The boy’s JV coach, Peter Vargas, motivates the team with his famous quote, “Focus on the three D’s: Discipline, Desire, Dedication,” Peter Vargas said. “When the worst comes, it’s 90% your attitude and how you deal with the situation. The other 10% is what you choose to do with it. Everything you do affects your whole team, so think before you act.”

Enoch’s freshman boys basketball coach, Matthew Quillen, takes pride in his team by giving them motivational quotes almost every day and the quotes can be seen on the “Enochs’ Freshman Boys basketball team” facebook page. Coach Quillen never gives up on his team nor does he ever let his team give up on themselves.

“The best teams have chemistry. They communicate with each other and they sacrifice personal glory for a common goal,” Quillen said. Whether the team wins or loses, Quillen always has something positive to say.

“Good teams bounce back from a loss,” Quillen said. “[They] learn from their mistakes. Let’s put our loss behind us and be ready to work hard next game! If you learn from a loss, you have not lost… think about it.”

“What’s the score? Trick question, it’s a 0-0 game, go out there and score,” girls freshman coach Quevedo said. “Always think positive. Go out there and be confident, think confident, and show your confidence because it’s not just A game, it’s OUR game.”

Not  only does the girl’s Freshman coach have some inspirational advice, but so does the girls JV basketball coach, Kirsten Beach. She quotes, “Any team can beat any other team on any given day.”

Due to the girls JV team’s undefeated streak, their atmosphere has improved greatly and is always positive. “Throughout the season, we have constructed our team to have the mentality to work together and help each other in anyway we can,” Andrea Mayo said. “We have all improved by communicating and learning from our mistakes.”

Freshman, Bailey Reanolds, on the girl’s JV team, believes that the team is perfect together. “I think that we work great on the court with passing, communicating, and being well disciplined,” Bailey said. “Not only do we work well on the court, but off the court we all get along quite well. Our team has gone on a lot of bonding trips seeing other teams play and spending a ton of time on the court, so it has been fun learning and playing basketball constantly the last couple of months. What a great experience.”

    Not only does the girl’s JV team work great together, but so does the unbelieveable Varsity girls basketball team. “Our team’s attitude just gets better and better after every game and we continue to just keep improving because we not only learn more and more from our coach, but also from each other,” Regan Van Diemen said. “We all get along really great and we all know each other really well which helps us create great chemistry on the court, which is really helpful.”     All in all, any basketball team, boys or girls, think of their goals and strategies. But the difference between any ordinary basketball team and an Enochs team is that we don’t THINK… we KNOW our goals and strategies and execute them in every game we play, every game we learn from, and every game we conquer. Our goal is to learn from our mistakes and our strategy is to conquer our challenges. That is the key to success. [[Show as slideshow]]

A recent trend on Twitter “#cutforBieber” has changed the lives of many Justin Bieber fans. A picture of Justin Bieber smoking marijuana was released to the media and his “fans” decided that if they cut themselves that would possibly make Bieber stop smoking. Bieber never once mentioned something about the serious self harm these girls were putting themselves through, thus proving that he may care about his fans but he is not going to take his time to apologize.

But “cutforBieber” is not the only thing that’s been happening to these overly obsessed teens. These teenagers have a completely warped mind set. They sincerely believe that their favorite pop star genuinely cares about them, even if they have never met. These girls, and occasionally boys, tend to believe that they’re going to meet, or maybe even marry these celebrities. They believe that if they meet their favorite pop star, they’re going to magically fall in love with them and live their lives together as happy as can be.

Multiple stories go around Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites about young girls who have taken their lives because their favorite celebrity didn’t fall in love with them when they met at a meet and greet. One should not believe in all the stories because not all of them are true. Who could possibly think of pretending to kill themselves just for attention? The boys and girls who do kill themselves genuinely believe that their suicide story will become big enough that the love of their life will finally recognize them. Which does not make sense because they are already dead and it will not really matter if they recognize them or not.

Not only do these girls pretend to kill themselves, they also send death threats. Not to the celebrity themselves, but to the celebrities’ girlfriends or other friends. These teens believe that they could treat their celebrity better than his or her current significant other and their friends. By sending these threats, they don’t realize that they’re hurting the celebrity in an unimaginable way.Just imagine how the person receiving these death threats feels when they do not even know the person who hates them and they cannot do anything to stop it.

If you are one of these boys or girls who truly believes that your favorite celebrity is going to fall in love with you, chances are you’re one of these teens mentioned above…and you should probably go get some help.

“I’ve been dressing up daily and I plan to for the rest of the week,” said sophomore Ashley Green. “I’m not on a dodge ball team, but I’ve been watching the games at lunch and it’s very entertaining.”

  The games can become pretty intense depending on the audacity of the players.

“The games get really intense,” said sophomore Miranda Herrera. “I’ve been the referee for the games all week during fifth lunch, and it seems like the teacher teams are even more argumentative with me than the teams with just students. I totally understand that it’s all in fun and games, but it’s just funny to see my teachers acting like that compared to how they are in the classroom.”

Being on the sidelines and watching the game, one can feel a sense of competition and pride between the players.  The celebration dances and the team huddles beforehand show that players are taking this tournament very seriously.

“My team, The Dodgefathers, has done extremely well so far,” said senior Brandon Pimentel. “We won our first game and can’t wait to make it as far as possible in the tournament.”

The sidelines were full of rowdy crowds during both lunch periods. The crowd increased during games that the teachers played in.

“I loved watching some of my friends play against teachers that they needed to go sit in the classroom of next period,” said junior Marissa Trujillo. “Of course it’s entertaining, even from the view of a teacher, they get to nail their least favorite students with a big rubber ball and it’s completely acceptable.” [[Show as slideshow]]

“Wrestling is for everybody,” Coach Duane Brooks said. “ Not like other sports. No bench. Everyone gets to wrestle. No freshman or sophomore team. It’s junior varsity and varsity. You can learn self defense and it’s just a lot of fun.”

The wrestling team was conditioning since the beginning of October, so they could get ready for the tiring and long actual practices up ahead. Junior Morgan Bautista knows this and looks forward to the new season, and the strategies and techniques that are gained during practices, not conditioning.

“Today was the last day of the always challenging conditioning,” Bautista said. “We are always working hard and pushing each other hard out on the field and in the weight room. Today was the last day of preseason workout, but it’s only the beginning.”

Coach Brooks was pleased with the turnout on the first day of the actual practice.

“It went pretty good. Pretty large number of people showed up and we’re hoping for more when all the fall sports end,” Brooks said.

Wrestling is more than a large group of teenagers just doing hard athletic work-outs. It’s an intense game where you form a family. It’s a place where you can relieve stress and become a better person physically and mentally.

“It’s like a battle,” junior Mark Canapi said.  “You have to make the other person submit. You are beating someone physically. You are pretty much killing the other guy. He can be the nicest person on the planet, but once on the mat, you have to win.”

Wrestling is also something that helps set goals and encourages the drive to follow through with them.

“I encourage them to push each other,” Coach Brooks said.  “At the beginning of the season, individually everyone has to make three goals. As a team we make three goals and try to accomplish them by the end of season. So, they not only help themselves, but help each other out along the way.”

Coach Brooks has been very influential in the eyes of his players.

“My coach has always told me since the beginning of the season ‘Respect all.  Fear none,’’” freshman Christopher Bercham said.

With the combination of Coach Brooks and the sport of wrestling, many of the players have been opened up to many opportunities and have discovered their new talent.

“I didn’t make the basketball team in 6th grade,” Canapi said.  “I tried wrestling and loved it ever since.  After next year will be my 7th year playing.  Through these years I’ve met new people and grown as a wrestler.”

Every wrestler has their own statistics and match-ups to focus on, but the overall expectation of the entire team is undecided.

“No one is certain about how the team will do this season,” Coach Brooks said. “Great group so far, nice group coming back.  It all just depends on how hard they work.”

   The amount of issues I have with buffets are endless. Let’s start with the fact that you have to get up every 5 minutes to get something you want. When I’m eating dinner, I want to be at peace and just simply enjoying my food. On the other hand, maybe it is a good thing; you get to burn off all those calories walking around. And like I’ve mentioned before, they are really unsanitary.

 Here’s the deal, after I was done scarfing down my ridiculously disgusting food, I was ready for dessert. Dessert is the only good thing about that place, which is also pretty gross because people are sticking their hands in the trays and all over the food. I was standing at the chocolate fountain dipping everything I possibly could in there. As I turn around to walk back to my table there was puke EVERYWHERE. When I say everywhere, I mean everywhere. The whole floor was covered in it and maybe even on some peoples shoes. There was not a janitor anywhere to be found. Being very disgusted, I dumped my plate and stood there and waited for the puke to be cleaned up because there was no way I could walk around it without puking myself! Finally after at least 10 minutes, someone comes to clean it up. Not a janitor, not a waitress, not even a bus boy. A cook. One of the cooks who was touching the food and serving everyone was standing there cleaning up this puke. Oh, and once he was finished, he continued to serve food to people. I’m sure he washed his hands, but I didn’t see it, so that really doesn’t make me feel any better.

  Moral of the story, cooks at buffets also double as janitors!

EE: Besides school work and volunteering stuff, were there any other things Junior Amanda Reth is reliable, hardworking, and so much more. Despite the adversity that she has had to face and the environment that she has grown up in, Reth continues to thrive and strive for the best. Reth was nominated this year for the Modesto Mayor’s Top Teens. Not only did she make it to the top 30, but she placed in top five, ranking number two.

Eagle’s Eye: How does it feel to be in the top 5 of the Mayor’s top teens?

Amanda Reth: I can’t really describe how it feels. I don’t usually get acknowledged for anything, so I was already surprised that I got nominated from 81 accepted applications. And after reading about some of the insane accomplishments of all the other teens that got nominated, the fact that I placed 2nd was even harder to believe.

EE: How were you nominated and by who?
AR: I was nominated by Mrs. Krueger, my journalism teacher. She asked me a few questions about how I’ve overcome an obstacle, lived a life of service, and things like that. I didn’t get a call from the Mayor’s office until months later telling me I was nominated.

EE: Why do you think you were nominated?
AR: I was wondering the same thing.. I think the reason I was nominated is solely based on the fact that I met all of the main criteria they were looking for. I haven’t exactly had the easiest life, but I will never let my personal problems affect my future or what I can do to help other people.

that you have done that got you nominated?
AR: As nerdy as this might be, I’ve participated and placed in spelling bees from the first to the eighth grade. I’ve also won awards for my writing in journalism, I play sports, and I’m a member of several clubs like Key Club, Pura Vida, Environmental, FFA, and CSF.

EE: Has this impacted you in any way?
AR: The thought of applying to colleges scares me to death, and this experience has given me a little hope that I can be accepted into the colleges I would like to attend. It also has showed me that all those years of hard work have and will pay off.

EE: What are your family’s thoughts on this award?
AR: I think this is the first time my parents have been overly proud of me. Doing exceptional in school and every other aspect of my life has always just been an expectation from them. So getting this award was basically me finally exceeding their expectations.

EE: What hardships have you had to overcome?
AR: I hate talking about my hardships because I don’t need any pity from anyone. But I guess being evicted from two different homes in the past few years and having unemployed parents would fall into this category.

EE: How did these hardships affect you? Have they pushed you to work harder?
AR: The hardships I’ve had to overcome have only made me stronger as a person and I believe they are the main reason I push myself so hard. I never want my kids to go through what I’ve had to go through, and unless I get extremely lucky, I see an education as my only way out.

EE: What do you dedicate your time to? Has that impacted you in any way for this award?
AR: I think the fact that I don’t dedicate my time to just one specific thing has actually helped me win this award. I probably do about two hours of community service a week, a majority of my life doing homework for ap classes, and some time helping out at my church. Also writing articles taking pictures, and designing page layouts for our school newspaper.

EE: How do you stay on track and stay motivated?
AR: I practically live by the saying “that which doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” Because I know that whatever struggles I’ll have to go through or however many sleepless nights I spend writing essays for AP English, it’ll only make me stronger.

EE: What is unique about you that you believe made you stand out from the crowd?
AR: I think what made me stand out from the crowd is that I don’t let little things affect who I am or what I can become. I put everything I have into everything that I do, and I don’t expect anything in return.

Senior Austin Grant is at the top of his game. Though Grant has been through his fair share of hardships, he has continued to show a large amount of character and leadership throughout his high school career. Grant was also nominated for this program and took his much deserved place in the top 5.

Eagle’s Eye: How does it feel to be in the top 5 of the Mayor’s top teens?
Austin Grant: It’s a really good feeling. It’s a blessing, to know that I am getting acknowledged. Especially since this award hasn’t been around for a very long time.

EE: How were you nominated and by who?
AG: I was nominated by Mr. Tuck, I have known him since I was a Freshman.

EE: Why do you think you were nominated?
AG: Probably for my success around school. I am president of BSU (Black Student Union), and because Mr. Tuck said I showed character. I wrote him a letter when he was pink slipped.

EE: Besides school work and volunteering stuff, were there any other things that you have done that got you nominated?
AG: Leadership, Sixth Grade Camp counselor, Church. Just speaking out and letting my voice be heard.

EE: Has this impacted you in any way?
AG: To keep going. Wanting to give up is something everyone does, so to be able to be acknowledged for something you’ve overcome, it keeps you going forward.
What are your family’s thoughts on this award?
They were really happy. My mom started crying.

EE: What hardships have you had to overcome?
AG: Financial struggle. My mom was diagnosed with Grave’s Disease, so she was in the hospital for a while. My mom was always so strong, so seeing her weak was really hard. My aunt died of cancer too.

EE: How did these hardships affect you? Have they pushed you to work harder?
AG: At first, I felt like giving up. Seeing strong people get weak is really tough, but I had to keep going. If not, I would have wasted everything I’ve done.

EE: What do you dedicate your time to? Has that impacted you in any way for this award?
AG: I dedicate my time to family the most. Family first. But sports, I’m on the varsity basketball team. Yes.

EE: How do you stay on track and stay motivated?
AG: My parents. Through hardships, they always tell me to keep going. They are my biggest support group. Always telling me that I should never stop, never quit, and I have to keep pushing.

EE: What is unique about you that you believe made you stand out from the crowd?
AG: Wow, that’s a really hard question. Everybody has their own way of standing out. I can’t pinpoint exactly what made me stand out. Everybody selected had leadership qualities and was super smart. But I do know I have leadership qualities.

Among the diverse students of Enochs High School stands junior Jacob Marsh. Students know him as the outgoing Student Body President; however, he is also one of the Mayor’s Top Teens. He focuses on staying as involved as possible by joining many clubs and sports.

EE: How does being nominated for the Mayor’s Top Teens make you feel?

JM: It’s the ultimate honor. To be recognized as one of the top teens is extremely rewarding.

EE: What do you think you did to deserve this award?

JM: I believe I always try my hardest and to be an active role model at my school.

EE: Do you have any qualities that set you apart from other teens?

JM: Not any in particular. I think I just make certain choices that set me apart in some ways.

EE: Who nominated you?

JM: Mrs. Sara Mariano

EE: What activities do you dedicate your time to?

JM: My school work, sports, and speech. I want to be as involved as possible.

EE: Have you gained anything from this experience?

JM: I have gained more leadership skills and so many new friends who I will have forever.

EE: Who motivates you to accomplish your goals?

JM: My mom always reminds me that I need to be appreciative for what I have, and that I must always help others–basically the concept of the “Gospel of wealth.”

EE: In your free time, what do you enjoy doing?

JM: I like to hang out with friends and go bike riding.

EE: Where do you see yourself in the future?

JM: First, I want to become a lawyer, then I want to become a senator. And most importantly, I hope that I can become the President of the United States.

EE: Have you had to overcome any hardships?

JM: Yes, but I do not want to disclose that information. I think everybody has their own hardships to overcome, but this should not prevent them from fulfilling their dreams and seeing their goals to fruition.

EE: What would you motto be?

JM: Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents that in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.

EE: What is the one difference you wish you could make in the world?

JM: I would abolish the political party system and govern for the greater good of Americans instead of the idea of benefiting thee beneficiaries of a political party.

Besides being a prolific song writer and playing guitar and tennis senior Lauren Case, is one of the Mayor’s Top Teens. Case was nominated for this honor because she wants to make a difference in other people’s lives, and she will not let her hardships prevent her from fulfilling her goals.

EE: How do you feel about being nominated for the Mayor’s Top Teens?

LC: I feel very honored to be nominated this year. It’s a great experience. I wanted to help and do service around the community some how and this experience has allowed me to do so. It makes me feel proud of what I’ve done in my life.

EE: What do you think you did to deserve this award?

LC: I have been working hard on writing music and singing. I have many goals set for life such as being able to speak many languages, recording an album for my music, helping others around the community, and being able to go to college to either be a nurse or a Special Ed teacher. I am in a few clubs at school. I have written over 40 songs, and I have a plan for the future.

EE: Do you have any qualities that separate you from other teens?

LC: I am free spirited, and I love laughing. Also, I am very understanding of people and how they are. I honestly don’t like to judge because nobody is perfect.

EE: Who nominated you?

LC: My grandma nominated me.

EE: What do you dedicate your time to?

LC: I dedicate my time to music, helping friends, and also preparing for the future. I also love spending time with family and friends.

EE: What have you gained from this experience?

LC: I have gained understanding. I need to work very hard to reach my goals. There is always someone you can help. There are always new goals to be made. I feel more involved in our community.

EE: Obviously, you are willing to go the extra mile so what or who motivates you to accomplish your goals?

LC: I am motivated by life itself, and the meaning of it. In life you should be motivated to do new things, set goals, and be good citizen. My best friend motivates me to keep standing when things get rough in life. My family also keeps me going and helps me on my path. For my music career, other music motivates me. My mind fills with a ton of ideas after listening to one song.

EE: What do you do for fun?

LC: I love to sing and write songs. I also love long boarding, skateboarding, and stargazing with my best friend Tatiana while talking, laughing, and listening to music.

EE: Where do you want to end up in the future?

LC: In the future, I want to have an awesome family of my own. I really hope to have a music career going as a side job or even a hobby. I also hope to have my goals completed with being able to speak many languages, being a mom, and to have a job where I can help others in need.

EE: What hardships have you had to overcome?

LC: Beginning in elementary school, people have thought I was weird and annoying when I was just being myself. They didn’t want to be around me, and they became made when they were paired with me. In 6^th grade my hair was short and people called man-woman and would jokingly ask me if I was a guy or girl. Throughout high school I have lost friends, but I have gained new ones. Additionally, last year I found out that I have acid-reflex disease. This, along with other intestinal issues bother me during class. Plus, my brother has autism, so it is hard to have a conversation with him when I want someone to take to.

EE: How have these hardships affected you?

LC: My self-esteem has been lowered by the name calling and people not accepting me for who I really am. It hurt. With my acid-reflex, I have to leave class randomly every day, and it’s embarrassing, but I hope people understand. I can’t eat certain foods. However, I see these trials as a blessing, not a burden. The name calling has helped make me stronger and now I am a more sensitive person who is accepting of others. Plus the acid-reflex is teaching me to eat healthy. My brother having autism is not as bad as some people think. He is an angle to me, and he can always make me laugh, which helps my day seem brighter. Every trial I’ve gone through in life has made me the strong, outgoing, funny, and sweet person I am today. I thank God for this.

EE: If you had a motto for yourself, what would it be?

LC: Let the trials be your guide.

EE: If you could make one distinct difference in the world, what would it be?

LC: I would want there to be more charity and less greed. Think of how different the world would be. This quote from a song explains a lot, “If everyone cared and nobody cried, if everyone loved, and nobody lied. If everyone shared and swallowed their pride, would we see a day when nobody died?”

Noises in the Middle of the Night

Senior Mattea Overstreet was a very firm believer in Santa, the tooth fairy, and the Easter bunny until she was about seven years old.  Although she claims to still believe in the tooth fairy, she said that finding out Santa wasn’t real made her stop believing in the Easter bunny too.
“I went to sleep on Christmas Eve and I was woken up in the middle of the night by some very loud noises coming from our living room,” Overstreet said.  “I went to go inspect the noises like any seven year old would do because I honestly thought that Santa was in my living room.  When I got in there, I saw my mom putting presents under our Christmas tree.  I wasn’t too depressed when I found out, to be honest, I wanted to go tell all of my friends at school to prove how smart I was.”

Sneaking Around

For children that spent their first seven or eight years believing that Santa was very much in existence, then finding out that he’s fake can be pretty devastating.  Senior Danielle Nava was about eight years old when she found out about Santa.  Nava had always been a strong believer, she would send wish lists to Santa in the mail asking  for a stuffed panda, and she will definitely be telling her children that Santa exists because it promotes imagination.
Nava said, “I found out because I found where my parents kept our presents which was right behind our TV, and then on Christmas morning I found all of those same presents addressed to me, but they said they were from Santa.”

Reindeer like Oatmeal, Right?

Some students found out after going through great lengths to please Santa and his nine reindeer.  Senior Mark Martinho and his sister set out some cookies, milk, and egg nog with the help of their parents for Mr. Claus, and the two sneaky children also secretly set some oatmeal on the porch for his reindeer.
“The next morning, my sister and I woke up and found that the cookies, milk and egg nog had been eaten and drunken out of, but when we went out to the porch to inspect the oatmeal, it was all there,” Martinho said. “I don’t remember being too upset because I knew my parents felt bad, and I still got presents so it was a great Christmas.”

Finding Out the Truth

Junior McKenzie Moe was a strong believer up until she was seven years old.  She would even send her Christmas wish list to Santa in the mail asking for a pony, every single year.
“When I found out that Santa wasn’t real, I was pretty crushed because I had been such a firm believer,” Moe said.  “I would even try to argue with other students at my school if they said he wasn’t real.  Eventually, I found out the truth from my dad.  My family was sitting around the dinner table, and my older siblings were dropping hints about Santa not existing, but I kept telling them they were wrong, and my dad finally clarified that Santa wasn’t real.”

Betrayal

Certain kids find out because of mistaskes made by parents that could have-and probably should have been avoided.  Junior ShiAnn Anderson believed in Santa Claus until she was eight years old.  She thinks that it’s a cute phase for children, but after a certain point, she says you have to grow up and face reality.
“I found out because on Christmas morning, my parents kept telling me which presents were under which tree, because we have two trees at my house, and I knew there was no way for them to know that if Santa was really the one that placed them there,” Anderson said.  “Also, the name tags on the presents were always in my mom’s handwriting, and that was a pretty dead giveaway.”