Should guns be this easy to buy? Page 2: In support of background checks
Volume 59, Issue 6
“Planet Earth is blue” about Bowie
Taylor Lim makes it big in Big Apple Page 5: Junior dances her way to the top
February 11, 2016
Page 6: Saying goodbye to a timeless artist
We are born to seek the truth! www.cvhsolympian.com
Fifteen students suspended after massive fight By Anastasia Le Staff Writer
Gavin Halloran / Staff Writer
Obama takes aim at illegal gun sales By Jessica Mi Opinion Editor
Newton, Connecticut. Charleston, South Carolina. Colorado Springs, Colorado. San Bernardino, California. These seemingly random places are connected by tragic event: mass shootings. According to the University of Alabama Department of Criminal Justice, 31 percent of the world’s mass shootings occur in the U.S., compared to the five percent of the world population that our country accounts for. Shootingtracker.com defined a mass shooting as, “incidents where four or more victims are shot,” and the website documented more mass shootings in 2015 than days of the year. This means that on average, one or more mass shootings occurred each day, somewhere in the US. These events have evoked a profound reaction in the emotions of the public, but Congress has done very little to tighten gun control laws in the US in light of
these events. President Barack Obama announced a new executive order on Jan. 5, 2016 concerning gun laws. In a public announcement, Obama shed tears as he called for tighter background check requirements and effectiveness as well as education and enforcement of gun control laws at a state level. Many politicians, mostly Republicans, opposed Obama’s proposals, claiming that they would infringe upon the Second Amendment. Obama insisted that his actions are “not a plot to take away everybody's guns." Obama also believes, “that we can find ways to reduce gun violence consistent with the Second Amendment." Students at CVHS have many differing perspectives and experiences surrounding this issue. Junior John Anthony uses guns recreationally and said, “The recreational use of guns is perfectly fine, but there should be limits on who can access guns.” On the other side of the spec-
trum, senior Jackson Bores is not a gun user and stated, “It’s way too easy to buy a gun in America. In addition to stronger background and psychological tests, mandatory classes on gun usage, storage, and other overall safety procedures need to be implemented.” Despite the implementation of new background checks, weapons could still be obtained illegally through places such as the black market. The accessibility of weapons is not limited to legal markets. However, 80 percent of the weapons all mass shooters from 1982-2012 possessed were obtained by legal means, a statistic that will undoubtedly continue and cause more fatalities unless something is done to limit the accessibility of firearms. Obama’s proposal support from the Democratic Party and opposition from the Republican Party. The fate of gun control, andof the nation, lies with the 2016 presidency.
an increase of about $300 per student. Brown’s state budget also proposes more spending for health care, transportation, and state infrastructure. “This budget, relative to the budgets of the last decade and a half, is in good shape,” said Brown at the state Capitol. Although this increase is a beginning in improving student education, it may not be enough. According to Assemblyman Bill Quirk, California is not spending enough on K-14 education even with Brown’s proposal. “We are not spending the
money we should on universities and even on K-14, where things have gone up,” said Quirk in an exclusive Olympian interview. “Anyone who says we have a surplus is misreading the numbers.” The budget’s goal is to improve education from preschool to college. Whether or not this budget will make a large difference, it is an improvement that may lead to further increases. The budget plan for school spending is not the only topic concerning the state on education.
A large fight broke out in front of the library on Jan. 21. Fifteen students were suspended for their actions in the after-school scuffle that caused two serious injuries and many minor ones. According to school officials, many of the students involved were of Korean, Chinese, or Filipino descent, and some were English language learners. All students physically involved were boys. Both CVHS video cameras and students’ phone videos helped the administration to determine what happened and identify the students involved. “Several threads” of conflict were present before the fight, and the fight was most likely set off when a girl involved with a member of one group felt “disrespected” by the other group. “Both sides felt victimized. Both sides had multiple opportunities to disengage,” said Assistant Principal Jesse Hansen. Onlookers captured the event on video using their cell phones. The fight happened right after school let out, and many students were still on campus to see the conflict, prompting the news of the event to spread like wildfire throughout social
media. The videos show that the fighting began outside of the gates by the library. The initial conflict began in a condensed group before more boys got involved in the chaotic scene. Boys first few punches were thrown on the concrete steps, and as the participants got up, it seemed as if the fight was a quick dispute. One video moves down the steps to the brick wall as a small group tried to push one boy into the surrounding bushes. A car on Santa Maria Avenue came to a screeching halt when the fight spread onto the street. The fighting slowed to a stop as staff members showed up to control the situation. There were no arrests. Two boys were injured seriously enough for a CVHS nurse to encourage a hospital visit, and to the administration’s knowledge, one did. CVHS suspended 13 of the students for five days. One boy was suspended for one day, and another for two days, being considered less culpable because they were “pulled into the fray,” Hansen said. The suspensions took place during finals week, but the district decided to allow the
See FIGHT: page eight
Evaluating Governor Brown’s budget plan for California Public schools hope to gain more funding By Mia Babasyan Staff Writer
Governor Jerry Brown recently passed a proposal to increase education funding. Brown is hoping to spend $10,591 per student in 2016-17,
See BUDGET: page eight
Mia Babasyan/ Staff Writer
Jacob Schoenfeld interviews Senator Kevin De León.
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Gun control proposal could prevent major gun violence
Editorial: In 2015 alone, there were nearly 300 mass shootings in the United States. With so many people killed or injured throughout the year due to these shootings, it has raised extreme awareness on gun rights and gun possession. In response to the increase of mass shootings, President Barack Obama issued an executive order on additional restrictions for gun purchases. The executive action will expand the background check system to reduce guns from being in the hands of criminals. The improvements on background checks will allow for more effective ways to reduce the amount of assaults and shootings in the U.S.. Many people support the new gun control orders. Others do not. We at The Olympian believe that more background checks are a good first step to dealing with gun violence. As students who are well
Neo Diesta / Graphic Artist
informed about the dangers in lack of gun control, we believe that in order to ensure the safety of communities, we need to reduce the risk of guns being possessed by
people illegally. We believe that Obama’s executive order is a move in the right direction. Gun show loopholes and undocumented gun sale transactions are a very popular
way for guns to be purchased. Dealers at gun shows and private sales commonly sell weapons to people who may or may not be allowed to receive them. Obama wishes to close
the “gun show loophole,” and prevent unlicensed dealers to sell to felons, mentally ill people, and people convicted of domestic violence. The executive act does not confiscate guns or stop people from buying them legally, it only tightens the laws to prevent the wrong people from having them. That is why The Olympian supports Obama’s act. It is not hurting those who are strong believers in the Second Amendment, but it is a step towards fewer casualties in the nation. Some of us would even support additional measures on gun control. All of us at The Olympian agree that background checks would help, and not infringe on rights of law-abiding gun owners. We anticipate that it has the potential to stop major gun violence and advance to a safer environment for everyone.
Imperfections are part of life Seniors: it’s okay
By Meiling Zhang Feature Editor
We grow up in a society where success stories about prodigies, teen inventors, and amazing athletes are only a Google search and click away. Technology makes all these unrealistic but true stories about children skilled or gifted with a particular trait more accessible to the common teenager, and it’s hard not to feel the pressure when you start comparing your life to the ones in the stories. When the topic of graduat-
ing high school and going to college comes up, people never fail to bring up the fact that Mark Zuckerberg never graduated college, yet he is still one of the most successful men in the country. His story is unique and uncommon. Typically, people wouldn’t have the skill or the idea to create something as widely used as Facebook, or else we’d all be billionaires. T h e c o m m o n ro u t e a n American teenager takes is one that leads them towards college. What the people that talk about Zuckerberg forget is that he spent an entire year at Harvard University, one of the most popular and most prestigious universities in the nation. That shows that before, and after his college career, Zuckerberg had already been doing something impressive. The prospect of getting into college only seems to get dimmer as more stories about outstanding students become public. More often than not, we’re told to balance out our
academics with our extracurriculars, but we must have extracurriculars. They are supposed to be what set us apart from our peers, and schools would like to see wellrounded students who aren’t just good at studying. Just extracurriculars, however, are not enough to convince colleges of how great you are, because you need to show that you are excelling in school and challenging yourself with multiple advanced courses. For the majority, myself included, keeping your sanity as well as attempting to balance out every aspect of your life in that perfect way you imagined is just not a possible task. As my first semester of junior year ends, I’m letting myself know that it’s okay if my grades aren’t perfect, or if I don’t get to do all the activities that I would have liked, because whatever path my accomplishments lead me to is the one that I can handle and be happy with.
PHOTOpinions By Molly Koch
“My opinion is that they should have restrictions on guns because then they’re safer.” M a l i a F o rd , freshman
“I think it’s fair to have a background check as long as you’re not giving out guns to just anyone.” Johnny Chen, sophomore
to be afraid
By Caitlin Forbes City Editor
As we go into our second semester of senior year, the huge hill of high school seems to plateau. Finals are over, most college apps are submitted, and now seniors are left with the daunting task of waiting. As we wait for our final year to close, we must muster the strength to keep on going: do our homework, come to class on time (generally), and enjoy the familiar buzz of crowded hallways, and the feeling of being on top of the metaphorical food chain.
Before we know it, high school will be over for us, and we will have to move on. It may be scary, and I know that we have all had the shocking realization that we are almost adults, but just know that it’s okay to be afraid. We have spent four years at this school, we have developed a comfortable routine, know the good lunch spots, know how long it takes to get to school, and have made friends. In just four short months, this will all be taken away from us. Some of us are ready to spread our wings, and greet the next stage of our lives with open arms, however for those of us that are scared know that it will be okay. Change is exciting, and although it may be scary it is a necessity for all of us to grow as people and discover the right path. So as the curtain falls on our high school years, try to make the most of it. We have so many exciting things coming up this year, like Senior Ball and graduation. Focus more on embracing the change and a good experience with our fleeting time here.
What do you think about more background checks for gun sales? “I think that background checks are a step in the right direction towards gun safety.” Allison Palazzotto, junior
“I support Obama’s decision because it adds an extra layer of security to the society.” Ryan DeCarsky, senior
The Olympian February 11, 2016
3
Egyptian government, people slowly recovering from tumult
By Sarah Nosseir Staff Writer
The Egyptian government has been undergoing a torrent of change in the past four years. Most of the change has been in a positive direction, a step towards political stability. Egypt in 2016 has been much more safe and steady for the citizens. The number of terrorist attacks and riots has significantly dropped and the overall atmosphere of the country has been reduced from chaotic and dangerous to peaceful. I am 100 percent Egyptian, and I visit Egypt every summer to see the rest of my family. Even to an untrained eye when it comes to politics, there has been a visible change in not just the environment on the streets but also the demeanor of the people. The only people seen on the streets in
Photo Courtesy of Kareem Nosseir
An Egyptian soldier stands beside a tank with the Egyptian flag wrapped around its gun.
the months following November of 2012 were protestors starting riots and causing mayhem. Now, it is not uncommon to see citizens mingling. My grandparents used to be constantly worried every time I left the house. Now, they feel safe allowing me to hang out with friends on my own. In the past, the electricity would cut off for at least ten hours a day to save energy. Now, blackouts are a faint
memory. Revisiting the aforementioned November of 2012, I find it necessary to elaborate on what I’m mentioning. Prior to that month, things had been running what Egypt considers to be smooth. President Mohamed Morsi had just announced a declaration that essentially granted him unlimited powers, which was the last straw to once-peaceful protestors. They had realized that the situa-
tion had become a dictatorship. After a month of violent rioting, anti-Morsi protesters were finally appeased to some degree when Morsi annulled his decree. However, the battle was far from over. In July of 2013, the Egyptian Armed Forces released a statement announcing the end of Morsi’s presidency. The military took charge of this transitional government, claiming to hold elections on a later date. This, as
you can probably infer, did not happen. May of 2014 marked the beginning of Abdul Fatah alSisi’s reign as president, which has continued until now. Sisi was the former head of the Egyptian Armed Forces and the defense minister, but he resigned in order to have no militant affiliations to hold him back. Sisi is not a perfect leader, but he has managed to pass new investment and bankruptcy legislations, instilled new laws which effectively made violent demonstrations illegal, and made the country safer from terrorism. However, he has also granted the state the right to classify any citizen it dislikes as a militant and placed all public property under military control. There has been a steady erosion of the citizens’ personal freedom and individuality. Over the past five years, momentum has fluctuated back and forth between citizens who just want things to return to the way they were, and citizens who desperately want change. It is impossible to predict when or how the pendulum will swing next or what it will set into motion. The one thing that is guaranteed is that it will swing. Now the big question is does Egypt have to choose between political stability and freedom?
Black Lives Matter movement deserves and needs support
By Brittany Bracy Business Manager
Living in a country where black men make up only six percent of the U.S. population, yet account for 40 percent of the unarmed men shot to death by police in 2015, is frightening. Black Americans and many other minorities are still fighting for the rights and equality that they deserved hundreds of years ago. It is difficult to survive, let alone live in a country where the judicial, economic, and political system was built to break down and oppress people of color in a so-called justice system. Proclaiming that black lives matter is not anti-all lives matter, it’s just that the lives of black people are often overlooked. Statistics detailing police shootings, unlawful arrests, and stop and frisk searches done by law enforcement to blacks are often hidden in the shadows. Yet, when a fed up mother, sister, aunt, or uncle speaks out against the murder of an innocent, unarmed
Source: New York Times
black male who was shot and killed by a police officer (who is unlikely to be prosecuted) proclaims that “Black Lives Matter,” it is suddenly a prob-
“
To those who challenge Black Lives Matter with All Lives Matter, I must say that you are inhumane.
”
lem for the white community. The proclamation that “Black Lives Matter” would not be an issue if these senseless and horrifying experiences weren’t happening to your family, friends, or anyone of your skin complexion. Lately, people cry out that “All Lives Matter” in the midst of the struggle of the black community which is constantly targeted and oppressed through the legal system. To those who challenge Black Lives Matter with All Lives Matter, I must say that you are inhumane. It is understandable that it may be hard for non-blacks to empathize with the black community. I ask you to take a moment to remember that the black community is constantly suffering from the injustices and hardships that one must endure by simply being a black American.
The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2016
Editors-in-Chief.................................................................Anna Nguyen Laniah Lewis Copy Editor......................................................................Sally Liang City Editor..............................................................Caitlin Forbes News Editor..............................................................Jacob Schoenfeld 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 Manager........................................Brittany Bracy Staff Writers: Mia Babasyan, Nina Bessolo, Elizabeth Chan, Zach Deigert, Lauren Eisenman, Gavin Halloran, Stella Ho, Molly Koch,Anastasia Le, Sarah Nosseir, Fiona Richter, Diego Rodriguez-Peccorini, Emily Salazar Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson
Anna Nguyen / Editor-In-Chief
Minoko Tsujino (third from the left) poses with AP Japanese students.
Tsujino “J-LEAPs” to US class By Anna Nguyen
Stella Ho / Staff Writer
“There’s always something new to learn” By Stella Ho Staff Writer
It’s common knowledge that teachers are some of the most experienced adults you’ll ever encounter in your life. With the amount of information they’ve seen and heard, there’s a lot to learn from them. Teacher Anne Parris is the chair of the English department. She’s been teaching at CVHS for nearly 32 years. In that long time span, she’s been witness to a lot of changes at CVHS, and has directed some of those changes herself. “There are nearly twice as many students now as there were back when I started teaching,” Parris said. “We had about 1,300 kids. And there was only one gym; the auxiliary gym hadn’t been built yet. There was no science and math building, or the 900 Hall. There was even a smoking area at the back of the school for kids!” Parris describes what some of her past students have gone on to achieve. Many have become successful lawyers, writers, scientists, activists, and filmmakers. One of her former students was Rachel Maddow, a popular television host. Parris has also taught some students who have become teachers at CVHS themselves, including journalism/ history teacher Matt Johanson and English teacher Daren Wilkerson. As the advisor of a past CVHS club, the Amnesty Club, Parris helped lead her kids to raise money for a mobile school bus in India. It was for children there who had to work on trains and couldn’t
get off, but still wanted to learn. Parris cites that as one of her most memorable experiences in her whole career of teaching. She felt really proud of them. She also formed the Literature and Film class, an English class for seniors who wanted to gain a different perspective on literature through movies and film. When asked about her least favorite part of her job, Parris cited the large amount of meetings and the pressure of grading on time as the downfalls of teaching. But nonetheless, she never gets tired of teaching kids, and enjoys the challenges that come along with it. “I would get so bored if I had to work in an office job,” Parris said. “Here at school, I see so many new faces and it’s an exciting experience.” Many students admire Parris’ teaching methods, such as junior Julia Portillo. “I think she’s an amazing teacher. She uses a large amount of vocabulary, and I like how she’ll always give her own opinion on something but say, ‘This is what I think. You don’t have to agree with me and I don’t have to agree with you,’” Portillo said. “She’s not judgemental at all, and she’s very accepting.” Parris doesn’t get tired of teaching the same books or the same curriculum because she said that every year, she’d “put a new spin on things and emphasize on different areas.” She adds, “It’s like revisiting an old friend. There’s always something new to learn from it.”
Editor-In-Chief For most of us, our next class is right around the corner. For Japan native Minoko Tsujino, the next learning opportunity was over 5,000 miles away from home. Tsujino is a co-teacher working with the CVHS Japanese program under the lead of teacher Emi Crow. As part of the Japanese Language Education Assistant Program (J-LEAP), Tsujino has been in the United States for the past six months, and will continue to be in the classroom until June of 2017, when she will return to Japan. While she has only been here for the past few months so far, the experience has already been invaluable for her. “This is the first job for me, so I want to learn to be more of a teacher,” said Tsujino. “I want to learn English.” Tsujino had previously completed a graduate program at the Kyoto University of Foreign Language, and has a background in Japanese language education. Upon the completion of her schooling, Tsujino came across J-LEAP in an online search, and took advantage of the opportunity to come to
America and learn about the language, culture, and education system. “She saw a program about language teachers that inspired her,” said Crow. “It wasn't just from textbooks, but one where you got to interact with students.” J-LEAP is a program sponsored by both the Japanese and United States governments that aims to strengthen school Japanese language programs while also allowing co-teachers to hone their professional skills. The unique cultural and linguistic perspective brought by a native speaker creates a blended learning environment that students are able to thrive in. While Tsujino has enjoyed much of her stay, she finds the most joy in interacting with students on a daily basis. The more energetic, amicable American classroom heavily contrasts the Japanese classroom Tsujino was accustomed to, but she has come to look forward to being able speak with and learn from students. “Students here are talkable, more than Japanese students. I love to talk with the students who are taking Japanese,” she said.
Students, such as Eric Moyoung, a senior enrolled in AP Japanese, have noted the undeniably positive impact Tsujino has had on their learning experience. “She’s a very engaging addition to this year’s Japanese class. It’s beneficial to be able to talk to an actual native speaker,” he said. New Japanese speakers find comfort in the authenticity that Tsujino has brought to their classes. “She has really helped us grow as Japanese speakers by giving us a deep insight on the Japanese culture and language,” said freshman Juno Hwang, a Japanese 1 student. Crow further explained the benefits of having a native speaker in class. “Listening to a language is really helpful,” she said. ”It helps us to only speak in the target language in class. I think that helps everyone learn the language a little better.” Tsujino will continue to be a key asset to the language department over the next few years. She has high hopes for her remaining time at CVHS. “I want to spread Japanese culture to the high school,” she said.
“Our club is basically a beautiful society, a community of writers who can all be creative together,” said treasurer Zoie Sanders. In Writing Club, there is a weekly prompt which members write about and share during club meetings, but it’s not just that. The writers also discuss writing contests and publishing opportunities, and they host writing workshops together with renowned local authors such as Amy Franklin-Willis. “I’ve been coming here since freshman year. Writing Club is a really cool place because it gives us a chance to focus on our writing. With so much else going on in our lives, it’s often
hard to just write, but this club lets us do that,” said junior Haley Booth. There’s a positive, encouraging atmosphere, so students really enjoy reading their writing to the rest of the club. “I think it’s a lot of laughs and fun because it’s a comfortable, safe place for kids to get creative without being judged,” commented Johansson. The club is always open to new members or anyone who wants to write. After school writing workshops are also available to all CVHS students. The next one is on Feb. 23. “Come out and get your creative juices flowing,” said junior Sophia Sanzo-Davis.
CVHS club is always the “write” choice By Fiona Richter
Staff Writer When you eat your lunch on Wednesdays, you might go sit in the cafeteria or the quad with your friends. Some among us, however, escape to fantastical worlds of magic and alternate realities. These people are writers, and they meet in room 501 every week for Writing Club. The CVHS Writing Club was started five years ago by a freshman with a vision, Laila Birznieks, who graduated in 2015. She wanted students to be able to go to a place where everyone shared the same passion for writing, so she founded a club with advisor Tina Johansson.
The Olympian February 11, 2015
5
Taylor Lim dances her way to the Big Apple By Halley Lin-Jones Photo Editor
Less than a year ago, Taylor Lim was a sophomore student walking through the halls of CVHS by day, and taking ballet classes by night. Now, Lim lives in an apartment in New York City and studies at Ellison Ballet, a prestigious ballet school that teaches a Russianbased ballet curriculum. After attending the summer program at Ellison Ballet for three consecutive summers, Lim was offered a place in the school’s year-round program, which had already produced numerous professional dancers in its 12 years of operation. Although making the decision to stay for the year-round program was huge, Lim said that she knew right away that it was the best decision for her. “For some reason it just felt right. Everything sort of clicked, and the barriers that were keeping me from considering training in the year-round pre-professional program fell away. My parents were surprised and happy,” she said. Lim’s new life in the Big Apple is jam-packed with ballet and conditioning classes during the week from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., or sometimes extending even later when she has rehearsals for upcoming performances. Although Lim had never before experienced such an intense dance schedule during the school year, she is currently thriving in the rigorous dance environment at
Taylor Lim displays her beautful rabesque during a ballet class. Ellison Ballet. The schedule allows her to give more attention than ever to her ballet technique. “It’s a very hard-working environment. Everyone is giving 110 percent in class and trying to get everything that our teachers tell us. It’s very detail-oriented but also focused on the feeling and
spirit that ballet should show,” said Lim. The program at Ellison Ballet is designed to prepare dancers for careers with major ballet companies. The school puts on annual performances in December and May. Lim found herself in a chal-
President “JYin” takes the win By Esther Smith Staff Writer
Many people know Jessica Yin, ASB president, as the campus hero for bringing food trucks to school. Although the entire process wasn’t easy, Yin stated in an interview, “Due to the overwhelmingly positive response from students, I knew that this was something that I definitely wanted to bring to campus.” Yin has been a part of our school’s leadership program for all four years of her high school career, and during her time accomplished a successful Renaissance program for honors students last year and plans to bring it back this year. When asked about her most successful accomplishment, she stated that she was incredibly proud of being able to incorporate middle school leadership shadowing days, where middle schoolers would shadow leadership students at CVHS. As Yin ecstatically exclaimed, “There is a wide gap between the middle school and high school leadership experience, and I have been hoping to bridge that gap, or at least prepare some of the incoming freshmen for what high school will be like. I think it's important for us to make the incoming freshmen feel welcome at CVHS and help them make a smooth transition to high school. These shadowing days also inspire middle school leadership students to run for office for high school, and the more involved they are, the better the high school experience they will have!” Yin plans to attend Carnegie Mellon University under the Department of Mechanical Engineering. There she hopes to major
Halley Lin-Jones / Photo Editor
lenging situation when a dancer stepped out of the performance because of an injury. Lim stepped in and performed the soloist role in their performance of the “Waltz of the Flowers,” the most famous section from the classic ballet, The Nutcracker. Performing in high-pressure
Part-time jobs pay off for students By Gavin Halloran Staff Writer
in mechanical engineering with a focus in product design and development, as well as a minor in entrepreneurship. “It really is very important to me that I believe in what I'm doing and that I love doing it,” said Yin. “Following my passions and truly loving what I do is something that I have always tried to live by, and I am really excited to be going somewhere with the exact same philosophy.” When asked about her leadership inspiration, she thanked her leadership class for not only encouraging but providing her with opportunities for leadership development. She also thanked former activities director Nick Whitaker, as she reminisced, “Without his work to make lead-
Anna Nguyen / Editor-In-Chief
ership the family it has been and is today, I would never have had the confidence in myself to even dream of what I have and will accomplish.” Michael Kentris, CVHS’s leadership advisor, has only positive things to say about Yin. “She’s an amazing ASB president, she’s done so much for our school. It’s incredible really,” he said. In return Yin stated her year as ASB president wouldn’t have been half as successful without the help of Kentris and his open-mindedness and hard work. “I really owe a lot to him for trusting me to lead the class and pursue projects like food trucks and middle school leadership class shadowing days,” she said.
situations like this is what completes a pre-professional dancer’s training, and rather than shying away, Lim decided to get the most out of it and demonstrate her commitment to ballet. On top of Lim’s overwhelming dance schedule, she also has to make time for her online schoolwork and her daily meal preparation. In particular, Lim finds it difficult to maintain her commitment to excellence in school while balancing her busy schedule. “I miss learning traditionally from a teacher in a classroom, seeing my friends, and being able to discuss things with my peers. I feel like I don’t learn as much or it doesn’t stick as effectively in online school as it did at CVHS,” said Lim. Ann Fisher, Lim’s first dance teacher and founding director of the Conservatory of Classical Ballet, recognized Lim’s amazing potential for ballet early on. “Taylor had just turned four years old, when she came to her first pre-ballet class. She had remarkable physical and mental ability. I knew in that 45-minute class that she had the potential to become a ballerina,” Fisher said. Looking forward, Lim is not entirely sure if she will attend college immediately after high school, or focus solely on starting her dance career. “I really want to continue going to Ellison Ballet next year. I know that I eventually want to dance professionally for sure. I guess I’ll just keep training and see where it takes me,” said Lim.
As we progress through the school year, toil with homework, practice sports, recite music, and study for tests, one also must consider the part time jobs in a student's life. Unfortunately, students are not necessarily gaining real-world skills burying their heads in books and wondering about the next test coming up. In part-time jobs, students will gain skills, techniques and a new etiquette of life in the real, working world. Part-time jobs will also create challenges and benefits from working through the school year. “When I first started working I used to be so shy, I would barely speak but now I’m fine with talking to strangers,” said Al’s Market clerk Jordan Frye, a junior at CVHS. As one can imagine with a job, students will be getting paid a wage. With this new found income students will be able to pay for what they choose at will. Students will now have a new independence from their parents and will be capable of budgeting themselves. “I used to ask my parents all the time for money, now I find myself buying things for my parents,” said Frye. With the benefits of part time jobs, students must also consider that their work will take time out from their school work.
From the time someone clocks in and out during a weekday, they will have already lost precious time to study, be with family, and do school work. Time management therefore is crucial in keeping up on school work and personal schedules. While a job is a major benefit, teens must understand
“...now I find
myself buying things for my parents Jordan Frye
”
Junior that at this age, a job should not dictate their scholastic and personal lives or have any factor on their grades. “My job does take time out of my schedule but above all I make sure family and homework are prioritized,” added junior baker Elliot Breitinger. Whether students are saving their money for a car, or the next dinner out with friends they will have the pride of knowing that they earned it. Jobs will have a full time effect on any student's life.
Farewell to David Bowie
Jeremy Collins / Author
Jeremy Collins, drew Yosemite’s Half Dome and much more in his book.
You’ll be “Drawn” into the experience Emily Salazar / Staff Writer
By Elizabeth Chan
Staff Writer When most think of the trends and icons of the 70s and 80s, they think of mullets, upbeat music, and David Bowie. On Jan. 10, the world lost this legendary musician to an 18-month battle with liver cancer. Bowie gained popularity in 1969, when he adopted a fantasy-like sci-fi character named “Ziggy,” during his release of Ziggy Stardust. It was at this time that the lightning bolt that was frequently drawn on the side of Bowie’s cheek, and his flaming orange hair became iconic. Later Bowie starred in The Man Who Fell To Earth in 1976, portraying an alien. These are just a few of the accomplishments that Bowie achieved throughout his lifetime. “David’s death came as a complete surprise, as did nearly everything else about him. I feel a huge gap now,” said Brian Eno, a close friend
to Bowie. Bowie chose to keep his condition a secret, even to his closest friends. Bowie battled liver cancer fiercely for 18 months, even working and writing the script for his off broadway musical Lazarus, until his death. Bowie was married to model Iman, and has a son named Duncan. “Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory,” Iman wrote. The English singer, performer, and artist gave the world a lasting impression after selling over 140 million albums and having influenced various other artists. “David Bowie was one of my most important inspirations, so fearless, so creative, he gave us magic for a lifetime,” wrote Kanye West on twitter. Bowie will be remembered, missed, and will most of all remain an icon for artists now and in the future.
By Neo Diesta Graphic Artist
Have you ever wanted to do something unique, different, captivating, and fun? Do you have a passion about something and want to step it up? Jeremy Collins was able to experience these feelings as he recorded and drew all his experiences traveling across the world in his new book Drawn: The Art of Ascent. Despite being told his adventures would end after marriage, kids, and 32 years of age, Collins had an idea: “to go in the four cardinal directions from home -- West, East, South, North -- to climb something spectacular and fill my sketchbooks...I wanted to climb routes that no one had before and truly see what I could do.”
At first it was just an idea, but Collins would not ignore it and made it become reality. “No matter how wretched and pointless, our ideas are the most true things about us,” Collins wrote. “This idea was to go places, see things, and climb things while making art.” His journey started in the West, scaling Middle Cathedral Rock in Yosemite National Park, California. Next, he traveled east to Xinjiang, China where it is rumored that up north in the Keketuohai Valley, there are hundreds of unclimbed peaks. Then he headed south to Venezuela, where he decided to climb up the Acopan Tepui, but the climb was halted due to one of the climbers with Collins getting injured. Collins then headed north to Canada to climb the Phoenix Wall. Collins finally returned to Venezuela, where he was determined to finally climb his last summit. Throughout the book, Collins brings the reader along with his words and drawings. He wrote the book in a very special and interesting way. He includes his
own handwriting and sketches along with the text to make the book look like his personal journal. He describes, writes, and draws about his thoughts throughout every second of his climbing experience. He captivates the reader, making it feel as if you were with him every step of the way. Lastly, this book is inspiring and heart warming. Imagine a 32-year-old man traveling the entire world. He left his wife and child, faced the dangers that all mountain climbers typically face, traveled the unknown, and followed a different path. He even traveled while bearing the burden of the news of the death of his friend Copp before his journey around the world. Copp was the first person to hear of his dream. Collins even decided to bring Copp’s ashes and distribute them to every summit he reached. This book is definitely a book you should sit down, relax, and open, in order to immerse yourself into the world of Collins’ mountain-high adventure.
Although memory loss seems like an easy plot device, Lockhart uses this and recreates it to be an antagonistic characteristic of the leading character. Interesting, right? At first, We Were Liars looks like a book about rich teens and their summer romances. However, the biggest eye-catching part of the book was its reviewers: Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Booklist, School Library Journal, Goodreads, and The New York Times. It was popular between teens and adults, and it took teenager lies to a whole new, sinister level. Cadence Sinclair Eastman, our leading lady in We Were Liars, is introduced as a physically weak and incredibly rich teenager with extreme amnesia. Something terrible happened on their private island, and throughout the book she is pretty determined to find
out what happened and why she can’t remember things. As she tries to remember, the readers follow along with her and the other liars: her two cousins Johnny and Mirren, and an outsider named Gat Patil. Gat and Cadence hit it off with a romantic summer fling, but it isn’t perfect. Their romance is filled with mystery, and their encounters will keep you turning pages. Other than the sappy romance, Cadence tells us repeating fairytales about a king and his three daughters. Along those fairytales, we are filled with suspense to figure out what is wrong with the perfect Sinclair family. And in the end, silence and greed answer all the questions. The brilliance in We Were Liars is that Lockhart will make you remember the horrific story that Cadence always forgets.
What are all the lies about? By Lauren Eisenman Staff Writer
Drama, aristocracy, romance, and twisted fairytales. You are lying if you say that We Were Liars by E. Lockhart isn't awesome. With winter break coming up, I wanted to catch up on my reading. I didn't really have anything I wanted to read, so I headed over to the library and looked up the most checked out book: We Were Liars. As I read it on my flight to the Philippines, I discovered it was a modern novel filled with sophistication, suspense, and the famous memory loss cliché.
Trojans keep winning, pushing towards postseason
By Emily Salazar Staff Writer
The girls varsity basketball team this year has led the season with an impressive 22-2 record and is sometimes even referred to as “Castro Valley High’s own Warriors.” The question everyone wants answered is “How?” and “Why?” Is it coaching? Is it a star player? Is it pure raw talent? The Olympian got a chance to chat with the much-talked about team’s coach and players to ask them these questions. Though many different teams credit their success to the coaches or one power player’s abilities, the Trojans think differently. “This team has good chemistry,” head coach Jim Lemmon explained. “I mean, talent helps but it’s really these girls. They have great work ethic, good understanding of the game, but the underwire thing is working really hard.” Players expressed their opinion on the reason behind their success. “Because we have a very deep team, there’s no dropoff level of play,” stated player Trinity Copeland. “We play really well together,
we have good team chemistry, we’re well rounded,” said player Giana Wright. Well-rounded is an understatement of how well these group of girls play. Not only do they possess a killer defense, but all of the members of this team are well-equipped athletically. They’re able to run throughout the whole game, there is not one girl that is left behind on their sprint to victory. As opposed to other years and other teams in the league, the Trojans’ girls varsity basketball team are able to tire out their opponent if needed with enough energy still left over for a victory lap. In the past 11 years, head coach Lemmon has “never had success this deep in the season.” Bailey Jones, a.k.a. “Beyonce” to her teammates, gave more insight on why the team is successful, “Because this year we work together better, this year we’re still a team. We have only a couple new players but we’re all still together,” she said. The girls varsity team have only received five new players since last year and so most of the team continues on from last years’ roster. Jack Kennedy, assistant coach to the girls team commented on
Coach Jim Lemmon goes over the game plan with the team. his newfound experience with the team, “It’s an extremely good team, they work hard, they’re very polite, nice girls. It’s my first year here coaching and I feel so
welcome, I’m having a great time!” When asked if Lemmon will continue this miraculous streak next year he remarks, “I hope so.” It is a given that Trojan fans
will continue to watch the girls varsity basketball team with their eyes open and on the edge of their seats, waiting, for another victory to inevitably occur.
Girls soccer team honors seniors in winning season
By Lauren Eisenman Staff Writer
To the CVHS girls varsity soccer team, soccer is more than just a game. On Jan. 29, fans witnessed the team express their favorite sport with passion and integrity. Although it ended with a tie and the team wasn’t able to reach the top, the endless support from the crowd was still seen after the final whistle. When asked about how soccer became a part of her life, senior Pagan Hetherington answered,
“My dad introduced me to it as a little girl and since then I love it; it’s my passion. Even though it takes up my life, I don’t know what I’d do without it and the experiences it gave me.” On the team, there are six seniors: Anna Agron, Hetherington, Jessica Ko, Emma Barrow, Brianna Wummer, and Victoria Kiani. To the senior girls, soccer was their life. Many seniors were introduced to the game when they were young, and since then they’ve been playing with determination
to become the best. Throughout their years on the team, the seniors grew up making long-lasting friendships and learning from their upperclassmen. Being seniors, they also learned how to be a mentor and keep the team together in tough situations. “I’m just glad I was able to experience it,” said Ko. Even though the seniors are sad to leave the team, their experiences and memories will be something that won’t be forgotten. Before the big game, the night
began with recognition of both teams’ senior soccer players. To introduce the CVHS senior soccer players, the rookies of the soccer team and the U11 Castro Valley Club team formed a tunnel for the seniors and their escorts to run through. After each senior reached the end of the tunnel, they had a chance in the spotlight. Small speeches were given, and each were presented with a signed photograph and a candy lei. On the bleachers stood the supporters of the Castro Valley varsity
team, cheering with a great amount of posters, and endless love. Before the match, the National Anthem was beautifully sung by Wummer. The game began at 6 p.m. CVHS’ varsity team started the match with a kick off. Although both the Yellow Jackets and Trojans played a tough, physical game, neither could score. The game ended with a 0-0 tie. After their last home game of the regular season, the Trojans had 11 wins, three losses and one tie.
S u p e r S a v v y S p o r t s C a rd s
Diego Rodriguez-Peccorini / Staff Writer
Payton Stanberry
Payton Stanberry just happens to be one of the Trojans’ most astonishing basketball players. She has multiple accomplishments in her sports career, one of which being when she scored 30 points in one of her Catholic Youth Organization games. She claims that her most memorable highlight is when her Amateur Athletic Union team went to Las Vegas for a basketball tournament and won first place two years in a row. “The thing that I enjoy the most about playing basketball, is that I get to do it with my friends,” Stanberry said. “They bring out the good side in me.”
Aaqil Ansar Aaqil Ansar is both a football player and a runner on the track team. He’s scored a total of four touchdowns in a single game, and even won the frosh/soph championship for triple jump as a freshman. “What I love about the sports I play is the opportunities to build an extended family with your coaches and teammates,” Ansar said. “You build this trust and bond with them that is unbreakable.” Ansar also recalls one of his greatest highlights where he received the handoff and was met at the line of scrimmage by four members of the defense, but ended up shaking all four of them off before running into the end zone.
Brooke Spring Brooke Spring is a great athlete who has participated in both the junior varsity soccer and swimming teams. She also carries several accomplishments under her belt, like her fastest 100 yard breaststroke which was around 1 minute, 14 seconds. Spring says that her favorite thing about the sports that she plays is the fact that she gets to get a workout in without realizing it because she’s having so much fun. “I also love the people that make up the soccer and swim team. Mostly all of the swimmers are very good friends with each other and are very close and supportive,” commented Spring.
Brian Tognolini
Brian Tognolini is another one of the Trojans’ outstanding athletes on our football team. In the past, the quarterback threw an astonishing four touchdown passes and 156 passing yards in a blowout win game versus Kennedy. One of his most memorable highlights was a home game against Tennyson where he threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to a player, with 15 seconds left and made the comeback. It’s no doubt that sports are one of his passions. “What I most enjoy about sports is competing and representing my school,” Tognolini said. “The friendships that come from sports are unbreakable.”
The Olympian February 11, 2016
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Olympian Man: kid, student and hero
Martin Baez / Sports Editor
DECA students prepare to compete against other local schools.
DECA gets down to business at NorCal By Martin Baez Sports Editor
The Castro Valley DECA club recently had a competition in San Ramon and took along 60 participants to compete against schools from around the Bay Area. There were easily 300 kids at the San Ramon Marriott hotel, where the convention was held. As soon as you walked into the building, you felt the competition in the air. Every student was on their own as they tried to out do the opposing contestants. They wanted to get the special stage walk for doing an outstanding job on either their test, role play, or written report. “When you hear your name get called, it’s a feeling like no other, all your hard work and days without sleep paid off and knowing you did something good enough to impress the judges makes you feel better about your work,” said senior Brandon Aranzamendez who took eighth place in his category. Day one started and before the Castro Valley DECA club could even get their rooms, they had to take their test based on the section they took. The top test scorers from Castro Valley were
FIGHT: from page one
students to make up their finals. School officials encourage students with disputes to seek the school’s support in resolving them before they reach such a violent outbreak.
Stephen Bray and Connor Piper, both in the top ten from all the schools based on their section. The day after the students got to do their role plays, where they present their new business ideas to the judge. After the completion of the role play, the presentations came. Students had to present their business plans of up to 30 pages long to judges. That period of time was really agitating because the students presented days worth of endless work in 15 quick minutes. A handful of Castro Valley participants got into the top eight for their perspective section but only one group placed top three, consisting of Corissa Yee, Kyle Owyoung, and Brianna Wong. With all the competition, excitement, and hunger left in the Castro Valley participants, they look forward to the state competition in San Diego where the competition will be better, stronger, and harder as they look to place top three in order to qualify for Nationals in Tennessee. Castro Valley DECA has a strong and positive attitude going into the state event and looks forward to the competition because “It’s nothing personal, just business.”
“My message would be that this is a school. Students have to accept that some roles they hold dear – saving face, standing up for friends physically – those things can’t come into the school arena,” said Hansen.
Neo Diesta / Graphic Artist
BUDGET: from page one
The teacher shortage is an issue impacting many schools in California and is affecting education in a different way. There is an extremely high demand for teachers in California because they are paid less than many other professions that require training and expertise. The lack of teachers available has become quite a challenge for California.
“It is not just hiring teachers, but training them to stay long term,” said Senator Kevin de León at a conference in the state Capitol. “We want them to create a hospitable classroom.” These issues concerning education in California question how much of an affect Brown’s proposal will have. The government may not be spending enough on education, however the issue is recognized.
The budget will not produce a huge impact for students at the moment, however it is a move towards a greater focus on student spending. It is a step towards strengthening education for students of all ages in California and will hopefully lead to a major improvement in the near future. The Legislation will consider Brown’s proposal and should pass a budget by June 30.