Book Review: Starters
Posted on October 11, 2013 by Maricela Cordova in Entertainment
By Maricela Cordova
Crimson Chronicle Reporter
Starters, by Lissa Price, may seem like your typical dystopian book about a girl who is left to fend for herself and falls for a guy but there is a twist to this society that is characterized by oppression and disease. Callie, whose parents died in the Spore Wars, is left to take care of her younger brother who is sick. She is in desperate need for money, which leads her to turn to Prime Destination. Prime Destination is where the elderly can rent a younger person’s body for the elders can feel young again. Except while Callie’s body was being rented out, something goes wrong and she is found back in her own body three weeks early. Not only that, but the woman who rented her body still lives inside her and was using her body to take down Prime Destination. Callie discovers the dark secrets of Prime Destination and has to make the ultimate decision of either fighting for Prime Destination or fighting against them.
Callie, who is only sixteen years old, is the embodiment of a fierce and brave girl. She is not whiny; all she cares about is keeping her brother safe. Price creates a beautiful bond between Callie and her brother that expresses their love and care for each other. Throughout the story it keeps the reader wondering what is going to happen next?
Starters has a little bit of everything. It has suspense, action, drama, mystery and romance. It is not your average dystopian book, and the ending has a real plot twist that will only leave the reader craving for the next book to come.
352 pages
New Year, Hello New Schedule!
Posted on October 11, 2013 by Li Dulce Cruz in Op-Ed
Dulce Mandujano
Chronicle Reporter
Is the time of year where we finally get the 7th class period. Since my freshman year the administrators, teachers, and students were talking about the school changing the whole bell schedule. When I was in my sophomore year people would ask me, “do you want to have seven classes?” I was one of the people that was not against it. I told them “one less class to worry about next year because I get to finish my credits early” I had my doubts but I knew with this I can continue in peace not worrying which classes I will still need and would not have to squeeze some classes in my schedule.
I have to say if I had the 7-period in my freshman year I would at least finish my A-G requirements and actually get classes to help me apply to colleges and get more credits to get into a better school. Going to summer vacation I was worried that I will still have to go to school to finish some classes I would not have the chance to get in class in my high school years. I was hearing that if we wanted to go finish some our classes in the summer we can take it in a community college for free with the exception that we have to pay for the textbooks.
It is a hassle with working more than before and actually trying to have the bell schedule in our heads. It is confusing but we are people who can take any environmental habitat. We have move places before? For example going from one class in elementary to going to middle school with six classes is a big difference, what is the difference with one more? Students can actually take classes they failed without worrying about other classes they also need to take, with that one extra period they can take it and use it from the failed class and won’t take one of the classes they had to take that year.
We do have to give time for our homework instead of watching TV or playing video games, but we can benefit this and finish high school earlier and enjoy our Senior year. Others would not have to go to adult school because the class they failed was not able to fit in their schedule. There is other schools with eight classes plus advisory each day and have been able to work well , why can’t we? We just let it be complicated for us, we should take the advantage and finish high schools early. I hope for this bell schedule to benefit students this year and the other years we will have.
I’m wearing your grandpa’s clothes
Posted on October 11, 2013 by Susan Cifuentes in Op-Ed
By Susan Cifuentes and Maricela Cordova
Crimson Chronicle Reporters
“Only got twenty dollars in my pocket. I- I- I’m hunting, looking for a come-up.” (Macklemore, “Thrift Shop”) Thrift shopping or as some people are calling it “thrifting” has really changed in today’s society. It is now considered cool and hipster, add in the great prices and it’s no wonder that thrifting has gotten popular.
Crossroads Trading Co. is one of the many thrift stores located in Los Angeles.This thrift shop is mainly about finding your own sense of style. There is a variety of clothes to choose from, such as animal prints, lace, and designer clothing. You could even say that it is better than Ross. The store is super clean and the workers there are very friendly.
Crossroads is not only friendly on your budget but also friendly to the environment. This thrift store is not just a second-hand store, it is a place where one recycles clothing. What’s the difference? The thing about thrift shops is that whatever you donate they automatically take it and put it in their sale racks. Oh sure, they check for tears or rips but they don’t exactly check the quality. With Crossroads, the workers personally go through every piece of article to see if it is torn, stain or simply not worth recycling. If it is not up to their standards there’s a dumpster right next to the store.
When we say it is easy on your wallet, we mean it. If you have unwanted clothes still in good shape, they will buy it from you, and you can use that money to buy more clothes from their store. For all those environmentalists or people who actually care about our planet, Crossroads supports the planet by donating five cents to the environmental defense fund when the customer does not take a plastic bag. How can you not like Crossroads?
Thrift stores have always been stigmatized over the belief that they are dirty and/or unsanitary. We are not saying it isn’t entirely true, but at Crossroads, they do their best to keep the customers happy. This means having the place and clothes sanitary. When we asked Avery, an employee, on his thoughts about the stigmatization towards thrift stores he answered that people have always had stigma about thrift stores, but that it doesn’t change the fact that there are still good quality clothes for customers.
Goodwill is another thrift store that offers clothes at a affordable price. Goodwill offers more than clothes though; it offers books, movies, and home furnishings at amazing prices. However, Goodwill isn’t the best place to buy clothing in our opinion. But it is the best place to buy books. If you like to read books but do not want to go to a bookstore, you should go to Goodwill. The books have been hardly used, and they cost next to nothing.
So what are you still doing? Get yourself to a thrift shop where you can have the ultimate thrifting experience and look chic after buying all those clothes from the thrift stores.
Crossroads Trading Co.-
4470 W Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA
7409 Melrose Ave. Hollywood, CA
8315 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA
Goodwill-
4575 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA
1218 Vine St. Los Angeles, CA
Athlete of the Month
Posted on October 11, 2013 by Li Dulce Cruz in Sports
Dulce Mandujano & Abril Chuvac
Chronicle Reporters
Jeff Puebla Coronado
Football
Grade:12
SLC: SAS
CC: How do you feel about being Athlete of the Month?
JP: I feel um.. actually surprised.
CC: How long have you been playing football?
JP: Since my sophomore year. Three years, one year in JV and two years in Varsity.
CC: Why did you decide to join football?
JP: I love the game and its a good way to release stress.
CC: What was one of your best moments you had in football?
JP: It was my first full on football game, I was playing quarterback and we were winning, so all I had to do was take a knee (kneel down to get the clock continuing) so I took the knee and we won.
CC: What advice can you give to other athletes?
JP: Well… like [English teacher] Carmicle says “Practice, Practice, Practice.”
Book Review: It’s Kind of a Funny Story
Posted on October 11, 2013 by Ana Amador in Entertainment
By Ana Amador
Crimson Chronicle reporter
It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini is a modern, incisive, and witty look into the life of a teenager, as accurate as it’s going to get. In this 444 page-long fiction novel, Craig Gilner a New York city teenager, is about to enter the ninth grade except to him it won’t just be high school it’ll be THE high school.
Craig spends his entire summer studying,reading, and preparing himself for a prestigious school which he really feels the need to get into, because like many teenagers before him Craig is worried about getting into a good college.The school and the pressure from the world around him give Craig depression. Completely written from Craig’s point of view, the author takes you through Craig’s extremely relatable problems and eventually how these problems land him in a mental hospital.
It’s no wonder the feelings described in the book by Craig, the main character, sound so authentic since the author himself, Ned Vizzini, spent five days in adult psychiatric and wrote the book only a few days later. Most of the books Vizzini has written are relatable to teens.
The way Craig explains how high school and life generally can be depressing (and he admits that the fact that he’s lazy makes this a lot worse) is great. Craig describes his life in a very interesting way, explaining how he has tentacles which are all the horrible things that intrude his life, an example he uses is how getting behind on homework can become a nightmare because things spiral out of control he puts it as, no homework= not passing the class, which leads to not passing school = not getting into a good college = not having a good job = no good health insurance = not being able to pay for all the antidepressants he’s sure he’s going to need because his life sucks, thats what the tentacles are to Craig evil things that just spiral out of control because he’s so overwhelmed.
Craig also has something called anchors which are things that occupy his mind or make him temporarily happy, his major goal in the story is to find a solid anchor.
Craigs friends definitely play a part in his depression. The friend that plays the biggest part is Aaron, a smart, fearless, and handsome guy whose dad seems to be some sort of mad writer, the richest kind (Aarons mom lives with him too but Craig doesn’t discuss her as much).
Aaron also has a girlfriend, Nia, whom Craig becomes attracted to and jealous over. To Craig, his friends are the real world and the mental ward is another world, which to him is easier to handle in some ways.
At the end of the book you’ll be left hoping for the best and wanting to hear more. It is very relatable, dramatic, hilarious, and real.
Field Undergoes Renovations
Posted on October 11, 2013 by Kevin Rodas in News
By Kevin Rodas
Crimson Chronicle Reporter
Many have speculated about the field being renovated, but very little are fully aware of the whole situation. Seeing as the field is a major component to Hollywood High School, it is no wonder that its renovation is such a widespread topic. The field is experiencing repair to its turf, track, and irrigation system.
The funding for the field comes from a bond formed by residents a while back. According to Principal Alejandra Sanchez, the field is being rebuilt thanks to a tax bond voted upon eight years ago.
The citizens of Los Angeles voted upon refurbishes to Hollywood High School some time ago, but the process of the decision has taken eight years to take effect in the form of a bond specifically designed for reconstruction of the field. There was no say in what the money would be used for, as the bond is specifically designated to one major component of the school.
Due to the school requiring a safety zone in case of an emergency, the speed of the field renovation has been drastically decreased. In previous years, the field has been our location of safe evacuation but in its current state, the field is in no condition to hold the student body adequately, the school is forced to use only a partial portion of it. Using this small portion of the unfinished field really affects the construction worker’s ability to perform their job. Because of this, the field will not be completely available until the beginning of September 2014.
Athletes are the main people being affected by this change. “It is depressing having our field like this. It makes it difficult for us to practice,” said Soccer Player Angel Contreras, SAS Senior.
With only the basketball courts and small gym being available, the athletes are not getting the proper practice they should be. This, in effect, could impair their performance against other high schools and thus impacting the school’s athletic reputation. To put the final nail in the coffin, the physical education department is also taking a loss with fewer choices for daily exercise.
New Schedule, New Problems
Posted on October 11, 2013 by Abril Chuvac in Op-Ed
Abril Chuvac
Chronicle Reporter
Compared to last year’s schedule, we have one more class to worry about. This means we have 50 minutes in each class instead of the previous 53 minutes. Many students like this new schedule because of the benefits it has brought to them but what about the negative aspects of the new schedule? We now have more homework, another class, and less time to get to class.
For the past two years, I have been worried about my six classes and how much homework I get for each of them. Now I have another class to worry about this year? Which to me means more homework and less time to do it as well. It used to take me four to five hours to finish my homework but now it takes me a hour or two more. Not only do I have to worry about my AP classes and keeping my grades up but I also have to start thinking about what colleges I want to go to. If it wasn’t stressful during the past school years, I wonder how stressful it will be this year.
During passing period we used to have six minutes to get to class but now we only have five minutes. Now, I know what you’re thinking, what does it matter, it’s just one minute of a difference? Well, apparently that extra minute does matter since before I still had time to go to the restroom now I have to rush to class especially, this year since my classes are across campus. Funny how no one notices what a difference a minute can make until it is needed; its like that extra penny no one cares about until its needed. If we still had that extra minute we would probably have less people being tardy.
I must say though that the one thing, as a student, that I miss the most and I am sure everyone does is, is advisory. To me, advisory used to be boring, but at the same time it was fun to have 25 minutes get help in our academics. It was also the time most of us used to study for a test/quiz we would have been having that day. Most of all though we used it to finish homework assignments that we did not have time to finish at home.
Even though this new schedule can help some students to improve their grades it brings a lot of stress in the rest of us. Now we have to worry about another class and more homework to finish on time without advisory to help us. Having our old schedule was less stressful and helpful as well. Hopefully, this year school does not end up being as stressful as it has started to be.
