Falling leaves bring rising demands

One of the main concepts that I learned in my physics class last year was that hot air rises and cold air sinks. Well, at Live Oak High School, as fall is sinking in, the heat of the semester is definitely taking off.

For most seniors, this heat is coming from the college applications due at the end of the month as well as the decision they must make about on what to do their senior project.

One of LOHS's graduation requirements is that all seniors must complete a project that either pushes us out of our comfort zone or benefits the community in some way. It gives seniors an opportunity to learn something new, expand their horizons and complete 20 hours of community service. The ideas buzzing around school range everywhere from learning to play an instrument, to prepping and painting a car, to putting on a walk for breast cancer.

Senior Victor Lepe has a very optimistic view of the project. He said, "The senior projects are used as a disguise by the school to better us as individuals and enhance our abilities to think and act for ourselves."

While seniors may be occupied with schoolwork, nobody was too busy to get into the spirit of Halloween and help out the community. With the assistance from numerous clubs as well as faculty and parents, LOHS was able to put on it first-ever Trunk-or-Treat.

Everyone joined together, decorated the trunks of their cars and parked them at the high school on Halloween, where kids from all around town came trick-or-treating from trunk to trunk. There was a costume contest, a prize for the best-decorated trunk and, as an extra bonus, extra credit for any student who went and passed out candy.

World history and P.E. teacher Sue Arostegui said, "It was a really great thing to do for the community and hysterical to see all of the kids dressed up."

With less than two months left in the semester, many sports are coming to an end, and though endings are usually bittersweet, for the girls tennis team, their season could not be better.

Last week, with their win over Orland, they won the NSCIF Division II Championship, the team's second title in the last three years. They will continue on to play Pleasant Valley High School for a shot at the Northern California Finals.

Coach Greg Sanchez could not be any happier. He said, "This is what we worked for since the beginning of August. This is every coach's goal, but you never actually think that they'll get there until they do."

With the leaves falling as well as the time left in the semester, the heat is on at Live Oak High School. With the aid of the community and school programs, however, that pressure is easily made worthwhile.

Melissa Anderson is a senior at Live Oak High School. Her column appears about every sixth week in Education.