The Poly Optimist John H. Francis Polytechnic High School Vol. VII 12431 Roscoe blvd. sun valley, california, 91352 January 2008 Vote ‘08 Turning Getting To Know Them Up the By Priscilla Duarte Staff Writer In 2008 we elect a new presi- Volumes dent. The OPTIMIST will fea- By Bayzig Manougian ture a column in this space each Staff Writer month on the election process. For January, we profile the Books on apples, books on three top contenders in each of farms, books on bridges, trees the two parties. and charms. The library is full of new books The books are courtesy of DEMOCRATIC English department chair Lisa Photo by Christian Banuelos Blackwell, who organized and STACKED UP: English Teacher Lisa Blackwell stocks shelves with new library books. oversaw the library reorgani- CANDIDATES zation. “I didn’t anticipate that new books would have such a great Men At Work visual impact to the library,” Blackwell said. ruary. Installation of new lights By Karinina Cruz Thanks to a $100,000 grant, The new $2.8M fire alarm and fixtures costing $570,000 Staff Writer Poly’s library received a num- system for the campus is also will replace obsolete lighting ber of shipments of new books Poly’s campus, 50 years on schedule. and improve energy efficien- during the latter half of 2007. old and counting, is getting a Another on-going project is cy. The books sat in storage for number of renovations, funded the removal of asbestos from Security cameras for Poly’s months because the library by bond measures passed in several rooms and buildings at campus are under consider- had no shelf space. 2000. Poly. ation. Los Angeles Unified Approximately $27.7M in “Public schools have high “We are exploring options School District (LAUSD) bonds was earmarked by Los standards for safety,” acting and discussions on getting the recommends that libraries BARACK OBAMA Angeles Unified School Dis- principal Gerardo Loera said. cameras,” said Loera. “The have books no more than 7 trict (LAUSD) for Poly’s cam- “Since a lot of materials used district will make the final de- “I’m asking you to be- years old. On average, Poly’s pus. Projects totaling $5.4M at Poly had asbestos, work- cisions for us.” lieve. Not just in my books were 25 years old. The are currently underway, with ers are coming in to minimize The textbook room, al- number of volumes in the li- ability to bring about $8.5M more in the planning the risks. The work is done by though not included in the BB brary was unknown and many stages. companies that specialize in bond measure funding, is slat- real change in Wash- weren’t even in the computer- Major projects include the asbestos removal.” ed to receive additional stor- ington; I’m asking you ized catalog. installation of a heating and A bus turnout off Roscoe age capacity. Blackwell removed old to believe in yours.” air conditioning system for the Blvd is currently under con- “It is overflowing with books and replaced them with ----Barack Obama auditorium as well as a new struction in preparation for books, so we are helping to new ones. She also added all sound system, a fire alarm sys- the opening of Byrd Middle find additional storage,” Loera the new books to the catalog. tem for the school and side- School across the street from said. Poly now has 16,408 books Family: Wife: Michelle; two walk construction for wheel- Poly. children: Malia, Sasha. chair access that will bring cataloged and on shelves. Ap- Birth date: 08/04/1961 Poly in compliance with the proximately 4,000 are new Birthplace: Honolulu, HI Americans with Disabilities books never before available Home City: Chicago, IL Act (ADA) to students. Six thousand more Religion: Pulsar Construction was new books remain unshelved United Church of Christ the original contractor for the and will be added after more Education: auditorium’s heating and air shelves are purchased. Harvard Law School, 1991 conditioning. The company Blackwell said the library Columbia University, 1983 walked away from the project has room for approximately Political Experience: after completing approximate- 24,344 more books, based on Senator, United States Senate, ly $1M of the work. LAUSD’s 22 books per linear feet and 2005-present facilities department will com- approximately 1,150 linear Keynote Speaker, 2004 Dem- plete the job. feet of space available. ocratic National Convention Installation of the new Los Angeles Unified School District recommends that each Senator, Illinois State Senate, sound system is scheduled for Photo by Efrain Rodriguez completion by the end of Feb- high school library have 18 [ continued on pg. 3] UP ON THE ROOF: Workers apply sealent to portico [ continued on pg. 4] Parrots, Mario On The Firemen Picks Beat Bring Joy Box Office With To Kids Hits Jimenez See Campus| Page 4 See Entertain | Page 6 See Sports | Page 8 Opinion The Poly Optimist EDITORIAL LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Reactions to K e e p i n g Graffiti Editorial Dear Editor, because they don’t think it af- I don’t think they should fects anyone, and because it’s I t C l e a n take off the writing. People not graffiti. have a hard time understand- Most of the time we take Poly isn’t a restaurant where ing art, what it is and the -Patricia Ascendio for granted the way the school you can just leave your left meaning of it. It is to express 11th grade looks. I decided to walk around over meal for a waitress to beauty in life, nature, words, the campus, empty of students clean up. We all have to take and everything else. These Dear Editor, Feedback. In my opinion I think that and faculty, to see the school the responsibility and walk a people that took the painting Dear Editor, the mural should stay. Not from a different perspective. couple of steps to properly dis- off truly don’t understand art In your December 2007 is- many people understand art It was Saturday morning, no pose of our trash. and are making the artist’s sue of the Poly Optimist, the and may be confused by see- one in sight. I wanted to check Instead of leaving your talent look as if it was a bad two articles on college issues, ing something that they think out the Polygon first since a lot plates at lunch tables, try tak- thing. Everyone is good at “Seniors Catch Sickness” is offensive, but in reality, it is of kids hang out there. ing them to the nearest trash something. Who’s to say that by Jose Perez, and “Work all just art. I’m sure it did not Everywhere I looked, I saw bin. Clean your area where their talent is not acceptable? Now, Play Later” by Jennifer say anything offensive so why trash, candy wrappers and food you chill during lunch. You’ll Miranda were outstanding -Alfredo Meza would they have to do the mu- discarded by students. feel better because your place 11th grade and timely articles. Jen- “Why is it so hard for stu- doesn’t look as bad as the next ral all over again? Dear Editor nifer writes with sincerity dents to throw away their un- group beside you. In my opinion, graffiti is I think the mural shouldn’t and maturiy. Her article is a wanted trash,” I wondered. The school looks the way it just a way of writing, just like be removed because who ever reminder to all students that I saw a half-empty trash- does because of what the stu- any language has their way of did it wasn’t doing it to make we start preparing for college can with trash right nearby, as dents do to it. We’re the ones writing. To me, graffiti is the it look like graffiti. Everyone as early as the ninth grade, if students said that it was too who are responsible. Ask your- urban way of writing and no- has their own way of show- not as seniors. Jose’s article much work to walk that extra self, am I part of the problem, body should judge the writing ing art. If this person had the was well researched and it is inch. or part of the solution. Next on the way it looks. I guess idea of portraying art like that, a reminder to seniors that the It isn’t ok to leave trash on time you see trash on the cam- people don’t understand art, then I guess it’s right and it finish line is June 30 and not the ground and justify it as pus, pick it up with Poly pride but they don’t need to under- shouldn’t offend anyone be- earlier. Good luck to all. providing work for the jani- and throw it away. stand anything to see real art. cause it doesn’t say anything tors. Teaching students the im- bad, and if they approved the -Leona Warman portance of cleanliness should -Gilbert Vargas -Joseph G. mural in the first place, it was College Counseler be a priority. 12th grade The Optimist New Years Resolutions John H. Francis Polytechnic High School By Su Kang out this year,” said History graders had graduating from 12431 Roscoe Blvd. Sun Valley, CA, 91352 Staff Writer URL: http://www.polyhigh.org/opt.jsp?rn=8388297 teacher Kitt Heilbron high school as their number “My last year’s resolution one resolution. 14% said get- The OPTIMIST inter- was to go sleep early.