Phoenix Flyer
October 2018
San Antonio HS Writer's Workshop
Email: mmcgarry@petk12.org
Website: https://www.petalumacityschools.org/sanantonio
Location: 500 Vallejo Street
Phone: 707-778-4758
Graduate Jonathan Guzman
The Hate U Give
On Monday October 8th, 40 students of San Antonio High School went to the Mill Valley Film Festival to watch a screening of The Hate U Give. The Hate U Give is a movie based on the book by the same name by author Angie Thomas. The movie, as well as the book, touch on a lot of important and very relevant subjects like police brutality, racism, gang violence, and the power of one’s voice. The film is about a 16 year old girl named Starr who witnesses her childhood best friend, Khalil, get shot by a white police officer. In the movie you see Starr process this traumatic event and how it affects her life. Starr goes to a private school in a nice neighborhood, where the student body is largely made up of white kids. There she feels she can’t show anyone what she is going through, but it doesn’t help when one of her “friends” makes ignorant and insensitive comments. At home with her family, they live in Garden Heights a neighborhood made up of a large African American population that’s viewed as “the ghetto,” she’s struggling with deciding if she should speak out or not, especially with her whole neighborhood calling for justice. Also, if she does speak out she fears retaliation from police and the neighborhood gang The King Lords. Therefore, her emotional turmoil causes her to forget about her two versions. In the end Starr decides to speak out, anonymously, as the witness to a jury in hopes the police officer will be held accountable for his actions. He wasn’t, and this sparks a change in Starr that makes her want her voice to be heard, and she no longer hides her identity as the witness. In the film, you see Starr transition from someone who had two versions, to an activist with only one, and she no longer cares what other people think about that one version. After the movie the director, George Tillman, and the actress who portrays Starr, Amandla Stenberg, did a panel to answer questions and discuss their experiences filming the movie. Stenberg talked about how she relates to her character because she had a similar childhood, like having to code switch. Tillman discusses how he had a similar conversation with his parents as the one shown on the opening scene, where Starr and her brothers were given the “how to behave around police” talk. San Antonio’s counselor Mr. Jamerson made the comment that he feared having the same conversation with his kids, as he didn’t want them to grow up fearing or viewing all cops as bad people, but in today’s current climate he viewed the conversation necessary. Stenberg and Tellman also discussed how they felt while filming the movie and how important they thought executing it correctly was because of the importance of the message the movie was sending. Especially in a time where police brutality and racism is sparking up again, and movements like the Black Lives Matter movement are advocating for change. All in all, the field trip significant because of the relevant messages represented in the film and students largely enjoyed viewing the film.
Halloween 2018
On October 30, 2018, students at San Antonio had a Mentor Day. Students had time before break to makeup any missing work. After break ended, they had the opportunity to do Halloween activities. There was also more time given for makeup work for people that really needed it. Some of the Halloween activities included face painting, music, cookie decoration and a movie day. The face painting took place in Mrs. Cecchini’s room where Paula Moors came and took her time painting student’s faces. Mrs. McGarry hosted the cookie decorating in the teen room. There were options between chocolate chip, plain, chocolate fudge, M&M’s, etc. Travis James, a local musician, was kind enough to come and teach the San Antonio students a little bit about some music. He was in room 9 and there were guitars and ukuleles offered to those kids who decided to participate. For next semester, Travis and Ms. Cecchini are going to be working together in a music appreciation class. Last but not least, Mr. Smith was playing the movie Hocus Pocus in his classroom. Overall, Wednesday was an easy day for makeup work and fun activities.
For information on Paula Moors, the face painter:
Bite of Reality
On Wednesday, October 17, all the Alternative Education schools came to the San Antonio High School campus for a program called Bite of Reality. Sonoma Mountain and Carpe Diem came to SAHS so they could participate in this program. There were stations set up all around the courtyard run by teachers and staff selling different products that will be essential to students once they graduate, live on our own and become adults. Students got a sheet which gave them a career, a spouse, and an income. It also told them if they were in debt or had loans they had to pay off. With that monthly income, they then had to go to a station to pick a house out, wifi, cable, and all the essentials you should have in a home. This was a sort of simulation to give students a taste of adulthood. If they were said the student had a child on the sheet, they had to go to a station and pay for childcare, clothing, and baby food. They had to buy the essential things from each station with what they could afford and decide what was important and what was not. Alexis Ceja said about this experience that, “I feel like it was a good experience because I didn’t know much about life's expenses until I did this program.”
SAHS Soccer
by Adrian Pleitez
The San Antonio soccer team had their first game last Friday, October 19. This was a last minute game for the SAHS students, only having one practice the day before the game. Most players would say they didn't think they were quite ready for the game and seeing the other team dressed up and looking solid on the field didn't help. As they were starting to change and warm up, it still was looking tough for the SAHS kids. Coach Smith huddled them up and gave them motivating words to push the team and have them come out in game mode mindset.
San Antonio came out with high pressure and good defense to steal the ball on Ridgeway’s half and get in their first goal, put in by Adrian Pleitez from the left side of the box and hit it across the box passed the keeper. Then Ridgeway came back with one of their own and had it at 1-1. The SAHS players kept their same energy and with that the ball fell to Payton Draper and she took a shot at goal, but a defender got in the way. That left the ball bouncing in the box and that's when Alexis Ceja came in and finished the job (2-1). This ended the first half.
Right away all could see that the SAHS students did not have the stamina at this point to keep the same energy. This made them play a lot more defensive. Ridgeway came out with strong pressure after making substitutions and this gave them an early goal second half (2-2). This made SAHS wake up a little more and start pressuring harder on the ball. This is when Adrian Pleitez took the ball up after a good defensive stop from and finished it up top (3-2) . That didn’t mean Ridgeway’s pressure went away. They kept the high pressure and touch on San Antonio’s half and in the dying minutes they scored to leave the game in a draw.
Special thanks to Carlos Soto and Preferred Sonoma Caterers for donating lunch for the team.
The Egg Bowl
This year’s Egg Bowl was a turning point for who truly the best team in Petaluma. A rivalry that dates back to the late 20th century, Petaluma and Casa Grande are finally on even terms after an absolute thriller of a game at Ellis Field this past Saturday on October 27th. A strong Petaluma team led by Head Coach Rick Krist along with offensive leaders Cole Powers and Garrett Freitas were rolling past Casa in the first half. After having a 14 point lead in the 3rd Quarter the win was almost guaranteed over a lackluster Casa defense that has struggled to contain scores all season. The Gauchos Head Coach Denis Brunk then led his offense to what would become a comeback that will be talked about in this town for a very long time.
However, a game like this was only a myth just a few years ago. The rivalry between Casa and Petaluma was put on halt after the 2011 edition of the Egg Bowl that turned violent which is an understatement nonetheless. Insults and racial spurs from the fans, players, and coaches saw the beautiful game come to an end after the 2011 season. Many lessons were learned that day and the City working alongside the NCS (North Bay’s Governing Football Body) brought the game back in 2017 which concluded in a Trojan victory after an intense game. But more importantly, it not only showed that the game of Football had progressed, but Petaluma as a city has as well.
The Gauchos used this as motivation. Flashbacks from last year’s game were definitely reoccuring in the players minds. As a former player under Coach Brunk and Casa, I can truly claim that that loss last year not only hurt our reputation, but it set the tone for the entire season as we started off 0-6 after losing to Petaluma. The returning players for this year used that to spark their scoring run of 30 points in the second half. “We felt good in the second half, Coach really motivated us to play stronger and with more heart” said San Antonio’s own Kris Solis, who plays defensive end for the Gauchos.The game ultimately came down to a last second Gauchos touchdown and successful two point conversion attempt which put the Gauchos ahead 37-36 with just seconds to go.
Alumni Profiles
Jennifer Mendiola graduated in 2012-2013. She's currently balancing motherhood and working as pharmacy technician. She attended the teen parent program here at San Antonio and she is a mother to only one child. Her favorite memory was of being in the parent program with all the other moms and babies. Her advice for teens today is “Don't give up, you really can rise from the ashes.”
David Ortiz graduated in 2018. He is currently enrolled in the SRJC and working part- time. He is also taking care of his family and friends. His favorite memory is going to the the zoo as a school with all the staff. His great advice for students is “Go to class and respect the teachers here, they work very hard. Always be better than yesterday.”
Poetry Corner
I Am…
I am a late night drive
Random, and with no real destination
I am like earphones
Music blasting, and coursing through my veins
I am a sunny clear day
Shining bright, and always warm
I come from books
With different stories to be told, and multiple possible endings
I am like the ocean
Unpredictable, quiet one minute and roaring the next
I am a spring flower
Waiting to bloom and thrive
I am Michelle
by Michelle Guzman
into the valley you realize how beautiful life can be
as you look down into the garden
and then up at the mountains
a sense of relief hits you
as you get closer
into the valley you realize how dark life can be
the beautiful roses hide thorns under their pedals
and the mountain's precious snow can be
deadly
your fingertips can freeze over in seconds
into the valley you realize
that we have learned to appreciate life from a distance
by Nemo Soto
Reared in Steel
This field trip was at the Reared in steel in Petaluma on Copeland st, Mrs.Morilla took students to go see the artist and his work. At first it was overwhelming to see all this metal around me but when i began looking and walking around it was cool. I asked the artist Kevin Clark questions about his work he told us he's the only artist there. The "Medusa Head" he created shoots out fire throughout all the snakeheads twenty feet in the air. The back of the Medusa Head opens and has stairs you can walk up and stand up in it when it is all taken apart. The artist started off with a skull instead of a Medusa Head. The artist also was apart of creating the "Rhino Art Car". It's shaped like a rhino and it actually drives people rent these sculptures for about 15,000 dollars or more. These also go to conventions such as the "Burning Man". The artist Kevin Clark completed the snake head with wicked looking fangs. At night it gets lit up with colorful lights and that's when the fire comes. The snakes reach as high as 27 feet into the sky. Medusa's face is close to 15 feet. He also created a sculpture that's called the flower tower. It's 80 feet in the air and also shoots fire out of the top you can actually get married under the flower tower. Overall, I liked this field trip. The artist and his wife were very nice and answered all of our questions. Some challenges we had when we got there was we couldn't find the front of the place, but overall it was a great field trip.