OuRCity News Issue 1, Volume 4

Doomsday December 21st: October/November Theories or Reality? 2012 Written By: Anna Litvinova According to theories who believe Like us On : an alleged important to happen. River City High School Journalism based on a supposed ancient Maya should stop plot by a political, social Some reported prediction, the end of the world worrying. covert group, or economic suicides have is close—on December 21, 2012. According to organization events are the happened But could Earth really meet its end www.oglav. or, more products of because they in 2012—drowned in apocalyptic info and www. broadly, the secret plots are afraid of floods, walloped by a secret planet, mk.ru which are idea that that are largely the outcome. seared by an angry sun, or thrown sources reporting unknown to the Students and overboard by speeding continents? scientific general public. staff at RCHS Or is it a just another conspiracy research, Page 2 were asked if theory? and Meeting ou[rc]ity staff Doomsday is they do believe According to wikipedia. archeologists & Editorial Policy an example of will the world org, conspiracy theory explains have already such theories. end December, an event as being the result of proven that the Presedential Election: 2012 There are some 21. world won’t end. Who would River City vote for? people who are People sure it’s going

Page 4

Caption: Picture courtesy of google. Continued on page 2 Homecoming spread! Give me Music or Give Me Death Editorial Written By: Karina Bueno Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, KanyeWest, walking this campus is and they don’t realize Jay-Z. Most of these undeniable, but it seems that that’s not what all The DJ this year mainstream artists are that diversity stops at its teenagers listen to,” has given us a famous for their oh so students. Joleen Miles, senior, link that anyone inspiring lyrics about Every year stated. can click onto to having sexual intercourse Leadership hires a DJ “Yeah. And request songs that can be played at Page 6 & 7 with large amounts of to play at the dances we’re not asking for women, destroying throughout the year. hardcore screaming like the dances through Featuring: their liver with copious Though it isn’t his or what we listen to. Just the year. The Cheer takes Dedication amounts of liquor, their problem in what something different,” website is http:// Written By: JoJo Samolis accumulating money and they play, it’s alarming added senior Julie djs4schools.com/ taking drugs. What an that the majority of our Hernandez. rivercity. You can excellent example for an schools music taste Responses also find the link impressionable age group is what is constantly similar to these were for it on Leadership such as ourselves. played; not everyone overwhelming. We are page. So, go and But what about enjoys the Rap/Hip Hop a diverse school and I request the Indie, bands like Cake, Cage the genre or anything which would love to see that Country, Classical, Elephant, Gorillaz and plays on mainstream past the faces and in the Hardcore, and Jazz Deathcab for Cutie? radio. music being played on songs all you want Being a student at River “What they campus. River City! Page 8 City, the diversity I see play is so repetitive But luckily! Issue 5 Ou[RC]ity | October/November 2012 2 Editorial Policy Editorial Policy OuRCity News is a student publication and Letters to public forum. In accordance with state education code, the editorial staff of OuRCity News shall be responsible for assigning and editing the news, the editor. editorial and feature content of this publication. Editorials reflect the opinion of only the Questions writer. If no byline appears, the editorial reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board. Comments Letters to the Editor will only be or Concerns published if they are signed. Senders may request their names be withheld, or OuRCity News About editorial staff may decide to withhold a name if it deems it appropriate. OuRCity News reserves the Ou[RC]ity right to not publish any letter it receives. Letters Editor-In-Chief: Karina Bueno will be edited for length, clarity and grammar and Layout Editor: Selena Cazares Newspaper ? all letters are subject to laws governing obscenity, Managing Editors: Email: libel, privacy, and disruption of the educational Kelly Custodio buenokarina1 process. All contents of the newspaper are subject Jordan Pearce to the same standard. All letters become the @yahoo.com property of OuRCity News. Shelby Pearce Views of the editors and staff, as well as letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect those of the administration and/or staff of River disparaging their products, services or methods of City High School. doing business. Advertising accepted by OuRCity News shall not be construed as an endorsement by Advertising the school staff, adviser administration or Board of OuRCity staff has the right to accept, reject, Education. OuRCity News makes no guarantees edit or cancel any advertisement. The staff of as to the quality of a particular service or product. OuRCity News will not accept advertising that Photography Policy incites or encourages illegal activity or is libelous or obscene in the opinion of the editorial board. Published photographs will not be Advertising must offer merchandise or service altered except as necessary in professionally and must refrain from attacking competitors or accepted darkroom and cropping procedures. R Doomsday December 21st: Conspiracy Theories C or Reality? SH Continued... and that the Mayan calendar, Earth. eruptions. Though there 4 billion years and it will be which is made up different Accusations of has been an increase in several more before the gradual cycles of days, is wrong and a massive government extreme weather, including brightening of the Sun makes won’t end this year. Rather, cover-up are nonsense. both droughts and floods, our planet unlivable. one cycle of 144,000 days No government couldn’t it iss partly attributable Meanwhile there is (394 years) ends and the next hide an incoming planet to global warming and no known astronomical or cycle begin. or silence hundreds of has nothing to do with geological threat that could Another theory of thousands of scientists. doomsday. Our planet is destroy the Earth. People should what’s to happen is the People have behaving normally in 2012 stop worrying and enjoy their landing of Planet X, which resulted to building although we see more and lives. is said that the planet will private shelters for more news stories about Sofiya Neverov, RCHS collide with the Earth in safety, but their fear of natural disasters. student, says “We will never December of this year but 2012 is misplaced and Summarizing all predict the end of the world. It these accusations aren’t true. they are wasting their information given, the will probably happen one day, If such a threatening world money. idea of the sudden end of but when no one will be ready or existed its gravity would There has the world by any cause prepared.” be distorting the orbits of been no increase in is absurd. The Earth has planets, especially Mars and earthquakes or volcanic been here for more than Issue 5 Ou[RC]ity | October/November 2012 3 The Winding Road to River City Written By: Freshta Haidari 2009, their prayers always Here at was born, there th were answered. something River City we was in 7 grade, unlike here in America, was a great in 7th grade is when you start high school in Her family including war have a variety of Afghanistan and reunited in America and the army. cultures that all come London, and he would run into trouble at her father sent her, school. and that’s where Overall, together; there are her mother, and she started sixth there is a lot all kinds of different her older brother grade. She went of diversity backgrounds such somewhere far away to school and in all schools as Chinese, Persian, from Afghanistan, learned to live like including River African American, someplace safe. She an American. She City. A person Mien, Vietnamese, was about 8 months found the grading may seem like Filipino, Irish, old at the time and system confusing; in they lived here Mexican, American, her older brother London they don’t in America Russian, and many was 5. have letter grades their whole life more. Most people They got on they have numbers. because of their in America were a plane and landed in “I was fluent English born and raised here; Norway, where her sad. I wanted to or their clothes others had to come a cousins and aunts be together as a but no one truly long way to get here. lived. She lived there family.”She also knows what has A student, who chose with her mother and stated “I was very happened in that to stay anonymous, brother for about happy, my family person’s life, no told their story. a year and then was reunited and we one truly knows Her family traveled to London, are all happy,” said what they went was born and where they decided her mother. through just to They lived in a bad neighborhood raised in Kabul, to live permanently. On the front get here, the where there were gangs and violence. Around Afghanistan. Her She picked pages of newspapers long journey to the time she turned 5, her baby brother was father was from up the accent and and new sites, there America. born; he was their new little light. They Nijab, Afghanistan. lived the way of the is always something prayed to be reunited with their dad and in In 1998, when she Brits. Her brother about Afghanistan, Making a Difference Written By: Brittnie Ringor

Peer Mediation punished by a teacher or also help students who states, “Yeah it helps… is a new program vice principal. are being bullied and We ignore each other at River City High A l t h o u g h t h e isolated. now, when before we School, designed to program isn’t entirely new, “I think it helps, would give each other help students solve their having been started last I just don’t like that dirty looks when we issues without physically year, it is continually being there’s somebody passed by.” fighting by sitting them strengthened. The process there stopping us from Students are able to down with two other is being used more often yelling or at cussing at sign up to have a meeting neutral students and and the mediators are being each other.” a senior with another student by talking it out. By using trained every day to ensure who has used the to putting their name on the this very confidential the best outcome between program to solve an peer mediation list in the process of conflict- students. issue of her own states front office. Teachers can resolution students can H o w e v e r , t h i s jokingly. do so by calling either get everything out in program isn’t limited to Another student Connie or Monica, or the open without having students trying to fight who has benefitted sending an e-mail to to worry about being each other. The mediators from peer mediation [email protected]. Continued on page 10 Issue 5 Ou[RC]ity | October/November 2012 4 Presedential Election: 2012 Who would River City choose? Barrack Obama Mitt Romney’s Plan for President Obama’s Plan President For President - seeks to reduce taxes, spending, - invest in education, small businesses, clean , infrastructure, and tax cuts regulation, and government for companies that bring jobs back to programs. the U.S.

- seeks to increase trade, energy - Cut taxes by $3,600 for the typical production, human capital, and labor middle class family making $50,000 a flexibility. year over his first term - develop every available source of - relinquishes power to the states American made energy—including oil, instead of claiming to have the gas, clean coal, wind, solar, biofuels, solution to every problem. nuclear - marginal rates must be brought - Set a goal to cut tuition growth in half down to stimulate entrepreneurship, over the next decade with a plan to double campus based student aid and job creation, and investment, while incentives for schools that are successful still raising the revenue needed to at keeping tuition growth down fund a smaller, smarter, simpler government. - bring our troops home from Afghanistan, and will use half the - Make permanent, across-the-board savings to reduce the deficit and the 20 percent cut in marginal rates rest to engage in nation-building here at home. Senior Government students volunteered to supervise a nationwide mock election on October 30th. 478 stu- dents voted for canidates and for propositions. These are the top precentages for the presedential candidates that River City voted for. 21% 69% Issue 5 Ou[RC]ity | October/November 2012 5 New Places, New Faces, New World Written By: Karina Bueno The streets are question; a week later She was to 15 and Milana, 13. crowded, the air is thick, Anna receives a call that fly to California and Her dream is there’s people running she passed the 1st round. live with a host family to see New York before back and forth and Anna The second who lived in West returning home to Litvinova is pushing round had 3 essays Sacramento. Russia and she wishes through crowds to get to and around 200 “I like it to continue pursuing her favorite café, questions which, much better here; I can her education here in She asked according to exchange. smell the fresh air. And America. her friend, Elina, if state.gov, tests’ a people smile here. In The F.L.E.X. she would like to walk student’s readiness for Moscow people think program makes these around, but Elina said international exchange. you’re weird if you dreams possible by she was about to sign up It’s also known as the smile at them. They’re allowing young adults for a contest where the S.L.E.P test, which polite here,” she said to come to America and winners could travel to tested a student’s with a smile. spend a year here. The America for a year. Anna comprehension in In Moscow goal for the F.L.E.X became intrigued. reading, writing and she lives in an program is to turn these They both listening in the English apartment with her students into leaders signed up for the contest, language. parents, Alexander and hope that what they which consisted of 3 5 months pass Litvinov and Nataliya learn here in America rounds; round 1 was and in April, Anna is Litvinova. She’s also can be of use to help a test that had about notified that she is a an only child, so better their communities 20 questions that tests finalist. 9,000 teenagers Caption: Anna reppresents her FLEX pride. when she met her host in their home countries a student’s English from ages 15-17, from parents Angelina and and to give them the capabilities. To pass Russia, applied and “I couldn’t realize I won it because I Paul Neverov, she was experience of living in to the second round, a Anna was 1 of 19 that wouldn’t be with my family for a year. I got on the ecstatic to see that she what seems to them, a student couldn’t miss a were finalists. plane and I still didn’t realize it,” Anna stated. had two sisters, Sofiya, third-world country.

M.E.Ch.A Receives a New Start Written By: Natali Cruz encourages them M.E.Ch.A donated one president of to look for a higher is a Chicano club thousand dollars M.E.Ch.A says. education after that gives children to the M.E.Ch.A They got this high school.” Ms. the opportunity club.” We would money because DeLaTorre states. to learn about the like to thank they applied for it “M.E.Ch.A Mexican heritage Wells Fargo for and won it. helps students get the and creates an the 1,000 dollar “M.E.Ch.A desire and want for open minded scholarship helps to educate higher education. They environment. given to the students about build a community of This year club.” Diana their culture, support and trust.” Mr. Wells Fargo Solorio, the history, and Ionescu adds. Issue 5 Issue 5 Ou[RC]ity | October/November 2012 6 Homecoming 2012!

Homecoming 2012! Written By: Shelby and Jordan Pearce On October 26th and day rally, River City students was accompanied by an 27th,2012 River City High flocked to the gym at the amazing Dj. School experienced their 11 for the homecoming Over 500 river annual Homecoming, which rally which was really a city students packed the consisted of a morning rally competition between classes. gym to enjoy dancing that aired on Good Day The Juniors and Seniors with their friends or Sacramento, a day rally with were having a chant war and dates and having an the students and staff, the no one was decided as the unbelievable time. Homecoming game with the winner of the games. Homecoming floats and royalty and last but To close out the would not be possible certainly not least the 2012 day for Friday there was without the creative Homecoming dance. the Homecoming Game, planning of the River City At 5 o clock on not only did RC students High School leadership Friday morning River City’s fill the stands but parents students, teacher, and Leadership class started and members of the West parents, and the amazing setting up for the first of Sac community came out to staff they have at River many different events that support their home team. City. day. Good day Sacramento Moving on to River City has on channel 31 did their high Saturday the last event of the succeed in creating school kickback and chose Homecoming festivities was another amazing memory river city and Galt High the dance, the “Save the Last for everyone who was School to be a part of it since Dance ” theme consisted a part of this year’s it was RC’s homecoming. of paparazzi decoration, a Homecoming festivities. Next in the line of red carpet,pictures,and an events for that day was the amazing light show that Issue 5 Issue 5 Ou[RC]ity | October/November 2012 7 Raiders vs. Warriors On Oct. Written By: Jordan Pearce 26, the River City giving the resulted in a Raiders were at Raiders an epic high school home against the Homecoming career highlight. Galt Warriors victory. Final Dumetz broke Homecoming 2012! and at half time, score: Raiders the record of San the Raiders were 48, and Warriors Diego Chargers already tromping 6 – and the Wide Receiver the Warriors, 14-0. crowd went wild. Malcolm Floyd The A star for the most second half was Raiders player, catches in a even better, Malik Dumetz, season. the Galt game Issue 5 Ou[RC]ity | October/November 2012 8 Cheer takes Dedication Written By: JoJo Samolis S

The cheerleaders at River P City High School are a very dedicated group of people. They work hard at practice, smile through injuries, and the challenges they face test their O abilities but they push through it as a team. At the games or at rallies the R cheerleaders show off their hard work with a choreographed routine. They practice all the stunts and routines constantly to make them look perfect. T Cheerleading is one of the most dangerous sports a person could do because even though they look good on the field it takes hours of practice to get it there. There are S times when an injury or something hands of the bases and then hold may occur and the cheerleaders must Photo By: Ruby Rugama at away in El Dorado hills. her ankles to keep her steady. It push through it together. Daisy, a sophomore, is a flyer. Her job is to make sure that she goes is her job to make sure her group Statistics show that more up as straight as possible and smile. knows what way they have to than half of the injuries caused from Christina, a sophomore, is a base. Her job is to lift up the girl who is throw the flyer and when to bring cheer are due to tragic stunting to be in the air and make sure she doesn’t fall. her down. accidents. Stunting accidents happen Sabrina, a sophomore, is a front and it is her job to help the bases lift To have a fun time go when a base doesn’t lift or the flyer the flyer. She also has to make sure that the flyer doesn’t fall forward. to the River City football games! isn’t going up right or is unbalanced. Emily, a sophomore, is a back so her job is to help the flyer into the Water Polo player’s spleen ruptured during game Written By: Karina Bueno The water near the ball when the watchful eye from him during the is calm. The stands the opposing player of doctors and fourth quarter. No are starting to fill up. came up to him nurses. apology.” The games is about and dunked his “They “I can’t state to begin. The waters head. “All I could told me I lost 1/3 what his punishment are now jagged and remember was being of my blood from was but I can say moving every which kneed repeatedly in internal bleeding.” disciplinary action was way. Players kick and the side,” Jeret said. According to taken,” Mrs. Dornan, the shove to get to the “I tried to webmd.com, a Athletic Director here at yellow ball that bobs raise my hands for ruptured spleen River city, states about on the water’s surface. the ref to see but I is an emergency the opposing player. It’s the beautiful game knew he wouldn’t medical condition Jeret Tiller is of Water polo. call it so I fought when the surface taking it easy for a while Water polo back as much as I of the spleen and gets tired easily. “I is one of the more could. After about splits and pours have to be very careful physical sports we like 20 seconds I was blood into your for the next 6 weeks. I have here on campus let go so I got out of abdominal area. can’t play for another 3 and many injuries have there.” Jeret Tiller was months. At least.” been taking place; one Jeret made Caption: Coutesy of Westsac.com bleeding out from Many people in particular being his way to the Later in and out of the inside and lost may think Football is Jeret Tiller. In a recent edge of the pool on, Jeret began consciousness a lot of blood. the roughest sport on game his spleen was and was pulled out experiencing pains which caught People do die campus but most are ruptured from being by his coach. The in his side. “Every the attention from this. oblivious to the teeth- repeatedly kneed by an game continued time I sat up I would of the residing “I’m knocking, elbow to the opposing player during on while he was pass out. We knew I doctors. He was glad I’m okay. face, brutal game of the El Dorado game on being checked out. needed to go to the then sent to the It just sucks it Water Polo. But Jeret is October 9th. Nothing seemed to hospital.” Jeret said. ICU in Davis happened,” he alive and well and we Jeret Tiller be physically wrong Once he arrived to where he spent said. “All I got can all be thankful for and the opposing with him so he was the Kaiser emergency three days under was a handshake that. player were nowhere sent home. room he passed Issue 5 Ou[RC]ity | October/November 2012 9 Soccer vs. Football Written By: Gabe Stolz More than three of football played in centuries, sourced same. Football the staff of RCHS billion fans worldwide Britain in the mid- from Football Soccer players cooling wasn’t there, watch and play soccer. 19th century, in which gameplay.com, game and Football are off in the shade, possibly even More than all Football, a football is kicked play developments both sports with thought it would punches”. Basketball, and Baseball at a goal and/or run by college coaches, a ball and involve be funny if they “I am fans put together. over a line. American helped take advantage contact, running, threw water bottles glad the staff of According to football resulted of the newly protective gear, at people walking RCHS handled it

VS.

World Soccer history, from several major introduced forward similar fields and by. “A water the ancient Romans are divergences from lateral pass an objective to bottle still filled well and I hope in the believed to have played rugby, most notably From Soccer score. You could water almost hit future when incidents something similar to the rule changes came a very physical say all sports have my feet and got like this happen, the Soccer, but the first instituted by Walter demanding sport this which some do me wet” said staff of RCHS will recognized game was Camp, considered in England called but Football came a student who take care of it because played in Brittan in 1862. the “Father Rugby. From Rugby from Soccer and chose to remain if there was a fight It’s believed that the of American came Football which that is why they are anonymous. that day, I would have Japanese and Chinese Football”. Among was originally similar. “After I cleaned ran”. seemed to have played a these important invented in Canada, Almost myself off, one Outcome type of soccer around the changes were sourced from Soccer two weeks ago of the Soccer of this feud was 1004 B.C. time. Soccer the introductions history.com. Since on September players threw suspension for the has been played around the of the line of then, Football has 17, 2012, at the a half eaten Football player who world for more than 200 scrimmage and of dramatically changed RCHS campus orange, from a threw the bottle of years and possibly even down and distance from rules, to during lunch, distance, and hit water but nothing earlier. rules according to protective gear. Soccer players and a Football player for the Soccer player The history of Football history. All people have Football players on the side of the who threw the orange American football can be com. their opinion and had it out for each forehead. Words because the staff at traced to early versions of In the late facts, but Soccer and other for a very were thrown at RCHS could never rugby and Soccer. Varieties 19th and early 20th Football are really the foolish reason. each other and if find him. Students before Student-Athletes Written By: Michael Briscoe As school started on August 24th, sports for River City High School have team both had this requirement first. they have a hard time committing assignments. taken a new priority for grades before and The requirement for most RC sports to the academic requirements, “I am a first year coach during the off-season. The coaches for teams is for every missing assignment they will probably struggle to at River City High School so I boys’ basketball, baseball, cheerleading and a mile has to be ran, no matter how commit with what we are trying am unaware of what the academic JV soccer have a new way of keeping their many there are. The basketball to achieve as a team.” requirements were before this year. players doing their class work. teams, baseball team, JV soccer and The boys’ basketball team has What I do know is that if you require cheerleading are all taking part in this shown improvements with students to perform at the highest Among high school students, rule for grades. their grades since the first level on the court, you need to require athletes tend to have a higher GPA than Coach Greg Clark of the boys’ progress report was turned in on the same for their academics. I also th the students who don’t play sports. Student basketball team said, “Our academic September 5 . feel as though making students run athletes have an estimated 3.45 GPA and policy for the boys’ basketball team On that day the for missing assignments isn’t strict students who don’t play sports have an doesn’t have much to do with them program was averaging a 2.66 at all because they are learning life estimated 2.95 GPA, according to the NY getting cut. What it does show me as GPA as a team with 22 missing lessons. If these players don’t do their Times. their coach is how they handle certain assignments. Now the team jobs later on in life, they will get fired At the start of River City’s 2012- requirements of them in order to be part currently has a 3.11 GPA average so it teaches them responsibility for 2013 school year the boys’ basketball of River City’s basketball program. If as a team with no missing their actions,” he added. Issue 5 Ou[RC]ity | October/November 2012 10 Questions, Concerns, and Safety? Editorial Written By: Jordan Pearce

there are risks; for Jr. Raiders the risks are in a packet that the parent The clashing of the signs off on allowing the player to shoulder pads and colliding with play, so I don’t think it’s fair for one and other in a hard tackle; grass them to get mad and yank their and dirt flying in the air as a junior child from the program because of Raider lands on his back to make a an injury. touchdown. The team celebrates by A mother who is a part of bumping helmets, slapping shoulder the RC Jr. Raiders and has been for pads and of course a high five. almost four years said, “I believe Football is a sport designed that they make this sport as safe as to be rough, that’s why some it can be without taking all the fun parents and doctors recommend out of it. Parents who worry too children under the ages of ten much need to keep this in mind that th shouldn’t play. On Oct. 13 , 2012 these kids are running full speed the River City Jr. Raiders Pee Wee and head first at one and other. As team, ages 9 to 10, were at home for the high school, I believe the against the Jesuit Marauders, but in same thing except they might be the game three players on the Jesuit better prepared because of the years team were injured, and two were of training.” taken away in the ambulance. Picture courtesy of River City’s Jr. Raiders facebook page. As far as I can tell, it looks According to, usafootball. like football is as safe as it can be, com, which is made by USA risky as it is. but it still comes with risks. A father Football Inc. that is part of a health Both of the doctor’s believe that on some level football and coach of the RC Jr. Raiders program for kids. This website is a little more dangerous than some sports, but definitely said, “I have a son who plays at has done interviews with Dr. Dave not the most dangerous. As far as I can tell from furthering RCHS and three sons who play for Joyner and Dr. John Lehtinen. pursuing these two doctor’s on other interviews about football the Junior Raiders and all four of Dr. Joyner believes that safety, they state the same thing, “Football is a great team sport them come home with the same everything we do as people has that does come with risks, but if your child is willing to take amount of bruises from working risks, but there are sports that seem the risk and so are the parents, then why worry?” this has been and playing hard. No, I don’t think to be hazardous. Dr. Lehtinen stated and restated by both doctors on multiple interviews. the high school team is safer than believes that it all depends on the To me kids get hurt even without playing a sport, so the Jr. Team because football is child development, even football as I don’t understand why football is singled out. In every sport football.” Makes a Difference Continued... ca.us. “The mediators get to fight doesn’t mean you had the principals step up and handle the the roots better than us adults right opinion.” States Coach students, providing consequences. can, because kids can’t always Stolpe, one of the three teachers “I expect my mediators to trust us.” Says Miss Ghio. “I’m of the peer mediation class, step up to leadership roles, keep always very surprised at how along with P.E teacher, Ghio everything confidential, ask for well the mediations go. I’m very and River City’s principal, help when it’s needed, use the impressed.” Nemer. process to benefit themselves when The number of fights that At the end of each they are having problems with have taken place on campus this mediation the students create another student, and, eventually, year are almost non-existent their own agreement –no matter start to take over the program due to the fact that students and what the situation may be, they themselves,” says Nemer, who teachers all over are reporting must figure out a plan that is couldn’t be any happier with the issues between students that going to prevent a fight from first batch of students taking on are sure to escalate into a big happening in the future between this type of responsibility at River argument or physical fight. the two of them. If one of the City High School. “Fighting doesn’t solve students breaks the agreement anything. Just because you win a they reach, River City’s vice Issue 5 Ou[RC]ity | October/November 2012 11 Whatever you do, don’t drink energy drinks Editorial Written By: Andrew Penn The sweet International Food death. Nearly one third in 2009 compared with Haureen Stopey; smelling, delicious Information Council of kids 12 to 14 years $6.5 billion in 2008, senior vice president tasting, cool color Foundation. U.S. old regularly consume according to John of science policy for looking monster energy teens consume an these beverages. Sicher, publisher and the Washington based drink will give you such average of about For instance in editor of Beverage American Beverage a rush, possibly as heart 60 milligrams to 70 the quad during early Digest. Association rushing as this editorial milligrams of caffeine lunch at River City Some people Enzo Leon, is. every day, and some high school Vonsia say energy drinks freshman at River I don’t like energy drinks contain Han chugged down a aren’t harmful, and City said “I don’t like energy drinks, because as much as 800 monster energy drink dangerous. They say energy drinks and they they are harmful and milligrams of caffeine. so fast it was amusing. they aren’t dangerous are in almost every pose a risk to children. Energy drinks He said, “I like energy because most main grocery store or liquor Also there are high levels are harmful because, drinks and I think they stream energy drinks store, so people are of sugar, which increase according to the are good, I would drink actually contain about going to keep buying heart rate, blood pressure authors of Journal energy drinks all the half the caffeine of them.” and can cause many Pediatrics they time if I had the money a similar size cup of I believe other health problems. increase heart rate, and to keep buying them.” coffee. that energy drinks And too many kids drink children with diabetes, Energy drinks In fact, young are bad for you and them. mood disorders are available in over adults getting coffee that people should Also there are and heart, kidney 160 countries. Last year from popular coffee not drink them, high levels of caffeine. or liver diseases. alone, over 4 billion houses are getting because some of the An 8.5 ounce can of And repercussions cans and bottles were about twice as much ingredients in energy energy drink contains that include heart consumed across the caffeine as they would drinks are unstudied 50 milligrams of palpitations, seizures, world. Sales of energy from a similar size and not regulated. caffeine according to cardiac arrest, or even drinks were $6.9 billion energy drink, said Early Start to School Day Changes Sleeping Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Habits Z Z Z Written By: Emily Bugarin you’re as impaired as somebody When it comes to starting school driving with a blood-alcohol level of after a long break like summer, teenagers think it affects them because its 1 ½ hour 0.08%, which is illegal in most states. have to drastically change their sleeping per class and we only get a half- hour lunch Not getting enough sleep can habits. Most teens are used to sleeping in break.” limit your abilities to learn, listen and and staying up late throughout summer School starts here at RCHS at 8:20 pay attention to your teachers or peers break and if that continues during school, it a.m, so students have to be up early to be when they’re speaking, forgetting may take effect on their learning ability. ready for school. Many children, especially homework, names of people, numbers, A credible source known to kids, teens, don’t like the idea of going to sleep or important dates. parents and teens is kidshealth.org/teen. at specific times but it might help them to Not acquiring enough sleep This website is funded by Nemours, which become successful throughout the school can also lead to aggressive behavior is one of the nation’s largest children’s year. towards other people and can weaken health systems. Sleep is just as important as food, your immune system. On average, teenagers need about water and air. It can also help you eat better Some tips for catching up on 9 ¼ to 9 ½ hours of sleep per night to and manage the stress of being a teenager. sleep are taking a nap when you get function properly. A recent study found that Some stay up late on school nights, and home from school, but don’t take one about 15% of teenagers sleep about 8 ½ make up for lost sleep on the weekends, close to bedtime because it can affect hours per night and are tired and worn out which can affect their sleeping habits even your sleep through the night. You by the end of the day. more should establish a wake up time and a “It’s definitely tiring. It’s harder Along with the fact that most teens time you are going to be in bed every to pay attention, especially during 4th are losing sleep, they also suffer from night; it can help your body get used period because it’s the end of the day and treatable sleep disorders. For example to how much sleep you normally get a everyone’s tired of being at school,” said insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and night. Alynah Vigil, junior at River City restless legs syndrome.

Gabe Stoltz, freshman, added, “I When you’re sleep-deprived,