Page 4: DECA holds annual talent show
Page 2: Pros and cons of calendar change Volume 61, Issue 4
December 15, 2017
We are born to seek the truth!
Curtain lifts on “Stage Door”
Page 5: Trojans race in state meet www.cvhsolympian.com
District prepares to cut $2.2 million from annual budget By Nathanial Ortiz Staff Writer
Shaelly Adams/ Staff Writer
Max Proctor (left) and Sarah Hunt (right) perform in the annual winter play. Read all about it on page 4.
Possible budget cuts amounting to about $2.2 million per year were announced by the Castro Valley Unified School District in November. The district claims it needs to cut down on expenses for the 2018-2019 school year in order to not go over budget. Officials say that cumulative expenses and rising prices will force them to reduce spending. Some of the proposed cuts include reduction of professional development, management, staffing, and transportation. ¨This is not a decision that has been already made, these are just ideas,¨ said Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi.
The district predicts that if we do not cut down our budget we will be $0.9 million in debt by next school year and $4.1 million in debt by the 20192020 school year. Parents and teachers were outraged and confused by these new proposed cuts. The district proposes to cut more than just the $0.9 million that would cause it to go into debt. Officials also have a goal to reach the state-mandated 3 percent in reserves rule, that causes each district to keep at least 3 percent saved, which translates to two weeks of salary. Ahmadi explained that the district has to guess its future expenses and create a budget
BUDGET: see page 8
soccer coach arrested in prostitution sting By The Olympian Police arrested 19 men in a prostitution sting at a Union City hotel on Nov. 3. Among them was CVHS JV girls soccer coach Luis Ruiz, police said. Fifteen men responded to an online ad and agreed to pay money in exchange for a sex act with an undercover agent posing as a prostitute, Union City police said. Officers arrested them on charges of soliciting prostitution, and arrested four other men for “aiding a prostitute.” All of the arrested men were from the Bay Area,
specifically the East Bay and South Bay. Ruiz was one of the 15 arrested on suspicion of soliciting of a prostitute, police said. Ruiz has been a coach of the JV girls team for three years, according to soccer players, and his arrest came as a shock to many people who know him. “From what I knew of him he really didn’t seem like the kind of person who would do something like this. I was obviously hurt and disappointed because he was my coach for two years in a row,” said junior Audrey Vance.
Ruiz’s removal from the soccer team has caused difficulty, players said. “As for the JV team functioning without him, it’s kind of chaotic right now to say the least. I’m on varsity this year, but we have had to combine with JV this past week. For the most part, people are just confused and somewhat disgusted at this news,” said Vance. Principal Blaine Torpey informed families that CVHS placed a coach on leave in response to “allegations of conduct not related to school” by email on Nov. 15. “Families
have expressed concerns about reports in the media regarding the CVHS junior varsity girls soccer coach,” Torpey wrote. “The district took immediate action and placed the coach on leave. We have assigned coach Lauren Nadler to work with the team. Safety and the well-being of students are our highest priorities.” Ruiz was cited on a misdemeanor charge and was released without bail, police said. Prosecutors have not announced what charges they
ARREST: see page 8
Luis Ruiz
Finals before winter break? Calendar change debated By Hayate Moro and Rachel Stein Staff Writers
Castro Valley Unified School District has proposed a change in the school calendar, starting and ending the school year one week earlier. Among other things, this could mean first semester finals would be before winter break.
There are various pros and cons to this proposal, leading to differing viewpoints on the need for the change. Roger Kim, president of Castro Valley Teachers Association (CVTA), has stated that “CVTA members are 70 percent against this for many reasons.” These include extreme California heat at the beginning of the year, not
enough time for students to study for final exams, and uneven semesters. Last August, Castro Valley experienced temperatures over 100 degrees, forcing students in classrooms without air conditioners to relocate to cooler rooms. “A school environment in that kind of weather is something no one wants to learn in.
It brings down energy in classrooms as well,” said CVUSD Student Board Representative Matt Betti. Despite the weather, CVUSD officials believed taking exams before break would create a more enjoyable time off for both teachers and students. “Here is our rationale. If exams were done before the break, students would not
need to study over the holidays. If the first semester grades were due after the first week or so in January, our teachers could also enjoy the break,” said school board President Gary Howard. Some students also agree with district officials. “It’s easier for teachers to
CALENDAR: see page 8
2
Earlier start to school year would cause many problems Editorial: Olga Buzueva School usually starts during the third week of August and ends during the second week of June. Castro Valley Unified School District and the teachers union are debating whether to change that by moving the school year one week earlier, so that school would begin in mid-August and finish by early June. The reasoning behind that is to allow high school students to take their final exams before winter break. The Olympian believes that changing the district's calendar would be a bad idea because in the months of August, the classrooms become unbearably hot and uncomfortable. This change would also shift the entire district and the calendar change would only benefit the high schoolers; our district has about ened by a week. ers and their final exams. The goal is to 9,000 students while the high school The district suggests the change be- have students take their tests before we accounts for about 3,000 students. In cause it could benefit the high school- leave for winter break. Ultimately, the addition, one summer would be short-
district is hoping that this change will boost the high schoolers’ final exam scores. The change could also benefit students who are in AP classes and are required to take the AP exams since they would have an extra week to study for their exam. Still, The Olympian opposes this change because the semesters will not be even. The fall semester would have two weeks shaved off the calendar, which creates a problem for semester-long classes like government and economics. Another reason why we oppose this change is because our schedule would differ from many other school neighboring school districts. A change of the district's calendar would have both pros and cons, but we believe the drawbacks outweigh the advantages.
“There should be no guns available to citizens”
By Amina Moummad Staff Writer
The unnecessary violence and harm that guns bring to people is very scary. There shouldn't be any guns to begin with, although the thought of this country being cleared of guns is close to impossible. There are already over 300 million firearms in the U.S. In 2016 there were over 27 million firearm background checks for new sales. This year we have reached just
over 20 million background checks. It's scary to know so many people have dangerous weapons. Every month there are close to 2 million background checks. Keep in mind those numbers do not represent all of the firearms sold. One of the questions we need to answer is why so many Americans feel as they need a gun. Also, how do so many people have such an easy access? CNN reporter Doug Chris wrote an article saying that getting a gun is easier than getting a driver's license, passport, divorce, pet, and cold medicine. How can this be? How the access to a dangerous weapon be easier than medicine or a pet? Another reason why having no guns in this country would be hard is the Second Amendment. Good ol’ Americans
love their “right to bear arms.” The process of removing an Amendment from the Constitution is difficult; an additional amendment must be approved to do so. To approve a new amendment, it must be proposed by the Congress with a twothirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and then ratified by three quarters of the states (or 38 of them). America had its largest mass shootings this year in Las Vegas. The shooter had access to multi semiautomatic weapons, killed 58 people, and wounded 546 more. The Orlando shooting last year was nearly as big. There has been so much violence in America, which is influenced by the easy access to guns. Countries such as the United King dom, Australia, Japan, and Germany have all reduced gun homicides by changing
PHOTOpinions
“
Finals after break, because if we do it before it will be way too stressful and super chaotic.
Natalie Masilang freshman
”
“
Finals before break. A lot of students study during break, but it would allow students to not be so stressed.
Din Didić sophomore
”
their gun laws recently. Gun crimes and homicides have all dramatically declined in all these countries. It has been proven that limited that access to guns or just limiting in all has decreased gun violence, so why can't the U.S. do the same? Isn't our
“Isn’t our government supposed to be “for the people?”
” government supposed to be “for the people?” The U.S. gun homicide rate is 25 times higher than other developed countries. On average, 93 Americans are killed with guns a day. The Vegas shooter had 23
firearms, and 12 were semiautomatic rifles and illegally modified to fire like automatic weapons. No one should have access to a semiautomatic rifle, let alone over a dozen. I believe that there should be no guns available to citizens because they bring violence into this country and world. Police officer and the military should be the only exceptions. We shouldn't just talk about gun control whenever it's too late and people die. That's the issue with this country, no one wants to continue having a discussion about the serious issues. If our government was civil enough to talk this issue out and look at the benefits when a country doesn't give its people access to guns, that would be a start to really talking about gun control.
Should fall finals move before winter break, By Nathanial Ortiz or stay as they are now?
“
We should push finals before break because I forget things after break. It’s a fresh start, new year, new semester.
Katelyn Lance junior
”
“
I think that they should push finals before winter break because you forget everything after break.
Chizuru Tanaka senior
”
“
It is better the way we have it now. Moving the year up will make preparation for the final harder.
Nathan McCreary teacher
”
The Olympian Dec. 15, 2017
3
Climate change: current and conversed My mom’s journey,
By Ria Panjwani
Online Editor Imagine a world with air quality so low, it prevents proper habitation of certain areas. My grandparents live in the heart of New Delhi, India, an epicenter smog and pollution. Delhi has already had to close schools for a week due to air quality being too dangerous for children. My grandparents often complain about how the pollution is affecting their country. It makes it hard to live. Our world is threatened more and more by these “freaks of nature” that seem to become less of a freak of nature, and more of a pattern. In the face of this humanmade disaster, what are we doing as Americans? On a federal level, the United States has pulled out of the Paris Climate Accords, and wiped public domains clear of any global warming related data. However, in the face of denial, California is stepping up, and in a big way. The Olympian attended the ClimateTECH summit on Nov. 19, where journalist Thomas Friedman from the New York Times spoke
to Gov. Jerry Brown on all things climate change. Guests at the event came from every industry, ranging from environmentalist groups to people in the private business sector, in a conjoined effort to combat climate change. Our 79-year-old governor has more bravery and audacity than any politician in Washington right now. He is knee-deep in pain-staking work, negotiating with businesses in California to gradually reduce their carbon emissions using the cap-and-trade program. “This is like trying to talk about abortion in the Vatican. It’s not a term you want to express. Not in front of the Pope anyway. In front of Republicans, climate change, global warming, has been re-framed as regulation and a liberal threat the to free-enterprise system, ” remarked Brown. It’s so easy to get lost in the abysmal political climate that surrounds climate change given the Trump administration's effort to ignore the destruction of our planet. Brown expressed his frustration. “We have two curves. We
have the curve of technological innovation, giving the human race more and more power, which is also the power of destruction, and that curve is going straight up. The other curve is one of wisdom and self restraint, which is completely flat,” said Brown. After the conference, I had one question in mind: what can we do? We spoke to Mayor Ed Lee of San Francisco. “I think citizens from young people to old have got to embrace our environment. There’s a lot of things you can do, starting with personal habits, and then moving to the larger discussion about what we can do to get solar and storage and green energy sources,” Lee said. This issue will be combated if we take initiative within our own lives and communities. Making the extra effort to carpool, using an electric vehicle, or conserving energy by going solar are all feasible tasks we as a community can undertake to support our environment. This is crucial because health effects will hit us in the U.S. in around 2030 years. But for my family in India, those health effects are hitting now. We want to do everything in our power to avoid a situation in which the air is unbreathable. Start by changing your own habits. Brown ended the conversation on hopeful note and said, “I think there’s a lot of grounds for despair. Don’t. There’s a lot of grounds for optimism too.” Together, we can and will combat the issue of climate change.
#JusticeforJazzy is justified
By Shaelly Adams
Staff Writer “Finally did it yo girl got rid of her roommate!!” Briana Brochu allegedly wrote in a private Instagram post. “After 1 1/2 month of spitting in her coconut oil, putting moldy clam dip in her lotions, rubbing used tampons on her backpack, putting her toothbrush places where the sun doesn’t shine, and so much more I can finally say goodbye Jamaican Barbie.” In this post, the white Hartford University undergrad admitted to harming her roommate. However she later said, “anything else she bragged about on her social media was
a lie as an attempt to appear funny.” The victim Chennel “Jazzy” Rowe then posted a lengthy video explaining how she suffered from severe throat pain for the past four months, and how the Hartford Hospital said she may have been exposed to E. coli. She became increasingly frustrated with how she was treated, not only by her roommate, but by her school as well. It wasn’t until after she filed a police report, went to the university’s public safety office, and her video went viral that people started to pay attention. Following an investigation, Brochu was arrested for criminal mischief and breach of peace, and the university expelled her. “Racism and hatred will not be tolerated on this campus. Period,” said George Woodward, the university president. However, the real problem is that Brochu was only charged for criminal mischief and breach of peace, not for a hate crime. Her bail was set for $1,000, and she has already been released. Imagine being
so fueled with racist hatred that you go the distance of trying to poison your roommate. If Rowe died, would America still call it second degree murder? If the races were switched, how much bigger would this be in the media? I think Rowe would’ve been sentenced to life in prison. The problem with the United States is that people try to cover up the issue of racism no matter the extent to which it makes one’s life miserable. Being a senior and stressing about college applications, this makes me even more worried for what the future will hold. There are already enough videos on the internet of crazy roommate stories, it is sad that sharing stories and waiting for it to go viral is the only way to get people to pay attention. But we can see that it is an opportunity for us students to stand united and make us stronger and more passionate about social issues. No student should ever have to feel unsafe on campus. I for one would call for better #JusticeforJazzy.
my life changed
By Andrew Watanabe
Staff Writer My mother legally immigrated from Mexico to America. My mom and her family were very poor, but they persevered and made it. It’s kind of shocking that her story and how her life began is completely different than mine. It shows the long term benefits of legally immigrating to America and why so many people want to come to this country. My mother’s childhood was not pleasant in the slightest. She worked a lot when she was little, and lived in a little shack in Mexico. She ate things that I could never imagine, like field mice and grubs. When I compare how she lived to how I live now, I’m inclined to think about the benefits that legally immigrating provides. In Mexico, my mother lived in a poor town, and lacked things that I consider basic necessities. She had no shower, no running water, no TV, no road, and no floor in her house. Her family had to wash their clothes at the river, and again, ate things like field mice and grubs. Then they went through the long process of getting the money and the sponsors to come to America, and even though they were
still incredibly poor, their life was much better. In America, my mother grew up in Oakland. She lived in a poor area, but she had running water, a roof, a floor, and a TV. The thing my mother said she was most happy about was the fast food. She discovered a whole new world filled with KFC, McDonald’s, pizza, and and Chinese food. I consider all of these things normal and often take for granted the fact that I can hop on my bike and ride to McDonald’s to pick up a Big Mac. I take the fact that I have running water every day and a roof over my head for granted. I’m grateful that my mother and her family immigrated, and that I get to experience the life I have now with all the luxuries she didn’t have when she was little. She and her family did it
I compare “howWhen she lived to how I live now, I’m inclined to think about the benefits that legally immigrating provides.
”
the right way. They came here legally, got all the necessary papers and documents and became citizens. They didn’t have to worry about being deported or being caught for fake Social Security numbers. They just worried about getting a job and making their life better in their new home. Legal immigration has has many benefits, not only for the people immigrating, but the descendants of those immigrants.
The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2017
Editors-in-Chief..................................................................Mia Babasyan Hannah Johansson News Editor..............................................................Stella Ho Opinion Editor............................................................Emily Salazar Feature Editor.....................................................Wailea Siler Sports Editor................................................................Pau Gutierrez Arts and Entertainment Editor......................................Da Di Photo Editor........................................................Beruk Tsegaye Video Editor........................................................Mara Moysen Business Manager........................................Audrey Manzano Online Editor..............................................Ria Panjwani Staff Writers: Shaelly Adams, Sam Ahn, Milagros Aquinos, Olga Buzueva, Gianna Ellis, Layne Johnson, Bilal Messaoudi, Hayate Moro, Amina Moummad, Derek Neyer, Nathanial Ortiz, Jenny Pham,Young So, Rachel Stein, Thomas Vergara, Andrew Watanabe, Katelyn Wong, Emma Yin Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson
4 “Stage Door” takes center stage By Shaelly Adams Staff Writer
The CVHS drama department presented “Stage Door” on Dec. 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9 in the Center for the Arts. The show takes place in a 1930s boarding house for female actresses. When a new girl named Terry Randall is transferred into the house, professional and romantic rivalry is sparked amongst the girls. The classic New York City story about ambition is also filled with lots of comedy. One of the shows biggest theme’s is the love for the American dream and the perseverance of struggling artists. The 16 other actresses in the house fight off the constant discouragement that comes with wanting success during the Great Depression. “The show had many modern social issues from the 1930s era that many Americans still face today,” said
Tigerman teaches with terrific talent By Thomas Vergara Staff Writer
Shaelly Adams / Staff Writer
Cast members of “Stage Door” perform a scene. Tori Speed, who played one of the actresses. “Stage Door is a wonderful vintage piece, but at the same time it is very current and timely. Each day in rehearsal, we discovered something new about every character. It was a great fun comedy that comes with great feeling towards the audience,” said drama teacher Tiffany Daily.
The show not only provided opportunities for students to act, but also to direct, be technical assistants, and ASL interpreters. “The play featured the entire advanced drama class and showed off all of our talents equally,” said Sakinnah Brown, who played a lead of Bernice Niemeyer.
Loved by many, Candice Tigerman has inspired student after student to learn and experience the Spanish language. Her students look forward to spending the period in her class, and they are never disappointed. She loves teaching the class as much as her students love learning with her. In her AP classes, she likes to get into real world issues and debate on all the topics. “My students make me laugh. I love having a job in which I can come to work and laugh on a regular basis,” she said. Tigerman went into teaching because she wanted to make a difference. She decided she wanted to do this by going into educational policy and became a teacher to get the experience she needed. But she fell in love with teaching and intends on
continuing to teach and inspire her students. “This is my second year in a row having Tigerman as a teacher and she’s always been really supportive of me both in her class and in school in general,” said AP student Carly Hegarty. Her favorite part of the job is interacting with the students. She likes having a job in which she can laugh during on a regular basis. She also likes to see her students develop, from first year Spanish all the way to AP. “As a teacher I work harder than I ever thought I would, because I feel inspired to do better by my students and colleagues,” she said. Tigerman is a model teacher and serves as an inspiration to everyone around her. CVHS is lucky to have her. She works hard every day and makes everyone smile.
DECA delivers annual talent show Thanksgiving food drive flourishes By Derek Neyer Staff Writer
Rachel Stein / Staff Writer
Dance contestants compete in front of the judges in “CV’s Got Talent.” By Rachel Stein Staff Writer
DECA’s second annual “CV’s Got Talent” competition showcased the many talented students of CVHS. Performances ranging from card tricks to beatboxing to Tahitian dance entertained audience members Friday evening in the cafeteria on Nov. 9. “The talent show is a cool, fun experience. It’s not just about the money, it’s about the community and the fun,” said Lexi Kwon, a first year member of DECA. There were a total of 20 performances in either creative, musical, or dance categories. Each performance was evaluated by three guest judges: history and leadership teacher Michael Kentris, substitute teacher Michael Langella, and anatomy, physiology and HABIT biology teacher Emily
Ledford. “Everyone was so good, it was hard to choose just one for each category,” said Ledford. After all the performances were completed, the judges consulted for a few minutes and decided th e winne rs: Shaelly Adams in the dance category, Miranda Jiang in the creative category, and Bianca Greer in the musical category. Adams performed a hip hop dance she choreographed herself. Her complex and energetic dance moves amazed the entire cafeteria. Jiang played a song on a traditional Chinese instrument, the guzheng, or Chinese zither. Sitting on stage with just her instrument, Jiang’s beautiful music captivated the audience. Greer sang the song “My Heart Will Go On,” popularized by Celine Dion. Her passionate rendition filled the cafeteria with emotion and applause.
“I was confident because I participated the year before, and I’ve been singing all my life,” said Greer. Greer’s confidence definitely showed in her performance. “I wanted to see all the fun talents here at CVHS,” stated junior Alix Skinner when asked why she attended the show. “They bring the school together in a way that doesn’t usually happen,” she said. Along with telling amusing jokes, hosts Erin Quineri and Matthew Aranzamendez, DECA co-presidents, informed the crowd about their organization, which trains young entrepreneurs in a variety of different fields such as marketing, finance and business. Revenue from the event will help finance the conferences they attend to get up-close learning experiences. DECA will attend a conference in Anaheim in 2018.
For many people, the holiday season is a time for generosity and charity. At CVHS, giving to those in need is a way of life. Students and teachers contribute to making the holidays brighter for everyone through their charity. Leadership brought the giving spirit to CVHS with the annual canned food drive. Food was brought in by students and teachers to donate to the less fortunate. A massive number of items were brought in for the 2017 CVHS food drive. Students and staff brought in 4,799 items to be given away to people in need. Over 125 Castro Valley families benefited from the generosity of the CVHS community. Activities director Michael Kentris found the outpouring of generosity from CVHS students wonderful. He felt “heartfelt appreciation for the amazing commitment to the community,” he said. Carmelina Frasca’s class gave away over 1,500 items to people in need, setting a class record and winning the friendly competition organized by the leadership class. Leadership is aiming even higher for next year, and hopes to feed even more families with even more food. Another group was also giving to the community this
Thanksgiving. In what they termed “Operation Cranberry Sauce,” CrossWinds Church and House One Secretary Kim Klescewski gave out 50 Thanksgiving meals to 50 CVHS families. “I feel like I’ve been so blessed in my life, this is just a great thing to be able to give back to the community,” she said. The meals were enough to make anyone happy and full, consisting of a twelve-pound turkey, baked potatoes, cranberry sauce, vegetables, pie, and more. There are many reasons to be generous, and in a refreshing display of human compassion, she gave one: “I love the kids here.” Klescewski only wishes she got more people to sign up, as she would have been able to give away up to 100 meals. Next year she is aiming for that number in order to provide a happy Thanksgiving for everyone. It is easily forgotten how generous people can be, but the holidays at CVHS seem to bring out the best and most compassionate parts of students and teachers. One student gave his view of giving during the holidays. “Giving during the holidays is important because it allows one to show compassion and care and to give back to those who are important, whether it’s family friends, or the community,” said sophomore Justin Tong.
5 Trojan runners sprint through state meet Water polo making
its way up
By Bilal Messaoudi Staff Writer
California State Meet, the competition where all of the work they put in the whole season finally pays off. This year the meet took place on Saturday Nov. 25, down south in Fresno. This season CVHS had two athletes head down to Fresno for the meet. Reilly Berberian and Olivia Davidson both qualified at the North Coast Section Meet with a time of 16:10.50 and 19:52.30 respectively for the three mile race. At the state meet, Berberian grabbed a time of 16:25.50, which is about 28 seconds faster than his time last year, 16:54.0. His performance gained him 84th place in division one out of 198 other competitors. Olivia Davidson came out strong, maybe a little too strong. When asked about her performance Davidson
By Milagros Aquino
Layne Johnson / Staff Writer
Reilly Berberian races to the finish line.
said,”I was really jogging at the end, I was so tired.” Davidson finished the race with the time of 21:04.1 and finished in 172nd place out of 192 other runners. This was her first year competing at the state level. “Last year I was an alternate, so I didn’t
run at NCS or state”, she said. Both of these phenomenal athletes, without a doubt, gave it their all this cross country season and we’re all looking forward to track season to watch them continue to shine.
Staff Writer CVHS ended this girls varsity water polo season with an overall record of 4-18, beating their last year’s overall record of 1-5. The Trojans have clearly learned a lot from the two years they have been playing. “I think I learned the game more in depth over the past two years which helped me improve as an individual and as a team we connected more the second season and had more girls which made the two teams stronger,” said team member Elma Sabanovic. Not all the players had gotten to play before, some were new players that had never experienced the thrills of water polo. However, this year they got to experience it for the first time.
“I improved a lot because I never played water polo before, and at the end of our season I was the highest scoring player. As a team I think we improved by playing with each other more and having fun, playing as a team and putting up a fight,” said Kayla Craft. The water polo team has not been at CVHS for long but the Trojans sure are making their way up the ladder to becoming a known sport. From playing for the first time to playing during their last game, everyone improved tremendously throughout the season. Although they may not have won every game, they worked together and helped each other out to become not only better players but a better team.
Mendoza makes major moves
By Andrew Watanabe Staff Writer
Hayate Moro / Staff Writer
Caleb Mendoza takes a shot during late night practice.
Junior Caleb Mendoza is the captain of the boys varsity soccer team. His passion for soccer started at the young age of four, when his foot first touched a soccer ball. Mendoza works tirelessly whenever he finds time to practice his techniques and train. He is incredibly humble and just wants to help his team advance. “I don’t like saying anything about myself. I like bringing up other people. If people say I’m
good I thank them, but I don’t think I’m better than anyone else. You can’t get cocky,” he said. With all the years of experience under his belt he tries to boost others and give them advice to help them succeed in soccer and improve their skills. “If you are trying to get really good, be consistent, practice constantly, eat well, train well, and try to be healthy. Play with other people--better, older players,” he said. In terms of sports, division
one soccer in college is his goal. His goals for school are to do well, get into a good college, and get a good job. Mendoza hopes to become an engineer one day. The hands on and designing aspect of it appeals to him and he has always liked math despite its difficulty. He hopes to use his job to help support his family. Mendoza is a hardworking individual who wants to help others succeed. He deserves to be recognized, and has a bright future ahead of him.
Terhell wrestles her way to the top By Young So Staff Writer
Junior Michelle Terhell was the captain of the water polo team and is currently a wrestler. Her brother did wrestling before her and inspired her to follow his footsteps. She enjoyed swimming and wrestling which lead her to do water polo which contained the best of both. Along with her extracurricular sports, Terhell takes part in
the leadership class along with DECA, a marketing club. She enjoys leadership as it allows her to help people through community service. In her spare time, she also enjoys drawing and painting. As she is experienced in the sports she participates in, she says that she has learned to lose which prepares her for the future. “I’ve learned how to lose a lot and so I feel like wrestling has prepared me in that aspect of life,” said Terhell.
This year, she has been able to improve her skills greatly in water polo. She earned her team captain role through her hard work and the respect of the other athletes in the water polo team. “I think Michelle is a very a good leader and she always takes charge and brightens up any sad day,” said team member Sonja Rasmussen, a sophomore. In the future, “I want to become a nurse, possibly a travel nurse and travel and help people,” said Terhell.
Young So / Staff Writer
Michelle Terhell takes down her opponent during practice.
6
Pixar’s “Coco” tells a magical story of life and death By Olga Buzueva Staff Writer
Across the bridge of orange leaves exists another world. The world of the ones who have left the mortal realm. One day a year, the dead have a chance to come back to see their families. But now, through the perspective of Miguel, audiences got an opportunity to see the world on the other side. Pixar’s latest original film, “Coco,” premiered in America on Nov. 22, and instantly earned itself a spot among Pixar’s greats. The story is based around the Mexican holiday of Dia de los Muertos, translated to Day of the Dead, where families celebrate the memories of the ones they have lost. They put pictures of their relatives and ofrendas on altars, and this allows their spirit to be with them for the night. Then, at dawn, the deceased return to the land of the dead by following the trail of orange
Olga Buzueva
New mysteries explored in “Stranger Things” By Shaelly Adams Staff Writer
After over a year and a half since binge watching the first season, the long anticipated second season of “Stranger Things” is finally here. The Duffer brothers’ Netflix series captivates 80s nostalgia, and makes you hungry for Eggos. The supernatural themed drama left viewers with tons of Christmas-light burning questions. Where is Eleven? Will there be justice for Barb’s Family? And what the heck came out of Will’s mouth at the end of season one? The show’s sophomore season gives a bigger platform to characters who had more minor roles in the first season. Most notably Steve Harrington, who hit a low point after being overlooked as the King Bee, is shown as more responsible when he takes care of the kids, and breaks his old archetype of the popular 80s jerk. More importantly, we learn about the secrets to his hair regime. Appearances are made by some new strangers like Max Mayfield, a tomboy who becomes friends with Dustin and Lucas to escape her abusive step brother, and Bob Newby, a friendly and clever love interest for Joyce Byers who ends up becoming the ultimate superhero. Others introduced include Max’s step brother
Billy, Department of Energy Agent Doctor Owens, and a conspiracist journalist Murray Burman. All the new characters fit perfectly with the spooky town of Hawkins, Indiana. However nothing compares to the stellar performance of Will Byers. The main focus revolves around Will’s traumatic experiences and flashbacks that held him back from returning to normal. His struggle resulted in some sort of psychic connection to the alternate realm also known as the Upside Down. It is no secret that the Duffer brothers’ biggest success, Eleven, a nose bleeding telekinetic girl was going to be very much back in season two. El is extremely devoted to finding her true identity but seems to be trapped with a huge eagerness to see her old friends. While keeping her separated from the intensity of the show, the camaraderie of the younger teens give off a sort of empathy to the audience. Their personalities are both tested and strengthened due to the ramped up horror and thrill of each episode. Their realities go far beyond a fierce game of Dungeons and Dragons. Overall, the new season reels around the old horrors of the Demogorgon and the secrets of Hawkins Lab. The Upside Down seems to still threaten the town and even those who have survived it. The soundtrack, laughs, teen drama, and scares all live up to the social media hype.
petals. In “Coco,” a young boy named Miguel with a passion for music, is transported to the land of the dead, and must achieve his family’s blessing in order to return to his world. Along the way, he discovers his family’s past. As per usual for Pixar, the animation is gorgeous. The amount of effort and love put into everything, from the colorful structures in the land of the dead, to Miguel’s fingers as he strums a guitar, is evident and is to be appreciated. With the entire premise of the movie based on the Dia de los Muertos holiday, the movie is really a love letter to the Mexican culture. The care the writers put into establishing a beautiful world but keeping it true to the roots they pulled inspiration from is admirable. However, even though the animation is fantastic and the homage to traditional Mexican culture is superb, the characters shine brightly above the rest. Miguel is a lovable protagonist, and anyone who
has ever been torn between a passion and their family is sure to sympathize with him. Hector, a well meaning trickster from the land of the dead, is enjoyable to watch on his quest to help Miguel in exchange to have his photo hung among the living in order to be remembered, and the depth of his character is revealed as the plot progresses. Even Mama Imelda, Coco’s great-great-grandmother, who initially put the family’s ban on music, is a wonderful character to watch develop. And all this is being said without even mentioning other highlights, like the music and voice acting. One negative comment regarding the movie is that some plot moments have been done before and would seem predictable. In the film’s defense, though, these moments are handled in a very smart and organic way to make them feel new. It is clear why Pixar’s “Coco” is deserving of a five star rating, and why it is a movie we will always remember.
$5.00 off
Winter Ball Corsages, Bouts & Garters!
Purchase any combination of 2 of the following- corsage, boutonierre or garter and receive $5 off your purchase. Bring this coupon in at time of purchase. Cannot be used with any other offer. Expires Dec. 16, 2017
Dana's Party Planet * Open 7 days 3170 Castro Valley Blvd. * Castro Valley * 510.733.3121
The Olympian Dec. 15, 2017
The Last Day of Summer Concert By Amina Moummad Staff Writer
The Last Day of Summer Concert was a rap concert featuring big stars like Migos, Cardi B, Tee Grizzley, rap group SOBxRBE, and Yfn Lucci, who came together to put off an amazing show for the Bay Area. It took place on Thursday Sept. 21, at Oracle Arena. People came from all around the Bay Area to enjoy their last day of summer. So many people attended, it was hard for them to get through the front entrances, and it even lead to some commotion. The ticket and roll call lines were filled with people trying to get their hands on a ticket. Rap group SOBxRBE opened the concert with many of their hit songs including “Anti,” “Lane Changing,” “Calvin Cambridge,” and “Ruthless.” You could feel the energy in the arena as everyone jumped to the beat and had a good time. Next, rapper Yfn Lucci rocked the crowd with his hit song “Everyday We Lit” ft. PnB Rock. He also performed his other hit song “Made For It” and “Heartless” featuring Rick Ross. Tee Grizzley came out next and performed his song “No Effort.” He then freestyled, which was amazing, and ended it with his hit song “First Day Out.” This single launched his
rap career into what it is today. Grizzley saw how everyone went crazy when he rapped his hit single so, he decided to play it again for the Bay Area. His performance was one to remember. Cardi B, an up and coming female rapper did not only show her rap skills on the stage but her humor as well. She first performed “Red Barz” and brought her humorous side to the show with her funny jokes. She performed her major hit song “Bodak Yellow” which just hit number one on the billboard chart. This is the second time after Lauryn Hill in 1998, a female artists has had a number one song on the billboard chart without a featured artist. It's not hard to say that Cardi B has truly made history in a male dominated industry and, as a new artist, has proven herself. Her song “Bodak Yellow” I knew word for word and was one of my favorite parts of the show. Rap group, The Migo Brothers, Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff ended the show with all of their major hit songs. They performed “Get Right Witcha,” “Slippery,” “Bad and Boujee,” and “T-Shirt.” They had a good performance and ended off the concert nicely. The concert was worth the $50 ticket with all the great performances and all the fun I had. Even though it was on a school night, I would have done it again.
Taylor Swift is back, Taylor Swift is dead By Katelyn Wong Staff Writer
Rising up from the dead, Taylor Swift released an unique song “Look What You Made Me Do” on Aug. 25 as a part of her new album, Reputation, coming out in November. The songs and numerous albums by Taylor Swift had been taking over the world since 2006. Almost everyone, including me, has gotten one of her infamous songs stuck in her head or put on constant repeat for its catchy tunes. To be truthful, I haven’t really paid attention to Swift or any news about pop culture lately. But this new song and its supposed meaning behind the lyrics definitely raised my curiosity. In her new song, she expressed how she got smarter over time and can’t trust anyone anymore. Fans assume that the lyrics pertain to her pre-existing conflicts with multiple celebrities like Katy
Perry and Kanye West. It was also suspected to be a response to “Famous,” a song by Kanye West that she doesn’t play those little games anymore. Perhaps her upcoming album will provide fans with a more in-depth explanation on her thoughts. And this song just gives us a taste of what Swift has up her sleeve. This song generated huge spurs within her fan base because the singer went from a sweet, country girl with typical love songs to a super star looking for revenge. And the lyrics may not be as catchy as “Shake It Off” or “Love Story” but its head-bobbing, electronic beat will possibly cause you to jam out. Although it may not be everyone’s favorite T-Swift song, “Look What You Made Me Do” still landed the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 list and racked up a shocking 5 million views in just a span of a couple weeks. So, are you still looking for the old Taylor? Well I’m sorry to say, but she’s dead. I’d rate this 3.5/5 stars.
7
Lorde’s sophomore album impresses By Nathanial Ortiz Staff Writer
“Our rules, our dreams, we’re blind.” “Homemade Dynamite,” my favorite track on Lorde’s new album “Melodrama,” flawlessly conveys how Lorde has matured both musically and emotionally. This summer, Lorde (or Ella Yelich O’Connor) came out with her sophomore album, “Melodrama,” following her 2013 album “Pure Heroine.” Her new album topped at fifth place on the UK album charts and 13th place on the US album charts. Her album provides both positive and angst-filled emotions that depict Lorde’s journey into a new stage of her life. Her first track, first single, and first music video, “Green Light,” depicts a story of the singer moving on from a past love. The positive reaction that came with the music video and first single was not a surprise, seeing as her first track from “Pure Heroine,” “Royals,” was a huge success. She was the youngest artist to hit Billboard’s Hot One Hundred since 1987, in 2013 for “Royals.” Her third track, and my personal favorite, “Homemade Dynamite,” is about the moment when you first fall in
love. The slow, soft beginning is very misleading, seeing as after 20 seconds an upbeat, pop tempo leads through the rest of the song. It is full of danceable rhythms, a catch chorus lines, and beautiful harmonies. Her second single, “Liability,” begins with a piano ballad moving into Lorde singing about how many of her relationships are cut short because of the uncomfortable situations caused by her fame. Her angsty, yet soft tone provides the perfect amount of bittersweet misery that one would want while listening to an alternative pop song. “Hard Feelings/Loveless” are two shorter songs connected in one track. “Hard Feelings” expresses the emotions of bitterness and resentment felt after a breakup. It has a simple melody, but very interesting instrumentals that provide a fairytale-like sound to a more steam punk sound, that include strings, synthesizer, and drums. Then, the track links the two songs with 50 seconds of instrumental transition and an unexpected, eerie sound byte of a man stating “this is my favorite tape.” “Loveless” is both very different than its sister in tone and message. It begins with a simple, melody
and poppy instrumentals. It also contains short-lived, yet very interesting harmonies. Its message comments on people’s thoughts that millennials have ruined love. Her second single and last track on the album, “Perfect Places,” provides the perfect upbeat outro to her longawaited second album. The tone is a bit misleading for the message that teenagers’ ideas of fun are anything but, and leave you feeling empty. Melodrama was definitely different from its very popular predecessor. It depicts a story of Lorde maturing from a teenager to an adult, from the first track to the last. The album’s name even picks fun at the dramatic teenage stage of life. Melodrama provides beautiful vocals and instrumentals, and finds a way to be soft and loud at the same time. It is truly a perfect successor to her last album, even though its popularity was lower than the previous. I think that her decrease in popularity since “Royals” and Pure Heroine was ultimately positive. She was able to move from mainstream pop to the niche, alt-pop genre that perfectly fits her music and personality.
THE OLYMPIAN
Dec. 15, 2017
8
Mixed opinions about budget cuts Proposed calendar BUDGET: from page 1 according to these proposed expenses. “It doesn’t work as well as it could work,” said Ahmadi referring to the state’s policy of requiring a budget for a future year with unknown expenses and revenue. Ahmadi showed the room a statistic showing that California was the 45th most funded state for education. ¨Raise your hand if you think this is okay,” Ahmadi asked and no hands were raised. She was showing how the cuts are not ideal, but necessary under the circumstances. According to Ahmadi, not keeping 3 percent in reserves
would not only risk security but it would cost the Castro Valley public millions of dollars for having a bad credit report. A h m a d i s u g g e s t e d me n tioned the possibility of a parcel tax to provide ongoing income, but voters would have to approve it and gaining the needed two-thirds support could be difficult. Many teachers and parents are opposed to the proposed budget cuts. ¨We feel that this is creating needless panic within our membership and our community. The money is there, it just appears as if the district's priorities are misplaced. The district is saying that prioritizing books, supplies and solar panel inverters are more
important than our students,¨ said Roger Kim, a teacher at CVHS and president of Castro Valley Teachers Association. “It makes someone feel unsupported in a job that is important, yet underfunded,” said Clare LePell, a CVHS teacher, in response to the possible reduction of teachers on special assignment. LePell and other teachers also brought up the fact that the cuts would cut down necessary student resources such as turnitin.com and new books. ¨Also, the district has always been extremely conservative about budget projections and has consistently ended the year with significant amounts for money left over,¨ said Kim.
Police target human trafficking ARREST: from page 1
will pursue in the case, if any. Union City police pointed out that “all suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law” in its press release. “In my experience, most first offenders are sentenced to probation,” said Sgt. Freddy Camacho. The undercover operation was planned by the Union City Police Department’s Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving Unit (COPPS) along with the Alameda County Vice Enforcement Team
(ACVET). The Hayward Police Department, Piedmont Police Department and the Alameda County Probation Department were among the ACVET member agencies involved in this operation. The Union City hotel was unnamed as to hide its identity and allow for possible future prostitution stings. The goal of the operation was to “recover commercially sexually exploited children, arrest adult and juvenile prostitutes, pimps, and male customers,”
police said. “We put up an ad online and people called in asking for services. Every single person involved with this was arrested,” said Officer Chris Lanier, who was involved with the case. Lanier added that the police’s motive was to help put an end to human trafficking. “A lot of these girls are not in this willingly,” he said. “We have services for those people to try to get them out of the industry and make them financially independent.”
brings changes CALENDAR: from page 1 grade during breaks because they don’t have any other assignments or normal tests to grade. Only the midterm,” said sophomore Nathan Inamdar. Another potential benefit of the change would help students wishing to take courses over the summer at a community college. Often the summer courses at Chabot and other community colleges start before the end of the CVUSD school year. “We are working with Chabot College for a dual enrollment program in which students could get college credit for classes they take in high school. Having the semester end before the holidays would better align us with their schedule,” said Howard. A significant drawback to this proposal is that the schedule shift would create a twoweek discrepancy between the semesters, which would affect semester courses required for graduation, such as Health, CCG, Government, and Economics. Teachers would need to cut material in the fall and add extra lessons in the spring,
according to Kim. “There would be a wide variance in what students learn each semester, all based on the luck of the draw and which semester the computer places their courses in. That simply isn’t fair,” Kim stated. While most schools in the East Bay tend to start in late August, San Ramon, Dublin and Pleasanton have been starting earlier. According to US News, all three high schools have a higher AP tested percentage than CVHS. Because the College Board schedules its AP tests earlier in the school year, AP students at CVHS and other high schools that start later have less time to prepare for their tests and must cram more learning into a shorter amount of time. Modifying the district calendar is complicated and requires strenuous work. CVUSD and CVTA will have to work together to reach an agreement they feel is best for the students. “The school calendar is part of our negotiations with the teachers, and I believe that together we will figure out the best solution for CVUSD,” said Howard.