● Verdugo Hills High School ●

La Yuca Online

Volume 83, Issue 4 March 13, 2021 10625 Plainview Avenue, Tujunga, CA 91042

NEWS Clubs on Campus By: Mairi-Ellen McMahon and Ivan Herrera-Garcia Editor and Chief and Staff Writer Verdugo has always been a place where everyone can find something they are passionate about. You may ask yourself, how is this possible with such a diverse student population? Well, highschools, especially Verdugo, have things called clubs. Clubs are meant to help unite a group of people for a cause they are all passionate about. Clubs have always been a big deal on our campus. We used to have a day called “Verdugo Day. ”It was basically a huge club rush where students would promote their clubs and sell food and other items to raise money for their clubs. We have always had an extensive number of clubs, but since we are not physically on campus the clubs have not been meeting in person. No need to worry though, even in this tough time Verdugo still has many amazing clubs that are functioning fantastically online. One of the main ways clubs are reaching out to their members is through social media. Clubs have been using this medium to grow their platform and still get their points/passions across. One platform they have been using is Instagram. It is now easier than ever to follow clubs that you are passionate about and keep up with what has been going on. Clubs are also meeting on zoom. This is how members are staying in contact and keeping the fun alive, whilst keeping everyone safe. This has proven to be an effective way of communicating and some clubs are running just as smoothly as before Covid. Now that we have gone over some of

the logistics of clubs during covid, here are some of the clubs Verdugo offers. One club, in particular, is the Key Club. “ We do online services as well as bonding events with our division (cv, San Francis, Clark magnet, and Village Christian,) other divisions, and events for Verdugo students only. We have meetings every other Friday. Key Club is a very active club.” Another club is the VHHS Hands-off club. They are a united feminist club here at Verdugo. “We have zoom meetings twice a month and connect with members through our social media.” Another amazing club is the medical club. The medical club has a mix of health lectures and lectures about different careers. “Our goal is inclusivity and spreading accurate information whether that's on careers, diseases, or even COVID relief. The last club we will be discussing today is the GSA! If you do not know what that is, it is a gay-straight alliance club “The goal of the GSA is to educate others about the queer history along with having panel speakers to share their stories.” The GSA is one of the many amazing new clubs on campus. There are so many more clubs at Verdugo, regardless of what you are into there is probably a club for it. If you are looking to join clubs on campus message your counselor or contact the club directly through social media. We are one big family at Verdugo and the clubs are no different! Go Dons!

NEWS One Year In Quarantine By: Mairi-Ellen McMahon Editor in Chief Based on current events, COVID seems to be coming around full circle. We left school on March 13, 2020, and have not returned since; However, during this time… we have developed other ways of learning remotely and are starting to get adjusted to life during Covid. A lot has changed! We now wear masks everywhere we go, and there are not as many places to go because they have become limited. Unfortunately, cases have been soaring, and - just last month - Los Angeles reached a 500,000 death count. COVID has affected a lot of things, but the school has been the most prominent one for the students of Verdugo. Transitioning to remote learning has been a struggle for a good number of students and has affected all of the different grade levels. For example, the incoming freshmen have missed out on a lot; They did not get their eighth-grade graduation and are missing their first year of high school on an actual campus. Being a freshman was a pleasant experience for me, so I feel as if the freshman involvement experience is an important one for highschool students, and missing that is not ideal. The second grade that covid has affected sufficiently is the class of 2021. During the beginning of the pandemic, the class of 2020 got a lot of support because nobody knew what was going on. As time progressed in online classes, the online virtual school has - in a sense - been normalized because it’s not new and unknown anymore, so the support is not as strong. Our staff is doing the best they can to

give answers to seniors, about things such as graduation and prom, but the truth is… the answers aren't known. COVID is so unpredictable; Furthermore, it’s impossible to give answers about something that isn't set in stone just yet. I spoke with, now graduated, senior Kelly Shaw about how this year made her feel. “A handful of seniors including myself, graduated in december because we didn’t want to do online school for another semester. I know most wouldn't have done that if school was in person but when the social aspect of school is taken away, we lack an incentive to stay longer. “ Despite COVID, the Verdugo staff and clubs have been doing many things to keep the school spirit alive, even when we’re not present on campus. In the past few months, we have had plenty of virtual assemblies, such as the Honor Roll assembly and the Black History month assembly. Leadership is producing many insightful news videos that are widely contributing to school spirit. Clubs are still functioning online, as well. The school, both the staff and near-graduate students, are doing many things to make the school experience seem as normal as possible. Even during a difficult time such as this, Verdugo is stronger than ever. Distance learning is temporary and in place to keep everyone as safe and as healthy as they can be. Remember to reach out to teachers and staff if you have any questions and or concerns and stay both healthy, safe, and positive through this negative challenging milestone. Go Dons!

NEWS AP Testing Rules By: Loraine Jacobo Staff Writer Advanced Placement or AP is a term we all know by either hearing our peers talk about it, teachers recommending us to take it, or we're taking the class. Advanced Placement in our school offers different courses. We have AP Art, AP Combo, AP Foreign Language, AP Government, etc. These classes although normal to others are different from our school schedule since it is a year long. Because of the pandemic we all have had to adjust to new settings, hence the new change for AP. These adjustments were applied last year in 2020 when the school was more aware of students not being able to go back to school. We weren’t given much say for the normal test we take for class but the AP testing, we have been presented options we can pick to our liking and anyway we are comfortable with. These new options include: In school from May 3-7, 10-12, 14, and 17, In school and At home from May 18-21, 24-28 and In school and at home on June 1-4, 7-11. All of these options apply to all AP classes except for AP Spanish which will be mandatory to take in school. Ms. Chavez, our STEMM Magnet counselor, had said that the students who take busses to school are a big concern but nothing has yet been decided. These testing windows have been presented to all AP students who will be taking the exam and they all need to

agree on a window they will be participating in. Angel Saavedra, a student who likes this new idea of taking the test, “I like how they gave an option for those who want to take it in person and for those who want to take it at home.” He goes on to say that the options they gave were really good for students who might feel uncomfortable going to school at such times. Taking the test at home does have its cons because the college board does not allow you to go back after you have chosen an answer in the online test unlike the students taking it in school who are allowed to go back. As usual, the college board is doing anything they can to make testing safe for students and they will keep updating us with new information. Along with Ms. Chavez who will be posting the test dates on the Verdugo website. This test I’m sure enough will be comfortable for everyone as long as we all go through with it and feel safe in the environment. For those taking the test, I know it might be stressful but I am sure you can all do it! Don’t worry and stress as much it will all be okay once it’s done.

FEATURES Women’s History Month By: Katelynn Garmendia Staff Writer When people think of March, they usually think of Spring and how school is almost over; however, the month of March carries more value than people think. The month of March represents the integrity and hardships women have endured to protect/receive their civil liberties. As a nation, we’ve already made U.S history when Kamala Harris was elected to be our first female and South-Asian Vice President. Having our first female country leader is so vital, it gives younger girls something to look up to, knowing that a woman can do anything she sets her mind to. Two other notable women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony fought for women’s rights, specifically the right to vote. Susan B. Anthony led the Women’s Suffrage Movement to ratify the 19th Amendment, which later became successful. There are also some instances where women broke societal-norms concerning career choices. One of my favorite women role models is Katherine Johnson, an American NASA mathematician whose calculations were extremely vital for the success of the very first space travel in the U.S. Unfortunately, Katherine Johnson experienced the awful prejudice and racism of the racial segregation era. Katherine Johnson was essential to the success of the NASA team, she contributed like no other NASA employee, but sadly she experienced the misfortunes of discrimination because she was a woman of color. Eventually, Katherine Johnson would be recognized and receive the Medal of Freedom, one of the highest awards someone can receive. Shockingly, women are still underrepresented in the fields of STEM and

law/government. Another one of my favorite female heroes is Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who experienced adversity before becoming the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Early in her career, RBG encountered gender discrimination while trying to find a law firm to hire her. Ms. Ginsburg eventually received a SCOTUS nomination from former President Obama, finally receiving the proper acknowledgement for the hard work she’s done for this country. At Verdugo, we have students who feel passionate about the subject of gender equity. Women’s rights activist, Nicole Vanegas, a 10th grader, proudly advocates for women who are subjected to societal-standards. She said, “I believe that women should be given the same opportunities as men without being weighed down by outdated patriarchal ideology. Gender shouldn’t automatically define what someone is capable of or not.” Ms. Vanegas explained how to expand her platform to others, stating, “As a strong Latina woman, I strive to set an example of how women can be confident, bold, and courageous. With societal ties holding women's true potential down, I wish to cut those strings one at a time by empowering females to go beyond their comfort zone and share their talents with the world. ” Overall, acknowledging the prejudice that women have had to endure to preserve the rights of other women signifies the importance of rewriting history. America is beginning to take steps towards positive change, not only for women but for all minorities.

FEATURES The History of Easter By: Allison Queiro Staff Writer Easter is a widespread holiday celebrated by many, but what is the actual history of it and how it came to be? The name Easter came from Eostre, a pre-Christian goddess in England, who was celebrated at the beginning of spring. It was a pagan festival that then became associated with the resurrection of Christ. The holiday started to be timed in relation to the Jewish holiday Passover. It was and still is, called Pascha in Latin and Greek. It then became the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Because it was always closely related to Passover, Easter is timed according to a lunisolar calendar similar to the Hebrew calendar. The Easter holiday has some things that never change, like decorating eggs for the holiday and putting them at the center of Easter dinner. In the past, some ladies gave decorative eggs to invite men for dinner and drinks. If it was a little boy. they would get sweets with a small amount of money. Now the typical tradition consists of hiding eggs with candy, and sometimes money in them. Some children set out baskets for the Easter Bunny who comes with gifts and candy in the basket. Wikipedia Around the world, different countries and regions all have different variations of the holiday. “In 1991, Rabbit-Free Australia launched a campaign to replace the Easter bunny with the Easter bilby, or rabbit-eared

bandicoot. Companies now make chocolate bilbies for Easter with proceeds benefiting the endangered animals.”Women's Day “In Hungary "Sprinkling" is a popular Easter tradition observed on Easter Monday, which is also known as "Ducking Monday." Boys playfully sprinkle perfume or perfumed water on girls after getting their permission to do so.”Women's Day “Mexican Easter traditions depend on the region where they take place and they usually span over two weeks - the week leading up to Easter and the week following it. In regions like Taxco, there are physical reenactments of Holy Week, according to Journey Mexico, a local travel company. Another tradition is the Burning of the Judases in which people make giant Papier-mâché Judases and blow them up with fireworks. However, some regions prefer to keep their celebrations low key.” Women's Day “According to Visit Norway, Easter in the country is a popular time to read crime novels and ski. The tradition is said to have started in 1923 when a book publisher promoted its new crime novel on the front pages of newspapers. The ads resembled news so much that people didn't know it was a publicity stunt, so it received massive attention. And so the Easter tradition was born.”Women's Day

FEATURES Spring Break Activities By: Araksya Harutyunyan and Vivian Honarchian Staff Writers Spring Break is one of the times in a school year where everyone is ready to get their rest and enjoy their time off as much as they can. Most students and teachers love Spring Break, however, not everyone enjoys it in the same way or by doing the same things. People are different and they often have different hobbies and interests. Every person makes decisions for themselves. By saying this means that every single individual finds specific things to do during Spring Break with them happy and relaxed since that is what Spring Break is about. Spring Break originated around the 1930s in the United States between schools and universities, later on, became more common in other countries according to Wikipedia. As of now, Spring Break is common worldwide and people just love it. Besides getting to enjoy Spring Break there is also a holiday that is taking place during that time which is Easter. A lot of people celebrate Easter which is one of the other things that makes Spring Break more valuable. Some students spend their time during Spring Break staying home, watching Netflix, and enjoying their time at home since they are not going out due to Covid. However, unlike these types of students, there is also the complete opposite type of student who loves

going outside playing, enjoying time with friends, continuing to stay active, and spending their time wisely on important tasks. Just like students, teachers also have the right to rest since teaching is a heavy, hard, and very responsible job to do. After the disaster of Covid-19 hit, things took a major turn. Not everything is the same anymore, but even if they are not, you can still find ways to make fun out of everything if you want it. As a result of Covid, people have to keep a distance while doing almost everything, as well as wearing masks just about everywhere you go. It is a safety requirement which not all people like but is extremely important. Even with these restrictions you can still use your time wisely and maintain your day with interesting activities. With that being said, a good activity that you can do during the Spring Break is to go hiking because it is excellent for your physical and mental health, while also getting to experience some of the best that nature has to offer. Overall, every type of break is a must during the school year because every person needs a rest from all the stress they experience during the year. Sometimes we just have to feel the relaxation from everything that is going on around us.

FEATURES Did You Know? By: Julian Rosas and Nathan Jon Staff Writers As‌‌everyone‌‌has‌‌seen‌‌in‌‌the‌‌media‌‌today‌‌the‌ ‌Pokemon‌‌franchise‌‌has‌‌a‌‌new‌‌collaboration‌ ‌with‌‌Mcdonalds.‌‌This‌‌collaboration‌‌consists‌ ‌of‌‌making‌‌a‌‌happy-meal‌‌box‌‌that‌‌looks‌‌like‌ ‌a‌‌Pikachu.‌‌The‌‌“toy”‌‌they‌‌are‌‌including‌‌will‌ ‌be‌‌a‌‌four-card‌‌pack‌‌in‌‌each‌‌Happy‌‌Meal,‌‌and‌ ‌each‌‌pack‌‌will‌‌have‌‌three‌‌normal‌‌cards‌‌and‌ ‌one‌‌holographic‌‌card.‌‌For‌‌years‌‌Pokemon‌ ‌has‌‌been‌‌such‌‌a‌‌big‌‌company,‌‌which‌‌started‌ ‌in‌‌1996‌‌with‌‌the‌‌release‌‌of‌‌Pokemon‌‌green‌ ‌and‌‌red.‌‌From‌‌there‌‌the‌‌franchise‌‌grew‌‌more‌ ‌popular‌‌, especially‌‌in‌‌the‌‌United‌‌States.‌‌The‌ ‌show‌‌became‌‌a‌‌huge‌‌success‌‌and‌‌with‌‌every‌ ‌new‌‌region,‌‌a‌‌new‌‌game‌‌came‌‌along‌‌with‌‌it,‌ ‌especially‌‌with‌‌the‌‌newest‌‌release,‌‌Pokemon‌ ‌sword‌‌, and‌‌shield.‌‌‌The‌‌movies‌‌were‌‌also‌ ‌popular‌‌especially‌‌because‌‌of‌‌the‌‌improved‌ ‌animation.‌‌Even‌‌though‌‌Pokemon‌‌was‌ ‌released‌‌back‌‌in‌‌the‌‌90’s‌‌people‌‌to‌‌this‌‌day‌ ‌are‌‌still‌‌enjoying‌‌the‌‌game.‌‌There‌‌are‌‌122‌ ‌official‌‌Pokemon‌‌video‌‌games‌‌and‌‌many‌ ‌more‌‌to‌‌come.‌‌People‌‌have‌‌a‌‌certain‌ ‌connection‌‌to‌‌the‌‌game‌‌and‌‌love‌‌it‌‌for‌ ‌evolving‌‌into‌‌such‌‌a‌‌big‌‌community.‌ ‌Recently,‌‌there‌‌have‌‌been‌‌people‌‌who‌‌have‌ ‌been‌‌buying‌‌90’s‌‌Pokemon‌‌cards.‌‌These‌ ‌cards‌‌sell‌‌upwards‌‌to‌‌$220,000‌‌US‌‌dollars‌ ‌for‌‌a‌‌mint‌‌condition‌‌Charizard‌.‌‌A‌ ‌well-known‌‌Youtuber‌‌has‌‌purchased‌‌about‌‌2‌ ‌million‌‌dollars‌‌worth‌‌of‌‌Pokemon‌‌booster‌ ‌packs‌‌from‌‌the‌‌’90s.‌‌Each‌‌box‌‌was‌‌about‌ ‌200,000 dollars.‌‌Now‌‌with‌‌this‌‌comeback‌‌of‌

‌ okemon,‌‌older‌‌fans‌‌are‌‌returning‌‌to‌‌enjoy‌ P ‌the‌‌game‌‌again‌‌and‌‌it's‌‌becoming‌‌bigger‌ ‌than‌‌ever.‌‌People‌‌spending‌‌millions‌‌on‌‌a‌ ‌card‌‌game‌‌is‌‌crazy.‌‌People‌‌have‌‌been‌ ‌enjoying‌‌this‌‌new‌‌comeback‌‌of‌‌the‌‌retro‌ ‌Pokemon‌‌cards.‌‌This‌‌game‌‌‌has‌‌a‌ ‌competitive‌‌edge‌‌and‌‌there‌‌are‌‌tournaments‌ ‌for‌‌people‌‌to‌‌show‌‌off‌‌their‌‌skills‌‌and‌‌cards‌ ‌in‌‌battle.‌‌There‌‌are‌‌so‌‌many‌‌different‌‌types‌ ‌of‌‌people‌‌who‌‌enjoy‌‌this‌‌game‌‌and‌‌the‌‌game‌ ‌provides‌‌a‌‌variety‌‌of‌‌options‌‌for‌‌those‌ ‌people.‌‌Whether‌‌it‌‌be‌‌a‌‌video‌‌game‌‌or‌‌a‌‌card‌ ‌game,‌‌Pokemon‌‌has‌‌provided‌‌countless‌ ‌hours‌‌of‌‌fun‌‌and‌‌joy‌‌for‌‌people‌‌around‌‌the‌ ‌globe.‌‌ ‌

FEATURES Fantasy vs. Reality By : Brianna Persky Staff Writer Roth Rothfuss - an American writer of epic fantasy fiction - announced: “There are times when the mind is dealt such a blow it hides itself in insanity. While this may not seem beneficial, it is. There are times when reality is nothing but pain, and to escape that pain… the mind must leave reality behind”. Many times we find ourselves binge-watching tv shows, wasting time on social media apps, and lounging around instead of completing the daily tasks that await us. This "fight or flight" type of response to overwhelmingly repetitive routines stems from the ¨nightmare¨ we´re consciously dealing with: real life. These responsive actions are both harmful to our health and our attainment of educational knowledge needed to thrive in the future. However… there are steps we can take small or big - to decipher reverie from actuality, which will improve our overall productivity and frame of mind. Although this is a self-destructive copanism, it's rather normal and universal. I had the pleasure of interviewing both students: Preonti Neha and Yancy Quevedo to acquire their perspectives on the matter. Preonti, a sophomore, commented: ¨I have had an increase of procrastination since the start of quarantine. Due to this, I´ve had to make sure to set alarms and notes on my phone so that I don´t forget to complete my assignments.¨ Following with Yancy, a senior, announcing: ¨Since the beginning of quarantine, I´ve had an increase in procrastination but what helped me the most was keeping a planner and writing down a list of what I have to do.¨ From these statements, we can tell that one of the

several worldwide results of quarantine is procrastination. In 2019, March would normally be a hellish time for students across the nation. With the end of the year approaching, the weather warming, and exams drawing closer and closer, school work is typically not only more stressful but also more difficult as well. This year, however, on top of all of that, we have to deal with the ramifications of a global pandemic. The pandemic has a multitude of possible consequences on students like the possible deterioration of their health, the health of their families, and less financial stability. Then again, there is the less pressing, but equally widespread, issue of procrastination and loss of work ethic among students. Personally, it was hard to even bring me to write this article. Not because it’s particularly draining or difficult, but purely because right now I just don’t want to. There doesn’t seem to be anything motivating me besides a slight sense of guilt hovering somewhere in the back of my mind. And why would I bother sitting at my desk to write an article when I could continue to lay in bed, scrolling through TikTok, occasionally laughing without the use of a single brain cell? With the absence of in-person school and the threat of having to explain to your teacher in-person why you haven’t done your work, it seems that practically everyone has been struggling to stay motivated.

-Luckiest Things-

Lucas Minton, 10th Grade “I don’t know. Just whatever small ‘fidgetable’ object is nearby.”

Emily Hovsepian 12th Grade “My most luckiest thing is probably my first dance metal/award that I earned when I was 6.“

Cynthia Hossain, 12th Grade “My most luckiest thing is my necklace from my mom”

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Brandon Sosa, 11th Grade “The luckiest thing that ever happened to me was my whole school year turning right side up”

-Luckiest Things-

Aaron Marth 12th Grade

Loraine Severino 11th Grade

“The luckiest thing to ever happen to me is “The luckiest thing that has happened to me that I won custom shoes from a raffle.” was reconnecting with my cousins.”

Cheyenne Rave, 11th Grade “I won my basketball game with a buzzer beater doing a half court basket”

Emily Low, 11th Grade “The luckiest thing to ever happen to me was when I found a $2.00 bill on the floor at Disneyland.”

SPORTS Women’s Basketball By: Mariah Cortez Staff Writers The girl's basketball team at Verdugo hills high school has been going on since 1954 and their jersey colors were different than they are today. Today in 2021 there jersey colors are black red and white the girls on the team since 1954 have been worked harder to bring home the winning titles which they have taken home the girls that are on the team of 2021 have made everyone proud especially there coach Henry by bring home the whole winning titles and they were going to bring home the next winning titles and all the ones after at and so to do the they practice so hard every day and night for hours till covid-19 hit hard in March of 2020 everyone had to sadly leave campus and going home for safety and that included all the sports like the girls basketball team the girls on the team were sad because they were looking forward to playing next season and bring home the titles angin but then they had to practice social distance and they had to learn to do practice on zoom for a whole year and they had tru ball because sometime

the wi-fi did not work and they would miss practice online and on line they practice jumping jacks and there running and dribbling and stuff the girls wish they can come back to school and do practice liked they used to do before this covid hit and one of the girls on the team her name is Morriah so thank you. Moriah had told me that the school will be allowing the girl's basketball team to come back to the campus and practice like they did before this covid and yes the girls will be safe and they will be wearing their mask and they will be 6ft apart at all times the girls are so happy that they get to go back to school but they are also worried that they might get sick and have to be sent home there's not that much more of details to tell that fs they will be going back the principal as not said much about it but I don't have any other details on it but I hope they get to go back and I hope they say safe I wish them the best of luck.

ENTERTAINMENT Movie By: Kassandra Cebrero Staff Writer The long-awaited third film of the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” trilogy has finally arrived, and it did not disappoint. The first movie was released back in August 2018, it was then followed by the second movie, “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You”, released on February 12, 2020, and the last and final movie, “To All The Boys: Always and Forever”, was recently released exactly one year after the second movie, February 12, 2021. These movies are based on the series of books written by Jenny Han. To recap the first movie, Lara Jean Covey, portrayed by Lana Condor, writes five love letters to all the boys she has ever encountered feelings for, and in an unfortunate turn of events, for her, the love letters are sent out to all five boys, one of them being Peter Kavinsky, played by Noah Centineo. In the second and third movies, we see a relationship between Lara Jean and Peter grow. We watch them as they struggle to overcome their personal problems. It becomes challenging for Lara Jean to maintain healthy relationships as new characters come into play, but for the

audience, the story becomes even more interesting and leaves them wanting more. As the movies progress, the audience gets to see the characters develop and prosper in their new experiences. In the last movie, “To All The Boys: Always and Forever”, we see the seniors, such as Lara Jean, Peter, and their friends, struggle to decide where they want to go to college, will they stay local or will they travel out of state? In the last scene of the final movie, we finally see the characters choose their desired paths. It is always best to read the books before watching the movies, but it all depends on a person's preference. This trilogy is great to watch if you are in the mood to watch a fun romantic comedy with multiple parts. You can watch them on your own, with friends, or even with a significant other. Although fans would love to see more of Lara Jean Covey and the other characters, a fourth movie is currently not in the works and people doubt that it will be. Despite this, the cast, writers, and producers have all done an excellent job in bringing the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” series to life.

ENTERTAINMENT Book By: Yarely Barrios Staff Writers Being a teenager can be both amazing and also tough sometimes. Teenagers have the chance to explore themselves and find out who they are. However, along with that they also face challenges such as peer pressure, anxiety, depression, academic problems, and so on. “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens,” written by Sean Covey, highlights various strategies teens can use to be more successful in life, create friendships, build on their self-esteem, learn how to deal with peer pressure, and so much more. Covey talks about seven main habits all teens are more familiar with and can relate to the most. The first one is “Be Proactive” which Covey explains as the first step towards accomplishing personal goals. When facing hard choices we can either choose to be proactive or reactive. A proactive person thinks before they act. Covey compares a proactive person to water. “Shake them up all you want, take off the lid, and nothing. They stay calm, cool, and in control.” As opposed to a reactive person who, instead of thinking about their actions, lets the situation they are in control their actions. Habit two “Begin with the End in Mind'' is all about setting goals and planning what direction you want to head in. You don’t necessarily have to decide every little detail, but it is simply drawing out an outline of what you want to accomplish. One way to

do this is by writing a personal mission statement which states what your life is about, almost like a blueprint. There are many ways to write a mission statement such as poems, quotes, song lyrics, even pictures. “Have you packed a suitcase and noticed how much more you can fit inside when you neatly fold and organize your clothes?” mentioned Covey. The same goes for our life. The better you organize yourself, the more time you have for other things. This is what habit three “Put First Things First” is all about. Prioritizing and managing your time helps you overcome fears and stay strong during hard moments. When we learn how to prioritize what is most important, we have the strength to say no to less important things and peer pressure. These three habits are just a glimpse of what the seven habits are all about. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens is a self-help book directed mainly towards teens. Its illustrations and quotes make it even more intriguing. Along with that, it includes different stories that teenagers shared from their personal experiences. Overall, it is very informative and life-changing, it speaks on many topics teenagers face and how to handle them more healthily. As a teenager, myself, I would highly recommend this book, altogether it made me change some of my habits and gave really helpful advice.

ENTERTAINMENT Music By: Julian Rosas Staff Writer The Jimi Hendrix experience was one of the biggest groups of the 1960s. The members consisted of Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell, Noel Redding, and Billy Cox. And some of the most popular songs that the band created were “All Along The Watchtower,” “Hey Joe.” “Little Wing,” and “Voodoo Chile”. Also, while making the album “Electric Landlady” the song “Voodoo Chile” ( which is 15:00 minutes long), incorporated a true Blues genre. Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle, Washington, on November 27th, 1942. He began to play guitar at 15 years old, and in 1961 he enlisted in the army. Hendrix completed his paratrooper training in just over eight months. From there he moved to Clarksville, Tennessee where he played gigs at the “Chitlin Circuit”. There he joined a band called the Isley Brothers. His first recordings were in 1964, Jimi did a two-part recording with the Isley Brothers on a song called “Testify” which failed to chart. He

then later played with Little Richard, who he continued to work with throughout mid-1965. Before he moved to England he played with Curtis Knight and the Squires in late 1966. While in the UK he earned three UK top ten hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the 3 songs being “Hey Joe,” “Purple Haze,” and “ The Wind Cries Mary”. After his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival, Jimi finally found his fame in the US in 1967. In 1968 his 3rd and final studio album “Electric Lady” reached number one in the US. Hendrix’s most successful commercial release was the double LP which was his first and only number one album. He was also the world's highest-paid performer. And on September 18th, 1970 he, unfortunately, passed away due to asphyxia, which means he aspirated on his vomit and died while intoxicated with barbiturates at the age of 27 in London.

Staff Box La Yuca is a student-run newspaper published by the journalism class at Verdugo Hills High School. Letters to the editor should be submitted to [email protected]. Include your full name and your contact information. Letters are subject to editorial discretion.

Advisor Julianne Long Editor in Chief Mairi-Ellen McMahon Layout Editor Mairi-Ellen McMahon

Staff Writers Yarely Barrios Eriana Birdtail Kassandra Cebrero Mariah Cortez Brianna Garcia Flores Katelynn Garmendia Ivan Herrera-Garcia Araksya Harutyunyan Vivian Honarchian Loraine Jacobo Nathan Jon Mairi-Ellen McMahon Brianna Persky Julian Rosas Alison Queiro