Free Trolley Service

by Samantha Martinez & Natalia Hernandez

SAN FERNANDO - It was 9:00 AM on a Sunday morning, November 9, 2008, when Ridley Elementary School drummers led the procession introducing the new Trolleys to the citizens of San Fernando. Congressman Howard L. Berman helped make sure the city received the federal funding for this project.

The Trolleys run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). CNG is a more environmentally clean alternative to regular petroleum gas and diesel fuel. San Fernando opened its first CNG station earlier this year, in March. The CNG Station and the new Trolley system are two steps San Fernando is making towards a “Green” city. Hopes for this project are also to increase mobility among its citizens.

Trolley stops can be seen throughout San Fernando. There are no set routes. Depending on ridership, the routes may change. The Trolley service is free till the end of the year. Beginning January 1, 2009 the fare will increase to 25 cents. Currently, there are two trolley’s in service. More are to come.

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Bomb It

Check out Bomb It

Opens this Friday at the Sunset 5 for one week only. The filmmakers will participate in Q&A’s after the 7:50 and 10:10 screenings on Friday and Saturday, June 6th and 7th.

Film Summary

Bomb It is the explosive new documentary from award-winning director Jon Reiss investigating the most subversive and controversial art form currently shaping international youth culture: graffiti.

Through interviews and guerilla footage of graffiti writers in action on 5 continents, Bomb It tells the story of graffiti from its origins in prehistoric cave paintings thru its notorious explosion in New York City during the 70's and 80's, then follows the flames as they paint the globe. Featuring old school legends and current favorites such as Taki 183, Cornbread, Stay High 149, T-Kid, Cope 2, Zephyr, Revs, Os Gemeos, KET, Chino, Shepard Fairey, Revok, and Mear One. This cutting edge documentary tracks down today's most innovative and pervasive street artists as they battle for control over the urban visual landscape. You'll never look at public space the same way again.

Bomb It was shot in Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tijuana, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, Berlin, Cape Town, São Paulo, and Tokyo.

Bomb It
93 Minutes | Not Rated | Documentary
Color | DVCam

Watch the Trailer | Visit Official Website

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Phantom Sightings

Words by Jose Hernandez
Discovery Prep

[Click the play button to see pics from our Phantom Sightings outing. We ate at an Ethiopian restaurant afterwards, it was yummy. - ed.]

Phantom Sightings: Art after the Chicano Movement

April 6, 2008–September 1, 2008 | Art of the Americas

The exhibition is being held at the LACMA museum and is running through September 1,2008. Our newspaper crew went on a journey in search of contemporary art. On our way there I complained about the long car ride and how it was hurting my hemorrhoids. The two mentors were having their own discussions while the mentees were contemplating what may lie in the exhibition. We passed by many interesting shops and a swampmeet which we were not allowed to stop at. I was thinking of being cruel to my mentor since I am his ticket to viewing the exhibit for free, but I didn't since I am the kindest person in the world. As we arrived we received a gift card that allowed us to full access to all exhibits at the LACMA. As we waited for the artist lecture we explored the exhibit. It consisted of purely Chicano art from the Los Angeles area. From paintings to photographs to huge sculptures. Some artworks were very strange but full of meaning. I enjoyed it. There was an area were the artist displayed iPods which they added their music to share with the public. In the middle of our search, we had to go to the artist lecture. That was a journey in its self, due to the fact that we needed to get additional tickets for the lecture itself aside from the tickets for the exhibit. The lecture was setup for a more mature audience. Sandra de la Loza spoke first, than Harry Gamboa Jr. The lecture took about an hour but felt like two. After the lecture we went back to the exhibit to finish our search.

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Letter From the Editor

Words by Aaron Aguilar
Community Charter Early College High School

This issue has seen a wide variety of articles, concerning worldwide, regional and local issues. This time we did not have a particular focus, but preferred to have each writer and artist express and discuss what was striking to him or her personally. In this issue you will find articles concerning global warming, the conflict in Darfur, art or the lack thereof. We’re sure you will find something that will spark your interest! And for our Spanish readers, we have translated all articles to Spanish.

On another note, we would like to remind you that For the Record is open for thoughts, insights, and comments from you- the youth. We have a blog online at www.fortherecordnews.blogspot.com where you can post feedback for any of the articles in the newspaper. Be sure to take a look around!

We are making great progress and hope to continue to grow and have more volunteers. Our ultimate goal is to get all of us (the youth) involved in the community, and to have a space where we can speak up!

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Where Did the Art Go?

Words by Jose Hernandez
Discovery Prep

There has been a lack of contemporary art in the valley. The big question is where did it all go? Why hasn’t there been anyone trying to look for it, trying to expose it to their local communities? We can’t just depend on the very few coffee shops to supply us with art. We need people to be brave enough to express themselves, even if that gets them into trouble, which I’m not trying to promote. We need those hiding artists to shock, make us shed a tear or two, help us become confident and open our eyes to the cruel world.

We need to search for the arts in our communities because children are becoming ignorant to the issues that affect everyone on a daily basis. Children need to learn how to express themselves visually, through words, and with music. They need to educate themselves with the corny, but painfully true cliché that knowledge is power. We need to expose the truth on pollution caused by our neighborly corporate businesses, the failing educational system and a whole bunch of other issues. We need help now because the biggest form of exposure is though the arts. Even if it’s a simple stick figure drawing, graffiti art, an inspirational word or two, masterpieces — anything small or big to promote an idea.

Everyone should drip themselves into a bucket of paint, pick up a pencil or mellow away with a musical instrument and let your imagination become untamed. Break away from the conformity of everyday life. I say STICK IT TO THE MAN AND MAKE YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.

A few artists to consider for inspiration:

• Eugenia Leon - a powerful Spanish female singer
• Frida Kahlo - revolutionary Mexican artist and a famous feminist
• Luis Rodriguez – a local writer and activist who founded a nearby cultural center - Tia Chucha’s Cafe Cultural
• Los Hijos de la Tierra - a local band from Pacoima that uses indigenous instruments
• Favianna Rodriguez – a Xicana artist & participant of L.A. vs. War

Also, if you have idea on how to promote the arts to local communities or want your artwork exposed, contact the newspaper at: fortherecordnews.blogspot.com

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The Greatest Difference

Words by Aaron Aguilar
Community Charter Early College High School

We see it in newspaper headlines everyday. It is always on television programs, on the Internet, on bus advertisements - pretty much everywhere! While politicians may understate the problem, scientists worldwide are bellowing out that global warming is a very real, severe threat.

We all know what's responsible: CO2 emissions, car exhaust, and methane gas - essentially any gas that traps heat. We also know that, in part, human activity is to blame. We have heard this over and over. We have been told what can happen. Ice will continue to melt in the poles disrupting the distribution of heat around the globe. Sea levels could rise dramatically as a result of the melting ice, flooding coasts and even entire countries like the Netherlands. Species that normally live in colder climates and depend on ice for survival will continue to struggle against extinction. The possible implications of global warming seem endless; we've heard this countless times. Still, we cannot, will not, tire of hearing it until any real action is taken.

There is not much being done to slow down global warming. Gasoline prices are sky-high, yet there seems to be no possible or likely substitute for it any time soon. The U.S. hasn't done much to help the cause, and the current plans for most presidential candidates to significantly reduce CO2 emissions will not be carried out for decades.

Why wait for global warming to be a "runaway train" as predicted in the documentary "Six Degrees Could Change the World?" Maybe it is true that we truly can't do anything about the climate; maybe it is true that our attempts to cure the planet are futile. But it does not hurt to try. Of the many consequences of global warming looms the stark possibility of human extinction - why even allow such a remote possibility? Why stand aside and wait to see what happens? Is it fear of hurting the economy? Al Gore put it simply in "An Inconvenient Truth:" without a healthy Earth; there can be no economy.

Every small step counts. Here are a few things you can do to:

• Take your own bag/sack to carry your groceries
• Create your own recycle bins if your classroom doesn’t have any. After, take them take them to the nearest recycling center

To save on gas:

• Use your cruise control - this avoids constant accelerating and decelerating which uses up a lot more gas
• Fill up your tank in the morning - you get more for your money than when it’s hotter. Also, gasoline stations raise their prices in the afternoon around rush hour.

Hopefully this article will be of some help. A simple turned-off light switch can help. Recycling helps as well, as does better water-management, and voting for ecological-friendly legislation if and when we are of age. With these small steps lets push the larger entities to contribute. There are many things that we as teens can and should do, because the presumably little we can contribute can prove to be the greatest difference.

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Land of the Fur

Words by Karolyn Blancas
San Fernando High School

I am almost positive that you have not heard of a place called Land of the Fur. My history teacher once said, "If it's not written down on paper then it never existed." So here I am, writing it all down because it is time for people to know what is going on around the world. Land of the Fur goes by another name - Darfur. Darfur is in Sudan where there is a genocide going on. The war between non-Muslims and Muslims has been going on since 2003. The groups are the "Sudan Liberation Army" (SLA) and the "Justice and Equality Movement" (JEM). These groups began the war by attacking towns, government facilities and civilians in Darfur; resulting in the deaths of hundreds of policemen and civilians. 200,000-400,000 people are presumed dead, but there is no real evidence. The Sudanese government has been keeping secrets and making it hard to help.

This war is said to have nothing to do with religion, only ethnicity. The region is home to about 80 tribes. The ethnic groups are divided between nomadic and sedentary communities. People are not only dying because of the war, but also from starvation and drought. Meeting the food and health needs of hundreds of thousands of people is a challenge for the United Nations, its agencies and a dozen of international organizations that are present in Darfur.

There are ways that we people can help, people like me and you. We can continue to raise awareness and educate. Educate yourself and others so we can be the change in the world we want to see.

Related links:

www.savedarfur.org

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Pacoima Youth Fatally Shot

The Youth Speak Collective team is shocked and saddened by the recent tragedy of Alejandro Villa, a 14-year old boy who was fatally shot in Pacoima last Monday night. To honor Alejandro's life, we have chosen to speak out against the violence occurring in our community. As a community, we must take back the streets and make them safe again by providing youth with positive and safe programming that will enrich their lives.

We would like to dedicate this [post] to the memory and spirit of Alejandro Villa. Below are a few words from Alex's mother.

My son has already passed, but there are so many sons that can still be saved. Parents, please help your children out by supporting them fully. With the pain that I'm feeling, I wouldn't want any other families to feel the same way. Thank you for your support. -Marisol Ramos

Currently, friends and family are raising funds for the Villa Family.If you would like to donate please [call 818-834-5181.]

Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the Villa family in this terrible tragedy. - Youth Speak! Team

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"Dándole Alas a Tu Éxito/Giving Flight to Your Success" travel award program

Southwest Airlines, in conjunction with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), launched its annual educational travel award program today. Celebrating its fourth year, the "Dándole Alas a Tu Éxito/Giving Flight to Your Success" program provides roundtrip tickets to undergraduate and graduate students across the country with socio-economic need who travel away from home to pursue a higher education. Students can apply online at http://www.hacu.net/hacu/lanzate_EN.asp.

"Southwest Airlines is proud to support Hispanic youth achieving their dreams of a higher education," said Laura Nieto, Senior Manager of Southwest Airlines Corporate Community Affairs. "We are also happy to provide affordable air travel to families with students away from home. Southwest keeps family bonds strong while students receive a college education."

In this year's program, each student is eligible to receive between one and four roundtrip tickets for the student and/or parent to use when traveling to/from the university. National education advocates and community leaders will determine the winners based on specific criteria including academic standing, financial need, and a written essay. The complimentary airline ticket(s) can be used for travel to any of the 64 destinations that Southwest serves.

Experts on Hispanic college students believe attainment levels would improve if students were more willing to travel longer distances to colleges well suited to meet their needs according to a Pew Hispanic Center report. Because proximity to home continues to be a barrier to achieving educational goals for Latino students, Southwest Airlines and HACU are addressing Hispanic college student success while keeping them connected to family.

Travel award recipients will be notified the week of July 28, 2008. HACU, which has its national headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, represents more than 450 colleges and universities, including Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), which collectively serve more than two-thirds of all Hispanic higher education students in the United States. HACU's international membership includes leading higher education institutions in Latin America and in Spain.

www.southwest.com

For additional information, contact:
Lorena Blanco
Executive Director of Development and Marketing
HACU
(210) 576-3224
Development@hacu.net

Click here for more information
http://www.hacu.net/hacu/lanzate_EN.asp

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Tagged as a Vandal

Words by Rafael Flores Jr.
San Fernando High School

As you walk around your neighborhood you see tagging on walls and pretty much anything you can find. Most adults view tagging as a disrespectful act by vandals who have nothing better to do. This negative stereotype has given a bad rap to graffiti artists and their chosen art form. This negative stereotype has also degraded the work of talented graffiti artists who dedicate time and hard work painting graf-murals in spaces where common people can see their artwork as they walk down the streets.

The problem is that people confuse all tagging on walls with graffiti art. Historically, gangs and tagging crews have used spray cans to mark their territory to make sure rival gangs/crews knew what area is theirs. This form of tagging is what usually scares people and makes them close-minded towards anything painted on walls, especially graf-murals. That's why this form of art is only seen as vandalism and destruction of private property.

In fact, people need to realize that there's a difference between taggers and graf-artists. Graf-artists are people who use aerosol spray cans to create artistic murals using styles, techniques, and symbols of hip hop culture. Since the beginning of hip hop in the 1970's, young artists from poor neighborhoods were painting graf-art on walls to make their community look better, such as in the movie Beatstreet.

The reality is that the creation of a graf-murals takes time, skill, and dedication. In no way should that be confused with taggers who just go around vandalizing other other peoples' property. Many people put down art on walls because it's not on a canvas or on display in some rich gallery. They don't take the time to just "sit down and realize" there's so much skill and artistic talent put into a graf-mural than just scribbling some letters on a wall. If you don't believe me, take a look yourself. Drive pass an area where gangs or crews tag their territory and pass by a yard where there's a lot of graf-art.

Let me offer a simple solution to the tagging "problem," schools need to start graf-art classes that teach young people who want to learn how to use spray cans to create hip hop art. Also, they need to provide legal walls so that artists can show us what they can really do without worrying about being arrested. This would cut down on the amount of tagging in the community because young people would have the opportunity to express themselves at schools or yards. Even taggers could benefit form the training offered by a graf-art class because they could learn to control their techniques and creativity and form a masterpiece with some culture behind it. Graf-artists are not vandals, but rather, misunderstood artists that just want to express their art for the world to see.

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Candidates Stance on Immigration

Words by Aaron Aguilar
Community Charter Early College High School

With the primary elections just around the corner, it is time to look at the major candidates stance in regards to one of the greatest issues concerning the coming election: immigration. In our neighborhood, which has a large community of immigrants, it is especially important to know where these candidates stand and how our vote will impact future generations of immigrants.

Rudy Giuliani - Republican
Giuliani believes in strengthening border security and takes an offensive stand against illegal immigration. He plans to stop illegal immigration in a period of three years, keeping in mind the strategy that, if it is made very difficult to enter the country illegally, people will stop doing it. As for illegal immigrants who are already in the country, Giuliani believes that a person who comes to the United States illegally and commits a crime should be thrown out. As one of Giuliani’s twelve promises to the American people, he says: “I will end illegal immigration, secure our borders, and identify every non-citizen in our nation.”

Hillary Clinton - Democrat
Clinton seeks to fix the damaged immigration system of the United States. She is looking for a reform on immigration - one that will enhance border security, and better the relationships between the United States and its neighbors. She supports working towards citizenship for those who come to the United States to work hard and follow the law. In the past, Hillary Clinton has campaigned to give medical benefits to low-income, legal immigrant children and pregnant women under the DREAM Act, but has also opposed a proposal that would have granted undocumented immigrants driving licenses in New York City.

John McCain - Republican
McCain’s goal is to restore American’s faith in the government by securing the nation’s borders, not just from illegal immigration, but from contraband that enters the country via the border. In the past he has had several failed attempts to facilitate citizenship for 12 million undocumented immigrants with no criminal record. He recognizes that in order for border control to work, he must also work with Mexico and Latin American countries to better their economies, and reduce illegal immigration. Also, for the people who are already here, he stresses the importance of “learning English, American history and civics, and respecting the values of a democratic society.”

Barack Obama - Democrat
Obama believes, like most other candidates, in stronger border security, but places greater emphasis on keeping families together, and eliminating incentives for people who enter the country illegally. He will encourage those who come in illegally but follow the rules and help the economy to “come out of the shadows,” and supports a path to legal status for them. He proposes a way for employers to more efficiently verify employee’s legality to work meaning that illegal immigrants would have a harder time finding a job, as well as stricter laws on employers who abuse and underpay illegal workers. He says that “we need stronger enforcement on the border… but for reform to work we also must respond to what pulls people to America.”

Whatever our individual stance on this issue, we must be informed of all presidential candidates’ views and opinions. It may be difficult to visualize, but our vote will certainly have an effect on how the issue of immigration (and many other issues as well) will shape up in coming years. One vote does count!

The information referenced in this article was obtained in the candidates’ websites, under each of their “issues” tabs, as well as the following site: http://indyunivision.com

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Saving for your future

Words by Karolyn Blancas
San Fernando High School

Many people have had to work very hard to get to where they are, having their children watch them go to work every day. Some parents even work 12 hours a day just to put food on the table. Retirement at the age of 45 would be impossible for these hard working parents. Our parents suggest getting an education so we can obtain good jobs that will give us large amounts of money. Unfortunately most students do not take their advice seriously so they only see school as a social event.

They slack off, reach their twenties, and are still working at a minimum wage job. Many get stuck at community college and can’t even pay their own cell phone bill. There is now a solution for our generation to think about, especially if you have a job. The secret (solution) to this problem is
just saving money. I know that this is no secret but somehow people don’t get it until they are in their mid-fifties and say “Yeah, I should have saved my money”. That is why as a fellow teen I feel it is my duty to remind not only teens, but everyone to do this. The proposal is not to save every cent and dime that you earn, actually that would be terrific if you would, but there are other ways. For example, when you receive twenty dollars, imagine all you really have is ten dollars and just forget about the other ten. Put the extra ten somewhere safe. Forget about the rest and at the end of each month collect your extra earnings and put it into a bank account. At the end of every month keep putting the money into the same account, but the most important thing to do is to just forget about the account. The point of this is to keep the money going in and NOT out. By the time you’ll reach your forties that sum of money you have in the account will be a large amount of money. Also remember you must put money in every month, even if it’s as little as twenty-five, fifteen or even five dollars. Something is better than nothing. For parents with kids I encourage you to pass this knowledge on and if you have children smaller than ten years of age, you can do it for them as well, so by the time they become a teen they can keep it up and have a head start.

Other ways you can save is by taking mass transit or carpooling to school; this can also help save our environment. The most important way to save money is to realize how many hours of work it takes for you or your parents to pay for those new shoes you wanted or that shirt you are wearing. Is the time you or your parent spent working worth the shirt? If so, then you’re not saving very successfully. The point in saving is making sacrifices. There is no need in buying a 30 dollar shirt when it is just as useful as buying one that cost 5 dollars. The point is that in order to save you have to be willing to make sacrifices and if you’re not willing to sacrifice then you won’t successfully save money for the future.

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Letter from the Editor

Words by Aaron Aguilar
Community Charter Early College High School

This is the very first issue of For the Record Newspaper, but certainly there will be many more to come. We are working to write to and about the San Fernando Valley’s youth. Our focus is on our community and the world at large, so there will definitely be a wider range of articles in coming issues. We hope to grow larger with each consecutive issue, and share our opinions and concerns about the San Fernando Valley.

As of now, we have worked hard to get the newspaper up and running. We are currently a small team, but are sure to have more high school students contribute with stories, articles, art, or pretty much anything that motivates them to speak out to our community.

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Children Being Left Behind

Words by Rafael Flores Jr.
San Fernando High School

In elementary school, in each grade you will learn how to read and write up to a certain level. Your reading level is then tested by a standardized test such as the CAT6. Then you pass onto the next grade until you reach middle school. In middle school most kids begin to fall behind. Test scores noticeably drop and students who should repeat the grade go right on through to the next grade thanks to the No Child Left Behind Act passed by the current administration.
All through middle school you will repeat this test just like you will in high school. In high school you take a test called the CAHSEE. The CAHSEE is a high school exit exam in which a student must reach a certain level of comprehension in order to graduate high school. This level is set at seventh grade. Most students in the San Fernando Valley are having trouble passing this test. But they will continue to pass onto the next grade and the next grade until they reach their senior year in high school where they will get stuck because they can’t pass the CAHSEE.

What exactly is this supposed to teach us? They continue to pass you even though they know you are unprepared for the next grade, yet they expect you to pass a test in order to graduate. If you cannot pass the test by the time you are 19 they will kick you out of school and you will have to go to adult school and take the GED. Colleges and Universities don’t look highly on the GED. How will most of us get into college and earn a better living? It seems that this is not a worry when legislation like No Child Left Behind is passed. It’s as though the sixties never happened and no one is doing anything about it. Word to the wise, history repeats itself. It will have to if no one is speaking on behalf of the youth.

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Horoscopes

Words by Beatriz Ramos
San Fernando High School

March 21 - April 19
You need to keep busy this month, which should be quite easy for you! It’s one of those days that calls for lots of energy, which is something you’ve certainly got in abundance. Expect nothing but the best.

April 20 - May 20
It may feel as if the world is pushing back pretty hard against you right now and it is! But there’s an upside to this pressure: You know you’re doing something right and your persistence should help you win.

May 21 - June 21
Listen carefully to the most important people in your life, as they’ve got some great advice for you, whether they know it or not! You should be able to piece together a good plan out of their comments.

June 22 - July 22
It may be tempting to lash out when provoked this month, but your best bet is to take a deep breath and count to ten instead. If you keep your cool, everyone else will and that should make life much easier.

July 23 - August 22
New information comes your way at some point and changes your thinking on some important issue. It may not shake things up completely, but it ought to make life a whole lot more interesting!

August 23 - September 22
The people you deal with every day, fellow students, family members are considerably harder to manage than usual. Most of them have separate agendas that may not match yours.

September 23 - October 22
Your intuition is strong now and you might find that people are much easier to read. It’s a good time to take quick action, especially if you see a temporary advantage you can exploit.

October 23 - November 21
It’s a great time to do something positive for your health even if you feel totally fit! There’s no need for a complete improvement, but an extra serving of vegetables or a walk around the block might feel great.

November 22 - December 21
Your good energy is helping you have fun with pretty much
everything you’ve got to do this month, from taking out the stinky garbage to talking about serious issues with your parents. Enjoy the ride!

December 22 - January 19
Today brings an ending of some kind, but that is by no means necessarily a bad thing! While it may sting a bit at first, you know deep down that this is the only way to open new doors in your life.

January 20 - February 18
You’re much better off taking care of business quietly and informally this month big presentations or papers just get in the way of things. You can see amazing results if you slow down.

February 19 - March 20
Someone close seems to be speaking in riddles, but you don’t mind. You’re happiest when you’ve got a mystery to solve, though at some point you may be reduced to asking for a few hints from them.

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