Coleen Kelley “is the best mother anyone could ask for,” says her daughter, Gina Kelley — but the Montgomery High School freshman still wants her peers to avoid doing what her mother did: becoming a parent too early.… Read More »
By MARTIN ESPINOZA THE PRESS DEMOCRAT For high-achieving students as accomplished as Montgomery High School’s Madison Bradshaw, picking the right college means weighing a number of priorities, including campus prestige and academic rigor. But for Bradshaw, a 4.85 GPA student who is first in her class of 434, finding a campus near a horse stable was one of the most important requirements. “I’m going to take my horses to college with me,” the 18-year-old equestrian rider said. “All the schools… Read More »
By MARY CALLAHAN THE PRESS DEMOCRAT On Veterans Day, a school holiday, Montgomery High School senior Alicia Sheerin headed to the mall like millions of other American teens. At 17, Alicia loves dogs and art. She wears skinny jeans and dislikes school work, preferring to sketch or listen to music instead. She dreams — a bit whimsically — of owning a bakery for dogs one day, although she doesn’t bake. She plays recreational soccer, basketball and baseball and takes theater… Read More »
By NATHAN HALVERSON THE PRESS DEMOCRAT Some teenagers, gifted with intellect and focus, can make adults look downright immature. Nalani Genser, at 17, is one of those youthful iconoclasts. The aspiring model pauses before answering a question. She backtracks out of an opinion, reassesses, and then proceeds to opine in a different direction if warranted. Not only does she shed the stereotype that shrouds most teens, she downright tears the fabric off society’s view of fashion models. In fact, this… Read More »
By CLARK MASON THE PRESS DEMOCRAT Emily Goldfield climbed Africa’s highest mountain when she was 14, reaching the summit of 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro at dawn. In addition to fulfilling a personal goal, it set the agenda for the Sebastopol teen’s freshman year of high school. Emily Goldfield has raised money for an ultrasound machine for a Tanzanian clinic and was a member of the Montgomery High track and cross country teams. Photo by Jeff Kan Lee of The Press Democrat… Read More »
My friend, the trials you endure today build your character and prepare you for tomorrow. Carry on and pursue the dreams you have. Be determined to accomplish something for yourself. There will always be negative people in this world. Just don’t become one of them. “Chale Friend”
Mexicans in this era are being discriminated against because of where they come from… School is hard for young Hispanics because white people don’t like them and want them out. Every time I pass by a bunch of white students or black students they say “chale” or “orale holmes” or “those Mexicans.” I get really frustrated. Jesse Merodio
Banning any type of book from any high school gives the impression that our First Amendment rights can be easily taken from us as high school students. Students have the right to read any type of literature and to gain exposure to out-of-the-ordinary subjects, including racism and even rape. Logan Sutherland
By junior and senior high school years, we as students are being prepared for the real world. Censoring the books that we read will only make our transition into that world more difficult. In the case of “Tortilla Curtain,” rape is a serious thing and our English teachers make every effort to help their students understand that. By this time in high school, we are 16 or 17 years old. We know what rape is… If you have ever watched… Read More »
