by Breeana Reid, Staffwriter

Devils’ Advocate

It is the last semester of the school year; and seniors, it is the last semester of high school! The Winter Sports are coming to an end, but it is not too late to join a sport. In the Spring, there are many sports you can join, Ladies’ Softball, Ladies’ Swim, Ladies’ Track and Field, Men’s Volleyball, Men’s Swim, Men’s Golf, Men’s Tennis, Men’s Track and Field, and Men’s Baseball (See: Spring Sports). There is a great variety of sports students can join starting February 20th. All sports welcome newcomers, so don’t be shy to come try out for a sport. A majority of the sports have three teams – Varsity, JV, and a Novice team. Don’t forget to get a physical and complete the paperwork before tryouts. The faster the paperwork is done, the less amount of time you will stand in the clearance line.

On that note, sports is an option, but school is the first priority. Make sure to keep the grades up and keep the family happy. As you know, it is the last semester, and around this time, people are over school. Regardless, it is important that you keep pushing because it will pay off. Underclassmen, if you can, set a goal to maintain throughout the rest of high school. Seniors, if you applied for colleges, make sure you apply for FAFSA and other financial aid, grants, and scholarships. And one last note for everyone: Don’t give up now, you can do it!

by Brenda Hernandez, Staffwriter

Devils’ Advocate

The beginning of freshman year is somehow nerve wracking for everyone; from finding your classes to introducing yourself to an entire class full of new faces. However, I’m convinced that the new Peer Mediation class, has a positive impact on freshmen, who do not know what to expect from high school. This extracurricular elective allows juniors and seniors to invest time on ninth graders, and to counsel them in every aspect having to do with family, friends and school academics. As the year progresses, freshmen adapt with a feeling of comfort and a sense of assurance. Peer Mediation stresses the basic human concept – that life has its ups and downs, and that it is important to have a positive mindset in every situation.

We encourage students to join after school activities such as sports to become more active and aware of their surroundings. We also suggest that students volunteer in community events in order to gain community service hours. Our goal is to make clear that decisions made now will affect us all in the long run. We’re trained to know exactly how to react when it comes to negative students, and even to those who do not believe our class is worth investing time in. Not only do we set a certain number of standards for them to consider, but we also take into consideration any problem they may be dealing with and try to put ourselves in their shoes in order to relate and give reasonable feedback. This class is an advantage to all incoming freshmen.

If counseling interests you in any way, consider peer mediation as an elective as you prepare to choose your classes for next year so that you too can make a difference to help future generations succeed and make it through high school.

By Jesilyn Renei Ferrer, Staffwriter

Devils’ Advocate

In all honestly, it would be GRRREAT if we had the whole year to make this book, but we don’t. As an editor of the yearbook and being in the journalism class for two years, the staff and I try our very best to have our book done months before graduation. This is because if we did have the entire year to make this book, the books wouldn’t arrive until the summer break after school lets out. So that is why we start it all off with months of planning which begin way before the school year even starts. The students who were journalism last year and who are now seniors this year, Ramon Garcia, Bri Ramirez, Carla Ignacio, Vanessa Vargas, Krishtiana Guarnes and I worked the last month or two of our junior year trying to figure out the theme of the 2016 yearbook, the colors and the fonts to use throughout the book, the overall style and design that we wanted to represent our year. Four of these students had the opportunity to take their journalism skills to new heights by going on a week-long trip to Malibu, near Los Angeles for Yearbook Camp, held at Pepperdine University. There, Ramon, Carla, Bri and I gathered new concepts while working with professional graphic design artists, photographers, writers and editors to gain new ideas to add into our yearbook. This is where we also come up with the theme of the 2016 book, As Seen Through the Devil’s Eye as well as the cover design.

Throughout the year so far, there have been many, many hours of designing visuals, arranging pages, refining concepts, editing text, choosing pictures, and representing the entire student body in 224 pages, as we make them the best they can possibly be. The thing with Journalism class is that we not only just work on the yearbook, we also work on the newspaper, The Devils’ Advocate, and the online newspaper that is on the school website.

Most schools have newspaper and yearbook as two separate classes, but not at SUHi, We take on both all-together, which means twice as many deadlines for us to meet. This is what other students don’t see. We are so over-packed with things to do, there really isn’t a whole lot of time for us to relax. But, we definitely take the time to smile, to laugh, and to celebrate. And, on a good note, HALF of the book is already done; and the rest of the pages are in the process of getting ready to be published. And, as editor, I know that when we take our book to compete at the Del Mar Fair against all the other books in the county, we’re looking for one more first place award that we can hang on the wall as we continue to publish a (master)piece of SUHi history in the 2016 Red & Gray.

by Yannick Yance, Staffwriter
Devils’ Advocate

The Academic Decathlon team of Sweetwater High School has upcoming competitions on January 30 and February 6. In order to prepare for these events, they performed mock speeches and interviews at school on Monday, January 25. They dressed formally and memorized what they were going to say beforehand. After school that day, they practiced in six different classrooms -three for speeches and three for interviews. Each room had a judge who evaluated their performance. These judges were teachers selected by the Academic Decathlon adviser, Ms. Garcia.

Academic Decathlon has been training for these competitions since June. They train for five to six days each week–two hours after school for seventh period, and sometimes four hours at Saturday School. They study seven subjects: art, economics, English language and literature, math, music, science, and social science. They also work with some of the best instructors and tutors from Stanford and Yale. Based on their scores and overall performance, the members get put into one of three divisions: Honors, Scholastic, or Varsity.

The upcoming competitions on January 30 and February 6 will be held at Olympian High School. The competition on the 30th is comprised of speeches and interviews, which is what the team practiced for on Monday. This competition can last between five to six hours. The competition on the 6th is comprised of written exams. These so-called “super quizzes” will test the Decathletes on the seven subjects they have been studying since the beginning of the school year. This competition can take up to ten hours long. Good luck to Academic Decathlon! We know you will represent SUHi with intellect, integrity, and Red Devil pride!

by Brenda Hernandez, Staffwriter
Devils’ Advocate

Sweetwater’s staff are all recognized for their involvement and caring dedication to ensure that every student has the best four years of their high school experience. There is no doubt about the encouragement spread throughout the campus by each and every one of our SUHi staff. For instance, a familiar face on campus to students is Ms. Lorena Topete, an AP Spanish teacher, and also a Folklorico instructor.

Ms. Topete is highly respected for building a comfortable environment for those interested in cultural dances from different regions in Mexico. Although the students in this class are tested only on the typical food, music and basics of these regions, the most important part to them is dancing and showing others how much they truly appreciate the Mexican cultural. Some students agree that they feel most comfortable and welcome in that class, mainly because of the use of Spanish language and the amazing friends they have made.

Diana Perea, a current performer, states that many girls had never done their own makeup until joining Folklorico, and that they also learned how to do their hair the traditional way. As this class progresses and gains the interest of many, the price range on each of the students’ clothing also seems to increase. This indeed makes it difficult for students to perform with clothes that express exactly what they feel. Therefore, Ms. Topete is continuously fundraising to ensure that each of her students has the opportunity to engage and express themselves for who they really are.

by Brenda Hernandez, Staffwriter
Devils’ Advocate

Sweetwater High School relies on the Red Devils Review news bulletin to inform the entire school about important events weekly. The everyday news continuously spreads awareness to encourage students to become more involved in after school activities, clubs, and sports. Belonging in a club reminds teens to participate in order to find exactly what they’re most passionate about. Although participants in SUHi Media mainly strive to get classmates and peers more engaged, at the same time, unintentionally, they themselves become more involved and interact well with those surrounding them.

Each reporter has his own experience behind the camera, and most agree that this club has impacted their lives in a positive and social way. SUHi Media is known to be a very interactive club that allows students to enjoy their time while doing things that interest them the most such as photography and editing. Pearl Aspiras, ninth grader, states that everyone in SUHi Media has become a close friend, almost instantaneously. In addition to the learning environment offered to teenagers arriving at Sweetwater, SUHI Media makes it clear that there are many possible career options to consider after high school. William Preston, a well-recognized advisor of SUHi Media, encourages students to do what they love most. Mr. Preston states that the school news has expanded and evolved into a very distinct voice on campus. His hope is that Red Devils Review becomes the model of Sweetwater news for years to come, and that he can continue to encourage young leaders to be an influential voice in our school.

by Breeana Reid, Staffwriter
Devils’ Advocate

Usually when people think about Petco Park, they think about baseball, but not this time. On December 1, 2015, the Sweetwater Men’s Varsity Basketball Team had the opportunity to play under the stadium lights against Valhalla High School.

This year, the varsity team has a brand new starting five, and they are still developing the chemistry between one another. On the floor starting for SUHi is Neil Ryan Pangilinan – a sophomore – as a guard, Eivan Villagracia – a sophomore – as a guard, Wyatt Papasin – a junior – a guard, Abdin Mohammed – a junior – as a forward, and Owen Aguirre – a senior- as a guard. This game was the first time they had played at Petco Park. The team enjoyed the experience and plans to participate again next season. Although there was a 30 minute delay at the beginning of the game due to the floor being slippery, the guys played their hearts out each second and made it count. No matter what the score was, the Red Devils showed how much they love the game and their supporters.

With all the accomplishments these men have made over the past few years, their opportunities continue to grow. There are many young players with great talent and potential on varsity and JV. Wyatt Papasin exclaims, “Ever since I’ve been at SUHi I have been able to be a part of history; from here on out, I plan on continuing the reputation and having an unforgettable season because sports is not just about winning; it is about having fun and enjoying the sport you once fell in love with.” The season is just starting, so make sure you go out and support. Go Red Devils!

by Yannick Yance, Staffwriter
Devils’ Advocate

College application deadlines have been fast approaching, at least for CSUs and UCs. The last day to turn in an application to those campuses was Monday, November 30 at 11:59 pm. For many students, this was not an issue because they have already submitted their applications earlier this month or last month. For others, however, this was a last minute transaction.

Applying to college is a long, multistep process. A student has to list his/her grades, extracurricular activities, awards, ethnicity, and family income just to name a few items on the application. In addition, the University of California requires applicants to write two personal statements, which are essays that describe their world and experiences and how that has influenced their aspirations. If a student qualifies for a fee waiver, then he/she can apply to four CSU campuses and four UC campuses for free. Furthermore, there is the Common App, which is the application for private universities. These are due a little bit later. Students will start receiving acceptance or rejection letters/emails beginning in March, and they must decide on which university they will attend by May. In the meantime, seniors can start preparing for college by visiting campuses, talking to their parents about finances, and applying for FAFSA and scholarships. Seniors should also stay out of trouble and maintain good grades because colleges can still make last minute decisions to reject applicants – even after they’ve already been accepted.

In the last few weeks of this semester, seniors should remember to study for their finals and make sure that their grades are where they want them to be. Time flies and before they know it, it’ll be prom, Grad Nite, and graduation. And, college is right around the corner.

by Isabella Duarte, Staffwriter
Devils’ Advocate

Black Lives Matter is an international movement that brings power and hope to the world. In the last year, there have been an immense number of riots and protests due to threats and police brutality towards the African American community. Our country preaches a big word on unity, but is history repeating itself? African Americans have been fighting strong for their rights and respect. For example, on November 5, 2015, an approximation of 2,000 students from Berkeley High School in California participated in a school wide “walk out” to show respect, strength and unity to people of color after “lynching” threats were made in their community. These students marched from the high school to UC Berkeley. Staff and students spoke out and had the opportunity to share personal experiences of racism. They marched through the streets chanting, “Black lives matter!” and “No justice, no peace!” Participants also encouraged those in the community with an upper hand in the situation to speak out and stand up for their peers who deserve equality, just like anyone else. This peaceful yet powerful march went on for a good forty minutes, and the preaching continued throughout the day.

Black Lives Matter is committed to embodying and practicing justice, liberation, and peace in their engagements with others. They instill in African Americans that “We are unapologetically Black in our positioning. In affirming that Black Lives Matter, we need not qualify our position. To love and desire freedom and justice for ourselves is a necessary prerequisite for wanting the same for others.” They strongly believe that being black is no different than being any other ethnicity.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended all state and local laws requiring segregation. We as a nation need to commit ourselves to acknowledging, respecting and celebrating our differences as well as our commonalities. Nobody deserves to be treated as less than because of the color of their skin. It’s time to preach equality and act on it because, ultimately, ALL lives matter.

by Brenda Hernandez, Staffwriter
Devils’ Advocate

While it may seem that some people are naturally more sociable than others, the fact of the matter is that all human beings are social; and as with any other skill, it is possible to train oneself to become more social.

Those who refer to themselves as “antisocial” tend to constantly criticize both themselves and those around them. Avoiding social interaction causes fear that others will judge you. Overthinking is usually what prevents people from enjoying social interactions; and even though it may seem difficult, it is important to break the habits of anticipating what social interactions will be like before they actually happen.

Interestingly enough, shy people who feel invisible and unwanted also tend to feel like they are constantly under a spotlight, being watched and criticized by the others. This strange paradox of shyness is what prevents people from feeling comfortable being themselves around others. This doesn’t mean you should feel like an unimportant person, but rather, acknowledge that you are your own worst critic and other people are simply too busy to constantly judge and criticize you. Keep in mind that people are so caught up in their own lives and interactions that they have little time to notice if you embarrass yourself, say something stupid, or don’t look your best at that very moment.

Take the time to recognize that someone out there feels exactly the same way you do, and that even the most social person still feels insecure; the only difference is that they choose to take the risk and enjoy themselves rather than worrying about how others will react. Just like any other skill, being sociable requires consistency and practice in order to master. Getting out of your comfort zone and interacting with other people on a regular basis is a great start to becoming someone social. Furthermore, if you truly want to be a social person, you will have to be social in all aspects of your life – from school to friends to family.

Embrace opportunities to meet new people and expand your social circle. Accept invitations to parties and social gatherings, take mini trips to new places, and talk to strangers in cafes. Or, simply join a club at SUHi… we have plenty to offer, and all are very welcoming with Red Devils who would be glad to bring you into their extended SUHi family.