November 2019
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the Carmel Sandpiper A CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT PUBLICATION VOLUME XXXIX NOVEMBER 2019 thesandpiper.org COMMUNITY Homelessness CHS cheer team advocates in Monterey for qualification as a sport yhokjkhjgjhgExperiences & Resources Read more on page 11 BY ATHENA FOSLER-BRAZIL On a clear Saturday morning on the streets and 19 percent were in October, tables and stoves are living in vehicles. Of the people set up in the picnic area of El Es- surveyed, 59 percent reported fi- tero Park in Monterey, and volun- nancial issues as the reason they teers from various local churches lost their homes. chat with and cook for the people The Coalition of Homeless they are there to serve: Monterey’s Service Providers is an organiza- homeless population. People ar- tion of nonprofits that oversees rive steadily as breakfast is pre- and funds homeless services in pared, coming by foot, in cars or Monterey and San Benito Coun- on bikes to the breakfast provided ties. They have various projects by Pass the Word Ministry. They they’re working on, one of which line up and wait for coffee, eggs is promoting the construction of and potatoes that may constitute very low income housing in Mon- their only hot meal that day. terey County. California has the highest “In general, communities number of homeless out of all where people have to pay more photo by NORAH BAJARI the states, with roughly 130,000 than one third of their income The CHS cheer team performs at halftime during the 2019 Shoe Game on Aug. 30. people living without permanent on housing have very high lev- Senior captain Makayla Head wants her team to be qualified as an official school residence on any given night, ac- els of homelessness,” says Elliott cording to the California Public Robinson, interim executive of- sport to get more funding and recognition from the school. Policy Institute. While it’s com- ficer at the Coalition of Homeless mon knowledge that homelessness Service Providers. “Extremely DISTRICT is a widespread issue in California, affordable housing means hous- with homelessness in Oakland and ing that is affordable to people CUSD examines potential late- Los Angeles jumping 47 and 12 earning 30 percent of the average percent, respectively, in the last median income—for Monterey two years, some aspects of home- that is $18,900 per year. For con- start schedules with fall 2021 lessness are similar across the state text, someone earning minimum and nation, but other factors can wage...would earn $22,880 if they implementation in mind vary dramatically from area to area were working full time at a mini- BY ALICIA KRUEGER utes you’re going to see a huge difference.” based on the attitudes of locals, de- mum wage job in a business with Lyons believes that, as a result of this, the mographics and what services are less than 26 employees.” Carmel Unified School District plans to district will see higher attendance rates, lower provided in a given community. While the Coalition oversees adjust Carmel Middle School’s start time to tardy rates, higher engagement during first According to a man who goes services and manages state funds, 8 a.m. and Carmel High School’s start time period and high attention and retention rates. by Doyle, a fisherman from Ven- they are not direct service provid- to 8:30 a.m. by fall 2021 in order to abide Lyons emphasizes that he thinks that allowing tura, being homeless in Monterey ers, and each shelter and housing by Senate Bill No. 328. Signed on Oct. 13 the teenage brain to “wake up” is what will is easier than being homeless in program does things a little differ- by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the bill says that make these differences, referring to himself as larger cities. ently. According to Reyes Bonilla, all non-rural public and charter high schools a “huge advocate” for the late start time as he “Monterey’s got it pretty executive director of Community will be banned from beginning class before made a similar transition three years ago at his good,” Doyle says. “People have Homeless Solutions in Marina, 8:30 a.m., and middle schools will be banned previous high school, El Rancho High in Pico it pretty easy, it’s easy to survive some housing programs are by ap- from beginning class before 8 a.m., begin- Rivera, California. here.” The fisherman came to plication, like their 12-bed transi- ning in fall 2022. “Everybody universally appreciated it,” Monterey following employment, tional housing program for wom- This bill was signed to allow students to Lyons explains. “Kids liked it, obviously, but has been living on the streets en and children fleeing domestic get more sleep, as the National Sleep Foun- because they didn’t have to start right at the since mid-summer. He goes to abuse. dation recommends teens sleep eight to ten beginning of dawn and teachers because they the docks every morning, looking According to Jennifer, a wom- hours, but it may come at a cost. Shorten- didn’t have to rush right into their first class. for an opportunity to go out on a an who moved to Monterey with ing the school day would require changes They could get some prep work done. We felt boat and earn money. Though he a former boyfriend before losing to the district’s transportation, extracurricu- that it was something that was really posi- is planning on returning to Ventura her home, services for women are lar schedules and possibly even class allot- tive.” soon, Doyle admits that services lacking in Monterey County, and ment. In a districtwide November newsletter, In 2006, a nationwide survey by the Na- like the Saturday morning break- it’s more dangerous to be a woman Superintendent Barb Dill-Varga recognized tional Sleep Foundation determined that only fasts hosted by Pass the Word on the streets. She spent time in these obstacles as she explained the likeli- 15 percent of teens reported sleeping at least Ministry and other nonprofit or- Santa Cruz County the first time est option at this point: Flip the elementary eight and a half hours on school nights, likely ganizations make it easier to find she was homeless, an area known and middle/high school start times, mean- causing a threat to their academic success and resources in Monterey. “We don’t for its homeless services. ing grades kindergarten through fifth would health. have anything like this down in “For women it’s dangerous begin at 7:45 a.m. and grades sixth through “By the time I get home from a practice or Ventura...homeless people have to [on the streets], and there’s noth- twelfth at 8:30 a.m. game, I have to stay up until midnight at the ear- try a lot harder, it’s a bigger area.” ing for us here,” says Jennifer, “Your brain needs time to wake up and liest to finish all my homework,” sophomore According to a survey of the who was recently evicted from her get ready,” Carmel High Principal Jonathan three-sport varsity athlete Addie Crabbe says. homeless in Monterey County apartment after coming out of five Lyons says. “We are seeing juniors and se- “That means I am getting six hours of sleep at done by the Coalition of Home- niors purposefully arrange their schedules the most and that’s really hard to do five days a to begin with academic classes and end with less Service Providers based in HOMELESSNESS LATE START Seaside, out of the roughly 2,400 more activity-oriented ones in order to transi- surveyed, 22 percent were living CONT. ON 4 tion themselves into after school activities, so CONT. ON 5 if we can slide everything back even 45 min- 2 LETTERS thesandpiper.org NOVEMBER 2019 THE SANDPIPER Letters to the Editor STAFF Students need to take Learning is more important Editor-in-chief: Ellah Foster responsibility for speeding than the AP credit The problem of speeding is important and It is refreshing to see such a revelation in Layout editor: Athena Fosler-Brazil, Kylie actions for a resolution need to take place. the system in regard to how AP classes are Yeatman Having been a passenger in many adults’ structured. Even if it is only in US History, it vehicles, I do agree that the problem is not is definitely a step in the right direction. AP Online Editor: Alicia Krueger entirely on CHS students. But I do think that classes should be about refining work ethic teaching young drivers the importance of and understanding underlying principles, not road safety is a good start. It would be a good memorizing material in the hopes of getting a Copy Editors: Zoe Garderet, Jordi Faxon, idea for CHS to take more initiative and draw five on the AP Exam. It provides more of an Cassie Gorman, Martin Sevcik, Andrew attention to this. incentive for students who have developed a Wang, Anastasia Zolotova Although there is not one answer to this stigma surrounding AP classes, despite their problem, CHS students need to be more aware interest in the subject. For that reason, I be- of the dangers of reckless driving. Possible lieve that the steps taken in dual enrollment Staff Reporters: Emma Brown, Arielle ideas to bring conversation on this topic to will be beneficial to students’ future endeavors Castagna, Cara Conner, Logan Falkel, campus can vary. For example, posters across in regards to college. Michelle Foley, Jack Jarvis, Mia Kotelec, campus, speakers or even punishments could Michael Lakind, Maxton Michie, Alicia help enforce this among students.