Jobs Teachers Have Had!

Pg.14 - 15

MoHi Then and Nowpg. 4 - 5

Leadership!pg.10-11

Volume 102, Issue 3 Modesto High School February 2015

Table of ContentsCupcake Wars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Mohi Then and Now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Christmas Carol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-7

Alumni Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

PAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11

Common Core Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

AVID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Jobs Teachers Have Had . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15

The Panther Press18 H StreetModesto, CA 95351

Editors:Liam Coyle, Alex Hunn, Nicole Parhizgari, Karina Olivira, Enya Rodriguez, Macy Swen-son, Lucy Wenstrup

Panther Press Staff:Allegria Enriquez, Waleed Khan, Gabriel Malonzo. Blake Martin, Nicklas Natale, Marie Nunez Rivera, Priya Radhakrishnan, Renee Rials, Natalie Shlenker, Rajeev Singh, Shivani Thakur, Alexandria Yuam, Kristina Zuroff

Adviser:Kerrie Glennglenn.k@monet.k12.ca.us

The Panther Press is created for and by students of Modesto High School. The goal is to bring news to MHS and acknowledge ideas, events, and individuals on campus in an unbiased and professional manner. The opinions expressed in this publica-tion are those of the journalism staff and not of Modesto High School or Modesto City Schools. This publication may also be accessed at mohipantherpress.com. Letters may be mailed to MHS or submitted to Ker-rie Glenn’s mailbox in the main office.

Don’t forget to give our website some love!

mohipantherpress.com

2 THE PANTHER PRESS

The food and Nutrition class had an interesting take on finals this year. Instead of a test of some sort, they replicated the TV show ‘ cupcake wars’ and had a baking competi-tion! Walking into

Room 5 during finals week would have been a nice change of pace from the stressful finals prep for anyone. With the abrupt flip from sullen and sleep-deprived to hustling and bustling, it’s easy to sit back and just take in the sights and sounds of not one, but 6 kitchens in action, frantically whipping up batch after batch of delectable cup-cakes. In later days, eager judges would tap their feet impatiently and lick their chops as the final touches were added, but for the moment the cup-cakes were still in the early, gooey stages of their conception. The one person who didn’t get a chance to enjoy this professional-looking (and sounding) ensemble was the class’s teacher. Ms. Richardson was getting into the spirit of things as much as her students, advising them on which milk to use or where they would find the flour they so des-perately needed. Students were creating cupcakes that ranged from a gourmet-looking hazelnut and chocolate cupcake topped with a Ferrero-Rocher to one topped with rainbows and gummy bears frolicking in a blue frosted wonderland with an evil twist (jalapeños baked into the dough). Students were making culinary masterpieces left and right all throughout the room. Ms. Richardson says that the students were a little rushed for time at the end of their preparations, but they pulled through. “Students prepped Wednesday through Friday the week before and actually made the cupcakes Monday and Tuesday of this week. Maybe next time they need more time.” What’s that Ms. Richardson? Next time?

That’s right, according to Ms. Richardson, there are many more events like this to come, which is good for the students, but maybe not the judges’ blood sugar. After seeing how much everyone enjoyed this competition, she plans on keeping the tradition going. Next semester, Ms. Richardson has planned a ‘World of Food’ demonstration. “(Students)…will pick a country and make food from that country. They will set up their tables like that country and the judges can walk around the room tasting things.” “Students learning to cook for themselves is what the food and nutrition class is all about,” said Ms. Richardson. She wants to make sure that when students go off on their own, they aren’t forced to only eat things out of boxes, but at least have the ability to cook themselves a meal; not just any meal, but one that caters to their own individual nutrition needs. Whether you are an athlete or spend most of your time in front of screens, says Ms. Richardson, it is important to know just what your body wants from you and be able to provide it. Anyone who wants to learn about their nutrition needs or just enjoys cooking should consider the class, said Ms. Richardson. There is at least one person who is looking forward to tasting what comes next out of room 5, as a judge who was too busy stuffing their face to give their name said, “Mrffmgurd”. Loosely translated, this mean: “I had such a wonderful time at this cupcake competition and hope to see many more com-petitions like this in the future. Thanks, food and nutrition!”

WarsBy: Liam Coyle

Cupcake

February 2015 3

MoHi — Then & Now In this installment of MoHi Then & Now, we will be covering the earlier years of Modesto High’s existence. At the time of Modesto High School’s establishment, Modesto was still a very small town. Regardless of its small size, Modesto’s educational program flourished and grew. The commencement of the first graduating class in 1886 was a grand ceremony. “[It] was a novel feature for the little town,” re-membered Sol P. Elias, one of the ten that graduated that year, “that had emerged from small beginnings to a position of importance in affairs of the county.” The earliest graduating classes were mostly, if not completely, comprised of girls. The class of 1886 had seven girls; the class of 1899 was all girls. Classes remained small, averaging only nine students per year until 1900. At that time, Modesto’s popula-

By Alex Hunn

tion was a puny 2,024 people ─ a number which pales in comparison to the 200,000 that reside here today. The first issue of the school year-book, the Sycamore, was published in 1910. These books, which at first were just over 30 pages thick, kept records of the schools development, as new clubs, organizations, and sports teams were born. They were also compilations of stories, poems, and jokes written by the students. In the 1914 issue, one heading was spelled, “The School Pa-per: It’s Purpose” ─ ironically in the Syca-more dedicated to “our English teacher.” Both the Sycamore and the Boomerang, the school newspaper, were suspended in 1918, as they were considered “war luxuries.” They resumed in 1919, a year punctuated by so-called “flu vacations” due to the influenza epidemic.

Below, The first graduating class of Modesto High in 1886

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Above, The classroom that housed the entire Modesto High student body in 1900.

Below, The Modesto High Orchestra as seen in 1916. Note the clarinetist at the bottom and the saxophonist at the left.

February 2015 5

Christmas Carol The theater department pulled off another successful production with “A Christmas Carol,” a stage play adaption of Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas novel. It tells the story of penny-pinching, miserly, old Ebenezer Scrooge - a man who says “Bah! Humbug,” to Christmas - whose life is changed dramatically when he is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve. “The story of ‘A Christmas Carol’ is one of the most iconic in the English language,” said Mr. Mi-chael Murry, drama teacher and director of the show. “I love ‘A Christmas Carol’ because I love the story of Scrooge’s redemption.” Several aspects of the production made it a unique and challenging experience for the students. One of these was the large amount of people involved. “The most difficult part of the production was probably the size of the cast,” said Carson Blicken-staff, senior, who played the Narrator in the show. “Working with 47 other people was insane!” “At 48, it was the largest cast I have ever worked with - and some of the students were not MHS students,” Murry added. “That made organization and communication even more difficult. It is tough to manage that many people, especially since so many of them had no prior theater experience.” The show also featured a large number of stage transitions as Scrooge travelled down the street on Christmas Eve or was taken from place to place by the spirits. This posed difficulties to the production. “Because it is essentially a ‘travel play,’ it re-quires constant moving of set pieces, organization backstage, and staging set pieces in anticipation of the next scene,” Murry said. He also expressed his extreme dislike for stage changes. “It can be a real headache. They are a necessary part of most productions, but they can sometimes make or break a show’s ‘watchability.’ I do not like set changes to slow down the tempo and prefer to make them a part of the production.” Murry went on to comment on how the backstage crew was invaluable to the success of the production. “The ‘real’ show was going on offstage - out of view of the audience. That’s when I come to ap-preciate the backstage techs. Although they do not get a curtain call, they are working for the entire production and the flow and ease of transition is credited to them. Ivan Guzman and Rayna Joaquim were the all-stars on this. They stepped in, took charge, and made everything run as smoothly as it can possibly run. This kind of work is a lot like being an air traffic controller: anticipation, organization, fo-cus, and concentration are all essential.” “We have performed this show twice before, but in the Blackbox Theatre on campus, which is a much smaller space and requires far less setting,” said Ms. Lisa McHale, director of set design.  “With this show, we needed to fill a large stage and yet be able to move the story to 28 different locations. 

By Alex Hunn

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This challenge was accomplished by creating a background silouhette of the London skyline and then creating doors for which the actors could enter and exit in various locations.  Set pieces such as furniture and street lamps helped to transport the audience to the multitude of locations required for this grand and enormous show.” The theater department also brought in musicians from the Modesto High music program to enhance the production. Sabina Villalobos, Elleis Souza, James Estreba, and Faith Tsai played in a musi-cal ensemble during the scene at Mr. Fezziwig’s party. They played a lively jig while the actors danced to the music. “The absolute best part was that everyone there treated us like equals and not just as musicians,” said Villalobos, a junior and violinist. “They treated us like we were important and like we were needed, and I thought that was a really chill thing of them to do. Mr. Murry was so supportive and so under-standing of our schedules, which was really nice of him. Our theater department really rocks.” The decision to use a live quartet was one of the several ways in which the team was commit-ted to developing the aesthetic of 19th-century English society. “The most difficult part of the show for me was understanding the dialect,” said Eron Phal, senior, who played the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. He and the other actors spoke using the diction and accents of Dickens’ time. “Despite the fact that it is sort of an old English dialect, I made my best effort into understanding what was being said and how I thought it would have sounded.” They also put a lot of work and effort into creating the set pieces for the show. “The set construction was time-consuming, as was the collection, creation, and maintenance of the props,” Murry said. “It is a very prop-intensive production: a sled, a cart, a cooked goose, and dozens more like them all have to be created for the show.” “Mr. Murry worked with several lead students - including London Ellis and Rayna Joaquim, our set leads - to brainstorm, research, and final decide on the perfect setting for this iconic story,” McHale added.  “The main inspiration was images of the London skyline in the 1800s.” Lastly, costumes were painstakingly created to reflect the style of the time period. “My favorite part of the production was the costumes,” said Sara Sterling, junior, who played the part of Susan Cratchit. “I really enjoyed how each one fit a specific character but never looked out of place when surrounded by the other costumes. Gini Vyborney [the costume designer] did a really great job with them!” All of these elements blended together to result in an impressive final product that was ex-tremely professional and well-performed. “It was a successful show, and I’m proud of it,” Murry said. “I’m proud because each production

is different. This is the third time I have produced this play, but the first time I have done it on the main stage. I’m also proud of the hard work that so many of the students put into it. Unless you’ve ever been involved in a theater production, it’s hard to know exactly how much work goes into it. The students - designers, technicians, and actors - worked very hard and were tremendously dedicated.”

February 2015 7

Ross Garton,Modesto High Class of 2010Michigan Class of 2014Yale Class of 2016

Modesto High Students18 H StreetModesto, CA 95351

Ross Garton graduated from Modesto High in 2010, got his BA from the University of Michi-gan, and is currently getting his MA from Yale. The youngest person in his specialty, he’s currently focusing on Oboe in the process of getting his Master of Music. Despite an impressive amount of success at such a young age, he’s still incredibly humble. Staff member, Macy Swenson, had the pleasure of being able to ask him about his road from high school to an Ivy League, and get advice for current and future students at MHS.

Q. So, you’re a Modesto High alumni! Tell me about what got you to where you are today? A. Really, I have just been doing what I enjoy and what comes most naturally to me, and I encourage others to do the same. In high school it’s common to join a bunch of clubs or sports just to pad your resumé, but I think it is better to focus energy on activities you care about. You’ll see faster results and actually enjoy doing what you do. I was also fortunate to attend the University of Michigan and was surrounded by many talented and hard-working students (and faculty). The envi-ronment was encouraging and similar to the environment you find in the IB program.

Q. What are your thoughts on college for students who might feel like they don’t have the perfect academic background, or are nervous about venturing out on their own? A. College may seem like the final frontier, yet it actually is just the start. College is a time for reinventing yourself, finding inspiration, and savoring the experience. Even though I am sure many of you have worked hard in high school, you are going to have to move on from it once you leave. After you graduate, nobody will ask about your SAT score or even your high school GPA. This will be hard for some and a relief for others. It is a fresh start with unlimited opportunities.

Q. Any final advice for current students in regards to their future? A. It’s far too easy to become demoralized in high school. You do poorly on a couple tests and begin to wonder “why should I even try at this point?” I’ve been there. I was a slacker, slept through many classes, and had my fair share of missing assignments. Somehow, I’ve managed to turn my life around and am now attending Yale University for my master’s degree. My (cliché) advise to high school students is to find at least one thing that is genuinely interesting and to pursue it. It could be a language, an instrument, fencing, photography, hula hooping, vlogging, powerlifting, academia, whatever. Just explore and grow your passion(s) every day. And remember that we all face a tremendous amount of failure. It’s those who keep going that find success.

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Ross Garton,Modesto High Class of 2010Michigan Class of 2014Yale Class of 2016

The Performing Arts Academy hosts multiple gather-ings throughout the school year to help the sophomores adjust to this new program as well as to get to know the upper class men. The PAA hosted its annual Christ-mas Gathering. It took place at the Black Box Theater here at MoHi on Wednesday, December 17. The Christmas Gathering was organized by the PAA seniors with the help of Ms. McHale, the program coordinator. The Christmas Gathering consisted of food, games, and an exchange of ornaments between the seniors and sophomores. The president of the program said that the gathering is a way for the newcomers to connect with oth-ers as well as to feel comfortable and welcomed in the program.“Our main focus is to get ev-eryone together and spend time with each other before the holidays,” said senior and presi-dent Areli Garcia. “Because we’re a family” The PAA is one of the many programs offered to the students on campus. PAA is dif-ferent from other programs on campus. Its focus is on perform-ing arts, intertwining the arts with college-bound classes. Once enrolled in the program the stu-dents are placed in specific aca-

demic classes including English, History, and Science. A fourth class is then added according to the student’s grade level. For ex-ample, sophomores take theater design, juniors take dance and movement, and seniors take film production and animation. The teachers in the program try to help the students find what they are good at, what they enjoy and their passions. “I love the excitement of the students when they’re ex-periencing new things” said Ms. McHale, who also teaches sopho-more English. “I want to help them find their passion.” Students are allowed to apply for the program once they ballot at the end of their fresh-man year. Unfortunately only 78 sophomores are allowed each year. To apply for the program, students must fill out an ap-plication which are often given by English teachers at the end of the year. Students can also talk to their counselor to apply. There are currently 210 students enrolled in the academy. Many students love the environment and support they get from teach-ers in the PAA . “I love the connection we create with our teachers.” said se-nior, Julie Yanez. “I really like the help we get from them too”

The teachers of PAA deserve credit for their work and support. They’re the heart of the program and create bounds with their students by giving support and encouragement to follow their dreams. The goal as a teacher is to watch students graduate and know what their next move after high school is, helping them de-velop their life plan. “I want my students to know they have to get out there and make something happen,” said Mr. Murry, senior English teacher. “Or nothing will happen.” PAA is a way for students to come out of their comfort zone and experience new things. It works with the Modesto High Entertainment Technology Train-ing program (or MHETT) to get students involved in theatrical productions. The program also allows students to take classes in IB and Avid. It inspires students to discover enjoyment in the arts and use that enjoyment to graduate. The Performing Arts Academy stands out from other programs because of its ability to help students connect with each other and create an unbreakable bond among their classmates and teachers. “I love the family feel,” said soph-omore, Bryzt Rojas. “Everyone is just so friendly.”

MoHi’s Perform

ing

Arts Academy

by Maria Nunez

February 2015 9

Winter Homecoming is now in full development; it is winter, afterall. Homecoming is a very famous school-wide event. Even the people who know nothing about it know that it exists. Most people know about homecoming and participate in the event, but the knowledge of organizing and constructing the event is mainly available only to Leadership. So, few people out-side the class know the planning that goes to making Homecom-ing.Various students from the Lead-ership classes were interviewed to understand the creation pro-cess from a student’s perspec-tive. Leadership is mainly run by the students. The teacher’s (Ms. Hernandez, who was unavailable for an interview) role is mostly as conductor and supervisor. Most activities are planned and executed by the students of the class. Leadership is also divided into separate classes and each class is composed of a different grade level. Planning for homecom-ing begins in the summer. Leadership members gather to exchange ideas and plan for the

following school year. From then on, plans are further developed until preparations begin for up-coming events. “Over summer, we have what’s called a leadership retreat. Everyone nominates a certain theme (for homecoming), and af-ter that, everyone votes on their themes,” Albert Coito (11) stated. Currently, Leadership is working on many projects; Homecoming is just one, and not even the most complicated. Other, nonevent-related assign-ments are also major focuses for the class. Rallies remain a difficult challenge, and so gain higher priority. “During the rally, we’re focusing on what to do… we are [also] working on our dances, Formal, and proms. And also, in our individual classes, we’re working on homecoming,” Coito stated. Despite Leadership’s many responsibilities, they re-main mostly isolated from other organizations at Modesto High School. Most activities are solely done by Leadership members. Few people outside of the class

commit to participating in school activities/planning but the class remains open to assis-tance from other organizations; all help is welcome and appre-ciated.“Maybe we can have represen-tatives and meet, and help ad-vertise for Leadership,” Lauren Bridges (9) stated. Leadership is a class of prime importance for ensur-ing that students not only see Modesto High as an estab-lishment for learning; rather, students would be able to learn the establishment. As the back-bone for student involvement; Leadership remains a class that gains the lesser attention from the public. Without the organi-zation, many memorable “High-School” activities would not be possible, such as homecoming. They not only create student events; they also create student traditions and culture.“Leadership’s a lot of work,” Joan Ashby (10) said. “[But] it pays off in homecoming, where you think ‘Wow, that’s what I’ve done.’ The mood throughout… is a happy feeling.”

The Decision Makersby Gabriel Malonzo

M o d e s t o H i g h

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L e a d e r s h i p It’s never too early to start planning for the future, especially if you are Ms. Hernandez, Modesto High’s Leadership advisor. For those of you who don’t know, Leadership runs the school. Those with ASB and class government positions are required to be in that class with nothing short of dedi-cation and spirit. However, every year the scene changes through the school elections. This year, the elections will be held on March 6, 2015, after a two-week campaign period, where every candidate gives it all they’ve got to win the hearts of MoHi. Be-fore this happens, every candidate must attend the mandatory meet-ings, fill out an application, and agree to the rules of campaigning and being a school officer. Not everyone is cut out for the intense dedication of obtaining a school government position, especially with school and other activities. “We’re looking for someone who’s responsible, who’s willing to help the school, someone who’s will-ing to put the time and the effort into the leadership class, and be a good role model overall,” says Ms. Hernandez. Anyone who has ideas they are passionate about that would improve Modesto High and who could put in the work to make them a reality would be a valuable

candidate. As of December 18, 2014, Mahima Krishnamoorthi, the current junior class president, is hoping to snag the ASB presiden-tial seat. She is quite experienced with the campaign trail, as she ran for sophomore class president her freshman year and has been involved in student government ever since. To improve Modesto High, she would love to see a college night for students, where MHS alumni could discuss their college application process and college life itself. As ASB president, she could organize bigger events to bring together all the fantastic clubs on campus. Her experience as one of the head organizers at the first Modesto City Schools high school campus Relay for Life last year shows the kind of dedication she has toward Modesto High and how she puts it into action. Junior Riley Noland, an-other prospective ASB Presidential candidate who is currently ASB Vice President, wants to find the best way to communicate with the students of Modesto High, to make the student government more accessible and more aware of the needs of the school. His three-year experience in student government, his management of the Entrepreneurship Club, and his

connections to the District Board of Education all demonstrate his drive to solving problems, espe-cially the problems of the school he loves. Despite the importance of the ASB presidential elections, it is important to recognize the role underclassmen will play the next two years. James Estreba is a soph-omore looking to run for Treasurer (ASB or Class I don’t know). He wants to focus on the freshman and sophomores in his campaign and in office. During his campaign he would use easy, face-to-face conversation to get his ideas out. One of his ideas is a “Hello Week,” a series of spirit days to welcome students back to school and to welcome freshman. He would like to see relief days and a closer relationship between the student government and the clubs and programs at Modesto High, like the IB Senate. His ability to juggle IB, orchestra, and other activities, all while maintaining good grades, demonstrates his hard work ethic and many talents that he could put to use for Modesto High. It will be interesting to see what will happen in the upcoming elec-tions with these equally brilliant candidates. Be sure to exercise your voice at Modesto High and vote!

2015 Electionsby Lucy Wenstrup

February 2015 11

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Arabian Nights: Behind the Scenes

Many students attended Winter Formal, however few know all the hard work that goes on be-hind the scenes. This year, the rep-resentative and formal coordinator was junior McKenzie Hillier and my, does she have a lot to accomplish this year. She, along with the help of another junior, Seth Hammond, were the directors of this year’s Formal. They sifted through “several possible themes until we landed on Arabian Nights”, says Hillier. However, the process for putting on the dance was rather complicated and those assigned faced a serious and daunt-ing task. “First, there’s the tedious task of deciding what theme to do, then once that is solidified, you have to meet with decorators, photogra-phers, designers, and have several planning workdays to makes sure that not only is the actual dance floor ready, but that it has been publicized well to make people want to come,” adds Hillier. Despite all the stress, Formal is an enjoyable time. Krupa Modi (senior) who was a former dance coordinator says, “Although the planning is hectic and

we often are rushing last minute to get things finished to make Formal the best it can be, in the end it is so rewarding to finally see what you have made with a lot of hardwork and great teamwork. It really is a group effort.” The real challenge, however, is deciding a dance that the entire school - filled with diversities and personal preferences - is going to love. Modi states that “sometimes we have to choose something that the majority of the students will enjoy, otherwise, we would never be able to pick a theme.” This year, Formal was on January 24th, from 8-11 PM and was hosted in the Boys Gym. Winter Formal really is a wonderful occasion of fun and dancing with fellow class-mates and even a time to make new friends. Modi states, “My favorite part is when it finally all comes together and you finally see what you have created and it is so cool. Mackenzie O’Dell and I had a picstitch of our before and after in gym. It was amaz-ing what we accomplished when we worked together!”

By Blake Martin

13February 2015

The AVID class at Modesto High School is a special program that strives to help students get into college by providing academic support and instruction to prepare them. AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. It is a program that moti-vates and raises awareness among students to attend college and look into new careers. Junior AVID student, Anthony Ruvalcaba, described the program saying that, “AVID is basically preparing students for college. It gives you note taking skills, [skills for] keeping organized, and self-determi-nation in school work and/or anything you do in life.” A typical week in AVID is split into two sections. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the class goes to the AVID room and begins tutorials where students can get help from other students and tutors. When asked about the schedule, Ruvalcaba said, “I guess my favorite part about the class is the inter-action with students during tutorial sessions and how they make the students solve their own problems. At times it could be difficult but in the end, when some-one figures out their own problem, it makes them feel more confident in the subject they’re struggling in.” AVID is all about helping students feel more confident in their academic abilities and encouraging them to want to go to college and do well. The pro-gram wants its members to do well and allows them to harness their potential by showing them how to do so. AVID follows the WICR plan, or “Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, and Reading” to help the students become more focused and successful. AVID is a lot of work for many students, but also gives them the sup-port to complete all that work. Junior AVID student, Abby Lovell agreed, “The teachers and tutors are really generous and support-ive.” At Modesto High School, AVID focuses on the academic, social, mentoring, college awareness and information, and community aspects for their students. The program tries to level the playing field to help those students who need a little help reaching their dreams. The test-taking scores and graduation rates of AVID students are much higher than those of students not taking AVID at Modesto High School and all of

California, and more AVID students go on to college and actually complete it than the state and national average. That sentiment is evident in the attitudes of the AVID teachers at Mohi. “It has shown me that there is truly nothing young people can’t do if they want to badly enough,” says Modesto High AVID Coordinator, Ms. Blickenstaff. “It has proven that there is always more sweat and there are always more tears, but there is also always more laughter, joy, and pride.” Agreeing with Ms. Blickenstaff, Ruvalcaba says, “AVID has helped in self-determination because that’s very hard to do. AVID makes sure you never give up and to always be motivated to do better.” The AVID program not only works towards getting students to go to college, but also takes trips to colleges such as the UCs and CSUs. In fact, the AVID class visited UC Davis and Sacramento State this past quarter to give students a feel for what they are work-ing towards and what they will have to do once they get to college. The AVID program is an excellent program for students who want to go the extra mile and are willing to put in the work to get there. It supports and encour-ages students to work hard in school and to go to col-lege. With the proper teaching, tutoring, and guidance, AVID is truly an excellent program that helps a lot of students achieve their dreams.

AVIDBy Waleed Khan

Before They Were Teachers...

P A N T H E R N E W Swww.mohipantherpress.com Modesto’s Favorite Newspaper Feb 2015

He was a L and Surveyor Mr. Azevedo may be a popular math teacher here at Modesto High, known for his charisma and easy-going personality, but before he worked here, he was a Land Surveyor for 5 years at Mount Shasta Na-tional Park! He recounts his favorite memories saying, “I enjoyed nature very much and I’d usually go fly fishing during my lunch hours.”

SHE WAS AN ART MODEL Ms. West is an English teacher here at Modesto High who always brings laughter to her students. She revealed her most interesting job from the past. She used to be an “Art Model” in her college years and remembers feeling “quite peculiar and like Madonna, while posing for the art classes.” Ms. West wanted to try something new and inter-esting, so an Art Model it was.

SHE WORKED IN THE FIELDS Sra. Hallack is one of the wonderful Spanish teachers here who is very com-mitted to her students and her class. For many who don’t know, Sra. Hallack once worked in the fields at a young age and through that she saw that she wanted to do more in life. “I realized that I needed to stay in school, there was something else out there than just this, and I could make a life for myself through education.”

To find out about jobs other teachers have had, read the companion article at mohipantherpress.com

THE PANTHER PRESS14

SHE WAS A REHAB COUNSELOR Ms. Villalobos is a dedicated Spanish teacher here at Modesto High. She has worked here for many years and is getting ready to retire soon. Some might find it interesting that she worked as a rehab counselor. Ms. Villalobos worked with people with disabilities to evaluate their strengths and help them find a job. The ultimate goal was to allow these people to live as independently as possible. She later worked in early child development to help parents with kids who weren’t reaching normal milestones for their ages. Ms. Villalobos worked with the families to maximize the potential of their children.

SHE WAS AN ATTENDANCE LIAISON Ms. Blickenstaff is a hardworking teacher who teaches both English and Avid at MoHi. Before taking on this important role at Modesto High, Ms. Blickenstaff was an Attendance Liaison. She would do home visits to find out why some kids weren’t coming to school. When asked for a memorable moment of her days as and attendance liaison, she thought of one visit gone wrong. She made a home visit to a student she described as being extremely polite. However, she was shocked to find him pulling out a can of haispray, which he lit on fire directly at her.

SHE WAS HERDING SHEEP Ms. Coufal began teaching psychology this year after several years of teaching French. She is also a coach at our panther puff games. Before her versatile work at Mohi, Ms. Coufal worked at the Saturday auction yard. Ms. Coufal says she refused to go in her room with her auction yard clothes on because they smelt so strongly of animal poop. At one point while working, one of the sheep escaped. She went out with a group of eight to catch the sheep. When they were circled around the sheep, her athletic nature kicked in and she decided to lounge toward the sheep, but it charged her at the same time. It hit her head and she ended up needing stiches, but she caught the sheep.

Interviews by Roberto Jimenez and Alexis Moreno

February 2015 15

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