January 2025 Letters
Editors,
I love that there was a whole article about underrated sports because I am on the Carrillo swim team and the team is so great in the water and supporting each other outside the pool. The swim team has a great record yet nothing ever gets said in Carrillo live and no one ever shows up to hype the team up. I agree with Chloe Benefield when she says the meets lack the excitement they deserve. Knowing that other sports teams at Carrillo are also not getting the attention they deserve is heartbreaking because every athlete on one of the teams is very talented and deserves the attention when they have meets, games, and championships. I hope that all these underrated teams at Carrillo eventually get the attention that they deserve for all the hard work they put into their sport.
- Briana England 11th grade
Editors,
I would just like to compliment you on one of the articles I have read. Writing an article on disease’s spread in the US was very informative. I did not realize about the amount of cases reported and I appreciate how the diseases were explained. These types of topics should be talked about more so people know what’s being spread around and how to avoid it. I feel, disease gets spread around very easily at school because of people not being able to miss a day of school which ends up getting people around them sick. So even with the low numbers at school, it was nice to be informed about it.
- Lillian Dunton
Editors,
I enjoyed reading your article "Meaning of Dreams." It perfectly described the feeling of dreams, like waking up in a jolt because you dreamed of falling or having a dream where you’re watching a plot happen right in front of your eyes. I’ve always wondered about the meaning of dreams, such as why I have had so many dreams repeat throughout my life. I forget most of my dreams, but occasionally, one sticks out. I’ve had a dream that has reoccurred every couple of months ever since I was seven, of being a small person in a huge house, with a giant out to get me. When I was young, I thought the giant would kill me, but as I grew older, I realized I was fearing something that wasn’t even real. It's strange how some dreams seem and feel so real, yet they are just something imaginary.
- Manon Teyssier
Editors,
After reading your article, Leadership: MCHS, I truly enjoyed hearing about how much the other students appreciated all the dedication and effort that the Leadership students put into supporting and enriching our school community. The Leadership class consistently goes above and beyond, demonstrating not only hard work but also creativity in making our campus come alive during the holidays. Their commitment to inclusivity ensures that every student feels welcomed and valued. I've had the pleasure of speaking with several people who admire the amount of time and effort that Leadership puts into organizing and executing school events, such as the annual Homecoming Dance. The amount of behind-the-scenes work involved in these events can be overwhelming, and it's clear that Leadership students invest countless hours into every detail, ensuring everything runs smoothly and that each event is memorable. Despite the often tedious planning process, it's evident to everyone involved that the Leadership class pours their heart and soul into making each occasion special.
- Ava Bolacito, 11
Editors,
I read the article “America’s most widely spread grading system is an origin of great stress: but is there a better way?”. I agree with the author that the grading system stresses students out. I would also like to say that the grading system on Aeries does not really make sense because when you get a bad grade on an assignment, it drops your grade drastically, but when you get a good grade, it doesn’t do much to your grade. I get overwhelmed with grades, and it’s especially tough when parents and everyone around put pressure on grades. Overall I enjoyed reading this article and thought it did a good job covering students stress on grades.
- Giselle Gonzalez 11th Grade
Editors,
Regarding What does the loss of Covid relief funding mean for schools? I read through the article What does the loss of Covid relief funding mean for schools? By Maddie Smith, and I was delighted to hear about this topic being discussed. I believe this is important to be talked about openly when thinking about the future of our school. I especially think it is even more important now that our district is going to consolidate a high school. I commend our school’s journalism team and Maddie Smith for speaking on the issues that regard our school's well-being and for creating such an article. Thank you.
- Ryan Taylor Grade 11
Editors,
Regarding the population increase in Carrillo, what do you think the long term effects are if it continues to grow over time? I see that in the year 2021-2022 there were 370 freshmen entering and now there is a 14% increase (420 freshmen). There is also apparently a lack of student enrollment in Honors and AP classes which I find surprising. I really admire the strong evidence in this article. For example, the quotes from teachers and students saying things like "It makes it harder for me to get around and check in with each student in the class" because of the amount of kids in the classroom.
- Gavin Banovich
Editors,
As I read your article Meaning of Dreams, I was struck by the idea that our eyes move rapidly during vivid dreams. It's truly fascinating to consider what our unconscious mind is capable of doing while we sleep. I couldn't help but compare my own dreams to the examples mentioned in the article- like dreams of teeth falling out or encountering strangers you have never seen before. I had always dismissed them as weird, fleeting experiences, but now I wonder how things like anxiety and stress might influence our dreams without us even realizing it. Dreams are a widely captivating subject, and I love the idea of exploring them more deeply. The psychology behind dreams is immensely complicated and unknown which offers a place of curiosity and wonder for those interested.
- Samantha Hatfield Grade 11
Editors,
I think that it is very important that you are showing the true parts of leadership in this article. As someone in that class I think that you captured all the hard work leadership puts on to provide a campus that everyone loves to see. Leadership beautifies the campus while decorating and putting on activities. “This class lets students “be part of the school community” and “influence it,” this quote really captures what a welcoming community leadership is. I also liked that you mentioned asb covers all of the funds that leadership uses throughout the year. The canned food drive was also an interesting and unique thing to add to the article that I think was needed to talk about. Students help hands on with everything that makes the school fun and unique. I think it was nice that you're also giving credibility to the students and the teachers. Mentioning how different it was after the covid closure was also a key component to making this writing interesting. It was definitely hard to get the school back and spirited after it being closed for years. Overall I think this was a great piece and that it captured all of the leadership's hard work.
- Rylie Fravel
Editors,
After reading the ¨Puma party in the USA¨ article by Fransico Linares, I think that the article was great. I like the flow too and the interviews throughout the article. As being a football player at Maria Carrillo highschool, I think that you guys should mention more details about the smaller plays that led up to the big ones. Like a sack or a 4th down conversion. These moments are huge for the game and completely change the flow and outcome of it. Batting down and passing or causing an incomplete are also super important to the game and should be recognized more by the writers.
- Brody Carrington
Editors,
We appreciate you spending time to write about such a touching topic. The school closure rumors spread so fast and it's good to have some information and colouser about how our future as students at MCHS will look like with these upcoming changes. This is not any easy topic to speak about since all the special memories that we've created at such an amazing school will not
be passed down to others to experience as well if our school shuts down. I was shocked when I heard the news that it could potentially be our school that shuts down. If you search for the best public school in Sonoma County Maria Carrillo will always be in the top 2 . Ist not just the academics that are good, it's the social life that we have at MCHS. Everyone is welcome and loved. We are one big community and with the school closure it would affect not only our academics but our social life. Our school closing would affect so many people but I believe as a community we can all go through this together.
- Kaylee Hernandez
Editor,
The article, “Santa Rosa City Schools Facing School Shutdown” provided a variety of enlightening topics and was presented in an unbiased manner. Part of what made the article so immersive to me was that in the beginning of the text, a timeline was set up in order to organize the events that followed. This made it easier to visualize the events happening and made them more memorable so that I could recall them further into the reading. Each event that happened in the timeline was always explained fully and analyzed before moving onto the next one. Because of this I was given the impression that I was there for the important things and was able to remember everything at my own pace.
One of the things that made this article so refreshing to read was that it was virtually free of bias despite the writer being from Maria Carrillo. As a result of the lack of bias, I was able to form my own opinion about the situations that were taking place. The article almost seemed like a report: presenting information and prompting the reader to form an opinion but not influencing as to what that opinion could be.
Thank you,
Mariya Akhtar, 9
Dear Editor,
I am very happy to see that you acknowledge the dedication and hard work of cheerleaders. I know that cheerleading can sometimes be considered a type of dance, which is what I do. As a ballerina, I've always felt excluded from sports because no one thinks that my activity is challenging or athletic at all. Don't even remind me of the amount of comments I get, such as "You just spin!". It's nice to see that the Puma Prensa and other websites/articles are noticing the amount of athleticism and perseverance that is required for cheerleading and other types of dance. I related to the article, not just about how underrated cheerleading and ballet are, but also about the sense of community. In one part of the article, the writer wrote about how everyone feels like a big family. I feel the same way; in my level at my ballet studio, everyone feels like a family and we all depend on each other whenever we go through rough patches. All in all, this article felt very relatable to me and I appreciate you dedicating your time to making us dancers and ignored athletes feel special!
Sincerely,
Chloe Harger
9th grade
Editors,
I wanted to show my appreciation for one of your articles, "Day in the life of a part time teacher" by Jonathan Jones. I thought that it was really well written and I like how it gave a more personal insight into how educators look out and care for us as students, striving to make us our best selves. I also thought that it was really heartwarming, as it showed how teachers face stress, struggles, and challenges in order to connect with students, showing just how much hard work and dedication that teachers put in for us. Additionally, the research and interviews done for this article were masterful, perfectly integrating quotes so that they didn't just seem like words on a screen, but a voice speaking. All in all, this article was a good demonstration of your hard work as editors, and I congratulate you.
- Janis Vanags, 9th Grade
Dear Editor,
I was reading the “Rampant Disease Spreads at Carrillo” and I think you gave a great explanation of Pertussis and its effects. I was one of the few students who tested positive for the disease and I knew that many of the people who were at a high likelihood of catching it never ended up getting tested even if they were sick. They were afraid of missing school and falling behind in their work. This speaks to the larger issue of how our school assigns so much work that students would rather spread a dangerous disease than miss a few school days. This is unhealthy as Pertussis can hospitalize young children and elderly adults. Students also shouldn’t have to worry about their schoolwork when they are sick. Hopefully, our school will learn this and will reduce the amount of work.
Miles Roper 9th Grade
Dear Editor,
I really enjoyed reading your article, “MCHS Senior Night: football game”. I enjoyed all of the feedback in it from the players, it made the article more interesting and elevated. It would also be interesting to consider more feedback and interviews from the coaches in this article. I also liked how this article talked not just about the players on the field but off of the field too. It touched in about their mindsets and other things going on outside of the field. It was also very interesting that even though it talked about their losses it talked about why they lost like the bad conditions they had to work with. Doing this can make people see that they did indeed lose some games but it also shows people their strong determination and courage because of the hardships that they have been through. Reading this article made me more informed about the sense of community among the football team. People sometimes just think about the whole team and not the players and the sense of family among them, but this article really incorporated the strong connections among our football team.
Sincerely,
Chloe Griffin-Holm, Grade 9
Editors ,
I love the article you wrote on cheerleading back in October. I think it’s great the way you are showing appreciation for sports that don't get a lot of recognition. I'm on the Jv cheer team at Carrillo so reading the article meant a lot. Sometimes as a cheerleader I feel neglected by the people in the stands and the sports that we cheer for. Many times cheering on the sidelines I question why I'm there after getting the sense that nobody wants us there. This is mostly during Basketball games and Wrestling matches. The worst part of this is we have work to do too. We are in the middle of our competition season and have lots to do before we leave for Anaheim. We have to split our gym time with all these other sports, fairley so, but we do give up a lot of gym time to go support our classmates in their sports. To give so much support and feel it not coming back to us makes me not want to be there. However after reading this article it lifted my spirits to know that at least someone out there cares.
-Ella Kane 9
Dear Editors,
I’m very grateful to see a news organization like The Puma Prensa. There’s always more understanding and relatability when students do the writing and reporting to their peers, and I appreciate the addressing of realistic issues. One such example is an article on student sleep schedules. I feel that it addresses a problem that many students struggle with and offers improvements and advice by professionals. News is a portable, online way for students to connect and learn and I think it’s valuable for students nowadays as we often don’t have the time or means to speak to professionals and peers about things in our lives. My hope for The Puma Prensa continues to produce authentic content that is catered to our student population – it’s much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Yihe Wang, 9th
Editors,
I appreciate the article about all of the sports that don’t have as much recognition at Carrillo. I think that the problem with undervalued sports is that they don’t get recognition on Carrillo Live, and I’ve been told that some teachers don’t even put on Carrillo Live during advo. In general, there’s a lot less awareness about games. More people might be inclined to try out for different sports if there was more talk about it. There are a lot of talented people that participate in sports such as badminton and swimming. A lot of the sports listed aren’t popular in the U.S. This article does a good job of shining light on sports that go under the radar. I know people who’ve put a ton of hours into their sport, yet they go unnoticed because of other sports overshadowing them.
- Anita Lei 9th grade
Editors,
After reading the article: " Music's effect on teens" , I could truly say that I had never related to anything more. To most teens, I'd say pre-teens as well, have resorted to music when they are feeling stressed. You guys have perfectly exemplified the non-negative effects of how we use music to our advantage. As social media takes over our world, plenty of us have tests and assignments due the next day, sports that we must not underperform in or else we're seen as "good but not good enough" , and every other weight that we have to carry on our backs, music is the answer. I one hundred percent believe that most teens reflect their identities off the music they listen too. Whether that be Mac Miller to TV Girl, or Rae Sremmurd to Yeat, we all forget about the worries of the next day and focus on the melody strumming in our ears. I related to this so much, and want to congratulate you on your work. Where words fail, music speaks.
- Mayeli Lopez, Freshman
Editors,
I really enjoyed reading the article “Are all social media apps becoming the same?” because it displayed how all of the different social media apps are basically copying each other and doing the same things, just to attract more people to their platform. I also liked how there were time frames given on when each app introduced all of the new features. I thought that it was really good how you guys brought up how creators will post their videos on multiple platforms, just to get more views because I agree with that a lot. There is always the same exact video across Tiktok, Instagram, and Snapchat which gets repetitive and sometimes annoying. I think you guys did a great job on the Ai portion because it has gotten so much more detailed over the last couple of years, but it can get in the way a little bit. Like you said, the new ways of Ai are making it so sometimes you can’t tell the difference between what is Ai and what is a real video. My favorite part was how the article ended with the “And, as users, there's nothing we can do but sit back and scroll.”
-Ethan Newton Grade 9
Dear Editor,
I recently read the article “Leadership: MCHS”. Your writing was super informational and highlighted the hard work that the teachers and students do. I’m not personally in the leadership class, but reading your article really persuaded me into doing more for the school. Leadership has done so many things that go unrecognized by the students here at Carillo. The interviews made me appreciate the impacts that the class has on trying to increase participation. I liked the inclusion of seeing teachers who have been here for a long time reflect on how much it has changed. We are so lucky to have so many people working on improving school dances, sports, and activities. I don’t think that the events would be as enjoyable without leadership. I’m definitely going to sign up for the class the first chance I get. They have done so much to ensure that our school experience is the best it can be.
-Courtney Ngo (Grade 9)
Editor,
Music has always been one of the largest parts of my life which is why I especially relate to the article, "Music Effect on Teens." Music has been such a huge part of my development. Some of my first memories are from rocking out to my dad's heavy metal and my mom's oldies. From those moments on, I have listened to music constantly. I think that many people relate to this sentiment and I appreciate the article explaining how this behavior can help one in their day to day struggles. It truly is a tool that I use to make me feel better when I'm upset or to have fun with my friends. Music is also something that can bring others together. I first became close with my best friend over our shared love of an artist, and in many of my other friendships, we've bonded over shared taste in music. I was extremely happy to see that this concept is backed by therapists and I think the author did a wonderful job communicating the effect of music. I would also love to compliment all of the writers who are a part of the Puma Prensa. This is a wonderful news resource for teenagers to read and relate to.
-Sophia Angle, 9
Editors,
Before I read your article Interview with the mayor, I was not aware of the local politics in our community. Through reading this I felt confident that I knew our mayor greater and what she believes is better for Santa Rosa. I am also glad that the format of this article is clear and straight to the point, making it easier for someone who doesn’t engage in politics and some topics that come up to understand more fully. I also now have a greater view on our mayor and how she has once not been involved in politics but now has a huge role, this making it more inspiring to see her having these goals and beliefs for the community. I also found this article very informative because I learned that our area has a “weak-mayor structure” which is essentially more fair and displays a more accurate vote for who we want to be in charge of our community. Overall, this article was informative and clearly spoken.
Desirae Munz Grade 9
Puma Prensa
22 January 2025
Dear Editor,
A key thing I noticed in your interview with Mayor Natalie Rogers is the fact that her and the rest of the city council are bipartisan. I was glad to see this, as it’s an important idea to touch on, in my opinion. Politics causes so much divide in our country, and it’s a real threat to our current society. The idea of picking one party and sticking to it, no matter what the policies are, is restrictive and silly.
No matter what political party you are talking about, corruption is abundant. But on both sides, officials are meant to fight for what they think is right. So why should the average citizen, whose vote is the basis for our political system, be confined to one group’s beliefs. People should support and vote for what is right. Not just for themselves, but for their community and the people around the country. I personally run on a democratic, left leaning perspective. But if they begin to promote a policy that I don’t agree with, I wouldn’t support that policy. People must understand that politics shouldn’t be about personal gain, but about supporting each other.
Sincerely,
Rhys Mendoza
Dear Editor,
As someone who checks their Aeries grades everyday, multiple times a day, I often have thought about how much grades mean while being unrealistic. It is almost impossible to know almost everything, and suddenly school has become memorization of facts I will almost never use in my life. I agree with your whole article, specifically the part where the grading scale is geared towards 1 type of person, someone who is good at everything. I believe school should not be something we dread everyday, and should not be a grievous task that if we fail our whole future is ruined. I do believe that school is important and it is essential to have some knowledge of everything, but especially in subjects that are normally not needed as much in the career someone would like, they should not be so detrimental to our future. In my eyes, a B letter grade is a fail, and it's just so insane that that is how a lot of people feel. Especially, in Carrio where grades mean everything to so many, there should be a better way so everyone doesn’t feel like if they do not know everything that means they fail.
Talia 9
I read the article ¨Teens on screens.¨ I think that it greatly captured the effects that social media has on the teenage brain.The letter talked about what our phones and social media does to us like making students compare themselves to others affecting their dopamine levels. I feel this needs to be talked about more because students don't understand the danger it has on us. Not only social media but phones in general. Going on your phone after a long day adds more unnecessary stress to your daily life. Hearing about drama from your friends, or seeing someone bullied online is something that happens daily and it doesn't just affect one person it affects multiple. It's crazy to think about how many students are so unaware of all of this information.
-Charleigh Rightsell, 9th Grade
Dear Editors,
I’ve been reading your articles about school closures and covid relief funding which were very good, and has pushed me to go to another school consolidation meeting. I think that its really great that you're covering this issue, and covering just facts not opinions, which is not common today across many news sources. I think that this really shows your dedication to the issue. When at the town hall meeting I noticed that you were there documenting what the workers were saying (even if it doesn’t make any sense). Thank you for releasing this article and please document the issue further,
-Hugh Cochrane 9th grade
Dear Editor,
The article, “Students are in sleep withdrawal. Is caffeine a healthy coping mechanism?” is very relatable for me and also very concerning. On the weekdays, I normally get 5-6 hours of sleep. This is because I often forgo my sleep for hobbies or being on my phone. I end up tired, and thus taking longer on school work which means staying up later. This harmful loop is a cause of concern for me. Due to having a busy life with sports and school, my time for sleeping tends to be one of the rare times I can relax. So, learning the adverse effects of minimal sleep is very unsettling. The threat of early onset dementia from my sleep schedule is definitely a worry for me. However, I am dealt with the question of how to get more sleep. Limiting my screen time is an option, but I am usually already up late with just homework. As stated in this article, Caffeine is not the solution to the problem either. So what is?
Sincerely,
Lilly Mallgren, 9th
Dear Editor,
With only 40% of seniors feeling confident in their ability to vote in the recent 2024 election, I believe it is necessary to help prepare voting students. Based on the Puma Prensa interviews, most students’ voting confidence is centered around their news sources not being reliable. The information they are using to vote is found on apps like TikTok, Instagram, and X, where misinformation is easy and common to come across.
This is an important issue that needs to be addressed because voting confidence affects who will become president of our country, which directly affects every person in the United States. Our classmates need to feel confident in their sources so they can make a thoughtful decision that will have a major impact. So, to ensure this happens, I think a great solution would be to invite someone to host an assembly or some sort of presentation that teaches the students how to spot fake news and where they can find reliable information. Educating our community is vital if we want to improve their voting confidence and ensure that the chosen president of the U.S. truly reflects the voters’ values.
-Lielle Smallcomb
9th grade
Dear Editor,
As a freshman, last semester was a big adjustment for me, and overpopulated classes made it difficult to fully draw my attention to one thing. However, after reading an article on the Puma Prensa explaining the negatives of this situation, I was relieved to see that I was not the only one who was experiencing this problem. After seeing my opinion being shared, I was appreciative knowing that people in our school community also feel this way as well and want to do something about it. However this article was posted in the early beginning of the year, and having little information on this topic makes it a little more difficult to fully understand all the aspects of what is happening. I believe that the Puma Prensa is a perfect way for everyone to fully grasp and understand the concept and share their ideas and perspectives on this issue and hopefully we can all find a way to improve the status of overpopulated classrooms. Solving a problem like this is difficult, but I believe that we can improve this situation if more articles on this topic get published, and more solutions are recommended.
Tamar Nakashian - 9th Grade
Dear Editors,
I want to compliment Arsh Tiwari for the insightful article, “Common Problems Affecting Education Worldwide.” The writer did an excellent job highlighting critical global education issues, from unfair access to underfunded schools. The article was clear, well-researched, and thought-provoking, balancing the urgency of these problems with a hopeful call for action. It’s inspiring to see student voices tackling such important topics and encouraging meaningful change. What I found really impressive was the balanced tone of the article. While it shed light on the seriousness of these challenges, it also carried a basic sense of hope and urgency, encouraging readers to reflect on their role in fostering change. Thank you for publishing such impactful work, I look forward to more articles like this.
-Aiyana Ambriz, 9th