Gamutthe Oxford Academy Vol. no. 6 Issue No. 1October 2009

special issue: Stratum

UNDOCUMENTED PG 12a first-hand account

DIFFICULT TO MEASURE PG 10understanding subtle diversity on campus

FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN PG 7Oxford from an outsider’s point of view

COMMITTEE FORMED TO SUPPORT HISPANIC STUDENTS

addressing the Hispanic population

EDUCATION ON A BUDGET PG 3

GamuttheOxford Academy Volume no. 6, Issue no. 1 October 2009

NAMEAli Figueroa

Allen Tran Andres GarciaAnh Thu Tran

Annie YangAri Kim

Cynthia WashickoDaniel Taroy

Douglas Uselton Elizabeth Koh

Guadalupe RuelasHenry TranJenny Park

Jessica AyunaniJessica Lim

Julie Nguyen Medha Raj

Melissa Riddle Thy Vo

Tiffany TaingVaneda Vireak

Yong-Shing ChiangYvonne Ng

ADVISER Hiba Taylor

POSITIONStaff WriterSection EditorStaff WriterSection EditorStaff WriterLayout EditorDiversity EditorStaff WriterStaff WriterStaff WriterSection EditorStaff WriterLayout AssistantCenterfold EditorStaff WriterSection EditorAssistant EditorSection EditorEditor in ChiefStaff WriterIllustratorStaff WriterStaff Writer

W hen I tell people about where I go to school, the reactions register both bizarre and troubling. Since Oxford’s conception more than a decade ago, we’ve certainly done our part to perpetuate the mystery about campus life, a shroud of rolling-backpack misconceptions and test scores that distract curious passerby. But while we acknowledge the inaccuracy of assumptions about our students, we still dream up our own urban legends, obscuring the

features of our student body to a mass of Vicki Marsha polos. In reality, we are made up of several layers—Stratum, if you will—of students,

interests and social customs. In this special issue of the Gamut, we explore Oxford’s social stratum.

On page 3, Wallets Out by Daniel Taroy takes a look at the cost of being active in campus extracurricular activities and athletics. Andres Garcia, on page 7, features in Nurturing Success the valuable relationship between one student and her mother, and the effect that has had on her education. On page 14, Growing Secularism by Yong-Shing Chiang discusses how technology has affected perceptions on religion and her own experience with faith.

Each section features student viewpoints and statistics gathered by faculty, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) report and independent surveys conducted by the Gamut.

The administration has notably begun to address many of these problems—commendable though long overdue. There is no doubt that we have achieved a unique success with our academic environment, but without some degree of criticism to temper our accomplishments, hubris will be the limit to our success.

The cover, “Modern Zombie” by Ari Kim, depicts a curious array of student personalities buried beneath the surface.

-- Thy Vo, Editor-in-Chief NOTE:The Gamut staff would like to thank the Oxford Academy Foundation for a generous technology grant, which will help us improve the quality and efficiency of production, and help the Gamut grow as an organization in the years to come.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: The Gamut welcomes all viewpoints. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited or republished in any format. Please include your name, grade, cluster teacher and email address. Do not send any attachments. Letters should be emailed to thegamut.editor@gmail.com.

The comments and opinions expressed in The Gamut are those of the editorial staff and do not necessarily represent those of Oxford Academy or the Anaheim Union High School District.

Front cover artwork credit: “Modern Zombie”— Ari Kim

OCTOBERFriday, 2 — Class Activity Night & Senior LuauTuesday, 6 — FBLA March of Dimes Drive BeginsWednesday, 7 — Junior High RallyThursday, 8 — High School RallySaturday, 10 — SATSaturday, 10 — OA Singers Carwash & Pancake BreakfastMonday, 12 — Scoliosis Screening (7th & 8th Grade)Wednesday, 14 — OA Practice SATWednesday, 14 — Olvera Street Field TripMonday, 19 — Red Ribbon Week BeginsFriday, 23 — Makeup Picture DayFriday, 30 — Costume Day & Junior High Costume Dance

district cuts affect students and teachers

contents

calendar

editor’s note

staff

RELIGION AT THE ROUNDTABLE PG 14 the pros and cons of religious discussions

PG 5

Exploring “Stratum”

Staff Editorial In this special issue of the Gamut,we tackle five major topics of interest thathavegoneunaddressedorunderrepresentedon campus. From the difficulties faced bystudents from low-income families, to thelegal implications of being an immigrant,eachsectioncomparestheperceptionsofourschooltothetruthbehindthem. Low Income Families: With 20percentofourstudentsqualifyingforfreeandreduced lunch, Oxford remains proof thatintelligence and wealth don’t necessarily gohand-in-hand.Thedistrictprovidesfeewaiversand reduced prices for low-income families,but still the price of participating in campuslifeisoftentoohigh.Withcollegeadmissions’emphasisonextracurricularactivities,thefeesforclubsandathleticsremainahindranceforstudents with less disposable income. Mostactivitiesprovidetheoptionoffundraising,butwitharigorousacademicschedulethisisnotalwayspossible.Still,moneyisthecoreofanyfunctioningprogram,butifboththestateanddistrict lackthefundstosupport low-incomestudents,wherewillthemoneycomefrom? Hispanic Attrition:MorethananyotherethnicgroupatOxford,Hispanicstudentsareleavingcampus.Incomparisontoover60percent in the rest of the district, Hispanicsmake up a mere 14 percent of the Oxfordpopulation. The problem is both culturaland logistical: not only are Hispanic parentsoften less familiarwiththecollegeeducationprocess and American school system, butthe campus provides few resources for non-Englishspeakingparents.Inaddition,Oxford’sdemographicsleavemanystudentsfeelinglikeaminority.Thereisnodoubtthatsomefacetsto this issue are unavoidable—for example,the geographical challenge of trekking fromAnaheimtoCypress—buteventhefacultyhasacknowledgedthatthislong-standingproblemcan be mitigated. With little outreach tostudentswhofeeloutoftheloop,finallytheschooladministrationistakingaction,anditisimperativethatwereachouttofamilies thatfeelpushedtothemargin. Diversity: Oxford’s large Asianpopulationisoftenthesubjectofconversationfor students and members of the communityalike, almost to the point of admonishment.Butasoneofthemostdiversecampusesinthedistrict,thisattributionisnotentirelyfair.Becauseof our own characterization of Oxford as an“Asian”school,wearelesslikelytotaketoleranceastepfurtheranddemonstrateavestedinterestin other cultures. By better understanding ourownethnicmakeup,weembraceourdiversityandmakeitlessofanissue.

Immigration:Asaschoolwithadiversecampus,Oxfordseesstudentswhoimmigratedatayoungageorevenrecently.Formostofthesestudents,theirimmigrantbackgroundisoflittletonosignificance,whileforothers,itcan define their life. While all students whoattendOxfordarewell-prepared,weoverlookthe challenges these students face to comehereandreachsuchalevelofacademicrigor.Furthermore, undocumented alien studentsfacetheuniquesituationofattendingacampusso geared toward college admissions, whilethey are so limited in their choices. Despitethe inflammatory nature of the immigrationdebate,itisimportantthatweremainreceptive

introduction 2

toallpointsofviewandrecognizethatsuchissuesaremorethanjustpolitics. Religion: The mere conversation ofreligion often becomes both sensitive andpersonal. For some students, the suddenintroductionofotherfaithsintotheirlifecanbejarring—thecontrastsbetweenmonotheismandpolytheism,theTorah,Qur’anandBible;WesternandEasternphilosophiesand lesser-knownfaiths likeZoroastrianismand Jainismcanbeoverwhelming.Whileconflictisalwaysanincentivetoavoidconversation,thebetterwe understand different religions, the betterwecanunderstandfaith-basedvalues.Sensitivethough it may be, no individual—spiritual or

EDITORIAL

not—shouldhavetoconcealamattersoclosetotheirheart.InthisissueoftheGamut,wehopeto stimulate positive and constructivediscussion on issues imperative to adiverse community such as ours. Asyou read each article, reevaluate ourcollective successes and failures andwhat can be done to strengthen theOxfordcommunity. Please turn to the back cover foradditional information on statistics andthepollingprocess.

Freedom from Want

To outsiders, Oxford is the stuffof legends. Some say our students areBurberry-toting,Prada-shodwealthy,simplybecausethecampusisnicerthanAnaheimHigh’s. Others insist that we’re like everyother student, only with IQ’s hoveringabove140. And then there are those who

3 low income students THE GAMUT - october 6th, 2009

assumewealthandintelligencegohandin hand. Only those with a tangibleconnectiontotheschool-------arelative,or a brief junior high stint---know thetruth.

We’re a motley mix, neitherexclusivelyupper-classnorwhollymiddle-class. Approximately 20 percent ofstudentsqualifyforfreeandreducedlunch.In Calculus, students drop their TI-84calculatorscarelesslyintotheirbackpacks,whether purchasing it was a struggle ornot. For some, that dream college isn’t

Guadalupe Ruelas

Guaranteeing the freedom to have what you need

Education on a Budget

AUHSD administrators have beendealingwith theeconomiccrisis foryears,butwithanadditional$34millionbudgetreductionthisyear,budgetcutsarenowaffectingstudentsandteachers. The district is cutting some costs bylayingoffteachers,issuing98pinkslipsin2008-09alone.Thoughteachercutsareoneofmanychangesschoolsarefacing,itremainsoneofthemostimpactful.“Ithinkthattheteachersaresufferingmoreinthisrecession,” senior Sean McCoy said. “Teachersarefearingfortheirjobs,whereasstudentsaren’treallyfearingfortheireducation.” With fewer teachers, class sizes haveincreased noticeably, making it harder forteachers toensure thatall studentshaveequalopportunitiestolearn. “I’ma teacher,notagrader,”Englishteacher Ron Hodges said. “What’s mostimportant to me is what goes on inside theclassroom…butwhen you have an unwieldy40studentsinagradeddiscussion,areallofthestudentsthatwanttoparticipategoingtobeabletoparticipate?” As classes expand, teachers are alsofinding itdifficult tohandle theworkload thatcomeswithteachinglargerclasses. “Ihavetomakemorecopies. Ihaveto grade more papers. It takes longer to take

roll,” science teacher Bruce Stevens said. “Andthen there’s class control, particularly with theyoungerones—themorestudentsyouhave,themoredifficultitistokeepallofthestudentsontask.” With ever-decreasing departmentalbudgets,fundingcutshavealsoshiftedexpensesto teachers. The allowance each departmentreceivesisofteninsufficientincoveringtheentireyear’sexpenses. “Itjustdoesn’tworkoutthatway,andeveryteacherpaysforstuffout-of-pocketbecausetheywanttoimprovetheirclasses.Theywanttomaketheinstructionbetterwithoutitbeingcost-inhibited,” art teacher Christine Handson said.“Everyyear,whatIspendonmyclassesisrightaround$1,000to$1,500.” Similarly,manystudentshavetroublepayingforyearlycosts.Whilethereareprogramsinplacetohelplow-incomestudentspayforbusfees, AP tests, and hot lunches, students whodonot qualify for reduced lunch canpay, onaverage,$560forjuniorhighand$765forhighschool. “You’d think that free educationwouldcomeabitcheaper,”sophomoreTimothyPerdewsaid.“Iwouldn’twanttobemyparentswhenbothmybrothersandIareattendinghighschool.” What students are noticing most,

Ali FigueroaStudents and faculty feel burden of district cuts

CROWDED: (ABOVE) Though students pay $250 per semester in bus fees, the district cannot afford extra buses to reduce crowding. One student carrying a large instrument was asked by the driver to get off the bus.

however,isthatsomeoftheschooleventstheywereexcitedtoattendhavebeencutfromthebudget. “IheardEvery15Minutesgotcutthisyear,andIthinkit’sunfairthatourclassdoesn’tget to participate in a tradition that’s been apartofOxfordforyears,”PaulineNguyensaid.“It’s my senior year and you’d think that ourexperienceswouldprogressandgetbetter.”Sincethedistricthasbeenforcedtomakedirectcuts to school programs and services, studentsandteachersalikearenowbearingthegruntofbudgetcuts.Thoughbothgroupsareaffected,thedisadvantages they face areunique,whichbegsthequestion:whogetstheshortendofthestick? “It’s pretty equal,” Stevens said. “Ifwe’reaffected, you’reaffected, andviceversa.Ifthere’smoreofyou,thenthatmeansthere’slessofustogoaround.Ithasmadeitworseforeveryone.”

an issue of money as it is achievement,while for others, achievement isn’t theproblem,butmoney.Here,everythingisn’twithin reach or handed on a credit card.Yet people continue to stereotype us as aprivilegedbody. Thissectiontakesalookataveragestudent expenditures and the recession’simpact on education. The purpose ofthis section is neither to single-handedlyend poverty nor to embarrass and fluster.Rather, it is to draw attention to an issuethatisoftenoverlooked.

STATISTICSSTUDENTS THINK ACTIVITIES AT

SCHOOL...

...cost too much: 22% ...are reasonably priced: 68% ...cost very little: 5.2 [2.6% declined to answer]

STUDENTS WORRY ABOUT MONEY...

...all the time: 18% ...sometimes (their own): 23.4% ...sometimes (their parents’): 34.2%, ...rarely: 15.4% [9.1% declined to answer. ]

WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, STUDENTS...

...have had one parent lose a job: 16.4% ...have had both parents lose a job: 1.7% ...did not have either parental lose a job: 79.9% [1.9% declined to answer.]

“We’re a motley mix, neither exclusively upper-class nor

wholly middle-class. ”

low income students 4

For What It’s Worth

Success is hard to find, foranybody. It ismore difficult tomeasurethanit istodefine.Arepeoplewithlesspower,prestige,orwealthmoresuccessfulthanthosewithoutit?Someassumelow-income individuals are less successfulthan members of the upper class. Butcurrently, not enough is done to helpthose individuals receive the tools theyneedforsuccess. AlthoughgovernmentandschoolprogramssuchasfeewaiversforAPtestsand free lunchesare inplace toaid low-incomecitizensandstudents,theirlifestylestillremainsaffected.Gradesmaysufferifstudentsneedtotakeajobtosupportthefamily.Additionally,low-incomestudentsmay not participate in extra-curricularactivities because they cost too much ortake too much time away from helpingtheir family. Besides being integral tocampuslife,manystudentshereconsiderextracurricularactivitiesanessentialpartofbeingacceptedbytheircollegeofchoice.But if low-incomestudentscannotaffordtoparticipateinschoolactivities,whatdotheyputontheircollegeresumes? Studentsandclubsatschoolcanmaketheeasiestchange.Alreadylunchesand AP tests come at reduced prices forthosethatmaynotbeabletoaffordthemotherwise.Couldschoolclubsfollowthislead? While it would be harder to do,because Oxford clubs are much smallerthan either government program, anattempt to add low-income students bycutting membership fees would swellthe ranks of those organizations. Whileparents working at bingo night make

somemoneyforextracurricularactivities,sports teamscouldbring inmoreplayerswith the creation of an Oxford BoosterClub, like thosealready inplaceatotherschoolsandinthechoirprogram.Allthatis required is a little ingenuity at a locallevel. But to help low-income workers,additional national programs should beemployed. Economic problems, however,not confined to the field of education.Thegovernment,inthiscase,shouldstepin to help. National programs shouldnot throw money at those who qualify,but train them through programs, suchas internships, for better jobs, such asinternships. If low-income workersreceivegoodjobsoverthethreshold, thegovernmentcouldreducethesizeofsucha program. Private institutions shouldalso contribute. For example, StanfordUniversity offers free tuition to studentswhoseparentsmakelessthan$100,000ayear.Thisprovidesoptionstolow-incomestudentswhootherwisecouldnotattendaprestigious four-yearuniversity. Throughthese solutions and others, governmentand private institutions+ would ensurea palpable shrinking of the low-incomebracket. There isnodenial that solutionsare in place to support low-incomeworkers and students. However, morecan be done to allow them to succeed.As John Wooden said, “Success is self-satisfactioninknowingyoudidyourbesttobecome thebest that youare capableofbecoming.”Perhapswecanmaketheirbestthatmuchbetter.

Douglas Uselton

Wallets Out Highschoolcanbeexpensive.Accordingtostudentsinelectiveandpathwayclasses,athletics,oranyofOxford’smanyclubs,participation insomeactivitiescanbecost-effectivewhileothersmightrequiresomeextramoney.Inthefourtablesbelowrepresentingacademic,club,athleticandtestingfeestheactivityanditspriceareorganizedintotwocolumns.Thepricerepresentstherequiredcostforastudent’sparticipationannually.

Daniel Taroy

ACTIVITY PRICE

Art $20; $25 for AP Studio Art

Sports Medicine $40

Band / Orchestra $100; $50 rental fee

Choir $150; $15 for t-shirt; plus costume fees

ASB $150 for camp; $150 for uniform

ACTIVITY PRICE

NHS $10

Key Club $14

HOSA $20; $100 state conference

FBLA $15; $200 state conference

Speech & Debate $150 for both; $125 just debate

ACTIVITY PRICE

Cross Country $60; $130 for spirit pack

Tennis $190

Baseball $500 ($300 fundraiser; $200 spirit pack)

Basketball $550; $375 sans summer training

Swim $60 - $80 spirit pkg.; $30 / $40 suits for boys / girls respectively

Make checks payable to ‘Oxford Academy’

ACTIVITY PRICE

SAT $45

SAT Subject Tests $29; add $20 Language Tests

ACT $32 no writing; $47 with writing

AP Tests $86

Do you think Oxford is mostly upper-class? A mixture?

“TheAUHSDismostlymiddle-lower,andOxfordrepresentsminoritiesthataren’tapparentatotherschools.Imean,halfourschoolisKorean,andIcancountthenumberofHispanicstudents in our grade with my hands, where I couldn’t dothatatAnaheimorsomewhereelse.Beingoflowerincomedoesn’tpreventyoufromgettingin.”

-- Joe Bulone, 12th grade

Man-on-the-street

Do you think it would cost more to go to another public school?

“I don’t think so. And if it is, it’s better to stay at Oxfordbecause the reward is betterhere than going to a “cheaper”school,becauseeverybody’ssmarthere,andeverybodywantsachallenge,soit’sagoodeducation“

-- Yuki Ramirez,10th grade

How much does money influence your college choices?

“A lot, I’ll have to apply for crazy financial aid, beg forscholarships,orotherwiseit’snotconsidered.”

-- Elizabeth Fitz,12th grade

EDITORIAL

A Campus Deprived Oxfordislargelydefinedbynumbers,numbersthatstudentsandstaffconvenientlyrecite at anyone who asks what our schoolis all about—number two in the nation, firstinOrangeCounty, 100percent high schoolgraduation. But recently, the WASC Self-Studyreporthasdrawnattentiontoastatisticthat has not gone unnoticed yet has neverbeen fully addressedbyour school before—theHispanicattritionrate.Inaclass,Hispanicsmakeupmorethan18percentstartingintheseventh grade but by senior year, less thantenpercentremain.StudentattritionisnotaproblemthatHispanicssingularlyfacebutas

5 hispanic attrition THE GAMUT - october 6th, 2009

ourcampusstrivesfordiversity,thesestudentsareatmoreofadisadvantagethanothers.

Home life: Many students often have otherresponsibilities at home such as taking careof their siblings which might compete withschoolworkasatoppriority.

Parent education level: Hispanic parent education levelsrangefromgraduatinghighschool tohavingaBachelor’sdegreetocompletingthesecondgrade, making it up to four times harder

Anhthu Tran

Committee formed to support Hispanic students

Over the six years that one classspends at Oxford, the number of Hispanicstudentswilldecreasebyhalf. “Oxford’s demographics and districtdemographicsarecompletelyflipped,”Historyteacher Fabiana Muench-Casanova said,explaining that Hispanics make up nearly 60percent of the student population at otherdistrictcampusesincomparisonto12percenthere.“We’renotsayingthere’saproblemwithourdemographic,justthatit’sflipped.” This population disparity was notedlast year in both the Western Association ofSchools and Colleges (WASC) accreditationreport and the administrative reflection afterthe week-long process. Within the next sixyears, Oxford must provide programs meantto stabilize the disproportion between ethnicpopulations. The disparity between ethnicitieshad been noticed even before the WASCcommittee arrived, although the committeeprovidedastartingblockforprograms. Muench-Casanova,who is leadingafacultytaskforcetoslowattritionratesandfindthe causes behind it, says that a two-prongedapproachisneededtohelpbothstudentsandtheirparents. “The committee hopes to address

Latino students who feel isolated from ourschool,” English teacher Melissa Galvansaid, explaining one of the main goals of thecommittee. “[And to help] the parents whodon’tunderstandvaryingteacherexpectations,graduationrequirements,orthecollegeentranceprocess.” The committee plans to implementmany programs, all meant to boost andstabilizetheHispanicpopulationbyimprovingcommunication between the school andparents, and teaching students necessary skillsforsuccessatOxford. “One of our goals is not to loseany kids on Academic Probation,” Muench-Casanova said. An immediate goal, keepingstudents currently on Academic ProbationwouldextendbeyondjustHispanicstudentstohelpthoseofotherraceswhoarestrugglingaswell. Eventually,thecommitteealsoplanstosupplementlearningskillswithupperclassmentutors to help younger, struggling students.These tutors would act as an academic “bigbuddy,” serving as both academic guides andpersonalmentors. “In the future, we would like thereto be more outreach into the community,

Cynthia WashickoPrograms implemented to slow the Hispanic attrition rate

COLLABORATION:Committee members Kathy Scott, Fabiana Muench-Casanova, Jill Briquelet, Rosi Pedersen, Kortney Tambara, and Ron Hoshi met in August to brainstorm programs to slow the rising attrition rate of Hispanic students.

for a parent to understand their child’sschoolwork.

Cultural background: WithparentsonlyfamiliarwiththeMexicanschoolsystembasedona1-10scale,the concept of GPAs and letter grades maymake it difficult to gauge and follow theirchild’sprogressinschool.

Geography: Drawing students throughout thedistrict, different families cope with varyingcommute times. For those who come from

AnaheimandbeyondtherealmsofCypress,aroundtriptoschoolmaybeupwardsofanhour, taking evenmore valuable time if thestudenthastotakethebus.

School resources: Although there may be a lowerdemand for translated materials in certainlanguages such as Spanish or Vietnameseat our campus, thosewhodoneed it oftencannot access them as easily. A lack of aSpanish-speaking counselor maintains thelanguage barrier that prevents parents frombeinginvolvedthoughtheywantto.

especiallyfeederschools,”Galvansaid.“WewantallofourstudentsandparentstofeelliketheyarepartofanOxfordfamily.” T r a n s l a t e dletters home, a Spanish-speaking counselor andcollege night sessions inSpanishaimtobridgethegapbetweenparentsandtheirchild’seducation.Somechangesarehopingto help all non-Englishspeakingparents,Hispanicornot. “Anycallsbeingdone by teleparent arenow in [the student’s]homelanguage,”Muench-Casanova said, explainingnew attempts to reachout to non-English speaking parents. “[And]we are partnered with the National HispanicScholarship Fund to educate parents on thecollegeapplicationprocess.” Both the committee andadministration, however, want to avoid

neglectingotherstrugglingstudentsandisolatingHispanics. “We’re not trying to pick on oneethnicityoveranother,”saidMuench-Casanova.“Once we find a success story here, we canapplythistootherraces.”

Fixing the Hispanic disparity

Percentage of Hispanic students in

AUHSD:62 %

Percentage of Hispanic students at Oxford in 7th grade:

more than 18 %

Percentage of Hispanic students by

senior year:12 %

STATISTICS

hispanic attrition 6

Daniel Taroy

Ithappenseveryyear.Certaincasesareprolonged,withslowlydeclininggradesspelling out the inevitable, while otherinstancesaremoreofasurprise,especiallyifGPAisn’tafactorinthedecision.Yetinspiteofanyinitialconcern,nooneiseverentirelysurprisedwhensomeoneleavesOxford. Student attrition is a natural partof Oxford’s changing social landscape.Just as everyone expects new faces untilfreshmanyear,nooneanticipates graduatingwith the same classfrom seventh grade.Students attributethe problem to highacademic standards,anexcusesooverusedthat itsimplifiestheproblemandletsitgounnoticed. Recent concern about Hispanicattritionrates,however,specificallysuggeststhat academic rigor is not the only reasonbehind the problem. Although Oxfordintends to provide the highest qualitycollege preparation, there are simply morestudents than faculty can equally focuson. Entire groups happen to fall betweenthe proverbial cracks and in the case ofour campus, Hispanic students slip rightthrough. Students well-versed in testingdates and college top ten lists get priority;it gives counselors a foundation to passon more advice. With limited outreach toHispanic studentsoncampus, theyareput

at a disadvantage to others and are givengreater reason to leave in exchange fora school offering more attention. It isn’t amatterofrace,butoneofharvestingsuccesswhereitismoreconvenient. No one has made the consciousefforttoreachouttoourHispanicpopulation.Foryears administrationhasacknowledgedHispanic attrition rates as a problem, butonly after WASC identified this as an area

of growth havewe started takingaction. We getso caught upin improvingour test scoresand deciding

on prospective colleges that we overlookthose who struggle in a competitive highschool environment such as ours. KeepingOxford a number one school oftenmeanshelping those who have an easier chanceatsucceedingat theexpenseof thosewhodon’tknowhow. The measures we’re taking nowareastepintherightdirectiontoloweringthese attrition rates, but they are nothingmorethanastartingpoint.ReachingouttoHispanicfamiliesgivesparentsthechancetounderstandandprocesswhatisexpectedofthem.Whetherstudentsleaveforacademicpurposesorforpersonalreasons, increasedoutreach will undoubtedly lead to betterperformance and communication forstrugglingstudentsandtheirfamilies.

“Notmyculture,butmyfamily,becauseIcomefromafamilyofbusinesspeople.”

- Sophia Lee,12th grade

Man-on-the-street

Education is a team effort, andshared responsibility frombothparents andstudentsisessential. Junior Arely Silva is an idealexample of a motivated Hispanic student.With high hopes of becoming employedby the National Air and Space Association(NASA), she studies to her best ability andevenworksparttimetomakesendsmeet. Not wanting to stereotype, Silvaexpressed that her parents, like all firstgenerationimmigrants,facethechallengeofunderstandingandadaptingtoforeignschoolsystem.DifferencesbetweenMexicoandtheUnitedStatesinqualityandstylesofteachingonlycontributetotheconfusion. Herparentsarrivedwithhighhopes,likemanywhocometotheUS,ofachievingtheAmericanDream,theirchildrenthemainincentiveformigrating. “My mom wants me to get aneducation so that I don’t have to work an‘immigrant job’,” Silva said, explaining that

whilehermotherdoesnotpay for tutoringorSATclasses,hercaringinterestandsupportprovetobemorethanefficient. “She isnotspecifically up to date but we have strongcommunicationandshetrustsme.” ThestrongbondbetweenSilvaandhermothermake theman admirable team.Silva sees in her mother a set of morals,habitsandvirtuestomodelherselfafter. “Selflessnessismypriority.I’mdoingthis formychildren,”Silvasaid inreferencetoherfuture.NeitherknowledgenorwealthdrivesSilva,butpassionforherultimategoaland the supportofhermother,whichbothplayalargeroleinhersuccess.

SILVA IN ART CLASS:(Above) She balances core academic classes and part-time work in her busy schedule.

Andres Garcia

Nurturing Success

Baby Steps

“It isn’t a matter of race, but of harvesting success where it is

more convenient.”

“How does your culture affect what career path you will take?“

“AslongasIgotocollege,I’mfine.”

-- Jamie Chen,11th grade

“ItaffectsitalotbecauseI’mFilipinoandI’mgoingtobecomeanengineer.AllFilipinosareeithernursesorengineers.Myparentswantmetobeoneortheother.Myparents’dreamsaffectwhatIdreamformyself.”

-- Jakie Lanzona, 10th grade

“ItoldmymomIwantedtobeamusician,andshesaidno.ThenItoldherIwantedtobeachef,andshesaidtogetarealjob.”

-- Michelle Cho,11th grade

“Thevaluesandmoralsembeddedinacultureaffectthewaywelookatagoodcareer.Anythingthatyouearnrespectinandrespectothers,orsomethingyoutakeprideinliketeachersisgood.”

-- Kriti Datta,11th grade

“It’swhatIwanttodo,buteveryonestereotypes[thatIndianpeoplebecomedoctors].Butithasn’treallyaffectedme.”

-- Fareshte Erani,12th grade

Improving outreach to Hispanic students EDITORIAL