The Magnet ChroniclesVolume II John C. Fremont Magnet High School March 24, 2010 Issue VIII 7676 S. San Pedro St. Los Angeles, CA 90003

In an effort not to implement the new schedule, known as the 4 by 4 block schedule, the Local School Lead-ership Council (LSLC) unanimously voted against the 4 by 4 schedule that is expected to be implemented for the new semester.

However, the vote does not count, according to an e-mail response by Superintendent Cortines. “The 4 by 4 was never mentioned prior to the meeting and was not an agenda item,” he wrote.

New agenda items are supposed to be submitted to the principal or the UTLA Chair 72 hours prior to the meet-ing in order for them to be placed on the agenda, Mr. Cortines said.

The new agenda item that op-posed the 4 by 4 block schedule was not placed on the main agenda, but the origi-nal agenda was sent to the principal, ac-cording to Ms. N. Garcia, a Local School Leadership Member.

“The agenda was sent out, but once in the meeting we can add whatever we want -- as long as the members who were their allow it,” said Ms. N .Garcia.

School principal Mr. Balderas said the vote that the LSLC proposed would not count for the new semester be-cause decisions made by LSLC can only affect the current school year, not the next. “The decision for the local school leadership won’t be there the new year of July because decisions made by local school leadership council can affect the policy for that particular school year and the contract ends on June 30th, because it’s a new year and restructuring and the federal law,” said Mr. Balderas.

The 4 by 4 block schedule at this point is at an unsure state. Local school leadership is trying to do all in their power to prevent the 4 by 4 schedule to be implemented while Mr. Balderas is trying to do all in his power to implement it, which is why it’s still vague what will happen and if the 4 by 4 schedule will be

On March 17, parents, teach-ers, and students gathered in front of Fremont to protest the upcoming re-structuring.

Protestors rattled empty bot-tles filled with rocks as they chanted in unison up and down the street and pass-ing cars honked to support the cause.

“We won’t stand for this any

4x4 Schedule DebatedBy Ramon Torres

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longer,” said parent Mirna Rico, “This isn’t real reform. Real reform will come out when we are sitting right there next to them at the table making the deci-sions.”

Teachers and district em-ployees from other schools around the South Los Angeles area also traveled to participate in the protest.

Community Members Protest Fremont Restructuring By Gisela Alvarez

Some students cover their mouths with tape during the March 17tth protest in front of Fremont to symbolize their exclusion from the restructuring process. Gisela Alvarez

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Fremont English teacher Mr. Taylor said, “We need to show them here and now that we will not stand for this, because if they can do it here at Fremont, they can do it anywhere.”

Previously, members of the community also gathered for commu-nity walks over the weekend in order to pass out flyers announcing the pro-test and informing readers about the

restructuring. Teams consisting of a teacher, a parent, and a student walked between 74th street and 78th street from San Pedro St. to Main St.

“We also went to some of the local churches,” said special education teacher Ms. Bennett. “We didn’t col-lect as many signatures, but we did get the information out there to the com-munity.”

As we all know, Fremont is go-ing through a restructuring process. Teach-ers and other Fremont staff are given the choice of reapplying to Fremont -- this though, will not guarantee they will be re-hired. If they don’t reapply, then teachers will be sent to other LAUSD schools, ex-cept Fremont. The idea of not having the teachers they are familiar with is dev-astating to some students.

Students say it is a confusing de-cision to make, whether to stay or leave. “I think juniors should stay because it is [go-ing to be] our senior year and we should graduate where we started off,” said Mag-net junior Crystal Gutierrez. “It’s not going to make a difference if we move or stay, our teachers are going to be different.”

Some students said that with the changes Fremont and Magnet are go-ing to go through next year, Fremont will not improve. “I think we should leave Fre-mont because the changes that are going to happen are not very good. For example, the 4x4 schedule is going to make classes

Some Students Look For Alternatives To Fremont

By Maureen Medinalonger. That is why I’m changing to King Drew Medical Magnet High,” said Magnet junior Humberto Alvarado. “I think par-ents should be informed of what is happen-

ing, because my mom went to a meeting and now she knows the deal with Fremont. [My mom] thinks other parents should get in-volved to make a difference and let both the voices of par-ents and stu-dents be heard,”

he said.Some counselors and staff urge

their students to consider staying. Magnet Coordinator Mr. Footlick said, “They [stu-dents] are making a mistake, the Magnet program is a strong program with a weak-ness in math, that’s why we have setup our advisories to help with the math scores, to raise them to double digits.”

Magnet Counselor Ms. Carter ac-knowledges that many students are confused and unsure of what is to happen. Nonethe-less, she would like for Magnet students to stay. “ I don’t think students should leave Fremont, especially if they are in the 11th grade. They should at least stay for their last year and give it a try,” she said.

Student looks at Choices Booklet. Mariela Martinez

Time Mins

Breakfast 7:00-7:29 29

Block 1 7:35-9:05 90

Block 2 9:12-10:42 90

Lunch C 10:42-11:13 31

Advisory C 11:20-11:51 31

Advisory B 10:49-11:20 31

Lunch B 11:20-11:51 31

Block 3 11:58-1:28 90

Block 4 1:34-3:04 90

Time Mins

Breakfast 7:00-7:29 29

Block 1 7:35-9:05 90

Block 2 9:12-10:42 90

Lunch A 10:42-11:13 31

Advisory A 11:20-11:51 31

Advisory B 10:49-11:20 31

Lunch B 11:20-11:51 31

Block 3 11:58-1:28 90

Block 4 1:34-3:04 90

Track C-B

Track A-B

Time Mins

Breakfast 7:00-7:29 29

Block 1 7:35-9:05 90

Block 2 9:12-10:42 90

Lunch B 10:42-11:13 31

Advisory B 11:20-11:51 31

Advisory C 10:49-11:20 31

Lunch C 11:20-11:51 31

Block 3 11:58-1:28 90

Block 4 1:34-3:04 90

Track B-C

Time Mins

Breakfast 7:00-7:29 29

Block 1 7:35-9:05 90

Block 2 9:12-10:42 90

Lunch A 10:42-11:13 31

Advisory A 11:20-11:51 31

Advisory C 10:49-11:20 31

Lunch C 11:20-11:51 31

Block 3 11:58-1:28 90

Block 4 1:34-3:04 90

Track A-C

News2

The renovation of Fremont’s foot-ball field is set to begin January of next year, according to Mr. Spielberg, Fremont’s Plant Manager.

“The work itself will start in Janu-ary, the first move will be to move the base-ball field 25ft towards the agricultural field because the foul line on the third base side will conflict with the track [because] we’re going to get an official size track so that we can have track meets here,” said Mr. Spielberg.

This renovation did not come as a surprise to many of the athletes; the idea ac-cording to Spielberg has been floating around since he got to Fremont, which was about three years ago.

But Mr. Spielberg said, “The idea really came into existence about a year and a half ago where people really started pushing,” he said.

There were a succession of meet-ings in which Mr. Spielberg, the football coach, the athletic director and others came together to set forth the plan that is now posted in the main office.

To fund the project, “the Board of Education authorized the use of $700,000 in Measure K, R and Y in joint use funds, $900,000 in Board Member Priority Funds, $450,000 in Local District 7 Alteration and Improvement funds and an anticipated 2.2

Fremont Gets A New FieldBy Jaice Mendoza

million of State Match Eligibility to provide for capital improvements of artificial turf field, synthetic track, pole vault, long jump, shot put, new football goalposts, new fencing and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gates, and upgrade to bathrooms to meet ADA re-quirements at Fremont High School,” wrote Ana M. Lasso, Acting Director of the Joint Use Development Program.

Additionally, LAUSD received $500,000 from the City of Los Angeles Propo-sition K and $200,000 from an NFL grant she also wrote.

According to Mr. Spielberg, the renovation should be completed by fall of 2011, but it’s not certain yet. Mr. Spielberg hopes we can have it done by then so Fremont can celebrate homecoming with a new field.

Many students are looking for-wards to the new field. “I can’t wait for the renovation to begin, the faster it’s done, the faster I get to play on it,” said Magnet junior Bonnie Gonzalez.

The baseball team is also excited to know they will have actual dugouts and a new mound. “It’s about time, Fremont was falling behind. A lot of other high schools already got their fields renovated, we were promised this five years ago, I’m just glad it’s finally going to happen, “ said Junior Varsity Coach, Mr. Penados.

Parents Come Together To Discuss Fremont’s PlanBy Ramón Torres

Community members and teachers met on March 11 to compare the district and community plans for Fremont.

Teachers introduced an “action plan.” The action plan included several events parents and other community members are invited to attend in order to protest the restructuring process.

“It’s the law that we should be informed of what’s going on,” said parent Mirna Rico, “It’s impossible as parents to be on top of our children and help them and guide them in their edu-cation if we are not informed.”

Postcards were given to every-one who attended the meeting to fill out their name and write a brief message to be sent to School Board members and Parents meet at The Praises of Zion Church to discuss Fremont’s plan for restructuring.

Mariela Martinez

Student Speaks Out Against Violence In the CommunityBy Jaice Mendoza

Recently, I was a victim of crime. On my way home, down Manchester Ave. towards Avalon, I was stopped and mugged at gun point. The man took what little money I had and immediately fled the scene.

A little over a year ago, my mother too was a victim of crime. She was on her way home from work, on Broad-way and 85th, when an intoxicated woman shot her. Luckily the woman was too high to have sufficient aim to shoot my mother in a vital area -- so my mother managed to escape with a wound to the leg.

For Fremont students, a simple task, like walking home from school, can sometimes prove to be a very intimidat-ing process. “When I walk with a friend I feel somewhat safer, but when I’m walk-ing alone I talk on the phone just in case anything bad happens to me,” said Brenda Robles, a Magnet senior.

Steve Asencio, a Magnet senior, said he finds it difficult to walk home at times because he feels someone is walk-ing behind him. Steve was mugged about six months ago. “I get really nervous and even walk faster,” he said. “It’s a mixed feeling of anxiety and nervousness.”

Many parents worry about their

children. They fear they may one day be the unlucky victims of a deadly crime. Mrs. Pacheco, the mother of two current Magnet students, expressed concern for the well-being of her children. In Spanish she said, “It’s dangerous for you kids to be alone at night.”

Last Month, the 77th street police station, in its monthly area profile, noted 87 robberies and 96 aggravated assaults. Officer Herrera suggested, “Students should walk in groups.”

Fremont, in order to help some of the students who have been victims of

crimes, has two psychiatric social work-ers, Ms. Huber and Ms. Rowles. Together they help students deal with the stress that comes with being victimized. Ms. Rowles commented that the programs are intended to help students deal with their specific situation or, in some cases, trauma.

“We help them talk about the issue and we try to teach students coping skills,” she said.

One of those programs that Ms. Huber and Ms. Rowles lead is CBITS (Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools.) CBITS focuses on

helping students talk about events that have had a significant impact on their lives. “You take the power out of the event when you talk about it more, and when you see others that have gone through it -- you no longer feel so alone,” said Ms. Rowles.

With the restructuring plan though, it’s not certain if Ms. Huber and Ms. Rowles’s positions will be paid for. According to Ms. Huber, “At this point it seems Fremont is not planning on having psychiatric social workers, based on the plan online.”

Many of the students who de-pend on Ms. Huber and Ms. Rowles will no longer have support.

“When I graduate, I will no lon-ger see Ms. Huber or Ms. Rowles, but the freshmen, sophomores and juniors who need help might not have it next year,” said Steve.

Fremont might not have psychi-atric social workers next year, but counsel-ing services exist outside of Fremont. For more information on some of the resource centers available, contact Ms. Huber or Ms. Rowles in Counseling Center B or e-mail us at magnetchronicles@gmail.com and we can e-mail you a list of the differ-ent counseling services available.

Police patrol along Manchester Ave. Jaice Mendoza

Fighting For A Better Education- On March 4th, students, teachers, and parents met together at Pershing Square to protest the cuts in education and the increase in the price of higher education. Fremont teachers and students attended the pro-test, hosted by United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA).

Protesters Unite To Save Public Education

By Nataly Flores and Jaice Mendoza

elected officials downtown to show that the community is aware and wants a say in what goes on at regarding Fremont High School. Board members’ phone numbers were given to parents so they could call them and discuss the district’s actions toward Fremont.

Petitions were given to those who attended. The purpose of these pe-titions was to spread the word though the parents so they can talk to family members, and neighbors.

“We the teachers came togeth-er to organize these meetings because no information has been given out to anybody, and enough is enough. When we move forward we move forward as a family,” said Magnet math teacher Mr. Vaca.

Sports 3

Boys Soccer Steps It Up By Nataly Flores

Manuel G

alindo

Fremont is moving up in the sports department. Take a look at the boys varsity and junior varsity teams this year.

The varsity team, led by Mag-net senior Luis Pacheco and CALA senior Abraham Raygoza, has shown significant progress from last season. This season the varsity team has had nine wins, two losses, and two tied games.

The varsity team’s coach, Mr. Gonzalez, trains the team to be unified and understanding with each other with drills that involve multiple players.

The team has become close, according to the players. “This team is my family,” said Magnet sophomore Emanuel Co-rona.

However, let’s not forget the JV team. This team has played an important role in the improvement of the varsity team. JV is the foun-dation for the varsity team.

This year’s JV team, led by Christian De La Tore and Jesus Espino, have shown their strength with their statistics. They have won nine games, lost once, and tied once in this season. With these statistics, Fremont’s

JV team took the league championship for the season.

Team members said they en-joy playing among each other and that they only await the day they get called up to play varsity.

The girls varsity soccer team dominated the competition this season. Last season reflected the capabilities of a unified team, but this season’s results reflect that Fremont soccer has no limits.

On March 6, the Fremont girls varsity soccer team played their final game against Narbonne High School and came out on top, with the end score being 1-0.

In the first half, both teams strug-gled to get to the opponent’s goal. Several plays were developed but broken down by the defense before any immediate danger could happen.

Fremont began to shoot from out of the penalty box but Narbonne’s goalie re-fused to let the ball into the net. The first half ended 0-0.

When the second half began, Fremont seemed to have taken control. Fre-mont’s girls began to construct very effective

plays and soon found themselves prepared for a corner kick.

Jessenia Torres (Turtle), a B-track senior, went down to Narbonne’s side of the field to take the kick. She centered it over the opponents and the ball rebounded out. Turtle caught the ball as it bounced out and kicked it in for a goal.

After that goal, Fremont was up 1-0. Narbonne tried to score, but luck did not favor them when the final result read 1-0 and Fremont was the team on top.

After the game, several players said this season’s results were much owed to the discipline and dedication that each indi-vidual player put forth.

“It was a long season and it took a lot of hard work. The team made it as far as we did because we wanted it,” said AIR senior Veronica Aguilar.

Fremont’s varsity boys volley-ball team had a crippling game against Huntington Park, losing three sets and win-ning one.

The first set took Fremont’s boys by surprise, losing 11 to 25. The second set was no different from the first.

Fremont kept aiming to get the ball over the net, though it con-stantly proved to be a difficult task.

With every missed serve and failed dig, Fremont gave their opponent

the upper hand. Fremont’s back row had trouble

keeping the ball up in the first two sets and the ball kept finding Fremont’s open spac-es, resulting in the Pathfinders losing the

second set 13 to 25. However, the tables

seem to have turned when Fremont took the lead during the third set. The boys started to communicate and focus on

the getting the ball over the net. Little by little, the varsity team took the third set.

Then, “it came down to who

made the first mistake,” said volleyball Coach Orozco. Fremont could not lose any more sets or they would lose the game.

T h e fourth set proved to be a challenge for both teams as the score went back and forth.

Unfortunately, Fremont was not the victor; the final result was 22 to 25, in favor of Huntington Park High School.

After the game, the varsity team reflected on their mistakes. “We needed

to have played with the same intensity we showed in the third set throughout the

whole game,” said volleyball captain Julio Me-lendrez.

As the team discussed their flaws, it came to show that “communication is what the players need to work on,” said coach Orozco.

Ultimately, the team shared the thought that “if we play hard, and correct our mistakes, we can take the season,” as said by varsity player Oswaldo Alvarado.

Fremont’s Volleyball Foresees A Good Season This Year By Nancy Ocon

“If we play hard, and correct our mistakes, we can take the season.”

-Oswaldo Alvarado.The boys started to communicate and

focus on getting the ball over the net.

Listen up baseball fans, the season for the 2010 MLB is on its way. The Major League Baseball website has posted the top ranking teams during the training pe-riod and those teams are: from the National League, the San Francisco Gi-ants, and from the Ameri-can League, the Tampa Bay Rays. The top teams are the best so far in the MLB since they have won the majority of their games and have few losses.

The Tampa Bay Rays count with two team leaders and those lead-ers are: Evan Longoria, who had his MLB debut on April 12, 2008 and is now going into the second year with the Tampa Bay Rays as one of the team leaders. The sec-ond team leader is Jeff Ni-emann who also had his MLB debut on April 13, 2008. These two players so far during the training season have made a big contribution

to this team. The San Francisco Giants also

count with two players on their rosters that are the team leaders; those players are Pablo Sandoval and Tim Lincecum. Pablo Sandoval plays the field as the first baseman and Tim

Lincecum plays the role of the pitcher. Both of these players bring a lot to the team, as well as the rest of the team members.

According to the MLB website, every team has

worked hard throughout winter to grow both as great players and

reach the postseason so that in the long run they can go to the World Series and show what they really

are made of. Baseball is a sport enjoyed all over the world

and not just here at our campus. So if you have never seen a baseball

game, experience it when the 2010 season starts, which is just 12 days away.

Major League BaseballBy Laura Torres

The girls varsity soccer team celebrates their victory against Narbonne High School.A. Kwong

Manuel Galindo

A Day In The Life Of Aaron Willis

By Susana ValenciaA day for Magnet junior Aar-

on Willis begins at 6:15 a.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m. He runs track, but usually plays basketball afterschool.

He has been playing basket-ball since he was about 4 years old and has received numerous awards, most of which are participation awards. “I ac-tually received an MVP trophy for my team when I was 10 years old,” he said.

However, not all has been fun and games. In 8th grade he sprained one of his ligaments in a knee while play-ing basketball. Then in 10th grade there was another incident where his arm was pushed back and sprained. “Re-cently, as of December, I got sick and I was taken to the hospital, and was diag-nosed with a virus [in] my lungs which stopped me from playing basketball for four weeks. I feel as if the virus is still in me,” he said.

Aside from basketball, music is something else that has impacted Aaron’s life. Artists such as “Drake, Kid Cudi, many underground artists and produc-ers, Lil Wayne, Ludacris and numerous R&B artists” have inspired him to look into music production and research the producers of their songs.

The inspiration these artists have had on Aaron have led him into joining a music program called Loop Dreams, a program that is founded and looked over by Kanye West. Aaron men-tions, “Music keeps me focused.” He seems to always have his earphones on.

He tries not to let basketball and music take over his options. “I’m thinking about being an accountant,” he said.

To do so, he will need to work hard for it, and go to college. “It would mean a lot if I accomplished my goal because I would be the one everyone in my family is proud of.”

The Back-to-Back ChampsBy Luis Pacheco

Aaron prepares to take a shot during basket-ball practice. Jaice Mendoza

Profile:

Opinion4

The Magnet Chronicles is an open forum for student expression made by students for students. We believe

that students have the right to investigate the things that affect them and express their opinion. We, The Magnet

Chronicles, do not express the opinion of John C. Fre-mont as a whole; rather, we give students the opportu-

nity to talk about the issues they truly care about.

Editors In Chief Jaice Mendoza, Mariela Martinez, Luis Pacheco; Copy Editor Jessica Membreno; Layout Editor Nataly Flores; Opinion/Science&Tech. Editor Emanuelle Lopez; Entertainment/Student Life Editor Karla Barron; Photo Editor Laura Torres; Staff Marylu Ortiz, Susana Valencia, Ramón Machuca, Jesus Buenrostro, Vicktor Zuniga, Manuel Galindo, Gisela Alvarez, Sindi Alvarado, Vanessa Figueroa, Maureen Medina, Nancy Ocon, Ramon Torres; Advisor Riley McDonald

The

Every year flowers blossom, the leaves grow back on trees, and California Standardized Testing (CST) begins. The CST is used as a tool to measure how well a student is doing in a wide range of subjects. Then you can use the scores as a guide to help you improve your scores in the areas where the most attention is required.

The test is administered once a year in mathematics, English, science and social studies. The scores are used as the basis of our school’s API. All Fre-mont students have pride in our many sports teams, and if you’re on a team you try your hardest. Well, everyone at Fre-mont is on a team and it’s called Fremont High School, and, come CST testing, ev-ery member of this team should try their hardest.

We all like to brag about our new tennis shoes and iPods, and if we all do well on the CST we can also brag about that. The better we do, the better the school looks, and the better our teachers look. Getting good grades is the first step to success on the CST. And, let’s face it, it’s pretty cool not getting homework for a week while we’re testing.

Fremont is about to go through a restructuring and if every student at Fre-mont had tried a bit harder during CST testing last year, then there would be a possibility that the restructuring would not be happening. Now it’s too late and the restructuring is going to happen, but if the students try harder they can show the district how students are learning and how all of our teachers do their jobs.

Well, no matter what your opin-ion may be regarding the CST, you should still try your best. Eat a good breakfast, go to sleep early and get to class on time during CST week, because whether you like the test or not, you’re still going to get a letter home with your results, and below basic in math and English makes both you and the school look bad.

CST: Moving Forward

By Jesus Buenrostro

People hate it when they can’t find a key on their keyboard when first learning to type; all the keys are scrambled and placed into what seems to be random locations. It gets so frustrating that at times you wonder why the idiot who de-cided to invent the keyboard didn’t put them in alphabetical order.

According to Wikipedia, the current English keyboard lay-out, dubbed the “QWERTY” layout because of the first six letters on the top left of the keyboard, was in-vented in the late 1800s by inventor Christopher Latham Sholes in an attempt to prevent keys on a type-writer from clashing. His layout of letters worked to stop the clashes and has been used ever since.

Keys are now impervious to clashing with each other due to the digital and electronic properties that we have installed in them. So, why are we still using the “QWER-TY” layout? It makes no sense.

Quitting QWERTY: Abandoning The Layout

By Emanuelle Lopez

Imagine a Wednesday at Fre-mont where there are no more than 100 people walking around the school; doesn’t seem likely. The sad truth is that this scenario might come true because many students have decided that they will not return to Fremont next year.

I personally decided not to return to Fremont. There are just too many problems; many teachers have al-ready said that they will not return. The school’s schedule is going to change, and the possibility of uniforms has been mentioned. This leaves me wondering what type of teacher I will have next year and whether or not I will even have the correct classes considering that the layoffs will occur and LAUSD has not found teachers to replace those that will be fired. Some staff, teachers, and stu-dents have tried to convince me to stay

Confusion Sends a Fremont Student Away

By Manuel Galindo

Vacations are coming up, and what are you going to do while many other students are job hunting? The best feeling in the world is knowing you have money to fold in your wallet rather than walking down the street with the clink-ing noises of change in your pocket. Stu-dents run up and down the street trying to get applications for jobs so that they can be occupied during the summer and make it rain.

Mommy and daddy aren’t al-ways going to be there to provide you with all the money in the world. A job puts money in a student’s wallet and you can actually get what you want. It gives a student a taste of what the real world is like. They learn to appreciate everything that they own and also learn the true val-ue of money.

Work can teach a student to be responsible, show respect and become a better person. Jobs are always available; it’s just that students nowadays are lazy to work for money and rely on others to meet their needs and wants. Jobs make students become more independent and help improve their social skills.

but I say no. And I hope many other stu-dents do the same.

For the students who don’t yet know, the restructuring will occur not just this year but for the next 3 to 4 years. This means that even once you’ve gotten accustomed to your new teachers, there is still the possibility that they will not be there the next year. In other words, we’re screwed. Several staff members, and some teachers have told me that I shouldn’t worry too much, that everything is going to be okay. But this isn’t true because they don’t know what will really happen, no one does, at least not yet. See, in my opinion, it’s al-ways better to be safe than sorry. What if the worst does happen and I’m not ready? Then I end up losing. But if I’m prepared then there will be no problems for me in the future.

However, a problem brought on by the layout remains: typing speeds have remained low for most people.

In this day and age where computers, and thus keyboards, have become essentials, keyboards are a problem. The average key-boarding speed is only 33 words per minute.

Why not create a new layout for keyboards that’s in al-phabetical order? Such a change would most surely increase typing times.

I can imagine it already: people, especially beginners, typ-ing their essays, letters, or any work, in a much more convenient amount of time because of their capability to locate any letter-key quickly and efficiently. Sure, those of us who have learned to type us-ing the “QWERTY” layout will have to learn again, but the new generation will have it easier.

StudentsOn The Job

By Ramon Machuca

Qwerty keyboard shows a portion of it’s keys.Manuel Galindo

Magnet Chronicles

Manuel Galindo

Opinion 5

One, two, three, four, five, and six. I’m going to search you, get up and bring your things. You’ve just been “randomly” chosen for a drug search. I think this one through six count is unfairly counted. They just look at a person and make an assumption about them and “randomly” pick them. Who are they to say, “Hey you, I’m going to search your backpack”? It is degrading to have someone you don’t even know go through your personal belongings and still have the nerve to ask ques-

Invasion Of Privacy Or Safety Precautions?When we walk into school,

we are all asked to show our student IDs and some of us get our backpack searched. These searches are meant for our safety, and yet many people complain about getting searched.

When we get searched, most of us think: “Why are they searching me? I don’t have a gun!” But, if the school didn’t check our backpacks, then what’s to stop some crazed luna-tic from posing as a student and start-ing a shooting rampage? If you have nothing to hide, then don’t be afraid of getting searched.

These searches are simple and easy, but it would be a lot bet-ter if there were more drug-sniffing canines on campus. I don’t know how everyone else feels, but I would like my school to be a drug-free environ-ment. If dogs were implemented on campus, then there would be noth-ing on campus that violates school policy.

Then, there are some of you that feel the searches are bad because you can get your iPod or PSP taken away. Well first of all, you can’t have your electronics confiscated, and sec-ond, these items shouldn’t even be at

ProBy Jesus Buenrostro

ConBy Ramon Torres

school. There are no negative sides to the searches. The school doesn’t take away our rights or our electronics, all it takes away is danger.

The searches are intended to keep us safe, and who doesn’t like to be safe? Fremont is in a neighbor-hood where people get beat up and killed all the time for just walking down the street. Students shouldn’t have to worry about getting stabbed or shot at school, and these searches make sure that doesn’t happen.

Teachers, are you having trouble with your students? Yes? Well how about this for a suggestion: smack the kid upside the head or bust out the leather belt.

Okay, don’t really do that be-cause it could get you fired. Trust me, it’s preferable that you get fired due to bud-

get cuts instead of getting fired because you hit a student.

C o r p o r a l punishment is actually against the law here in California and if it is practiced

Corporal PunishmentBy Luis Pacheco

tions about something they see in your bag, as if it’s any of their business. It’s an invasion of privacy. As stated in “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” we are protected against “arbi-trary interference with… privacy.” Why is it that a law protects our privacy in the real world but not in school. Aren’t school officials breaking the law if you really think about it? It contradicts the purpose of laws that we are supposed to follow as law-abiding citizens who are supposed to follow the “law.”

These embarrassing searches make me and other students feel infe-rior by the fact that they pull you out of class. It takes time out of your school work. Also, they stop you when you’re walking into school as if they were cops pulling you over for something you did wrong. I’m not a criminal.

Students should not be catego-rized as suspects without an adequate reason. We shouldn’t be looked at as if we are felons. We are students, not criminals just because we live in the inner city. Students come to school for one reason: to learn. Not to be looked at like delinquents who constantly need to be searched.

not only can you get fired, you can get sent to jail.

However, I think corporal pun-ishment should be implemented in all schools. Do you know how many prob-lems this would solve?

Think about it. We wouldn’t have students joking around in class any-more because they would fear the embar-rassment of getting their butt whipped with an aerodynamic pallet. This means that students would be more focused on doing their work and who knows it might even bring test scores up.

We wouldn’t have ditchers ei-ther because they would know that the consequence of them being caught would include a whipping from the dean and a whipping from their parents when they

got home.Not only would we have

more students paying attention and attending class, but corporal

punishment would also prepare students for life because it would

make students more respectful and dis-ciplined. Some people just need a firm spanking to set them straight.

Every once in a while you think “I wish this school did ‘this or that’ differently.” Well believe it or not, there is a place on campus where students actually have deci-sion making power. In the School Site Council and Local School Leadership Council, students, teach-ers, and parents all have equal vot-ing power in deciding the things that happen at Fremont.

I am a member of the School Site Council and, as such, I have the power to vote on whether Fremont spends funds on saving teacher and coaching positions, after school pro-grams, or new printers. The members of the Local School Leadership vot-ed on the uniform policy that will be implemented at Fremont next year. The School Site Council deals with bigger picture items like budget and the overall plan for Fremont, while the Local School Council deals with day to day things like schedules and dress codes.

All these things are sure

Student Site CouncilBy Mariela Martinez

to affect you in some way and I bet most students don’t even know these councils exist. I happen to believe that being a member of these coun-cils is something very powerful. It’s the only place where student and parents get to have a voice and real democratic power, the lack of which is becoming all the more evident with this new restructuring process.

The decisions of this school year’s SSC and LSL council are go-ing to be void come July, but the school is still required by law to have these councils and voting mem-bers in them. That means all hope is not lost. At a time when it seems as if the district and principal are not taking the voice of the community seriously, these councils still exist, equaling the playing field, if only just a little. We, as a student body and as a community, need to demand more of this decision-making power so that decisions that affect us will actually get by a student or two be-fore they are implemented.

Manuel Galindo

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The Magnet Chronicles in now online!TheMagnetChronicles.wordpress.com

Check out our website for daily updates about news at Fremont.

Manuel Galindo

Manuel Galindo

Science & Tech6

Tomorrow’s Bluetooth SystemBy Vicktor Zuniga

When you think of the future of phones, you think of them being a lot smaller. Just a simple ear piece, and sometimes a little credit card type de-vice. But have you ever thought that your skin could be used to control your phone?

Researchers from Carn-egie Mellon University and Microsoft Research have de-veloped an arm band with a simple pro-jector that can project a phone’s

Mechanical, ethically driven machines have always been consid-ered to take the place of humans on the battlefield. However, it’s not until re-cently that countries have taken action to make it happen.

Countries such as India have offered thousands of dollars to engi-neering students to come up with their own fully autonomous ground vehicles to be used for defense research on be-half of the military. Even Australia, in a partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense, is looking to students to create the next generation of robots, with the research award funds being over half a million dollars.

The US military has also been working on developing autonomous robots and in 2005 set up a five hun-dred and two billion dollar program to have at least a third of the army be autonomous, excluding the actual cost

The Science Behind FearBy Ramon Machuca

Fear is a chain reaction in the brain that starts with a stressful stimu-lus and ends with the release of chem-icals that cause a racing heart, fast breathing and energized muscles. The stimulus could be triggered through looking at shadows, the sound of a cat’s “meow” and even the X-Files’ theme song.

The brain is a complex organ with more than 100 billion nerve cells communicating every sense, thought and action we make. Other nerve cells produce autonomic responses where fear primarily comes from. We don’t know when to trigger it or how, we just naturally do it. Ev-ery single part of the brain is working, but certain parts of the brain play roles in the process:

·Thalamus- decides where

High AsA KiteBy Manuel GalindoWhen I was a little kid I read a

book about a boy who built a flying de-vice that allowed him to soar through the sky. Ever since, my dream has been to someday fly. Well that day might come sooner than I thought thanks to the new Martin Aircraft Jetpack.

The Martin Aircraft Company has created a jetpack that will sell for $75,000. This is actually quite cheap considering the company originally in-tended for $100,000.

The Martin jetpack is one of the most technologically advanced pieces of aeronautical technology, ca-pable of reaching speeds of 65 miles per hour, with enough force to lift 600 pounds and the ability to hover up to an estimated 8000 feet above ground. The jetpack weighs 535 pounds, is ap-proximately 5.5 feet tall, and is made of a carbon composite fiber. Though it may seem like a lot for a jetpack to weigh, ac-cording to part 103 of the FAA ultra light regulations, it is lightweight and it does not require a pilot’s license to use it.

Even though the user is not re-quired to have a license the Martin Jet-pack company gives proper training to the buyer before purchase.

Reusable BottlesBy Mariela MartinezPlastic is a material that has

been embraced by companies and homes for its durability and cheapness, but it is those very qualities that make plastic harmful to the environment. It is practically indestructible because it takes thousands of years for one piece of plastic to degrade. Think about it like this, the plastic bags and bottles that you use on a day to day basis will be around for generations to come. When humanity becomes extinct our plastic waste will still remain.

Plastic is made up of polyvinyl, a product of the non-renewable resource petroleum. Also, the process for making plastic releases large amounts of toxic gases into the atmosphere and consumes large amounts of fossil fuels.

The “Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” also called “Plastic Soup,” is an area that’s twice the size of the United States in the Pacific Ocean where gar-bage washed away from the land accu-mulates, and most of it is plastic. Plastic can only be made into smaller and small-er pieces of plastic, never really degrad-ing, leaving small particles that are di-gested by marine animals that eventually die from the accumulation of poisonous chemicals. Plastic is 90% of all trash floating in the ocean. And if that’s not enough to make you look at your plas-tic bottles with disdain, think about this: many plastic bottles also contain BPA, a chemical that has been linked to mental retardation in small children and a cause of infertility in women.

This is why I encourage people to buy reusable water bottles made of aluminum steel or safe plastics and reus-able grocery bags made of cloth or recy-cled material. Doing this can reduce the amount of plastic waste everyday when you use it. There are many stylish de-signs and colors for bottles so it might be a stylish accessory to some, and they are available at most Targets and Wal-Marts. So make sure to say “no plastic please” and help reduce the use of plastic waste.

of war. Currently, however, trained soldiers control semi-autonomous robots de-ployed in Iraq from a safe distance.

A l t h o u g h the idea of robotic armies has become the new goal of over forty-three coun-tries, it has begun to cause pub-lic unrest. Mainly due to the pop-ular theo-ries, sug-gesting that m a c h i n e s will one day become comple te ly

Artificial IntelligenceBy Gisela Alvarez

sentient or irreparably malfunction and run amok destroying civilization and

killing humans, as depict-ed by popular movies like the Terminator series and Robocop.

There has been a reported attack of a ro-botic prototype that killed nine people before it could be stopped. The analysis

showed later that it was due to a “software-glitch.” Such incidents have

prompted the military to bring in experts in the ethics of build-ing machines, in order to help give them a much more hu-man touch.

to send the incoming information, including your five senses (touch, sound, smell, taste, and sight).

·Sensory Cortex- reads the

sensory information coming from the Thalamus.

·Hippocampus- saves and re-leases memories and processes sets of stimuli to establish context.

·Amygdala- interoperates emotions, determines threats and stores fear memories

·Hypothalamus- activates how you are going to react to the situ-ation.

Fear is in your brain waiting for the right moment to show its true self. No one can avoid fear, especially that one friend you have that is never scared. It’s okay to be scared and have fear. What matters the most is how you overcome your fear.

http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-nature/emotions/other/fear.htm

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menu on your forearm. The arm band will also have an acoustic sensor which picks up the sound when you tap.

When you tap a button from the phone on your arm it makes a dif-ferent sound due to the bone density and tissue, the sensor would then rec-ognize the sound and determine which

button was pushed. This device will also have a Bluetooth system which sends the signals to your phone after dialing it straight from your arm. With this tech-nology all you will need is your arm to call your friend.

This technology is amazing and shows the

endless possibilities that can be created with the technology that is around now. There won’t be a need to dig in your pock-

et or empty out your purse looking your phone, just stick

your arm out and dial the number.http://news.discovery.com/

tech/tap-your-skin-to-dial-your-phone.html

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various extra-curricular activities and we often find ourselves looking for an extra hour or two in which to do homework or study for the big test.

Life was so much easier in our elementary school days, with the joys of recess and finger-painting and not having to deal with all the boy and girl drama.

Sometime I just yearn for that simpler time.

Student Life 7

Alcohol is available almost everywhere, at every liquor store, on every corner. Students consume alcohol without actually knowing the true side effects that alcohol can have on the body.

Alcohol is a liquid sub-stance that can lead to excessive drinking and possibly to alcohol poi-soning, where doctors have to come in and pump the person’s stomach, extracting everything in it to save the person’s life.

Stomach pumping should be done as soon as possible after a person has swallowed the substance. This decreases the time the body is exposed to the poison. It also pre-vents drugs from being absorbed, if the person has overdosed.

In the procedure, a lubricat-ed stomach tube is gently inserted through the mouth, into the esopha-gus, and down to the stomach. The contents of the stomach are then sucked out through the tube. The

stomach can then be washed out with warm water. This is done re-peatedly until the fluids that come out of the stomach are clear. .

Depending on what was swallowed, the person may be given activated charcoal after the stomach is pumped. The charcoal absorbs any drugs or poisons that may still be in the stomach.

When people get drunk they “truly reveal their true selves,” said a Magnet senior. An alcohol overdose can lead to irreversible brain damage. Rapid binge drink-ing is especially dangerous because the victim can take in a fatal dosage of alcohol before becoming uncon-scious.

Students just don’t under-stand what they are consuming. Most of the time, they do it because their friends are doing it and they want to fit in. They pressure you, telling you that if you don’t do it, they’re not going to be your friends anymore. Trust me, I’ve been in that situation before.

Students also do it to forget all their problems. But no amount of alcohol or drugs is going to clear your problems, they will still be there afterwards. No matter how much you want to try things, learn the facts first and reconsider.

Alcohol: Its Consequences

By Ramon Machuca

For many students, ninth grade marks the transition from middle school to high school and the impor-tance grades now have on their lives.

For many ninth graders it may become difficult to multitask and juggle both their school and social lives. “En-tering high school was hard because I received double the work that I would get in middle school and couldn’t han-dle it,” said AIR freshman Rahniecia Burroughs.

What also surprises freshman is that not only do they get more work, but they also actually have to try. As English Magnet teacher Ms. Pilon said, “quality of the work and its contents is what really matters more in high school.”

“I was struck by the fact that I now had to do my work in order to pass my classes and graduate where before, in middle school, I didn’t. They just skipped me,” said Magnet ninth grader Eric Alvarado.

However, students learn to adjust to the new environment and become better students. “The first se-mester I struggled to catch up on my work, but now [second semester], I’ve learned to balance my classes,” said Alvarado.

“What ninth graders need is a lot of support and patience to adjust to high school,” said Ms. Pilon.

Struggle ToBalance

By Nancy Ocon

Reminiscing: Back To Elementary And Its Joy

By Marylu OrtizHave you ever heard yourself

say, “I wish I was a kid again” after yet another day filled with essays, math equations, and science problems?

After that initial thought, you begin to remember the time when you were actually enthusiastic about attend-ing school in the morning, getting up early and getting ready without com-plaints.

Now we often find ourselves waking up early to finish last night’s homework assignment, go to tutoring, or avoid the tardy sweep, where we get detention.

Way back when, the only pressure we might have had was trying to go to sleep during naptime, which was right after story time. Now we find ourselves wishing that we still had naptime after spending an entire pe-riod analyzing a chapter of a novel or practicing for the upcoming game.

With so much homework, we tend to remember the years when we barely had any and grades were not that big of a deal. We would get home and spend at most an hour and a half do-ing homework. Then we prac-tically had the entire day to ourselves.

This is something that has become a rare and precious thing to us as now we have

Interested In Make-Up? New Class AvailableThe Rock on Education

(ROE) program has brought a new class to Fremont. In case you don’t know what the ROE program is, it is “our after-school program through Beyond the Bell that strives to create a generation of leaders who enrich school culture by empowering youth, engaging parents, administers, and the community,” Beyond the Bell’s Jessica Valadez explained.

This new class will be intro-ducing the art of makeup to every-one and anyone who is interested. Not only will fashion makeup be taught, but there will also be theatre and glamour make-up introduced, so there are a couple of options to choose from. “I would recommend guys to join the class too because we are also going to learn how to do scarring and masks,” Magnet junior Rumiko Adame said.

This new after-school class is taught by Jessica Sanchez. “Stu-dents will be able to explore their artistic sides and skills by taking a different approach,” Sanchez said about the class.

This class is not all about looking pretty but also about “main-taining a healthy complexion and balanced lifestyle,” the instructor said. Some students also say that it will help them in maintaining a clean complexion and using the

right products. “This class will be a major change in the way that I treat my face,” Magnet junior Alice Ro-sas said.

This make-up artistry class is very hands on and requires pa-tience. The hands-on part will make it a lot more interactive than the usual classes. “If basic classes were more hands-on, they would be much more interesting and we would learn more because we are interacting with what we’re learning rather than just reading and writing,” Rumiko added.

This class also offers self-esteem boosts for those who don’t

quite get how to use and apply make-up. “It can really help with how you look and boost your self-esteem to give you confidence in your appear-ance,” Alice said.

This ROE class takes place every Tuesday and Thursday after school and is located in the cos-metology classroom. Although this class has already begun, people are still allowed to join. To join, all you need to do is fill out a brief applica-tion. You can obtain the application at the Beyond the Bell office.

“I would eventually love to see a filled classroom, so we hope to see you all there,” said Sanchez.

“Students just don’t understand what they are consuming. Most of the time, they do it because their friends are doing it and they want to fit in. “

Student Rumiko Adame gets her eye brows done in make-up class.Nancy Ocon

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By Vanessa Figueroa

Entertainment8

Date Event/ Movie Location/Rating

April 2 Clash of the Titans NA

April 2 Warlords NA

April 2 Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too PG- 13

April 3 Honor Society Club Nokia

April 6 Alicia Keys Staples Center

April 7 Owl City The Fox Theater- Pomona

April 7 Alicia Keys Santa Barbara Bowl

April 9-10LOS TRES: Alejandro Fernandez,

Joan Sebastian, and Marco Antonio Solis

Honda Center

April 9 After. Life R

April 9 Date Night PG- 13

April 9 When You’re Strange R

April 10 Taylor Swift Save Mart Center

April 13 Elvis Costello Arlington Theatre

April 14 Vampire Weekend The Fox Theatre

April 15 Lady Antebellum The Wiltern

April 15-16 Taylor Swift Staples Center

April 16-18 Coachella Festival Empire Polo Club

April 16 The Joneses R

April 17 Ramon Ayala Gibson Amphitheatre

April 20 Sublime with Rome Hollywood Palladium

April 21 HIM Plus Special Guests House of Blues

April 21 Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps NA

April 22 Oceans NA

April 23 Norah Jones Orpheum Theatre

April 23 Death at a Funeral NA

April 23 Knuckelhead NA

April 23 The Back- Up Plan PG- 13

April 25 Sugarland Santa Barbara Bowl

April 26 Daughtry Save Mart Center

April 30 KROQ Presents: a Day to Remember The Wiltern

April 30 KROQ Presents: The Spill Canvas Roxy Theatre

April 30 A Nightmare On Elm Street NA

April 30 Furry Vengeance PG

April 30 I Love You Phillip Morris R

Philippe’s on 1001 N Alameda St. in Los Angeles, home to the “French Dipped Sandwich-es,” first opened its doors in 1908. The “French Dipped Sandwich” was born from an accident in 1918. While serving a sandwich, Philippe accidentally dropped the French roll into a roasting pan filled with juices still hot from the oven, and so the “French Dipped Sandwich” was born.

I first visited the restau-rant three months ago and fell in love with their sandwiches. I had the Beef Dip the first time I went -- it was simply the best sandwich I ever had. If beef is not for you though, Philippe’s also has lamb, turkey, pork and ham sandwiches.

Though Philippe’s spe-cialties are the sandwiches, many

Go To Philippe’sBy Jaice Mendoza

At exactly 6 in the morning my alarm rings, and by alarm I mean my iPod starts playing my top rated playlist. I like to start my mornings poetically, so I will usually have some soft melody play-ing, like “Love Me Do” by The Beatles. As I head to the shower, I’ll be singing high pitched into the shampoo bottle

some random half drowsy lyrics. I

Singing In The ShowerBy Mariela Martinez

Customers wait to place their sandwich orders at Philippe’s restaurant.Jaice Mendoza

people go for the pastries. From custards to pies, Philippe’s has something for everyone’s sweet tooth.

The atmosphere is also a plus. The cafeteria-style restaurant makes conversing with people rela-tively easy. While waiting for my sandwich, I struck up conversa-tions with an array of individuals, many of whom were tourists who had heard of Philippe’s through friends who were either from LA or toured here.

Philippe’s prices are very reasonable and you can get a great meal for about ten dollars. I loved Philippe’s and recommend it to anyone who is out and about in Downtown. Tourists call it LA’s landmark restaurant. Don’t get left out: go and visit.

Got Nowhere To Go?feel that I can express myself, without judgment, when I sing in the shower, and sadly there aren’t very many places we can do that in our society. It is a place of tranquility where even your bad singing sounds like beautiful music distorted by the sound of running water and echoing.

Yes, this is how I start my mornings. Maybe it’s a little unique but I think we can all relate to having one

of those moments when you just break out into a song or you’re sitting listen-ing to the radio and all of a sudden you go “that’s my jam!” and start singing full verse, maybe even start to dance. We all have songs that just speak to us. Mine happens to be “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey. Oh I’ll be any-where: a bus stop, sculpture class, in the county line and I’ll start singing,

“Just a small town girl, living in her lonely world!” What can I say, it’s a catchy song.

So tell me what is the song that floats your boat?

What song do you sing in the shower? ____________________

Manuel Galindo

There’s lots to do this month! Take a look at these dates to find something new to do!

Partying has always been attributed to teenagers. Dance moves are constantly changing and evolving as new trends of music and style are introduced. Recently, we hear of the shufflers and the jerkers as Techno and Hip-Hop claim the latest craze.

Whether it be Techno, Hip-Hop, Reggaeton or even Disco, there are clubs and parties for just about every genre of music. Teenagers re-lieve stress by dancing their troubles away, which is a good source of ex-ercise and just fun.

“All teenagers party now-adays, it‘s rare to find one that doesn’t,” said Magnet senior Carlos Hernandez.

However, teenagers must be smart and steer away from anything that can be unsafe. Keep in mind that drugs and alcohol do not go hand in hand with clubs and dancing.

“Teens have to think of what they are doing at parties be-cause they might regret it,” said Magnet senior Lizbeth Gonzalez. It

Stress From School? Let’s Go Party!

By Jessica Membrenois perfectly possible to turn down anything hazardous and still have an enjoyable time.

Magnet senior Xiomara Madrigal said, “Parties let me meet new guys and just new people.” Looking for a way to enjoy yourself? Get a group of friend, go to a club, and have some fun. If that sounds like your scene it’s a good way to spend your weekend.

If you are having trouble choosing a place to go to try the Arena Nightclub located on 6655 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90038. It has themes appropriate with each day to fit everyone’s tastes. For example, Wednesday are Gay Nights, Thursdays the club turns into a big Rave, and Fridays they play Hip-Hop all night. Pros: it’s free if your on the guest list, it has a big dance floor, and it’s opened till 4 am.

Don’t dance with strang-ers. Go with your favorite girls or guys and have a good time with your friends.