Understand eating disorders Page 3: “I just decided that I wanted to be happy”
Volume 59, Issue 5
Trojans sink the Pirates!
Glimpse inside the life of Dr. Perri Page 5: Italian researcher becomes U.S. teacher
January 22, 2016
Graduates make good
We are born to seek the truth! www.cvhsolympian.com
Get ready for the new SAT By Fiona Richter Staff Writer
Maia Samboy/ News editor
Read Arthur Renowitzy and Eugene Yoon’s inspiring story of friendship and overcoming obstacles on page four.
Page 7: Boys basketball team wins close game
In high school movies, the SAT is the bane of every student’s existence. The vocabulary words and the difficulty of the math problems may not be as horrible as often portrayed, but the big exam still incites fear in many high schoolers. But that is all set to change. The SAT as we know it will be retired after the Jan. 23 test, and will be replaced with a brand new reformed version. The new SAT will be graded on a 1600-point scale, won’t require the knowledge of “SAT words,” and will no longer deduct points for wrong answers. The current SAT is not an exam anyone looks forward to taking, and students are glad that changes are being made to its format. “I would like to see questions related more to our curriculum, and instead of having to memorize thousands of words, maybe questions where you have
to figure out the meaning of a word just based on context,” said junior Mehak Grewal. Junior Leah Procita also thinks that the English section should change. “I’m glad the essay will be optional now, and I hope that it will be less about how fast you can scan an article and memorize vocabulary, and more about actually testing your reading comprehension,” she said. However, some things about the test will stay the same, to the dismay of students. “I wish they would make the test less expensive,” said junior Emujin Unenbat, “so that everyone can get an equal opportunity. For people with a low household income, taking the test just once may not be easy financially, and retaking the test to improve their scores could be impossible.” The SAT costs $54.50, and that price will not change anytime soon. Counselor Jamie Wilson wants students to know that many free resources will be available to help
prepare them for the test. “I hope that students will take advantage of the SAT preparation resources that are offered. For example, Khan Academy offers free SAT practice available at satpractice.org,” said Wilson. “There is also a ‘Daily Practice for the New SAT’ mobile app, available for iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) and Android devices (phones and tablets).” According to the College Board, the new SAT will relate more to what is taught in American classrooms and will correspond with Common Core standards. However, there are seven states that are not adopting Common Core. How well will students from those states do on the new SAT? Wilson, for one, is optimistic about the changes: “I have a lot of faith in the students of CVHS. The important thing is for students to try their best, use the resources available to them, and remember that colleges are interested in more than just grades and test scores.”
Teachers raise their hopes with new three percent raise By Emily Salazar Staff Writer
The fight for a raise in teacher salaries has finally been successful, and will become effective in the district. There will be a three percent wage increase, which is half of the six percent raise that the teachers wanted. The $1.8 million increase will be spread among teachers in the whole district, but is it really enough to compensate for how our economy is constantly
changing? Many teachers expressed their initial ideas on the three percent raise. “While I am delighted to have a pay raise, our current raise does not match the cost of living increases in the Bay Area,” said English teacher Jennifer Clyde. “I am happy that our bargaining team worked so hard to get this raise,” said history teacher Mark Mladinich said. “I was satisfied that they did everything in their power to get this raise. Of course it
would be nice to have higher than a three percent raise.” Teachers voted in November and school board members agreed in January to approve the new salary rates. “We feel that the three percent raise is not enough to keep up with the costs of living in the Bay Area, and more importantly, it is not enough to keep our district competitive with other districts,” history teacher Roger Kim bluntly stated.
New zero periods dawn on students By Jacob Schoenfeld Staff Writer
New this year at CVHS, freshmen and sophomores are offered the option of zero period academic classes, such as Modern World History for sophomores, or Integrated Math 1. This allows underclassmen with specific schedules like those with band, orchestra, and choir to still take all of their required classes, without dropping their performing arts or other electives. “I’m kind of tired during the class, but honestly, it’s not that bad,” said sophomore Madison Stewart, taking zero period Modern World History taught
by Kathleen Cassidy. “I can still learn, even if it’s early.” The new academic classes offered for zero period to the underclassmen are Geometry, Modern World History, Integrated Math 1, Sophomore English, and Freshman English. “Now we’re opening up a little bit more in terms of what can we take. Instead of just zero period P. E., we can now take ninth grade English and Modern World History, just to open up more flexibility in terms of what students can take, so they’re not sacrificing,” said Assistant Principal Sharon Baltazar. While this seems to be a great opportunity for underclassmen
to take more classes, zero period academic classes could have some issues with the students and teachers. “Do I think they aren’t benefitting fully because of the early time? Absolutely,” said Cassidy. “Though none of them are struggling, they just aren’t doing as well as they would be if it were later in the day.” Cassidy also took issue with the organizational aspect of teaching a zero period.“I would have to plan different class schedules for my zero period and my other classes, because zero period doesn’t have block
See ZERO: page eight
The previous lowest salary for a teacher in the CVUSD was $47,970. With the new three percent it will come up to $49,409, an increase of $1,439.11. The highest salary previously offered (for those with 27 years of service) was $95,084. With the increase, that will rise by $2,852 to $97,937.40. Many teachers worry that the raise will not cover the rise of their living costs. “This raise will just barely cover the combined cost of
recent increases in my rent and Kaiser premium,” Clyde said. “Our district does not even fully cover benefits for one person on the cheapest health plan while San Ramon will cover your entire family,” Kim remarks. “I pay over $200 a month on top of what the district covers just for health insurance for myself. A Castro Valley teacher that needs to cover a whole family with health benefits will have to pay thousands of dollars extra a month to do so.”
Dancing in a Winter Wonderland
Esther Smith/ Staff Writer
Students dance the night away at the Winter Ball.
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History classes v. historical accuracy
ization that built our country and continues to affect groups of people today. Recently in a few states there have been motions to remove the entire concept of slavery, which is astonishing. Not only is it interesting to me that someone would want to
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Neo Diesta / Graphic Artist
Islamophobic bigotry is intolerable
Editorial: Castro Valley is a town that is landmarked by the Three Crosses Church, known by both locals and passersby. Although this iconic display shows the prevalence of Christianity in Castro Valley, this town is also home to people of all other faiths including Islam. We at The Olympian always welcome people of any faith to Castro Valley, and hope to make them feel welcome. In the wake of the Paris attacks, in which left about 130 people dead, and over 100 injured, along with the San Bernardino shooting that left 14 people dead and about 20 injured, Islamophobia or antiMuslim prejudice has become a widespread topic. Presidential candidate Donald Trump said about Muslims, "They're not coming to this country if I'm president. And if Obama has brought some to this country they are leaving, they're going, they're gone." Trump’s comments were fol-
lowed by increased support from Republicans, but we at The Olympian find this bigotry intolerable. Not all of the Muslims in the U.S are part of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). In fact, extremists are only a small faction of the Muslim population. Those who say or believe otherwise are not using logical or sound thinking, but speaking and acting out of fear. Although in Castro Valley we may believe that Islamophobia is not a big problem, anti- Muslim prejudice has surfaced in our town. For example, local resident Denise Slader apparently verbally and physically attacked a group of Muslims who were praying at Lake Chabot. “The Allah that he was praying to right there in the park openly is not of God, it’s of the devil,” she said later in an interview with KTVU. Slader’s comment was purely intolerant, and her actions show hypocrisy for Christians pray in public often as well.
These actions of intolerant people towards Muslims reminded us at The Olympian of the prejudice held against Japanese Americans in WWII. Not only are these actions and words morally wrong, they are unconstitutional, for the Constitution sanctions freedom of religion. We have also pondered on how we can create a more tolerant community. CVHS already teaches about the history of the Middle East, the religion of Islam and the civil rights movement. We hold Days of Diversity every other year. Perhaps we can teach students from a young age about tolerance and empathy, or simply to ensure that students are aware of the religion of Islam. We at The Olympian believe that people should simply try to get along and respect what others believe. Not everyone is going to agree on the same subject, so we simply need to be respectful and tolerant of others’ beliefs.
By Martin Baez
self-driving cars which will be available to the public in a couple years. I think that’s a horrible idea that will only set us back as human beings. Every day, with new technology, we are losing more and more skills due to technology “helping” a little too much. For example, think about the auto-correct feature on smart
By Desiree Broome Video Editor
Castro Valley High School is one of the few schools that offers a history class other than the standard courses. Juniors can take an Afrocentric-based history class that along with an Afrocentric English class. It differs from the average course because everything is taught from the perspective of African Americans. So far in this class, we have learned how “glazed over” the topics of slavery and racism are in most history classes. From the time that we first began learning the history of our country, we devoured information that created an image of American heroes and painted a picture of America that is far from accurate. Why is that? Why aren’t the generations that follow major historical events and tragedies taught about the harsh truth and realities of the world? It is interesting that you have to take an alternative class to learn about the brutal-
...you have to take an alternative class to learn about the brutalization that built our country... ” remove such a major part of history from history classes, but it also makes me wonder what will happen if motions like this are approved. If slavery is not taught, events such as the Holocaust and 9/11 could be removed next, and if the history isn’t taught it will soon disappear. I feel as though the public education system in America is lacking the honesty that is needed to be properly educate. The harsh realities of the things that have occurred in this country should be taught to everyone in hopes of creating a better future.
Self-driving cars will set us further back as human beings Sports Editor Human beings have evolved a lot over time and our most powerful innovations have been in technology. It almost feels like it has taken over a lot of people’s lives by keeping them connected instead of set free. There have been rumors of Google and Apple producing
PHOTOpinions By Brittany Bracy
“It causes unneeded panic, and it makes people act irrationally.” Patrick Lee, freshman
“They’re unable t o different iat e between extreme fundamentalist Muslims and normal peaceful Muslims.” Reilly Berberian, sophomore
phones. People don’t even know how to type words that are commonly used in our daily life. If self-driving cars become a reality, we would lose essential motor skills to operate a vehicle. Ultimately, we become completely dependent on technology. We need to know where to draw the line and be aware of the advantages and disadvantages.
You won’t get to experience the joy of driving anymore, you will just be sitting and staring out the window or into some television built in the car. It might be safer and more efficient, but think about how many people would actually be able to afford something of that cost and how many people actually enjoy driving for fun.
Why does our country have a problem with islamophobia? “We have a history of having difficulty accepting others, it takes time. We need to help one another as Americans understand that there is a difference between extremists and Islam.” Ariana Faizi, junior
“People are afraid of what they don’t understand. They think that something is malignant or harmful if it’s something that’s not the same as what they believe in.” Kareem Nosseir, senior
3 LETTERS To the Editor The Olympian Jan. 22, 2016
“Slut shaming” or just modesty?
By Nina Bessolo Staff Writer
Have you ever wondered what to wear to school, to the beach, or to a dance? Ayesha Curry, the 26-year old wife of Warriors star Stephen Curry, and mother of two adorable
daughters, posted on Twitter and expressed her opinion on women’s fashion. “Everyone's into barely wearing clothes these days huh? Not my style. I like to keep the good stuff covered up for the one who matters,” Ayesha Curry wrote. Many people were upset with this statement. A tweeter said “ Point of the matter is: Ayesha Curry sounds like a patriarchal princess and her tweets were undercover ‘slutshaming.’” Furious people began to respond to her tweet and claimed that she dressed like a nun. Based on what nuns wear, nuns would not classify Curry as one of their own. I believe that Curry dresses fashionably, and
has a good sense of style. Despite the controversy, many people agreed with her. Curry states, “Just looking at the latest fashion trends, I’ll take classy over trendy any day of the week.” A tweeter replied by saying, “Ayesha Curry is just stating facts. She dresses appropriate[ly] and doesn’t like to show much in public. That’s a good example.” I personally agree with Curry. Women should dress appropriately and save their “stuff” for their significant others. I don’t think that she was slut-shaming anyone directly because she made a broad statement to everyone, not to specific group of people.
with a lot of girls, many of whom were younger and had a different body type from me, I began to feel like a fish out of water. I felt like everyone was looking at me and was unimpressed with my ability as well as my body. After this experience, I tried to remain positive, but my waning confidence had effects for many months. It was then that I was approached about weight loss by first my ballet teacher, and then later by a friend who had struggled with an eating disorder. I initially responded to their concerns with confident denial, but in private, these comments felt like unexpected accusations that made me ashamed and confused. For the next month I struggled more than ever with what had previously been an unconscious habit of skimping during meals, something that I never thought of as serious or unusual. Because I have an incredibly supportive network of family, friends, and mentors, I was able to put myself back on the right track. Dieticians would probably describe my condition then as the beginning stages of anorexia, but I never did visit a specialist. After thoroughly analyzing my behavior, I was able to trace my problem back to what trig-
gered it, and that began my step forward towards fixing my problem. I had also noticed how not eating enough made me feel more disappointed in myself and disconnected from people. Making a decision to change wasn’t dramatic or painful; I just decided that I wanted to be happy more than I wanted to be perfect. I believe a direct approach is the most sure way of helping those with this problem. Most likely they will deny it, but for people who are in a similar state as I was in, a gentle but firm voice can help reveal control issues. Now, I am constantly checking on myself to ensure that I don’t fall back on old habits, especially at times where I am under excess stress. As we grow older, it’s only natural that we become more aware of what we use to fuel our bodies. It’s just important that these thoughts don’t overcome us, and that “health” doesn’t become a cover-up for unhealthy dieting. I look around the ballet studio now at dancers who I admire not for their willowy limbs or tiny waists, but for their unbreakable work ethic and genuine love for what they are doing. These are the qualities that transcend physical limitations; this is the way I will work for the rest of my life.
For as long as I can recollect, one of the all-time family jokes was, “how do you get to Carnegie Hall?” And the answer was always, “Well, you can’t get there from here…” Of course there is another answer, and the CVHS A Cappella Choir has found it! That is to “practice, practice, and practice.” That is how you get to Carnegie Hall, a dream for millions of singers and one that comes true for so very few. With immense pride, I have
bragged to friends and family that the ACC from the little old school I teach at is going to Manhattan and gets to roam around the heart of it, in old New York. Give your ears a gift and make sure you get an opportunity to enjoy the musical magic of a world-class A Capella Choir. Enjoy a taste of the big-time in, of all places, Castro Valley. Shari Neifeld, teacher
Understanding eating disorders and body imaging
By Halley Lin-Jones Photo Editor
Until I became a teenager, I didn’t truly appreciate the vital role that body image has in our everyday lives. As a ballet dancer taking classes in front of mirrors, a teenager presenting myself to my peers at school, and a prospective college student striving for a pristine application, I am now constantly building my personal image to accommodate myself and my future, as I envision it. My problems arose when too many factors extended outside of my control, and I realized that the image of myself was no longer something that I could feel proud of. It may not surprise you to hear that my health and eating habits became the outlet for this desire for control. However, it wasn’t so obvious to me at the time, and it took a while to analyze and repair my relationship with myself and understand how it connected to my eating. I remember being introduced to eating disorders and their association with dancers through a book I found at the library, picking it up on a whim and then being rather shocked at its descriptions of a distraught ballerina who develops bulimia. I didn’t think much of it at the time. Then one summer I attended a ballet program away from “ballet utopia,” as my teacher sometimes jokingly refers to our small school. Although it was not my first time dancing at a different school, it was the first experience when I felt uncomfortable in every class. As a result, I began to lose my confidence and motivation to dance. As a dancer placed in a level
Letters to the Editor
Emily Salazar / Staff Writer
The Olympian encourages letters from our readers. Please note that letters must be signed and no longer than 200 words. They can be e-mailed to cvhsolympian@gmail.com, delivered to Mr. Johanson’s box in the office, or dropped off at our Olympian office in room 113.
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
Trojan Togetherness! Arthur Renowitzky (left) got new robotic legs thanks to Eugene Yoon (center), who hiked six months to raise the needed $80,000.
He walked 2,663 miles so his friend could walk at all By Anastasia Le Staff Writer
Arthur Renowitzky faced an intense hardship with inspiring strength. He had a seemingly unattainable goal. Eugene Yoon wanted to help, but what could he do? Yoon decided to walk 2,663 miles so his new friend could walk at all. These two CVHS graduates have recently gained nationwide attention through their inspiring message of kindness. In 2007, Renowitzky was paralyzed in his lower body by a gunshot wound from a robbery. He woke up out of a coma to learn that he might never walk again. “When hearing those words, I wanted a message that told people to never give up and that life will go on,” he said. Renowitzky founded Life Goes On, a foundation to provide spinal cord injury victims and their families with support towards recovery as well as to
advance the independence of those living with spinal cord injuries. “It’s so easy to just not want to get out of bed and accept that you’re paralyzed, and that life is over, but it’s not. You can still do whatever you want, chase your dreams, you can go wherever you want,” he affirmed. Still, Renowitzky knew that he didn’t want to be in a wheelchair forever. Somehow, even with the irreversible damage to his spine, he was going to find a way to walk again. This is where Yoon comes into the picture. Both he and Renowitzky graduated from CVHS in 2005, but never met while in school together. Renowitzky, through his foundation, posted motivational videos on social media, which caught Yoon’s attention, and they became Facebook friends in 2014. “I remember seeing Arthur doing incredible physical feats, like doing pull ups in his wheelchair,” Yoon recalled. “At the
bottom of each video he would write something inspiring like ‘don’t give up on your dreams,’ and that’s when I learned about his dream to walk again.” Yoon draws much of his inspiration to do good in the world from television host Ellen DeGeneres, who ends her show with the suggestion to show unconditional kindness to others. Yoon vowed to live in a way that would be gratuitous to others. A few months later, he was corresponding with his new friend Renowitzky and watched an interview of an author who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). That was when inspiration struck. “My act of kindness, to be kind to one another, was to hike the Pacific Crest Trail to raise money for an inspiring philanthropist,” he stated. Originally, Yoon’s plan was to hike the length of California, but he extended his journey to the border of Canada, making it a six month, 2,663-mile trek. During such a daunting task,
he faced incredible physical and emotional stress. “I remember hitting a wall emotionally. ‘How am I going to keep moving? How am I going to keep the motivation to finish this thing?’ And that’s when I saw a lot of Facebook comments coming in about how this campaign influenced them, and that motivated me to keep going,” Yoon recalled. “To see all these stories of how people were extending kindness in their own lives, that’s an incredible feeling.” Yoon met people who greatly influenced his life on the trail. He knew that Renowitzky and his supporters were counting on him to trek through the mountainous terrain. “My favorite moment when I was on the trail was when I got the phone call that we had raised enough money for Arthur to walk again,” Yoon said. “In my head I can just go back to exactly where I was standing.” Journalists and media showered both after Yoon completed
his journey and Renowitzky got his new legs. The two have relished the opportunity to raise awareness for spinal cord injuries and to spread their message of kindness. “To have so many journalists and different media outlets come to us because our message was resonating was such a validation for both of us,” Yoon stated. “Being kind to one another, although may sound idealistic to a lot of people, really does work.” Renowitzky now uses his ReWalk Robotics exoskeleton as often as he can. After eight years of being wheelchair-bound, he continues to adjust to his newfound freedom thanks to his supporters through it all, and especially to Yoon. “I love every second of just walking,” he said. “I mean, people take it for granted every single day, the ability to just wake up every morning and just roll out of bed. I’m so much happier now that I can walk whenever I want.”
Dedicated followers of fashion form club, revive runway By Ishaank Zalpuri Staff Writer
Have you ever struggled to pick out the nicest and most fashionable clothes in your wardrobe? Come and try out the Fashion Club, where you can become creative and fashionable in your own style. The Fashion Club was founded last year, and it was sponsored by the fashion company Fitco. It has recently started back up this school year and sparked much interest, with around eight to 12 students attending the first two meetings so far, but four official members. “I want more people to come
and join the club, so that they can have fun and be creative like me,” said Darian Lee, the senior secretary of the club. If you want to join the Fashion Club, come to the meetings at lunch every Friday in room 203, Jennifer Parker ’s classroom. During the meetings members will be looking at different fashion styles and performing different activities such as tiedying t-shirt and so on. Jessica Lee, another member of the club, enjoys coming up with her own style. “I joined the Fashion Club so I could express my creativity and show off my own fashion style,” Lee said.
Ishaank Zalpuri / Staff Writer
Jasmine Perez, Finn Pham, and Darian Lee (left to right) show off their unique fashion.
The Olympian January 22, 2016
Silvia the savvy science scholar
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By Sarah Nosseir Staff Writer
Mia Babasyan and Zara Babasyan pose in front of a castle in Carcassone, France.
Coming together with family in Europe for the holidays
Olympian great spends her winter break abroad By Mia Babasyan Staff Writer
I grew up in Ireland, so when I found out that we would be spending Christmas there last year, I was naturally pretty excited. Even though the weather is not great in December, it is a fantastic time to visit. After waiting months for the day to arrive, it came time to leave. The journey over and back is probably the toughest part of it all. It is an 11-hour flight, and along with the jet lag it can be pretty exhausting. We arrived at Dublin on a cold, sunny Saturday afternoon. As we made our way through Dublin City Center, I could feel the excitement and anticipation of the holiday season beginning. The main reason for our visit was to spend time with family and friends. That meant a whole lot of moving around
from house to house. There were so many people to see that time flew by really fast. You can never truly appreciate people’s company until you know it is limited. Many of our family and friends had us over for dinner and we talked about how different our lives are in California. My family and I also took a week vacation to the south of France to visit other family. We stayed in a small house in the city of Perpignan, and traveled through the Pyrenees mountains regularly. The scenery was so beautiful that the only way I can describe it is as if I were in a painting. The weather was sunny and dry, letting us enjoy some sun after the rain in Ireland. We spent the week soaking in the culture and eating croissants with hot chocolate. It is a country that is very hard to forget, and even harder to leave. Spending the Christmas holiday with family that I rarely see made it more special than I could have imagined. My vacation not only reminded me of the happy times I spent with family and friends, but also the incredible cultures that are unlike anything else.
Meet Silvia Perri: an Italian chemistry researcher who left a life of hardworking investigation to teach at our high school here in the U.S. She received a scholarship that allowed her to choose from a list of countries, including the U.S., to conduct her research alongside another scholar. Perri chose America to start her new life. According to her, Italy has an entirely different school system with two different forms of high school, academic and professional, and students spend five years in each. So upon her arrival in America, she decided to explore the American education system and consider teaching. If Perri was not a chemistry teacher, her ideal job would be a biology researcher. Apparently, when taking the test that provides credentials to teach AP Biology, Perri walked into the wrong room and found herself taking the test to teach AP Chemistry as well. After the mix-up was sorted out, she had taken and passed both tests and could teach either class. Despite Perri’s love for researching, an aspect of the job she didn’t enjoy was the long work hours and minimal vacation time. It didn’t allow her to spend time with her family, something that was important to her. This is another reason she decided to leave researching for teaching. In her first year as a teacher,
Sarah Nosseir / Staff Writer
Silvia Perri gives a lecture on the structure of atoms.
Perri taught biology. However, when she returned the next school year, the previous chemistry teacher had quit, leaving an opening. Since Perri had already obtained the required credentials to teach chemistry, she was asked to fill in and she accepted the position with an open mind. After a year of teaching chemistry, she realized she enjoyed teaching chemistry more than biology, and wanted to go more in depth with an AP Chemistry class. However, there was already an AP Chemistry teacher at that high school. Luckily, she found a job teaching AP Chemistry at CVHS. Many students love their teach-
er and are very grateful to be taught by her. “Dr. Perri brings her vibrant charisma and love for science and teaching to the classroom each day. She exudes positive energy that brightens each student’s day,” said junior Maya Moore. This is only one of Perri’s many wonderful characteristics that make her such a fantastic teacher. “I like teaching science because I want students to understand how scientific progress has benefitted the human race. I want students to share my fascination with the exploration of science,” said Perri.
CVSAN STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
Attention High School Seniors! Castro Valley Sanitary District (CVSan) is offering the 2015/16 CVSan Environmental Leader in Waste Reduction Scholarship for high school seniors. Up to 2 students who help their school reduce waste may be awarded a $500 scholarship. Download the Scholarship Application from CVSan’s website:
www.cvsan.org/studentscholarship
Instructions are provided in the application. Applications must be received by CVSan on Friday, April 1st by 2:00 p.m., no exceptions. It’s not too early to start on your application! CASTRO VALLEY SANITARY DISTRICT Effective Environmental Services since 1939 510-537-0757 | www.cvsan.org This ad was paid for by Import Mitigation
A show That won’t make your weekend “Grey” By Molly Koch Staff Writer
Laniah Lewis / Editor-In-Chief
One of Silver Spoon’s highly recommended meals: beef string beans, sizzling rice soup, and a pot of rice.
If you're looking for something to binge-watch on Netflix, I recommend grabbing some warm blankets and watching Grey’s Anatomy for hours on end. I started watching it less than a month ago and I'm already on the sixth season out of 12, which is still continuing starting on Feb. 11. The show follows five surgical interns at Seattle Grace Hospital who try to balance both their work and personal lives. Of course this is
made difficult by surgical residents who make it hard to get through the long shifts, as well as problems arising both inside and outside of the hospital walls. Although most people have heard, without even watching the show, that many people die, I think it’s still worth watching. It has a good blend of drama, romance, and even comedy. I myself don’t have much of a problem with blood, but if you’re sensitive to blood or anything related to the medical field, I would recommend just turning away during certain scenes. There are many scenes that take place in the operating room, therefore sometimes it can be very gruesome. It’s definitely worth the countless hours I have spent staring at my laptop screen.
Try a spoonful at Silver Spoon By Laniah Lewis
Editor-In-Chief If you ever have a craving for good chinese food and find yourself on Castro Valley Boulevard, I recommend stopping by Silver Spoon Gourmet Cuisine. The waiters are extremely friendly, and their service is great. Though they can get busy around dinner time, they make up for it with wittiness and hospitality while serving guests.
Typically the food is quite delicious though and I fully recomend getting my usual order: beef with string beans, sizzling rice soup, and a pot of rice for two (if you go with a date). The sizzling rice soup in particular, is a very interesting dish. It is full of various vegetables and boiled prawns, then a waiter pours steaming hot fried rice into it (right in front of you). The soup makes a loud sizzling noise and is very tasty. The drinks there, specifically the teas, are good as well. On a warm day I usually get a Thai iced tea which is a bright orange color and very sweet. On hot days I get the hot Hong Kong tea which is a warm cof-
fee color and a little less sweet. The drinks can take time since they are brewed in the back by the owner, Simon, but they are worth the wait in my opinion. The price of a good and well-rounded meal isn’t too bad. Though it’s not as cheap as China Bowl down the Boulevard, it isn’t as expensive as Le Cheval in Oakland which serves the same type of meals. A dinner for two that consist of a dish to share, a pot of rice, two drinks, and either a soup or appetizer will come out to around $30 including tax and tip. Overall, I love Silver Spoon and I’m a loyal customer. If you have the time and money, I really recommend it.
heroes, Fin and Rey. And with all this action-packed fun, Abrams also brilliantly incorporates bits of light comedy which enhance the movie tremendously. And let’s not forget about the cool new designs of the two factions. Yes, we’ve all seen pictures of the new First Order stormtroopers, the new X-Wing fighters, and even clips of the brand new Star Destroyers, but did you
know there’s a new Death Star? I mean, “Look at the size of that thing!” (Get it? It’s an Episode 4 reference.) So if you’re looking to get yet another taste of the Star Wars franchise or if you just want to have a great time with your family and friends, then this movie is just a fantastic film to go see at the cinema and is definitely worth your money.
Awaken your weekend with The Force By Diego RodriguezPeccorini
Staff Writer Star Wars: The Force Awakens has to be one of the greatest movies in the ten years that have passed since the release of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Not only do fans receive yet another great full length feature film of one of the most beloved stories of all time, but J.J. Abrams’ new enrichment of the saga allows patrons of all kinds to bask in a movie that they can all enjoy. This new episode contains epic displays of massive battles between the newly formed First Order stormtroopers and the valiant-hearted soldiers of the Republic’s Resistance while following the journey of two new
Neo Diesta / Graphic Artist
Boxer’s “Rocky” path to victory By Nina Bessolo Staff Writer
Creed is the seventh movie in the Rocky Balboa series which is directed by Ryan Coogler. It stars Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa. Stallone goes through a health crisis that is deadlier than getting hit in the ring. Michael B. Jordan plays Adonis Creed, the son of the famous boxer, Apollo Creed, who was killed in the fourth movie. Adonis Creed seeks to overcome his difficult family upbringing and the skeptical public, to try to become a boxing champion like his father. To achieve this goal he must defeat his formidable opponent, “Pretty” Ricky Conlon, played by Tony Bellew. Along the way Creed meets a singer, Bianca, played by
Tessa Thompson. An actor of local interest is Andre Ward, who plays the boxer Danny “Stuntman” Wheeler. Ward grew up in the Fairview neighborhood between Hayward and Castro Valley, and attended Hayward High School. As an amateur fighter, Ward won a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics. As a professional, he went on to become the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association super middleweight champion. I particularly enjoyed the fight between Creed and Conlan. Creed accepts this opportunity gratefully and trains rigorously. When Balboa refuses to take treatment for his health problem, Creed shouts “If I fight, you fight!” The fight between Creed and Conlan is an epic battle. If you want to watch a nail biting action-drama movie, I highly recommend Creed. Coogler skillfully builds upon the foundation of the previous movies to create an exciting seventh episode with a touching ending.
Trojan swimmer aims Trojans swish a victory against the Pirates By Gavin Halloran for Olympic trials Staff Writer
Watts’ hard work pays off at national championships By Stella Ho Staff Writer
For those who may not know, the Junior Nationals is a nationwide swimming tournament where the best young athletes get to race and compete against opponents from across the country. They’re split up into teams from the West and East coast. The tournament is open to anyone as long as they’re under 18 and have qualifying times. CVHS senior Donavon Watts is one of those lucky athletes. Watts participated in the 2015 Winter Speedo Junior Championships for swimming, which took place in Austin, Texas on Dec. 11 and 12. He swam for his team, the East Bay Aquatics Association, and competed in the men’s 100 Yard Breaststroke and 200 Yard Breaststroke events. His times were 58.62 seconds and 2 minutes, 6 seconds. “It was a really cool experience. I got the chance to meet other swimmers and race against them,” Watts said. Watts is on the Trojans’ swim team and has been swimming for six years. He first started swimming as a fun sport with his
Senior Donavon Watts hopes to swim in the Olympian trials later this year. friends, and ended up loving it. His passion for swimming is evident in the way he trains. Watts said he practiced a lot for preparation. “I’d practice in the morning at 5 a.m. before school and sometimes twice a day. I swim about 25 hours a week,” Watts stated. “Yeah, he works really hard,” said freshman Monica Gong, Watt’s teammate. “I find his athletic dedication admirable.” It is hard work, but Watts’ passion for swimming is clear in the way he pushes himself to be the best he can be. His motivation for swimming is “to try to make Olympic trial cuts.” His dedication and hard work should pay off as he pursues his Olympic goal.
As the varsity basketball team went against the San Leandro High School Pirates, the Trojans fought a vicious battle and emerged triumphant, winning 63-62. The game continued, and the two teams would fight to the very last second for the win, but only the mighty Trojans stood tall. When the first quarter came to a close, the Trojans were leading by 17-2, ending comfortably ahead. The Pirates, however, would come back to fight the Trojans with a rapid and open offense, keeping the ball out of Trojan hands. Despite the excellent ball play, the Pirates would lose the ball time and time again to the superior Trojan offense, thus supplying the heavy-hitter Bryce Thompson with ammunition to score. “I had a lot of screens, so I gotta thank my team for good passes,” said Thompson. Despite San Leandro’s loss, the Pirates displayed vigor and persistence on the court fighting tooth and nail for the chance to win. Using their large statures, their presence on the court was challenging to fight against. “They were way bigger and stronger than us, and we had to try to keep them off the board,” said CVHS coach Anthony Geddins. Throughout the game the Trojans pushed their superior offense to its apex with Lawrence Johnson and Thompson contributing a cumulative 38 points out of the 63 point game. The Trojan team showed excellent ball work moving the ball
Gavin Halloran / Staff Writer
Bryce Thompson gets air and lays up the ball. through the ranks scarcely allowing the Pirates to touch it. By the fourth quarter the Trojans were neck and neck with the Pirates. In the last minutes the Pirates scored multiple lucky shots, to the dismay of the crowd. With the Trojans rushing back, Johnson thundered out a three pointer taking the Trojans off the Pirates’ plank. After another score from the Pirates’ determined offense, and less than a minute on the clock, the game was lost in the eyes of the crowd. With a CVHS miracle our star player Thompson was fouled,
giving him the chance to turn the game around once and for all. CVHS cheerleaders sounded the “I believe that we will win” uniting the crowd together. With 0.3 seconds left on the clock and the Pirates leading by a point, Thompson swished two free throws sending the crowd into a frenzy. The Pirates then attempted to launch back the ball for a possible retaliation, but were caught by the wide spread and animated Trojan defense, ending the game with a close score of 63-62.
S up e r S a v v y Sp o r ts St a rs
By America Morales/ A&E Editor
Molly Samboy, freshman
. Determined to make new friends in her first year of public school, Molly Samboy found the perfect solution: cheer! Although she was a bit intimidated by the girls who had been cheering since middle school, Samboy decided to try out this school year and made the junior varsity squad. This is her first year cheering, alongside her best friend, Mary Singer, who inspired her to try out. “I really like all of our dance ro u t i n e s b e c a u s e I ’ v e b e e n dancing all my life and I also enjoy traveling and competing with my teammates,” said Samboy.
Aaron Vigallon, sophomore Excited for the upcoming baseball season, Aaron Vigallon looks forward to having a new coach and being able to work with his teammates to compete at a higher level. He has been playing baseball since the age of three and has come to love the strategic and skillful aspects of the sport. Despite the fact that he is still a sophomore, Vigallon is determined to keep putting in the work and time required to become a successful baseball player. “I hope to play at a college level and try to work to make it to the MLB,” said Vigallon.
Ziyah Starks, junior
David Morfin, senior
With the simple intention of wanting to play a sport, Ziyah Starks started playing basketball at the age of nine. Before she knew it, she started to actually enjoy the game. She is part of the varsity team, where she has made many new friendships and built unforgettable memories. Basketball has not only helped her make bonds within the court but outside as well. “A memory I’ll remember this year is building good relationships with my teammates,” said Starks.
“Playing soccer just makes me feel free. Nothing else matters, I’m doing the thing I love most,” said David Morfin. Reflecting on his four years of high school soccer, Morfin recalls his favorite memories spent with teammates including their trip to Las Vegas and winning their first trophy in seven years during their last year together. “You become more than just friends with your teammates, you develop a bond that’s like family,” he said. No matter what the future holds for Morfin, he knows he will continue to play.
The Olympian January 22, 2016
Islamophobia infiltrates Castro Valley By Esther Smith Staff Writer
With the San Bernardino shooting on Dec. 2, the Paris terror attacks by ISIS, and presidential candidate Donald Trump’s egregious statements of wanting to ban Muslims from entering America, Islamophobia has been resurfacing back into our everyday lives and has had detrimental effects in communities all over the nation, including Castro Valley. Though Castro Valley is fairly tolerant concerning Muslims, a woman was caught on video yelling maliciously ignorant words to a group of Muslims praying at Lake Chabot on Dec. 9. “When people are praying, they don't break focus,” explained CVHS junior Jala Atufa, a Muslim. “While they are praying, they are only praying. They don't look up, they don't talk, they can't react to anything in the outside world. They can't defend themselves.”
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While they are praying, they are only praying.....They can’t defend themselves. Jala Atufa CVHS Junior
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Castro Valley resident Denise Slader allegedly threw coffee at a Muslim and hit him with her umbrella. The video was later posted on YouTube, causing angry reactions from our community as many people were incredulous and disturbed by her actions. She has been charged with misdemeanor battery and hate crime charges, and entered a plea of not guilty. Although this incident has created a dent in Castro Valley’s reputation of being a hate free community, new CVHS math teacher and Muslim Tagreed Badwai states that the woman alone “does not represent our community, just like how a small group of Islamic terrorists doesn’t represent anything related to my religion.” CVHS strives to be a hate free zone as there is zero tolerance for hate crimes on campus. With clubs like Safe Space, 50/50 Feminist club, and CV Cares, students take the initiative to help create a safer and more welcoming community here at CVHS. Additionally, Muslim Afifa Abdullah states that, “CVHS is a relatively safe place for Muslims.” There are many prejudices and misconceptions about the Muslim community, which are further perpetuated and exaggerated by an anti-Muslim sentiment that creates the irrational ignorance of Islamophobes. However, “Islam is a religion completely devoted to God and peace,” Atufa said.
Every Student Succeeds Act becomes law By Sally Liang Copy Editor
President Barack Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) into law, largely replacing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB is the old law that required annual testing in public schools and did not always consider specific needs of each community. The new law authorizes spending of $24.9 billion in 2016. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the cost is estimated to grow to $25.8 billion in 2020. The new law also offers a more flexible approach to student testing and school accountability, making states responsible for fixing underperforming schools. Supporters of the legislation believe it will provide more stability and flexibility after years of uncertainty about NCLB. On the other hand, however, critics expressed concerns that
by removing federal oversight, states would feel little pressure to fix under-performing schools. “By removing the chance of failure, one major negative incentive for students to perform well in school is removed, potentially causing numerous students to slack off, and destroying the current grading system we have today," said senior Brandon Yap. Under ESSA, states are still required to test students annually in reading and math from grade three through eight, and only once in high school. But unlike NCLB, the bill permits states to establish their own accountability system, ending federal guidelines for interpreting school quality. So tests are still mandatory, but there is a greater extent of flexibility in terms of how and when states administer these assessments. There's also an emphasis on tests that more accurately measure what students are learning. “I was not a big fan of the No Child Behind Act, because I
thought it punished people that were often the ones that needed the most help. I am optimistic that the Every Student Succeed Act will be better, but I am cautiously optimistic as I have not seen any specific things as to what exactly is going to be implemented under it,” said Sarah Burke, social studies teacher. Furthermore, the new law allows states to adopt Common Core but there is no requirement to do so. In fact, the Education Department has to remain neutral and is prohibited from influencing or coercing Common Core State standards or assessments. The new bill recognizes compute science as one of the important academic subjects, placing it on equal footing with English and mathematics in classrooms across the U.S. Now computer science instructors receive same level of access to professional development opportunities as teachers in other subjects.
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New options for zero periods ZERO: from page one
schedules,” said Cassidy. “In that sense, they are different classes.” Another problem is that these new zero period classes are not offered to upperclassmen. “That is dumb,” said junior Andrew Thomas. “Upperclassmen have more classes that we need to get done for college credits.” Currently, CVHS only offers journalism, orchestra, yearbook, choir, and marketing as zero periods to upperclassmen. Students in zero period classes say they are fine with the early time because it adds flexibility to students’ schedules. “It’s nice that underclassmen have the opportunity to have flexibility in their schedule, but they should also do that with upperclassmen,” said junior Matthew Tam.
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