“CV’s Got Talent” is a success Page 4: CVHS super stars show off their skills
Volume 59, Issue 4
The return of Olympian Man Page 5: Our hero to face the O’Dowd Dragon
December 17, 2015
Fall in love with The Boy Friend
Page 6: Musical performance wows audiences
We are born to seek the truth! www.cvhsolympian.com
Survey: students use seven hours of media daily By Maia Samboy and Jacob Schoenfeld Living in this high-tech, social-media run world, it is no surprise CVHS students enjoy their electronics quite a bit. According to a recent survey of 100 CVHS students conducted by The Olympian, the majority of students claim to use all forms of media for about seven hours each day. Media includes Internet browsing, social media, watching television/movies/videos, listening to music, reading, and playing video games; the most popular being social media. The majority of students claimed to use two to four hours of social media per day. The most popular form of social media was a tie between Instagram and Snapchat, with Facebook coming in a close second. “It’s hard not to use social media,” said junior Jamie Serrao. “It keeps you connected to your friends and is always right in the palm of your hand.” Students highly enjoy their texting as well. Twenty three percent of students surveyed said they send and receive over 100 text messages per day. The forms of media least used by CVHS students are reading and visiting non-social media web sites. Despite the seemingly high numbers, CVHS students’ total amount of hours using media
Breakdown of 2016 presidential candidates By Mia Babasyan Staff Writer
Voters will choose a new president in 2016, and the race is already in high gear as candidates compete for political party nominations. Here are the positions of four top candidates from the Democratic and Republican parties.
Anna Nguygen/ Editor-In-Chief
was discovered to be below the numbers found by Common Sense Media in a similar survey. Common Sense Media interviewed more than 2,600 young people aged from eight to 18, making it the first large study to analyze the media usage of teens and tweens. The survey found that adolescents within this age group spend an average of nine hours a day using all forms of media. The Common Sense Media survey further differed from the survey results found by The Olympian in which media platform teens enjoy most. Common Sense Media found that only 10 percent of kids surveyed ranked social media
as their most-used media form, while 51 percent of CVHS students claimed to use social media the most. The highest ranked media platforms in the large-scale survey were found to be TV and music. Contrastingly, the survey conducted at CVHS found that listening to music was the second most used media by students, while watching TV was the fifth most popular. The increase in media usage among adolescents is raising concerns from students and educators alike. Many worry that multitasking due to media use will lower the academic performance of students. Another concern is that if students are
spending so much of their day using media, they are not getting any exercise. According to the survey conducted by The Olympian, 30 percent of students spend 30 minutes or less doing some form of physical activity per day, while 31 percent of students surveyed spend 30-60 minutes.
“ Talk to each other, learn how to read faces. It’s a skill that’s being lost. Carol Dixon Anatomy Teacher
Maia Samboy/ News Editor
Students check their phones when they enter the classroom, instead of interacting.
”
When asked why he thought time spent on media was so much higher than time spent exercising, junior Nick Tran responded, “Every student has a smartphone that they can use in class whenever they want. Can you randomly play soccer in class? Case closed.” “More physical activity would be good, but also face to face conversation,” said anatomy teacher, Carol Dixon. “I see it all the time, I get done talking and they pull out their cell phones. Talk to each other, learn how to read faces. It’s a skill that’s being lost.”
Ben Carson Dr. Benjamin Carson is a retired pediatric neurosurgeon and a Republican candidate for the 2016 presidential race. Carson’s poll numbers are steady and he is near the top of almost every poll so far in the race. Carson believes that the federal government should not have a say in education. He wishes to repeal Common Core and focus more on the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. Carson opposes illegal immigration, however, has suggested that undocumented people would remain in the country as guest workers as long as they pay taxes. He has proposed stricter measures for the border and immigration to be secured. Carson has been somewhat unclear on his views of gun control. He has stated that people have the right to own weapons, however it depends on who is in control of the weapon and where they live. Carson is against any abortion more than 20 weeks after fertilization and disagrees with abortion for convenience. An advocate for Christian theology, Carson has said he supports the beliefs that he has been brought up with. Carson supports gay rights, but not same-sex marriage. He believes homosexuality is a choice but has expressed wanting to be fair to the gay community. Hillary Clinton Hillary Clinton has been in politics for a long time, serving as first lady, U.S. senator from New York, and secretary of state. She is a very popular candidate and is known as a strong advocate for women’s rights.
See ELECTION: Page 8
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Media overload: how much connection is too much?
Editorial:
bat it is irresponsible. People of all ages are polarized towards the never-ending content of the internet. Teens that never go outside, don’t spend time with their families, and cannot function without technological devices are typical stereotypes. But what is it about the internet that makes it so compelling? What if this defining characteristic of our society was not seen in such a negative light? The Internet offers an endless wealth of knowledge that
is keeping our world more connected than ever. We at The Olympian see the value of connecting with the people around us through human interaction, but other forms of connection are just as valuable. Social media is a platform built on making and reinforcing friendships via the internet. News posted on the internet reaches broader audiences and offers multiple points of view in the same set of search results, therefore keeping more people informed about their communities. Teenagers are more aware of social issues, exposed to different cultures, and bring their perspective of the world to others. To get the chance to be a member of the international community makes you so much more than a smalltown kid. Media represents the constant need for humans to be connected. We at The Olympian see the value of connecting with the people around us through physical interaction. We also recognize that media plays a substantial role in keeping teenagers informed, linking them to the rest of the world. Like with anything in life, striking a balance is key. How you spend your time is your choice, but in the end, the Internet will always be there, but the people in your life won’t.
wouldn’t you rather enjoy going out from time to time instead of being stuck at home doing homework all weekend or watching Netflix for hours? Most importantly, remember to not get caught up in all the excitement and become distracted from what’s important, your future! Stop procrastinating as soon as you can; it’s never a good idea. We all have those moments when we would much rather be watching the latest series on TV or hanging out with friends, leading us to put assignments off until the last minute. “It’s not due tomorrow,” is never the way to go. Even if homework or projects aren’t due the very next day, set a few minutes each day to work on it. This way you
pace yourself and stay relaxed. Otherwise, you will find that procrastination leads to long, stressful nights which consists of a lot of coffee and no sleep whatsoever. Get started early and you will have the satisfaction of finishing early. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You are surrounded by teachers, peers, and counselors who are always willing to answer your questions and help guide you in the right direction. If you need help it’s always better to ask instead of struggling through it. Keep in mind you have four years to find the person you want to be. Be yourself, have fun, stay focused, and know what your priorities are. Good luck!
Neo Diesta/ Graphic Artist
We, as functioning members of society, are defined by our connection to the world around us. In this day and age, that connection is manifested through two very different sources: the internet and human interactions. The general trend of teenagers choosing the internet over human connection is seen as an epidemic to many. Is this the root of the problem of our society’s reliance on technology? Studies and surveys, such as the one recently done by CNN, show that teenagers spend countless hours on the internet, whether it be scrolling through social media, playing video games, or clicking on links to various forms of online content. Here at The Olympian, we are both aware of the problem and recognize that many of us take part in excessive media consumption. We conducted our own survey, and the results were unexpected. CNN’s survey concluded that teenagers spend around nine hours a day using media, whereas our results said that CVHS students spend about seven. These results brought up an issue that The Olympian finds to be the true cause of excessive internet use in teenagers: teens
are not aware of how much time they spend on the internet. By lacking the conscious knowledge of how much is too much, teenagers have no way of gauging their media usage. For many, spending hours on the internet seems natural. Unawareness is the core of all problems in society. Internet addiction is simply one of them. It’s no longer a matter of if teens use too much media, it’s whether or not they are teaching themselves to have the mental discipline to prioritize
and make conscious decisions. Underage drinking and illegal drug use can entail severe consequences, and if teens aren’t realistically aware of the tragic fallouts of situations such as drinking and driving, how are they expected to make a responsible decision? If uncontrolled media usage is disdained but not combated, what can be said of the teenagers who don’t see internet overuse as a problem? Media is not harmless. To be aware of the problem but not make a conscious effort to com-
Open advice to present and future high schoolers
By America Morales A&E Editor
“high school flies by quick.” Trust me, you’re not being lied to! Before you know it you will find yourself in your senior year, applying to colleges and getting ready to walk the stage to receive your diploma. Reflecting on my four years in high school, I realize that I have made some mistakes. Having already gone through the experience, I am here to offer you some advice that will help you survive high school. Find the right group of friends. Don’t try to fit in with the popular crowd just because it will help your reputation. Chances are you will meet many new people, some of which you may not get along with so well and others who are interested in the same things
you are. Who you befriend isn’t what matters, but it is rather how they treat you as a friend. Choose friends who will not distract you from your aspirations but will instead motivate you. Once you find your real friends, don’t take them for granted because they are the ones who will always be by your side. School isn’t everything. Find time to go out once in a while and have fun. Participate in school activities, go crazy, and be yourself. Try going to the school dances, football games, and assemblies because you will regret not having lived through these experiences. Now, I don’t mean you should become a party freak and act unreasonably. Although,
PHOTOpinions
As a senior who is graduating in a few months, I am a bystander to the famous saying,
By Lauren Eisenman
“I feel like I use media to an extent that I need to stop and focus, but I think five hours is way too much media.” Ria Panjwani, freshman
“I think I use unnecessary amounts of media. There are so much things to do, and I’ve spent two hours on Buzzfeed.” Anna Fang, sophomore
What do you think about teen media usage? “I feel that I do use a lot of media due to my phone and the many apps. Of course, media is different for everyone.” Kim Nguyen, junior
“I don’t think I use that much media, but you know you use way too much media when it starts to control your life.” Scott DeSelms, senior
The Olympian December 17, 2015
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Procrastination is a big problem for high school students
By Stella Ho
Staff Writer Do you remember that time when you got home from school at 4 p.m., took a shower and a nap till 6, went on social media
for an hour and a half, ate dinner, and started homework at nine, resulting in an all-nighter or bedtime at 1 a.m.? For some people, this is a daily schedule, and maybe for a rare few, this never happens. But whether you do this or not, everyone knows what this disease is. Procrastination. “I have three tests tomorrow; I’m going to fail.” “I hate my teacher, he gives us so much homework.” “Don’t take that class; you’ll never get out of the house.” As I walk around school, these are the stuff I commonly hear from my fellow classmates. As we get older, we’ll take more challenging classes and
the stress will inevitably build up. From our studies to extracurricular activities such as sports, music, or volunteering, how do we make the time to do everything? And what about time for ourselves? I sympathize with you, I really do. I’m in the same situation myself. I’ve often thought to myself “Why can’t the day be longer than 24 hours?” But the length of the day doesn’t matter as people will still waste their time doing whatever. So I find that the only solution is to not procrastinate. Now, I don’t want to sound like a nagging parent, but managing your time well will keep you organized, focused, and it’ll
about things that are going on, but I find that I stop caring when the news is about someone that I don't even know or rarely ever see. I definitely will not make the extra effort to tell even more people about what I heard, especially if it would potentially hurt the people in question. Out of the 3,000 kids at school, I know less than a quarter of them, so news about who broke up with who, who cheated on a test, or who got suspended will probably have no relevance to me. People naturally want to know about things that are none of their business, but there’s a difference between knowing things, and spreading things. If someone tells you negative information about someone you don’t know very well, there’s no point in you passing along the rumor to even more people. All that would do is end up hurting someone you don’t even know. How would you feel if strangers look at you with disgust and make assumptions about your life? That wouldn’t feel good at all. It would make what could have been an enjoyable high school experience turn into something aw-
ful that can’t end soon enough. To the one gossipping, the rumor might just be words used to keep up a dragging conversation. To the one being gossipped about, however, the rumor changes everything. It could cause people to break down and completely despise having to go to a place where they’re constantly being judged. Nowadays, we are always more than willing to hear negative things about a person than we are to learn about aspects of a person that deserve praise. The juiciest gossip is rarely ever about the latest good deed someone has completed. Instead, it's always about something negative that would hurt the reputation or the self confidence of the person being talked about. News spreads like wildfire, and all it takes is one person to start it. Be mindful of how your alleged news will affect other people, because it isn’t your job to decide that they need to suffer the consequence of having classmates that could have been friends consider them to be dishonest or untrustworthy.
Be aware of your gossiping
By Meiling Zhang Feature Editor
As teenagers that attend a public high school, I’m sure we’ve all heard how effective gossip can be in destroying someone’s self-esteem. If we know how damaging it could be, why are we all more than eager to participate in it? Our lives will not be affected in any way, shape, or form, if we spread information about other students that probably isn’t even true. Despite the lack of purpose, we are still always dying to hear about the latest gossip. I know I always get curious
Animal abuse is cruel, not cool
By Nina Bessolo Staff Writer
Heartless, unkind, ruthless, savage, and bloodthirsty: all of these words describe animal abuse. Animal abuse is “cruelty to animals or animal neglect. It is the human infliction of suffering or harm upon any non-human animal, for purposes other than self-defense or survival,” according to Definition.com. Some examples of animal abuse are dog fighting, animal hoarding, and animal neglect. These are three of the many types of animal abuse. Dog fighting is when a dog is put into a ring and is forced to
fight another dog and potentially kill it. However, sometimes the winning dog dies from its wounds. In 2007, Michael Vick (an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL) was convicted of charges related to dog fighting. Recently in New Jersey, police broke up a dog fighting ring and charged four men who were involved. Dog fighting is happeneing all over the world. It needs to be shut down! Dog fighting is heartbreaking and pitiful. Why say the words “man’s best friend” if all you're going to do is hurt them and make them suffer? Vick was incredibly wrong to force dogs to fight just to get money. There are other animal fights like cock fighting and bull fighting. All are wrong and should all be ended. Animal hoarding is possessing more animals than a person can care for at once. It is the “inability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter and veterinary care,” according to Humanesociety.org. This selfish care often leads to serious illnesses and death. When animals are hoarded, the owners keep breeding them and selling them. Like
Vick, they hope to make a living from the animals’ suffering. There should be a limit of how many animals people are allowed to buy. Nobody should have more than at least eight animals at one time. Many people think that they have enough supplies to address animals’ needs, but in the end, they realize the resource scarcity and the poor animal suffer and sometimes starve to death as a result. Animal neglect is another example of animal abuse. Animal neglect is “ the failure to provide basic care required for an animal to thrive,” according to aldf.org. Animals are just like us. They need food, water, shelter, and care. Animals, to me, are like innocent children. If we feed them and treat them respectfully, they live longer. However, if we neglect them, they will perish.I believe that animals are key to society, not just for food or clothing, but because they can reduce depression, lower blood pressure, and many kids love having them around. If we all did our part to stop animal abuse, many of their innocent and loving lives would be spared. Animal abuse is cruel, not cool.
make your high school experience a lot less stressful. If you finish your history project that’s due in two weeks, then you’ll have two weeks less of history homework. If you have a math test on Friday, and you study for it on Monday, then if you have a ton of homework in the middle of the week, at least you’ve studied a bit and you can just refresh your mind Thursday night. Isn’t that better than cramming all the information in your head at midnight? Some other tips are to work on homework for half an hour, then go on your phone or step outside of the house for ten minutes. The objective of this is to work for
a while and take a break. It’s a fact proven by science that short breaks can keep our brain fresh and focused. Another tip is to keep all technology hidden away while working. Our phones are tempting, and they’re the biggest reason for why we don’t get things done. There are some people that say they work best when doing things last minute. And maybe procrastinating does work for them. It’s their choice, and no one can take charge of someone’s life. Just keep in mind that you’re the only person that can decide how to handle your 24 hours a day, so choose wisely.
ISIS inspires Islamophobia
By Laniah Lewis Editor-In-Chief
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a terrorist organization that has been rising up in recent years. A few weeks ago its members attacked France, one of America’s greatest allies. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that all Americans are outraged and fearful after the terrorist attack in Paris. While showing support for France and considering the recent controversy over letting Syrian refugees come to America, it’s important to remember a key concept that many forgot after 9/11. This radical group does not represent the majority of Muslims people in our country. ISIS, despite its name and claims, does not represent Islam or Muslims in any shape or form. ISIS is a radical group to the Muslim religion, just how the
KKK is a radical group of Christianity in America. That being said, islamophobia, which is prejudice against Islam or Muslims, is not cool under any circumstances. After 9/11, many Muslims faced a lot of prejudice even though they fully disagreed with the act of terrorism and viewed it as extremely inhumane. Now that this attack in Paris happened, I fear that it’s only getting worse. I’ve been reading a lot of articles and watching videos about how Muslims in America feel hated because of what happened in Paris. In one video, a white woman pinned a scarf to her head and went out to the mall to see how Muslim women are treated in public. While she was out, she received multiple dirty looks and a young child even asked if she was a terrorist. This is just one example of how Muslims face discrimination every day. There is no reason a group of good people should feel hated because a radical group that branched off of their religion is committing acts of terrorism. There is no reason anyone should feel ashamed to participate in their religion when out in public, such as when Muslim women wear hijabs. Sadly, in today’s day and age many Muslims feel like this. Islamophobia is alive and it needs to stop. It is not okay.
The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2015
Editors-in-Chief.................................................................Anna Nguyen Laniah Lewis Copy Editor......................................................................Sally Liang City Editor..............................................................Caitlin Forbes News Editor..............................................................Maia Samboy Opinion Editor............................................................Jessica Mi Feature Editor.....................................................Meiling Zhang Sports Editor................................................................Martin Baez Arts and Entertainment Editor............................America Morales Photo Editor........................................................Halley Lin-Jones Video Editor........................................................Desiree Broome Graphic Artist........................................................Neo Diesta Business Managers.........................................Alexander McIntosh Brittany Bracy Staff Writers: Mia Babasyan, Nina Bessolo, Elizabeth Chan, Lauren Eisenman, Gavin Halloran, Stella Ho, Molly Koch, Anastasia Le,Sarah Nosseir, Fiona Richter, Diego Rodriguez-Peccorini, Emily Salazar, Jacob Schoenfeld, Esther Smith, Ishaank Zalpuri
Signs of appreciation for unity discovered at CSD
By Emily Salazar Staff Writer
On Veterans Day, the ASL students decided to visit the California School for the Deaf (CSD) during their annual Open House to culturally immerse themselves in the language they have studied and admired. Students who decide to learn a language are sometimes given the opportunity throughout the school year to take a field trip to a place representative of their chosen language. CSD is important to ASL students, as it is the only field trip available to them. Former ASL teacher Ovida de Julia highly recommended the trip. Since Mary Ruth Summers has begun teaching ASL at CVHS, she too says that CSD is an important trip to make for students learning ASL. “I remember the first time I visited,” sophomore Amelia Deny remarked. “I was so nervous and yet so excited, it was the first time I ever interacted with deaf people. I was so scared of being judged but the people there were just so nice!” Many students of ASL com-
Emily Salazar / Staff Writer
CSD students talk about the importance of deaf identity at a student panel. mented on the kind of people they encountered whenever visiting CSD and the differences between CSD and CVHS. “It’s different, because everyone knows everyone, and they all act like they’re a family,” said sophomore Tamia AllenRodrigues. Though CVHS is striving for
Trojan Togetherness, it seems as if we’re no match against CSD and how close-knit the students and staff are. Some of the ASL students were kind enough to share their favorite part of attending the Open House. “My favorite part is that you are able to see how they are different from the hearing world,”
Students showcase their talents
commented Allen-Rodrigues. “My favorite part is seeing all the guest speakers talking on various topics in the Klopping Theater,” Deny answered. Among those topics and speakers featured at Klopping were “CSD in the Spotlight,” “What we can learn from Deaf mothers reading with their
Deaf children” presented by Dr. Michele Berke, “LanguageRich Community” presented by Tawn Holmes, a CSD Student Panel featuring various students from the school, “Deaf Culture” presented by Dr. Thomas Holcomb, and a “Deaf Business Panel.” When asked about their least favorite part of visiting CSD, both students informed that there was no least favorite part. Both also shared their fond memories they had of CSD. “Memories I have is being with my ASL classmates and be able to see the way they live and how we live in our element,” Allen-Rodrigues fondly remembered. “I’ll never forget how the little kids signed to a song the first time I visited CSD. It was so sweet and pure. Yet I was jealous at the same time that they knew how to sign more than me,” Deny said with a smile. The trip to CSD will not only be seen as a continuously important trip to ASL students, but also a special moment and initiation that they will carry on for the rest of their time at CVHS.
Bake holiday cheer with spritz cookies
Brittany Bracy / Business Manager
Urbanize dancers bring energy and fresh moves to the talent show and win the People’s Choice award.
CV’s talents fundraised over $150 for MDA By Brittany Bracy Staff Writer
Castro Valley Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) hosted a new annual CV’s Got Talent show on Thursday, Nov. 26. The fundraiser was to support the club that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in careers for marketing, financing,
hospitality and management around the globe. The show featured a variety of CVHS students with exceptional talent. Opening the show was VIVIFYD. The band wowed the crowd with their original song. Setting off the show was Urbanize, a dance group that stole the audience with energetic and fresh moves which won the People’s Choice award. Solo violinist Matthew Major received third place for his performance on his quiet yet captivating violin. Bianca Greer ’s solo performance of “Hello” by Adele the audience with her heartfelt emotion. Greer received second place. Nathan Roura swept the
show with his passionate violin and guitar performance which led him to receive the first place prize. A hot trio who calls themselves Pots and Pans featuring a beatboxer and two singers fired up the stage with their rendition of “I Want You Back.” Other acts included Alysia Maestas rendition of “I’m Not The Only One” by Sam Smith, Alex Shuck’s guitar solo, and Calista Fratto’s tap dance. The donations from audience members gave Castro Valley DECA a chance to give back to an important cause and make a donation of over $150 to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).
By Caitlin Forbes
City Editor Spritz cookies are colorful thin cookies that are perfect for the cold weather. With a cookie press, any shape is possible! For special Christmas treats I like to use the tree and wreath patterns. Ingredients / Equipment: 1 cup of butter (softened) ¾ cup sugar 1 egg ½ teaspoon baking powder Dash of salt 1 teaspoon almond extract 3 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour Cookie Press Electric Mixer
Caitlin Forbes / City Editor
Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375℉ 2. Cream the butter, adding the sugar gradually. 3. Add egg, then beat well. 4. Add the dry ingredients and almond extract. *Add a few drops of green food coloring to turn your trees and wreaths green! 5. Fill the cookie press, and form the cookies on an ungreased aluminum pan. 6. Bake for 10-12 minutes (makes about five dozen cookies).
The Olympian
Kicking the season off with new coach By Gavin Halloran Staff Writer
The CVHS girls soccer team has a new member in its 2015-16 season. A coach for a team must have the will, drive, and passion for the sport. Lauren Nadler has all of these traits and more. The Trojans’ new coach has the drive and passion to lead the team through any challenges and triumphs to come. Nadler has been playing soccer since age six and competed throughout college in Boston. She has been coaching college soccer for seven years, and high school for two. Nadler has previous ties to CVHS and was happy to see an opening in the school. She previously coached against with Alameda. “Castro Valley was a strong team that we used to play against in the league, so when I saw the opening, I was definitely excited to come over,” says Nadler. Nadler is already facing challenges with this new season. “There is definitely an abundance of talent, we had 72 people come to try out for two teams, but it's a great problem to have,” Nadler said. With a large group athletes wishing to try out, there will be many difficult decisions to create the final picks. “It's always hard, hard on the players and on the coaches as
December 17, 2015
5
New coach goes through hoops to win From Pinole football to CVHS basketball By Molly Koch Staff Writer
Gavin Halloran/ Staff Writer
New soccer coach Lauren Nadler directs players. well,” said Nadler. Nadler has a strong passion for soccer and loves what she does. “I love the creativity of it. It's always been an ever changing game,” claims Nadler. With the new season now approaching, Nadler has a positive and energetic outlook. Her plans for this season are “to keep working hard, learning, and at every
practice strive to get better.” Nadler is a coach with passion for the game and is excited to have an opportunity to teach. We look forward to a wonderful future with Nadler and wish our coach and team a successful and fun-filled season. “I think she'll be a great addition to our teams and will be a great coach,” said junior Brooke Spring.
The varsity basketball team got a new coach named Anthony Geddins. Geddins has been coaching basketball at Pinole Valley High School since 2000, as well as coaching football. He has watched eight of his players rise to success, including Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks. This is going to be his first season not coaching football. Coaching since 2007, his team has made it to NCS playoffs. In addition, at least 30 of his athletes have gone on to play in college. Geddins is a very successful coach who makes sure his players work hard so that in the long run, they have a successful season, but also makes sure that they have a good time.
Nina Bessolo / Staff Writer
New CVHS basketball coach Anthony Geddins
Geddins has lived in Castro Valley for about a decade, and the commute to Pinole and back was tiring, so when he saw an ad on the NCS web site about a position opening up at CVHS, he took the opportunity. In regards to goals for the season, Geddins said, “My goal for Castro Valley is to always be competitive and to get to the CIF state playoffs. With the senior leadership that we have, that should be an attainable goal. Go Trojans!”
Students find “Black Minds Matter” in Sacramento By Fiona Richter Staff Writer
Teacher Jonathan Rice’s seventh period Afrocentric American Literature class and a few other students skipped the regular school day on Thursday, Nov. 5, and received a different kind of learning experience at the Black Minds Matter rally in Sacramento. Debra Watkins, founder, president, and executive director of the California Alliance of African American Educators (CAAAE), invited CVHS to take part in the Black Minds Matter Day of Student Advocacy, and Assistant
Principal Regina Irvin passed that invitation along to Rice and his students, who gladly accepted. “The whole thing was just amazing; it was a great bonding experience for our whole class,” said junior Y’Maia Jackson. After getting off the bus from CVHS, the Afrocentric class listened to speeches about social issues affecting ethnic minorities by advocates and politicians at the State Board of Education and Black Minds Matter rallies. Both rallies took more time than initially allotted, and though they were empowering and enlightening, students thought
they could have been shorter, and welcomed their lunch break. Having eaten, the rallies’ attendants were assigned to rooms at a nearby hotel convention center, where they engaged in activities designed to build knowledge, including a data equity walk, a high school breakout session, and information about the marginalization of black Americans in the public school system. “Learning about African Americans in the school system was my favorite part because it was very informative,” said junior Zephan Wood. Jackson agreed with Wood that activities in the convention
center were the most influential of the day. “We learned how schools look at us, and to dig deeper into the bad data that exists for students of color or lowincome, and foster kids. It really opened my eyes and changed the way I look at data and high school statistics in general, and also colleges and the future,” she said. Though there are currently no plans for further Afrocentric class field trips, students who attended this one are hoping for another excursion as it was such a great event. “This experience was especially valuable for my students be-
cause they were able to meet and get exposed to real advocates for social change. Hopefully, they were inspired to do the same,”
“The whole
thing was just amazing. Y’Maia Jackson Student
”
Rice said, hoping the rallies will have a lasting impact.
Olympian Man is called to action Neo Diesta / Graphic Artist
Forge your “destiny” with Taken King By Martin Baez Sports Editor
In the new Destiny expansion, The Taken King, players enter a different dimension as they fight Taken Hive, Cabal, and Fallen, all punished and controlled by the Taken king, Oryx. Orynx is seeking vengeance by trying to kill the guardian, you, for killing his son Crota. The Taken King expansion lets you unlock a countless amount of new quests, armor, weapons, and PvP arenas to fight against your friends. It increases the maximum level to 40 with an unlimited lever for light which is the overall strength of your guardian. The grind to get better gear in the game is better and better due
to the fact that there are weapons with higher attack power than before, so you can defend yourself against the Taken enemies. There is also a new feature which allows you to infuse your legendary weapon with another legendary weapon of the same class to make it stronger. There have also been small but clever changes in the game, like the new emotes you can buy so you can show off your dance moves to your friends and by purchasing one, it is rumored that it will help fund the next downloadable content pack so players who already own the new expansion won’t have to pay for it. You can also switch your ghost now so you don’t have to be stuck with the same old one you got in the very beginning when you had all the weak gear. Now you can have a ghost that also reflects your high level. The greatest addition is the three all new subclasses. For the Titan class, you have a new Sunbreaker class which lets you unleash the
power of the sun and unleash a powerful flaming hammer on your enemies to scorch them away. For the Hunter class, the new power is called the Nightstalker which lets you shoot an arrow to greatly impact damage on your opponents and enemies and it also attaches to everyone around the arrow and it disables their weapons along with slowing them down. The final new subclass is the Stormcaller for the Warlocks which is arguably the best new subclass due to the high damage and the long duration of the power compared to the other two, which was very needed for the Warlocks since they were considered to have the worst subclasses before the new expansion. If you have Destiny and you haven’t purchased the expansion, you should go buy it now. It’s the same as buying a whole new game because of all the quests available and the new story missions with amazing cinematic shorts to help the story as you take down Oryx and his Taken army.
Elizabeth Chan / Staff Writer
The Boy Friend combined romance with humor, dancing, and singing.
Dance back to the romantic, roaring 20s By Elizabeth Chan Staff Writer
With glitz, glamour, giggles, and gossip, The Boy Friend had it all. The parodic musical is set in the roaring 20’s and began with Polly, a sweet, innocent, and rich character played by senior Taylor Wade. The story begins when Polly told her friends about a made up boyfriend. “I love how sweet Polly is, she definitely brings out a better side of me,” said Wade. After Polly meets Tony, an endearing and affectionate character played by junior Christopher Ma, they are instantly attracted to each other. However troubles come their way when the truth unfolds and miscommunications happen. From there, an endear-
ing and quirky show blossoms with flecks of humor, romance, and fun, with elaborate dances numbers and amusing songs. “The Boy Friend is a musical that features an extraordinary amount of wonderfully talented actors,” said David Judson, the co-director of the musical. This famous musical first premiered in London in 1953, directed by Sandy Wilson, with its original production having been played over 2,000 times. This musical is perfect for those who love a good laugh, or an endearing romance between two lively characters while watching other characters have stories of their own. “My favorite thing about the characters is that they’re stereotypical yet funny,” said Carly Becerra, backstage manager. The Boy Friend played in the Center for the Arts to large crowds and applause in December.
Diego Rodriguez-Peccorini/ Staff Writer
Star Wars Battlefront: Battle of Jakku has gamers eager to play it.
May the Force be on the battlefield
By Diego RodriguezPeccorini Staff Writer
Star Wars Battlefront: Battle of Jakku, is finally here, and this newest addition to the Battlefront saga is a brilliant masterpiece that has gamers dying to play it. Fans of the upcoming Star Wars movies are eager to play it too, especially with the upcoming seventh movie to be released this month. This new game takes the all-the-fun game mechanics that many game-playing high schoolers are accustomed to in other multiplayer games, and puts them into massive battles
of large, 40-player lobbies. You can customize your character’s appearance, purchase weapons and upgrades, and chose “emotes” that you can taunt the enemy with. Not only that, but the graphics are phenomenal. From the glimmers in the snow beneath you, to the individual scratches on the Stormtroopers’ helmets, every part of the game is crafted to be visually pleasing. With all this said, it’s easy to see this game as the beautiful gem that it is, and look past its small flaws. Now, it should be said that a game like this can be played without knowing a thing about the Star Wars universe. Anybody can jump into a game like this and simply enjoy the fun of shooting laser guns and flying spaceships, but Battlefront games have had many interesting ideas for stories that intertwine with the main story-
line of the movies. Battlefront 2 started the trend by showing the player the unique journey of an elite clone trooper division known as the 501st legion and how they went from loyal soldiers of a democratic republic, to reluctant troops of a tyrannical empire. Then there were even the Battlefront games for handheld consoles like Elite Squadron, which illustrated the story of two unique clones and how they eventually came to fight on opposite sides of the civil war after the conclusion of the third film. To see the newest and greatest iteration of this saga focus primarily on multiplayer is a bit sad, to be honest. But again, if you could care less about plot and just want to play a great shooter that’s worth your money, this is a great game to hop into with your friends.
Basketball team opens on hot streak By Nina Bessolo Staff Writer
As sweat poured down girls’ faces like waterfalls, bodies were being slammed against one another in efforts to grab the leather ball. The CVHS girls varsity basketball team played on Tuesday Dec. 8, against Monte Vista High School. At the start of the tip off, girls were calling out who they had on defense, and trying to get themselves pumped up. As soon as the ball sailed through the air, the fight was on. Players hustled down the court and made important plays. The Trojans
Martin Baez / Sports Editor
Spencer and Rachel Dong know how to use those racquets.
Trojan tennis siblings succeed By Martin Baez Sports Editor
Two CVHS siblings are making history on the tennis court. Sophomore Rachel Dong, a member of the girls tennis team, reached the North Coast Section (NCS) quarterfinals. She has also won the All League First Team honors. Spencer Dong, her older brother and a senior senior, has also accomplished amazing feats. His 18s coed team the Burgos took third place overall in the whole nation. Rachel got the love of tennis from her dad who showed both her and Spencer the beautiful but competitive game of tennis. “My dad has been into it so he brought it onto us,”
said Rachel. “I would like to play college tennis, hopefully through a scholarship.” Spencer has been working hard at tennis for ten years of his life and he loves every single second of it since it's a great sport that you can play all the way until you are in your late years. “I found out that I really loved tennis when I began to see that it encapsulated my world. That included my friends, family, and teammates,” Spencer said. “My favorite part about tennis is that it’s a lifetime sport. It can be played on all walks of life.” Tennis has been a part of the Dongs’ lives ever since they were little and they hope to continue it for a long time.
took a quick lead in the first quarter with the score of 12-0. However in the second quarter, the Mustangs caught up and the score was 12-16 with the Mustang’s lead. Fortunately for the Trojans, they made the right decisions on offense and defense and won a close game of 60-52. Then on Thursday, Dec. 10, the Trojans took on Pittsburgh High from Contra Costa County. The Pirates and the Trojans scored one basket after another. An important play in the game was when the opposing team got the ball and was going up for a three point shot, and junior Gianna Wright
sprinted from the other side of the court and blocked the shot. Overall, the game was very close. In the first quarter, the score was tied at 14-14. In the second quarter, the Pirates were up by 7 points before half time. After a brief talk from Coach Lemmon, the Trojans began to feel motivated and charged back onto the court. They played an excellent defense and took over every rebound. However, due to careless passes, CVHS lost the game by five points with the final score of 64-59. The Trojans have won three of their first four games this season.
Senior wrestler wins tournament Aidan Milligan comes out victorious By Martin Baez Sports Editor
It was a beautiful day in Castro Valley on Saturday, Dec. 12 when CVHS held a wrestling tournament. There were over 150 matches throughout the whole day and every single one of them meant something. As soon as you walked into the gym doors you heard all the parents and coaches encouraging their wrestlers to do better and you heard the cheers when someone pinned another wrestler down. Out of all the Castro Valley wrestlers there were three seniors leading the pack: Brandon Aranzamendez, Aidan Milligan, and Christian Chacon. Every single player wrestled
Martin baez / Sports Editor
Brandon Aranzamendez gets ready to wrestle. extremely well. “Overall we did pretty good, win or lose we all learned what we need to work on this Monday,” said senior Aranzamendez. But one player in particular took home the first place trophy, Milligan, who has been wrestling ever since
his middle school days at Creekside. He also had a pin in under 30 seconds during one of his matches. Overall, the CVHS boys varsity wrestlers did well. The coaches were satisfied with everyone's efforts but they all know there is always time for improvement.
S up e r S av v y Sp o r ts St a rs
By Stella Ho/ Staff Writer
Payton Morgan
Freshman Payton Morgan is an athlete on the boys wrestling team. He’s wrestled for four years, and this is his first year on the CVHS team. He originally played football in middle school and tried wrestling afterwards as a fun sport. Morgan said his favorite thing about wrestling is when he gets to wrestle with a competitive opponent and it’s an even match. That makes it exciting. But he dislikes losing to his opponents. “I’m looking forward to learning more wrestling techniques, getting in shape, and having a lot of fun,” Morgan said.
Maddie Thompson Maddie Thompson is the captain of the CVHS girls junior varsity soccer team. This is her second year on the team, though she’s played soccer for a total of nine years. She plays midfield on the team. “My favorite thing about being on the team is getting the chance to know more people. And of course, playing soccer,” Thompson said. Thompson eagerly looks forward to this season. The girls soccer team has a new coach this year, Lauren Nadler. “I’m looking forward to getting to know her well,” Thompson said. “I also hope to bond with my team.”
Daniel Bessolo
Jamie Massey
Imagine playing a sport for over a decade. That’s what you call dedication! Daniel Bessolo plays basketball on the varsity boys basketball team. This is his first year on the team, but he’s played basketball for 11 years. “My dad got me into this sport,” Bessolo said. “He played too, so I was interested as well.” He plays power forward on the team. Bessolo cites his motives for playing basketball as winning games and being on a good, competitive team. A highlight from last season, Bessolo said, was when “I dunked the ball and scored for my team.”
The tall and talented senior Jamie Massey is at it again! She plays forward and center positions for the CVHS girls varsity basketball team. She has played varsity ever since freshman year. “Even though there’s a lot of running involved, I love being around my teammates. It’s fun and we bond well,” Massey said. Her favorite highlight from past seasons was when the team won the league championships last year. “It was the night of prom, so a lot of juniors didn’t show up. But it was great to see the seniors and everyone else come together and win.”
The Olympian December,. 17, 2015
ELECTION: from page 1 She is a strong believer in Common Core and an advocate for supporting teachers and increasing their wages. Clinton has a desire to fight for immigrants to gain equal citizenship and have a fair life in the United States. She is a supporter of immigration reform and has a strong stance on protecting and expanding health care for immigrant families. Clinton strongly supports gun control and believes that cracking down on gun stores and ensuring weapons are off the streets will prevent gun violence. She wants to improve the system so that there are no loopholes for mentally ill people to possess a gun or weapon. Clinton strongly favors abortion rights and a woman’s right to choose. Clinton also supports the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Clinton is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage, after changing her previous position on the issue. Clinton also believes in stricter sentencing for hate crimes. Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders is a U.S. senator and Democratic candidate in the 2016 race. He is very liberal when it comes to economic and domestic issues and has strong views on increasing the minimum wage and legalizing marijuana. Sanders believes in a high quality and affordable education for everyone and does not support any voucher system to support private schools. Sanders hopes to strive for all public colleges and universities to be eventually tuition-free and that loan interest rates to be dramatically reduced. He has never fully endorsed nor opposed Common Core standards. Sanders strongly supports the immigration reform and strives for legal status and possibly citizenship for undocumented immigrants. He is a supporter of securing the border. Sanders supports gun control as long as background checks and circumstances are secure and safe. He has voted in favor of the nation wide ban on assault weapons and believes that little harm will be caused as long as situations are secure and there is no loophole available to illegal sellers. Sanders is a strong supporter of abortion rights. He is also an advocate for funding Planned Parenthood and accessing contraceptives. Sanders is a strong believer in women having the right to choose no matter their financial situation. Sanders is also a believer in equal rights for gay people and a supporter of same sex marriage. Donald Trump Donald Trump is a reality TV star and the CEO of Trump Organization LLC, which develops luxury real estate. He has been doing very well in the polls and is the front-runner in the Republican Party. Trump opposes the Common Core standards. He believes the government should not run schools and supports the voucher system to support private schools. Trump finds education to be an important matter to be addressed and a large issue in the country. Trump strongly opposes the immigration reform and has controversial opinions on the matter. He believes there should be ex-
treme security at the border even for legal immigration. Trump has called for mass deportations for the millions of undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S. Trump strongly favors gun rights and believes in the absolute right to gun ownership. He wishes to improve the background system on guns and weapons and supports concealed carry with a permit in all 50 states. Trump opposes abortion rights. He wishes to ban partial-birth abortion. He has said the Affordable Care Act must be repealed. Trump strongly opposes gay marriage though he calls it a dead issue. Although many of us at CVHS are not old enough to vote, it is still important to be aware of who is running for president. “Paying attention to what happens in this election isn't limited to what is just going to happen in the next year,” said government teacher Carmelina Frasca. “Students should be involved and knowledgeable.”
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Neo Diesta / Graphic Artist