Letter to Mentor

May 10, 2011

Dear Mr. Shorts,

     From day to day you inspire students across the campus. You have the unique ability to control a room with your heart and connect directly with each individual, no matter how different we all may be. There is a sense of home that constantly engulfs you which spreads into the smiles plastered on everyone’s face around you. You never fail to make laughter fill a room and you always know just what to say to make all the bad feelings go away.

     And for all of this I am thankful to have had you as a teacher as well as a director. Our journey began when I was just a freshman; you casted me as the Sarcastic Bystander in Pygmalion, I guess you’re a really good judge of character too, but you really helped me see my true self for the first time as you took me under your wing and lead me into your Drama II class my sophomore year. My sophomore year is where you helped me grow the most, you were the only person who could make the tears stop and my heart calm, you made me stronger as you carried me into your third period my junior year. My junior year is where we had our laughs and sandwiches while discussing topics most wouldn’t understand but it was nice to know I had someone who would be there for me as I headed into my senior year. Now here we are, in my senior year and we still visit from time to time though I wish it were more, and I am constantly reminded of you every time I see a mini coke can or make a sandwich and I can’t help but be thankful for the four years I have had you in my life.

     Mr. Shorts, you have taught me more about life than anyone I know. You have impacted my life beyond the stage and you taught me how to live outside the spotlight. You have always encouraged me to pursue my dreams and I know that with everything you have taught me I will be able to push myself to get through college and go far in life. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Keana Marin

50 Facts About Keana

1. Jacci Bree Enriquez has been my best friend since three years old

2. My mom is my best friend

3. I’m currently in love with Fernando Ojeda

4. I have 4 tattoos that hold deep meaning to me

5. I am obsessed with owls

6. My older brother is a father figure to me

7. My favorite book is The Great Gatsby

8. My nephew Caleb James is the light of my life

9. Brand New is my favorite band because of Jesse Lacey’s lyrics

10. I want to be a writer

11. I have two jobs- PacSun & It’s A Grind

12. I got accepted to London University

13. My brother taught me how to surf

14. Feathers make me feel calm

15. I call Tori Hernandez my sister

16. I am a fanboy- Star Wars

17. The Buried Life inspired me to pursue my dreams

18. I call Jacci’s parents Mom & Dad

19. I idolize James Franco & Lady Gaga

20. I am planning to attend CSULA

21. I prefer to ride my bike to driving my car

22. Henry D. Thoreau speaks my heart

23. I use big words often- cantankerous is my favorite word

24. I am way to optimistic

25. My nickname is Baby Bird

26. I feel like Liz Lee is my twin separated at birth

27. I am infatuated with Drake and Rob Pattinson

28. I love when ‘Dad’ takes Jacci & me to In-N-Out

29. I don’t watch TV but when I do it is usually Glee, Criminal Minds, or History Channel

30. Some of my favorite movies are- Donnie Darko, Water for Elephants, Fight Club, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Cat Fish, & Away We Go

31. I go to Mexico & Lake Havasu often

32. I want to go to New York more

33. To me, Anthony Green is God

34. My 1st Valentine’s Day consisted of Sonic & Fight Club

35. I have family in Texas

36. I want to hike around Catalina

37. I love drawing/painting in my spare time

38. I’m really into fashion

39. I love playing acoustic guitar while drinking Chai tea

40. I am afraid of hair that isn’t attached to anything

41. I finished the Twilight Saga in less than a week

42. I drive a ’05 lime green Mustang named Einstein

43. I work with my best friend Alisha

44. I love wearing red lipstick

45. I cry anytime I hear “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” or “Tiny Bubbles”

46. I am OCD about time & planning but I love spontaneity

47. Finding Nemo will always remind me of someone I lost

48. “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John makes every situation better

49. The #1 thing on my Bucket List is to publish a novel  

50. My favorite saying is, “There’s no limit to what you can dream. You expect the unexpected, you believe in magic, in fairy tales, and in possibilities. Then you grow older and that innocence is shattered and somewhere along the way the reality of life gets in the way and you’re hit by the realization that you can’t be all you wanted to be, you just might have to settle for a little bit less.” — Rosie Dunne

Graduation

Life changes so fast. Sometimes you think you have a part of your life planned out with maybe an event or a person. But then you wake up the next day and something blocks that event or that person leaves your life. Throughout high school, everyone goes through trials and tribulations. Thats what being a kid is all about. Some of us make decisions we know we wont regret. But for the most of us, high school is filled with broken promises and regrets. But do we choose to stand tall or do we fold? Never give up. Don't use any excuse such as age, financial situation, or GPA. As long as you want something bad enough and are willing to fight for it, don't give in; whether it be about school or even love. As high school comes to a close, uncertainty now runs rampant. With less than 20 days left of my high school career, the nerves begin to rise. You will recognize your true friends as the ones who you stay in contact with as we all go our separate ways no matter the distance. Those are the ones who will be there forever. I thank everyone whos come into life. God put them there for a reason. In about 3 weeks my life is about to be flipped upside down in the blink of an eye. I vow to live my life from here on out with no regrets. I will never give up in anything and will forever try my hardest in all my endeavors. Im prepared for the biggest event of my life: graduation

Six Word Memoir (and explanation) By Katie Madden

Always felt an outcast in suburbia

 When Mrs. Elliott informed us what our six word memoir assignment would be, I instantly knew I wanted to write something about the impact my hometown has had on me. I know that today the idea of contempt towards a suburban lifestyle can been viewed and pretentious or a cliché, but to me, it is the idea that has shaped me more than any other force in my life.

 Growing up I was a very happy child, but as I grew older I noticed that I was sometimes different than my friends and found myself interested in music and movies that my friends thought was "weird". Throughout junior high I was a generally unoriginal blob of a person who spent her weekends having stereotypical sleepovers and hanging out at Victoria Gardens. The only thing that separated me from my friends was my poetry writing, which I mostly kept to myself. “Emo” was the grand label of eight grade and I was afraid my peers would scrutinize my poems as fitting under that category.

I’d say my ultimate turning point was the summer before sophomore year. I dyed my blonde hair to chocolate brown and suddenly I became a whole new person. During 10^th grade I began to realize more and more how my surroundings made me feel trapped and suffocated. The stench of fabricated happiness emitted from the boring track homes that I rode my bike past. Frankly, I began to absolutely detest Rancho with its lack of culture, art, music, things to do, and any traces of beauty. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to see Cucamonga peak early on a clear morning, but besides that, Rancho has little to offer in the way of splendor.

For risk of being called pretentious, I try not to let others know that I think of myself as different. I try to veer away from conventional ideas and hobbies and beliefs, which is often extremely hard to do here. A lover of nature and of meditating, it is not easy to find a near place to be at one with the earth or find someplace that is not noisy or puts me at risk of trespassing on private property. I also very much dislike that we have no music or art venues besides local coffee shop open mike nights. The Lewis Family Playhouse does put on some good shows, but as a music lover, I wish I didn’t always have to travel to L.A. to see my favorite artists.

Enough with my rant/banter, I hope this makes some kind of point. Hopefully some of you can identify with how I feel and know that feeling like an outsider in your own hometown is oh so natural for us young angsty teens.

-Katie M.

Bucket List

1. Graduate High School
2. Teepee a house
3. Decide on what college I'm gonna go to
4. Go to my high school reunion
5. Find Happiness
6. Earn a million dollars
7. Go on an African Safari
8. Get married and have no doubts
9. Have kids
10. Have a huge family
11. Go to a Laker game
12. Skydive
13. Wait till I find the girl I'm in love with to lose my virginity
14. Run a marathon
15. See the Grand Canyon
16. See the Pyramids
17. Learn to surf
18. Learn to snowboard
19. Go to college
20. Graduate college
21. Go to Times Square on New Years Eve
22. Ride a jet ski
23. See the Great Wall of China
24. See the Eiffel Tower
25. Laugh until I cry
26. Cry because of happiness and not sadness
27. Get my wifes name/initials tattooed on me
28. Get my kids names/initials tattooed on me
29. Go to Mardi Gras
30. Kiss the most beautiful girl in the world
31. Run with the Bulls
32. Invent something
33. Help a complete stranger find happiness
34. Break a world record
35. Ride a horse
36. Go to a rodeo
37. Go to Vegas and gamble
38. Roadtrip with friends
39. Try octopus
40. Own a mustang
41. Go to the catacombs
42. Go on a hike
43. Climb a mountain
44. Go white water rafting
45. Build a house with my wife
46. Throw a party
47. Become fully in touch with God
48. Go camping
49. Get a bulldog
50. Spend a night on the beach
51. Ride a mechanical Bull
52. Fly in a Jet
53. Buy a significant other flowers and chocolates for absolutely no reason
54. Learn to play piano
55. Get a six pack
56. Discover my calling in life
57. Solve a Rubix Cube
58. Go on a cruise
59. Fly first class
60. Meet a celebrity
61. Write and play a love song on guitar or piano while singing it to a significant other
62. Learn how to cook
63. Ride a camel
64. Learn to ride a motorcycle
65. Stay home and watch a movie marathon ALL day and nothing else
66. Ride in a helicopter
67. Start a blog
68. Travel to all 50 states
69. Shave my head
70. Dye my hair a crazy color
71. Go skinny dipping
72. Tutor someone
73. Slam dunk a ball
74. Join the mile high club with my wife
75. Learn to fish
76. Sing karaoke
77. Learn a dance
78. Ride in a hot air balloon
79. Go scuba diving
80. Visit the Colosseum
81. Visit the Taj Mahal
82. Walk up the Statue of Liberty
83. Visit all 7 continents
84. Learn a magic trick
85. Learn to draw
86. Learn to say "no" without feeling guilty that I didn't please them if its not what I want and believe
87. See the president in real life
88. Donate to a charity
89. Create a video
90. Build a tree house for my kids
91. Go to the SuperBowl
92. Go to the Olympics
93. Try Gumbo in New Orleans
94. Go sailing
95. Bike PCH
96. Ride a gondola in Venice
97. Learn to play golf
98. Fire a real gun
99. Visit the Vatican in Rome
100. Literally give a homeless man the shirt off my back

Life

As the days count down to the end of the school year, I look back on everything Ive done throughout my life and realize I have no regrets. Everything I did, I did because my heart willed me to and those moments made me happy. Ive avoided drama all of my life until recently and begin to remember why I always got away from it. But as I move on to college, and with my life, I begin to become nervous. What was once thought to be happy days in my life are now filtered with uncertainty. I just hope I choose the right college with the right location to help me become happy. I hope I can find what happiness is, and keep it tight forever. Everything happens for a reason. I know God is always with me and I pray that he leads me and anyone who shall cross paths with me, to a happy and joyful life.

Tangled Plants Furzan A.

Nathan Price had seeds which he planted on the flat ground, arrogant in his ways, he went against the housekeepers advice by planting them in mounds. When it rained all the seeds washed away and then he learned his lesson by planting the seeds in mounds although he would not admit it. After the seeds germinated and grew it became clear that plants could not bear fruit since they were not native to Africa. The plants situation mimics the Price's situation, they are not native to Africa and have not adapted to it either. They are twisted and crooked just like the stems and leaves on the plant because they  cannot fit into Africa with their Western habits.

The Power Of Rewriting. - Keana M.

"Imagine a life so flawed it flows with devestating perfection. First, picture the sea. I want you to be its soul, the heart in the waves. The seaweed are columns of tangled, complex slime like bitter emotions overthought beyond all simple recognition. Every space is filled with thoughts: delicate, posinious dreams scaled like a snake, swallowing a mouse, digesting precious life in one bite. Letters strangling other letters in the misguided attempt to form words."


I enjoy exercises where we are supposed to rewrite the work of another author because not only does it allow you to express yourself, it lets you explore the words of the author while being creative.

Love Story Sestina- Keana M. & Katie M.

October mist blankets the city lights.
In the busy downtown, the mundane hipster
rides his fixed gear bike; on his back rests his guitar.
Off of his lips hangs a lit cigarette.
Thinking about the girl with the thick rimmed glasses,
he replays the first moment she walked into his life.

The girl wonders what he's doing with his life.
Holding back tears as memories, she stares down at the city lights,
longing settles at the bottom of the empty glasses.
He stole her heart at first sight- that young mustached hipster.
Hoping she'll encounter him again, she puts out her cigarette.
She closes her eyes, humming along to the radio's guitar.

As if she were there, he writes songs to her on his guitar.
He knows he needs her in his life
because, without her, he feels like a wet cigarette,
and his heart is beginning to resemble the dimming lights.
He thinks he'll never see her again- that beautiful jaded hipster.
Everywhere he looks he sees her reflection in the glasses.

Night after night, her tears fog up her glasses
because she can't help but think of him every time she hears a guitar.
To her, he is so much more than just a hipster.
She hopes that there's more to her life
then just looking down at the lights.
She pretends he's next to her as she lights her last cigarette.

He rides his bike to the corner store because he's smoked his last cigarette.
As the sun comes up he puts on his glasses
and the world flickers as the lights
turn off and the sun shimmers on his guitar.
He knows he wants more to his life
than just being a pretentious hipster.

The lovely female hipster
walks to the corner store in search of a cigarette.
She can't help but wonder what she is doing with her life.
Still pondering, she adjusts her glasses.
The cherry red wood of a guitar
catches her eye as it reflects the store lights.

Life has a way of coming together,
beyond hipster materialistic matters- a guitar, a cigarette, or glasses,
the lights of love, always allow two people the grace of being together.

How The Lovely Bones has stuck with me

Earlier this week we were asked a number of questions regarding literary merit and one asked which novel has stayed with us and why. Instantly the first piece that popped into my head is the oh-so-popular and magnificent novel The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I first read the book sophomore year and since then I can't count the number of times I've re-read it. I've now read it enough to know specific lines from it.
Every time I read the book I understand and recognize things I overlooked or did not comprehend during previous reads; it's almost like reading a completely new novel each time I re-read it.
Sebold's mastery of combining darkness, humor, and beauty is powerful enough to express several truths about human nature, including the most frightening parts that we often choose to ignore, pretending our society could never be so evil.
I have become increasingly obsessed with the character or Ruth Connors who is my favorite literary character of any book I've read. Her obsevations on life and death influence not only my writing, but my own thoughts about the true nature or death, the afterlife, the supernatural.
The novel is a journey, a long winding road that Sebold takes her readers down by the hand. Influenced by her own painful rape in her early life, Sebold's searing use of emotion and imagery inflict strong feelings throughout the novel and it's impossible to not feel either happy, terrified, or uncomfortable while reading this disturbing work of literary art.
-Katie M.

Losing Our Sanity by Dominic H

As the days get closer, more and more stress is being added; two words: College funding. Just when you thought it was over, Financial Aide comes right at you. Worrying, "will I get accepted? How much will I get? Can I afford college?" Although the application process is over, it gets too the nitty gritty. This is the part that truly affects the rest of our lives. I personally am becoming more and more stressed about this process. I'm not worrying about getting accepted, just whether I can afford it. It begs the question, why is college such an expensive commodity? It creates such a huge amount of financial burden and stress on everyone involved. We students have gone through our lives as "kids", and then we are forced to grow up instantly. When money wasn't supposed to be an important thing for us, it suddenly is pushed to the forefront of everything. Even the applications themselves cost money to be turned in! Its madness.

The Cloak of Invisibility comes off Furzan A.

As many have you have seen and heard from the news that protests are erupting throughout the Middle East some are more violent than others. The inspiration for these protests came from Tunisia and then Egypt, both countries which were able to remove the insipid dictators in power. This has caused a chain reaction that has put a tiny light of hope in the minds of the new generation that WE have a voice. It has caused them to take of the blanket of oppression coerced on them and has let them become visible to the world. They want their plight to be heard. I applaud those brave people rising up to the heinous people in charge of their everyday lives.
The one thing I am ashamed of as an American is the news of an AMERICAN TERRORIST TRYING TO BOMB A MOSQUE IN THE NORTHEAST WAS NEVER HEARD. At the end of January an army veteran tried to bring explosives to a mosque but was fortunately caught before he was able to carry out his idiotic idea. Since then I have never heard any news on that topic on major news networks, I only heard it from small time news networks. If it was a Muslim who had an explosive it would have swept through the media like the plague but it was an American terrorist this time it was kept quiet. I find that extremely hypocritical and offensive. I question myself, "what is this country coming too?"

Thought Fox Blues by Keana Rose

I've been so tired baby
Oh I've been so tired baby
But I see my dreams are bigger than this feeling

I been living with this daily burden
Said I been living with this daily burden
But I see my dreams are bigger than this feeling

I got this weight pulling me under
Oh I got this weight pulling me under
But I can see my dreams are bigger than this feeling

I can't let this feeling overpower me
No, I can't let this feeling overpwer me
Cause I see my dreams are bigger than this feeling


Our team decided that tiredness was a great theme to describe the way we have been feeling lately. We all balance so much in our lives that it wears us out. Between high school, college, jobs, and a social life it feels like we are being pulled thinner and thinner each day.
The only thing keeping us going is our future.

The Red Shirt by Katie M

For centuries our society has treated women as inferior beings. Men have said women are not as strong, as intelligent, or as capable as them. Women have been the objects of desire and lust, adored simply due to their looks which of course, must be perfect. If a woman does not look at certain way; tall, thin, round hips, a nice bust, a beautiful face and voluminous hair, society tells us that men won't give us a second glance and we will go nowhere in life.
The stages of sexism have changed many times throughout history. For example, women possessed bascially no rights during the Victorian Era. At that time they were expected to be submissive to men, obedient and well mannered. They were not allowed to express any amount of sexuality and at all times had to be covered up in order to "protect them". In Tess of the D'urbervilles by Thomas Hardy, the exceptionally terrible treatment of women at the time is apparent when Tess is raped and impregnated and rather than supporting and comforting the poor girl, society ostracizes her and treats her as though the assult and pregnancy were her fault.
Often today there are still several notions that women "asked for it" when they are raped. Recently I read a horrifying article about how it is often believed that girls who "dress scantily" or "act promisicuously" that means they had the rape coming. Completely untrue and disgusting, it greatly angered me to realize how close minded our society still is about respecting women.
Just earlier today our school witnessed what could have been a highly offensive event or a prank just taken way too seriously out of context.
During the rally several red t-shirts with two hands forming a diamond shape and "11" in the center were sold for $13. I was a bit annoyed, knowing what the shirts really mean, which is a reference to the female anatomy, but I just blew it to the side. Not much later on, security guards were wildly racing around campus, telling those wearing the shirts to turn them inside out because female teachers were offended by what the shirts meant. Ironically, most of those wearing the shirts were girls, many girls that I know don't even know what the sign means. The more I think about it now, the more it bothers me that someone would make this shirt, which not only looks stupid but blatantly disrespects women.
So what do you think? Is the t-shirt issue really that bad or do you think people are overreacting?
-Katie M

The not so sweet prince by Furzan A

Like the horse, Prince, Tess has a high-class name, but lives a life of menial physical labor. Interestingly, Prince’s death occurs right after Tess dreams of ancient knights, having just heard the news that her family is from an aristocratic descent. Also, the horse is pierced by the forward-jutting piece of metal on a mail coach, which is just like a medieval joust. In an odd way, Tess’s dream of medieval glory comes true, and her horse dies a heroic death. Yet her dream of meeting a prince while she kills her own Prince, and with him her family’s only means of financial sustenance, is a tragic foreshadowing of her own story, because later in the novel Tess meets Alec who brings her both his lofty name, D'Urberville and, indirectly, her own death later.

The Sickness Problem by Dominic House

The past week I have been sick and have been forced to miss a couple days of school. When waking up in the morning my first thoughts are, " Oh God, now I have all this make-up work to do that I won't understand." Why is it that most teachers don't spend time helping their students whom miss days understand what they missed? "Read" is what they say. But do they not understand that textbooks tend to be confusing? Essentially, you're forced to go to school at the risk of getting those around you sick if you truly want to learn what you would have otherwise missed that day. Should it be the responsibility of the students to learn when they get sick? It's not their fault that an illness falls upon them. Its not to say that there are those out there who fake being but should it come at the expense of those who are? An initiative should take place in which teachers spend time in their prep period to teach those students what they missed. Is it too much to ask? Discovery to learn even when sick.