Posts by asale:
Expecting conflict
March 14th, 2011Last spring when 17-year-old Granite Bay High School junior Whitney Inocelda’s pregnancy test results from Planned Parenthood returned positive, her mother was the first to find out.
“I called my mother right away, and she (told me) ‘Well, you’re an adult now, so you have to figure things out,’” Inocelda said.
But this proved to be more difficult than expected – Inocelda lived with her father and stepmother, who found out about the pregnancy by tracking her text messaging online. Their response was drastically different:“get an abortion, or get out.”
“I couldn’t (go through with an abortion) because in my heart it just didn’t feel right,” Inocelda said. “I did get pregnant and I understand that (my parents) were angry with me because that’s not what they wanted for me, but I needed them to be parents and support me because it was my choice,” Inocelda said.
“ All I can do now is be an example for (my father) and show him that I am a great parent and that I’m trying my best – I got myself into this situation, and I’m going to do the best with what I have right now.”
Inocelda moved in with her boyfriend A.J. Inocelda – the father of the child – and his family. They married in June.
“I was willing to have (unprotected) sex and get pregnant, so I’m willing to be a mother and deal with it for the rest of my life,” Inocelda said.
Whitney gave birth to Anuhea Inocelda on Dec. 15, 2010.
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The House of Representatives voted on Feb. 18 to pass a bill that would cut federal funding from abortion-performing centers, such as Planned Parenthood.
If the bill passes through the Democratic majority Senate, and is signed by the President, it will amend one segment (Title X) of the Public Health Service Act, which provides family planning and preventative reproductive health services to low-income patients.
Planned Parenthood which was originally established by Margaret Sanger to provide contraception for poor women, uses Title X funds.
Now it provides prenatal and pediatric care; family planning, which includes contraception, pregnancy testing, cancer testing, sexually transmitted infection testing, among others; primary care, which includes breast exams, diabetes screening, physicals, and more; and child care.
The amendment excludes hospitals or those centers performing abortions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. This leads many to think that the bill was an attack on Planned Parenthood, one of the nation’s largest abortion services providers.
To put it in perspective locally, the Roseville Planned Parenthood Health Center served 19,545 patients in the fiscal year 2010. Of those nearly 20,000 patients served locally, 79 percent of the patients were seen for family planning.
Despite popular belief, only a minority of these were teenagers, according to Raquel Simental, the public affairs director for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, which includes 32 different health centers in Central California.
“(Most of our clients) are between the ages of 20 and 34 – so we’re talking college students and young adults who are starting out their careers, that perhaps their first job not only pays them very little but also (offers) very little (or no) health care at all,” Simental said.
“Ninety-seven percent of the services (in all 32 centers included in the Mar Monte affiliate) are preventive health care; only three percent are abortion-related,” Simental said. “We are one of the largest abortion providers – that is a fact. But that’s (also) because there are very few abortion providers.”
Granite Bay High School health teacher Kathie Sinor received her master’s degree in behavioral science and researched sex education and prevention.
She supports Planned Parenthood and recognizes the potential negative effects that cutting funds could have.
“What will happen is, ‘OK, we prohibit these women from having abortions because we’re not funding them,’ then those women are going to either end up having back-street abortions – and we’ve already seen the ugly effects of that as women died (from) infections – or they choose to have their child but don’t have a job because unemployment is so high right now, and it’s a vicious cycle,” Sinor said.
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At the Roseville Health Center, manager Lynette Worden has dealt with protestors every week for many years. They must stay on Sunrise Boulevard because the walkway directly surrounding the Planned Parenthood building is private property.
“We encounter it on a weekly basis and we’re used to it,” Worden said.
The protestors include several religious groups who rotate shifts. One group is from Adventure Christian Church in Roseville. According to church member Wayne Bigelow, their purpose is to save women from the regrets of having an abortion, and eventually reverse Roe vs. Wade.
Tom Jennings is part of the Knights of Columbus in Roseville and has protested every week on Thursday mornings for many years. His wife was infertile, and after he experienced the joy from adoption, he urges women to avoid abortion and put their children up for adoption.
“We had to go to see the psychiatrist because (my wife) was 34 years old, and (she) was so sad (because) she loves little children (but couldn’t have any.) When we finally did adopt, it was just such a miracle to see her whole countenance change – the smile came upon her face, and I knew that that baby was the reason,” Jennings said.
“The (biological) mother decided not to have an abortion, and that’s why I’m so strongly in favor of not funding Planned Parenthood – not funding people who take money and kill babies for just whim and convenience. I wish that doctors would take the Hippocratic Oath – they’re there to preserve life from the moment of conception to natural death.”
He realizes that taking away Planned Parenthood would take away free healthcare from many uninsured women. He suggests these women receive help from privately funded clinics supported by the Knights of Columbus, such as the Sacramento Life Center on North Sunrise Avenue.
“We have free healthcare, free health screening, free ultrasound – free, free, free! Anything that a woman gets in this abortion mill, she gets free (at our clinics,)” Jennings said.
“We spent over $200,000 getting (a) Life Mobile – it drives around to five different places in the Sacramento Diocese and parks there. Girls come out of school, off the sidewalk and they’re able to find out if they are pregnant, if they have any diseases, and (learn about) the alternatives (to abortions.)
“Adoptive parents are one of the alternatives, and that’s why I love alternative pregnancy centers,” Jennings said.
Supporters at the Roseville Health Center are looking to fight back on the political side of the debate.
“We’re lucky here in California that we have two pro-choice, pro-Planned Parenthood senators, so we’re trying to help out other states whose senators (including female Republicans) can waiver on this issue by holding phone banks and connecting volunteers directly to the senator’s office,” Simental said. “We’re putting our grass-roots activists to work.”
One supporter, Ann, recognizes the political battle, but chose to take a different course of action.
“I think that when they are trying to de-fund Planned Parenthood, it’s totally political – it has nothing to do with a religious belief. Last week I said ‘enough, I’m going to do something that says this is wrong, these are lies, because it’s all political,’” said Ann, who would not give her last name.
Despite Ann’s convictions, religion does play a role for some. Inocelda was born and raised Christian and thus does not support abortions. Even so, she is standing with Planned Parenthood.
“The (politicians) need to look at all sides,” Inocelda said. “I like Planned Parenthood. They give me free birth control; if I need information, I go there.”
Nevada Union girls defeat Grizzlies
January 14th, 2011On Friday, January 14, the Granite Bay High School girls’ basketball team met the Nevada Union High School Miners. The Miners held a lead until the third quarter, when the Grizzlies made a comeback as high scorer Cayley McDowell led her team back. In the fourth quarter, however, the Miners took control and won with a final score of 52-38.
Nevada Union’s in-your-face defense confused the Grizzlies and forced turnovers, and the Miners jumped out to an early lead of 20-9 at halftime.
Preston drained a three-pointer at the beginning of the third quarter, followed by senior Alexa Wolf’s basket. McDowell sunk a three-pointer, which was followed by two free throws shot by Wolf. McDowell sunk another trey, tying the game at 22-22.
McDowell was GBHS’s lead scorer with 12 points, but it ultimately wasn’t enough, as the Grizzlies fell, 52-38.
Marine Victor Dew killed in the line of duty
November 2nd, 2010I got to know Victor just because he was Victor. He was an individual – he didn’t follow the crowd. I mean, he just stood out. As a teacher, I think you have specific kids that you think about often (because) they made an impression on you – I’ve been here seven years (and Victor was one of those kids).
In class, he was always a participant. It’s not that he always had the right answer; but he always had an opinion, believed in the opinion, backed it up and that affected other kids (so that) they respected him when he spoke. He was a silent leader.
He really touched my heart. There are kids you (teach) that make you say: ‘God I hope my kids turn out like that’. That’s how I felt about Victor.
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Granite Bay High School teacher Liz McCuen is one of many who remember Victor Dew, a GBHS 2008 graduate and Private First Class in the U.S. Marine Corps. Dew, who joined the Marines in 2009, was killed in combat Oct. 13 in Afghanistan.
He made similar impressions on all who knew him.
GBHS 2008 graduate Eric Seidman graduated in the same class as Dew. The boys met at Olympus Junior High School soon after Dew’s family relocated from the Bay Area.
“I was pretty intimidated (when I first met Victor), to be honest. But upon hearing him speak, I realized that he was one of the most down-to-earth guys,” Seidman said.
“He could talk to anybody, and nobody ever had anything against him. This is how he always was – perhaps if anything changed about him, it was that more and more people realized it,” he said.
Granite Bay parent Valisa Schmidley is one of many others who were impacted by Dew’s kind heart and quiet demeanor. She worked with him at the OJHS snack bar, where he insisted on being her teacher assistant.
“When he came to Olympus as a seventh grader, he was really shy – like painfully shy,” Schmidley said. “Even though he was quiet, he had a tremendous inner strength – he was very loving, very sweet, very kind-hearted.”
It was at OJHS where Dew met his best friend, GBHS 2007 alum Arash Mottaghian. The two met in leadership class and soon after discovered they were neighbors.
Dew and Mottaghian remained close during their years at GBHS – they ate lunch together, walked home from school together, spent time after school together and hung out on the weekends.
One of Mottaghian’s favorite memories from their friendship was riding their bikes or skateboards around town.
“(Once), close to Halloween, we were biking around and we went over to Party City. They had those toy M16 rifles that make that really annoying clicking sound when you pull the trigger,” Mottaghian said with a laugh. “(We each grabbed one) and ran through the aisles, hiding behind walls and using them as guards, pretending to shoot at each other. I don’t know how long we (lasted) before we were kicked out.”
Dew also left an impact on GBHS staff, including science teacher Shane Dixon.
“I remember he had very characteristic handwriting. As I recall, it was a fancy type of script – artistically unique,” Dixon said.
GBHS 2010 graduate Lauren Paulson met Dew in Mimi Hafeman’s Spanish 2 class. Paulson remembers Dew’s unique personality quirks.
“His Spanish name was Ignacio, like Ignacio Libre (from the movie Nacho Libre),” Paulson said. “Whenever he was (called on in class, and) in a good mood, he would yell ‘Ignaaaaciooo!’ He liked that movie a lot.”
Paulson and Dew kept in touch even after he graduated; they would often watch zombie movies, play Wii and cook together.
“He liked to make people feel comfortable and happy – he really cared about you,” Paulson said.
McCuen recalls Dew’s distinct presence in the classroom.
“(I can still picture him) coming in with his headphones on and his long hair, sitting down and throwing his feet up (on a chair),” McCuen said.
She said Dew’s personality was evident when he would enthusiastically raise his hand in a way that no one else does: hand straight up, even though his whole body was relaxed.
One of Dew’s personal achievements was earning his second-degree black belt in jujitsu. Despite his talent in the sport, many who knew him were impressed by how humble he was – McCuen said she didn’t even know Dew participated in jujitsu.
“He never bragged about himself in class. (And jujitsu was) something that (in) our many conversations (he) could’ve brought up,” she said.
After graduating, Dew briefly attended Sierra College before enlisting in the Marines in March of 2009. The 20-year-old departed for Afghanistan in September 2010.
“(Victor) had been talking about joining for God knows how long – all eight years that I had known him,” Mottaghian said.
Both Mottaghian and Paulson remember the big Marines flag that was hanging on the wall in Dew’s room.
“I thought he was completely meant for (the Marines),” Paulson said. “He had that military mindset; he wanted to protect his friends and protect his people.”
Even though Dew’s family and friends supported his decision, they went through a myriad of emotions in response to his enlistment, according to Mottaghian.
“I remember his mom always talking about how nervous she was. I would always try to calm her down, saying ‘Hey, everything is going to be good – he’s a tough kid’,” Mottaghian said. “She was worried, anxious, proud, happy – just every single emotion you can imagine going through her and her husband.”
Among the family and friends Dew left behind was his fiancée Courtney Gold, whom he proposed to at Disneyland weeks before he departed for Afghanistan.
Mottaghian said Dew and Gold’s engagement epitomized what Dew believed: “Live life the way you want to and don’t be afraid to take chances.”
To those knew him, Dew was fun-loving, caring and always full of life.
“There are few genuine, honest, good men in the world,” Seidman said. “Victor was one of them.”
Granite Bay girls varsity volleyball beats Del Oro
October 7th, 2010On Thursday, Oct. 7 the Granite Bay High School girls varsity volleyball team played a home game against Del Oro. They won the first game with a score of 14-25, but lost by three points in the second game (22-25 Del Oro). The third game was close, but the varsity girls pulled through with a final score of 25-21 Granite Bay.
Tensions rose after the third game — GBHS had won two out of three games, so if they won the fourth, it was all over. The girls pulled through with the support of GBHS students and parents cheering them on, winning 25-16 Granite Bay.
Places to take your pooch: a look into local dog parks
April 20th, 2010In a phone interview, GBHS parent and veterinarian Diane Chesebro emphasized the importance of the Bordatella, or kennel cough vaccine because it can be transmitted easily between dogs during play at a park.
But even if Fido is up-to-date on his vaccinations, he’s still not ready for the dog park.
Dogs must be accustomed to the presence of other dogs – frequent walks around the neighborhood before the first dog park visit is essential, because socialization is key in a successful dog park experience, according to Chesebro.
The first time that man’s best friend is introduced to a dog park, it is key to keep him or her with dogs in the same general size and personality group.
“Big dogs don’t do well with little dogs because the (big dogs) tend to want to dominate the (little) dogs,” said Frank Munoz, local dog owner and supporter of Canine’s Companion for Independence. “It’s a little hard for small dogs because they don’t realize they’re small dogs.”
The different personalities are accommodated for in most dog parks with separate sections – Phoenix Dog Park even has a third section for those who don’t quite fit in with the rest of the pack, per se. But when contrasting personalities clash, dog fights may break out.
The best way to prevent this is to watch for body language – if Fluffy’s legs are stiff, her ears are sticking straight up along with her tail, it’s time to distract her attention and get her out of the situation before she hurts one of her “friends”. Also, watch for packs that form with groups of more than four dogs – if this happens, lead your dog to a neutral area or take him for a walk and come back another time.
Dog parks, though they may be a potential hazard with kennel cough and fights, can be incredibly beneficial.
Exercise is among the most important benefits. Chris Hanks, a regular at Phoenix Dog Park with his border collie-sheltie mix named Mija, whole-heartedly agrees.
“(The dog park) gives her something I could never give her,” Hanks said. “I could jog with her for 10 miles a day, but she would never get the amount of exercise (she gets at a dog park).”
But exercise and socialization can be helpful to both Spot and his owner. This is seen particularly at Bear Dog Park, located in Mahany Park across the street from an elderly community called Sun City, where exercise and social opportunities are present every day.
The park has a dirt track surrounding the grassy field, so while Spot is off sniffing the latest trends in “doggy perfume”, the track provides an opportunity for a daily workout. The park also attracts the elderly community from Sun City.�
“It’s really a chance for them to get outside the house because they (may not) have family anymore, and this dog park becomes their family,” said Amy Burris, a regular at Bear Dog Park with her Doberman named Briar.
Because Granite Bay does not have any dog parks, the following parks are located in Roseville or other nearby cities, and have been rated on a scale of one to four dog bones according to their overall quality. This takes in to consideration opportunities for exercise and socialization along with cleanliness, presence of fresh water and bathing areas, toys, accommodations for all types of dogs and services provided for the owners.
Marco Park
1800 Sierra Gardens Drive, 6 minutes from GBHS
Different sections: No; very wide
Shade and seating: Wood overhang with bulletin board; lawn chairs nearby
Nature: Healthy grass but can be muddy at times; hills behind tall trees with wetland area and small creek, but tends to be messy
Special features: One size fits all – this means more space for dogs to fetch, but small dogs typically don’t do well; only park with wetland area for dogs to explore
Bear Dog Park (at Mahany Park)
1575 Pleasant Grove Blvd, 20 minutes from GBHS
Different sections: Two; small dogs and big dogs
Shade and seating: High-quality canvas structures with lawn chairs underneath
Nature: Grass uneven and patchy; few small trees scattered; dirt track to walk on circling grass fields in both areas
Special features: Doggy playground similar to agility course; two contained shower areas in central lobby of the two areas
Phoenix Dog Park
9050 Sunset Ave in Fair Oaks, 15 minutes from GBHS
Different sections: Three; small dogs, big dogs and “area three” for less sociable, shy or smaller dogs
Shade and seating: Three wooden shade structures with benches underneath; few lawn chairs
Nature: Healthy, thick grass; new trees just planted
Special features: Occasional training seminars, including leash training class at 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 18; lots of space to run for both small and big dogs
8275 Oak Avenue in Citrus Heights, 9 minutes from GBHS
Different sections: Two; little space in small dog area and large big dog area
Shade and seating: Large trees provide shade in big dog area; lawn chairs can be moved under shade of the trees if desired
Nature: Uneven grass in both areas; thick forest of trees in back of big area
Special features: Small area has bulletin board with slots for 12 business cards; trash cans on outside with slots through fence so no doggy dumpster-diving
1600 Parkside Way, 16 minutes from GBHS
Different sections: Three; small, big and training area
Shade and seating: Few lawn chairs; no shade structures
Nature: Uneven grass throughout; trees just planted so very small
Special features: Only dog park in the area with separate training field; Who Trains Who pet obedience classes 10 a.m. every Sat. with Deborah Wise; located along a nice biking path with children’s park nearby
Buljan Drive, 9 minutes from GBHS
Different sections: No
Shade and seating: Trees provide shade by entrance with picnic table; wood shade structure with more picnic tables directly outside park; no water, toys or bathing areas available
Nature: Trees by entrance of the park; thick, healthy grass throughout
Special features: Hard to find – hidden by baseball fields; large area provides good place to play catch while dog excercises; only park with picnic tables
Names in the News
March 15th, 2010GBHS students in youth summit at Valley Forge
Granite Bay High School sophomores Elveen Mann and Samantha McKenzie were granted full scholarships to the Freedoms Foundation’s American Leaders Youth Summit in Valley Forge, Penn.
The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge was founded in 1949 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to educate and inspire youth with American history.
McKenzie and Mann found out about the opportunity from the founders of the new Sacramento chapter and entered essays to apply for full scholarships.
“We applied two weeks ago (with the submission of our essays),” Mann said. “I ended up receiving the scholarship because Sam pushed me to do it.”
The essay these students submitted was based on their inspirations and their idea of the American dream.
“I wrote about how my dream is to one day become a pediatrician and to help kids in third-world countries because they are our future,” Mann said.
The program is being held April 22-25 and eight other students from the Sacramento chapter will be attending in addition to McKenzie and Mann.
All-State Honor Choir
GBHS sophomore Emily Santor was selected to represent GBHS in the American Choral Directors’ Association All-State Honor Choir performance.
Santor was required to go through a live audition process. The top 100 vocalists were chosen to perform in either the mixed honor choir, women’s honor choir or men’s honor choir.
Santor is grateful to be performing with the women’s honor choir.
“I’m very excited. (I’m) not nervous at all,” Santor said.
The performance will take place at 6:30 p.m. on March 20 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in San Jose.
Speaker of the Year
GBHS senior Pradhan Bhat was named the Speaker of the Year at a recent debate competition.
GBHS juniors Blake Delaplane and Dominic DeMarco were the second and third runner-up for the award, even though they have only been competing for three years.
The award goes to the individual with the highest accumulated number of points earned from various debate competitions.
GBHS seniors Bhat, Nashmiyeh Ali and Matt O’Brien also won the League President Award.
This award is given to students who have participated in speech and debate for at least 3-4 years who have contributed to their debate teams.
“(The President Award) is usually (awarded) to seniors on our team who (have) stood out and really helped the team,” Bhat said.
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Athletic All-Stars
GBHS seniors Andrew Knapp and Ian Rhodes were recently named National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame Scholar Athletes for this past season.
They were recognized at an awards banquet on Wednesday in Sacramento along with other recipients in the area.
Knapp also received a substantial scholarship from the University of California at Berkeley for baseball and has signed his letter of intent to attend the college next fall.
Liberté, égalité, fraternité!
March 15th, 2010Academic Decathlon is first in county, advancing to state
Eight individuals began their first Academic Decathlon practice last May completely unaware of their teammates’ strength and weaknesses, with only surface-level knowledge of the French Revolution
“When we first join, we have no idea who (our teammates) are,” Lee said. “We’re all very different people. (Teammates can) be a little timid when approaching others because they’re so different, but later on in the season, things get better.”
After 11 months of preparation, they won first place at the county tournament and will leave for state competition today as a united team of decathletes, ready to present their comprehensive knowledge of 18th century France.
The Granite Bay High School team is made up of eight academic athletes: three “A” students in the honors category, three “B” students in the scholastic category and two “C” students in the varsity category.
Students from each level are also involved in Future Business Leaders of America, clubs, music organizations, the Granite Bay Gazette and Boy Scouts. All of these unique individuals come together to build off each others’ individual study habits.
Several of the students joined the team looking to expand their educational horizons, just as GBHS junior Chelsey Lee did as a sophomore.
“Sometimes in school, classroom knowledge can only go (so) far because you don’t get to learn about the deeper facts,” Lee said. “What you learn is just the surface”.
And these students certainly receive an in-depth education.
They take 30-minute multiple-choice tests in seven subjects: economics, art, music, language and literature, mathematics, science and social science. Each team member is also required to write an essay, deliver a speech and participate in the Super Quiz.
These events are all loosely based around the theme for each season, and the theme for the 2009-2010 season is the French Revolution.
The theme, which changes every year, is determined by the United States Academic Decathlon organization, and students must follow the curriculum developed by the USAD.
Students must learn to balance seven different subjects to study that are encompassed in the curriculum, along with learning public-speaking and essay-writing skills.
GBHS English teacher Anthony Davis provides support in this process, as he has more than 12 years of experience as an Academic Decathlon coach, along with his memories of competing as a decathlete in high school.
“I coach them in the speech and the interview, as well as the language, literature and economics,” Davis said. “Once they leave high school, (the decathletes) have the ability to maintain (their) sanity while studying seven different academic events (because of AcaDec).”
Other GBHS teachers come to practices to help out with other subjects: Sharry Colnar helps with chemistry, Brandon Dell’ Orto with the social science, Duane Blomquist with math and Brad Cordell with art.
Decathletes like GBHS senior Paul Basra learn valuable study skills through the process of studying an intense curriculum with their teammates.
“It’s more of a group effort,” Basra said. “Everyone shares their ways (of) memoriz(ation) and then Mr. Davis teaches us how to critically analyze. Everyone motivates each other.”
Kurt Chirbas, GBHS senior and team captain, advises his team to create acronyms and relate the reading and facts in the books to their own lives.
“The best thing is to learn how to make mnemonic devices,” Chirbas said. “Silly things – if you can relate a number to a basketball jersey or a clever saying – it will stick in your mind longer than (a list of facts from a textbook)”.
Along with coaching the studious efforts of the team, Davis and Chirbas support coherent teamwork.
“We always start off the year (with) bowling and we’ve gone out to restaurants on Fridays” Chirbas said.
GBHS junior Jennifer Bonne sees the importance of working well as a team from the start, because they must work together year-long before their competition.
“You’re all working hard together, you’re all going through the same (process), so you really have to bond and get to know each other,” Bonne said.
The social aspect and “fraternité,” or brotherhood, of the team is a major part of the successful decathletes, according to GBHS junior Jerrica Bullis.
“The (people) are all so different and so much fun to be around,” Bullis said, as her teammates joke around beside her, indulging in Oreos before practice.
“I used to be really shy when I first started out with (AcaDec),” Bullis said, “but (it) has (showed) me that it’s OK to open up a little bit more.”
Decathletes learn valuable teamwork and social skills from the team – these social skills combined with the educational experience they’ve had will continue to help them in college and beyond.
“The academics won’t really help you do better on your SAT or ACT, but the skills you learn from it – responsibility, how to collaborate with other people, and how to make the best of any situation (procrastination for instance) – really helps you develop skills to become a better person,” Lee said.
Parents cause tension, conflict for coaches and players
February 12th, 2010 The Davis Senior High School girls’ field hockey team was playing an away game at Chico High School when the mother of a Davis athlete approached her daughter’s coach, vocalizing her fury over her daughter’s lack of playing time.
The father of the coach had been watching the heated argument, angered by the inappropriate reaction of the parent. He then approached the father of this athlete, and harshly scolded the parent for aggravating the coach.
As the coach’s father was about to leave the game, the father of the player approached him, proceeded to punch the coach’s father three times, leaving him unconscious – and the rest of the team stunned.
Read the rest of this entry “
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