The Charger Chant

By: Ryan Lim

Many college-bound students have gotten used to the idea of daily cup noodle lunches and meat rationed to one meal a week. When the thought of becoming a struggling college student first enters the mind of an incoming freshman, it may scare them at first. How should one prepare for the financial change? Start in high school!

For those fortunate enough to have loving (extremely generous) parents, senior year can make itself out to be the greatest year of their lives. Then again, those are the people who will be able to afford meat and other luxuries like cheese and condiments all throughout college. For the rest of us, the “full high school experience” will leave a hole in our wallets.

Early in the year, seniors look to enhance their college applications by adding club after club to their list of extracurricular activities. Most of these clubs require some sort of membership fee or dues. Approximate cost: $50.

Also to add on to the college resume, students sign up for AP classes and eventually need to pay for all of those tests. With Calculus, Lit, Government, and two science classes, the cost of all these tests can easily exceed $200.

“I have to pay 260 bucks to take three tests that I don’t even care about,” said Nick Ziter, junior.

All of that money has been invested into looking good for colleges. Not to mention the costs of applications, all of that money has gone to getting into an out of state college and having to pay a whole lot more money. Investing money to pay more money? Sounds about right!

I said senior year was supposed to be great. Well the things that make it truly memorable are the trips and other experiences. For some, that could mean going to DCON, competing in some sort of state/international competition, or going to Six Flags for Grad Night. All of this equates to paying more and more money.

“Going to New York for orchestra and DCON for Key Club, I have to pay $2500,” Yuri Kim, senior.

It’s not just the big trips that cost Clark students. Events like prom, powderpuff, and other end of the year activities squeeze out whatever is left in our already damaged wallets.

“With all costs factored in, I had to pay about $150 for prom,” said Deric Pang, sophomore.

In the great country of the United States, education is free. That’s a relief when considering the “hidden fees” of attending high school. Enrolling for AP tests: $260. Going to prom: $150. Studying for Dr. Wong’s test: priceless.

By: Tracey Barton

What The Future Has In Store For Us and Our Cell Phones.

Whether it’s to make a quick call or to catch up on the latest gossip with friends, the usage of a cell phone has created an impact over the daily lives of us all. Most people tend to rely on their cellular devices on a daily basis, especially since now there’s most likely an app for everything for a cell phone in this generation. (Not necessarily for droid users)

The most common phone of all, is of course the iPhone. In fact, Apple, the corporation that designs and sells consumer electronics, is starting to manufacture an “Apple store-within-a-store” inside Walmarts nationwide. According to intomobile , the Apple store within-a-store was first located in Arkansas and is hoped to take place all over America and to then to eventually take place in Sam’s Club centers.

There’s currently a lot of technical difficulties going on in the cell phone world today. In good news, LG is planning to produce bigger and better pieces of technology this year. Intomobile has stated that LG, a rival company, has, unfortunately for them, been outclassed in the smartphone market. But don’t get too upset, there’s still hope for LG. Things are actually starting to light up and they’re ready to get back into the kick of things.

The future for BlackBerry devices aren’t necessarily doing too well in the business either. The iPhone and Android are stealing away the sales for BlackBerry and according to Mobiledia, Thorsten Heins, the chief executive officer of RIM, will likely consider a sale if another company made the right offer. If he chooses to do so, that might be the end of the BlackBerry brand. There is no word for BlackBerry, but if they don’t do something quick, their brand is bound to fall apart.

With the excessive growth of cell phone usage going on nowadays, there are actually proven facts that prove how technology affects one’s lifestyle. Studies show that those who base their daily activities on their cell and depend on it are more likely to get stressed out, feel fatigued, and feel depressed.

Isn’t it funny how the original idea of a cell phone was designed for people to keep in contact with others and was identified as a pleasure, a want. Today, in the eyes of most people, the cell phone is classified as a need in most likely everyone’s daily life and is not only used for contacting friends and family, but is used for video, gaming, and music entertainment.

The moral of the story? Try not to stress yourself out and focus on the latest technology. There’s a lot going on in the world and if you base your life on wants instead of needs, you’ll eventually end up with nothing. Don’t spend half your life on your technological devices and don’t lose sight of what you want in life and what you need. You’re a charger, you know better.

By: Craig Grant

AP testing commences in three weeks. It appears that only now do the majority of advanced placement scholars realize that it may be time to start studying (and that they may not be cut out for the test).

Most students tend to forget about them as they approach, and they allow the overwhelming fear of failure to overcome them on the nights before (or days of) the tests.

While some people say, “positive thinking,” and others preach planning for the exams a month in advance, students, whether optimistic or pessimistic, each have coping mechanisms when dealing with AP test pressure.

 
The Cram:
AKA: The Dying Gasp, The Buzzer Beater, The Midnight Ride

The Cram is by far the easiest coping mechanism to identify the day of an AP test. Characteristics include baggy eyes and sunken heads. Contrastingly, one under the influence of The Cram might also display hyperventilation or Negligenza tatto (obnoxiousness).

Note: This method is typically futile for sleep-deprived and unpracticed students. In order to become one with the stay-up-all-night tactic, the body must have developed a tolerance to caffeine and 5 Hour Energy shots. Sure, this isn’t the healthiest technique, but for procrastinators and desperate individuals, there might not be another option.

Caution: Don’t take more than five 5 Hour Energy shots. That’s twenty-five hours of unnatural hyperactivity. Let’s face it. Sometimes it can be difficult to test when you’re having a seizure.

 
The Ditch:
AKA: The Rain Check, Bon Voyage, No Solution

Symptoms of The Ditch include bubbling in C on the scantron for a true-false question, bubbling in C for 45 consecutive questions, or bubbling in C where one is supposed to bubble in the name.

Another field mark is the inexplicable absence of a particular student from school for the next two or three years (yet habitual sightings of him or her under a bridge).

 
Planning Ahead:
AKA: Okay, seriously, no one does this anyway.

No, there are no alternate names for this technique; it’s pretty straightforward. It’s pretty boring too. Imagine studying for AP tests during spare time.

Students that utilize this method have everything under control test day.

Still, some people have different priorities, like not doing well.

It is undeniable that planning ahead for AP exams is the best way to ensure a solid score. Consequently, it is a better idea to learn the material rather than learning how to recognize field marks depicting those that didn’t.

By Shailey Patel

Let Prom week 2012 begin! The much anticipated 2012 Prom has finally arrived. After months of waiting, the theme for this year’s Prom is finally completely revealed today.

Shanghai Nights is the theme for this year’s Prom. The main hall is decorated with a layout inspired by Chinese culture. On one side of the hall there is an intricately drawn dragon that showcases the Junior Prom royalty.

For this year Junior Court consists of Nick Ziter, Rithy Khim, Wesley Dong, Jakob Brounstein, Miyuki Miyamori, Marlene Pedroza, Claire Law and Amanda Shaffer.

Along the opposite wall is the Senior Class Royalty featured on fortune cookies. The Senior Court consists of Luis Avila, Wayne Pirtle, Thilina Daswatta, Edgar Gonzalez, Lan Do, Ameilia Knuth, Mari Soto Valdez, and Emily Strickler.

To find out the Prom Prince and Princess you can attend the assembly. But to find out this year’s Prom King and Queen you will just have to wait for this Saturday. But that means you guys have to hurry and buy tickets before they get sold out or pricey! It’ll be a night you will not want to miss out on.

In honor of this being Prom week there are also spirit days in which you can participate. Monday is Sports Clash Day. You can flaunt your favorite sport’s team attire. Tuesday is Mustache/Facial Hair Day. On this day you can live out your facial hair fetish. For Wednesday, raid your grandparents’ closets because it is Senior Citizen Day. All the AMSAT kids should feel right at home on Thursday because it is Nerd Day. Like every other spirit week Friday is the tradition Black and Gold Day. Specifically for upperclassmen, they should wear gold for Gold Rush and underclassmen should wear black for Blackout.

The annual dodge ball game is also a part of Prom week. You can participate in the dodge ball tournament regardless of your class. The teams will consist of 7 people. Although the signups ended last Friday you can still go and support your friends and watch fellow Chargers battle down for the supreme title. The tournament is on Tuesday, April 17^th starting at 3:00pm.

Lastly, but certainly not least, the assembly for Prom will be on Friday, titled “Enter the Dragon’s Lair.” The title is as enticing as the actual event will be. But you can’t just be told what’ll happen at the assembly, you have to come see for yourself. You have to come check out one of this year’s most unique and exciting assemblies.

Prom week is just as important as Prom itself, because it is a road to one of the most memorable nights of your life, a night that you should never past up. So, go out, participate, dress up, and dance all night, because Prom will be gone just as fast as it’s coming around the corner!

By: Tracey Barton

Prom; one of the most beautiful, highly-anticipated events of the year that the student body looks forward to ever since the first day of school. The spotlight is set upon the Juniors and Seniors at Clark and it’s their time to shine.

For those who have been sitting at the edge of their seats and counting down the days till the prom, well the time is finally here. The prom is on Saturday, April 21^stand starts at 7:00pm and ends at 10:00pm.

The prom will take place at the World Market Center located on 495 South Grand Central Parkway #2203 and the prom is claimed to be the best one yet.

Some Clark Chargers are already preparing for the prom.

“I’m pretty excited about the prom,” says Denise Nicole, a sophomore. “I’ve already bought my dress and I have people scheduled to do my makeup and my hair.”

and then there are some Chargers who can only dream for the day that they can go to prom.

“I can’t make it to the prom this year,” says Hannan Teshome, a sophomore. “But, I’m already saving up some money and I’m super stoked for next years prom!”

Prom happens to be the highlight of each school year for high school students. Even some of the teachers at Clark boast about the prom during fourth quarter.

“Prom always excites me,” says Ms. Cornelio (math teacher) “I love seeing my students be so passionate about it and I’ve actually witnessed students getting emotional about it [prom].”

Prom tickets are still on sale, but and the price increases every Friday. So, if you haven’t bought yourself a ticket yet, there’s still time this week to purchase one.

Although prom is a week away, the student body is already stressing about the prom. The average price of most proms range around $800 to $2,000.

So make this year as memorable as possible, Chargers and go to the prom. C’mon, Chargers! You’re all over-achievers and deserve some time to have a little fun this year! So, dress to impress and have a great time.

By: Kevin Zhang

The fourth quarter of the school year is finally here. Summer is in the air; kids are excited for vacation. Three months of beautiful vacation. As it is, summer is not here yet. We still have to pay attention in class and think hard, rather than lounging by the pool. Yes, despite the nice weather, we still have to stay in class and prepare for finals.

Of course, the fourth quarter brings more than just studying for the final. Along with that studying comes much more classwork and homework – much more than you could ever fathom, as teachers want to punish you more and more as the school year ends.

I kid, but you will have to work harder within these last nine weeks because the year is ending. Put the rest of your energy into school or making summer plans. Or into your favorite clubs, because after the school year ends, you won’t see them for another three months, unless you’re a senior.

Speaking of seniors, graduation is right around the corner. This is often a bittersweet event, as your more mature friends leave the arena of high school and enter what is known as “the real world.” You’ll miss them, for sure, but at least you know that they’re moving on in life – onto bigger and better things.

You’re also going to have to deal with the end-of-the-year banquets for sports or clubs. These are often more fun and happy than graduation, however, so you shouldn’t worry about them. You should take your time to enjoy your precious last moments with your club members or fellow teammates, as you most likely won’t see them until the next school year.

Despite all of this talk about the end of the year, we still have eight weeks to go. Eight more weeks to spend time with our senior pals, go to clubs, or see the faces of some of our friends before leaving. Eight more weeks to work our butts off to keep our grades up and study for final exams. Eight more weeks to spend having fun, while teachers diminish what we just considered fun.

Eight weeks sounds like a long time, but the time will fly by and you’ll realize how little time you actually had with your friends and how little time you spent in class. (Or how much – with school, it’s always too much. Right?)

You’re going to miss the class clowns, despite how annoying they seemed at the time. You’re going to miss the people that used to pester you for homework or test answers, but who you refused to – or at least, should have. I’m sure that you’re a good student that doesn’t let others cheat off of you because that would make you a cheater, as well.

Cherish these last eight weeks, especially because time will fly by. Next year, you’re going to be a year older; a class rank higher, or you’re going to be in the real world. It may be more fun and less scary than it sounds – who knows?

By Craig Grant

While the majority of Chargers long for spring break to continue, optimists address the joy encountered in returning to school after vacation.

This band of Clark optimists, CLOPs, can recreate virtually any picturesque moment that one might have experienced during spring’s festivities.

Pining student:

The first morning of spring break arrives. A student wakes up, but the sun is not yet in the sky. Smiling, the student goes back to sleep for another four hours. The process repeats for the next seven days.

CLOPs:

The first morning of school arrives. A student wakes up, but the sun is not yet in the sky. Smiling, the student goes back to sleep for another four hours. The process repeats for the next seven days. All the while the bus leaves the stop each morning without a passenger. The student fails all of his or her classes for the semester (more than six unexcused absences).

Pining student:

A robin runs across a lush lawn looking for lunch (say ten times faster). A blissful student watches the scene while doing homework assigned prior to break.

CLOPs:

A mottled pigeon pecks at the contents of an open lunchbox lying on the cafeteria floor. A blissful student’s appetite fades away as he realizes the lunchbox was his own. Still, feeding the less fortunate is self-rewarding, and the carbs weren’t necessary anyway.

Pining student:

The weather is perfect to take a walk and enjoy the outdoors. Everything seems right in the world when there are no worries and vacation is in the air.

CLOPs:

The weather is perfect to take a walk through portable city, the least polluted city in America. Everything seems right in the world when a person is part of a movement to make the world a better, greener place. Vacation can’t mar the pure air for another eight weeks.

Pining student:

The house is rich with carefree classmates just hanging out together. Students talk casually and have a good time until it is time to go home.

CLOPs:

The classroom is rich with carefree classmates just hanging out together. Students talk casually during the teacher’s lecture until it is time to go home. Then, they go to detention while everyone else leaves. Show teachers some respect.

There is a time and place for everything.

CLOPs reinforce that sometimes a positive attitude is all one needs to get back in the swing of things.

By Shailey Patel

Presentations are universally dreaded. Let’s face it; most of us can’t stand the thought of having 30 pairs of eyes following our every move. It’s unnerving.  So I’ve compiled a list of 5 ways to make sure your presentations runs more smoothly.

1.  Practice makes perfect
   We’ve heard our teachers say it repeatedly but always seem to ignore it. If you know that you have to present your project take a couple of minutes to read over everything again. Make sure you understand what it is you’re going to be talking about. This will help you avoid getting stuck in the middle of a presentation. If you tend to lose your train of thought easily when presenting, write out a bulleted list of the topics that you need to cover and in what order they should be said. Having a list makes for an easy recovery if you blank out on what you are supposed to say.
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2.  Don’t let your nerves show
   For most people this is what causes their presentation to look unrehearsed. If you let your nerves show it tells in the audience that you don’t have enough confidence in what you are saying.
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3.  Keep eye contact with the audience
   The ceiling and carpet are not going anywhere, so instead of looking at them, you should keep eye contact with the audience. All the eyes staring at you can get intimidating, but keeping eye contact is a fundamental aspect of public speaking (in this case, school presentations). Don’t necessarily look people in the eye, but in the general direction. Many speakers look over the heads of audience members to make it seem like you are keeping eye contact.
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4.  Take time to look good
   Although you may disagree, research proves that students preform better if they look their best. I personally don’t think you need to dress up like you are going to a party to do a school presentation. However, it’s true that if you look and feel your best, then the quality of your presentation will reflect that. Wear something that’s comfortable and appropriate for your presentation. Unnecessary distractions (such as an itchy shirt) can cause you to lose focus and in turn it can ruin the presentation.
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5. Speak loudly and clearly
   Having a clear, loud and confident voice catches the audience’s attention and keeps it. Again, rehearse what you are going to say so that when you are in the front of the room you don’t freeze and scramble to form your thoughts into coherent sentences. Having a loud voice doesn’t mean that you have to shout. You should instead use air from your diaphragm to project your voice. Make sure that you enunciate your words clearly. Even if you rehearsed forever, it’s not going to make a difference if the audience can’t understand a word that you are saying.

Hopefully these tips will help you make your next presentation the best one yet.

By: Kristin Hoag

On Wednesday, March 21, Clark’s track and field had their second meet of the season against Western and Trinity. Even though Clark athletes knew they would attempt to do their best in each event, they didn’t expect a blow out.

“We have plenty of athletically talented kids this year,” states Coach Thayer. “We’re supporting each person and training intensely. We hope to send as many athletes as we can to Regionals.”

The team will do pretty well this year, according to junior, Kenny Daniels. Obviously Clark is better in some events than others, but it seems as if there is a great deal of kids committed to excelling and improving on the events they’re participating in.

Amanda Shaffer, junior, is one of the many student athletes to watch for this season; in the 400m she was able to run a 1:09.37. “I’ve only been running since my sophomore year,” states Shaffer, “And it’s exhilarating to know that I’m one of individuals trying to make it to Regionals.”

Another advantage of track is the crowd it draws due to its various events. According to Daniels, the high jump was one of the main reasons he decided to see a track meet. After the meet he was able to see that each event requires skill and hard work in order to become competitive.

Alyanna Harina, freshman, is also a student athlete to keep an eye on this season; in the 800m she ran a 2:52.95. “I feel like there’s a lot on my shoulders,” states Harina. “Coaches tell us we’re part of the group they want to send to Regionals. It’s one of my goals now, and a huge inspiration to me is my parents.”

By the end of the day, Clark had a girls’ score of 73 and a boys’ score of 85. Western was second place with a girls’ score of 34 and a boys’ score of 48. “I was impressed with how the meet went,” stated Natan Brauner. “I knew we would do great, but it feels awesome to have beaten the other schools by such a large margin.”

Considering the fact that Clark’s track and field is only halfway through their season, there’s a lot to expect with the athletes that have the potential of going to Regionals.

The athletes to watch for the 2011-2012 track season:

1. Stephanie Chavez, 800m 2:48.72
2. Bobbi Floyd 100m 12.88

200m 26.32

1. Johnice Bland 200m 28.47
2. Johnice Bland 400m 1:06.46
3. Stephanie Davis 100m HH 17.95
4. Alyanna Harina 800m 2:52.95
5. Ashley Hill 100m 13.41
6. Ashley Hill 200m 28.26
7. Audrey Meng Triple Jump 31-10.0
8. Audrey Meng Long Jump 11-11.0
9. Amanda Shaffer 400m 1:09.3
10. Ki’Shaun Loyd 200m 24.05
11. Cory Corral 400m 57.98
12. Kyle Wong Long Jump 18-2.0
13. Trevon Robinson

By: Tracey Barton

For many years, some students have looked at some of the material taught by teachers as unnecessary information. There are the usual famous quotes traveling around the classrooms of middle schools and throughout high schools such as “When am I ever honestly going to use this math in my lifetime?” or “I’m never going to see this again.” and my personal favorite, of course, “This is not useful to me at all.” Little did these students know that most of the things that seem unnecessary at the time, may end up meaning the most in the future.

Let’s have a flashback to back in the day on the first official day of school. Nothing at the time sounded better than being around other children and learning everything about anything. Well, those are the days that create one into whom they are today.

The bits and pieces remembered throughout the younger years are carried on with all of us now whether we realize it or not. For example, most children are taught to share when they’re young so that they eventually grow up to be a respectable person. Even though at a young age, sharing doesn’t really matter and doesn’t seem too worthy of learning. Especially since sharing is by far one of the easiest skills to master growing up. Now if a child used one of our famous quotes as mentioned before, they’re most likely to grow up with a bad attitude and will most likely not be as well respected as the child who paid attention about sharing.

Now let’s exit our childhood school days flashback and come back to reality; where it truly matters. The information we learn throughout high school is closely related to the simple topic of sharing: you may not care for it now, but one day you’ll realize the toll it has in life.

Teachers do not assign homework and assignments to torture students meanwhile they sit behind a desk laughing maniacally at the suffrage of the teenagers in their class. (Teachers may vary.) It really does help students prepare for college. Even if someone is an English major, the student will be required to pass a math class. It’s a lot better to just learn it now, no matter how pointless some information may seem at the time, and get it over with. It’s a smarter strategy instead of cramming about all the basic information that should have been learned back in high school.

With temptation around every corner in high school, it’s very important to remember that the attitude carried in these short, four years can either have a positive or negative reflection in the future. Nobody may be able to control what happens in the future, but there is one question that comes the closest to having the most control in life and what happens. So what’s it going to be, Clark Chargers? Pass or fail?