VOL. 83 No. 4 (2013-2014)

wildcat the

Vol. 83, Issue 4 March 11, 2014

est. 1930

Brea Olinda High School 789 Wildcat Way, Brea, CA 92821

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The Wildcat

What's inside bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

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new bohs staff

Erin Barrett, literature teacher, and Andrew Rutz, data technician, join staff

by CELESTE ROH AND JEAN PARK staff writers

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‘The tracks’ to open

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SLANG RUINING TEENS

A new trail that will connect five cities in Orange County is under constuction

by BRITTANY TAM STAFF WRITER

Teenage literaty is lacking due to popular slang

by KRISTEN BERTOLONI staff writer

With national holidays recognized with the closing of schools, Muslims protest for Muslim holidays to be similarly recognized.

Art by megan moberly

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school vs religion

By REWA OUSMAN STAFF WRITER

APRIL SANTONIL / the wildcat

RACING FRESH: Sean Eickhoff and Dylan Russell, freshmen, participate in a tricycle race during the Link Crew freshman rally on Feb. 28. The sports-themed rally allowed Link Leaders to reunite with their freshmen and their progress in the year.

vegetarian to vegan

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Staff Writer Hailee Gallegos shares her month-long experience as a vegetarian

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Greg Higashi, Economics teacher, tells his story before becoming a long-term teacher

By HAILEE GALLEGOS STAFF WRITER

an inquisitive teacher

DATE: Thursday, May 01, 2014

By sharon cho editor-in-chief

AT: Brea 555 Pointe Dr., Build #2 Brea, CA 92821-3672

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predictable oscars

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q&a with monica sharda

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#BTOWNBEATDOWN

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FOURTH IN CENTURY LEAGUE

Editor-in-Chief Sharon Cho discusses Oscar night and its winners

by SHARON CHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THE WILDCAT NEWSPAPER Take your family to dinner, and support our great program at the same time!

TIME: 5 P.M. TO 8 P.M. For directions visit Souplantation.com

Monica Sharda, senior, discusses her band career and her post-high school plans

Boys’ varsity basketball advances to CIF finals at the Honda Center

by Christian santonil staff writer

Boys’ varsity soccer places fourth in Century League

by AMANDA TORTAROLO staff writer

*1. All participants must purchase a beverage with their meal in order to receive credit towards the organization. 2. Under no circumstances are fluers to be handed out in the restaurant, parking lot o vicinity. Failure to comply will result in a voided contract.

3. Coupons or discounts will not be honored in conjuction iwht any approved Fun-Raisers. 4. Must present this flyer at time of purchase. 5. Your receipt will be kept and stapled to this form in order to add up the event’s sales.

The Wildcat

NEWS

March 11, 2014

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runners participate in 23rd annual brea 8k classic

by Brittany Tam, Staff Writer

Runners, joggers, and walkers from all over California participated in the 23rd Annual Brea 8K Classic on Feb. 23 to raise money for the BOHS art and academic programs.

“Since the small start in 1992, with only 68 people taking the streets in the first race, the Brea 8K Classic has grown into a favorite community event, one which was expected to draw thousands of runners, walkers, volunteers, sponsors and other supporters from all over the United States,” Andrew Todd, board member of Registration, Publicity, and Awards, said.

According to brea8k.com, 2,582 participants of all ages participated in the five-mile race at 8 a.m. on East Birch Street and Brea Mall Road.

Throughout the morning, each runner passed through the finish line near the east parking section of the Brea Mall, while numerous volunteers, friends, and family members cheered and greeted the participants.

“It puts a smile on racers’ faces when you encourage them to push forward, high-five them for support, and remind them to enjoy themselves while running or walking the 8K,” Emily Hwang, sophomore and volunteer, said.

In addition to the Brea 8K, children of ages 10 and under were given the opportunity to race in the Fun Run 1K. The Fun Run 1K, directed by the BOHS choir, allowed the children to run on a 0.6-mile course throughout the Brea Mall parking lot. Choir students dressed up as a variety of different characters, such as SpongeBob Squarepants and Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, to encourage and race beside the children.

“It was fun running along with the kids in the 1K and adorable to

IN BRIEF PARENTS VISIT CAMPUS FOR OPEN HOUSE

by Celeste Roh, Staff Writer

Teachers were able to meet and interact with the parents of their students during Open House on Feb. 18.

Open House began at 6:30 p.m. and ended at around 8 p.m.

Students had the opportunity to take their parents around the campus and give them a tour of their daily school schedule.

“Open House is a great way to meet parents and see where the students come from. It’s extremely helpful to be able to understand and know more things about my students so that I can become a better teacher. It’s actually a really fun experience and I love the fact that I can see my students through the parents,” Matthew Finnerty,

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math teacher, said.

Link Crew held a bake sale in the quad with various desserts and drinks to raise funds for Link Crew.

There was also a Grad Nite Auction in the PAC lobby to fundraise for this year’s Senior Grad Nite. Parents and students were able to bid on items like Ducks game tickets, theme park passes, special prom packages, and restaurant certificates. All the items sold were donations from different vendors. This year, $8,600 was raised.

Grad Nite will be held on June 18, the evening of graduation.

Tickets will be on sale until the day of the event.

watch their motivation,” Tatiana Alvarez, junior, said.

The Brea 8K is a fundraising event for BOHS programs, such as the instrumental music program, the vocal music program, the Global IT Academy (GITA), and the Academic Booster Club. According to Todd, the event has raised about $50,000 over the past few years. Industry

sponsors around Orange County, such as A Snail’s Pace Running Shop, Living Spaces, The Sound 100.3FM, and Target supported and fundraised at the event.

As the hosting sponsor, the Brea Mall held the 8K Classic’s food expo, “Southern California’s Finest Finish Line,” at the end of the race. Restaurants lined the mall parking lot and provided nearly 3,500 portions of food to race participants and bystanders. The expo included Jamba Juice, Tutti Frutti, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Subway, Corner Bakery Café, and other local vendors.

In the Masters race, Gregory Mitchell, 40; Christian CushingMurray, 46; Andres Duncan, 46; Jaime Haipern, 44; and John Gardiner, 41; were the top five runners out of 208 participants. Cushing-Murray also placed in the top five group two years consecutively.

Representing BOHS, Jeff Sipple, junior; Colin Crabtree, senior; Joseph Tobin, sophomore; and Richard Corp, math teacher; raced for different teams in the open race. Elaina Tripp, junior; Lauren Blake, sophomore; Kelsey Imler, senior; and Samantha Moreno, freshman; also participated in open teams.

“The Brea 8K brings a sense of a community, and it is really fun seeing everyone come together to participate in an event like this,” Imler said.

From chip-timing to larger food booths, the Brea 8K organizers plan on expanding the race event to attract a variety of people who want to enjoy themselves and promote the fitness and wellness of our community.

In the future, Brea 8K planners hope to introduce the Brea 8K on the West Coast and further improve the 8K experience for participants.

EIGHTH GRADERS RECEIVE CAMPUS TOUR

SOPHOMORES COMPETE IN COMPETITION

Eighth graders from Brea Junior High visited BOHS on March 7 for the annual eighth grade student visit. The campus visit gave the prospective students a brief introduction to their future school.

This year, the students arrived at 8 a.m. Before receiving a tour of the campus and interacting with Link Crew, the eight graders were welcomed by performances from Choir, Color Guard, Drama, Cheer, and Dance Production.

Eighth graders then headed to the PAC to learn about the freshman course selections and be introduced to their future guidance counselor, Elizabeth McDonald. “[I hope] to expose eighth graders to opportunities at the high school, [such as] athletics, performing arts, clubs, as well as introduce them to the campus and inform them about course options,” McDonald said.

Sophomores who were round. Kyle Kirk won first overall, nominated by their teachers and with Jonathan Paek coming close their class had the opportunity in second. Brent Gutowski came to compete against their peers in in third, Lehman in fourth, and the annual controversial speech Jacob Carlin in fifth place. competition, held in the PAC on “I looked forward to being a Feb. 6 and 7. part of this, experiencing it in a After giving professional atmosphere speeches in class, with the other participants teachers then and their support.” Kirk nominated students to said. continue onto the next According to round.

Summer Teal, Literature “It was a stressful, Kyle kirk teacher, the controversial overwhelming, yet fun speeches not only allow Sophomore experience to participate in,” sophomores to explore their Meredith Lehman, sophomore, speech points and practice their said. speaking ability, but also their A preliminary round and a qualities of courage and riskfinal round occurred over the taking. two-day period to determine the Jeremy Mattern, literature overall winner. A panel of three teacher, said, “The speeches teachers ranked each speech by enable students to learn how to overall presentation, content, organize [their] research, consider time, and poise. Starting with 24 opposing point of views, and sophomores, the list narrowed construct arguments based on down to five students in the final logic, emotion, and ethics.”

HANNAH ROARK/ the wildcat

BREA’S ANNUAL 8K CLASSIC: Runners wait at the starting line to begin the 23rd Annual Brea 8K Classic. Thousands of participants from all over California came to run in this year’s 8K.

by Julianne Tetreault, Staff Writer

Link Leaders then walked the halls with the eighth graders, showing them classrooms and parts of the campus.

For the rest of their visit, they were able explore the elective fair set up throughout the quad.

Booths lined the quad as student representatives from various electives interacted with the eighth grade visitors.

The tables were equipped with flyers and elective information.

Many clubs on campus, including Key Club, Best Buddies, Girls’ League, also set up booths to inform the eighth graders of other extracurricular activities on campus.

“I hope that the eighth graders were able to meet some Link Leaders and become more accustomed to our campus. I hope they leave with feelings of excitement and are happy to be a Wildcat,” Jennifer Ryan, Link Crew advisor, said.

by Brittany Tam, Staff Writer

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

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NEWS bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

Link crew RECONNECTS WITH FRESHMEN AT ‘SPORTS’ RALLY

by Hailee Gallegos, Staff Writer

Link Crew, a leadership program made up of upperclassmen, reacquainted themselves with the freshmen by welcoming them to this year’s sports themed freshman rally on Feb. 28.

About 500 freshmen were welcomed with smiles and high fives from their Link Crew leaders as they entered into the doors of the gym. The rally consisted of various activities and interactive games that allowed freshmen to interact with their peers and Link leaders. The purpose of the rally was to provide the freshmen a campus event unique to their grade level. This also gave Link Leaders the chance to encourage their younger peers to be more involved in school.

“Sometimes the freshmen get overwhelmed in a school rally with the big kids. It’s nice for them to be surrounded with a small group of their friends they’re comfortable with,” Jennifer Ryan, Link Crew adviser, said.

The rally started off with traditional Link Crew ice breaker activities, such as a massage train, greetings, and stretches to get freshmen acquainted and familiar with each other.

“I appreciated the help that the Link Crew leaders gave me. I also really like to hear about what they are doing and to reconnect with them. It’s always interesting to see what they do to particiapte in the activities on our campus,” Brenda Woods, freshman, said.

Masquerade and Dance Production, along with freshmen from Dance 3, performed during the rally to entertain and encourage freshmen to join their

MICHAEL CHO / the wildcat

INTERACTING WITH LINK LEADERS: Near the end of the rally, freshmen and Link Leaders gathered into their Link groups. Students were encouraged to ask questions and interact with others. respective classes. After, the students were called out of the crowd to participate in other activities, such as a tricycle race and a newlyweds game, Link Leaders led the activities and joined in on the fun as well.

“I was looking forward to the games this year. I

remember last year the freshmen really enjoyed them and they had just as much fun this year as well,” Kylie Warther, senior and Link Crew vice president, said.

After the performances and games, representatives from clubs and sports on campus gave the freshmen

a chance to freely walk around the gym, interact with club and sport members to learn more about activities on campus, and sign up for those activities.

“The representatives for both the clubs and sports can help freshmen connect with someone that in that sport and they can find out where the try outs are and ultimately lessen their fears because sometimes it is scary to try out out for sports,” Ryan said.

Students also received recognition for bringing up their grades with awards such as “Thank You for Being You” Awards and the Student of the Month Awards. The Student of the Month Awards include a different student for every month and teachers recognize them as most tech savvy, most fashionable, and the funniest.

“The rally gives us Link Crew leaders an insight back to what we’re here to do first and foremost, to be mentors to the freshmen and help them as much as we can with their high school experience,” Marcus Kraus, senior and Link Crew president, said.

Near the end of the rally, each and every freshman was reunited with their Link Leaders and groups.

Link Leaders encouraged students to ask them questions about their upcoming years throughout high school and asked about their progress in high school so far. As a small gift for the freshmen, Link Leaders gave every student candy and Gummi bears before walking them to lunch to end the rally.

“The freshmen rally was very helpful because it encouraged freshmen to explore various activities and clubs [students] may have not known about,” Kristopher Christian, freshman, said.

GOOGLE CHROMEBOOKS installed for future student, staff use

by Deval Patel, Staff Writer

ew technology is coming to campuses distict-wide, with Google Chromebooks and multiple other projects underway on our campus to improve student learning.

All teachers district-wide are receiving handson training in order to learn how to utilize the newly installed Chromebooks. These Chromebooks are now available to students to use for internet purposes only; however, students will have access to Google Documents and all other applications on the Chromebooks in the future. Each student and staff member will receive a gmail account designed specifically for school use, which is intended to allow students and teachers to interact more efficently.

Chromebooks are intended to aid students in the discovery and application of real world technology and career pathway options. They will enable students to experience more in depth material and apply their knowledge to real life scenarios under the upcoming Common Core State Standards. Students will be able to explore the many career choices that

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technology offers, and the Chromebooks will aid them in learning about those options.

“The Google Chromebooks are a valuable investment because each student can individualize their school gmail and settings. So one student can login, complete their work, then logout. Then a student in another period can login on the same device and automatically have their settings appear.

[The Google Chromebooks] also require no man hours to update since their software updates occur wirelessly. This requires less man hours to maintain, yet it still allows the Chromebooks to have the most up to date software,” Gil Rotblum, AP European History teacher, said.

Chromebooks will allow students in classrooms to do group assignments and collaborate with each other through the use of Google Docs. Using Google Docs, students will be able to create work, post it to a page for eveyone in the class to see, and then leave comments giving constructive criticim to their other peers.

“I am enthralled and stoked for my students to be able to interactively annotate fiction and nonfiction texts (quotes, passages, poems, articles, etc.) on Google Docs. It will be exciting to discover the insight and commentary of students whom do not orally participate in class on a perennial basis, and students will instantly be able to read, contemplate and comment on their peers’ ideas and thoughts,” Jonathan Quiming, Literature and Composition teacher, said. “Moreover, I am curious to go paperless for the first time with some student writings and provide commentary and feedback on student final drafts through Google Docs.”

With teacher training complete, the Chromebooks are available for classroom use, and students will be able to explore the surplus of applications available on the Chromebooks.

“Since BOHS is in the inchoate era of these Google Chromebooks, it will take some trial, error and experimentation for everyone—students and staff— to understand how to employ this new technology and

maximize its learning effectiveness; nonetheless, the more experience BOHS gleans from this technology, the future use will eventually be a quotidian one, where the vast majority of BOHS students will be active and proficient Chromebook participants and connoisseurs,” Quiming said. “Students will hopefully learn to not just be technology users, but keen technology navigators whom know how to synthesize credible research, formulate cogent arguments and ideas across a variety of subjects, and share their amalgamation of knowledge and skills for others to interpret, comment, and learn.”

The installation of the Chromebooks is complete and students and teachers district-wide can expect access to them in the near future.

“I like how the district is starting to adapt to the technological world and allowing students to develop these essential skills. I think Chromebooks are a step in the right direction and I’m excited to see how the new change affects our campus,” Helen Kim, sophomore GITA student, said.

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The Wildcat

NEWS

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Barrett and Rutz join bohs staff

by Celeste Roh and Jean Park, Staff Writers

March 11, 2014

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Wifi Implemented for google chromebook use

by Nicole Nam, News Co-Editor

ith the addition of Google Chromebooks, Brea Olinda Unified School District (BOUSD) has installed upgraded data connection cables, ports, and a wireless network transmitter into our school.

BOUSD contracted NICpartners to install Wi-Fi throughout rooms 201 to 219 and the library for students to access the newly available.

Chromebooks. From the beginning of January, crew members, identifiable by their blue shirts titled “NIC,” were cooperating with other workers to finish the installation every day during the evenings.

The addition of the Wi-Fi installation and Google Chromebooks came from the federal budget as part of the switch over to Common Core testing, according to Bob Parish, Assistant Principal. From there, the money was passed on to the state, and eventually transferred over to the district, costing a large amount of money just to participate in the upcoming field test in March.

Currently, BOHS is waiting for a new filter, enabling students to access only school appropriate websites. A system ID and a password is for staff only, but administrators will be able to access the staff ID line for students utilizing the Chromebooks. On the other hand, students will soon be exposed to a new system and will be able to access Wi-Fi with a password general to everyone on campus. This will allow phones, tablets, and other technological devices to have access to Wi-Fi as long as electronics are within the range of the signal, according to Parish.

As of right now, Wi-Fi is only set up in the center of the north wing on campus since the Chromebooks are held in certain classrooms that are not yet in use. Currently, the specific classrooms will be available for use of teachers and their classes.

“Teachers will be able to sign up for the room to use it as a portable lab with their class,” Parish said. “It’ll be a new experience for everyone.”

In a couple of years, the district hopes to have Wi-Fi installed throughout the entire BOHS campus.

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Photos by MICHAEL CHO / the wildcat

ERIN BARRETT

ANDREW RUTZ

lit./comp. i teacher

STUDENT DATA TECHNICIAN

rin Barrett, freshmen Literature and Composition I teacher, recently joined the BOHS staff to replace Kim Cram-Torres, who moved with her family to Tennessee.

After graduating from Fullerton High School in 1998, Barrett attended Chapman University until she graduated in 2002, majoring in Theater and Dance. Throughout high school and college, Barrett actively participated in both drama and dance. However, despite Barrett’s passion for performing arts, she applied to be an English teacher due to her love of literature.

According to Barrett, she wants to administer her time to guide students in “foggy” areas of their lives.

Previously, Barrett taught at Fullerton High School part-time in the school’s Theater Department. Although she is currently teaching literature, she continues to pursue her passion for acting and drama as a long-term guest teacher at Ladera Vista Junior High School in Fullerton.

“I was very shy as a child, so I decided that through dance and drama, I would be able to build self-confidence,” Barrett said.

Some of Barrett’s hobbies include writing, gardening, dancing, and traveling, but she especially loves trivia due to her competitive, yet optimistic, nature.

From learning her way around campus to acquainting herself with other staff members, Barrett believes that, over time, she will understand the school dynamic. “At this point, I think the biggest obstacles are just learning how the school works, and getting to know the students and helping them to get to know me. Although it is difficult to start teaching mid-year, and the transition period can be a challenge, I am trying to learn all I can about the school and the students every day, and hopefully they are starting to understand me,” Barrett said. According to Barrett, teachers, other staff members, and students have all been extremely welcoming and have helped greatly in her transition to BOHS. “The staff has been wonderful. I feel like everyone I have met so far truly wants me to succeed and have a positive experience here. If I ever have a question or concern, there are so many people I can ask, and that gives me a lot of comfort,” Barrett said.

fter taking apart computers as a teen, Andrew Rutz accumulated his knowledge of computers by building and repairing them for family and friends. The desire to understand the functions of items and their mechanisms ultimately built the foundation for his love of working behind a computer as the new Student Data Technician at our school.

While his childhood experiences contributed to his careers involving computers and data, Rutz was propelled toward taking up the position as the Student Data Technician due to the skills he developed from previous jobs.

Rutz worked for a police and fire department dispatch company prior to being Student Data Technician, which also involved data that needed to be accurate and on time. His experiences taught him the importance of accuracy and attention to detail, which is highly applicable to his current job.

Although Rutz was first hired by BOHS last August as a Paraprofessional for Special Ed, he became one of the campus supervisors in November.

As the campus supervisor, Rutz prioritized the safety of BOHS students. By keeping student records exact, his current primary objective still involves helping students.

“After learning more about the Student Data Technician, I knew this was a great job for me. I have the opportunity to use my strong computer skills and detail oriented mind set every day,” Rutz said. “This job is a lot of numbers, and I am a numbers guy.”

The Student Data Technician does a lot of critical jobs necessary for the school, which includes keeping records of all the information from all teachers and staff about attendance, grades, and new enrollments.

According to Rutz, although being the Student Data Technician can get busy, his transition was seamless as he enjoys his new job and the pleasures of working with all the people in the office.

“The teachers and staff here make it so easy to come into work. It’s great to see everyone so willing to help each other out. I look forward to the positivity and drive from everyone here at Brea Olinda,” Rutz said.

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‘Sweet sadies’ IS coming

by Deval Patel, Staff Writer

weet Sadie’s’ is just around the corner, and preparations are already under way as the date of the dance nears. Sadie’s will take place on Thursday, March 13 at the food court, and will begin at 8 p.m.until 11:00 p.m.

Girls’ Athletic Association (GAA) will host Sadie’s, and students are encouraged to dress up as characters from the popular board game Candy Land, or as their favorite sweets, such as various candy bars and desserts, to fit the theme. This year’s dance will serve food and sweets and have a DJ. The origin of the Sadie Hawkins dance comes from a comic strip based on Miss Sadie, whose father designated a day known as “Sadie Hawkins” that enabled single women to chase after bachelors they wished to marry.

The proceeds from ‘Sweet Sadie’s’ are meant to benefit GAA and girls’ sports programs on campus.

“This year’s Sadie’s is going to be fun; [GAA] has been working really hard,” Deeva Ladva, sophomore, said.

Presale tickets for Sadie’s have been on sale since Monday, March 3 and will end at lunch this Thursday. Presale tickets are $30 with an ASB card and $40 without. Tickets at the door will be sold for $50 from 7:30 p.m to 9:30 p.m.

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March 11, 2014

Ciccarello RECOGNIZED AS rop teacher of the Year

by Astyr Ko and Stacy Uhm, Staff Writers

ranco Ciccarello, regional occupational program (ROP) Visual Communications and Graphic Design teacher, has been awarded the 2014-2015 ROP Teacher of the Year for the North Orange County area. He, along with other nominees, will officially be announced as ROP Teacher of the Year next fall.

All ROP teachers from about 30 schools in North Orange County were eligible for the award.

On Feb. 20, office workers, school board members, and ROP administrators surprised Ciccarello with balloons and a large banner in his fourth period class. According to Ciccarello, when the officials came in, he thought he was in trouble, but upon seeing the balloons, he believed one of his students had won a competition. Ciccarello was surprised when the group asked him to come to the front of the room to recognize him as ROP Teacher of the Year.

“I never expected to become Teacher of the Year.

This makes me feel excited and humble because there are so many really good teachers that also deserve this award,” Ciccarello said.

Ciccarello has been teaching at BOHS for 15 years. He spends his lunches helping students with their difficulties and questions they have about their work.

“He’s great at teaching and easy to talk to. All his assignments are like real-life situations which make them effective and interesting” Alison Swarbick, senior, said.

Ciccarello currently spends seven periods teaching Visual Communications and Graphic Design. However, Visual Communications was not always available at BOHS. Five years ago, BOHS needed a Fine Art UC approved class, like Visual Communications. Due to the similarities between Visual Communications and Graphic Design, Ciccarello was able to teach both classes.

Other than being a Visual Communications/ Graphics teacher, Ciccarello has also been involved in Mr. Brea multiple times, and once placed second.

He supervises Club Graphics, which is part of Skills USA. The club enters visual competitions in Southern California and strives to compete nationally. He previously had a student go to the national competition for t-shirt design and currently has six students in Graphic Design competing in the state competition.

The ROP administration will soon take a poll to determine if Ciccarello will become Teacher of the Year not only in North Orange County, but also in Orange County as a whole.

“Even though he is an ROP teacher, Ciccarello has always been a part of our school. He participates in different activities all the time. Ciccarello is a positive person on campus, and supports students,” Jerry Halpin, principal, said.

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MICHAEL CHO / the wildcat

HELPING A STUDENT OUT: Ciccarello guides Rishi Patel, sophomore, in the Visual Communications class. For the past 15 years, Ciccarello has been teaching ROP and is still willing to help students with difficulties or questions they have related to Visual Communications or Graphics.

common core implements sbac field tests

by Jaymi Wilson, News Co-Editor

ommon Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) implementation will be practiced as juniors on campus participate in the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Field Test beginning the week of March 24. The field test is meant to test the items or problems that the new assessment may have on it. The test writers intend to make sure that they have questions on the new assessment that will provide accurate information about student readiness for college and career pathways after high school.

According to Joy Oseguera, Assistant Principal, the SBAC test will be a vastly different experience for students in comparison to the California Standardized Tests (CST), which are paper and pencil tests that are all multiple choice. Unlike the CST’s, the SBAC tests are a combination of different types of test questions, some short multiple choice and some long, explanatory and analysis-based questions. Students will submit all of their answers on a computer, including new Google Chromebooks, and will have tools available both on the computer

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within the test as well as scratch paper to help them with the material.

“In the SBAC tests, there will be multiple choice questions that may require students to choose one answer, or sometimes more than one answer,” Oseguera said. “Some questions will be constructed response items, which mean that a student will have to type an explanation in a text box on the screen to answer the question. Students will also have a performance task to do, either for English Language Arts or Mathematics, which consists of a classroom activity that is about 30 minutes long, and then a series of tasks related to a concept.”

The spring 2014 Smarter Balanced Field Test is designed to evaluate the test delivery system implemented by CCSS and the official SBAC tests.

In the field test, over 20,000 newly developed test items will be tested. Items deemed suitable for use on the operational tests, which will begin in the 2014-15 school year, will be used to populate the test bank for the Smarter Balanced tests.

The field test is meant to ensure that the Smarter

Balanced assessment items are placed on an accurate scale to determine final achievement levels of students through giving them an imitation of the test.

“BOHS is participating in the SBAC field test because the Assembly Bill (AB) 484 requires all local school districts to participate in the spring 2014 field test. The bill, to allow participation in the field test, ended the requirements of students of all grades to take the CST’s, which were aligned to previously adopted standards but not the Common Core State Standards,” Oseguera said.

Depending on how long students take to complete the required sections and tasks, the field test may span a couple of weeks, given the number of students that will be participating and the speed at which they will be handling the material. The hope is to prepare students for the upcoming district-wide implementation of CCSS and test their capabilities.

“Field testing is critical to ensure that assessment items are accessible to all students and produce results that are valid, reliable, and fair,” Oseguera said.

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7 new local trail ‘the tracks’ under construction

NEWS

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March 11, 2014

by Brittany Tam, Staff Writer

In upcoming years, a new option of transportation will be available to easily access the sights and areas of the North Orange County community. The Tracks, originally an abandoned railroad, will be a four-mile, multi-use urban alternative of transit currently under construction across the city.

“The inspiration to construct this trail was the desire for a healthy, green means of transportation and to provide a pedestrian and bicycle friendly community.” Roslyn Lau, member of the Community and Economic Development division, said.

The Tracks’ project site previously was Union Pacific Railroad’s rail corridor for the transportation of goods, most recently used in 2007, according to Lau. The closure of the railroad allowed this “rare and urgent opportunity to create and expand green space.”

The construction process of the trail consists of six segments, according to ci.brea.ca.us. The Tracks is envisioned to stretch from the east side of Brea at Arovista Park, to the west side at La Floresta. The course will connect neighborhoods, parks, golf courses, schools, the community center, 14 bus stops, and other locations in Brea as well. The trail will additionally connect to existing trail routes in Fullerton, Yorba Linda, Placentia, and La Habra.

“The Tracks project will be a critical step towards creating a continuous bikeway network and alternative passage through not just Brea, but also North Orange County and adjacent counties.”

Lau said.

The trail will not only provide a bikeway and separate walking path, but also other amenities such as benches, drinking fountains, and trash and recycling receptacles. A bike repair station and bike racks will be available as well, and if funding permits, exercise and recreation equipment, interactive water features, a community garden, and a potential seasonal fruit stand. The trail alongside will have historical and informative kiosks to depict the former early 1900s railroad depot and encourage “imagination with photos and narratives.”

“The trail amenities will be great to promote healthy habits and add aesthetically pleasing elements to our city,” Kailani Talag, sophomore, said.

According to Lau, The Tracks’ impact, and the route itself, will assist the city socially and economically.

“The trail allows an option for a less costly, safe route to school or work while reducing traffic, improving the value of businesses and homes, and creating jobs during the ongoing and post construction,” Lau said.

Lau also disclosed that the city’s environment will benefit through a sustainable landscape design, an awareness of nature, and a reduction of gas emission because of The Tracks.

The project’s design will include recyclable materials, sustainable irrigation, and native, drought-tolerant plants. The eco-friendly landscape is set to encourage water conservation and bring attention to respecting and protecting our city’s wildlife, such as the California’s Coastal Gnatcatcher’s songbird, the Coastal Cactus Wren, and the Pocketed Free-Tailed Bat and their habitats.

The Tracks would help meet the California Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reduction target and improve air quality.

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

Photos by APRIL SANTONIL / the wildcat

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE: Left, a crosswalk on Imperial Highway is shown, continuing the finished portion of The Tracks. Above, dirt and asphalt paths for walking and biking have been constructed. The Tracks will connect four cities in Orange County and is planned to be completed in 2016.

The solid line indicates the portion of the trail under construction.

The dotted line indicates the finished portion of the trail.

Lau hopes that the trail will educate citizens on how a clean ecosystem can impact their health, animals, and the surrounding air.

“The Tracks is going to be not only very convenient, but also very eco-friendly, which I appreciate,” Marisa Harton, junior, said.

According to Lau, public community groups have given a great amount of support, and express their anticipation and excitement towards the project. The community has contributed trail ideas and feedback on the trail. Trails4All, Rails to Trails Conservancy, Orange County Conservation Corps, the Brea Olinda Unified School District, and state representatives are a few groups who have reached out toward the project.

The Tracks’ grant-based funding source has been awarded

ci.brea.ca.us

17 grants from various contributors such as the U.S. National Park Service and the California Department of Transportation, according to ci.brea.ca.us. So far, the grant funds has collected a total of $7,503,458.

The completion of the trail is envisioned to open in 2016. Due to the funding basis and research of the areas for contamination, the length and process of completion of The Tracks are dependent on these terms. The construction of three segments are planned to begin this year and two more in 2015. However, one of the six segments, located at Arovista Park, is complete and available for public access.

“The Tracks is another idealistic family outing to experience outdoors and socialize, bond, and exercise, ” Rachel Matthews, freshman, said.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

8

The Wildcat

OPINION bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

classic versus contemporary literature

should literature classes start teaching contemporary books?

by Sharon Cho, Editor-in-Chief

by Stefani Clark, Copy Editor

Instead of forcing students to gnaw their way through more outdated, classic novels, literature classes need to engage students through contemporary books that can offer insight into the tangible present-day world.

Although classic literature, such as The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, or The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has the capability of teaching students about elevated diction, philanthropic morals, and even history from the past, contemporary books such as Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro or Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer can offer the same fundamentals, but with more relevant characters and storylines that could interest the average, bored teenager. “[Literature classes] would get more students to read if [they converted to modern books], and I think that would, in turn, help teens learn more efficiently,” Verronica Clements, Literature teacher, said.

Ashley Kim, senior, agrees that contemporary books should be taught, because they, “cover current cultural and social aspects that students can greatly learn from.”

Although Fitzgerald wrote a beguiling novel about the obsession of life in the Roaring Twenties, he mainly wrote this novel to inform readers of this sickening lifestyle of the wealthy.

However, students will be able to learn about life during this influential time in history in America that Fitzgerald despised in our history classes. Students do not need to be forced to read another novel (or SparkNotes) to learn about the Roaring Twenties.

Despite the fact the average teenager seems to be raging about the thrills of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or the romantic The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, there is still a plethora of contemporary novels that can be utilized as teaching material in literature classes that can even satisfy history lovers, such as, The Help by Kathryn Stockett or The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

“Introducing modern novels to literary classes can help students connect more with current storylines and characters,” Alex Nunley, junior, said.

Instead of learning and focusing on the past, literature should be used as an opportunity for students to be engaged in and educated about the current cultures, affairs, and developments through reading.

While everything from technology to teaching techniques is being modernized in schools, classic literature as learning material has rightfully remained. Although these novels do not always interest the average teenager, the classics should be treated as a valued source of information.

Classic books are usually remembered by students with negative connotations and for why they despised literature class. Due to the complicated and retrospective language and historical allusions, students are convinced they are being tortured rather than taught.

However, teachers would not assign these novels without a purpose.

“It does not matter what time frame [classic novels] are read—they all connect to the human experience. In five to ten years, they might have a different appreciation for it,” Jonathon Quiming, Literature teacher, said.

The majority of the novels read in literature classes contain historical references that may cause students to daze during class.

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, readers are given an inside look at life during times of prominent slavery.

This type of literature allows readers to go to a different era and learn about these controversial events.

“When I read a lot of classic literature, it influences me to transfer the unique diction and wonderful prose into my work, allowing me to be a better writer,” Sammie Ko, junior, said.

If modern novels took the place of classics, we would instead be learning about vampires, the supernatural and cliché relationships. Today, it is nearly impossible to find novels with the same learning opportunities provided by books like The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. While there are talented modern authors like John Green, stories like his do not provide the kind of literature that would educate students about sophisticated writing.

“It would be a whole lot different reading modern novels in school. Books are now only about love stories, and that would not be as beneficial for students,” Joyce Kang, junior, said.

While reading modern novels in classes could be viewed as more appealing to this generation, the classics should remain the go-to for teaching. The complex language and insight to previous eras in classic novels prove beneficial for learning as opposed to modern-day tales of misunderstood teens told with overused themes.

RACHEL LIN / the wildcat

BREA BABBLE: Should School literature be updated?

“Yes, because it would be nice to have newer books.”

“Yes, because the language is old fashioned so [classic books] are hard to understand.”

“Yes, because it would be nice to see some modern aspects and to see the contrast.”

“Yes, because [books] should be applied to our generation and our lives.”

Melanie Acosta

Austin Chaffin

Derek Moon

Samantha Mauriss

Freshman

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

Sophomore

Junior

Senior

OPINION

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

teens driving peers raise concerns

by Julia Ainley, Staff Writer

March 11, 2014

Wildcat

9

Brea Olinda High School

tudents who receive their driver’s license also bear the responsibility of driving their peers.

However, teens who have recently earned their license should not even consider driving other students because of the consequences that could follow if pulled over.

According to dmv.ca.gov, teens under the age of 18 cannot drive anyone under the age of 20 without the supervision of “a licensed parent, guardian, or other licensed driver 25 years of age or older.” Unfortunately, new teen drivers are usually willing to help a friend by driving them around, a seemingly good deed that ultimately is breaking a California driving law, and putting others at risk. If the student is caught, their license can be suspended and they can be given a citation.

“I am fully against the idea of kids having passengers in their vehicles for the first year. As a driver, they will be safer and more aware on the road,” Dan Moon, campus police officer, said.

In January, I passed the driving test, and within the past two months, my friends have already asked me numerous times for rides. However, I politely decline. I feel bad that I cannot help out a friend by giving them a ride, but I know if I take them on as passengers, I would be breaking the law. Also, as

S

a new driver, I also do not feel comfortable with driving another passenger, especially if they are a close friend. If an accident were to happen, I would have to bear the guilt of my friend being possibly injured while I was behind the wheel.

“Whenever I drive someone, I always start off by saying, ‘Please do not distract me. I want to see tomorrow,’” Ben Burdick, junior, said.

Before giving car rides to friends, students should recognize if they feel safe and secure with driving them. That is why the year-long wait was put in place, so that teen drivers can bear the responsibility of safely driving themselves before they drive others. According to nhtsa.gov, “65 percent of teen passenger deaths occur when another teenager is driving.” “[A student’s] first year of driving is a way to kind of get used to the odds and ends [of driving]. Having any kind of distraction is a little risky. Even adults get distracted by driving other passengers in their car more so than by themselves,” Nadia Fox, French teacher, said.

Students should consider taking their first year of driving a learning experience and a time to become comfortable with driving, rather than accepting the responsibility of also driving friends.

789 Wildcat Way, Brea, CA 92821 bohs.wildcat.newspaper@gmail.com www.bohswildcat.com

Our Mission

We, the Wildcat, are the voice for the student body of Brea Olinda High School. The purpose of our publication is to inform and educate the Brea community, as well as to highlight campus life and student achievement. Our energy is dedicated to the research of facts and opinions, and focusing on issues that concern the high school experience.

Editorial Policy

The Wildcat encourages expression of reader opinion in the form of letters to the editor. We believe our purpose in pursuing the truth requires an open forum among students. Letters must be signed with a name and title and submitted online at www.bohswildcat. com or emailed to bohs.wildcat.newspaper@gmail.com.

Any opinions stated in the Wildcat do not necessarily belong to Brea Olinda High School administration, faculty, and students.

Unsigned editorials reflect views of the majority of the staff while bylined columns and stories reflect views of the writer.

Advertising Policy The Brea Olinda Unified School District has not reviewed, nor does it endorse, the products or services advertised. Purchasing of advertisements can be requested through email. We reserve the right to refuse to place an advertisement if it contains overly controversial material or promotes illegal behavior.

Wildcat Staff Sharon Cho Editor-in-Chief

noelle gracia Content Manager

STEFANI CLARK Copy Editor

julia ainley Kristen Bertoloni hailee gallegos astyr ko REWA OUSMAN jean park deval patel celeste roh christian santonil noah strobele brittany tam julianne tetreault amanda tortarolo jessica tseng stacy uhm eric yang sophie zambri Staff Writers

NICOLE NAM JAYMI WILSON News Editors Linette cho Arts Editor Feature Editor

Illustration by BETTY LEE

STAFF EDITORIAL

Waking up for the three-hour and 45minute SAT at 7:45 a.m. on a Saturday is a nightmare for most juniors and seniors. However, soon-to-be upperclassmen will not feel the same woes and anxiety for the test that partly determines college admission.

Future juniors and seniors do not have to worry about the essay requirement, obscure vocabulary, and the penalty for incorrect answers because the SAT will be altered beginning in 2016. The new test will only be out of a score of 1600, with math and English sections accounting for 800 points each, with an optional essay score.

These reasonable revisions to the test will more closely resemble normal high school exams, according to the College Board. However, while the changes are apparently supposed to emphasize more applicable skills for college courses and jobs, it does not make sense to give students an easier test to prepare teens for the challenges that await post-high school.

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

Changing the test content, eliminating the essay, and removing the penalty for wrong answers will give students an excuse to study less. Instead of preparing for the SAT by practicing writing, an essential real world skill, and memorizing useful (if sometimes archaic) vocabulary, students will instead study new ways to game the dumbed-down test.

Similar to students not caring about a quiz in class that will not be counted as a grade, students will treat the new SAT the same.

According to Katy Murphy, president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, getting rid of the essay requirement is not “a good signal to kids in schools about the importance of writing.”

While the upcoming students will be luckily spared of stress inflicted from the current SAT, they will not be fully prepared for the complicated exams and tasks later in life.

RACHEL LIN TRENT PRESTON APRIL SANTONIL Photo Editors BETTY LEE Jessica yim Art Managers Venessa kim Business Managers Emjay layco Web Master ALEX KOERS Adviser

michael cho ASHA KADAKIA michelle krizo hannah roark amanda tortarolo Photographers

ON THE COVER With national holidays recognized by closing school days, Muslims protest for Muslim holidays to be considered the same.

Cover illustration by MEGAN MOBERLY

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

OPINION 10 social media profiles safe from universities The Wildcat March 11, 2014

bohswildcat.com

by Rewa Ousman, Staff Writer, and Asha Kadakia, Photographer Whether it is through Facebook or Twitter, nowadays, teenagers tend to spend a majority of their time on social networking sites to communicate with their peers and to bare their souls to the general public.

With teenagers preparing for college, the rise in popularity of social media sites raises the question: “Does social media affect an individual’s chances of being admitted into college?”

Students are worried that college admissions boards have seen, or will see, their profiles and base admittance on the content they find. There have been surveys and articles released to the public by Kaplan Test Prep that attempt to scare the applicant into believing that every college admissions board checks applicants’ presence on the Internet.

“I would be cautious with what I put on Facebook or Twitter, because I read an article saying that colleges actually do see what kind of content students post. Not caring about what you post is not good,” Lauren Smith, senior, said.

For a month, The Wildcat contacted Stanford University, Loyola Marymount University, California Institute of the Arts, University of California Riverside, and University of California Irvine to see if these surveys and articles were accurate. However, many schools The Wildcat contacted, including Loyola Marymount and Stanford, said that social media sites are not a part of the admission process. “[Loyola Marymount University] does not look at any applicant’s social media sites or presence, so it plays no role at all in admissions decisions here. My impression is that this is not a typical practice--more the exception than the rule,” Matthew Fissinger, Director of Admissions at LMU, said.

After researching this topic, it seems as if colleges and universities simply do not have the time to review the social media accounts of each individual applicant. There are essays to read, applications to evaluate, and letters of recommendation to review.

Therefore, applicants should not be afraid of having their private social media webpages monitored by schools they are applying to.

There seems to be one particular source that newspapers, like The Washington Post and The New York Times, seem to be basing their information on: Kaplan Test Prep.

Kaplan Test Prep compiled a survey of numbers and percentages that try to convince readers of the impending generation of college admission board activists who are on the prowl for negative content on the profiles of applicants across the globe.

This survey quotes members of the Kaplan Test Prep board. Kaplan Test Prep only claims that these counselors search for applicants on Google, but they have no credible evidence to back up the collected data.

Though social media sites may not be a factor for admission, certain schools may search for a student’s online profile for scholarships and other awards.

According to Jennifer Cormier, guidance counselor, a few years ago, the Financial Aid Director of Whittier College told her about a case in which they reclaimed a student’s scholarship because they saw inappropriate photos posted on her social media profile.

“While I do think that perhaps it’s hard to go through thousands and thousands of applications, I think that they can possibly scan through [social media sites], especially if you are a potential scholarship award recipient,”

2013 SOCIAL MEDIA STATISTICS businessinsider.com socialmediatoday.com alltwitter.com

More than

60

million

There are about

102 million

Snapchats were sent

DAILY

1 billion active users

blogs

500

Over

1billion photos were uploaded

There are approximately

million

tweets were sent DAILY

5

tweets

per second included a Vine

Compiled by Sharon Cho, Editor-in-Chief

Cormier said.

Although an affirmative answer is still unknown, evidence still shows that college admissions boards do not typically track applicants’ social media sites.

Students should know that the newspaper articles seen are not reliable when they claim that colleges have warrant to view their various social media profiles. Some states are outlawing university officials from asking students to disclose social media information. According to legis.delaware.gov, Delaware has already passed this law.

However, this sentiment should not lead

students to be apathetic about what is posted on their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds. It is still important that students refrain from posting vulgarity on their profiles. Once something is posted on the Internet, it will always be there forever.

“None of us can presume that our social media presence is truly private. This doesn’t mean you can’t be yourself on the Internet—no one would expect someone’s Twitter pages to be unauthentic or sterile, but if you think something would be embarrassing if your grandmother saw it, it’s probably better not to post it,” Fissinger said.

LIFE LEMONS by BRITTANY TAM

When life gives you lemons...

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

Be grateful...

Because there are those who wish they did...

Those who turned sour...

Those who turned sweet... And those who created something worthwhile!

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

11 ‘turnt up’ turns down adolescent reputation OPINION

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

by Kristen Bertoloni, Staff Writer Illustration by Jessica Yim

Younger generations constantly seem to be coming up with new trending words and phrases. However, the overuse of slang terms, like “yolo” and “bae,” makes this generation sound illiterate and uneducated.

Common slang terms have taken over the way teenagers communicate. These colloquial terms have dominated texts, tweets, and even face-to-face conversations that define how teens are socially viewed as the “lazy generation.” The amount of people that use slang gives those who are properly literate a bad reputation.

“It reflects poorly on teenagers and makes us come off as immoral and reckless when they use words like ‘yolo’ or ‘turn up.’ I cannot take someone seriously if they say ‘swag’ in the middle of a conversation,” Ben Burdick, junior, said.

Teens often complain about the judgment they receive from adults. However, words reflect one’s intelligence and maturity, and with the way certain teenagers speak, adults are not the ones to blame.

“When I am out with my family, and I hear slang words being tossed around, I feel embarrassed to be a part of the age group that uses them. Also, when I need to be professional for choir, and people are using slang, I feel my character would be judged based on how others hear my peers speak,” Caitlyn Gutierrez, junior, said.

As language is supposed to progress over time, it seems to have degenerated. While nearly every teenager knows the meaning of “turnt up,” it is significantly harder to find the same amount of teens that know the meaning of “gregarious.” The lack of proper words even resulted in online dictionaries, like noslang.com and urbandictionary.com, so that adults and even

certain teens can understand new slang.

While slang is consistently heard or seen through conversation, the use of them today is not limited to social media. There are clothing items, accessories, and merchandise stamped with this generation’s mark that can be found in almost any clothing store or superstore.

Music videos, television shows, and often times, pop songs on the radio or viral video clips allow new slang terms to surface, eventually showing up on Twitter as a hashtag.

Ultimately, slang phrases negatively influence teenagers.

“Yolo” became a sad excuse for doing dangerous and irresponsible things with friends. “Swag” became the excuse to look unprofessional and treat others like they are inferior.

“Turnt up” became the motive for throwing reckless parties.

These unfavorable acts among teenagers can result in major repercussions, which does not help the adolescent reputation.

“Even though teenagers know proper words, they decide to use slang. Slang shows unintelligence that eventually leads to bad decisions and consequences,” Mia Dalgleish, freshman, said.

As slang phrases impact the lives and judgment of many teens, the use as real words taints the stature of the mature and well-educated. Slang feeds the stereotype that this generation is lazy and unsophisticated.

FALSE THEORY OF LUCK by JESSICA YIM

SADIES by BETTY LEE

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

12 muslims fight for holiday recognition The Wildcat March 11, 2014

by Rewa Ousman, Staff Writer

Illustration by JESSICA YIM

Muslims are petitioning for religious holidays to be treated as National holidays. Staff writer Rewa Ousman expresses why this is important

I

n America, school districts provide students time off for religious holidays such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Easter. The two major religious holidays in Islam, Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ulAdha, should also be observed as public school holidays as well.

Eid-ul-Fitr is the holiday celebrated after the month of Ramadan in which Muslims participate in abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset as a way to humble themselves and bring themselves closer to God, or Allah. Eid-ul-Adha is the celebration of Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, in the name of God. This holiday is when Muslims from around the world come together in Mecca, Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj (pilgrimage), around the Kabaa’(House of God).

It would be difficult for these two holidays to have a set annual date due to their dependence on the lunar calendar, an annual calendar that changes every year because of the cycle of the moon. However, these Muslim holidays should still be observed, not only as a way to raise religious awareness, but also to allow Muslim students to participate without having to worry about what they missed in school.

“I think that it’s important to respect the Muslim religion, and if people need to take

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

days off for religious holidays, they should be able to without question or punishment,” Abby Harris, sophomore, said.

It has become common for the American Muslim community to be worried when religious holidays arrive as a result of added pressure when it comes to school attendance.

Pressure is put on students to choose between making their parents and themselves happy by taking time off of school to celebrate and later stress out over double assignments, or to give up their right to participate in ceremonial holidays in order to stay on task at school. Parents are also conflicted as to whether they should allow their children to participate in important religious holidays or send them off to school to stay caught up in their education.

If Muslim students choose to attend school on the days of the two major religious holidays, it constricts their religious freedom through their inability to actively participate in the celebrated holidays which are essential to their religious growth as an individual.

“Personally, I think that being spiritual and being religious is really important. If attending school takes away from the importance of your holiday, then there’s no reason why you should be forced to come to [school]. Because, if [the holiday] has a significant meaning to you, then you should be at your mosque practicing your religion,” Samantha Drury, senior, said.

The controversy over whether or not schools should be closed for Muslim holidays has already been resolved in various areas throughout America. According to the Washington Post, Dearborn, Mich.; Cambridge, Mass.; Burlington, Vt.; and parts of New Jersey have already taken action by closing schools for Muslim holidays.

Similarly, according to the New York Daily News, Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City, recently announced that he is working towards closing public schools on Muslim holidays in New York City.

According to the New York Daily News, de Blasio said, “It is complicated in terms of logistics and school calendar and budget. But it’s something I want to get done in a reasonable time frame.”

De Blasio is also working towards closing public schools to observe the Lunar New Year, which is celebrated by Muslims, Indians, and many other religious and ethnic groups.

Reported in the Washington Post, middle school students in Virginia recently started an online petition to promote the observation of Muslim holidays in America. The petition reached about 20,000 votes. Another online petition for the recognition of Muslim holidays created by “We the People,” an online platform designed by the Obama Administration, which allows American citizens to bring to light their disputes and platform for change, reached 65,000 votes before it expired in mid-January.

However, an expiration date does not mean the fight for recognition has disappeared.

With approximately 2.6 million Muslims in America today, according to New York Daily News, Muslims will continue to petition for the recognition of their religious holidays. Muslims should be able to adequately celebrate holidays and participate in the festivities without the extra worry. It is our right to be recognized as one of the fastest growing religions in the world.

We are endowed to the same rights as other religions who are given time off of school to celebrate their holidays. The United States is a melting pot of different religious and ethnic groups and this is the first step towards sparking a chain reaction to recognize them.

“I think [Muslim holidays] should be recognized, because we are citizens of America, and it is our basic right to be recognized. Many religious holidays are recognized, and we should be just as fortunate,” Mina Sherif, senior, said.

“Islam has become one of the biggest religions [in] the world, and I feel we should be able to have time off to celebrate with loved ones.”

OPINION cultural appropriation not UNETHICAL bohswildcat.com

by Stefani Clark, Copy Editor

“C

ultural appropriation,” a controversial term often used by heated feminist bloggers, is defined as “the adoption of elements of one culture by a different cultural group.” Despite the negative connotation, appropriation is not an immoral action.

Although many people would believe that borrowing ideas from another culture is offensive, it is another way of appreciating other regional customs. Due to America’s melting pot reputation, traditions from different origins are shared throughout the population. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 37 percent of people living in America come from foreign countries, meaning they expose natives to their culture.

“History has shown us that diverse cultures are more successful, and places with homogenous cultures are less capable of dealing with crises,” Gil Rotblum, World History teacher, said.

Most of the forms of cultural appropriation that are welcomed are more subtle. Practicing the downward dog yoga pose, and painting faces for sporting events are mini-homages to other cultures. Major aspects of other cultures were adapted to fit the American lifestyle.

“It is really cool to be able to get a small taste of other cultures through the activities we do daily. I like being able to see so many cultures combined in society, whether it is through food, clothes, or movies,” Ashley Chen, junior, said.

In the realm of popular musicians, Hindu traditions have been adopted as innovative ideas for music videos and fashion choices.

Selena Gomez was often seen wearing a bindi while in public, showing her recognition of the styles from the Hindu culture. “It’s been really fun to explore that, because it’s a very different view, and it’s such a beautiful culture,” she said in an interview with US Weekly.

“The bindi trend and Indian-influenced designs and styles are seen as very stylish, which is beautiful. It is flattering to see aspects of other cultures introduced through fashion and media,” Payal Khatri, junior of Indian descent, said.

While more understated acts of cultural appropriation are accepted, large-scale exposure of other customs are still negatively viewed.

However, instead of being seen as offensive, they should be accepted and adopted as products of cultural exchange.

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

FEATURE

The Wildcat March 11, 2014

bohswildcat.com

13

STUDENTS TAKE INTEREST IN MODELING INDUSTRY

by Stacy Uhm and Astyr Ko, Staff Writers

Hyla plans to continue dancing and modeling in college. She also hopes to get her own agent when she turns 18 and dreams of becoming a professional fashion model and dancer.

“I am very independent, and dance is worth sacrificing my time and energy. I think it is true when people say ‘it is not work when you love your job,’” Hyla said.

MADISON GLAVIANO|SOPHOMORE

Photo courtesy of SHAYLISSA JARRETT

SHAYLISSA JARRETT|JUNIOR Shaylissa Jarrett’s, junior, first modeling experience was when she was introduced to the modeling industry through a Kelly Anne hair products event, which led her to fashion modeling. “[During the Kelly Anne event], I was singing like I had no intention of modeling that day,” Jarrett said.

While singing, she caught the attention of Parris Harris, a fashion coordinator. Notorious for avantgarde clothing, Harris noticed Jarrett’s 5 foot 9 height and asked her if she would be interested in modeling his clothing. Soon, she was set up by Toni Suttie, a modeling agent, to model other designers’ clothing lines.

Jarrett slowly began to build up her experience in modeling, and through Suttie, met up and practiced with Latticia Price who mentors young models.

“Latticia taught me everything I know about modeling,” Jarrett said.

Throughout the year, Jarrett modeled for Eva Varro, Candi Nicole, F.R.e.D., Parris Harris, and Kelly Anne. Her favorite clothing to model is by Eva Varro because of the comfortable yet dressy style.

Part of her job in the modeling industry, is to walk runways.

“I love seeing the designers’ reaction when they see their clothes being modeled on a stage. It’s wonderful how people get the opportunity to wear pieces of art other people created,” Jarrett said.

Jarrett’s goal is to be in this year’s LA Fashion

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

RACHEL LIN / the wildcat

Photo courtesy of MADISON GLAVIANO

Week runway show. She had previously worked the runway for LA Fashion Week on Sept. 15, 16, and 18.

“Fierce, confident, natural, classy; she’s amazing on the runway,” Vanessa Young, Jarrett’s mother, said.

Although Jarrett enjoys modeling, she hopes to become a singer. She currently sings for birthdays dressed as Tiana from Disney’s Princess and the Frog for Neverland Princess and Co. Through her modeling lessons for good posture and walks, Jarrett is able to apply them to her job as a princess.

“It’s great how she can change from a model to a singer,” Vanessa said.

“Whenever she does what she likes, she gets really into it, and doesn’t let her talent go to waste,” Alexis Mars, freshman, said.

Dance Precisions. When she was ten years old, one of Discount Dance’s agents sought models. Hyla signed up hoping to get a call back. Months later, after forgetting about the application, Hyla’s mom picked her up after school and told her that they were going to Discount Dance’s headquarters in Anaheim to model.

Although the other models were more experienced, Hyla was never intimidated by them. According to Rebecca Hyla, Lauren’s mother, “Lauren is very confident and resilient which allows her to ‘survive and thrive’ in two very competitive endeavors: dance and modeling.”

Through her modeling experiences, Hyla not only learns to be confident, but also learns to be a better communicator. She talks and interacts with other models and workers throughout the three hours on set.

Dance is Hyla’s priority and the reason for her modeling. At a young age, Hyla would go to the dance classes for the opportunity to dress up in a sparkly, pink tutu. Now, she dances passionately for five hours a day. Dance takes her mind off of bad days and serves as a stress reliever.

“She has very strong technique, is fun to watch, and works hard. She is a quiet person, but it doesn’t show when she starts to dance,” Missy Leonardo, Dance Director, said.

Aside from being a dancer and a model, Hyla is still a teenage girl who needs her Starbucks and shopping time, but has less opportunities to engage in these activities.

LAUREN HYLA|FRESHMAN Lauren Hyla, freshman, poses against a white backdrop smiling to the flashing cameras, or in front of a huge mirror at her dance studio, moving her body to the sound of music.

Hyla models for Discount Dance, a store that sells dance products, and one of their websites, allaboutdance.com. She gets called up to model once a year, walking in the headquarters in sweats and a jacket, waiting in line to get her hair and makeup done.

Hyla began to model through her dance studio,

After taking a break from modeling for about three years, Madison Glaviano, sophomore, stepped back into the industry discovering an interest in photography. As she spent more time behind the camera, she yearned to be in front of it again.

Her father, Mark Glaviano, a scenic artist, worked on films like “Transformers” and television shows like “Crime Scene Investigation.” Due to his status in the film industry, he contacted people he knew, such as photographers and casting directors, to help further his daughter’s modeling career.

“She is really passionate about photography and modeling. She is so motivated. If she has a goal in mind she will do whatever she can to reach it, and she is super hardworking,” Tatum Drinnenberg, junior and one of her best friends, said.

Throughout her years of modeling, Glaviano modeled for Affection Ink, an urban designer; Trujillo’s clothing company, a contemporary and urban designer; and Christina D, a lingerie and swimwear designer who has a shop in Florida. She also met professional models such as Karlie Kloss, a Victoria’s Secret Angel.

However, having to model in one of Christina D’s swimsuit was the most challenging for Glaviano, because it was out of her comfort zone.

To train for her modeling career, Glaviano attends clinics twice a month in a Los Angeles photo studio, where amateur models are taught how to model.

Although it is a clinic, Glaviano feels pressured by the other “taller” girls.

According to Glaviano, because she believes she does not fit the height and appearance criteria, she does not want to model for runways and photoshoots because she is 5 feet 6 inches tall compared to other models who are 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet.

However, she plans on continuing with fit modeling, where clothing designers design apparel according to the model’s body. Glaviano also wants to do artistic modeling, where she poses for the photographer’s or artist’s vision and helps create the piece of art.

“It’s in her blood to be successful. What sets Madison apart [from other models] is her incredible work ethic, her determination, her creativity, and her passion. She is an unstoppable force,” Sara Glaviano, Madison’s sister, said.

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14

FEATURE

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

TREKKING LOCAL TRAILS OFFERS SIGHTS WORTH SEEING

by Stefani Clark, Copy Editor

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POWDER CANYON TRAIL 2345 Fullerton Rd, La Habra Heights

Trails that offer exciting hiking experiences can be hard to come by. Local trails in Carbon Canyon and La Habra Heights had the potential to be refreshing hiking locations for a springtime adventure.

REDWOOD FOREST 4442 Carbon Canyon Rd, Brea With a simple, 2.5-mile loop around the only redwood grove in Orange County, the Redwood Grove Hike in Carbon Canyon Park is meant for local admiration.

Getting to the trail itself is relatively easy. The dirt trail begins at the far left side of Carbon Canyon Regional Park, and follows the length of the park for the first half of the hike. However, it does not feel like an actual hike, it feels more like a nature walk, with the only profound sight a redwood grove.

After about a mile of trail, the 10-acre redwood grove is reached. This is what makes the trail worthwhile. Although the majority of the hike is lackluster, the abundance of trees is truly beautiful.

Seeing as it is uncommon to find redwoods in Southern California, the redwood grove provides a refreshing view different from the usual palm trees of the area.

Although I wanted to stay in the redwoods for the rest of the day, I continued on the trail. The majority of the second half of the hike is on a concrete path. Instead of vegetation, the dam takes up most of the scene. Compared to the redwood grove, the sight of the dam is disappointing. It took away from the experience of a nature hike. Although this was not necessarily exciting to see, the dam is somewhat interesting, as it provides insight into Brea’s history.

According to ocparks.com, the dam was built in 1961 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and leased to Orange County, eventually leading to the building of Carbon Canyon Park.

Overall, the hike felt more like a leisurely stroll through sad brown shrubs.

The view of the redwoods, however,

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

Photos by APRIL SANTONIL, Photo Editor

SCENIC SIGHTS: (clockwise from top) Redwood Grove provides a relaxing view of abundant redwoods; Powder Canyon displays archways of trees along the path; Gilman Peak offers an overlook of Southern California. was worth the trip. After the grove, the view of the dam seemed out of place and incomparable to the trees. The 2.5-mile hike is nice as a nature trail to see the trees, but does not qualify as a real hike.

GILMAN PEAK Rimcrest Drive and Blue Gum, Yorba Linda A common trail for adventurous runners, bikers, and hikers alike, Gilman Peak is a serious hike located parallel to Carbon Canyon Road.

Getting to the trail is slightly tricky coming from Carbon Canyon Road. It is not entirely noticeable except for a small sign that says “North Ridge” that indicates the beginning of the hike.

The trail is 3.5 miles uphill to the top of the peak, and back down to the roadway.

Compared to the other two trails, Gilman Peak takes the longest to reach the top of the hill. Spending about one and a half hours both ways, I was definitely glad to have brought lots of water and snacks.

Although the difficulty of this trail may be uninviting to some, there is a good amount of bikers and runners. Luckily, the path is wide, so the trail does not seem crowded.

The majority of the way to the top, the sides of the trail was filled with dead plants and an occasional tree. It is understandable due to the lack of rain, but it becomes a boring sight after a while. Later in the uphill trek, a view of Chino Hills and beyond is visible. It offers a picturesque landscape that is refreshing after the brown shrubs. At the top, the view of the hills and ocean is breathtaking. It gives the hike a sense of purpose as it is easy to admire the simplicity of the scene.

Despite the lack of greenery and difficult incline, this hike is the most rewarding. Out of the other trails, it is the only one that feels like a real hike.

Reaching Gilman Peak is rewarding enough to make the 1.5 miles of uphill walking worthwhile. The view is beautiful with a vista of hills and the ocean.

Located in La Habra Heights, Powder Canyon is best described as a park that includes multiple nature trails. Named after the park itself, Powder Canyon is a short, 1.4-mile out and back trail.

Actually finding the trail is an adventure in itself. It is pretty easy to get lost because of the tiny sign that points to Powder Canyon. It can create an entirely new route. Luckily, there is a map of the park with the various trails labeled with their distance.

The Powder Canyon Trail is surprisingly green compared to the other two hikes. There is an abundance of shade, green trees, and flowers that contributed to the relaxing ambiance. The trail itself is wide, which allows just enough space for bikers, other hikers, and children running around. The park even offers guided nature walks, which would be convenient for tourists and newcomers.

While the hike itself is short, it is not without a climb. There is a small area of little rolling hills and a short incline on the way back that requires real work.

However, it makes the trail feel like more of a hike than it would have been without the hills. Eventually, the trail is interrupted by horse stables and an actual park. It is lovely, but took away the raw feeling of the hills and plants on the regular trail.

The lack of rain makes this trail less appealing. There is an area for a creek with a rustic bridge crossing over the trail.

However, it is takes away from the essence of a woodsy trail. If it rained, though, the trail would become super muddy, still making the trail impossible to use.

I ultimately enjoyed this trail because of the greenery that is not apparent on the other two hikes. However, it is not time consuming and does not take as much effort which made it feel more like a regular walk. Therefore, I would only return to see the scenery.

EVERYTRAIL APP//free The EveryTrail app allows users to share their favorite trips and connect with fellow travellers.

Sunscreen

Water Bottle

Sunglasses

Energy Bars

Light Jacket

Backpack

HIKING ESSENTIALS

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FEATURE

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

VEGETARIAN VENTURES

Staff writer Hailee Gallegos shares how her experiment as a month-long vegetarian influenced her to adopt a full-time vegan diet

by Hailee Gallegos, Staff Writer Photo by April Santonil With two fellow staff members who are vegetarian, my editor asked me to take on the challenge to also become a vegetarian for a full month.

My first thought was how tremendously difficult it would be to stray away from a Thanksgiving turkey during the holidays, but I agreed to experience the pros and cons of vegetarianism.

Before I was challenged to become a vegetarian, I actually had already considered converting my diet. For one, I have a strong love for animals, and two, there is an incredible amount of health benefits to vegetarianism.

Unfortunately, my mom declined the idea several times because of my anemia. Although I have an iron deficiency, I still found alternatives that would supply me with the nutrients I need. After convincing my mom that I would still get proper nutrients as a vegetarian and assuring her that I would not worsen my anemic condition, she helped me with some more research and took me grocery shopping, so I could officially begin my challenge.

While grocery shopping, we found many meat substitutes such as soy products like tofu and tempeh, and various sorts of veggie burgers. This was when I came to the realization that vegetarians do not need to stick with just vegetables and fruit. I purchased a variety of different foods from the store to get a proper nutrition, such as peanut butter, brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal, lentils, beans, and multigrain tortillas.

Because we went to Mother’s Market, it was easier to make healthy choices while shopping, but I could have easily opted to choose unhealthier options while still keeping to my vegetarian criteria.

After searching for some recipes and Googling how to cook ingredients like tofu, I began to create my vegetarian meals.

During my challenge, I kept a food journal handy to record how I was feeling each day, what I ate, and what I thought about the entire process.

In my first couple of meals, I began by substituting meat with tofu. My parents stared

at me strangely while I managed to get the jello-like substance out of the package. Although the texture and smell were not that appetizing, I went forth with pan frying and seasoning it with soy sauce. While I was grossed out at that moment, I realized that I would rather deal with coagulated soy milk than raw meat. After adding rice and a few different vegetables, the meal was surprisingly good, and I decided to add it to my list of regular meals.

Every week I began to make different lunches for myself--veggie wraps, avocado toast, tempeh stir fry, tofu, and veggie burgers. After a while, I began to notice I did not even miss and crave meat as much as I thought I would.

My mom, and people around me, pointed out a few changes in my behavior as well. My vegetarian diet started to alter my behavior in the second week of my challenge. I began to feel like I had more energy throughout the day, rather than feeling sluggish and lazy. I was more productive by starting homework earlier, rather than lounging on the couch and gazing at the television until dinner time.

As I eased into the third week of my vegetarian diet, I had gotten into a full routine of making a range of different lunches, not just salads.

Then, that weekend, I had to attend a family barbecue. I remembered my mom informing me about going to my aunt’s house for my grandma’s birthday, but I had forgotten it was a barbecue, where plates of ribs, steaks, and burgers would be filling the tables.

At the beginning of the party, I was safe just sticking to the appetizers, avoiding the obvious meat and cheese platter. I munched on the vegetable platter with hummus, and practically everything else that was displayed that did not contain meat.

By the time it was dinner, I was already full of spinach dip and fancy crackers. I served myself the sides of mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, and of course, bread. The sides were sat next to the freshly made, juicy steaks. It was then I realized my desire for just a small bite of steak. I sat next to my cousins, putting vegetables into my mouth, not feeling the slightest bit of satisfaction as everyone else did.

On top of staying away from the delicious-looking barbecued meat, I was questioned constantly by every family member about my new diet. Like my mom, they feared for my growing body and argued that my experiment resembled a “hippy’s” standards. After the long and stressful party, I saw the silver lining: a beautiful birthday cake. I sat with a couple of my aunts and uncles and sunk my teeth into something other than an extra side of vegetables.

Although I struggled with my craving for the steak, at

See page 32 THE VEGAN LIFE: Staff Writer Hailee Gallegos poses with her vegan meal, which consists of rice, beans, and vegetables. Gallegos became a vegan after her vegetarian experiment.

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

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CLEAN EATS Compiled by Astyr Ko and Stacy Uhm, Staff Writers

CURRY POTATO CHIPS 2 potatoes olive oil curry powder salt 1. Peel 2 potatoes and thinly slice with a grater.

2. Toss the potatoes in the olive oil, curry powder, and salt mixture.

3. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.

4. For added crunch, bake at 325 degrees for 30 more minutes.

FROZEN DIPPED FRUIT strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, or any desired fruit Greek yogurt honey 1. Add desired amount of honey to greek yogurt and mix.

2. With a toothpick, dip the fruit into the yogurt mixture and place on parchment paper.

3. Freeze for about an hour.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA 1 cup of nuts and dried fruit 2 tbsp of butter 2 cups of rolled oats 1/3 cup of brown sugar 1/3 cup of honey wheat germ pinch of salt 1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add all ingredients. Mix until golden.

2. Bake for 30 minutes in 325 degree oven.

STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE

1 frozen banana 5 frozen strawberries 1 cup of vanilla yogurt 1/3 cup of orange juice 1. Blend all ingredients into blender.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

16

FEATURE

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

RIAS BLESSED TO BE PART OF BAND, JUICEBOX BANDITS

by Sophie Zambri, Staff Writer

For some people, music is a motivation, a story, or even just a hobby. But for others, music is a lifestyle. Even before he took his first steps, junior, Wyatt Rias had an interest in music and knew that it would one day mold his entire life.

Coming from a Christian background, Rias’ parents never imagined their son being in a rock band, but when freshman year rolled around, that is exactly where Rias found himself: in the rock band Juicebox Bandits. At the time, he played rhythm guitar, but when the original drummer left, the bass player, Levi Almanzar, switched to drums and Rias took over bass.

“When I first started playing instruments, I was attracted to the guitar. When our old drummer left, I did what any person would do to save their band, and I switched instruments to the bass guitar,” Rias said.

In addition to 17-year-old Rias and 23-yearold Almanzar , Juicebox Bandits includes of 21year-old guitarist/lead vocalist Brett Cornwell.

The three members met in church, years prior to the band forming. They have been longtime friends and always dreamed about writing and playing music together.

According to Cornwell, being in a band with his best friend is one of the best things in his life.

“My best musical memory with Wyatt would probably be staying up all night in his motor home writing songs. I feel like in life, if we’re lucky enough, God gives us a friend that is closer than any other. That one friend who can read your mind, keep your secrets, and knows all of your ticklish spots. That person is Wyatt; he is the best friend anyone could ask for,” Cornwell said.

“To me, music is very personal. It has gotten me through so many situations and phases and I want my music to be able to help someone else the way it helped me. Writing and playing music takes me away from reality and really hits home on a new level,” said Rias.

Over the summer, the three bandmates took a 10-day trip up to Eureka to record their new album, the title of which is still being decided.

In the beginning of November, Juicebox Bandits released their three-song EP, “Dolls And Fins,” which is a preview of the album, consisting of their original songs, “Dolls And Fins,” “Step Aside,” and “Come With Me.” As a high school student, Rias sometimes finds it difficult to balance school with music, but in the end, always finds a way to do it without completely going over the edge.

“When my grades are good, my parents are The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

Photos courtesy of juiceboxbandits.com

“Wyatt Rias took an interest in music and knew that it would one day mold his entire life.” usually more lenient, and I can attend more late meetings and practices. When my grades are looking shaky, though, it is a whole different story, and I have to put music aside to keep my grades from plummeting,” Rias said.

Keeping his grades up is a must, because the majority of the band’s practices and even some shows, and meetings usually fall on week nights.

“It is incredible to see my son start so young

in life, and making something of himself. His band is his second family and I know he is truly happy when he is with them. It is every mother’s dream to see their oldest child follow their dreams and set good examples for their younger siblings. Words cannot describe how proud I am of [Wyatt] and I know that he will make it very far in life,” said Debbie, Rias’ mother.

Juicebox Bandits have come a long way

from being just a garage band. They play almost every weekend and are being asked to play at parties and return to more venues.

They play at venues ranging from the Vault in Orange, Chain Reaction in Anaheim, the Huntington Beach Street Fair, the Whisky-AGo-Go, and the House of Blues. Since he is still under the legal age of 18, Rias finds it hard to get into some of the venues, but as soon as he admits to being in the band, people usually wave him by without second thought.

“Having a high school student in our band is actually amazing. He has constant access to our target audience, he knows who they are and what they like, because he himself is part of that audience. Because of that, he can keep us on the right track to making music that our fans would love, while inspiring young fans,” said Almanzar.

Rias is known at school for his bubbly personality and his ability to make people smile. Many of his friends and peers support his band.

“I have been friends with Wyatt for years now, and I go to his concerts to see him perform.

The energy he expresses while playing is something you cannot find in many people. I can feel his love for the music through each and every performance, and it is so amazing seeing such a close friend so at home and genuinely happy,” Lirissa Tittle, junior, said.

When he is not with his band or out on an adventure, Rias can be found playing varsity volleyball alongside his younger brother, Garrett, freshman.

“Playing with my brother is the best feeling in the world. Watching him surf, snowboard, and play his music in a band was always so inspiring to me. Being able to do something we both enjoy now is such a dream come true for me and my parents,” said Garrett.

Though Rias is constantly busy with different activities, he has his priorities straight and knows that music must be towards the top of the list. According to his bandmates, Rias is the mascot of the team and is what fuels the band to rock out harder, taking them to the next level.

“Wyatt always wants to do better and is so eager to learn. He contributes the best he can, whenever he can, and that is really hard to find,” Almanzar said.

Whether Rias is practicing, advertising, going to photo shoots, playing shows, or going to school, he is constantly on the go. Music is truly Rias’ life and will always be a major part of who he is.

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

WILDCAT HERO

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

17

LEAMING PURSUES PASSION FOR RESCUING UNFORUNATE PETS

by Amanda Tortarolo, Staff Writer

ow after row of cages come into view, too small for the three dogs they currently contain. The sounds of fighting and hopeless crying are impossible to ignore. With no clean water, no food, and rampant disease, half of the puppies from the litter are dead. Elsewhere, the mothers are lifeless, leaving the helpless pups to fend for themselves. This is a puppy mill. And for Leslie Leaming, U.S. History teacher and Club PAW (Promotion of Animal Welfare) advisor, this is an opportunity to rescue animals.

Leaming not only devotes her time to educating students on animal events from the past, but also on the improvement for animal welfare in the future. She is an advocate for the termination of puppy mills, often teaching others how essential it is to take action and stop animal cruelty.

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to educate the public about the true nature of these dogs,” Leaming said.

An experience that changed Leaming’s life was the adoption of her pitbull, Abby. She and her husband, Bob Leaming, drove past the Pasadena Humane Society and decided to stop. They had not intended on adopting a dog that day, but they kept coming back to Abby. Abby had been at the shelter for two months and was extremely sick. She was scheduled as the first to be euthanized if space was needed.

“I fell in love, and of course we took her home that day, forcing us to cancel a vacation we had planned. Abby is the most affectionate and loving dog that I have ever known, and she has turned me into a pitbull advocate for life,” Leaming said.

Unfortunately, because of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), a law was created that bans certain breeds of dog or places restrictions on them, which is most commonly placed upon pitbulls. According to Leaming, this law and the media often try

sitting through their 50-minute class period each day,” Chen said. “Luckily, through various events, our club knows Mrs. Leaming as the most down-to-earth person. She is a great role model in all the selfless work she does. I cannot believe how lucky we are to have her.”

Recently, the club helped with the Priceless Pet’s 2013 Pittie Fest in Chino Hills, which has been one of the biggest events of the year so far for Club PAW. There, individual rescue groups set up adoption booths, and vendors arrived to promote pitbull awareness.

According to Katie Chung, junior and vice president of Club PAW, the Pittie Fest was such an amazing event as she got the opportunity to volunteer, raise awareness, and help out with the adoptions of the animals. Last year the board members struggled to come up with volunteer ideas and ways to promote animal welfare.

“This year, with Leaming as our club advisor, she has come

“She is a great role model in all the selfless work she does. I cannot believe how lucky we are to have her.”

Photos courtesy of LESLIE LEAMING

ASHLEY CHEN, Club PAW President

PITTY FEST: (left to right) Leaslie Leaming, history teacher, poses with Nova, a pit bull that she sponsors through Priceless Pets; Leaming poses with her beloved pit bull, Abby; Leaming’s dogs, Abby and her second foster, Cooper.

“If I could educate a person on two things, the first would be to adopt, don’t shop. Puppy mills are horrendous and despicable, and their only purpose is to make money. I cannot understand how people can go to a pet store and purchase a puppy mill dog.

There are millions of dogs waiting in shelters for their ‘forever homes’,” Leaming said. “The second would be to spay and neuter your pets. There is no need to breed your animals when thousands of animals that would make wonderful family pets are euthanized everyday.”

As a teenager, Leaming was involved with groups such as the Sierra Club, PETA, and Greenpeace, where she attended demonstrations to help save the whales and to protect dolphins.

Currently, she is part of the Pittie Crew at Priceless Pets, head advisor of Club PAW, an on-campus club, and organizes a dogwalking group called the Inland Empire Sociabulls.

“The goal of the Inland Empire Sociabulls is to have pitbulls and their friends out on walks and become more visible in order

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

to demonize these animals for the ratings.

As a result of this law and owning a pit bull, Leaming has become more active in the welfare and rescue of dogs, pitbulls in particular. She has fostered two pitbulls and sponsored more through the rescue group she works with. She is currently sponsoring a pitbull named Nova. It appears Nova was abused by someone who had thrown chemicals on her.

“She is a sweetheart, and just like a true pittie, she holds no grudges against anyone,” Leaming said.

It was through hearing about Leaming’s passion for animals that, junior and Club PAW president, Ashley Chen, approached her with the offer to become the new advisor of Club PAW. According to Chen, Leaming’s presence has defined the club, and her experience with animals through Priceless Pets Rescue has introduced them to a whole new world of animal care.

“Most students do not see teachers past their jobs at school.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell a teacher’s true colors by simply

to realize that there are so many ways to help animals in need,” Chung said. “Every little effort counts when promoting animal welfare, whether it be sponsoring a dog or supporting the adoption of animals in need, rather than buying from breeders.”

For Leaming, the volunteer work is not about the credit she receives. It is not about her feelings, nor is it a way to stroke her ego. It is unconditionally about the dog and the family it receives, along with how wonderful they must feel. However, the work is never done. For every dog placed in a home, there are five that have been abused and dumped at a shelter.

According to Leaming, once her advice about adoption and care for the animals have been followed, a significant improvement in animal welfare will show.

“I reflect upon a quote from Gandhi that goes something like, ‘The greatness of a nation can be judged by the treatment of its’ animals.’ Sadly, this nation still has a lot of work to do,” Leaming said.

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The Wildcat March 11, 2014

CENTERSPREAD

The Wildcat

March 11, 2014

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#BTOWNBEATDOWN AGAINST SERVITE Jonathan Wallace, senior, shoots over a Servite defender as Zac Jervis, sophomore, Collin Greenwood, junior, and Samuel Choi, senior, look on during during the CIF semifinal game against Servite High School on Feb. 28. With a score of 51-46, the Wildcats took the win, which set up a Southern Section Division 3AA Finals match-up against Santa Margarita High School on March 8.

Photo by TRENT PRESTON / the wildcat

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The Wildcat

FEATURE bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

FEATURE

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

“

March 11, 2014

Especially in life, learning is all about curiosity,” Greg Higashi, Economics teacher

that, every single week, we had to kill about 30 to 50 chickens, clean them up, and send them to the market to sell. The process is kind of gruesome, but it’s also kind of fun. The first time made me nervous, because you’re staring at the chicken, and the chicken is looking at you, but after that, it just became a job,” Higashi said.

Although Higashi was enjoying his freedom and independence by being two thousand miles away from his parents, he made the decision to return to Southern California, where he finished his secondary education at Artesia High School.

“I knew that there would be a better opportunity for me in terms of athletics and academics if I went back to Southern California,” Higashi said. “But I don’t think I would have traded [attending boarding school] for anything. I’ve always been an independent kid and my parents always knew that.”

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A MAN OF CURIOSITY Greg Higashi, economics teacher, shares his conventional journey before becoming a long-term teacher and coach

“W The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

by Sharon Cho, Editor-in-Chief Photos by Trent Preston ait, you know how to grade egg quality?”

“Yeah, it’s fun actually,” Greg Higashi, Economics teacher, said, as he described one of his jobs as a 14-year old in a Hawaiian boarding school.

At first glance, it is hard to believe that this often-sarcastic teacher, who coordinates outfits to the colors of his Nikes, has learned a trade like grading eggs. However, Higashi believes that the many paths he traveled throughout his life are due to being a “curiosity seeker.”

Before becoming a high school boarding student, Higashi initially hoped to attend Artesia High School because of its proximity to his home.

However, his parents, Mitsuo and Patricia Higashi, were reluctant to send him to Artesia due to tension between Caucasians and Hispanics at the time. They hoped for Higashi to attend St. John Bosco High School, an all boys private school in Bellflower.

“There was no way I was going to an all-boys Catholic school. I told my parents there were only four other Japanese kids [at Artesia], and three of them were girls. What were we going to do? We weren’t going to create any problems,” Higashi laughed.

Due to Higashi’s adamant refusal to attend St. John Bosco, Patricia contacted the vice principal at Lahainaluna High School, whom she knew at the time, and Higashi soon traveled to Maui, Hawaii, to attend boarding school.

While a typical freshman only has to worry about adjusting to the high school environment, Higashi had to work for his room and board expenses. His first year consisted of washing dishes in the school kitchen and custodial jobs such as sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping the floors of classrooms. It was his sophomore year when Higashi was directed to the poultry department, where he learned how to grade eggs.

“They had livestock [at Lahainaluna]—cows, sheep, pigs. We did things like grading eggs and feeding chickens. Probably the most fun was

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

ecause Higashi had simultaneously worked and studied since a young age, after college, at the age of 21, he sold all his belongings, and with five thousand dollars in his pocket, he made his way back to Hawaii to take a long, spontaneous vacation.

“I just decided to have a good time and vacation for as long as I could. I stayed with relatives, reacquainted myself with my old classmates, and went to the beach and surfed everyday,” Higashi said.

After three months of enjoying the island atmosphere, he was running out of money. He applied for a job at the front desk of Intercontinental Hotel, and eventually worked his way up to the hotel’s supervisor.

Although Higashi initially aspired to be a teacher and a coach, he became hooked into the hotel industry because of the diversity of people he was able to meet. Three and a half years later, Higashi searched for new employment and traveled to Reno, Nevada, to work at a casino hotel.

“I got island fever. There’s only 26 miles in any direction that I could go, so being young and ambitious, I decided to look at my opportunities. I blindly went to Reno,” Higashi said.

As soon as Higashi moved into his parent’s townhouse, he started working for Harrah’s Hotel and Casino. Again, he began at the front desk and was eventually promoted to an employee relations counselor.

Although Higashi had been successfully creating a name for himself in the company, with his high-paying job, the gambling environment became overwhelming.

“Living in a place where gambling is a 24-hour operation, it really kind of got to me. If you’re in a gambling town, there’s no place where you can get away from [gambling]. I mean you go to Marie Callender’s, and there are slot machines to win a pie; you go to grocery stores, and at the checkout stand, there are multiple slot machines,” Higashi said.

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fter about 20 years of working in the hotel industry, Higashi finally quit the business and once again returned to Southern California.

“It was not so much that I couldn’t handle [the gambling environment], I knew it was not the lifestyle that I thought beneficial to me. Even though I was doing what I thought I should be doing, climbing the corporate ladder, trying to become a top executive in the hotel and casino business, on the personal side, it really was not a good situation,” Higashi said. “Yes, I could have stayed in the [hotel business], yes, I could have achieved more by going further into management, but I really wanted to get back into what I originally intended, which was to become a teacher and coach.”

Although Higashi returned to California to pursue his initial career, Higashi began to work at the human resources department at an airplane manufacturing company because he needed an immediate job. However, after the company was sold to a larger manufacturer, he was laid off.

Despite losing his job, this was his “start into education,” according to Higashi.

After speaking to a friend who was the head basketball coach at Savannah High School, Higashi began his career as a coach and long-term substitute teacher. During this time, he received his teaching credential at National University. However, Higashi hoped to continue his career at a

WATCHING THE STOCKS: Greg Higashi, Economics teacher, helps Jackie Hayes, senior, with the annual stock market game, where students learn how the stock market functions. Before becoming a teacher and coach, Higashi worked in the hotel industry for 20 years. public school, rather than a private school.

“I had my credential, and I wanted to use it a lot more effectively. That’s why I was looking to teach and coach at a public high school,” Higashi said.

H

igashi then applied for a job at the Brea Olinda Unified School District in 2000. He was offered the job at BOHS the very next day after his interview.

“I think one of the things that everyone can say about Mr. Higashi, and I mean this in a complimentary way, is that he’s very consistent. He maintains his composure all the time, and he’s very versatile. He’s taught various subjects for us, he’s coached a lot of different sports, and he’s been advisors of many clubs. Even though he lives a long way away, he’s always been committed to the kids here and the high school,” Jerry Halpin, principal, said.

In a matter of 14 years, Higashi has been an Economics, World History, and Psychology teacher, a basketball, golf, and football coach, an athletic director, an advisor of various clubs, and a member of the school site council.

“I feel really good [about my career]. I enjoy what I do. I feel like I could teach and coach forever. At this stage of my life, I feel it’s more about how long my body will last,” Higashi laughed.

Despite already having years of experience in various fields, Higashi plans to begin a project with his wife, Renee Higashi, sometime in the future. Although a specific project is still in discussion, they both hope to use their background in human resources and education to help and work with children.

“My wife and I have talked about this extensively. It is our desire that we are doing something together. From a business standpoint, we are perfect partners. I’m more of the creative, idea guy, and my wife is definitely the nuts and bolts,” Higashi said. “[Working with children] is something we both have a heart for. We don’t have kids of our own, but we want to do something with the youth. We have also been looking at the possibility of having something church affiliated as well.”

With Higashi’s extensive background in sports and coaching, Higashi and his wife both agree that sports should be an element in their future project.

“It is my dream that Mr. Higashi and I work together some day. Our passion is kids. We believe kids and education or sports is natural,” Renee said.

As Higashi continues his teaching career, he encourages his students to also have the same inquisitive character as his own.

“I think if you are a student or if you want to become a teacher or if you just want to be able to cope with life, you really have to be curious about what’s going on. Like, why do we choose the people that we become friends with, loved ones, or even careers? There has to be an element of curiosity in all of that. Especially in life, learning is all about curiosity,” Higashi said.

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22

The Wildcat

ARTS bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

COMMENTARY

oscars once again old school, predictable

by Sharon Cho, Editor-In-Chief

Although a majority of this year’s Oscar telecast seemed pretty conventional compared to past years, Ellen DeGeneres still managed to humanize top A-list celebrities with pizza and mid-show selfies.

With the guessing game afoot before the big night, the many publications and blogs that buzz with Oscar activity seemed to hit almost on point this year for the winners in each category.

As predicted, “12 Years a Slave” took the Oscar for Best Picture and Lupita Nyong’o won Best Actress in a Supporting Role, out of its nine nominations. Although Steve McQueen did a stunning job with the film, controversy has arisen over the film’s Best Picture title.

According to The Los Angeles Times, two Oscar voters admitted that they voted for “12 Years a Slave” without watching the film because they feared that would be, as DeGeneres joked in her opening monologue, “racist.” Despite the controversy, the film still deserves its title, with its potential to become the new “Roots.”

Nyong’o also definitely deserved the recognition, and her pale blue Prada dress was jaw dropping, as expected, especially after she impressed the cameras with her gorgeous red dress at this year’s Golden Globe Awards.

With the silent battle between “12 Years a Slave” and “Gravity,” “Gravity” still took home the most awards with Best Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Sound Editing, Original Score, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects, as anticipated.

The minor blunder that many publications, such as The Los Angeles Times and Entertainment Weekly, made with their predictions was believing that “Captain Phillips” would win Best Editing. However, they were still correct when hinting that that would be the only possible award “Captain Phillips” would claim.

“Gravity” seemed to be all the rage, especially with the respected Sandra Bullock, and George Clooney’s 30-minute appearance. Yes, “Gravity” did have quality cinematography and visual effects, but it just did not deserve the attention that it received. The movie had no depth, with Bullock just roaming around in outer space, constantly panicking,

BEST

Sound Mixing Visual Effects Cinematography Original Score Sound Editing Editing Directing

BEST

Picture Actress in a Supporting Role imdb.com

trying to return home. “E.T.” was basically trying to do the same, “go home,” but at least he had a companion throughout the whole film.

Outraged Leonardo DiCaprio fans began to flood social media sites when Matthew McConaughey took Best Actor in a Leading Role, not surprsingly. Again, the numerous memes this year will fill social media sites with DiCaprio reaching for an Oscar, and fans wondering when the great DiCaprio will finally give his acceptance speech. Even though his performance in “Wolf of Wall Street” was sensational, it is hard to award a comedic-power-hungry-drug-addict-con-artist over an HIV patient who hustles to help other HIV patients. However, DiCaprio still managed to snag a Golden Globe.

“American Hustle” was surprisingly neglected by the Academy. Even with 10 nominations, the film did not receive any awards. Although “American Hustle “ was unique, it was unfortunately up against other films that seemed to overshadow it. “American Hustle” was a convincing contender, and despite losing all awards, Jennifer Lawrence still managed to make headlines by falling out of her car while entering the red carpet before the show.

Although a few of DeGeneres’ jokes fell flat this year, and the performances were not as news-worthy, (except for John Travolta tragically butchering Idina Menzel’s name as “Adele Dazi”) another ceremony has passed, with film fans awaiting the next wave of films to be nominated next year, and the day when DiCaprio will finally win an Oscar. imdb.com

THE WILDCAT ASKS ‘FIVE RANDOM QUESTIONS’

STUDENTS

IF YOU COULD STAR IN ANY MOVIE, WHICH ONE?

WHO WOULD YOU PLAY: HERO OR VILLAIN?

The Blind Side

Hero

The Great Gatsby

Hero

Hero

Mina Sherif SENIOR

Sabrina Piceno JUNIOR

Daniel Abrego SOPHOMORE

Louie Jota SENIOR

Amber Tovar FRESHMAN

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

Harry Potter

FAVORITE ACTOR/ACTRESS?

WHICH MOVIE FITS YOUR LIFE THE BEST?

“You’re changing that boy’s life.

No. He’s changing mine.”

-The Blind Side

That Awkward Moment

Chris Hemsworth

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’” -Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Mark Ruffalo

“Uh, his first name is ‘Agent’” -The Avengers

The Avengers

“Wanna go to Taco Bell?”

-Mean Girls

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

Villian

Hero

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM MOVIE?

Johnny Depp

“Second star to the right and straight on till morning” -Peter Pan

Peter Pan

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

The Wildcat

ARTS bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

COMMENTARY

FEMINIST PRINCESSES EMBODY HEROES

by Noelle Gracia, Content Manager

In newest princess blockbuster and winner of the Academy Awards’ Best Animated Feature Film for 2014, Disney’s “Frozen” has all the trappings of their classic hits, with two gorgeous leading ladies, beautiful animation, and a slew of insanely catchy, Broadway-style songs, one feature stands out to me more than anything else: the complete humanization of Queen Elsa and Princess Anna.

These two main characters break away from the typical Disney princess mold and go throughout their journey as innately flawed people.

It was the girls’ independent personalities that make me commend Disney for creating female characters who are capable of saving themselves, rather than just waiting for a handsome prince to come along.

In recent years, Disney has been slowly moving away from the damsel-in-distress plot line, seen in “Snow White” or “Sleeping Beauty,” to princesses that embrace their strength and save themselves. With each new princess movie that Disney releases, the women become stronger and more independent, such as the hardworking Tiana from “Princess and the Frog,” who embodies the idea that nothing worthwhile in life is going to come easy and that one must be willing to go out and get it themselves; or the Scottish princess Merida from “Brave,” who refuses to give up her independence in the name of marrying any man she does not love.

Even “Tangled’s” Rapunzel is a feminist icon because at the end of the day, it is her sacrifices and bravery that end up saving her and Eugene Fitzherbert from destruction at the hand of Mother Gothel.

“I really like how Disney isn’t just having princes save the girls anymore; the princesses are independent. Those are the kind of role models that are really great for young girls to look up to, instead of the older princess types,” Amy Smith, freshman, said.

Smith, who is a “huge fan” of the recent Disney feminist princess movies, even hand-painted a pair of Converse with the four princesses she admires most: Queen Elsa from “Frozen,” Rapunzel from “Tangled,” Merida from “Brave,” and Ariel from “The Little Mermaid.”

“Frozen” also breaks the typical Disney archetype by putting an emphasis on the power of a sisterly bond, an aspect not always seen in their movies. More often than not, the only “true love” between characters is between a girl and a boy. But, (spoiler alert) one of “Frozen’s” biggest plot twists is the act of “true love” needed to break the curse that threatens to end Anna’s life forever, and it is not the first kiss between her and her suitor, but her sacrificing her life to save her older sister, Elsa. “‘Frozen’ is great because it shows that girls can do anything and that a boy doesn’t need to be around to save them,” Gil Rotblum, history teacher and the father of two young girls, said.

Disney is continuing to make the right choices in all their new princess movies, as their new heroines will be remembered for their pluck and unique, independent personalities, versus just the color of their dresses or how they found their prince. “Frozen” is the embodiment of the types of role models needed to be admired by the next generation of young girls.

POPULAR NOVEL DIVERGENT TRAVELS FROM BOOKSTORES TO MOVIE THEATERS THIS MONTH

23

by Stefani Clark, Copy Editor

hypable.com

Adapted from the debut science-fiction novel by Veronica Roth, “Divergent” will be released in theaters on March 21.

Set in a dystopian version of Chicago, “Divergent” tells the story of 16-year-olds who must take an aptitude test to determine which faction they belong in. The protagonist, Tris, transfers to Dauntless after discovering she is Divergent. Being Divergent is considered dangerous and rare, but Tris yearns for information about her classification.

Directed by Neil Burger, the movie includes a variety of renowned actors and actresses. Shailene Woodley, popular for being the lead role in “The Spectacular Now” and “The Fault in Our Stars,” plays Tris. Miles Teller, Theo James, Kate Winslet, and Ansel Elgort also star.

Facing comparisons with “The Hunger Games,” “Divergent” differs in its lack of a stereotypical love triangle. Instead, the focus is on Tris’ character development along with her growing understanding of life. “‘Divergent’ has lots of progression in the characters regarding their personalities and the way they perceive their surroundings, which makes ‘Divergent’ stand out,” Jenny Shin, junior and a fan of the series, said.

Following the release of “The Hunger Games,” “Divergent” will be amongst the many dystopian novel-based movie to be released.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Summit Entertainment bought the film rights for “Divergent” months before the book was published in 2012, foreseeing the popularity of the bestselling novel.

“There seems to be less hype about the movie, but after reading the book, I am excited for it to come out,” Victoria Kang, junior, said.

Although “Divergent” will join the cinemas as yet another countless young adult novel adaptation, its dynamic characters and science-fiction feel will attract fans and newcomers alike.

Illustrations by Jessica Yim and BETTY LEE

THE WILDCAT ASKED BOHS TEACHERS: ‘WHAT IS YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE MOVIE?’

PULP FICTION

“So many great things: the soundtrack, the cast, the dialogue, Marsellus Wallace...”

ALEX KOERS Honors Lit. Comp. 9

FORREST GUMP

“It was just funny, witty, and interesting.”

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

OMAR BARCENAS Spanish 1 & 2

MEET JOE BLACK

“It’s about a daughter and her dad and I’m really close to my dad.”

NANCY SMITH Algebra 1

THIS IS SPINAL TAP “It is genius.”

MITSUO MAEDA Government/ ERWC

THE FIFTH ELEMENT

THE NATURAL

“It is so stupid that it’s a good escape.”

“I can personally relate to the movie from my past experiences.”

GIL ROTBLUM AP European History

JONATHAN QUIMING Honors Lit. Comp. 10

BULL DURHAM

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

“It is the greatest baseball movie ever made.”

“The photography, and the story is beautiful.”

MIKE BAKER Health/Skills for Success

JEFF SINK US History imdb.com

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

24

ARTS

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

CHOIR PREVIEW

DRAMA REVIEW

CHOIR PRESENTS ‘BYE BYE BIRDIE’

by Linette Cho, Feature and Arts Editor Photos by April Santonil, Photo Editor

FINAL COUNTDOWN: Riley Hahn, junior, Ben Harpster, sophomore, Andrew Strom, sophomore, Hayden Mangum, freshman, Sam Mauriss, senior pose with their hands as a telephone.

STRIKING POSES: Tatiana Alvarez, junior, Sam Mauriss, senior, and Alana Ferracioli, senior rehearse their performance routine.

United Choirs of Brea will break out their new musical, “Bye Bye Birdie,” in the Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m from March 20 to 29.

According to Bryanna Wallace, junior, this musical is very similar to the story of Elvis Presley, one of the most famous singers of the 20th century. In “Bye Bye Birdie,” like Presley, Conrad Birdie, played by Hayden Mangum, freshman, is a famous rock star who gets drafted into war.

Birdie’s music business heads downhill, therefore his manager and secretary, Albert Peterson, played by Daniel Dwyer, senior, and Rose Alvarez, played by Tatiana Alvarez, junior, come up with an idea to write a new song that Birdie will sing to a girl on national television before getting drafted.

Kim Mcafee, played by Julianne Sexton, junior, is picked to be the special girl. As Birdie, Alvarez, and Peterson travel to Sweet Apple, Ohio, Birdie gives his “one last kiss,” essentially saying his last goodbye to America as a musician.

Along with the tragic departure, there are stories between a jealous boyfriend who tries to stop Birdie from kissing Mcafee, a hilarious mother, and there are many entertaining dance numbers to visual the plot. “‘Bye Bye Birdie’ is definitely one of the highlights of the year.

During rehearsal, we invest so much time with each other that it bounds us all as a group,” Alvarez said.

According to Mangum, every show for the two weeks should be sold out, because it is such a great musical, and every single cast member tries their hardest no matter what, which sets a great attitude for the show. Although being in the musical is not required for all choir students, Dave Willert, Choir director, encourages them to participate.

United Choirs of Brea’s rendition of the popular musical, “Bye Bye Birdie,” includes roles from students of all choir levels that wish to partake.

SENIOR DANIEL DWYER first place in BREA IDOL PITCH PERFECT: Jocelyn

APRIL SANTONIL / the wildcat

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

Abrahamson, sophomore, and Tori Stuht, senior, award and congratulate Daniel Dwyer, senior, for winning first place overall and in the male soloist category in this year’s Brea Idol competition on March 7. Dwyer performed “Till I Hear You Sing” by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Other performance categories included instrumentals, female soloists, and duets.

ACTION: After Johnny Williams, senior, finds out that Ashley Daniels, senior, is Cinderella, they return to the castle.

PLAY PRODUCTION’S RENDITION OF CINDERELLA, ‘GLASS SLIPPER’

by Nicole Nam, News Co-Editor Photo by April Santonil, Photo Editor

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo! Similar to the well-known classic tale of Cinderella, Play Production’s “The Glass Slipper,” featuring Dance 2, left the crowd in awe on the Feb. 27 and 28 performances.

“The Glass Slipper” began with the two clumsy and stubborn stepsisters arguing with their stepmother about the ball, while Cinderella continued to be nagged. Brunhilda, played by Rachel Giurbino, junior; Cleopatra, played by Fotini Vega, junior; Cinderella, played by Ashley Daniels, senior; and their stepmother, played by Lacie Gammel, junior, started the show by winning laughs from the audience due to the other roles nagging and making fun of Cinderella.

Every role was distributed equally, allowing each actor to play a main character. While there were some characters different from the actual story, they were incorporated into the storyline in a way that created a true Cinderella story. Instead of being led to the ball by the dog, mice, and horse, Cinderella in this play was led by her cat, Attila, played by Isabel Hamilton, senior; a mouse played by Linda Cervantes, senior; and Pumpkinhead, played by Chris Arellanez, senior. The twists on the characters created a more modern take on Cinderella.

Some parts of the play stayed true to the original tale. When Cinderella made her debut at the ball, Daniels wore the familiar beautiful, blue dress with glass slippers. Dance 2 girls danced on stage as fairies, bringing together the two arts programs, which was exciting to see. However, there was a scene where the dancers had to laugh at a line, which made it seem awkward.

Although every actor had a major part in the play, some lines throughout various scenes were nearly inaudible. From what I could tell, it was a technical malfunction rather than soft-spoken students.

There were even some parts that seemed too loud for the small auditorium. Otherwise, it was simple to understand what the actors were saying.

The ending of the play stayed true to the primary storyline. The Prince found the slipper’s owner, the evil stepfamily was humiliated, and Cinderella got her happy ending. The actors made the ending seem like a real fairytale.

While “The Glass Slipper” tweaked major aspects of the original tale, the play was altered to be more modern than the well-known version. And although there were slight difficulties with the sound, the play was enjoyable.

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

ARTS bohswildcat.com

The Wildcat

March 11, 2014

25

A WILDCAT Q&A WITH BAND’S

MONICA SHARDA

A monthly spotlight of a BOHS Performing Arts member, this month’s subject is MONICA SHARDA, senior, and drum major of The Wildcat Entertainment Corps.

Interview conducted by Linette Cho, Arts Editor Photo by April Santonil, Photo Editor

Q What are your plans after high school?

A

I plan on attending a four-year university, majoring in either biological sciences or biochemistry. If all goes well, I plan on going to medical school.

Q How many years have you been performing in band?

A

I started playing the alto saxophone in fifth grade.

Q What was the biggest challenge during your musical career?

A

As a musician and leader, my biggest challenge has been getting myself to step out of my comfort zone. I started band as this insanely shy girl and I always found it extremely hard to put myself out there. But, becoming drum major has helped me a lot in that department since I have to lead a band five feet off the ground on a podium.

Q

What is the hardest thing about being in band?

A

For band, we cannot exactly “bench” people. We are only as strong as our weakest link. So, it is hard to get every single person motivated to achieve a group goal. But, it can also be one of the most rewarding parts of band.

Q Most embarrassing moment during a performance?

A

I do not really have an embarrassing moment during a performance. Drum majors have to turn around on the podium and salute the judges before taking the field in competition, and whenever I had to turn around, I used to come real close to falling off the podium. Also, during rehearsals, I have to project my voice and my voice cracks a lot, but nothing too embarrassing.

Q If you could not play an instrument, what would you be doing instead?

A

If I was not interested in band, I would probably be involved in some kind of speech and debate group. Call me crazy, but I have grown to really like public speaking.

Q What would you consider your greatest accomplishment in band?

A

Well, I started off as a really shy fifth grader. Then in eighth grade, I remember visiting the high school during a football game and seeing the drum major that year and decided that I wanted to be up there someday. I am definitely proud of myself for accomplishing that goal.

Q What made you want to be a part of band?

A

I had never really done any sports or outside activities before and the thought of learning how to play an instrument sounded exciting to me. My grandpa used to wrestle, my dad used to play basketball and run in cross country, and my sister plays soccer. However, no one in my family has any musical background, so I thought it would be cool to try something new.

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

26

ARTS

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

HAVE YOU HEARD OF THSE BANDS?

UNDERGROUND BANDS WORTH LISTENING TO

by Sophie Zambri, Staff Writer

When it comes down to music and who makes it big, there are millions of musicians trying to reach that goal, but only a handful of underground musicians ever achieve it. Galvanized Souls and False Puppet are alternative bands trying to stand out in the industry.

GALVANIZED SOULS

For only being together for a year, Galvanized Souls have progressed greatly from where they originally started and has a continuously growing fanbase with every show they play. Their grungy style brings spunk to 21st century rock music and shows people that rock-and-roll is not dead.

FALSE PUPPETS

galvanizedsouls.com

Galvanized Souls is an alternative rock/modern grunge band from the Southern California area formed around 16-year-old guitarist/lead vocalist Zakk Silveira, 18-year-old guitarist/ vocalist Chris Traylor, 15-year-old bass player Matthew DeMartini, and 19-year-old drummer Kevin Cogen. The band formed around late 2012 and has been ascending ever since.

Galvanized Souls have played at many different events and local venues, such as The Vault OC, DePiazzas, and Chain Reaction. Their most recent music available is their self-titled EP released in 2013, with five songs that give grunge music a whole new definition.

Galvanized Souls give their music a deep vibe. They put so much feeling into the music they compose and put their full heart and soul into making it completely their own. The majority of their music is original, but songs they cover are given an edgy twist to make it personal.

Each band member spices up their performance by adding their own energy and attitude. On-stage props, such as white lights and a vocal transmitter, really separate them from other young underground bands.

Besides their on-stage props, for a small band, Galvanized Souls have a pretty decent merchandise selection, ranging from t-shirts and wristbands to customized guitar pick necklaces and EPs. They have a whole crew of people behind them who sell merchandise, take pictures, make videos, book shows, and drive them from venue to venue.

Just recently, Galvanized Souls won a Beat 100 Ultimate Musician Award for their music video “Shut You Down,” directed and produced

by Rockerrazzi Films. The band also won the Thousand Oaks Battle of the Bands and was chosen to be one of the Reverbnation Featured artists.

reverbnation.com

Another band who is working hard to get their name and music known is False Puppet. False Puppet is an alternative rock band originating from Santa Barbara, formed by 18-yearold guitarist/lead vocalist Tyler Benko, bassist/vocalist Channing Peake , and 17-year-old drummer Brennan Benko.

When it comes to the rock band look, False Puppet has it all: the style, the talent, and the aspirations to make it far with their music career.

They have a full crew go wherever they go to sell their merchandise, book their shows, and plan their music videos and photo shoots.

For a growing band, False Puppet has played on numerous high school tours and at many famous venues, such as the Whisky-A-Go-Go, House of Blues, and at Vans Warped Tour in 2012. Through the number of shows they play weekly, their fan base is rapidly growing among the west coast and is slowly spreading nationwide.

False Puppet makes sure to have fun and entertaining concerts and keeps their fans as engaged in the show as possible. Whether it is throwing around beach balls or simultaneously jumping up and down to the beat of the music, the fans remain active, and the energy of the show stays positive.

The music they produce is high quality and sounds extremely professional. As of now, they have two available EPs, one self-titled, and the other titled “Far Out.” They are currently working on new music and are planning to release another EP this upcoming summer.

The band as a whole is very friendly and open towards the new people they come across and has a very dedicated fan base, otherwise known as “The Puppeteers.” Many of their fans can be found at their concerts sporting the “FP” logo drawn somewhere on their face.

underground glitch mob’s newly released album gets reviewed

by Celeste Roh, Staff Writer

sensiblereason.com

As a picky music listener, when I discovered that Glitch Mob released a new album on Feb. 11, I was ready to judge every song with biting criticism. However, to my surprise, I was extremely impressed with what was presented in Glitch Mob’s second album, Love Death Immortality.

Although I usually do not listen to electronic-rock-themed music, I was drawn to the patterns and unique rhythms of every song on the album. The beginning beats of the tracks to the last seconds before the songs end draws the listener’s attention.

The electronic band Glitch Mob is made up of three members: edIT, Ooah, and Boreta. Their individual ability to generate unique music with in-depth perspective using normal electrical audio instruments makes them one of the most talented synth-pop musicians in the music industry today.

Love Death Immortality contains sounds that are both upbeat and bass-filled, while other songs have more emphasized rhythms. Although most of the songs are instrumentals, a few of the tracks feature vocal artists, which I particularly enjoyed.

Each piece in the album has a distinctive theme that is more beautiful than average, mainstream electronic-themed music. For example, while the striking singles featured in Love Death Immortality, “Can’t Kill Us” and “Mind of a Beast” presents fierce and harsher guitar vibrato and strumming than the rest of the songs, the album balances itself by adding songs with higher and simpler pitches with more apparent drum techniques like in “Skytoucher” and “Carry the Sun.” In an interview with themusicninja.com, Glitch Mob stated, “We have always let the listener decide what our music means to them, and there is something really powerful and magical about that.”

This album has a story in each song that morphs into what the listener wants, allowing it to appeal to all sorts of people. Glitch Mob further stated that their main goal for Love Death Immortality was to “give the listener the opportunity to create a personal connection with the varying beats of each song.” They are successful, as each track on Love Death Immortality speaks directly to listeners of all backgrounds.

Although instrumentals do not typically interest most listeners, the unique synth-pop band, Glitch Mob, catches the attention of a wide variety of people with their electrical instruments and powerful rhythms; Love Death Immortality impressed me.

THE WILDCAT ASKS ‘WHAT BANDS DO YOU WANT BREA TO LISTEN TO?’ Red Hot Chili Peppers

Scars on Broadway

Against the Current

Falling in Reverse

Jenna Jensen

Andrew wise

amaris salas

Maiya smith-norton

Freshman

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

Junior

Freshman

Sophomore

Arctic Monkeys

LACEY CURREY Sophomore

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

TRENDS bohswildcat.com

The Wildcat March 11, 2014

27

EMBRACE THE BRACELETS THAT DEFINE OUR STUDENTS Complied by Sophie Zambri, Staff Writer Photos by Rachel Lin, Photo Editor

SUMMER TEAL | Literature Teacher

INO RAZ | Junior

KADY PEI | Sophomore

NINA EVANS | Junior

MADDY KIM | Sophomore

SOPHIE ZAMBRI | Junior

“My bracelet reminds me to pray for my family because it has baby pictures of myself, my siblings, and my parents.”

“I like my bracelet because it has my name on it and it makes me feel unique whenever I wear it.”

“My sister and I got these bracelets to represent our growing relationship.”

JORDAN PARAGAS | Sophomore

“I was on vacation in the Philippines with my family, and my grandma got this for me.”

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

“I got these bracelets from my dad who got them from my grandpa.

It’s like a sentimental piece handed down each generation.”

“I wear these bracelets because most of these are from places all over the world and they make me feel very worldly.”

“I wear these band bracelets because I like to share the bands that I listen to.”

CARLOS CAMEY | Spanish teacher

“This was a $1,000 birthday gift from my wife.

She gave it to me 20 years ago and it is very special to me.”

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

28

The Wildcat March 11, 2014

SETTING records For the first time in 14 years, boys’ varsity basketball makes it to cif finals. The state playoffs await.

by Noelle Gracia, Content Manager, and Christian Santonil, Staff Writer Photo by TRENT PRESTON

SPORTS bohswildcat.com

SPORTS

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

I

f there was ever any doubt about whether or not varsity boys’ basketball team would be able to adjust to the introduction of a new head coach, the Wildcats’ third in four years, those doubts were erased with an impressive run through CIF, which amounted to an appearance in the finals and a first round state play-off game at home, tonight.

It had been 14 years since the boys’ varsity basketball program last advanced to the CIF Southern Section Championships. On March 8 Wildcats faced the Trinity League’s Santa Margarita High School Eagles at the Honda Center.

This season has been one of unprecedented success for the boys. Not only did they earn an impressive 8-4 record in the competitive Century League (Canyon finished 10-2, with an overall record of 28-4), but also having an opportunity to compete on their home court in the first round of the state championships on March 12 against the Sweetwater High School Red Devils. The Wildcats ended their season with a record of 23-10, an 8-4 record in Century League, and a state rank of 79, according to maxpreps.com.

The championship game was one of high tension, and even higher hopes, as the boys were holding their own by the end of the first half with a 26-26 tie against the taller Eagles, who feature four players 6’6 or taller, with two standing at 6’8 and 6’10.

By the third quarter, the Eagles were able to gain an “easy lead,” according to Zac Jervis, sophomore.

“We had a few mental errors on defense which led them to pull ahead.”

The boys were able to pick up the pace in the fourth quarter and came close to tying their opponents again, but missing the majority of their attempted shots cost them the chance to fully catch up.

The game ended in a 53-46 score, and Santa Margarita left the Honda Center that night with a Division 3AA Championship title.

“We had some unlucky breaks at the end,

2014 CIF State Boys Basketball Playoff Brackets - Division III

BOHS Wildcats vs.

Sweetwater High School Red Devils WHERE: BOHS WHEN: tonight @ 7 p.m.

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

29

“We did a lot better than what most people expected.

Overall, we had a great season even though we lost the championship.” chandler ramos senior

ALL DAY: (far left) Michael Turner, senior, rises above a Santa Margarita defender.

SHAGGY: (left) Chandler Ramos, senior, shoots a floater in the lane against the Eagles. Although tied at the half, the Eagles pulled away for the win. but we still played [Santa Margarita] really tough. As my last year here, I’m still proud of my team and how far we got. Next year, I hope the team gets the championship,” Chandler Ramos, senior co-captain, said.

After the game, Jonathan Wallace, senior co-captain, said, “I felt it was a hard fought game on both ends of the court. The atmosphere was great being in the Honda Center, but being there cheered by the city of Brea made it a game I will never forget.”

The preceding semifinal game against the Servite High School Friars however, played out in the Wildcat’s favor. One of the most anticipated games of the entire season, tickets sold out by the end of snack on the first day of sales.

Both teams were revving for a victory as the Wildcats defeated the Friars last year at the CIF quarterfinals with a score of 55-39.

According to Jervis, the Friars “were playing very aggressively” in the final quarter, and “it was a challenge of not letting [Servite’s] student section get into our head.” Although Servite was looking to avenge their loss from last year, the Wildcats once again won.

In the quarterfinal match-up against the West Valley Mustangs, BOHS won 64-49, partly due to the Mustangs’ key player, senior Robert Brooks unable to stop the Wildcats’ offense.

“We put our focus on our defense, and on offense we got the ball inside to Zac [Jervis], Michael [Turner], and Jonathan [Wallace]. They

played well leading us to an easy victory, but we still needed to stay focused and disciplined throughout all four quarters,” Samuel Choi, senior said.

Hilliard reflected on their overall season: “I think [our seniors] have been doing a great job; our seniors have been doing a great job of leading us.”

“We played our hearts out on the court.

Despite the loss, we had an amazing experience on this journey to the CIF finals. Now we have to prepare for State playoffs,” Choi said.

BALLIN’: (above) Jude Privratsky, junior, drives past a Santa Margarita defender.

AN OFFER TO THE B-BALL GODS: (facing page) Zac Jervis, sophomore, reaches towards the basket for a lay in. Although the Wildcats fell short at CIF finals, they will still compete in the state playoffs.

Their first round match-up is against the 28-1 Sweetwater Red Devils from National City tonight, at home, at 7 p.m.

Photos by TRENT PRESTON

30

SPORTS

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

GIRLS’ VARSITY CENTURY LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

GIRLS’ VARSITY SOCCER concluded their season with an overall record of 20-5-2, and a Century League leading 10 wins against two losses.

The Wildcats were league champions for the first time since the 2006-2007 season and made it to the first round of CIF playoffs. The team also ranked sixth in Orange County and tenth in their entire division.

The team ended their season in the first round of CIF with a 2-0 loss to Los Alamitos High School.

Read the full story on PAGE 33.

Photo by TRENT PRESTON / the wildcat

31 BOYs’ soccer advances to CIF on solid finish The Wildcat

SPORTS bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

by Amanda Tortarolo, Staff Writer

junior outside midfielder, put in the final gamewinning goal, resulting in a 3-0 shut out of the Knights.

“It felt great to turn the season around and bounce back into second place after being in last at one point during the season,” Allgeier said.

The winning streak continued during the second half of league with another victory against the Canyon Comanches on Jan. 23.

The Wildcats scored early in the match from a corner kick by Miralaie to Jovellanos. In the second half of the game Miralaie also assisted Halm for the winning goal. The Wildcats left that day with a score of 2-1.

With a triumphant comeback, the team made their way into CIF. “Due to what we had expected out of ourselves at the beginning of the season, it was honestly not really a surprise making CIF. Once the brackets came out we just focused on our first game,” said Kraus.

The boys traveled 76 miles to Moorpark

ON THE BALL: (above) Ryan Maris, senior, gets a high five from Joseph Park, sophomore, on the field. (right) Lance Halm, senior, kicks the ball away from a Villa Park player. The Wildcats ended the year with a 13-9-2 record.

B

OYS’ VARSITY SOCCER concluded their season with an overall record of 13 wins, nine loses, and two ties, and a Century League record of six wins and six loses.

The Wildcats placed fourth in league, behind rivals Villa Park and El Dorado, who tied for second place with league records of eight wins, three loses, and one tie. In first was Esperanza with nine wins and three loses.

A major success on the season for the Wildcats was their performance in December’s Wildcat Cup. The team placed first and earned the championship for the first time since 1998.

It was a record setting set of games for Matteo Miralaie, junior midfielder, who had four assists over the week to become the Brea record holder for the most assists in the Wildcat Cup. Willy Allgeier, junior goalie, had a total of 21 saves at the goal and also saved all three of Fullerton’s penalty kicks throughout the four

matches of the Wildcat Cup. “What made our team successful was that we wanted to win and we were willing to work for one another,” Allgeier said. “We did very well in the game against Fullerton because we defended very strongly and held them to no goals. We are also the only team this year to beat Fullerton and [we’re] the first [BOHS] team to win the Wildcat Cup.” According to Marcus Kraus, senior defender, a major struggle for the team was its loss of players due to injuries and illness throughout the course of the season. Be that as it may, the team pushed through these setbacks and earned a trip to the first round of CIF. “The team chemistry was a little uneasy at times. Most of the difficulty came from expecting so much out of ourselves, as far as great performances in games, due to the level of talent on our team,” Kraus said. “So frustration set in whenever things were not up to our high

standards.”

In the team’s first league game against the Esperanza Aztecs on Dec. 19, Lance Halm, senior forward, scored the lone goal of the game, tying the score to 1-1.

In the last five minutes of the game, the Aztecs managed knock in the winning goal, resulting in a 2-1 loss for the Wildcats.

The team had similar outcomes in the next two league games against El Modena, 3-1, on Jan.7, and Villa Park, 3-2, on Jan.9. Despite the rough start, the Wildcats then rattled off four staright wins.

It was the victory against the Foothill Knights on Jan.14 that seemed to give the boys momentum. At the start of the game, the team quickly put in two goals, both of which came from leading scorer Halm. Michael Jovellanos,

Photos by TRENT PRESTON / the wildcat

High School in the first round of CIF. In the last five minutes of the game Moorpark scored the winning goal, untying the game and making it 2-1.

The Wildcats left that day with a loss, but an optimistic outlook on next years’ season.

“I really believe the group that will play varsity next year will be an excellent group,” Stephen Teal, boys’ varsity soccer coach, said.

“For the last four years I have been aiming towards next years’ team as being the team that returns Brea boys’ soccer back to one of the top teams in Orange County. I fully expect that next years’ team will be very successful.”

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

The Wildcat

32 kadakia participates in triathalons March 11, 2014

SPORTS bohswildcat.com

from PAGE 15

by Asha Kadakia, Photographer Photo by Rachel Lin, Photo Editor

T

he sound of my blaring alarm at 4:30 in the morning disturbed me from my restless slumber. That was the day that I had spent countless months training for.

That was the day of the Encinitas Triathlon.

My parents attempted to cheer me up as the morning before the race dragged on, but I could not help but drown them out as possible situations for the race played through my mind.

The constant fear of injuring myself or not performing to the best of my ability haunted me as I made my way to the race grounds.

I completed my first triathlon in October of 2011, and have raced in multiple races throughout the years. My aunt, who is also my fitness inspiration, inspired me to give the sport a try, and the moment I crossed the finish line at the San Diego SheROX triathlon in 2011, I knew I was hooked.

A triathlon consists of three main events: swimming, biking, and running.

The distances of the events depend on the race.

I primarily race in the sprint distance triathlon composed of a half-mile swim, 12-mile bike, and three-mile run.

I set up my transition area as the clock hit 6:15 a.m., and I wondered where I was going to be able to find the energy to race for two hours.

I watched the heats of people begin their race before me, and I could not help but nervously pace along the seashore. My body shook from the anticipation of knowing it would soon be me who would be diving into the ocean to begin the triathlon.

Soon my heat was called, and we began to gather to start the race. Behind the boundaries, my parents were shouting words of encouragement to ease my nerves. The announcer began the tensecond countdown, and I fixated my attention to the raging waves crashing before me.

The gun went off, and I sprinted into the

“I rushed out of the water and up the sandy beach to the transition area. I unpeeled my wetsuit, grabbed my biking shoes, carefully shoved my helmet onto my head, and yanked the bike from the rack. I moved as quickly as I could to the starting mark of the bike race.”

- asha kadakia MEDAL WINNER: Photographer Asha Kadakia poses with her medals from various triathlons.

Kadakia participated in her first triathlon in 2011, and has continued to compete ever since.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

sea. The initial shock of the cold water passed quickly and I ducked under the waves, beginning my 800-meter swim out into the open water.

As the daunting waves loomed above me, I took a breath, dove under the swell, and kicked back to the surface. I kept repeating this sequence until I was out of the impact zone.

I then swam along the buoys to end the first portion of the race.

I rushed out of the water and up the sandy beach to the transition area. I unpeeled my wetsuit, grabbed my biking shoes, carefully shoved my helmet onto my head, and yanked the bike from the rack. I moved as quickly as I could to the starting mark of the bike race.

During my 12-mile biking course, I heard my number called out by my other competitors wishing me luck. As a younger competitor, many of the experienced triathletes offered me encouragement throughout the course. I passed by my parents after my first lap, and as I watched them cheer for me, another burst of adrenaline coursed through my body. I pumped my legs faster and approached the finishing point of the biking route. As my bike approached the dismount station, I swung my leg over the seat, and allowed the bike to glide to a stop.

I grabbed the handles and ran back to the bustling final transition area. I took my helmet off, and then ran out to finish the final portion of the race.

I passed through the swarm of people all pushing their limits in order to finish. Although at this point my body wanted to collapse against the pavement, my determination to cross the finish line outweighed the alternative. My legs felt weak from biking, but I continued to push through the pain.

Soon, the finish line was in sight. My heart leaped at the thought of finishing, and I took off down the course. I darted through the crowd, only focusing on the large finish line in the distance. I sprinted through the finish line and gasped for air.

After two hours of non-stop activity, I felt the weight of a heavy finishing medal against my chest.

I could barely register the people taking my time chip off and offering me snacks to replenish my energy. I sat on a chair and allowed the events of the day to play through my head.

Although the sporting events in triathlons are always the same, the adrenaline throughout the races create a unique sense of accomplishment that inspires me to continue competing.

home, it registered that I still ate a full meal without any meat. The small barbecue really put things into perspective for the rest of my challenge.

I realized that in more ways than one, vegetarianism has its benefits. Then, one of my favorite holiday meals came along: Thanksgiving dinner. I did not think I had enough self-control to abstain from eating turkey. Each of my family members urged me to try my uncle’s deep fried turkey dish. I glanced at everyone’s plate, wanting to forget what a vegetarian was. Surprisingly, I avoided the turkey and my all time favorite, honey baked ham, and scooped everything else onto my plate.

My plate consisted of cheesy potatoes, carrots, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, bread, and macaroni and cheese. I forgot about eating the turkey and just enjoyed the holiday with my family. Although each one of them still opposed the idea of me being a vegetarian, insisting that I was stunting my growth and starving my organs of nutrients, I felt satisfied after the meal.

To be honest, Thanksgiving was not my weakest moment. I had encountered many challenges, like not eating a simple corn dog at Disneyland, to not being able to order a cheeseburger from my favorite drive-thru.

Many people continued to ask why I was still a vegetarian, thinking I was “depriving” myself, but I did not need to explain.

During my vegetarian month, my perspective changed, and I realized that they were the ones depriving themselves. Throughout my challenge, I had realized that vegetarianism is not only a diet, but a lifestyle. People tend to convert their diets to vegetarianism for health purposes, but many people have also converted because it is what they believe in.

Vegetarianism has a deeper meaning to me now, after my journey, than just some fad diet.

The outcome of my challenge made me realize human rights should not overpower another species for our own selfish needs. I decided on extending my vegetarian diet, and have continued on to veganism, with the support of my mom and many others. Although my journey was difficult, I am proud of myself for going through with this challenge and altering my lifestyle for the better.

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

33 Ladycats win league; fall in CIF semiFINALS The Wildcat

SPORTS bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

by Christian Santonil, Staff Writer

The theme of this season was one of exceeding expectations for the Ladycats, who, though they fell just short of competing in the CIF finals, came farther in CIF than expected with a home semifinal match-up against the 25-4 Long Beach Millikan Rams.

In the March 4 semifinal, the first three quarters were in Millikan’s favor, but in the final quarter, the Ladycats erupted for 23 points, versus the Rams’ eight. But it wasn’t enough to overcome a nine point third quarter, and the girls’ fell, 70-66, to the Moore League champs.

To prepare for this crucial game, the girls knew that they were going to have to have a “killer mentality,” according to Reili Richardson, sophomore. And the fact that the team did not have a very deep bench was going to pose a challenge as well.

“We should have won that game. But the other team was on their A-game and they could not miss a shot. We played well but they just played better.” Kelsey Hazama, senior, said.

Preceding the semifinal game, the girls competed in the CIF quarterfinals against the Vista Murrieta Broncos. The Broncos had “two very aggressive girls and it was a challenge to stop them from rebounding and scoring,” according to Naomi Hunt, freshman. The Ladycats dominated the first half, but by the third quarter the Broncos rebounded and were slowly gaining behind sophomore Brittney Reed’s 28 points. But BOHS remained ahead and emerged victorious, 63-59.

Despite the semifinal loss, this season proved more than successful for the girls. Finishing 11-1, the Ladycats were once again declared Century League champions. Their overall season record was 20-9.

Head coach Jeff Sink said, “For any coach, the ideal ‘dream team’ is a team that over achieves and wins more games than anyone else thought they would. And now we were 11-1 in Century League, and we won the championship. So I’m very pleased with what we have accomplished.”

Photos by TRENT PRESTON / the wildcat

“DISCIPLINED AND DEDICATED”: (left) Kelsey Hazama, senior, takes a jump shot over the reach of her opponent from the three point line. (right) Shaylissa Jarrett, junior, drives past a Villa Park guard on Feb. 4. The Ladycats prevailed, 58-19.

Girls’ soccer dominates league; falls in CIF semiFINALS

by Amanda Tortarolo and Sophie Zambri, Staff Writers The successes were many for the girls’ varsity soccer team this season. The girls concluded their season with an overall record of 20-5-2, tied for first in Century League with a 10-2 record, were league champions for the first time since the 20062007 season, earned a trip to the first round of CIF, and ranked sixth in Orange County and tenth in their entire division.

In the team’s first league match against the number two ranked team, Villa Park, the girls played a tough defensive battle. Each team had three shots on goal, but neither were able to successfully score until Makena Dandley, senior defender, headed the ball from a corner kick into the goal. Amber Rojas senior goalie, also came up with big plays in the second half of the game. She proceeded to block all three of the Spartans shots on net. The Wildcats concluded the game with a score of 1-0.

According to Rojas, Villa Park has been one of the team’s biggest rivals for many years. This year though, the girls were able to step up their game to a new level and with that came their

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

fourth consecutive win of the season.

“They have always been our toughest adversary and for the first time, we came confident and shut them down,” Rojas said.

In the wake of the team’s success, a strong sisterhood was formed between the teammates, which carried them strong throughout the season.

“We worked really hard together and had great chemistry. We all pushed each other to play to the best of our abilities and we encouraged each other when we had our doubts. I think because of how well we got along, we were able to show how talented our team really was. Our seniors were the best. They were all some of the most supportive teammates and because of their leadership, we were able to work together and pull through,” Harlie Valentine, junior forward, said.

In order to have come so far in league, the team was forced to push through and overcome the struggles such as working together as a cohesive unit and not letting their losses get to them.

The team’s biggest adversity this season was rival Foothill High School, who was also competing for the first place in Century League.

“We lost and ended up tying for first. We played our hearts out, but the game did not go our way. It was hard to overcome that game, but we were forced to in order to beat El Dorado, our next game, and hold the first place title,” Valentine said.

The standout players of the season were Rojas, with 89 saves as starting goalie; top scorer and forward Emily Carmen, junior, with 11 goals, and following right behind her, Ally Moon, senior, with ten goals scored.

The team ended their season in the first round of CIF with a 2-0 loss to Los Alamitos High School. The game was constant back and forth action but Los Alamitos captured the win.

“I felt extremely proud that our senior class was able to lead the team to CIF. It was a great way to make our mark,” Rojas said.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

The Wildcat

SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW

34 familiar face returns

SPORTS bohswildcat.com

March 11, 2014

by Noelle Gracia, Staff Writer

S

OME OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL teams are the ones that have been playing together so long that they inherently know each other’s playing styles, they can rely on each other to come through when needed, and they are able to seamlessly work together as a cohesive unit.

Consistency contributes a great deal to that union, and for the boys’ varsity baseball team, the 2014 campaign will hopefully be the one where new head coach, Aemon Fowler, will lead the team to post season glory.

huge adjustment to get used to; I even already knew some of the kids on varsity since they had been playing all four years,” Fowler said.

Some of those senior boys who have been in the varsity program since their freshmen years admit there was some difficulty in having to adjust to a new coach every year--Fowler is their third head coach in four years--and their individual coaching styles. According to Matt Lemmons, “each coach is different. Some want to be very hands-on and have everything done exactly their way, while others prefer to just let their assistant coaches handle some stuff. It seems to change every year.”

While Fowler “likes to be involved in the practice of [his] team,” he also knows that everyone on his coaching staff has their own strengths and he strives to let everyone work to the best of their abilities. He believes this is the best way to cultivate the most successful team possible.

APRIL SANTONIL / the wildcat For the past three years, boys’ varsity baseball has had multiple head coaching changes. Mike Baker, health teacher and head coach up until the 2011-2012 season, decided to retire from baseball due to personal reasons and focus only on his assistant coaching position for varsity football.

Matt Sorenson, former U.S. history teacher and Baker’s successor, was forced out because his temporary teaching contract was not renewed by the district.

It is now Fowler’s turn to mold the program into something of his own. Fortunately, Fowler is not unfamiliar with the Wildcats as he was an assistant coach during Baker’s tenure. (Between stints at BOHS, Fowler has been the head coach of the freshman or junior varsity teams at myriad high schools, including Fullerton, La Serna, and St. Paul. And along with coaching baseball, Fowler teaches math just yards from the field at Brea Canyon High School.)

“I believe the fact that I’ve worked at [BOHS] previously really helped because there wasn’t a

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

“Some of my assistant coaches have been here for years and are so good at what they do, it would not make sense to try and coach something when they are so much more experienced with whatever aspect of the game they are familiar with. One of my coaches has even played professionally, so obviously they know what they’re doing,” Fowler said. He classifies his own personal strengths as working with the outfielders, and keeping his team’s mindset “a positive one.”

Fowler places a heavy emphasis on the mental aspect of the game being nearly as important on the physical aspect. According to him, “no team is capable of winning if they don’t have the right outlook going into the game. I want the team to really believe that not only can we make it far into CIF but also be taken as a serious competitor as well.”

Though the varsity program has had difficulty in retaining a head coach these past few years, this has only strengthened the team as a whole, according to infielder Kasser.

ON THE BALL: (far left) Third baseman Daniel Jang, senior, fields a grounder and prepares to throw to first for the out. Jang had two runs batted in in the Wildcats’ narrow loss to Tesoro on March 8. Jang also notched a win in relief in the opening game.

PITCH PERFECT: (middle) Cameron Bishop, senior, unleashes a strike. On offense, Bishop has already base five times in two games this season.

POSITIVE INFLUENCE: (right) Aemon Fowler relaxes in the dugout before a recent practice. This is Fowler’s first season as head coach of the Wildcats, but he’s no stranger to the program or BOHS. Fowler has assisted with the team in the past, and he’s a teacher at Brea Canyon High School.

Photos by TRENT PRESTON

“We’ve learned to rely on each other, and even though the coaching style changes often, it doesn’t change how we play together as a team.”

Both Fowler and Kasser testified to the fact that encouraging senior leadership is one of the main reasons why the team is “so strong this year.”

That strength was evident in the Wildcats’ first two contests, a season-opening win against Beckman on March 6 behind senior Kyle Kasser’s three hits, and a narrow extra-inning loss to Tesoro on March 8.

According to Fowler, the team is fortunate enough to have a variety of leaders on the team, ranging from “very vocal boys who constantly yelling out encouragements; to quieter, equally hardworking boys who push the team in subtler ways.”

The Wildcats have high hopes for this upcoming season as they have a “strong defense, and [their] pitching staff, though new, will definitely give [their] opponents a run for their money.”

Fowler said, “This season should be a good one.”

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW

SPORTS bohswildcat.com

The Wildcat

March 11, 2014

35

boys’, girls’ swim reload with talented wave of freshmen

by Amanda Tortarolo and Sophie Zambri, Staff Writers Boys’ and girls’ swim dive into the upcoming season with high expectations. Many of the teams’ star athletes, such as Clay Simons (’13) who earned Century League MVP have graduated, but this year’s team is far from lacking in talent. A wave of talented incoming freshman has brought raw energy and skill to the Wildcat swim program.

“This year’s team is younger; we graduated a lot of guys, but we have a great deal of very fast freshman, which is really exciting,” Gil Rotblum, boys’ varsity swim coach, said.

The desire to win and place well in league for both the boys’ and girls’ teams has been evident in the rigorous off-season training. The teams have been swimming over 3,000 yards each practice and will continue working even harder as the season approaches.

According to Cody Wood, senior distance swimmer, the Wildcats are optimistic about the upcoming season.

“I am very excited for the season. We have a lot of good freshman and we should have an awesome team this year,” Wood said.

This is the first year in many that boys’ varsity swim will have a higher than average amount of freshmen on the team. These freshmen are held to a higher level of pressure to keep up and compete with the returners.

Last season boys’ varsity swim placed third in league, behind the Foothill Knights and champion Villa Park. Girls’ swim placed fifth in league overall.

“The biggest competition is between us, Villa Park, and Foothill High School. My hopes for the season are to place in the top two for league and have two relay teams make it into CIF,” Rotblum said.

This season, girls’ varsity has a new weapon, freshman Isabel Killeen. Killeen comes in with a personal record of a 1:02 for the 100-yard freestyle and high hopes of breaking BOHS records this season.

“My goal is to definitely get down to a flat this season and hopefully beat [junior teammate] Emily Spadt. Of course that part is just a dream though,” said Killeen.

The teams’ first league swim meet is on March 12 against the Canyon Comanches at 3 p.m. at the Brea Olinda High School pool.

ASHA KADAKIA / the wildcat

IN SYNCH: A wave of swimmers dive into the pool at a recent boys’ swim practice.

Both boys’ and girls’ swim reload this year with an influx of freshmen talent.

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GRAD NITE 2014 WHEN: JUNE 18, 2014 [the evening of graduation]

WHERE: TO BE ANNOUNCED Admission will be from 9:4511 p.m. and will conclude at approximately 4 a.m. on June 19, 2013 $135 until APRIL 15 $150 from APRIL 16 to JUNE 18 *Tickets can be paid for by cash or check (payable to BOHS Grad Night) or paid online with PayPal at www. bohsgradnite.com

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The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

36

The Wildcat March 11, 2014

#BTOWNBEATDOWN AGAINST SERVITE The Den supports boys’ varsity basketball after the CIF semifinal game against rival Servite High School. The WIldcats prevailed against the Friars, 51-46.

Photo by TRENT PRESTON / the wildcat