January 26, 2010 by David Skillings

The Hatchet

January 26, 2010

Washington High School

38442 Fremont Blvd.

Fremont, CA 94536

Vol. 91

Issue 4

Haiti earthquake kills and destroys Alumni’s home burns Anterpreet Kaur Staff Reporter

The WHS leadership class is trying to ensure that Max and Kayla Broun, WHS alumni, receive the utmost support after their house burned down. They lost almost everything when the electrical outlet melted various items in Max’s room. When activities director Helen Paris found out about the incident, she went there immediately and stayed with the family for most of the night. The Broun family stayed in their neighbor’s home. The Broun family actively participates at WHS activities, like grad night, and they assist PTSA and leadership. “This is one of the most giving families I have known,” Paris said. See FIRE, page 2

Photo by Carl Juste A large group of Haitians peer through the fences as they watch U.S. forces land on the grounds of the Haitian National Palace in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, January 19, 2010. (Carl Juste/Miami Herald/MCT) The Associated Student Body and school clubs such as Soles for Souls plan to collect donations to help people in Haiti.

ASB encourages freshmen to ‘give back’ Nicole Doan Brtan Jeon Editor-in-Chief Staff Reporter ASB organized an assembly for ninth graders to bring the freshman class together and to encourage students to make an effort to “give back to the school” by doing well in finals and STAR testing. The assembly also served to promote the upcoming Sadie Hawkins dance, which the freshman ASB officers organized. “We want you to succeed academically. We want you to succeed socially,” Small Learning Communities (SLC) coordinator Brynn Osicka said during the assembly. “We want you to be number one.” To accentuate the assembly’s message, ASB members and freshmen endeavored to engage the

audience with two performances. Freshman Nathan Trutner, seniors Kimberly Chatterjee, Sean Chadha and Seth Neumann participated in a skit to inform freshmen about STAR testing. Once again, the school has set up a goal to reach at least 801 for the API score. If students achieve this, they will receive an Up Yours lunch, which is an extended lunch period in which ASB will provide food and various activities. In this case, “up yours” actually refers to upping test scores. However, if students do not reach the goal, the school will be in danger of losing elective classes, and it may take away events such as dances. “I really want to have a party. It sounds fun,” freshman Akshita Taneja said. “[The assembly] definitely motivated me.” Encouraging the freshman to do well on their STAR testing reflects ASB’s increased involvement

Staff editorial: Earthquake readiness Opinions, page 3

in the “up yours” campaign in comparison to last year’s efforts. In reaction to the school’s API score neither increasing nor decreasing in 2009, ASB decided to start the campaign much earlier than before. In addition to the skit, freshman Fabian Gutierrez rapped about the Feb. 6 Sadie Hawkins dance, while freshman Steve Gonzalez accompanied him by beat boxing. In the meantime, freshman Ian Tambagahan break danced during their performance. The assembly was familyoriented--at least for the freshmen. Ninth graders were seated according to the “family” to which they belong. The three families are K-9, Mad Dawgs and Alpha Pack. The idea of having families is part of the SLC program, which ensures that more or less the same people are in the same English, science and health or computer classes. These classes contain a

smaller number of students to allow teachers to have more focus on fewer students. The SLC program makes it easier for teachers to communicate with each other to have integrated learning or a cross curriculum. In addition, teachers can discuss what they need to do to assist individual students. The freshman class officers are not enrolled in leadership fourth period class due to schedule constraints, but organizing the assembly helped them become a larger part in leadership activities. The freshman assembly went smoothly and without problems despite being the first of its kind. According to senior and ASB member Drew Jordan, ASB plans to hold similar assemblies for sophomores and juniors in the near future. “We won’t be able to do them this semester but definitely the next,” Neumann said.

Behind the scenes:

ASB

Features, pages 4-5

Club raises funds with juice carton wallets Sarah deLanda Staff Reporter The Environmental Club president Lisa Ramie plans to make wallets out of juice cartons to raise funds. With laws on the type of food that can be sold for fundraisers, clubs must be creative about how to raise money. “I’ve made all of the wallets so far, but I want to teach the other members how to make them at a meeting in the future,” Ramie said. This recent undertaking will be their second fundraiser thus far, and its profits will be directed toward different projects the club intends to embark on. For example, the Environmental Club proposes to purchase post-consumer recycled paper for the teachers to print out or make copies with. The club is also working on putting in recycling bins at the Fremont Hub. Each wallet takes 15 to 30 minutes to make, and the club will sell them for five dollars.

Girls soccer is Sports, page 7

NEWS

The Hatchet

JAN. 26, 2010

The

Hatchet

Fire Leadership helps family recover See FIRE, page 2

Washington High School 38442 Fremont Blvd. Fremont, CA 94536 http://whshatchet.com editor@whshatchet.com Tel (510) 505-7300 Fax (510) 794-8437

2009/2010 Staff Editor-in-Chief Nicole Doan Online Editor-in-Chief Nicole Pham News Editors Paige Castren Christelle Xu Opinion Editor Alex Tyler Features Editor Michaela Go A&E Editor Marcy Shieh Sports Editors Edin Cristofi Kaylee Miu

Leadership is trying its best to help with difficulties the Broun family may encounter. “At first, we were planning on fundraising but then we found out that the family has insurance and is going to get 100 percent

back,” junior Manmeet Dhillon said. For instance, some students went to the burned house to retrieve items that weren’t damaged. Also, Kayla and Max’s WHS memoirs such as yearbooks will be replaced if any damage has been brought to

them. Leadership is also trying to find any clothes from Max’s year at WHS in order to give to him, since his clothes were destroyed during the fire. For now, leadership has gathered husky clothes and has donated them to the family. Leadership hopes to relocate

the family into their home by the end of the school year. For now, leadership wants to know if anyone knows about a home that is available to be rented in the Glenmoor Community. “Washington leadership is here for them,” senior Cindy Chen said.

Niles residents protest closure of post office Briana Terry Staff Reporter Local residents packed the Niles Elementary School auditorium Jan. 5, where the U.S. Postal Services held a community meeting to discuss potential closure of the Niles post office. Due to the economic downturn, reduction of mail as the public increasingly used email for communication and

overall declining post office revenues, the post office is on the list for closure. The Niles post office has been in business for 136 years now, and the residents had a chance to speak their opinion on the potential of losing their post office. “It shouldn’t have to be this way. It’s a lot of gas to be going around to the next nearest post office. We need to keep our local post office,” parent Carmen

Correia said. A petition was sent around and 3,000 signatures were collected to help save the post office, including Correia. Information and the petition signatures will be handed over to the Postal Service’s District Manager’s office in Oakland, where it will be forwarded to the Postal Area Vice President in San Diego. The final determination will be made at the Postal

Headquarters in Washington D.C. where a decision will be made at the Niles Station some time in 2010. Niles, which has poor road access to other Fremont districts, is four miles from the nearest full-service post office. “I feel horrible! I grew up with it being around, and now we have to commute to another post office,” senior Angelina Correia said.

Photo Editor Raphael Ghieuw Sien Advertising Director Jimmy Young Distribution Manager Htoo Htoo Lu Staff Reporters Alejandro Montalvo Amanda Nava Anterpreet Kaur Bach Phan Brian Jeon Briana Terry Chase Glenister Christine Harms Elmer Ceja Jenae Lee Jordan Brahaney Joshua Das Judy Wu Keerthika Ramakrishnan Matt Jimenez Matt Moore Noelle Fujii Paolo Bonaccorsi Rico Jones Donelson Sarah deLanda Shelmi Liang Simoneel Czar Simrundeep Kaur Tyler Rowe Yama Hazheer

Mission The Hatchet is a forum for student expression and discussion of ideas uncensored by school officials. The Hatchet staff seeks to ethically produce an accurate record of the news, sports, issues and people of the Washington High School community.

FUEL UP WITH PREMIUM.

Letters to the Editor Policy The Hatchet encourages public opinion through Letters to the Editor, which represent the opinion of the writer only. An editor must confirm submission of all letters with the writer. Writers may request that their letter be printed anonymously, but The Hatchet will not print letters submitted anonymously. Letters will not be edited. If a letter is not publishable due to legal liability, poor taste or length, the letter will be returned to the writer for revision. Letters should be addressed to “the editor,” and given to a Hatchet staff member, hand-delivered to Room E221, sent via email to <editor@whshatchet.com>, or mailed to WHSThe Hatchet / 38442 Fremont Blvd. / Fremont, CA 94536.

MOWRY & PASEO PADRE PKWY

OPINIONS Staff Editorial During the Jan. 7 and 8 earthquakes, we noticed people’s lack of readiness. But people are not just unprepared; shock, amazement and indifference also affect reactions toward such situations. Either way, there must be change; we must be ready when the big one—or any other quake— hits. Despite years of participating in earthquake drills at school, the majority of students failed to duck under their desks during the recent earthquakes. Although some desks are too small to cover our whole bodies, everyone should make an effort to protect themselves. We mustn’t allow our surprise to inhibit our impulse to take cover. Although we know these natural disasters happen from time to time (we live in California, after all), earthquakes take us by surprise anyway. The last major earthquake happened in 1989 with

The Hatchet

JAN. 26, 2010

We are not prepared for quake C’est la a 7.1 magnitude quake with the epicenter in Loma Prieta, so after more than two decades of nonactivity, the next big earthquake is waiting to happen. Just as people can’t calculate exactly when earthquakes will strike, they can’t predict how they’ll react when the time comes. Just make an effort to realize what is going on, and remember that earthquakes are no joke. Perhaps the reason for the lack of reaction to earthquakes is the epidemic of indifference in today’s youth. Teens are immune to terror in horror movies. They do not fully grasp the seriousness of violence. Now we see that teenagers are also unresponsive about saving their own lives. Only several hundred miles away from the U.S., the same type of disaster has struck Haiti but with a greater amount of destruction. According to The New York Times, Haiti suffered from a

7.0 magnitude earthquake Jan. 12, causing 200,000 deaths by one estimate. With so much destruction, citizens of Haiti need assistance in rebuilding their homes and lives. Fortunately, we live in a relatively wealthy country that can afford sturdy construction and other forms of well-being, but because of this, we become ignorant of personal disasters. Despite this, ASB and various school clubs are making conscious efforts to

a s s i s t Haitians by collecting donations. Illustration by Brian Jeon

Pros and cons: a later start time Early school time results in lack of sleep Joshua Das Staff Reporter Every day, I am forced to wake up at six o’clock, take a shower, brush my teeth, eat breakfast and get ready for school. I then sleep during all of my first period, AP Statistics. I greatly despise waking up so early. I think we should have a later starting period, which would allow us to get more rest. Later start times would

coincide with students’ body clocks so that teens are in school during their most alert hours and can achieve their full academic potential. WebMD, a health website, states that students need 9 and a quarter hours of sleep nightly, however they only receive 7 and a half hours on average. A large and growing amount of sleep research shows that adolescents have a different sleep cycle than younger children and adults. This has nothing to do with

habit or lifestyle. It’s all biological. A typical teenager is unable to fall asleep until after 11 p.m. and wake up before 8 a.m. Forcing students to wake up at 6 would only rob them of their rest, which can be detrimental to their learning. A lack of sleep has serious repercussions on teenagers’ physical, mental and emotional health. Sleep deprivation among teens causes depression, susceptibility to illness and injury. Drowsiness

also causes many car accidents a year! “Everyone hates waking up that early in the morning,” senior Schaffe Rodriguez said. “I would rather wake up wondering, ‘where’s my toast?’ And I think everyone would be able to get more done since they would actually be awake.” Later start times mean better performance in the classroom, on the field, and behind the wheel.

Late start means less time for activities Chase Glenister Staff Reporter What would happen if we started school later in the day? Sure, we’d get another hour of sleep, which would be beneficial to all students who have to stay up late. However, it would also make the kids work later than they plan to. All the extra hour would do is make the students

stay up even later. “I just want to get [school] over with. Get in and get out,” sophomore Zapata Guadalupe said. Not only will we lose time after school, we may lose time during school. Specifically brunch and READ. We use brunch to get stuff from our lockers and obtain snacks to fuel our brain, and READ to expand our reading horizon.

“I’m strongly against it because I’d rather be [at school] earlier than we are,” Junior Juan Rodriguez said. Also, what about the parents? Many Huskies get rides from their parents, myself included. What would happen if it was late start every day? “I think [the school’s starting and end time] is fine the way it is. It is great to have that catch up time

on Monday. But going to school an hour later every day will just cause them to stay up later,” mother Kristi Caracappa said. If any of you, either pros or cons, want to get knee-deep in this debate, check out the FUSD website. The site contains a survey about school times, and if you really want to be heard, that’s your best bet.

Wingstopologists make a stand against hype Jordan Brahaney Staff Reporter Recently, the number of high school students going to the hot wing restaurant, Wingstop has increased. The increase has been dubbed “the Wingstop hype” by people who do not fully enjoy the succulent flavors this restaurant has to offer. Although Wingstop has been around for a while, it is only lately that such a large influx of high school students have been

going to the establishment. “I consider myself a Wingstopologist,” senior Alex Cabrales said. Cabrales not only enjoys eating the wings and tasting their original hot sauce (his favorite sauce), but analyzing their texture and shape. Cabrales is a stern defender of Wingstop, insisting it is not a “hype” as some have called it, but that it is here to stay in people’s hearts and diets. The increase in students at

Wingstop is visible at any of the hot wing pit stops located in the area. “I think of myself as a Wingstopiterian. I can’t eat it every day, but I can try,” senior Gabe Campos said. It takes a certain type of person to enjoy the wings and fries that Wingstop sells when the greasy bowel after effects are known to all. Eating at Wingstop, or “Wangstop,” as he and other Wingstop regulars refer to it, is a treat on any day. Campos has

even been inspired from eating at Wingstop to create his own wings and wing sauce. The capturing of young people’s culinary imaginations is the most important part of the “Wingstop hype” which students have been enjoying. Wingstop delivers a type of food that can be appreciated here among the students. What used to only be found in sports bars can now be enjoyed by everyone anywhere.

Vie

Students fall head first into college nightmare Jimmy Young Staff Columnist It’s been said that college education is the key to the door of success, but the journey comes at a price. Students are so caught up in schoolwork that they fail to see that college is an investment. According to the College Board, UC Berkeley costs around $27,000 in 2009, which is $108,000 for four years. That means a student is investing $108,000 so that one day the student will profit through a job. Now, students graduate in five to six years because of lack of class vacancy and availability. The New York Times says UCLA has eliminated 165 courses, a full 10 percent reduction due to a $131 million budget shortfall. Although these financial issues have become a heavy weight, the more important issue is what college has become. A philosophy major snickers as a plumber fixes his toilet only to be shocked by the outrageous bill. I’m not saying that all philosophy majors are jerks, but what makes the philosophy major feel superior over a plumber? His college degree. A common misconception is that a job attained without a fouryear college degree has little value. It’s been ingrained into people’s minds that anything laborious is inefficient because working the brain is better than working the hands. It’s not like people sitting in their cubicles are much healthier. In this age, high school students blindly jump into college. They believe that after acceptance, life can’t get any harder. College is the reward for those 17 years of work. Everyone says “I can’t wait until I get into college!” but who will ever say “I can’t wait until after college!” College is just another brick wall. As professor Randy Pausch once said, “The brick walls in life are not there to stop you, they are there to show you how badly you want something.” Nowadays, people have been trying to smash these brick walls. It’s all because we all want to become “the one,” so we take various fields of AP classes to beef up our trimmed and glossed transcript. We all have family and friends who score high on standardized tests and excel in rigorous classes, which makes us wonder, “If they can do it, why can’t I?” However, students don’t realize that following a paved path doesn’t guarantee success—one has to find their individual talent. “C’est la vie” means “this is life”. Drive your ambitions because life is short. Don’t force yourself into a hole where you can never crawl out. Trust me, because as of now, I’m a hypocrite.

FEATURES

The Hatchet

JAN. 26, 2010

The Hatchet

JAN. 26, 2010

We’re all part of the associated student body, but not all of us know what our student council is up to.

Do you know what the student council spends its time doing?

Did you buy an ASB card? 100%

Freshmen

52 freshmen, 53 sophomores, 52 juniors and 65 seniors surveyed.

44%

Sophomores

42%

Juniors

50%

52 freshmen, 53 sophomores, 52 juniors and 65 seniors surveyed.

38%

3% Yes

Poll administered by Amanda Nava Infographic by Michaela Go

36%

13% 9%

35%

45% No

Somewhat

12% 2%

26%

18%

Have a good idea

Yes

11%

Poll administered by Amanda Nava Infographic by Nicole Doan

What is our money spent on? Technology 43%

IDK

Many people may wonder what happens in leadership class. What are the roles and duties of each person in leadership? As student representatives, ASB officers make decisions about upcoming events and oversee everyone else in the leadership class. ASB president Seth Neumann runs business meetings. During these meetings, ASB commissioners

A A A

update each other on issues and accomplishments throughout the week. Leadership members also discuss ideas for new events. “It can be stressful being ASB president sometimes, but I do it because it’s also fun,” Neumann said. Class officers organize and plan events, such as fundraisers, Spirit Week and dances. They participate in all the rallies that take place during Spirit Week. “Even though we have to wake up early to help out with rallying,

we always contribute our time and effort to our class,” freshman vice president Aileen Liang said. Although freshman class officers are not enrolled in leadership class, Liang and the others participate in the big events that leadership runs. “It may be different from being vice president at Centerville, but I have learned so many new things from the upperclassmen,” Liang said. “It’s always fun to meet new people and experience new things.” Students are admitted in

leadership by filling out an application and interviewing for a certain commission such as rallies, fundraising, tech, elections, IOC, PR or community outreach and community service. Junior Erin Enguero is the head of elections. She works with juniors Sophia Harrison and Tessa Thym. They run the process of electing homecoming court, senior favorites and new school officers. Enguero has already worked in the election commission for two years and plans

Officers 26% Community service and outreach

Rallies 13%

12%

Nicole Doan Chase Glenister Editor-in-Chief Staff Reporter

Fundraising 6%

Infographic by Nicole Doan and Michaela Go

This year ASB has a budget of $43,522.66, minus the money allotted for the “Up Yours” lunch. The budget breaks down into five categories: rallies, technology, fundraising, officer budgets and community service and community outreach. Money for rallies covers events such as the homecoming rally and assemblies. The technology category not only consists of things such as computer supplies and sound equipment, but it includes an emergency fund for repairs. Fundraising for the school includes spending for graduation and MAZE Day food, while ASB fundraising pays for the Inter-leadership Committee (ILC). The officer budgets go to activities director Helen Paris, head of the Inter-organizational commission (IOC), ASB officers, head of elections and public relations officer. They spend money on supplies that depend on the purpose of their jobs. For example, the head of elections, junior Erin Enguero, has $139 for scantrons used in homecoming, school officer and other elections. Lastly, community outreach and community service includes money for charities such as the toy drive, Paws for a Cause and the ecology fair.

Leadership carries out countless duties Judy Wu Staff Reporter

12% 6%

52%

Seniors

59%

38%

to continue through her senior year. “I feel that working in the election commission has allowed me to really appreciate the people who do the behind the scenes work,” Enguero said. Being a part of leadership unleases students’ potential to become a true leader. “I’ve learned that leadership is about making everyone feel like they belong, especially in a school where the spirit of the Huskies reigns,” Enguero said.

Visit Driv ersEd.co m and e nter disco during t unt* cod he onlin e CAHS3 e payme nt proce ss.

Online Drivers Ed

• Fun, flexible lessons so you pass your permit test • California DMV-approved • 50 free online permit practice tests

Driving Lessons in Your Area

VALON SPA SALON VALON SPA && SALON VALON SPA & SALON

• Practice driving in brand-new MINI Coopers! • Free driving-lesson pick-up and drop-off • Licensed instructors teach you to drive Questions? Call us at 1-888-651-AUTO.

Experience from an award-winning & Salon Experience the the looklook andand feelfeel youyou get get from an award-winning SpaSpa & Salon Experience the look and feel you get from an award-winning Spa & Salon 20 chair salon specializing in color, cuts, most of you! all you! 20 chair salon specializing in color, cuts, andand most of all 20 chair salon specializing in color, cuts, and most of all you!

*Special occasion & up-do’s *Make-up *Make-up application *Special occasion stylesstyles &styles up-do’s *Special occasion & up-do’s *Make-upapplication application *Facial& Body waxing services! *Try our Brow Body waxing services! *Try *Try newnew Brow Bar Bar *Facial& *Facial& Body waxing services! ourournew Brow Bar * Facials & Acne Treatments Massages Facials & Acne Treatments **Massages * Facials &*Acne Treatments * Massages

Mowry Avenue. Fremont, CA. 5141 5141 Mowry Avenue. Fremont, CA.94536. 94536. (510).791.2885 (510).791.2885 5141 Mowry Avenue. Fremont, CA. 94536. (510).791.2885 Monday & Saturday 9:00am TO 6:00pm Tuesday THRU Friday 9:00am TO 9:00pm Monday & Saturday 9:00am TO 6:00pm Tuesday THRU Friday 9:00am TO 9:00pm Monday & Saturday 9:00am TO 6:00pm Tuesday THRU Friday 9:00am TO 9:00pm

Want a fast, easy way to fundraise for your class? Earn a 25% commission and save your friends 15% off drivers ed. Visit www.DriversEd.com/Associate-Programs. *Discount for online drivers ed class only. H_BW_5.08x7.779_F23 © 2009 DriversEd.com

A&E

The Hatchet

JAN. 26, 2010

Jenae is Today

Fans redo fiction

Bird flirts with fashion

Alejandro Montalvo Staff Reporter Not many know an entire sub-culture existed around the writing and reading of fan fiction. Fan fiction is the writing of stories based on characters and situations from popular fiction. This opens up possibilities for scenarios involving fictional characters doing whatever the fan envisions. Publication isn’t the motivation to write fan fiction. Fan fiction is written by fans, for fans and for entertainment purposes. “I think the reason people write fan fiction is because they want to explore the fictional worlds they enjoy on a deeper, more personal level,” senior Celina Cesena said. But not everyone shares the same enthusiasm. “I had a period of time when I read some InuYasha fan fiction, but they were pretty bad. The characters’ personalities were not really like the ones in the show. The writers make their own characters, but use the characters’ names and the story’s original settings,” senior Angela Chu said. The stories written by fans range from Anime to Jane Austen spin-offs. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an adapted version of the original Austen novel with the addition of zombies. Fan fiction writers can get into legal trouble. According to The New York Times, in 2009, a ruling by United States District Court Judge Deborah A. Batts permanently banned a fan fiction work, which featured a 76-year-old version of Holden Caulfield from the novel The Catcher in the Rye. Certain authors, however, have given their blessing to fan fiction spin-offs of their books. J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter) and Stephanie Meyer (Twilight) have no problem with fans writing their own stories with her characters. Fan fiction will continue to grow as more fans post their work on the Internet. If legalities do not interfere, fan fiction could be a start for emerging writers to showcase their talent.

Jenae Lee Staff Columnist Photo by DreamWorks Pictures Susie Salmon (Ronan) is the pivotal character in Jackson’s visually stunning story about a teenage girl’s death and after-life. Jackson told the story in a surreal way.

‘Bones’ stuns with tragedy and visuals Shelmi Liang Staff Reporter Alice Seabold’s beloved novel, The Lovely Bones, has been made into a profound movie by Academy Awardwinning director, Peter Jackson. Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan), a 14-year-old girl, has been unexpectedly murdered. As her family suffers the loss and hopes to find her killer (Stanley Tucci), Susie looks on from the afterlife. She can’t move on to heaven, so she is stuck in between heaven and earth, influencing the living world whenever she can. The film tackles tough subjects, but elegant, smooth filmmaking keeps us comfortable when we know bad things are about to happen. The supernatural visuals are remarkable. The first images of the afterlife are just slightly off: empty and fuzzy, with a voice-over echo. As the afterlife develops, it

becomes surreal, but not abstract. It is all stuff we know, just put together in unnatural ways; for example, an underwater house and fields undulating like ocean waves and giant ships in bottles. The graphics and the character development in this film is similar to Jackson’s previous film, Heavenly Creatures. Like Heavenly Creatures, The Lovely Bones has the spiritual world called the “In Between.” Susie’s signs to the living are beautiful. In the real world, Jackson constructs simple visuals. The killer’s face is just out of frame while he makes all the preparations in a suspenseful montage. It is interesting to see the characters eye each other through the windows of a dollhouse during the murder investigation. Focus on the giant fingers turning pages of a scrapbook offers an unusual perspective on reality. It allows even the simplest actions to have powerful meaning. Tucci performs his role

extremely well. With the creepiest comb over, viewers easily buy into his sweet pretense. We know that he is the one that is going to murder her, but when he is shown as a lonely old man, our curiosity leads us to be sympathetic towards him. The story is about grieving on both sides. The living has to find a way to cope with the most horrible tragedy imaginable. Susie, too, has to find a way to let go of her earthly contacts. It is an intense spiritual quest and an insightful look at human coping. Yet it is never grim. Some parts of the book were either changed or eliminated. In the book, Susie is raped and murdered. There’s no distasteful rape scene in the film. It is only implied in the film. As for the other omissions—so what? This film is enough to create the impact the story deserves. Since it works so well in this format, maybe the book did not need all those extra scenes. Verdict: B+

Students find wide audience online Noelle Fujii Simoneel Czar Staff Reporters Many teens have been uploading videos on video sharing websites, such as YouTube. Senior Gordon Young makes videogame walkthroughs on his YouTube account, DMRhythm. “[The best part about making videos is] making people laugh and entertaining them. When I get comments and subscribers telling me how much they enjoy my videos, it just makes me happy,” Young said. Young is eager to continue making videos when he goes to

college, unless it begins to interfere with his school work. “Sometimes my friends come over and appear in my videos, they usually make a bit more entertaining,” Young said. However, making the final product isn’t an easy task. “Depending on the video, it could take a few hours including recording, importing, editing, and uploading,” junior Victoria Chan said. Chan has a YouTube account, MiniTibbeh, where she posts videos about her random thoughts on life. “I get a lot of inspiration from many famous YouTube celebrities

like CommunityChannel and KevJumba,” Chan said. Senior Tara Darland used to make YouTube videos as a hobby on her account, xtawaqueen. She has made videos about what happens in life. “I’ve gotten a couple hundred viewers,” Darland said. It’s been a few years since she’s made a video because she no longer has time. The art of making web videos has turned people into Internet celebrities. YouTube is transforming into a source for people around the world to connect their ideas, interests and cultures with the click of a mouse.

I am

confident. “C2 tutors gave me the confidence I needed. Knowledge and test-taking strategies are only half of what it takes to do well on exams – confidence is the other half.”

When 18-year-old Alyssa Bird isn’t doing class work at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco or fulfilling her duties at American Apparel, she is creating her own line of clothing called Alyssa Nicole. Bird taught herself how to sew at age 12. When Alyssa designs a collection, she does not get inspired by fashion, clothing or style; abstract objects, music and feelings inspire her. Bird’s fall 2008 collection was inspired by 80s hip hop culture and her spring 2009 collection from a song by The Dresden Dolls called “Shores of California.” When Bird is out on a photo shoot for her collection, she tries her best to portray the inspiration for that collection. The girl Bird pictures in her mind when she is designing is a young woman between the ages of 14 to 25. She designs mostly summer dresses for teenage girls and cocktail dresses for women in their 20s. “The type of girl that would wear my designs is a fun, outgoing, flirty girl who just wants to look and feel pretty,” Bird said. Her latest collection, which is available on her website, http://www.alyssabird.com was inspired by the evolution of her personal style. She went from wearing dirty Chuck Taylors to wearing super feminine designer dresses. The latest collection consists of dresses in different shades of pink. Bird’s dresses are ideal for proms, dinner parties, weddings or other special events. “The collection definitely has an unexpected twist to it,” Bird said. Bird hopes to have boutiques all over the world that sells her designs and have a fashion show in New York Fashion Week. In the meantime, she wants to make dresses that women would feel confident and beautiful in.

FREE

Diagnostic

Evaluation

When you p re this couponsent .

$145 Value

510.792.37

Expires 6/30 /10

Allie W. - 11th grade

39140 Fremont Hub Fremont, CA 94538 • 510.792.3700

1.800.777.7000 • www.c2educate.com

SPORTS

The X Factor Evenlymatched teams go to Super Bowl Yama Hazheer Staff Reporter It’s almost here. A day football fans have been waiting for all year: Super Bowl Sunday. The game will be played in a little less than two weeks and the after months of the football season, the predictable matchup features the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. The question now is, which one of these great teams will win the Super Bowl? While the Saints’ offense may be considered the best, the Colts had 461 yards against the Jets’ defense, which was the most they allowed all season. New Orleans did not have the type of offensive game that we have gotten used to seeing, but it was probably just a case of bad preparation. As for defense, the Saints forced the Vikings into committing five fumbles. On the other hand, the Colts did not have the same defensive effort that we have seen this year. Both teams were undefeated for most of the year, and they had arguably the two best quarterbacks leading their respective teams. Peyton Manning has been in the Super Bowl a couple of times now and has already won a Super Bowl. As for Drew Brees and the Saints, this will be their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. With the talent level so even with other areas of the teams, Manning is still the best quarterback in the league and the MVP. If an old Brett Favre can throw for over 300 yards against New Orleans, what do you think Manning in his prime can accomplish? The Colts will win the Super Bowl.

The Hatchet

JAN. 26, 2009

Girls score first in league

Washington High School prides itself in outstanding athleticism. But students aren’t the only ones that excel in sports. Our Husky staff also has athletic accomplishments of its own, but can you guess who’s who?

Kaylee Miu Sports Editor The girls soccer team started league season slow, going 0-1-1, tying American at 2-2, then losing to Mission San Jose 0-3. However, after participating in the TriValley tournament, the girls have come out stronger than ever, not losing a single league game since. Junior Paige Diamond led WHS in defeating Irvington, scoring four goals in the huskies 5-0 shutout over the Vikings. The team’s rival, Mission San Jose has been a strong opponent this season, defeating WHS 3-1 in the opening league game. On Jan. 19, Washington faced Mission for a second time at Tak Stadium, but this time defeating the warriors 2-1 after a long brutal game. “Our team gets better after each game and I’m so proud of them,” co-captain junior Andrea Bonilla said. The game started off with a quick assist by junior Natalie Sanchez to junior Shadin Awad who scored a quick goal giving the huskies a 1-0 lead after the first half. However, Mission San Jose’s 5-11 mid-fielder Sarah Welker made her move, scoring a goal off a corner kick with her head that bounced off the keeper, tying the match 1-1. Huskies, junior Megan Ravenscroft finished the game off by scoring a goal off a free kick. The huskies defeated the warriors with a final score of 2-1. “Oh my God, I’m so excited!”

Photo by Raphael Ghieuw Sien Junior Paige Diamond (11) chases a player on the opposing team, who attempts to kick the ball into the goal. American and Washington tied in this game. senior Julia Bartolo said. “Our first couple of weeks were a little shaky but we definitely stepped up to the plate.” After Tuesday’s game against Mission San Jose, Washington (62-1) not only claimed the win, but are now ranked first in league. “We’ve tackled American and Mission, but our next big challenge will be against James Logan,” senior Megan Leibowitz said, “I’m sure that we will have a good game.” The girls previously defeated James Logan in a close 1-0 match and will face them again Feb. 2 at the James Logan field in Union City.

Huskies shut out American Yama Hazheer Staff Reporter The varsity boys soccer team defeated the American Eagles 2-1 at Tak Stadium Jan. 15. This is the second game in which WHS had a victory against American this season. In the previous game, WHS dominated the Eagles with a 5-0 victory. In this second game, freshman forward Edgar Cerna scored both goals for the Huskies, one of them being off a penalty kick and the other off of a pass given by junior midfielder Daniel Chai. “We had a lot of opportunities to score, but we couldn’t get the ball [in the goal] as much as we would

DAYAK’S DEN Softballs ~ Bats ~ Mitts Cleats ~ Soccer Balls Warm-ups ~ Keeper Gloves Coaches’ Equipment ~ Socks Gift Certificates ~ Embroidery AND MORE!!!

10% OFF

ENTIRE PURCHASE WITH THIS AD

have liked,” senior midfielder Antonio Garcia said. At first, American was down 2-0, but they scored a goal in the final two minutes of the game, avoiding another shutout. Senior goalkeeper Elmer Ceja injured his right quadricep of his leg in the first half and left the game early. “It’s a minor injury,” he said. “I’ll be back on the field in a couple of days.” Though the Huskies have struggled inside and outside the MVALS, they look at their victory against American as a momentumbuilder for their remaining season. Overall, the Huskies had a total of 11 loses, 2 wins and 2 ties.

BAY AREA DRIVING SCHOOL DRIVER’S EDUCATION & TRAINING

Log onto www.BayAreaDriving.com

ONLINE & CLASSROOM 130 Fremont Hub Courtyard

(510) 744-1247 or (510) 557-6917

www.dayaksdensoccer.com

1. This teacher had a professional trainer in boxing for over a year. 2. This teacher was a California State Cheerleading champion in her junior year of high school at Aroyo. 1.

Last issue’s answers: 1. P.E. teacher Lisa Duncan was athlete of the year at Saint Francis High School, participating in the swim, softball and basketball team. 2. Biology teacher Robert Raymond completes in multiple bike races throughout the year, including an eight hour climb up Bogg’s mountain.

Girls battle in Jamboree Rico Donelson Jones Staff Reporter The varsity girls basketball team competed in the platinum division of the tenth annual West Coast Jamboree, Dec. 23. With 138 teams, 13 divisions and 9 sites, the West Coast Jamboree has become the largest west coast girls basketball tournament. WHS finished 1-3 overall, defeating Fairfield. The girls hit their biggest challenge on day one, facing Brea Olinda, the reigning champions. WHS lost 20-72. Day two the Huskies went up against another big school, Clovis West, and lost 73-24. After losing against two big teams, WHS defeated Fairfield 69-64 on day three, but lost to View Park Prep 36-48 on day four.

“The Jamboree was a great learning experience. Even though we lost, we still played hard all four games,” senior Le’shay Wallace said. League play opened Jan. 6 as WHS faced Irvington, finishing off strong with a 49-42 victory. The girls currently hold a 3-2 league record, after defeating Irvington, Mission and Kennedy. There are no “superheroes” on the team this season; everybody does their part, and together they make up a strong team with much potential. Tough man-onman defense is also a key point to the team’s success. If there is anything holding them back, it is their turnovers and a poor free throw percentage. WHS is a strong contender for the NCS play-offs.

Planned Parenthood®

Golden Gate

Birth control, pregnancy testing, HPV vaccinations, STI testing & treatment, HIV testing, abortion services, emergency contraception (the “morning after” pill), male services, online appointments, & more! All are welcome!

Tel. 510-489-6933

Driver’s Ed

First 25% of Online Driver’s Ed is FREE *Free Pick-up & return for Driver’s Training*

Services are free or low cost and confidential.

Teen-only hours available! (check website for locations)

1.800.967.PLAN ü www.ppgg.org Hayward • Oakland (2 locations) • Redwood City • Rohnert Park • San Francisco • San Mateo • San Rafael

www.myspace.com/ppgoldengate

The Hatchet

JAN. 26, 2010

PHOTOS

Photo by Raphael ghieuw sien Senior varsity girls soccer players Megan Leibowitz (13) and Julia Bartolo (23) defend against American at Tak Fudenna Stadium Jan. 14. They tied 1-1; the second time they tied with American. The team is currently first in league. Varsity basketball players sophomore Kenneth Jones and senior Jack Veronin attempt a rebound. The Huskies lost 50-54.

Photo by Jimmy Young

Photo by Natalie sanchez The girls varsity soccer team plans a comeback after losing one point in the first half of the game against American High School, Jan. 14. The team was losing during the first half of the game, but they managed to recover later on in the game.

Photo by Edin Cristofi Activities director Helen Paris commends freshmen for surviving their first semester of high school Jan. 15. Ninth graders had spirit rallies between families.

Photo by Raphael Ghieuw sien State Farm specialist Sevag A. Sarkissian presents a $2,500 check to the football team for being one of the winners of the Friday Night Feats video contest. The prize-winning video featured defensive end and tight end senior Cedric Lousiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s play during a game against Deer Valley High School.