September Issue

Wildcat University High School

11800 Texas Avenue XCII Issue 1 Instagram: @wildcatpaper Los Angeles, CA 90025 Friday, September 29, 2017 wildcatpaper.com

Trump takes on DACA On June 15, 2012, the Obama administration implemented the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, a program that gave immigrants temporary protection from deportation if they had come to live in the U.S. illegally as children.

Nearly 800,000 DACA recipients have received the opportunity to work and drive legally and to go to school with federal financial aid legally through obtaining work permits and social security numbers. President Trump announced on Sept. 5 that he intends to terminate DACA in 6 months if Congress does not act to uphold it.

To read more of our staff editorial, see “Dreamers face their worst nightmare� on page 3.

02 News

Schoology takes over Uni students get mugged

03 Opinion Dreamers in danger Working to help the homeless

04 Features Find your cup of tea in L.A. Club Rush

06 Entertainment Festival frenzy: Day N Night Behind the Scenes: AMC Theaters Top three summer flicks The Defenders fail to impress

08 Sports Football team puts in work Vball team gets served Girls tennis swings into season

Online Read the following on www.wildcatpaper.com Senior Contract: What is going on?

Schoology: The new transition Put some respect on golf

Find the SkaterCat within the newspaper!

Page 2

September 29, 2017

UNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

NEWS

New year, new grading system Schoology takes over Jupiter Grades

BY: Sebastián Orozco News Editor

One of the biggest changes to LAUSD this year was the introduction of the new online grading and communication system, Schoology, which has replaced the long standing Jupiter Grades.

While several schools have piloted Schoology since its adoption in 2015, it was not until this fall that LAUSD mandated all schools use Schoology for their grading systems. The district mandate was the result of a 1993 classaction lawsuit that required LAUSD to create a districtwide student database.

Since its rollout this fall, Schoology has already received its fair share of criticism. At Uni, teachers were given one day to learn how to use it and then were expected to teach students how to use it. According to students, the simple act of logging in is a long, complicated procedure that only discourages oneself from checking their grades.

“Logging in is simply more difficult than it should be,” junior Johann Gomez said. “We have to use a school e-mail that had been long forgotten. And, recovering our passwords is a huge hassle.”

A survey of 180 Uni students found that nearly 60 percent prefer Jupiter Grades over Schoology. However, popular opinion also showed that Schoology does a good job of displaying grades, showing upcoming assignments, and notifying when assignments are graded. Junior Ailyn Palancares praised one feature in particular.

“I like that Schoology has a ‘calendar’ feature that shows all of my assignments and when they’re due,” Palancares said.

Besides the grade/calendar features, students can’t find positives, and express their frustration from the log-in process to the interface, but the biggest problem of all is the messaging system.

Students and faculty have found communication is more complicated and limited than before.

By Heidi Laubach Staff Writer

Over 180 students were surveyed and 43% gave Schoology an overall grade of B, 18% an A, 22% a Survey by: Wildcat Staff C, 9.5% a D, and 7% F. “Jupiter [Grades] was more simple,” said Magnet Coordinator Lauren Franca. “It was very easy for me to communicate with the whole school, include parents, separate magnet school from the resident school, e-mail students by grade level, or even in groups.”

With Schoology, teachers cannot mass message an entire class or even parents of students from their class. That is, unless they are a part of a separately created “group,” where teachers can post discussion threads, pictures, or multimedia pertaining to its members.

“The ‘groups’ aspect of Schoology will make it easier for teachers to give instructions or answers to questions for classes as a whole,” junior Zina Baylis said.

Some teachers have mixed feelings when it comes to Schoology, as science teacher Ariana Silva explains.

“The new system has a learning curve. I personally prefer Jupiter Grades because it was easier for communication, but Schoology combines Jupiter with Edmodo and it helps save time to the point where I don’t have to use [Edmodo] anymore,” Silva said. She also expressed how quickly she became used to the new system.

Coordinator Noehmi Garcia was in charge of heading up a parent orientation to help parents sign up for PASSPORT, the parent side of Schoology.

“A total of 770 visits have been made by parents on PASSPORT. However, I don’t have access to data about which parents need assistance, or if that number includes different families, or multiple visits by the same family,” Garcia said.

Before the incident, the students felt safe on school grounds. Even after the mugging, they said they still feel safe.

“That [mugging] never happens, especially in this neighborhood,” one student said.

The three victims recommend that students walk through the alley in groups.

Murillo reports that police have been patrolling the area more often after school hours following the incident.

She also said robocalls were sent out to parents to warn students of possible hazards. However, the three victims and their parents can corroborate that there were no robocalls pertaining to the robbery that occurred on Aug. 15.

Principal Eric Davidson holds fast to the belief that the safety of students is a responsibility shared by everyone.

“It’s shared between the student, the school, and other responsible people, like Los Angeles School Police, LAPD, and community members,” he explains. “And I think that when students walk down an alleyway, they’re setting themselves up for a less than safe environment.”

The principal also notes that the campus and surrounding neighborhood make up a ‘Safe School Zone,’ in which people who commit crimes are subject to increased penalties, such as fines and jail time. According to Section 626 of the California Penal Code, a Safe School Zone is an area within 1,000 feet of a school and/or 100 feet of a designated bus stop. Additional criteria is during regular school hours and/or an hour before and after a school sponsored activity takes place on campus.

Uni students get mugged

On the first day of school, three Uni juniors* were on their way to the 7-11 on Wilshire Blvd when they were mugged at knife point. They were heading down the alley on S Barrington Ave around 3:15 PM on Aug. 15 when two men, described to be in their 20’s, approached them.

“Empty your pockets,” one man commanded, pulling out a long, rusty knife. “Or I’ll stab you right now!”

The students gave up cell phones and money to preserve their safety.

“I was breaking down, to be honest,” said one student, “I didn’t want to run away and leave them behind.”

They raced back to school and reported the event to the office and school police.

However, they were met with a scolding.

“They told us ‘you know you’re not supposed to go in the alley!,’ but everybody goes through the alley,” another student said, referring to his conversation with Assistant Principal Oscar Lopez and supervision aide Marcie Murillo.

The trio contacted their parents and were promptly picked up.

*Names withheld to protect the identities of the students.

Photo by Heidi Laubach Map courtesy of L.A. Times The alley between S Barrington Ave and Wilshire Blvd is where three Uni juniors were robbed at knife point on Aug. 15. A visual crime report of Sawtelle for the week of Aug. 13 shows a total of 21 violent and property crimes.

September 29, 2017

Page 3

UNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

OPINION

dreamers face their worst Nightmare

“Dreamers” continued from page 1

By Julie LeeEditor-in-Chief

Because DACA beneficiaries are mostly undocumented youth and young adults, the end of the program would prove to be detrimental to students. The cruel decision would affect high school students applying to colleges as their options narrow down tremendously. Private and out-of-state universities may have to be crossed off the list because students need social security numbers to receive federal financial aid. In addition, college students would not be able to support themselves without work permits. Heightened fear and anxiety hovering over undocumented students could reduce attendance, as many choose to avoid applying for admission in the first place.

Eliminating DACA would not only negatively impact its recipients, but also the nation as a whole.

According to the Center for American Progress, California would ultimately lose around $11.6 billion of its GDP, while other states would lose between $1-6 billion. Many employees that make meaningful contributions to our nation would lose their jobs as well. According to Apple CEO

Tim Cook, there are more than 250 Apple workers who are affected by the repeal of DACA. DREAMers are not just individuals who want the best for themselves, but they also actively participate in our society and economy.

Former President Obama stated recently that “DREAMers want to start new businesses, staff our labs,

However, in a statement announcing his decision to eliminate the program, President Trump stated that DACA has only resulted in the entrance of more people crossing the border, specifically “people who would become members of violent gangs throughout our country.”

Through the statistics of DACA beneficiaries, it is indisputable that

“DREAMers want to start new businesses, staff our labs, serve in our military, and

otherwise contribute to the country we love.”

-Barack Obama

serve in our military, and otherwise contribute to the country we love.”

Furthermore, he said that repealing the program “casts a shadow over some of the nation’s best and brightest young people”, which is true. An online survey by the Center for American Progress proves that 36 percent of recipients over the age of 25 have a Bachelor’s degree or higher, half of recipients are currently in school, and most are employed.

Trump’s statement was only an assumption made through personal opinion.

Some may argue that DACA is only rewarding immigrants that have broken the law. However, children that followed their parents to the United States did not have control over the situation, and therefore are considered exempt from breaking the law. This is why the majority of DACA recipients are between the ages of 15

to 36, according to the White House.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman stated that “no court has held DACA unconstitutional,” but the constitutionality of the program still has not been determined by courts. As of now, Congress has much to deal with.

Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida have taken up much of Congress’ recent concerns. Indeed, supporting 800,000 undocumented immigrants would require money that needs to be spent on the restoration of the areas destroyed by the natural disasters.

However, individuals paying taxes and keeping the economy cycling include DACA recipients. Although nearly 75 percent of DACA permit holders are employed and pay their taxes, they do not receive all of the benefits that their money pays for. For example, Medicare is not available for DACA recipients. According to the Social Security Administration, undocumented immigrants pay almost $13 billion for the retirement trust fund, but only receive $1 billion back. These are only a few of the many unfair exchanges that undocumented immigrants are a part of, and they only ask for a return of their hard work and money.

working in UNIson to help the homeless

By Julie Han Opinion Editor

Being homeless is not a stigma; it is a reality. In Downtown Los Angeles, for example. one might find streets lined with elegant hotels and apartment complexes, but then turn a corner to view streets bound with tents and witness the poverty-stricken population. There has been a 23 percent increase in the homeless population over the last year, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Service. Out of the 58,000 currently homeless population, 6,000 people are homeless youth.

Two factors contributing to the rising homeless population is the rising home prices and the government’s slow response to the issue. Over the last year, statistics from Los Angeles Newsletter, “Curbed Los Angeles,” demonstrates an almost 5 percent increase in average prices of rent in Los Angeles City, while one’s income remains fixed. The rent rise acts as the cut-off for the lower class-class and as an attractive asset of affordability to the middle-class. The soar in household costs sends thousands of people packing for the streets, but the government has just started to expel its plans regarding this issue.

In an attempt to respond to the growing issue of homelessness, voters passed Measure H in March, which increased sales taxes by a quarter of a

Cartoon by Julie Han

percent in order to raise $355 million over 10 years to provide rental subsidies for homeless people and mental services. With this measure, Los Angeles County hopes to end homelessness for 45,000 families and individuals within 5 years. Los Angeles County also aims to prevent 30,000 individuals and families from becoming homeless. Although Los Angeles has initiated their plan to reduce the homeless population,eliminating the conflict of homelessness cannot be done overnight.

Wildcat

University High School

11800 Texas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025 The Wildcat student newspaper is published by the Journalism class at University High School. Letters should be directed to room 127, Wildcatpaper@gmail.com or the Journalism mailbox in the main office. Please include full name and grade. Letters are subject to editorial discretion. Call (310) 914-3551, ext. 504 or email Wildcatpaper@gmail.com to place an advertisement.

The faculty and staff at Uni are working to improve the case of homelessness at our school. According to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, a student is defined homeless if they currently or temporarily reside in a vehicle, garage, shelter, a motel or hotel, in the home of another family’s house, other places that are not designed to accommodate human sleep, or are in a transition housing program. Students and families, who fill out the Student Residency Questionnaire and indicate that they are in

Editor-in-Chief ...............................................................Julie Yoo Bin Lee News Editor...................................................................Sebastian Orozco Opinion Editor.........................................................................Julie Han Feature Editor.......................................................Amy Oh and Nicole Kim Entertainment Editor...................................................... Jasmine Mentzer Sports Editor......................................... Ammy Alvarado and Mayra Lopez Photo Editor.......................................Paola Laris and Keyond Brown Cartoonist....................................................................Julie Han Video Editor.................................................Jonathan Becerra Writing Coach.......................................................................James Ward Journalism Adviser......................................................Alexandria Janda

transition housing, they are eligible for resources such as school supplies, clothing assistance, tutoring, transportation assistance, hygiene kits, and assistance for a homeless teen parent. At Uni, these resources are facilitated by the homeless school site liaison, Tanya Mercado, who is also the Pupil Services and Attendance Counselor at Uni. The Student Residency Questionnaire can be found in the attendance office. So far, 2 percent of students that have been identified at Uni qualify for assistance.

We, as students, can also contribute to alleviating the problem of chronic homelessness by participating in service events. Many clubs on Uni’s campus, such as KIWIN’S Key Club and Connecting Horizons, provide opportunities to mitigate the rising issue. KIWIN’S actively participates in organizations like Hashtag Lunchbag, where volunteers can package boxed lunches which are then distributed by adults to homeless individuals, groups, or local shelters.

Connecting Horizons focuses on discussing issues of homeless youth in Los Angeles. Mercado also encourages students to seek events that could be found online, such as participating in canned food drives and tutoring at shelters (the School on Wheels Program). Together, students at Uni can engage in building and improving real issues in their community.

Wildcat Staff: Jannet Cardova, Jaylen Deadmon-Hughes, Sameen Hadiya, Donna Hakimbaba, Taylor Itagaki, Heidi Laubach, Briana Lee, Yolanda Martinez, Celeste Matthews-Farfan, Akila Mckenzie, Seyedamir Mehraban, Gregory Mendoza, Omar Middleton, Samantha Morales, Justin Reece, Belle Spracklin, and Samuel Glover. . ************************************************

The Wildcat is a student-run, student-operated student-produced newspaper, which does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration or the school at large. Staff editorials represent the collectively agreed upon opinions of the Wildcat editors. All writers published in the Wildcat are protected under Calfiornia Education Code 48907.

Page 4

September 29, 2017

UNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

FEATURES

FIND YOUR CUP OF TEA IN L.A.

Los Angeles has everything you are looking for in a cafe. You can fulfill your Instagramming passions, have a quick chat with your friends, find a new study spot for an upcoming test or project, or sip the greatest latte in town.

DRINK UP. Alfred Coffee’s Iced Vanilla Latte is the perfect refreshment for a weekend in Los Angeles (far left). Alfred Tea Room’s pink themed cafe is a perfect match along with its seasonal drink, the Sparkling Strawberry Iced Tea (center left). Espresso Profeta is a go-to stop for their signature Iced White Velvet and scrumptious muffins (center right). Bia Photos by Nicole Kim Coffee, featured on Buzzfeed, is a rising flower-themed cafe with rose and lavender infused drinks and decadent flower flavored desserts (far right).

By Nicole Kim Features Editor

When speaking of “the greatest” coffee in town, it is almost impossible to forget Alfred Coffee. Yes, you have probably seen pictures of Kendall Jenner making her way out of their Melrose location on Instagram, Facebook, or any other social media network. Alfred Coffee, located in the heart of Melrose Ave., is a celebrity hot-spot. As a big fan of Alfred’s since 2015, I can ensure you that their Iced Vanilla Latte is simply the best. Not a fan of coffee? Alfred’s also has a wide range of selections for you to choose from, including cold-pressed juices, kombucha, and iced teas. And of course, they have their $10 Lattes, their specialty. Although it is overpriced considering the typical price ranges of iced lattes, Alfred’s takes pride in this drink as they use raw vanilla or chocolate almond milk from a company specializing in cold-pressed juicesPressed Juicery. They also add in 4 extra shots to add to the cost. If Melrose is too far from you, don’t worry. They

have multiple locations ranging from Silverlake, Brentwood, and their newly opened Beverly Hills location. At their Melrose location, make sure to walk across the street and visit Alfred Tea, the most Instagrammable cafe with their baby pink theme. Trust me, it’s a rising tourist hot spot, and plus, they even have boba!

If you’re looking for a cafe that can fulfill your Instagramming passion, Bia Coffee in Koreatown, Los Angeles is the place to go. Featured on Buzzfeed for their flower coffee and rose and lavender infused desserts, Bia Coffee is always bustling with people walking in and out. It is common to see people trying to arrange their drinks and desserts in the perfect spots to capture the best pictures.

The Bia Rose Lattes and the Bia Lavender Lattes are two of Bia Coffee’s specialty drinks. If you aren’t a fan of coffee, try alternatives such as their rose or lavender Italian Sodas or sparkling ades. The owner of Bia Coffee makes

ARTIST CORNER

housemade flower syrups daily, making all drinks nonartificial and with the perfect level of sweetness. When paying your visit, make sure to try their rose or lavender cakes, which are topped off with housemade cream and dried flowers.

Do you have an upcoming project or a new quiz to study for? If so, Cafe Profeta located in Westwood Village may be the perfect study spot for you and your friends.

Located only two bus stops down from Barrington and Wilshire and only a 5-minute drive by car, Profeta may be one of the closest cafes to Uni. Profeta, a hidden cafe near the entrance of Westwood Village, is one of the best that my friends and I swear by. When you pay your visit, don’t forget to try the Iced White Velvet with a muffin to satisfy your sweet tooth. Whatever it may be, Profeta has it. Make sure to hang out around the village after your coffee or tea pick-up!

Artwork by Dorji Gyeltshen. “Untitled”, Photograph by Dorji Gyeltshen. “Untitled”

Interested in getting your artwork featured? E-mail us at wildcatpaper@gmail.com.

The School of Communication Arts Reception

The School of Communication Arts is having our annual welcome to the new school year reception and you are invited! It will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 4, from 6pm to 8pm. Please bring a dish to share for the potluck! There will be student art, performances and a free raffle of awesome prizes. In our academy, you can learn all phases of digital art from fine art and graphic art to Traditional and Computer Animation. Students have the opportunity to earn certification in all Adobe software and earn 1.5 college credits while doing so. We also have performing arts like the jazz cats, guitar and sound editing. Be a part of something bigger, and join us on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

September 29, 2017

UNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

FEATURES

Page 5

Featured clubs (clockwise): Kiwins club, Gay Straight Alliance club, Theatre club, Dance and Culture club, No Limits club and Chess club.

Photos by Paola Laris and Amy Oh.

CLUB RUSH By amy oh Features Editor Uni students rushed into the new school year in search of clubs to join on Friday, Sept. 15. Club Rush is held in the grove every year in order for student organizations to gather and recruit prospective members by showcasing their purpose and goals. From the Gay Straight Alliance club to the Film Production club, Uni offers a diverse range of 32 new and renewed clubs that can make anyone feel at home.

Senior Claire Hafteck’s new Dance and Culture club hopes to bring together a community of dancers at Uni through the exploration of different dance styles and cultures, including jazz, Afro, and contemporary. The goal is to choreograph a routine that can be performed at Uni and other outside events. During Club Rush, freestyle dance performances from senior Elijah Caballero helped attract new members to the club’s booth.

“We are a new club, so [Club Rush] got the word out,” Hafteck said.

Mental Health club came to Club Rush prepared with signup sheets and posters ready at hand. Its members aim to break the pre-existing stigma surrounding mental health issues and create a sense of unity by spreading awareness throughout the school and community.

“I think Club Rush turned out really well, and it was great to see new faces, especially the freshmen who may have not

been aware of the clubs on campus,” vice president and junior Olganydia Plata said.

Plata was happy to have everything run smoothly.

“I had the members walk around the grove with flyers,” Plata added. “We had posters, ribbons and Jolly Ranchers, which allowed us to heavily promote our club.”

Before the actual event, Leadership held multiple lunch meetings, in order to clarify inquiries and concerns clubs may have had. Student body secretary Alexa Pascual, senior, found this year’s club participation much larger than last year’s, which made everyone’s hard work pay off.

“It isn’t often when we have a majority of the student body come together,” Pascual said. “It was a nice way to kick off the new school year!”

Club officers buzzed around the grove with bags of chips, cookies, or popcorn to attract new members. Some clubs even offered the opportunity to win some prizes in exchange for signing up. Students were impressed to discover that there is always something new at Uni. “I never realized how many clubs were at Uni for the past 3 years I spent on this campus,” senior Chris Park said. “It was cool for me to finally get involved during my last year in high school.”

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September 29, 2017

UNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

Entertainment

Festival frenzy:

Behind the Scenes: Day N Night feeds into fan’s music addiction AMC Theaters

By Jasmine Mentzer Entertainment Editor

Travis Scott, entered his set on top of a bird while performing a majority of his songs. He is known to perform with a large bird on his sets. Photo by Johnathan Becerra.

By Johnathan Becerra & Taylor Itagaki Staff Writers

The 2017 Day N Night Festival was an event many people were anticipating. The three-day festival took place from Sept. 8-10 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. General admission tickets were priced at about $100 for each day and VIP tickets were about $200 for each day. A variety of artists performed their most popular songs while people moved from stage to stage listening to each one. Some artists who appeared at Day N Night included: Travis Scott, SZA, Chance the Rapper, Post Malone, Kendrick Lamar, and Playboi Carti. Senior, Naomi Lumanauw was looking forward to seeing all the musical acts, but one in particular.

“I’m most excited to see Chance because I’ve been a fan for a while now,” she said.

Rapper Travis Scott performed an amazing 14 songs for his set.

Popular songs such as “Antidote”, “Butterfly Effect”, and “Goosebumps” had the crowd going wild.

Mid-performance Scott ascended from the sky on his signature eagle prop leaving everyone in awe. Gospel rapper, Chance the Rapper had an amazing set which included popular songs “Sunday Candy” and “No Problems”. This has been an incredible year for Chance, winning three Grammy’s this past year, and

his album, Coloring Book, placed at NO. 8 on the Billboard 200. As expected, performer Kendrick Lamar put on a great show, performing his new songs “ELEMENT,” “LOYALTY,” and “HUMBLE” which were featured in his most recently released DAMN album.

As expected, the weather was in the high 80s/low 90s, but mostly everyone seemed prepared with their CamelBak backpacks filled with water and loose fitting clothing. The most popular performances based on crowd size, were Chance the Rapper, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, SZA, Daniel Caesar, and YG. The Angel Stadium field was packed with roaring fans that took audience participation to a whole new level.

“The mosh pits were fun because they weren’t too wild and scary,” senior Gomez Sandoval said.

One thing suggested to be fixed for next year is the parking because it’s a nightmare trying to get out of there taking approximately 30 minutes.

“I suggest parking near the exit,” senior Oscar Hernandez said.

Overall, Day N Night provided a weekend filled with great entertainment and memorable experiences.

“It was so much fun and totally worth it!” senior Naomi Lumanauw said.

Every summer, students struggle to get a job in order to contribute towards college or just to have extra money.

The age old struggle is finding a job that requires little to no experience and is student-friendly. However, one employer prides itself on its flexible scheduling and offers an environment meant for learning and growth. AMC, or American Multi-Cinema, is a movie theater known for its quality customer service. The nearest theater is housed in the newly remodeled Westfield Century City Mall on Santa Monica and Century Park West.

I started working at the theater in June of 2017 and was immediately drawn to the friendly atmosphere (the free movies were a pretty big selling point as well). Applying for a job is a pretty stressful process that calls for great people skills and a lot of waiting. I had a total of three interviews, each one more nerve-racking than the last. During my final interview, I was offered the job. I was absolutely overjoyed and thankful that I was able to find one so quickly.

That is not to say that the job doesn’t come with its own set of difficulties. Whenever you work in the customer service field, customers are relentlessly rude and coworkers single out newbies by telling them information that doesn’t compIy with the actual rules. One time, I was giving a customer their popcorn and she ate one piece and started yelling at me about how I “had one job” and couldn’t figure out why I “couldn’t get it right.” I’m generally pretty good about taking rudeness in stride, so I didn’t let it get to me too much; but after a while, I could see how it would wear on a person. However, the important thing is that at the end of the day, the customer is happy and you get that lovely check in the mail. It’s not all bad though. I’ve made some great friends. It’s really helpful to have someone who understands your struggles on a hard day.

To this day, I am still so happy with my decision to apply for a job at AMC. Although I did quit when school started due to my amount of commitments, I plan on going back on a seasonal basis. It is was really important for me to be able to establish myself in the workplace before I go off to college so I can learn to collaborate in a professional environment. Additionally, I’ve made some great friends and had some amazing experiences, including getting to meet actors like Evan Peters and Halle Berry. I was absolutely starstruck and made a fool of myself but it was a really cool experience. Also, the ability to be financially independent is really empowering. All of the trials and tribulations of the work week seem to fade away when you get to cover dinner for your family or get a friend something nice for their birthday. Even if it’s just over the summer, working will give you a whole new outlook on life. Not to mention earning your own money gives you a sense of pride and your parents will love not having to give money!

“It was so much fun and totally worth it!”- Naomi Lumanauw, senior

AMC Century City is a great place to work for students.

The hours are flexible, the employee discounts are great, and free movies are always a plus. Courtesy of Cinema Treasures

September 29, 2017

UNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

Page 7

Entertainment

Wildcat staff picks top three summer flicks

Spiderman: Homecoming

Baby Driver

(PG-13) directed by Jon Watts

(R) directed by Edgar Wright

Spiderman attempts to clean up the streets of New York in an attempt to become an Avenger. Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

Baby Driver follows a getaway driver and cut his ties to the criminal underworld. Courtesy of Tristar Pictures

Review by Akila Mckenzie Staff Writer

“Spider-Man: Homecoming”, which premiered July 7 stars Tom Holland. The movie focuses on 15-year-old Peter Parker as he tries to prove that he can work alongside the Avengers and introduces him to the story’s main villain, The Vulture (Michael Keaton). Tom Holland does an excellent job as both Parker and SpiderMan; his background in gymnastics makes many of the stunts not only look authentic but also believable. Holland’s Parker is geeky and lovable; he excellently plays a Spider-Man who is eager to please his role model and a Peter Parker who is eager to gain the attention of Liz Allan (Laura Harrier), his love interest. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon were hilarious as Parker’s friends, Michelle and Ned respectively. Overall, the movie was funny and action packed. Look for “SpiderMan: Homecoming” on DVD or Blu-ray on Oct. 17.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Review by Justin Reece Staff Writer

“Baby Driver” is an action/comedy written and directed by Edgar Wright. It follows a career criminal trying to sever his ties to the criminal underworld and skip town with his girlfriend.

The film’s stylistic editing is paired with a vibrant soundtrack and strong visuals that make for a fun watch. The film’s pacing is pretty unbalanced but the more action centric moments are where the movie really shines. The decision to go for an old-school practical stunt driving pays off with great chase scenes and great set-pieces.

Despite having a pretty star-studded cast, most characters feel flat. Jamie Foxx’s character feels like a stereotype most of the time, acting very erratic and threatening. “Baby Driver” is a film that is more style than substance, but in this case that’s a good thing. You can buy it on DVD or Blu-ray on Oct. 10.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Wonder Woman

(PG-13) directed by Patty Jenkins

Diana tries to make her place in the world as Princess of the Amazons. Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Review by Jannet Cordova Staff Writer

“Wonder Woman” is a fantasy and science fiction film that features Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) a princess who turns into a superhero.

Diana, princess of Amazons,was trained to be an unconquerable warrior and hero on a sheltered island paradise. She leaves after a pilot crashes the island to fight the General Lundendorff.

Along the way, she discovers her destiny as a superhero and learns to fly. Ewen Bremer, known as Charlie in the film, showed his emotions effectively and truly did justice to the film. It was disappointing that Diana did not have enough character development. The audience doesn’t see how she was able to grow into the woman she became. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoy is reading or watching science fiction and fantasy. You can buy “Wonder Woman” on Blu-ray or DVD now.

Rating: 3/5 stars

The Defenders fails to live up to predecessors

By Justin Reece Staff Writer

After waiting for 2 long years and sitting through five seasons worth of television, Marvel & Netflix’s latest collaborative effort, “The Defenders”, has finally arrived to our screens.

The previous Marvel/Netflix shows such as “Daredevil”, “Jessica Jones”, etc. were thrilling dramas in which we were introduced to new heroes that represented the working class citizens that lived in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The shows gave us a chance to explore the darker and more grounded side of the MCU. They all had distinct styles and compelling characters which distinguished them from each other.

Unfortunately, “The Defendersc is not on par with its predecessors. Despite the time spent developing these characters and their world, the show falls flat on its face and doesn’t bring us anything new or interesting to the table.

Perhaps one saving grace of the show is the caliber of its “The Defenders” follows four vigilantes protecting Manhattan from acting. The performances in the an organization known as The Hand. Courtesy of Netlfix show are quite solid all around.

Every actor hops right back into

their roles as if they never left. For example, Krysten Ritter returns as Jessica Jones, the cranky private detective with a drinking problem who hasn’t been seen since her debut in November 2015.

Surprisingly the supporting actors are great too, they add a bit of variety and more normalcy to the show compared to the leads, but are immensely underutilized.

There’s a point in the show where literally all the side characters just sit in a room with each other and do nothing for the rest of the series. The show has many great actors but doesn’t really do much with them, the leading example of them being Sigourney Weaver as “Alexandra”. Alexandra is the leader of The Hand, an evil clan of ninjas in search of immortality.

Weaver does a fantastic job when it comes to being a menacing figure, but her character has no arc and is such a stereotype that it’s painful to see such potential wasted on a character who serves no true purpose in the bigger picture.

The show’s most glaring flaw lies within its cliche and stale writing,. For example, one of the leads refuses to get involved with the vigilante lifestyle again. Most

of the protagonists show no signs of forming a bond with one another; the only exception being Jessica Jones and Luke Cage (Mike Colter), whose relationship was established in a prior show.

One of the conflicts towards the end of the season is reminiscent of the relationship of Cap and Bucky in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”, even hitting the same beats in the dialogue. However, the writing for the character of Danny Rand (Finn Jones) is a lot better in “The Defenders” than in his own show, “Iron Fist”. The character is less mind numbingly naive and more tolerable than before.

All in all, “The Defenders” is an upsettingly boring show that you can skip if you’re not a diehard comic book fan. If you do watch the show it is highly recommended that you watch the other Marvel/Netflix shows beforehand in order to get a better understanding of the characters and some of the basic plotlines and conflicts of the show. If you enjoyed the previous shows, you may want to tune in to stay in the loop.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Page 8

September 29, 2017

UNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

SPORTS

Football team attempts to improve their record

Vball team gets served

By Sam Glover

Staff Writer

During the first game of the season, senior wide receiver Bezeal Aberra runs an outside route to the sideline for a gain of about 20 yards. “I just try to push my teammates to be the best they can be,” Aberra said.“I was once in their shoes so I know how it feels.”

Uni won its first pre-season game in a 27-10 victory over Manual Arts High School on Aug. 25. Photo by Keyond Brown

By Ammy Alvarado Sports Editor When the Uni football team made their Miles, who plays wide receiver, has Furthermore, with each little mistake, first touchdown of the season, the crowd scored three touchdowns so far this season. Wildcat football players got more fruserupted into a roar. On Aug. 25, University Miles said that the tougher schools could trated with themselves and with each othHigh’s football team won 27-10 against be Palisades and Venice because, “I know er. On top of that, the Wildcats lost their Manual Arts High School in a non-confer- a couple friends with scholarships that go quarterback during the 2nd quarter due to ence game. Junior Chris Fierro and senior to Venice and Pali”. Despite the many an ankle injury.“But again that’s not an Bezalel Abera, combined for three inter- losses last season, Miles and his team- excuse we can use for losing,” Atmadijan ceptions, senior Kareem Miles scored two mates plan to trust the process and believe said.“We simply as a team didn’t execute touchdowns, Abera and senior William in themselves. our job well and as a result we lost.”

Dorsey each scored a touchdown. Senior On Aug.31, the Wildcats went against The most challenging opponent the Bradley Gamez made three field goals.Af- Contreras.“We were doing so good Wildcats faced so far was Culver City ter suffering a dismal losing streak in the throughout the game, but 4th quarter came High School on Sept. 22.The Wildcats 2016 season with a 2-9 overall and 0-5 and we as a team didn’t do our job,” said ended with a terrible loss of 59-0. The league record, the football team wants to junior quarterback Alex Atmadjian. The football team couldn’t complete a play and show everyone that this year they can have Wildcats went into overtime but came up they kept leaving their opponent open, rea successful season. As of Sept. 21, their short with the score of 20-13. sulting in the inevitable loss. current record was 2-3 .

Their weaknesses became even more But the players aren’t discouraged.

Varsity head coach John Washington apparent when they played San Fernando Orellana, who plays center, elaborates on described his team as “dedicated” because High School on Sept. 8 and lost 35-3. Se- his goals. “My biggest goal for my team the majority of the team has been working nior Gerson Orellana said that they were is to win a city championship.We are gotirelessly since the end of last season.“They confident they were going to come up on ing to work harder and harder every single are definitely fast. Most of them ran track, top but it was the little mistakes that lost week to accomplish our goal as a team and and gotten faster, and became more ath- them the game. For example,the offensive as a family.” letic,” Washington said.“While the team as line was not blocking most of the game.

The next home game will be on Oct. a whole has improved, the standout play- “When we don’t block, our quarterback 6 at 4pm (JV) and 7pm (VAR), where Uni ers are the captains,“Miles, Dorsey, and has no time and the play is messed up,” will face off Fairfax High School (record Abera.”

Orellana said. of 2-2). Come support the Wildcats!

The girls volleyball team won it all last year, and they anticipate doing it again. The team had a record of 22-8 overall last season, winning the DIII championship and advancing to the second round in the state playoffs.

This year they progressed into the harder DII league, but want to repeat their success.

The team has added extra pressure on themselves to repeat their achievement. “We have a lot of pressure on us,” senior Naomi Lumanauw said.

“Since we moved up a division we have higher expectations to fulfil”.

As of Sept. 20, Uni’s record stands at 8-10 overall and 2-3 league.

Uni started the season slower start than the team wanted, losing to both Palisades and Venice. The team lost a few key seniors, which made it difficult to communicate and execute key plays. In practice, they work on that communication, improving their defense, and bringing up their intensity. The new generation of players is promising, with the additions of sophomore setter Tania Torres, recently promoted from JV, and freshmen Natalie Fernandez. ”It’s really exciting to play on varsity with such experienced players. They’ve been really welcoming,” Fernandez said.

Whether it is moving up a division, the loss of the seniors, or a lack of cohesiveness within the group, the team appears to be falling short of their goals this season. They have great wins on their resume, 2-0 against Wildwood, 2-0 against Banning, 3-1 against Arleta, but also have some disappointing losses 3-1 against Venice, 3-0 against Palisades, 2-0 against St Monica’s. However, the team found a rhythm in a recent game against Hamilton, beating them 3-0 in dominant fashion. Good organization, and discipline forced Hamilton into numerous mistakes. Senior middle hitter Brionne Lightsey made a few exceptional kills with the help of their new setter, Torres.

“It was a great game, a good team win. We were able to be focused and make few errors,” said senior opposite hitter Bebi Kusuma.

Since winning against Hamilton, the team has won five out of its last six games and seem to be on a roll. If they can keep this play up, competing in the playoffs is a distinct possibility.

The girls volleyball team plays their next game on Oct. 2 at Westchester at 4 pm.

Girls tennis swings into a new season

By Mayra Lopez Sports Editor

Girls’ tennis had to refresh their roster this season by replacing the graduating seniors, which made up half the team. In the previous seasons, there were always more returning players for the girls’ tennis team than there were girls trying out. This year, 16 girls tried out and Coach Stanford Poon recruited half. With so many novices, it will be a challenge to repeat the success they had last season, with a record of 9-4 overall, 8-4 league.

However, Stanford remains optimistic. “I can see that there’s a lot of enthusiasm for tennis here at Uni.That’s already a good positive,” Stanford said. Stanford said that, with time, the program will grow and improve because of this growth of interest. Stanford is prepared to aid a whole new group of girls, with the help of returning players.

On Aug. 30 the girls had their first non-conference match against Culver City High School, for many, this was the first tennis match they had ever played. Unfortunately, the girls lost this match 6-1. Sophomore Olivia Adams, who went undefeated last season, was the only victor.

As of Sept. 18, Adams has not lost a single match, continuing this streak this season as well; no doubt due to the player’s level of dedication and time spent with the sport.

Adams has been playing tennis since she was 5 years old. She’s trained under UCLA coaches and placed 3rd and 6th in previous national tournaments. Adams looks for tougher competitors in the league and looks forward to playing Venice again later this season, as Adams has played one of their players before in tournaments and lost to her before in out of league tournaments.

“The match against Venice, was probably my favorite because it was against a friend of mine, and the closest match, 8-3. It was still a blow out but, it was the most competitive. Next time I’m up against her sister who’s even tougher,” Adams said.

Regrettably, the rest of the team doesn’t have as much experience. “Well because half of the team is new, they are not really sure how to play or how the game works,” said senior co-captain Eunice Ki. “We are more focused on introducing them to tennis.”

They played Crossroads in a non-conference game Sept. 9, resulting in a loss by a score of 4-2. Then the season picked up and the girls lost to Westchester High School with

Photo By Paola Lariz Ramirez

Senior Cache Cummings loses her singles match against Culver City 8-2. The team as a whole also lost to Culver City high school on Aug. 30, with an overall score of 6-1. a score of 4-3. Slowly but surely they have been improving, which had been predicted from the start.

Freshman doubles player, Krystal Ki, already noticed improvement from her non conference games and season games. “We’re improving and I’m very proud of us,” Ki said. However she realizes that there is still much work to be done and can improve even further with more practice. “Technique-wise I could really improve on my serving and volleying,” Ki said.On Sept. 18, the girls won their first league game against Hamilton with an overall score of 4-3. This season could be a tough one for the girls, but their dedication to the team is sure to pay off.