The Bluffer - Red Bluff, CA
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Advertise in Bluffer Looking to appeal to the teenage de- mographic? The Bluffer is distributed to about 1100 students and communi- ty members every two weeks. Ads can be purchased for individual issues or on a yearly basis. Contact Madison Waelty in Bluffer for more details. 529-8805 Last year's participants got soaked during the La Tomatina's water fight Story by Kaylee Capps Features Juanita Van Meter Staff Writer Page 3 August 22, 2014 New teachers populate the campus ¡Felíz la Tomatina! John Miller is the schools new Social Science teacher. He will be teaching four periods of U.S. history as well as one period of World Civilization. He is a Tehama county native, originating from Corning, and has lived in Tehama most of his life. This will be his 22 year of teaching and has taught at Salisbury High School for the past 14 years. He plans on giv- ing the highest quality of edu- cation to every student, every day. Bluffer/ Mayrnn Spangler Changes in classes add new twists Leadership and Student Government have been introduced to a new advisor, Mrs. Somavia. Leadership and Student Government have been going on ever since Red Bluff High School opened in 1897. "Student Government, is a class composed of a great mix of kids who have a lot to bring to the table, we look forward to working together and seeing what we can do," said Tanner Durfee, a junior. Before Mrs. Somavia, Mrs. Haase had been the advisor for both Leadership and Student Government. Last year, Mrs. Dausse taught Leadership and Mr. Wagner taught Student Government. Tanner said it felt "extremely weird we had a new Leadership advisor because Mrs. Dausee has been doing it for so long. There have been so many changes around the campus, but they didn't think a change like this would affect Leadership and Student Government." Leadership and Student Government's goals are "to bring more spirit to Red Bluff High School and create a strong sense community in Red Bluff," said Mrs. Somavia. Even though "Leadership and Student Government were wonderful before, I will be able to put my own twist into things," said Somavia. Somavia took on this challenge because "there weren't enough Spanish classes to keep me full time and when this class was open I was very excited." Alyssa, a junior, is most excited about "helping plan Homecoming and getting everyone super evolved in school spirit such as dress up days!" Spanish 2 Honors is a new class provided here at RBHS. Mrs. Somavia's and Mrs. McDermott's is at a much faster pace than regular college prep Spanish 2. When Mrs. Somavia was asked what her thoughts were that RBHS will be having an Honors class, she was "very excited and honored to be teaching it because there are many benefits the students could gain, and it's also a great route to take AP courses." While taking this class there will be struggles for students, either it being how to speak it, read it, or even how to write it. What runs through Brainna Infante's mind, a junior, while in class says, "I don't know what she's saying," and what runs through Jake Penner's, a sophomore, mind says "When does this class end." Challenges will be "the expectations of the students and the ability to understand," said Somavia. Many students might be having doubts about this class. Many students struggle with the fast pace of the class and the higher expectations. Infante said, "Yes I do have my doubts, its very time consuming and it can be boring at times." What runs through Ramirez's mind is "Oh gosh, she's talking way too fast, can you repeat?" Several students might get excited for school and their classes, but when it comes to being excited for Infante she said, "Honestly, no." Spanish 2 Honors will be a challenge for students at Red Bluff High School this year, but Penner and Infante feel that they are ready for the challenges. Ramirez also feels ready. "Yes, I think I am," said Ramirez. Leadership & Student Gov. Spanish 2 Honors In 1945 the annual gigantes y cabezudos (carnival puppets with enormous heads) festival was interrupted by a group of on looking teenagers who wished to join in on the festivities. However, when they tried to join the parade, one of the marchers became furious and began attacking random people and hitting everything he came across. In a fateful chance of event, some people began grabbing tomatoes from a nearby vegetable cart and hurling them at each other. The fight evolved into a pasty, red battle which had to be separated by police. So began the la Tamatina festival. Traditionally, the festivities begin with the "palo jamón," where the goal is to climb a greased pole with a ham on top which must then be cast down to the ground. While someone climbs, the crowd works itself into a frenzy of singing and dancing, until the ham is thrown and the real games begin. A water shot is fired and over 40 metric tons of tomatoes, specially grown for the event, are trucked in to be thrown and mashed at one another. RBHS began celebrating this festival last year with the arrival of Miss Somavia. "I wanted to bring more authentic culture to the school," she stated. Last year, a large water balloon fight was organized to simulate the throwing of the namesake tomatoes. However this year, with the drought hanging over California and supplies being tight, small changes have been made to the festivities and games this year to conserve water. Somavia commented on the drought, saying. "I didn't want to waste water, so we changed to exclusively tomato based activities, and we hope to see it (the festival) come back continuously over the years. Hopefully, it will elvolve into a part of the curriculum." Let the festivities begin John Miller Mrs. Jenne, the high schools new science teacher, lives in Redding, California. She has been teaching for four years, and spent her last job at a small private school teaching Biol- ogy, Anatomy, Chemistry as well as physics. After serving as a flight medic in the Air Force and starting a family, she attended college, though she wanted to attend right out of high school. She attended col- lege at the same time as her two oldest children. Lynette Jenne Mr. Dais, a new English teacher and ASSETS Afterschool Program Director, grew up in Red Bluff and is a graduate of RBHS. This is his first full time teaching job; however he has been teaching at RBHS since 2011 and in his time at the high school has worked as a substitute teacher and educational assistant. He hopes to provide students with many chances to both get involved in as well as get ahead in school. Doug Dais Scott Loechel, the new au- tomotive instructor at RBHS, is a southern California native from Littlerock, California. By the age of 24, he moved to Pah- rump, Nevada and taught Auto- motive at the local high school for seven years. Before being hired at RBHS, he lived in New Mexico for about nine months. During his time in Nevada, he also taught Automotive classes for Adult education programs as well as community college. Scott Loechel Kim-Lee Homme is a na- tive to California and went into the Peace Corps in 1999 where he taught English is a Russian village. After the Peace Corps, he got his master's degree and traveled to South Korea for a year. After this he would teach at Butte College, then return to South Korea for six years. The last four years that he lived in South Korea, he taught at a high school for mathematically gift- ed students Along with teaching English at RBHS, Homme will be teaching Drama. Froylan Mendoza, the Red Bluff High Schools new ELD teacher grew up in Hamilton City and currently lives in Or- land. He has been teaching for eight years and served as as- sistant principal for the past two years. He has taught ELD, Spanish, Computer Applica- tions, PE, and Continuation High School. He has also taught CDS, online learning, parent education classes and Cyber- high. He has a great sense of humor, however in the class- room setting, it is all business. Kim-Lee Homme Froylan Mendoza Story by Becca Blanchard What is most fearful for me are those silly mistakes a per- son can make while writing on the white board and talking at the same time... I wouldn't call it fearful, but I would say I was a little nervous at the start of the school year. I think it's normal for teach- ers to be nervous or anxious at the beginning of the year. That I do not do a good job and the administration makes me teach at Salisbury. Perhaps my greatest fear with this job is that I will be buried in so much work that I will not be able to spend as much time with my family as I want. I don't fear anything. Just kidding, not sure yet. I am afraid that it will take time away from my break dancing career.