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opinion
Staff Editorial

Starting the conversation:

its time to talk about pressing issues

Recently, the media has blown

up with images and articles surrounding the deaths of two
unarmed black men, Michael
Brown Jr. and Eric Garner, and
the nationwide reaction that followed. Masses of people have
taken to the streets of Ferguson,
Missouri, New York, Oakland,
Berkeley, Washington D.C. and
other metropolitan cities around
the world to protest the grand
juries decisions not to indict the
white police officers involved in
the incidents. However, many at
Sequoia have neglected to discuss
the situation in depth, and we are
frustrated.
Specifically, we seem to avoid
conversations about race altogether. Theyre hard. Theyre uncomfortable. Theyre emotional.
Some classes have alluded to
the events; however, there was a
lot of confusion in these discussions, in which few knew Garners name or understood the
context of the situation. When
the Giants won the World Series,
however, it was celebrated on
the school announcements. Garner and Browns deaths have not
even been given the respect of a
school-wide moment of silence.
Students:
First of all, if you dont pay
attention to the news, start now.
Its as easy as glancing over your
parents shoulders when theyre
watching the news on television,
or scanning the front page headlines of a newspaper. If some-

thing sparks your interest, read it.

ingful relationship and deeper
If its all over your Facebook feed,
discussions.
look it up.
Start off by having your stuConversations about controdents read articles either in our
versial current events are hard,
outside of class, then allow students to express their opinions in
but nothing worth doing was
organic class discussions or free
ever easy. By talking about issues
writes.
like race and the impact they have
Students often feel that what
on us and so many others, we are
is constantly drilled into their
broadening our own perception
brains in class isnt always relof the world.
evant to life outside of school.
If we dont know anything
Now is the time to
about
Garner
address whats going
and Brown, its Its more important now
on in the real world.
more important than ever to start talking
Its crucial to be able
now than ever to our friends, classmates,
to digest these topics
to start talking
parents and teachers about
with a group of peoto our friends,
classmates, par- race because this fight may ple with unique perspectives, in an acaents and teach- not seem like ours, but it
demic environment.
ers about race affects all of us.
While it makes
because
this
sense to discuss race
fight may not
in English or history class, it is
seem like ours, but it affects all
important to realize that even in
of us. The issue is an American
math and science classes, probone: racial inequality persists in
lems in the outside world are just
our country. Its an conversation
as pressing, and taking a break
for everyone because we will only
from the curriculum makes stuprogress if we come together and
dents realize the significance of
talk about the elephant in the
current events.
room.
We are living through histoTeachers:
ry right now and what we learn
Its time to start these converin school shouldnt just be what
sations with your students. Get
happened in the past.
the ball rolling. Bring up conThis is just the beginning of an
troversial subjects and connect
important
conversation that we
with them on a personal level.
hope youll join. Send your thoughts
Once your students see you as a
on the issue either as a letter to the
person in the outside world, not
editor to ravenreport09@gmail.
just someone who grades their
com or comment online at raventests and quizzes, it will provide
report.org
the foundation for a more mean-

Girl on fire lights up box office:

Mockingjay movie review

Hunger Games (Mockingjay Part 1):

Genre: action, adventure, sci-fi

Special Effects: 9/10-They used some cool visual effects to create some
Gravity level action scenes, and how did they do that to Peeta?
Staying true to the book: 9/10-District 13 is exactly how I imagined
it, and the characters are also very true to the story, except for how
crazy Katniss becomes.
Acting: 8/10-Thank you to Liam Hemsworth and Sam Claflin for
stepping up your acting game and destroying your beautiful accents
for the movie.
Fun Fact: J Laws song The Hanging Tree is in the iTunes top 100,
and she said she is a bad singer.
Overall Review: If you have read the books you will not be disappointed by the on-screen adaptation of
the trilogy, as nothing is changed except for the fact that they turned a trilogy into a tetralogy (four installments). For those potential viewers who have not read the books and have been keeping up with the movies
it does not leave any gaps that only book readers would understand, but it is wise to go watch movie two
again on Netflix to reacquaint your mind with The Hunger Games. The movie is not super fast paced so
viewers can enjoy the little details that make the movies so good. As the third movie it lacks nothing visually
and the special effects are remarkable. Overall it is worth the cost of the a movie ticket and is an enjoyable
movie.

SAM CASWELL

December 17, 2014

New Years
resolutions
fall short
By CHAZ ROSADO
Staff Reporter

Hobbies you
want to
take up.
Grades
y o u
pledge to
improve.
Workouts
that are calling your name. You
want to make goals and stick by
them, but the fact is, New Years
resolutions just arent effective.
According to a study conducted by the University of Scrantons
Journal of Clinical Psychology,
gathered Jan. 1, only 8 percent of
people actually achieve their New
Years goals. Why is this number so
low? People more often than not
make resolutions that are far too
general to ever be stuck to. A resolution pledging to eat healthier is
harder to follow than a resolution
that specifically pledges to cut out
french fries, soda and ice cream.
The importance of goal setting
is creating ones you know you can
achieve. Get specific. The more
specific your goals become, the
easier they are to achieve. Instead
of setting a resolution of getting in
better shape, set up a specific workout routine that you will do a certain number of times a week. Since
this can be hard to do when youre
balancing schoolwork and extracurricular activities, set goals that
go alongside your life as a student.
Another reason resolutions fail
is because people set too many of
them. Can you really vow to eat
healthier while starting a new workout routine that you do after your
new hobby? No. People arent going to think any less of you because
you have one or two goals. Having
a bunch of goals doesnt make you
the talk of the town. Know your
limits. Aim for one or two specific
and attainable goals.
Dont lose your motivation either. Having daily reminders of
what you want to achieve can help
you follow through with your
goals. If you want a hot beach bod,
put a picture of a hunk on your refrigerator. Now every time you go
to sneak some junk food out of the
fridge youll have an oiled six-pack
telling you otherwise.
Sequoia students listen up: you
can achieve your goals. Get your
homework done early so you can
actually have time for your resolution. If you play a sport, make sure
you set aside time between practices and games so you can optimize
your time and stay on track to
achieving your goal.