PrintOAK HILLS HIGH SCHOOL, HESPERIA, CA

PawOAK HILLS BASEBALL: BULLDOGS CLAIM SCHOOL’S FIRST

Cops ‘N’ Jocks supports local schools to provide positive opportunities

for teens through sports and activities

The High Desert is known for its lack of atmo-sphere; there seems to be nothing to grab the attention of young teenagers who are faced everyday with the temptation of something less than constructive. Com-munity involvement is vital to keep young adults away from trouble. Cops ‘N’ Jocks is a national community policing program. Peace offi cers, sheriff deputies and highway patrol offi cers have been donating their personal time to support local high schools since 1993. Today’s youth face diffi cult decisions every-day. Cops ‘N’ Jocks hope that their efforts help guide students in the right direction. They are a non-profi t organization which is funded through donations from citizens who believe in a strong police-community partnership. “I think they’ve expanded the way students see cops,” said Mr. Porras, OHHS principal. Through unity, spirit, and pride, law enforcement agencies and high

schools educate the community on important issues facing our young adults. Oak Hills High School held their annual open house on August 4, 2011, where Cops ‘N’ Jocks joined to support the student body. President of this organi-zation Gerania Navarro said, “I feel like we help the students represent their school with pride.”

CIFCIFCHAMPIONSHIP

4Full Story on Page

BULLDOGS HONORED:-Coach Story and Coach Stidham named Coaches of the Year...-Mrs. Lovewell wins HETAC AWARD...-Yearbook gains national honor...

Details Inside

OHHS POSTS 38 POINT API GROWTH

738738s a school, Oak Hills has accom-plished many feats, but nothing

quite like this. Noth-ing amounting to such heights as transforming the defi nition of our school, as well as the perception of it from outsiders. “We’re seen now as having academic success in ad-dition to our athletic success,” claims James Kutch, AP US History teacher. API scores measure the overall growth of a school’s academic achievement through the end-of-the-year STAR testing. Although Oak Hill’s recognition for sports and other noteworthy triumphs have distinguished the school well among its neighboring educa-tors, the impressive growth of the school’s scores show the public that education still always comes fi rst. Last April, the students of Oak Hills surpassed their goal of in-creasing their overall scores by 33 points, and ended up with a 38 point increase. 38 not only exists far above the average goal of improve-ment each year, but stands as the highest increase out of any of the schools in the area including Apple Valley, Barstow, Granite Hills, Hes-peria, Serrano, Silverado, Sultana, and Victor.

Eric Murillo, a freshman who has been recognized as one of the nine students who showed the most dramatic increase in their personal STAR test scores, commented that the most infl uential factors of his success were “my teachers, my family,” and how “they support my in everything I do.” This sense of community and comfort is the ideal atmosphere that the administrators and staff are aiming to achieve. “A combination of good teaching practices and sup-port from all the staff, from admin-istration all the way to the campus assistants” states Mr. Kutch. The special attention towards the school’s learning environment has proved successful in other ways as well. Assistant Principal Mike Capps explained that the dropout rate at Oak Hills is extremely low, and that only six students failed to graduate on time last year; these students, however, with the help of counselors and other staff, received the assistance they needed and all

graduated. However, “it really starts with the students themselves,” Mr. Kutch concludes. “Our challenge now is to sustain this academic rigour.” The school can only do so much, then comes the power of student motivation. The students of the school have created a bar for themselves that has heads turning throughout the area. The challenge is not over yet, though, and neither is the success of the school. The possibility of a higher growth this April exists as long as the students, the most important factors of this equation, can fi nd it once again within them-selves to continue to push.

The simple yet most powerful words of advice come from a suc-cessful Murillo: “Do your best.”

BY NICOLE OLNEYeditor-in-chief

A

TOP STORY

The Bulldogs improved their API score from 700 to 738 in only their second year of existence, the largest growth of any high school in the district.

Top DogsThe following nine Bulldogs all improved two levels on last year’s STAR tests. They are be-ing honored for their efforts and accomplishments.

“ Today’s youth face diffi cult decisions everyday. Cops ‘N’ Jocks hope

that their efforts help guide students in the right direction”

BY SAHM SALAZAR asst. editor

photo-JIM GARRETT

photo-STAFF

image-COURTESY OF COPS “N” JOCKS

Abel Laguna

DaJuan Mitchell

Christian Marquez

Dakota Herndon

Abel Garcia

Dilan Plasch

Jose Oregel

Fernando Bedolla

Eric Murillo

Fall 2011Vol. 3, Issue 1

2THE PEOPLE, PLACES, AND EVENTS THAT MAKE OHHS

CampusFall 2011

The Arts Scene:Taming of the Shrew Performances:Thursday, November 17 at 7:00 pmFriday, November 18 at 7:00 pmSaturday, November 20 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

Drama Festival Touring:Thursday, October 27Drama Festival:Saturday, October 29

PAW PRINTwww.oakhillsbulldogs.com

Hard-working, dedicated, and disciplined teacher and students of Oak Hills High School come together to create an award winning year-book. Mrs. Sherrodd the English/Yearbook teacher has been working with yearbook class-es for six years, each year bringing new inspir-ing idea’s to the yearbook. Organizing and planning the yearbook is a stressful task to take on. “The most stressful part about working on yearbook is everything,” said Mrs. Sherrod, “making sure it is perfect to the best of our ability.” Stepping inside Mrs. Sherrod’s class-room is stepping into a friendly and hard-work-ing environment. Groups of students collabo-rate, willing to put forth the effort and time it takes to create such a great piece of work. Every school year a competition is held to recognize and compare different school’s yearbooks. Oak Hills High School’s Yearbook rose above ten other schools to win Walsworth Publishing Company’s Gallery of Excellence Award. A large plaque now hangs in yearbook class in honor of their outstanding achievement for the school year 2011-2010. The entire yearbook class is responsible for this tremendous accomplishment. “It was a team effort,” said Mrs. Sherrodd. According to Meghan Shore, “Yearbook class is a lot of fun and hard work. It’s not an easy A like everyone thinks. It takes time and dedication.” Students described Mrs. Sherrod as in-spiring, motivated, creative, and hard-working. She will continue to work on your Oak Hills High School Yearbook for 2011-2012 school year. Congratulations to Mrs. Sherrodd and her yearbook class for winning such an honorable award.

Green Club is working to help their school become more envi-ronmentally aware and eco-friendly. They put recycle bins all around the campus to help their community be more clean and green. If students put all their recyclable plastic bottles and cans in the bins, it would make the environ-ment cleaner and healthier than just throwing it away in the trash. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.” All the students from the Green Club would like Bulldogs to support them by recycling on campus and at the locale recycling centers.

Mrs. Canchola in C-15 is the advisor of the Green Club. Canchola believes that teenagers are commit-ted to going green because they are more apt to transform than previ-ous generations. However, she is pleased with the students’ response because there over 40 students in the club that helps the environment and community become more green. “You don’t have to be part of the Green Club to do your part. Recycling your beverage contain-ers either on campus or at home is a great way to be green,” said Mrs. Canchola.

Mean Green Fighting Team (actually it’s a club)

Does the job end when we meet its expectations, or does it continue to go on until we redefi ne them all together? Every decision we make takes us one step closer in our journey of life, and though it may not lead to the destination of our choice, it may be what’s best for us in the end. “We make plans and God laughs,” said Mrs. Erin Lovewell, child devel-opment teacher. She has experienced just that. She never imagined herself as a teacher, let alone receiving award for being one. Lovewell won the Dream-Dare-Do award

from the Home Econom-ics Teachers Association of California for her work “I wanted to be a photo journalist,” she said smiling, but with rue in her eyes. “ But then I got pregnant and my whole world changed.” Ever since she was a little girl she’s wanted to see the world through a lens. She was glued to the pages of the National Geographic that her mother subscribed to. Mrs. Lovewell isn’t the photo journalist she wanted to be, but who says she can’t have a hobby. In fact, she has recently photographed a wedding. Even though she doesn’t

spend every waking minute teaching, it doesn’t mean she isn’t going above and beyond for her classes. Whether it’s rais-ing money for electronic babies, or simply talking to them about the things that most parents won’t, Mrs. Lovewell is there and will-ing to do what she can. ‘I’ve know her (Erin) for eleven years, and I still can only come up with three words to de-scribe her: compassionate, dedicated, and had work-ing,” said co-worker and friend Mrs. Russo. “HET-AC has given her the credit she deserves and that credit is long past due.”

photos-MICHAELA D’EPIFANIO

Lovewell pours her heart out for her class and kids

BY DANIELLE D’EPIFANIOstaff writer

HAELA D’EPIFANIO

THE PEOPLE, PLACES, AND EVENTS THAT

Fall 2011

PAW PRINTwww.oakhillsbulldogs.com

photos-MIC

BULLDOG PROFILES:

YEARBOOK RECEIVES NATIONAL HONORYEARBOOK RECEIVES NATIONAL HONOR

Yearbook was honored with the Walsworth Publishing Company’s Gallery of Excel-lence Award for their last year-book, beating out ten other schools. Although it was last year’s book, the staff deserves recognition for an accomplish-ment many were not aware of until the summer.

STAFF HONORS

BY ARTIS BURBANKstaff writer

Mrs. Lovewell won the Dream-Dare-Do Award for her work as a Child

Development teacher at OHHS

BY FERNANDO BEDOLLAstaff writer

Nicole Olney editor-in-chiefGenelle Watkinsassistant editorSahmahntha Sala-zar assistant editorKyle Fulfersonsports writerArtis Burbank writerHaylee Carlos writerDanielle D’Epifanio writerFernando Bedolla writerVincent De La Torre writerCrisitan Rodriguez writerArlene Strother writerBreeanna Mancioc-chi writerJade Howe writerSamantha Horton writerMarissa Henson writerMichaela D’Epifanio photographer

The Paw Print is a nonprofi t student publication pub-

lished by Oak Hills High School’s Ad-vanced Journalism class. All opinions

expressed are those solely of the writers and do not

represent those of the students or staff of OHHS or

HUSD. Letters to the

editor can be sent to Jason.kleber@hesperiausd.org

PrintPPawPaw

Help Green Club fi ll the boxes around campus with your cans and bottles, not the trash cans. Show the world that the Bulldogs will lead the

way in recycling.

3THE STORIES BEHIND THE GLORY

SportsFall 2011

FALL SPORTS UPDATE

Football:Cross Country:

Volleyball:Girls Tennis:PAW PRINT

www.oakhillsbulldogs.com

swing. A miss. Bulldogs come out victorious. The team mobs the mound, celebrating their cham-

pionship moment. “It was a wild ride and I don’t know if it has even set in at this moment,” said Coach Jason Story in re-sponse to his experience over the season. For the 2010-2011 baseball season, the Oak Hills High School varsity baseball team won the CIF Division 5 Southern Section Champion-ship. The Bulldogs won their fi rst CIF championship on June 4, 2011. They played

Lompoc High School on a neutral fi eld at the University of California Riverside. The Bulldogs beat their opponents by a fi nal score of 4-3. Oak Hills baseball had a great season fi nishing 25-3 overall and a Mojave River League record of 12-0. They improved from their 16-9 record in the 2009-2010 season. According to Coach Story, Adolfo Espinoza, Christian Fillingame, Kyle Challahan, and Logan Griffi n led the team in hitting. As a whole, the team had a batting average of .346. When asked how they persevered throughout

the whole season, Coach Story said, “Throughout the year, the kids had never given up, and they always believed in themselves and that was a big part of our success.” During the playoffs the Bulldogs out scored their opponents 27 to 20 . In the championship game, Adolfo Espinoza was both the start-ing and winning pitcher. The game ended after a Lompoc hitter had a “swing and miss,” striking out. “He was our horse on the hill, we leaned on him a lot,” said Coach Story describing the impact Adolfo Espinoza had on the team.

Some high schools go decades without winning a championship. The fact that the Bulldogs won in their second season, makes this accomplishment even more special. This summer the Bulldog baseball team ac-complished a goal any school would love to accomplish. They fi nished the season 25-3 overall and won the CIFDi-vision 5 Southern Section Championship. They look to repeat a championship season this year while being led by returning captains, senior Christian Fillingame and junior Nick Muckenthaler.

Adrenaline rushes through his body as the crowd trumpets for more. The wrestler adjusts his singlet and stretches out. “If you can break ‘em mentally, you’ll win the match every single time.” These are the things a top-ranked wres-tler in the state thinks. Oak Hills High School’s Robert Marchese has been in the game since junior high, but now as a senior he is facing his most important year yet. Being ranked fi rst in state, Marchese sometimes seems to have a target on his back, particularly at the summer tournament. He recalls, “They didn’t appreciate the position I’ve been given at the top.” Though he feels this way, he doesn’t let it phase him. He’s still a hard working athlete and student as well. “They go hand in hand

with each other,” he comments on school work and wrestling together. Marchese is an excellent student who excels in AP Classes and maintains a GPA of 3.94. The mat isn’t the only place where he can be mentally tough. In his classes he is equally as fi t for success. He works tremen-dously hard to balance school life, wrestling, and everything in between with an exceptional work ethic. After wrestling practice ends at 4 pm, he ventures home to his own strenuous work-outs, and proceeds to dwindle down the pile of homework he received for the day. “You always want to be your best at anything you can do, in the class or on the mat,” Marchese said, “whatever your sport or what-ever it is you’re doing, drama, art, or anything.”

Finding the Mental Edge in Class and on the Mat

A win for a team is a win for a coach; a win for a coach is a win for a team. They say hard work pays off, and what better way to represent that hard work than the honor of being Coach of the Year. Baseball Coach Jason Story and Wrestling Coach Dave Stidham know that honor fi rst hand by win-ning the 2010 Coach of the Year award. Jason Story, varsity baseball head coach for Oak Hills High School has been a coach for fi ve years, two of them at Hesperia High School

and the last three here at Oak Hills High School. He has won a MRL Championship and a CIF Championship with the Bulldogs last year, and this is his fi rst Coach of the Year award.

“The growth of the players, seeing where they evolved from where they started, that’s the funnest part,” said Coach Story. He is very passionate about the game and his team. He is driven by his competitive edge. Dave Stidham, head wrestling coach for Oak Hills, has been coaching for twenty years, three of them with our Oak Hills Bull-dogs Wrestling team. He has lead them to MRL Championships, produced three CIF Champi-ons, three All-Americans and fi ve State Qualifi -ers. He has started a tradition at Oak Hills that will be hard to beat in years to come.

“Coach Stidham is an amazing coach. He really is one of the best coaches in the sport,” said junior Jared Aguilera. “His love for the sport” is what makes him worthy of Coach of the year. Both Coaches have put their blood, sweat and tears into coaching our outstanding Bulldogs to greatness. Coach of the year is a great source of recognition for these coaches for their hard work and dedication of the last three years.

photo-JIM GARRETT

photo-JIM GARRETT

TOP STORY

BULLDOGS BASEBALL CIF CHAMPS

AThe Bulldogs defeated Lompoc this summer to win the school’s fi rst CIF Championship

25 wins

3 losses

12 MRL wins

0 MRL losses .346 team ave.

#1 CIF Champs

by the numbers

BY KYLE FULKERSONsports writer

BY MARISSA HENSON &

SAM HORTONsports writers

Stidham and Story Named Coaches of the Year

“ ‘His love for the sport’ is what

makes him worthy of Coach of the year.”

BY JADE HOWEsports writer

Ranked 1st in the State, Marchese feels that mental strength is the key to success at the elite level. He credits his mental strength to training and academics, namely AP classes that chal-

lenge the students to think for themselves and develop their own work ethic.

3-0 @ AB MILLER

GIRLS 3RD, BOYS 4TH @ IE GLEN HELEN OCT 8

4-2 HOME VS SERRANO WEDNESDAY

7-2 HOME VS SERRANO WEDNESDAY

DogDogDishPAW PRINTwww.oakhillsbulldogs.com

4 THE L IGHTER S IDE OF NEWS AT OHHS

MORENEWS

OHHS

WEB As the new year began, the Paw Print staff started off with only

three returning journalists and a class full of eager new writers and photographers. As we prepared to release the “new look” Paw Print, we decided to start small with a 4-page publication. To supplement the paper, we are also posting stories on the school’s website (www.oakh-illsbuldogs.com). As we grow, so will our issues and coverage. If you have any story ideas for the website or the Paw Print, forward them to the advisor, Mr. Kleber, at jason.kleber@hesperiausd.org. Thanks, and we hope you enjoy the fi rst issue of the all new Paw Print.

Step on the B.R.A.K.E.S. In order to Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe (BRAKES), reckless driving has been taken to the extreme. From skidding out of control in water, to swerving into lanes at the last minute, and even slam-ming on the brakes from speeds of over 50 mph, there’s a new driving school that makes these dangers 100 percent okay. “Good kids, good grades--doesn’t matter, car accidents can happen everywhere, anytime,” said Matt Reilly, director of edu-cation for the BRAKES program. Every year, about 6,000 people

die and approximately 400,000 serious injuries occur from car accidents. With several locations including Pomona, California, this organization strives to provide quality instruction from several professional drivers from NASCAR. However, one of the best aspects of BRAKES is that it’s completely nonprofi t, and enroll-ment remains free. They’re just “good people doing great things,” said Reilly. The BRAKES program was originally founded by Doug Herbert in 2008, when he suffered the tragic loss of his two sons in a car accident. The goal of this

program serves to educate young teenage drivers ages 15 to 19 on important driving techniques when faced with adverse conditions such as heavy rain or obstacles on the road. This program does “absolutely no advertis-ing whatsoever, and all proceeds go to the kids,” said Reilly. Words can spread like wildfi re, and this epito-mizes this program’s growth from 40 to now over 3,000 graduates since its start in 2008. Students who have taken this program gain more knowledge than they could have ever received in a normal driving school. “We’re not here to teach the basics,” Reilly states. BRAKES aims to reach teenage drivers na-tionwide, and even though they have students com-ing from places as far as Canada to go through this program, they are still looking to expand. They want to reach as many kids as possible and instill within in them that driving is about caution and a respect for 4,000 pounds of steel. For more information about this revolutionary program, and to possibly sign up, please visit www.putonthebrakes.com.

photo-www.putonthebrakes.com/permission granted

BY GENELLE WATKINSasst. editor

BRAKES allows students to receive train-

ing from professional drivers in situations that simulate the speeds and

dangers of the road.

BULL

DOGS

-VOT

E NO

W Help give our mascot

a name!It seems that when we

adopted our puppy dog, we forgot to give the little fella a name. Now all the Bulldogs get a chance to name our

Bulldog mascot.

Simply check your favorite name on the offi cial ballot to the left, tear it out, and place it in an offi cial voting box in E2, the ASB offi ce, or the student store.

We will announce the results at the Sultana vs Oak Hills football game on October 14th.

OFFICIAL OHHS MASCOT BALLOTMy Name should be (circle one):

1. Champ 2. Rex 3. SpikeTear this out, and place it in an offi cial voting box in E2, the ASB offi ce, or the

student store.

MMAARRKK

LEAVING

A

Mr. Clark - ”Because he is the whole reason I am class president, and I am involved.”

Mrs. Viggiano - “My fi rst year here I didn’t know anyone, and she had my brothers

so she was always there for me. She kept me sane the fi rst year.”

Mr. Yancey - “He’s made school a lot of fun. We always joke around, and it’s always nice to have some-

one to make you laugh.”Offi cer Holland - “He’s always been

there for me to talk to, and it’s nice having someone there.”

SENIORS RECOGNIZE OHHS STAFF MEMBERS FOR THE POSITIVE IMPACT ON

THEIR LIVES

Senior MADISON SANDWICK