Nov 2, 2015

Under the Sea-Niors

Cafeteria staff praised for dedicated service Page 8: Healthy food and happy smiles

Volume 59, Issue 2

Gomez wows fans with new song

Trojans sting Hornets on tennis court Page 10: Girls defeat rivals in epic contest

November 2, 2015

Page 11: Selena’s “Me and the Rhythm”

Weare born to seek the truth! www.cvhsolympian.com

In Loving Memory

Test suspended, students rejoice

By Gavin Halloran Staff Writer

Jacob Schoenfeld / Staff Writer

In a Homecoming first, students and staff made a memorial float honoring fallen friends Terri Byrd, Nick Whitaker and Ovida de Julia, who each passed away in 2015.

Vaccines made mandatory for students

By Jacob Schoenfeld Staff Writer

Starting January 1, 2016, California students can only attend public schools if they are up-to-date on their vaccination shots, due to California’s new vaccination law, eliminating “personal belief” exemptions from vaccinating children.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill in June this year. A large measles outbreak earlier this year brought attention to this

issue.

“I don’t think it will have a big impact on us,” said CVHS nurse Sandee Velasquez. “Overall as a district we are at a 97 percent immunization rate.”

During the 2014-2015 school year, 90.7 percent of students attending public schools had met all immunization requirements.

While there is a backlash against the law being passed, some students at CVHS agree with it, believing that it will help to maintain a safer envi-

ronment at school.

“I think it will protect students from various preventable diseases, which might hinder their abilities to get an education,” said junior Emujin Unenbat.

Some students believe the new law can set some ease at school, with less worry to a possibility of getting a harmful disease from the school environment.

See VACCINE: Page 3

California has suspended the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) through the 2017-18 school year. Students will not need to pass the exam to graduate in the 2015–2016, 2016–2017, and 2017–2018 school years.

The law also requires local educational agencies (LEAs) to grant a diploma to any student who completed grade twelve in 2004 school or later year and has met all other requirements other than passage of the exit exam.

This will have a heavy effect on present and past students.

"The test wasn't fair at all to the people who were learning Common Core," said junior Mason Micheli.

Students who just took the test have a general consensus that that the old test should have been ousted right when Common Core began.

“The test was not aligned with the new Common Core Standards, which incorporate a focus on critical thinking, and a collaborative approach

to learning,” said CVHS counselor Sandra Pula.

This test has also had a negative effect on poverty-stricken districts, leaving some students at a disadvantage. Thus, the decision was made to give diplomas to students who didn’t pass the test.

“The CAHSEE presents a significant barrier to students with learning differences, English language learners, and economically disadvantaged students. The intent of the CAHSEE was to improve student learning; however, for marginalized students, the exam has often created a wider achievement gap,” said Pula.

There may be a new test implemented in the future to match the new Common Core standards. The law to suspend the test lasts through 2018, so current freshmen may have to contend with a new test before graduating.

"The testing needed to be adjusted to the curriculum," said junior Elliot Breitinger.

In the meantime students at CVHS will have the luxury of not taking the test while the state decides what to do.

Tragic car crash kills four, shakes the Castro Valley community

By Mia Babasyan Staff Writer

With every death that hits our school, we are left with a constant reminder to appreciate each moment with the people we care about. Sadly, the death of four young adults, two of whom once attended CVHS, has left people devastated and treasuring the memories and moments spent with them.

Steven MacFadden,19, Alejandro Rodriguez, 20, Megan Wall, 17, and Rose Bio, 16, were killed in a rollover crash the night of Sep. 20 in French Camp. During a high speed chase, MacFadden lost control of the vehicle, which led to the car accident and deaths of all four passengers.

MacFadden attended CVHS from 2011-12 and transferred to Redwood High School.

Bio attended from 2013-14 and transferred to Redwood last October. She was described as a hard worker in her classes and a genuine student.

“Rose was always quiet in class, but when she smiled or spoke, it was the real deal,” said Spanish teacher Kelli Schiller.

“When I think about her, in my mind’s eye, I can see Rose smiling that sincere, sweet smile.”

Many pictures and condolences were shared on social media for Bio, expressing sympathy to her family and sending messages of compassion and support.

“She was one of the funniest people I ever knew and she knew how to make me laugh when she knew I was upset,” said junior Lexi O’Gorman, Bio’s friend.

Memorial services were held for Bio and the other victims.

Family and friends said goodbye still in disbelief, unable to comprehend the loss of so many young lives. The deaths triggered sadness and memories of other recent losses that impacted the students here at CVHS. “I remember Rose as a vibrant student with a dry sense of humor and fierce loyalty,” said English teacher Jennifer Clyde.

The victims’ parents shared the pain of losing a child and the grief that everyone experiences after hearing about the loss of someone who was loved.

“People shouldn’t be sad that [Bio] died, just be happy that they got to be a part of her life,” said O’Gorman.

Remembrance of the time spent together comforts family and friends as the reality of loss for the ones they loved takes hold.

Rose Bio will be remembered as a humerous, vibrant member of the Castro Valley community.

The Olympian November 2, 2015

VACCINE: from page 2

“It’s a matter of health,” said junior Lindsey Guan. “Students shouldn’t be in danger of getting a disease just by going to school.”

Despite the argument that some religious or personal beliefs should allow students to decline the vaccinations, some believe that the safety of the majority is at hand.

“The problem here is the conflict between individual need and community need,” said junior Nicholas Tran. “The needs of the community outweighs the needs of the individual.”

California will soon join Missouri and Vermont to be the third state in the U.S. to require vaccinations for public schools without personal belief or religious exemptions.

During the California Disneyland measles outbreak, 110 measles victims were reported in California, 49 were unvaccinated and 47 had unknown or undocumented vaccination status.

With the new law in hand, it will become less likely to catch harmful diseases that students are immunized against.

“The nurse in me thinks it’s a great idea, I believe that vaccinations work,” said Velasquez.

“But because you’re choosing not to vaccinate your kids and therefore your denied the public education, I struggle with that.”

3

Trojans top state averages on new SBAC test

By Nina Bessolo

It was first utilized in the state of Washington. Eventually, many school districts in California adopted this test over the former STAR test, however, many people question if standardized tests provide useful information.

There are at least two different ways CVHS can view the results of this SBAC test.

On one hand CVHS can take satisfaction in scoring higher than the state average. More students at CVHS must be receiving a higher quality education than what is happening at the majority of high-schools in

California. So we can be thankful for that situation.

“Smarter Balanced Assessment results were indicative of a great deal of hard work resulting in the majority of our students achieving proficiency at satisfactory levels,” said Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi.

On the other hand though, 49 percent of CVHS students did not score “proficient” in math and 27 percent did not score “proficient” in English.

So a number of CVHS students have more work to do to reach proficiency.

Another interesting phe-

nomenon is that California students scored lower on the 2015 SBAC test than they did on the 2013 STAR test. About 18 percent fewer California students scored “proficient” in math on the 2015 SBAC test than on the 2013 STAR test.

Also 12 percent fewer California students scored “proficient” on the 2015 SBAC English test than on the 2013 STAR test.

The most likely explanation for the lower SBAC scores is that the SBAC test was more difficult than the STAR test.

CVHS started school this year in need of five teachers, and finally filled its final positions near the end of first quarter.

“Many of us were interviewing candidates over the summer. And the problem is is that we have many fewer qualified candidates,” said Dr. Deborah Yager, science teacher. Yager also explained that the problem of our teacher shortage comes from the fact that less and less people are interested in becom-

ing a teacher.

In 2008, there were 45,000 people enrolled in teaching programs in California, but this number decreased by over half in 2013, when there were only 20,000 people enrolled in teaching preparation programs. With low salaries and long hours that delve into extra time spent at home grading students’ work, teachers are undeniably not given the credit they should receive for their dedication to students’ education.

“We reached this crisis point and it wasn’t just here at Castro

Valley, but it was around the Bay Area,” said Yager. She explained that part of the reason why CVHS had an incredibly difficult time hiring teachers was because the school was fighting for the same candidates that other schools around the Bay Area wanted to hire.

Education is an integral part of students’ lives, and though students of CVHS were being taught by long term substitute teachers, they were being deprived of their education due to teacher shortages.

"It was really frustrating feeling like we weren't getting

any work done, and seeing all the other classes progressing,” explained freshman Molly Samboy, a student who had a long-term biology substitute.

However, even with teacher shortages, many teachers have stepped up to take on extra classes in order to help lower the amount of classes without a teacher. Science teacher Ashley Green has taken on an extra AP Biology class in addition to her two morning AP Biology classes. Yager has also taken on a new chemistry class in order to help our teacher shortage problem.

of the day,” Torpey wrote.

Assistant Principal Nic McMaster revealed that recent seismic activity may have caused the problem. “According to the plumber, the leak might have been caused by the small earthquakes that have been happening, but it’s not proven,” he said.

As a result, most of the bathrooms on campus were locked, and students and staff were forced to use the stadium bathrooms and the bathrooms in the Center for the Arts (CFA).

Water stations, hand sanitizer, and portable toilets were set up around campus to help relieve the students and staff during this time. However,

many students were outraged that the school decided to not release them from school because of the undesirable conditions. In addition, it was hard for classes to function, and caused problems for both students and staff.

“It made me worried because I need water in my ceramics class to finish projects,” said senior Samantha Linney.

There also seemed to be problems with the “hydration stations” that were set up around the school to offer fresh water to students.

“It was so frustrating that the water stations ran out of water,” said senior Michelle Melkonians.

Staff Writer

The average score for CVHS on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) test exceeded the California state average. In 2015, 51 percent of CVHS students scored “proficient” in math and 73 percent scored “proficient” in English, while 33 percent of California students scored “proficient” in math and 44 percent scored “proficient” in English.

The SBAC is a standardized test which evaluates student production and performance.

Students, staff struggle through teacher shortage

By Esther Smith Staff Writer

Punctured pipe produces pouting pupils, porta potties

By Caitlin Forbes City Editor

CVHS went dry when the main water pipes ceased to work on Monday, Oct. 26.

The event happened during second period, initially with the promise that the problem would be resolved by the end of the class, but as the day went on it was evident that the problem would be long lasting.

In his email to the parents, Principal Blaine Torpey explained the problem, and the estimated repair time.

“A main water pipe to the high school has broken and is currently being repaired. The repair may take the remainder

Lines for portable toilet and water left students frustrated.

“Poor track and field athletes had to go without water during practice,” lamented sophomore Sonia Espiritu.

The water crisis at CVHS definitely made us appreciate the water that we use every day for plumbing, drinking, and sanitary purposes. The water pipes have been fixed, but we will always remember the day CVHS went dry.

4

State makes right call to suspend CAHSEE

Editorial: We at The Olympian believe that the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE), is a stressful, time-consuming test that does not have the ability to show a student’s true potential, and should be abolished for good.

The CAHSEE, a standardized test covering the subjects of mathematics and Englishlanguage arts, was a graduation requirement for students at all California public high schools.

Unless a student has a considerable disability meeting the test exemption requirements, a passing score in both portions of the test are needed to earn a high school diploma.

The purpose of the CAHSEE, as stated by the California Department of Education website, is “to significantly improve student achievement in public high schools and to ensure that students who graduate from public high schools can demonstrate grade level competency in reading, writing, and mathematics.”

Although the test was founded with seemingly honorable inten-

Neo Diesta / Graphic Artist

tions, it has become more of a nuisance that an actual assessments of a student’s true potential. At CVHS, the pass rates consistently exceeded 90 percent.

Many claim it is not challenging enough to determine if students’ math and English-language skills are sharp enough to enter the workforce.

Due to these concerns as well as many others, a bill has been

signed by Gov. Jerry Brown temporarily abolishing the CAHSEE for the classes of 2015-2018, allowing many high school seniors with only their failing CAHSEE score in the way of graduation the receive their diplomas.

The test has been suspended so it can be revised so it can hopefully better reflect a student's true potential, as well as the level of math and English-language arts

competency expected of young people in the workforce today.

Although testing can be a useful gage of a student’s learning progress, and can make sure students are prepared for the workforce, we at The Olympian believe it is primarily time consuming, expensive, stressful, and unfair.

Students work hard to achieve passing grades for four long years, and they are a better in-

dication of readiness for graduation than a single standardized test. It is unfair to hold back a student who meets every other graduation requirement from getting a diploma.

The CAHSEE also causes unnecessary additional stress to students. High schoolers are already required to take a plethora of other standardized tests including the SBAC, PLAN, PSAT, SAT, and ACT. With all these huge tests looming overhead, the CAHSEE is an unneeded addition.

The test is also unfair to poor districts, students with poor backgrounds, English Language learners, and those with learning disabilities not severe enough to meet the exemption requirement.

In addition, the test was out of date and no longer in line with the Common Core standards taught at public schools.

Although the proposed test revisions will fix this problem, we at The Olympian believe that all in all, that the CAHSEE is not a valid gauge of student success, and should be abolished for good.

Retirement homes: Are they a trap? Don’t vote for Trump!

By Lauren Eisenman Staff Writer

I find it really weird that I have been working around the elderly for four months, and in that time I’ve only connected to my grandparents once.

It’s not that I don’t want to see my grandparents. Because we’re Filipino, we’re supposed to check on our grandparents almost every day, and pay them with the ultimate respect. I’ve just been really busy with school and I have a job at a retirement home, where I serve the residents their meals.

It’s a stressful job if you can’t handle old people yelling at you every five seconds when they don’t get what they want, but the appreciation is unbeatable. Over the three months I’ve

worked there, I managed to learn each residents’ favorite drink and health issues.

A lot of my coworkers are very young, so sometimes we make mistakes, but I feel like we’re all the residents have. Why would you leave your father or your mother at a place where they’d be restricted for the rest of their lives? Why not at least visit them frequently?

One time at work, we had to have a quick meeting about addressing the residents’ attitudes when something doesn’t go their way. One of the reasons to understand their impatience was that they are old and alone. The realization of being old sparks a sad nostalgic memory of what you used to do, and what you can’t do now. That itself should already be depressing and very hard to accept, so I understand the hostility.

What I don’t understand is that there are some residents who are never with their children.

Let’s look at it this way. If I want to go out, I’d have to take a bus that goes here to there from this time to that time. If I want to eat, I’d come to this place, sit down, and order on the same menu. I’d go home, watch some TV, and

repeat the same cycle every day.

From time to time, there would be special events. But I’ll never see the beauty in life like being able to go out with your family or attend a graduation barbeque.

I understand that it’s probably safer to put your parents in assisted living, and more than 70 percent of America agrees with you. But once you push your parents through those doors, make sure that’s not the last time you see them. Keep them up to date, or even plan out a full day away from the retirement home every two weeks. Even though I’m so busy, I’d still call my grandma to check on her once and while. If I don’t, then she’d call me. She calls me every day.

Don’t get me wrong. There are some good children out there who visit their mom and dad every Sunday or so for a good brunch, but sometimes I see the same resident sitting alone at the same spot every day. Then I wonder if their children still call them or even send them a card once and awhile. We have to understand that grandparents and the elderly are still people, and they deserve the best throughout the last years of their lives.

PHOTOpinions

By Elizabeth Chan

“I think it’s good for a change, but I’m also glad that we don’t have to take it.”

Gabriela Deleon, freshman

“CAHSEE does not properly evaluate students in the first place, and test material itself is too easy.”

Anna Lam, sophomore

By Molly Koch Staff Writer

There has been a lot of controversy over Donald Trump running for president as the Republican candidate. Many people don’t agree with his values, yet he continues to climb the polls.

Trump has given some very opinionated ideas about what should happen to America, including bashing Mexicans as well as illegal immigration.

When he announced his presidential run, he said, “when Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best... They’re sending people who have lots of problems... they’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists.”

This caused a lot of anger over social media and is not what we should make America into because we are the land of the free. Trump

also came up with an immigration reform, with three main principles: build a border between America and Mexico, laws must be passed to correspond, and Americans must be put before immigrants in the work force and everywhere else.

Trump could also improve his position on the Second Amendment, which is the right to bear arms. Unfortunately, more school shootings (as well as other places), are becoming more and more common. He has opposed additional background checks that could make sure that weapons aren’t being put into the hands of the wrong people.

Trump is leading in the polls for the southern states, which have more of a Republican population.

The main question to consider is whether or not border control should be the top priority in America, or is there improvement elsewhere that needs to be made first?

I don’t agree with most of his ideas, and some of them are irradical and out of reach. But considering I can’t vote yet, I can’t be one to make a difference in the polls.

However if I was 18 by next November, I would vote for anybody besides The Donald!

What do you think about the suspension of the exit exam?

“I think it’s a good idea because it gives the students more time to prepare.”

Wilson Xie, junior

“It’s good because it puts less stress on students who often worry about tests.”

JohnKyle Vega, senior

THE OLYMPIAN November 2, 2015

5

Injustices of the foster care system Facing your fear

By Jessica Mi Opinion Editor

Imagine getting ripped away from everything you know and love: your home, family, community, and school. Imagine being thrown into a strange house in a strange neighborhood with strange people you’ve never even met before. You eat their food, sleep in their beds, but most importantly, follow their rules.

These people can now exercise arbitrary power over you, and there’s nothing you can do about it. This situation is a reality for some 400,000 youth in the US. They are the victims of a cruel and unreasonable system that needs to be changed.

If this situation wasn’t difficult enough, there are bureaucratic rules that are utterly insensible.

The foster family agency (FFA) I belong to, Agape, will not allow a 15-year-old girl (me) to go to the park with my ten-year-old sister alone.

Their reasoning? It would be considered “babysitting.” I am not allowed to be home alone.

I cannot use kitchen knives un-

supervised. I cannot eat cough drops without the prescription of a doctor. Every piece of clothing I’ve ever owned or bought must be written down, documented, and recorded.

Stacks and stacks of paperwork prevent a halfway-normal existence. These social workers, my so-called “advocates,” would defend these rules. They would say the rules are for my own protection, but the truth is, they exist to protect the agencies. After all, nobody wants to get sued over a foster child. To these agencies, the kid doesn’t matter. All I’m worth is a stack of papers, sitting on someone’s desk.

Foster youth are told that they have the right to be free from physical or emotional abuse, but seldom is this right actualized.

When incidents in the foster home occur, they often go unreported. Social workers are often so overloaded with their caseloads that they do not have time to truly protect a kid. This leads to many foster youth living in environments that are unhealthy not only physically, but emotionally as well.

Often people think that if foster youth have food and drink, a place to sleep, and clothes on their backs, they’re all good. They give us the bare necessities, and expect us to lower ourselves to these standards. This is dehumanizing, as the system discourages youths from having wants or expectations.

Without wants, there are no goals, no aspirations, and no hopes. Foster youths need to be supported on a level above the

bare minimum. We should be allowed to enjoy things we like and reject things we don’t like.

We should be allowed to have opinions and preferences.

Perhaps the most daunting aspect of being a foster kid is the dreaded question: what will happen when I age out of foster care? California implemented Assembly Bill 12 in 2012, allowing for the continued financial support of steadily employed or student foster youth until the age of 21. Given the circumstances, however, this criteria is quite difficult to meet.

Look at how the system destroys individuals. It’s no surprise that 25 percent of foster youth are incarcerated within the first two years of emancipation, while 22.2 percent experience homelessness.

On the other side of the spectrum, only 1.8 percent of foster youth will complete a bachelor’s degree. AB12 was a step in the right direction, but it did not solve the problem. At the age of 18 or 21, no one would be prepared to be completely cut off from financial support. Imagine being shut out onto the street at that age, all alone in the world.

What would you do?

What will I do? I don’t know.

Luckily, I managed to stay in my school and community, and I have family in the area. But I still suffered the consequences of a crime I did not commit. My heart goes out to my displaced, fostered comrades. There is an obvious flaw in the existing system, yet nothing is being done to fix it. We need change.

Supermoon eclipse: a rare phenomenon

By Emily Salazar Staff Writer

On Sept. 27-28 of this year, there was the total lunar eclipse dubbed the Blood Moon. Shown at the reasonable hour of eight p.m., there were many who saw this rarity of a moon. But, how many people will see the next eclipse?

Solar, lunar, and any kind of eclipses in today’s day are seen as beautiful and sight for sore eyes.

I have made it a personal mission to see every type of eclipse that has presented itself for the last year and I can personally say I have never seen anything as beautiful as them. A factor that contributes to not only my appreciation but others appreciation for eclipses are the fact that they aren’t seen every night.

The most recent eclipse that happened was on a supermoon, in which the moon is at its closest to Earth. Total eclipse of super full moons are rare. According to NASA, they have only happened five times in the 1900s and another will not be seen for another 18 years in the year 2033. On average, there are four eclipses in a total year. It is considered a rarity to have five eclipses in a year. According to NASA calculations, only about 25 years in the past 5,000 years have had five eclipses. The last time this happened was in 1935, and the next time will be in 2206.

Eclipses don’t happen often, so

Neo Diesta/ Graphic Artist

wouldn’t that heighten our desire and expectancy to see them?

The sad truth is that many people don’t have an appreciation for them, they don’t see them as relevant or important to their daily lives. Eclipses don’t matter, they aren’t “worth the time of day.” These oddities happen at night-time, during hours that aren’t very convenient for people at average two and three a.m.

Eclipses give us perspective in life and let us see things differently. In those wee hours of the day while others are asleep and getting ready for their next day, there are people outside watching the night sky as it does something magnificent. During these hours you realize you are not just one human in a world of seven billion, you are one being of

matter among a universe of undiscovered anomalies, questions, and thousands upon thousands of unexplored planets and stars.

People in Ancient Greece and biblical times praised and sought to see more of these eclipses.

They were deemed highest of importance and were loved by many. So what changed? When did they become less important?

When did we become so busy that we couldn’t loan a few measly hours of our whole life to see something that doesn’t happen often? So while there are many who continue to sleep, I will be outside waiting to see proof of the vast majesticness of the universe.

Please join those who do for the next eclipse, a lunar eclipse on March 23, 2016.

of public speaking

By Sarah Nosseir Staff Writer

Many studies have showed that fear of public speaking ranks up with the fear of death.

Most of these fears arise from worry that you will mess up or that you’ll forget your lines.

However, once you make it about others and the content of your writing as oppose to yourself, a huge load is lifted off your shoulders.

Most of the time, you are the one who wrote your speech or lesson, and if you are confident that your words convey the right message, you will feel a lot better about yourself having to speak in public.

I personally have a mild fear of public speaking. During sophomore year in my English class, we had this huge speech that we had to write and perform for a minimum of five minutes. When we first received the assignment, I blocked out the fact that we had to perform it in front of the whole class and wrote about something a little bit personal.

It wasn’t incredibly private and I’m sure others would have had no problem sharing it in public, but I did.

On the day of the presentation, I was internally freaking out. Before I even entered the class, I was hyperventilating.

The little voice in my head was explaining in meticulous detail

all the ways I could possibly screw up and that was all I was thinking when it was my turn.

As I walked up to the front of the class, I was breathing hard, so after getting permission from my teacher, I stepped outside to calm myself down.

Once I had regained my breath, I realized that instead of being the kid with the well-written, life-changing speech, I was the kid who got an asthma attack.

It took a while to muster up the courage to re-enter my class, but I did. No one said anything, they just smiled.

After class, the teacher pulled me aside and said, just this one time, that I could turn it in on paper until I could get over my fear of public speaking. I was very grateful, and worked hard to get better at public speaking.

The next time we had a presentation, I managed to get up there, breathing calmly, and deliver my speech, maybe not to the best of my ability, but pretty well in my opinion.

It just took me longer to realize that the people watching didn’t really care about the way I talked or how long my speech was. Content was all that mattered to them.

Some things that really help me no and hopefully in the future with public speaking would be making eye contact with as many people as possible. This makes it feel more like talking to that one person, rather than an audience. Also, actively respecting your audience leads to them respecting you must as much, which is a nice feeling that makes it easier to talk to them.

One last tip to keep in mind is to always believe that your audience will succeed. Most of the time, if you make a small slip-up, the audience would rather just choose to ignore it for your sake than point it out, successfully embarrassing you.

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

Jurassic Juniors

Super Sophomores

8

Cafeteria staff strive for the best food and service

By Emily Salazar Staff Writer

It’s safe to say that anyone that has attended CVHS since last year has been able to see the dramatic changes the cafeteria has gone through, both inside and out. Many of these changes can be credited to the lunch staff and their head supervisor, Ana Aguilar.

With their help, the CVHS cafeteria has been able to have speedier lunch lines, and a larger variety of better quality food than before. But what else do we know? Shouldn’t we want to know more about the people who make our food daily?

Most students think of their teachers when they think about the CVHS staff. They make sacrifices every day to come to school early at 7 a.m. to prepare a daily lesson plan.

The lunch staff makes the sacrifice each day to come to school at 6 a.m. and needs to have meals planned for about 3,000 students, including the teaching and custodial staff.

Members of the staff have shared their personal journey into the CVHS cafeteria, and what keeps them motivated

Emily Salazar / Staff Writer

Head supervisor Ana Aguilar serves meals to students with a smile and a friendly attitude. each day to serve the CVHS community.

Aguilar has worked for the CVHS lunch staff for 19 years, and has recently been promoted to the head of the cafeteria.

She says that Castro Valley is a good district and she likes the community because it’s friendly and safe.

“I’m happy here, I love it,”

she said.

But mostly she talks about her goals for the cafeteria in the future.

“First, I want to feed all of the community. I want to feed all of the students, the teachers, everyone. Second, I want to improve the quality of the food, and third, I hope to improve the equipment and the building,”

Neue Erfahrungen in Deutschland

By Fiona Richter Staff Writer

Imagine taking 11 classes, attending as few as two of them a day, and sometimes having three-hour breaks in between periods. School in another country may be very unlike the American school system, as CVHS student Callie Ross-Smith is discovering this year while living in Germany.

“It’s so different here. Classes can be cancelled at any time, and you just end up going home at 1 p.m., or go to school sometimes as late as 10 a.m. I like parts of it better. We have lots of homework, but it's never collected. So it’s like, wow, I did all the work for nothing besides my own self improvement, what a waste of time,” Ross-Smith said.

It was weird for her to see the way students and teachers interact, because students are treated like equals. They’re allowed to debate with teachers, and negotiate the dates of exams or the amount of homework. The school setting itself is also very different, as she’s attending a typical German upper school with sixth to 12th grade and about 1,000 students total.

Ross-Smith worked hard to get this opportunity. She receives a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) scholarship, funded by the German and U.S. govern-

ments, which has a lengthy application process. Another CVHS student, Karina Masalkovaite, is also a recipient of the CBYX scholarship.

In March, Ross-Smith found out she’d won a scholarship, and she was placed with a host family in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany’s northernmost state.

She adores her host parents and brother, but the location comes with its own set of obstacles.

Some people in SchleswigHolstein speak Low German instead of the “standard” High German that’s taught in school, and Ross-Smith can’t understand them.

Ross-Smith only took German at CVHS for a year before bravely moving to Germany.

“Hardest thing: the language.

When you don't speak someone's language, you don't have a personality. You can't be clever, funny, or make any thoughtful remarks. Word puns are nearly impossible. I have the reading level of a six-year old,” she joked. “But my classmates have been super helpful, breaking words down into simpler German. And I’m slowly becoming more fluent. I just read an entire short story in German and wrote an interpretation on it.”

In return, Ross-Smith helps her friends understand English idioms and colloquialisms that usually aren’t taught in a classroom.

Though Ross-Smith has only been in Germany for two months, she’s already had her

fair share of memorable experiences. A few weeks in, her host mother took her to the hospital because Ross-Smith had severe stomach pain. As it turned out, she had appendicitis and needed surgery.

“Not every exchange student can say she lost an organ during her year,” she said.

Before that, though, a much happier event took place.

Ross-Smith’s birthday was

“

Hardest thing: the language.

Callie Ross-Smith Student

Aguilar said.

Aguilar clearly shows her care and love for her staff and students. The students are what motivate her to continue cooking food for them each morning.

“I love to see the smiling faces of the students. I see them as my kids, and when they ask if they can buy a second lunch it

Scholar-“ship” helps students set sail Award created in honor of Nick “Dubb” Whitaker

By Stella Ho Staff Writer

”

on her second day of school, when she hadn’t made any friends yet. Her classmates, however, brought Ross-Smith gifts and chocolate cakes and sang for her.

“They all lined up to hug me, and it was literally the most kindest thing that’s been done on my birthday. The Germans are the kindest people ever,” Ross-Smith recounted.

Ross-Smith’s class is going on trips to Denmark and Italy this year, which she is looking forward to. She loves her math and music classes.

“I’d love to be able to go to university here,” she said.

motivates me! It lets me know I’m doing something right,” commented Aguilar.

Shirley Yee, a longtime cafetreia staff member since 2009, says, “I feel happy when the students are eating and studying. That’s what makes me happy.”

Yee also has similar goals to Aguilar: “I want to make more high quality and healthy food for all.”

Jenny Chan, who has worked in the CVHS lunch staff for 17 years, also has the students in her hearts while cooking their daily meals.

“I love to work with kids more than food. When I see the kids happy with the food, I’m happy too,” Chan said.

Most of us take lunch for granted, and we rarely stop to think that a person made this, with their hands and with their heart.

We should all now grab lunch with a new appreciation, knowing every minute that we eat it, that someone, who doesn’t even know our names, deeply cares for us, and made it for us with love for the students.

The least we can do is smile and thank them for the meal.

“For all of the negative things I could say about myself, one positive thing I think I can say is that there has to be someone out there who is nicer to others because I was nice to them. And for someone as sensitive to others as I am, that is enough for me,” Nicholas “Dubb” Whitaker wrote in his goodbye letter.

Whitaker, the former Leadership and social studies teacher at CVHS, passed away on Sept.

17. He was an inspiration and a source of kindness to others, someone that always radiated positivity in the hallways. He left in his wake a donationbased scholarship fund.

It was Dubb’s wish to establish a scholarship for an exceptional student with leadership skills to go to college.

“He always told me that sometimes kids need someone to believe in them when they can’t believe in themselves,” said Lavender Whitaker, Dubb’s wife. “He wanted to provide

an opportunity to a special kid that may just need that boost of confidence, someone to believe in them, and a shot at making the world a better place.”

The scholarship of $10,000 will be awarded to one lucky recipient per year starting in the spring. As of now, it’s still unknown whether the scholarship will be available for just the students in the leadership class or for anyone in school.

Michael Kentris, the leadership teacher, will nominate students who show signs of being a strong leader. There are no income or GPA requirements.

Leadership qualities include helping and leading others, being responsible and demonstrating acts of kindness. About five to ten nominations will be accepted. Once they apply, they will be interviewed by a panel, which will ultimately decide the winner.

Dubb has left such a huge impact on our lives, and he will continue to do so even after death through this scholarship.

Many of his family, friends, and colleagues have helped by making a web site accepting donations that will go toward it. So far, more than 300 people have contributed more than $32,000 has been raised, and more money is donated each day.

The web site for scholarship donations is www.gofundme. com/dubbfund.

The Olympian

“Trojan Togetherness” unites school community

November 2, 2015

9

By America Morales A&E Editor

Starting off as two simple words and a joined fist pump, “Trojan Togetherness” has been introduced to CVHS as a center of focus on the idea of being more connected as a school. This being his third year at CVHS, Principal Blaine Torpey has walked around the campus, participated in activities, visited classrooms, and seen wonderful examples of excellence.

“One of the things we can do to strengthen our community is to connect those excellent elements into a cohesive whole,” said Torpey.

Because there are students who aren't as connected as others, those who are highly connected should seek to reach out to others and connect them to club or team activities, Torpey said. In addition, if students who struggle can build a strong connection with an adult on campus, their likelihood to be successful increases.

An excellent example was carried out at the welcome back assembly. The level of spirit rose to

Anna Nguyen / Editor-in-Chief

Showing “Trojan Togetherness” are Principal Blaine Torpey and a group of spirited students.

the top and everyone seemed to be united by the excitement that filled Trojan Stadium.

Whether it be a student-adult connection, adult-adult connection, or student-student connection, the stronger and more successful we will be. So, what can we do to make ourselves more con-

nected to our school community?

Examples can range from the staff making decisions together, to students developing a dress code policy that everyone can agree on, to attending events such as club day. Most importantly, however, Torpey hopes that most of the ideas come from the students and

staff. In your eyes, what is “Trojan Togetherness” all about?

Keep in mind, the football games have a lot of potential to get involved. It doesn’t have to be because we all love football, rather coming together as a school and sharing our enthusiasm for the thrill of the night.

CVHS student has a future on the field

By Anastasia Le Staff Writer

David Taylor is a dedicated athlete with big dreams. Emanating a vibrant liveliness on and off of the field, Taylor is motivated by his plans for athletic success in both football and baseball.

Taylor, otherwise known as D.J., is a junior who has made a name for himself this season as a running back and cornerback for the varsity football team. The athlete started playing football at age seven, and was passionate for the game from the start. Taylor is drawn to football’s fast-paced, intense nature, and lives for the excitement of playing in front of a crowd.

“It’s exciting and fun,” Taylor explained, “No matter if you’re losing, they’re still roaring.”

The most memorable game this season, according to Taylor, was the varsity team’s first home game against John F. Kennedy High School. In the second half, he scored three touchdowns with nine carries. Successes such as these are what drive Taylor to keep improving. During the offseason, he plans to work on his strength conditioning, aiming to be bigger, faster, and stronger for next season.

Taylor is a true team player on and off the field. When observing how he interacts with others around him, it’s clear to see that Taylor builds good relationships with his teammates, peers, and friends.

“He’s a good friend to have on and off the field,” said fellow teammate and friend R.J. Harrison. “He’s a good player and he’s always motivating.”

Taylor is a two varsity sport athlete, playing both football and baseball. His brother played baseball for two minor league teams.

Taylor also wants a future in playing professional sports.

“I want to be the first in my family to go all the way in football or baseball,” said Taylor.

Besides a career in professional sports, Taylor sees himself going into law enforcement or joining the Coast Guard. His goals are ambitious, and although for many, goals are just possibilities and musings, to Taylor, they’re all “part of the plan.”

“My plan is to go to college and play college baseball and football, and after that, to get drafted in either,” said Taylor.

With a promising future in sight, Taylor is so much more than someone who plays by the book.

He has a game plan, and though life may throw some curve balls his way, his perseverance and selfmotivation are what set him apart from the rest.

10

Trojans sting Hornets on court

By Diego RodriguezPeccorini Staff Writer

The Trojans’ girls varsity tennis team beat the Alameda High Hornets in a close match Oct. 27 to bounce back from a tough loss against the Oakland Head Royce tennis team two weeks earlier.

The singles games resulted in two Trojans wins, with Rachel Dong as the victor for one and Angela Ho for another. CVHS earned an additional two wins by the doubles teams of Brianna Wong and Victoria Vitton also Riley Powers and Anjali Baht. The final conclusion of the match was an absolute victory by our Trojans with a score of 4-3.

Ho prevailed in a tough singles match, dropping the first set only to rebound in the next two.

Powers and Baht also fought to a marathon victory in three sets, the last ending in darkness by a 7-6 score.

“It was nerve wracking because we were splitting sets, so we didn’t know who was going to win. Angela played really hard, and Riley and Anjali played really well too,” said teammate Aditi Gupte.

“No words can really describe how much mental and physical determination it took to bring these matches home,” said a proud Coach Greg Lowe.

The victory eased the disappointment of a close loss to the Head Royce Jayhawks on Oct. 14.

In that competition, singles players Victoria Vitton and Dipti Gupte won matches for the

Super

Sarah Nosseir / Staff Writer

Kelly Jordan spikes the ball down to the opposing team.

Volleyball team taken hostage by Pirates

By Sarah Nosseir Staff Writer

Diego Rodriguez-Peccorini / Staff Writer

Victoria Vitton hits the ball back to her opponent.

Trojans, as did the doubles team of Emma Metchette and Sylvia Dang. Yet the Jayhawks pulled ahead and ultimately won the competition.

The Trojans tasted defeat, but the environment was peaceful.

It was a competition in which there was compassion towards both fellow teammates and competitors. If a mistake was made, you only heard calm responses such as “It’s okay” or “Oh, don’t

Jacoby Young, freshman

Jacoby Young is a flyer for the junior varsity cheerleading team.

She said her favorite thing about cheer is cheering on the football teams at games, showing school spirit, and getting to become close to the girls on the team.

When asked about her favorite memory so far, Young said, “My favorite memory was our first halftime at our first home game.

Everyone was so excited and happy and everyone did great.”

At the first cheer competition of the year, junior varsity as well as varsity cheer and dance teams got first place in their categories.

worry about it,” and never heard words of discouragement.

Player Selena Lieu explained the team’s sportsmanship and supportive attitude.

“I look at the players and see what these girls are capable of, and when they mess up, you know that they still have potential to do more,” Lieu said.

The Trojans are aiming for a strong WACC finish on Nov. 6-7.

Savvy

Bianca Greer, sophomore

Bianca Greer plays on the junior varsity volleyball team.

“Over the weekend my team and I played a tournament at Irvington High School,” she said a few weeks ago. “This was our tipping point; this is where everything came together for us as a team. We were suddenly communicating better and playing to the best of our abilities.

“Tournaments are a great thing to bond with your team and step up your game,” she said.

This is Greer’s second year on the team.

The Castro Valley Trojans and the San Leandro Pirates faced each other in an exciting volleyball game on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Although the Trojans lost in the first three sets, it was a well-fought game by the girls varsity team at Castro Valley High School.

“I think we did good overall. San Leandro is a really good team and as long as we keep up our energy and fight hard, we will end up with a great record this season,” senior Ivie Johnson said.

After this game was over, the Trojans’ record changed to 11 wins, 13 losses.

The first set ended 25-16 to the Pirates, but the Trojans stuck through it until the end. In this first set, after an excessively long rally by both teams, junior Nikki Jensen leaped into the air and cleverly hurled the ball to the opposite side of the court with incredible force.

Sports

Maggie Del Grande, junior Maggie Del Grande plays defensive specialist for the CVHS varsity volleyball team, which passes from the back row towards the front. She has played for school volleyball teams since her freshman year.

So far this season, the highlight was winning the tournament at Alameda High as well as beating Dublin, who had previously beat the Trojans. “We’ve been struggling a little bit, but it’s only upward from here,” said Del Grande in regards to the season.

Dress up days they have on game day are really fun and get the team excited to play, she said.

The second set was a dramatic improvement, and although the Trojans gave it their all, they still were four points shy of winning when it came to a close. Throughout this entire set, all the players yelled words of encouragement to their teammates to get the team spirit up and raise the intensity of the game.

Throughout the third set, the girls got a little complacent and dejected, and the score dropped to 16-24 with spirits on the down side.

The coach called a time-out, needing to get her team in the game.

After a concise pep talk about playing their own game, and not paying attention to the score, the Trojans ran back onto the court with a newfound sense of hope and energy.

They managed to score five points all in succession to the delight of the crowd and many fans after finally conceding one quick point and giving up the game to the Pirates.

Stars

By Molly Koch and Alexander McIntosh

Raekwon Criss, senior

Raekwon Criss plays running back, fullback, and strong safety for the CVHS varsity football team.

He has played for CVHS for all four of his years here.

In the game this season against James Logan, he scored a touchdown, which was his highlight for the season so far. Criss has 20 tackles, 30 rushing yards, and one touchdown.

He feels the second half of the season is going to go great, and said, “I think my favorite thing about football is the bond we have, they truly become a part of your family.”

Selena’s song sets upbeat “Rhythm”

11

Mall Cop keeps crowds laughing

By Mia Babasyan Staff Writer

Selena Gomez’s song “Me and the Rhythm” is the third song released from her new album Revival. This song is definitely more fun and upbeat than her last two, “Good for you” and “Same Old Love,” which are intimate and lean on past relationships.

The song has a tropical beat to it that carries throughout, giving a relaxed and comfortable vibe.

At the same time, it’s a perfect song to dance to and play when you have to get things done. The lyrics are honest and affectionate, revealing more of her new tone for the Revival album.

Anyone who has a love for music can agree to Gomez’s lyrics “the rhythm takes you over, takes you to a different place.” “Me and the Rhythm” shows her passion for making music and left fans (Selenators) desperate to hear the full album.

Selena announced on Instagram that she will be having a Revival world tour in 2016, but the album was released on Oct. 9. “Me and the Rhythm” is obviously autotuned (like every song nowadays) and Selena reaches pitches she’s never attempted so far, so many people

By Nina Bessolo Staff Writer

are eager to see how she will perform the song live. In saying this, Selena has been stepping out of her comfort zone and surprising many critics on her vocals.

“I know that I’m not the world’s greatest singer, but I do know that I have a unique tone,” said Selena talking about her new album. She has proven before that her voice is strong and when she’s got catchy, fun songs, how she reaches a cer-

Neo Diesta/ Graphic Artist

tain pitch will not determine whether or not her performance was good.

“Me and the Rhythm” is bound to make it on the top song charts and is already on iTunes’ “Hot Tracks.” I love the song, and think it will make a great addition to Revival.

However, there is one thing to be wary of on this song. Once you hear it, you won’t be able to get the rhythm out of your head.

Dessen depicts the teen years in book

By Elizabeth Chan Staff Writer

What would you do if your sibling got into a drunk driving accident and left a young boy handicapped? Sarah Dessen’s latest book, Saint Anything, tells a story of a teenage girl, Sydney, who is constantly overlooked.

Her brother Peyton, who is charismatic, good- looking, and gets lots of attention, has landed himself in prison after a drunk driving accident in which he has crippled a small boy.

Dessen is a genius when it comes to young adult- comingof- age novels, and Sydney’s struggles and experiences just go to show her genius even further.

The story starts off with Sydney leaving the courtroom from which her brother has just been sentenced in, and goes to the restroom. In the restroom, she bumps into a girl who immediately apologizes and asks if Sydney is all right.

The next chapter takes us to when Sydney is switching schools from her private school to a public school. She ends her day tired and confused from be-

ing in a new environment, so she decides to get a slice of pizza at a local pizzeria. There, she gets her pizza and is rung up by a cashier named Mac, and a girl named Layla who turns out to be the girl who bumped into her at the courthouse. It turns out that Mac and Layla Chatham are siblings, and work at the pizzeria their family owns.

From there, Sydney is thrust into the Chatham family, in which she is greeted with open and welcoming arms. Layla, a newfound close friend is cheerful, caring, and a hopeless romantic, compared to Mac, who is protective, reliable and subtle, and Rosie, who is bitter but loveable. Mrs. Chatham shows Sydney the meaning of family, as she is the center of the Chathams.

But it's the older brother, Mac, who Sydney is really captured by and really feels seen by him. Between Mac caring for Layla, and Layla’s loving teasing towards her two siblings gives light to Sydney of how family is. Mrs. Chatham shows Sydney how caring her children are, and how to love and care for others.

From the Chathams, Sydney receives a kind of love that she has never received from her real family, which causes tension between the two. It causes Sydney’s mother to make Sydney spend less time with her newfound

friends and also causes Peyton’s friend Ames to become a barrier in her life. The relationship between the three siblings of the Chathams makes Sydney reflect on her own relationship with her brother, and how she cares for him. The Chathams also finally make Sydney feel seen after feeling so overlooked in her entire life.

The loveable relationship between Layla, Mac, Rosie and Sydney creates a funny, endearing, and entertaining read. Sarah Dessen has again achieved a relevant, relatable and romantic young adult novel that most will enjoy.

In the sequel to Andy Fickman’s original Mall Cop film, Kevin James once again stars as the New Jersey mall cop and beloved single father to his now teenage daughter, played

by Raini Rodriguez. Having triumphed over crime in his local hometown mall in the previous movie, James now takes his talents to a new level in Las Vegas where he stumbles upon a sophisticated and diabolical syndicate of art thieves led by Vincent Sofel.

Fickman showcases the considerable talents of comedian James within the setting of a showy hotel casino which is hosting a convention for security professionals. James wrestles with a number of common struggles.

He has no other family and he has to deal with his daughter’s upcoming departure to college.

He also deals with constant

insecurity and disrespect. In spite of these obstacles, he has visions of greatness. He heroically rises to the challenge of his rivals through relentless determination, resourcefulness, and his unique set of skills. As James defiantly announces to the criminals, “It's a bad day to be bad people!”

A comical scene that I enjoyed was when Paul Blart, the character played by James, was in a tranquil room with a vigorous piano player. Then in comes a nice-looking gray crowned crane.

James starts to feel uneasy as the crane comes closer to him, and he kicks at the crane hysterically.

The annoyed crane began to hiss and attack James. As they are fighting, the pianist is calmly playing which I thought was pretty humorous. The piano player was not helping James at all, instead he was playing along as if James and the Crane were in a romantic situation.

If you ever want a good laugh, I highly recommend this movie.

James is a hysterical actor. The movie was full of suspense and humor. Fickman skillfully ties together so many series of actions into a sweet ending.

Go Set a Watchman mocks Mockingbird

By Stella Ho Staff Writer

I’m sure that almost every high school student in the U.S. has read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Or if not, they’ve at least heard of it. What they might not know is that there is a sequel to this acclaimed classic that was released just this summer, Go Set a Watchman.

Go Set a Watchman is set two decades after To Kill a Mockingbird, and adult Jean Louise “Scout” Finch has just returned from New York City to her hometown of Maycomb, Alabama to take care of her old father Atticus.

Growing up as a child, she was a loud-mouthed tomboy who looked up to Atticus as her role model. Now a mature young lady, she goes by her birth name Jean Louise instead of the casual nickname “Scout.”

Jean Louise is delighted to come back home, but begins to see a different side of her beloved town as it starts to change, and also discovers that Atticus is not the virtuous man she thought he was. She “grows up” in this novel as she develops a different perspective on the world around her.

Go Set a Watchman can’t technically be called a sequel because

Lee wrote it as an early draft of To Kill a Mockingbird. The title is a reference to a passage in the Bible and alludes to how Jean Louise views Atticus as the “watchman” or moral guide of Maycomb. But as her Uncle Jack tells her, “Every man’s island, Jean Louise, every man’s watchman, is his conscience.” She learns that only she can be the voice of reason for herself.

I originally had high expectations for this novel. I was a huge fan of To Kill a Mockingbird. I was excited to reread about my favorite characters, but most of them, including Jem, Dill, and Boo Radley, were missing from Go Set a Watchman.

I found the book disorganized and confusing to read, as it switched from Jean Louise’s flashbacks to her present. The flashbacks were interesting because they had a To Kill a Mockingbird feel to it. They were humorous and heartwarming and depicted a Scout I knew and loved. But the novel can’t only be consisted of flashbacks, or else it’ll just be an extension of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Go Set a Watchman is also a story of race, but unlike its predecessor, it’s not a very clear or well written one. The book is sometimes similar to To Kill a Mockingbird, but sometimes it contradicts it.

Overall, I felt this novel to be a huge failure and a tarnish in an American classic’s memory. Go Set a Watchman was far from satisfactory. I’d prefer to stick to To Kill a Mockingbird.

“Fairly Odd” Freshmen