Name: Jessica
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Posts by jreese:
- Chris Denham (senior)
- Ethan Mendoza (senior)
- Grant Dechert (senior)
- Alyssa Anthony (senior)
- Danielle McFarland (junior)
- Oliver Brusca (junior)
- Callie Reinke (junior)
- Jeff Fehr (senior)
- Sophie Weber (junior)
- Corinne Rhodes (junior)
- Andrew Duncan (junior)
- Karolina Kecki (junior)
- Spencer Morgan (senior)
- Sean Sullivan (senior)
- Ian Baumbach (junior)
- Laura Preston (senior)
- Hunter Christian (junior)
- Mackenzie Sato (senior)
- Steven Hulse (senior)
The unnecessary horror of the Week of No Bells
May 1st, 2012Granite Bay High School can be easily divided down class lines: IB, AP and CP. There is, of course, some mixing of the classes, but by junior (and especially senior) year, the divisions are fairly concrete.
For most of the year, the IB population goes more or less unnoticed on campus. Yes, the program is brought up in class and during passing periods, but the devoted students often spend their time studying somewhere.
That is, however, not the case all the time. A few times every year, the true power of the IB students can be seen – nay, heard – on campus. It is during these times that the bells go silent.
During these weeks, teachers often offer up the explanation, “it’s for IB testing.”
Yet, that hardly seems like a true concrete reason. The rumor mill, of course, has a few theories. One is that the bells could contain answers, sent via Morse code.
As tempting as it is to believe that, the rational side of me says that the real reason is probably just that they don’t want to be interrupted. To which my argumentative side responds, “So what? Deal with it!”
Now, I do not mean to be insensitive to the IB students. I understand the course load is rigorous and they work hard. Still, I cannot help but feel it is a bit absurd that they cannot hear bells during their testing.
I mean, really now? No bells? Is this some new puritanical IB movement? Their tender ears cannot hear shrill bells while testing? Because, surely, the sound would cause all of their brilliance to leak out of their ears, ruin their concentration and lead to the demise of the IB program and the world.
OK, maybe it isn’t quite that serious, which is precisely my point. Since it isn’t a life or death situation, I hardly see the point of stopping all of the bells for a small handful of students.
Considering the ringing of the school bell only lasts a few seconds, I doubt such a “disturbance” could truly hurt the IB students. In fact, the bells could actually help students with pacing.
Had the IB Bell Ban – yes, it has earned an official name in my world – been only one day, I might not have been so perturbed. It wasn’t, though.
No, my fellow classmates and I had to go a week without bells. A week during which, I might add, the schedule was frequently off-kilter, making getting to class on time a lot like playing Russian roulette.
On one particular afternoon, about three days into the Week of No Bells, I was nearly late to class because, while working in the journalism room at lunch, I was unaware of how much time had passed. Upon realizing that my next class was mere minutes from starting, my journalism posse and I ran to AP language and composition.
Once there, mercifully missing the start of class by a few seconds, we sat down to begin an in-class synthesis essay.
I was about midway through the essay when, suddenly, some kind of Broadway music blared from the dance room beneath our feet.
Believe me when I say that there are very few things as difficult as trying to write an essay while listening to what I can only assume was the soundtrack to The Lion King.
So, dear IB kids, if I can write an essay while the dance class seemingly kills a heard of wildebeests or zebras or whatever they were doing one floor below, you can take a test with a few measly bells.
***
Jessica Reese, a senior, is a Gazette co-editor-in-chief.
Tackling head trauma
March 22nd, 2012
Varsity football coach Ernie Cooper believes that baseline testing and an athletic trainer are necessities
The true impact of concussions in athletics has steadily gained media attention in recent years, as more and more former athletes begin to exhibit the long-term effects of concussions.
With the National Football League facing lawsuits from former players, it should come as no surprise that the wave of concern has trickled down to the high school level.
A recent bill, co-sponsored by the NFL, went into effect in
California at the beginning of the year. This bill, titled Assembly Bill 25, mandates concussion education on the high school level.
Under AB 25, parents must sign a concussion-awareness form prior to their child
participating in athletics. Athletes who have sustained a concussion also are required to obtain medical clearance before returning to play.
“AB 25 really just reiterated what the (California Interscholastic Federation) had already written in their procedures,” said Catherine Broomand, a physician who runs the Youth Sports Concussion program at Kaiser Permanente in Roseville.
“It didn’t really change the way high school athletics are being run.”
Under CIF Bylaw 313, high schools were already required to immediately remove any player they suspected of having a concussion from play. The bylaw also required removed players to get clearance from a physician before returning to play.
Another bill, Assembly Bill 1451, was recently proposed to supplement AB 25. This bill would require coaches to undergo specific training on catastrophic injuries such as concussions. This would most likely supplement the one-hour online course the CIF requires for coaches.
Broomand said these bills are a good starting point for concussion education, something she is passionate about.
“The fact sheets are great, but I really find that having professionals come out to the school to speak with the parents, the athletes, the coaches, even the school staff, (is highly beneficial),” Broomand said.
In 2008, GBHS took part in an educational program known as HeadMinders. Costing around $2,000 a year, this program provided baseline testing “for every student who was in a sport that had a proclivity for having concussions,” according to athletic director Tim Healy.
GBHS also had a stipend for a full-time athletic trainer to oversee the program.
Two years after the program was adopted, trainer Jenny Mann and the HeadMinders program left the campus.
Since then, GBHS has not participated in any other baseline testing programs, nor has it hired a new trainer.
The reason for this, according to Healy, is a lack of funding district-wide.
“There are few high schools, none in our district, that fund (a high school trainer),” Healy said.
Ernie Cooper, the head football coach, does not believe that funding should be an issue when it comes to an athletic trainer.
Having a trainer on campus is, to him, an invaluable resource for coaches and athletes. He believes the funding for something so important can and should be found.
“The No. 1 thing we’re entrusted with every day as teachers is our students’ and athletes’ safety,” Cooper said. “So for us not to have a trainer (is absolutely) insane.”
Healy said an educational program will one day return to GBHS, but he is unsure where the funding will come from or how it will be implemented.
Currently, there are two programs on the market for concussion education and baseline testing.
One is the Sacramento Valley Concussion Care Consortium, a collaboration between Kaiser Permanente, Mercy, Sutter, the University of California at Davis Medical Center and Wells Fargo Insurance. Broomand is a member of the Consortium and believes it is an invaluable program for high schools and teams.
In addition to providing concussion education, the Consortium also provides athletes with baseline testing using the ImPACT program.
“When I started the program here, I looked at a lot of different forms of computerized tests that are used for managing concussions, and I think ImPACT is the best of what’s available out there,” Broomand said.
Granite Bay Rugby, which is separate from GBHS and does not fall under the CIF or AB 25 rules, recently signed up for Consortium.
“The Granite Bay Rugby board of directors and myself unanimously posted that we adopt that, so we’ve contacted Wells Fargo for the insurance,” head coach John Kimble said. “Next season all players will have a baseline test done.”
Despite the program’s positive reception in the area, Healy does not know if it is the right program for GBHS.
Though relatively “inexpensive,” according to Broomand, the program would cost $5-10 per participant, per sport. So, for a three-sport athlete, the program could cost anywhere from $15 to $35.
For Healy, this increasing cost is a concern, as the school would most likely have to foot the bill.
“We’re not going to go back to the parents (and ask them to pay), because we’re already asking the parents left and right for things,” Healy said. “I’d like to get away from that.”
The second program Healy has considered is more appealing because, unlike the Consortium, there is one flat rate for all athletes, no matter how many sports they play.
Even if this cheaper program could be funded, Healy still has his concerns. The biggest among them is how the athletic department would implement the program.
In football, for example, finding time for baseline testing and concussion education would be difficult. According to Healy, because of how early football starts, their entire game schedule would have to be shifted back one week in order to accommodate the program.
Equally challenging would be coordinating the baseline testing for 800 to 1,000 athletes.
“We have a computer lab, where you cross your fingers and hope 30 of them work, and I’ve got to test 800 (students),” Healy said. “How many days is that going to take?”
For Cooper, who coaches a sport where concussions are commonplace, the baseline testing is worth the hassle.
Back when the HeadMinders program was in place, Cooper would have all of his athletes take the test on the very first day of the season, before they ever put pads on.
“We had kids not meeting (the baseline standards), who would go in every week until they matched up with that baseline,” Cooper said. “Until then, they didn’t play. I loved it.”
Having the testing gave Cooper peace of mind, because he knew his players were safe.
Concussions are a particularly large concern for Cooper, as well as other coaches and physicians, because of how dangerous they can become later on in life.
“When an athlete has had multiple concussions over their lifetime, they’re at higher risk for long-term problems,” Broomand said.
Down the line, multiple concussions could result in anything from physical issues like chronic headaches and sleep issues to emotional instability and depression.
Another major concern of coaches and physicians is Second Impact Syndrome. Because of this fear, players are required to get medical clearance before returning to play.
“(Concussions) are not like a broken leg. You may think you’re fine, but that might not be the case,” Peter Saco, the Sac-Joaquin Section commissioner, said.
If a player returns to play before his or her brain is fully healed and sustains another concussion, the result can be disastrous.
“(Second Impact Syndrome is) when we lose kids,” Saco said. “That’s when they die and suffer serious injuries.”
Because of the danger of Second Impact Syndrome, programs like the ImPACT testing that provide a baseline are important for physicians.
“When you’re doing any kind of cognitive testing with people, the results (vary from person to person),” Broomand said. “(ImPACT testing) allows us to know what that particular person’s usual abilities are, and then after a concussion we know whether or not there is a difference from where they were functioning before.”
These results can help a physician determine when a player is truly healed and ready to return to play.
“The benefit of the baseline testing is that it’s personal, it’s more definitive,” Healy said. “And I’d say if you’re in a sport where head-on-head injuries are common, it’s probably worth doing it.”
Cooper was especially adamant about the importance of instituting a concussion program including baseline testing at GBHS.
“If (I was) the superintendent, the assistant superintendent, a board member, (I would be) finding the money (for a trainer and baseline testing),” Cooper said. “That is just money well-spent.”
Granite Bay Rugby Club Tramples Jesuit 57-6
February 24th, 2012The field at Ridgeview Elementary School was packed on Feb. 24, as the Granite Bay Rugby Club’s varsity team took on defending national champions, Jesuit High School. GB dominated, winning the game 57-6.
The victory was slightly tempered, as Jesuit chose to send their club team rather than their much-allotted school team.
Club team or not, it initially seemed as though Jesuit had the upper hand. GB spent the first part of the game trying to push back Jesuit, who repeatedly attempted to score. Though they were unable to score a try, Jesuit was able to successfully kick the ball through the posts, earning them three points.
After playing the majority of the game on the defense, GB turned things around midway through the first half. Once they were able to take and maintain control of the ball, they scored two tries and a conversion kick, taking the lead with 12 points. Jesuit tried to recover and score, but GB regained possession. Senior Taylor Honnette scored the final try of the first half, bringing the score to 17-3.
Junior Justin Ramirez and senior John Kimble took the lead for GB in the second half of the game, scoring the first two tries each.
Tyler Davis, a senior at Del Campo High School, also contributed significantly to GB’s victory. He was responsible for GB’s conversion kicks, and successfully kicked all but one through the posts.
Partway through the second half, Honnette grabbed the ball from a ruck and was able to break free from the pack. He outsprinted the other Jesuit players, and the sidelines burst into wild cheers as he headed for the try line. To further the play, Honnette kicked the ball ahead of him, and ran to grab it. He successfully beat a Jesuit defender to the ball, taking possession of it once again. Unfortunately, Honnette lost his hold on the ball as he approached the try line, preventing him from scoring.
Play restarted moments later with a line-up, and the ball was passed to Kimble, who scored the fourth try of the half. With Davis’ successful conversion, GB led 43-6.
Later in the game, senior Arik Bird scored a fifth try and Ramirez kicked another successful conversion, bringing the score to 50-6.
The final try of the game was scored by Honnette with an assist by Kimble. Davis kicked his final conversion of the evening, and brought the final score to 57-6.
Next Friday, Mar. 2, GB will play the Burbank High School Islanders at Burbank High School.
Jeffrey Fehr’s death impacts competitive cheer world
February 23rd, 2012
The late Jeff Fehr, center, was a top performer with competitive cheer squad Power Cheer. He and teammates Jeff Woo, Devin Allen and Tristen Palmer, left to right, hold up Brandi Mello.
Hand in hand, the Power Level Five Medium Coed team steps out onto the mat. They cross the blue expanse somberly, holding onto one another for support.
When they reach the front of the mat, the cheerleaders set down small black rocks and remove their Power shirts, laying the two side by side. On the rock is one simple word: “Believe.” On the shirt are two more words, hovering just beneath the Power Cheer logo: “Jeffrey Fehr.”
It has been a mere 15 days since they lost their teammate. For the first time, they take the stage without him.
Before the music begins, they gather in the center of the mat, chanting. As they step away, ready to take their places on the mat, they point to the sky, acknowledging their missing teammate.
Then the music begins and they spring into motion, flipping and flying through the air.
As the routine winds to a close, the team points to the sky once again.
Almost immediately they form a circle in the center of the mat, embracing one another, shoulders shaking with sobs. One by one, the coaches rush onto the mat to join the circle, wrapping their arms around the tearful team.
***
In the early hours of Jan. 1, Jeff Fehr, who graduated from Granite Bay High School last June, took his own life.
Within hours of hearing the news, former classmates and acquaintances gathered en masse at GBHS, mourning the loss of the young life.
Fehr’s death not only rocked the local community, but also the larger community that had been his home for the past three years: the cheerleading community.
After joining the GBHS cheer squad his junior year, Fehr threw himself into cheerleading. Throughout his remaining two years at GBHS, cheerleading provided him with an activity in which he grounded himself.
“He started to blossom (during) his junior year of high school, and I think that (cheerleading) gave him a little self-confidence, and with that, he was able to grow and become (the) strong-minded, dedicated cheerleader that he was,” said his coach, Bri Larson.
To the rest of the student body, Fehr became one of the fixtures of the cheer team. Many remember him smiling brightly as he stood on the track with the rest of his squad, cheering on the Grizzly football team.
This past fall, Fehr began classes at Sierra College, a transition Larson said seemed to be difficult on him.
“I feel that he was comfortable in his skin at (GBHS), and I think it was maybe difficult for him to go off to Sierra College and (reestablish) himself,” Larson said.
It was around this time that Fehr joined the local competitive cheer gym, Power Cheer, where Larson also coaches. There, he joined the Level 5 Medium Coed team and once again immersed himself in the world of cheerleading.
“He was the voice, the heart and the soul of our team,” Larson said.
Once on the team, Fehr quickly established himself as a leader. Larson described him as a motivator, someone who always wanted the team to be the best it could be.
“The team is recognized around the world, and we can dedicate our drive and motivation to become the best we could be this year to him, and that was even before he passed,” Larson said.
Fehr developed his leadership skills in high school, while on the GBHS team.
Junior Megan Hurley met Fehr her freshman year when Fehr, a junior, was assigned to be to her cheer “big brother.”
Though he was only a junior, Hurley said he always acted like a captain.
“Whenever we would have a bad practice, he would tell us to keep going,” Hurley said. “If we were tired, he would always be the one to tell us, ‘Keep pushing, you’ve got it.’ He was our encouragement.”
His senior year, Fehr became the varsity captain of the GBHS team, a role that Larson said he fully embraced. Fehr’s first concern was always the team, and he was committed to their success.
“He was always pushing everybody to be better and stay on task,” Larson said. “He almost pushed me in a way to make sure I was on my A-game as a coach and making sure they could be the best they could be.”
Fehr held himself to the same high standards, according to Larson. He led by example, always putting everything he had into cheering.
“He loved (cheering),” Hurley said. “He would get bruises occasionally (but) didn’t care. He put so much sweat and hard work into it.”
Junior Carly Flajole, who cheered with Fehr on the GBHS squad, believes cheerleading had a strong positive influence on his life.
“He loved it, especially when he was on his most recent Power team,” Flajole said. “It was like an escape for him.”
Since joining Power in the fall, Larson said Fehr made the gym his home away from home. He would leave school in the evenings and drive straight over to the gym.
In addition to being on the Level 5 Medium Coed team, Fehr was also a paid staff member, teaching tumbling classes at every level – from the youngest team to the special-needs team.
“(He) had an impact on every single kid that walked into that gym,” Larson said.
Fehr also had a large impact in the broader cheer world. In the wake of Fehr’s death, Power has received an outpouring of support from the rest of the cheer world.
“Jeff was kind of a contagious person in the cheer world, people loved him,” Larson said.
Numerous gyms across the nation have sent cards and flowers to Power, as well as photos of their teams dressed in Power’s blue and red.
Locally, Antelope High’s cheer squad wore yellow ribbons at a recent competition to show their support for Fehr.
Beyond these small shows of support, many have made monetary contributions in Fehr’s honor.
The United States All Star Federation, the governing body of cheerleading, made a special donation to the Trevor Project in Fehr’s honor. This charity, selected by Fehr’s parents, is devoted to the prevention of suicide among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth.
Another donation in Fehr’s name was made by Sparks All Stars, a cheer gymnasium in Avon, Mass. On Jan. 21, Sparks held a special tumbling session in Fehr’s honor, with all of the proceeds going to the Trevor Project.
“We have to think bigger than the rivalries and the competitions between gyms,” said Derek Johnson, a Sparks coach. “We all need to be in it together to help each other and to help fight this discrimination that a lot of our kids go through every day.”
The response to the fundraiser was very positive, according to Johnson. Though there were some setbacks with the weather, the turnout was still significant.
“It was the largest open tumble that we’ve hosted in our gym,” Johnson said, “and it was in the middle of a really nasty storm.”
In addition to the collection at the event, the gym also received numerous contributions from other programs in the area that were unable to attend because of the storm.
For Johnson, the financial side of the fundraiser was only one element of the effort. More important was sharing Fehr’s story and raising awareness about bullying.
“It may have happened in cheerleading, but it could have easily happened in anything else,” Johnson said. “Bullying in any way, shape or form, no matter what the kid is being bullied for, is a very dangerous game to play. The more awareness that is brought to it, the more likely we are to save a teenager’s life.”
For the teammates Fehr left behind, these generous demonstrations of support from the cheer world have provided comfort and given them strength.
Even the smallest action can help brighten their spirits. At their most recent competition in Palm Springs, for example, the team passed a person wearing a shirt with Fehr’s picture on the front with “RIP Jeff” beneath it.
“It brings a smile to the kids’ faces because they knew that (Fehr) was loved and affected so many other people,” Larson said. “I think it just gives them strength (to know) he’s never going to be forgotten.”
The team paid its own homage to Fehr at the first competition after his death, when members performed a memorial routine dedicated to him.
This first competition was incredibly difficult for the team, according to Larson.
“The warm-up room has been a struggle for us because it’s been quiet,” Larson said. “His voice is not there.”
With Fehr’s loss still so fresh, many were concerned about the safety of the cheerleaders during their performance. Emotionally and mentally, they were all over the place, Larson said, and their skills were suffering as a result.
In spite of all of this, the team’s members still insisted they move forward and do the routine.
“They wanted to finish and get through it and do it for him,” Larson said.
Because of this mindset, Fehr has continued to be the team’s driving force even though he is no longer here.
“They’re all still working hard every day for him,” Larson said.
At the beginning of the season, when Fehr was still alive, the team’s goal was to win a paid bid to Worlds, which would cover all of their travel and lodging costs. These bids are given only to the best teams in the country.
On Dec. 12, Fehr and his teammates received one of these bids.
Now, after Fehr’s death, the team’s goal is to rebuild and have a positive, successful season. To a person, they hope to make it to finals and place in the top 10 at Worlds.
***
The colored lights move across the stage hypnotically, as the announcer yells, “Here comes … Power!”
Immediately the crowd burst into a flurry of cheers.
The Medium Level 5 Coed team bursts through the curtain. They skip across the mat, pep in their steps and smiles on their faces.
It has been five weeks now since they lost Fehr, the heart and soul of their team. But still they move forward in his memory.
As the crowd cheers and the cheerleaders take their places on the mat, they pause for a moment and look at one another, pointing to the sky.
A moment later, the music begins and they burst into their routine, a rush of synchronized bodies and motion.
***
“We’re moving forward,” Larson said. “We’re not moving on. We’re moving forward in remembrance of him.”
Goodbye to the Seniors: Administration Prepares for Ceremony and Celebrations
May 25th, 2011
Seniors Rachel De Los Santos and Amanda Befort enjoy the slip-n-slide at Day at the Bay, on of the last in a string of events that marks the end of the school year.
The class of 2011is often described as having exemplary character, leadership and, with 20 percent of the class holding a GPA of 4.0 or higher, academic talent.
“There are times in the course of things where a class will graduate and adults will comment, ‘I wish them well, but, boy, those were an interesting four years,’” Principal Mike McGuire said. “With this class, (nobody) feels that way.”
With AP tests behind them and college acceptances finalized, the seniors can, at long last, set their sights on their impending graduation. The administration, in conjunction with student gov¬ernment and parents, has a number of events planned to make their remaining time fly by. Read the rest of this entry “
Girls’ Lacrosse Unable to Secure Victory Against Oak Ridge
April 14th, 2011On April 14, Granite Bay High School’s girls’ lacrosse team clashed with the Oak Ridge Trojans, losing 8-12.
The Trojans’ started out strong in the first half with three attempts on goal in the first four minutes, one of which was successful.
Things turned around for GBHS when team captain Alexa Wolf recovered the ball and drove it downfield. Lauren Molina, who received the ball from Wolf, made GBHS’ first goal of the evening.
Kenzie Gainer and Wolf swung the game back to GBHS’ favor with two more goals.
Oak Ridge made one more goal, but lost their initial steam.
At the end of the first half, GBHS led 6-3.
When the game resumed, Oak Ridge returned with the same intense drive they’d started the game with. This time, however, GBHS was ready for them.
The first four minutes of the half were a rapid succession of shots on goal by both teams. None met their mark.
The Trojans’ Morgan Bakarich and Bridget Hansen scored the first two successive goals of the half. With GBHS’ defense facing difficulties, Oak Ridge scored another two goals and gained the lead.
After the Trojans made their eighth goal, Reeves called a meeting with her defense on the field in the short break that followed to fire them up.
GBHS offense also experienced a minor drop in spirit, but came back strong in the end. Gainer aggressively defended the Trojans’ goalie, Liz Shaeffer, knocking her stick from her hands.
Unfortunately, even with this spirit, Oak Ridge scored another four goals, securing their lead.
Molina ended things on a positive note for GBHS, scoring the final two goals of the game. Oak Ridge still won by four goals.
Tomorrow, April 15, GBHS will play Burlingame High School at Burlingame High School.
Grizzlies, Tribe set new precedents against Vista del Lago
December 13th, 2010The Granite Bay High School Grizzlies’ first home game proved to be a smashing success with a victory of 81-61 against the Vista del Lago Eagles. This win also marked the season high in points for the Grizzlies.
The game started in GBHS’ favor, with seniors Jacob Keys and John Davis scoring the first baskets of the night. However, the Eagles came back and took the lead from the Grizzlies mid-quarter. Though the Grizzlies were able to take possession of the ball, they had difficulty getting past the Eagles’ defense.
The tide turned near the end of the first quarter when senior Robert Duncan made a three-pointer followed by a steal and another basket. Shortly after this, senior Kyle Howarth made his first basket of the game, securing the game in the Grizzlies’ favor at the end of the first quarter.
Though the Eagles put up a fight, they were unable to break the Grizzlies’ lead for the rest of the game.
After scoring his first basket in the last half of the first quarter, Howarth contributed greatly to the team’s success. In addition to having the second most rebounds in the game, Howarth also scored a total 14 baskets.
In addition to setting a new season high, this game also set a precedent for the crowd at future GBHS basketball games. The Tribe, GBHS’ cheering section, took over the far end of the home side bleachers, proving that they’re not just a new football tradition.
Members of the Tribe sported their official shirts, creating an all white section, and spent the game cheering for the Grizzlies, as well as heckling the opposing team. This crowd of supporters is aiming to keep the Grizzlies’ spirits up by cheering at the future home games.
The Grizzlies hope to continue on their victory tomorrow night, Tuesday, Dec. 14, when they will be taking on Bella Vista High School at Bella Vista.
GBHS students and staff experience the effects of drunk driving first hand
November 20th, 2010
Senior Jimmy Jack was pronounced dead on the scene during the mock crash on Nov. 16.
“Every 15 minutes someone in the United States dies from an alcohol-related traffic collision, and today I died.”
So begins the letters of those who participated in Every 15 Minutes.
The anti-drunk driving campaign visited Granite Bay High School on Nov. 16 and 17. During this two-day program, juniors and seniors experienced the effects of drunk driving on a community through simulations, which included witnessing a mock car crash on Wellington Way and removing a student from class every 15 minutes to join the “walking dead.” Each member of the “walking dead” represented the loss of a life every 15 minutes due to alcohol-related accidents.
The simulated crash on the first day of the program involved five seniors: Kevin Hollinshead, Kelsey Bauer, Jimmy Jack, Daniella Weeks and Alexa Martin. Two of the students were unconscious and one was dead on the scene.
In the stands, their peers were shaken by the sight of the students bloodied and injured, with law enforcement and paramedics rushing around.
“Even though you know it’s a (mock) crash, you can’t help but think ‘what if it was real?’ You see people in a situation that is heart-wrenching and it hits home,” senior Phillip Vogeley said.
For senior Ryan Ramirez, seeing the crash was even more difficult, as his girlfriend, Bauer, was involved. Prior to the removal of the tarp from the wrecked cars, he had had no idea that she was to be one of the victims.
“Sitting in the bleachers up there was really tough,” Ramirez said. “I wanted to go out there and pick her up and tell her to open her eyes and just wake up and that everything was going to be okay.”
The depth of emotion evoked by the crash scene is largely due to the work of local police, firemen and paramedics. Their goal was to accurately portray what the aftermath of an alcohol-related accident looks like, including everything from the Jaws of Life to the transportation of victims via helicopter.
“I thought they’d be more careful with me because I wasn’t actually dead,” Weeks said, “but they did literally everything that (they’re) supposed to.”
For those involved in the crash, their ordeal didn’t end after the last cop car left campus.
Martin, who was injured in the crash, along with Bauer and Weeks, who were unconscious on the scene, were taken to the hospital after leaving the school. There, paramedics worked to keep Weeks and Bauer alive.
Despite their efforts, both girls were pronounced dead later that afternoon.
“My parents had to come and identify me and everything, and I just had to act like I wasn’t alive,” Weeks said.
Similarly, Jimmy Jack, who was immediately pronounced dead on the scene, was taken to the coroner’s office.
As the drunk driver, Kevin Hollingshead was arrested for driving under the influence and taken to the county jail. There he was subjected to more blood-alcohol tests, then booked and placed in a cell.
All five of the seniors in the crash, as well as the “walking dead,” attended a retreat later that evening. The retreat allowed them to discuss the day’s events and their personal experiences and opinions on drunk driving.
In addition to hearing their peers speak, the 24 participants also listened to the tales of real people whose lives had been changed as a result of drunk drivers.
For Weeks, the retreat was the part that impacted her most.
“These two parents came in and talked about the loss of their child, and it was just really hard,” Weeks said. “They went into so much detail and (talked about) how they felt. That was when everyone was crying the most.”
After the retreat, the students were taken to a hotel where they stayed for the night. During this time, they were unable to have any contact with their loved ones.
With her best friend, Mackenzie Sato, being a part of the “walking dead,” senior Rebecca Howard had a difficult time not being able to talk to her.
“(It was) just rough,” Howard said. “She’d be someone I’d go to (in that kind of situation), and she was gone.”
Students were not reunited with their loved ones until the following day, when a memorial service was held in their honor.
The entire gym was decorated for the occasion and a hush descended upon the room as a casket was wheeled down the center aisle at the start of the service. Shortly after the arrival of the casket, the 24 students slowly made their way down the aisle, while a slideshow of their lives played on the stage.
“I think seeing all of (Sato’s) pictures up and watching her walk down the aisle between everyone else with the candle was definitely the toughest part,” Howard said.
The memorial service included speeches from principal Mike McGuire and a local sheriff. A special guest speaker, Dee Sova, shared the experience of loosing her daughter seven years ago due to a drunk driver.
A few of the participating students and their parents were also given a chance to read letters they’d written to one another.
One of the students was Buaer, whose letter impacted Ramirez.
“It hit me more than anything (else when I saw) someone I care about and love very much up there and mentioning all those things to everybody,” Ramirez said. “I care about her, and to see her gone like that just meant a lot to me.”
Senior Katie Green was the head commissioner for Every 15 Minutes, and one of her goals was for everyone to feel a personal connection with one of the 24 students. In order to do this, she worked with others to select students who came from different groups on campus.
“You want to choose (students) that are involved with the school, so that when you put them on a podium, everyone doesn’t (say): ‘Wait, who’s that kid?’” Green said. “(But) at the same time you want to get a mix of kids, so everyone feels that they know (someone involved).”
Another concern was the long-term impact Every 15 Minutes would have on GBHS students. Though initially very moving, it is believed that the effect will fade and students will fall back into their previous habits.
“I’m sure a lot of kids will stop drinking for awhile,” senior John Holway said. “(But) I know that drinking and driving will definitely be done for a long time.”
If such is the case, the program may still be beneficial if it keeps students from drinking and driving, even if it is only for a short window of time.
“People that I know that drink literally every weekend are saying they’re not going to drink for a really long time, which is at least helping,” Weeks said.
Like Weeks, Green agrees that the main goal of the campaign is to make an impact, no matter how big or small.
“I always said that if I could save a life or change one person’s life, it would all be worth it,” Green said.
***
For pictures and a list of those involved in Every 15 Minutes, refer to this post.
Every 15 Minutes photos and fast facts
November 16th, 2010
The anti-drunk driving campaign Every 15 Minutes came to Granite Bay High School on Nov. 16. In the first part of this two day campaign, juniors and seniors witnessed a mock crash on Wellington Way involving five of their fellow seniors.
Kevin Hollingshead was the drunk driver responsible for the crash, with Kelsey Bauer in the passenger seat. Daniella Weeks was the driver of the sedan that Hollingshead hit, with Jimmy Jack in the passenger seat and Alexa Martin in back.
Jack was pronounced dead on the scene after being thrown through the windshield, while Martin and Weeks were transported to the hospital via ambulance and Bauer via helicopter. Both Weeks and Bauer were pronounced dead at the hospital later that day.
Hollingshead was arrested for driving under the influence and walked away from the crash with few injuries.
In addition to these five, juniors and seniors were pulled from class every 15 minutes throughout the day to signify the loss of a life every 15 minutes due to drunk drivers. Below is a list of those who were killed:
The memorial service for the students will take place on Nov. 17 during the second part of the Every 15 Minutes campaign.
GBHS boys’ soccer steals Tigers’ thunder
October 8th, 2010On Oct. 8, Granite Bay High School’s boys’ varsity soccer team defeated Roseville High School 4-0.
The game started slow, with both teams successfully balancing offense and defense. Even so, GBHS held possession of the ball for the larger part of the first half and had multiple shots on goal, though most missed.
The first, and only, goal of the first half was made by GBHS freshman Tommy Thompson with a right kick into the left-hand corner of the goal.
The only freshman on the team, Tommy is joined by his other two brothers, Tyler and Tanner. The three brothers played an integral role GBHS’ offense during the game. However, it was Tommy that shined the brightest as the powerhouse of GBHS’ offense.
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