Corona del Sol High School | Tempe, AZ | cdssunrise.com

April 2013Vol. 35 No. 6

Story by Elizabeth Cheney & Jacqui Marzocca | Photo Illustration by Patrick Buck | Story page 8

Corona del Sol

SUNRISE

SPeCIal rePorT:a personal account from the target of bullies - read on pages 5 & 6

Taking part in athleticsaffects students’ academic performance

2 • Opinions CdS Sunrise • April 2013

Editor in Chief | Jacqui Marzocca Online Editor in Chief | Mason KulurisManaging Editor | Stephanie Dayton Online Managing Editor | Josh Ambre

Sunrise Staff1001 E. Knox Road • Tempe, AZ • 85284

The Sunrise is an open forum for student expression and welcomes letters on all matters. The staff reserves the right to edit as required. All materials submitted for publication must be signed. Views and opinions contained herein are those of the author and

not considered to be the opinions of the staff, adviser, administration or the Tempe Union High School District. Unsigned editorials reflect the views of the editorial board. Some material courtesy of

American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

Front page design by Jacqui Marzocca Front page photo by Patrick Buck Pictured: Senior Brandon Johnson

News Editor Grady DouglasLife & Times Editor Devika SharanOpinions Editor Asatta NjugunaSports Editor Lilly BerkleyAssistant Sports Editor Omar SoussiPhoto Editor Patrick BuckOnline Photo Editor Elizabeth CheneyGraphics Editor Matthew O’DonnellCopy Editor Alisa Rodriquez

Calendar Editor Aashini ChoksiBusiness Manager Cassidy KamermanCartoonist Cassidy KamermanStaff Courtney Baldenegro, Becca Benzer, Jordan Blitz, Manali Chavan, Natalie Crawford, Sapna Daryanani, Juliana Edwards, Luke Frampton, Caly Heath, Sam Rosendahl and Johnny WaddellAdviser Kris Urban

Staff Editorial

Students spend their entire academic year striving for success in their classes. Whether this includes countless nights forgoing sleep to work on projects, flawless notes in every class or hours spent on writing the pristine r e s e a r c h paper, it’s fair to say that the effort spent to get good grades is e x t r e m e . The part of all of this work that does not seem fair is that s t u d e n t s ’ success in high school d e p e n d s more on final tests than it does on all the effort used throughout the year as a whole.

The official way grading works for most teachers is that 40 percent is credited to each semester and 20 percent to the final exam. Because of this, a student could get a 91 percent in both the first and second semester, demonstrating the qualities of a student who gets their work done, studies for tests and overall tries hard. Then on the final exam, they could get a 75 percent and their overall grade for the class would be an 87.8 percent. It isn’t fair to have a dependeable student get a B because of a bad test. Though, some teachers do differ in the type of finals they administer and some make it worth a different amount than other teachers.

Students should be expected to earn their grade in the class through consistent hard work and the deciding factor should be based on more than a final exam. A

s tuden t ’s g r a d e s h o u l d reflect how a student grows and m a k e s prog res s. If teachers m a d e the final exam less than 20 percent of a student’s grade, it would be a much m o r e a c c u r a t e reading of how much that pupil has really l e a r n e d in that

course. There should not be a make-it or break-it moment in the class if teachers and administrators really want to portray how the student has worked all year.

To figure out an accurate representation of a student’s grade, it would be beneficial to both teachers and students to have multiple big tests throughout the semester to equal the amount the final exam would ordinarily be worth.

If a single grade is going to represent the work a student has put in during the year, it should represent the entire year of progress.®

All of today’s problems are because of technology. Gone are the days of face-to-face contact. No more letters, no more paper and pencil, and books might as well be a thing of the past. Nowadays, everyone with an iPhone and a Twitter thinks they are king of the world. But if you look at two things technology has revolutionized, crime and war, you see how the world is changing every day.

Take crimes for example; According to the FBI’s website, in 2011 there were 5,014 bank robberies and in 2010 there were 5,546. But even that was a decrease from years past. 2009 had 5,943 bank robberies and in 2008 there were 6,700. Now let’s take a look at identity theft. A crime prominently controlled by the Internet. Since last year, the average number of stolen identities per year is more than 8.5 million. I don’t think this a coincidence. Thieves seem to realize how easy it is to steal from the comfort of their own home. Not only do criminals not have to leave the house, the money is electronic. You can’t ink bomb electronic money.

But the problem lies with the good-minded citizens such as you and me. See, when banks are robbed, the money isn’t stolen from you. The money is stolen from the bank. The money you put into a bank is insured and you should still have all the money you put in. But identity theft is exactly what it sounds like. The thieves become you. Compared to bank robbing, identity theft is far more sinister. Once they use your money, there is a good chance it’s gone forever.

The one that interests me the most is how technology has desensitized war. The United States has more than 7,000 drones and counting, and with so many different types and models, it’s easy to see that drones are the future of warfare. Now, we can destroy our enemies with the single push of a button. Drones make ending human lives easy. Now, I understand that there are bad people in the world who need to be stopped, perhaps eliminated, but if we want to end someone’s life, why are we making it simple? Why are we making murder effortless? It would seem a positive to drones is we are able to bring troops home. I am all for bringing our heroes home to their family and friends. However, we shouldn’t replace them. If we pull all our troops out of enemy territory but there is still warfare, they will try to fight back. What if they develop their own drones and bring the war to us?

Technology has done a lot of really great things for us. But it has also created a lot of problems and situations we otherwise wouldn’t face. Soon I’m going to try to wean myself off the curse of technology. I mean, 249,000 Amish can’t be wrong. ®

cassidy kamerman

The effect of technology

GRADY DOUGLAS

News Editor

Grades should be based on more than a final exam

After this year, Corona del Sol will be losing its long time botany teacher, Barry Feldman.

“I’m going to be retiring at the end of this year,” Feldman said. “It’s definitely bittersweet.”

Feldman started working for Corona in the fall of 1979 as the cross-country coach; he has taught here ever since. Feldman will be moving to New York with his wife.

“My wife’s family is in New York, and family is a big pull,” Feldman said.

Unfortunately, the botany class at Corona will not continue next year.

“I think it’s a waste,” Botany club member Jaime Salazar said. “It’s a great way to learn and observe nature.”

However, restarting the botany club won’t be difficult.

“To keep botany going they just need a new sponsor; it might be the teacher that is taking over for me.” Feldman said.

The green house will not be taken down as all science courses can use it as a resource. However, restarting the class would take considerably longer.

“We still are going to have an exciting bunch of students that want to keep botany,” Feldman said. ® GRADY DOUGLAS

April 2013 • CdS Sunrise News • 3

Corona’s yearbook adviser, Margie DiCesare, has been recognized by the Journalism Education Association (JEA) for her many years of work with students throughout her career. She and three other advisers nationwide received the National Yearbook Adviser of the Year Special Recognition and will be formally recognized at the JEA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in San Francisco in April.

This award isn’t given to just anyone—only yearbook advisers with an extensive portfolio qualify.

“It recognizes journalism teachers (for) their contributions for the past year as well as their whole career,” DiCesare said. “You have to have a body of work and experience. You wouldn’t be nominated or recognized if you didn’t have an extensive amount of work with other students and teach in other places besides just in your classroom.”

This is DiCesare’s 28th year advising Corona’s yearbook production class. In addition to having sponsored nearly 30 yearbooks, she has worked with other students and advisers across the country at various workshops held by organizations such as JEA and the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). In order to apply for this award, DiCesare was required to submit her portfolio and letters of recommendation several months in advance.

In addition to receiving this recognition, Corona’s 2011-2012 yearbook has qualified as a finalist for the Pacemaker award, which recognizes yearbooks nationwide on criteria such as design, photography and writing.

“The NSPA selected 50 books among the entries that they received to be finalists in the competition,” DiCesare said. “It recognizes books that are outstanding. They will announce the actual Pacemaker award winners in San Francisco. So right now we’re a finalist.”

DiCesare believes the yearbook’s theme, “Whatever You Say,” was instrumental in its qualification as one of 50 national finalists for the yearbook Pacemaker.

“I think the book’s graphic design was much different than the graphics that we’ve had in the past,” DiCesare said. “While I’ve had strong designers for many years, I think this particular book sort of stood out. It’s sort of cutting-edge.”

Yearbook staff members are proud to have contributed to the last year’s yearbook.

“We felt really accomplished about it. I was actually really excited myself because I was an editor last year so some of my stuff was in that book,” senior class editor Sarah Holmes said. “(Last year) I was the academics editor. It was a small section but still, just knowing I was a part of that…I thought that was really cool.”

The yearbook staff is grateful to have DiCesare as their yearbook sponsor.“Mrs. DiCesare is the best,” yearbook editor-in-chief Lexy Pazul said. “She’s

different in that she really gets to know her students. We all are very comfortable around her.”

Holmes agreed. “She’s really great. She’s not a regular teacher, I guess you could say, because

you can really just talk to her about anything and she’s really forward with everything, so that helps with what exactly needs to get done.”

DiCesare equally enjoys working with yearbook students every year.“I wouldn’t have been doing it (sponsoring the yearbook) for 28 years if I

didn’t enjoy it,” DiCesare said. “I love the challenges it brings. We have to all work together and it’s a challenge, but that’s what’s kind of fun. It keeps you young; it keeps you vital.” ® SApnA DARYAnAni

Ten students were nominated for the Tempe Top Teens: seniors Alexis Doll, Kyle Einstein, Wyatt Larson, Shawn Maloney, Amanda Milovich, Daniella Oziar, Alex Van Ryswyk, Jacob Whitney and Katie Wilkinson and junior Bridget Manning. There are 46 recipients who were nominated for Tempe Top Teens from the Tempe Union High School District.

Tempe Top Teens is a community-wide annual event that recognizes the strengths of the youth; it recognizes good character, community service and kindness toward others. It let’s students know that their efforts are greatly appreciated.

“ I was nominated by Tom Maki for helping out with the special needs kids,” junior Bridget Manning said. “It is a great honor to be recognized for the Tempe Top Teens; it was completely unexpected.”

Recipients for the award along with their families are honored at a banquet for dinner sponsored by the Tempe Diablos during the last week of March. ® JULiAnA EDWARDS

Botany Club without a sponsor

DiCesare, Sunset recognized for excellence

CdS students nominated as Top Teens

This summer, June 30-July 23, senior Jennifer Chiang, a flutist, has been specifically selected from 42 states across the country to come together to create the first ever National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America.

“We have been thrilled at the response to our creation of the NYO-USA program,” said Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. “We are very excited, but not surprised that there is such a depth of world-class talent among young musicians across the United States.”

Musicians in the first National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America will travel to New York in late June for two weeks of rigorous training on the campus of Purchase College, State University of New York, working with some of the country’s best professional orchestra players.

“I think it’s exciting,” senior Jennifer Chiang said. “It is a lot of work and I try to cram whatever I can one or two hours into the night before a concert or a due date, but it is definitely worth it.”

The young musicians will then have the opportunity to represent their country as the NYO-USA. ® JULiAnA EDWARDS

Chiang to play in National Youth Orchestra

BECCA BENZER

Botany Club works in the greenhouse (above). To keep bota-ny as a club next year, a new sponsor is needed.

News Briefs ®

Photo by photo, I felt the anguish welling up inside; like a tornado tearing through my body ripping at my emotions. I glanced down at the high-spirited young child, her intoxicating smile and a lively personality that shined through the image. Eyes of innocence, not yet aware of the damage to be inflicted in the coming years.

I do admit I had my share of issues. Around the age of 6, I began to have fits. Not just tantrums that every first grader seems to possess, but spine-chilling outbursts without plausible root. As symptoms escalated, my parents became noticeably concerned. One night in particular, things spiraled out of control. The light was on, but the darkness within me took control of my helpless body. That past week of a minimum amount of sleep was wearing on me, slowly tearing me apart. My mom pulled me into a tight hug. I think it was more for her than me, but her soft touch was so comforting. Still, I found myself dispensing blood-curdling screams into the air.

I don’t remember much after that. The outbursts took so much out of me, but I often wouldn’t remember they even existed. I do, however, call to mind the day I went to the therapist for the first time. My mom called her the “talking doctor.” She told me I was allowed to say whatever I wanted and that I shouldn’t be embarrassed. There were a lot of questions. There were a lot of emotions. This was going to help; that much I understood.

After what seemed like an extremely long week of waiting, and several tantrums later, in came the results. I was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), with the possibility of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Bipolar Disorder. Diagnostically, the latter two possibilities would only become confirmed with time. Then there were pills. I didn’t quite comprehend why I needed them; I didn’t want to take medicine. None of my friends did. But as I soon realized, I wasn’t like any of my friends.

For the remainder of first and much of second grade, I was able to remain stable at school, which kept my condition from interfering with relationships. However, the tide changed and children began picking up on the subtle differences that had surfaced in my personality. I learned quickly how cruel kids can be.

I became that girl. That girl who sat alone at lunch and swung on the swings with nobody by her side. That girl who not even the teacher could show compassion to. That girl who walked from school alone, only to come home and play by herself.

By sixth grade, I had switched schools three times. I know what you’re thinking, “We’re not getting the whole story. She must have done something wrong.” But, I swear, this is it. I often wonder, just like you, what I’ve done that could be so wrong to deserve such treatment. Simply put, the effects of my disorder(s) had left me with a disability, one that so many don’t understand and many more don’t care to.

I was more than excited to go to a “normal” junior high school. Sure, all the kids who bullied me in elementary school would be at this school, but they’ve probably forgotten that by now, right? Wrong. The iron gates of middle school were soon the entrance to hell.

Not even a month into my arrival, I started to get picked on. I was used to being the new girl, and, although I didn’t like it, I could manage. But no matter how many times I look back and try to re-live every moment of seventh grade, I can’t find the trigger, except for those lingering effects of my disorders. Why did they choose to continuously harass and humiliate me? The only reason I can fall back on is what had happened in elementary school and the fact that I was still figuring out how to control my disorders in a social setting.

Lunch was hard. I couldn’t avoid those wanting to torment me no matter where I sat. I didn’t have friends, so I couldn’t just take a table. I sat on a bench outside for a while, but one day I had water dumped on me. Everyone thought that was hysterical. Because it’s so funny to see such an embarrassed girl, teary eyed and soaking wet, running away. Then there was the library, which I thought was so clever, until the bullying invaded even there.

The hallways were even worse. There wasn’t one passing period where I was left alone. I was tripped, shoved, kicked, laughed, pointed and yelled at, all in a matter of five minutes. Soon, I just accepted the fact that I would never be at peace.

It was in eighth grade that the bullying really got to me. There I was, going home crying every day, their words echoing my head. Fat. Ugly. Worthless. Whore. Stupid. Unwanted. Freak. Could things possibly get any worse? As we all know, once this question is asked, life will answer.

About a month before winter break, I met a girl. She was in every single one of my classes, but I guess we just hadn’t talked before. At the time, she seemed so innocent and understanding. She had some troubles of her own.

Over winter break, we were pretty much inseparable. She lived in walking distance from my house, so there was never a day we weren’t together. I kind of forgot what having a friend

felt like. But she wasn’t just a friend to me; she was probably the best friend I had ever had at that point. She knew all my secrets; my weaknesses, my past, but most importantly, how broken I was.

One day, I was digging through her closet, looking for who knows what, when I came across a box. Curiosity took over and I opened it, immediately regretting my choice. Knives, razors, needles, scissors; what was all this? I never had any friends to explore the world with so my innocence over such matters was pretty much intact. She opened my mind to a whole new world: cutting.

That night, all I could think of were her words. You’re not hurting anybody but yourself. It’s OK. It helps with the pain. I gave in. I know how sick this sounds, but it really did help. It’s as if I was hurting myself on the outside, trying to kill the demon that consumed me on the inside. With

every cut, I felt the emotion leaking from within. Cutting is like smoking cigarettes. After one, you

crave another. It’s an addiction you feel is necessary to feed. Thanks to my “best friend,” I dug myself into a hole that seemed impossible to get out of.

One morning I got a text from her saying to go to the courtyard where everyone hung out prior to school starting. As soon as I got there, she just started laughing. “You didn’t think I was really your friend, did you?” I must have looked confused, so she said, “I took you, as broken and messed up as you were, and made you worse. What an experiment.” I just stood there, in shock. She turned around and shouted to everyone pretty much everything I had told her. I tried to run but she caught my arm and rolled up my sleeves, revealing my cuts. The tears just poured and poured.

Things got even worse. A group of girls locked me in the bathroom, saying absolutely horrible things. They threatened that if I came out, they’d beat me to death. People constantly made fun of me in the hallways, at lunch, in class. They just couldn’t get enough of making me feel like so unwanted. Nobody wants you here. Go kill yourself. When you do, we’ll celebrate. If you don’t kill yourself, we’ll do it for you. You’re worthless. Do us all a favor and end it. Go cut yourself some more freak. Maybe this time you’ll cut too deep. You really think people like you? I cried every day, in almost every class. The teachers didn’t care. I would cut myself in the bathroom, their words echoing my head. Worthless. Cut. Emo. Cut. Fat. Cut. Alone. Cut. Some days, I ran home before school even started.

I cried at home a lot. I cried at the dinner table, during TV shows, while listening to music, in the shower, before bed; I probably cried in my sleep. I became suicidal. Every night was like some sick game. How many ways can you come up with to kill yourself ? I had to have at least a hundred.

I wanted to die so badly. It took everything I had to stay in bed at night, instead of going to the kitchen and overdosing on pills. Or walking to the main street and jumping in front of a car. Or drowning myself in the pool. Or cutting “down the stream.” The possibilities were endless, and suicide was all I could think of.

My parents couldn’t stand seeing me like this. Imagine being in their shoes, listening to their then 13-year-old daughter trying to talk herself out of suicide every night for four months. It may not have been as severe as mine, but I know the pain they were going through amounted to something. They were on edge reminding themselves that any given day could be my last. My parents didn’t want to take that risk and finally, a month before the end of eighth grade, they switched me to yet another school; this would be my seventh school in nine years.

So that year, my bullies won. They tore me apart and left me broken, wanting to die. At the new school, I didn’t say much. I had friends, yes, but I never really grew close to any of them out of fear. Can you blame me?

High school; everyone told me it would be better in high school. People won’t be so mean. It goes by faster. I was somewhat looking forward to it…or maybe I just wanted out of junior high. Either way, the world wasn’t going to be put on hold for me, so I tried to move on. I went through a ton of therapy that summer, but wasn’t entirely sure I was ready to take on another year of school.

The bullying picked up right where it left off. However, I stayed stronger much longer, or maybe I just hid it better. The only one to know was my best friend. That was the only difference from the bullying in middle school; I had a few friends. My best friend switched schools sophomore year, but we talked on the phone every day. There was never a day we didn’t talk. Near the end of the third quarter of my sophomore year, I exploded. Everything came pouring out and my parents were left to sort through the mess. It was decided I would switch to my best friend’s school. My lifelong nightmare of bullying was finally coming to an end…or was it?

Entering this school, I had no idea how much I would endure there. It was an alternative school; among other troubling situations, kids experiencing run-ins with the law could go there instead of jail. I found this out after I made the switch. But I didn’t let that scare me. As long as I wasn’t being bullied, I was OK with going there. Besides, I had my best friend by my side. I couldn’t ask for more.

Shortly after my enrollment, I met a guy. I tried to look past the fact that most kids there weren’t boyfriend or even friend material. He rode my bus, and we were the last two on the route. He was among the popular crowd, as my best friend was too, and seemed pretty nice for a juvenile delinquent. One day on the bus ride home, almost to my house, he kissed me before the bus stopped to let me off. The next day at school, I found myself in a completely different story.

When I walked into school that day, I felt as if I was walking back into the gates of junior high. My stomach started turning and I became nervous. Had they found out? I walked by his group of friends. “Whore.” I turned to look at him, but he wouldn’t meet my eyes. I walked as fast as I could around campus, looking for my friend to fill me in. A million thoughts raced through my head, my eyes almost watering. Somebody tapped me on my shoulder. I turned around and found the concerned but irritated face of my friend. Before I could open my mouth, she said, “Why would you do that?” I looked at her with confusion. “You had sex with him on the back of the bus?”

I heard his elaborate story of what had happened the day before over and over throughout the day. Funny how a kiss can be twisted into so much more. This isn’t happening. I thought to myself, “Why do they even believe him? Why would he do that to me? Why did he lie?”

Within the next week, guys I had never even spoke to claimed to have gotten with me. And, of course, everyone believed them. I was the new school whore; nobody let me forget it either. Even my best friend was poking jokes. She didn’t seem to understand how horrible I felt. Since seventh grade, I hadn’t gotten a break with the bullying. I hadn’t

gotten over it either. Every new rumor and word said built up in my mind. Somehow, I knew things would get worse. They always did.

The sister of one guy who I was rumored to have hooked up with, came into the bathroom with her friends. I knew she didn’t like me, and it was just a matter of time before she said something. Sure enough, she locked us all in the bathroom. The group encircled me; there was no way I could get out. I backed up against the wall, realizing this wouldn’t have a happy ending. With her face not even an inch away from mine, she started screaming. I can’t even repeat what she said to me, every other word was explicit. Throughout all the years of being bullied, I had never felt so humiliated. Even though I hadn’t done anything, her words just tore me apart inside.

There I was again, being bullied at school. This time it didn’t stop there. Now they were coming into my home via social media. With the cyber bullying, I never got a break. It started off as rude comments here and there on Facebook statuses. Then, people started tagging me in posts and comments. It got to the point where people at completely different schools found out about me and joined in. I think the worst was the online dating profile someone had made for me, including my cell phone number.

Bullied: Living life as the targetCdS Sunrise Special Report4 • April 2013 April 2013 • 5

- An Anonymous first-person narrative

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY PATRICK BUCKA student is surrounded while hiding in a stall. Bullying can occur in school hallways, bathrooms or even in the classroom.

THE START TO IT ALL

THE DIAGNOSIS

THE BULLYING GETS WORSE

TRICKED AND TORTURED

BATHROOM BULLYING

SUICIDAL THOUGHTS TAKE OVER

RUMORS

HIGH SCHOOL STARTS

Bullies in every day life

AASHINI CHOSKICalendar Editor

story continued on page 7

Bullying has been a worldwide issue that never seems to go away, no matter how it is tackled. It seems to be unavoidable, especially within Corona’s school hallways.

Whether it is verbal, physical or cyber abuse, there is no excuse for letting the tormenter win. There are many ways to take action and they all begin with telling someone about the issue.

School nurse Sandra Young offers her advice.“It’s never a bad idea to let other people know,

in case it gets worse. People around you might be able to help,” Young said. “I think recognizing it, identifying it and talking about it are great first steps for dealing with it.”

Many staff members at Corona have children and have had to handle situations involving bullying as a parent as well. Talking to a counselor, a teacher or anyone else is the biggest and hardest step. Keeping it to oneself does not help the problem, let alone stop it.

“(To prevent bullying), I keep emphasizing the Golden Rule and teach others the importance of how we all have great qualities and contributions in this world,” social studies teacher Leah Fleming said. “No one is better than the other.”

Although it may seem like harmless teasing, it can turn into something much bigger before one realizes it.

“(Sometimes) a person is a bully because they want attention,” Fleming said. “If you choose to not react, they are not getting the attention they want from you and they stop.”

Physical harm isn’t the only form of bullying – verbal or cyber bullying can, and usually do, have a greater impact. Nearly one-fourth of tenth graders who reported being bullied also reported having made a suicide attempt, according the Washington State Health Youth Survey.

The increased numbers of mass shootings have also been linked to some form of bullying towards the perpetrator. According to the National Education Association, bullying and harassment have been connected with 75% of school-shooting incidents. Bullying can have devastating effects on victims even though they may not readily be palpable.

“I think with so many of us spending our time on cell phones - texting and checking status updates on Facebook, we have forgotten how to communicate with each other,” Fleming said. “Having that face to face conversation really gives you feedback on how you make someone feel with what you are saying. It is really easy to hurt someone’s feelings when you are typing something really fast and not thinking about it.”

This issue is universal in our society, so learning how to deal with it from the beginning will help.

“Bullying happens outside of high school and even in the work environment. I try to teach (students) skills to use to stop the bullying,” Fleming said.

Many individuals have been a part of bullying; as a victim, knowingly or unknowingly as an offender and/or a bystander. Everyone bears responsibility to stop this menace. If everyone does their part to consciously recognize and prevent any kind of bullying, bullying can be completely eradicated.®

when a child is bulliedan adult helps

a friend helps

No one helps

4%

85%

11%

on the playground

CdS Sunrise • April 20136 • News

DECA students take class project to new level

Several Corona students have been involved with DECA, an international organization that allows students to develop business and economics skills, but two in particular have seized the opportunity of a yearlong project to help those in need. Throughout this school year, juniors Shimoli Shah and Raneem Tohaibeche have worked extensively on their Childhelp community service project for the DECA state competition, which took place in March.

“We’ve been doing events that raise money as well as raise awareness about child abuse because that’s what Childhelp does,” Shah said.

Childhelp is a national non-profit organization that both treats children who have been abused and advocates child abuse prevention.

DECA requires students to choose a topic and explore it over the course of the year from a business standpoint.

“The one that we’re doing is a community service project,” Shah said. “You’d think it wouldn’t really go with business, but it does because you still have to plan everything and go through with it and evaluate it. And that’s pretty much all business is—taking a risk and reaping the profits. Of course, for this one we’re donating, but in a real-life business scenario that’s what you’d have to do.”

Shah and Tohaibeche formed the only DECA team from Corona that entered in a community service event this year.

“The community service event is one of the most challenging and time-consuming events in the DECA competition because it requires students to take a

leadership role, and Raneem and Shimoli have done that,” DECA sponsor Michael Lohmann said.

Lohmann, who teaches marketing and finance classes on campus, has overseen the duo’s work since last school year.

“After the nationals competition last year is when they started putting this together,” Lohmann said. “Over the summer they started with some of their activities.”

Among these activities were events organized by Shah and Tohaibeche including garage sales, a 5K walk and even a toy drive that by itself raised $1,200 worth of toys for abused children. The project’s overall earnings through fundraising exceeded the pair’s goal of $1,000. However, fundraising was not the only area of emphasis for the community service project.

“The most important thing with child abuse is getting the word out because it’s not really recognized that well and people don’t know the reality of it,” Shah said.

Tohaibeche agreed. “The money amount itself doesn’t matter as much as the thought of helping.”

Shah and Tohaibeche, along with other DECA students, had prepared extensively for the state competition, which required students to present their year’s worth of work to a panel of judges.

Other portions of the DECA competition include role-playing and presenting charts and visuals.

The two expected to qualify for nationals by scoring as one of the top four groups in the community service event, but they placed fifth.

“The state competition was really competitive this year, especially in our event,” Tohaibeche said. “We had to compete against 16 other groups from

our event.”Shah was disappointed with the outcome of the

competition but content with the overall turnout of their project.

“Even though we got fifth place and will not be going to Nationals, this project has really made a difference in the community,” Shah said. “We raised money, awareness and really changed the lives of so many people. We scored really well on the paper but lost silly points in the presentation portion.”

The two intend to continue with DECA next year and compete again next year.

“For the remainder of the year, we are going to do small things to continue helping this non-profit organization and cause (Childhelp),” Shah said. “We are also going to start planning which paper we want to do next year. I am thinking maybe a Hospitality and Tourism research project.”

Shah and Tohaibeche encourage any students hesitant about joining DECA in the future to do so.

“I think people should do DECA if they want to go into business,” Shah said. “In my opinion, doing it with a business class would be the best thing so you have time you can actually dedicate to the project.”

Shah has seen DECA as a worthwhile experience, as she intends to major in business in college. For Tohaibeche, competing through DECA has been equally as valuable.

“DECA has taught me a lot and also gave me many opportunities that I never could have experienced anywhere else,” Tohaibeche said. “Entering the DECA state competition made us feel more confident in what we have done and we knew that even if we didn’t win we helped many people and raised money for little kids.” ®

Corona music teachers recieve A+ from the AEF

Corona del Sol’s music classes tend to be competitive with one another. Is choir the way to go? Is orchestra better than band? The answers to these questions vary depending on whom you ask, but the Arizona Educational Foundation recognized Corona’s music program as a whole with the A+ Exemplary Music award on March 19.

“The Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF) looks to give this A+ Exemplary award to programs that exist at a school that are meaningful, sustainable and applicable,” AEF executive director Bobbie O’Boyle said. “In other words, other schools could come and look at the music program at Corona del Sol and say, ‘Gee, we want something just like that at our school for our students,’ and they could learn from the teachers who are involved in it.”

The award recognized all of Corona’s music teachers: Alex Dudley, orchestra director; David DuPlessis, band director; Greg Hebert, choir director; and Scott Werner, percussion director.

Larry Rother, the judge who visited Corona, had many positive comments regarding Corona’s music program.

“I observed passionate educators, engaged students and a program that spans far beyond the walls of Corona del Sol,” Rother said. “Students have the opportunity to participate in unique ensembles such as Steel Drums, Jaztecs and a full complement of specialized band and orchestra classes, including piano and guitar.”

As music is a vital part of Corona’s atmosphere, with hundreds of students involved in performing arts classes on campus, this award is a significant achievement for Corona.

“I feel like a lot of hard work has paid off,” Dudley said. “Hopefully it (receiving the award) gives us more publicity and allows other schools in the district to aspire to be like our program.”

The AEF recognizes that a good music program is fundamental for education. “If you want to have a great school, hire a great music teacher,” O’Boyle said.®

SAPNA DARYANANIStaff Writer

SAPNA DARYANANIStaff Writer

April 2013 • CdS Sunrise Life & Times • 7

bus · bike · walk · rail

It’s time to decide where you’re going in life. Getting to the mall, the park or the movies takes direction. So, let TIM be your guide. You can go wherever you want, whenever you want. Let freedom ring.

Kids who live in Tempe can ride transit for free. To get a youth transit pass, stop by the Tempe Transit Store at 200 E. Fifth St. with your parents. And to fi nd bus routes, bikeways and light rail stops all around Tempe, visit tempe.gov/tim or call 858-2350.

It's a rite of passage - your own transit pass.

The list of sports in the Olympic games has changed greatly during the course of its history. The first games only included nine sports and 43 events, but this number continued to rise; in 2008 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) capped the number of sports to 28.

Through the years sports have been removed and added due to a list of rules from the IOC. Sports such as cycling and aquatics have never been removed. Others, such as archery and tennis, were removed due to lack of interest but were later reintroduced. Now the IOC has decided wrestling will be removed from the 2020 Olympics.

“There were some data comparisons that showed wrestling was not at the top of list of most watched sports,” wrestling coach Jim Martinez said.

This news has hit wrestlers hard throughout the world, as well as Corona. The idea of wrestling disappearing from the Olympics has especially impacted wrestler Ethan Tursini, who dreamed of wrestling in 2020, as well as former Olympic wrestling athlete Martinez.

“The news came as a total shock to me,” Martinez said. “I believe it couldn’t have been a worse decision for our sport.”

As a result of Title IX (giving equal rights to women in the field of sports), there have been massive reductions in wrestling programs around the country, and because of this, one of the biggest saving graces for the sport was being able to compete in the Olympics.

“Social media is being used in as many areas as possible to generate support for wrestling,” Martinez said. “So, the effort is being put forth to do whatever it will take to earn the right to compete again.”

The IOC’s decision is now affecting wrestlers all around the world who had the dream of entering the Olympics in 2020.

“I’m still going to do the same plan, just without the biggest goal,” Tursini said. “The second biggest goal is worlds. I can still be the best in the world, just not an Olympic champ.”

Now, many advocates are fighting to change the minds of those against wrestling in order to get them to believe wrestling is still worthy of competition.

“I think it is a very uphill battle to see wrestling added back into the games after being recently excluded,” Martinez said. “The news media has taken up the cause to make wrestling a topic for discussion to keep it in the forefront of sports coverage.”

“You don’t take wrestling out, Tursini said. “You just don’t. It’s just how it is.” ®

Devika SharanLife and Times Editor

I honestly didn’t know how much worse things could get, until I found out my best friend was behind everything. Another betrayal from someone close to me. I just lost it. That was my breaking point. I went to the bathroom and just cried. I wanted to die. A girl came into the bathroom, breaking my thoughts. She basically carried me to the office. It was as if I was in a different world. I could see what was going on around me, but I wasn’t there.

My mom got me and took me to the hospital to be on suicide watch. I don’t remember much; I slept most of the time. My door was always open and there was a nurse monitoring my room at all times. I wasn’t allowed to be alone. Doctors came in and out and asked a lot of questions. It’s all kind of a blur.

They let me go home, but I had to start an out-patient program that included 12 hours of therapy per week until school started again. It was group therapy, which ended up being sort of cool. It made me realize I wasn’t alone; and knowing you’re not alone is probably one of the most reassuring feelings.

So, here I am today, a junior at Corona, ninth school in 12 years. I got through the summer and although intensive therapy was one of the most emotionally draining experiences of my life, I’m happy I did it. However, I will never truly “get over” what has happened to me throughout the years. I have a really hard time doing it sometimes, but I know I need to look past the difficult times and move on.

Being bullied is traumatizing and it changes a person forever. As a result, I now have Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I still remember every word any “bully” has ever said to me. I can’t just flush all that’s been done to me down a drain; it’s something I have to live with. I have many days where the depression consumes me. My mind gets stuck on certain events and replays them over and over again.

People don’t realize that bullying can destroy a person. Thanks to scar crème, most of my physical scars from cutting are gone or barely visible. However, I do still have scars. On the inside. And they don’t make a scar crème for that. ®

story continued from page 5Wrestling removed from Olympics affects futures

SUICIDE WATCH

MOVING FORWARD

CdS Sunrise • April 20138 • Sports

Sports affect students’ academicsLate nights fi lled with a plethora of papers, bunches of books and that gnawing

feeling that you’re just not going to get it all done are common among high school students. Then add in higher level courses and athletics and you can count sleep out.

Senior Heather Hittenburger confesses that during golf season she forgoes sleep in an effort to accomplish all of her work in addition to practice.

“I don’t have time ever during golf season so it’s hard to get everything done,” Hittenburger says.

Hittenburger is in honors classes and admits that her grades are generally better when it is not golf season. She also says she is more likely to skip doing homework than she is to skip practice to do homework.

Girls golf coach Patricia Reed said that the girls get grade checks about once every three weeks and oftentimes students will do homework on the bus on the way to tournaments.

Other sports take up quite a bit of time as well. Wrestling, for example, takes up about 18 hours a week on average. However, these athletes still must fi nd time to balance their life.

“It is a daily topic to mention the importance of doing what they need to do to get good grades,” wrestling coach Jim Martinez said. “This is not just so wrestlers stay eligible. But, it is a reminder that they are students before they are athletes. Even if they never wrestle again after their senior year, having good grades will provide an opportunity to continue their education in college.”

Other sports, like girls and boys volleyball, put signifi cant emphasis on their athletes keeping up their grades.

“In the volleyball program players have to have a least a ‘C’ in every class in order to be eligible,” girls volleyball coach Ben Maxfi eld said. “I have access to all their grades through the computer system, so I can keep tabs on them as well.”

Despite all of this extra pressure, some students still don’t break a sweat.Varsity basketball player Casey Benson said that his grades stay pretty

consistent regardless of whether he is on or off season.“It’s the same pretty much,” Benson said. “I just try not to let them slip.”Another athlete who keeps his grades consistent on and off-season is cross-

country and track athlete Ryan Normand. “I pay attention in class and stay on top of work,” Normand said. Whether school work takes a toll during the season, as it does to

Hittenburger, or has little to no effect, as it does on Benson and Normand, it’s still quite a lot to handle. Varsity soccer player Lexi Bounds has several tips to help these student-athletes balance their time.

“You have to just schedule (your work) as soon as you get home from school,” Bounds said. “You have to go straight into your homework. (You must) schedule your allotted time until you have to leave for practice.”

Following these tips is a clear way to help make life more manageable. However, the point in scheduling time is to allot more time before the assignment is due, rather than pulling all-nighters due to procrastination. Many students, such as Bounds, struggle with this problem. They fi nd themselves scheduling school work into time that should rather be spent sleeping.

“I don’t sacrifi ce my sport to do homework; I sacrifi ce sleep,” Bounds said. “Sleep is for the weak.”

In reality however, sleep is for the strong. Sleep is vital to keep the body functioning normally. Sleep refuels the body and without it, body functions begin to decrease dramatically.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, “Studies show that a good night’s sleep improves learning. Whether you’re learning math, how to play the piano, how to perfect your golf swing, or how to drive a car, sleep helps enhance your learning and problem-solving skills. Sleep also helps you pay attention, make decisions, and be creative. Studies also show that sleep defi ciency alters activity in some parts of the brain. If you’re sleep defi cient, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change. Sleep defi ciency also has been linked to depression, suicide, and risk-taking behavior.”

These extreme side effects due to a lack of sleep may be uncommon, but that does not make them impossible. The most common effects are the everyday grogginess and headaches, which nearly every student-athlete experiences regularly.

“It just makes it harder to get everything done in time,” freshman softball player Katelyn Stys said. “I’m tired at school some days.”

JACQUI MARZOCCA & ELIZABETH CHENEYEditor-in-Chief & Online Photo Editor