What is wakeboarding?  It can be a sport, hobby, or vacation.  It is fast paced and exhilarating.  One can be pulled by a fast moving boat while standing on top of the water.  It is a big part of many peoples’ summers and it should be tried by even more people.  It can be like snowboarding without the cold weather.

Why should you try wakeboarding?  It a great way to meet new people, reconnect with old friends, and build the relationship with current friends.  It bring out laughter and smiles from even the most negative people.  It is a great way to exercise and stay active.  Wakeboarding uses muscles in all different parts of your body and can be a great workout.  For people who don’t enjoy team sports or going to the gym, wakeboarding could possibly be what you excel at.

Gliding over the water and jumping back and forth across the wake makes the activity of wakeboarding so great.  It stretches boundaries and set by human standards.  It is knowing that you can conquer impossibilities such as denying gravity.  It can be approached by multiple different skill levels.  Its fun for everyone who tries it.

Every summer, everyday people go to lakes near them and bring their boats and boards.  It doesn’t matter if they are going for the day or a week.  They go for the sake of having a good time.  It brings families and friends together.  It turns angry drivers of the road into happy considerate drivers of the lake.  There is something about wakeboarding that bring joy, intensity, and friendly competition.

Around Danville, some of the places to go are to Lake Shasta, Lake Berryessa, and Lake Tahoe. My family does not have a boat so I usually go with my friends’ families. Although, it is not necessary to have a boat.  Whenever my family goes, we rent a boat and boards.  There are various stores are the lakes where you can buy and rent supplies.

One thing that’s good about wakeboarding is that it’s not that difficult to learn.  You start by lying on your back in the water with your board perpendicular to the boat.  When the boat starts, you simultaneously turn,lean forward, and keep your balance.  I was able to stay up on my third attempt keep my balance for at least a minute and a half.

At first, one may only be able to balance in one spot, but as they progress, they can soon jump in and out of the wake and perform tricks.  Some things the rider will want to keep in mind are to keep their legs bent and to lean back.  This is to keep balance and control of the board.  You will want to be able to turn and land without plunging forward into a faceplant.

Wakeboarding can also be a professional sport.  It is part of the X Games.  The professional wakeboarders are often very good.  They not only jump the wake, but also man made ramps.  They are able to perform tricks such as flips and spins.  It is really a sight to see.  Many people wait for the X Games just waitng for wakeboarding, to watch their favorites go at it.  After watching the professional wakeboarders, it makes you want to go out and do it for yourself.

There is a lot of science behind the phenomenon of wakeboarding.  A dense human being is not normally allowed to stand on water.  We are able to wakeboard because of the fast moving pace of the boat, the flat and thin shape of the board, and also the density of the board.  Without all this thought put behind wakeboarding, it would not be possible for us today.   My own experiences, going wakeboarding have been so much fun.  I went for the first time last summer.  The first time I wake boarded was in Lake Shasta with my friend and his family.  I had always enjoyed snowboarding but hated having to go to a cold, snowy mountain.  I love hot summer weather and boarding.  I have been skateboarding and snowboarding, but I enjoyed wakeboarding more than both of them.  I also enjoyed it because I enjoy being near the water whenever I can.  Wakeboarding gives me this opportunity.

Summer is approaching fast and I have been on the edge of my seat waiting to go wakeboarding again.  I know I’m definitely going to head to a lake this summer, I just hope that I can encourage others to do the same.  Its not up to me anymore, you have to try it for yourself and I have a feeling that whoever tries it will love it.  Its fun for everyone who tries it.

Music has been proven by science to help the brain in many ways.  People with Alzheimer’s can see improved memory when listening to certain songs.  The reason music triggers memory is because when you listen to a song it is stored in the deepest part of your memory. When you listen to the song again you remember what you were doing when you heard the song before.  Gabrielle Giffords, a congresswoman who was shot in the head, is able to talk again because people sang songs to her and she can remember how to talk once again from the sounds stored in her brain.

It is hard to believe that music can even help your immune system, but it is true that music can affect some physical things we do too.  It helps basketball players who are making free throws concentrate on the shot and not the pressure around them.

When I was in Kindergarten I started playing piano and that is what started my interest in music.  At seven I got a guitar and an amp.  Once I learned the fundamentals of piano the guitar was easy and I was self taught.  I liked knowing how to play and I felt like I knew music in a different way.  I have also noticed how it helps your brain and helps you think better in different subjects.  It is nice to have a skill that most people would love to have and it is nice to be able to entertain them.

Music is also a great way to entertain yourself.  Music is used for entertainment in many ways.  It is used in movies to set the mood.  If you watch a movie without music, it loses effect. Think about watching a horror movie with no music, there is considerably less suspense.

When you play music not only does it entertain and impress others, it also does the same to you.  It is fun to push yourself to learn new and harder songs and it feels very rewarding when you accomplish your goals.  It helps you relieve stress, which helps you mind in other areas, and it is a good way to use anger or other built up emotions and use them to add emotion to your playing.  Not only is music good for your mind, but it can also make a good profession.

There are many ways of making money off of music.  There are obvious ones like owning a record store.  If you are talented enough you can start a band with other people and make your own music.  But there are other ways that music can make you money.  All you need is a computer, some musical knowledge, and a creative mind.

One way of turning music into a computer-generated sound is through making songs in programs like garageband.  Once you learn how to use small programs well you can work your way into more complex (but more expensive) programs.

Making songs on a computer is a good skill and if you can make a catchy jingle you could sell it to advertisement companies.  If you like rap or hip-hop you can make beats and sell them to artists and recording studios.  Starting your own recording studio is also a good way to make money, if you can get the money to start one.  These are just a few of the many ways to make music a profession.

Learning about music is also beneficial.  There are many music classes you can take, but music theory is the most effective.  Music theory gives you points you need to be accepted into a four year college and looks very good on your transcript. For example, auto is a fun class to take, but if one student got in A in auto and another got an A in music theory, colleges would like to see the student who took music theory.  Also, if there is a dispute between students to accept the college would take the student who has good grades in the broadest spectrum of subjects, and any music class would look good along with other art and technology classes.

Listening to music is fun and has its benefits, but playing and understanding it dramatically increases all of this.  When you learn how to play music it opens many opportunities and the more you learn, the easier it becomes to make it a profession, and if you don’t want it to be a job, it will always benefit your life in some way.

Klosowski, Thorin. “How Music Affects the Brain and How You Can Use It to Your Advantage.” Lifehacker. Web. 01 May 2012. <http://lifehacker.com/5865032/how-music-affects-the-brain-and-how-you-can-use-it-to-your-advantage>.

Intelligent automobiles. The cars of the future. So much new technology comes out in cars every year, and you see it in ads almost every day. You will hear and see about it everyday, in new ads every year. They come out with new transmissions, new addons, and even new features that we’ve never heard of before, such as parallel parking for you.

It is very helpful to some incompetent driving, but also can harm those same drivers in the way that if they cannot drive correctly., you could hurt yourself or even others.I have decided to focus on the simple and most used items within a car.

The most simple and most used, things within a car today, are usually safety, performance, music, and handsfree devices.

Handsfree, now that it is a law in california, is used a lot in cars today, because it is necessary in order to talk on your phone while driving. Just a couple years ago, you could talk on the phone while driving. Although people do still do it, it is now officially illegal. Now that it is illegal, people have been inventing more and more technology that is easier for people to talk while driving.

The invention of the handsfree was before the law, but was a lot less popular then. People didn’t feel the need to use it every time. Nowadays, I personally have seen even bluetooth connected music into your car, so that you can listen to music and change songs more safely. The goal within the whole “bluetooth” project has been safety, in my opinion as an outsider looking in.

Performance in cars is also becoming more and more popular, but at the same rate, the idea of fuel efficiency is becoming important to buyers. Why? Because gas prices are rising. People would rather spend more on their car in the beginning, than spending a lot over time in gas.
Fuel efficiency has been accepted by the media too. In every car commercial you see or hear, they introduce their gas mileage as one of the important buying factors, almost as important as horsepower was and still is.
Performance, on the other hand, isn’t always what comes standard with the car. A large percentage of the power in cars nowadays is put in afterwards. The amount of money people spend to make their car better, can even exceed the value of their car.

The idea of performance is popular, only because the idea of speed, and “showing off” to your friends. Its more and more popular each day, and you see new people getting into it. The idea of putting more under your hood than the value of your car, is actually pretty cool if you think about it. Also, lowering your car is becoming more and more popular, both for performance and looks.
After going under the hood, and adjusting everything, you feel the need to tell people, or show people. However you can’t drive around everywhere without a hood on the car, so you need to upgrade the look of your car. Having the coolest car around can feel pretty good. Knowing you’re the one with the fastest car, makes you feel the need to show it off, but you can’t on the street, because that’s illegal.

There are events, everywhere, that let you go to show off your car, and even run it on a track. Going to these are both legal and a whole lot of fun. It is also much safer, because it is regulated. If you have a fast car, or a car you love to drive, go to one of these.
Music has always been popular among teenagers, and always will be. Having the best sound system is always the greatest. Sounds systems, however, can be expensive, but they have advanced so far from when they began. Nowadays, they have bluetooth connected, surround sound in your car. Most people have better sound systems in their cars than they do anywhere else in their lives. A large portion of people, actually upgrade their sound system, BECAUSE they don’t have one at home.

Lastly, Safety. You hear about it every day. In an ad, you hear, “We have a 5 star crash test safety rating” or “Best in class safety”. Why? Because people want to be safe. People know that what they are driving may be cool, but is also dangerous. Cars are fast, and crashes are almost always deadly. Safety advances, have reduced the numbers of both accidents AND fatalities, occurring from accidents.

Having the coolest car is fun. Having the most technologically advanced, is even better.

Last summer me and my group called FundaField took a much needed trip to Uganda, Africa. Now this was the first time I had ever traveled to a 3rd world country and I had an image in my head of what it would be like and look like; how it would smell. When I arrived there though, all my thoughts and ideas were completely wrong.

There’s so much more to Uganda then what meets the eye. I’m sure you have seen pictures and videos of the people and their culture, but to be there and experience it was so surreal. It was like a vivid dream with loud music and wild colors. Its something words itself couldn’t describe.

The first day we got there was amazing, we got to see where we were staying and look at the amazing greenery surrounding us. The second day we were thrown into action, at first it was really overwhelming seeing all the kids and their schools and how much they differ from everything back home.

Now being sad was to be expected because you see these kids and just want to reach out and help all of them. We would go to some of the schools close to where we were staying and we would help the teachers teach the kids because even some of the teachers didn’t know how to teach certain subjects and or had false information or answers.

It really got me thinking about how amazingly lucky we are to have such an outstanding school district with well taught teachers. We have all the information we need given to us everyday, while the kids in Africa have incorrect information that they will most likely not use in the future.

Visiting schools was a big part of our trip because whenever we go we always make a huge impact on the attendence. The more we go and help and offer support, the more kids want to come to school. Another big thing we did there was visit the people in their community’s homes.

Now I wasn’t really expecting what I saw when I went into some of their homes. You would walk into some of the houses and just see dirt, a bed if they were lucky, some blankets, and maybe a pair of shoes. It was devastating to see that people have to live like that everyday.

Some people were even lucky to just have a house. Me and a couple of people from my group got to stay in one of these houses with the people that lived there. I can say to this day still that they were some of the nicest most welcoming people I have ever met in my life. Who knows how long it took them to cook and make the things they did for us?

Without even a hesitation the father of the home we visited called us his children and that he was the happiest man on earth to have us stay there. He had his son drive days just to come see us for one night. He was the proudest, happiest man I have ever met and my heart aches for him everyday.

I don’t think anyone could really ever understand what we went through unless you have been there and experienced it. The people of Uganda are proud and faithful to one another under all circumstances.

The part that hit me hardest was to see how happy everyone was, no matter how little they had. The kids were always smiling while I was there and so were the elders. Not a smug face in miles of where we were. Everyone just seemed so grateful that we were there, we didn’t even have to do anything and they would shake our hands and thank us.

I remember giving a little girl a bracelet to have and she looked at me with eyes that screamed of love and joy. She looked as if she had just won the lottery or had got a brand new car. They are so happy with so little and it’s inspiring to see them like that.
It got me thinking that we don’t really need materialistic things, I mean sure they are nice and all but is it really necessary for us to have these things just to be happy? For us it takes a new phone or new clothes to be happy. For the kids in Uganda it simply takes a smile and a hug and all of a sudden you are their greatest prize of all.

We should all be so unbelievably grateful for what we have, where we live, the school that we go to, the colleges that we will be attending in two years. More than half of the kids in Uganda won’t go to college and only about a third of them will even make it to high school.

So next time you see a new phone that you just absolutely have to have or new clothes because yours are old, think about the kids in africa. Think about how they don’t wear shoes, wear the same clothes to school everyday, and how unbelievably happy they are. It’s the little things in life that matter the most and it’s giving back that makes the world a better place. I

History and Background

Before Twitter began in 2006, another popular social networking website named Facebook. This website was launched in February of 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. Like Twitter, Facebook is also a microblogging website with over 845 million users. Each user has an account and is able to add friends, send messages, add photos, and receive notifications. Slightly different than Twitter, Facebook focuses more on photos, unlike thoughts and “tweets” from Twitter. jk.Many High School Age students are involved with both Twitter and Facebook. While walking down the halls at San Ramon Valley High School, it is not unusual to see students reading tweets or checking facebook while on their way to class or while eating lunch. Seeing kids reading short statements on social networking websites makes me curious about how it is affecting the way we read, write, and even communicate. Are these websites hurting our communication skills and attention span also?

Effects on Thinking and Focus

Today’s lifestyle has changed in many ways due to the usage of Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking websites.Reading short tweets and statuses on these social networking websites has created a problem with the attention span and focus of students.

A San Ramon Valley High School english teacher, Miss Finegan, noticed that many students groan and complain when handed a short story or article to read in class. Students loose focus after reading the first paragraph or two and begin daydreaming.

As a student, this situation is common in classes I am involved in, and I sometimes get lost in the paper too. Students are used to reading a quick tweet or two, (about five sentences) and have lost the ability to stay focussed on a one page reading.

Are teachers going to need to start reducing assignments because students don’t have the focus? Are writings going to soon become short like tweets and statuses because the students are used to short readings?

Effects on Schoolwork

Miss Finegan said that she notices a lack of thought, depth, and focus in her students’ writing. She also noticed that there are hesitations when it comes to developing a topic and begin to write an assignment on a specific topic. She noticed that the students do not go as in depth as they can with their topics when they are executing them also. Hearing this from Miss Finegan makes me curious if students in the future will not be able to focus while writing a long paper due to the 140 character count.

It also makes me curious if students will begin to use hashtags and abbreviations in their writing assignments due to the fact that many tweets and hashtags are read many times a day. The topic of hashtag phrases came up while discussing with Miss. Finegan, and she noticed kids saying hashtag phrases, such as “#english-rocks” and similar phrases. both inside and outside of class.

But, the phrases are not only used in class, they are using the phrases in journal entries and also in formal writing assignments. In the future, will hashtag phrases and abbreviations become normal in writing? Are these going to effect the future of kids and adults?

Seeing the way students use “Twitter Talk” so often makes me curious about what the english language will become. Will 140 characters potentially change the way essays are written? Will it change the way students and adults create writing topics and expand within their writing? Will 140 characters change the way an essay is written forever?

Questions For The Future

Miss Finegan said that many of her students have trouble writing long assignments such as a journal entry or a five paragraph essay. The topic of abbreviations such as “U”, “2”, “@”,”C”,”L8R”, and many others came up, as Miss. Finegan recognized that students are using these shortened words in formal papers and assignments. Many of these are being used more frequently, possibly because of social networking websites and a limited amount of characters. An example would be the term “YOLO”, meaning “You Only Live Once” that is commonly used ib twitter. Are people abbreviating to fit within the 140 character limit? Not only do abbreviations and hashtags come up in writing, but also in conversations and interviews/conferences. As a student at San Ramon Valley High School, I notice students talking with their friends and saying “hashtag, this sucks” and phrases that are similar. Because of the way people are using hashtags and abbreviations so openly and frequently, will they soon become acceptable in the English Language?

Character limits and short statuses could be changing the way we write too. Reading a nice, deep, thoughtful paper might change in the future from Twitter and Facebook.

Development of ideas has become a problem with students recently. Good ideas are being executed poorly. The ideas are shallow and not written in as much depth as they could be. As a student I try to expand my thoughts almost as much as I can, but it has become more challenging because I am used to writing a sentence or two for an answer. Will expanding thoughts become a challenge in the future? Is this another way that social networking could damage our english writing skills?

Patellofemoral Syndrome is defined as a pain resulting from physical and biochemical change in the patello femoral.If you place your finger in the middle of the knee cap and go down about 4 cm, there is where the pain is usually located. 1 in 4 athletes suffer from Patellofemoral . It can also be called Runner’s Knee.( picture)

Jade Montes

Jade Montes is a junior at San Ramon Valley High School. She went to Monte Vista High School for her Freshman and Sophomore years. There she played basketball at the competitive JV level. She is 5’1 long coarse black hair, fair skinned and is filipino.

She started basketball when she was 6 years old after her she ruled out soccer as her sport. Jade’s first basketball was a monumental event. Her dad helped inspire her to keep going into basketball. Jade’s favorite part about playing this game is getting rebound because of her size, stealing the basketball and making 3 pointers. A lot of emotions are expressed when jade plays basketball; excitement, nervousness, happiness and most important it acts as a stress reliever.

Jade’s Story

When I saw Jade Montes play for the first time in a summer league game, she scored  25 point and had 5 rebounds. After the game when i went to congratulate her on her nice win she was icing her knees. When I asked her what happen she told me has had patellofemoral syndrome. I then asked her how she got it. She went on to to saying it happened over the years of her playing. Jade Montes was diagnosed with Patellofemoral Syndrome during her Freshman year at Monte Vista.

Jade went on to tell me she has to were these specially made knee pads. I asked her what do these knee pads do different than other knee pads. For starters she said. These knee pads are a lot longer than others, and they also have this dounut shaped pad along the knee hole. She told me that it keep her knee caps from moving.

She uses these knee pads to get her through practice, games, etc. They are a constantly bothering her even off the court. She  still inspires other who has this syndrome.
How Jade’s Coach Describe Her On The Court

On the court, I would describe Jade as the “quiet storm” …. Which means intense, competitive and committed to doing what it takes to win.  She is very smart and defensively quite aggressive.

How Jade’s Coach Describes Her Off The Court

Off the court, Jade is her favorite music — country.  She is quite, easy and low key.  She has a great sense of humor but like a cowboy “rolls with it” down life’s brambleweed path!

How Jade Overcome Patellofemoral Syndrome

Patellofemoral Syndrome is very painful at times. Managing patellofemoral syndrome is a challenge in most parts, because of lack of consensus regarding its cause and treatment.

The initial treatment plan should include quadriceps strengthening and temporary activity modification. Additional exercises may be incorporated as dictated by the findings of the physical examination. Footwear should be closely evaluated for quality and fit, and the use of arch supports should be considered.

Most if not all athletes who have Patellofemoral Syndrome have to doRICE in order to recover for their next game. Surgery Can’t fix it and unfortunately RICE can help. RICE is an acronym for Rest Ice Compression Elevation.

Jade’s Favorite Quote

“Sometimes it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one in the world who’s struggling, who’s frustrated, or unsatisfied at barely gettin by. But, that feeling is a lie and if you just hold on; just find the courage to face it all for another day, someone or something will find the way and make it all okay. Because we all need a little help sometimes, someone to help us hear the music in the world. To remind us that it won’t always be this way. That someone is out there, and that someone will find you” Unknown

Jade like this quote because she said is describe her life with Patellofemoral Syndrome. How is really hard some days and other are better. She had her family and friends supporting her. Mostly her dad is  the one who supports her the most. When she was having a had time  figuring out how to play with Patellofemoral Syndrome, but when she did there no stopping her now. Jade has how since then overcome Patellofemoral Syndrome and she is” better than ever” Jade say. Jade is also looking forward to her last year playing high school basketball, but she is hoping that her height won’t stop her from plaingy college basketball.

.http://www.aafp.org/afp/1999/1101/p2012.html

Set a bedtime-

This will cause your body to get in a steady rhythm. So let’s say your bedtime is 10 o’clock. Well when it’s 10 you will begin to get tired because your brain is signaling to your body that it’s bedtime.

The key to this is to stick to the time. Be within 10 to 20 minutes of the time every night, because once you go off course so will your body. If you have to say awake late for some reason, try to get as close to your set time as possible. Don’t go off track more than once a week or it will mess up the rhythm.

You may be saying “but I have a lot of homework. I have to stay awake.” Start your homework earlier so your nights are free. Or wake up early to finish it.

Relaxation Routine-

There are simple exercises that you can do to relax your body. You could do breathing exercises to slow your heart rate. Try lying flat on your back. Begin by relaxing every muscle in your body. Inhale deeply, hold it for two seconds, then exhale out all your air over a four second span. Repeat this and double the times after each breath.

You can also try some eye exercises. Close your eyes, count to three, then open them. Close them after. Try this again. Close your eyes, count to three, open them, then close them after. Gradually your eyes will become heavier and heavier after every time you open them.

Watch Your Diet Before Bed-

Try to avoid sugary foods or large meals before bed. This will get your metabolism going so it will be harder for your body to relax. Also the sugar will get into your system and keep you awake.

If you do get hungry try eating simple foods. This includes bread, oatmeal, or milk.

And if you have a larger appetite you can eat foods that are high in protein but not fat because these will slowly digest through the night. Things like this include tuna, almonds, and bananas. All of these will fill you up without keeping you awake.

Black Out Your Room-

Close all your windows and put sheets over them. Put pillows in the cracks in the door too. Eliminate all the light from your room. This will set a  trigger off your brain to know that it’s night time.

According to isnare.com, sleeping in the dark effects a hormone in your body called melatonin. Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycle. When it is light your body produces less which tells your brain it’s time for you to be awake. When it is dark your body produces more which makes your brain and body tired.

So if you black out your room, you will become more tired and fall asleep easier.

Don’t Use Electronics-

Behind the backlighting of electronics is something called a blue light. This light mimics the sun and the brain believes it is day time. This will make it very difficult to fall asleep because your eyes and brain will need to adjust to the dark.

This means no T.V, no computers, no laptops, no Ipods, no Ipads, no phones, or any other electronics at least an hour before bed.

Instead read a book or do some chores. You could play cards or talk with your family. I know it doesn’t sound like the best time but if you get more sleep you won’t be so tired during the day so you’ll have more time then.

Do Yoga-

Yoga will calm both your mind and your muscles. This will make it easier for you to fall asleep. All you need is an open space with a soft floor.  You may be saying “There’s no way I can do yoga!” But there are some fairly easy poses for beginners.

Try downward facing dog. Stand up tall then put your hands on the ground about a foot away from your feet. If you are unable to straighten your legs all the way then scoot your hands out further. push your shoulders to the direction of the floor. Hold this for at least 30 seconds while taking deep breaths.

If you don’t like that one then try this one. Spread your legs about shoulder width apart. Then bend one of your legs and lean to that side. Switch off the the other leg. Hold each one for a few moments and continue taking deep breaths.

For more helpful hints try this website. mindbodygreen.com

Safe Room-

You should try and only use your bedroom for sleeping. This way your mind will associate it with sleep and know when it’s time for bed. Do homework at the counter, watch TV in the livingroom, eat in the dining room, and sleep in the bedroom.

You should also create what health.usnews.com calls a “safe room”.

When you’re in bed and you can’t fall asleep for more than twenty minutes, get out of bed and go to your “safe room”. In this room just lie there. Make sure it’s dark and there are no distractions. This includes T.V, music, books, or any electronics.

Once you feel tired go back to your bedroom and try and fall back asleep.

If you can’t sleep again after twenty more minutes, then repeat the process. Do it as many times as you need until you fall asleep.

Hypnosis-

Hypnosis techniques can greatly affect your sleep. Although not everyone believes these technique, quite a few have tried them and claim they work.

I am one of those people.

I had sleeping problems for a few months and one of my friends suggested I try hypnosis. After following the recordings and the instructions I definitely began to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

According to tree.com, when you use hypnosis your mind enters a trance like state that where it is more open to suggestion. This way when the recording tells you to relax, you are able to do so easier.

There are different types of recordings or videos you can find for hypnosis. Try a few to figure out which works best for you. Once you find your perfect match, follow the set videos and recordings and experience great sleep. Here is a great website for hypnosis liberationinmind.com

If you’re not open to trying hypnosis, you could try relaxing sounds like a waterfall or a rain forest or even the beach. But just like the hypnosis there are many kinds out there so look around t find your favorite.

Try Them All!

These are just a few methods for a better night sleep. And following just a few should help you feel energized, rejuvenated, and ready for whatever life throws at you.

In all of the years Danville has been a city it has barely ever contributed to the skateboarding community. This equates to Danville having never had a skate park, skate shop or anything to do with skateboarding. Since I was 10 years old I have wished that Danville had someplace where I was allowed to be myself and do what I loved, within skateboarding distance of course. I am sure many have felt exactly the same way.

Having a skatepark in our town will ultimately improve our community. This is because it will help get kids to become physically active and fight childhood obesity. Another reason that having a skate park is a good thing is it will give kids something productive and fun to do instead of sitting and watching TV all day. I’m sure that parents would rather see their children doing real physical activity rather than watching them sit in a dark room eating Doritos and playing Call of Duty for three days straight.

I  have done extensive research on the internet and found several companies that specialize in building skateparks in towns just like Danville. The most promising site I found is ARC skateparks. I looked at pictures of different skateparks in various locations in California and every single one was in excellent condition. I have actually ridden one of their parks in the city of Groveland near Yosemite National Park. Another promising source to turn to is my good friend Matt’s father. He owns a construction company who builds cement structures including skateparks, several years back he built one in Reno Nevada and it is in great condition even today, and is a definite asset to the community.

Skateboarding over the years has built up a rich and hip culture appealing to youth around the world. A culture that has been misunderstood by most adults and authority figures ever since it was created in the late 50’s. The skateboarding culture has always been fairly underground in the sense that it is not recognized as a mainstream sport, but rather as more of a pastime or lifestyle. Back in the 1970’s surfing and skateboarding were all the rage with many teenagers in high school on the west coast. But today it is quite different, police have stepped up enforcement to the point that kids cannot even ride their skateboards on the sidewalk in certain places any more, not even for something as harmless as transportation. The skateboarding culture is beginning to fade away and if we do not do something about it soon I think it may fade away forever. And building a skatepark is exactly the way we can help it come back to life.

Often times people perceive all skateboarders to be nothing but punks whose soul purpose in life is to disrespect authority and vandalize private property. All I have to say about this is that it’s simply an overactive stereotype that many are fooled into believing. I am willing to admit that some skateboarders do fit this description, just like any other football or basketball player. People use this stereotype as a weapon against skateboarders to make places like sidewalks and streets illegal to skateboard on. Many parents don’t even allow their children to give skateboarding a try because they believe it will corrupt the minds of their children and lead them into believing that it is ok to be disrespectful to their elders. This is exactly where the skatepark comes into the picture. If the city of Danville decides to invest in building a skatepark, it will give kids a place to skate without breaking the law and eliminate the endless cost of fixing damaged property.

I do sincerely believe that if Danville decides to go through with building a skatepark it will ultimately benefit our community as a whole and save a dying culture that so desperately needs our help.

Rugby. A fast moving, full contact, team sport. The fore-father of American football, and the inadvertent creator of basketball, and the descendant of a british school’s version of what is known as soccer. Some call it a ruthless, violent, dangerous sport. To me it is simply exhilarating.

Rugby is a game of straight lines, skill, and most of all, teamwork. Played on a field that is basically the same as football, rugby has 15 players a side. The scoring system is 5 points for a “try”, the act of running the ball into the endzone and placing it on the ground, 2 more points for a conversion kick, and 3 points for a penalty kick or drop goal.

The ball can only be passed backwards or flat, but it can be kicked forward. This fundamental rule of rugby sets it apart from football and creates its own challenges.

One of the most important parts of rugby is the “ruck”; when a player with the ball is tackled, players from both teams will push over him and try and push the opposing players off so they can gain possession of the ball. The tackled player must release the ball and present it to his side.

When one team has clear access to the ball, the player, whose position is known as the scrum half will take the ball and pass it out. This makes rugby basically a non-stop game.

Another part of rugby is the scrum and line out, both happen because of penalties or going out of bounds.

A picture of a scrum between New Zealand and Australia. (http://pesshayneb.blogspot.com/2011/04/rugby-scrum.html)

A rugby line-out between New Zealand and Australia (http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/rugby)

The team is split into two groups called the forwards and the backs. The forwards are generally bigger and slower, and engage in the scrum,lineout and the ruck. Their jerseys are numbers 1-8.

The backs create a line behind either the ruck, scrum, or line out. They are almost always smaller but faster with good ball handling skills. They are also key in defense, making tackles near the side lines and the full back is the last line of defense.

Rugby originated in the all boys school for which the sport is named. Rugby boys school played a version of “football”, the predecessor of soccer, at their school that did not allow the ball to be picked up off the ground.

One day, a student named Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran it into the goal. This simple move changed the game forever and led to the creation of what is now known as rugby.

Rugby over the first period of its life was a strictly amateur game but this eventually led to a division in the clubs, creating Rugby League, which is slightly different from the rugby played in the USA, which is Rugby Union and is much more common.

Historically New Zealand, England, France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, and Australia are the powerhouses of the rugby world. The United States have just started to make their way onto the international stage with an appearance in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, which was ultimately won by New Zealand.

A common misconception about rugby is that it is a vicious sport, and you are very likely to be injured. While injuries are common, they are less common and usually less serious than in football, or even soccer.

The lack of pads actually helps, because you have no mental frame of mind that you can do anything and not get hurt, such as in football. You know if you do something stupid you will get hurt and also you are taught proper tackling and falling techniques. And you have a mouth guard to prevent head trauma.

Rugby near here is actually quite big. local teams include; The Danville Oaks, Diablo, and De La Salle.Most of the students of San Ramon, Monte Vista, and Cal rugby players play for the Danville Oaks, including myself.

In an interview with a local coach of the Danville Oaks, one of the coaches said, (rugby) is a very team driven sport, and everybody has to do their part. A lot of other sports are like this too, but with rugby it’s taken to a whole new level.

Compared to football, it’s so much more fast paced and just constant fitness. It takes a wide range of skills and it is a sport accepting of all body shapes and ages.

The first thing we would teach new players is how to do a proper rugby tackle. It’s different from football and a good chunk of our practice time for new players is on proper technique so you don’t get hurt. Listen to the coaches and you’ll be fine.

So if you feel the need for awesomeness, fun, camaraderie and being fit, come play rugby and be a man (or woman, they have women’s rugby as well).

This is what usually goes on through the minds of many students as they get home from not only sports but also any other extra curricular activity that requires students to stay after school.

Schools are progressively getting more competitive and as this happens students seem to get caught up trying to do everything they can to keep up, and at the same time pushing to balance their work with their freetime and other things that they want to participate in. Lofty goals are set in order to keep up with the competitive system and students find themselves giving more time than they want to too things that they have to do and have less down time to relax.

The transition to high school is one of the biggest changes that happens to you as a student. Its gives you much more freedom and options than elementary or middle school. Freedom to choose more classes, more options for competitive sports, more people, and it is the beginning of preparation for college.

High school seems to have a version of success locked into it. This version of success is that a student achieves all of its goals, not that the student learns something from the journey getting there. Success is a varsity sport or 4.0 G.P.A.. It is not that a student gains something from high school.

In order to reach this point of success students will push themselves past the limit to achieve this so that students can go to the college that they want to go to or reach whatever goals that they set for themselves during high school.

Sports are not much different. You give everything to make the varsity team but it comes with a price. That price is giving up free time to sports and not being able to do other school work in a convenient time frame.

Extra curricular activities are becoming a big part of high school. They allow for a student to engage in an activity that they enjoy and are willing to give their time to. Recently extracurricular activities are also a medium that help students get into high school. High school has many of these activities, more so than middle school, and they require much more time than any other activities outside of school.

Sports are a good example, especially sports that many students want to try out for. These sports require a lot of time from you because of the amount of kids that also want to be on the team. You have to work even harder so that you can still be able to be on a team. This includes attending every practice even if you are always on the bench. As soon as one practice is missed the possibility of playing in the next game diminishes further.

There is also more competition between schools, this leads to an increased amount of time required to play the sport. Everyone wants to be in a good program that will allow them to get a scholarship to a school for playing their sport. Coaches know this and try to make the team the best that they can which can end up in more loss of time for students.

With school work and a sport half the day is already lost. This does not leave much free time for students and provides less time to do things after school like homework.

Two big parts of the school curriculum are tests and homework. Homework and studying for tests are things that take most of your time after school. Not only do these take up a lot of time, but they are also things that have the biggest influence on your grades.

Almost every student wants good grades. Not only are they something that parents want but as with sports, grades are a large determining factor for getting into college. To achieve these grades students give hours a night to studying and completing homework so that they can be prepared for the class and will receive the grade that they want.

This article from Great Schools by Leslie Crawford talks about how excessive amounts of homework are not truly beneficial to students. It also conveys that homework amounts have been piling up over the years under pressure from others so that schools are able to perform on state tests and other regulation exams.

This combination of sports, extra-curricular activities, and school work make high school increasingly difficult. It does not help either that competition in high school is increasing. Time Magazine talks about a 51% increase in homework amount since 1989.

High school should be competitive. It is what makes your sport teams fun and makes other areas of schooling more enjoyable, but when does it get to competitive? When should you stop pushing?

One of the best ways to excel in class is to get enough sleep the night before says Elizabeth Scott in her article on how to reduce stress from school work. This though, can sometimes seem impossible as homework eats away at our time and keep students up until midnight.

High School not only takes away time from students. it also keeps them from spending as much time with family and with friends. The competitive systems allow for almost no time to recharge. Students do have holidays, yet work is still given over this time off.

Students can burn out from all this school work. Once this happens a disinterest for school and learning can follow. School already takes up most of the day and still students have to endure school.

High school is becoming progressively more and more competitive. Without an amazing balancing act between every aspect of high school students can get swept away by all the work and time given to school and find themselves cracking under the pressure springing from the competitiveness of high school.