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/Photo Credit Caleb Frederick
University Preparatory's Lady Jags Volleyball Celebrate a Big Win On Their Senior Night
University Preparatory's Lady Jags Volleyball Celebrate a Big Win On Their Senior Night
10/05/23, Images and Article by Allison Bolanos
University Preparatory celebrated their senior night on October 5, 2023 in a game between Riverside Preparatory, one of University Preparatory's rivalry schools. U.P. won all 3 rounds back-to-back, with the first match being 25 to 16, the second being 7 to 25, and the third being 14 to 25.
The intensity of the game was felt throughout the crowd as parents cheered for their kids and the students cheered for their friends and school team. At times where the score was close, the students that were there in support would cheer their team on and encourage them to make the points. After the big win, the senior night celebration began.
As the announcer announced each senior, they would walk out with hand made posters accompanied by their friends and family. At this moment, the scoreboard had the numbers of each senior player that was on the volleyball team. This was a very personal touch that made the night all that more emotional.
People cheered them on one by one as the seniors walked out with their loved ones. There was lots of supporters in the crowd for each one of the senior lady jags, a bittersweet moment as the volleyball season came to an end.
Mrs. Faison's HerStory class creates posters to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Mrs. Faison's HerStory class creates posters to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
10/06/23, Images and Article by Dani Jackman
Mrs. Faison's Women's History class, or, HerStory class, celebrated famous and influential Hispanic Women throughout history in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month. "Students did a great job researching who these important people were and what they accomplished. Students learned what these people overcame to be successful."
The posters, which will remain up until Oct. 15, celebrate the women of choice and display their stories, their achievements, and what made their work so impactful. Such women like the Mirabal Sisters, Sonia Sotomayor, Frida Khalo, and Ellen Ochoa are adorned on posters hand-made by HerStory students to represent incredible women with incredible influence across Latin America and throughout history.
From Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, the United States celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, nationally recognizing the efforts and contributions of Hispanic Americans to American history and culture. Why does Hispanic Heritage Month start in the middle of September? That's because over half of Latin American countries celebrate their independence on or around that date; Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica celebrate theirs on Sept. 15, followed by Mexico on Sept. 16, Chile on Sept. 18, and Belize on Sept. 21. The month was originally "Hispanic Heritage Week." It started in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson's presidency, and President Ronald Reagan extended the observation into a 30-day long period in 1988.
The Latin American population in the U.S. has increased dramatically in recent years. According to Pew Research, "In 2022, Hispanics made up nearly one in five people in the U.S. (19%), up from 16% in 2010 and just 5% in 1970." In 2014, Hispanics accounted for an astonishing 39% of California's population, successfully outnumbering whites for the first time with around 14.99 Hispanics to 14.92 whites.
"It is important for students to see people who look like them, accomplishing great things," says Mrs. Faison. "Representation matters. If students don't see it, it's more difficult to imagine that they can do it."
When asked "How do you hope University Prep will continue to celebrate Hispanic cultures and identities in the future?", Mrs. Faison answered with, "I hope that students will be curious about more people not only in Hispanic culture but in all people in marginalized communities. Hopefully it sparks students' interest in different communities and perhaps what they can do to make positive changes in these communities in the future."
An Interview With U.P.'s Newest Art Teacher
10/06/23, Image and Article by Morgan Rodriguez
This is Ms. Zeno! She is the high school art teacher at U.P.
As of late, U.P has added a new elective for students to choose from, art! On Thursday Oct. 5, Ms. Zeno, the new art teacher, got interviewed on her future plans for not only her art classes, but also her Art Club.
When asked about her plans for the art classes, she says, "The Advanced Art class is working with clay, and they are making 3D skulls to commemorate the Day of the Dead holiday that'll be coming up on Nov. 2."
"Then, the other art class will be tooling metal, creating skull designs that will also commemorate the Day of the Dead, and if we get them done by Nov. 2, then they will be going up on the walls for the Latin Dance that going to be happening on Nov. 3,"
However, when asked 'Were there any plans that may be cancelled?', she simply says, " If the Art 1 class misses the deadline, then the Day of the Dead artwork that they create will not be able to decorate the Latin Dance that's happening on Nov. 3 ."
Ms. Zeno's plans mostly consist of doing art projects based on the Day of the Dead holiday. But, due to her being part of a new program at the school, there were many obstacles she had to get through.
"One obstacle we had was getting in all the supplies. Basically we had to order everything for the entire year, and being that we started with nothing when school started, it made it really difficult."
She goes on to state how she had to improvise with the materials that her art classes used due to not having enough materials to provide all of her students with supplies.
Money was also an obstacle she mentions in her interview, "I had already asked them for a certain amount of money and I was asking for more stuff. They were kind of hesitant because its more money. So money and supplies, that was the only challenge."
At the end of the day, when asked 'What her first impression of the school was?', she happily says, "Academics is very important here, not just to administration and the teachers, but also to the students, which I can appreciate. I'm definitely glad to provide that creative element that can give a sense of balance to the academic rigor that's here. But it's nice that we have students that are wanting to be successful, that will do what it takes to be successful, and that are respectful, kind to teachers, kind to each other."
Zeno also goes on to say, " I'm very happy to be here and experience that. Because I was at Hesperia Unified for 17 years before I came here, and it was very different . But I'm very much enjoying the culture here and being that it is my first year, everything is new and I'm relying on my students to guide me, as far as what to expect and what happens here."
With that heart warming introduction, let us all welcome Ms. Zeno to University Prep and hope that she enjoys her stay at the school.
/Images by Josue R.
10/18/23, Korean McFarlin
Senior Spotlight: Cemaira Romo
10/18/23, Dani Jackman
Class of 2024 senior Cemaira Romo started her academic journey at U.P. in 2018 when she was in 7th grade. However, from the age of nine, athletics have played a prominent role in Cemaira’s life. She began playing softball after being introduced to the sport by her stepfather and immediately fell in love. She’s played for travel teams ever since, as well as recently becoming captain of the U.P. Varsity Softball Team.
The balance of the life of a student athlete can be especially difficult for someone who hopes to play at the collegiate level like Cemaira. “Academics play a major role, not only in life but also for the recruiting process for softball,” states Cemaira when asked how she manages this challenge. “This has pushed me to not only strive hard through my schoolwork in order to achieve scholarships, but also allow my time management skills to grow.”
However, she is not alone in her pursuit of college and next level athletics. Her biggest support system, she says, is her family. “Navigating the stress and anxiety of committing to a college has been mainly supported by my mom and stepdad, as well as music relating to the situation reminding me that I'm not alone.” Cemaira plans to attain a bachelor’s in psychology and to work toward a career in becoming a child/family therapist.
Cemaira is also a member of the U.P. Varsity Volleyball team but has recently struggled with a knee injury in the middle of the high school volleyball season, which had, until recently, put a halt to any and all of her sports. She wishes she could go back and remind her past self to, “Enjoy the moments where there are no injuries involved as it takes a big toll on you mentally. Recovering from a serious injury is very lengthy and restricts you from a lot. You don't know how much time you have to do something until you feel the time running out.” Since her clearance by her doctor, Cemaira has competed ruthlessly for her team and hopes to finish out her senior year season on the team with a bang!
When asked if she had any advice for other seniors who may be in the same boat as herself or interested in pursuing a similar course for college as a student-athlete, she said, “Stay true to yourself and don't base your opinions on other people. Go to the college campus! You don't know if you truly are fit for the school unless you experience the environment first.”
Cemaira has recently been accepted to and awarded an athletic scholarship for softball by Menlo College in Atherton, CA. She is currently pursuing her other top colleges on her list before making a final decision, but there are no doubts that Cemaira Romo is a hard-working student and athlete and will make University Prep and the Class of 2024 proud wherever she may go.
/Image by Dani J.
October Break!
10/18/23, Article by Korean McFarlin
What did you do during your October Break? Even if you didn’t do anything special or go anywhere cool, October Break was a much needed week to relieve some stress and relax. Here’s what Fall Break looked like for a couple of students at UP.
“October break was fun and relaxing for me. I got to spend time with my family and do some fun activities for Halloween. Overall I have a great break."
-8th grader, Kaniyah McFarlin
“The first couple of days was mostly cleaning. The last few days I was traveling up to Arizona for an elk hunt. I went back to California to take my college course. But overall it was very exciting and relaxing."
-Senior, Caidie Edington
"I went to the gym, I hung out with friends, I chilled at the crib [house], and I made money everyday”
-Senior, Lucas Vargas
October Break gave students the opportunity to enjoy their time by doing what they wanted to. Now that we’ve had our break, let’s make the most of our time here until Thanksgiving Break!
Genres Students Love to Read!
10/07/23, Images and Article by Morgan Rodriguez
On Oct. 5, a survey was taken by students of U.P. to find out what books and genres are popular within the school. In the survey when asked , 'What books are the best to read?' the most popular responses were The Percy Jackson Series, Harry Potter, and Hunger Games.
As for what genres U.P. students say are the best, the top three responses were fantasy, horror and romance, but it's interesting that non-fiction books are what was most commonly read.
The Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series was written by Rick Riordan. It's a fantasy novel series, based on Greek mythology. In the novels, our main character, Percy Jackson, must survive in the world of Greek Myths and Legends as a half-blood. Riordan has also written many other series which exist in the same universe, such as The Lost Hero Series, which takes place after the original series. The Trials Of Apollo and The Heroes Of Olympus are other smaller series which coincide with the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books. Not only does Riordan write about Greek and Roman mythology, he also includes Norse, Egyptian, and Chinese myths, legends, and characters. 8
Another fantasy book series called Harry Potter is a wonderful classic that many enjoy reading. Written by J.K Rowling, its a series based on a boy named Harry Potter and his adventures while attending a pristine wizarding school. Although only being a seven book long series, it's nonetheless a fantastic series filled with lore and major plot twists.
As for The Hunger Games book series, written by Suzanne Collins, its a four book dystopian series, with the first three following the protagonist Katniss Everdeen. Katniss is a 16 year old girl who volunteers to take part in the Hunger Games in her sisters place, knowing full well that her life may be on the line. The fourth book, is a prequel that's set 64 years before the events of the first book. This series is filled with misfortune, loss, and overall gut wrenching moments that just may make you want to stop reading all together. But overall, you meet very relatable characters, compelling villains, and get to view a world so different from our own, or not.
/Header Image by Bryanna Villalpando
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