RaidersDigest

Senior Contracts

2012-01-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

The Last Step

by Omar Navarro

The time has come: it's been the moment we all have been waiting for- we’re all one step closer to receiving our high school diploma! Before we can walk and receive that diploma, shake the principal's hand, throw our caps in the air, start jumping with joy, and finally get out of high school, there is still one hurdle we have to jump over. Besides passing all ourclasses with a C or higher, we seniors are obligated to sign a Senior Contract. This contract assures that if you misbehave in any of the following ways: sexual harassment, getting in a fight, or even a referral you will lose your privilege to walk, to attend grad night, and prom. So like most contracts if you refuse to sign it or just simply forget to tell your parent to sign it, you will not be able to participate in any of the Senior activities. Take this contract seriously; if you do get a referral not even Mr.Carpizo will save you.

Many students think that this is unfair. We are not the only school doing this: some high schools make their Seniors sign a contract at the beginning of first semester. If you think about it ,we’re the lucky ones, we only have to stay in line for one semester. Once you turn this contract in to ASB, you can focus on more important things like Scholarships and FAFSA. You have come a long way, and you are almost done with high school and you deserve to enjoy it to the fullest. By not attending Grad Night, Prom, and Graduation, all your hard work would not have paid off. This isn't a joke, seniors. Take this seriously, turn in that contract ,and be a well behaved student! Well, at least until May 31.

You deserve to go to all Senior activities. enjoy your senior year because you only get to live it once and you don't want to regret not enjoying your last year of high school. So raiders turn in your senior contract and enjoy your final semester of high school because before you know it, it will be over. Don't get caught up in Senioritis and enjoy your last few months.

Teddy Bear Drive

2011-12-13T06:53:00.000-08:00

We Make Smiles Happen
by: Omar Navarro

Christmas is almost here, and while most of you are running around buying
presents for family and friend, there are children in hospitals hoping
Santa will remember them this year. We are currently holding our 21st
annual Teddy Bear Drive here at Southwest. If you have any bears laying
around bring them in.

The Teddy Bear Drive was started by a police officer in Coronado in 1990. Now
there are teddy bear drives throughout the U.S. The children receiving
these bears are in Rady's Children Hospital most with conditions that
require them to be there year around. You may think that these kids would
want more than just a bear to make them happy, but the truth is, it's
something they genuinely look forward to during the holiday season. The
parents of these kids struggle every year to pay the mountain of medical
bills that pile up year long. Your one teddy bear is not only a gift for a
child but a companion they can hold all year long.

Think about your favorite childhood toy. Maybe it was a teddy bear, Barbie
doll, or Hot Wheels. Whatever it was, your one special toy is something you will always remember. These kids haven't had a chance to feel that security of a teddy bear. So Raiders, you have until the end of this week to bring in your teddy bears. The only rule is, they must have a tag and be in "good" condition. Remember we make smiles happen, and a toy for a sick child will definitely make smile happen. You have the power to be your best and give your best.

Study Tips

2011-12-05T06:53:00.000-08:00

The End Is Near
by: Omar Navarro

The end is near. No, not the end of the world, but the end of first semester. In about two weeks this semester will be over. Congratulations, Seniors, you're already half way to graduation. For some of you that means half way to leaving to college, for others it just means half way to no more school and working at a job. Whatever the case may be, the end of the semester is rapidly approaching and with Winter Break comes Finals. This 6-letter word either spells success or failure for both Seniors and Underclassmen. Of course, passing your Final may not seem like the MOST important thing, but remember in most classes it's the easiest way to improve your class average one whole letter grade. So because SOH Raiders' Digest wants you to pass, here are some tips to conquering your Final and going from that C to a B+:

1) De-stress: Go for a walk,breath some fresh air, anything but sitting in your house and studying for 6 hours straight. Trust me, you will not remember anything that way.

2)Get plenty of sleep: I know staying up all night on Facebook may be the coolest thing to do, but during Finals week you should have a kindergarten bed time. An average teenager needs 9 1/2 hours of sleep a night. Make sure you are getting plenty of rest to beat that final up the next day.

3)Eat Breakfast: You won't be able to focus on your Final if you're thinking about what you're going to eat. So wake up early, eat a nutritious breakfast and mentally prepare yourself to pass those finals.

4) Be ON TIME: Most importantly, get yourself to school! The only way to pass your Final is to take your Final. If you're not there, you won't pass, simple as that. Go to bed early, eat a good breakfast and be at school on time.

Lastly, remember you have the power to be your best! You can pass those Finals - no one can stop you! Follow those steps and surely you will improve your grade and come out on top. Study, Raiders. Finals are next week.

Teens and Drugs

2011-11-30T06:55:00.000-08:00

Nobody Likes to Lose a Friend
by: Austin Lopez

There have been a lot of drug influences around lately and it's good to remember the consequences and dangers you face when you take, or are near anyone who uses drugs. There are many types of drugs that are available to students such as tobacco, marijuana, and prescription drugs. The most statistically deadly out of all of these is tobacco, then prescription drugs, and lastly marijuana. Tobacco causes the deaths of almost 450,000 Americans every year including those who are exposed to second-hand smoke. Men are more susceptible to tobacco related death than women.

Some facts about tobacco and it's dangers include the following:

* More deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol, motorcycle injuries, suicides, and murders put together.

* Smoking cigarettes, pipes, or cigars increases the risk of dying from lung cancer and other infectious diseases.

* Nicotine in smokeless tobacco may increase the risk for sudden death from a condition where the heart does not work right, then the heart pumps no blood at all to the body's organs.

Prescription drugs are also very harmful to those who are not careful with medication that they are not familiar with. There are many drugs that are abused by teens :

1. Opioids

* Examples: OxyContin, Vicodin, and Demerol used to treat pain, relieve coughs, and/or stop constant diarrhea. Opioids attach to opioid receptors in the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord), stopping your body from feeling any pain.

2. Depressants

* Examples: Nembutal, Xanax, and Valium. Depressants are used to treat anxiety, stress, panic attacks, and sleep disorders. Depressants slow down brain activity by increasing the activity of a neurotransmitter, which can make you drowsy or calm.

3. Stimulants

* Examples: Ritalin, Adderall, and Dexedrin. Stimulants can be used to treat ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and other illnesses. Stimulants increase the brains activity, making you more aware and full of energy.

Using these drugs abusively can result in dangerous side affects or even death.

Last but not least we have the most common drug that is available to teens, Marijuana. Marijuana or cannabis can be seen as a relaxant. It stimulates the nerves and sometimes leaves the subject paranoid. Americans that use marijuana illegally outnumber the population of those who have medical prescriptions. Since Marijuana has been so easy to obtain, more and more teenagers and young adults are being prosecuted and affected by the drug's effects. So remember guys if your friends are doing it and they pressure you into doing it just say no. You'll not only be doing yourself a favor, but you'll be helping to influence others that doing drugs is not an okay thing. So, stay safe Raiders, because nobody likes to lose a friend.

2011-11-28T06:58:00.000-08:00

Southwest Shines!
By Cheyenne Alexander

From the beginning of the year, band and color guard have practiced for many long hours and many long days preparing for the 2011 Band Pageant. This year, band class decided to make a show revolving around the military. These students prepared for many competitions, which in the end, were canceled but that didn't stop the Royal Raider Regiment. Band, including color guard, practiced very hard and even added practices just to prepare for this first and last performance. On November 15, the Royal Raider Regiment lit up the field and made the crowd fall in love.

The big day was finally here for Band and Color Guard, and they were prepared but a little frightened. The pageant was at Southwestern College at 6:00 PM. No one was nervous until they were in line to go one field. In what felt like only a minute, they were announced to go on field. Then, the
Band and Color Guard went out on the field and did the best they ever did. They did so well that they were the only band who had everyone in the stands standing up, clapping, screaming, and crying. Plus they had actual sailors performing with them. Everyone did amazingly well. Band would like to thank the sailors who helped them out and also the school and fellow band mates for their support.

Congratulations to the Band and Color Guard members; that was a wonderful show you performed. It just goes to show you that you can be the best, if you put your heart and mind into something you truly love and want. Remember Raiders, you have the power to be your BEST!

Occupy San Diego

2011-11-16T08:22:00.000-08:00

Opinion: Occupy Everywhere
by: Sierra Holter

Occupy Wall Street. Occupy San Diego. Occupy Everywhere. I know many of you are thinking, "what does this mean"? Why is all over the news and Downtown?" Occupy Wall Street is where it all began. It was a people-powered movement against the power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process, and the role of Wall Street in creating an economic collapse that has caused the greatest recession in generations. This one protest has fueled over 100 more in different cities across the U.S. Occupy San Francisco and San Diego are the biggest ones on the West Coast.

You may ask yourself, " Why San Diego? We're not overflowing with bank power?" The answer is simple, they are protesting the financial corruption and corporate greed of 1% of the population that negatively affects all aspects of our lives. Basically, they are protesting for the common people, not the 1% but the 99% that is affected by the 1%'s decisions. This protest is far from being over. Just look at their website.

On their website, http://occupysandiego.org/, there are many links on which to click on. One of them being their "Legal" link. This link gives you basic information on what to do if you are arrested for being a part of this protest. Nevertheless, protesting in San Diego is still legal; therefore, you have your right to voice your opinion, just be careful about posting videos and photos. Those who are already involved in this protest aren't going down without a fight.

A local man, John Kenney has been on a hunger strike for more than a week now, "because of the inaction of the City Council after nearly a hundred people have petitioned them by taking part in the Non-Agenda Public Comment in City Council session twice weekly, asking for OSD’s proposal or resolution to be considered." He says he will "Continue until the San Diego City Council puts Occupy San Diego’s resolution on the agenda." Until then he and many others will fight for this protest and stand up for the 99% affected by the greed of Wall Street.

OSD's main argument is to create a world for the 99% not just the wealthy 1%. If this is something you are interested in, drop by their website and find out how you can get involved. Or if not, just go Downtown. Chances are you'll see dozens of people protesting around the Civic Center. Don't worry, it's legal and you can do something to help the 99%. Remember, Occupy Everywhere, not just Wall Street.

Veterans Day

2011-11-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

11/11/11: More Than Just a Number
by: Cheyenne Alexander

Friday was an important day to remember, not just because it was 11/11/11, which many of you made such a big deal about. No it was Veterans day. While many of you spent the day on Facebook counting down the seconds until 11:11 AM and PM, others spent the day remembering those brave men and women that fought for our country. This is year is the first and only Veterans Day that will be 11/11/11/11. If you have Ms.Stretcher, then you know what I'm talking about as she would say, " The 11th hour, the 11th day, the 11th month, not its the 11th year." Originally called Armistice Day, it commemorated the fallen dead of the First World War. Now, Veterans Day is a very special day that pays tribute to all those that care so much about our country.

For Southwest Raiders, it was a day off. Many Raiders spent the day hanging out with friends and on Facebook . However, we still had Saturday school this weekend so their fun was cut short. Remember, if you are one of those Raiders who are failing a class and are forced to go to "Saturday Study Session" you should have taken the time off to do homework and catch up on missing work. We will have Saturday School this weekend, Raiders, so do your work, be productive and be ON TIME!

Senioritis

2011-11-08T07:24:00.000-08:00

Just a Common Cold?
by: Sierra Holter

With only six weeks left in the first semester, many seniors are finding it hard to pay attention, stay awake in class, and even do do sports. This lack of motivation is called Senioritis. The scary thing about this common 12th grade disease is that it can strike anytime. It can be first semester, second semester or even on the last day of school. You may feel that your Senioritis isn't so bad, or that it'll go away with time, but that's not true. Like any other illnesses, the only way to get rid of it is to do something about it. Here are some helpful tips to kick your Senioritis to the curb and enjoy your senior year.

1.) Keep yourself occupied- The more extracurricular activities you're involved in the less likely you are to slack off and become lazy.

2.) Eat Breakfast- If you feel more awake during the day, you'll be more likely to get through the whole day and even do your homework at night.

3.) Stay Positive- Maybe you didn't win Homecoming, or you're failing a class, just keep a smile on your face and breathe. The more you let stress get to you, the more likely you are to just give up and let Senioritis take control.

4.) Take time for YOURSELF- You may be so busy your senior year that you forget what really matters. Stressing about a college or about a club that you're president of isn't the most important thing. YOU are the most important person your senior year. Everything you do this year affects your future life in some ways. If you can't take time out to enjoy the awesome person you are then you already let Senioritis win.

Lastly Seniors, don't slack off. I know first hand that it's hard to stay on top of your work, especially this year, but don't freak out, stay calm and work hard. Everything you're stressing about will pay off, whether it is a college you're applying to or a part-time job you got, your hard work will be something to someone. Don't get depressed when things don't go exactly as planned. Remember, you've got six more months of school left and the rest of your life to become something great. So next time you feel Senioritis coming on, stop, breathe, and remember YOU have the power to be your best.

Construction

2011-09-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

SOH Construction to Overcome Snags
by: Omar Navarro

We’ve all noticed the construction at our school and have asked ourselves why isn’t done already? Why aren't there any workers? According to proposition O, it's supposed to repair and improve old and new schools - 42,000 middle and high schools. Proposition O is giving nine of the oldest schools in the district these funds first, such as Sweetwater High School, Montgomery High School, Mar Vista High School and Southwest High School. Construction usually takes about two years, and so far ours has taken three years and it doesn't look like it'll be done any time soon. HAAR, the company that was in charge of the construction construction, had some problems paying their subcontractors causing the deadline to be pushed further and further back. Because of all the unanswered questions, this Raider sought out the truth.

Q: What is the main reason why there's no work getting done on our construction site?

A: “HAAR wasn't paying the subcontractors, that’s why there's no work getting done”.

Q: What are your feelings towards the completion deadline being pushed back?

A: “Disappointed, sad that it had to be that way, but good as well because it will be back on track.”
Q: When can we expect work to begin?
A: “Work is expected to begin after the next board meeting, and be ready next year.”
Q:Many of the seniors are disappointed that there isn’t a Senior lawn anymore. Is there anything you can do about that?

A: “I am open to suggestions about a new senior lawn, or make a bench with 2012 imprinted in it or a plaque remembering class of 2012, I'm open to any suggestions.”

As construction is expected to be completed next year, us Raiders will have to hang in there with the daily, noisy, interruptions. As for Class of 2012 we will have to unite and push for a bench or plaque or anything that will leave a memory of us imprinted in the school. Though the pending construction has been a main issue for three years, it will be a beautiful contribution to our school and will be beautiful when completed.

Football Season Opener

2011-09-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

Raider Football Starts Off Strong
by: Cheyenne Alexander

Great job at the football game last Friday, Football players! Our Raiders did a fantastic job of stopping the Hamilton football team. The team did their best and didn't stop until they took it home, and they got what they all worked so hard for, which was 27 to 0.What a wonderful game! Keep up the amazing work, boys! Remember always believe in yourself and your teammates and a little hard work will pay off. Always,"Imagine, believe and you will Succeed."

R.J Rodriguez said, "The game was exciting, we had confidence that we were going to win. Our coaches, team players, cheerleaders and the fans on the bleacher were our motivations. We are looking forward to wining the bell back this year." R.J also stated that Ernie made 3 touch downs and that includes the the first touch down. Then R.J included that B.J made a touch down as well. R.J was very proud at all the members and hard work they put in the game and so were the coaches.Keep it up, Raiders, show off that team spirit!

Yadira Ramon-Soto stated that "The game was very fun because we won and because the game was very intense." She ended her statement with, "Southwest Raiders are on top!"

Jocelyne Chavarin, who is a cheerleader said, " The game was a memorable first game and it was a lot of fun cheering for the guys."

Jocelyn Leal, a fan of our football team, supported the boys by yelling and cheering from the bleachers. She said, "I was so proud of them."

Raiders, keep up all the hard work. Always keep in mind to never stop trying and always do your best. Our school is very, proud of you and we are supporting you every step of the way. Good luck to you guys for the up coming games that await you. Everyone has faith in you guys. Dont ever stop believing in yourself and your teammates. Congratulations, way to start off the season!

Adult School

2011-08-31T06:52:00.000-07:00

Put the Fun Aside!
by:Austin Lopez

Hey guys, do you need extra credits? Did you fail classes in the past? Well then, what you need is Adult School. This is especially true for Seniors that are missing credit requirements for graduating. If you're cool with staying after school for most of the week, then it’s perfect. You're probably wondering what the details are.

Adult School is available until the end of the school year. It is from Monday through Thursday, and yes the program is even open on minimum days. Regular days are from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm, and minimum day schedule is from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. You have to serve a required 60 hours minimum to complete the course, and you need to complete the bookwork and test. If you don’t finish all of the work within the 60 hours, extra time is given until you complete the assignments. If you need to take another credit course, then you may choose to complete it in the same or the next semester.

Now that you know the details about the Adult School program, you're probably thinking, “ How can I get into Adult School, and why didn’t I find out sooner?”

Well, if you're interested, what you need to do is go see your counselor. Once you're there, ask her what classes you're able to make-up. Then after you know what classes you can make up, ask for the application forms for Adult School. If you are under the age of 18 then you and your parents will need to sign the forms. Turn them into your counselor, and from there you're ready to go.
Remember Raiders, it's important to finish before the last minute, so put the fun stuff aside for a little bit and get your work done!

Get Going Raiders

2011-08-24T06:49:00.000-07:00

Join a Sport
by:Omar Navarro

So, it’s the start of a new school year, and it’s summer. But we know you rather be sleeping late and hanging out with friends, but instead we’re staying up late doing homework and trying everything to stay awake by third period. Joining sports is a big thing for you freshmen it gives you a sense of belonging and school spirit as well.

Fall sports such as Football, Cross Country, girls Volley Ball, girls Tennis, girls Golf, and boys Water Polo are starting. Yes, we have a Water Polo team here at Southwest, as well as a Swim team in the Spring. Joining a sport will boost your self esteem and school spirit so it's a win - win. So, listen up Freshman! Get off the couch and join a sport. Being in a sport will make you feel more connected and involved at school, plus it'll give you a reason to do well in your classes.

If you're a runner, think about joining Cross Country and talk to Mr. Tompkins or Mr. Buse and they will be happy to answer all your questions. If you want to score touchdowns and field goals, join Football, talk to Mr.Thompson in room 208. If you're interested in being a next Serena Williams, head down to the tennis courts and talk to Coach Bill. Ready to set, spike and dive? Join girls Volley Ball practices are every day at the gym; talk to Marx. And if those sports still aren't your thing, you can join our banner-winning girls' Golf team, you can talk to Coach Sieble. For you men out there, if running is not your thing, try mens Water Polo. Practices are everyday, 4-6pm at Mar Vista High, talk to coach Carson on the pool deck. Southwest High has some great sports program, and they open the doors to colleges and scholarships, so get off your butt and join a sport. Who knows, you might just become the next big thing at our school.

Spirit Year

2011-08-08T06:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back, Raiders
by: Cheyenne Alexander

Sunny, sunny day - wasn't it, rowdy Raiders? It was full of cheers, laughter and hundreds of smiling Raiders. Our ASB introduced the band and color guard for the first time this year to perform. In addition to our awesome band, we also had Fernando Parra- Chong's band perform and our own Mariachi. Not to mention our ASB activities that introduced the new AP's and promoted school unity. To say the least, it was a great assembly, even though it was outdoors on hot day.

Sitting in the blistering hot sun may not seem like your idea of a good time, but while this assembly was outside, it gave the school a chance to have a sense of unity and school spirit. Because it was held outside, we only needed to have one assembly to fit everyone in. This was kind of a big deal because the rest of our assemblies will be held in the gym and separated into two different assemblies. While sitting in the stadium, the ASB put together two activities, because who wouldn't want to run around in the hot sun.

The first of two activites was the relay race, consisting of a three-legged race at the end. The second activity was to introduce our new assistant principals, Dr.Salcedo and Ms.Finely. We played "Where's Waldo" but instead of Waldo it was our principals. At first the player couldn't find them, but with the help of some friends it became obvious where they were. To keep the momentum up, Fernando Parra-Chong's band played and got us Raiders even more excited. As in all assemblies we ended with our Alma-Mater and Spirit Yell. Remember Raiders, 40 more days until Fall Break and our first home Football game and Progress Reports on Friday the 2nd of September.

College

2011-05-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

Good bye, high school. Hello, college.
by Stephanie Mesa

It's here, the last week of high school! The class of 11 is feeling a mix of emotions: excitement, sadness, nervousness, and even numbness. It's really a critical time as the seniors slowly approach their final day of high school. After 4 long years, it's hard to believe there is just 4 days left. They say high school years are the best years of your life, and the memories that all of the seniors have in high school will never be forgotten. Most seniors still remember their first day of high school, some even remember what they were wearing. It's amazing to see how time flies, and now the seniors are just an inch away from graduation.

Along with the feeling of excitement, there's a sense of nervousness going on among the seniors. What is college like? Will I fit in? Who is going to be my dorm roommate? Will I like living on campus? Will I get homesick? The questions never end. Truth is, seniors are just about to step into a new chapter in life; they're about to enter college and prepare for a future career.
I conducted a survey among some the class of 2011 of where they would be after high school, and these are the results:

Southwestern College: 84
San Diego City College: 46
Grossmont College: 13
SDSU: 17
UCSD: 9
UCLA: 10
UC Davis: 4
UC Riverside: 4
UC Santa Cruz: 3
Art Institute: 3
UC Merced: 3
UC Irvine: 3
Navy: 2
Humboldt State University: 2
Universidad Xochicalco Tijuana: 2
Richmond American University in London: 1
University of Oklahoma: 1
UABC Tijuana: 1
CSU Bakersfield: 1
UC Santa Barbara: 1
CSU Long Beach: 1

There's no doubt that everyone will go their own way. Some students will be all the way on the other side of the world, some will be out of state, and the rest will be all around California. High school has come to an end, but life is just about to start.
"Every story has an end, but in life every ending is just a new beginning"

Al Qaeda Leader Eliminated

2011-05-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

Osama Bin Laden dead
by Stephanie Meza

On Sunday, May 1st, President Barack Obama surprised everyone in the United States when he announced that the U.S. Forces killed Osama Bin Laden during a fire fight. Bin Laden is the man responsible for many of the recent terrorist attacks against the United States and one of the most wanted persons in the world. He is well known for being responsible for the 9/11 Twin Towers attacks, where thousands of people died.

"Justice has been done" stated President Obama when he gave a announced the operation in the White House. Despite the fact that many Americans were happy about the incident, many other Americans had different opinions.

Students all over Southwest High School filled their Facebook walls with what they thought about what happened, here are some thoughts that raiders want to share:

"I feel like its great we killed the man who destroyed lives, but then again scared because what if this increases the terrorist attack rate & cause a further war?" -Alexa de Lugo

"It was surprising. I had been out all day, and when I checked my Facebook everyone was celebrating his death. I thought it was ridiculous that so many people were celebrating the death of a man, despite all the horrible things he did or caused, he is still a human being." -Andre Osuna

"I was surprised and happy because Bin Laden deserved that and more" -Maria Fernanda Montiel

"No human deserves to die." -Alexia Chavira

"It doesn't make a difference!
It's just one person. There are many more leaders in that group."- Brian Berman

"I felt that at last he was found, but no one deserves to die. It might start a more severe conflict" -Salvador Hernandez

"I was actually unaware but I thought it would only bring more problems" -Chantal Romero

There are obviously many different sides of this argument. Either people are happy that after ten years, Bin Laden's death is finally bringing justice to all those families who lost a loved one in the 9/11 attacks. However, some believe Bin Laden's death was a wrong thing and it is only going to bring more problems in the United States.
No one is saying to change your opinion, but as an American, you should be informed by the two different sides of the argument.
The big picture is that one of the world's most wanted terrorist is dead, and families can now have some peace in mind.

*If you're really interested in politics, you should consider joining Junior State of America (JSA) next year.

Prom check list

2011-05-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Prom night, prom night is coming!
by Joy Roxas

Prom is almost here! It's one of the biggest events that each and every senior looks forward to before graduation. We all know every single person, girl or guy, want to make sure that they have the perfect outfit and date to stand out in the crowd. It's the night to cut loose and celebrate the end of your high school years, dancing like there's no tomorrow. Many believe that having a date is absolutely necessary to having the "perfect" prom night. Yet the fact is, you still can have your "perfect" prom night going by yourself or even with a group of friends.

For those that are confused of what to do for the time before prom, here are a few ideas you and your date or group of friends can do:

-Eat before Prom: You don't want to show up to prom with an empty stomach. So to fill your stomachs and have energy for the night to come, go visit a nice, affordable restaurant of your choice such as the Cheesecake Factory, one located in the downtown area and another at the Otay Ranch Shopping Center. You may also like BJ's restaurant down on H st located at the Chula Vista Mall. If neither is to your liking and since gas is getting expensive, you may also want to try local places around Coronado, like the Burger Lounge on Orange Ave in Coronado or the other various restaurants located on the Coronado Island.

-Take Pictures: Remember to take pictures with all of your friends and also your date because this is once in a lifetime chance. But if you're going with that "perfect date", then think about taking a picture from one of the professionals, but get the cheapest one unless you are planning to give copies to your family and friends.

So with that said, ARE YOU READY? If not, then it isn't too late to get your prom tickets in the ASB. Singles, $55 with ASB card and $65 without, but if you're planning to bring that special someone then the prices for Couples are $105 with ASB card and $110 without. Prom will be located at the Loews Hotel Coronado at 4000 Coronado Bay Road, San Diego, Ca 92118. So what are you waiting for? So show your moves and have the night of your life with your friends and that special someone. See you there!

Do Raiders use facebook to counter-productively?

2011-05-02T06:48:00.000-07:00

XOXO, Gossip Girl
by Vianney Casas

“I think it's kinda dumb. Like OK, I get that people like to gossip but to make pages about who's hot and who's not is pretty pathetic in my opinion. But it won't just go away but they could at least respect other people and just post positive things.” -Albert Fernandez

“I think it makes people look really shallow like, just focusing on beauty .” - Kimberly Cruz

“I think our peers need a hobby. I think they're only doing it because they or their friends are part of the group of people only getting compliments. That they're being accomplices because they have nothing better to do. But you're better off asking someone else about their opinions. I, personally, don't waste time talking about it since that's what they want.” -Paradise Martinez

“Well, I believe it's something that should be completely ended since sure it can put certain people in the spotlight but it also hurts people who have low self esteem, if we want to have a good and safe school environment we can not put up with this. This can also be considered as bullying and bullying is a crime. School is like our second home and we must have a safe environment in the place in which we develop every day.” -Fernando Parra

“I was one the people in the picture thingies, but honestly it's judgmental. Sure, it compliments but it doesn't give a chance to the bunch of people who aren't mentioned. All of these people who are both beautiful on the inside and outside. It leaves people outside and makes them feel bad, it shouldn't exist.” -Max Garcia

“Well, I believe they are a waste of time and they just make people care to much of their appearance and of what others think about them. People should just stop trying to put others in categories. If they want to talk about people, they should say it to their face.” -Anonymous

Remember my last article, Raiders? The one where I talked about this gigantic problem that had happened not so long due to some Raiders creating a Facebook page where they talked about pretty much everyone in our school. You’d think that after all that happened because of that Raiders would stop creating gossip pages. Not true. It seems that we don’t learn Raiders. To make you understand what I mean let me list here all the pages that had been created about Raiders at SOH:

Southwest Hottiez

Southwest Blair

Soh Bonitas

Soh Best

Soh Socials

Soh Raiders

Southwest High

Southwest Royalty

Do not get me wrong, Raiders, these websites aren’t “mean”. They don’t talk bad about people. All the opposite, each website contains albums as “Pretty Ladies”, “Hoties”, “Best friends” and “Cute couples” to mention just a few. I’ll leave your own opinion to you but may I just ask a question here? Are they doing something nice? Obviously, if you were in one of those “Pretty Ladies” albums you would answer yes, but what about the rest of us? How do you think the left out Raiders feel? That they’re ugly? Not worth it? I believe these pages should stop, and I sure am not the only one since recently a page called “SOH Resist” was created to basically give an end to all of this gossip pages. Here’s what they said: “All you guys got to stop making gossip pages. Saying who's pretty and beautiful and sexy, I mean everyone is special in their own way and every single student deserves to be mention. Most of the people on there yeah they're nice and pretty. I know some of them and they really are some genuine people, but for others who aren't apart of those pages you people bring them down. It's not good for our school. School to most students is like their second home. They socialize, learn, eat, and we have a good time. Come on just having those pages it's really embarrassing to know that our school has one. I'm kind of ashamed to even say that we do. All this nonsense needs to stop, because I seriously think that Southwest High School is way better than that, we shouldn't be this low to have a gossip page on Facebook, come on people!"
So Raiders, if you think someone’s pretty or cute say it to their face, make them smile and make their day! There’s no need to go and post it on a facebook page. Also like I’ve always said: “What matters the most in a person is the inside, fall in love with a person’s heart not their physical appearance”.

Goodbye, Ms. Meza

2011-05-02T06:43:00.000-07:00

Farewell to a Raider
By Jethro Jay Narciso

Bon Voyage!

That's French for “safe journey”! Why exactly are we saying this? Well, if you haven't heard, Room 404 has undergone a slight change, a change of teachers that is! The ROP Culinary Arts teacher, Ms. Meza, has had a sudden change in plans this semester. Instead of finishing off this semester, Ms. Meza has made a tough decision to move to Texas to be with her husband. She notes that she had been asked to move to Texas numerous times before, but each and every time the question was asked, she would always choose to remain as a Raider.

Although Ms. Meza longed to be with her husband, she states that one of the reasons for staying is the students. With her short stay of two and a half years at Southwest, she has come to see that Raiders are some of the best kids she has ever seen. She grew up in the South Bay, attending Hilltop High, where she says it wasn't always the best. That’s why she was amazed when she came to Southwest to teach. They break the high school stereotypes of bullies and whatnot. All the students got along, they make the best of friends, they are respectful, are just a few points on the long list of why Southwest has the best kids.

A month before her departure, Ms. Meza introduced Ms. Birchfield to the class. They ran the class together so that the transition would be as smooth as possible. However for three weeks, Ms. Meza dominantly ran the class, while Ms. Birchfield would sit in the back taking notes. On the fourth week, the two teachers switched up their spots.

On the last day before her departure, Ms. Meza gave her farewell speech, where she stated, “I don’t think I’ll ever find myself teaching again because I’ll never find kids as great as you guys ever again.” She goes on to say how much of a joy we have been to her. She tearfully said, “I love you all as my younger siblings. I’m glad to have been your older sister.”

Southwest High would like to give Ms. Meza a big thank you for all that she has done for us. She may have been specifically a Culinary Arts teacher, but she has taught us not just about food, but about life. Whether it was her being a teacher, a friend, or even an older sister, she has truly shown what being a Raider is all about. Remember, Ms. Meza: “Once a Raider, always a Raider!”

SOH's Literary Magazine

2011-03-24T06:54:00.000-07:00

SOH Launches New Literary Magazine
By Vianney Casas

Life can be beautiful, life can be confusing. Life can be many different things, but what is life through a Raider’s eyes? Life Through a Raider’s Eyes is the title of Southwest High School’s first online literary magazine. Although the magazine is still in progress, the first contest for its first edition already took place. The contest’s theme was Valentine’s day where Raiders had the opportunity to express their feelings regarding Valentine’s most important word: Love. After deliberations by the Literary Magazine’s club and SOH English teachers, three poems were chosen in the end. I will not reveal the winners in this article, if you wish to know who won you must go and check out the magazine when it’s finally finished ; the winning poems will be posted on the first edition of the magazine.

The second poem contest for the magazine is already on its way to being made official, the theme being Spring. The club is still small (Vianney Casas as editor in chief, Denisse Avila, Erika Melendrez, Stephanie Silva, Kathia Albanez, Andrea Morales, Jocelyn Salazar, Mayte Casas, Julia Alcaraz, and Oscar Vargaz), so people interested in joining and representing Raiders' voices are still accepted. Anyone who would like to join can attend the meetings on Friday to suggest ideas for the poetry contest as well for the magazine or should just simply let me, Vianney, or Ms. Stretcher (advisor) in room 811 know you would like to join the club.

So here’s how the club works: the magazine will be posted online consisting of the following sections:

Poetry: Poems of any subject/Topic, Lyrics
Fiction: Short stories. (pretty much anything comming from your imagination)
Non-Fiction: A story from your life, kind of like a “diary”.
Reviews: Movies, Music, Books, Tv Shows
Question of the week: Example: “If your house were burning down what would you decide to save?”
Fashion: What’s in, What’s not, fashion advices for guys and girls
Photography/ Art
Contests/ Contest Winners
Letters to the editor: We want to know your opinion!

Anyone can participate in the magazine . They can send their work and might get it posted on the magazine after the magazine’s club revises it and edits it if needed.

Why will the magazine be online? I’m sure anyone is aware of how the economy is looking right now; therefore, SOH has not enough money to provide us with printed magazines. Ms. Stretcher and I are looking for ways to make that happen, we’re looking forward to getting as much help as we can, so anyone who would like to help is well welcomed. For starters, the club will begin selling stuff for fund-raising as soon as we are approved of doing so.

So Raiders, if you’re interested in letting your imagination run wild and show your personality and creativeness through words and art please contact me or Ms. Stretcher and try to come to every meeting.

Choosing a College

2011-03-24T06:49:00.000-07:00

Raiders Look Forward to Higher Education
by Stephanie Mesa

This month has been very exciting for all seniors, because college admission decisions are being sent out. There's nothing more exciting than opening your mail-box and finding that letter from your dream college, and feeling the adrenaline in your skin when you're opening it up. However, as a senior, I know that along with a feeling of excitement comes a feeling of confusion and doubt. Many seniors wonder: Should I go live on campus? Do I really want to go to a far away college?
Everyone from family, friends, the media, etc. tell us that living on campus is a big part of the "college experience." Even though this statement can be right for some, it really depends on the individual whether or not they should actually leave far away from home to get an education.
So if you're a senior who is stuck in this decision, here are some pros and cons you might want to consider before making an important decision :

PROS:
- Independence
- A fresh start in a new area
- Making many friends
- Learning Responsibilities
- A whole new world of possibilities
- Learn how to function without an adult
- Learn to develop resources of your own, rather than depending on your family for it

CONS:
- Cost: living on campus is more expensive
- Homesickness: you might miss your friends and family
- It might be tough to meet people who really care about you
- Many distractions
- Not being able to manage your time
- Party life might get into your head

Whatever it is that you decide to do, make sure it's because that's what you want. Nobody can choose your future for you, you're the only one responsible for that.
If you're confused, think about the situation you're in, make a list of the pros and cons that apply to you, and evaluate your options.
Maybe going away to college is what you really need: get out there and meet new people, become independent, take risks and explore another world.
Always remember, you miss 100% of the shots you DON'T take.

Senioritis

2011-03-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

Raiders attacked by yearly 'Senioritis'
By Stephanie Meza

Senioritis, from the word senior plus the suffix -itis , is a term used in the United States to describe the decreased motivation toward studies displayed by students who are nearing the end of their high school years. The seniors at SOH can already feel that the end is near. There are just two more months left of high school, and after four years they'll finally move on to a new stage in their lives. For many seniors this is exciting, but for some the fact of growing up makes them nervous (this is called the "peter pan syndrome"). Being a senior, I know what that melancholic yet exciting feeling is like, here are what some other 12th graders think about leaving high school:

"I feel a mix of emotions, the feeling of accomplishment because after 4 years I finally graduate and move on to university but also the sad feeling of being attached for something for a long time. For example, my underclass friends." -Victor Andrade

"Even though I have been through many experiences, these four years of high school have somehow changed me for the rest of my life. I really feel great to end this phase and go out to the real world where all what I have read in books are going to not only be helpful, but are going to become real!" -Marco Mendizabal

"Well, I have many emotions about the fact that I am going out to the real world, in a way I feel like I am ready but at the same time I don't want to leave."-Vivian de Vega

"After being in high school for four years, it's time to graduate and explore the real world."-Lara Aquino

Now as the end of the school year is approaching, seniors can feel the "senioritis" kicking in. Senioritis can present itself in many ways, here are some of the things you might feel if you experience senioritis:
-Procrastination
-Lack of motivation
-Drop in academic performance
-A desire to drop out of school
-Ridiculous trouble waking up in the morning
-The act of going through classes with very little concentration or application of intent along with truancy and frequent tardiness

Many seniors who are experiencing senioritis think it's no big deal. They have this mentality that high school will be over soon, and if they mess up in their last semester, it wont matter. However, this idea is wrong. Here are some of the consequences of senioritis:
-Your grades will drop.
-If you have frequent uncleared absences, you might have to attend Saturday school, and if you fail to attend, you'll be placed in the non-privileged list. If you're in the non-privileged list you'll be excluded of senior activities such as: Prom, Grad night, and even graduation.
-As an incoming college freshmen, you may not be as adequately prepared for the rigor of college.
-A decrease in academic performance due to senioritis may also create difficulties, should the college decide to rescind the acceptance decision

In conclusion, senioritis only brings problems. However, at one point or another every senior might experience it a little. The key to senioritis is being in top of it, and not letting it control you. When it comes down to it, you need to have an optimistic view about finishing high school the right way. So if you feel you're experiencing senioritis, shake it off! Turn in your assignments, get to class on time, and be ready to learn! Just two more months left, FINISH STRONG!

Here at what seniors think of senioritis:

"I think many people don't think senioritis can happen but it sure can happen. I am not experiencing it, but I can feel it coming" -Cindy Yoquigua

"There's time I feel it but I always try to keep up with all my work because you get behind with senioritis." -Hugo Flores

"I think senioritis hits everyone at a certain point of the year, but with time we learn to confront it. I am going through it because I noticed that last progress report I was lagging it with all my work and I was turning everything late on my classes." -Mildred Rubio

"I think that senioritis is a stage that every twelfth grader goes through when they realize that high school is almost over. I'm not going through it but I did in first semester and when I saw that my grades where going down I decided to shake it off" -Christian Sanchez

"I was going through it at the beginning of the semester. I think it's hard to overcome but it is possible. I don't think it's only seniors though, all grades can go through it." -Brian Berman

"I think it's really a dumb concept. A lot of kids get lazy in high school despite what year they're in. Some are super busy their first few years and take the last year at ease and others are super lazy in the beginning and take their senior year to really freak out. It's a matter of your situation, not just because you're a senior you're gonna get lazy. I'm not going through it, I do what I can to keep my grades up and if I see myself slipping, I freak out because it's my senior year I want good grades." - Anissa Villa

SSA Assembly

2011-03-15T06:45:00.000-07:00

Cross the line
by Vianney Casas

“You can’t hate someone when you know their story”.

Makes you think right? SOH’s Safe School Ambassadors motto definitely made sophomores think on Wednesday, February 16th's assembly. SOH sophomores were scheduled to go to L.A’s Museum of Tolerance on that Thursday, so an assembly organized by Mr. Rodriguez and his SSA crew took place during sixth period to give us sophomores some background information and let us know what the rules where going to be for the trip. By looking at sophomores' reaction during that assembly I can tell the assembly turned out to be nothing like we had expected.

The assembly started off with some basic information of the Holocaust. Anyone who’s had Mr. Rodriguez know how serious, important, and professional his lectures are, so you can imagine how that went. The majority of the sophomores were paying attention to each and every word, when suddenly a poem popped up on the screen. Seconds later students were standing up and reading each of the poem’s lines with pride. After that the assembly gave an emotional turn, when Mr. Rodriguez started comparing the Holocaust to life today at school., which caused it to be, in the end, one of the most emotional events in Southwest High School.

For the next minutes, Mr. Rodriguez showed us a video of a group of students, who were not accepted, shooting the school. The video contained the phone call a teacher had actually made to the 911, which I’m sure gave every sophomore goosebumps. You could tell by the silence in the Gym that the video was really getting to the sophomores. That wasn’t the worst part though, after the video was shown, SSA members stood up and shared with the sophomores their experiences and their hardships they had or were going through. Some of the SSA members got a little emotional which made sophomores feel even worse .

Last but not least, an emotional activity took place. The activity consisted of crossing the line if a statement said by Mr. Rodriguez applied to you. At first the activity started off with easy and fun statements such as “Cross the line if you like hip-hop” or “Cross the line if you consider yourself a good dancer”. Students happily crossed the line until the statements started getting a little hard and heart-breaking such as “Cross the line if someone you loved died violently”, “Cross the line if you were raised by one parent”, “Cross the line if you’ve been to economic problems you were embarrassed of”,”Cross the line if you’ve been humiliated or talked about”, “Cross the line if you’ve ever started a rumor”, or “Cross the line if drugs and alcohol have ever affected your family”. Then there was the worst statement: “Cross the line if someone who’s told you they love you has hurt you”. That killed people. If you looked around you would most likely see is sophomores crying or with their faces as sad as they could get. This were serious statements, statements that broke our hearts into pieces, statements that were bringing memories we thought we had forgotten to our minds once again. The atmosphere was sad, you could feel it in the air. Then when the statement “Cross the line if you need a hug right now” got to sophomore’s ears you would see everyone hugging each other.

It was amazing to see how many sophomores crossed the line after each statement. Unbelievably, more than half crossed it; there wasn’t any time when you wouldn’t see sophomores walking towards that line. The message here: You are not alone, Raiders. We’re in our teenage years; it is easy to feel like our whole world is falling down and that no one else is going through the same thing. Believe it or not, you are not the only one. All those sophomores crossing that line are enough to believe you aren’t.

CAHSEE

2011-03-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

Is there a CAHSEE in your future?
by Yassel Jimenez

Upcoming Sophomores, are you ready for the CAHSEE? You guys are still Freshman, and the CAHSEE is not until next year but, it's never too early to get ready for the California High School Exit Exam. The more information you have the better score you get.

What is the CAHSEE? CAHSEE is an exam required by the state of California. Students must pass both parts of the CASHEE to earn their high school diploma.

Who takes the CAHSEE? You first take the CAHSEE in 10th grade, but don't worry, if you don't pass it the first time, you have two opportunities to pass.

Why is the CAHSEE important? Clearly CAHSEE is important because it is one of the graduation requirements; if you don't pass the CAHSEE, you don't graduate.

There are two parts of the CAHSEE: ELA and Math. Each test takes about 4 school hours. The ELA part of the test includes multiple choice questions that cover vocabulary, comprehension, and analysis of information and literary text. It also includes a writing task where you have to showknowledge of writing strategies, applications, and the conventions of English (grammar, spelling, and punctuation.) The math part of the test includes 5th, 6th, and 7th grade math and some algebra. It includes arithmetic, decimals, fractions, and percents.

Students can prepare for the CAHSEE by being in school every day and participating in class. They can also talk to their counselors about study guides. Or you can visit" http:// www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs/resources.asp
Take full advantange of the tutoring your school offers.

Bio-Med offers alternatives

2011-03-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

Try Biomedical Class!
by Yassel Jimenez

If you’re interested in science and the human body, the biomedical science class could be the class you’re looking for. You will study life processes to help you gain understanding of health and the methods of diagnosis, analysing, and treating diseases. This class covers everything that has to do with the human body, with the addition of molecular biology.

Biomedical science is not only interesting but also fun. It’s not a regular science class in which you get to play around with more material and equipment. Besides being fun and interesting, the teacher, Mr. Illes, makes the class easy by giving simple explanation to hard terms and helping out every single student. This is one of the classes that you do things without getting bored .
So, if you’re interested in science and the human body, or just need a class, consider biomedical as one of you’re choices. You will have fun while learning, and who knows, maybe in a few year, you might become a doctor or a nurse.

Former Raider serves his country

2011-03-02T06:46:00.000-08:00

Raider Alumnus receives Navy's 2nd Highest Award
by Jasmine Straw

A few weeks ago, former Raider, Chief Petty Officer Joe Molina (Class of '97), was awarded the Silver and Bronze stars for his actions during his 2009 deployment in Afghanistan. He was awarded the Silver Star for his and his platoon’s efforts in a two-day firefight that ended in 56 enemy dead and no deaths in his platoon. Two days later his platoon rescued a U.S. Army detachment that was under attack and had already suffered three casualties. Molina’s platoon saved this group while, again, suffering no deaths within their platoon and 22 deaths of the enemy.

Molina, a chief special warfare operator of the Sea Air Land force, insists that he is no hero. “It’s about the team. It’s not about the individual,” he says. He only agreed to do interviews for his “brothers” - fellow SEALs and other military personnel. Throughout his interview he continued to deny that he is a hero, his actions were only a display of this training. His group as a whole during the 6 months they were deployed engaged in 300 hours of combat and accounted for 181 enemy casualties. Although he denies he is a hero, he will be thought of as a hero to the ones he had saved, their families, and the United States Navy.

Source: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/17/navy-seal-iimperial-beach-wins-silver-and-bronze-s/

Teen Angst

2011-02-28T06:45:00.001-08:00

Raiders handle relationships
by Sierra Holter

Relationships come to an end possibly, the reasons are numerous. They all have in common that one member of the relationship is dissatisfied and pulls back. Maybe he/she has tried for some time to adjust the relationship according to his/her wishes. If this fails, he/she usually quits emotionally long before the actual break up. That is often the reason why the “dumpee” has the impression that the “dumper” is cold hearted—he/she left mentally months ago. So naturally, there comes a time in a teenage relationship where the couple must ask themselves,"Do I want to go steady, or do I want to see what else is out there?". Take into account that there is no painless way to end a relationship.It simply doesn’t exist. No magical words which take the pain away. It will hurt them and it may also hurt you. There is nothing you can do about this. You can only avoid some common mistakes and make it a little easier for them.

The first step to breaking up with someone is being sure of yourself and the decision you are making. You have to be 100% sure about what you want,this will make breaking up and moving on so much easier.

So here are some questions you should ask yourself when considering breaking up:

Does the relationship allow you to evolve according to your wishes?
Does the relationship fulfill your needs?
Is it possible to have goals together and achieve them?
Does your partner accept you as you are?
Can you resolve conflicts together?
Are you feeling good in your relationship?
Is the communication with your partner good?

If your answer to these question is in the majority “no” then it is probably time to move on. You're ready to break up,but you've never done it before so here are some easy steps to ending your relationship.

1. Keep a few days distance: This will help you gain some emotional distance from your partner and will make moving on easier for you. On the other hand, your partner will sense something is about to happen and will hopefully prepare themselves.

2. Try to be sure about your decision: Chances are that you were thinking about breaking up for a long time. You have come to the conclusion that you don’t fit together, have different plans after High school or were unable to resolve or get to the bottom of your conflicts. Maybe you have simply realized that you do not love your partner. Either way you must be completely sure about your decision. This is probably the most important thing to do, because if you are unsure about what you want it will only make things harder on both of you. So, are you sure you want to break up? If you are,continue to step 3.

3. Do it in person:Always talk to your partner in person. Never use email, text messages or a letter. I know this is tempting because it’s much easier for you, but you owe your partner that you look them in the eye when you break up. Not that it would make it easier for them, but it would allow your partner to respect your decision and take you seriously.

4. Know what and how to say it – be prepared: You have to know what you're going to say in advanced, this is far from simple because you have to expect how the other person is going to react to your news.There can be various reactions. Depending on the personality of your partner, there can be denial, crying, begging, aggressiveness, even abuse. Try to stay calm whatever happens, never let this end in a fight.

Here are some tips:

Always be understanding, no matter how your partner reacts
Say that you are sorry that things have not worked out
Be prepared for questions
Try to avoid intimate body contact
Be confident. If you have not been dominant in your relationship, be it now

5. Always be clear that it’s absolutely over: There should be no doubt that the relationship is over.

NEVER Say:

“maybe sometimes we could get together again”
“A part of me still loves you”
“I never loved anybody as I loved you”
“OK, give me some time to think it over”
“we can still be friends”

You will feel the urge to ease the pain by saying something he/she wants to hear, but this is wrong for two reasons: you are giving false hope and delaying the healing process for both of you.

6. Help them with no contact: Don't call,text,message,nothing for a long while. Don't even ask how they are feeling. I know this probably the hardest step in all of this but it also the most rewarding. After a break up the other person is in shock, they will not remember what was said during your conversation,let alone your reasons for ending it. Most of the time the one who breaks up has to learn as well that it is definitely over. By following the no-contact rule you help yourself and your ex-partner.

Breaking is never easy and, it is never painless. It is emotionally exhausting and mentally draining but once you break up you can heal,and become one step closer to happiness and a fulfilling love life.

Remember, if there's any doubt that it is really over it will cause more harm than good. Not only will it keep you from pursuing more gratifying relationships, it will also mess with your self-esteem and confidence. Once you've made up your mind act upon your decision and make sure you end it in a firm way. These steps will make the task of breaking up a bit easier on both parties.

SOH soccer continues its winning tradition.

2011-02-28T06:44:00.001-08:00

Lady Raiders bring home the banner
by Stephanie Mesa

The SOH Lady Raiders varsity soccer team finished a great league season by bringing home the league banner. These ladies were led by captains Lizette Jimenez, Rosalinda Contreras, and Alexis Moreno. Although these ladies never expected they were going to get this far in the league, they successfully made it to the final game against Mar Vista. "We know Mar Vista is good, but we weren't scared of them; they're all rivals and we wanted to beat them" says captain Lizette Jimenez. Unfourtunately, hours before the game the goalie they had been counting with the whole season, Jessica Hernandez, couldn't play because of her health, and the girls had to face Mar Vista with another goalie, "that was one of the hardest moments of the season," says Jimenez. One of the starting players, Gaby Paez also said "I was super nervous before our game, but I was confident that this team could win the banner."

The first half of the game began, and the ladies were warmed up and ready to play the game that would determine who would be league champs, Southwest or Mar Vista. At the beginning, the girls tried their hardest to score, and approximately 27 minutes into the game captain, Lizette Jimenez, scored the first and winning goal, according to Jimenez: "scoring that goal was the most amazing feeling ever, I can't believe that MY goal got us the banner." When the second half ended, the score was 1-0 in favor of Southwest. It was official, the league champs banner now belonged to Southwest. The girls were full of happiness, joy and most of all pride "I felt so excited, I just couldn't believe that we actually won the banner."

These ladies never imagined that they would make it that far, but they did. "I never imagined we would make it this far, but we deserve the banner with every drop of sweat, every kick, and every hard practice" All that is left to say now, is that this team makes raiders proud to be part of Southwest, and most importantly it makes these ladies feel proud of each other. "I can't begin to explain how proud I am of this team and how far it was come."

Congratulations SOH Lady Raiders varsity soccer on winning the league banner, you guys deserve it! As captain, Lizette Jimenez stated:
"This year's team has been by far the best one. All of you you ladies played with heart and soul and I couldn't be more proud of each and every one of you. There wasn't a day that you girls didnt put a smile on my face."

Who needs Valentine's Day?

2011-02-14T06:50:00.000-08:00

Can You be Single and happy?
By Sierra Holter

Having a significant other may seem like the most important thing during Valentine's Day, but I assure you that it is not. You can be single and still be happy on February 14th. Just because you don't have a special somebody to share the day with, doesn't mean you're "forever alone". There are many ways to stay positive during this time but before we get to those here are some "don't"s for the day.

First off, don't sulk, pout, or complain that you're single. For one thing, your single friends will just look at you and say, "Dude, we're single too so it's okay" or they'll complain with you. That obviously won't solve anything and it will put a damper on the whole day. Next thing, don't ask every girl/guy you see to be your valentine, just because you are single doesn't give you the right to blantly put yourself out there and say "HEY WORLD I'M SINGLE BE MY VALENTINE BECAUSE I'M LONELY!!!!" No, don't do that. If anything, asking random people to be your Valentine will just cause you more hurt because they won't want to be your boyfriend or girlfriend when the day ends. Lastly, don't throw yourself a pity party and dwell on your failed past relationships. You may have an ex boyfriend or girlfriend that is now happy with a new girl or boy. It's okay, don't worry about it you can have a great day without them.

So, it's Valentines day and you're single - what are you going to do to stay positive? Well, you can start by smiling. It's scientifically proven that if you smile, your day will automatically seem a whole lot better. Plus, you never know, maybe that future special somebody is falling in love with your smile right now. Next thing, shake off negative vibes. You may be walking around school seeing all the couples kissing, hugging, and holding hands. You may be thinking to yourself "why am I still alone?", shake those vibes off. Those thoughts will only keep you down and will make your day horrible. Most importantly, be satisfied with yourself. No one is perfect, no relationship is perfect, so why make yourself more depressed by thinking everyone has it so much better than you do? Honestly, I know it's hard being single during this day but you should know that you - yes, you - are a great person! You don't need another person to tell you that you are fabulous to know it! So, look yourself in the mirror today, and every other day, and say, "hey beautiful, you are an amazing person inside and out and I don't need someone else to tell me how wonderful I am because I already know it!" Stay classy and beautiful.

Anorexia and bulimia

2011-02-09T06:57:00.000-08:00

Don't freak, just eat
by Sierra Holter

Hundreds of girls everywhere feel tortured every day when they look in the mirror. Some go to drastic measures to make sure they don't gain an extra pound or even to feel like they've gained an ounce. Anorexia and Bulimia are serious and deadly habits that kill 50,000 women in the U.S.

Many anorexics say they acquired this habit when they started puberty, when the female body actually gains weight to handle all the changes taking place. Others say they've had that fear instilled in them after someone made a rude remark about their weight as a child. There are also women who see it as just a simple way to lose a few pesky pounds. Truth is anorexia and Bulimia are the real deal, they soon become an addiction and the young women spiral out of control.

Teenagers who do not have to battle this inner monster are educated about it in middle school health class. The only thing they usually get out of it is "Blah, blah, blah eat healthy. Blah, blah, blah don't starve yourself. Blah, blah, blah". Do they really listen to the severity of the problem? No. So one might ask how does a seemingly beautiful, young, vibrant young woman become so obsessed with her looks she's willing to risk her health to "look better"? Well, there's a myriad of reasons some ranging from childhood obesity to childhood starvation. Many have been reported saying "I just wanted to look like the models in those magazines". This is an unrealistic goal for many teenagers and an unrealistic way to feel comfortable with your body. The reason is different for all bulimics and anorexics. Regardless of what the main factor may be, once an eating disorder takes control, the individual has an insatiable hunger to regain control of their life.
It's hard to believe that this silent killer takes hold of 10% of all high school girls. Sometimes the warning signs are hard to see so here are 5 red flags you should look out for when suspecting anorexia or bulimia:
1. Skipping meals
2. Obsession with calories, fat grams, and nutrition
3. Fixation with body image.
4. Compulsive exercising
5. Harshly critical or appearance.
Don't let a loved be affected by this disease. If you suspect anyone of dealing with this monster help them get treatment as soon as possible. No one wants to see someone they love wither away into nothing.

Appreciate everyone on Valentine's Day

2011-02-09T06:48:00.000-08:00

Raiders Celebrate Valentine’s Day
By Vianney Casas

Let’s be honest here: What comes to mind as soon as you hear Valentine’s Day? Answer: Chocolates, heart shaped balloons, roses, cards, hugs, kisses, I love you’s, couples, couples and couples. Last year at Southwest High, Valentine’s day was all about couples. It pretty much went like this: 80% couples, 20% friendships. You would see girls holding balloons and rose bouquets with gigantic smiles on their faces. Now honestly, who actually thought that was their “friends” who gave those gifts to them? It was not them but their boyfriends.

What is Valentine’s Day translated to Spanish? “Dia del Amor y la Amistad”. Day of love and friendship. People (Raiders included) take the love part too seriously. Yes, I have proof: “Who wants to be my Valentine?” is the most asked question people write on Facebook status’ during February. Lately, there has been a thousand likes on phrases such as “Dia de San Solterin” (Day of the single), and another asking February to bring them something good. What does that translate to? “Please, February, give me a boyfriend/girlfriend to get gifts from on Valentine’s Day". I have friends, classmates, and even relatives, who complain about not having a boyfriend/girlfriend on Valentine’s Day. “Why should you?” is my question. Valentine’s day does not only consist on having someone to kiss, or hold hands with. Yes it is about love, so what about your friends, your family, and your pets?! They all love you and you love them as well, so why can’t you celebrate that kind of love? Is it that they have a different version of Valentine’s Day? No need to bother thinking of an answer though. I asked people what they thought about Valentine’s day and here’s what they told me:

“It’s stupid , probably was created by candy stores to win more money”-Alexia Chavira

“Proud”- Amairani Salazar

“If you're single then it sucks, if you're taken it’s nice”-Abraham Lopez

“People lost the real meaning of Valentine's Day... Now all people want is kisses and sexual stuff, it’s no longer about love or celebration of being together”-Hector Armendariz

“It’s the cutest holiday overall! If you have a boyfriend”-Cindy Centella

“ Well, I think Valentine's Day is actually a really cute day for couples and even for singles whether it's enjoying love from a partner or maybe just some chocolate candy with friends”-Albert Fernandez

“It’s like one of my favorite holidays, but honestly because of the candies. I don’t really celebrate it because 1) I’m single and 2) nobody wants to celebrate it with me. So overall it’s all about the chocolates, but I think it’s the perfect time to express your feelings to that special person. It could be your friend, your pet, your mom; love is not only about that person you kiss or hug. It’s about that person that makes your days happy, that person that makes you smile, and that’s the love that matters, that’s the love we should celebrate”-Mayte Casas

“Well honestly, I think it’s a made up holiday, I think that if people really wanna celebrate their friendship and love for one another they should do it every moment of every day there is no need for a holiday to express your love for someone else.”-Andrea Osuna

“Well, personally I think Valentine's day represents not only love but friendship and to show how much you care for your friends, family, and lovers.”-Oscar Vargas

“To me it’s a day to spend it with people you love.”-Berthita Villegas

“I don’t know, it’s whatever”-Arley Aguilar

There you go, Raiders. We have some people in the “Valentine’s day is just about having a relationship” category, and some on the “Love and Friendship” category. I’m not here to criticize anyone’s point of view, but let me just say that Valentine’s Day should indeed be one of the best holidays! Love is what keeps us going. Love is the air we breath, the sun we see, the stars we wish upon at night. It is everything. Whether it’s family love, friend love, or boyfriend/girlfriend love, love is the best feeling in the world. When love breaks our heart, there is the love of a friend to put it back together again. When love clouds our skies, there is the love of a mother to bring back the sun. When love ends, there is another love to start it again. What would the world be without love? Just what would SOH be without love? There would go our future, our education. So, Raiders, do not ever think that on Valentine’s Day you lack of love for not having someone to kiss. Get out to lunch and see all your friends waiting for you. Go home and see your mom preparing you the best meal. There is love, and the best love you could get. So this Valentine’s Day let us celebrate the most amazing feeling in the world, let us scream how much we love our mothers, our fathers, our dogs, our brothers and sisters, our friends, and our teachers, and let us celebrate one of the best holidays of the year because remember:

"A life filled with love must have some thorns; but a life empty of love will have no roses."-Anonymous.

Tuition costs on the increase.

2011-01-31T06:45:00.000-08:00

Is College still affordable?

by Stephanie Meza

With the budget cuts that have been going on, paying for college is becoming more expensive than ever. The highly-stressing college applications are finally over, but many seniors are anxious to know what they’re going to do for the rest of their lives. But are budget cuts really preventing students from getting a higher education? I did a survey with 15 different seniors of different backgrounds to calculate statistics, and these are the results.

•Out of these 15 seniors, 14 want to attend a 4-year university after high school and 1 is considering joining the Military.

•10 of them think financial aid will not be enough to pay for their college expenses, while 5 of them think they can get by with the help of financial aid.

•11 of them would consider going to community college if they can’t afford a 4-year university, and 4 of them are confident that they can afford college.

•Finally, 8 out of 15, more than half, see money as an obstacle that can prevent them from getting a higher education.

These results were an eye-opener on how the economy is affecting the way students look at higher education. Many hard working Raiders are planning to go to a community college before going to a 4-year university in order to save money. Even though community college is often incorrectly looked down upon, you can actually take many general education classes if you want to save money for a 4-year university. Some consider joining the military since 2 years in it pays for your tuition.

However, the most devastating fact was on how more than half of these students actually thought money was an obstacle that prevents them. Obstacles aren’t there to stop people; they are there to filter out those who don’t really want something. There are many ways you can pay for college: financial aid, scholarships, student loans, grants, etc. Money should never be an obstacle. Never let anything or anyone keep you from doing what you have worked so hard for. So whatever it is you decide to do, raiders, make sure to not look at money as an obstacle.

SOH Men's Soccer Rules!

2011-01-31T06:43:00.000-08:00

Ole ole ole ole !
by Stephanie Meza

There's one thing about the varsity soccer team at Southwest High: Throughout the years they've created themselves a good reputation and earned everyone's respect for always bringing a new League Champ's banner into our gym. Every time they have a game, the players wear their jerseys with pride, because to them "being part of the varsity team is an honor!" proclaimed Victor Andrade, who is part of the team for the second year. Andrade adds: "It's just something much greater than being part of it, because the people there become your family"

Currently, the varsity soccer team is tied in first place with Castle Park High School in the league. They're five games away from knowing if they'll receive a banner this year. However, the team remains optimistic and has faith that they'll be successful in these upcoming games. As for the team, they're practicing hard every day. After all, being a soccer player isn't easy, it requires skills, speed, endurance, but most importantly it takes dedication and commitment of wanting to improve and be the best team of the league. "My experience has just been awesome, I have met and played next to really good soccer players along these 2 years and I have the honor of being part of the team who won a banner for SOH." says Victor.

If the team wins League champs, they'll move on to CIF where they will compete against other champ schools, and hopefully will bring a white banner to our gym as well.
Good luck SOH Varsity soccer, make us proud once again!

"Playing soccer with your feet is one thing, but playing with your heart is another. It takes an athlete to play soccer, but an artist to be a soccer player. Anyone who thinks sunshine is happiness has never played soccer in the rain. Soccer players aren't made of their technique,but made by there passion!
Never let the odds keep you from pursuing what you know in your heart you were meant to do!"

Facebook Chaos

2011-01-24T06:45:00.000-08:00

Think before you speak

By Vianney Casas

“You are nothing until you are talked about.” The same 8 horrid words appeared in a new gossip page about Southwest High School created about 5 days ago.

Who isn’t familiar with Facebook? Besides being used to communicate with friends all around the world, it is also known for being used as a bullying tool and as a place where you’ll find out the newest gossip about relationships, friendships and pretty much anyone’s life. However, it was never imagined that Facebook would ever be used by a Raider to talk bad about dozens of students in SOH. Never in my two years in Southwest High had something as detestable as this happened, and it didn’t just strike me, it struck many Raiders who were confused, dissapointed, and angry.

It all started this past weekend. For weeks, Facebook pages about SOH had been created. Pages about the prettiest girls at school, the cutest guys, best couples and best friends, but none of these pages was like the one created on Saturday. Everything was all right, everyone was OK with the new pages, they did not hurt anyone at all, but everything went downhill when a page named “Soh blab” was created anonymously. “You are no one until you’re talked about” it said on its biography. The page had albums with nice categories such as “The real pretty girls”, (“Soh bonitas” had a category with “pretty girls”, and this Soh blab supposedly had the real ones) “handsome guys”, but it also had horrible categories including “ugly people”, “backstabbers”, and others I won’t mention for the use of language. Besides those two categories (pretty girls and handsome boys) the page bascially talked trash about tons of people and about rumors that had been popular here at SOH. When I say tons of people in SOH I mean it talked about people from 9th to 12th grade. Suddenly the page started adding people, people it had talked about. This caused a big uproar among Raiders. People got their feelings hurt, why wouldn’t they? The page was describing them with such hideous words that it would be hard to imagine someone not feeling like they had been punched in the stomach when seeing their picture and under it a paragraph.

The Monday following that weekend was even worse. Everyone at school was talking about it. You would walk into a class and find groups of students talking about it. Between classes you would hear people walking and talking about it. While in lunch, people shared their opinions about the new Facebook page, about “Soh blab”. Suspicion and accusations among students couldn’t be missing of course. Raiders looked at eachother in suspicion and asked each other about who could possibly be this person who was hiding behind a computer screen and writing about them. Obviously, false accusations were made. People were falsely accused and without knowing, pointed fingers (and I say this because of my own experience) and blamed anyone who crossed their mind. “Who do you think it was?” was the most heard question that day, as students tried to think for an answer and what they would do if they ever found out.

On Tuesday, the turmoil had declined a little, but the page wasn’t forgotten. People were still talking about it and wondering who was that heartless person. Fortunately it all ended today. The page was erased. It caught people by surprise since the person running the page seemed not to care what anyone else thought and that everyone was trying to find out who he/she was. I asked people if they knew something about this and the possible reason, and somenone told me someone had told the principal about this page. Now that the principal was involved, everyone’s conclusion was that the creator of “Soh blab” got scared and deleted the page not wanting any problems. If he/she didn’t want any problems, why did he/she create the page in the first place is a question I and I’m sure many other Raiders have in their minds. The page might have been deleted, but this isn’t and will never be completely over. People’s feelings are still hurt, the identity of this person is still trying to be discovered, and this experience, believe me, will never be forgotten no matter if you weren’t talked about. The only thing we can all hope is that whoever did this is brought out to light, although no punishment given, or apology can erase what he/she did to many Raiders. Some may have shown no care for the words of this person, however this doesn’t mean that deep down the heart was lightly punched.

That’s why Raiders my best advice has always been “Think before you act/speak” Think beforehand about the consequences. Im sure this person didn’t and look at what he/she caused. No one has the right to talk about anyone. No one has the right to pretend they can get into someone’s mind. Everyone has their own opinion, their own story, and no one has the right to alter it or tell it their way. Raiders speak for yourselves, never talk about anyone else because it will come back to you when you least expect it.

New Year Means New Opportunities

2011-01-24T06:43:00.000-08:00

Raider's New Year

By Vianney Casas

I know it’s a little late, however that will not stop me from reminding you Raiders that is a “new year” a fresh start. You got behind last semester? You failed a class? I’m not saying 2011 will erase that from your transcript, because it won’t. This is a new semester, a semester that should not be a victim of what you did on the first. You can start all over and prove to your teachers and most importantly to yourself that you can be better than who you’d been in the past.

This goes especially for you sophomores and juniors. Remember that for your college applications in senior year, colleges and universities will be carefully looking at your grades during sophomore and junior year! You cannot afford to lag behind and take school for granted. You may have fallen behind during first semester, everyone makes mistakes once in a while, but this is your chance to start a new page. Take it as a second chance. Who doesn’t like a second chance? The world is always filled with “what if”s, but right now a second chance to improve our grades and our chances of having the future we always dreamed of is given to us.

I know, you walk around and see the same people passing by you in the halls. You go to class and sit in front of the same teacher. You open the locker you opened months ago. Not much has changed this 2011 socially in school, however its up to you wether this becomes boring or fun. Make some new friends, find new hobbies, smile to new people, and of course “out with the old and in with the new”.

So Raiders may this 2011 not be the best by itself but with your help. Let's all make this year an unforgetable dream, especially you seniors graduating this 2011. Take advantage of the awesome school you have, the friends by your side, the teahcers and your homework because believe me, all this will pay off in your future. Lastly, remember, Raiders, that every cause has an effect, and every action of yours will have a consequence, other than that enjoy this year as much as you can!

2010-11-10T07:20:00.000-08:00

Raiders, go Turkey Trotting!
by Stephanie Mesa

You know that morning after thanksgiving when you feel so full after eating so much the night before? Don't you hate that feeling? This year, the SOH Cross Country team is giving people in the Nestor community the opportunity to run the 1st Annual Raiders Turkey Trot to burn those extra calories off!
When?: November 26, 2010. 7:45 AM
Where?: Southwest High School.
Headquarters will be located in the south parking lot of the campus.
Course: A loop through the Nestor neighborhood
start/finish line @ Southwest High School
RACE TIMES: 1/2 Mile kids fun run- 7:45AM
Turkey trot 5K Run/walk- 8:00AM
Entry fee: 1/2 Mile fun run(kids) $3.00
5K Turkey trot run/walk $18.00

All of the money collected for the event will be used to help the SOH Cross country team.
Raiders, don't miss out on this great opportunity and be part of the very first Annual Raiders Turkey Trot!
For more information contact:
Mr.Buse (Cross country coach)
davidbuse@gmail.com
619.596.7387
Web: sites.google.com/site/raiderscrosscountry

De-stressing tips

2010-11-10T07:10:00.000-08:00

Follow your dreams

by Sierra Holter

Ever since we were little our parents, teachers and even the media have encouraged us to follow our dreams. Whether your dream was to be a firefighter or police officer or a doctor, there was always someone there saying to follow that dream. Even having this support many teens do not continue to follow their dreams and drop out. Here in California one-third of a high school class will drop out. School counselors have many other tasks to deal with rather than spending time with those at risk of not graduating. Studies show that teens living with one parent, being of hispanic descent and/or not having peer support are the leading reasons why kids don't graduate.

Seniors at our school are filling out college applications and writing personal statements every day. Most seniors say that the stress and anxiety about what the futture holds is getting them down. Despite these fears Southwest is proud to say that many are applying to private universities as well as local schools. They are following their dreams and taking steps to better themselves and our community. However seniors still have a lot of pressure put on them so here are some destressing tips:

1. Smile. It's scientifically proven that smiling automatically will make you feel better.

2. Change your routine. It may be that youre stressing because everything is happening all at once. If you take a couple of minutes out of your day to change things up a bit you'll be amazed by how different you'll feel.

3. Don't hold your mistakes against yourself. Maybe you didn't finish that essay on time, or maybe you came home an hour past curfew, fix the mistakes you can and the rest will eventually fall into place.

4. Replace "I have to" statements with "I choose to" statements. It will relieve pressure and give you a whole new perspective.

5. Find a hidden treasure in your day. Search for one positive thing that you may have never noticed before,whatever it may be theres always a silver lining.

6. Spend some time with a person or people who make you feel good about yourself. You are a great person!

7. Remind yourself that even when you have no control over certain situations, your attitude is always within your control. It's our attitude that shapes our experiences. Its also your attitude that will get you into college.

8. Continue to remind yourself that this day will pass and tomorrow is a new day.

9. Share your stressful day or event with a friend or family member.

10. Appreciate yourself. Think about all the positive things you are able to accomplish each day.

After all...

Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You. -Dr.Seuss.

Halloween

2010-11-04T07:28:00.000-07:00

Raiders celebrate Halloween

By Vianney Casas

This year Raiders celebrated Halloween the Friday 29th of October, and scary is the last word you would use to describe that day. No scary costumes for the most part, no people scaring. "Why was it called Halloween then?" is my and I’m sure many other people’s question. Well, the spirit for sure was still there. Not many people dressed up, I must admit, but the ones that did no matter which grade they were in, or how old they were, showed proudly the Halloween spirit and dressed up in their own unique ways. Some guys even dressed up as girls! It was hilarious, although you needed to be there to laugh as much as Raiders laugh as soon as they saw them. And when I say dressed up as girls I mean completely as girls! Make up, dresses, sandals, wigs, and even purses. Speaking of guys dressing as the opposite sex, there were a couple of girls dressed as guys too, wearing baggy pants, a cap and a mustache even painted on their face. Other types of costumes included a hot dog, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Angels, Little Red Ridding Hood, puppets, Obama, ladybugs, bumblebees, and others, each person showing spirit and their personality in their own way.

Of course a costume contest was held. Unfortunately(and I regret this) I wasn’t there long enough to see who exactly the winners were, but here’s what I saw while I was there:

The brave Raiders here at SOH came out of their shells and competed against each other for “The best costume”. Of course the first to stand in line were the guys dressed as girls. They, along with other brave contestants walked across like models showing off their costume as people screamed, laughed and clapped and at the end, as I was informed the guys dressed as girls won.

This was what Halloween was like at Southwest High School, which now after your read it doesn’t seem scary at all, but now lets take a quick look at the real deal:

October 31. Halloween night.

I went around and asked people that had gone trick or treating what their Halloween night had been like and I myself went trick or treating. From what I was told, people this year had not a lot of Halloween spirit this year. Many houses' lights weren't even turned on, not many people were on the streets, and the worst and saddest for most of us is that depressingly, not much candy was given out.

“I only got six candies!” “What happened to Halloween spirit?!” “A woman just gave me a piece of gum”, were among many others, some angry Raider exclamations, and I myself must admit my bag wasn’t even half filled by the end of the night and I went to three different places. It was sad I must confess, but that however didn’t ruin our night. Halloween isn’t just about getting candy, it’s about having fun and showing your spirit, and Raiders definitely had that accomplished.

Homecoming

2010-10-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

Raiders come home
by Vianney Casas

Once upon a time...
There was a homecoming dance.

“It’s the night of our nights, it’s the night of our dreams...”

There’s this night in high school besides Prom you just cannot miss: The Homecoming Dance. And what’s even better is that the homecoming dance is available for students of all grade levels. This year’s homecoming dance was a success; its theme was Disney. You imagined it right, it was all a fairytale.

Of course, the homecoming queen and king (or Big Man On Campus A.K.A BMOC) weren't forgotten. All candidates were wished good luck and all deserved to win, unfortunately only one princess and one prince could. The queen (Stacey Ruiz) was announced on the night before the dance during the Homecoming Game. The BMOC was announced that October 23, the actual night of the dance. All candidates were as charming as princes we see on Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping beauty, however, Hugo Flores ended up becoming the BMOC. Going back a few minutes, you could totally feel the suspense as people waited for the BMOC to be announced a few seconds that seemed like a hours and then... Hugo Flores! Pretty much everyone ran towards and hugged him, screaming his name in a chorus. At the end it was worth the wait, no matter whom you voted for, the best won.

The dance itself was amazing. There was nothing else you saw but beautiful girls in dresses of different kinds and colors and handsome guys with ties. Surprisingly, not all couples were boy-girl. You could see group of girls together as well as boys and still you could see them having fun! “Who needs a boyfriend/girlfriend anyway to have fun?” was their question. Speaking of which, I’m 99% positive everyone had fun. Music of all kind was played by the DJ: from Hip-Hop, reggeton, banda, slow songs and a bit of Pop. The dance floor was filled with teenagers having no regrets and just dancing like popcorn popping in a microwave and lets not forget the slow songs! Those who were with their boyfriend/girlfriend got a little romantic and danced their arms wrapped around each other, just like in a fairytale. The whole thing was movie-like, and, of course, an experience that those who went will never forget, and not just for students, because, believe it or not, teachers went as well, alone, with a friend or a date. Ever wondered what makes high school unforgettable? Well homecoming is definitely one of those.

To get more details and in case you want to see pictures buy our SOH yearbooks.

Consider vegetarian

2010-10-26T06:51:00.002-07:00

Think before you eat

By Sierra Holter

We go to school to educate ourselves, so why not become educated about what you eat? Every day, countless animals are being murdered for humans. They live their lives in what seems to be death camps just waiting for their day to be slaughtered. Every day, cows, chickens, pigs and all other livestock are being pumped with growth hormones, shoved into tiny cages and being poked and proded until their bodies give out because of their weight, or they are slaughtered.

CHICKENS

There are more chickens on earth than there are humans.Yet we kill more than 23 million chickens daily for meat. Chickens are extraordinary animals though their brains may only be the size of a walnut. These animals have their own language with more than 40,000 different dialects, also, when a chick is born and the mother needs to go tend to other business other female chickens will babysit the chick until the mother returns. So next time you're enjoying fried chicken or pollo asado remember these creatures are capable of love and deserve to be treated as the wonderful animals they are.

COWS

Most people never have the chance to meet their meat. Well here's your chance. Cows are amazing animals that hear,feel and remember almost everything. These animals are beaten, pumped with steroids,deprived of their children and forced into cages half their size. Like humans, cows produce milk when they give birth to a calf. Dairy cows are artificially inseminated to produce milk. Once born their calfs are taken to other farms to be raised for meat or if they're females they are kept on the dairy farm and the cycle starts over. If people knew the awesome things cows are capable of they might consider buying a salad instead of a cheeseburger. We have a second chance to rethink what we eat, whereas 100,000 cows do not have any option to whether they become someone's meal or not.

PIGS

Did you know pigs are smarter than our dogs? Did you know pigs can play video games and can dream much like humans? These are only few of the interesting talents pig have. Even though they are one of the world's 3 smartest animals we kill more than 150,000 each day. Most factory farms do not have the most humane killing methods: a recent investigation in 2008 found that pigs were being lifted by chains around their necks and hung for until finally their necks were slit open. This is against many laws in the United States and ultimately the factory was shut down. The pigs in that farm were lucky and no doubt there are many more farms all over the world just like this one. Pigs are as smart as 3-year old children; we dont eat our kids or our dogs, so why would we eat these cute little animals?

TRUTH.

Face the facts: eating meat does so much unnecessary harm to millions of animals every day. Calves, chicks, and piglettes will grow up in factory farms alone with no families or friends. Every day they will be tortured until they are big enough to be slaughtered. You can help stop this cruelty by not eating meat,but, if you cannot give up animal flesh you can always be a part of many animal cruelty prevention groups. This madness can be stopped. A cow may not be a cute cat, a pig may not be man's best friend, and a chicken may not be a cute little hamster, but these animals deserve to be loved and will show you love if we just gave them the chance. So next time youre about to enjoy that hamburger remember just because it doesn't cuddle with you at night or bring you the morning newspaper doesn't make it any less of a living being.

Felix "El Gato" Castro

2010-10-26T06:51:00.001-07:00

To an athlete dying young
By Stephanie Meza

Felix "El Gato" Castro was a former raider who passed away on October 9, 2010. What made Castro stand out from other alumni was his boxing career. Felix Castro was born on December 16, 1991. Castro had a future in boxing in Mexico: he represented Baja California in the national Olympic, and brought back home 2 medals in 2008 and 2009. He would train every day at the Mojac gym, with hope in his heart than one day his name would be known all around the world for what he did in the boxing ring. Felix had the support from everyone around him, especially his father and coach. With his mind set to succeed, Felix was on his journey for a second victory, but unfortunately life came unexpected and he couldn't get his second victory.

On Saturday, October 9th, 2010 while at a family reunion, Felix was chewing on a water bottle cap and swallowed it by accident. Felix immediately tried to pull it out, and many of his family members tried to help, but it was useless - the cap was stuck. They rushed him to the hospital, but he died on the way there. His death was a surprise to everyone, the way it happened made many people reflect on how death comes unexpectedly at times. No one expected Felix, a boxing champion, to die at such a young age and in such an unexpected way.
His classmates from the class of 2010 were in shock. Tabatha Aceves, a former Raider who was a friend of Felix said: "Felix was such a sweet and fun person...I saw him as a happy individual because he was good at what he loved doing the most: Boxing." Tabatha also added: "I'm very sad and shocked by his death, and mostly because the way it happened could have been prevented, I will always remember him." Another friend, Jorge Beltran also told us: "It's awfully ironic how such a strong, dedicated champion could go down so easily in an accident as such. Really makes you think about how life could be taken away with so much ease if one is not careful...my respects Felix "EL Gato" Castro..."
Champion, and loyal friend, Felix will always be remembered for the magic and power he created with his boxing gloves on, and for the funny and happy guy everyone knew at school.
R.I.P. Felix "El Gato" Castro.

"So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup..."

You will be missed but NEVER forgotten.

Bullying can lead to death

2010-10-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

Raiders Don't Bully
By Vianney Casas

Bullying? Homicide.

“Nine teens, including three juveniles, have been charged in connection with the death of a 15-year-old Massachusetts girls who committed suicide after weeks of bullying on Facebook and at her high school.” “Seth Walsh, a California teen spent the better part of the last 10 days on life support after attempting suicide over relentless bullying because he was gay.” “Jon Carmichael took his own life Sunday after what some say was bullying by bigger classmates.”

“In the US, a person convicted of murder is typically given a life sentence or even the death penalty for such an act.”

Bullies are nothing but murderers. The coldest, heartless way to murder someone slowly, breaking their heart in the process, causing a mix of the worst feelings is killing someone with words, words coming out of our mouths like rattlesnakes. For the heartless bullies out there: Do you not realize all you’re causing? Can’t you see it in the person's face? The pain, the heartbreak your nasty offending words are causing ? What if someone else teated you the same way? Now, let's see how that feels.

Why do people bully? Is it pure boredom, no life, nothing better to do? Is it ignorance, feeling like you’re God to judge others and superior enough to put people down,feeling like they’re in Hell? Is it that you're so mad at the world, so insecure about yourself, that you have to take it out on someone else? Someone that didn’t do a thing to you and yet you kill them. Wait, I think I know the answer. Maybe you just like ending people’s lives. Destroying a family, the future they had ahead. Maybe you like knowing they will never accomplish what they had planned, have a family, live a life like the one you’ll keep living and should’ve spent in jail for the damaged done.

Why can’t people accept others the way they are. There’s racism, making fun of homosexuals, or just simply the talking about someone because of the way they dress, they think, they speak, they act. But how about you? Do you for some reason think you’re perfect? Do you feel like you have a right to make people feel like they’re the worst thing in the world. Do you think you have the right to destroy their lives? Keep laughing. Do you think it's funny how someone committed suicide because of you, how a family is breaking down in tears because of you? Save them a little pain, the sleepless nights, the fear to present themselves to the world, the thoughts, the humiliation. Why don’t you save them all you cause. I suggest you think before you speak. Just think, get in that person’s shoes for just a minute. Let's see if those words come out, lets see if you can laugh.

Anti-Bullying laws are being enforced where the schools can expel the person bullying and the authorities might take care of it. I say give them life sentence. After all what they do is kill an innocent individual with a heart.

And for those out there that are being bullied: Don't worry, everything will be OK. Don’t be afraid to speak up. You’re amazing just the way you are. There are plenty people out there that love you for who you are. Believe me. You’re worth way more than those who hurt others.

Sources:http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/hhs_psa/pdfs/sbn_tip_6.pdf
http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-30/justice/massachusetts.bullying.suicide_1_scheibel-students-massachusetts-school?_s=PM:CRIME
http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2010/09/gay-teen-dies-after-10-days-on-life-support-following-suicide-attempt-over-anti-gay-bullying/
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-6173960-504083.html

16 de Septiembre

2010-09-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

Raiders celebrate Mexican Independence Day
By Stephanie Meza

On September 15, Raiders had the opportunity to celebrate Mexico's Independence (which is on September 16) during the annual 16 de Septiembre assembly hosted by M.E.Ch.A. Given that about 90% of the Raider population are Hispanic, this is a very popular assembly on campus. But besides all the "fiesta" that goes on on September 16, what is the historical meaning behind it? Since 1521, Hernan Cortez and other Spanish conquistadors had been invading the western hemisphere and taking advantage indigenous peoples by getting rich off of them. During the years 1521-1810 Mexico was known as "new Spain." September 16, 1810 was when Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla gave the call to action for people to revolutionize against the Spanish crown. This year in particular, Mexico's independence is special because it's celebrating 200 years (bicentennial).

This year's assembly's theme was the bicentennial and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Raiders enjoyed answering trivia questions about Mexico's history and the world cup. They enjoyed the activities such as "futbolito" that took place in the middle of the gym where a mini-soccer court was built. Two memorable performances also took place that day during the assembly. The first one was the "waka-waka" dance that was performed by many lady-raiders in M.E.Ch.A. Then, SOH'S new band "3-Volve" gave an unforgettable performance as the crowd sang along "pero recuerda, nadie es perfecto y tú lo verás♪." Among all these performances, there was one moment during the assembly that grabbed the audience's attention. This was Mr.Rodriguez's speech, in which he spoke about the situation in Mexico, how it's widely known as being the country with the highest murder rate, and its drugs and violence rather than its culture and beauty. He gave the low statistics on education among Latinos, how they're seen as a minority by these numbers. During his speech, he gave additional meaning to the historical one of 16 de Septiembre.

Mexicans take pride in their culture and where they come from. However, there are so many more ways to show this pride. They can wave their flag, and cheer for their team as much as they want, but is this going to change the situation in Mexico? As an active M.E.Ch.A member and a proud Latina, I believe that it's time for things to change. Just like Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla gave a call to action for revolution, Mr. Rodriguez gave his own call to action, to change the low statistics. The best way to show we're proud of where we come from is giving our people something to be proud of, through education. We have the ability to change these statistics, and make those numbers higher.

Let's prove the current statistics wrong.

Negative effects of drugs.

2010-09-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

Think ahead

by Vianney Casa

There are writers who say they need drugs to get inspired. There are artists who do drugs before their performance in order to perform well and without a care. There are people use it to forget about problems. Unfortunately, 46% of teens at schools report using drugs.

Positive: (According to them)
You will feel relaxed.
You will forget about every single problem in your life.
You go to all these places you’ve never been to, and you see things you’ve never seen.
Life turns 'Oh so colorful and happy'.
I won’t be at risk of getting kicked out of my crew.
It just makes me look cool.

Nice. Now let’s get back to reality...
You might feel relaxed at the moment and no problems will exist only for a few minutes, then eventually your problems will still be there; you’ll be back to normal. And not only that you have probably made it worse.
-Drugs can have horrible consequences.
Academically: the declining of grades, school absences, increased probability of dropping out of school, falling asleep in class, not performing well in classes, and not trying to your hardest potential.
Physically: Injuries due to accidents (car accidents), physical disabilities and diseases,possible overdoses leading to death, along with death through suicide, homicide, accident, and illness.
Mentally: Depression, developmental lags, apathy, withdrawal from friends, family, and simply life.
Delinquency: Arrest, adjudication, and intervention by the juvenile justice system.
Friends: You will most likely lose most of them.
Family: Putting family and crisis and at risk of being in danger.

If you get kicked out of your “crew” for saying no to drugs, well then THEY ARE NOT YOUR REAL FRIENDS. What friend would want to put you in the danger of illness, death, and all the suffering drug addicts go through?
You will look cool? You won’t. To the other drug addicts you might, but then people doing drugs don’t look so good. Think of your future. Will you get a job when you’re doing drugs? Will you live to your 90’s doing drugs? Will you enjoy life as wonderful as it is, when doing drugs? Would you trade happiness, all the people that love you, all your successful future ahead of you, all the real fun, the wonderfully beautiful moments of life, just to look “cool”?
Don’t be tricked, Raiders; choose wisely. Remember that time machines do not exist. Think about the things mentioned above and ask yourself if you're willing to waste your life for 5 minutes of feeling free. Are you willing to that the risk of getting arrested, losing your friends, getting Fs, and losing your life knowing you’ll never get it back. Just don't look back in time and say that you regret it, you're making the choice to do it right now.

Sources: http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/PUBS/drugid/ration-03.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0125202/My%20website/reason.htm

If you need help: Call 1-800-662-HELP to reach a free referral helpline from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Or talk to your parents about it, don't be scared, everything will be OK.

Runners should be aware.

2010-09-09T06:45:00.000-07:00

Raiders, stay safe!
by Stephanie Meza

With the abduction of cross country runner, Chelsea King, in early 2010, runners all over San Diego are being more aware of the safety techniques they should consider for running on the street. Chelsea King was an eye-opener for everyone to see the reality of abductions. This reality became even more alarming a few days ago on September 7th, when someone attempted to abduct one of our cross country runner during practice. During the daily practice, one of the XC athletes was finishing her run when a car approached, and tried to pull her in. Luckily, she escaped and managed to get back to the school safe.

The cross country runners are aware of the dangers they might face while running in the street, but they never had the problem of having one of their team mates in danger. Fortunately, everyone is all right and the problem is now in hands of the police. But should we feel completely safe? Unfortunately, it's the third time in 2010 in which a student from SOH was almost abducted, and this puts some of our Raiders in panic. There's no need to be scared, if you take the necessary precautions when you go run or even walk home, you should be safe.
Always consider the following while walking/running in the street:
• Ditch your music:
Leave your mp3 device at home. If you lose the sense of hearing, you're not aware of any potential threats that might be around you.
• Run with a buddy:
Always take someone with you during your run, if not, let someone else know what route your taking before you take off.
• Vary your routes and times:
Don't make yourself a target, attackers may follow your routine if you do the same one everyday.
• Carry a cell phone:
Immediately contact the police if situations get out of the ordinary.
• Most importantly, FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS:
Trust your gut, be safe, if you feel you're being followed, you probably are. NEVER second guess yourself in an unusual situation. SAFETY is ALWAYS the number on PRIORITY.

Raiders remember a classmate.

2010-09-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

Missed, but never forgotten

by Stephanie Meza

It's been a year since the death of our fellow and beloved former Raider, Marcos Isaac Ramirez better known as "Chueco." His death was a big shock and an eye-opener for all the raider community. It made everyone realize that a bad decision can have serious consequences. Former Raider, Marcos, was coming back home from a night out in Tijuana, Mexico. Marcos was offered a ride home by one of his friends, and he accepted. On the road, the driver started a street race against another car, and at one point the race got out of control and both cars crashed. Unfortunately, Marcos lost his life during this accident. He was 18 years old.

It was very difficult for many raiders to hear that Marcos was gone. Everyone was in shock, everyone knew that this accident could have been prevented, and no one could believe Marcos was gone. It was like a bullet to the hearts of everyone. Everyone that knew Marcos would tell you he was very nice, a great friend, great student, great soccer player, always was easy-going and had a smile on his face. Marcos had a great future ahead of him, but one bad decision ended it all. However, Marcos death will not be in vain.

Everyone always talks about car safety, and even jokes around with the famous "click it or ticket." However, these precautions are very important, because they can save a life. YOU are responsible for yourself, there's not always going to be an adult there to say "put your seat belt on!" or "don't drive so fast!" You have the voice of reason, and remember that unnecessary mistakes often have the biggest consequences.

Now, a year after his death, his friends still remember Marcos every day. Last year's soccer team had the annual alumni vs team game dedicated to Marcos. During half time, Coach Medina had a ceremony and delivered a speech that brought tears to everyone's eyes. Also, there has been a mural painted in his honor on the track - the mural is a shirt with the #12. It's a symbol of his years as a soccer player at Southwest. It's been a year, and he still runs through everyone's thoughts; there's not one day when his friends and families don't think about him. Everyone misses him, but he's in a better place now.

You will be MISSED but NEVER forgotten.
R.I.P Marcos Isaac Ramirez "Chueco"
1991-2009♥
www.isaacramirez.com

Raiders Mob Dance for the Media

2010-08-31T07:01:00.000-07:00

Raiders show off their dance skills.
by Vianney Casas

Flash Mob dance:Large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place and perform an unusual dance.

August 27, 2010 is a very important day for us Raiders. We had a chance to show off our Raider spirit. We had been waiting for it for weeks. We couldn't wait to show what The SOH Raiders were all about. The news would record it; almost every person in San Diego would watch us, and finally that August 27 came.

“ We will perform the mob dance on the 27th, KUSI News will be coming to record us“. Confusion and excitement filled the room as soon as the words came out of our teachers' mouths, and next thing we all new is we were practicing this weird yet fun and cool dance in our classes. Mob dance practices took place during step being led by Ms. Bush’s dance students, and surprisingly enough teachers practiced too! We practiced and practiced until everybody got it right. Everyone waited eagerly and with excitement for that 27 of August.

When the day came, you could feel the excitement among all Raiders, and if you looked around you would see the colors red, white and gold. It seemed like the perfect day, the weather was unpredictably cool. After some quick announcements and instructions everyone went out to the fields with their first period class. We were all arranged in rows, the dance students placed in the front. The cameras were already there. The excitement grew a little more, however this time combined with a bit of nerves. Once everyone was in their assigned place, the song “I got a feeling” by 'The Black Eyed Peas' started playing, and Raiders started dancing. The cameras started recording, flashes were everywhere and suddenly people were fist pumping, clapping from side to side and snapping fingers to the beat of the music. Everything went as it had been expected, although I must say, it went even better.

Raiders: Great job! You showed off your spirit and now we’re all stars. Now let the other schools be jealous.

*If you want to check out how the Raiders danced, here’s the link: http://www.kusi.com/home/Southwest-High-MOB-gets-down-on-football-field-101652598.html

Raiders and Drinking

2010-08-27T07:06:00.000-07:00

Raiders Don't Need a Drink to Have Fun

By Vianney Casas

70% of teenagers drink or have drunk at least once. Approximately 60% of those drink at parties. “My social status rises”, “I forget about my problems”, “I have so much fun” are the most common excuses. There is no need for that; you do not need to drink. Drinking should not be a 'must-do' whenever you go out. Your social status can rise, you can forget about your problems, you can have fun without drinking.

Do you really want to be talked about because you were drunk at last night’s party? "But you had fun. Is it worth it? All that self-humiliation, those rumors, are they really worth it? There will be people talking about you, making fun of you, spreading rumors, and you will probably be remembered as the drunk girl/guy for weeks. “But you had fun”. Do you really want to go through all that, or do you want to have the admiration of your friends and family because you don’t need anything but your fun and great personality to have the time of your life? Those are the people that truly know how to have fun. Those are the naturals. They don’t need this “liquid” which will give them a terrible headache the next day. They were just born fun.

Don’t you want to be a natural too? Don’t listen to those that pressure you. Believe me, they are not your real friends(if they were your real friends, don’t you think they would want the best for you?) They are not the ones who are going to feel sick in the morning. They won’t be the ones feeling regretful and humiliated the rest of their lives. They won’t get made fun of. “Just one drink”. There is no such thing as that. Most people can not resist. One drink leads to another and next thing you’ll know is people will be pointing at you and laughing.

There is no need to turn into another person; you are amazing just like you are. Believe me, you WILL have fun. Make everyone proud, and most importantly, make YOURSELF proud. They say “live life without regrets” and you really don’t need this one.

Depression and Suicide Risks

2010-08-24T07:01:00.001-07:00

It's Tough to be a Teen

By Stephanie Meza and Sierra Holter

•1 out of 4 teenagers suffers from depression.

•5,000 teenagers commit suicide every year.

•300-400 teen suicides are reported in Los Angeles every year.

•Suicide is the third leading cause of death of young persons aged 15-24.

•Teens that have attempted suicide in the past are likely to attempt suicide again; in fact, according to the National Youth Violence Prevention Center (3), about 1/3 of all teen suicide victims have tried to commit suicide before.

These statistics are alarming; yet, why do people always tend to avoid talking about depression and suicide? Most importantly, why do ADULTS always avoid talking about depression and suicide to teenagers? The reality is, depression and suicide are very sensitive subjects, and many adults make the lethal mistake of not talking about it to teenagers. It’s a morbid thing to talk about; no one wants to talk about death. We all accept it as a part of life but when someone takes their own life it becomes taboo. Teenage suicide is a statewide epidemic.

The fact that society finds a way to go around depression when it comes to talking about it leaves an open gap for curiosity. At Southwest the only open discussion about suicide is in Health Class, which even then leaves one questioning. Statistics really hit home when last year, one of our Raiders was a victim of depression, and saw no escape to it and decided to take his life away. It was a serious situation, however people managed to avoid talking about it, and it wasn’t really heard on campus, given the fact that it as such a sensitive thing to talk about. This situation could have been handled better by taking action and giving a talk about suicide to people on campus, teenagers have the right to learn about it, we never know if it could be affecting someone’s life. Sometimes “the talk” is really all that someone needs to know that depression can be treated, it can save a life. Suicide is 100% preventable.

A survey was conducted among 37 students of different grades to see what they know about depression, and what they think about discussing depression and suicide. The results were the following:

• 100% of the people who took the survey said that they know of someone who has been depressed.

•99% agree that adults avoid talking about depression and suicide.

•38% of them said they have felt sad for no apparent reason, which is a minor symptom of sadness; which can lead to depression.

The truth is, suicide and depression is hard to talk about, but it’s something we must do for everyone’s own good. People who suffer from depression need to know that it CAN be treated and it CAN be cured.

If you think you are suffering from depression, take a look at the following symptoms:

•Feelings of sadness or unhappiness

•Irritability or frustration, even over small matters

•Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities

•Insomnia or excessive sleeping

•Changes in appetite

•Agitation or restlessness — for example, pacing, hand-wringing or an inability to sit still

•Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements

•Indecisiveness, distractibility and decreased concentration

•Fatigue, tiredness and loss of energy — even small tasks may seem to require a lot of effort

•Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or blaming yourself when things aren't going right

•Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things

•Frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide

•Crying spells for no apparent reason

•Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

If you have a number of these symptoms, you might be suffering from depression. You need to know that you’re not alone. Many people suffer from depression, and it can be fixed. If you are depressed or having suicidal thoughts you must get professional help immediately: You can contact the school’s physiologist through your counselor or call

(619)628-3614.

You can also call suicide crisis hotlines: 1-800-784-2433

(714) 639-8336

You should also know that you’re NOT alone, and there’s ALWAYS someone out there who CARES and LOVES you unconditionally.

Sources: http://suicidehotlines.com/national.html

http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-suicide/teen-suicide-statistics.html

http://www.suhsd.k12.ca.us/soh/?page_id=1097

2010-08-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

Raiders want their teacher

By Jasmine Straw

Last year, there was a lot of ruckus about an AP class that wasn't going to be offered at our school. This class was AP Physics. For our students to be able to get this course offered, many signed a petition and even argued with the principal about why the class should be offered.

Earlier that year, our parents and students fought to keep two of our teachers, Mr. Orin and Miss Waters, expecting to see them on campus this year. To the student's great surprise, they did not see them that following school year. The courses that they had once taught were being taught by a new teacher, or no teacher at all.

In room 905, AP Physics, CP Physics, and Earth Science are supposed to taught, yet there is still no permanent teacher in that spot. It has been over a month since school started and there is still no actual learning going on. Many, if not all, students are getting rather upset about this, even their parents.

At Open House, many of the AP Physics students' parents came to open and complained to the principal about this issue. There, parents were told that there was a teacher being put into the position and that it would take 3-5 business days until said teacher would be finished signing the contract. Yet eight "business days" later, there is still a substitute teacher in that position.

The students are asking their substitute when they are supposed to be getting their teacher, but even she doesn't know. It seems like everything about this is being kept in the dark and the students can only hope that they have their teacher when they walk into the class. They definitely have been more than patient.

Go to the Library!

2010-08-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

Experience other worlds
By Vianney Casas

Experiencing Romeo and Juliet's romance by their side can be possible. Living surrounded by the Cullens, or doing magic tricks next to Harry Potter can happen. How? The answer has always been there, Raiders. No time machine needed, no magic spells either. You just need your school I.D. and willingness to read.

Here at SOH, we have an awesome library containing worlds waiting to be discovered by you. Why should you read the books at our library? The right questions is: Why shouldn't you? Don't you get bored or tired of the same things, same people, same places every single day? Well, here's the opportunity to travel without a passport or a plain ticket. You choose your destination; you choose what you want to live.

Our library contains all kinds of books: fiction, non-fiction, romance, horror, health, fashion, fantasy, manga, sports - just to name a few. Whether you want to live a high school drama, fall in love, experience the greatest adventure, witness a murder, or even go into the past. It's all there in our library.

Just get your I.D. card and prepare yourself mentally that there will be no turning back. Once you get in the library, you'll never want to get out. And for a second you might hear the books talking to you, asking you to take them with you. Once you have decided to do so, you've gotten yourself in the most amazing thing. Because once you have the book, you got a world you've never been to before right in your hands. Enjoy it.

"There is no Frigate like a Book
To take us Lands away
Nor any Coursers like a Page
Of prancing Poetry -
This Traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of Toll -
How frugal is the Chariot
That bears the Human Soul -"
-Emily Dickinson

Sancastles at the beach

2010-08-18T06:49:00.000-07:00

IB Hosts Annual Sandcastles Event
By Vianney Casas

Where were you two weeks ago? Where you partying? Chilling at home? Or were you at the beach admiring the beautiful jaw-dropping sand castles? If you weren’t able to go, you must’ve felt like you were the only person left in the planet, and that’s because almost EVERY person in San Diego, and in all parts of the country went. They have been going for years; it has become a famous tradition and a must on their summer list. So what was this year’s Sand Castles like? Let me break it down for you.

The sun woke up early, just as the people got ready their beach balls, cameras, bikinis, beach towels, and got ready for a day full of fun. Unfortunately, some were not able to reach the beach since the line was so long they couldn’t even try getting to it. So what was the secret of those who could actually get to the beach? “Just get there as early as you can if you don’t want any stress” would be their advice. When they got there, they’ve must have felt regret for even showing up. The beach was packed with people from all over the country. Wherever they looked they would find people, which would make them think the event was called “People” instead of “Sand Castles”. If that wasn’t enough, the streets which were filled with stands selling food, jewelry and doing body art were also packed with cars and people. It was also very hot, too hot probably and the tension and stress from all the kids missing, made it seem hotter. “Why did I come here again?” people must have asked themselves. But once they made their way through all the people, and got to what they’d been there for in the first place it was all right. Seeing people making sand castles and admiring the different classifications such as sea creatures and famous monuments suddenly made them forget about all the moms crying for their kids, all the people bumping into them wherever they walked, and the burning hot weather. Suddenly the air got filled with music and all their eyes could see were people playing volleyball, laughing and taking pictures with friends and families, getting a tan or observing the amazing creations made of sand. Sounds like the perfect summer day doesn’t it?

1st Pep Assembly

2010-08-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

Rowdy Raiders Make Some Noise

By: Stephanie Mesa

Who rocks the house? The Raiders rock the house! On Friday, August 6^th, the first pep assembly took place in the football field. Being the first assembly of the school year, different class and raider pride shirts were seen around campus.

The assembly took place during second period and began with a welcome speech by our ASB president, Azael Rodriquez, followed by our principal, Dr. Armstrong. Next, the ladies cheered loud for Luis “El Aventurero” as he gave his unforgettable performance with the mariachi. Then, Southwest High’s Band and Color Guard led by Mrs. Clark played various tunes for the audience. During the ASB activity, a hilarious relay race, the class of 2011 took victory. Last, all the classes faced each other for the spirit yell. Competition was tight between the sophomores and seniors, but seniors ended up taking victory again. Finally, the whole school got together to sing the Alma Matter with pride!

With all the fun activities and great performances, you will assume that the assembly turned out to be a total success. Or did it? Unfortunately, some raiders took advantage of the fact that the assembly was outdoors on the football field and decided to act inappropriately. Mr. Wahib, the new assistant principal, warned everyone that that there was a fight, which we won't tolerate at our school. The ASB also had a hard time trying to get everyone settled down, after working very hard for weeks to get this assembly to be perfect. The spirit yell was when mostly everything got out of control; the seniors were jumping on chairs and on other people’s shoulders even after they told them multiple times to stop. This bizarre behavior had some people scared of going up with their class during the spirit yell and show pride.

Always remember, Raiders, assemblies are privileges. Do we really think our staff and ASB will keep having these assemblies for us if we can’t act appropriately? Probably not. The next assembly is the Fall Sports Assembly on September 17. This time, let’s show the administration that we’re thankful for having assemblies and let's behave appropriately.

Gay Marriage Court ruling

2010-08-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

Prop 8 Overturned

By: Norma Ortiz

Have you heard of prop 8? This was an bill passed out on 2008 which stated that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." For years there have been questions to whether or not gay-marriage should exist, that was answered on August 4, 2010. A federal judge in San Francisco overturned California's ban of gay-marriage believing that it violates the human right to equal protection. It is believed that this struggle will end with the Supreme Court, who will have to officially decide whether this ruling is constitutional or not.

When making this very important and somewhat chaotic decision, Judge Walker explained that what the voters decided should be taken into consideration but he also explained how this isn’t official just yet. What the judge wrote was, "voters' determinations must find at least some support in evidence. This is especially so when those determinations enact into law classifications of persons." He was basically saying that this decision is an important one that will impact not a few but thousands of people across the state so it is necessary to provide evidence that this decision is the right one.

The eventual outcome of this ruling remains to be seen, as further court challenges await this controversial ruling.

2010 Comic Con

2010-08-17T07:29:00.000-07:00

Action Heroes Come to San Diego

By: Stephanie Mesa

The annual Comic Con took place in the San Diego Convention Center from July 22nd to July 25th. Comic Con happens every year in San Diego and it attracts people and stars from all over the world. Many get to see on TV or hear on the radio what's going on during the event, but nothing compares to actually going and experiencing it. Even though Comic Con was the news of the week during many classes, many Raiders still wonder what exactly is Comic Con?

Comic Con is a big convention where many artists expose their art, many directors promote their upcoming movies, and many other things! When you're at Comic Con, you get to see many different kinds of art and buy all kinds of things: from comic books, to movies, funny hats, etc. Maybe if you're lucky, you might just happen to see a famous person walking around such as one of our raiders, Kyle Macabasco, who was lucky to get last-minute ticketsand got to meet Shawn Merriman, linebacker for the San Diego Chargers. Another Raider who had the opportunity to attend was Jonathan Millan who met Ray Toro, guitarist for the rock band 'My Chemical Romance'. Being a big art fan Jonathan also said: "I got to meet one of my favorite painters, Alex Pardee!" Among other people walking around Comic Con this year were the famous Mythbusters and director, Guillermo del Toro.

One of the stand-out events of this year was preview night, where the crowd cheered for Angelina Jolie while she was talking about her new movie, Salt. Other people at preview night were the cast of Resident Evil. One of the funniest events that happens every year is the Zombie Walk. In the Zombie Walk everyone dresses and paints their face like a zombie and they walk around the Convention Center.

Many people say they don't want to go to Comic Con because it's expensive and they don't want to waste money on something they might not like. So, if you want to see what Comic Con is all about but not waste money, you could sign up to volunteer next year! You can help out during the event, and get a glance of what is going on. You can sign up on the Comic Con website. No matter what you do during Comic Con, you are always guaranteed to have a good time. Let's hope that Comic Con returns to San Diego next year!

2010-08-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

Think before you play

By: Sierra Holter

You CAN'T get pregnant if you have sex standing up.

You CAN'T get pregnant if you're on your period.

You CAN'T get pregnant if you do jumping jacks after you have sex.

Only cheating girls and guys get STDs.

Two condoms are better than one.

ALL these statements are false. 2,800 teens every day are get pregnant and one in every four sexually active teen will get an STD. We're told that "No sex, is safe sex", the reality is that many teens are having sex and have the right to know how to protect themselves. Although abstinence is the only 100% way to not get pregnant or an STD, condoms and birth control are alternatives. Latex condoms are designed to prevent against STDs and pregnancy while, non-latex are designed to protect more against pregnancy; either way, they both protect your health. Some teens think that sex isn't a big deal, but with the amount of teenagers becoming pregnant and contracting STDs, it is a big deal and we should all be educated. Don't let yourself become a statistic respect yourself and protect yourself. Remember it's your sex life, and, ultimately, your future.

The rise in teen pregnancy this last year has shown obvious neglect of contraceptive use at our school. You couldn't walk down the halls and not see at least one pregnant teen. I know two teen moms and they both have said that taking care of a kid and going to school are two of the hardest things to balance. "High school is hard enough, and once you add a baby it becomes ten times harder," says Brenda Martinez, a 16 year-old mom. The fact is that teen moms are less likely to go back to school once their child is born. With the economy as bad as it is right now, everyone needs a high school diploma to make ends meet.

With that said, if you are in a relationship in which you are having sex, make sure you're using protection every time. There is no such thing as safe sex, there is only safer sex and everyone can benefit from that. Don't believe the hype - not EVERYONE is doing it - and as said before abstinence is the only 100%, risk free way to prevent pregnancy and the spread of STDs. Think before you play.

2010-08-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

Introducing Mr. Wahib
By: Viviana Topete

We Raiders have been seeing new faces around the school, but one of the most important faces we see is the face of our new Vice Principal, Mr. Wahib. Most students have not taken the time to get to know our new VP, but our staff members took the time to get to know him.

RD: What brought you to Southwest High School?

MW: Dr. Armstrong had requested my presence here at Southwest to assist and promote school culture, safety, and develop programs that help student achieve academic success.

RD: Where did you come from?

MW: My assignment was at Otay High School. I was there for about 7 years. (Since the school opened)

RD: What past experiences have you had?

MW: I have 15 years of experience as an educator. I started out as a math teacher in middle school and made my way to becoming an administrator.

RD: What do you plan on doing for our school?

MW: My plan is to promote student success by providing great opportunity for the students and be proud of their community and ultimately to get back to that community. Students are our future, their leadership skills are essential to that future.
RD: Who inspired you to be come an administrator?

MW:I think what inspired me was the idea of education. Ever since childhood, I observed the benefits of education that ultimately lead to successful individuals

RD Where did you graduate college and high school?

MW: I went to a Norfolk, Virginia and a South Philly high school, then moved to San Diego from Chicago in 1986. I received my math degree, teaching credential, and masters in education from SDSU.

RD: What were you involved in during your high school years?

MW: I spent most of my time with my friends, if I wasn’t with them I played soccer and basketball, and trying to learn the English language.

RD: What about in college?

MW: In college, I would say that I wasn’t involved in any extra curricular activities. I was more focused on finishing my degree and working. I also spent a lot of time with my first born child.

RD: What message or imprint do you want to leave on the students of Southwest High School?

MW: If anything, developing problem-solving strategy that would help them make sound decisions in life. Many individuals in society are quick to react without reflection. This is something that proved time and time again that is elemental to a human being.

Why did school start on a Wednesday?

2010-07-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

Waking up on a Wednesday
By Viviana Topete

As all you Raiders know, this year school started on a Wednesday. Many students were annoyed at the fact that they would have to wake up early on such a random day, others were disappointed to find out they wouldn't be able to go to Comic Con because of school being on the same week. Although we all had our own mixed emotions about starting on a Wednesday, we were all curious... Why on a Wednesday?

Well, to answer that question, we asked Mr. Leaf, the AP English Literature and English 12 teacher. He had said that we started three days earlier so that we could have a whole week off for Thanksgiving break. That's a good thing, right?

So instead of being grumpy about starting earlier than usual, we should be very grateful that we are getting a whole week off in Thanksgiving, just three weeks before our winter break!

RUN SOH

2010-07-29T19:58:00.000-07:00

Raiders hit the ground running
By: Stephanie Meza

As the new school year starts, many fall sports coaches are beginning their pre-season practices. One of the most challenging fall sports is cross country; you might recognize some of the raider runners wearing their RUN SOH sweaters around campus. However, many raiders wonder what the true meaning of RUN SOH means. Come join cross country, find out and be a part of it!

Last year, the cross country season had an excellent start having about 50 runners walk through the fall sports assembly. Unfortunately, less than 20 runners actually finished the season. If the athletes that quit had shown more commitment toward the team, they would have actually had a chance to win a banner for the school.

Now more than ever, the cross country team is recruiting people to come run this season. Yes, cross country is a difficult sport that requires speed and endurance, but as the old saying goes: ‘No pain, no gain.” Anyone can run, and anyone who wants to be a part of the team is more than welcome to give it a try. You’ll need a pair of running shoes, shorts, and most importantly enthusiasm and desire to run and help the cross country team win a banner and make the school proud.

Beginning of School

2010-07-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

SOH starts a new year
By: Stephanie Meza

It’s 7:34am and the first bell of the 2010-2011 school year rings at Southwest High. Different people on campus are having a rush of different feelings. Some freshmen are anxious to discover what their first year in high school has in store for them. On the other hand, the seniors are excited for all the events of their final year

Despite all these emotions, what are the expectations some raiders have for this year? Senior, Mildred Rubio, says: “This year looks great; I can’t wait for homecoming, prom, grad night, etc. I’m also excited because I’m on the cheerleading squad!” While others, such as Yazmin Alejo, hope this year will be the one when they can get involved as she explains: “I can’t wait to this year to get going, I finally want to be involved in so many things!”

This year will also be a little different from previous years at Southwest High. There are many new faces on campus from incoming freshmen, and a lot of new staff members. Many raiders are also excited about their classes since the school offers a variety of classes including ROP and Advanced Placement. Senior, Gerardo Santos says: “My favorite class is AP English, with Mr. Leaf.”

The school year will be different for everyone, but everyone has the ability to make the decisions to make this year unforgettable. It doesn’t matter if it’s a club or a sport, being involved makes a school year unforgettable. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you make this a great year!

Changes in High School

2010-07-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

Changes affect raiders of all ages
By: Vianney Casas

We all go through changes in life, but definitely the biggest ones you’ll go through are during high school. It doesn’t matter whether you're a freshman barely starting high school, a senior ready to graduate, or a sophmore/junior in process, your life still gives this sudden, unexpected spin and your way of seeing things still changes. It’s like every step you take before becoming an adult, every grade you go through you become a different person - a better one maybe - and you will find yourself thinking in a way you never thought you’d ever think. All of this sudden difference, all of this change that for a second might seem like magic, happens just as you move onto the next level of high school.
We must all admit all the credit should be given to the freshmen. I’ve been there; I know what it’s like to feel like you’re lost in a mall full of frightening strangers. Bye bye middle school, hello high school. Welcome to a whole never-seen-before planet, to a whole new life. They’re no longer in this fantasy pretty little world where everything is so simple. They’re no longer there, now they’ve arrived at this world where life turns more difficult in every way possible. For the sophomores and juniors come the infamous AP classes, more responsibility and most importantly, independence. Congratulations students, you’ve passed freshman year, now on to more work.
For the juniors though, there is a little but not insignificant difference. They have to make sure they try their best and hardest academically, and help as much in their community as possible for community service hours, for they will be filling college applications in the beginning of next year.There’s no time to try to do everything in their senior year, which leads us to the final level of this difficult and unpredictable game: the seniors. It isn't the change they face as they become seniors, it’s more of what change they will encounter later on.
Seniors, get ready for the biggest, most frightening maybe - and hopefully one of the best -change of your life: College - the determination of your future. It all starts over again. It’s time to say goodbye to the old and hello to the new again. The “welcome to a whole new world” comes back after four years of facing the different changes a high school student goes through in the unforgettable journey we call high school. Changes come to us every day, and every day we see at least one thing different in our lives, but these changes believe me are nothing compared to the ones a student has to face while in high school.

Host Parents Needed

2010-05-25T22:51:00.000-07:00

Bring Exchange Students to SOH

by Cynthia Fuentes

Hello,

I spoke at the last parent night about bringing at least two exchange students (Maggie from China and Matteo from Italy) to your school. In order to make this dream come true we need two host families in your community.

Host Family requirements:

-Student must have bed , place to study , all meals at home (can share room under special circumstances)

-Love and support

-Financial security

-English speaking household

Both students arrive with full insurance and spending money in July .

Please contact San Diego County Coordinator Cynda Fuentes-Lippman at 619-238-4337 orcyndaf@gmail.com

Pan Asian Organizes Event

2010-05-04T20:53:00.000-07:00

Culture Night Returns !
by Jonathan Millan

Culture Night is organized every year by Pan Asian Association (P.A.A)
which is basically a big talent show where you can show of your skills to
an audience given the maximum of five minutes to perform.

This event took place April 23, 2010 from 7pm-10pm at our gym and was a total success... or was it?
Rumors have been running campus, some say it was an enjoyable night while some don't. Although there were some wonderful performances like a section of Parkour (Free Running) by Chris DeGuzman (Senior) which involved series of stunts using nothing but tables, Belly Dancing, a hilarious section of comedians that called themselves"Adrian Brown and Friends" and an incredible dance in the end that brighten up the night.

Several of the performances were similar to each other and some had been seen in our campus before. A wider variety of different performers would have attracted more people of different preferences and would of made it more of an interesting and unforgettable night for our raiders. P.A.A should open the doors to different class/types of talents not only the ones of their own preference. The product of this would be students eager to participate in events like this in and out of our campus. Let's hope next year different talents participate!

Senior Plan

2010-05-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

Graduating Raiders Decide on Future

by Laura Celene

Recently the Raider Digest staff conducted a survey of Southwest High's 2010 Senior class to find out what were their plans for after high school, and here are the results :

San Diego City College: 97

Southwestern College: 60

Grossmont College: 10

San Diego State U: 20

UEI: 4

U.C., San Diego: 12

U.C. Santa Barbara: 1

CSU San Bernardino: 1

U.C., Los Angeles: 5

CSU Long Beach: 1

Laguna Beach College of Art & Design: 1

U.C. Riverside: 2

USC: 1

U.C. Merced: 1

Arizona State U: 1

University of Washington: 1

ITT Tech: 1

Cal Poly SLO: 2

Art Institute: 5

UTI: 2

Pima Medical Institute: 1

Mesa College: 1

Paul Mitchell School: 1

Ithaca College: 1

Northern Arizona U: 2

Cal Poly Pomona: 1

Taylor University: 1

Graceland University: 1

Tennessee State: 1

CSU Santa Barbara: 1

CSU Dominguez Hills: 1

University of Arizona: 1

Others although not going to college do have plans for the future:

Navy: 3

Marines: 4

Airforce: 2

Border Patrol Academy: 1

Job: 4

Adult School: 2

Mexico: 8

Overall 267 out of 381 students in the Senior class were recorded in this survey and so far we know that at least 244 students are going to go on to higher education thats a 64% of the total class and out of those 244, the ones that will be leaving San Diego to do so are 27 (or 11% of those 244), and out of the ones leaving San Diego 9 (or 33.3% of the 27) will be going out of state. And to all those who are not going to college or university its good to know that you are still trying to find ways to improve yourself and to start off your life. Good luck to the class of 2010!

(If you feel that you have not been counted in this survey or you don't remember answering, please contact us, so we can add your plans to the list.)

Men's Tennis

2010-05-03T07:08:00.000-07:00

"Bend Your Knees and Follow Through"
by Joy Roxas

This year, the boys' tennis team managed to stay undefeated throughout their whole season. By showing up to practices every day, they got to improve more and have fun at the same time. One of their captains, Vinoe Tarray once said, "I'm not really for the banner, I just want for us to be undefeated on our league and non-league,", but co-captain Jay Santos who's also a star player for basketball said, "I just want a banner, I think it makes me really feel good now that I'm about to graduate high school."

Last Friday the team defeated the Montgomery Aztecs by 15-3. Starting off with their star players Vinoe Tarray and Jay Santos, they both finish it off with 6-0. While the other players finished it off with 6-1 which is also a big contribution for the whole team. Remembering to bend their knees, following through, playing consistent, and having fun are the most important points these players always remember to achieve their goal as a team. Also by supporting each other, each one gains motivation and a lot of concentration during their matches. Remaining undefeated in the league, the coaches, captains, and the whole team are blessed and proud of what they would get out of it: "First banner of tennis ever for our school and the teamwork." Coach Jeffries only has one message for the team and that is, "I hope the kids will remember me and tell me about their kids 30 years from now." While Coach Ramos said, "I just really want the banner! I know we'll get the banner."

On May 5, 2010, watch out for our varsity tennis' boys last game against the Sweetwater Red Devils at Southwest High and celebrate for another victory for a banner.

SOH Student Got Talent

2010-05-02T21:57:00.000-07:00

Royal Regiment Raider Receives Recognition

by Elma Gonzalez

Musical talent is seldom recognized at SOH. However, today we must honor a distinguished trombone player, Mark Angelo Mendez. This fellow Raider will be performing in the National Honor Band at Carnegie Hall this summer.

Mark, a senior, attended Castle Park High for three years, but this year he decided to transfer to SOH. “This school has a better band program,” explains Mark, who has studied music since the 7^th grade.

The National Band accepts only the best musicians in the country, as a result there are many requirements Mark had to meet to be part of this prestigious program. First, he was nominated by the band teacher, Ms. Clark. Following his nomination Mark had to submit an application, pay a $200 fee, and record a solo of his choice. According to Mark, recording the solo was the most challenging part of the application process. For his solo, he chose a top piece for trombone players. “It was a hard piece, one that really pushed me,” describes Mark, “but Ms. Clark helped me through the process.”

Out of thousands of students across the country, our peer was selected as one of the 9 trombone players in the “Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall Honors Band”. In June, Mark will fly to New York to begin rehearsal with the rest of the band members. He will be attending classes at Julliard and will play in a famous concert at Carnegie Hall. Mark is very excited about traveling to New York this summer, and he is grateful to Ms. Clark and his Dad for their help and support to make it possible.

This year Ms. Clark nominated three more students for this program: Brian Hernandez, Juan Ruiz, and Liani Cruz, who will be a 9th grader next year.We wish them the best of luck, and congratulate them and Mark for having such great talent!

Southwest Academic Playoffs

2010-05-02T21:47:00.000-07:00

Academic League

by Stephanie Luna

The last game for Academic League was held on April 13^th, with Varsity playing against Otay Ranch and Hilltop. Varsity prepared so much for these final games by practicing daily and having scrimages against the JV. The day of the games the whole team met up in front of the school after lunch and got on the bus to the San Diego Office of Education in Linda Vista. The team wasted no time and they kept on studying before the first game against Otay Ranch began. With a bit of an even start, SOH league soon sped up the pace and dominated the toss ups. The ending score of 71-32 looked good for Southwest led them to play the final game against Hilltop High School.

Going into the game, the Varsity players really wanted to beat Hilltop since last year they took the victory from the JV team. The game started off slow for Southwest, as by the halftime Hilltop led with a score of 40-23 but halfway into the second half, they began to gain momentum and were within shooting distant of evening out the score. Unfortunately, time was not on their side and Hilltop got the laast two tossups thus securing their lead . Although the end result was not what the team hoped for they were still glad to be once again be South Bay Academic League Champs. The season for Varsity was an exceptional one having no loses until the last game (13-1), and JV holding their ground too, even though the last two games went against them (10-2) but were still the division champion for JV for the 10th year in a row.

This year was a great one for Academic League, with a whole new batch of players, a new coach and even more motivation. Congradulations on your continous success and Southwest hopes for even more in the following years.

Doctors at SOH

2010-04-29T18:46:00.000-07:00

Students Interact with MD

by Elma Gonzalez

“People who are interested in the fields of medicine and science should get involved in the programs offered here,” says Brenda Pitago, a senior who attended the first Bio-Medical Pathway/Cyberbridge round robin on April 17th. This event was the result of a unique partnership between Southwest High and Scripps Hospital, which also supports our campus clinic.

The event was attended by over 30 students who were mentored by 14 doctors from Scripps Family Practice. Students were divided into groups, and during two hours, each group met with a doctor, who answered questions about his/her field. “It was like speed dating,” describes Grisele Gonzalez, a senior who will be attending UCSD’s School of Medicine in the fall. The students moved from table to table asking for advice and about the physician’s experiences. At each station students learned to suture, check eyes, blood pressure, and reflexes. All while eating healthy snacks brought by the guests.

The greatest numbers came from the 11th grade Bio-Medical classes, but for seniors like Grisele and Brenda this event convinced them medicine is the field they wish to pursue in college. “They should continue to have workshops like this one,” says Grisele, “getting to meet real doctors is a great experience.” According to Ms. Stretcher, it was a unique experience for the teachers who were present as well. “Ms. Sandoval and I spent those hours in awe - watching our students truly engaged in learning about the medical field. We also learned a lot!”

This event was organized by the Ms. Stretcher and Ms. Sandoval, advisors for the Bio-Medical Pathway/Cyberbridge programs. However, they wish to thank the science teachers at our campus for encouraging the students to attend; Mr. Youngblood, Mr. Orin, and Mr. Buse did a great job in recruiting students for the event. Furthermore, a huge thank you to Dr. Armstrong, who “came and brought some of our visitors,” Ms. Stretcher points out.

We hope these opportunities continue to be offered at our school. Thank you, Ms. Stretcher and Ms. Sandoval for making this event possible and to all 14 doctors who encouraged our students to follow their dreams. To the attendees, thank you for representing our school in such a positive way.

Student Attendees:
Rebeca Arias
Jorge Beltran
Emilia Camargo
Francisco Castaneda
Valeria Corona
Amy Cruz
Elaine Dancel
Maverick Dykstra
Gaby Florian
Yasmin Garcia
Camilo Gonzales
Grisele Gonzales
Alejandro Gonzalez
Vanya Hernandez
Osiris Hernandez
Jonathan Hurtado
Aide Macias
Homero Magana
Elizabeth Maher
Samantha Marroquin
Juan Morales
Thuy Duong Nguyen
Alice Nguyen
Shanisa Pendgrath
Kassandra Perez
Brenda Pitago
Melissa Ramirez
Roberto Reyna
Ana Robles
Naomi Rodriguez
Azael Rodriguez
Uriel Rodriguez
Monica Ruiz
Daniela Ruiz
Oleida Torno
Sergio Vera
Cindy Yoquigua

Prom Slideshow

2010-04-29T18:39:00.000-07:00

Send Your Pics In

by Enrique Galindo

Hey Seniors!! I want your picture to be shown in a slide show at the Prom? Then send it to soh@yahoo.com so it can be displayed in the slide show. Take a picture with your friends, or a picture of yourself and e-mail it to us. Remember it will be the Prom so you'd like to make it the best by showing your pictures to the rest of the school.

2010-04-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

Farewell to Calderon & Youngblood

By: Nia Marshall

As we get closer to the end of the school year, we get closer to losing two amazing teachers, Mr Calderon and Mr.Youngblood. Both being science teachers, they’ve provided our school with the skills and knowledge we need to succeed.

Not only have they supported us students inside the classroom, but outside the classroom as well. Youngblood was one of the many teachers we would see at the football, volleyball, and even our basketball games. Whether he was controlling the scoreboard or cheering on his Raiders, he was there. Calderon was also a teacher known to attend our school activities. Not only did Calderon help with the girls' basketball team, but he also attended their weekly open gym provided here on campus. Both Calderon and Youngblood were so involved at our school, it will be difficult not to see their proud faces in the stands anymore.

In addition to Youngblood and Calderon supporting our school activities, they’ve managed to provide students with tutoring on their own time, whether it was before school, during lunch, or even after school. Rooms 303 and 905 were always open to all students; whether you were enrolled in one of their classes or not, you were always welcome there. Calderon and Youngblood never felt the need to have tutoring a requirement in order for them to provide it. If they know a student needs help, they want they student to know they’re always there if the student needs it.

All in all, Calderon and Youngblood have given so much towards the school; they’re leaving us with much to remember them by. We would like to thank Calderon and Youngblood for having such a positive impact on us students and even the teachers these past years. Calderon and Youngblood will be missed by us Raiders. Farewell to Mr. Calderon and Mr. Youngblood. We wish you two the best of luck.

Senior Countdown

2010-04-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

Goodbye SOH!
By Elma Gonzalez

The school year's end is approaching. The countdown toward graduation has begun. However, there are some things seniors have to take care of before they leave:

1. Library/Cafeteria fines: Remember to submit all library and cafeteria due payments before graduation. Otherwise you will not be able to participate at the event.
2. Community Service: Complete and submit your community service hours by April 23. Otherwise you will not be able to participate at the event.
3. College Responses: May 1st is the date when most colleges expect a response of whether or not you will attend their university.
4. AP Tests: AP testing begins May 3rd. Use the next three weeks to get ready!
5. Finals: Seniors will have their finals on the last week of May, while the rest of the students will have them the first week of June.
6. Prom: Begin all preparations now, because Prom Night is May 8!
7. Grad Nite: It will take place May 23!
8. Seniors!!! Enjoy the last weeks of High School. Your last day is May 27.

A melancholic feeling may be forming in a lot of the hearts of our seniors-- after all, an important phase of our life is over. Now, all that remains is to prove ourselves as adults and leave our mark in this world.

SOH Aquatics

2010-04-12T21:30:00.000-07:00

Raider Swimmers Like to Get Wet!

by Bob Chan

The SOH swim team is made up of about two dozen swimmers; each one tirelessly and continously swimming their breath out to reach the finish line first!

Literally, these swimmers work hard in their demanding conditions such as their proper form needed and their physical condition required to perform at their best! These Raiders compete in 4 different strokes which include the freestyle which is almost universally used since as this style is generally the fastest. Another method the backstroke which is the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going and is also the only competition swimming style that starts in the water.Breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and the torso does not rotate. The last is the butterfly which is a swimming stroke swum on the chest, with both arms moving simultaneously.

At their current record 3-3 these Raiders have not failed in disappointing us in showing just how much the hard work is needed to assume these victories. As stated by sophomore swimmer Aldair Serrano, "Swimming is great because it helps you get in physical shape, challenges you with the dynamics of water, and also because there's nothing more thrilling then the sensation of competition". Led by Coach Carson these swimmers are sure to cool your day off in the pool.

DUCK and COVER

2010-04-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

San Diego Faces Earthquake Alert

by Omar Arce

According to the County of San Diego official website, "every year approximately 500 earthquakes occur in the state of California that are large enough to be felt. San Diego County, in comparison to other southern California areas, has sparse seismicity. However, since 1984, earthquake activity in San Diego County has doubled over that of the preceding 50 years."

This fact were exemplified by the 7.2 magnitude that shook San Diego on April 4 at 3:40 PM, and the cluster of milder earthquakes that have followed it for a week has cost $100 million in damages.
Are you prepared for the next big earthquake? Here are some tips on what to do and before and during earthquake.

Before the Earthquake:
-Establish all the possible ways to exit your house. Keep those areas clear.
-Know the locations of the nearest fire and police stations.
-Conduct Earthquake: Duck, Cover & Hold drills every six months with your family.
-Know the safest place in each room because it will be difficult to move from one room to another during a quake.
-Locate the shutoff valves for water, gas and electricity. Learn how to shut off the valves before a quake.

During the Earthquake:
-Stay away from heavy furniture, appliances, large glass panes, shelves holding objects, and large decorative masonry, brick or plaster such as fireplaces.
-Keep your hallway clear. It is usually one of the safest places to be during an earthquake.
-Stay away from kitchens and garages, which tend to be the most dangerous places because of the many items kept there.

Running Safety Tips

2010-03-15T22:43:00.000-07:00

Be Safe, Run Safe
by Omar Arce

It was not long ago when it was safe for a young girl to walk alone on the streets, or for that matter, jog. Perhaps it was never really safe but it felt like it. The deaths of Chelsea King, a High school senior at Poway High, and Amber Dubois of Escondido High school have slapped everyone in San Diego county with reality. Insecurity has plagued not only the county but the mind of its inhabitants. This does not mean that young ladies can't go out for a jog. There are certain precautions that can be taken to avoid any unpleasant experience.

-Run with a partner.
-Tell someone where you are going, and your ETA.
-Run during day.
-Avoid running in deserted paces.

Movie Night?

2010-03-15T22:38:00.000-07:00

Watch At Your Own Risk...
by Elma Gonzalez

This weekend I saw a movie I do not know whether to recommend or not, The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call, New Orleans. This movie narrates the life of a Police Lieutenant in Post-Katrina New Orleans. Nicholas Cage plays a detective who is as "devoted to his job as in scoring drugs". He uses his badge and his gun several times to get his way. On top of his own issues, his life is complicated further with his relationship to a prostitute, Eva Mendez, with whom he is in love.

Despite its depressing subject matter the movie is at times quite humorous. Werner Herzog, the director, was able to combine crime and dark humor to build a fun, watchable film, however, one that sets no good example. Terence McDonagh, the main character, is a police officer who many times breaks the law, and receives no retaliation. The movie is in part a critique to the police department for its abuse of power. Port of Call, New Orleans is a dark film, yet one I enjoyed watching.

If you decide to watch Herzog's The Bad Lieutenant, don't go in expecting a an action movie or a comedy; instead prepare for the unexpected.

Runtime: 122 min

MPAA: Rated R for drug use and language throughout, some violence and sexuality.

Starve a Vampire

2010-03-01T22:14:00.000-08:00

Raiders to Donate Blood
by Dwayne Codding

The Blood drive is back and they demand more blood!

Contrary to popular belief, you can donate blood as early as when you become 16, so long as you pick up a permission form from the ASB and have it signed by your parents. So hurry! It will be this Wednesday, March 3rd. The blood drive will be here and those forms need to be in as soon as possible!

Also, if you are short on and need some Community Service hours you can receive some hours for donating blood.

Several donors from previous years will be back to donate more to the Red Cross, but more are encouraged to participate. For those interested in taking part in this drive, this will be taking place in the drama building. So come and support the local vampires! Your blood will save lives!

Track Season

2010-03-01T22:02:00.000-08:00

Join the Fun Rush
by Omar Arce

The spring sports season began last week. With it, begins the multifaceted, yet underestimated sport of track and field. Take it from a member of the team, Raiders should join track.

The thing that many people seek by joining Track and Field is to get in shape. Many football and basketball players join the team to gain speed. Whenever people encounter fast athletes in the field or on the court , it must be because these athletes are in track. The best example is the 4X100 team. These sprinters usually come every year to become faster and stronger and they achieve it. Developing endurance is also another reason to join track. As a freshman, I ran my fastest mile in seven minutes and forty seconds during physical education and I felt that I had left a part of me in that track. I joined track in Junior year and now I am trying to break the attainable ,yet elusive barrier of five minutes.

Another reason to join track is to improve grades. Yes, you heard right. Track and field teaches self reliance, discipline and the importance of will power. One of the many unique aspects of this sport is that progress can be easily measured every week at meets. It is only a matter of looking at the numbers. Throwing the shot put farther, jumping higher and longer, or running faster are products that are put into practice. The positive feedback obtained from training reinforces the value of discipline, self reliance and will power. Once the importance of these values has been established, then they can be applied to any part of life, in these case academics.

The most important reason to join Track and Field is to obtain a banner. It has been ages since the team has won a Metro Leagues championship. In order to win in this sport, numbers matter more than quality. It does not matter if the team has 70 average athletes because they can be turned into 70 great athletes instead of having 40 great athletes as in seasons past. The main reason why schools such as Castle Park and Sweetwater have dominated the sport is because they have a large number of athletes, so many that they can fill each event with three or more competitors in events like pole vaulting where not many are brave enough to compete. Thus the more the merrier.

As the great Cassius Clay once said:"If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you."

Perfect Attendance

2010-03-01T22:00:00.000-08:00

Dance Held for Students
by Martin Zazueta

This past Saturday as promised, a dance was held for the students who had zero tardies and had not been absent once for the first 6 weeks of the semester.

The idea for the dance was thought up in the Principal-Student Forum last semester. The purpose of the dance was to try to give students an incentive to be on time to school every day. The end result was that about a hundred students received perfect attendance and received an invitation for the dance that was held on Saturday February 27 in the Drama Building from 6-9 P.M.

The turn out was not a complete one, but a handful of students did show and along with the ASB students and Mr Carpizo who were also there. The group had a fun time dancing, hanging out and enjoying the drinks and refreshments. So, all those who did not go, or did not receive perfect attendance really did miss out on some fun.

Chilean Earthquake

2010-03-01T21:34:00.000-08:00

8.8 Magnitude Temblor Hits Chile
by Bob Chan

On February 27, 2010, at 03:34 local time, an earthquake of 8.8 magnitude and lasted for about three minutes. The epicenter of the earthquake was offshore from the Maule Region, approximately 5 miles west of Curanipe and 71 miles northeast of Chile's second largest city, Concepción. The quake was felt as far north as southern Peru which was over 500 miles away and many Argentine cities, including Buenos Aires. In the Chilean capital Santiago over 500,000 homes were destroyed and power is still out and, so far, 700 people have been confirmed dead but the toll is still rising. The survivors had to deal with over 90 aftershocks including an aftershock of 6.2 was recorded 20 minutes after the initial quake and also a 6.9-magnitude offshore earthquake less than 90 minutes after the initial quake. Many countries have already offered support for those in Chile and the Red Cross is assembling. A tsunami amplitude of up to 8 ft 6 in high was recorded in the sea at Valparaíso, Chile and other areas along the Pacific rim such as California were warned but were very unlikely to get large waves. However, Hokkaido, the largest island in Japan was flooded, presumably by the waves from Chile. It is the seventh strongest earthquake ever recorded and was 800 times more forceful than the earthquake in Haiti in January 2010.

Teens explore difficult issues.

2010-02-24T07:30:00.000-08:00

SOH Health Students Write About Suicide
by Omar Arce

Two weeks ago the students in Mr. Esposito's Comprehensive Health Class at Southwest High School wrote articles about suicide. The students were assembled into groups in order to obtain as much knowledge as possible from the information that was given to them. Students in that class it felt awkward discussing a subject that is not far from taboo. The main goal of the project was to promote awareness about suicide. After the articles were completed, Mr. Esposito asked the Raiders Digest staff to make the information presented by his students available to the student body at large.

The statistics presented in the articles are alarming. "Suicide is the third cause of death for people between the ages of 14 and 24. Approximately 4,500 young people take their own life every year but even more attempt it. About 149,000 teenagers and young adults are treated for self-inflicted injuries in the U.S. every day". These facts were presented by Michelle Avila, Claudia Arias, Natalia Alvarez, Pedro Bonillas and Marris Boldridge.

Other students wrote that withdrawal from everyday life is a main indicator of suicidal behavior. "When a person is contemplating suicide he or she begins to feel hopeless. Another symptom is that a person might stop talking to his or her friends. In addition, a person might begin to neglect their needs, such as taking a shower, changing clothes, and eating. The person might also lose interest in everyday activities. Rebellious attitude and violent behavior are other symptoms". This group was composed of Elma Gonzalez, Moncerrat Galego, Miguel Flores and Priscilla Grijalva.

Melissa Maher, Abraham Morales, Derek Miranda, and Omar Manrique believed that depression is the cause of many suicides. "A common factor behind suicide is depression. Teens commit suicide as an attempt to escape their issues. Some might be angry or feel guilty for something they did and cannot deal with the pain".

Students wrote that the best way to prevent suicide was talking. "If someone talks about suicide or you want to end your life, don't keep it to yourself! Take all talks of suicide seriously and understand that suicide is not the solution. Change negative thoughts to positive. Never keep it a secret, always remember that nothing that can happen to you is as important as your life. Suicide is always preventable and the only person to protect yourself from it is you". This was written in the article submitted by Andrea Ruiz, Daniel Murguia, Giovanni Grageola, Tanya Ramos, Nicolas Nunez, Salvador Velazquez, Joseph Dancel.

Academic Powerhouse

2010-02-22T20:59:00.000-08:00

Raider Brain Warriors Take Lead
by Martin Zazueta & Dwayne Codding

Last week was a great week for your SOH's Academics program. On Wednesday February 17 at an awards banquet at the University of San Diego, the Southwest High Academic Decathlon team ranked for the eight straight year in the top three schools in the county for the regional competition which took place on February 6 at Olympian High School. SOH received the 3rd place award for the second year in row. This time around, though, they beat out last year's second place winner, the Academy of Our Lady of Peace.

The results of this year once again proved the power of hard work as SOH faced a serious of setbacks this year such as having a brand new head coach of the program (Coach Adam Orin, a second year Physics & Physical-earth science teacher at SOH), having received their study materials three months late in October due complications with the district's budget, having been unable to go on the traditional museum trip to study the selected artworks (this year all 17 artworks would have been in New York's Metropolitan museum of Art), also not having enough people on the team especially for each of the 3 GPA divisions (in fact the final team consisted of only 8 out of 9 Decathletes). Another issue was that they had little access to rooms to study in and practice their speeches in throughout the year, and lacked consistent help from an overburdened staff (although various staff members contributed in any way they could).

Despite these and various other smaller problems, the Decathlon was able to outwork virtually most of its competition. Overall, the team won 3rd place in two of the ten events: Social Science & Art. Also the team won 12 medals: 4 going to Varsity division Dwayne Codding(who was awarded a bronze for Math, Literature, & Art while getting a silver in the Essay), 2 medals went to Scholastic division - Francisco Munoz for a bronze in Economics & a gold for Social Science. The remaining 6 went to Scholastic division Captain Martin Zazueta for bronze in Speech & Social Science, silver in Interview Literature & Art, and a gold in Economics (Martin also placed 3rd in the county for his division).

However, besides medals the team also scored 2nd place in the Super Quiz Relay test. Honorable mentions go to Elma Gonzalez of the Honors division for having the second highest score in the team. Also for an honorable mentionwas Grisele Gonzalez, also of the Honors division, who had the highest score on the team for any single event, - the Interview, having scored 955 out of a possible 1000 points. Unfortunately, due to the highly competitive nature of the high GPA students of the Honors Division, she was unable to receive a medal for her remarkably high score. And when asked how she felt about her score and the overall outcome of the Decathlon she had this to say: “ I'm glad I did my best to help the team and to help represent our school. I feel we accomplished plenty which showed in our team score, and I'm glad that my score was able to contribute significantly to the final score that led to our ranking”. Also when asked about how he felt about this year's result, Coach Orin said that he was “very proud and honored to be associated with such a group of smart young people”. Coach Orin also commented that for next year (for which the theme will be “The Great Depression”) his goals are to win the Super Quiz Relay and to help his team get more gold medals.

Apart from Decathlon the SOH Academic League have been on a roll by defeating Montgomery, Castle Park, Sweetwater, and Mar Vista. Both JV and Varsity have been doing a terrific job at playing the game. Let it be noted that for the first time ever in Southwest High Academic League history, the main starters and contributers to the overall score have been 2-3 Freshmen who are part of a pool of about 10 freshmen like Salvador Navarro and Ruben Vega who have been the leading scorers for JV this year. These players and others are no rookies though they have been playing this for a while now, as they had played middle school Knowledge Bowl. Yes, that's right - these battle-hardened veterans have been ready for action for weeks before their first game, after intense training under the SOH Academics Program that started since late June, and these elite freshmen along with their returning 11th grader teammates (who are second-year players) are ready to dominate the South Bay league competition.

The Varsity team consists 3 four-year seniors, 2 battle-hardened sophomores, a 3rd-year junior, 2 second-year seniors, and 2 first-year seniors who have also been hard at work to perfect their playing techniques and speed. Like the JV, they are also 4-0 and are fighting to reach the Metro Conference championship for the 8th year in the row and will hopefully head on to the county playoffs for the 8th time in this decade since 2001, 2003-2007, & 2009. The Leaguers' next match will be against Olympian on Thursday February 25 in the Library at 3 P.M.
Please go and support

SOH B-Ball wins a banner!

2010-02-22T20:55:00.000-08:00

Raiders Upset Cougars in B-Ball
by Marlo Villanueva

Southwest claims their title as South Bay League Champs after defeating the San Ysidro Cougars on Wednesday night. It was one hectic game for both teams having a record of 9-1 in the league.

Southwest started off hot against the Cougars leading 21-6 in the first half. The Raiders took their lead and kept the lead throughout the entire game. There were spectacular plays all game from both sides of the court. The game ended on the score of 69-61.

The Raiders' Varsity team worked hard for this all season and proved they deserve the title. There were 4 players that ended the game with double digit points. Emilio Arellano with 15, Jay Santos 14, Lamar Weston 13, and Ashper Morris with 13. This teamwork from the Raiders paid off and got them the banner for the second time consecutively.

The Southwest crowd took on an early celebration as they tackled the court and the basketball players when there were 3.5 seconds left on the game. That didnt phase the Southwest Raiders as they knew they had the game in the bag.

Congratulations to the Raiders for the repeat of their banner league win. Make sure to follow them up on their way to the playoffs as they compete against the best of the best for the CIF title. This also brings one question to mind, since the Raiders won the banner this year and last, will they finish a threepeat ?

Ole!, Ole!, Ole!, Ole!

2010-02-22T20:49:00.000-08:00

Boys Soccer Team Secures Banner
by Omar Arce

To win a banner. That is the ultimate goal of joining a sport. Not to get in shape, not to fraternize, and certainly not to appear at the assembly. The men soccer team won the South Bay Metro League banner. In Hollywoodesque way, the Raiders won the banner at their last home game vs. Sweetwater. With a great attendance, the home crowd was euphoric. And the home team was not different. "There is always pressure before a game. but in this case there was more exitment to know that the banner was just 80 mins away from our hands," said Senior defender, Pedro Bonillas.

The victory was not overwhelming, but the 2-1 score was enough to secure the banner. The goals were scored by Defender Jonnhy Coronado, and Captain Alexis Guadalupe. With only a one point difference from Castle Park the raiders secured the banner. "Its a great feeling knowing that our team deserved it, and it just feels incredible," proclaimed Pedro Bonillas.

When the referee blew the final whistle, the crowd ran to the field and surrounded Coach Medina, jumping, chanting and screaming. Medina did not know at first what to do, when he saw the crowd running towards him, and decided to embrace them, by starting jumping, and chanting with them.

However, the celebration must not go to their head, the raiders will play Ramona this Wednesday at 7 PM. Now the goal is to go to CIF finals. Luck will be needed, along with great goals.

Robert Pattinson...

2010-02-22T20:41:00.000-08:00

Twilight Star Upsets Fans Through Comments
By Elma Gonzalez

Twilight star, Robert Pattinson, posed for yet another magazine this year. Details magazine did a photo-shoot and conducted a revealing interview with the sexy vampire for its tenth anniversary. The star not only showed a different side of him in the photos, but also disclosed how he feels about women.

In the cover the star appears with his head nestled between a woman's legs. Although for some men, doing a photo-shoot with naked ladies for 12 hours might seem like a dream, Pattinson described it as 'torture.' He stated, "I really hate vaginas. I'm allergic to vaginas." His remark has stirred up a lot of controversy. Is the sexy star gay? Does this mean the millions of girl fans have lost their chance with Rob. Although, his comment may seem to be insinuating his sexual orientation, many argue he is simply alluding to a joke.

Either way, the actor's dark humor has caused displeasure among the fan community. Pattinson ends his comment about the shoot by saying, "Thank god I was hungover."

The interview, however, also touched other issues like the actor's projects. Pattinson plays Salvador Dali, the famous painter, in Little Ashes, and in his new movie Remember Me, he finally plays a 'normal, average' guy. In regard to his love life, he assured he does NOT have a girlfriend and that the only real relationship he is in is with his dog.

CAHSEE tutoring

2010-02-22T20:36:00.000-08:00

A Raider has a Rant!
by Bob Chan

Sophomores this year they have an important test that decides their future because if they don’t pass then they might not get a high school diploma. That test is the CAHSEE and is a requirement for high school graduation in the state of California and is divided into two main sections: English-language arts and mathematics. The English section includes 79 multiple choice questions, and requires students to respond to a prompt with a 2 1/2 page essay. The mathematics section consists of 92 multiple choice questions. Scores are scaled out of a possible 450 points on each section. The essay portion is scaled out of one to four. The test first applied to the graduating class of 2006, with approximately nine of every ten students passing.

Every Saturday the school hosts the Rising Stars, which is a program that brings in students who show great promise to pass and to help them to achieve the goal from 8 A.M to 12 A.M in the gym. For that you are not required to go but on Wednesdays and Tuesdays certain students are forced to skip STEP and an hour of their time after school to go into a CAHSEE help class. The part of that which doesn’t make sense is that people who are not required to go to the special class are still doing the same things in their class instead of themselves taking any form of CAHSEE prep. A problem I have with that is that some students who happened to have not done enough of a good enough job on their CST's or End of Course Exams last year but who are taking AP classes cannot go after school to be tutored or retake tests and stuck in that class until 4 P.M by which time most teachers would have left. That leaves the students with no extra help and will lead to lower grades for the students. Just because the person did not do a good job on their pre-CAHSEE it does not mean that they need unnecessary help. Administrators should instead examine students' G.P.A and other facts that would better illustrate the student's mental capacity.

International Crossings

2010-02-16T20:26:00.000-08:00

New Passport Rule!
by Elma Gonzalez

When a person crosses the border from Mexico to the United States, he/she isrequired to present a passport. For years this has not been the case when crossing the border from the United States to Mexico. However, recently Mexico's National Migration Institute stated that US citizens who cross the border to Mexico “by air, land or sea" must present a passport.

Does this mean travelers will have to wait even longer to cross the border to Mexico? Actually, despite this new law, which will come into effect March 1, the Baja California migration department has assured the public that this rule will not apply to the San Ysidro and Otay borders. Lines are slow as it is with the new technology that was implemented recently, and public officials are worried that if this law were to take effect here, it would have a negative effect on the tourism of both countries. Therefore, the Mexican government has agreed to leave these ports as they are.

Why would Mexico want to implement such law all of a sudden? Throughout his presidency, President Calderón has aimed to lower crime rates in Mexico. According to the Mexican government, bringing about this new law will "increase security at its ports of entry." This will hopefully lower traffic of weapons and drugs.

In response, James Clark, director of the Mexico Business Center of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, states they respect Mexico's decision, but they believe the borders, "...should be secured with the minimum interruption of commerce in both directions.”

In the end, this "rule" does not change much for SOH students. Just remember, although you may not need your passport to cross the border to Tijuana, if you travel south of our neighboring city, you may be required to show some documentation.

Presidents Day

2010-02-16T20:24:00.000-08:00

The Story Behind Our Four-day Break
by Bob Chan

Washington's Birthday is the official name designated to what many of us know as President's Day. During the month of February the birthday of two of our greatest President's takes place: George Washington, who was born on Feb. 22nd, and Abraham Lincoln, born on Feb. 12th.

However, Washington's birthday has been publicly celebrated since he was in office, before Abraham Lincoln was even born. Much of the debate over the name of the holiday springs from the fact that states can follow their own holidays how they see fit and many of them chose to also honor Lincoln, calling the celebration President's Day.

It was in 1968 that the term President's Day came up for legal consideration in the Congress but was shot down, though the holiday was moved to fall between the two President's birthdays. Again in the 1980's there was a resurgence of the term with advertisers which solidified the holiday name in American culture. Today, few Americans prefer to call the holiday Washington's Birthday in lieu of President's Day. Washington's Birthday is a United States federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February

Scramble to Denny's

2010-02-16T20:20:00.000-08:00

Grand Slam Wait
by Marlo Villanueva

So who went out on a mission to get Denny's free grand slam on Tuesday ? Some left their homes around 4 a.m. and waited to get seated at 6 in the morning. Some took all of their friends to hang out and have a good time. Some ditched school to get that $5 meal for free. I bet some people also had a chance to go get the Grand Slam two or three times.

This delicious breakfast was irresistible to most fans while the commercial with screaming chickens came out in the Superbowl. This breakfast contains two sausages, two pancakes, bacon and 2 eggs prepared to your liking. Was this meal really worth it though ? If you're thinking economically then no, because you're telling yourself that you would wait in a long line for a five dollar meal. If you waited in line for an hour or more, you said to yourself your wait was worth 5 dollars. Thats where the saying, " Time is Money" comes in, I believe all your times are worth more than a $5 meal.

If you're with friends and having a great time, then its all worth it. Spending time with friends is worth more than a $5 meal; its actually priceless. Going out on mission with your friends is always fun but I hope no one fell asleep during school. If you ditched to go get a meal, then shame on you ! It might just one class you've missed but its not worth getting into trouble for. Cops knew this crazy deal would attract the young high schoolers so that's why cops came into Denny's and asked questions to young students and where they should be at the moment.

Taking your time off to get a Grand Slam is a great experience, but just think about what you're sacrificing. This is the second time Denny's gave this offer and thats why we ask, is there going to be another event next year? We'll see ! Feel free to take a moment to comment the blog and tell us your experience with the food, line wait, and your friends !

B-Ball News

2010-02-08T20:47:00.000-08:00

Raider Basketball Maintains Lead

by Marlo Villanueva

It was another great week for the Men's Varsity Basketball team as they took on the Mar Vista Mariners on Wednesday and the Castle Park Trojans on Friday night. They dominated the Mariners 67-55 with Ashper Morris being the leading scorer of 25 points ! The Raiders made this game look too easy as they were ahead the whole game. We also have scores from Antwon Mandapat with 4,Lamar Weston 9, Emilio Arellano 10, Jay Santos 17, Alex Villegas 2. It was an overall great win for the Raiders to beat their rival.

Friday night was another story, the Raiders played against the Castle Park Trojans whom they had defeated previously. The Raiders were aiming for another easy win but that didn't happen. The Trojans came out fighting in the first half leading the score of 17-26 by the end of the first half. In the second half, the Southwest Raiders came out hard and finished the third quarter with a tied score of 37-37. The Raiders crunched down on the Trojans as they beat them during the last minutes of the game, 59-51.

What a great way to keep the season going ! The Raiders take their season game by game with confidence in themselves and the whole team. Keep following the Raiders as they keep moving forward to their goal of winning the South Bay league Banner.

New Super Champions

2010-02-08T20:42:00.000-08:00

Saints Beat Colts

by Bob Chan

Drew Brees and the Saints are NFL champions, rallying to upset Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 Sunday night in one of pro football’s most thrilling title games.

Brees tied a Super Bowl record with 32 completions and was chosen the game’s MVP.

A surprise onside kick sparked the Saints’ second-half comeback. Their 25th-ranked defense made several key stops, and Tracy Porter’s 74-yard interception return on a pass from Manning, clinched it.

An NFL embarrassment for much of their 43 years, the Saints’ football renaissance, led by Brees and coach Sean Payton, climaxed with Shockey’s touchdown and Lance Moore’s 2-point conversion catch, originally ruled incomplete but overturned on Payton’s challenge. Porter’s pick, just as dramatic as his interception of Brett Favre’s pass to force overtime in the NFC title game, was the game’s only turnover. It’s one Manning will forever regret.

The Saints won three postseason games this winter. They beat Arizona, Minnesota and Indianapolis all division winners for their first title.The championship came 4 1/2 years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, making the Saints nomads for the 2005 season. There even was some doubt they would return, but the NFL refused to abandon the city. The Superdome was repaired and the Saints won the NFC South in ’06, their first season with Brees and Payton. That was the season Manning won his only Super Bowl. He had the Colts, favored by 5 points, in front for much of this one, but New Orleans’ league-leading offense outscored Indy 31-7 after falling behind 10-0. That matched the biggest comeback in a Super Bowl.

Soccer? or Football?

2010-02-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

SOH Teams On a Roll

by Omar Arce

Perhaps football is the sport that gets the most attention in high schools, but in Southwest High School it should be soccer. Originally called 'football', because it is played with feet, this winter sport has the best record.

The men's team has a score of five victories, one tie and 2 defeats. With this record they are now in the first place in the league, tied with Castle Park. Senior Captain Alexis "Chino" Guadalupe, thinks that "...it's a young team to start , we have good players that know how to play as a group." Guadalupe, who has been on the team his whole high school career, has gone to the CIF Finals for the last two seasons and lost. Perhaps, this will year the team will have a different story, but they have to qualify first. "We dont have a good record; therefore, we have to win league so we can make it to playoffs. Right now the team is focused on winning league & getting in the playoffs." The men's team recently won their last home game against rival Mar Vista 2-0 with goals scored by Juan Andres Martines and Jose Espinosa.

On the other side the Girls team defeated Mar Vista with a great goal scored by Senior Giovanna Mireles. With a record of 5 victories, 1 tie and 1 defeat. With this record, the team is on first place. The chance to repeat their Southbay Metro Championship is great now. All there is left, is to play and keep scoring.

Haiti's Call for Help

2010-02-02T07:05:00.000-08:00

It's Never Too Late to Help
by Omar Arce

It has been almost three weeks since disaster struck Haiti. As days pass, more help arrives to the Caribbean country, but it is not enough. At Southwest High School efforts to aid in the reconstruction of Haiti are shaping up.

There are two ways to help. The first is to donate canned food or clothes. These are being collected at every classroom. The organizers of this drive are Mr. Roncoroni's third period Geography class. This group of Freshmen will collect the donations all week during step

The other way to help trough money donations. Junior Stephanie Meza has tried to organized a collection that will be fruitful enough to create an impact. " The idea came to me when I was watching disturbing clips of the Haiti victims on television, and what was even more disturbing was that no one that I knew was trying to help. It made no sense to me how someone can just be okay with themselves, while someone else in the world is suffering like that," said Meza. Her plan is to "...open an acount for Haiti relief through video tech club, so people can donate money through there. My goal is to collect as much money as possible and send it to the Hope for Haiti Now Foundation..." Donation cans will be provided during the week.

SUHSD Chicanos

2010-02-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

MEChA Holds Leadership Conference
by Elma Gonzalez

Last Saturday, the SOH MEChA club hosted the 12th annual "Leadership Conference". The goal of the event was to allow MEChA students from several high schools in the district to bond and share their experiences with other MEChA students, while learning leadership skills.

The day began with a a breakfast of Mexican bread and coffee followed by a welcoming speech given by Mr. Leiva and the two MEChA presidents at SOH. At 10:05am, different workshops were opened to the students. MEChA 101, Time Management, Overcoming High School Obstacles, and ASB 101 were some of the workshops offered at the conference. Delicious Mexican food was offered for lunch, and the Mariachi performed at the event. The most memorable part of the event came towards the end, when Mr. Rodriguez, SOH MEChA adviser, inspired the students continue their education and set high goals for themselves.

Overall, the conference was a success; more than 80 students participated. In the end, Ms. Flores' and the MEChA students' hard work to organize the event paid off.

Night at the Cafe

2010-02-02T06:57:00.000-08:00

Spaghetti Night a Success
by Bob Chan

This past Friday the 29^th Southwest high school hosted a spaghetti night to which students and their families came to eat and have fun. It started at 5:30pm with great entertainment provided by the Band, Mariachi, Folklorico, and Sayaw. Around fifty people attended the event that was held in the cafeteria, and Mrs. Armstrong presented a power point that ranged from the school test scores to getting the parents more involved. Finally after the presentation and delicious spaghetti the event had ended at 7:00pm with a standing ovation.

Banner battles

2010-02-02T06:53:00.000-08:00

Raiders B-Ball Upsets Cougars
by Marlo Villanueva

Last week the SOH Men's Varsity Basketball team did an outstanding performance against the San Ysidro Cougars and the Olympian Eagles. This was an important week for the Raiders because it led them to climb up to first place, tied with the Olympian Eagles. It was also two great wins against the leading teams of the South Bay League.

The Raiders gave the San Ysidro Cougars a challenge for the banner as they were neck and neck the entire game. The one advantage the Raiders played was the 6'2 Junior, Lamar Weston as he has a height advantage over the defender by 4 inches. He took over the paint on fastbreaks as Maris Boldridge passes him the ball from the half court line

In the last 35 seconds of the game, Captain Jay Santos shoots a 3 to break the tie and take the lead by 3. The Raider defense closed the game with outstanding pressure from Alex Villegas. The Raiders took the ball back as Aspher Morris and Alex Villegas got fouled and shot from the free throw line to close the game. The final score was 59-54.

Congratulations to the Raiders for their victory. They are on the run for the banner so come out to support your Men's Varsity Basketball team when thy play on Wednesday and Friday nights !

New Cafeteria?

2010-01-25T19:40:00.000-08:00

SOH Cafeteria to Get Makeover
By Elma Gonzalez

Yes! The day is finally here. Our cafeteria will be redesigned! This school year has seen the beginning of many reconstructions. But, like me, I am sure many students believe the cafeteria to be one of the most important ones. For this reason the school administrators believe it would be best for students to take part in the process. Mr. Carpizo and Dr. Armstrong chose a panel of about forty students to give their opinion on the renovation. These forty students are there to represent the whole student body. However, don't think these students are designing it themselves. A company was hired to create a design of the "soon-to-be new" cafeteria. Students only give their opinion on what should stay or definitely GO! Plus, teachers also have a say on the design.

In the last meeting the company presented various changes. Tall tables, booths, artwork, and brand new lamps are among some of the propositions. Although, students and teachers have already discussed these suggestions with company representatives, the principal has the final say. Let's hope all points of view are taken in consideration for this decision, and Dr. Armstrong makes the best choice. Either way, SOH students will soon have a brand new cafeteria.

RUN SOH! RUN!!

2010-01-25T19:38:00.000-08:00

SOH Starts Running Club

by Omar Arce

It's the last week of January. The new year feeling is almost gone. And along with this feeling, are the new year resolutions. Obviously, the most popular resolution is to lose a few pounds. There are only two ways to accomplish this goal: a good diet and a well-planned exercise regimen. Luckily there is a club at Southwest High School that will help you with the latter.

The SOH Running Club, a club that was primarily designated to keep the SOH long distance runners in shape, now aims to promote a healthy lifestyle trough running. Senior, Sergio Vargas is member of the running club. "I joined the running club primarily to get in shape after the holidays...but, I mainly joined because I truthfully enjoy the thrill of running...I might be overdoing it, but running makes me feel alive." Explains Vargas.

Everyone is invited to join the club. "I like the feeling of being with people who enjoy running as much as me, and I overall love the atmosphere the running club exerts," says Vargas about the atmosphere of the club. The club meets every Thursday and Tuesday right after school at Room 907. The only things needed, are a pair of running shoes, work out clothes, water, and plenty of energy

Get Your RUN Sweaters

2010-01-25T19:33:00.000-08:00

Running Club Sells Gear

by Omar Arce

The RUN SOH hoodies have become an increasingly popular item at Southwest High. But, what exactly do they mean? They do not represent a tribute band to Hip Hop legends RUN DMC, they were this year's logo for the Cross Country team. The idea was so successful that the remaining sweaters sold out in a few weeks after they were given to the Cross Country team. A new shipment has been ordered. There are two ways to get one. Joining the running club and selling a box of chocolates or paying 10 dollars. Get one - they will be gone soon.

Leave Kaeding Alone!

2010-01-25T19:09:00.000-08:00

A Raider Has a Rant

by Martin Zazueta

For the past week I have been annoyed when hearing insults and attacks towards the San Diego Chargers kicker Nate Kaeding who missed three field goal attempts in the Chargers' first round playoff game this year. Charger fans are so upset at Kaeding because the game ended 14-17 with the Chargers losing to the New York Jets. Fans claim that its Kaeding's fault that the game was lost.

Although I am in favor of people's expressing their opinions freely, I originally did not mind the the talk against Kaeding; what really got me ticked was that minutes after the game anti-Kaeding Facebook groups started showing up saying to get off the team or the witty "Are You Kaeding me?". I also cannot imagine the amount of emails and letters Kaeding must have received from disgruntled fans. What I have to say about that is, Charger fans have to stop being so narrow minded, and look at what really happened at the game.

The Chargers played one of the most terrible games they had all season, with the offense receiving over 9 flags and losing over about 45 yards throughout the entire game. The situation was so bad that they had to bring out Kaeding for the field goal 3 times: one at about 43 yards, another at 57 yards and the third being in the 30s. Ok, first off, all these are difficult kicks and even though Kaeding's record is a 57-yard field goal kick, it does not mean he is going to get it every time. And then again, the offense they did not do their job. If they did, they would not have needed Kaeding to attempt the field goal in the first place.

So, if the Chargers end up losing Nate Kaeding, one of the best kickers in the NFL, because irrational fans cannot put the pieces together as to why the Chargers lost and are taking it out on someone who has done nothing but great work until this one game, then we will have other problems to worry about next season. So please don't hate.

Tornado!!!!!!!!

2010-01-19T23:49:00.000-08:00

Severe Weather Hits Orange County

by Bob Chan

A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was created earlier Monday. The safest place to be during a tornado is in a basement. If no basement is available residents should seek shelter on the lowest floor of the building in an interior hallway or room such as a closet. A blanket or pillow should be used to cover your body, and always stay away from windows. People inside a mobile home or vehicle should evacuate them and get inside a substantial shelter. If no shelter is available, lying flat in the nearest ditch or other low spot and covering your head with your hands is the safest thing to do.

Storm #1 is history though it's possible we could see an isolated shower through Tuesday morning. Storm #2 brought very heavy rain fell for a couple of hours during the mid to late afternoon on Monday; the storm died down quicker than was predicted, thus rainfall totals are less than expected. Storm #3 is taking shape up north and should arrive here late tomorrow bringing heavy rain, strong winds, even bigger surf and the possibility of some thunderstorms. This storm should bring us abundant rainfall amounts and could stick around into Friday with a few isolated showers lingering into Saturday morning. This will be a colder storm and should produce some heavy snowfall in the mountains.

Earthquake In the Carribean

2010-01-19T23:39:00.000-08:00

Haiti Faces One More Tragedy

by Elma Gonzalez

On January 12, as SOH students were coping with the first day of the second semester, disaster hit the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Haiti has struggled under decades of coups, corruption and natural disasters. But it is now, with the 7Mm earthquake that hit them last Tuesday, that news radars have turned their way.

According to reports the earthquake hit west of Port Au Prince, and 33 aftershocks were recorded thereafter. Many Port Au Prince historical landmarks such as the Presidential Palace, the National Assembly building, and the Port Au Prince Cathedral were destroyed. Latest reports inform more than 70,000 people have officially been declared dead. Several countries including the United States have offered to assist Haiti now and in future reconstruction plans. President Obama has assigned former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton the task of raising funds for Haiti's recovery. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was sent to the site. The United States has agreed to donate $100million for the cause. Other countries have also donated funds; the UK is giving $32.7 million, France is giving $14.4 million, Italy announced it would forgive the $55.7 million it had loaned to Haiti (altogether the European Nation is donating $474 million). However, money is not enough. The lack of political stability and infrastructure in Haiti has made it difficult to aid the injured. Knowing this, the United States and some European nations have come together to begin plannig the reconstruction of Haiti's infrastructure and government.

If you want to help Haiti in their tragedy please: Text 'HAITI' to 90999: This service was set up by the U.S. State Department. Texting "HAITI" to the number will donate $10 to the International Red Cross, and will appear as a charge on your wireless bill; or Text 'YELE' to 501501: This will donate $5 to Yele Haiti, a non-profit organization founded by singer and Haiti native Wyclef Jean. A donation to Yele will also appear as a charge on your cell bill. You can also donate larger amounts at Yele's website.

[Information from http://www.cnn.com/ and http://www.totalbankruptcy.com/]