Monday, November 23, 2009

Green Living Project

Students Learn About Eco-friendly Projects
by Martin Zazueta

All over the world the "Green" Revolution is taking people to realize that we need to take care of this planet. Across the world green projects are being executed in order to help preserve key areas of the world's ecosystem. These projects are designed so that the people living in these areas do not have to worry about financial worries because they incorporate ways to make a living off these projects.

The main focus of the presentations was on projects of South America. These projects included the installment of a zipline across a canyon to attract tourists so the owner of the land would not have to sell the land for development, and intervention of groups like the Amazon Conservation Association which helped to make sure that the Brazil nut, trees which can only grow in certain areas of the rain forest, that many people rely on as a stable crop can be preserved and replenish.

Now, wherever these projects pop-up the organization Green Living Project is there to record it and work with the people there to help the locals work together in bringing awareness of the environmental issues concerning people making an everyday living off of nature so they can manage to make sure that it can be kept safe. One of their missions is to let the whole world about these efforts and last week thats exactly what they did at Southwest high. A group of about 50 Eco-engineering students paid close attention to what the presenters had to say about the environment and the work people are doing to preserve it. If you are interested in learning more about these environmental efforts or you would like to see the videos that were shown to the other SOH students, please go to http://www.greenlivingproject.com/ or you can follow them on Facebook at http://www.greenlivingproject.com/facebook. Go support!

Fallen Raider will be All Right

Chris DeGuzman injured in game
by Omar Arce

The battle for the bell: it is more than a game, it is a war, a war where only two outcomes are possible, "leave that field with the bell, or on a stretcher" as said by Senior Cris De Guzman. De Guzman left the field in a stretcher during the middle of the third quarter."...I was injured on an inside run, where I was tackled at the legs, and then the front, and then being piled on, causing my spine to bend backwards: the worst pain I have EVER felt in my life. My lower back went numb and I thought I was paralyzed, I tried getting up but the pain was too much." recalls De Guzman. The paramedics took him to, Paradise Valley Hospital. Coincidentally, he spent the rest of the night in the hospital where he was born. In a sport where spinal injuries are a constant threat, De Guzman is lucky to be walking, "The doctor said my spine should be fine, no broken bones or anything, but my lower back muscles were still badly sprained," explained De Guzman.
About the game, De Guzman says:"... I'm still pretty disappointed that there was a lack of heart in the team as a whole; tho few of us played our hearts out, those who didn't cost us the game." But in a situation, like this one Football is just a game. http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lmt1c2kuY29tL3Bwci9oendlZWsxMS82OTkyNDAzMi5odG1sP3ZpZGVvPXBvcCZ0PWE=

Monday, November 16, 2009

Girls' Golf Conclusion

Low Scores Are a Good Thing!
By Elma Gonzalez

Golf season is finally over, and it couldn't have been better. With four freshmen, two sophomores, a junior, and one senior, the team was diverse and complete. They were able to beat all but one team in the league, the SUH Devils.

Although, the ladies only received the second place title as a team, in the individual metro-championship, they placed in the highest spots. Seven out of the eight players got "First or Second Team All League" recognition. What this means is that seven SOH girls were among the top twelve golfers in the league. These include: senior- and team captain- Elma Gonzalez, freshmen Alison Lawyer, freshmen Valerie Rodriguez, junior Grisela Robles, sophomore Maria Bojorquez, sophomore Teresa Romero-Medina, and freshmen Yunueth Jimenez. In fact, SOH had the most players place in "First or Second Team All League."
Right under an OLY, Elma Gonzalez placed third. First place winner, Briana, from SUH, went on to represent the South Bay League at CIF.

In the end, although the team's victories were scarcely announced at school, the girls golf team had their best season in years.The Lady Raiders represented the school very well this year, and Coach Sean Seibel assures that with all the experience the girls acquired this year, they will do even better next season.

A Word From the Editor

Attention Raider Digest Readers

We would like to thank you for your continued support of our school news blog. We would also like to tell that your feedback is welcomed and encouraged, but remember Raider Digest is a school-related page and any comments must not contain profanities or any other inappropriate material. Any comments that are found to be inappropriate shall be deleted from the blog.

Thank for your understanding.

Mar Vista Vs Southwest

SOH battles for the bell

by Robert Garcia

The bell game, is one in which Mar Vista and Southwest both compete for a bell. This game is where the rival schools duke it out to see who can be the one on top. The Bell Game 's final score was 45 Mar Vista and 0 on Southwest. The football team tried their best and gave it their all. The only thing the score says is that Mar Vista was better that day. Given another day it could have been different. Even though the bell wasn't Southwest at the end, no Raider ever stopped cheering and in the end they lifted their heads up and were happy that they had tried to win the bell back. The band itself never once dropped a note, and was not disapointed in their football team because they gave it their all! Sergio Vargas stated, "I believe that the football team this year did above average strives to achieve their goal, and in the end they achieved the same amount of effort they put into glory".

All that's left to be said is: Maybe Next Year!

Cross Country Finals

Raider runners go the extra mile
by Omar Arce

It started in July and now it is about to end. The South-bay league Cross Country finals were run Friday. The course: Bonita's Rohr Park, probably the fastest course that Southwest High ran this season. The weather was at a comfortable 65 F: good weather and fast course. This could only mean that some personal records were about be broken and perhaps some medals could be won.



It was awkward to have a small team on the last meet. The Boys' Varsity team remained untouched but the Boys' JV had only 5 runners to compete. The Girls' varsity team only had 4 runners to compete. The most noticeable absence was Captain Cassandra Palacios, who was sick during the whole week.

In the Boys' Varsity race, Sophomore Andrew Palacios ran a personal record ine the 3.1 mile race in a time of seventeen minutes and 44 seconds that got him int sixth place of the race , awarding him a medal.

In the Boys' JV race Senior Alan Valdovino ran the same race in a time of 20 minutes and 3 seconds. Valdovino ran personal record. Only 3 seconds away from breaking 20 minutes. This time got him a medal for 8th place in the Southbay League.

The girls race was led by Sophomore Yessenia Baylon. Although she did not place in the top 10, she ran a great race.

So after 4 months and about 400 miles run the season came to and end, with the Boys' Varsity team finished the season in sixth place. The Boys' JV team, finished in third place, and the Girls' Varsity team finished third as well.

Basketball Season is coming!

Getcha Head in the Game
by Bob Chan

It’s that time of year again where fall sports fade away and in comes the winter sports. One of the sports that you can try out for is basketball. It is a team sport in which two teams of 5 players try to score points against one another by placing a ball through a 10 foot hoop under organized rules. Points are scored by shooting the ball through the basket from above. Dunking and slamming the ball into the rim, the team with more points at the end of the game wins. Typically, the tallest members of a team will play center or one of two forward positions, while shorter players or those who possess the best ball handling skills and speed, play the guard positions. While competitive basketball is primarily an indoor sport, played on a basketball court, less regulated variations played in the outdoors have become increasingly popular among both inner city and rural groups.

The Southwest High Raiders won the South Bay League last year sporting an undefeated record in their league while having a 19-8 record playing north and east county powerhouses. The varsity coach is headed by Mr. Selland who also is the AP government teacher while the junior varsity is headed by Coach Dario Ramirez who played for the school from 1998-2002 and last but not least coach David who coached the Junior varsity team last year but now is teaching the freshman. Tryouts were November 14th with the lady raiders auditioning from 10:00 am to 12:00 am. Varsity tryout was from 12:00 am to 2:00pm and JV and freshmen from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. finishing off this article I will leave you with a quote made by the coaches during practice “Southwest high WORKS HARDER than any other school”.