Issue 6 2010-2011 by Trojan Times

Thursday, March 3, 2011

INSIDE MHS headed to We The People national competition

News

Trojan Times

Issue #6 Volume XXXVIII

MHS ATHLETES EXCEL IN OIA CHAMPIONSHIPS

AP Psychology students conduct experiments

Trojan Life

The student athletes of MHS’ winter sports

fought their way through the season, ultimately bringing home five OIA titles. Each team overcame their own struggles, from being doubted by others, to injuries and feelings of insecurity. In the end, the teams were able to overcome their difficulties and maintain MHS’ reputation of athletic excellence.

You don’t always need to know where you’re going

Editorial Editorial

Feature

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 and 9

MHS swim team competes in HHSAA State competition By Matthew Raab

m.raab@trojantimes.org

On Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011, the Hawaii High School Athletics Association (HHSAA) Swimming Championships were held at the Central Oahu Regional Park swimming pool. MHS participated along with 15 other school in the event, which was the culmination of this year’s swimming season. thetrojantimes.tumblr.com

Matthew Raab | Trojan Times

Go online to trojantimes.org for the full story

News

Thursday, March 3, 2011

MHS takes first place in We the People state competition By Bianca Sewake

b.sewake@trojantimes.org

After winning first place in the We the People state competition held on Saturday, Feb. 5 at the Hawaii Convention Center, students from the Advanced Placement (AP) Government class will move on to the national competition. “We the People is a program designed to explore citizenship and constitutionalism,” said Social Studies Teacher Amy Perruso. Senior Camille Marsden explained further by saying, “Basically, it gives students the chance to participate in mock congressional hearings and we discuss the Constitution and how it is applied today.” The team began prepar-

Photo courtesy of Senior Taylor Sinn

(L-R) Seniors Nicole Umphress, Jessica Preston and Taylor Sinn are all smiles after taking first place in We the People competition.

ing in October and were split up into six groups, which corresponded with the six units from their textbooks. Each group consisted of three to four people that specialized in that specific unit’s content. “Each unit group is giv-

MHS wins first in Science Olympiad at LCC

By Matthew Raab

m.raab@trojantimes.org

Members of the MHS Science Olympiad team competed and took first at the Science Olympiad Saturday, Feb. 5 at Leeward Community College. The Olympiad, which is a science competition between several schools, was an opportunity for students interested in science to further their knowledge in a competitive setting. “In simplest terms, the Science Olympiad basically works like a track meet,” said Sophomore Evan Wilson, who participated in the event. “Each person has their own specific event. Each person does the best job they can at their own event, and at the very end the team with the lowest score once the places they received in every event are combined is the winner.” There are several events that the students can be assigned to. “For my partner Kyle Yamada and myself,” said Wilson, “We had the Microbe Mission event, which is an hour-long event where we went to different sta-

tions in a room, and each station had some sort of topic with questions that pertained to the nature of microorganisms.” Other events included a tower constructing task, along with a competition in which a car powered by mousetraps had to be built and operated. Mililani took first in both of these events with the work of Chad Uyehara and Tru Dang, respectively. After the competition, an awards ceremony was held. “We knew that only the top three schools advanced on to the state competition,” stated Wilson. “Pearl City was named third, and then they moved on to second place. We pretty much knew since months before that it was going to come down between ourselves and Iolani, who are practically an academic powerhouse. Fortunately, Iolani got called second place, and after that we were called as the first place winners.” After their win at the Olympiad the team will be advancing to the state level competition.

en three possible questions to answer about the Constitution, one of which will be asked by the judges on competition day,” stated Senior Alan Yamaki. From there, the team has four minutes to deliver a prepared response followed by six minutes of

answering follow-up questions from the judges. Perruso said, “The judges engage them in a conversation about their response, kind of to see how deep and broad their knowledge is and also to see to what extent that students can engage in these conversations in a civil fashion.” The students competed against high schools across the state, including, Kealakehe, Iolani, Kahuku, Christian Academy and Island Pacific Academy. But in the end, MHS ranked first. “During the actual competition, I was so nervous that I hadn’t done a good enough job,” said Marsden, “But then when they announced that we had won, I was smiling so hard that my cheeks hurt.”

Perruso was pleased with the students’ accomplishment. She said, “I don’t really care about the numbers or how they perform relative to other schools ... I was telling them that watching them at the hearings was a really great experience for me because I spend a lot of my time like when I interact with them, trying to push them further or give them something to think about a different way.” The students also felt they benefitted from this. “One thing we all gained was knowledge of constitutional ideas, and experience in making good arguments and speaking professionally, to professionals,” said Yamaki. The national competition will be held in Washington, D.C. from April 28 to May 3.

History Day projects make it to state competition By Zora Ha

z.ha@trojantimes.org

This year’s National History Day (NHD) theme “Debate and Diplomacy” rekindled the desire for learning history among high school students by bringing students who had advanced from the school wide division to compete in the district competition with their project. With hours of hard work invested into their projects, MHS students participated in the NHD Districts Fair held at Aiea Intermediate School on Saturday, Feb. 19. The teams could compete in five different categories to convey their perspective on the theme. “There were categories like writing a research paper, creating a website, documentary, or exhibit or writing a skit in which you were to perform it,” said Social Studies Teacher Cynthia Tong. Students that made it past the first round of judging at the school level started improving their project. “To prepare for districts we worked very hard to perfect our documentary and work on our interview questions,” said Sophomore Victoria Roybal. “We made a documentary so it was important that the music, video and

District Competition Winners Essay

· Jessica Kawana, 11 · Kainoa Eastlack, 11

Exhibit

· Reid Imamura, and Brandon Quon, 10 · Caitlyn Yoshioka and Viola Mocz, 9

Website

· Anna Sikkink, 11 · Marc Siler and Danielle Teurkina, 10 · Reece Ishihara, 11 audio matched up exactly which took a lot of preparing,” she continued. There were numerous difficulties that the groups faced, but the main ones were working together as a group and time management. “It was hard to coordinate times to meet. It was also difficult to learn how to work as a team,” Roybal said. Sophomore Karolyn Lam agreed, but embraced it as a time to bond with her group members. “The best part would have to be working with my partners, since they were at my house almost every day. Even though we were stressed out at times, we made the best of

Performance

· James Denzer, 9 · Kara Nitta and Layne Kishi, 10 · Princess Lynne De Dios, Roanne Domingo and Aina Krizelle Iglesias, 9

Documentary

· Marissa Okazaki, 12 · Lisa Grandinetti, 10 · Megan Madeira, Victoria Roybal and Alohilani Nonies, 10

it and had tons of fun,” she said. Though the process was troublesome, they concurred that the hard work inputted was worth it when they saw the final product created. “The best part of our project was when it was finally complete,” Roybal said, continuing, “When we finally finished the project it was very rewarding to see how much we accomplished.” Roybal and 20 other students will be advancing to the state competition, held on April 9 at Windward Community College

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Trojan Life

Taparra and AP Psychology class team up with elementary and preschool kids for a study By Reid Imamura

r.imamura@trojantimes.org

The students currently enrolled in the Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology class at MHS took part this February, in a joint activity with Mililani Waena Elementary School and the Mililani Baptist Preschool. The activity served beneficial for the high school students as well as a learning experience for the children. Kindergarteners from Mililani Waena Elementary School and preschoolers from the Mililani Baptist Church came over to MHS on Feb. 7 and 8 to take part in a study that the MHS AP Psychology students were conducting. Activities that the chil-

dren took part in involved their understanding of object placements and location. “The little kids had to decide if an object disappeared when a blanket was placed over it, or if it was just hidden,” said Senior John Sandvig. They were also tested on how they looked at objects from different perspectives, such as determining whether or not one glass of water was filled more than another, even though both glasses had the same amount. This activity started in the early 2000s with one class of Head Start’s preschool students who were located on MHS’ campus and was organized by Carol Wear. Because it had positive feedback from the majority of former AP Psychology

students, it proved to be “invaluable” for their AP exam at the end of the high school year. Since then, Mililani Baptist and Mililani Waena Elementary School teachers agreed to partner up with the class to make this a joint community affair. “This activity was specifically designed for the AP Psychology students so they could have an opportunity to apply and understand Piaget’s concepts,” said AP Psychology Teacher Judy Taparra, “And prepare for the AP Psychology College Board exam scheduled in May,” she continued. Piaget’s theory is understanding the development in a growing child’s brain. Students focused on cognitive functions and how chil-

Banquet in the clouds By Aven Santiago

Photo courtesy of Judy Taparra

A student from Mililani Baptist Preschool participates in an activity that tests his ability to understand object placement. dren understand normal life routines. The AP student’s feedback on the issue turned out to be a positive. “Getting to see a scientific explanation in real life is a lot easier to understand it than through a textbook,” said Junior

FBLA organizes retreat for better learning experience

a.santiago@trojantimes.org

By Ella Macaraig

The MHS Sophomore Banquet is headed up to the clouds. On March 4, 2011, the banquet themed “On Cloud Nine” will be held at the Okinawan Center. The theme for the banquet was thought up by the Sophomore Banquet Committee. “We actually changed the theme about three times and then we all just ended up on settling on this,” said Sophomore Kailee Napoleon, a committee member. Decorations for the banquet will be a sky like background around the banquet hall. Centerpieces will mainly be vases with bottles of drinks in them. There will also be picture taking for singles, couples and groups. “We’re just going to have a good time and it will be a really good event for the sophomores,” said Sophomore Banquet Adviser Susan Yamamoto. “It’s their first semi-formal event and I want them to have a really good time.” The banquet seems to have positive outlooks by the sophomores. “I’m looking forward to it,” said

In Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), it’s all about getting hands on experience in the fields members wish to specialize in. That’s why on March 25 to 26, the FBLA members and their advisers will go to the Pacific Beach Hotel for their retreat, to see how “real world” business industries work. This is the club’s second year doing the retreat, the first one was held at the Ala Moana Hotel. The retreat was planned to enrich and develop the members’ abilities. “I think it’s a really good experience for them to get together, and additional to that, they will be doing business related activities so they will be able to shadow people in various areas like people in jobs like the front desks, restaurants, managerial, to see what they do,” said Business Teacher Janise Kim. Seniors Lauren Saiki and Shayna Sueda orga-

e.macaraig@trojantimes.org

Sophomore Ariel Beaudoin Gambol. “I’m looking forward to spending the night with my friends.” There were some problems that were faced when planning the sophomore banquet. “Some problems that we faced were that there was a lot of people that ended up coming on the last day of sign ups,” said Napoleon. “We had a huge amount of people come at us at one time and it brought up a lot

of confusion and it ended up to be like prom. We ended up having to make a wait list for guests.” Despite the problems with seating, the banquet is set up according to schedule. “I’m hoping the kids will have a really great time and there will be no complaints,” said Yamamoto. Doors for the banquet will open at 5:30 p.m. and close at 6:00 p.m. The event will end at 10:00 p.m.

Nicholas Shakur. Understanding subjects within an AP class can be strenuous and difficult, but by having this event, high school students were given the chance to look at a study in real life.

nized some activities for the retreat. “There will be job shadowing, go (sic) to a business company, have a scavenger hunt around Waikiki, swimming and make a promotional video for the Pacific Beach Hotel,” said Sueda. All of the members were welcome to join, but they had to meet a certain number of attendances and participation in the past activities and events put on by FBLA. “Requirements to go to the retreat will be students have to attend meetings, activities and be a student of a current business class,” said Sueda. Saiki and Sueda planned the trip far in advance. “We must plan and organize a fundraiser, make hotel arrangements, plan and execute a schedule for the entire retreat.” FBLA believes that it would be better to have actual activity and experience for their club if they are really going to pursue business as their future career, and a retreat is an alternative to the work they usually do at school.

Trojan Life

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Senior prom theme inspired by “The Notebook”

By Jacquelyn Perreira j.perreira@trojantimes.org

At this year’s senior prom guests will be taken back to a night in the 1940s on Mar. 5 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Waikiki. “(The committee) chose the Hyatt because of the cost and the look of the ballroom. With its stunning chandeliers and elegant feel, there was no better place to celebrate our senior prom,” explained Senior Kimberly Hiyoto, Prom Committee Chairperson. The theme is named Forever Yours. “We’re trying to pull the whole innocence of love (effect) as seen in the movie, ‘The Notebook’,” said Senior Taliya Hayes, Prom Committee member, who came up with the theme. “The unforgettable love between the two characters shows that the little things in a young relationship between teenagers can mean so much,” she continued. This theme will be particularly conveyed through the 1940s style of music that

will be played. “The music conveys the innocence of love through the smooth, romantic sound setting the mood,” explained Hayes. “It’s clean and very endearing, showing that love is so much more than what music makes it nowadays,” she added. Attendees will see elegant colors in decorations, such as white roses and candles. “Our colors are ivory, black and gold, with an accent of like a pale pink,” said Senior Prom Committee Adviser Lisa Anne Tsuruda. Along with the grandeur venue, guests can expect to see a variety of well-known performers (whose names will be kept undisclosed until prom night), a high-tech photo booth to take pictures in, as well as performances by MHS students. “We are lucky enough to have some seniors perform their rendition of the song, ‘The Way You Look Tonight’ (originally sung by Frank Sinatra) during the court’s dance,” said Hiyoto. In addition to planning this night, the prom commit-

ASMHS President

Sharmaine Lee

tee also wants guests to leave with some food for thought: “When we are young, love seems to be the only thing we want to and can focus our attention on. The rest of the world’s worries are not there, and that is how I want prom night to feel like, like

anything is possible once we graduate from high school. And for that one night we don’t need to worry about anything else, just having fun,” said Hayes. Check–in for attendees will be at 6 p.m. and the event will end at 10 p.m.

Trojans, the school year seems to be passing by faster and faster. We only have one more week left of school till the end of the quarter. While the quarter went by quickly we had various activities, starting with Campus Beautification on Feb. 5. A great big thank you to the school clubs, Clayton Ward of Endo Painting, Louie Gamiao of L.A. Painting, Willy Diaz of Shiroma Painting, the Rotary club, Rob Man, Bud Kaku, and Stuart Harada for volunteering their time, to Dean Ford for donating the paint for the cafeteria and also to Marissa Yamamoto for organizing the event. The Olaloa Valentine’s Dance for senior citizens was on Feb. 11. The new member of ASMHS are President John Delos Reyes; VicePresident Shaina Saiki; Recording Secretary Nashea Carlos; Corresponding Secretary Grace Hayashi; and Treasurer Tyler Atiburcio. We are still looking for committee chairs, board members, and SCC representatives. Thank you to those who gave up their long President’s Day weekend to participate in the Great Aloha Run and Youth Challenge representing Mililani High School. As the quarter comes to a close I hope you’re studying hard for the finals. We’re all excited for the break and the new quarter.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Chosen Trojans

Gonzalez and Mcewen eligible for $30,000 prize in Lucerne “The Art of Dairy” competition By Matthew Raab m.raab@trojantimes.org

$30,000 for decorating a fiberglass cow. Sound ridiculous? It’s a reality for MHS students Ramil Lorenzo Gonzalez and Nicole Mcewen. Both are participants in the Sixth Annual Lucerne The Art of Dairy “Sharing Joy” Art Contest, an art competition meant to promote healthy dairy snacks open to students in grades 9-12. “I’m one of 30 national finalists for the Lucerne Art of Dairy contest with the theme “Sharing Joy”, sponsored by Safeway, and one of the 5 finalists from our region,” said Gonzalez. That region includes North Carolina, Western Nevada and Hawaii. As a finalist, Gonzalez must transfer his original cow shaped drawing onto a fiberglass, life sized cow. “They’re going to send us a five foot by eight foot cow sculpture as well as $250 for art supplies, and I just have to replicate my original design onto the cow,” he said. This hard work has its

rewards, though. “If I finish the cow and submit the pictures on time, then I get a $500 savings bond, but I also have the chance to get $1000 as one of 3 Honorable Achievements, $2500 as a first prize winner and $5000 as a grand prize winner,” said Gonzalez. The winner of the grand prize will also receive $20,000 for the school’s art department and another $5,000 for the student’s art teacher, bringing the total to $30,000. The first round of submissions was held several months ago. “The contest was actually a required class assignment; we did everything in class. So we had to draw out a design on a 2-D cow template that matched the theme,” said Gonzalez. “Since I didn’t hear any news I figured no one got accepted like last year,” he continued. Unlike last year, two MHS students will be representing the school in a nationwide art competition with only 30 competitors. MHS has had a strong showing in this competition.

ASMHS 20112012 Officers

President John Delos Reyes

Recording Secretary Nashea Carlos

Vice President Shaina Saiki

Corresponding Secretary Grace Hayashi Treasurer Tyler Atiburcio

Nicole Mcewen, 12

Jacquelyn Perreira | Trojan Times

Ramil Lorenzo Gonzalez, 10

Jacquelyn Perreira | Trojan Times

Mcewen (Above) and Gonzales (Below) sketch their designs on their fiber glass cows that will be entered into the Lucerne “The Art of Dairy” competition.

Zukeran joins MHS as new Japanese teacher

By Chanel Kawasaki

c.kawasaki@trojantimes.org

Almost halfway through the school year, new Japanese teacher Corey Zukeran was chosen to fill the position left by former Japanese Teacher Claire Ichiyama. Although some students may have already known him from when he was student teaching for Japanese Teacher JoAnn Kanda, Zukeran himself is just starting to get accustomed to teaching classes at MHS. Originally from Hilo, Zukeran graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He was brought up with the Japanese language. “My grandparents baby-sat me so I spoke to them in Japanese, but I started taking formal lessons in the first grade,” he said. After attending a Japanese school from first through ninth grade, Zukeran sought to experience

more of his heritage. “I spent two years teaching English in Japan,” said Zukeran. “So I wanted to continue teaching. And because I’ve always had an interest in Japanese language as well as culture I chose to teach Japanese.” After teaching in Japan, Zukeran returned to Hawaii and began student teaching at MHS, which eventually led to him to becoming an MHS teacher. “Last semester I did my teaching with Kanda sensei and I was here when I was asked to help out and teach Ichiyama sensei’s class,” said Zukeran, continuing, “I

think the students are really good. They’re studious and study hard and I think they also have fun.” With this being his first time teaching in the U.S., Zukeran looks forward to the upcoming year. “I hope to be able to not only teach and get students to learn the language, but hopefully also give them a little bit of a glimpse into Japanese culture.” “His dedication for his students and enthusiasm (makes him a good teacher),” said Kanda. Sophomore Kari Ikeda, a student in Zukeran’s Japanese 2 class said, “He teaches well … I like that the class isn’t too fast-paced especially with all the kanji. It gives us a lot of opportunity to learn it better.” Zukeran adjusts to the curriculum, the students, and teaching the language elective, Japanese 1 and 2.

Chosen Trojans

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Mocz to represent MHS in National Science and Humanities Symposium By Chanel Kawasaki

c.kawasaki@trojantimes.org

Senior Tiana Ibale plays her original song “Found” on her guitar. She was unaware that it was entered into the Music Video Challenge until Tacadena had uploaded it to the Music Video Challenge website. Her video can be seen on www. brownbagstostardom.com/BrownBags/Music_Video_Challege_Voting_Page.html.

Ibale represents MHS in Brown Bags competition

By Shan Yonamine

s.yonamine@trojantimes.org

What you don’t know won’t hurt you and this proved to be especially true for Senior Tiana Ibale. Her longtime friend Senior Brandon Tacadena entered her music video into the Brown Bags to Stardom Music Video Challenge without her knowing. Her music video is now being featured on the “Brown Bags to Stardom” website along with videos submitted by other high school students in the state. “I knew Tiana had a beautiful voice and I figured it would be a great opportunity to create a music video using one of her original songs,” said Tacadena. “Tiana is very humble and I knew that if I asked her to enter it in, she would have said no so I just sent it in and told her the day after,” he continued. Ibale’s video featured one of her original songs, “Found.” “I feel that my song represents my faith and beliefs as a Christian,” said Ibale. Tacadena created the video and Ibale’s voice was featured in the background. Other talent featured in this video includes students Seniors Taliya Hayes, Zachary Lee and Junior Titus

Strickland. “I came up with the concept of the video. It was hard to think of something because it’s a religious song and we wanted it to appeal to everyone but still maintain originality. I also filmed the music video and edited it,” stated Tacadena. Though Tacadena has been in media arts classes for three years, he has not previously constructed a music video. Ibale has been singing and playing instruments from a young age. “I’ve been singing since before I can remember,” said Ibale. “I play the guitar and the piano,” she continued. “I hope that she wins brown bags. I truly believe that God has given her a beautiful gift and that she should share it with the rest of the world,” said Tacadena. Ibale’s video will be showcased on the “Brown Bags to Stardom” website at www.brownbagstostardom.com/BrownBags/Music_Video_Challege_Voting_Page.html. People voted for their favorite video from Feb. 23 to March 1 through email or by tuning in to OC16 using the Oceanic Interactive Controller. The winning video with the most votes will be announced after Mar. 16.

At the National Junior Science & Humanities Symposium held on Dec. 3-5, MHS’ own Freshman Viola Mocz beat out hundreds of contestants from schools around Hawaii, ultimately placing sixth in the state competition. Considering only the top five winners were moving on to nationals, this result would have been a letdown. But after a participant withdrew from the event, Mocz found herself back in the competition. “When I found out I made it to the national competition to go to San Diego I was really happy because this is actually going to be my first time traveling on a plane,” said Mocz, continuing. “This will be a new experience and I get to see new parts of the world.” Her project was chosen by the judges because it demonstrated her knowledge and understanding of pure science. “My symposium topic was about creating models of fish that could actually be used for the creation of robotic fish with hydraulic performance,” she said. Mocz experimental robotic fish that could swim both horizontally and vertically through the work of pulleys and magnetic accel-

Photo Courtesy of Science Teacher Namthip Sitachitta

Mocz (left) was awarded 6th place for her comprehension and understanding of robotic fish fused with hydraulics by creating a fish that could swim horizontal and vertically.

Robotic fish can be used to detect pollution through the use of chemical sensors. The first robotic fish was created in 1993 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Read more at: http://scienceray.com/biology/zoology/robotic-fish

eration. The project that won Mocz a chance at national level, had caught the judges’ attention not just because of its originality but because of its potential. “(The judges) were looking for projects that were scientifically sound,” said Science Teacher Nel Venzon. “Projects with possible solutions or contributions to the problems that we have in the community or projects that provide additional information in the sciences.” “Her project is pretty advanced for high school projects,” Venzon continued. “The passion of a young sci-

entist was obvious when she was presenting it because she knew what she was talking about.” Regardless of her young age, Mocz continues to read scientific journals and plans on entering the Science & Humanities Symposium again in the future. “I really like technology,” said Mocz adding, “I want to do something that will help the world.” Mocz, along with 240 other students across the country, will be attending a sponsored trip to the national competition from April 27 to May 1 at San Diego, CA.

Editorial

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Trojan Times The mission of the Trojan Times is to be the student voice and to publicize events, share in the successes of students, promote the hard work of the faculty and capture the dedication of organizations. Editor-in-Chief Bianca Sewake Assistant Editor Caitlin Kelly Design Editor Matthew Ambrosecchio Business Manager Jessica Antonio Adviser Mr. Christopher Sato Principal Dr. John Brummel

Staff Zora Ha Reid Imamura Chanel Kawasaki Ella Macaraig Judy Mossman Jacquelyn Perreira Matthew Raab Aven Santiago Shan Yonamine

The Trojan Times is a monthly production of the Newswriting staff of Mililani High School 95-1200 Meheula Pkwy., Mililani, HI 96789 To voice an opinion or any concerns, feel free to submit a letter to L205 or to b.sewake@ trojantimes.org. The Trojan Times reserves the right to edit letters as they see fit. Please type your letter and clearly state your name, grade level and period one class.

Only for now

By Matthew Ambrosecchio m.ambrosecchio@trojantimes.org

Recently I was visiting one of my prospective colleges. At one of the seminars, they posed a question to the students, “What will you do with your one wild and precious life?” Moving out of the high school setting, I can’t help but wonder where I am going. What’s my purpose? Where will the road of life take me? In a way it seems surreal to be considering such heavy ideals but I feel that they must be dealt with. We need to take a good look at the journey ahead and keep pushing forward even if we don’t know where it’ll lead us. I like to think of life as a road. We’re all just travelers moving down a path towards

C&CC

C&CC will be closed for Spring Break. If you need to drop off applications or scholarships, please plan accordingly. Have a fun, safe Spring Break and see you in 4th quarter!

Senior Announcments

Graduation is right around the corner. Here are a few end of the year reminders: May 1 is the universal deadline to let schools know whether you are accepting their offer of admission or not. This is not a postmarked deadline. Turn in scholarship letters that you have received to be recognized in the graduation program.

some distant city called Meaning. Even if we’re not certain where we’ll end up there are definitely goals we’ll want to meet along the way. A high school diploma, a scholarship to college or a degree in psychology, can all be landmarks to look for down the way. And as we make it to each marker ,we’re bound to find others to take their place. As long as we believe that we’ll find an end to our road, there will always be a path to follow. That said, one of the saddest things we can do is lose faith in ourselves. Nonetheless there are times when everything seems pointless. I know I’ve lost my way a time or two; the path shrouded by uncertainty and failure. Yet no one can go through life without doubt the same way a road

is bound to get uneven. Knowing that, we shouldn’t dwell on our shortcomings or the unknown. I’ve found it better to take things as they come rather than worry about what’s ahead. That way, dealing with whatever life throws at you becomes less of a hassle and more of a dare to succeed. It’s all a matter of perspective. The challenges, obstacles and road blocks aren’t there to keep us out; they’re there to test resolve, exemplify how badly we want something. There seems to be a misconception that when things get hard or uncomfortable we should give up or turn the other way. If we always did that we’d be going in a circle, never getting anywhere. By pushing past the bounds of “I can’t” and “there’s no

point,” what you accomplish might surprise you. With the year quickly coming to a close we’ll soon pass our high school milestone. If we think the journey’s been rough so far, the road ahead will definitely be a shock. Soon the paths won’t be paved, the trails unclearly marked and obstacles more trying than before. In all honesty I don’t know for certain where my “one wild and precious life” will lead. As my journey continues, I may find the path I once walked stray from my heart’s guide, but that’s alright. Regardless of the destination everything I learn and live will strengthen the compass pointing me to the “right” road. After all it’s not where you end up, but how you get there.

Turn in final transcript requests if the college needs your final grades. If you are a scholarship athlete, you also need to send your final grades to the NCAA Clearinghouse. You can do this now and the registrar’s office will hold your request until your final grades are posted.

Junior Announcements

the Hawaii Convention Center. Take advantage of this opportunity to meet with representatives from visiting schools. Free registration at www. gotomyncf.com

Be sure to turn in your health clearance information (TB test and MMR shot record) to the school you will be attending. You will not be able to register for your classes until this is complete. Do not forget to thank the teachers and counselors who helped you with your college/scholarship recommendations and midyear reports. Still undecided about what to do after graduation? See Mrs. Yamamoto ASAP.

Juniors should be getting ready for senior year. Reminders: distribute/ collect student evaluation sheets, update your resume, take at least one SAT or ACT test, make an appointment with your counselor, request for letters of recommendation (if applicable) and research your schools. Make an appointment with Mrs. Yamamoto if you need help with your college search or if you have any questions.

Fee Waivers Available

Students on free or reduced lunch are available for SAT, ACT and NCAA Clearinghouse fee waivers. See Mrs. Yamamoto to pick up your fee waiver today.

College Fair

The National College Fair will be held on Thursday, April 28 from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at

ASVAB Testing

The ASVAB has been scheduled for Wednesday, April 13. Testing will start at 1:15 p.m. and you should allow about 4 hours for the test. Any senior interested in the Armed Services should take the ASVAB, however this test is also an excellent occupational test battery for those students unsure of occupations that suit their strengths. Results will not be released to recruiters unless students/parents “opt in”. Interested students should sign up on the C&CC speaker bulletin board.

Sports

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Six MHS wrestlers take first place in OIAs By Caitlin Kelly c.kelly@trojantimes.org After fighting their way through several grueling matches, six MHS wrestlers captured first place titles in the OIA Championship tournament, which was held at Leilehua High School on Feb. 5. As a whole, the JV girls team earned fourth place, while the JV boys won eighth place. Both the varsity boys and girls teams walked away with fourth place. Freshman Phairin Hicks of the JV team placed first in her weight class. From the varsity team, Juniors Lauren Dias, Robert Kim Jr., Jeffrey Sanchez Jr., Chase Tantog and Morgan Yamaguchi placed first in their respective weight classes. “I was really proud of myself and I felt like all my hard work paid off from practice. And it just really felt good for me because I knew I worked re-

Top (L-R): C. Tantog, L. Dias, R. Kim. Bottom (L-R): M. Yamaguchi, J. Sanchez, P. Hicks. ally hard at it,” said Yamaguchi. Because only one wrestler can be entered per weight class, team members had to fight their way to the top before they were even allowed to compete. “If we have more than one wrestler, then we have what we call a wrestle off and the

winner of the wrestle off has the choice to wrestle in that weight class,” said Head Coach Sam Lee. The tournament was conducted in a bracket format, where two wrestlers were put against each other. The winning wrestler continued on to the championship bracket, while the other

J V Bas e b a l l t ak es OIA Championship title By Judy Mossman j.mossman@trojantimes.org Although the JV Baseball Team didn’t do as well as they hoped at the beginning of the season, they came out on top in the end. With a final score of 7-3 against Kaiser High School, they received the OIA JV Baseball Championship title this year. This season, the team lost games to Leilehua and Campbell, yet they never gave up. Even though this set the team back a little at the beginning of the season, they continued to push themselves to get to the end. Sophomore Aron Okamoto, a first season pitcher said, “We prepare mentally, so like get our minds straight, and just get prepared for the game.” The coaches helped prepare the players physically for each game by making sure they went through the basics in combination with thorough practices to get them ready for what they would face on the field. “We practice just going through the basic things, picturing that win. It is more of a mental game,” stated Okamoto.

Head Coach Gainor Nitta was able to overcome stressful days and helped the team to better their ball game with fundamentals. “Baseball is more than just a ball and a bat. It’s 90 percent mental and to have a strong mind you can overcome any situation that comes our way,” stated Nitta. In a final game against Kaiser High School, MHS was able to win and take the title. “We expected the win. We practiced hard throughout the whole week and we felt we were ready to play. We always expected to win all of our games, because if we had any doubt in our minds we’d fail,” stated Sophomore Baseball player Troy Kakugawa. Nitta feels that team bonding helped the team win. “Great team chemistry and the sophomore’s leadership. It makes our job easier as coaches when you have good kids that are willing to learn. To coach them was a privilege.” After a rough start the JV baseball teem was able to conquer the season by overcoming the losses they faced early on.

continued to the consolation bracket. The stakes were high because if a wrestler lost twice, they were out of the competition. Wrestlers accumulated points during their matches, and those points added up to the team score. Team members put in an immense amount of energy

at practice into preparing for the championship. “We ran twice every practice, like before and after. And in the middle we worked on our technique,” said Tantog. However, they also had to practice during their own time. “During the weekends (I) went out and ran on my own time and I tried to do as much things as I could at home to prepare for OIAs,” said Yamaguchi. After the effort put into training, the coaches expected their wrestlers to place well. “As coaches we have high expectations, so we expect the kids to perform at the highest level. When that happens then we should expect these results,” said Lee. Qualifying wrestlers advanced to the state tournament, which took place on Feb. 11 and 12. The girls team took seventh place while the boys placed 32nd.

JV Boys Basketball wins OIA Championship

Kaysha Gabay | Na Mana o Poina Ole

By Aven Santiago a.santiago@trojantimes.org On Jan. 24, 2011, the MHS Boys JV Basketball team won the OIA title with a lossless season. With a 62 to 55 victory over the Red Raiders of Kahuku, the Trojans took home the title for the 2010-2011 season undefeated. “When we won the OIA championship, I was super happy,” said Sophomore Sylvester Panoncillo, a team captain. “Everyone else was too. The whole team was jumping around and cheering.” The win over Kahuku gave the Trojans a record of 13-0 with 12 regular season games and 1 playoff game before the championship. The team took discipline to heart as they played Kahuku. “This year I think that we were more disciplined than last year,”

said Panoncillo. “(We were) more focused in the game and on our goal to win the championships.” Several key players came into the game such as Sophomores Branson Funakoshi and Peter Bueno. “We had a vision at the beginning to go undefeated and bring the championship home,” said Bueno. “The team was better, we had better chemistry and all the players knew how to work together.” The Trojans were able to finish the season without any major problems, which was key to the team’s success. “We had a smooth way all the way just a couple times we had minor injuries,” said Bueno. Through teamwork and team bonding, they accomplished their goal. “At the beginning of the season the team was actually confident that we would make it that far,” said Panoncillo. “We had a whole lot of chemistry on the team which made it easier to play with teamwork.” The Trojans finished their season with a championship, the way every team would want to finish. The team now hopes to move on to next season and reach the same success.

Boys Varsity Swim Team: 2011 OIA Champions By Jacquelyn Perreira j.perreira@trojantimes.org

For the Boys Varsity Swim Team, this season was filled with strong bonds and friendships. These outstanding friendships translated into their swimming, when they won the OIA champion title at the Central Oahu Regional Pool on Jan. 29. “We were all completely psyched because we won by just 1 point (from second place) and 3 points (from 3rd place) and all the seniors and I were very proud of our team because this year everyone trained extra hard,” said Senior Sean Yamada, a team member. The training leading up to the meet was constant. The team practiced five times a week in the water and trained on land three times a week, doing things like running. “Our team has a really good work ethic and we all push each other in practice, which makes us faster,” said team member,

Senior Dane Kawamoto. As a result of spending many hours together throughout the week, the team members grew very close. “After almost every meet, we had team bonding and it just brought the team closer every time,” explained Kawamoto. But during the meet, the team faced a difficulty. Although their 200 medley relay won first place and broke a record, it was disqualified due to the fact that Kawamoto left too early on the exchange. “At that point, we still knew we had a chance of winning, it would just be that much harder being 32 points down,” said Kawamoto. Luckily, though, they managed to pull through and win with help from Kawamoto, Yamada, Freshman Kevin Frifeldt and Senior Kramer Ichimura. “(They) did a great job leading the team. They won the last relay which was critical for us winning,” said Coach Dustin Fukuda.

Sports Beginners luck had nothing to do with it: JV Girls Soccer team wins OIA By Matthew Ambrosecchio

m.ambrosecchio@trojantimes.org

Against all odds, the JV Girls Soccer Team came out on top after a trying season which could only be described as “a journey.” After all, winning the OIA championships with 17 rookie players is no small feat. “It’s kind of like that every year but this year (we had 4 sophomores) the least amount of returnees we ever had,” explained Head Coach Natalie Hirata. Occasionally occurring when a large flow of upperclassmen move on to Varsity, the JV team is left with newbies. “People were saying, outside people were talking … about how this was our rebuilding year, this is the year Mililani is going down; it didn’t happen,” said Hirata. “In the beginning we were a little shaky,” explained Freshman Forward Cassandra Stetser, one of the key players in

the OIA championship; But as the season progressed Stetser couldn’t help but notice the team mesh. “The defense got more together towards the end and we did a lot more possession and passing (than when we started),” she said. Although the team wasn’t able to repeat their flawless season last year—having no goals scored against them—the all rookie defense team held their own only getting scored upon 4 times. “The defense got more together at the end,” stated Stetser. Marking their 11th consecutive OIA Championship, the team was elated to say the least. “Our team really enjoys soccer and we’re really happy,” said Stetser. With the season finished, it’s hard to say where the girls will end up. “(We) really don’t know until try outs the following year,” Hirata explained. However, she seemed optimistic.

Varsity Girls Soccer team takes third consecutive OIA title By Caitlin Kelly

c.kelly@trojantimes.org

In the thrilling final game of the OIA Red Division tournament, the MHS Girls Varsity Soccer team brought home their third consecutive title. The Trojans triumphed over the Na Menehune of Moanalua with a score of 3-1 on Feb. 5 at Roosevelt . Although Mililani walked away with the win, the direction of the game was unclear for much of the first half with the score being tied at 0-0. “At first, the game was pretty even. We had some chances to score and they had some good opportunities,” said Junior Tara Kamiya, center midfielder. Much of MHS’ energy was spent on defending Moanalua’s forward Senior Tiana Fujimoto, the leading scorer in Division 1. “It was tough because in the beginning they were just launch-

ing balls at the defense trying to get that one forward to beat the defender. But we man marked (Fujimoto) so she wouldn’t have space to turn,” said Sophomore Tierra “TJ” Reyno, forward. Reyno was able to score the first goal off of an assist from Sophomore Shyani Terukina, forward. The momentum continued from there, when Senior Taylor Oldani, midfielder made the second goal of the night off of an assist from Sophomore Tarryn Miyamura, fullback. Reyno scored yet another goal and it would be the last for MHS for the night. Though Moanalua scored a goal in the 65th minute, it wasn’t enough to close the gap and Mililani walked away with the title. “I was excited and I just couldn’t believe that we got this far,” said Reyno. The win didn’t come

Juyoung Song | Na Manao Poina ole

(L-R) Seniors Cori Komiyama, Taylor Reed, Junior Kristen Fujinaga and Senior Mimi Nakagawa were ecstatic about receiving their third consecutive OIA championship plaque.

easy for MHS. “Moanalua’s fast, they’re aggressive and they played well. They gave us everything they had,” said Head Coach Ray Akiona. A sense of achievement was felt throughout the team when the game was over. “It’s just gratifying to

see them work so hard and get a reward like this,” said Akiona. The Trojans competed in the JN Automotive State Division I girls’ soccer tournament at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex, where they landed a fourth place ranking.

MMonth

Trojan of the

Matthew Raab | Trojan Times

Thursday, March 3, 2011

9 By ShanYonamine

s.yonamine@trojantimes.org

Freshman Kevin Friefeldt has won numerous age group swimming awards on the national level and is a member of the Kamehameha Swim Club. Frifeldt is also an active member of the MHS swim team, who placed first for boys in the OIA championships. In 2008, at the age of twelve, Frifeldt placed first in all of his events at the Western Zone Championships. His success continued through high school where he place first in both of his events at the Kalani Invitational. “The nature of swimming is just really fun, it really shows who has trained hard for their events and who wants to win it the most,” said Frifeldt who specializes in 100 meter butterfly and 50 meter freestyle strokes. “He’s talented and a hard worker, but his best quality is his modesty and selflessness,” said his teammate, Sophomore Kyle Yamada. “He’s more dedicated to the team instead of himself,” he continued. As a student athlete, Frifeldt must balance school as well as sports. “I really try to focus hard in school, so that I have a good foundation for future education” said Frifeldt. Frifeldt continues to lead the MHS swim team to championships. After placing first in his events, the MHS boys swim team won first place at the OIAs.

Features Thursday, March 3, 2011

Meth: By Bianca Sewake

b.sewake@trojantimes.org

While Hawaii is viewed as paradise, that is not the case for all of its residents. One problem that many of us may not be aware of is that Hawaii ranks fifth in the nation for methamphetamine (meth) use by people ages 12 and up. Also known as “Crank”, “Ice” and “Speed”, just to name a few, it is considered one of the more dangerous drugs that can down spiral a user into an unhealthy lifestyle. “It (can) start at 12 years old, which is middle school age. I think it’s a significant problem,” said Hawaii Meth Project Program Manager Jennifer Phakoom. Council Member Kelci Quinabo agreed, saying, “I

think the meth problem in Hawaii is not good.” 90% of federally sentenced drug cases and 48% of drug-related treatment admissions involve the use of meth. Reasons for people to start taking this drug vary. “There’s so many outside factors like things that may be going on in someone’s family,” explained Phakoom, “Or peer pressure or even people that don’t know the side effects that this drug has.“ Other common reasons people take meth include, to lose weight, have more energy and feel a sense of happiness. While meth users can experience this, the addiction it creates and its long term use can be harmful. “I think that it is important for people to know, especially teenagers, how

ks n a r i i a w a H an e h t n i h fift e s u h t e m r tion fo ages 12 by people p and u

A problem in paradise

badly this drugs affets your body, your family and your life and how it can change everything,” stated Phakoom. But with its easy access to the ingredients that make up this drug, some users “cook” it in their own kitchen with the help of common household items, such as lithium (found in batteries), acetone (found in nail polish remover) and over the counter drugs. These toxic chemicals, however, are harmful. “It’s not like any other addiction ... where you can try it and if you don’t like it, you won’t do it it again. It can have a long term detrimental effect,” said Phakoom. Some side effects include hallucinations, paranoia, depression, violent behavior, tooth decay, increased blood pressure, hyperthermia,

tremors, and in extreme cases, death. Recovery from this drug is possible, but will be lengthy and requires professional help. So in attempt to prevent people from experiencing that, the Hawaii Meth Project group formed their “Not Even Once” campaign in June 2009 to reduce first time meth users. “The Hawaii Meth

Photo courtesy of The Hawaii Meth Project

sentations to different high schools across the state. Although the problem can’t be stopped entirely, there have been positive changes. “What we have found is that there is a shift in attitude,” said Phakoom. “Teenagers are saying there is more of a risk. More teenagers are saying that they would discourage their friends from using it, which is significant psychologically because a shift in attitude is usually followed by a shift in behavior.” With the feedback they receive, members of the Hawaii Meth Project hope that the students also help spread the word by telling people they know. As part of their continuous campaigning, the Hawaii Meth Project will visit MHS health classes April 1.

“The Hawaii Meth Pr oj campaign whose pu ect is a prevention rp cantly reduce first- ose is to signifitime Meth use in Hawaii Teens.” -Program Manager Je nnifer Phakoom Project helps to counteract this problem by spreading the word through media,” explained Quinabo. “Media consisting of advertisement commercials, radio ads and posters throughout the state.” They also give pre-

d Libra

HOROSCOPES

Aries

(March 21 - April 19) Build a rocket ship out of old trash can lids. Don’t forget to bring your own packed lunch when you go out to space, aliens are horrible cooks.

(Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) Impress your friends this month with tonguetwisters. Recite “she-sellssea-shells” or “how-muchwood-can-a-woodchuckchuck” to show off your superior alliteration skills.

movie. Be sure to maintain your manliness by smashing cans against your head.

everything you wear will become mainstream. Beware of hipsters.

` Gemini

f Sagittarius

e Scorpio _ Taurus (April 20 - May 20) (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) You’ll be feeling that urge to You’re a certified trend setter see that new Justin Bieber 3D this month. From now on

(May 21 - June 21) You’ll be feeling bright-eyed this month. Skip merrily to all of your classes and hum show-tunes.

(Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) Be a kid again. Play with Pokemon cards, build pillow forts and indulge in chocolates and sweets.

Cows moo, dogs bark, ducks quack. Come up with your own animal sound and screech it throughout campus.

You’ll be feeling moody this month. Write depressing poetry and wear dark colors to embrace your misery.

Capricorn g a Cancer (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) (June 22 - July 22)

Aquarius h

b Leo

(Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) Clean up that room of yours. Peel off that crusted layer of pancake syrup and gym socks from your floor and organize that closet.

(July 23 - Aug. 22) If you’re feeling a little cranky this month and suddenly have the longing to play latenight bingo, congratulations, you’re getting old.

Pisces i (Feb. 19 – March 20)

c Virgo

People and Places 2

Across

1. What JV team had all Rookie players? 6. What club will have their retriet at the Pacific Beach hotel?

Down

2. Name of the movie that inspired the Senior Prom. 3. Who is the new Japanese Teacher? 4. The Science ______ Competition was held at LCC on february 5th. 5. Who is the adviser for the Sophomore Banquet?

8. NHD Districts was held at Aiea _____ School.

6. What are the cows for the Lucerne art contest made out of? 7. What was the JV Basketball’s season record?

3to5days

By Jayna Kitazaki

(Stop where you are! Come quietly and we will not shoot!)

(NO. I will stay here and distract them.)

(We can still make it to the airport! quickly, we--)

c.kawasaki@trojantimes.org

how is “Epic love story: the most dramatic Korean drama” related to math?

(it’s too late for me. not for you, no. you can still make it. run for it. just remember, i love you. I promise, we will meet each other soon.)

it’s so Beautiful

(Stop talking!)

By the bell

By Matthew Ambrosecchio

D S

Compiled by Chanel Kawasaki

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

4 7

Take on an accent this month to maintain the air of mystery. Speak in a British or a even a Southern accent.

(Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) This month, that song you absolutely hate will be stuck in your head. Avoid its horrific catchiness by covering your ears and running away.

Interactive

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Last Week

S O

You better take care of yourself, there’s a cold going around

This Week Ha! Me get sick, like that’s going to happen!

Say “I told you so” and I will cough on you ...

A T

B B