The Bluffer - Red Bluff, CA
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/114196
Marysa Nichols "Beautiful Creatures" -Page 2 -Page 4 Volume CXIV Issue 11 March 8, 2013 Serving Red Bluff High School since 1901 The journey of Mr. Spartan COURTESY/Cindy Haase 2013 COURTESY/Cindy Haase Mr. Spartan contestants assemble on stage to take a group picture before the winners are revealed COURTESY/Cindy Haase Top five winners of Mr. Spartan pose for a group picture in the green room after the performance Marissa Chase Editors-in-Chief Miles Leyva, Mr. Spartan 2013, and Cindy Haase take a picture after the pageant The eight week long journey of the 20 annual Mr. Spartan Pageant ended on March 2, 2013 after crowning Miles Leyva Mr. Spartan. After many hours of preparation, Leyva considers it to be "one of the best high school experiences." "Any of the other guys deserved it just as much for the amount of work they put it in," said Leyva. This year's pageant, different from its predecessors, was full of firsts and also many lasts. Cindy Haase, the Production Manager of Mr. Spartan for the past 13 years, said good bye to the pageant Saturday night. "13 years is a long time and I would like to have a life apart from RBHS," Haase stated. Apart from her resignation, Joe Palubeski, Technology Director, and Erin Bailey, Mistress of Ceremonies, also took part in their final Mr. Spartan show. Palubeski has been helping run the production of Mr. Spartan since the first show began. Erin Bailey, just shy of that, has been the MC for eighteen years. According to Haase, Palubeski was as dedicated as her. "He will do whatever it takes to make the show and he is so knowledgeable." Over the next few years, Mr. Spartan is sure to change in some areas. As far as replacements go for the empty positions, Haase said that positions have not been filled and no one has been hired. "I hope it continues to be as wonderful of an event as it has been this 20 years," said Haase. At the pageant itself there were six judges: Clay Parker, Daniel Munoz, Jim Grauel, Sarah Finchum, Kacey Heiber, and Kristen Rankin. Finchum, Heiber, and Rankin were the original founders and producers of the first Mr. Spartan. According to them, the original idea was taken from another school at a leadership conference. The pageant consists of three sections: the TuxWalk, where the contestants introduce themselves in a clever way; the Talent Competition, where the contestants demonstrate a particular talent or skit; and the Costume Portion, where contestants dress up as someone or something. Leyva also was the winner of Mr. Congeniality at the pageant. Leyva's fellow contestants voted for him based on his attitude and willingness to help everyone throughtout the pageant. Michael Nelson received First Runner Up in the standings of the pageant, Myke Nichols Second Runner up, and Justin Levoua-Patidar and Fredy Herrara both recieved Third Runner Up. The Director's Award, chosen by the Production Managers in Student Government, was given to Levoua-Patidar for his overall attitude throughout Mr. Spartan rehearsals. The Production Managers were Julia Bellon, Sarah Brown, and Katelyn Foushee. Loss of programs, positions create uncertainty Declining enrollment plays a huge part in the need for cuts at RBHS Zachary Smith Staff Writer The cutting of school programs and positions is something that strikes fear into many staff members, teachers, and sometimes even students at Red Bluff High School; however, RBHS is also adding programs and positions at the same time. The positions that are being cut are two counseling positions as well as two sections in math, three sections in science and social science, and five sections in physical education. Also, the funding to the ROP classes is no longer going directly to the RBHS and is now going through the county instead. This means that the ROP classes, which will now be called CTE (Career and Tech Education) classes, will have to reapply through the county. They will have to rewrite their curriculum based on the new criteria, as well as rewrite their syllabus with and submit it Missoula Children's Theater with an application and send it to the county. The classes will know if they made it in the beginning of April. Ms. Lisa Escobar, the school's superintendent, said that are have been ideas for some new CTE. classes, such as Equine science and computer science. She also said that she doesn't know all of the classes that could be offered since they are going through the county, but it will be interesting to see what classes are created. The Assets after school program and Small Learning Communities are both having to reapply as well and will also know in the beginning of April if they qualify for funding or not. Fortunately, some programs and positions are being added as well. For example, some of the positions being added are an Academic Intervention Specialist, a Dean of Students and Truancy Specialist, an ELD who works with students that are learning English, and an Activities Director and Athletic Director. The program that is being added is the AVID program, which was created to help kids whose parents didn't go to college, get acquainted with the college scene. However, the question is raised, why are they adding and cutting programs and positions at the same time? Put simply, Ms. Escobar said that she is From what I aren't cutting any programs or " opportunitiescan see, wewe're just making the class sizes for kids, the way they should be." - Lisa Escobar The Missoula Children's Theater will be putting on the production of "Red Riding Hood" tomorrow, March 9, at 3pm and 7pm, at the State Theater. Tickets will be on sale an hour prior to each performance. There are kids aged from 6-18 in this play, including students from Red Bluff High. redirecting resources to areas that need them more, for the E.L. Learners and those kids that are coming out of poverty more specifically. Unfortunately, declining enrollment has also increased cuts. They keep a ratio of teachers to students. For freshmen it's one teacher to twenty four teachers. For the other grades it is one teacher to twenty eight students. Many wonder how these cuts might affect the students. "I think that they will still offer the classes that they need for graduation and career planning." said Ms. Escobar. "From what I can see, we aren't cutting any programs or opportunities for kids, we're just making the class sizes the way they should be." As for teachers, Ms. Escobar believes that these changes will help them and support them as well as hopefully make them into more of a team rather than them having to deal with stuff all by themselves. Marysa Nichols Memorial Marysa Nichols' memorial service will be held tomorrow, March 9, at 11am, at the Calvery Chapel on Paskenta Road. The service is open to the entire public, and they are making the service able to be heard from outside just in case there isn't enough room inside.