The Bluffer - Red Bluff, CA
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/571552
Page 2 September 11, 2015 Staff Editorial Are scholarships still being effective? Opinions Editorial Policy: Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the district, staff, or student body. We welcome signed letters to the editor. Names may be withheld upon request. We also reserve the right to edit submission based on length and/or clarity. THE BLU FFER STA FF Tymberlyn Bealer Editor-in-Chief News Editors Tymberlyn Bealer Ceighlee Fennel Kaylie Capps Kourtney Sanders Opinions Editor Britney Miranda Julissa Villalobos Features Editor Lexi Pritchard Sports Editor Becca Frey Sophie Cumpton Topics Editor Ceighlee Fennel Editor-in-Chief Julia Liebert Advertising Director Alisa Pelanconi Adviser Cartoonist Katelyn Stewart Staff Writers Brianna Tackmier Joe Mills Amy Bererra Mary Herrera Abby O'Sullivan Shania Prieto Taylor Nguyen Skyler Drew A-&-E Editor Video Music Awards attracts all types of audiences Abby O'Sullivan Staff Writer Britney Miranda Features Editor Joe Mills Staff Writer Copy Editor Stefanie Brunello Schoolarships are so monumental to many different people trying to get into college or other education options, but the way the system is constructed isn't effective anymore. There is a belief that if you have any Native American or any other race except white then college is paid for you because of all the scholarships you can qualify for. This just shows how twisted the system has become. The point is that everyone needs help. Schools and organizations shouldn't target one specific group of people just because they believe that that group needs it more than others. Nationality may be a little related to different hardships and struggles, but not all of them. Everyone has money struggles no matter your nationality, home life, family, location, height, weight, or any other thing they can come up with. It is common knowledge that negatively singling out a certain group of people for any reason is not appropriate or cool at all. So, when a group is singled out for a positive reason does that make a difference? It should, because what about all the other groups that aren't being favored? They don't get anything. Scholarships were meant to help people out that struggle with money, but they have lost that purpose at this point because a huge group of the population is being left out. The group that is being left out are in thw awkward stage where their parents or gaurdians aren't poor enough to get the help they need to send their child to college, but they also aren't rich enough to manage it either. Therefore there are people being left out who also need help. Scholarships are based on income and that's where the awkward stage is being created. Also, the cost of college has shot up incredibly which just adds extra hardships to those who can't afford it and do not recieve aid. Students are forced to search high and low for even the most random scholarships. If a scholaship was worth even $100 then people would jump on it because any amount of money is better than no money when talking about college tution. Scholarships shouldn't target only one specific group of people or cut out a large chunk because of awkward incomes. Hopefully, they will be improved so that even more families and students can reach college. Two concerns arise concerning athlete contract Stefanie Brunello Copy Editor R ecently, our school had an "Athlete Committed" night in which a presentation was given on the effects of concussions, alcohol consumption, etc. for athletes. The presenter has conducted numerous studies on how the brain reacts to these environmental stresses. During this presentation, one part struck me as particularly hypocritical, when he said that athletes need about nine hours of sleep a night. Obviously, the school respects his opinion and work enough to pay him to come give this presentation. However, they won't even take the advice he's giving. We have a rather large problem as a school and especially as athletes. The average teen in America only gets seven hours of sleep a night, while 9 is recommended. While the school has no problem offering more AP classes, they never consider the amount of homework that comes with the classes being offered or the impact that this will have. If the average teen received nine hours of sleep a night, coupled with time to shower, eat breakfast and get to school while waking up at about 6 A.M, they'd be in bed by 9. With school and practice running until 5:30 for most sports, toss in about half an hour to change and drive back home leaving about three hours to eat dinner, do homework and engage in any social interaction or other commitments that you have before being in bed by nine to get your sleep for the night. If you happen to have a meet, race or game that day you may as well quit now and save yourself the pain. In the average AP class, you should expect about 30-45 minutes of homework a night. In a normal class it swings anywhere from five to 30 minutes. So doing simple math, with a seven period day and about 25 to 30 minutes a class and you have 3 hours of homework a night, meaning now you don't get to shower, decompress, watch the news, talk to your family, eat dinner, text friends or work. You get absolutely no time not designated for school, practice, homework or sleep. This sort of isolation has been linked with higher suicide rates and likelihood of depression. However, if the school were to adopt a policy giving us until the following Monday to get our work in, so if you had a lot to do it's not a big issue. The school obviously understands that sleep is an important aspect of a teens life, however, they are forcing kids into a contract that many, if not all, will be forced to break in order to save their grades. schoolwide policy enforced so that punishment is consistent throughout all the sports teams. Also, this meeting shouldn't have singled out student- athletes, it should also have been presented to all students to be a "Student Committed" so that all students are committted to not doing drugs or alcohol. I understand that student- athletes are often more recognized and are supposed to be role models for the school. The "Athlete Committed" meeting was very informative, but it was stereotypical of athletes and it also singled out the athletes instead of including all students. R ed Bluff High School recently held a meeting called "Athlete Committed" that all athletes were required to attend. This meeting intended to inform all athletes about the effects of drugs and alcohol on a student-athlete's brain. The "Athlete Committed" meeting also informed athletes about the effects of not getting enough sleep had on a child's brain. While this meeting was extremely informative and provided important knowledge that student-athletes should know, it was stereotypical of student-athletes. The meeting turned offensive when the speaker assumed that all student-athletes have had some experience with drugs and alcohol. Many student- athletes already understand the effects of drugs and alcohol and have already made a personal commitment to their futures by not putting themselves in jeopardy by breaking the rules. These student-athletes have already made a commitment to themselves and didn't need to be singled out and have a form to prove their committment. It was unfair because many student-athletes do drugs and go to parties with alcohol andthese students s deserve to be punished, but now that the school has required their student-athletes to sign a contract and attend the "Athlete Committed" meeting, will there be a school-wide policy for student-athletes who are caught breaking the contract? In the past, each team had different consequences for people who were caught doing drugs or alcohol because some coaches expect more from their athletes and have zero tolerance for student-athletes doing drugs or alcohol. However, some coaches are more lenient depending upon what sport they coach and who is caught breaking the rules with the consequences they choose for student-athletes who break the rules. This is unfair because there isn't a Kanye West's acceptance speech captivates T he 2015 MTV Video Music Awards was held on August 30, 2015. The 32 installment of the event was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California, and hosted by Miley Cyrus. This year's event went worldwide and shocked thousands of people on several different occasions. 'Bad Blood' by Taylor Swift won video of the year and Best Collaboration, but another nominee for Video Of The Year was Beyonce. During the VMA's in 2009, Kanye West blantly went on stage and called Swift out on winning the award saying, "Beyonce should have won this award." This year he didn't react the same way. When it was time for West to win his Michael Jackson video Vanguard award, Swift was the one to announce it saying, "I have been a fan of his since I can remember because Kanye defines what it is to be a creative force in music, fashion, and life. I'm really happy for you and I'm going to let you finish, but Kanye has had one of the greatest careers of all time!" West continued to walk on stage to receive his award, hugged Taylor and before giving his big speech and said, "Thank you, Taylor, for being so gracious and for giving me this award this evening." 'Where Are U Now' by Justin Bieber and Jack U won the award for Best Visual Effects. As Bieber performed this on stage along with 'What Do You Mean', he choked up. It's obvious his song is about Selena Gomez and their fallout in their relationship. This leaves one question for everyone; where was Gomez during Bieber's breakdown? The 23-year-old had already exited the building before his performance with Swift along with the rest of the 'Bad Blood' girls squad on her side. Another entertaining announcement was Nicki Minaj's, as she won her award for Best Hip-hop video on her song 'Anaconda'. Minaj then began to give her speech making a total 180 after making up with Swift live on the VMA's stage, Minaj and Cyrus brawled it out on the same stage. That was an exchange that no one saw coming. Minaj said, "Miley had a lot to say about me to the press, what's good?" Producers immediately cut Minaj's mike leaving her to mouth the rest of her shade. Cyrus replied quickly by saying, "Hey, we're all in this industry, we all do interviews, and we all know how they manipulate stuff. Nicki, congratulations." This year's VMA's definitely left the press and social media to gossip. www.ibtimes.com I n the recent MTV Music Awards there were many memorable moments, but one extraordinary moment was Kanye West's acceptance speech. On the VMA stage, Kanye West finally admitted that he wants us to like him. Kanye West was forced to remind us that he's only human, subject to the same racial biases and double standards. West's 12 minute acceptance speech for the VMA Video Vanguard Award, has so far been met with varying forms of confusion and enthusiastic praise. What happened on the VMA stage was moving. We saw that he's an egomaniac who is also deeply insecure with himself. He'll stand on the VMA stage to accept his award and drink up his applause for as long as possible. West may have ended on a shocking note by announcing his future presidential bid, but his entire speech wasn't so much and acceptance speech as an apology; a public act of humbling himself. The most talked about line must have been "I have decided in 2020 to run for President," but the most important was admitting to the public, "I just wanted people to like me more." The speech was revolved around Kanye, bravely admitting that he wants to be liked. In order to humanize himself, Kanye has to humble himself. The only question is at what cost? audience at the 2015 Video Music Awards