Construction

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

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

​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.
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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.
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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?”
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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

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

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

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

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.