Position: Writer, retired
Joined the Feather: 2008
Senior Trip secures memories for class of '12 - WIth fear of the impending doom to come at the end of the year 2012, the class of 2012 spent their last high school trip together in Disneyland, the happiest place on earth, as well as several other locations in... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 21, 2012.
Journalism shapes senior's aspirations - I Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV) says, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 10, 2012.
Experience launches junior's art career - With the hope of getting recruited to CalArts, junior Katie Barisic has devoted her high school career to drawing illustrations, spending countless hours publishing The Feather Online's daily comic, "The Good Times."
"I would love to go into animation, graphic cartooning... This article first appeared in The Feather online, April 30, 2012.
Math Field Day results earn FC top awards - Every FC student who is in math teacher Michael Fenton's honors or Advanced Placement (AP) classes attended the annual Math Field Day, held at California State University, Fresno, April 21.
Overall, the FC high school and junior high math departments... This article first appeared in The Feather online, April 25, 2012.
Freshmen score in upper PSAT percentile - This year the College Board tested ninth graders with the annual Preliminary Standard Assessment Test (PSAT) for their first time, Oct. 12, 2011.
According to Academic Adviser Molly Sargent, the scores from this test proved that FC's freshman class, for the... This article first appeared in The Feather online, April 10, 2012.
Spiritual emphasis week to recount Easter story - Easter is just around the corner and the FC worship team will be holding a spiritual emphasis week to celebrate the holiday. Because of this, chapels will be held everyday but Wednesday for the week of March 26-30.
On Monday, there... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 26, 2012.
Exhibits, visitors prosper from Chaffee development (VIDEO) - This is the second of a two-part feature dedicated to the restoration of the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. In each article, staff writer Gigi Thao will explore the site's reconstruction, provided for by taxpayer dollars, as well as the ramifications of... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 15, 2012.
Newsies in New York, Day 2 (112 PHOTOS, VIDEO) - After Journalism Adviser Greg Stobbe dragged 23 students across New York City, NY, March 12, he still expected his group to be ready by 7:45 a.m. the following day. Despite the traveling done the day before, students were reminded today... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 13, 2012.
Chaffee Zoo anticipates future renovations, expansion (VIDEO) - This is the first of a two-part feature dedicated to the restoration of the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. In each article, staff writer Gigi Thao will explore the site's reconstruction, provided for by taxpayer dollars, as well as the ramifications of... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 9, 2012.
BRIEF: Esterlyn and A Current Affair to play FC show - Both Esterlyn and A Current Affair will be putting on a worship concert at Peoples Church campus in the Ground Zero, March 5. Entrance is free and the performance begins at 6 p.m.
A Current Affair will be opening the night.... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 5, 2012.
Grinage brings intensity to court - Despite the pressure of being a three-season athlete, senior Josh Grinage continues to play on the varsity boys' basketball team. Grinage enjoys all aspects of the game, whether it requires him to devote hours on end to practice or spend... This article first appeared in The Feather online, February 10, 2012.
Seniors aim for triumph with NOTS film - The entire student body expects much of the senior Night of the Stars (NOTS) movie. For one, they have four years of experience and therefore have a deeper knowledge of the editing process. And, after winning the Homecoming float competition... This article first appeared in The Feather online, February 1, 2012.
Hmong New Year: A chance to appreciate my culture - There are only five Hmong students at my school; four of them are my siblings. I attend a white-majority school and, when it comes to big, cultural events, it sometimes feels like I'm an outsider in certain regards.
With a Hmong... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 12, 2012.
Autobiography establishes links to past - Hundreds of students have gone through the freshman autobiography project. Throughout the year, all freshman in English teacher Greg Stobbe's class are required to participate in this assignment.
"Life becomes more meaningful with relationships and so by doing this project,... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 13, 2011.
APUSH takes unconventional approach to lessons (VIDEO) - Students who choose to take Advanced Placement (AP) classes are subjected to a rigorous schedule. FC currently offers five of these classes, which are dispersed amongst the many subjects the school provides.
One of these classes is the AP U.S.... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 9, 2011.
Art students test abilities through chalk-drawings (VIDEO) - Every year, a select amount of students participate in The Big Fresno Fair chalk-drawing contest. This year, four groups -- ten students in all -- participated in this competitive and time-limited event.
From 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., entrants were... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 17, 2011.
Drying, harvesting procedures close raisin season (VIDEO) - Right now California is in the midst of its raisin season. Though the picking part of the process ends in mid-September, agriculturists continue on until as late as November to collect their entire crop.
Agriculturists are trying to grab as many... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 11, 2011.
Agriculturist faces promising raisin season (VIDEO) - According to the UCCE (University of California Cooperative Extension), Fresno contributed over 240,000 tons of raisins in 2009. However, the Federal Register predicts that California will only carry in a little more than 84,000 tons of raisins at the end... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 13, 2011.
Summer reading assignments challenge students - For some students, summer constitutes times where endless amounts of freedom can be found. For others, summer quickly disappears while they drudge through heaps of homework. This dedication can only mean one thing: that a student is trying to get... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 6, 2011.
Colleges seek well-rounded, prepared students - They are the top of the class with a 4.0 grade point average, captain of a sports team, president of the student body and campus clubs and involved in volunteer work. This combination of elements help to create, in a... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 13, 2011.
'Twelve Angry Jurors' to close drama season - To end the year with a bang, the drama class will perform the play Twelve Angry Jurors, written by Sherman L. Sergel. The show will be presented in Ground Zero, May 13 at 7 p.m. and May 14 at 2... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 11, 2011.
Music Department concludes year with Heritage Festival (66 PHOTOS) - Every year, the music department participates in the Heritage Festival during the spring season.
Students usually have similar experiences on each trip. They generally spend a couple of days shopping, then perform at a high school or church auditorium. On... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 9, 2011.
ArtHop to feature aspiring photographer - Senior Hannah Joseph does not remember when she first grew to love art. Her mother, Jackie Moran, recalls Joseph already drawing pictures at a young age with more mature abilities than the average pre-school student.
"She started drawing when she was... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 4, 2011.
Pastoral surroundings distinguish Sanger recreations - This article is the second in a two-part series on Sanger, a small, rural town located southeast of Fresno.
Due to its relatively small size, Sanger offers a different atmosphere compared to larger neighboring cities through communal attractions and laid-back activities.
City... This article first appeared in The Feather online, April 6, 2011.
Juniors victorious in annual Powder Puff games - The year-long competitions between all grades have concluded with the Powder Puff tournament, held on the North Field from 6-8 p.m., March 28. This series of contests, which begins with homecoming in the fall, comes to a close with the... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 30, 2011.
Powder Puff games to be held March 28 - After a postponement of the traditional Thanksgiving activity, campus girls will compete in the annual Powder Puff games on March 28, student leadership announced. Please note the date change.
For this switched-role event, girls field the positions of football players, while... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 18, 2011.
Sanger offers historical attractions, environment - This article is the first in a two-part series on Sanger, a small, rural town located southeast of Fresno.
With Fresno's hundreds of stores and restaurants and over 500,000 residents, the reasons to come to a small, neighboring town like Sanger,... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 10, 2011.
Hmong community pays tribute to esteemed general - When General Vang Pao ("Phagna Norapamok," in Laosian) died on Jan. 7, the Hmong community wept.
To honor his contributions, a funeral was held locally at the Fresno Convention Center over Feb. 4-9. Thousands of Hmong turned out to see... This article first appeared in The Feather online, February 17, 2011.
BRIEF: NOTS tickets now on sale - The student leadership class has begun selling Night of the Stars (NOTS) tickets at lunch, in front of Room 608.
For the first two weeks, tickets will be going for $50 each. Afterward, they will be sold for $55. Tickets... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 24, 2011.
Hmong New Year celebrates culture - The Hmong New Year celebration continued its 13th annual tradition at the Fresno Fair Grounds, Dec. 31 - Jan. 1.
This festival brings together Hmong residents from across the world to explore and showcase their culture.
This year, a ... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 13, 2011.
Holiday season offers service opportunities - As the winter season progresses, red- and green-colored gifts begin to appear under the Christmas tree. Festive music is often played and fresh-baked treats give off a warm, sweet aroma. During this time, some families have already begun to open... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 16, 2010.
Senior guard leader displays discernment, dedication - Bright-colored flags slash and swirl in the air, waved in strategic motions to capture the eyes of the audiences. As senior Megan Stewart throws a triple, she displays precise skill in color guard and winter guard.
Stewart was introduced to... This article first appeared in The Feather online, November 29, 2010.
Adviser arranges Europe tour - After four years of setbacks due to multiple conflicts, journalism adviser Greg Stobbe once again plans to lead a group to Europe.
The trip will go through Amsterdam, Bruges, Normandy and Paris in June 2011, with a theme focusing on areas... This article first appeared in The Feather online, November 8, 2010.
AP Scholar Award winners recognized - Although AP courses and exams may seem daunting, the successful completion of them can provide a number of benefits. In addition to satisfying college credits or placing in higher-division classes, passing AP tests can result in AP Scholar Awards.
To qualify... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 18, 2010.
A day in the life: Cardiologist - Since a very young age, I've enjoyed getting shots and taking trips to the doctor's office. Though it may seem odd, this exhilaration has never left me.
When asked as a child what job I wanted to pursue, I always... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 6, 2010.
'Mockingjay' provides anticlimactic conclusion - This is the third and final installment of junior Gigi Thao's review of The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. For reviews of the first two novels in the series, read Book explores fallen future and Sequel recommences savage tournament.
As... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 15, 2010.
Brother to Brother mentors junior highers - In order to foster positive qualities in junior high boys, science teacher Terry Richards has established the Brother to Brother program on campus.
This program, analogous to Sister2Sister, will pair a 7th or 8th grade boy with a junior or... This article first appeared in The Feather online, August 25, 2010.
Junior pursues baseball leadership - For countless baseball players, the ambition to play beyond high school may seem short-lived. For junior Justin Wilson though, who plays catcher, pitcher and designated hitter on the campus varsity baseball team, the dream never diminished.
Wilson began playing baseball when... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 27, 2010.
'Robin Hood' evolves storybook characters - Though not a particular fan of movies about storybook characters, I decided to take a chance with the beloved classic Robin Hood. Director Ridley Scott casts Russell Crowe as the character Robin Longstride, who eventually becomes nicknamed the legendary Robin... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 26, 2010.
Dark novel contests life's purpose - "Nothing matters," declares Pierre Anthon on his first day of eighth grade. With this mindset, he climbs up a plum tree and obstinately remains in it, declaring to the world how nothing matters and everyone eventually dies having done nothing.... This article first appeared in The Feather online, April 21, 2010.
Vices maintain widespread influence - According to Dictionary.com, a vice is defined as an immoral or evil practice. On a lesser level, a bad habit. Despite the melodramatic sound of the word "vice," it seems to be a universal problem.
In a student survey, respondents leaned... This article first appeared in The Feather online, April 8, 2010.
Music groups to perform at local festivals - UPDATE: The junior high choir, high school concert choir and the Praisong women's ensemble each received "superior" ratings for their performances the Music Educators National Conference Choral Festival, March 23.
Music professors from three different universities served as judges and each... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 25, 2010.
A Day in the Life: Principal Bennett - At first glance, Principal Todd Bennett's behavior may not seem very typical of a school administrator. Students often tip their heads in an amused reaction and watch as he communicates with their peers, mimicking the same tone and motion as... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 15, 2010.
Girls' basketball players earn individual recognition - After the girls' basketball team earned the title of Central Section Division V Champions for their first year, three team members received the all-league award and one, senior Paige Maltos, was named MVP, March 5.
Maltos was awarded MVP of the... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 12, 2010.
Celebs cloud up 'Valentine's Day' - In an attempt to grab the attention of viewers of all ages, Gary Marshall, director of The Other Sister, cast several A-list stars in his version of Valentine's Day.
Taking place on the eponymous holiday, the film shows several people waking... This article first appeared in The Feather online, February 19, 2010.
Childs tackles AcaDec material - This year only nine students signed up for the Academic Decathlon (AcaDec) team. The class, which offers college credits requires students to study information over 10 different subjects, then compete against other students from the surrounding schools in a annual... This article first appeared in The Feather online, February 11, 2010.
Mid-Valley Festival recognizes jazz band - The high school jazz band performed in the Mid-Valley Jazz Festival, Jan. 27, and received several outstanding musicianship awards.
The event, held in Tulare at Cherry Avenue Middle School, allowed the band to perform for other groups and perfect its pieces... This article first appeared in The Feather online, February 2, 2010.
Talent show auditions commence - In preparation for the Feb. 25 talent show, student leadership is holding auditions on Jan. 26-29 at lunch in Ground Zero Main.
Students interested in participating in the West Sequoia League Talent Show must attend the auditions and get approval... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 25, 2010.
'Avatar' questions human greed, morality - Legendary producer James Cameron (director of Titanic and the original Terminator series) once again confounds audiences with another heart-throbbing and gripping movie: Avatar.
Well-known for its long length of production, Avatar took approximately 12 years to complete due to the... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 16, 2010.
Sequel recommences savage tournament - Acclaimed author Suzanne Collins captures the conflict of duty and self-preservation in her new novel, Catching Fire, a sequel to The Hunger Games.
In The Hunger Games, a country forms in the futuristic North America known as Panem. Each territory... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 17, 2009.
Supernatural novel transforms classic - After the popular premiere of several supernatural novels, such as the Twilight saga, House of Night and The Summoning, current readers seem to engross themselves in the abnormal.
With the sudden adoration towards vampires, celestial aspects of books appear in... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 15, 2009.
2012 features apocalyptic phenomena - Director Roland Emmerich, famous for such movies as Independence Day, 10,000 BC and The Day After Tomorrow, stresses his fascination with world destruction once again through his movie release of 2012. Weeks after the premier of the movie, theaters continue... This article first appeared in The Feather online, November 20, 2009.
Home ec, art classes encourage soldiers - Ever since her husband joined the army during the Vietnam War, teacher Sharon Scharf began shipping cookies and artwork to soldiers overseas in order to provide encouragement for the troops. This year her home economics and art classes prepared several... This article first appeared in The Feather online, November 9, 2009.
Book Buddies foster friendships, literacy - While some students struggle through assigned reading like Jane Eyre and The Scarlet Letter, others are reaching out to assist younger readers at Pinedale Elementary School with the community program Book Buddies.
The program, in its 13th year, encourages high school... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 26, 2009.
Choir concert gets groups festival-ready - For their first performance of the year, the music department's choral groups will perform a free concert for family and friends, Oct. 12. The event will run in Ground Zero from 7-8:15 p.m.
For weeks, the concert choir, Praisong ensemble and... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 9, 2009.
Veterans endow cheer basics - While flipping and raising athletes into the airs seems like an activity best suited for experienced high schoolers, an annual cheer clinic will encourage elementary students to learn the tricks of the trade, Oct. 5-9.
Since 1980, the cheer clinic has... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 6, 2009.
Save Mart nutritionist educates home ec. - Sharon Scharf's home economics class traveled to a local Save Mart store to learn about food nutrition and safety, Sept. 23. The tour began at 8 a.m. and covered 200 fast facts. The students returned at the end of third... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 25, 2009.
Home ec. to consult Save Mart dietician - While Sharon Scharf's home economics class consists of instructions on how to cook, sew and create crafts, she also aspires to educate students about nutrition.
Scharf takes her class to the Save Mart supermarket on Cedar and Herndon each year.... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 21, 2009.
First football game divides coaching duo - Families and students will reconvene under the Friday night lights for the first football game against Stone Ridge Christian at Clark Intermediate, Sept. 11, in Clovis.
The game, which will include only the varsity team, will begin at 7 p.m. and... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 10, 2009.
Lunch service funds sports teams, clubs - Contrary to rumors that the school would no longer provide a lunch service, the administration implemented a new system this year.
Various clubs and sports teams on campus will sell a meal every day as fundraisers for their programs, according to... This article first appeared in The Feather online, August 31, 2009.
Book explores fallen future - The Hunger Games, by Suzan Collins, intrigued me since the moment I saw it in a local Borders. As I read the introduction of the book, I was prompted to buy and enjoy this exciting novel.
The story begins in... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 15, 2009.
I ran away once: A most unusual experience - This is the fourth of an occassional series outlining the most unusual experiences of the FC community.
Students of all ages sometimes fantasize about running away. Whether originally prompted by hardships, arguments or merely for excitement, teens and adults alike remember... This article first appeared in The Feather online, April 20, 2009.
Badminton proffers intramural challenge - Students will compete in a week-long badminton intramural tournament during lunch, March 30 through April 3. Teams of two have signed up, hoping to secure the first place title, beating the 27 other groups.
In addition to high school students, teachers... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 30, 2009.
Blossom Trail attracts springtime cycling - The arrival of spring heralds the opening of the Blossom Trail, as the peach, apricot and almond trees bloom throughout the Valley. Hundreds of patrons ride their bicycles or motorbikes on the square route from Sanger to Reedley, absorbing the... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 25, 2009.
DI team places second, advances to State Finals - After much preparation of building machines and improvisational acting, one campus Destination ImagiNation (DI) team, The Ridiculously Rhetorical Riders of Rohan, achieved second place at the Regional Finals competition at Buchanan High School, March 7. The group will continue to... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 11, 2009.
Leadership 'rustles up' western-themed Sadies - Couples will don cowboy boots, flannel shirts and belt buckles for the western-themed Sadie Hawkins dance organized by the student leadership class, March 7. The traditional girls-ask-guys event will run from 6 to 10 p.m. in a scarlet barn at... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 4, 2009.
Alto leader credits musical passion - A section leader's responsibility is to lead the group ? by example and by helping the section. Senior Ellie Mullins' music experience and passion for singing motivated her to take leadership of the alto section.
Mullins began singing in the Central... This article first appeared in The Feather online, February 20, 2009.
Social site debate touts features, safety - The Internet world is full of competition, and one of the fiercest competitions is between social networking sites MySpace and Facebook. While MySpace entered the market first in 2003, Facebook's 2004 introduction added options and conflict: Is Facebook safer? Is... This article first appeared in The Feather online, February 11, 2009.
New Year spotlights Hmong culture - The Hmong International New Year celebration marks a time of unparalleled revelry and tradition for the Fresno community. The annual festival begins after Christmas and continues through New Year's Day, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each day.
Despite a rather... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 14, 2009.
'Grace' addresses child abuse - The Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines grace as mercy, clemency and pardon.
In Richard Paul Evans' newest novel, Grace, he examines a story exemplifying all of these qualities and more. Though the uninteresting cover may dissuade potential readers, give... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 19, 2008.
'Twilight' movie misrepresents vampire romance - People of all ages assembled in front of the doors of Edwards 21 Cinemas to watch the midnight premiere of the Twilight movie, based on Stephenie Meyer's award-winning book series. As the year's bestseller with over 17 million copies in... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 9, 2008.
Father-daughter game to promote family - The girls' varsity and junior varsity basketball teams situate themselves around half court and stare down their fathers, who position themselves on the other side of the court. The referee tosses the ball and the game begins.
The girls' teams... This article first appeared in The Feather online, November 20, 2008.
Yearbook captures campus changes - Since the beginning of the year, many school programs have undergone changes to better the campus.
For the 2008-09 school year, the yearbook class chose a theme to correspond with the adjustments of the school, covering everything from the music program... This article first appeared in The Feather online, November 17, 2008.
Fundraisers alleviate tuition troubles - Prior to the 2008-09 school year, campus parents initiated a Scrip program in an effort to assist families with rising tuition costs in light of the current economic downturn.
Scrip represents substitute money for various vendors who agree to credit a... This article first appeared in The Feather online, November 3, 2008.
Parade, concert influence band's future - After claiming the number one title in the Caruthers Fair Parade, Sept. 27, the marching band prepare to add another title to their legacy at the Selma Fair parade. Without the junior high band members to strengthen the band,... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 24, 2008.
Skinned captures teen angst - Lia Khan lives the perfect life. Rich, popular, athletic and a member of a close-knit family, she held huge power in her social circle. A role model for her friends, Lia leads the most feared and revered clique in the... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 14, 2008.
Fiction vs. nonfiction: A literary debate - When it comes to books, there seems to be a never-ending debate: does popularity lie with fiction or nonfiction novels?
For me, fiction holds the most appeal. Fiction books let my imagination wander, leading me to another world that I... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 26, 2008.
