Issue 8 Volume 4      February 6, 2009

Phoenix Zoo Mobile Visits Ajo

Wayne Warrington with the Phoenix Zoo Mobile was on campus yesterday, entertaining and teaching K-6 students about native and non-native animals of the Sonoran Desert. This presentation was partly sponsored by the Freeport McMoRan Corporation.

Raiders Rule, Monsters Drool!!!

Last Friday, student council sponsored a school trip to Gila Bend so that high school Raider fans would get a chance to support the basketball teams. As we all know, this was a rivalry game, and it was also known as 'Game 2 of the Highway 85 Championship'. Ajo has the worst luck, though, when it comes to playing Gila Bend. Somehow, we ended up with the worst refs in the AIA. Fouls were worngfully called the entire duration of the game. And if losing both games wasn't bad enough, all of the buses that the Raiders' used to travel to Gila Bend were egged. Hopefully the people who did this will be brought to justice.

Locker Lockdown; Part II

By: Kim Robles
What is the point of the high school lockers being closed between classes? Mr. Fout said that it is "for preventative purposes to keep people from doing what they shouldn't be doing in there". If that is the case, then why not have our lockers like the junior high kids'? It makes our campus actually look like a decent school. It will also provide an extra place for storage, while having the students and lockers visible at all times. What is the school trying to prevent; drug use? The times that the lockers are open (before/after school and lunch) is the most likely time that people could do these "preventable" things. So, is having the lockers closed really solving any school problems? This new 'solution' hasn't accomplished anything, except keeping students from books that are needed for their next classes. In reality, this 'solution' causes more students to be unprepared for class, which can earn them a ticket to detention.

Shown Up!

Nekkei Sanford was inducted into the McDonalds National Basketball All Star Team at the Ajo vs. Gila Bend basketball game last Friday. The award was presented by the Gila Bend McDonalds' general manager, Chris Correa.

Inside the Mind; Our Thoughts on Teenage Pregnancy

What You Are About To Read: The idea behind this particular topic is to discuss thoughts on teenage pregnancy; not necessarily whether it is right or wrong, but about why it would be hard to be a teenage parent. Many teens our age are struggling to take care of not only themselves, but of small children also. Another thing that we as editors were trying to achieve is perspective; inside the minds of our students and thoughts of teenage mothers.

Choose Protection!

By: Joseph Bailey

Having sex may sound like the best thing for most people, but what happens if you get pregnant? How amusing would it be to have a baby? Not for most people, but teens have still been getting pregnant. They are forced to mature at a young age, and they probably can't take care of themselves, let alone a small child. Even if teens are choosing to engage in those kinds of activities, they should take precaution. Protection can prevent them from getting pregnant, and can also reduce the risk of STD's.

Pregnancy..

By: Arely Nunez

Pregnancy is a huge issue today in teens. No one can actually stop you from doing things like being "sexually active". Think of the old days when teenage girls were already having 3 kids by the age of 16! Now it's more difficult to raise kids. I can't express my thoughts on this topic because I might "offend" people. All I can say is you can do what you want. Nobody can stop you, you just have to realize the consequences.

*The writers and editors of the Raider Review would like to point out that we are not personally attacking any person(s) by writing these articles. They are only personal opinions.

The Economic Crisis; Interview with Dr. Dooley

By: Joseph Bailey

The economic problems in the world have definitely taken a toll on America. Troubles in the stock market and unemployment have caused financial panic in the lives of many Americans. "It's like domino effect." said Dr. Dooley on last Friday's interview. He has stated that when one thing happens it effects the whole population. But he also said, "I think Arizona has done better than most states, because we've been growing." What is attracting all these people, maybe the desert climate? Another topic in the interview was how all of this will affect Ajo Unified School. Dr. Dooley mumbled," It's too early to tell for sure, but difficult to maintain staff or to get a raise at all for next year and may mean our kindergarten students to have half day." He was asked if he would like to tell anything to the students and parents/guardians and he responded with, "Call the Governor, call our senator Manny Alaverez, and call our representatives Daniel Stevens and Pat Fleming or write letters to the capital and say We want a cost education small because investing in students is investing in the future."

Teen Moms;
and Proud of IT!

By: Megan Bollen

Coming from a bigger city than Ajo I am used to seeing pregnant teens, in fact I knew many teens that became pregnant. One of my friends had a baby in the 9th grade; she still goes to school still makes good grades and is a wonderful mother. My sister had her first child at 16 and her second one a few weeks before she turned 18, she quit school and is married. I don't believe that getting pregnant at a young age will ruin your life; I believe that it is how you make your life after you have the child that matters. You can either go to school like my friend, or you can take the easy way, seen as the 'proper way', that my sister took and get married, drop out of school and become a full time mom. Which way is right I can't say. What I can say is that I do not believe that it is right to have a child and not take care of it, but if you look at society there are many people who have children and don't take care of them or they even abuse them. Most of the teen mothers I know are the best mothers I know. In the end, age doesn't matter, maturity does, and if you aren't mature enough to take care of a child then you aren't mature enough to be having sex.

personal experience II

the story of luz flores
as told by
kim robles

Luz Flores, a Junior in Mrs. Grissom's Psychology class, was issued an electronic baby in the beginning of the second semester. She was graded on how well she responded to the baby's needs during her four day experience. Mrs. Grissom allowed her to choose what gender and name she wanted for the baby, and was also given different clothes to dress it how she wanted it. She said that the project actually made her feel like a teenage mother because it cried a lot, ate a lot, and released a lot of waste. Her peers thought that the baby was the cutest thing, but she thought otherwise since she constantly cared for it. The responsibilities she had to encounter while nurturing the baby were feeding it, changing diapers, burping it, and waking up at continuous hours of the night to repeat the tiring process. She said that she didn't like anything about the project, and believes that this activity will help people make better choices because if they engage in sexual activities, they could be at risk of getting pregnant.

Mrs. Grissom's
Baby Project

Living the 'Nightmare' of Reality:
Have you recently noticed students carrying around mechanical babies? Have these robotic infants disrupted your teacher during a class? Have you helped your friends take care of one of these electronic nuisances? We have an explanation for you. Mrs. Grissoms psychology class has been experiencing the reality of teenage parenting by caring for these infants. Inside the babies is a computer chip that records all of the actions that students do, or don't do, to care for their child, which is also a major grade. Plus, not only does the chip record every move they encounter, it also has designated times where you may need to change the babies' chip infested diaper, feed it with a magnetic bottle, or maybe just comfort it with your loving, electronic touch. In this section of the Raider Review, we will give you an exclusive look with the 'teenage parents' into what it would be like to have a child at our age. We also have an exclusive interview with Mrs. Grissom, in which she talks about the purpose of this project.

A personal experience

Felicia Roman Tells All

Having a baby isn't all fun and games. Even before I got my baby in psychology, I knew it wouldn't be easy. I had been warned about sleepless nights, constant crying, and a lot of hard work. As an aunt and older sister I was used to caring for small children and babies. So having my little electronic child was fun, but I have to admit it did take a lot of time and patience. I would wake up at least three times each nightto care for my baby. By morning I was super tired from my lack of sleep. But I had to get up out of bed to care for my baby some more. The most fun part about having a baby was all of the cute little outfits the baby had. I also liked to listen to the baby breathe when it slept. Every time I heard it take a breath I would get so excited. Unfortunately I had to give my baby back to Ms Grissom. I had grown attached to my baby, and was reluctant to give her away. But I didn't want my classmates to miss out on caring for her. So she is no longer mine. But I think I am better prepared now after participating in this project for when I do have a baby of my own.

iPod or MP3?

iPod pros: Some of the many perks about having an iPod is that they scroll thru songs, they hold a lot of music, and that the newer ones can play videos. They also come in different colors, so that any person can express their individuality.

iPod cons: They are pretty expensive to buy, and many people think that it's cool to steal them. Anotherbad thing about them is that they software freezes a lot. Sometimes even the device freezes on you.

Walking around campus, you probably see many students with buds in their ears, but what device are they listening from? How many people listen to iPods, and how many people prefer just a regular MP3 player? If you're one of the many people caught in the middle, here are the pros and cons of each device (information from students at Ajo High).

MP3 pros: They are easily operated, you can customize them, and they are much cheaper than iPods. They are small, and they come in a lot of different styles.

MP3 cons: When asked about 'cons' for MP3s, there was one; you can't scroll thru the songs like you could on an iPod.

Red Raider Sports

Inside the Mind of a Senior

By: Felicia Roman

Ana Lopez, Renee Maldonado, and Kayla Leon are part of the Ajo 2009 graduating class. We asked them for interviews about their experiences and hobbies, and here is what they had to say.

Ana's hobbies are listening to music, hanging with friends, including Renee, and going on the internet. She participated in her class student council for three years. As a child she wanted to be a lawyer, but, as most of us do, she changed her mind. Now she wants to work with and help small children. After graduation she plans on moving to Phoenix and going to a community college, where she plans to study early childhood. Ana's advice to underclassmen is "Do your work."

Renee enjoys listening to music, wrestling, hanging out with friends, including Ana, and going on myspace. She participated in her class student council for 3 years also, and she played volleyball and softball. She regrets not joining more school activities because they would have looked good on her college applications. When she was younger, she wanted to become a police woman, but now wants to become a nurse. After she graduates, Renee is going to ASU to study nursing. Her advice to underclassmen is "Get involved."

Kayla's hobbies are reading, arguing, and hanging out with friends and family. She participated in volleyball for four years, basketball for two years, track, softball, and history club. When she was younger she wanted to be a teacher like her parents, but she now wants to be a child psychologist. After graduating, Kayla plans on going to U of A to major in psychology. Her advice to the underclassmen is "Stay on top of your classes, but have fun at the same time."

by: Arely Nunez

Hoopcoming!

Our 'Hoopcoming' game was originally scheduled to be against the Greenfields Griffins, but due to some changes, they rescheduled the game. Eventually, we ended up playing the Academy of Tucson Lynx. The girls' game started out well, and by halftime they were winning 11-12. But when they came back, they were met by another badly called game. Many of the girls' team members stated that the reason that they lost was because of unfair calls being made by the referees. After a very rough, very well played game by both teams, the Lady Raiders were once again defeated. The boys' game was a completely different story. They came out hard and the crowd definitely fed off their enthusiasm to play. Everyone in the audience was on their feet if a bad call was mad, or if Horacio scored another point. Despite the enthusiasm, we were barely ahead at halftime. The Raiders' came back onto the court, and they were met with some of the poorest sports that there was. The Academy of Tucson, obviously discouraged that they were losing, started to yell stuff back to the crowd. At one point, a player told the crowd to 'calm down', and he was lucky Ms. Powell didn't get a hold of him! Even after all the fighting and yelling, the boys really managed to come through for a great victory. The final score was 53-50, and I'm sure it felt great to win over those sore losers.

Ajo vs ASDB
The girls lost.
Boys won with 67-20.
Ajo vs TO
The girls lost.
Boys won with 45-28.
Ajo vs Gila Bend
The girls lost.
Boys lost with the score 42-64.
Ajo vs Academy of Tucson
The girls lost.
Boys won with 53-50.

Spring Sports
Have Arrived!!

The Ajo High School spring sports season is scheduled to commence on Monday, February 9, 2009. Many students are excited for the upcoming sports, which include track, baseball, softball, and don't forget golf! If you are interested in joining any of these fun outdoor sports, you can go to the office for more details.

Club Updates
STUDENT COUNCIL

Don't forget to buy your crush a crush for Valentines Day. For only $3.00 you get a King size Snickers bar, Candy Gram card, and of course a crush soda. (Colors are given at random, they can not be chosen). You can also take your love/ crush to the Junior Class Pasta Dinner. It will be held in the school cafeteria on Thursday February 12 from 5:00 p.m. till 8:00 p.m. Please see junior class members for tickets. Prices will be $7 if tickets are bought a head of time and $9 at the door. This price includes a choice of three different pastas and three different sauces or lasagna, bread, and either tea or water. Sodas will be sold separately.