Meet our new Fall Sports Student groups Foreign Exchange Season Pre- raise funds for students views hurricane victims Page 6 and Updates Page 2 Page 7 The Voice of the Wildcats Since 1912 Vol. 93, Issue 1 TheTaft Union High School, Gusher 701Seventh Street, Taft, Calif. 93268 October 10, 2005 Five-Year STAR and Plan targets Exit Exam success for all students scores up, By Cherokee Ingram News Editor goals met By Markie Johnson High hopes continue for the Editor-in-Chief TUHS Five-Year Plan as it moves into its second year. Taft Union High School stu- Several goals have been set dents just keep getting better, proven for the Five-Year Plan. One goal is to by their CAHSEE and STAR test increase the percentage of Taft High results. graduates completing the UC/CSU Taft High’s STAR test results requirements to 50%. Last year there brought the school’s Academic Per- was a 17% increase. formance Index (API) up 14 points to Principal Marilyn Brown a score of 635, surpassing the nine- and Superintendent Dr. Dubost feel point goal set by the state. that a realistic expectation for this “We did very well last year, year would be 35-40% of graduates and we continued to go up,” said reaching the 50% goal in the next two principal, Marilyn Brown. to three years, with more students in The STAR test is made up From 11:30 to 12:05, a majority of TUHS students can be found fighting the crowds in the cafeteria. Photo by Avid and AP classes. Bill Wolfe of the California Achievement Test One hundred and forty four and the California Standards Test. In students are currently enrolled in at various subjects TUHS ranked tenth least one Honors or AP course. in comparison with 21 other schools Another issue is the number Cafeteria crowds cause chaos in Kern County. of students receiving multiple F’s. By Joshua Webb Sound familiar? It should. With service this great you Taft High improved in the There was a 12% decrease from the Staff Writer This is the daily ritual of many stu- may wonder how we could still have area of math and language arts, but beginning to the end of the 2004-05 dents who stay on campus to eat. overcrowding. also other components, such as the school year. Many different organiza- It’s time. As you approach While slightly exaggerated, this ac- The answer lies in the fact scores of Special Education students tions are available to assist students the line to the door, you disappear count is simply a routine that many that the cafeteria has not undergone and second language students. who are struggling. into a sea of people. Pushing, shoving of us face. It is not the fault of the any structural changes in about 50 “Students are becoming “I would hope students and shouting surround you as you cafeteria staff, however; these ladies years. more aware, and teachers are doing wouldn’t choose to fail a class. All force your way into the building. do a wonderful job. At that time, the enrollment a fantastic job,” said Brown. kinds of tutorials, peer tutoring, and Once inside, the noise rises “The girls go above and be- was approximately half that of today. The CAHSEE, otherwise Homework Club are available,” ex- to an almost unbearable level, not to yond; it’s not easy to give this many So while it was more than adequate known as the High School Exit Exam, plains Brown. mention the heat from so many bod- choices,” says cafeteria supervisor then, it is severely inadequate now. is the test taken during the sopho- Dubost feels that some ies jostling for position in yet another Connie Bauer with a look of fatigue. To combat the problem, more year that all students must pass students need to change their care- line. All movement halts as you take Bauer, who has been super- many ideas are being taken into to graduate from high school. less attitudes, and his goal is to have your place in the new line. visor in the cafeteria for three years, consideration. Of these, the most The results were gratifying, fewer than five percent of students After what seems an eternity, has definitely seen crowds before, promising are kiosks in the quad and as 82% of sophomores passed the with multiple F’s. you’ve reached the halfway point of especially on chicken-fried steak using the teachers’ dining area for English test, and 77% passed the Increasing the percentage of the line. Approaching the front of the days. However, none compares to students. math test on the first attempt. The students passing the CAHSEE is an- line, you’re surprised to find out that this year’s crowds. Unfortunately, these ideas participation rate was 100%. TUHS other goal of the five-year plan. Our you’ve actually made it out in one “The counts are considerably won’t come into effect until at least students also outperformed the state pass rate is now 82% for Language piece. higher this year,” said Bauer. “We next year, maybe not at all. Anyone average on both parts of the test. Arts and 79% for Math. The state As you sit down, you realize still manage to get everyone served who plans to eat on campus will just “On the CAHSEE, we did averages for first-time passage are that time is nearly up and quickly with around ten minutes to spare, have to learn to accept the crowds for very well, “ said Brown. 76% for Language Arts and 74% for finish just as the bell rings. though.” the time being. Math, so we are making progress. Parental involvement has greatly increased in the last year thanks to THEAC and DELAC meet- ings, the school website, the Thurs- day night TV show, and teachers making more phone calls home. Back to School Night was a great event to let parents know what is going on around campus this year. The counseling office, AVID, and the Oil-Technology Academy send out newsletters to parents. Dubost explained that the re- quired four-year plan which involves counselors meeting with parents and students to keep students on track throughout high school, also increases parent participation. Smaller learning communi- ties on campus have been a huge success as well. “I am very pleased with the smaller learning communities,” Back to School Night attracted many parents eager to see what the students Senior Denise Hiracheta acts as spokesperson for the Key Club dur- explains Dubost. “The Oil Academy will be up to this year. Photo by Bill Wolfe ing Back to School Night. Photo by Bill Wolfe is an awesome program, and AVID could not have gotten off to a better a parent who attended the event. Her sophomore Sarah Redfield. start.” Back to School Night ’05 son, Sergio, is a senior. “It was pretty enlightening Brown seems to feel the “It was a good chance for that you have to manage getting to all same way. “Those programs provide draws big crowd to Quad parents to meet and talk to teachers of your classes, and coordinate get- students a place to be connected about how the children are doing,” ting your books,” says parent Leann By Cherokee Ingram with adults who are looking out for added senior Craig Foust. Glendening. “I now have a better News Editor their progress and welfare. I am very off their programs. The choir, led From 7 to 8:40 pm, parents appreciation for the responsibility my pleased.” by Susan Yeasley, performed for the followed their students’ schedules daughter [Courtney] has for making The five-year plan is making Back to School Night was crowd. From 6 to 7 parents mingled for periods 1-7. They attended each it on time to all her classes.” a good school even better. held September 12, from 6 pm to 8:45 with teachers and students and ate class, where teachers gave 10-minute Back to School Night was a “I’m very positive about our pm. Principal Marilyn Brown opened hot dogs and hamburgers. presentations providing information success in its second year with featur- ability to reach all of our goals and the night with introductions and an- “It was a good opportunity about the class. ing a BBQ rather than a cafeteria din- particularly to have more and more nouncements. Tables were set up in to interact with the teachers and find “I’m glad Back to School ner. The outdoor “fair” setting allows students performing academically at the quad to allow organizations like out what the kids will be learning this Night gave my family a chance to people to interact more. Everyone or above their grade level,” concludes the Oil Technology Academy, Key year and what activities will be going talk with my teachers and see what I seemed to enjoy themselves and to Dubost. Club, AVID, ASB and FFA to show on,” explained Stephanie Hallenbeck, do throughout the day,” commented appreciate information provided. Page 2 NEWS October 10, 2005 College Night attracts busloads of students Fresh Fest By Jennifer Gonzales orients new Staff Writer students The sixth annual Kern Coun- ty College Night took place on Tues- By Megan Chappelear day, September 13 at the Bakersfield Features Editor Convention Center. Sixty-five Taft On August 18 the fresh- High students attended, 40 of them men finally arrived at TUHS from the sophomore AVID class. for the Freshmen Festival and The students had access to Orientation. The ASB officers information from over 100 commu- were in charge of the Fresh Fest.