top of page
This site was designed with the
.com
website builder. Create your website today.Start Now

BeyondTheGauchoGates

NEWS BIGGER THAN US

Hopping Into Spring Break

What is Easter and Who Is The Easter Bunny?

By: Mckayla Daniel and Hope Vang
March 28, 2018

Spring Break is finally here and it just so happens that a special holiday comes right alongside it, bringing forth a bunny with a variety of different colored eggs, and very cute whiskers. That being said Easter is the next big holiday that is hopping around the corner. But why do we celebrate Easter? And where did this bunny figure originate from? But most importantly, since when did bunnies lay eggs?

 

Easter or Easter Sunday is celebrated worldwide by many Christians as it commemorates Jesus’ resurrection from death, in which it is written in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. However, this holiday can be traced back to pagan celebrations. The name Easter is believed to have come from the word Eostara, meaning the goddess of rebirth, in which it is said that in the early times there was a feast that celebrated earth’s resurrection called Feast of Eostara. Although Easter maintains a strong religious significance, there are many children and even adults in countries such as Australia, Canada, the United States and more that think of it as a time to decorate eggs and participate in Easter egg hunts that are hidden by the famous Easter bunny himself and to receive baskets full of candy and snacks. Which leads to the question of how did this religious holiday also turn into one of decorating and finding eggs?

 

We are used to the average bird and chick laying eggs but not bunnies, so how and why did this holiday end up having a bunny bringing eggs as its symbol? A long-eared, short-tailed bunny who delivers decorated eggs to children on Easter Sunday makes no appearance in The Bible. However, this bunny has become a prominent symbol of this holiday. The exact origins of this so-called bunny are unclear but according to history, rabbits are known to be procreators and ancient symbols of fertility and new life. It is said that the Easter bunny first made an appearance in America during the 1700’s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and later transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare, who was called “Osterhase.” Their tradition was to make nests so this hare could lay its colorful eggs, and eventually, this custom made its way and spread to the United States.

 

Today, we celebrate Easter by decorating baskets instead of nests that are filled with eggs and sweets. Along with creating candy-filled baskets, the egg has been another ancient symbol of new life, from a Christian's point of view, it is said that the egg represents Jesus’ emergence from the tomb. But, once again the egg can also be associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. Decorating eggs can date back to the 13th century and according to some sources eggs were formerly known as a forbidden food during Lenten season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance and fasting, to then eat them on Easter.

 

Along with Easter egg decorating comes Easter egg hunts and parades, on Easter morning the Easter bunny is said to hide eggs for the well-behaved children to find. As for the parades, in New York City, the Easter Parade dates back to the mid-1800’s. The parade still lives on and there are many other parades around the world that celebrate easter for many reasons no matter if it is for fun and family bonding time or religion.  As of right now, Easter is an important holiday to many people and serves as a fun day for children and families as they hunt for and decorate eggs and enjoy a nice dinner while the Easter bunny hops off to prepare for next year.

 

*Thanks to timeanddate.com and History.com for the research provided in this article.*

 

 

Fun Fact(s):

 

  • - The largest Easter egg ever made was over 25 feet high and weighed over 8,000 pounds. It was built out of chocolate and marshmallow.

  • - Easter is the second best-selling candy holiday in America after Halloween, one time Easter even outweighed Christmas in price, as people were paying over $500 for one basket.

  • - According to the Nation Confectioners Association, over 16 billion jelly beans are made in the U.S. each year for Easter.

 

Once again, here are some game(s)/Craft(s) and a delicious recipe to kick off your Spring Break!

Have a Great Spring Break!

Lucky Charms

What Is St. Patrick's Day?
By: Mckayla Daniel and Hope Vang
March 15, 2018

Have you ever had a bowl of Lucky Charms? Did you ever wonder why they chose a leprechaun to represent their cereal? Well, the holiday that brings the color green and a pot of gold is here. St. Patrick’s Day is an annual holiday celebrated by many on March 17, in remembrance of St. Patrick himself, who lived during the fifth century and was the national apostle of Ireland along with being a patron saint. Patrick was born in Roman Britain, where he was later kidnapped and brought to Ireland at the age of sixteen to work as a slave. He eventually escaped, but later returned to Ireland and is said to have brought with him Christianity. Years after his death, the mythology surrounding him became more present in the Irish culture, with many believing that he explained the Holy Trinity using the three leaves of a native Irish Clover, the Shamrock.

 

One may think that the first parade to honor St. Patrick’s Day took place in Ireland, but it didn’t. In fact, the first parade took place in the United States on March 17, 1762. Irish soldiers serving in the English military during that time marched through New York City while playing their music and succumbing to their Irish roots. Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Patrick's Day, wearing their green and hunting for pots of gold.

 

Fun Fact: More Than 100 St. Patrick’s Day parades are held across the United States.

 

However, it’s still unclear as to why leprechauns represent St. Patrick’s Day. Most think of the cereal Lucky Charms, or rainbows. But this mythical tiny man, a well-recognized symbol of Ireland, actually holds a true history. A leprechaun is a supernatural fairy, in which tales have passed down in Irish storytelling. They are described as crotchety, solitary, yet mischievous creatures, that are supposed to be shoemakers who sock away their profits in pots at the end of rainbows. They are said to have originally been adorned in red, but as green started to become a constant association with everything Irish, the color of its garments changed. Man has been known to try and find these creatures and their gold out of greed, yet always seemed to fail, by being made to look away by some invented distraction allowing the leprechaun to escape. But aside from the mounds of gold leprechauns are believed to have, spotting one is also considered good luck. So next time you see a rainbow, keep an eye out, for you might get lucky one of these days!

 

As for four-leaf clovers, they are associated with St. Patrick’s Day because they appear in centuries-old legends as symbols of good luck. Four-lead clovers or shamrocks were Celtic charms, presumed to offer magical protection and ward off bad luck. Children in the Middle Ages were said to have carried these four-leafed clovers, as they believed it would allow them to be able to see fairies. However, there are no clover plants that naturally produce four leaves, which makes finding one all the rarer. The four leaves are said to stand for faith, hope, love, and luck. Ireland also tends to be the home to the most four-leaf clovers, giving to the phrase “the luck of the Irish.” So next time you find yourself looking at clovers, who knows, maybe luck will be on your side.

 

With St. Patrick’s Day, comes great culture. Meaning, scrumptious food, fun parades and river dancing. Here are some recipes to kick off your holiday!

 

Have a great St. Patrick's Day!

Winter Olympics 2018
​

Who's gonna take the gold home?

​

By Christina Rhaburn

Winter Olympics is held every four years for winter sports; Some sports include: ice hockey, skiing, skating and more. This year, they’re having a Winter Olympics 2018 at South Korea. It is South Korea’s second Olympics games, and it’s first Winter Olympics games.  The first two Winter Olympics  were in  Sapporo, Japan around 1972 and in Nagano, Japan in 1998. The first ever Olympics took place in Chamonix, France 1824.

 

    After South Korea winter games, the event moves to Beijing hosting the Winter Olympics in 2022. Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics in 2008. The next games will be in Tokyo in 2020, followed by Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028. 92 nations will be competing this year at the Winter Olympics 2018 such as US, Russia, France, and more.


 

Winter Olympics games is taking place at South Korea. Russia is sending over 169 athletes to the winter olympics,245 athletes for United states which includes 37 olympics medalists, 10 olympics champions and 15 who won multiple medals.  By far, This year's Winter Olympics is the largest winter olympics in history! Athletes will be competing in seven sports such as: biathlon, bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating, skiing and more. Pyeongchang won its bid on the first round by voting and receiving more votes than Germany and France. Pyeongchang bid to host the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics games but lost in the final rounds of voting. Pyeongchang lost by three or four votes. But Pyeongchang won its bid this year in 2018, receiving 63 of the 95 votes.  Also, Pyeongchang will be the third Asian country to host the winter games.

    There are major concerns about the Winter Olympics in South Korea. There has been tension going on between South and North Korea as well as tension between North korea and the United States. But, South Korea is pushing security at the Winter Olympics because of the tension between South and North Korea.

     The 2018 Winter Olympics begins Friday, February 9th and all the events  are packed for opening until the closing ceremony on Sunday, February 25th. NBC starts its coverage for figure skating at 8 pm. Who is going home with the gold? Will it be Team US? Well, we’ll just have to see!

He Had A Dream

Who was he and why is he so important?
By: Mckayla Daniel and Angelique Zaragoza
January 17, 2018

       “I say to you today, my friends, though, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

 

The man who spoke these words was a man whom many looked up to and will continue to look up to for years to come. The man who spoke these words during his famous speech, “I Have a Dream,” Is Martin Luther King Jr. For those who don’t recall who this famous man was, he was an American Baptist minister and activist who became one of the most visible spokespersons and leaders for the civil rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, given the name Michael which was later changed to the name he is most known for, Martin. His grandfather began their families’ long tenure as pastors, serving from 1914 to 1931 at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. As for Martin, he served from 1960 as a co-pastor until his death. Martin Luther King attended segregated schools in his early years of life. He graduated from his high school in Georgia at the age of fifteen, in which he then went to receive a B.A degree in 1948 from Morehouse College, a distinguished Negro institution where both his father and grandfather also graduated. Martin spent three years studying theology, where he was elected president of a predominately white senior class, and later awarded the B.D., in other words, a bachelor’s degree in 1951. Martin eventually went on to acquire his doctorate in 1955 at Boston University. While he was in Boston he met his wife, Coretta Scott, an intelligent and artistic young woman. That being said, his two sons and two daughters were born into this world.

 

Dr. King was always a strong worker and believer of civil rights for members of his race, and at this time he was a member of the executive committee of the “National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.” From then on, Dr. King was ready to accept leadership of the first great Negro nonviolent demonstration in the United States. Dr. King drew inspiration from both his Christian faith and the teachings of Gandhi which led to his nonviolent movement in the late 1950’s through 60’s to achieve legal equality for African-Americans in the United States. While others were seeking freedom and used violence by any means necessary to get what they wanted, Martin Luther King Jr. used the power of his words and nonviolent resistance, including protests, organizing, and civil disobedience to achieve what seemed like impossible goals. He went on to lead similar campaigns always maintaining his faith, so that all men and women everywhere, regardless of their color, knew they were equal.

 

Some of his most important achievements include: being recruited to serve as a spokesman for the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, being elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957,leading a coalition of numerous civil rights groups in a nonviolent campaign aimed at  Birmingham in 1963, as well as driving forces behind the March for Jobs and Freedom also known as “March on Washington.” He also won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at 35 years old, making him the youngest person to ever win the Nobel Peace Prize. Partly due to the March on Washington, the legislation made it illegal to discriminate against black or other minorities in hiring, public accommodation, education and/or transportation. The next year, Congress went on to pass the Voting Rights Act and between 1965 and 1968, Dr. King shifted his focus toward economic justice and international peace, which he brought up in other campaigns that took place in Chicago and Illinois.

 

Sadly, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s less than thirteen years of nonviolent leadership ended very abruptly. On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis, Tennessee, he was assassinated. He was to lead a protest march in sympathy for the city workers, but unfortunately never showed up. King’s body was soon returned to his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia where his funeral ceremony was held.   

 

Although Dr. King’s journey ended sooner than it was supposed to, his faith and courage still remain in the hearts of many today. Martin Luther King, is the only non-president with an official holiday, showing us just how much of an impact he has made for us. Martin wanted everyone to be treated equally. He believed that color shouldn’t separate anyone. He also believed that people “shouldn't be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” In his “I Have A Dream” speech, he stated, “One day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.” He wanted the colored people and the white people to be able to unite. He had a dream and that dream is what made a huge impact on our lives.

 

His effects on our lives happened with little things at first such as refusing to use violence. Martin Luther King Jr. refused to use violence in his protests and suggested that his followers do the same. Although he refused to use violence, the police still did without hesitation. This shows that even though we fight for certain things with the intent to not inflict harm upon others, doesn’t mean others won’t.

 

One of his biggest impacts on the world was the Civil Rights Act. The Civil Rights Act's purpose was to end racial segregation and discrimination. Martin Luther King Jr did as much as he could to bring equality to all people and ensure rights for everyone despite the color of their skin. A big issue that was affected by King’s Civil Rights Movement was the bus issue. Although Rosa Parks wasn’t the first person to stand up against bus segregation, her story is well known. She failed to obey the bus drivers instructions about giving up her seat in the colored section. Soon after she refused she was arrested. Her arrest brought more attention to racial segregation. She then joined King in his Civil Rights Movement. Together they fought for African American rights.

 

Another one of King’s movements to ensure equality was the Voting Rights Act. African Americans had to go through so much just to register to vote. To register, they faced different kinds of tests such as poll taxes and literacy tests. They were intimidated, harassed, and assaulted when if they sought to vote. Civil Rights activists bound together to march from Selma to Montgomery. Great attention was brought to this incident when white law enforcement officers brutally beat the civil rights workers. The Voting Rights Act was introduced the same month. The Voting Rights Act abolished literacy tests and poll taxes that were used to deprive African American voters of their voice.

 

Both the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act had a great impact on our lives today. Most of all, Martin Luther King Jr had a major impact on our lives and on equality. Nowadays, everyone is allowed to vote despite race. Today, anyone can sit anywhere on the bus despite the color of their skin. The color of your skin doesn’t define you. It’s what's within that defines you. As King once said, “ I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Dr. King is widely regarded as one of America's most truthful advocates for nonviolence and one of the greatest leaders in world history. Martin Luther King Jr. will be remembered for a very long time; he has done a lot for the people and serves as an inspiration and symbol to many that no matter who you are or what background you come from, You are just as worthy as anyone else. We are all equal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to read Martin Luther King’s speech "I Have a Dream," please click here .

 

We also highly recommend watching him give his speech in the below video to experience the full impact of this influential figure.

April Fool's Day

By: Geanna Marcelino

03-29-18

   April Fools Day occurs the first of April every year. Although it is not a legal holiday, people around the world celebrate this day with funny jokes pulled on others. Many people celebrate this day, but do you know how it started?

In the 16th century New Years day was moved from April first to January first when the Gregorian Calendar was adopted. After the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar people continued to celebrate New Years Day on April first rather than January first.

   For those who continued to celebrate New Years Day on April first rather than January first were known as “April fools”.  People pulling pranks in April in the 16th century were known as “April Fools”. Now, April fools is celebrated around the world.

    Although April fools day is celebrated throughout the world on the same day, it is celebrated differently. In England and Canada pranks only occur in the morning. In Scotland, April fools day last 2 days. The second day consists of backside pranks, and is called ¨Taily Day¨. Victims who are pranked are referred to as gowks. Gowks is a symbol for a fool and means Cuckoo birds. In France April fools day is referred to as “Poisson d’Avril”. “Poisson d’Avril” is to represent a young, easily gullible person. During this day children tape paper fishs on each others backs and yell “Poisson d’Avril!” when the victim realizes.

   Aprils fools day is a day to be filled with laughter and jokes. In the 16th century it all started, and since then it has not died down. People all around the world are always excited when April fools day comes by because that's the only day the can pull extreme pranks and not get in trouble for it.

   Update Hate?

The world upset about the new update toward Snapchat

By: Angelica Lepe, Mario Vega

March 2nd, 2018

This new update for snapchat people don't like how it is the new update started in December 2017 and there is a lot of dislikes on the new update they want the new update to go back to the old update even Kylie Jenner had tweeted out saying “Does anyone not open snapchat anymore or is it just me” snapchat stock loses $1.3 billion off the tweet the company’s market value on monday morning 2/26/18 she hasn’t really been using the app  

 

   Snapchat says they will eventually revert the update to the previous version. There does not seem to be a specific date or if snapchat even with revert the update. It might be a rumor but others hope it's true, But there is some features some of the snapchat users like from the new snapchat update for example the font feature. The way you can add multiple text into a single snap or change the font of the text, but the update has caused 800,000 angry users to sign the petition to change the redesign. “Many users have found that it has not made the app easier to use but has in fact made many features more difficult”, which is what the petition reads.

 

   Brittany Verrinder, a Sophomore her response caught my eye. I love how her response can relate to so many people, her exact words are “It’s to complicated and whenever you chat with someone it will mix up all your chats and get you confused, and I don’t even watch people’s stories anymore because they are all mixed up. Too Complicated!” I myself can relate to this opinion I don’t like how it moves the stories of people to the very top and half of them I don’t even talk to so I agree with Brittany Verrinder.

 

   Alana Dupree is a Sophomore the way she feels about the new update on snapchat she hates it she would want the new update to go back to the previous one her opinion on the new update she said “It's just complicated to use and it was easier to use when it was the old version and I don't like how the stories are at all!!!” and she would like to see changes about snapchat she said, “ The messages and the stories how it use to be they should also let us go on live on snapchat.” She likes how the font feature is and she also likes how you can add multiple texts in one single snap she said hopefully they will change the new update soon

 

    Eric Domen, a Freshman the response he gave seemed to take sides of both hate yet enjoying it. His response says “I think the snapchat update is cool, but not great. In order to see people’s snapchat stories I have to scroll all the down my friend list” I agree as well so I’m not on snapchat that often. But,  Him answering this survey made me question why would snapchat update the app that no one ever asked for? They made it more complex and basically cramed everything together.  I hope snapchat will understand why everyone dislikes it and hope that they can revert the update and put it back to the previous version.

End of Temporary Protection

By Aliyah Moreno

​

In 2017 the life of many people had a dramatic change.They went from having a normal day to day life to being separated from family and friends and the land they grew up on. Since Trump was in the election he was always saying how he wants to build a wall to keep the immigrants out, saying that the countries would only bring their criminals to the USA. Skip forwards a couple months and ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) was going inside people’s home to deport them back to their birth country.

 

The United States is a country known to others as a safe place to go where they don't have to be judged for their way of thinking about politics,religion,and speech. This country is supposed to be a “safe haven” for people that are at risk in their own country. In the past couple of months there were new students at El Capitan High Schools that are immigrants from other countries, for example we had 2 sisters from Syria. They attended school here at El Capitan for about a month or son then just left with no goodbye,it turns out that they were deported. What makes matters worse is the US would only give them a plane ride to London then leave them there,from there they were on their own. Now they are back in Syria with their family. The United States is supposed to be The Land of the Free and yet all we hear from the government is how other countries just bring their worst people to the US to hurt us.

 

Many people that come to the US come for a better and safer place, when they come to the US they work for any job they can get, most of them do the hard labor and get payed less and are getting called horrible names by their own government that does not accept them. If u think about it from their point of view, they come to a completely new country because they were fearful of their life.They don't know anyone here so there's no one to help them and citizens are telling them and calling them things and then they hear that the President and government are saying they dont want them and calling them people that rape and kill.

Let the Change Start with You

 

Bringing awareness to domestic violence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: Angelique Zaragoza 12/1/17

Domestic Violence is violent or aggressive behavior within the home, typically involving the violent abuse of a spouse or partner. Domestic Violence has been a big issue in society. Domestic Violence Awareness month was established in October 1987 and was created to connect advocates together that wanted to bring awareness.

    

Did you know that on an average nearly twenty people per minute are physically abused by a partner? This equates to more than ten million men and woman. “One in three women and one in four men have been victims of some sort of domestic violence. One in four women and one in seven men have been victims of severe violence. One in seven women and one and eighteen men have been stalked by a spouse to the point where they were very paranoid.” On a typical day the domestic violence hotline receives more than twenty thousand reports. According to the Department of Justice, the amount of dating violence has increased by forty percent. Fifty one lives have been lost to domestic violence homicide so far in 2017. Every five days about a person is killed due to domestic violence.

    

Campaigns have been created to bring awareness to domestic violence. When we collaborate, we have a voice and that voice can be used to put an end to domestic violence. There was a movement in 1991 called the “White Ribbon” led by men in London, Ontario to fight against men’s violence against women. This movement spread overtime. The “White Ribbon” movement  became an international event in over fifty seven countries. There have been many campaigns where women as well as men come together to fight against domestic violence.

    

A woman named Katherine was in a violent relationship for years. It got to the point where the children would be abused too. The children feared their father and the mother feared her husband. Didn’t he say an oath to love her? Domestic Violence isn’t love, what is he doing? He started to isolate Katherine and the children from the people they were loved from, their family. He would threaten to “run the car off the road and kill them all.” Katherine’s husband would blame Katherine or the children for his violent acts, he brainwashed her. Katherine began to believe that everything was her fault. She didn’t believe in herself, she lost hope until she started reading about self esteem and positive affirmations. She finally reached out to an old friend and realized that she wasn’t alone. People at the Domestic Violence Center helped her and she regained her confidence and self esteem back. Finally, the court seen all the pain they went through and ordered that they have no contact with her husband no more. Katherine described this as “a big turning point” in her healing. Her reaching out to someone about the violence going on at home, changed her whole life.

    

Stand up, have a voice, fight for what you believe in. Do you think domestic violence needs to stop? If you do, fight for it. Any effort can make a change, a little move can turn into something so big. Help people that are dealing with domestic violence, help prevent this violence. Let the change start with you. One call to the National Domestic Violence Hotline can change a life within minutes. If you ever see anyone being abused or if you’re abused call the hotline asap at 1-800-799-7233. The National Domestic Violence hotline is open twenty four hours and are willing to help anyone.  This hotline has saved so many lives, let it change someone else's.

If you or someone needs help contact: 

El Capitan counseling office: (209)384-5505 or @agonzalez@muhsd.org

​

The Nation Domestic Violence Hotline:   

1-800-799-7233

​

October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By: Osvaldo Moreno & Dathon Joya

Breast cancer starts when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control. These cells usually form a tumor that can often be seen on an x-ray or felt as a lump. The tumor is malignant (cancer) if the cells can grow into (invade) surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. 


Changes or mutations in DNA can cause normal breast cells to become cancerous. Certain DNA changes are passed on from parents (inherited) and can greatly increase your risk for breast cancer. Other lifestyle-related risk factors, such as what you eat and how much you exercise, can increase your chance of developing breast cancer, but it’s not yet known exactly how some of these risk factors cause normal cells to become cancerous. Hormones seem to play a role in many cases of breast cancer, but just how this happens is not fully understood. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, not including skin cancer. Currently, the average risk of a women in the United States developing breast cancer sometime in her life is about 12%. This means there is a 1 in 8 chance she will develop breast cancer. But, fortunately, this also means there is a 7 in 8 chance she will never have the disease. 


Knowing how your breasts normally look and feel is an important part of breast health. Finding breast cancer as early as possible gives you a better chance of successful treatment. But, knowing what to look for does not take the place of having regular mammograms and other screening tests. Screening tests can help find breast cancer in its early stages, before any symptoms appear. The most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass. A painless, hard mass that has irregular edges is more likely to be cancer, but breast cancers can be tender, soft, or rounded and painful. For this reason, it is important to have any new breast mass, lump, or breast change checked by a healthcare professional experienced in diagnosing breast diseases.


There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer. But there are things you can do that might lower your risk. Many risk factors are beyond your control, such as being female and getting older. But other risk factors can be changed and may lower your risk. For women who are known to be at increased risk for breast cancer, there are additional steps that might reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Get to or stay at a healthy weight, both increased body weight and weight gain as an adult are linked with a higher risk of breast cancer after menopause. The American Cancer Society recommends you stay at a healthy weight throughout your life and avoid excess weight gain by balancing your food intake with physical activity. Be physically active; many studies have shown that moderate to vigorous physical activity is linked with lower breast cancer risk, so it’s important to get regular physical activity. The American Cancer Society recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week (or a combination of these), preferably spread throughout the week. 


There are several ways to treat breast cancer, depending on its type and stage. Types of local therapy used for breast cancer include: Surgery and Radiation therapy Systemic treatments. Depending on the type of breast cancer, different types of drug treatment might be used, including chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy. Many women can get more than one type of treatment for their cancer.


Some high school students like Selena Ramos, a junior at El Cap describes the process of Breast Cancer as, “it's sad to see someone I care about so much go through something so terrible.” Another response was from Unique Cardoza, a junior at Yosemite explains, “I hate seeing one of my closest cousins go through so much, sometimes I wish I can take away everything she's going throw.” The last students, Clara Dimas, a sophomore, and Jackie Martinez, another junior comments, “I am going to grow up and be a doctor to study breast cancer so I can make a cure for everyone that is going through breast cancer.” Jackie says she loves her older sister so much and to see her go through something that she can't stop “breaks her heart.” She started to tear up, letting people know just how much Breast Cancer can affect the person but also the ones close to them. Even though cancer is a serious disease and tough to get through everyone has a chance to fight it as long as they remain strong. 

What is Love?

Different Opinions Of Love

By: Candace Avila

What does love mean to you? Love comes in many forms and feelings. The scientific meaning of love is it comes from the brain. We all have are own opinions on what love is and how it feels. If you were asking me the most important version of love is self love. The greeks believed “you can't love other people until you love yourself” I know that may seem hard to do because we all have are own flaws but no one in this world is perfect. So we all should learn to love are flaws. Often as humans we confuse love with infatuation. Especially when you are a teenager you think you know it all and we know what love is. When we really don't and we just think we know what love is. We all have had heartbreaks in are life time till we find that one special person. 

 I've learned that love does come in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Love isn't all about candies and flowers. Love isn't about being rich or poor. It's a feeling and expression towards another person. At the end of the day there is no wrong answer to what love means to you.

I wanted to know what love meant to others so i interviewed different age groups. The first group was in there late 40s early 50s, and one of them said “love is caring for someone with a open heart and keeps no count”. Although i agree i still went on with different age groups. The next group was in there early and mid 30s and i got a mixture of meanings. One said “love stinks”. I also interviewed a couple in that age group and they got more into depth with the meaning. Saying “caring about someone's day even if your day was bad and love is selfless and doing the little things that makes that person happy”. I also thought it would be fun to ask an 11-year-old what love means to them, and their response was “probably when you don't have a normal feeling and it feels funny”.

So much craziness going on with the weather  

By: Angelica Lepe 
January 29,2018

Recently there has been a lot of weather alerts showing up on the most watched news channels, showing that states such as, Texas, Alabama, Florida, California, Tennessee and New York, have been facing terrible weather. These weather alerts go from talking about Mudslides to snow blizzards that are getting so bad to the extent that Iguanas are falling out of trees, and sharks are washing up to shore because their environment was too cold for them. With strange events happening, it really does make people question if this really is the end, there's so much going on in this world that most of us seem to grasp but many others still think that we don't need to know about it and that its not important, most of them think this way because they are scared; but it’s actually good to know these kinds of things going on in the world, without that knowledge how would we know what’s happening around us? Like with the weather for example.
The Desert Southwest has been receiving snow between January 1st-8th as well as Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, El Paso and Albuquerque. Reporters are saying that in November 2017 - October 2018 that winter will be colder than usual and also the coldest that it will ever be is in mid- january. There will also be snow in the east and west, as well as heavy rainfalls.
Diving furthermore into the animals becoming too cold in their own habitats where iguanas have been falling out of trees they were frozen some people were saying and so what they had did they had put them in the sun so they can warm the sun heats them up that was in South Florida they said that, “One of the strongest winter storms on the East Coast in modern history has pummeled cities with snow and sleet, forcing schools and businesses to close while grounding thousands of flights. And in South Florida, it is raining iguanas.”

Tennessee and Kentucky there was sleet, freezing rain and snow there was also 25 cars that were stuck on the road and also there was trucks off of the highway cars also going off of the highway too

Is It The End of the World?

Who is Santa Claus?

By Emily Pelayo

December 7, 2017

 

 

 

 

We all know of the jolly old man dressed in the red and white suit believed to be Santa Clause from the north pole but where is he really from?  There are many verison  and stories  as to how Santa was invented coming from various religions and new stories every year.

 

The origins of Santa Claus can be traced back since the third century when Saint Nicholas was born. The name Santa Claus came from Nick’s Dutch nickname which was Sinterklaas, a shortened version  of Saint Nikolaas (Dutch for Saint Nicholas) . St Nick  was the only son of wealthy Christian who raised Saint Nick to be a Christian. Saint Nick was a bishop in Myra which is a modern day city. He is known for for his piety and kindness by helping  the poor and sick with all the wealth  he inherited. Many stories have been told about his fortune and about how he would travel to poor villages to help children and unmarried women. After his death he was given his own feast day which was december 6. He was very well known in Europe so the celebration spread throughout the world.

 

During the same time the catholic church named December 25 the day of celebration of jesus birthday trying to christianized  the german pagan winter celebration of Yule which was on the same day, December 25. During Yule they would worship a god named Odin. Odin was a male with with a white beard who would fly through the sky and their characteristics began to impact the image of St Nicholas.

 

Many years and centuries later the protestant reformation which did not support the worship of saints and gift giving was moved from the 6 to the 25 of december so that it would be more focused on Jesus instead of Saint Nicholas. The church soon invented a saint named Kris Kringle, While in some countries the celebration of Saint Nick was still populars other parts abandoned the idea and in favor of father christmas which is known to be the man with the red and white suit with the jolly characteristics. Soon Sinter Claus and father christmas was merged together Santa Claus which is very well known now in modern day.

 

The visual representation was created by the company Coca Cola  however Santa has been portrayed in a red suit since the 29 century, In fact Coca Cola even claimed ¨we do not claim the color of Santa’s coat, though it has worked out quite well for us, since red is so closely related to Coca-Cola! But we did not come up with the idea of putting Santa in red clothes.¨  illustrations of the famous political cartoonist Thomas Nast and the Christmas card printed by Louis Prang was who invented the visual representation of Santa however coca cola did help.

​

 The Web at Stake

The future of net neutrality and how it affects you
By Andrew Felix
December 11, 2017 

 

An infamous phrase you most likely have not heard of: net neutrality. This is the law established February 26, 2015, where internet monitors and government were to treat all websites equally and not charger differently for different online access. It means that internet service providers should share their free networks without any conditions. The same way that cell companies shouldn’t control your forwarding and
 

The web has ‘taken over’ 81% of Americans lives! Most of us don't ever think about where the data we research is stored and what can be done with it. We would like to believe that searching the web as freely as we do will be a lifelong privilege. That carriers and companies cannot be biased and raise the fees for faster responses or even manipulate your searches. But there are no such promises.receiving calls and what you say, your service provider shouldn’t hinder your internet use and what you view. Without net neutrality carriers and the head companies could virtually slow and speed up different peoples connections depending on what they’re paying for.
 

The FCC president, Ajit Pai, is on board to destroy the rules of net neutrality. In may the FCC voted to allow Pai’s scheme to proceed.   
 

The web without Net Neutrality isn't generally the web. As we know it the web is an open platform where many turn to for absolutely everything. If Pai has his way it would turn into a shutdown system where link and telephone organizations make major decisions and choose which sites, substance or applications succeed. AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast are the top condoners for this whole fiasco. They could easily control content and shut out any applications and networks that impede their content and programs.
Not only would this have a negative effect on us people who enjoy good internet speed and free usage of the web but a significant consequence on small businesses and marginalized individuals who meet and have power on the web. It would make it a lot more difficult for kick-starting companies who rely on the web for numerous things like advertising and applications. LGBT communities and religious groups meet on the internet as well and could lose connection with each other making things inconvenient.

 

There is not much to be done. If Pie follows through net usage could never be the same and our daily lives could take a turn for the worst. Without Net Neutrality, the next Google or Facebook would never make it far... There is a short time, but if you choose to be one of the millions of Americans who chose to fight for real ‘World Wide Web’ then JOIN THE FIGHT by clicking here.


UPDATE 12/14/2017: The FCC repealed the law and net neutrality is officially dead. Many are crushed while Ajit Pai sits unharmed and laughing at our troubles. But, there is still time; the laws take a few months to take place and others speculate we will begin to see lawsuits from companies to fight against it. All we can do is remain informed, vigilant, and active to keep our online equality and democracy alive.

Tis' The Season To Be Jolly!

Traditions and Recipes for the holiday season

By: Mckayla Daniel 

13, December 2017

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! 

 

     As the weather turns cold and our breath is seen floating in the air, we know the holidays have arrived; and upon the arrival of the holidays, many traditions come along with them. After we have had our fill of turkey and stuffing, we can officially welcome the winter season with open arms. There are many cultures that are celebrated amongst our Gaucho family, many of which we don’t know about. When most of us think of the holiday season we think about Christmas and the famous Santa Claus, not about the other just as special holidays celebrated during this time of giving. In general, we are encouraged to be spirited during the holidays, as well as joyful, charitable, generous, kind and forgiving. All of these contribute to the idea of having a great holiday containing happiness and family. But it also opens up a window to a world full of celebration, culture, and tradition. While it is true that most of the students here at El Capitan celebrate Christmas, there are a select few that celebrate different holidays such as Secular Christmas (non-religious; i.e. Santa Claus, gifts, etc.), Hanukkah, New Years, and more.

 

     Many people tend to like the holidays because of the spirit that ignites within them. Spirit can be shown in many ways, whether it be decorating your house with festive Christmas lights, decorating your tree, ice skating or even cozying up by the fire watching your favorite holiday movies. But the real reason that we like the holidays is that of the traditions that arise beside them. Morgan Stanley, a student here at El Capitan commented, “To me, Christmas is when my family all gets together to talk and catch up. I really look forward to it because my family is always on the move and it is nice to see them all at once, together.” With the holidays on the way, a family is sure to follow. For most children, the holidays mean getting gifts but to the students at El Capitan, it means a lot more. “My holiday means a lot to me because it is full of laughs, spending time with family, good food, decorated houses and trees, Christmas music all December, and presents” Anisah Wali commented. We all have our favorite part(s) of the holidays but many can agree on a few. “My favorite part has to be the kind of jolly mood everyone is in around this time of year. Even though it can be stressful, it comes out great in the long run.” Julia Kellner, a sophomore here at El Cap said. It is true that around the holidays, more of us seem to be in better moods. Not only do we get time off from school, we also get to spend time with loved ones, which can be hard when some of them live far away. Another student, Noel De Melo mentioned “ I love the decorations. They just make everything feel so vibrant and happy.” This goes to show that maybe the reason for people being happy or in other words jolly on the holidays is because of the colors that shine brightly for the whole month.

 

     There’s no place like home for the holidays! Home is where the family is and during the holidays family is a big thing. To Ms. Urquizo, a math teacher here at El Capitan, family is very important She says “FAMILY!! Italia Valenzuela is my niece and Monica Medrano is my daughter, they know what it's all about.”  With family, come fond memories that last for a lifetime, and to Nayeli Alvarez her mom is one of those memories, she said, “ My mom and I love to watch Hispanic sitcoms during the winter. On Christmas Eve my family makes tamales and a bonfire we sit around to spend time with each other. With jokes aimed back and forth, laughter and chatter in the atmosphere. When it's 12 am on Christmas Eve we all get to hug each other and tell each other how much we appreciate one another. It's very heartwarming if I'm being honest.” Another student, whose most fondest memory involves his dad commented, “we always go to church on Christmas Eve and stay up until midnight. We also record a lot of it and have home movies of Christmas which started when my dad got a video camera back in the 90s.” - Eliseo Villega. As for the traditions that come to life during this month, many participate with the famous Elf on the Shelf, but not just that! Kaden Houston said, “A couple of traditions we have is we always drink eggnog and watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation”

​

     Upon celebrating the holidays with your family, most tend to decorate which can include placing colorful lights on your house, decorating your tree or placing stockings on the fireplace. All of these bring forth the holiday spirit! Over the years it is most likely that your family has developed some sort of tradition, whether it be simply watching certain holiday movies, baking or even traveling. All in all, the holidays are meant to spend time with family and to be grateful for what you have. It shows that you have a lot, even if you may not think you do. So to get a head start on the long-awaited winter break, here is a list of the top 5 most watched movies and wonderful recipes ranging from a deluxe coffee cake to the best cup of steaming hot chocolate.

 

Have an amazing winter break!

​

​

Here's the list of the top 5 movies to watch this winter break!

Click to view the Top 5 movies to watch during your winter break!

Here are 5 Recipes to kick off the start of your winter break!

Click to view full recipe and link to directions on how to prepare each holiday treat!

Happy Holidays!!!

bottom of page