Bike Licensing Coming To End

  Is the end of a San Jose law requiring bike licenses to help retrieve or find missing bike going to affect students at KIPP San Jose Collegiate?
  At KSJC there are numerous students who ride bikes to school or at home. They ride because the bicycle is their transportation or because they like it. The end of bike licenses is something that is going to affect a great number of students if they realize what it really means.
  Without bike licenses it will be easier for some to steal a bike and get away with it. Without licenses it will be harder for the owner of the bike and the police to locate the missing bike.
  Junior Martin Ly said, “[Bikes not needing to be licensed is] bad because when it gets stolen you can’t get it back and bikes are expensive.”
  Some students don’t mind the end of bike licensing, even though for others it is something that might seriously affect their life.
  Freshman Richany Mak said, “I don’t really care[about bikes not needing to be licensed] since I don’t ride a bike.”
  Bike theft is one of the most common property thefts in all cities. San Jose made the top 10 for most bike theft in 2007 in Kryptonite’s blog.
  Bike theft is also really hard to detect. If bikes aren’t licensed, then the problem is likely to become even worse than it already is.
  Riding to school on the bike is great exercise and helps the environment, but now students may have to think twice before they ride their bike and chain it to somewhere unfamiliar, because it might just become another piece of stolen property.

Hungry Downtown?

  If you ever are downtown, near Martin Luther King Jr. Library, and just roaming around with a pocket full of cash and time to spend with a growling stomach. Then you should try out these food stops. Would like to note these places were reviewed on a Sunday afternoon so service may vary.

Icebee

  A frozen yogurt place, 151 S 2nd St San Jose, CA 95113, downtown with 12 flavors: Pistachio, cookie-n-cream, Icebee green tea, Icebee mango-tart, watermelon sorbet, pomegranate sorbet, very blueberry, strawberry, fancy french vanilla, cable chocolate, island coconut, Icebee signature plain yogurt. Not to forget the variety of toppings including assorted fruit, nuts, candies, etc.

  The place has a comfortable environment so you can just relax and eat your yogurt. Tried the pomegranate, strawberry, and mango tart with the topping of kiwi and it was satisfactory and cost 39 cents per ounce.

  Reasonable place to go to if you are just walking around the downtown area but the downside is that the yogurt is a bit watery so it melts quickly.

  “I thought it was alright… They had good toppings though.” stated freshman Michelle Trinh, “and a nice environment.”*

Smoke Eaters

  A restaurant, seen on Man Vs. Food with everything that ranges from 5 to10 dollars excluding sides, larger quantities, and drinks.

  The environment is mostly adults –since it has a bar. Loud when there is a sports game and the customer service is great to new customers. The wait time is between 5 to 10 minutes ranging on what you order.

  Located on 22S 3rd street with its specialty of hot wings, it is a 5 minute walk from the Martin Luther King Jr. Library if you don’t know where it is near. The Thai Zing and atomic chicken wings were good, came with a choice of dipping sauce.

  The Thai Zing taste a bit like orange chicken but much better since the taste was fresh and original. Atomic was like a classic chicken wing.

  The fries tasted normal and the grilled chicken sandwich was acceptable. It was on sourdough bread but is uncertain if they have different options.

  As stated like before the employee was great with helping me with my choice on what to choose.

  “The service was pretty fast and the grilled chicken sandwich was alright, but they stuffed a lot of lettuce in it,” said Trinh, “but their recipe was unique.”*

*Michelle Trinh noted “I am a selective eater.”

I’ve got spirit, how about you?

One of the biggest problems that KIPP San Jose Collegiate faces is the lack of school spirit. Lack of school spirit is an issue when students or teachers plan things outside of school that depend on student participation and students don’t attend.

Students and teachers put a lot of effort into making outside events, like the Fall Festival, happen with the thought of the students in mind. When few students attend to these events, it makes the organizers hesitant about doing something similar in the future.

In order to get the school spirit up, students need to be more excited about school wide events. They also have to have the mind set to actually want to get involved in school activities.

English department head Elizabeth Barrett said, “Students are busy and tired but if we had more school spirit emended, it can be motivation to students.”

One way school spirit could be improved is, “do more with houses throughout the year so it won’t be just during House Olympics,” said Barret.

Having similar ideas, junior Emily Quach said, “Well, it’s [school spirit] not as exciting but, I think it has to do with the fact that everyone is quite busy now. Hopefully by the end of the year, school spirit will end up like how it did last year during House Olympics.”

Fellow junior Aaron Tang said, “It [school spirit] is not as exciting this year because we aren’t doing anything right now, but it will get better.”

Lack of school spirit make students feel like school is boring and unimportant. Honestly school spirit may be what KSJC needs to fix student attitude towards school related things.

Hopefully students will realize that school will be a lot more exciting and fun if students raise the school spirit.  Students are busy nowadays but need to get more pumped up or else school will be nothing but an obligation.

Not All KIPP Schools are the Same

While most students at KIPP San Jose Collegiate believe that all KIPP schools are similar in every way, they are wrong. KIPP schools vary in many ways, from academic performance to the school rules. These differences were evident at our cousin school in San Lorenzo, KIPP King Collegiate.

First off, KIPP King uniform is different than KSJC. They could wear black or khaki pants and wear their shirts untucked. Also Seniors have special privileges of wearing solid color clothing and professional dress on some days of the week. While at KSJC everyone has to wear khaki pants and KSJC shirts tucked in. These some of the uniform difference.

Also KIPP King has different school rules than at KSJC, but the focus is the same: academic excellence. King’s rules are less strict than ours, which seem more focused on consequences. Both schools expect students to behave as a team and family, and work together with each other and teachers to have an outstanding school experience. Both King and KSJC strive to help all of their students get to college, and students support each other to achieve this goal.

KIPP King is more laid back than KSJC partly because the students understand the rules and don’t go over the line. For example, they know when to act and behave in situations and not do the wrong thing. While at KSJC some students don’t understand why there are certain rules so they keep on breaking it and not allowing teachers to trust the students fully yet.

The curriculum at KIPP King offers students a larger variety of course options than some other school KIPP schools. Classes offered include Leadership, War and Peace, Dance Class, among others. These classes are a twist on the standard course offerings like History and English, and offer more student-teacher interaction. This is beneficial to the students because they get to communicate with their teacher more but not have to just only take notes.

The graduation requirements that are at KIPP King aren’t as rigorous as they are at KSJC, which may be why students there seem less stressed out than students here. King’s science offerings are the opposite of KSJC’s; students there take Biology as freshman and learn Physics as juniors.

At both schools, club participation is still lacking: At both schools clubs aren’t as strong as they were in the beginning of the year, and many end up disbanding by the end of the year. This difficulty in sustaining clubs may be due to the longer hours of KIPP.

Students at King seem to have more school spirit than those at KSJC. King students put on pep rallies, a Spirit Week each quarter, talent shows, intermission-a break during school, and three dances a year. King students also are more based in the local community than KSJC students, and students don’t seem mind coming to school much.

Sophomore Misty Tran said, “I look forward to some of the classes but come here for my friends.”

Their students feel the same way like as other students. “OMG, teach me something I want to learn about and why can’t I understand?”

“I just want to get through the day to go home.”

At both KIPP schools the campuses are both small and everyone knows each other and when you don’t understand something you can go see that teacher during office hours.

Just because a school is part of the KIPP organization doesn’t mean that they are exactly similarly in every way, it’s just like an extended family- similar in outlook for students different in making sure they do well. Also they sure love to play four squares at lunch.

Mating Season

It’s mating season again, and the air is filled with love. Below are some full-proof tips to help you partner-up before the competitive season of love over.

1. Let your favorite girl or guy know you’re interested by complimenting them.  Then give the pickup line:

- Do you have a BandAid? I just scraped my knee falling for you.

- If you were a tear in my eye I would not cry for fear of losing you.

- I may not be a genie but I can make your dreams come true.

-I’m better than Justin Bieber , I can make you one less lonely girl.

2.      Leave them messages on Facebook every time you think of them – the more the better.  Show up where ever their status says they’ll be.

It makes you have a personal experience with them without even talking to them in real life. So when you start to take to the person you like you could have some common interest with them.

3.      Constantly confess your feelings – make these displays public so they feel special.

While they walk past you or they are online, make it clear about how you feel by giving them a cat call or “Hey, Sexy”. They will notice your feeling and will consider if you should be their partner.

4.      Grab their attention

Do something flashy that makes you stand out and better

than some other person. Try a different hairstyle or a different way to talk to make them take interest in you.

5.      Serenade your love interest in front of all their friends.

It will make them seem like they are more special than the rest of their friends. Sing a Justin Bieber song. All the girls like that.

6.      Give them a homemade gift

Use trash or scraps you find around to create the perfect gift that will make it seem sweet, but like you’re not trying hard at all. This is also eco- friendly (: Improving your romantic life and the world at the same time.

7. Be honest.

Once you’ve finally convinced your ideal mate to go out with you, be honest with them at all times.  If they ask, “Does this make me look fat?” Say yes, and they will like you even more because you seem honest and like you can be trusted.

8. Be understanding

If they don’t want to be your mate and to just be acquaintances. Understand that they can’t accept your feelings. They will be more accepting of you and might consider your feelings in the future. Still tell them your feelings after they rejected you because you might have grown on them.

Nick LaRocque : Teacher During School Hours & Coach After Hours

  Pre-AP World History teacher Nick LaRocque, known to most students just as Mr. LaRocque, came from the East Coast to teach Pre-AP World History and coach Boys’ Basketball at KIPP San Jose Collegiate, and to cheer on his wife, a PhD student at Stanford, in her academic pursuits.
   This is LaRocque’s fifth year teaching and his second year at a charter school.
LaRocque was inspired to become a teacher by his parents, both of whom were teachers. It seemed like it was the thing for him also. In addition he had two great English and history teachers during high school that impacted him too.
   LaRocque said, “[I] feel like a lot of adults in my life during high school had a big impact on who I am now.”
   LaRocque said that he would like to feel like he contributed to the personal growth of students as a teacher here.
   LaRocque’s outlook on life is to always be positive and to always try to find humor in situation. This may be why most students in his class feel positive about History and enjoy learning from him.
   Damian Parra said, “I feel safe [in Mr. LaRocque’s classroom].”
   Aside from teaching History, LaRocque also coaches the boys’ basketball team. He coached at previous jobs and basketball is favorite sport. LaRocque has also coached wrestling and football in the past.
   He is a very impulsive coach during basketball practice- practice intensity depends on whether the Celtics’ won or lost. LaRocque laughed and agreed when asked about if this was true. LaRocque coached the team to 5 wins to 8 losses this season.
   Junior Sunny Singh said, “He’s a good coach and makes sure everyone is involved all the time and in the games, he notices many things that a lot of coaches wouldn’t notice and this helps the team and the players to adjust on the fly.”
   Fun fact about LaRocque, he likes to eat on his free time is pasta with ketchup and some kind of shredded cheese. Since it was “affordable and taste good during college”.
   LaRocque a happy-go lucky teacher that most students seem to like, and who was named 9th grade teacher of semester. Also he is a coach who could be found around the KSJC campus whenever you want to have a pleasant conversation.