On Sept. 5, 2017, President Trump decided to end the DACA program, otherwise known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. DACA allowed many undocumented immigrants to work and live in the US – and his latest decision puts approximately 800,000 immigrants in danger of deportation. This decision caused an uproar all across the country, including at Pueblo.
A day after the DACA decision, Culturally Relevant teachers came together and hosted a DACA- themed workshop to further inform the Pueblo community, offer resources, and potentially make this situation more bearable.
During the workshop, participating students were guided through research activities, along with analyzation and discussion of the actual repeal decision.
The workshop provided a very accepting environment could voice their opinions.
The following quotes are from DACA students who have chosen to remain anonymous.
“It’s great [DACA workshop], it gives people an opportunity to become aware, people may know about it, but not exactly.”
Another student said, “I’m glad we’re having this [DACA workshop], students need to be educated, sometimes adults aren’t even aware of this topic.”
“I think it’s depressing, some of them [dreamers] came here as children, sending them to places they don’t know is cruel,”
“It doesn’t make sense, people come here for opportunities, if they don’t get any, what’s the point?”
“Students need to have a voice, human rights aren’t illegal, they just are.”
DACA will be phased out with an official decision from Congress in six months. As of now, no further DACA applications will be accepted and after Oct. 5, 2017 initial and renewal applications will be disregarded.
Aside from this, numerous resources exist to help the community express themselves and support this struggle.
A few options include, (1) Text “Resist” to 504-09, a “Resist-bot” can formulate your concerns and send a letter to the members of Congress. (2) A direct call to local officials can make an immense difference, Jeff Flake: (520) 575-8633, John McCain: (520) 670-6334, and Raul Grijalva: (520) 622-6788
“I think DACA activities teach students to be aware of their rights,” said Mendibles-Muñoz. “They become advocates and develop a network they can fall back on for support.”
Principal Dr. Augustine Romero takes a moment to observe Eclipse 2017
On Monday, August 21, 2017, hundreds of our Pueblo Warriors witnessed their first significant solar eclipse. Although Tucson was able to view just a partial eclipse, for many it was a cosmic experience.
Arizona Partial Eclipse 2017
A solar eclipse an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when the moon passes between earth and the sun—thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the sun for a viewer on earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon’s apparent diameter is larger than the sun’s, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across earth’s surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometers wide.
Eclipse Path 2017
This year’s total eclipse was visible to tens of millions of Americans—from Oregon to South Carolina.
Dr. Lolly Levine, one of Pueblo’s science teachers, was able to travel to Glendo State Park in Wyoming, to view the total eclipse.
“During the total eclipse moment, the sky became very dark, and the temperature drastically dropped down to 10 degrees!” Levine said. “The eclipse was heavenly—it gave me goose bumps. No clouds—the sky was perfect. The eclipse was definitely an experience of a lifetime.”
Back here at Pueblo, Tucsonans were able to view about 59% of the eclipse.
Partial Eclipse
Junior Andrew Romero said, “Only in [partial or total] darkness is when we can truly see the beauty outside our little blue planet that we call ‘home’.”
Ismael Altamirano, a senior, said that the eclipse was a “phenomenal” experience. “However, I really hated sharing my glasses with sweaty strangers.”
Another student, senior Riana Lara, said, “The eclipse was a beautiful sight to see—so amazing to have a total eclipse in this country after so many years.”
Science teacher, Ms. Wilma Amaro said “[The eclipse was] auspicious.”
Campus monitor Ms. Nellie Rivera said, “I thought [the eclipse] was more hyped than it was supposed to be, but at least it brought people together.”
Senior Calista Gonzales said, “The eclipse was lit!”
Unfortunately, not all Warriors were able to see the eclipse. Pueblo’s principal Dr. Augustine Romero announced to the school that unless students had parental permission—and had exclusive solar eclipse glasses that safely allowed students to view the eclipse—students were not permitted to leave their classrooms. Some teachers, too, did not release students during the peak time of the eclipse in Tucson—at 10:36 a.m.—which coincided with third period.
Senior Mercedes Sanchez said, “I was locked in a classroom during the eclipse.”
Vivi Cruz, another senior, was saddened that her teacher would not allow her to leave class to view the eclipse. “I heard that we were suppose to have permission slips in order to view the eclipse,” Cruz said, “and I didn’t have the special glasses. I heard that there will be another solar eclipse near Arizona [passing through Northern Mexico into Texas and beyond] in 2024, so maybe I can see that one.”
Math teacher Mr. Gregory Obregon said, “I missed the peak [of the eclipse]. I wasn’t able to go up to Nebraska to see the total—eclipse.”
Some Warriors are “old enough” to recall the February 26, 1979 eclipse, which was the last total eclipse in the United States prior to the 2017 event. Unfortunately, only the northwestern states experienced a total eclipse; Arizona, was able to view another partial 38 years ago.
Dr. Romero, principal, said, “This eclipse was not my first. I was in sixth grade back in 1979, and I think the first eclipse is always the most impressive and historical. Still, the eclipse [this year] was very interesting, and I got to view it with glasses—to see the crescent-shaped sun.”
Mr. Rana Medhi, English and journalism teacher, said, “I was a junior in high school during the big ’79 eclipse—still I remember my algebra class going outside to view it. In those days, nobody made a big deal out of wearing special glasses. Maybe that’s why everybody needed glasses before graduation day in 1980.” He paused and said, “I’ve never seen a total eclipse, but I’d like to before I die.”
Mr. Rana Medhi & Mrs. Kathryn Gunnels checking out the Eclipse 2017
Although there have been total eclipses in the United States in the past century, this was the first to coast-to-coast event in 99 years. The next U.S. coast-to-coast total eclipse won’t occur until August 12, 2045, according to NASA.
However, there will be total eclipses in the United States that won’t be bi-coastal, including the event on April 8, 2024, just seven years from now—visible from northern Mexico and extending into central Texas and stretching all of the way up to New England. Many Warriors are already saving their money for that event.
Eclipse Path 2024
“Texas isn’t that far from Arizona,” said senior Calista Gonzales, “and I plan to make a road trip with my friends to Austin or San Antonio to see the total eclipse! Heck yeah!”
Some students wanted the event to last longer.
Senior Alina Perez said, “I waited so long to watch something [that lasted] so short.”
This past January, Ms. Rachael Sedgwick became TUSD’s newest member after a very narrow victory in the November 2016 election. In early May 2017, Sedgwick spoke to journalism students about her first five months in office.
Sedgwick boasted about being an Arizona native. In fact, she was born in Nogales, AZ, although she completed her education in many different places. Sedgwick attended middle school in Pennsylvania, high school in Connecticut and attended four different colleges.
Sedgwick said she has always been passionate about education, and she knew early on that she wanted to make a difference in people’s lives, so she began teaching—and did so for 12 years.
On one occasion, one of her professors asked her class, “Why do you want to be a teacher?”
Sedgwick answered, “For the kids.”
The professor replied, “Then go home and have some.”
It was at this time that Sedgwick said that she wanted to make a change in the educational system. Her first endeavor was to apply for law school; she was accepted.
She also ran to become a member of the TUSD School Board in order to help change the negative perception of the district; Sedgwick was the victor in a very close election against Betts Putnam-Hidalgo in last November’s election.
“I’m here [on the School Board] to try to change the negative perception of the district by making the district and people realize that investing their time and money in education is investing in everyone’s future,” said Sedgwick.
Sedgwick admitted that it is difficult to keep one’s political views out of the dialogue among her other four school board members.
“Some people like to use these positions [being on school boards, etc.] to enhance their own career,” Sedgwick said. “We [on the TUSD School Board] need to stay focused on the issues affecting this district. A lot of people view TUSD negatively, and with more work, I know that we can change this negative perception.”
She added that Dr. Gabriel Trujillo, the interim TUSD Superintendent who superseded Dr. H. T. Sanchez after his resignation in March, is one of the candidates for the permanent superintendent position. Sedgwick and the other school board members have barely begun the process of evaluating candidates.
For now, Sedgwick said she wants to stay positive and hopeful—and to pass the Bar Exam this summer.
Assistant Principal Frank Rosthenhausler at Pueblo High School announced that the amount of physical altercations this year has stayed “relatively the same as last year and the year before that.”
At the beginning of this school year, last August, the disciplinary action for fights changed from just having a three-day suspension. After November, this TUSD policy changed to having a “Big F”, which is a code to indicate the severity of a fight, which usually results in a student being suspended for three days. A “Little F” is a code that results in a three-day in-school suspension, usually requiring a student to spend those days with Mr. Mario Reyes, Pueblo’s ATS (Alternative To Suspension) teacher.
However, if there are any threats on Facebook, and this becomes public on school campus, this offense will have to be counted as a school threat, resulting in more severe consequences, Rosthenhausler said.
According to Rosthenhausler, there were approximately 17 total fights this school year.
He said that freshmen continue to cause the most drama on campus, and they make up the majority of physical altercations at Pueblo. Rosthenhausler said that the primary excuse for most fights was girls fighting over boys.
“The old cliché of ‘girls getting cheated on and wanting to fight the other girls’ is very common,” he said.
Rosthenhausler added, “Kids who don’t have issues resolved during their elementary and middle school years often bring those unresolved issues with them to high school.”
“When I first got to Pueblo, about five years ago, , I didn’t think there would be a lot of violence, but that quickly changed. These disciplinary problems are sometimes overwhelming.”
According to Mr. Mario Reyes, there are ways that Pueblo can reduce the number of altercations.
“With the restorative practice—which is detecting an issue before the situation gets out of hand—and finding quick ways to resolve these issues, we can minimize the number of altercations,” Reyes said. “We can also increase awareness of tensions and have more respect for one another, which would really help to ease tensions.”
On March 29, 2017, during 4th period (and first lunch for some), Pueblo’s CTE Graphic and Web Design teacher, Mr. Ernesto Somoza, gathered all of the spring sports girls’ teams—including soccer, basketball, volleyball, softball (as well as Cheer)—to celebrate their upcoming “AIA Tony Komadina Award” with a group picture.
This picture was taken a little unusual; in fact, a drone snapped the picture in effort to “stay in the current world,” Somoza explained. “[The drone] is a fairly new consumer product,” he added. “A year ago, the drone wasn’t as prominent as now.”
Freshman (Class of 2020) Jacquelyn Gutierrez, a member of Cheer this season, was part of the crowd. “It was exciting to be part of this event,” Gutierrez said. “I felt inclusive with Pueblo—like I was a member of this great school, like I was really connected to the school. As a freshman, this is a great feeling because I think we all come into high school and feel a little left out. But, that’s all changed now.”
Another freshman (Class of 2020) Alina Cuen, member of cheer, also took part of the crowd photo and said, “I felt special and proud to represent Pueblo. The drone was definitely a unique way to take our pictures. Mr. Somoza was brilliant to have thought of this approach.”
Sophia Shivers, a freshman (Class of 2020), was on this season’s girls’ JV basketball team said, “Even though it was really hot that afternoon, I felt cool to represent Pueblo’s girls’ sports programs. The drone was cool, too, and I think that this is how future group pictures should be taken.”
Sophomore (Class of 2019) Yazmin Almazan, a member of the girls’ JV volleyball team this season, said that she felt a sense of unity with the other girls at Pueblo, and she loved the drone!
“The drone took some very unique shots of us—pictures that a person would never be able to take. I hope that the drone is used again to take more interesting pictures,” Almazan said.
Pueblo’s National Honor Society (NHS) continues its highly reputable status. This organization continues to corral some of Pueblo’s highest-achieving students—not only in academics but also in character.
The requirements for being in NHS continue to be very specific and very high. Students are required to earn at least a 3.6 grade point average (GPA), have some community service experience, possess a “good” character, including having leadership experience and/or motivation to be a great leader.
NHS is a community service-based club, serving the needs not only at Pueblo but also the community itself. This year, for example, NHS has committed to fundraising for Pima Animal Care Center (PACC). NHS students have raised money from car washes and other activities to raise funds for the PACC.
According to NHS sponsor Ms. Kelly Crane, “We raise money so they [Pima Animal Care Center] can use it as they need.”
NHS currently has 63 members. Of these, 29 are new members joining this spring semester. Crane reported that 20 seniors in NHS will be graduating with honors in May.
One of those seniors, Valentino Lugo, president of NHS, said that this club helps contribute to society by getting students to volunteer because that is the way to get into this club besides having high grades.
Valentino said, “I have really liked being president this school year because it’s a good way to communicate with everybody in the school. I’ve really gotten to know a lot of underclassmen.”
He added that although he has enjoyed the privilege and prestige of being one of Pueblo’s most elite clubs, he is ready to “pass the torch” onto somebody else next year.
On Sept. 5, 2017, President Trump decided to end the DACA program, otherwise known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. DACA allowed many undocumented immigrants to work and live in the US – and his latest decision puts approximately 800,000 immigrants in danger of deportation. This decision caused an uproar all across the country, including at Pueblo.
