Tiffany Santana Takes 4th Place in the
California State Wrestling Championships;
Ricardo Alonso places 5th at CIF Masters
-Coach Ilac
Wrestling had some more history making magic for our individuals this weekend: On the girls side Tiffany Santana placed 4th in the CA state wrestling championships. She becomes the sixth girl in school history to do so and qualifies for nationals trip at the end of March. Ricardo Alonso placed 5th at the CIF Masters Tournament earning him a trip to the CA state championships in Bakersfield this coming Friday and Saturday. Ricardo becomes only the fourth boy in school history to make it to this prestigious event.
Geiger Earns Spot in Top 10 Finalists at Teen Star
This past Saturday, February 27, one of our fellow Panthers, Daniel Geiger (10), participated in the grand singing competition, Teen Star Santa Barbara, as one of the top 10 finalists. Teen Star is a non-profit organization/event that is focused on supporting the performing arts and "educate the youth, showcase their singing, and their dancing talent." Teen Star is held in the Arlington Theater (containing over 2,000 seats) in Santa Barbara. Each finalist comes from different high schools within the Santa Barbara county. This year, this involved Santa Barbara High School, Cabrillo High School, San Marcos High School, and for the first time ever, Pioneer Valley High School. Sophomore Daniel Geiger earned the opportunity to be one of the top 10 finalists on Teen Star this year.
Geiger claims to have started singing when he was 3 years old and had just heard Part of Your World from the Little Mermaid. His family sits on the couch and listens to him sing a new song every week ever since then. Singing, acting, and performing are Geiger's passions. Once Teen Star came to Pioneer Valley, everyone knew Daniel had the potential to make it, so they encouraged him to try it out. And he did. Congratulations to our Daniel Geiger for being a finalist, following his dream, and being himself. We're all incredibly proud of you!
-Christina Bulosan
Before the show, audience members have the opportunity to sign their name on a slip of paper and be put into a drawing for a bit called "Quick Pick" where 3 audience members have the chance to get on stage and sing 30 seconds of their choosing. Afterwards, the audience has the ability to vote via text message for who they think did the best. Saturday night, 2 out of 3 contestants were Panthers: Alyssa Thompson, and Vanessa Perez! Both did quite amazing, and the adrenaline rushed through them as well as other fellow Panthers. "I was so shocked and happy! Being on stage was very nerve wracking, but at the same time, I felt relaxed and like that it was my time to show people the real me. It was an amazing experience," Vanessa claims. Pioneer Valley sure has some talent, and we're not afraid to show it.
Friends & Family Photos Start Tomorrow
-Photos by Mr. Howard
Would you like to have your picture in the yearbook with your closest friends or family members? You’re in luck, the Friends and Family photo shoot will begin tomorrow (Tuesday) starting with sibling photos; that means brothers and sisters only! Wednesday will be for cousins and Thursday will be for friends. The shoot will take place in room 205 at lunch on a first come first served basis.
Here are some pics from last year:
PV Takes First at Kiwanis Trivia Contest
-Ms. Davis
Congratulations to our student team for taking first place in the student division of the 20th annual Kiwanis Trivia Contest!! Please congratulate Mary Youngblood, Zaid Khan, Zuar Mendoza, and/or Manny Rolon if you see them!
Angry Panthers Outraged Over Leap Year
Have you ever come across someone who looks sixteen but says they're four? Well, this is possible due to this thing called Leap Year. Leap year comes every four years in the month of February which contains an extra day (the 29th) to keep the calendar in synch with the Earth’s orbit. Since February 29th comes only once every 4 years, if one's birthday lands on this day, they might be four times younger than they seem.
The day February 29th was added to keep in synch with the Earth's rotation around the sun. The Earth's orbit is actually a bit longer than 365 days. It doesn't seem to have a significant impact, but it adds up to one day every 4 years which is the reason why leap year was brought upon us. Although it was originally the Egyptians that calculated the leap year, it was in Europe when Julius Caesar changed the calendar in 46 B.C.
-Alexis Dagar &
Melanie Naraval
Elizabeth Lerena (9) "February 29th is just another day for me to know I'm still alive. Nothing new or different, just another ordinary day."
Erika Rico (10) "Every four years, having an extra day is just weird, but I don't have any superstitions about it. It may be weird, but I don't think it's bad or good luck."
Dominic Garcia (12) "To know they're has to be an extra day of the year, every four years, is just not normal. Personally, I don't like that it has to occur every four years; I guess I don’t really like change all that much."
