Like any other year
Posted on May 21, 2019 by Rafael Hernandez in Op-Ed
Rafael Hernandez
Chronicle Reporter
A good two weeks before graduation day and so far senior year has felt like any other year. I made new friends and tried new things. The senior project was not so hard but time consuming. Applying to colleges in November was fun and exciting, applying for FAFSA was a little stressing, and finding out whether I got accepted into the colleges I applied to was very scary.
Senior Breakfast at Dave & Buster’s was fun but the food did not satisfy my expectations. The bagel was hard as a rock and the eggs tasted disgusting. The bacon was dripping in grease. Yuck. The fun part about it were the games.
The one thing that was very disappointing about senior year was the lack of senior activities. I’d say that the only one was Senior Breakfast. Disneyland didn’t feel at all worth the price.
That is why senior year felt like any other year.
Fewer shortened days, more minimum days next year
Posted on May 6, 2019 by Rafael Hernandez in News
Rafael Hernandez
Chronicle Reporter
From May 2 to 3 before class started in the morning faculty members voted on whether to change next year’s 2019-2020 school schedule.
A email sent out by the school principal showed the results:
* Our current OPTION A of 22 banked Tuesdays of Professional Development for the 2019-20 school year VOTE, fell short of the 2/3 majority for classified and certificated.
Therefore, we shall have OPTION B
* 14 banked Tuesdays of Professional Development for the 2019-20 school year
* 10 minimum days
According to Lee Tuomala UTLA Chapter chair three of four extra minimum days will be going towards finals while one is still undecided.
Furry Friends
Posted on April 23, 2019 by Rafael Hernandez in Op-Ed
Rafael Hernandez
Chronicle Reporter
Since I was little I’ve always wanted a dog. My parents always turned down my request because we aren’t able to care for a dog and our apartment isn’t big enough. When I was nine my parents bought me a bird. I found that I was pretty good with birds, they easily trusted me and found that caring for one was very easy. Throughout the years I got different kinds of birds like Doves, Lovebirds, Finches, Budgerigars, and Cockatiels. After a while we either let them go or we give them away to family members we know will take care of them.
Recently I’ve been taking care of two cockatiels that lift my spirits when i come home after school. I’ve had one since freshman year and took in another my junior year. Cockatiels are friendly birds if treated well. Usually when I get home I let them out of their cage to wonder around the apartment. They have gotten use to their surroundings which makes it easier for me to take care of them. Occasionally they eat with us at the dinner table and have their own plate. They like to eat scrambled eggs and rice. I usually have them in my room after school, they like being on my shoulder or on top of my laptop.
I went around school and asked students if they have any pets at home and if so what do they mean to them?
TCA Junior Joseph Guerrero said, “I have two dogs named Leno and coco, these pets mean so much since most of my pets ran away or have died. So these are the first pets I’ve had in a while so I cherish them and try to hold on to them as much as possible. My pets mean the world to me!”
TCA Senior Jonathan Hernandez said, “Yes, I have a dog. Her name is Maggie. She means a lot to me because I can rely and depend on her to make me happy on my down days.”
NMA Senior James Mezovari said, “I do, one of them is named Pablo while the other is Bella. They’re okay. Bella is annoying and Pablos is too but I still love them.”
PAM Senior Daisy Pinto said,”I have two cats and their names are Oreo & Albert. I’ve only had them for a couple of months but they mean the world to me I love both equally.”
Short or long periods?
Posted on March 20, 2019 by Rafael Hernandez in Op-Ed
Rafael Hernandez
Chronicle Reporter
From middle school to my first year of high school I grew to the comfort of block schedule.
Three classes a day for two hours. There were benefits from it like having more time in class to finish assignments or homework wouldn’t be due the next day. The thing I dislike about it is that every class is about two hours and sitting for two hours straight can be very draining.
I went around school and asked two students on how do they feel about block schedule and which do they prefer, normal or block schedule?
TCA Senior Giselle Santiago said, “I prefer block schedule because we get time to catch up on work and as a senior it really piles up.”
PAM Senior Daisy Pinto said, “I feel like the block schedule is better because you don’t go to all six classes and feel stressed about multiple assignments due the next day and if your in a class you like you should have no problem.”
I personally don’t like block schedule because I don’t like being stuck with the same people for two straight hours. I like seeing other people and having different conversations throughout the day.
Metro’s “big” change
Posted on March 5, 2019 by Rafael Hernandez in Op-Ed
Rafael Hernandez
Chronicle Reporter
Before 2018 ended the LA Metro Board of Directors approved on Dec. 6 to give trains letter names over keeping the color system. I think that this approved plan will not be a huge change at all and that train riders will still call them by their current names. This approved plan won’t be implemented till 2028 when the Olympics is set to happen in LA.
I went around school and asked a student and a teacher who ride the train on a daily basis how they felt about the change and if they prefer the current system or the new one.
NMA Senior James Mezovari said, “I don’t like that change. Everything right now is simple and easy to understand. By changing the system most people will get confused, I prefer the color system.”
TCA Senior Natalia Torres said, “I think it’s pointless because everybody knows it as it is right now. So why change it? Just to confuse people? I prefer the color system because the new system is pointless.”
Color system over to letter system names (Draft):
Blue line -> A train
Red line -> B train
Green line -> C train
Purple line -> D train
Gold line -> E train
New rail lines going to be added:
K train ( LAX to Torrance )
Q train ( Sylmar to West LA )
S train ( Downtown LA to Artesia )
Visiting Abandon Mall
Posted on February 11, 2019 by Rafael Hernandez in Op-Ed
Rafael Hernandez
Chronicle Reporter
During my sophomore year my friends and I decided to visit an abandon mall. A mall only an hour and a half away from Downtown LA. We did not know what expect. We were also expecting not to get in. When we finally arrived we walked around the mall till we noticed that a fence blocking the entrance to the parking lot was wide open. After a long debate on whether we should try to get into the mall or not. We decided to go in and not take this very big opportunity. We eventually found a hole on the wall and one by one we all entered.
It was very cold and very quiet. The cold air coming from the hole on wall and the sunshine coming in through the open roof was very soothing. You can hear drops of water dripping from the roof. It was very relaxing, we all sat in the middle of the floor taking it all in. We then continued to look around till the sunset.
The day I met Mayor Eric Garcetti
Posted on January 30, 2019 by Rafael Hernandez in Op-Ed
Rafael Hernandez
Chronicle Reporter
It was freshmen year only a few months before my first year of high school ended. I had been taking pictures with my camera for only 9 months and didn’t really have a clue as to what I wanted to do. I would always take the Gold Line and ended up in Sierra Madre the last station. I found out that the Gold Line is getting an extension and will open up in just few weeks. I was very excited and couldn’t wait for that day to come. Riding the Gold Line various times during my freshman year that just the thought of new stations opening made me very happy because it meant I’d get to visit places I’ve never been before.
The day finally came and I got up right on time. Got my camera and headed out. It takes about 40 minutes from Union Station to Sierra Madre. I thought that the train would continue to the new stops but when I got to Sierra Madre they made all the passengers get off and form a line to get onto a train that runs to the new stations. While waiting to get onto a train everybody suddenly started looking towards the back of the line. I turned around out of curiosity and saw the Mayor. He was shaking hands with those waiting in line. Eventually he was shaking hands with the person behind me and I genuinely didn’t know what to say or how to act.
He then came to me and I smiled, shook his hand and had a good three minute conversation with him about what I wanted to pursue after high school. I then eventually got on the train and visited all the new stops.
Sat with Raf
Posted on November 27, 2018 by Rafael Hernandez in Op-Ed
Rafael Hernandez
Chronicle Reporter
It was early in the morning, on my way to Hollywood High. I got on the 207 bus and noticed that nobody was sitting next to this African American homeless man. I’ve been riding the bus my whole life and learned to not care who was in the bus. If I saw an empty seat I’ll sit. I smiled at the man and he smiled back. I sat down and put my camera in my backpack, the man saw that I put my camera away and immediately told me that my camera reminded him of his youth and when he worked at universal studios. I introduced myself and he introduced himself. Ironically his name was Raf which immediately lighten up my morning. He talked about how he would work there every summer and the fun experience he had working with friends. He talked about how he saw all the backstage things and how everything worked.
Sometimes people we ignore have the best stories and experience in life.
Book review: We All Looked Up
Posted on November 5, 2018 by Rafael Hernandez in Op-Ed
Rafael Hernandez
Chronicle Reporter
‘We All Looked Up’ by Tommy Wallach is a book of four teenagers perspective on their last month of humanity before an asteroid strikes. The four teenagers, Eliza, Peter, Andy, and Anita put their hearts together to throw a party on the day the asteroid “Ador” is supposed to hit. Together they go through many adventures putting a plan for the party.
I personally enjoyed reading the book because it put me through different emotions and getting to know the characters was really amazing. The best thing about the book is how all four teenagers are very connected and come together to throw the biggest party for everyone to enjoy rather than feeling hopeless. Although the book is 416 pages long it the story is worth reading.
Art therapy can help reduce stress
Posted on October 22, 2018 by Rafael Hernandez in Op-Ed
Rafael Hernandez
Chronicle Reporter
The form of art therapy that helps me reduce my stress is photography. The way that photography helps to reduce my stress is that it distracts me from the loads of school work I have waiting for me back home. It also makes me bring out the creative side of myself and adding to that it lets me express want I am feeling into a picture. Photography is most fun when you have your friends with you exploring the different kinds of neighborhoods around the city. I personally like taking pictures at night when there aren’t much people in the streets and you are able to do whatever you want. Seeing the city during the night from afar is very beautiful and soothing.
Art therapy can be any form of art like painting, collaging, digital art, photography and textile. I recommend to find the form of art that helps you reduce your stress cause forgetting about something is way better than sticking with the feeling of stress. Buy a coloring book or play around with photoshop, anything that makes you use your creative side will most definitely help you reduce your stress.
