/1 JV/V Football vs. Wheatland10/8 JV/V Football vs. Center (Homecoming)

9/21 JV/V Soccer vs. Lincoln9/23 JV/V Soccer vs. Center9/28 JV/V Soccer @ Bear River9/30 JV/V Soccer @ Placer10/1 JV/V Soccer @ North Tahoe10/5 JV/V Soccer vs. Foothill10/7 JV/V Soccer vs. Lincoln

9/29 JV/V Volleyball vs. Foothill 10/2 V Volleyball @ Sacto Invitational 10/4 JV/V Volleyball vs. Placer 10/6 JV/V Volleyball @ Center


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A Sniper’s Thoughts Trevor Nielsoen

I find my placeWith time and with care.

No one must see me, not even one hair.

I set up my rifle.I am ready to kill,

When off to the eastThere is such a trifle.

A covoy comes past,With a car in the middle.

Out comes a mannot too tall but just a little.

I raise up my scope and what do I see?

I see no monster.Just a man, just like me.

I begin to think“Does he have a family?”

A son, a daughter, a grandchild to be?I soon realize he is almost like me.

Yet this is a manwho kills many people.

It is hard to believe.He doesn’t look evil.

So, I think of a peaceful square rigger,

And quietly, smoothly,I am forced to pull the trigger

NewspaperMaira Argenbright

I am a deftly folded sheet of paper,Splattered and scored with scars of ink.

I am filled with stories and images,Created to tell the world about itself.

Bought at a corner stand, dropped at a house,Two quarters, or a dollar on Sunday.

Stamped and painted in black for them,I live for the peoples’ enjoyment.

For them to know about that murderer,Or a football game, celebrities.

Before they toss me out; as only paper,Worthless, black-stained, disposable.

Into a grated gutter, a silver can,And laugh about the contents of my pages.

LonelinessTrevor Nielsen

The thought of being alone.The worst nightmare I have ever known.

Your favorite song still playing in my room.Hoping and begging that I will see you soon.

The days drag on and the shadows creep past.The hours halt still during this social fast.

The clock stops and the calender is useless.The thought of lonesomeness makes me feel helpless.

You are off on a distant shore.My longing for you grows more and more.

You are off on the shores of an isle.I sit here in bitter denial.

The things this feeling makes me do,to find out if you feel it too.

I check my Facebook. Are you online?You are not there. I tell my self that is fine.

But for every intensive purpose it is not.My mind drifts back to you with every thought.

You had to wait, and that I understand.But do you feel for me or do you have a different hand?

These questions pull me apartand stab at my aching heart.

Love songs are my sudden craze.To maybe understand this loving haze.

The thought of you leaving makes my heart sick.My feelings extinguished like a candle wick.

But I know that this Cupid’s dartIs embeded somewhere deep in my heart.

I cannot rest, I will not bow.I shall wait for your return, but I don’t know how.

Fighting an uphill battle, in a war called love,I understand what desperation is made of.

Just a little longer to wait.It was either by will or by fate,we have met and i fell for you.

I hope that maybe it will work out too.i am waiting for the day,

When i can finally say, what i am feeling.

For your love is ultimately healing.I see you in my dreams.A sweet relief it seems,

from loneliness and pain,For after love, life is never the same.

For you I shall wait,I shall remain in this stoic state,Until i can ask for your hand.

And that is a hope, for which I stand.

Creative Writing


Trials and Triumphs

Faculty Writing

One of the most challenging obstacles I’ve faced in my life became my greatest joy and triumph. From the time I was a fetus, my parents, like many of your parents, I’m sure, engrained in me the importance of higher education. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard my mother say, “Your education is the one thing no one can ever take away from you.” When I was a teenager, I was big into eye-rolling and pretty sure I was A LOT smarter than my parents… but it turns out she was exactly right (about so many things). My college aspirations were in serious trouble, however, when I became a mother at age nineteen. Mentally, I faltered for a moment. I heard myself making those typical excuses in my head (Things have changed… I need to focus on making money NOW to support my family…This is too much to handle right now…). And then one day, and this is going to sound silly, I was sitting at home with the beautiful infant Jasmine, and Montel Williams’ talk show came on and I heard in the background Montel talking about the struggles he’d overcome in his life and that he had written a book about it entitled, Mountain, Get Out of My Way. For some reason, that single statement (Mountain, get out of my way!) really resonated with me. I decided at that moment that nothing was going to stop me from achieving my goals. No excuses. It was up

Overcoming the Obstacles When I was quite young, I was troubled with severe ear aches. The treatment, hot oil in the ears, was often worse than the condition. My young body reacted to this series of well-i n t e n t i o n e d assaults by

growing scar tissue around the ear drum and filling the eustachian tube with fluid. This fluid began to harden, to ossify. I was becoming deaf. By the age of six I had lost nearly all hearing. The parental response had been less than positive; often I was in trouble for “not listening” and failing to respond. “I can’t hear you” became a mocking taunt in my direction. As the process of hearing loss was over a period of several years concurrent with learning to speak, I had developed serious speech impediments. I lisped, couldn’t pronounce the R or the L, and generally just sounded pathetic. One day I was playing on the floor of my bedroom and I happened to look up and see my mother. I saw the dawning horror of realization cross her face as she finally understood. Her lips were moving but I couldn’t hear a thing. I recall also the anger of the pediatrician that my parents had allowed the condition to progress to the point

of becoming nearly irreversible. However, I did receive treatment, and got most of my hearing back. Over the years I have found ways to compensate for this loss. But the real story was the process of dealing with my speech problems. After attending the regular first grade classroom, I went everyday to a school for the deaf where I worked with a speech therapist, a very kind woman with bright red hair. I worked in front of a mirror and sometimes had to speak with a spoonful of water in my mouth and somehow avoid spilling or swallowing it. This was in Dallas in the 1950s, during a time when teaching sign language was not a consideration as it was frowned upon as being separatist. To “graduate” from the School for the Deaf I needed to recite a poem which contained the names of the Persian kings Xerxes and Xenophon. If I could say those names clearly, I was “corrected.” There is no doubt that this series of events was a formative experience that colored the rest of my life. I work as an acting coach, teaching diction and articulate speech. I have worked in radio and done voice-overs for film and television. I am a teacher, committed to helping others. A minor obsession of mine has been the art of Classical Greece and the Greco-Persian Wars. Today, as I continue to deal with hearing issues, I still feel tremendous gratitude appreciation toward those individuals who help young people overcome obstacles. I can still see the woman with the bright red hair, my guardian angel.

to me to make it happen. Next thing you know, I’m back in college full-time, working full-time, raising the most precious child on the

planet, struggling big time, especially financially, but making it happen. If I hadn’t had that crazy Canadian hockey-playing husband right by my side, cheering me on, I could not have done it. Graduating from a private university at age twenty two with Summa Cum Laude academic honors and another infant Mini Besler (my son Wil) having joined the team was overwhelmingly satisfying. And, several years later, with a hugely rewarding teaching career in full swing, the opportunity to earn my Master’s Degree presented itself. This time, when it came time to decide if I could really teach full-time, go to graduate school at night full-time, and continue successfully caring for my family full-time, I knew I could do it. And, my hope is that my kids know, as a result of witnessing all of this, that there is nothing they cannot do. I hope their paths will be a little less bumpy and a little more “traditional”… but most importantly, I hope they know what they can do with a little

inner strength and some fierce motivation. After all, none of what I have accomplished would have meaning without those I love to share the trials and triumphs.

John Deaderick Faculty Contributor

Amy BeslerFaculty Contributor

September 24, 2010

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Transcript of September 24, 2010