Chatsworth High School The Clarion June 2008 No Time For State Universities Hiking Their Fees Reading? By Faith Lim hole in their budget. helping students. Financial $276 and students will pay about Staff Writer Beginning next year, Cal problems is like the biggest rea- $3,800 for the term, including State University students will son why kids don’t go to col- the campus-based fees, and the You’re Not Students at California uni- have to pay 10 percent more in lege,” said senior Tommy Wu. graduate fees will rise by $342 versities are going to have to the fall and UC students will “There goes my car. There or more. Alone pay more for their education. have to pay 7.4 percent or go my clothes. Students have to UC undergraduate students According to UC news- more. pay more after we graduate be- will have to pay $490 or more By Katherine Falcon room, UC President Robert “That’s a big rip off be- cause many people get loans,” and the average annual cost will News Editor Dynes said the decision to raise cause I know colleges are com- said Karen Su, a senior. be around $8,000, nor including the tuition was “agonizing but petitive and all that, but they are Undergraduate Cal State housing, books, and other ex- Americans are reading less, necessary” to help fill a gaping more into getting money than University fees will rise by penses. and more importantly, Ameri- cans are reading less well. According to an Associated What Will Press poll released on 2007, one Teachers Protest Budget Cuts in four adults read no books at all in the past year. Last No- Seniors Miss vember, in a National Endow- By Kishi Smith ment for the Arts (NEA) report Staff Writer entitled “To Read or Not to The Most? Read: A question of National Teachers staged a one-hour By Huong Nguyen Consequence,” they came up protest Friday morning to dem- with new statistics. Amongst Editor-In-Chief onstrate their objection to cuts the various changes, they con- to education in the state budget cluded that Americans are read- After four years of high that could cost LAUSD $350 ing less, and that Americans are school, the seniors of the class million next year. reading less well. of 2008 are preparing to gradu- More than 100 teachers, Among 17 year olds, the ate taking with them a diploma, many dressed in red t-shirts, NEA report concluded that the and many memories. gathered at the corner of Lur- percentage of non-readers dou- Sprinting to class just to line and Vintage before march- bled over a 20-year period in make it there before the tardy ing to Desoto Avenue carrying 1984 to 19 percent in 2004. signs saying “Save our schools. bell, hundreds of lunchtimes Reading scores for 12 th grade Stop the budget cuts.” Teachers spent mingling with the friends readers fell drastically from signed into work an hour late, Staff Photo by Kishi Smith that you get to see everyday, 1992 to 2005. which meant giving up an Teachers and staff protested proposed cuts in education by staying and exciting field trips to new Reasons for this decline in hour’s pay. out of class for an hour Friday morning. places are all part of the high interest range from lack of time “As a group, this is the school experience that gradu- to lack of interesting books. only way legally to make a present though due to grad being able to take first period ates are going to miss so much. “Due to an overwhelming in- point,” said Mrs.Aviv. Asked night the night before. off and play basketball. We “I’m going to miss being flux of homework I am unable if she thinks the protest will In the gym many students should have these days more part of a sports team and the to read in my spare time,” said have an affect, she said “not played basketball as the stu- often” entire high school experience in Junior Imelda Hondunougbo. 100 percent but it will do some- dents at the football field sat in Principle Guy said his po- general,” said senior Andy School psychologist Mo- thing.” the bleachers until dismissed to sition wasn’t a matter of agree- jgan Mikail believes that the Ouano. Mrs.Aviv as well as many homeroom. Teachers who did ing or disagreeing but that he main reason for this, like Many seniors have estab- other teachers said that she is not participate in the walkout, didn’t see the purpose. His Hondunougbo said, is a larger lished a regular spot everyday doing this for the probationary substitute teachers, and other main concern was the safety of quantity of homework than that to be with their friends and teachers (including her brother, staff members were in charge the students. “I don’t like any- of which students are able to these are the last couple weeks Mr. Sark) whose jobs are now of watching the students during thing where the students are manage. they will be hanging out there. on the line due to the proposed this time. being affected,” he said. And while some may love “I’m going to miss “’The budget cuts. Students seemed to Guy said there were no the feel of a new book, others Bench’,” said senior Christian When students arrived for enjoy themselves in the gym as problems during the demonstra- see books as more of a burden. school they were greeted with many mingled with other stu- tion. “The students behaved Bustillos. “There are way too many locked hallways and signs on dents and others played basket- themselves, there were no Some seniors take it less books to carry, and I just don’t the doors directing all ninth and ball. As with the football field fights, no arguing, no any- seriously, like Ramez Khzam, have a library in my house or tenth graders to the home side many just talked amongst thing,” he said. who jokingly said, “I am going the time and money to go Bor- football stands and all eleventh themselves and caught up on Mr. Shockley, CHS chap- to miss having homework eve- ders,” said junior Shannon and twelfth graders to the gym. some homework. Junior Noah ter chair of the teachers’ union, ryday.” Brown. Many twelfth graders were not Hershewe stated, “It was fun Continued on page 2 Continued on page 2 New media also play a role in how we read, said Mrs. Ball, the school’s librarian. Six Things You Should Know About Money “This generation is more technology-oriented than print- By Kimberly Brandon 12 years, you would have to Uncle Sam always takes don’t have to pay finance oriented,” she said. Staff writer save $880 dollars per month for his share . charges. You should always pay “The typical life of a teen- 35 years to reach that mark. The Just because you make $15 more than the minimum and ager has become a monotonous For you seniors taking your earlier you start saving, the bet- an hour, doesn’t mean you’ll pay your bill on time. Credit Continued on page 4 first steps into adulthood there ter off you’ll be. see that much when you cash card companies charge a $30 are few things more important your paycheck. Between state late fee the moment your pay- than learning how to manage Get to know the 70-20-10 and federal income taxes, So- ment is overdue. In This Edition your money. Here are six tips to rule. cial Security, Medicare and Start planning your re- You might have mad skills help you move past the piggy You spend 70 percent of your other deductions, you’ll proba- tirement now. when it comes to Guitar Hero bank and into the real world of monthly earnings for living ex- bly only take home about 75 You will most likely have 3, but these CHS string slingers personal finance. penses such as rent, food, cell percent of your total pay. Plan to save money for your own are the real deal. See page 2. phone bill, etc., the next 20 per- your budget accordingly. retirement. Chances are you Who wants to be a mil- cent is split between long-term will do this through your em- Parents say they don’t play fa- lionaire? investments and debt, such as Don’t get too comfortable ployer’s 401 k plan. A 401k vorites, but that hasn’t stopped Have you ever imagined credit card bills. For the final 10 with your credit card. allows you to save for retire- the timeless debate over how long would it take to be- percent you put aside 5 percent Having a credit card is a ment while putting off income whether older or younger sib- come a millionaire? If you start for emergencies and 5 percent good way to build your credit taxes until you retire and actu- lings have it better . See page at the age 18 and save $445 dol- for specific goals like vacations, score and is very useful for ally use the money. Many em- 3. lars a month, by the time you’re shopping, and entertainment. emergencies. But if you don’t ployers will match part of your 65 you will be a millionaire, This sort of budget will help use it wisely you may find that contribution. For example, if Junior Leah Streb will head to assuming you made 5 percent you secure yourself financially the debt adds up quickly.