Celebrate Earth Day
by Sofie Zuniga
Earth day takes place on April 22. The very first Earth Day was in 1970 when a senator from Wisconsin established a demonstration to raise awareness and environmental issues. Earth day was formally established by the E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Agency).
The way people celebrated earth day was by picking up litter and planting trees. Now there are many ways to celebrate earth day or even incorporate these habits into your everyday life; plants trees, limit water use, conserve energy, and spread the word to encourage others.
A junior at Fresno High School, Matthew Snyder shared, “I think people should do more for our planet not just on earth day but every day because we live on this planet and should be held accountable for taking care of it.”
Source: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/celebrations/article/earth-day
Block Schedule
by Aris Cookson
Over the next two weeks, from April 20 to May 1(excluding Tuesdays, which are minimum days), the school will follow a different schedule for junior state testing. The schedule is organized using odd and even days. On Mondays and Thursdays, students will attend odd-numbered periods (1, 3, and 5), while Wednesdays and Fridays will be reserved for even-numbered periods (2, 4, and 6).
Period 1/2 will run from 8:30 to 10:30, and period 3/4 from 10:36 to 12:39, followed by lunch from 12:39 to 1:14. After lunch, period 5/6 will run from 1:20 to 3:20. This block schedule differs from the normal schedule and is designed to give students more time to complete their tests.
Both weeks will be dedicated to different subjects. This setup allows students to concentrate on one subject at a time instead of juggling multiple tests in a single week. Although this may help with focus, the longer class periods can be tiring for many students.
Not everyone is excited about the change. Jelena Vang, a junior who has to take the tests, shared her opinion: “I have mixed feelings about block schedules. I get tired, but I think it’s good for testing. However, when you have to stay there constantly without breaks, that’s when I start to feel really tired and frustrated.” Her reaction reflects how many students feel about the upcoming weeks. While the schedule is intended to support testing, many students, especially those who are not juniors, are not looking forward to the longer periods, and juniors are concerned about the pressure that comes with state exams.
Open Mic Night
by Joas Cruz
On Thursday, April 9 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm, an open mic was held in the Fresno High School Library. Organized by our librarian, Ms. Sabrina White, this event had a board full of speakers, poets, teachers, and even volunteer students. Seasoned writers and those willing to share held this event open to the public. They expressed themselves with diversity.
Through personal poems, speakers were able to share emotions with audience members. The losses, mental health journeys, and cultural representation. Poems written by others, song covers, and even self-composed songs were performed. The songs covered by students, “Tomorrow” from the Broadway production of Annie and “My Love Mine All Mine” by the artist Mitski sent a wave of chills through the audience members.
The audience showed gratitude by applauding after every performance. This event recognized talent, while the community honored the confidence and bravery within the guests.
Recap of the Annual Band Carnival
by Valerie Juarez
The annual Band Carnival was a resounding success. Held on April 24, the festivities began at 5:00 PM and continued until around 7:30 PM, allowing everyone ample opportunity to enjoy the band performances. The Band Boosters kept the audience entertained with a variety of snacks and gifts for sale.
Elihana Torres shared, “I enjoyed the concert band portion of the evening because I was nervous for the jazz portion.” This year’s performances were impressive. Our Winter Percussion showcased their winter competition piece despite the limited space, delivering a commendable performance. The Winter Guard also captivated the crowd with their impressive tosses and cohesive skills.
It’s always thrilling to witness the level of musical talent these students bring to our school. To conclude the evening, we enjoyed performances from both the Concert Band and the Jazz Band. If you’re a music enthusiast, you’re sure to appreciate both acts. Overall, it was a wonderful way to celebrate the dedication and hard work of our musicians!
JROTC’s Annual Cadet Ball “A Dashing Experience"
By: Michael Garcia
The JROTC’s Annual Cadet Ball is one of the most anticipated events of the JROTC Program for the year. This year, the Cadet Ball was held at Clovis Veterans Memorial District from 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM and was hosted by Clovis East High School’s Air Force JROTC program. Additionally, Duncan High’s Air Force JROTC was also attending the Ball alongside Fresno High’s JROTC. Admission to the event was $30 per person with requirements of being in JROTC or being invited by a member within JROTC. In addition, males were expected to wear their regular uniforms with females being able to dress in their JROTC uniform or a dressing of their own choosing.
The Cadet Ball provided participants an opportunity to experience a formal military event as well as honoring military traditions within the event such as honoring the fallen, formal welcomes to cadets and instructors, and the playing of the national anthem. Another highlight of a military tradition was the drinking of the Grog. A drink which contained various unusual items such as hot sauce, sand, fruitloops, and much more with each ingredient representing key attributes about one of the military branches. Once it was finished being made, a few cadets were selected to drink a cup of the Grog. Afterwards the Grog was available for all cadets to drink.
Following the Grog event, dinner was prepared and was ready to be served, offering cadets to relax with each other and enjoy a cooked meal. Some meals on the menu were roasted chicken, salads, mashed potatoes, and more. After the dinner a Senior Instructor gave a thoughtful presentation about charities, donating to those in need, offering help, and his personal experience in helping others while encouraging future cadets to be helpful people to others.
Afterwards the ceremonial cake cutting was held. However, in military tradition the youngest and oldest cadet within the ball would cut the cake together using a ceremonial sword. This was meant to symbolize the passing of knowledge, tradition, and history from the current generation to the next generation. When the cakes were cut, cadets were allowed to get up and get themselves a slice. Furthermore, cadets were able to gather to dance on the dance floor which was accompanied by music that lasted until the end of the ball.
Overall, the Cadet Ball was a huge success as all cadets from participating schools were able to have a fun and enjoyable time. For many, it was their first time attending such a formal event. This left many looking forward with anticipation for next year's Cadet Ball.