CSF is the place to go

 CSF is a club that helps promote community service so students have an opportunity to give back to the world and help others. Although they do a lot of community service it also helps students earn scholarships.

   Senior Annie Speckhahn, 17,  said, “It looks good on a college application and its great way to earn community service.”

   CSF stands for California Scholarship Federation and there mission is to promote community service. Right now they have two on going partnerships with North Broadway Elementary school and Las Villa del Norte. They also have a new partnership with the Escondido Humane Society.

   The first partnership that they have is with North Broadway Elementary School its were CSF members go down to North Broadway Elementary School and the students will do something called Listen, Learn, Laugh, Literacy with North Broadway students. They’ll also be helping the students out with their reading, writing, mathematics, and also studying their words.

   Sophomore Perla Duran, 16,  said, “My experience as a tutor at North Broadway has been an amazing experience for me. This has also helped me grow as a student because not only am I getting a chance to help others with their academics and school work, but I also get to learn new things as well.”

   The other partnership was one that they have with Las Villa del Norte its where CSF members go to Las Villa Del Norte retirement center and CSF members will do a program called Adopt a Grandparent and they’ll be assigned a grandparent and spend quality time with them. They can also do activities and games with them.

   The last partnership that they have is a new one which is with the Escondido Humane Society. Its where CSF members go down to the Escondido Humane Society and help walk pets, take them baths, and spend time with them. CSF is also collecting blankets, sheets, and towels to give and donate to the animals there.

   CSF is an academic honor and tradition. It’s also a plus on transcripts and college applications.

Teens overuse their technology

 Today’s teens spend a lot of time on technology and often forget to do homework or choose their technology over their homework.

  Junior Erick Garcia, 17, for example, says he spends nearly five hours per day on his phone, including using his phone while doing his homework.

  When teens overuse their electronics, it can affect the students academic performance.

  “A teen who rushes to get online after school neglects their homework. A teen who is texting in class neglects the lecture,” according to everydaylife.globalpost.com

  Assistant Principal’s Secretary Celeste Martinez says she receives ten to fifteen phones per month,    which are phones that teachers take away from students that use them during class.

  Although Garcia’s grades have not lowered, he says he has chosen his electronics over his homework at some points.

  “I believe kids from our generation should be responsible and limit themselves to the time they expose themselves to technology,” said Garcia.

  Statistics show that social media grows everyday by 56 percent of new users, according to moderninfection.weebly.com. Not only have statistics shown kids who text have a bigger chance of obtaining grammatical errors but technology also encourages kids to copy and paste work from online sources which is defined as plagiarism.

  “50 percent of teens are addicted to their mobile phones” according to cellular-news.com. Teens tend to send a text at least once a day and go home looking forward to connect to social media when they get home. Not all teens realize how technology is affecting them academically.

Teens texting their way towards “Text Neck”

“Text Neck” is a common name for a disorder that results in harmful effects of compulsive technology use, specifically cell phones. More and more teens are being diagnosed with “text neck”, or anterior head syndrome, which have similar symptoms and effects.

  This disorder can be developed through constantly looking down at one’s cell phone, which causes “repetitive stress placed on the cervical spine… [causing] changes in the curve of the cervical spine and support structure,” according to straightchiro.com.

  Honors Human Anatomy and Honors Biology teacher at EHS, Michael Voss, takes a strong position on the growing health issue in high school students.

  “First thing, there will be back and neck problems. You have a 10 pound head.  Constantly looking down creating stress on your muscles, specifically the trapezius,” said Voss.

  According to psychcentral.com, there are other health issues that may arise from “text neck.” Mental health issues are critical, and physical issues such as drinking, binging, and stress are also factors that teens should consider when they sitting while constantly being on their devices.

   “Hyper-texters”, defined as texting more than 120 text messages per school day, are found to be more highly at risk for certain issues.  For example, 40 percent are more likely to have tried cigarettes, 55 percent are more likely to become binge drinkers and 90 percent of teens are more likely to report four or more sexual relationships, according to psychcentral.com. Hyper-texters are also at risk for texting and driving, and teens should reconsider sending that last text before it’s too late, and more deadly accidents arise.

  Senior Autumn Pierce, 17, is on her cell phone or iPad whenever she is not reading, driving or doing homework. She enjoys using her phone for social media sites, such as Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram, but does not consider herself as a “hyper-texter” by definition.

  “Are you kidding, nobody texts me that much in a month!” said Pierce.

  The only effect that Pierce experiences after using her devices is headaches.

  Athletic Trainer Jason Foote, agrees with the negative effects of technology use but believes that texting is such a short activity and will most likely not be the main cause of “text neck”, but long-term use of cell phones and other devices are what should concern teens.

  “They are so powerful. Cell phones emit radiation and can lead to brain tumors,” said Foote.

  Aside from the damages that could potentially impair your body, another effect could be an interference with a good night’s sleep. Teens are more often staying up late into the early morning because there are a multitude of uses that cell phones offer, such as playing games or connecting through social networks, such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

  “The chances of students developing nearsighted vision will develop sooner than expected, if you are always looking at things up close. Antisocialness can also be a problem when teens become apathetic to human interactions, and instead chose to connect through texting,” said Voss.

  More long term effects of “text-neck” include a development of a hump in the upper back region, spine degeneration, arthritis, headaches and decreased muscle strength. Constant cell phone use impairs posture, as teens are most often seen slouched over with their heads down at their phones, putting major stress on their bodies, according to  itsyourlife.com.

Art Club loves to face paint

For students who like to express themselves through painting, drawing and mixed media, Art Club is the club to join.

  The goal of the Art Club, according to advisor and art teacher Aira Villalobos, is to reach out to the art community.  For example, the club members volunteer at the Center for the Arts every second Saturday of every month. They have also participated in the Halloween window painting contest.

    The main thing Art Club is known  for, though, is face painting.  They have face painted for  Day of the Dead, Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

   Senior Celina Solorzano, 17, who has been in the Art Club for two years said,  “I get to participate in face painting and it helps improve my painting skills.”

Although their work is voluntary, there is joy from seeing the children’s smiling faces with their face paint on.

  It takes time to paint but they also have be pretty quick about it because there are more children waiting in line.

 

Gay-Straight Alliance opens hearts to everyone

Recognizing each and everyone gives students the confidence and motivation they need in high school. Run by science teacher Trish Stepanek, the Gay Straight Alliance Club is a way for students to bond and connect without getting judged or rejected.

  Sophomore Becca Gross, 16, President of GSA said, “We promote acceptance of all people. What’s different about our club is that you don’t have to do anything or be anything to join, you just have to have an accepting heart.”

  According to gsanetwork.org, there are three typical functions of a GSA club: support, social and activist.

  Many GSAs function as a support group and provide safety and confidentiality to students who are struggling with their identity as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender. Anyone who is involved in being the target of harassment, can connect with others in the club, according to gsanetwork.org.

  GSA clubs host anti-bullying events and the Day of Silence. The Day of Silence is a national event in which students take a silence pledge for the day to represent all those who are “silenced” by intolerance.  The day ends with a “breaking the silence” celebration to represent how by coming together and speaking out, students can put an end to hate and promote acceptance instead.

  “The Day of Silence is a day to protest silence for young students that are hiding because they get rejected for who they are,” said Stepanek..

  This club works towards tolerance and acceptance no matter the sexual orientation of a student. This club offers a safe place for students of any kind.

  According to Gross, “The students felt a need to have a club where students had a safe place to go where they would be free of judgement.”

  Former GSA advisor, Ali Aardappel, said “GSA is an important club to have on campus because it shows all kinds of students coming together.”

  The kind of students being recognized in this organization are gay students and their allies, any who have a sibling, best friend, or anyone close that is gay.

GEAR UP

   

   The college admissions process can feel like an impossible race sometimes, especially to first generation students whose parents are unfamiliar with the process of completing A-G requirements, filling out applications and filing for FAFSA correctly.

  While high school AVID programs seek to prepare members for post-secondary institutions, Palomar College’s GEAR UP system goes a step further by reaching out to middle school students long before their grades have a serious impact on college admissions and remaining with them throughout the duration of their freshman year.

   “We motivate students by keeping them on track with their grades and exposing them to different aspects of college through college visits/tours, college fairs, parent and student workshops, leadership opportunities, in-school and after-school tutoring, and peer mentoring. It is our hope that when students become mindful of all the opportunities that a college degree can offer, that they will feel empowered to take control of their future and GEAR UP for college,” said Outreach Coordinator Corey Boss.

    The program is distinctly different from ETS or AVID  due to its focus on easing the transition between middle and high school, a time which often proves to be a deciding factor in whether or not students will choose a path that leads towards higher education.

       “[As an advisor], my main goal is to let the GEAR UP students know that I am here for them and I will do anything to help them succeed…whether they need help with academics, their friends, or in their home life, I want to support them in any way. In addition to making kids more college literate, I have one-on-one talks with students to encourage and motivate them through this journey and to let them know that we care,” said Boss.

   There are currently six tutors on the EHS campus who have been placed in 22 different English, Math, Science, and College & Career Readiness classes, each of whom works one-on-one with students and teachers. There is also free after-school tutoring in the library on Monday-Thursday until 4:00 p.m. where ninth graders are serviced first, so there are no lines or waiting for help. Also, teacher’s assistants are placed in participating classrooms, where they are able to pull aside struggling students and provide one-on-one instruction.

   “They’re here to help individual students by keeping them on task and by breaking lessons into smaller chunks for kids who want extra assistance, which makes them more manageable,”

   An integral part of inspiring students to start setting goals comes from the free field trips to local universities.

   “Last semester during Thanksgiving break we took 50 EHS students to the University of Redlands and Cal State San Bernardino on a free field trip. Students were able to see the campus, learn acceptance requirements, eat on campus, and tour the dorms,” said Boss.

  By starting to instill the values of a challenging education to sixth graders rather than those already in high school, there is a far greater likelihood that students from “local pockets of poverty” will become more committed to their studies by the time it counts.

 “At the middle school and high school level, college is rarely on the students’ radar because they are either misinformed or think they cannot afford it; so it is GEAR UP’s job to create a college culture on campus and provide early awareness and readiness to let them know that college can be a reality for them,” said Boss.

  Oftentimes, students from schools who have been identified as having low grades and test scores have a desire to further their education, but do not have the means or understanding of where to look for support due to a lack of exposure.

   However, ninth grade student, Cora Daugherty, 14, explained, “[GEAR UP] has been helping incoming freshman to understand what’s out there for them and has provided the encouragement and information I need to go to college.”