Winter Sports Assembly Blows In The Wind

By Victoria Cazares

Class of 2023 Seniors

Pueblo High School’s second assembly of this school year, hosted on Feb. 17 on the football field, focused primarily on the successes of winter sports and generating school spirit for the triumphant programs this season.

Due to bad weather conditions—strong winds and very cool temperatures—some students did not enjoy the experience. Construction projects in the gym prevented the assembly from being inside.

Student Council President Marina Martinez said, “The wind made it hard to decorate, and having the assembly indoors would have been better. Usually the weather is beautiful in February. Unfortunately, we can’t predict the future when planning assemblies.”

The assembly was initiated by senior Gabriel Aguayo playing the National Anthem on his trumpet.

“I was very excited to play [at the assembly], although I was a bit nervous,” Aguayo said. “However, the hype from everybody inspired me to be my best and ended up sounding amazing.”

Throughout the assembly, winter sports were highlighted, and two games of “musical chairs” were played between each class, which helped students focus on school spirit instead of the windy, cold weather.

STUCO President Martinez said, “Everything ended up turning out great, and we hope we can generate even more school spirit at the next assembly.”

The Student Council representatives kept their class enthused, and in the end, the senior class of 2023 retained the “spirit stick”.

“My seniors really showed a lot of energy, excitement and pride for their class,” said senior Mia Rodriguez. “We were all serious about keeping the spirit stick.”

The assembly was curtailed about 15 minutes, and this disappointed a lot of students.

“We didn’t want to go into ‘overtime’ again,” said Martinez, “so the assembly ended long before it should have. Next time, we’ll need to come up with a ‘Plan B’ to fill the entire assembly time.”

Despite the bad weather and challenges with the assembly, students were still elated that they had a chance to show their Warrior spirit.

“The energy and excitement at the assembly was one of a kind,” said senior Mason Weisbrook. “I’ll never forget the chalk and baby powder and all of the seniors’ chants. We made the most of a rough situation [the weather] by having the assembly outside.”

Pueblo students look forward to the next assembly to commemorate the springs sports programs, which will be held sometime in April, according to Martinez. This final assembly will also celebrate the seniors, who will be just weeks away from graduating.

New Trend Alert: Cyberbullying?

By Marla Terminel

Cyberbullying

As we approach the end of an everlasting semester, the changing seasons are accompanied by an even greater conflict, which involves hundreds of Pueblo High School students as well as faculty being harassed on the internet.

Dozens of social media accounts have surfaced on platforms such as Instagram, where nonconsensual photos are being posted of students at school.

“It [posting nonconsensual images on the internet] isn’t new,” said assistant principal Ms. Kathryn Gunnels. “Since the beginning of social media, we have seen these forms of harassment, and to the students [making the accounts], it’s harmless, but they don’t know that what they’re doing is against the law.”

Although some of the accounts showcase images of vandalism and public property, others exclusively target students by posting photos of them asleep in class, eating or using the restroom.

“I heard that the accounts started with ‘fan pages’ of [Principal] Mr. Frank Rosthenhausler,” said music teacher, Mr. Jesus Jacquez. “There are so many of them now, and I don’t think this is a battle the school should have to fight.”

Many accounts have already vanished off the social media platforms per the request of administration, but some have remained active and continue to post photos of students and staff.

Senior Erycka Morales said, “As someone who has been posted on one of the accounts, I see how some people are uncomfortable being posted without their permission. I know that most of the accounts will delete a picture if you ask them to.”

Gunnels added that as of now, Tucson Police Department is being involved in the investigation. No student has been caught, but administration suspects that majority of the accounts are ran by the same group of underclassmen.

“We [administration] are starting by requesting the deletion of these accounts.” said Gunnels. “Normal efforts are not working, so we will contact Instagram if the issue persists—and punishment may go as far as expulsion.”

Many of the accounts are already starting to disappear from the platforms, but administration is actively working to find out who runs the accounts so they could be taken down as long as they are not being taken down anonymously.

“We live in a digital world where it is inevitable at this point where you’ll end up in a picture,” added Jacquez. “We have already seen the behavioral issues this year, especially coming from the freshman class. I’m just worried that if the school continues to fight this, more content than necessary will be taken down over the bad choices of others.”

Diabetes-1: Not Getting The Best Of Me

By Deleah Grijalva 

When people think of diabetes, an automatic assumption is that a person eats too much sugar and is out of shape. Although diet and weight may be factors for Diabetes-2, few people seem to know the difference between Diabetes-1 and Diabetes-2. 

Type One Diabetes is an auto immune disease; a person’s pancreas does not produce insulin, a hormone that the body uses to convert glucose (sugar) into energy. Sometimes that process does not work properly; the body does not have insulin, and therefore, the glucose just stays stagnant in the blood, which is toxic. The harsh reality is that if Type One Diabetics do not have access to insulin, it is fatal. 

Some people do not even know they are Type One Diabetics. I found out the hard way… 

I received my confirmation of having Diabetes Two barely a year ago—on November 1, 2019, at 16 years old. One never forgets the date they receive the news because your life is forced into a major transition. The previous summer, I had lost more than 35 pounds without even trying, and my hair started falling out. I was constantly having to urinate, and my mood swings were like a pendulum on steroids! At this point, my mom decided that it was time to schedule an appointment with my doctor. 

Lo and behold—I received my diagnosis; it was like a slap in the face. 

Soon thereafter, I began my frequent visits to the Angel Clinic at Banner Hospital that serves the medical needs of diabetic children. There, I learned everything about Diabetes-1, and at times, this new knowledge was stressful and overwhelming. I had to alter my entire lifestyle. I learned, for example, that I had to always carry insulin, sugar and a glucagon (an emergency medical treatment for a low blood sugar in case I become unconscious) with me. Everywhere. 

I wish it were that simple… 

With Type One Diabetes, I have to also had to recognize and deal with low blood sugar levels and highs—constantly monitoring my numbers. If my blood sugar level dips below 70, I immediately need a fast-acting sugar (orange juice or candy, such as Skittles) before I become unconscious. I recognize the feeling when this occurs; actually, the symptoms are difficult to ignore; I become shaky, dizzy and weak. 

When I experience high blood sugar levels, I need to inject insulin using a specific calculation and guzzle down water or go on a walk. (This happens when my sugar levels reach 250; most people’s blood sugar is WHAT?). I also have to check for ketones—urinating on a stick and comparing the color to the colors on the bottle and pray that I have a “normal” color; otherwise, I need to be rushed to the hospital because I have DKA (Diabetic Keto Acidosis) which means there is poison in my blood from having too much sugar or carbs and not giving myself insulin. 

My sugar levels can escalate for many reasons: excessive stress, eating foods with too many carbs, and sometimes not eating enough. Many people must prick their fingers to determine their glucose levels, but thankfully for me that is not the case; I now have a device called a Dexcom G6, a machine that is inserted into either my arms, stomach or thighs that continuously monitors my glucose. Every five minutes, I receive a message through an app on my cellphone that informs me of my sugar levels. 

Two kinds of insulin are keeping me alive. One is called Humalog (fast acting insulin) that I use after every time I eat or when my sugar is high. The other insulin is called Lantus (long lasting insulin) that I inject into my body at 8 p.m. every day. My immune system is greatly compromised, which is why I have had to be extremely careful not to contract COVID-19. 

Undoubtedly, Type-One Diabetes is a lot to handle. Although it’s less frequent, I still ask, “Why me…?” Then, I realize that I am just one of 1.25 million Americans living with this condition, and the rates are expected to increase dramatically over the next 30 years. According to Dr. Sanjoy Dutta, vice president of research at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, “The number of cases is alarming, and we have to stop it from growing. The first line of message is that knowledge is power, and that while we don’t have a preventative therapy in our lineup yet, just knowing about Type 1 diabetes is important. No one is spared. Anyone can get diabetes—and at any age.” 

Currently, there is still no cure for Diabetes-1. 

I have my good days, and I have my bad days, but even in my challenging moments, I refuse to let this disease defeat me or assail upon my lack of hope that someday a doctor will tell me, “I have a cure for you.” 

If you are feeling some of the symptoms that I have described, please let a parent know, and make them schedule a medical appointment. Ignoring your symptoms—no matter how big or how small—is never a remedy.

Class of 2023 Freshmen Finding Their Way Through First Semester

by Ismael Angulo & Alina Cuen

Pueblo High School Class Of 2023

Every new school year at Pueblo High School, many freshmen seem to struggle to transition to high school—from being “kings/queens of the hill” in middle school to feeling insignificant as ninth graders in a new environment.

Even though we’re close to the end of the first semester, several freshmen admitted that they were challenged by their first few days at Pueblo back in August—including getting lost finding their classes or being confused about which lunch to take. Now, at the near-end of the first semester, most freshmen have found a routine and admit to enjoying their new school. Truly, they have found their ways…

Kortez Rodriguez, one of the more than nearly 500 freshmen this year at Pueblo, said, “This first quarter wasn’t as confusing as it could have been for me because a lot of upperclassmen helped guide me. Not all upperclassmen hate freshmen!”

Transitioning from a middle school to a high school can be a big milestone for many freshmen.

Freshman Eve Woods feels proud of herself to have earned a perfect GPA for first quarter, but she admits that she had her share of personal challenges.

“It was difficult to put myself out there,” Woods said. “But, in the end, I found that being involved in volleyball really helped me to meet new people.”

Woods suggest that all freshmen should become involved with an activity because it will help them to establish new friends and to help them feel that they are part of a community.

Another freshman, Issac Palomo, said that making new friends has been his biggest struggle.

“I came to Pueblo from Pueblo Gardens, and only friend from that school came with me here,” Palomo said.

“I plan to get involved with sports,” Palomo added, “and this will hopefully help me to make more friends at Pueblo.”

Pueblo counselor Ms. Marian Finley said that freshmen have many opportunities to transition smoothly into high school.

“Freshman Experience is a great program for incoming freshman, and this past summer, we had a record number of participants,” Finley said. “Each student gained high school exposure and one-half credit to start off their freshman year.”

New Student Embraces Pueblo Despite ‘Culture Shock’

by Genesis Alba

Dr. Levine & Lorenzo Menor

Since September. 1, Class of 2021 Junior Lorenzo Menor has been adjusting to American life, including a new school, after nearly 16 years of living in his native Philippines, more than 8,000 miles from Tucson.

Despite the educational system at Pueblo High School being very different than the Philippines, he said that he is finding his way around.

“There are so many opportunities here [in Tucson and America], around every corner,” Menor said, “and I just want to take advantage of as many as possible.”

Currently, Menor is earning straight A’s.

“Even though my grades are high, I’m still experiencing culture shock,” he added. “I’m not used to classrooms being so informal. Students and teachers are much more ‘chill’ with one another. In the Philippines, we students were often intimidated by our educators.”

Two years ago, Menor’s father moved from the Philippines and landed a math teaching job at St. John’s Catholic School, and the rest of the family were reunited two months ago.

“Tucson has been great so far,” Menor said. “I’m glad that our family is together at last.”

Menor’s mother is trying to find a permanent teaching job, and she is currently substitute-teaching. He also has a younger sister.

“I’m trying to keep myself busy,” he said. “I’m emotionally recovering from a breakup with my girlfriend. The distance killed our relationship.”

Despite feeling “lost” without her, Menor said that life is “a beautiful gift.”

“We all have our own journeys, and we need to respect them, as well as others,” Menor said.

Recently, he found out that he has been accepted to an apprenticeship at the University of Arizona—related to medical ignorance. Dr. Lolita Levine, Pueblo science teacher, helped him with the paperwork.

“Even though I plan to major in computer science, I’m going to take full advantage of this experience,” Menor said. “I’m going to be making minimum wage [$12/hour] for eight hours each day while learning at the same time. How lucky am I?”

As for the rest of the school year, he hopes to get out of his “slump” and become more social. “I know I need to work on my confidence,” he said. “I need to take advantage of all of the opportunities that are available in this country. I don’t think American [students] know the true meaning of poverty. Go to the Philippines. I’ll show you poverty.”