Art and politics blend in students’ art
Outdoor school leaves a lifelong impact
Page 3: Counseling kids gives perspective
Volume 60, Issue 8
Logan slashes box-office competition
Page 5: Artists portray refugee crisis and more
March 24, 2017
Page 6: Hugh Jackman impresses in new film
We are born to seek the truth! www.cvhsolympian.com
It’s a jolly holiday with Mary Poppins Caution: construction may move classes and limit parking By Ria Panjwani Staff Writer
Sarah Nosseir / Sports Editor
Senior Andre Acosta tells a tale as Bert in the school musical. By Nisha Lal Staff Writer
The premiere of the CVHS production of “Mary Poppins” opened to a very supercalifragilistic start at 7 p.m. on March 17. The classic Disney musical has been revamped into an amazing production that will be put on by students from many different CVHS
departments such as drama, band, orchestra, choir, and even American Sign Language. “My favorite part of it all is being able to meet new people that I normally don’t hang out with,” said junior Kyle Estabillo, who plays a chimney sweeper. The show is filled with plenty of magic that is sure to capture the audience’s eye. Not only
do the props fly around stage, but Mary Poppins and Bert fly as well. All throughout the performance, the cast charms the audience with catchy songs and intricate dance numbers. “I’m really excited for “Step in Time” because it involves a huge dance number,” said Estabillo.
See MARY: page eight
Trump slams door on transgenders By Stella Ho
Opinion Editor The Trump administration decided to rescind protections for all transgender students in public schools that had previously allowed them to use the bathrooms they felt most comfortable with on Feb. 22. This goes against former President Obama’s policy to protect the right of transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms that best match their gender identities. Obama’s administration announced that the Title IX antidiscrimination law from 1972 applied to transgender students with regard to bathroom access. But Trump’s order said states and schools can choose their own policies on this issue. The issue of transgender bathrooms will no longer be decided by the federal government; it will instead be
handled by individual states. Thus, depending on the state, discrimination is not illegal, and schools are not obligated
“ It’s a slow process, but a necessary one. Kaiya Brown Vice President of the Gays and More club
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to allow students to use the bathroom of their choosing. Many gay rights activists and members of the LGBTQ community have expressed their disapproval of this action. “It was a terrible move,” said senior Kaiya Brown, vice president of the Gays and More club. “It only emphasizes how little
he cares for the marginalized citizens of the United States. All he’s done was say that the government will not protect children because of a certain orientation, which has only further displayed his unjust agenda.” Gays and More, which has made plans to install a unisex bathroom at CVHS, is upset at this turn of events. However, this will not deter the club from its goal. Members have spoken to the faculty about the issue of a multi-stall unisex bathroom and are currently waiting for approval. If approved, the bathroom will be installed on campus in two to three years. “It’s a slow process, but a necessary one. This will hopefully open doors for our school to gain more traction in their ability to protect transgender and gender nonconforming youth,” said Brown.
Castro Valley voters passed Measure G, which granted the Castro Valley Unified School District a $123 million general obligation bond to renovate and upgrade schools, in June of 2016. Of the $123 million, CVHS is receiving approximately $45 million to thoroughly update each building on campus, and add additional classrooms and facilities. After the approval of Measure G, the district, along with the CBOC (Citizens Bond Oversight Committee), created a timeline of projects to take place throughout schools in the district, starting January of 2018 and proceeding until 2024. In CVHS, the 400 and 500 hallways are expected to shut down for construction first. Classrooms in these halls can be expected to be relocated for the entirety of the school year. As of right now, it is unclear what will be done for students who have lockers in hallways being renovated. Classes will be relocated to 18 portables, the locations of which are currently being debated. The potential locations are the 500 parking lot, 800 parking lot, blacktop behind the gym, and on the field, between the back of 900 and the baseball outfield. CVHS is delegating $4 million towards a brand new health and wellness center. It will be used as a space to support CVHS
mental health needs, as well as space for more classrooms. “The new health and wellness center will be more of an outside resource for students, such as counselors (intervention type rather than academic) and also areas where advisors can do group sessions,” said Assistant Principal Patrinia Redd. During heavy construction time, safety will be the primary concern for parents and the school administration alike. The school plans to address this issue by ensuring that the majority of the construction during the school year will take place internally such as by closing hallways and renovating them from the inside so students will not be anywhere near hazardous construction sites. More external construction will occur during the summer. Another main issue concerning construction will be limited parking in certain parking lots, as the construction crews will require staging areas near the 500 and 800 lots. “It is realistic to assume that many of the things we take for granted now, such as parking, will be impacted… Students will likely lose a great number of parking spaces. We are looking at trying to secure off-campus parking near campus,” said Principal Blaine Torpey. For frequent updates about Measure G regarding various construction work projects and financial plans, visit the Measure G page on the CVUSD website.