Dragon’s

Tale
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January 2011 - Volume 20 - Issue 5 - Sonoma Valley High School
Giant’s trophy Dance team
visits Sonoma heats up
page 6 page 3
Boys’ basketball page 6

Me asure H b r i g h t e n s f u t u re By Shannon Murphy protecting from the elements.

A district board meeting was
held Tuesday, Jan. 11, to flesh out
the details of a district-wide con-
version to solar energy.
At the meeting it was revealed
that Roebbelen/Emard Contract-
ing Inc., based in El Dorado Hills
with over 50 years of experi-
ence, would team with Quattrocci
Kwok Architects (QKA) to con-
struct and implement the solar
panel installations at 11 different
sites in the district.
The arrangement entails that
9,303 panels will be placed at all
public schools as well as district
offices and the bus barn, and will
offset 96 percent of energy costs.
The contract with Roebbelen will
cost $9,609,909, nearly $2 million
less fewer the next lowest of the
five proposed bids. The solar pan-
els will be mounted upon various
carports and shade structures.
Some of these shade structures
will be located over the play-
Photo courtesy of Google Images grounds at elementary schools,
SVUSD is planning to install solar panels, like Analy High School, above, did in 2005. serving the ancillary purpose of
Roebbelen also intends to devote
50 percent of its workforce on the
project locally. Early estimates
suggest that the district will save
$500,000 in energy costs in its first
year and between $12 and $29 mil-
lion over the next 25 years.
To address the inevitable con-
cerns of theft and vandalism,
security from Gridlock, a Santa
Rosa-based company, will be in-
stalled as a means of protection.
The $40 million bond received
from Measure H, which passed
last Nov., as well as another $3.8
million to be received in state en-
ergy rebates, will help in other
causes too. Among them is a 25
year plan with QKA that will help
in needs that are not necessarily
energy-related on all school sites.
In addition to the cost efficiency
of the program, it will also prevent
54.2 million pounds of carbon di-
oxide from being released into
the atmosphere. Not only does
the project claim to be economi-
cally sound, but environmentally
friendly as well.

New school board president New machinery makes metal shop shine
By Grace Bon just get rid of all their machinery”
said an ecstatic Mark Lea, the
Recently elected school board president Nicole Abate Ducarroz shop teacher who led the effort to
has ambitious plans for this year, including installing gardens in ev- secure the new tools. “I just drove
ery SVUSD campus and integrating fresh, organic food in to school down with a truck and took my
lunches. Most importantly, Ms. Abate Ducarroz hopes to create a cur- pick of $10,000 machines.”
riculum that allows all students to graduate high school college and ca- However, the process was more
reer ready. “We will do what it takes to build pathways of success for complicated than that. Mr. Lea
every student,” she said. “My motto for this year is ‘embrace hearts, went on to explain how he had
inspire minds.’” to have a full background check

Videos for the big screen and carry a photo ID. “They even
have to check the monitors they
By Grace Bon are getting rid of to see if they
have an image burned into them”
As the Sonoma Valley Film Festival nears, students in Video Pro- Coincidentally, Mr. Lea’s first
ductions classes are preparing their own contributions for the event. visit to the Lab was on Hiroshima
Participants must have their video selected in order for it to show at the Day, commemorating the day the
festival under “student films.” Senior Danny Wirick, a Video Produc- first atomic bomb was dropped on
Photo by Thomas Perot
tions veteran, commented, “We’ve all been working really hard over Along with other expensive tools, metalshop has acquired the metal lathe shown
Japan. “There were guards with
the past few months. I can’t wait to see my movie on the big screen.” above, used for cutting and shaping metal. assault rifles guarding the doors
By Luther Cenci The Shop classes have recently against violent protesters.”
Seniors dig into campus garden acquired over $28,000 worth of Metal Shop got its hands on a
By Sebastian Amara Anyone walking into the Metal used equipment from Lawrence variety of new tools: an $8,000
Shop Building cannot help but Livermore National Laboratory welding source, a precision sur-
Thomas Perot and Luther Cenci, seniors, have dedicated their senior be impressed by the spread of (LLNL), best known for develop- face plate, and a $10,000 lathe
project to creating a garden here on the SVHS campus. Designed to sanders, drill presses, and lathes. ing the majority of the Cold War’s topped the list.
meet student needs, the garden could provide fresh food to the school What they may not realize is that nuclear weapon designs. “The best thing about this arrange-
while also making a greener campus. The garden would operate through many of the newest machines The intense federal commitment ment is that we can keep going back,”
Earth Club as an extra curricular activity supported by student efforts. were last used in the develop- to national security turned into a said Mr. Lea. “They have all sorts of
According to Perot and Cenci’s preliminary design, the garden will be ment of our nation’s stockpiles windfall for SVHS. “Whenever stuff: in the back of the lab was a
placed between the portable language buildings and the cell tower. of nuclear weapons. [LLNL] finishes a project, they whole box of model airplanes.”

A-G for graduation a misstep
By Samantha Salek
SVUSD has instated a new policy
that will require every student at the
SVHS to meet the A-G requirements
in order to graduate. This change is
set to come into effect for next year’s
incoming freshman.
A-G requires students to com-
plete courses up through certain
levels in each subject. The system
is limited to courses that meet the
requirements for admission at UC
and CSU campuses.
A-G minimum requirements differ
from the current SVHS graduation
requirements in many ways. For ex-
ample, 3 years of math are required
by A-G, whereas only 2 are currently
required to receive a diploma. 2 years
of foreign language are required in-
stead of 1 year of language or fine
arts, and under A-G, each class must
be passed with a C- grade or higher
for it to count for credits while cur-
rent graduation requirements count
D’s as passing grades.
The shift to tougher graduation
rules is the cause of much concern.
Many people have expressed worries
Oops, BP did it again
By Shannon Murphy
Downplaying crises is something
of a specialty for the oil jugger-
naut British Petroleum, more com-
monly known as BP; most recently
they covered up their closure of the
Alaska pipeline following an oil
spill in Prudhoe Bay.
The company gained much no-
toriety following the Deepwater
Horizon explosion and oil spill
last April, where 11 workers went
missing and were later declared
dead with another 17 requiring
medical attention. The damage it
did to the ecosystem was irrevers-
ible; the spill killed countless num-
bers of local flora and fauna and it
is estimated that over 75 percent of
the oil remains in the Gulf.
This was only one incident, how-
ever, in a series of both environ-
mental and ecological disasters.
Only five years before the Gulf
of Mexico oil spill, a BP refinery
in Texas City, TX, exploded and
killed 15 workers. After this less
than well-known incident, the
company promised to address the
safety hazards that plagued many
of their operations.
To say this tragedy was preventable
is a vast understatement; over 700
regulatory violations were found at
the refinery, many of which were
pertaining to faulty valves. These
violations resulted in a record fine
~Dragon’s Tale Staff~
ADVISER - Alison Manchester
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Caity Tremblay
COPY EDITOR - Luther Cenci
NEWS EDITORS - Caity Tremblay, Jamie Ballard, Grace Bon
OP/ED EDITOR - Samantha Salek
FEATURE EDITORS - Caity Tremblay, Lindsey Jasperse, Arianna
Maysonave
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR - Luther Cenci
PHOTO EDITOR - Thomas Perot
SPORTS EDITORS - Adam Kohut, KC Jeppesen
BUSINESS MANAGER - Emily Wood
REPORTERS - Arianna Maysonave, KC Jeppesen, Luther Cenci, Lindsey
Jasperse, Emily Wood, Jamie Ballard, Adam Kohut, Grace Bon, Thomas
Perot, Jessica Marioni, Liam Casey, Samantha Salek, Caity Tremblay,
Shannon Murphy
PHOTOGRAPHERS - Thomas Perot, Arianna Maysonave, Lindsey Japerse,
Emily Wood, Jamie Ballard, Jordan Albertson, Jessica Marioni
ART AND GRAPHICS - Liam Casey, Sebastian Amara, Jessica Marioni
Dragon’s Tale
about what might happen when the
plan goes into effect.
Some have argued that the dropout
rate will rise if struggling students
have no other options to receive a
diploma than to pass A-G courses.
Others worry that elective and career
Current Graduation
Requirements
History -- 2 years
English -- 4 years
Math -- 2 years
Lab Science -- 2 years
Foreign Language or Fine Arts -- 1 year
Physical Education -- 2 years
Civics/Economics -- 1 year
Living Skills/Intro to Technology -- 1 year
education classes will have to be for-
feited under the new system.
While valid arguments, those
opinions avoid the painful truth:
not every student has the skills nec-
essary to complete college prepa-
ratory classes. Some may be more
scholarly than others, while others
are more oriented towards skills
from the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) of
87.4 million dollars -- more than 4
times the previous record, which
was also held by BP.
Even after Tony Hayward became
chief executive of the company in
2007 and settled with the families
of the workers, little improvements
were seen in their safety precau-
tions. This indifference, however,
was attributed to a pressure to
maximize profits and greatly de-
layed “routine” inspections by the
last administration.
So then this begs the question:
What will change the attitude that the
oil industry has for its workers and
the environment? Perhaps criminal
action should be taken, as would be
for anyone else demonstrating his or
her disregard for life.
When a person kills someone,
it is considered murder. When a
government kills someone, it is
considered justice. When an in-
dustry kills someone, it is consid-
ered grounds for a lawsuit.
They measure losses not in lives
or hours of sleep lost, but in fig-
ures of profit.
British Petroleum’s blatant dis-
regard for human life and environ-
mental wellbeing is atrocious and
deserves to be prosecuted, not only
civilly but also criminally. Until
then, do not expect to see a change
in an oil company fueled by greed.
Opinion - Editorial
outside of academia. This does not committed to implementing these standards for graduation and, there-
mean that these students should not grad rules, everyone involved with fore, does not graduate with his or her
be able to receive a diploma. the redesign as well as all students, class or if a student drops out because
Due to the stricter standards, SVHS parents and teachers affected by the he or she feels hopeless under the
administrators anticipate a need to change, must be fully informed about new system, there is no easy do-over.
hire new teachers to meet the needs what is to be expected of students. Something like that can impact a per-
of students and decrease the student- In the Press Democrat article about son’s life in a major way. Students
cannot be the school’s guinea pigs.
Proposed Graduation Requirements If SVUSD wants to implement
History --2 years A-G as a requirement for graduation,
English -- 4 years school officials need to be absolutely
Math -- 3 years certain that every possible measure
is being taken to meet the needs of
Lab Science -- 2 years
struggling students. Alternative op-
Foreign Language -- 2 years tions to the A-G requirements need
Fine Arts -- 1 year to be offered for students in need to
College Prep Elective -- 1 year receive diplomas.
Physical Education -- 2 years Ideally, these new, overly idealistic
graduation requirements should not
Civics/Economics -- 1 year
be put into effect. There is way too
Living Skills/Intro to Technology -- 1 year much room for error, and students
to-teacher ratio. This brings yet an- the new policy, Nicole Duccaroz, that aren’t as academically-oriented
other question to the table. With ever- school board president, is quoted as will likely suffer. However, if the
increasing budget cuts plaguing the saying that “part of [the process of school is truly set on implementing
district, how might a public school grad rule redesign] will be trial and this change, then questions about
find the funding to hire teachers to error.” This statement raises some the new policy need to be answered
meet new needs? It appears that, fi- concern. Can students’ high school before the school rushes into this
nancially, this new grad idea could educations really be the subject of potentially harmful program. Stu-
not come at a worse time. “trial and error?” dents cannot be sacrificed as part of
One thing is clear: if SVUSD is If a student doesn’t meet the high “trial and error.”
High price of beauty
By Caity Tremblay America think they shouldn’t American culture, resulting in
have hair anywhere except their unhealthy dieting, surgical risks,
Clear skin: $300. Attractive head, where their hair is lavishly and the dangerous absorption or
nails: $200. Cover-up, founda- treated with shampoos, condition- inhalation of chemicals through
tion, blush, eye-shadow, eye-lin- ers, straighteners, curlers, sprays cosmetics. Despite their close
er, mascara, eyebrow tweezers, and various other goops. Young contact with the human body,
eyebrow pencils, lip pencils, lip- women are expected to care about cosmetics are among the least
stick, lip stain, lip gloss -- $7 bil- how they look, as if fitting into the regulated products on the market.
lion dollars are spent in America conventional standard of beauty The FDA does not regulate the
every year on cosmetics. Not will improve who they are, while ingredients put in cosmetic prod-
only is this an economic eye- in reality it often destroys their ucts; cosmetic firms are the only
opener, it’s a shocking comment self-image. ones testing the safety of their
on American women’s percep- This is not to say that all women products.
tions of themselves. who wear makeup have poor self- Multiple ingredients in com-
Cosmetics are mon cosmetic
overused be- products such
cause women as hair sprays,
hold their phys- perfumes, and
ical image up to nail polishes
the unattainable contain phtha-
ideal of beauty lates, which
portrayed in the have been
media. The im- linked to liver
ages of celebri- and reproduc-
ties and other tive system
people in the damage, even
media are often using known
Photoshopped carcinogens.
to remove any Not held to the
blemish, to same standard
make women as food prod-
look thinner or ucts, cosmetic
more buxom. companies can
Unsurprisingly, use almost any
the number label without
of cosmetic Cartoon by Sebastian Amara regard to verac-
surgeries for ity. Words like
women (and men) of all ages has esteem. However, many women “pure,” “natural,” and “organic”
increased drastically concurrent use cosmetics to displace their in- are used as marketing gimmicks
with the advent of Photoshop. securities: the uglier they feel, the while the product actually con-
However, media only partially more makeup is desired. Many tains synthetic chemicals that are
determines social and emotional women are ashamed to be seen toxic at any level of exposure.
conceptions of beauty. There is a without cosmetics, investing an Worn occasionally, cosmetics
psychological tendency for wom- exorbitant amount of time and can add to a special experience,
en to compare themselves to other resources to fix their perceived but when worn all the time an
women based on physical image. imperfections. This emotional unhealthy dependence develops
Self-ridicule and the self-torture dependency is as addictive as a that has physical, mental, and
of a full physical makeover are not drug. emotional costs. A healthy self-
only condoned but encouraged The use of artificial enhanc- esteem, unlike a made-up face, is
in American culture. Women in ers is particularly pronounced in priceless.
~Editorial Policy~
The Dragon’s Tale is a public forum newspaper produced by the Sonoma Valley High School Newspaper
class. The newspaper attempts to inform its audience in a broad, fair and accurate manner on all subjects, and
to encourage an exchange of ideas and opinions on issues of prominence to the readers.
The newspaper staff encourages letters for opinions and responses on the content of the publication. Only
signed letters will be considered for publication. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all letters for
content.
No material, opinionated or otherwise, will be printed which is libelous, irresponsible, advocates an illegal
activity or which the editorial staff deems in poor taste.
Editorials reflect the collective views of the staff and will not contain bylines. Other opinionated pieces will
include editor’s columns, feature columns, letters-to-the-editor, and entertainment reviews.
If the staff discovers that a mistake has eluded the editors, a correction will be printed in the next issue.
Page 2 January 2011

Dance team busts a move
By Jamie Ballard
An old Japanese proverb states,
“We’re fools whether we dance or
not, so we might as well dance.”
This adage is at the heart of the
newly formed SVHS Dance
Ensemble, headed by Melissa Seim-
er, who will choreograph routines
alongside seniors Jeremiah Zelaya
and Tony La.
The dance ensemble performed
recently alongside members of the
cast from “It’s All For Love,” the
Michael Jackson tribute which was
exhibited during the fall at the Se-
bastiani Theatre.
The performance was brought to
SVHS on Jan. 24 during 5th peri-
od A+. Most of the show featured
members of the cast, but the entire
dance ensemble joined them for a
rendition of “They Don’t Really
Care About Us.” Cat Austin, direc-
tor of the Experiental Theater Com-
pany, addressed the eager audience
and acknowledged the many people
who helped bring the performance
to SVHS.
“It’s very exciting to be able to
bring all of you this show, and I’d
especially like to thank Mr Batta-
glini, who had the idea to bring
us here,” announced Austin. The
performance continued with an
entertaining video of community
A royal performance
By Caity Tremblay
He stepped up to the microphone
with trepidation. The metal con-
traption loomed eerily, coldly
ignorant of the Duke’s burning
anxiety. Intake of breath, and he
spoke: haltingly, painfully, forc-
ing every stilted word across the
radio to thousands of uncomfort-
able listeners. Thus begins the
film “The King’s Speech,” a Brit-
ish historical drama directed by
Tom Hooper.
“The King’s Speech” follows
the true story of “Bertie”, the
Duke of York (Colin Firth), heir
to the throne of England during
the 1930’s. The Duke has a stam-
mer, but as royalty, he is expected
to speak at public functions.
The Duke’s wife Elizabeth (Hel-
ena Bonham Carter) acts as her
husband’s advocate; when the
regular doctors fail, Elizabeth
seeks out the unconventional --
and Australian -- Lionel Logue
(Geoffrey Rush) to help her
husband. What ensues is an
intense clash of wills between
a resistant royal patient and
the eccentric therapist. With
the war that no one wanted,
Dragon’s Tale
Dance Club leaders Jeremiah Zelaya and Tony La with member Isabel Garcia, seniors, dance the monster who concludes Thriller.
members, including SVHS students
dancing as the singers jammed to
“Black or White.”
The SVHS dance ensemble fol-
lowed up with a completely origi-
nal number which was choreo-
graphed, taught and perfected in a
mere two weeks.
WWII, bleakly staring Britain
in the face, the Duke must rec-
oncile his personal demons so
he can lead the nation.
The film is unique in its pre-
sentation of the Duke’s internal
struggle with frustration and hu-
miliation, as juxtaposed with the
grim panic of a nation on the
brink of war.
The many sources of conflict
from relationships and circum-
stance create a dynamic story that
delves into the heart of human
dignity. Yet despite these heavy
Photo by Jordan Albertson
themes, the story maintains a se-
ries of light witticisms that keeps
the tale from dragging.
Artistic direction and cinema-
tography also add to the film’s
unique character. Lionel Logue’s
dingy, quirky office was comical-
ly contrasted with the grandeur of
the British estates.
Originally expected to be a small
film, even the performers were sur-
prised with its success. The film
was nominated for twelve Oscars
as well as seven Golden Globes, in-
cluding the prestigious category of
best film drama. Colin Firth won
best actor at the Golden Globes for
his performance.
Culture
Upcoming
Come see the cream of the
senior class’s men strut
their stuff at Mr. Dragon.
Little Theater.
7pm. Jan. 29.
Wobble to the dubstep
soundscapes at Bassnectar’s
upcoming show.
Tickets $30. All ages.
Phoenix Theater.
Doors 7pm. Feb. 1.
Seniors will figure out how
to merge onto the Road to
Reality. Put on by the
Soroptomists Int’l Club.
Veterans Bldg.
Feb. 3.
Come support the Boosters
Club by chowing down at
Photo by Jordan Albertson their annual Crab Feed.
Tickets $75 per person; in-
“The two styles we’re incorporat- current ensemble will eventually
ing in Dance Ensemble are hip-hop become a school recognized team clude dinner & dancing.
and jazz,” remarked choreographer Zelaya and La are experienced hip Cline Winery.
and director Melissa Seimer. “We hop dancers while Siemer has years Feb. 5.
will be performing at basketball of ballet and jazz training. The infu-
games, and it’s possible we will put sion of the two styles has thus far
The Music Dept. will be
on a spring show.” Seimer added, attracted many people with eclectic
“There are 25 people in it right now, dance interests. holding their scrumptious
and I hope that number will contin- If the enthusisatic crowd at the yearly Pancake Breakfast
ue to grow. The last day to sign up is
Friday, January 28. Anyone is wel-
come!” Seimer also hopes that the
performance is any indication, the
dance ensemble has a bright and ac-
tive future ahead of it.
fundraiser.
Tickets $10 in advance
or at the door.
Go north, young man Veterans Bldg.
8am-2pm. Feb. 13.
By Luther Cenci sentation of dilemma and resolu-
tion. Sometimes, it felt as if I, the
The Aurora Borealis, or North- reader, was dreaming of a shoot-
The Swedish Consulate
ern Lights, is a mysterious celes- ing gallery, where characters and will be pulling out all the
tial phenomenon occurring just locations sprung up only for the stitches at their exhibit
above the Arctic Circle: the night author, behind me, to shoot them EcoChic: Towards
sky glows with a phantom spec- down again -- all in fast forward. Sustainable Swedish
trum of lights, undulating like
ethereal sheets in the wind.
It was only when I put down the Fashion. Pronunciation
book to take a breath that I saw
J e a n - C h r i s t o p h e Va l t a t ’s that what initially appeared to be guide not included.
Aurorarama parts this curtain to madness was in fact genius. Sonoma Valley
show us the sights beyond: New To illustrate the feeling the book has Museum of Art.
Venice. A dystopia upon the reader, imag- Opens Feb. 19.
offering freedom to ine running very fast
all mankind’s fring- Read On through a snowstorm,
es, New Venice is a Cheer on your favorite
or, in a more local ex-
vaguely steampunk ample, an extremely SLATE at SVHS’s
canal city on the Arc- thick fog bank. most famous expression
tic depicted in the All around you is of representative
year 1908.
Its residents include
white. White would democracy: Convention!
seem to be pure col-
rebellious Inuit, bomb- This Month’s Pick: Golton Hall.
or: wedding dress-
building anarchists, Aurorarama es, blank paper. Mar. 11.
too-real magicians, by Jean-Christophe But snowstorms
worn-out hipsters and Valtat show another hue Try on the role of actor,
gun-toting suffragettes. Pub. Aug. 2010
Just as their city perches $17.13
of white. Blind- director, or the mysterious
ing white. Padded
on the farthest brink of ‘best boy’ as students
room white.
human civilization, the Steampunk surrealism As you speed prepare their short film
characters are drawn explores new submissions for the 14th
along, grotesque
from the peripheries literary frontiers
shadows loom into Annual Sonoma Valley
of human culture, both
past and present.
view. Ogre? No, a International Film Fest.
man with his boy on his back. A
However, the extreme freedom glimpse of a light pole, abstracted Sebastiani Theater.
once enjoyed by the citizens of from its customary background, Apr. 6-10.
New Venice is threatened by in- takes on symbolic meaning.
creasing autocracy from its lead-
What your jaunt just represented was Escape the school grind to
ers and the post-colonial resent- how easily the mind can twist innocu-
ment of the native Inuit tribes.
Rogers’ and Hammerstein’s
ous images to fit its own fantasies.
From this ambitious starting South Pacific, this year’s
Just like the snowstorm, the
point, Valtat’s plot spins wildly, Arctic is seemingly empty, bar- Spring Musical.
even to the point of being out of ren. New Venice, and Valtat’s Little Theater.
control. The dizzying blizzard convoluted tale, are views of the
Opens Apr. 8.
of images might be too much surrealism lying behind that ap-
for readers expecting a neat pre- parent emptiness.
Page 3 January 2011
 Feature

New Years Resolutions

One moment at a time Goals for goodness
By Arianna Maysonave a daily basis, because life is short. By Grace Bon efit soccer tournament. Though
I’m going to make a genuine ef- the plans are early in the making,
As high school breezes by with a fort to get back into contact with Irving Rafaela, senior, has an Rafaela hopes that the event will
myriad of homework assignments, friends and family I have lost ambitious mission for 2011: raise take place sometime in February
social engagements, and athletic en- touch with.” enough money to or March.
deavors, many students are coming Claver feels pressure from the out- fund the medical Partici-
to the realization that life is short. side world to adhere to the societal treatment of an pants would
The dropping norm, but she has ill relative. Al- be asked
of the 2011 ball vowed to resist. though his idea to donate
encouraged those “This year, I’ve may sound far a small
such as Tsarina promised myself fetched, Rafaela amount of
Secyugu-Claver, that I will worry less is confident that money to-
sophomore, to about my image and with help and wards the
make a serious value my personality donations from cause.
change in the even more.” the community, “I’m re-
form of an old- This is a challeng- his goal will be ally hop-
fashioned New ing goal, as the in- reached. ing that the
Year’s resolu- fluence of the mate- “Everyone de- tournament
tion. rial and commercial serves to receive is success-
“I vow to live world places utmost the help they Photo by Jessica Marioni
ful. Through
life one day at a importance on the need, and I see Irving Rafaela, junior, is kicking his way to soccer, the
time. I want to Photo by Jessica Marioni physical image, but this as a perfect a cure. sport I love,
say what I feel Tsarina Secyugu-Claver is changing with devotion to her opportunity to I can change
in the moment her perceptions to change her life. inner traits Claver offer my relative support,” com- s o m e o n e ’s
rather than wait- will surely succeed. mented Rafaela. life,” he said.
ing for another opportunity that “I’m going to be myself despite As part of the boys varsity soc- As Rafaela can tell you, starting
may never arise,” shared Claver. the status quo, and never change cer team, he hopes to rally up his out the year with a selfless act of
She wants to take advantage of for anyone.” teammates and organize a ben- kindness will only have a posi-
every opportunity thrown in her She plans to surround herself with tive and rewarding outcome.
direction because she never knows people who recognize her for who
when
encounter
she’ll
a
she is, for, in “A” start to the semester
life changing “This year, I’ve the words of
Doctor Suess, By Lindsey Jasperse the time. I stopped doing a lot of
instance—it’s the people who my homework in math and fell be-
all about risk promised myself matter won’t Photo by Jordan Albertson While it’s hard for students to keep hind. I have a lack of determina-
and reward. mind and the The New Year is illuminated by ‘painting with light,’ a technique taught in SVHS photography classes. This look can be achieved by using long exposure and the strokes of a flashlight. top notch grades, beginning with a tion, as well.”
“I’ve realized that I will worry less people who By Arianna Maysonave the start of a new year. mond within. Guaranteed wealth The United States urges a kiss at importantly, plan ahead for the new year. first of February rolls around.
fresh start is the first step to maintain- If you’re feeling overwhelmed with
that life is short, mind ultimate- ing acedemic excellence. With col- homework, try to plan ahead and use
and if you save about my image and ly don’t matter. The date has been juggled goes to the person whose serving the stroke of midnight to signify Some examples include resolutions By July, most people’s New Years lege just around
the cornor, many
tier and A+ to
your advan-
important un- Thus far, Bonne Annee! Onnellista Uutta throughout history and to this day holds the lucky almond. purification of the New Year. to donate to the poor, to become more Resolutions are not even remembered.
dertakings for
the future you
value my personality Claver
proud to re-
is Vuotta! Chu Shen Tan! Feliz Año varies around the world, but Janu- The Thai New Year, Songkran, Traditional New Year foods are also assertive, or to be more environmen- Stay motivated by engaging in goal juniors, such as
Benjamin Mar-
tage to get as
much done as
Nuevo! Prosit Neujahr! Happy ary 1 has proved to be the most lasts three days from April 13 to believed to carry luck. Many cultures tally responsible. setting, (set small measurable goals possible. Set
may miss your
chance,” Claver
even more” port that she is
getting along New Year! commonly accepted. 15. Typically, natives will release a suppose that anything in the shape A key element to a New Years Resolu- such as: a pound a week, instead of
cus-Willers, hope
to achieve better goals, and af-
said emphati- with her fam- Although New Years holds a di- The beginning of the year, re- bird from its cage to signify free- as a ring represents fortune, because tion that sets it apart from other resolu- saying “lose weight”). grades as the se- ter those goals
cally. Those important undertak- ily better, appreciating the seem- mester begins. are achieved,
vergent significance depending on gardless of its calendar date, marks dom and good luck. it symbolizes coming full circle or tions is that it is made in anticipation of Some women have also reported “My hardest reward your-
ings include spending quality time ingly insignificant aspects of life,
with loved ones. and embracing herself for who she one’s culture, location, and belief a global renewal of prosperity and In Wales, at the first toll of mid- completing a year’s cycle. For that the New Year, and new beginnings. succeeding 10 percent more when classes to do well self; this will
“I’m doing my best to tell all the is, not who everyone else wants system, it generally represents a good luck. night, the back door is opened and reason, the Dutch believe that eating Other frequently made resolutions they made their goals public and re- in are definitely create the de-
people I love that I love them on her to be. Pre-Calc and A.P termination
time of renewal, celebration, and In Spain, at the stroke of midnight then shut to release the old year and donuts on New Year’s Day will bring include spending more time with fam- ceived support from their friends. English.” needed to do
Four steps to success good fortune.
While individuals possess the pow-
twelve grapes are eaten to assure good
fortune in the twelve months ahead.
lock out all of its bad luck. Then at the
twelfth stroke of the clock, the front
good fortune.
In ancient times, the Babylonians
ily and friends, losing weight, quitting
smoking or drinking, and getting more
What’s stopping you? Tradition
states that every 365 days, you
Willers nar-
rowed down the
well.
“I want a
By Lindsey Jasperse tion,” thus making the goal for reasons he was 4.0 or higher
er to shift their perception any day of For the Chinese New Year, occur- door is opened and the New Year is would celebrate their New Years with organized. should try to eliminate bad habits
yourself last for 365 days instead not doing as Ben Marcus-Willers,Photo by Jessica Marioni so I can attend
junior, is striving for
Step 1: Create a plan. of a week after New Year’s. the year, there is something spectacu- ring sometime in January or Febru- welcomed with all of its luck. a resolution to return farm equip- Some more adventurous goals include: and start your life anew. well as he’d like. a 4.0. Princeton.”
larly motivational about the flipping ary, every front door is adorned with In Britain the custom of first foot- ment; the Romans counted stock, and changing careers, sailing the Caribbean, Sit down with a cup of tea, a Once he found Willers uses
To make your own resolution, cre- Step 3:Work in small amounts. the problem in his goal as
ate a plan. Instead of dreaming, of calendars to signify the beginning a fresh coat of red paint, a symbol ing is practiced. The first male visi- the Chinese cleaned their homes to publishing a book, dating more often, journal and a pen, and reflect: what
his work habits, solving it became a motivation to work harder and
organize a step by step process to Working a small amount every- of yet another year. of good luck and happiness. Al- tor to the house after midnight is promote organization. having a baby, running a marathon, or kinds of changes does your life more probable. achieve his academic potential.
achieve your personal goal. Make day towards your goal, rather New Years is the oldest of all holi- though the whole family prepares usually supposed to bring good luck In the modern world, the New Years joining the Peace Corps. need? Strive for realistic, achiev- “I need to do my homework all
your plan immediately, because by than a large amount, will better days. More than 4000 years ago the a feast for the New Year, all knives and typically carries gifts or money. Resolution has become a prominent Regardless of your personalized able goals that will be sure to make
the time February rolls around, you your chances of achievement.
may lack the motivation needed.
Step 4: Be flexible
Babylonians became the first to cel-
ebrate the New Year, which in this era
are put away for 24 hours to keep
anyone from cutting themselves,
Greek children leave their shoes by
the fire on New Year’s Day, which
way to set goals to be achieved dur-
ing the coming year.
ambition, there seem to be count-
less of ways to succeed.
a positive impact on the rest of
your life.
Think globally, act locally
Step 2: Write it down. occurred on the first day of spring. which is thought to cut the family’s is also the Festival of Saint Basil in Most commonly these include self-im- However, only 10 percent of It may not be Jan. 1, but any day
Although ideally you should By Jessica Marioni and after school,” divulged Benitez,
To keep your resolution in mind, stick to your original plan, ex- Since 46 BC, when Julius Caesar good luck for the next year. Greece. They hope that Saint Basil, provement goals and mark the beginning people ever manage to achieve can mark the beginning of the rest “But right now, I am just getting set-
write it down and store it in a pect that your initial plan may developed the first 365 day Sulian Norwegians make rice pudding famous for his kindness, will come of changes in our habits and lifestyles. these goals. Most commonly, they of your life. tled in the New Year and straighten-
As the New Year rolled into action, ing my priorities.”
journal or notebook. Adjust change according to your sched- calendar, January 1 has signified at New Year’s and hide a single al- fill their shoes with gifts. It is a time to reflect on the past, and more are even forgotten about before the Yaneli Benitez, freshman, was over-
your mind set from “New Year’s ule. Realize that full success will The Boys and Girls Club, Nathanson
come with the sense of a clean slate. Creek clean-ups, and the Mentor Cen-
resolution” to “year round resolu- not occur in just one day. She felt that it was time for her to ter are just a few
Writing a page for the purpose of staying focused contribute to so-

By Lindsey Jasperse Enzensperger wants to remember

Photo by Jessica Marioni
Shane Enzensperger, senior, is keeping
a journal to remember the small details
of everyday life.
Dragon’s Tale
For many high school students,
health and grade resolutions are made
for the new year, but Shane Enzen-
sperger, senior, made a resolution
was made to remember everything
he does on a daily basis.
“I am tired of forgetting what I
do everyday because I know it’s
interesting. I want to be able to
remember what happens.”
To fulfill this goal, Enzensperg-
er decided to write in a journal
with an entry for every day, taking
note of interesting occurrences but
including no opinion.
“Sometimes I have trouble not
including opinion. I am always
very tempted to, but if I did, then
the entries would be endless.”
exactly what happened, instead of
what he thought of it. His entries
are about half of a page, labeled
with the date at the top; he began
right at the beginning of the year.
“The key to keeping a
New Year’s resolution
is to start early”
He does not include events that
occur on a daily basis, such as wak-
ing up, brushing his teeth, etc. In-
stead, he likes to include exciting
or unusual occurrences.
“Occasionally, I’ll skip a day of
writing, but only because I was not
home or did not have my journal.
If I do miss a day, I won’t go back
and write about it.”
Enzensperger wants to keep writ-
ing in his journal as long as he can,
until he becomes too busy. In the
future he may write only once a
week, summarizing any important
events. This way, time is saved yet
he can still remember.
“I will definitely look back and
read all of my journal entries by
the end of the year, if not sooner.
I can hardly wait to reflect on my
day to day endevors.”
Years from now Enzensperger
will be able to look back on his
senior year and remember every-
day, something many are not able
to do.
Shrum gets back on athletic track
Photo by Emily Wood
Michaela Shrum, sophomore, is getting
in shape for volleyball.
Page 4 & 5
By Emily Wood
It’s the time of year again when
most forget about the resolutions that
weren’t achieved last year and set
newer, tougher goals that are achiev-
able this time around.
Michaela Shrum, sophomore, is
on the j.v. volleyball team at SVHS.
As this requires maximum agility
and strength, Shrum declared, “My
New Year’s resolution is to get in
better shape for volleyball.”
Revving one’s metabolism and
strengthening the muscles specific
to a sport is the key to getting fit.
Shrum plans to do 30 minutes of
fat-burning, cardiovascular ex-
ercise at least 3 days a week, and
the most effective form is running.
Running stresses the key leg mus- bicycle crunches and “the plank.”
ciety, but what?
For her New
Year’s resolution,
places Benitez
is striving to
aid.
“I would like
Benitez vowed to to work at the
cles involved in volleyball, includ- While it’s necessary to workout, help Sonoma in
ing the calves, hamstrings, quadri- it’s also crucial to eat healthily. Boys and Girls
the form of com-
laterals, and gluteus maximus. Teenagers still want freedom, how- Club the most
munity service. because there
Shrum will need to suffice for the ever, so instead of going on fad di- “I’ve been want-
decreasing fat with strength train- ets or starving themselves, they can are under-
ing to help locally
ing. She needs to train her upper
body muscles, such as shoulders.
cut out just a little junk food a day
and have some fruits and vegeta-
for while,” admit-
classmen I can
help with their
ted Benitez. “I feel
The most simple and affordable
exercise is push-ups, which she can
bles instead, while always drinking
plenty of water.
like the New Year
homework,”
confessed
has given me a Benitez.
do every other day for 18-24 repeti-
tions.
It’s the minimal changes that add
up and truly make a difference to
fresh start to suc- These orga-
ceed.” Photo by Jessica Marioni nizations are
Almost any sport one does in- someone’s health. Switching to In an attempt Yaneli Benitez, freshman, is volunteering
volves the obligatory stability and whole grains and skim milk and only a phone
to be more active within the community.
strength of the core (the torso and adding a bit less butter and salt can call away and
and helpful within are desperate for new volunteers to
lower back muscles), so it’s very make all the difference. her community, Benitez plans to gather help with various tasks. It is easy to
important to tone it. The core is With January coming to a close,
a group of her friends and work together stay connected with these programs
the one muscle group that needs to Shrum plans to stick with her fit- for a higher cause.
be worked everyday, at also 18-24 ness regime and reep the benefits because they are entertaining and in-
“I am preparing to start working credibly rewarding.
repetitions. The best exercises are both next volleyball season. within the community on weekends
January 2011

New coach
floats into
SVHS
By Jamie Ballard
The future of the swim pro-
gram at SVHS was unclear up
until recently, due to the fact that
there was no swim coach avail-
able, and potential applicants
were having trouble finding the
job posting.
In the past, the SVHS swim
team has begun practices in ear-
ly Feb. Due to lack of a coach,
students began to worry that the
swim team would be nonexis-
tent. Swimmers who had been
on the team in previous years
were caught up in a panic that
their sport of choice would be no
more. Luckily, Cynthia Leonard
stepped in to take over.
Leonard, who coached the
Petaluma High swim team last
year, has high hopes for the
swim program at SVHS. “I
definitely expect to see the swim
team grow. The more the mer-
rier!”
Like many community mem-
bers, she believes that having
a pool on campus would be an
enormous benefit. “I think the
swim team would prosper a lot
more if kids could just get out
of school and have the pool right
there, rather than having to drive
across town.” (The swim team
currently practices at Hanna
Boys Center or Agua Caliente).
Leonard is also a huge fan of
cross training, and encourages
students who play other sports to
join the swim team as well.
“When I coached at Petaluma
High, many members of the
swim team were football play-
ers interested in keeping fit and
staying active during their off-
season. They mentioned that
swimming was the hardest sport
that they had ever done, and that
it definitely helped them keep in
shape for football!”
As for those who are already
devoted to swimming, Leonard
hopes that they will “continue to
improve... and of course I hope
everyone has fun swimming as
well.”
There was a meeting held for
potential swimmers on Thursday,
Jan. 27. However, latecomers are
welcome to join.
Though the majority of the meets
will be held out of town due to
SVHS’s lack of a pool on campus,
there is a possibility that Sonoma
may host a meet at Agua Caliente
later in the season. “It would be
great if people want to come and
cheer on the team,” suggested
Leonard. “It’s really fun... and a
great atmosphere all around.”
The boys and girls swim teams
has won several SCL and NCS
titles in the past, but there was an
obvious decline in student inter-
est once the pool was taken out
in 2005.
Though the SVHS swim team
has been small in the past, with
Leonard at the helm, things may
be well on their way to a revamp.
Dragon’s Tale
Dragons dribble through league
By KC Jeppesen
The varsity boys’ basketball
team maintains a mediocre record
as they enter the halfway point in
their SCL schedule.
The Dragons’ began their league
season with an impressive victory
over the Healdsburg Hounds.
However, following that opening
win, the boys’ went on a 3 game
losing streak while facing their
toughest opponents on the road.
After that treacherous three
game stretch, the boys’ hosted
two games at home against
Petaluma High and El Molino
High. They won each of those
games, and now boast a 3-3
league record.
On Jan. 5 the boys’ hosted the
Healdsburg Hounds for their
home opener. The close game re-
sulted in a Dragon victory with a
score of 36-32.
Senior Giani Romano led
the Dragons’ offense with 16
points. Dylan Severson, se-
nior, also contributed 8 points
and 11 rebounds.
To start the Dragons’ three game
campaign on the road, they faced
the Casa Grande Gauchos. The
Gauchos proved to be too tough
of an opponent for the Dragons,
and they lost 42-57.
Romano led the Dragons again
with 13 points, and Severson
chipped in 12 points. Severson
also had 15 rebounds, securing
himself a double-double.
The Dragons then traveled to
Windsor to take on the Jaguars on
Jan. 12. The Dragons’ fell short
Competition pins
youthful Dragons
Aidan Lacey, sophomore, grapples with opponent.
By Adam Kohut
The young wrestling team
could not make up for its inexpe-
rience when facing the Windsor
Jaguars, who are a team with a
deep roster. Along with inexpe-
rience, the team was weakened
with injured players, illnesses
and forced forfeits.
“It is very disheartening to have
individuals wrestle well but still
lose due to forfeits,” said Zach
Prohoroff, senior.
The Dragons won four out of the
nine matches, but it wasn’t enough
to compensate for the forfeits and
they suffered a 54-26 loss.
Captain Riley Hyman, senior,
led the team with an impressive
pin in only 28 seconds. Pro-
horoff followed with a second
round pin.
Sports
to the Jaguars’ powerful offense
by a score of 39-53.
Severson paced the Dragons’
offensive attack with 14 points,
followed by freshman Dan Deely
who had 11 points.
Following the two straight loss-
es, the Dragons were set to play
the Analy Tigers, who are the
reigning SCL champions. The
Dragons lost their grip on the
game late in the second half, and
ended up losing 54-68.
The Dragons’ recorded four
players with double digit points
during the campaign against the
Tigers. Romano led with 14
points, followed by Dan Deely
and junior Dante Armstrong with
12, and Severson with 11.
The Dragons’ returned home
on Jan. 19 to face the Petaluma
Trojans. The boys’ stepped up
their defense, and defeated the
Trojans 53-31.
Severson had 14 points, fol-
lowed by senior Adam Kohut’s 9,
and Romano’s 8.
The El Molino Tigers paid a
visit to the Dragons’ on Jan. 21.
The Dragons’ won the offensive
contest by a score of 60-49.
Three seniors were in dou-
ble digits, including Romano’s
17 points, Severson’s 14, and
Kohut’s 13.
The Dragons’ have concluded
the first half of their league sched-
ule, and are set to face El Molino
on Jan. 26, Casa Grande on Jan.
28, Windsor on Feb. 2, Analy on
Feb. 4, Healdsburg on Feb. 9, and
Pealuma on Feb. 11.
Photo by Jordan Albertson
Jonathan Amandoli, sopho-
more, had a first round pin against
his opponent, and Giordi Serafini
was awarded a technical-fall victo-
ry. Aidan Lacy’s nail-biting last sec-
ond decision concluded Sonoma’s
victories.
This loss to Windsor was a
tough one especially after the pre-
vious defeat to Petaluma, where
the team also suffered from the
lack of depth and missing players.
This has left the Dragons with a
0-2 league record.
The young team is concentrating
on rebuilding and getting better as
individuals this year. They are
trying to prepare for future years.
“The team is having fun and
working hard, but many of the
younger wrestlers are getting
a lot better at the same time,”
added Prohoroff.
Page 6
Photo courtesy of Jim Tonery
Steven McGunagle drives to the hoop.
Trophy tours Sonoma
By KC Jeppesen The viewing of the trophy is
anticipated to be a very popular
Roughly two months after the
San Francisco Giants’ successful
event in Sonoma Country. Long
lines are expected, and some
playoff bid, which resulted in a will be lining up as early as 8
World Series Championship, a.m. with hopes of finding a po-
the excitement has not ended in sition in the front of the line.
Northern California.
As a final celebration and
an attempt to show loyal fans
that the Giants’ organization
is grateful, the World Series
Trophy will be taking a tour
through Northern and Central
California, Southern Oregon,
and Western Nevada. The tro-
phy will also get the chance to
visit Arizona and New York.
The tour will begin Jan. 4 at
the San Francisco City Hall. The
tour will carry on through the
beginning of the Giants’ regular
season, and concludes May 8 in
Cooperstown, New York.
The Sonoma Community Cen-
ter was chosen as a destination Photo Courtesy of Google Images
for a brief visit from the trophy.
The San Francisco Giants’ World
The trophy is scheduled to be
Championship Trophy is coming to the
available for pictures and view- Sonoma Community Center.
ing from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30
However, lines should move
p.m. on Friday Jan. 28 at the
quickly because each individual
Community Center.
viewing and photo taking will
Fans will be able to view the
be hurried along to best accom-
trophy for free, take their own
modate everyone. The goal is to
pictures, and even have the op-
allow everyone a fair and equal
portunity to purchase an offi-
chance to view, take pictures of,
cial photo.
and witness the rarity of a World
The viewing will be done on
Series Championship Trophy
a first-come first-serve basis,
appearance.
and is subject to being cut off in
The trophy will be present for
order to maintain the very strict
the Giants’ 2011 season home-
touring schedule that the trophy
opener at AT&T park on Apr. 8.
will be following.
January 2011

Lady Dragons burn Hounds, Lions, Gauchos Time Out
By Adam Kohut
The Lady Dragons leapt into
their league season with two wins
in a row against Healdsburg and
Casa Grande.
They matched these two wins
with two close losses to Windsor
and Analy, and finally another vic-
tory against Petaluma. The girls
continued to defeat EL Molino
twice in a row. This left the team
with a league record of 5-2.
“We have good defense and can
stop nearly any team, but we need
to work on our offense,” said
Karly Burningham, junior.
Sonoma out scored Healdsburg
by 9 points and Casa Grande by
only 3, giving the Dragons confi-
dence beginning the season.
However, after this winning
streak the Ladies suffered a
harsh defeat in overtime against
Windsor by just 4 points.
Senior, Ellie Ceja and junior,
Annie Studdert kept the team’s
momentum going with intense
defense and many drives to the
hoop, along with junior Anna
Stewart’s clutch three pointers.
With an energetic crowd be-
hind Sonoma, the Windsor game
was looking up as some key plays
tied the game just before the end
of the fourth quarter.
Nevertheless, the team couldn’t
keep its forward momentum
to finish off them game. This
allowed Windsor to out score
Gymnastics: a balancing act
By Arianna Maysonave
Defying gravity may seem far
fetched for most, but flawlessly
flipping, twisting, and turning
is simply a daily practice in the
life of any developing gymnast.
They stun the audience, im-
press the judges, and achieve
personal successes they never
thought possible.
“It has taught me to believe in
myself, trust my body, and never
give up,” stated Keaton Davis,
sophomore and current level 9 at
Redwood Empire Gymnastics.
Gymnasts are known for their
phenomenal strength, their lau-
datory courage, their impecca-
ble elegance, and their ceaseless
determination. But what goes on
behind scenes is an often over-
looked aspect of this physically,
emotionally, and mentally rigor-
ous undertaking.
“It’s a huge commitment. I
had to give up my social life, my
academic pursuits, other sports,
and free time,” disclosed Max
Moll gives big buck donation to SVHS
By KC Jeppesen
Adam Kohut
Tony Moll, an
alumnus of the
Dragon football
program and cur-
rent professional
football player for the Baltimore
Ravens organization, recently
made a generous donation of
$5,000 to the SVHS football
program.
Dragon’s Tale
them by 4 points in the four
minute overtime period, despite
a solid effort by the entire team,
including enthusiastic support
from the bench.
“They had something to prove
after they were ranked below us,”
said Burningham.
This tough loss was followed
by another to Analy by 9 points,
who are currently undefeated in
league.
A non-league 48-33 loss to Ma-
ria Carillo continued the 3 game
losing streak, but luckily for the
Dragons, did not count against
their league record.
The Ladies ended this chain of
lost games with a 35-27 win over
Petaluma. “We pushed the ball up
the court and wanted the win more
than them,” added Burningham.
Sonoma picked up their inten-
sity to dunk this win, and have
turned around their season.
Victory followed in a 50-27 win
against El Molino. Hard work
and team effort contributed to
this win, as it surely will in the
future.
“We have a lot of talent and we
need to work together so that we
can become a strong team,” said
Burningham.
The j.v. team defeated Petaluma
33-35 on the road in a close vic-
tory. Caroline Knef, sophomore,
led the way to victory with 9
points, closely followed by soph-
omore Ashley Veil’s 7 points.
Barrett, sophomore, who was
enrolled at REG in Petaluma
from age six to eleven.
All over the country little girls
and boys are donning leotards
and turning cartwheels as they
dream of becoming the next
Paul Hamm or Nastia Liukin,
but these days, many are ques-
tioning the fine line that deter-
mines how much is too much.
In particular, women’s gym-
nastics has an underlying focus
on perfection, an impossible
goal that has brought out the
best and the worst in the wildly
competitive individuals who
have devoted their lives to this
unique sport.
From a young age, boys and
girls striving to find a future
in competitive gymnastics are
expected to simply hand their
childhood to their coaches, no
questions asked. They must
overcome seemingly insur-
mountable fear, pain, and dis-
appointment, sacrificing every-
thing while keeping their minds
Moll graduated from SVHS in
2001 and continued on to play
football at University of Ne-
vada, Reno. Moll was drafted
by the Green Bay Packers in
2006, then traded to the Balti-
more Ravens in 2009.
“Tony Moll is tremendously
generous for providing us with
this donation,” remarked Coach
Mick O’Meara.
The NFL has a policy that
states that they will match what-
Sports
Brittney Rachuy lays the ball up past a Windsor defender.
set on the Olympic dream.
Tiffany David, senior, who
also competed at REG until
freshman year, admitted, “I
reached a point where it just
wasn’t fun anymore. I felt like
I was competing for the trophy,
not the experience.”
Studies have shown that chil-
dren involved in gymnastics at an
increasingly early age are more
susceptible to painful stress frac-
tures, overuse injuries, or trauma
related failure. Child psycholo-
gists have also suggested that
this overscheduled and pressure
driven lifestyle may contribute
to ADD, eating disorders, or oth-
er mental illness.
Although the intense training
can be stressful, gymnastics is a
phenomenally motivational sport
that promotes self-esteem, dedi-
cation, courage, and discipline.
Additionally, it is physically
beneficial in that it promotes
strength, agility, and flexibility.
“Striving to improve, learning
from my mistakes, overcoming
ever amount of money a player
donates to an organization that
is part of their football roots, so
they also granted the Dragons’
football program $5,000. As a
result, the SVHS football pro-
gram received a total grant of
$10,000.
“The grant will most likely
go towards improvements in fa-
cilities such as the weight room,
because they are accessible to a
large number of people, so more
Page 7
Off the court, student
athletes jump into ac-
tion and discuss their
current season.
Riley Hyman
Senior
Varsity Wrestler
• Favorite professional
athlete: Don Gable
• Pre-game ritual: Not
eating
Photo courtesy of Jim Tonery
my fears, and practicing perse-
verance are the key elements I
have inherited from my gymnas-
tics career,” disclosed Barrett.
The character traits developed Giani Romano
through practicing gymnastics in Senior
ones childhood can build a laud-
Varsity Boys’ Basketball
able set of qualities one will uti-
lize in their education, career, and
personal life that they will carry • Favorite professional
far beyond the walls of the gym. athlete: Rajon Rondo
“I have stayed devoted to
gymnastics even when the going • Pre-game ritual: Being
wasn’t easy, and I hope to be re- alone, and thinking about
warded for this dedication by re- the game
ceiving a scholarship to Univer-
sity of Michigan or Stanford,”
shared Davis. “Gymnastics isn’t
simply a part of my life, it is in
every way who I have become,”
Coaches, parents, and team-
mates may provide relentless
encouragement, but at the end
of the day it must be the child’s
dream that motivates the dedica-
tion and sacrifice that competi-
tive gymnastics entails.
people can benefit from the Ellie Ceja
grant,” stated O’Meara.
Senior
The Sonoma football program
has struggled with funding in Varsity Girls’ Basketball
the past and had to work with a
sub-par weight room, which is • Favorite professional
an important training facility for
those who play the extremely athlete: Mike Tyson.
physical sport of football. • Pre-game ritual:
This donation will strongly Eating a Cliff Bar, drink-
improve all of the facilities that
the football players use to work
ing a Gatorade, and listen-
out with on a regular basis. ing to my iPod
January 2011

Hot photos, cool place
Found in translation
By Liam Casey
We live in society of constant
demands. Paying for gas, getting
to class on time, and maintaining
good grades fill up students’ dai-
ly lives. At SVHS, where 43%
of the student body is comprised
of Latinos, the demad for a com-
petent Spanish translator is ever
present. Sandra Santos came to
fulfill this need.
Ms. Santos has been speaking
Spanish for her whole life, and
commented that she was “born
with the experience necessary
for the job.” The child of mono-
lingual Spanish speakers, Ms.
Prom plans to cruise
By Jamie Ballard
For juniors and seniors, the
Prom countdown can officially
begin. This year’s prom will be
held on May 7 upon the cruise
ship California Hornblower.
Promgoers will be treated to a
four hour dinner and dance cruise
around the bay. Tammy Rivara,
leadership teacher, commented “It
should be really cool. The Horn-
blower has three decks, and we’re
Dragon’s Tale
Santos was the perfect fit for the
bilingual position at SVHS.
Ms. Santos commented, “The
school district, and the Latino
families of SVHS highly value
the presence of a translator at the
high school.”
Photo by
Sandra Santos is the new translator in
the office.
planning to have dancing on one
deck, eating on another one, and
we’ll use the last one for pictures.
People can also go on top of the
boat.” Corinne Labitzke, junior,
officer on the planning commit-
tee, remarked “We’re looking at
doing a circus theme this year.
Tickets will start at $100, and in-
crease as the date gets closer.”
She added, “I really hope people
will go because it’s going to be
really different and fun.”
News
By Caity Tremblay
A student photography display
is hanging in the new coffee and
tea roastery “Maid at Home,” off
the Plaza on West Napa Street.
Last year’s venue, the Barking
Dog, was booked, so photogra-
phy teacher Andy Mitchell found
the new place.
“It’s great. There’s no time lim-
it, so the display can be updated
when we want,” commented Mr.
Advanced photography students have their images on display in the new coffee
and tea roastry Maid at Home.
Assembly emphasizes D.O.T.s
By Jamie Ballard
The image of an earth affected by
climate change is a startling one, filled
with extreme weather patterns and
void where many familiar species
once frolicked, among other horrors.
The Alliance for Climate Education
delivered a presentation at SVHS ad-
dressing this possible future and how
to avoid it.
The presentation consisted of speak-
er AshEl Eldridge interacting with stu-
dents by asking a series of questions
that gradually led into the presentation
about climate change.
“I really liked how he started off by
holding the students’ attention,” com-
mented Gabby Peterson, junior mem-
ber of the Earth Club.
Eldridge was accompained by an ani-
mated video that explained the science
of climate change and how much each
person contributes to it. The video dia-
gramed how much space each person
occupies, taking into account physical
space, (such as bedrooms, houses)
as well as the space it takes to grow
food or build factories. The amount
of space an average person takes up in
their lifetime eventually amounted to
Page 8
Caught in
Mitchell. However, the location
Thought:
was not entirely ideal. What is your
“The walls were made of tin and
somewhat hollow so hanging the
frames was difficult.”
dream date?
Mr. Mitchell’s advanced pho-
tography class submitted photos
for the display. Although not
every student’s photo made it
into this exhibition due to space
constraints, Mr. Mitchell hopes to
have more image arrangements in
the future.
“Going to Disneyland
for the weekend.”
Sami Thames,
freshman.
Photo by Jordan Albertson
“Doing anything,
but the date has to be
with Megan Fox.”
Japen Soto,
senior.
roughly 22 football fields apiece.
Omar Paz, president of the Earth
Club remarked, “I contacted the ACE “It would be to go
alliance for a free assembly in hopes
of spreading word about environmen-
to Jamaica and then
tal awareness and spreading an ener- come back to Sonoma
getic movment throughout the school.
Right now the Earth Club has roughly
to go to La Bamba.”
8 to 10 active members, I’m hoping Kaitlynn Bray,
that number goes up because of the
assembly. Anyone is welcome!” The
junior.
day following the assembly, roughly
30 students showed up at the Martin
Luther King Garden Workday, where
they fixed up the ag farm.
Other parts of the video focused on
what people can do to help. Ideas in-
cluded recycling, unplugging electron-
ics, biking or walking places instead
of driving, using reusable bottles, and
buying from organic or eco-friendly
companies. Audience members were
then encouraged to take a pledge to
Do One Thing (DOT) to help the en- “Anything that
vironment and cool the climate. These
DOT’s can vary from simple lifestyle
doesn’t require me
choices, like the ideas above, to ac- using my money.”
tivities like painting a mural to raise
awareness.
Ryan Rey,
“I think everyone can do basic stuff, senior.
just little things,” remarked Peterson.
January 2011