VOL. 83 No. 5(2013-2014)

wildcat the

Vol. 83, Issue 5 June 12, 2014

est. 1930

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

The Senior Issue

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Senior Amanda Lank is ready for the ‘Trojan Life’

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Where the senior class of 2014 is headed

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The Wildcat highlights 16 seniors in portraits

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What's inside

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

June 12, 2014

4 6 14 15 16 18

model of united nations unite

After 10 years, Brea Model United Nations club resumes

by BRITTANY TAM STAFF WRITER

a new sat

In 2016, College Board will introduce a new SAT exam

by BRITTANY TAM STAFF WRITER

NO MORE MAKEUP

Photo editor April Santonil goes 40 days without makeup for Lent

by APRIL SANTONIL PHOTO EDITOR

marijuana poses problem

Celebrities’ usage of marijuana influences teens

by STEFANI CLARK COPY EDITOR

MOBILE CLOSET

Sophomore Libby Williams and her father deliver clothes to the needy

by AMANDA TORTAROLO STAFF WRITER

SUMMER TEAL

AP Language teacher Summer Teal opens up about past hardships and her spiritual journey

Sharon Cho

Trent Preston

editor-in-chief

photo editor

San Francisco State University

Cal Poly Pomona

Amidst the madness and chaos of trying to scramble to put this final issue together, I finally have the chance to reflect upon my last four years as a Wildcat. However, the majority of my memories are only filled with staring at a computer screen, hunched over, not thinking about anything but finishing the newspaper task that is screaming my name. Although at many times I felt the pierce of regret of not spending enough time with friends and having trivial, juvenile fun, I am still honored to have left my mark somewhere, somehow.

I am sure that many of you see the image of me just working in the newspaper room as a sad image, but this is where I have grown as a person and developed my maturity. Even though a part of me is still that immature, high school student, the other part of me has morphed into this person I never thought I would become.

As a freshman, all I thought about was getting out of high school and getting into a good college. But, as the years went by, and the many tears of bad grades and disappointment streamed down my face into a puddle of darkness and remorse, I realized that high school is just that period in life where a person expands their mind and thoughts. All those hardships just happen and are things that must be dealt with. I am now aware that college will be that same leverage of growth.

As I bid adieu to my days as a Wildcat and welcome my next course in life at San Francisco State, I will remain open to both the amusing and unsteady moments, where I will possibly transform into a person I never expected.

People often ask the question “why?” “Why do you spend countless hours behind the lens?” My answer is simple: It is a passion. Not only am I able to do what I love when I take photographs for the Wildcat but I am able to connect the student body of BOHS and help to make my peers proud to be a Wildcat.

Over my four year career at Brea Olinda I have made it a personal goal to change the mindset of the student body from dreading coming to school, to wanting to make the trek up Wildcat Way each morning. There is so much more to high school life then just class work, homework and grades, if you get involved with different activities and make as many friends as possible your experience will unforgettable.

I wish everyone the best of luck in every adventure they take, but I know you will not need it; we are Wildcats.

by NOELLE GRACIA CONTENT MANAGER

getting rid of media

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Staff writers Stacy Uhm and Astyr Ko fast from all media for two weeks

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Senior Amanda Lank prepares her cardinal and gold attire for USC

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MEET THE TWO WILDCAT SENIORS

by stacy uhm and astyr ko staff writers

‘the trojan life’

by sharon cho editor-in-chief

consequences of tv binge watching Countless hours of watching television shows harms teenagers

by Anabel king guest contributor

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q&a with AMBER REYES

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CAM BISHOP

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LAUREN HANNA

Amber Reyes, senior, discusses her dance career and her post-high school plans

Senior pitcher caps BOHS baseball career with scholarship to UCI

by Christian santonil staff writer

Junior catcher overcomes injury and commits to Villanova University

by AMANDA TORTAROLO staff writer

SPECIAL THANKS TO MAMA CHO JEFF PRESTON LISA PRESTON ALEX KOERS APRIL SANTONIL GREG HIGASHI SUSAN LUCE

The Wildcat

NEWS

June 12, 2014

The Senior Issue

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betty rudd to retire after 39 year teaching career

by Astyr Ko, Staff Writer

After 39 years of teaching, Betty Rudd, honors biology teacher, is retiring at the end of the year.

Rudd taught in Africa for nine years, Chino Hills for five years, and then transferred to BOHS, where she has taught for 25 years.

Despite the fact that she loves teaching and her students, teaching requires a lot of energy and Rudd admits that her energy levels are dropping as it is draining teaching 200 high school students a day.

“I absolutely love the kid part of teaching and being with students, but you need lots of energy to teach well,” Rudd said. “I do not want to stay here past my prime.”

Rudd’s interest in science began when she was a senior in high school and worked as her biology teacher’s assistant. As a teacher’s assistant, she did more than just grade papers; she also taught a few classes and organized lesson plans, allowing her to see what it is like to teach. Her teacher would critique her, and she enjoyed the experience enough that the career became an even larger aspect of her life when she began teaching her own children through home school.

“I got thrown into teaching my own children when we lived overseas,” Rudd said. “It was like over glorified home schooling, but there was more than just my kids.”

Rudd’s teaching career began far from home in the Peace Corps in Cameroon, Africa, where she taught for two years. There, she home schooled her daughter and a few other local children. Eventually, she and her friend began a home schooling program for their children and their neighbors’ children, and with only a list of standards and requirements from the country, Rudd taught students from four different grade levels.

From Cameroon, she then moved to Honduras, living on a shrimp farm, where she was 25 miles from the nearest city. Due to their distance

from the city, Rudd and her friend developed a school for the children of Honduras. As the project grew bigger, students from many grades joined the program. Local Hondurans attended the home schooling program to learn English, and Rudd admits that even while working in Africa, she taught an American curriculum. “[Teaching] fit my mentality because I’m organized. I enjoyed the puzzle of lesson planning, being creative, and coming up with ideas with on how to teach,” Rudd laughed.

Towards the end of her seven years of teaching in Honduras, Rudd taught children from ages five to 14. The project allowed her to experience teaching in its fullest, and Rudd enjoyed finding unique ways to teach her class different subjects, and enjoyed the humbling life she lived in Honduras.

“It was a varied experience,” Rudd said. “The nine years I taught before I taught at a high school are very different from what I do today, but it gave me the skills and knowledge to be successful.”

After returning home from Honduras, she decided to become a credentialed teacher in the States. Rudd knew that elementary teaching was not suitable for her because of the many skills involved, like music and storytelling, so she chose to teach high school students because she would be able to teach her interest and major, biology.

Rudd believes biology is essential and everyone should know it. She also enjoys the “assignment” of being with kids and teaching the subject she loves. “[Rudd] ultimately wants to help us succeed and breaks complicated things down so that they’re easy enough to understand,” Rianne Paracuelles, freshman, said.

In retirement, Rudd hopes to continuously be of service, but in an environment that is not as demanding as a high school classroom. She is interested in the holistic counseling field, where she can counsel people of any age to find direction and confidence. After six months, she also plans to begin substitute teaching. “[Rudd] developed more than anyone else the honors biology curriculum. From teaching Introduction to Physical Science to AP Biology, she’s been a very valuable person in the science department,” Jerry Halpin, principal, said.

BLOOD DRIVE

VITAL LINK CAREER PROGRAM VISITS

TASTE OF BREA

Showcased in the Auxiliary Gym, the Vital Link Career Program, a non-profit organization, visited on May 28 to allow students to experience unique career opportunities firsthand.

According to vitallinkoc.org, the Vital Link Career Program provides high school students with interactive and dynamic activities, resources to explore career options, and educational connections.

“Vital Link brings activities that are similar to different career fields so that students get exposure to career pathways. Through these activities, [students] get the hands-on training and technical skills they will need for each career field,” Joe Rueda, exhibit director, said.

Vital Link set up 12 exhibits consisting of game design, medical, engineering and manufacturing, and energy for

Inspired to showcase the best of Brea, this year’s Taste of Brea took place on Birch Street between Brea Blvd. and Imperial Highway from 5 to 9 p.m. on May 15. Taste of Brea is sponsored

by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company, Inc., Chevron Co., City of Brea, Placentia-Linda Hospital, and Mother’s Market located in Brea, according to breachamber. com.

Taste of Brea was open for everyone to attend. Wristbands for unlimited sampling, beer, and wine from diners were $20 for adults and $10 for ages ten and under.

During the event, thousands of people sampled foods from restaurants in Brea such as Kabuki, Chick-Fil-A, ChaCha’s Latin Kitchen, and more.

Restaurants such as Melting Pot served strawberry and a piece of cheesecake covered in chocolate fondue, and Brunos Trattoria

by Hailee Gallegos, Staff Writer Collaborating with ASB, American Red Cross, a non-profit organization, encouraged students to donate blood in the second blood drive of the year that took place on May 22.

Approximately 80 students participated in the Blood Drive, which took place in the Auxiliary Gym. To be eligible to participate, students must weigh at least 110 pounds, be at least 16 and pass a blood test assuring that they have no blood related diseases.

If a participant is 16, they need parental consent.

“We wanted to get as many participants as we could, and we got a great result,” Josiah Hatch, sophomore and ASB member, said.

After signing up, students were provided with a packet informing them how they should prepare themselves for the donation. The packet also notified parents of the regulations and

PAGE DESIGN BY| NICOLE NAM

results of giving blood and how it can benefit others.

According to redcrossblood. org, each donor gives a pint of blood, which can help up to three people.

Students donated blood first through sixth period. After giving their portion, donors remained in the gym, drinking juice and water and eating various foods to increase their blood sugar before being sent back to class.

According to redcrossblood. org, the blood is delivered to a Red Cross blood component laboratory, where it is separated into individual components and sent to hospitals with the hopes of helping or saving lives.

“I am always so impressed with the generosity of our students. They are willing to give away something that is pricelesstheir blood- in order to help others who are in need,” Pam Valenti, ASB advisor, said.

HANNAH ROARK / the wildcat

LENDING A HAND: Betty Rudd, science teacher, helps out a pair of her students. Rudd is retiring after 39 years in the teaching profession.

by Nicole Nam, News Co-Editor

students.

In the medical industry, two different exhibits were showcased: CPR and Human Anatomy/Torsos. Students were given the opportunity to learn the basic description of CPR and how to perform the proper technique, as well as the different systems in the human body and their functions.

An industry that drew students’ attention was the environmental industry. The exhibits included: a power bike, wind turbines, and an eco-house, all of which displayed different ways to be environmentally friendly.

“The exposure to the types of programs out there was professionally done. It opens students’ eyes to the possibilities of the different areas [students] might not have ever thought of before,” Jerry Halpin, principal, said.

by Astyr Ko and Stacy Uhm, Staff Writers restaurant served chips with their signature dips. Booths unrelated to food gave out prizes to customers through games and raffles.

Not only did Taste of Brea showcase different kinds of cuisines, but it also promoted businesses and non-profit organizations in Brea.

While people explored the booths, the band Cold Duck performed live for the second time at Taste of Brea. Throughout the event, Cold Duck performed over 40 songs which were enjoyed by different ages.

“I like how you can be part of the community and are able to talk to people of Brea,” Anthony, employee of Wells Fargo and member of the Brea Chamber of Commerce, said.

Taste of Brea promotes publicity for the city, and in previous years, it has attracted as many as 3,500 people to Brea, according to breachamber.com.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

4

The Wildcat

NEWS The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

MODEL United Nations club resumes after a decade

by Brittany Tam, Staff Writer

Inactive for almost a decade, the Model United Nations, or Model UN Club (MUN), was resumed last year by two current sophomores, Brent Gutkowski, president, and Kyle Kirk, vice president.

Model UN is a simulation of the United Nations General Assembly, where students are given the opportunity to be an ambassador or delegate for a particular country and a committee to represent, according to the United Nations Associations of the United States of America (UNAUSA).

Advised by Greg Higashi, Economics teacher, Model UN meets every Thursday at lunch and plans mock committees prior to approaching conferences. According to Kirk, members must research their appointed country and topic, analyze possible solutions, and write position papers stating the past actions, current issues, and policies of the country. Students individually study and prepare at least ten hours prior to a conference along with their balance of schoolwork and homework.

“These students are motivated academically, focused in their involvement, politically-savvy, and passionate,” Higashi said.

Model UN listens to guest instructors and utilizes peer collaboration and assistance in order to improve their public speaking and social skills.

Club members, as well as Higashi, sacrifice weekends and vacations to practice and strengthen their speeches and eventually, participate in the conferences, according to Gutkowski.

On conference day, the club anticipates a professional setting with approximately 2,000 delegates. According to Gutkowski, Model UN students discuss their points and debate their research among each other, taking the responsibility of adults and creating an atmosphere of solutions most teens would not think of.

This year, Model UN attended five conferences at host high schools, Huntington Beach High School and El Toro High School. At each

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

Photo courtesy of BRENT GUTOWSKI

STRIKING A POSE: Mikayla Tetreault, Samantha Drury, Ray Gonzalez, Samara Eghterafi, seniors, Dillon McKinley, junior, Caroline Bower, Luke Fishman, Brent Gutkowski, Jovany Candelario, sophomores, Jane Lee, and Joshua Lee, freshmen, pose for a picture at their first conference. conference, the club received awards.

In their most recent conference, Gutkowski and Mikayla Tetreault, senior, achieved the Best Delegate Award; Caroline Bower, sophomore, accepted the Outstanding Delegate Award; and Jane Lee, freshman, Luke Fishman, sophomore, and Raymond Gonzalez Jr., senior, earned Commendations.

“My experience has been extremely rewarding. I was really nervous during my first conference last year, but this year, I stepped it up and won best delegate in my committee,” Tetreault said.

According to Kirk and Gutkowski, Model UN aspires to expand as a club and travel across the world to debate with other international students. Model UN wishes to host conferences on campus, and according to Higashi, he plans to propose the possibility of establishing the club as a class in the future. Currently, both Kirk and Gutkowski, with the help of Higashi, are arranging a mock conference next year open to students to attract interest and expose the experience of a debate to a wider audience.

“Model UN is a platform for students to practice public speaking, a lost art, and open their perspectives to a large group of people. It is a great chance to be engaged in a possible intriguing curiosity,” Higashi said.

Next year, the club is fundraising to attend five more conferences and ultimately, travel to New York, where the actual United Nation resides, in order to compete in the advanced division. Model UN is organizing an “Adopt a Delegate” program, pastry sales, a car raffle, poker nights, and restaurant sponsorships such as Chipotle fundraisers to earn money for the advanced division competition.

According to Gutkowski, Model UN encompasses not only the education and exposure of word affairs, but also a group dynamic and the opportunity to meet diverse types of people. Students can become more aware of world situations, create new friendships, and possibly discover an interest in foreign services and affairs.

“Model UN is like a family. It opens a wide variety of world cultures; it is a global journey and a fulfilling international experience to join,” Gutkowski said

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The Wildcat

NEWS

5 new ap physics course June 12, 2014

The Senior Issue

ROTBLUM named TEACHER OF THE YEAR in ‘14-’15; course open

by Brittany Tam, Staff Writer

to sophomores

fter 12 years of teaching at BOHS, Gil Rotblum was named as Teacher of the Year by the BOUSD the week of April 18. A teacher of AP European History, Online and regular World History, and coach of the school’s aquatics program, Rotblum did not expect to be one of the nominees, and was surprised to hear he had won.

Rotblum began his teaching career after accepting a Graduate Fellowship from Whittier College. In New York, Rotblum hated his occupation as a data entry worker in a Wall Street firm and always enjoyed returning to his job as a water polo coach. According to Rotblum, his love for coaching influenced his decision to earn a clear credential and Masters degree in Education at Whittier College. He moved to Southern California and in the fall of 2002, Rotblum accepted the offer of being a history teacher and coach at BOHS. “I feel appreciated by both staff and students. I began my teaching career through my experience and love for coaching and an offer of tuition remission at Whittier College to coach water polo, so I quit my job in New York City and moved to California,” Rotblum said.

Throughout his career, Rotblum has contributed his time to coaching boys’ and girls’ water polo and swimming, and participating in school events such as Mr. Brea, Navy SEALs Challenge, and Power 106 basketball games.

Rotblum’s other contributions include the creation of a Contemporary World Affairs course and the Online World History course. Rotblum has implemented a school wide paper-recycling program to support the aquatics program. Since 2011, the program has collected 10.5 tons of paper.

According to Jonathan Gunther, AP U.S. Government and World History teacher, Rotblum is an involved teacher dedicated to helping his students.

“Mr. Rotblum has a great command of the [teaching] material, wonderful sense of humor, techsavvy, and gets out of his way to help students,” Gunther, said.

Not only does Rotblum help his students but also assists with the campus’ technology-Aeries, Parent Portal, Data Director, and Illuminate. In the last year, Rotblum has helped transition the school and district into a “Google district” with the incorporation of new technology into learning proficiently.

“Mr. Rotblum has been our site technology representative for several years. He uses technology very well and is passionate in his profession as teacher, coach, and colleague,” Jerry Halpin, principal, said.

Rotblum helps both the staff and students with technology. By utilizing technology in the classroom, students optimistically respond to the uses of their smart phones and Google Drive.

by Julianne Tetreault, Staff Writer

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PAGE DESIGN BY| NICOLE NAM

ext year, seniors, juniors, and sophomores will be given the opportunity to take new AP classes: AP Physics 1 and 2, which are being recognized as the replacement for AP Physics B. According to Jerry Halpin, principal, College Board, an organization that runs the AP program, eliminated the AP Physics B program and replaced it with AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2, while AP Physics C remains the same. By creating a two-year sequence, it opened up possibilities for younger students to take more AP programs and experience more advanced classes.

Before AP Physics 1 was available, AP Physics B, AP Physics C – Mechanics, and AP Physics C – Electricity and Magnetism, were the only classes in the Physics Department and were only available to seniors. Now that AP Physics 1 is available, it changes the course options for students that take this particular class.

According to collegeboard.com, AP Physics 1 is an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course that explores topics such as Newtonian mechanics; work, energy, and power; mechanical waves and sound; and introductory, simple circuits.

Not only is AP Physics 1 a college level course, but also is designed to be 25 percent of handson laboratory work with an addition of inquiredbased investigations, according to Phil Henderson, conceptual physics teacher. “[Although] we will not cover as many topics, we will go into more depth about each topic as we go,” Henderson said. “I think the class will be challenge for everyone. The class will require 30 minutes to one hour of homework almost every night. The homework will consist mostly of mathematical word problems.”

Out of the entire student body, a total of 255 students requested to take AP Physics out of which 101 are incoming seniors, 146 are incoming juniors, and 8 are incoming sophomores.

Despite the small number of enrollment by incoming sophomores, those who requested the advanced class are willing to challenge themselves.

“I wanted to challenge myself with a harder class next year,” Kayden Long, freshman, said. “I want to be an engineer, so I believe that this new AP Physics class will send me on the right path.”

According to Henderson, taking chemistry is the best choice for incoming sophomores because they still need chemistry to take other advanced science courses.

With the change in the AP course selection, there are now 23 AP classes offered on campus and more opportunities to take advanced classes.

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ASHA KADAKIA / the wildcat

HELPING A STUDENT OUT: Gil Rotblum guides Alyssa Phelps, sophomore, during a review for the AP European History exam. Rotblum was named Teacher of the Year at BOHS. He teaches history and coaches boys’ and girls’ swim.

“I admire what he does in the classroom as an intelligent technological guru. He inspires me to challenge myself to try to incorporate technology with learning,” Jeremy Mattern, Honors Literature Composition teacher, said.

Incorporating technology and education, Rotblum has witnessed improvement in pass rates and students’ writing. AP European History students write and submit over 40 essays online through a teacher-student network, Edmodo, between September and March. This method of writing and incorporating it in his class discussions has raised his overall pass rate the AP European History exam to 75 percent, according to Rotblum.

According to Mattern, Rotblum’s teaching style is relatable, high standard, and sarcastic. Rotblum has learned that perfection is unattainable but can be struggled for. According to Rotblum, he is motivated through the Greek concept of agon and arête: the more of a struggle, the sweeter excellence he feels.

“I believe talents and abilities in history can be developed. When addressing the subject, I strive to find a connection between the subject and the students,” Rotblum said. “The process of getting students to believe that they can do this is what has

made me an excellent teacher.”

Moreover, he strives to be the teacher that each student needs by motivating all of his students and inspiring them with corrective feedback. Rotblum hopes to interest students and enhance their study of history.

“His teaching style is balanced between setting his expectations and being considerate of his students and athletes. He explains everything he does, expressing clearly the reasons behind it,” Roman Belaire, sophomore, said.

According to Gunther and Mattern, they are honored to work with someone as dedicated, hardworking, and passionate as Rotblum. Similarly, students appreciate his push toward success and perseverance in both the aquatics program and his academic classes.

Rotblum, as well other nominees such as ROP Teacher of the Year, Franco Ciccarello, Visual Communications and Graphic Design teacher, will be officially recognized in the fall semester of next year.

According to Gunther and Mattern, Rotblum’s recent achievement has been long overdue, and he is the most deserving teacher on campus to receive the recognition.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

The Wildcat

6 sat exam undergoes changes, effective 2016 SAT CHANGES s 1600

NEWS The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

by Brittany Tam, Staff Writer

ince 1901, the SAT, or the Scholastic Assessment Test, has tested high school students for their applicability of knowledge and their readiness for admission to college, according to College Board.

Over the years, the SAT has implemented many changes, such as the SAT subject tests in 1937, and the writing section in 2005, but on March 5, College Board announced a redesigned SAT that will be released in the Spring of 2016.

The reforms College Board intends to make the SAT more practical and to reinforce the evidence-based skills and thinking high school students have learned in school, not test-taking strategies, according to the New York Times. Such reforms are the change of the overall score to 1600, the elimination of the penalty of incorrect answers, the option of the essay, evidence-based answers, and a relevant vocabulary list based on words that will appear not only on the SAT, but also throughout a student’s life.

“I am glad there is not as much pressure to memorize an abundant amount vocabulary and the large obligation to attend as many preparation classes for the SAT,” Sidra Amin, freshman, said.

Total completion time for the exam is estimated to be three hours, plus an additional 50 minutes for the optional essay. The essay requires the analysis of a reading passage, which explains the author’s buildup of his or her argument.

Scoring the SAT Based on the new scoring system, students will earn points for only the problems answered correctly, with no deduction for incorrect or unanswered questions. College Board wishes to encourage students to answer to the best of their ability for each question, without the pressure of spending too much time on one problem and the worry of what is answered wrong.

“I am pleased, relieved, and excited for the revision of the SAT. It will be easier to prepare for and on test day, there will be less stress on my mind,” Jane Lee, freshman, said.

Subscore reports are also available for every test in the redesigned SAT. Subscores specify insight for students, educators, parents, and counselors in individual portions of the SAT sections. The parts comprised in the reading and writing and math sections contribute to the subscore.

The redesigned SAT score of 1600 is based on the maximum of 800 points in two sections, evidencebased reading and writing and math with three focused areas: problem solving and data analysis, Algebra, and Advanced Math. The areas will center on ratio, percentage questions, proportional problems, linear

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

REAL WORLD CONTEXT AND GLOBAL DOCUMENTS

NEW SCORING SYSTEM

IN BRIEF: Announced on March 5, the

College Board’s SAT undergoes its first major changes since 2005, which students will first see in 2016. source: collegeboard.org

NO PENALTY

Students will no longer be penalized for incorrect answers. Only correct answers will count. equations and systems, and complex equations.

Changes According to CNN, particular math sections will not require a calculator to emphasize College Board’s focus of college and career preparation.

To answer in the reading and writing section and the optional essay, students are required to support their notions with evidence from the passage or text source. Students must select quotes or information from the multi-paragraph passages on diverse topics such as humanities and career-related sources to best support their answers. The basis of evidence in the redesigned SAT wishes to demonstrate the ability to interpret, synthesize, and integrate evidence in their answers, according to College Board.

“Making the essay optional will save students both time and money, since they won’t need to pay for and take a section of the test that is not required for any of the colleges that they are applying to. I believe it makes sense to have the flexibility to take just the math and reading sections of the SAT,” Becky Marchant, guidance counselor, said.

Global conversation, real-world context, science, and social studies analysis will also be incorporated into the redesigned test. College Board plans to expose, engage, and challenge students to encounter present issues in science, politics, and global events and historical occurrences, and documents such as Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and the Declaration of Independence.

Along with the SAT changes, the PSAT, also known as the preliminary SAT, or NMSQT, National

The revised SAT will have a top score of 1600, while its old counterpart had an overall top score of 2400.

OPTIONAL ESSAY The essay will be optional. However, some colleges and districts will still make the essay mandatory.

Instead of answering an open question, students will have to analyze a passage and answer a corresponding question.

Merit Scholarship Qualifying test, will be adjusted as well. College Board is collaborating with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to plan the PSAT’s release in October 2015. The PSAT is corresponded to launch before the redesigned SAT to give students an opportunity to take it before the new test.

Originally, the SAT’s overall score was 2400, taking into account a maximum of 800 points per section. The test had three required sections: reading, writing, math, and the additional mandatory essay with its own separate score. According to collegeboard.org, the entire SAT required three hours 45 minutes to complete, and the scoring system was calculated as one point for every correct answer, a deduction of one-fourth of a point for every incorrect answer, and no deduction or additional point for an unanswered question.

Real-world relevance With further research, College Board strives to pursue greater success for high school students in college and their career. The redesigned SAT, amidst current research by educators, is being finalized and College Board wants to change the perspective of the SAT from not only a college admission test but also a practical support in connection with classroom learning.

“We are, across the nation, experiencing changes to our assessment systems to incorporate the technology we now have at hand and the shifted focus from skills to critical thinking and problem solving that is embedded in our updated learning standards. I think the changes align more closely with what K-12

Questions on the new SAT will pertain to work completed in college and in different careers. Subjects will include science, social science, history, and the humanities. Students will also analyze passages from world authors and speakers.

REVISED MATH SECTION

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The math portion will focus on problem solving and data analysis. Students will also have to solve linear equations and systems. Geometry and trigonometry will also be included. schools will be expecting of students,” Joy Cordia, vice principal, said.

Free materials Despite the two-year gap before the launch of the new SAT, College Board has collaborated with Khan Academy, a non-profit organization, to provide free, high quality practice material.

According to Khan Academy, their goal is to provide all available resources for students with the hopes that they will take full advantage of the opportunity to focus on reviewing and studying for the revised SAT. Meanwhile, the current SAT is accessible on Khan Academy’s website with unreleased SAT test questions and over 200 step-by-step solution videos.

On April 16, College Board released sample questions of the redesigned SAT with task specifications and detailed graphs explaining the expectations of the reading and writing and math sections, accessible to view on their website.

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NEWS

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

meet next year’s asb BOARD MEMBERS

CLASS OFFICERS

7

Photos by TRENT PRESTON

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NICK TANGO / president | TODD VU / vp

Q: What do you plan to do with your new position? NT:

Make sure that we have awesome senior class activities and dress-up and senior days. TV: I plan on doing things that will help make the school year fun. Q: Why did you want this position? NT: I feel that I’m really committed to my class since I’ve been class president since 6th grade so I feel I should keep the tradition up. TV: It’s my last year at Brea and I wanted to try something new. Q: Favorite food?

NT: California Burritos. TV: Pho. Q: Celebrity crush? NT: Myself. TV: Emma Watson. Q: Favorite movie? NT: Super Troopers. TV: Friends with Benefits.

11 TRENT PRESTON / the wildcat

RISING TO LEAD: Sierra McCoy, junior, Trent Saucedo, freshman, Paul Green, junior, Nina Evans, junior, and Josiah Hatch, sophomore, are next year’s ASB Board. They will be in charge of being the voice of the student body and preparing next year’s activities.

new asb board, class officers prepare for next year’s events

by Sharon Cho, Editor-in-Chief

Next school year, BOHS will welcome a new ASB Board and class officers to be the voice of the student body and guide the school and its activities.

The ASB Board is elected by the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. Next year’s board includes Paul Green, junior, as president; Gavin Saucedo, junior, as vice president; Sierra McCoy, junior, as treasurer; Nina Evans, junior, as secretary; and Josiah Hatch, sophomore, as the school board representative.

“As next year’s president, I really hope to lead our student body as one collective group, recognizing that it is made up of many different people,” Green said. “I think it is important that everyone enjoys their high school experience as much as possible, and it is my goal to help facilitate a campus environment beneficial to everyone at BOHS.” As president, Green is in charge of leading ASB with their camp activities during the summer, and is responsible for ASB and their duties so that the school is properly guided. Saucedo’s role will be to support Green. McCoy and Evans will take care of the finances and transactions, while Hatch will represent the school to the district’s school board.

Class officers are elected by each class and are in charge of class activities and class t-shirts, which are arranged during the summer.

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

They are also in charge of specific events throughout the school year. The sophomores plan the MORP dance, while the juniors are in charge of prom. The senior class officers handle senior dress-up days, senior breakfast, and the senior video. The freshmen are in charge of being the voice of the freshman class.

Next year’s class officers include juniors Nick Tango as senior class president, and Todd Vu as vice president; sophomores Alyssa Phelps as junior class president and Jeremy Muehlhoff as vice president; and freshmen Kayla Libed as sophomore president and Joshua Lee as vice president.

“I feel next year’s ASB has lots of potential because we have bonded well this year so we know how to work well together,” Tango said.

To be elected on board or as an ASB officer, the process includes filling out an application and receiving the required amount of signatures. The candidates then campaign for a week, with posters and flyers. They also are required to give a speech to the students during lunch. Students do not have to be an ASB member to be elected for any position.

“I have taken great pride in being the voice of the student body this year, knowing that the efforts that ASB has put in has had a positive impact, and am excited to leave the school in amazing hands,” Trent Preston, senior and ASB president, said.

ALYSSA PHELPS / president | JEREMY MUEHLHOFF / vp

Q: What do you plan to do with your new position? AP: I just want to have a really good prom next year. JM: I mainly want to focus on helping the junior class. Q: Why did you want this position? AP: It’s a big step from my position this year and being next year’s junior class president is way more work and is a way to leave my stamp on ASB. JM: I just want to help the 2016 class. Q: Favorite food? AP: Pasta. JM: Tacos. Q: Celebrity crush? AP: Theo James. JM: Taylor Swift. Q: Favorite movie? AP: Transformers. JM: Step Brothers.

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KAYLA LIBED / president | JOSHUA LEE / vp

Q: What do you plan to do with your new position? KL: As

sophomore president, I’m in charge of MORP so I plan to make that really fun and just find new ways to get everyone involved. JL: I plan to make the school a better place. Q: Why did you want this position? KL: I really wanted a position where I could take more responsibility and lead.

JL: I’ve been in ASB for five years so I really enjoy taking on leadership positions. Q: Favorite food? KL: Enchiladas.

JL: Korean barbeque. Q: Celebrity crush? KL: None. JL: Jennifer Lawrence. Q: Favorite movie? KL: Blind Side. JL: Transformers.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

8

The Wildcat

NEWS

June 12, 2014

new CONTRACT expected to be ratified

by Jaymi Wilson, News Co-Editor

rea Olinda Teachers Association (BOTA) reached a tentative agreement (TA) with the Brea Olinda Unified School District (BOUSD) regarding the new contract that is expected to be ratified for the 2014-15 school year.

The new contract will restore a full calendar to our district, meaning that there will be no furlough days next year. Under the new contract, there will be a total of 180 student attendance days and 185 teacher work days.

With the restoration of the calendar, teacher will receive their original pay before the addition of furlough days and there will be an overall shift in funding. (A furlough day is a mandatory leave of absence without pay brought on by the budget deficit, and it is because of the furlough days that there are teachers and staff who have not received a raise in salary for at least eight years.)

“Don’t characterize it as a raise, because it’s not a raise they’re going to be getting,” Jerry Halpin, principal, said. “What [teachers] should be making, and in some cases it’s what they were making seven years ago when we started taking furlough days, that’s what they’re getting back. It’s their old salaries, not an actual raise.”

With the new contract, the district will have more money at its disposal; however the money will be distributed differently.

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“The governor and the legislature have proposed changing how they fund education, so they have raised the base grant level and LCFF, or Local Control Funding Formula (that goes on the top of the grant), so that some districts get more than others in terms of money,” Halpin said. “There will be more money in the budget for next year, but for us, the proposed plan is to take the LCFF money and use it to restore the entire calendar so that [students] are not out of school extra days of the year.”

Similarly, the new funding will vary based on school district. There are number of categories that will help determine the amount of money allotted to each school, such as the number of minority groups on campus and the amount of ELL students, and depending on the percentage of students each school has in the different categories, the amount of funding given to the school directly corresponds.

“Depending on your student population, if there are ELL kids, free reduced lunch kids, or any of the other multiple categories on the contract, the more kids you have in those categories the more funding you get,” Jennifer Collier, Algebra 2 and AP Calculus AB teacher, said. “Sadly, we don’t have a high population of those types of students, so we don’t get the same funding as a lot of our surrounding schools.”

Furthermore, the contract will include changes in hours related to online classes, class size, the process

of transferring a teacher, and method of teacher evaluation.

Another aspect of the new contract is the development of a committee of five district and five association representatives to be determined

by BOTA. The committee will study current and other teacher evaluation systems, and according to botaonline.org, the goal of the committee is to make recommendations on an evaluation system that is aligned with the best practices and is designed to improve professional practice and student learning.

The new contract is not yet official as faculty members must vote on the ratification of the contract.

At press time, voting was still ongoing for the contract, but despite the fact that it is still TA, most teachers interviewed were in favor of the change.

“I think the [BOTA representatives] did a great job and they got us the best deal they could,” Nicole Baughman, math teacher, said.

According to botaonline.org, the ratification and voting period for the contract occurred from June 3 through June 10, with ballots due to the North Orange County United Teachers (NOCUT) office by 4 p.m. on June 10. After the vote was cast, BOHS and the district will make whatever necessary adjustments to the contract or the calendar necessary so that they will meet the new requirements. (Results of the voting were not available at press time.)

by Stacy Uhm, Staff Writer

LAUNCHING INTO TEAMWORK: Freshmen particpate in a Freshmen Olympics activity, the Water Balloon Launch Contest. Freshmen were encouraged by Link Crew to interact with each other to promote teamwork, leadership, and the development of friendships.

HANNAH ROARK the wildcat

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

class-wide Gmail signup project a success

by Brittany Tam, Staff Writer

link crew hosts annual freshmen olympics

Link Crew hosted its annual Freshmen Olympics on May 21 at the baseball field after school. Freshmen Olympics is an event meant for freshmen to bond with peers and their Link Crew leaders.

With upbeat music playing, Link Crew announced what games they were going to play. They first began with a water balloon toss where freshmen made two lines and partnered with the person across from them. Each pair tossed a balloon to each other,

The Senior Issue

and once the balloon popped, the pair was out of the game. After each toss, one line stepped back to make the distance further.

“Water Balloon Volleyball was my favorite game because we used different strategies to toss the balloon over the net,” Lindsey Lystad, freshman, said.

The freshmen divided into two groups and played an activity called Sponge Relay and Water Balloon

Launch Contest. In order to play Sponge Relay, the groups formed a line with one bucket on each end.

The first person dunked a sponge into the bucket and passed it to the person behind over their head. The next person passed it under their legs until the last person in line squeezed the water out of the sponge and ran back to the front to repeat the process. In the Water Balloon Launch Contest, the water balloons were launched in the air by a slingshot and freshmen had to try to catch it without popping it. Later, they divided into three groups and played Sac Race, Three-legged Race, and Water Balloon Volleyball.

For the last few games, they divided back to two groups and played Field Goal Contest and volleyball.

To end the event, Link Crew used the leftover water balloons to have a big water balloon fight where everyone threw water balloons to anyone.

“The water balloon fight was the highlight. It was exciting because it did not matter who was throwing to whom. Everyone just had a good time,” Nina Evans, junior Link Crew member, said.

“Throughout the year if you didn’t meet new people, [Freshmen Olympics] is a chance to get to know classmates and just have fun” Abby Broadstreet, junior, and Link member, said.

ASHA KADAKIA / the wildcat

TECH-SAVVY: Rotblum’s first period class creates a school gmail account.

Campus-wide, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors received individual school Gmail accounts on May 28. Gil Rotblum, history teacher and lead site technology representative, assisted students in registration on the new Google Chrome books at the library during their Health, Skills For Success, or history classes.

“We want all students to have a school email to have the access to use the Chrome Books and become proficient with technology,” Rotblum said.

The school district recently transitioned into a “Google District,” the establishment of expanding a technology-friendly vicinity for both students and teachers, according to Rotblum. The process of authorizing student school emails, or “Operation Gmail,” is one of the many adjustments for the district’s changes in education standards and its promotion of technology in learning.

According to Rotblum, students will utilize their school Gmails to complete their assignments such as essays, presentations, and spreadsheets online in Google Drive and conveniently communicate with their teachers. Students can collaborate on Google Drive to accomplish given individual or group classwork, homework, and projects without being physically present.

According to Jennifer Ryan, English teacher, school Gmails will offer the accessibility of a list of student emails instead of merely having parent contact information.

“I think [student school Gmails] will be a great tool for teachers to be able to remind students about assignments and other classroom related things, instead of constantly going through their parents,” Ryan said.

The transformation into a Google district and the new student school Gmails bring varied reactions from students. According to Zuckert, she had received positive feedback along with skepticism and frustration.

“Technology and learning is so new that it could be confusing, but as the years progress, I think it will become better in future years,” Mikayla Remijio, sophomore said.

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The Wildcat

9 repairs ongoing from march 28 5.1 earthquake

NEWS

June 12, 2014

The Senior Issue

by Deval Patel, Staff Writer

indows shattered, books fell, furniture got knocked over, landslides occurred, and walls cracked as a 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck Brea on March 28 at 9:09 p.m.

The earthquake was centered in La Habra, 4.3 miles from campus, and prefaced a 3.6 foreshock.

Due to the massive quake, damages occurred across campus. Most of the damages occurred in room 124, the library, and the PAC. Fortunately, majority of the damages have been repaired excluding the PAC. Damages in room 124 are close to being complete with the finishing touch of making sure computers are connected since the short wiring system was set off by the sprinklers.

“We are now just finishing up the repairs in room 124. Once we make sure all the computer connections and everything are live and ready to go, we will reset it as a classroom,” Bob Parish, assistant principal, said.

Furthermore, all of the fallen books in the library were placed back onto bookshelves, and the shattered window was replaced within two weeks after the quake struck.

Due to the quake, dust fell from the ceiling and a stage light shattered on stage in the PAC; luckily, there were no injuries.

“The major issue has been the PAC. According to the Superintendent [Arthur “Skip” Roland], approximately one million dollars worth of damage was dealt on the PAC, and they are [currently] working on making those repairs. [Workers] have to go in from the roof and the ceiling to get to where the damage is at. We hope to get the PAC all fixed before the next school year,” Parish said.

On Friday night, the day the earthquake hit, the United Choirs of Brea was performing the musical, “Bye Bye Birdie”. Due to the earthquake, everyone inside the PAC was evacuated and the show was ended about an hour earlier than intended.

“At first, there was just a little bit of shaking, and performers were trying to continue with the show, but then the earthquake started getting really big, and the set pieces on stage started swaying, and a light fell onto the stage from the ceiling. The performers had to run off stage in a hurry,” Lirissa Tittle, junior, said.

Due to the damages in the PAC, all other shows such as the Dance Production concert, choir’s Spring

w

Magic Show, the Spring Band Concert, and the drama show “Almost Maine,” were all relocated to El Dorado High School’s Performing Arts Center.

In addition, the library also received surface damage. A window was cracked, books were strewn all over and thrown from shelves, and some of the bookshelves fell over. Therefore, the library remained closed for two days after students returned to school until the library was cleaned, and the window was replaced.

To ensure students’ safety, BOHS staff evaluated most of the damages before school resumed on March 31. Televisions were removed from classrooms for safety purposes.

Students who take French with Mademoiselle Dzwonkowski in room 124 were relocated to Room 203 while repairs took place. The French room had fallen ceiling tiles, a surplus of broken glass, and flooding.

“One of our biggest issues with room 124 was the water damage since the short wiring system set off the sprinklers [when the quake struck],” Parish said.

Due to the earthquake, the girls’ locker room also flooded. Ceiling tiles had fallen, there was a small amount of broken glass, and due to these conditions as well as the flooding, female students were only allowed to enter from one of the two locker room entrances for three days until the appropriate repairs were made regarding student safety.

Off campus, damages included landslide in Carbon Canyon. Residents who live in Eagle Hills were blocked from the area, which resulted in an overturned car and minor injuries of the passengers.

The road was cleared up as soon as possible, and precautions were taken to ensure the safety of the road and its drivers.

After the earthquake, BOHS staff and the city took any necessary actions to ensure that everyone will be safe in the case of another earthquake.

“Some of the damages have been repaired; some haven’t. We are still working on [repairs]. All of the surface damages were minor, except for the PAC,” Parish said. “Books have been put back onto bookshelves, and the shattered window and broken bookshelves have all been replaced. At this time, the vast majority of things happened have been repaired and been in good working order.”

“Some of the damages have been repaired; some haven’t. We are still working on [repairs]. All of the surface damages were minor, except for the PAC.” BOB PARISH

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Photographs by MICHAEL CHO and RACHEL LIN / the wildcat

EARTHQUAKE RUMBLES: A 5.1 earthquake caused damage across campus on March 28. Ceiling tiles fell in room 124, but the majority of the damage was located in the PAC. The library has shattered windows and fallen bookcases. All minor surface damage from the quake has been repaired.

Repairs in the PAC are ongoing.

earthquake survival kit

gallon of water per person

non-perishable and easy to prepare food

PAGE DESIGN BY| NICOLE NAM

first aid kit

manual can opener

battery-powered or hand crank radio

flashlight

EMERGENCY BLANKET The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

10

The Wildcat

OPINION The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

always late start vs. always early start should school start later, or keep the current schedule?

Every morning, students are obligated to wake up at an ungodly hour to get to school on time. They arrive with sleepy heads to take on the school day and retain the information taught in each class. Students should have a later arrival time to ready themselves for the long day ahead.

“I find myself waking up as early as 4 a.m. to make it on time for school. By second period I feel so exhausted and overwhelmed that I begin to not even focus in class and anxiously await sleeping for only a few more hours again,” Wendy Raigosa, sophomore, said.

As students progress through high school, the demands of their social life, extracurriculars, and other tasks make sleep seem even more unattainable. By changing our regular schedule to later start times, such as 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., students would be less inclined to miss part of their school day , according to National Foundation research.

Students often rush through the morning to get ready, but end up late to school anyway. With a later start time, tardies can be reduced. Studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Education on truancy, which is connected with tardiness, show that school attendance and tardiness are major factors regarding school success and student behavior. Students who are frequently tardy have lower grades, scores on standardized assessments, and graduation rates.

“Being on time is a really big character trait. Punctuality shows how much effort you take to plan accordingly, and when you’re tardy it shows a bit of disorganization as well,” Matthew Finnerty, math teacher, said.

Student drivers can also benefit greatly from this schedule change.

Students who drive to school everyday put their lives and others in danger when they drive half asleep. Teachers, students, and parents can feel more at ease with the change that allows students to be more aware of their surroundings.

“As a new student driver, I would feel safer knowing that other [student drivers] are actually awake. It reassures me as I go to school myself,” Melissa Krause, sophomore, said.

A later start can also help those who have signed up for extra classes to get ahead in school. Those with zero period feel the wrath of getting to school early, while others are still sleeping. The alteration in the bell schedule could help those with zero periods retain more information.

“Zero period wouldn’t be half as bad if it started later. The later starting time would help students strive to do more in school and could help the school itself,” Kramer Southard, junior, said.

Students often find themselves with limited time in their day. They go to school early in hopes of getting as much work done as possible.

Although waking up early is not the preferable choice, it can provide an earlier end to the school day, allowing for more free time after school.

Because opting to sign up for a zero period class is under the student’s control, waking up should not be an issue. Other than the students who decide to take a full schedule, signing up for a zero period allows students to end school earlier, creating extra time for completing homework, spending time with family or friends, or catching up on sleep. According to US News, 40 percent of high school students attend classes at 7 a.m., indicating that many students favor an earlier start.

“Students have the choice to start early, and more students are choosing to take a zero. It is a lot more convenient to start and leave earlier, than wait until 2:35 to go home,” Amanda Cook, junior, said.

An early beginning leaves ample time for extracurricular activities.

With practices ending from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., sports take up a large portion of students’ time. Students feel the pressure to finish homework and study for exams with even more limited time. They would have to stay up late, causing sleep deprivation.

“Cheer practice can end from six in the evening to past 10 at night.

The normal school time works out better, since practices end late as it is,” Alyssa Glenn, junior and cheerleader, said.

In college and the workforce, the ability to wake up at unpleasant hours is usually mandatory. Because most students are already trying to avoid morning classes, being accustomed to waking up early can provide more class availability, according to University Language Services. For employment, being able to arrive promptly is a quality that will ensure a better reputation.

“If people can’t rely on you to be someplace at a certain time, that’s going to affect how they see you professionally,” Erin Barrett, English teacher, said.

While students would rather sleep in than go to school early, it is more beneficial to maintain the current schedule. Considering many teenagers are not “morning people,” getting used to early hours from school can soften the blow of waking up at the crack of dawn during adulthood.

by Hailee Gallegos, Staff Writer

by Stefani Clark, Copy Editor

BREA BABBLE: Should School start later in the day?

“Yes, because it is tiring to wake up so early in the morning.”

“Yes, because there would be more time to get prepared in the morning.”

“No, because we get to pick our schedule so waking up should not be hard.”

“No, because we are used to waking up early for school.”

Lois Kim

Chase Feazell

Billy Hanley

Christine Budds

freshman

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

sophomore

junior

senior

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

OPINION

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

SUMMER MOVIE NIGHTS

by

June 12, 2014

BETTY LEE

11

THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF HIGH SCHOOL by BETTY LEE, BRITTANY TAM and JESSICA YIM

WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER

by

JESSICA YIM

THE CRAFT OF LIFE by BRITTANY TAM

No matter your craft

Wherever it goes

PAGE DESIGN BY | STEFANI CLARK

It will be put to the test

Inspiring

Motivating

Defining

...and it starts now.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

The Wildcat

12

OPINION The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

ACT ‘middle child’ of exams

by Sharon Cho, Editor-in-Chief

Junior year is usually the just not an issue anymore.” time when the biggest and most However, as a senior who horrendous test of a student’s lagged on taking the tests until Consists of a science Requires a written high school life approaches, senior year, if I could go back section essay* the SAT or the ACT. During in time, I would try to get all such a stressful time, it can be of my testing out of the way as Emphasizes math Emphasizes difficult to determine which early as possible. In this case, more than the SAT vocabulary and test will enhance a student’s students should save time reasoning The essay is optional, college applications. and money by taking a free Penalizes for wrong but still recommended The SAT was originally SAT and ACT practice test to created for college admissions determine which will be better answers* by many schools boards to determine whether to take. Students do not want Questions are less There are no penalties or not students are prepared to regret only focusing on the straightforward than for college, according to SAT and realizing later that the for wrong answers the ACT collegeboard.org. The SAT will ACT would have been better change in 2016, but currently, for them. Taking practice *The SAT will change in 2016. the test has three sections: tests will also help students sources: collegeboard.org and actstudent.org reading, writing, and math, focus on their strengths and along with an essay portion. In addition to the SAT, SAT subject weaknesses so they know what to study. tests are offered for students with specific strengths. According “I really think it depends on the student. I took both, and the to collegestats.org, the ACT tests what the student has learned ACT seemed easier, but the curve was harder. I didn’t study for in high school and has four sections, the same subjects as the it, which I really should have, but I wanted to know what it was SAT, with an additional science portion. The essay is optional for like. For me, SAT was better, but I can see why ACT would be students taking the ACT. better for some students,” Daniel Truesdale, senior, said.

Although the 2016 SAT will display more similarities to the Compared to the SAT, on the ACT, the vocabulary was less ACT, students should consider taking the ACT instead of the challenging, the writing had more apparent answers, and the current SAT. Colleges and universities accept both scores and do reading was not like some unsolvable mystery. Even the science not discriminate one over the other. portion was manageable. Instead of actually having to memorize “I took both the ACT and the SAT. I know a lot of students scientific information, I just needed to make sure I could read who go straight into the SAT, but the ACT tests different aspects graphs and data tables. After taking the SAT twice and the ACT and some people test more strongly in those different aspects. As once, my ACT score was still the highest. you apply to colleges, you could show stronger results, which a As most sophomores realize that the year is coming to an lot of schools will value,” Ajay Shanmugham, senior, said. end and they will soon enter junior year, they have to begin According to the New York Times, “Even within the prepping for the SAT or the ACT. Although the current freshmen admissions community, the ACT was, to a degree, the stepchild will be able to opt for a possibly easier SAT in 2016, for now, of the SAT,” Tom Parker, Dean of admissions and financial aid at sophomores and juniors will have to determine which test will Amherst College, said. “So even with my own staff, I had to be be more beneficial, in order to be quickly unshackled by fat test scrupulous to be sure both tests were given equal weight. That’s prep books.

ACT VS. SAT

STAFF EDITORIAL It is 2014 and women have all the same rights as their male counterparts, at least in the U.S. Women are employed in every field and were only relatively recently perceived as capable and more than just homemakers. However, despite the incredible progress made by women, sexist comments in the workplace, and even high school classrooms, still occur.

A history lesson on women’s suffrage or the domestic housewife role in the 1950’s elicits jokes and comments from some males in the class who use the suffering of women for a cheap laugh.

When a history teacher explains how advertising used to be directed almost exclusively towards women, a boy in the corner snickers that it is because “all women want to do is shop.”

While this comment was obviously said in jest, albeit one in very poor taste, and the student probably does not really The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

believe that all women are vapid, shopping-crazy creatures, the statement is still a derogatory remark. It perpetuates a ridiculous stereotype that will never go away if history lessons in progress and equality are interrupted by gender-shaming asides.

The comments reinforce the archaic mind-set that women are inherently less capable than men.

When teachers brush off these seemingly harmless jokes, or even engage in them, it further reinforces the notion that belittling people because of their gender is okay. To effectively quell sexism in high schools, sexist comments should not be tolerated, even as passing comments or “jokes”. While it may be impossible to completely wipe out sexism, we can at least educate people about its effects, and dangers.

The sooner sexist comments are not accepted in our schools, the sooner all forms of sexism can be diminished.

Wildcat Brea Olinda High School 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 jean park deval patel celeste roh christian santonil brittany tam julianne tetreault amanda tortarolo stacy uhm eric yang sophie zambri Staff Writers

NICOLE NAM JAYMI WILSON News Editors Linette cho Arts Editor Feature Editor RACHEL LIN TRENT PRESTON APRIL SANTONIL Photo Editors BETTY LEE Jessica yim Art Managers Venessa kim Business Manager Emjay layco Web Master

michael cho ASHA KADAKIA michelle krizo hannah roark amanda tortarolo Photographers ALEX KOERS Adviser

ON THE COVER As the senior class of 2014 sign yearbooks and say their final good byes, graduation approaches on June 18 at 5 p.m.

Cover photo by APRIL SANTONIL

PAGE DESIGN BY | STEFANI CLARK

OPINION

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

POWDERPUFF tradition terminated

by Sophie Zambri, Staff Writer

13

COMMON CORE inspires, INCONVENIENCES juniors

by Noelle Gracia, Content Manager

Illustration by BETTY LEE

CHAINED FROM THE GAME: Powderpuff used to be a school tradition until it was ended this year for liability reasons. Instead, dodgeball replaced the beloved flag football game.

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s the warpaint is painted on a player’s cheeks, the adrenaline that rushes through the body has the juniors and seniors anticipating the moment when they step onto the football field for the annual Powderpuff game.

However, this year administrators decided on a juniors-against-seniors dodgeball game.

Powderpuff was a popular social event for the entire campus.

However, administrators decided to terminate the game due to liability issues, leaving some members of the student body disappointed. Unfortunately, this year’s juniors and seniors, along with the rest of the future classes, will not be able to participate in the tradition. Instead, this year, the girls participated in a dodgeball match as a replacement for the traditional Powderpuff football game.

“Powderpuff was definitely something I was looking forward to, and, yes, it’s disappointing that we can no longer play it, but there is nothing we can do about it,” Kaylee Kooiman, senior , and Link leader in charge of Powderpuff, said.

According to Pam Valenti, vice principal and ASB advisor, BOHS has always been nervous about allowing students to participate in the game. There have been students with sports scholarships who got injured from the game, resulting in their scholarship being taken away. In the case of a serious issue, administration has to worry about lawsuits and lack of explanation because they were aware of the risks.

Although girls may get hurt during Powderpuff, signing up to play means that the girls are willing to take this risk. All sports players hold the risk of being injured during practice or a competition. If the school is really worried about being liable for the girls’ possible injuries, they should have the players and their parents sign a waiver prior to the game, stating that they

PAGE DESIGN BY | STEFANI CLARK

understand that the school will not be responsible for the injuries during the game.

Other schools, like La Mirada High School, still hold Powderpuff games and make it one of the biggest events of the year. Girls look forward to Powderpuff the whole year, excited for the chance to participate in the tradition. Being the only school in the area to terminate Powderpuff is questionable, since the other schools do not find a problem with allowing girls to play.

“Powderpuff last year was a lot of fun. It gave me time with friends but also the opportunity to work hard and play as a team to win something. All of the girls got along pretty well last year so it is a shame to see it go,” Kylie Warther, senior, said.

Eliminating Powderpuff for liability purposes seems like a futile effort. Having the girls participate in dodgeball involves more contact than a flag football game. Instead of pulling flags, girls are throwing rubber balls at each other. Dodgeball measures up with Powderpuff in terms of camaraderie, but the element of being able to participate in football cannot be replaced.

“It was really hard to find an event that measures up to flag football. Since we were told that football was unsafe, we had to come up with an alternative. We chose dodgeball because it is fun, and you can still get aggressive with it, too,” Kooiman said.

The girls were coached by fellow students, just like in Powderpuff, and the game was played injury-free in front of a sparse crowd. Instead of allowing junior and senior girls to play football, the dodgeball tournament is more like an homage to elementary school days on the playground.

Though administration thought of Powderpuff as too dangerous, many junior and senior girls looked at the game as an important component of their high school careers.

A simple mention of the phrase “Common Core testing” will automatically set off a series of diatribes and rants from various students about the inconvenience the testing period posed on our other classes, the non-functioning Chromebooks during the actual testing, and how different and confusing the testing was from any other exams we have taken.

Junior year is often referred to as “Hell Year,” the year in which most students will have to juggle multiple AP classes, balance an abundance of extracurricular activities, and cram for the SAT or ACT, because colleges take junior year into the heaviest account when deciding whether to admit students.

Juniors also have to contend with Common Core testing, which, unlike our other exams, does not count for any sort of credit or grade; this year it was simply a test run and juniors were the unfortunate guinea pigs.

Not only did the students lose a few days of class time, but our teachers were frequently absent due to mandatory meetings and Chromebook proctor training days.

As inconvenient and annoying as I found the Chromebook testing to be, I can admit that this new form of testing is a much improved version of testing than what our student body is used to.

“Yeah, it was pretty weird to get used to, I have to admit. It didn’t look like any other test we’ve taken, but I also think it’s a better basis for what we’ve learned,” Nick Worrall, junior, said.

Instead of just blindly memorizing a certain set of formulas or vocabulary words to get us through our next test only to forget them the day after, Common Core testing’s format forces students to actually think for ourselves. Coming up with our own creative thought and having to justify our reasoning, Common Core testing really does a better job of gauging our intelligence and capabilities than just a simple multiple choice scantron.

The test did seem more difficult because of the unfamiliar style. Teachers will have to alter the way they teach, and students will have to adjust the way they learn to better suit Common Core’s format. While this will be a challenging transition, I believe that in the end it will be far more beneficial to the students.

Common Core testing is more expensive than regular standardized testing.

Includes speaking and listening portions.

Exams are meant to measure student progress and critical thinking. washingtonpost.com

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

14 AP CLASSES NOT beneficial FOR ALL The Wildcat

OPINION The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

by Stefani Clark, Copy Editor

bare-faced for 40 days: a spiritual experience

by April Santonil, Photo Editor etting the perfect powder, winging eyeliner flawlessly, and lengthening eyelashes seems to be the everyday routine for almost every girl.

As females, society convinces us that perfecting ourselves has always been the trend. This caused us to face-palm pigmented chemicals daily in order to hide our true and natural features.

For Lent this year, which is an annual holiday in which Catholics serve a time of sacrifice in preparation for Easter, I took on the challenge of giving up makeup for 40 days to really accept what God has given me. When Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent) commenced, I gathered every visible cosmetic that was scattered all over my bathroom counter, hid them in my drawer, and said goodbye.

The thought of not being able to set my hand on an eyeliner pencil during Lent was actually something I had ached over. However, walking around in public with a completely bare face overturned my mentality towards cosmetics, making me realize that they should not be such a strong priority.

The words “women should be able to accept their given facial features” or “you don’t need to wear any makeup” is what many girls typically hear and roll their eyes in response. Girls need to be aware of their natural beauty, whether they choose to accentuate it with makeup or not.

Even though I admit that I still want to wear makeup after Lent, and that it is okay if a girl feels like she needs to, the experience itself built my confidence towards something that I had always imagined to be hard to reach. I am now able to walk outside without being overly insecure about having a “naked face,” which every girl should be comfortable with.

Encountering questions like, “Are you okay?” or “You look sick. Are you feeling alright?” the first few days made me want to lock myself in a room, but I realized that the fault is not only in my own insecurity, but in people being too accustomed to unnatural faces. However, people eventually adjusted to my natural facial features, as they forgot what I even looked like with makeup on. Makeup is so prominent in everyday life that its absence is taboo.

As I give major props to those who are confident enough to walk outside without makeup, every girl should feel the same confidence without being burdened or dragged by the fear of judgement or the heaviness of makeup on her face.

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Illustration by JESSICA YIM CRUSHED BY THE PRESSURE: AP classes may be beneficial for students for college applications and for receiving college credit, but the stress and worry of having to handle AP classes may not be fit for all students.

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eciding what classes to take for the next school term can be a stressful process. With a time-consuming workload, fast-paced learning, and difficult exams, APs can cause stress. While enrolling in as many AP classes as possible may seem like a smart idea, especially with the pressure of college admissions, the choice to take APs should depend on the student’s future endeavors.

“Students who plan on taking rigorous courses in college should take the same type of rigor in high school. If someone is planning on going to a UC, they should take as many AP classes as possible. Someone who is going to a community college doesn’t necessarily need to take APs. The high school rigor should reflect the kind of classes that will be taken in college,” Susan Luce, AP Language and Composition teacher, said.

For students involved in extracurricular activities, time is precious. Many AP courses require after school review sessions, weekend study groups, and weekend practice exams. With sports practices, volunteer work, and regular homework, it can be difficult to find the time to keep up a regular routine while staying mentally and physically healthy. Taking AP classes means sacrificing hours of free time and learning to work around time conflicts in order to pass the class and the AP exam.

If extracurriculars play a more important role in the student’s life and what they decide to do in the future, then taking every offered AP may not be the right choice. If getting into prestigious schools is part of a student’s plan, taking as many AP courses as possible, in addition to other activities, could help the chances of being admitted.

“Sometimes, I have so much work that I have to stay up extra late to finish. It gets tiring when it happens almost every day. It is not as bad when I do not procrastinate, but AP classes take up so much time. Even though I spend majority of my time working, I feel like I will be well versed in time management,” Randi Barton, junior, said.

Along with time, AP courses can be extremely expensive for high school students. From review sessions, practice tests, AP review books, and the test itself, taking AP classes is a simple The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

way to dent already empty wallets and bank accounts. Each test costs a non-refundable $89, regardless if the score is passing or not. For students and families who can afford to pay for college, taking every AP class is not necessary. If college is a major priority, but the cost is too much, taking AP exams would be a favorable choice. Compared to actual college costs, the financial damage done by $200 AP classes is minute. If scores on the AP exams are passing, they can replace certain college courses, which can aid in alleviating costs for students who cannot afford all of the college expenses.

“I spent $287 for my AP exams and one review book, which is a lot of money to invest. Taking the AP classes that look best on your schedule is not necessarily the best way to save money.

AP classes and exams can be worth the investment, though.

College classes and textbooks can amount to hundreds and thousands of dollars, while the AP tests are only $89. Since AP exams can count as college credits, students can get some of the necessary college classes out of the way while still in a high school environment,” Katie Chung, junior and AP student, said.

Students can get specific college courses out of the way with APs. However, that only applies if the AP pertains to the student’s major. Even if their major is undecided, determining which AP classes to take should reflect areas of interest. It makes more sense to take exams that would benefit students later on, instead of taking a random AP class. Taking the AP Psychology exam and then majoring in Biology is not logical. Students can save money by only taking courses that relate to a potential interest.

AP classes will only help for that specified class in college, but taking as many APs as possible with no college direction could just overload a student with extra work.

While high school can be a stressful environment, regardless of the types of classes taken, choosing to take an AP course can either contribute to the worries of a student, or provide confidence in a student’s abilities. Whether the class would correlate with college interests, work comfortably in a student’s schedule, or conform to a student’s budget, the choice to take an AP class should be taken only if it is logical for the individual.

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PAGE DESIGN BY | STEFANI CLARK

OPINION

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

15

USE OF MARIJUANA AMONGST TEENS CONTINUE TO RISE

by Stefani Clark, Copy Editor

Due to the nonchalant use of marijuana by celebrities and musicians, teens are overlooking the consequences of smoking weed. Marijuana appears 34 2-8-18-7 in many forms in everyday life, — as adornments on clothing, the subjects of hit songs, and movies, and as a legal recreational substance in Washington and Colorado.

Since the legal repercussions of marijuana use have become minor, less teenagers are considering the personal ramifications of regular use. According to Officer Dan Moon, using marijuana is considered an infraction, to the same degree as a parking ticket. Seeing Miley Cyrus roll and light a blunt during a performance and Rihanna posting pictures of herself smoking weed on Instagram affect the way that impressionable teens regard the drug.

The effects of marijuana use are not proven.

However, Mary Cerni, Family Practitioner and D.O. at Placentia-Linda Hospital, is certain that evidence to support that the negative results of early marijuana use is accurate. “There are a few studies that show regular marijuana use by teenagers can alter brain development, and not in a good way. Just Google ‘effects of marijuana use in teenagers.’ The studies will appear. It makes people look uneducated when they say there is no proof, and no one needs that.”

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “the percentage of high schoolers who see great risk from being regular marijuana users has dropped,” meaning the potential dangers of weed have become less acknowledged. In a study performed by scientists at Northwestern University, brain scans of adolescents who regularly smoke weed were compared to those who had never tried the drug. The main difference was in the parts of the brain that affect memory. As teenagers, the development of the brain is still occurring, so the use of marijuana alters the structure of the brain accordingly.

“The common factor among adults with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is marijuana use.

Ages 18 to 22 is the period of time where the disorders become developed, and the use of marijuana just increases the likelihood of acquiring schizophrenia and other disorders,” Moon said.

Schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and cancer are the more common long-term effects of marijuana, according to drugfreeworld.org. The immediate short78.96

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term effects include rapid heartbeat, disorientation, lack of physical coordination, hallucinations, sleepiness, and panic attacks.

Josh, a senior who asked to remain anonymous, would smoke with his friends on a weekly basis.

He began to use marijuana excessively on his own, until he started to experience anxiety.

“I would use it, and it really didn’t do anything at first. However, after the anxiety, I recognized that there are still major effects that people are overlooking just because it seems cool and everyone is doing it. I know tons of people who act like they aren’t damaging themselves because the harmful effects aren’t immediate,” Josh said.

While marijuana is becoming more popular, the use of other substances is steadily decreasing. According to the New York Times, alcohol use in teens has gone down from 53 percent to 40 percent, Vicodin use has dropped by half in the last decade, and teenage cigarette use has dropped to below 10 percent.

Despite the decreases in other drugs, marijuana is likely the cause of other substance abuse.

According to drugfreeworld.org, “of adults 26 or older who used marijuana before age 15, 62 percent went on to use cocaine at some point in their lives; nine percent went on to use heroin at least once; and 54 percent made some nonmedical use of mindaltering prescription drugs.”

As marijuana misuse among teens is steadily increasing, the evidence of negative effects cannot be ignored. Celebrities from Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Aniston publicly admit to not regretting their marijuana use, which influences teens to embrace the drug. When Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa base their songs on how prominent weed is in their life, teenagers think it is harmless to smoke. In reality, marijuana is proven to have lasting effects on the brain, especially when usage occurs at a young age during brain development.

Illustration by Jessica Yim

DID YOU KNOW...?

IT IS THE MOST COMMONLY USED DRUG IN THE WORLD

OVER 94 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES ADMITTED TO USING MARIJUANA AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIVES

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

SUICIDE RATES ARE LOWER IN AREAS WHERE MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS USED

over 800 ,000 people are arrested for using marijuana in the u.s.

WAX IS A PURE FORM OF THC, THE CHEMICAL RESPONSIBLE OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA

STREET NAMES : BUD GRASS GANJA POT

SKUNK MARY JANE 420 DOPE

Source: drugabuse.govt and drugfreeworld.com

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

WILDCAT HEROES 16 MOBILE CLOSET brings HOPE to less fortunate The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

by Amanda Tortarolo, Staff Writer

o have a warm bed to sleep in every night is an amenity.

To be able to walk into a closet and choose from an array of clothing is a luxury. To have food in the fridge and a roof overhead is a blessing. But where would you go and whom would you turn to if all of those assets were gone? For many, Leon and Dhasti Williams, parents of Libby Williams, sophomore, are those people’s saving graces.

For the past four years the Williams have helped the community through their Mobile Closet. The Mobile Closet is an 18-foot trailer designed to resemble a walk-in closet with racks of donated clothes, toys, food, and other daily necessities. Each person is allowed three to five shirts, one jacket, one pair of pants, and one pair of shoes — leaving enough inventory to cater to the three to five events held each month.

According to Leon Williams, he cannot take recognition for the

t

after trying to connect to organizations and people who claim to want to help, that never come. However, the Mobile Closet has pledged to sustain the Fullerton event once a month and has been consistent for the past four years.

“When I finally got to bed that night I had a hard time sleeping. I struggled with the fact that I was comfy in my warm bed, when there are thousands of homeless people sleeping out in the night air, trying to layer up with clothing and cardboard to get warm enough to be able to sleep. That first event forever changed me,” Leon said.

The Mobile Closet’s biggest excursion was its trip to Joplin, Missouri in 2011 after hurricanes struck the area. Originally, Leon’s plan was to drive the closet to the devastated community of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where a friend of his lived—giving him a month to gather up 18,000 pounds of supplies. Days before he and his wife were to leave for Alabama, a tornado struck Joplin. The tornado demolished

and families who had family members die or become physically hurt during the tornado. He asked the congregation to stand if there was anyone who lost a family member, a home, or a job, due to the tornado, when hundreds of people stood up. He then asked if the folks could gather around them and pray for them,” Leon said.

The people standing next to Leon and his wife consisted of a young father, his baby, and the young man’s sister. After talking to them, the Williams learned that the man holding the baby had lost his wife during the tornado. When the tornado struck, the young man had one arm around his wife and the other around his child as they huddled in their bathtub, but the winds were too strong. The roof was ripped off their house and his wife torn from his arms into the tornado.

“We were barely able to hold our emotions together; it was one of the saddest events I have ever been exposed to. My wife stayed and tried to comfort the family, but I had to walk away as it was too much

RACHEL LIN / the wildcat

DRIVING ON HOPE: (left to right) Libby Williams, sophomore, and her family, Leon Williams, Joe Williams, and Dhasti Williams, pose in front of the Mobile Closet trailer; Williams and her father are proud of what they have achieved with the trailer; Williams has fun with cleaning and organizing the clothes in the trailer. idea of the Mobile Closet; it was placed in his heart by God to step up and help people in the communities who have been struggling and hurting.

“I cannot take the credit; that would be a lie. God’s softening my heart, commissioning us to open our eyes, act out, and make a difference in the lives of others,” Leon said.

For Libby, her father goes above and beyond and has been a constant source of inspiration to her in all the selfless work he does.

“My dad believed God peeled back the blinds and asked that he help serve, becoming His hands and feet in being there for those in our community who don’t have a place to call home or don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” Libby said. “My dad has opened my eyes to the fact that there are so many different and creative ways to help others if you put your mind and effort to it.”

At the Mobile Closet’s first outing at the Tracks in Fullerton, it attracted approximately 60 to 80 people. There, Leon recalls being “nervous” and having “anxiety” due to the lack of not knowing what to expect. He learned the homeless are weary of making conversation,

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

a one mile wide and seven miles long section of the community. It flattened over 8,000 structures, consisting of a high school, hospital, and businesses, 7,000 homes and took 161 lives. According to Leon, on a Brea scale, the tornado would have devastated the heart of Brea, State College to Imperial wide, to Valencia to Harbor in La Habra.

“The stories being shared on CNN and local news channels just broke my heart. So many lives were lost. The contacts we had made in Tuscaloosa told me that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was there and they were doing okay. They told us to take our supplies to Joplin, as they had been hit the day prior. So we changed our plans and got to Joplin seven days after the tornado had hit,” Leon said.

Leon recalls the “unexplainable anxiety in the air” as he and his wife came closer to their destination each day. The first day the Williams got to Joplin, they went to a large church to meet their contacts and hear information on where to deliver the inventory they had brought.

“The one thing that I’ll never forget was, as the pastor of this church addressed his congregation, he could barely even talk. He mentioned that he had been in the hospital all week, consoling friends

for me to handle,” Leon said.

The Williams then went to a Holiday Inn Express, where they spent the rest of the day unloading and sorting out supplies they had brought. They had the opportunity to talk to people they were helping and realized there was not one person who had not been affected on that day from sheer devastation.

“The efforts, the people we meet along the way, the people that prayed for us, and us for them during our trip was an adventure that was heartfelt, and we will obviously never forget,” Leon said. “When people found out that we came all the way from California, it touched their hearts to know people and communities in other states were touched, changed and willing to come help make a difference.”

The Mobile Closet has become a powerful symbol of hope towards a brighter future for the communities it has helped. Libby recalls a moment in early September when the Mobile Closet reached out to needy families with children living in local motels.

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FEATURE

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

continued from page 16 The Williams then went to a Holiday Inn Express, where they spent the rest of the day unloading and sorting out supplies they had brought. They had the opportunity to talk to people they were helping and realized there was not one person who had not been affected on that day from sheer devastation.

“The efforts, the people we meet along the way, the people that prayed for us, and us for them during our trip was an adventure that was heartfelt, and we will obviously never forget,” Leon said. “When people found out that we came all the way from California, it touched their hearts to know people and communities in other states were touched, changed and willing to come help make a difference.”

The Mobile Closet has become a powerful symbol of hope towards a brighter future for the communities it has helped. Libby recalls a moment in early Sept., where the Mobile Closet reached to unstable families with children living in local motels.

“We provided new clothes and backpacks

Interested in donating food, clothing, and household items?

Visit the Mobile Closet’s website. For personal contact, email leon@interiorandexteriordesignsinc.com

www.themobilecloset.org with school supplies for countless kids. Providing kids with basic necessities was fun and rewarding, especially seeing the kids’ reactions that really hit my heart,” Libby said. “I’ve never in my life seen so many kids so happy and excited to receive school supplies and a backpack. They were all proudly showing off their new treasures to one another and felt so loved, as they should.”

Despite the regular events per month, there is still plenty of more work to be done. The Williams gladly welcome volunteers of all ages and ask that if there are any students who have a desire to help others and a need for community service hours, to keep the Mobile Closet in mind.

As for Leon’s hopes for the future, he plans to open a Mobile Closet warehouse and have multiple cities rally around it. He hopes that it is a resource to those in need, the homeless, and struggling families, but for now he is enjoying the ride as it leads the way to God’s larger plan and the smiles it brings the people it has been able to help.

“The Mobile Closet has not only helped so many families in need, but it has also helped me open my eyes to the fact that we are all truly fortunate and blessed with the luxurious lives we live,” Libby said.

“We take too much for granted and being part of this with my dad has truly benefited me as a person.”

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

June 12, 2014

LIKE TEACHER , LIKE SON

by Stacy Uhm, Staff Writer

MIKE BAKER Health Teacher Braden Baker, freshman, walks into his Health class and not only prepares himself for the reproductive system unit, but also the embarrassing stories he will hear from his teacher and father, Mike Baker.

In addition to being a Health and Skills for Success teacher and varsity football coach, Mike is the father of three sons: Austin, Logan, and Braden.

Austin is an alumni (‘12), while Logan Baker, junior, and Braden Baker, freshman, are current students.

Braden shares that at first he was a bit worried it would be awkward to have his dad as a teacher.

However, Braden is now used to seeing his dad at school and hearing the stories about his own birth that his father shares to his classes.

Although Mike does not coach Braden’s position in football, their practices are another way for them to spend time together.

“Coaching is always a little bit hard, but a lot of fun. I get to be there and watch him,” Mike said.

However, Mike follows the rule of not talking about school football with Braden the moment they pass Wildcat Way, unless Braden wants to bring it up himself. This way, Braden does not feel pressured about his performance while at home and the family has a separation between school and family time.

While Braden is new to this experience, Logan is long used to having a dad as a teacher at school.

“My dad may seem strict, but he is a good guy.

He tries the best to help everyone he can and is a hard worker,” Logan said “He might be intimidating at times, but he is actually very caring,” Braden said.

Logan shares the advantage of using his dad’s room as a locker and having his father bring home assignments on days he is absent from school.

Logan also hears funny stories about other teachers which allows them to bond throughout the day.

Ultimately, he enjoys having his father there for him on campus. “[My children and I] have a really strong relationship because I see, talk, and interact with them very often,” Mike said.

At times, Mike hears gossip about his own sons.

However, he believes it is what they should handle on their own which is part of their growth.

“As a parent, it is great [to see my children at my work]. My sons cannot screw around at school.

I know what teachers they have, who they hang

17

Health teacher Mike Baker and wrestling coach Feargus McTeggart discuss their relationship with their sons who are also current students

out with, and where they are at lunch. They have nowhere to hide,” Mike said.

FEARGUS MCTEGGART Wrestling Coach As the water ripples spread across a lake filled with fish, Feargus McTeggart, wrestling coach, waits for a catch and converses with his son, William, freshman.

The two sit for hours at a time, comfortably, without being bored. Although they do not often see each other around school, their outdoor activities, such as fishing, are an important part of their relationship.

Every summer they go to Minnesota to go fishing, and they fish locally at Laguna Lake in Fullerton.

Although Feargus is regularly in his office at the locker rooms and William is attending his classes, they believe even the brief moment together in between at snack and lunch allows their relationship to grow.

“Our relationship is great,” Feargus said.

Feargus thinks it is “awesome” being able to be with William throughout his teenage years and witness a boy becoming a man.

“It is really neat to see my son at school. He is such a great kid. I love being around him,” Feargus said.

William shares that he has the advantage of having his dad bring his homework directly from school if he is ill at home. ”He helps and is there for me a lot. He is very loving,” William said.

As a father, McTeggart is very committed to going to his son’s track and swim meets. According to William, people thought that Feargus, who is also a football coach, would be disappointed in him for not joining football, but on the contrary, “My dad is very happy that I found something I like to do and is very supportive,” William said.

According to William, whenever his friends are over at the McTeggart house, they think it is odd to see their physical education teacher, but think that it is still “cool” to see their teacher at a place other than school.

RACHEL LIN / the wildcat

Photo courtesy of MIKE BAKER

ASHA KADAKIA / the wildcat

Photo courtesy of FEARGUS MCTEGGART

TEACHER AND FATHER: Health teacher Mike Baker stands with his sons Logan, junior, and Braden, freshman. Mike sits with his wife Wendy and children Austin, Logan, and Braden. Wrestling coach Feargus McTeggart stands with his son William. Feargus and William pose at a golf course. Both teachers believe the time spent with their sons on campus bring them closer together.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

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FEATURE

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

SUMMER TEAL AP Language teacher Summer Teal looks to God and her faith after tumultous childhood and early adulthood.

by Noelle Gracia, Content Manager Photo by APRIL SANTONIL

subject matter that I had never seen before, [in] anyone. And a lot of us felt that way. In her class, we weren’t just reading dead words anymore.”

Teal adjusted again and decided to pursue a law degree as it dealt more with the intricacies of language. This resulted in Teal declaring English as her major.

“I fell in love with language and struggled with it,” Teal laughed. “I think I got a D on my first essay. Because I had never written that way before, going into those classes I was like ‘What, I thought I was good at this, I thought I was smart!’”

Despite the early struggles, Teal decided to she wanted to teach English at the college level.

“I liked the idea of being a college professor, of having that title and seeing it on my checks or something. I don’t know,” Teal joked.

Upon entering a Master’s program after graduating from CSUF, Teal took over a few classes from her professors and “hated it.”

“I was so passionate about the literature, but the college crowd was so academic and impersonal-feeling to me. It didn’t have the warmth I was expecting to get from it,” Teal said. “For these kids—and I say ‘kids’ since they were students, but a lot of them were older than me—these classes was just another stepping stone in what they really wanted to do. They couldn’t really sit in the moment and enjoy the literature because to them this was just one more day, one more class they had to get through.” y this time, Teal was 21 and married to Stephen Teal, AP Economics teacher, and “[they] had nothing at this time.”

Both were students still and living below the poverty level, subsisting on white rice (“We couldn’t buy anything else,” Teal said) and vegetables she gratefully received from her manager at the CSUF bookstore where she worked at the time. Their next door neighbor would give them the fish he caught from the pier. According to her, “at times [they] were literally starving, and had to go without food.”

“Living in Fullerton without money.

Working at a bookstore. Driving a car my dad let me borrow. Eating vegetables from our boss’s garden with some rice. Doing our laundry and hanging it in the bathtub to dry.

Eating pancakes. A twin bed. A stove that [we] would light with a match. No TV. We literally surfed every single day,” Stephen said. “Probably some of the greatest memories ever. It was a hard year, relationship-wise, but when I look back it makes me smile. I will

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ummer Teal, AP Language teacher, can almost always be found sitting behind her desk in room 214, usually munching on some kind of healthy, gluten-free snack and conversing with one of the dozens of students who mill about her room throughout the day.

Teal’s bustling classroom and warmth are such a staple on campus that it’s hard to picture her doing anything other than teaching English at Brea Olinda High School. Yet, like most of us, her current station in life was determined through a series of twists and turns that no one predicted, least of all her.

After she graduated from BOHS in 1992, Teal “hit the accelerator on [her] life.” Growing up in a “chaotic” household with two alcoholic parents, Teal’s main goal was just to get out of The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

the house as fast as possible.

“I didn’t really know it then, but I had a lot of anger towards my parents during that time in my life, especially my dad. I blamed him for not getting us out, and away from [my mother],” Teal said. “I did not realize that he was faced with an impossible choice: What do you do when you have four kids and an alcoholic wife whom you loved, plus a job you had to be at every day? As I got older, all of this came to light and there came a point when I had to approach my dad and apologize, apologize for the anger I carried with me all those years.”

Though she wanted to escape it, that tumultuous period taught Teal a lot about loyalty in a marriage and what it means to stick by someone, regardless of the circumstances.

ike many of her peers, she still resided in Brea after graduation, attending Cal State Fullerton University (CSUF), partly due to the fact that her parents did not want her to leave home.

“I think I was like everybody else growing up; you always hate the town you grow up in...you’re always going to think the grass is greener. But I ended up really enjoying CSUF so it turned out okay,” Teal said.

Initially, she planned to study medicine, as she was always stronger in the sciences and math than the arts. It was due to her senior year English teacher, however, that she decided to adjust her plan and pursue a career in literature and language arts.

Mrs. Sweet was “absolutely phenomenal,” according to Teal, as she “had a fire for her

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FEATURE

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

19

continued from page 18 always love that year because it really was so simple.” s grateful as they are now for the memories that period provided, it was at this time that Teal decided to quit her part-time bookstore job and for a job that paid more than minimum wage. That’s when she applied for the job “that pretty much changed everything.” Teal entered the business sector “completely on accident.”

While Digital Imaging and Technology refused to hire her as a receptionist, they instead offered her a job in middle-management. Teal initially refused, telling them that she only wanted to be a receptionist, “and just make their coffee and water their plants.”

They remained firm, however, telling her that they wanted her to stay and would offer enough money to where she would feel obligated to remain. When she met with the CEO, he said something “that really stuck with [Teal].”

The position of Quality Assurance Coordinator was created for her and she was starting out with a salary of $40,000.

“At that time, that money was crazy to Stephen and I,” Teal said.

Stephen quit his job at the CSUF bookstore and they moved down to the beach, where Steven completed his credential and the couple enjoyed their new financial independence.

After a couple of years, Teal was eventually promoted to vice-president, her salary and spent time away from home increasing with each promotion. With the increasing demands of her job, she felt like she was not “fulfilling all the duties of being a wife.”

Also, as she advanced in the company, her responsibilities for her position grew, including having to hire—and fire—several people at once.

Holding the fate of these people’s lives in her hands “never sat well” with Teal. It was right around this time that BOHS contacted her to work as an English teacher. The year was 1998 and Stephen had already been working at the high school for a year. Teal was 24 years old, Stephen 34.

“Her coming to teach at Brea was sweet.

We had always worked together except for the two years she worked in business, so I was excited. I knew working together would just make life easier. She knew people at the high school already because she would be at teacher gatherings with me. It was through those gatherings that she met the principal at the time. She was an easy pick for the school.

She had all the talent and she could teach really well.” Stephen said.

A

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

Photos courtesy of SUMMER TEAL

TRAVELING THROUGH LIFE: (above) AP Language teacher Summer Teal stands with a group she traveled with throughout Spain. Right, Teal sits in the first apartment she shared with her husband and AP Economics teacher Stephen Teal on the day of her BA graduation in 1996.

Summer’s hardships and journey through life has led her to discover her own self worth.

"

I had always chased happiness. I thought that if I ran long enough, I could catch it. And the truth is, you just can't.

eal attributes her fast-paced life to her “chaotic childhood.” With both parents alcoholics and her mother struggling with suicidal tendencies, Teal had never witnessed what a “healthy marriage looked like.” She was intent on removing herself so far from her past life that everything in her life following high school graduation happened one after another. Teal measured her self-worth by her own successes, and trying to “be perfect all the time,” attempting to replace the love she didn’t receive when she was younger with her peers’ approval as an adult.

“What happens when we try to be perfect all the time is that you unfortunately just end up seeing all your shortcomings instead.

And you actually just end up sadder than you were before. So Stephen really got his hands full when he married me,” Teal chuckled.

“Because I was so broken as a person, and I was trying so desperately to be whole, and for a good chunk of our marriage, he was caught up in the wake of that.”

T

ll of this self-doubt and emotional need finally culminated in the Teals giving their lives over to God completely. In 2006, Teal had fallen into a major depression and according to her, “was ready to die, and/or

A

SUMMER TEAL AP Language Teacher

get a divorce.”

So on March 17, 2007, Teal packed her things, said “goodbye” to Stephen, and went to her parent’s house, because not only were they out of town, but they had guns as well.

Teal had the intention of ending her life that night, a fact Stephen did not know until “years later in [their] marriage,” It was then that she began praying.

“When a lot of people talk about being saved, they talk about how nice Jesus is, but honestly, I just wanted him to be powerful,” Teal said. “I wanted somebody to save me from myself. And he did. I had been trying for so long to [live] my life as though it was my own and it’s really not. My life was given to me, and it’s not about me. It’s about people, what I can do, and not making people feel happy, but allowing them to feel joy.”

On the same night, and even around the same time that Teal had her revelation, Stephen was experiencing his own catharsis.

According to Stephen, he did not really “turn to God, so much as [he] gripped the realness of who he was.”

“I was not worried about heaven or hell.

What I longed for was a real truth, salvation from myself. A God who saves, and knows me.

The truth is that on the night when the truth

"

of Christ broke in, I was alone and decided I would put all my life in His hands. I would follow Him and nothing else would matter,” Stephen said.

That night marked the beginning for both by choosing to put God first in their lives.

“I had always chased happiness. I thought that if I ran long enough, I could catch it. And the truth is, you just can’t. Choosing to follow God was the best thing for me because I had always been passionate about things but now I could be passionate about Him. And that’s awesome because it allows me to still be myself,” Teal said. “It changed everything.”

Today, with four rapidly growing daughters, teaching and coaching at BOHS, and the heavy influence of God directing their lives, the Teals now enjoy a life of suburban contentment. Both are very involved with their church, Southlands, with Stephen serving as deacon and Teal often hosting bible studies.

“The best part of our entire time together is really right now,” Stephen said. “People say that kind of nonsense all the time, but for sure this is a really cool time in our lives. The Summer Teal I met 20 years ago would have never talked about all of her. She is nothing like the girl I married. And that’s cool because we should be different 20 years later.”

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

FEATURE 20 TWO WEEKS WITHOUT MEDIA The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

Wildcat staff writers Astyr Ko and Stacy Uhm take on the challenge of fasting from all media for two weeks.

by Stacy Uhm, Staff Writer

by Astyr Ko, Staff Writer

I took on this challenge for two weeks to learn that media is not necessary, but I had severe “withdrawal symptoms”. I feared that my boredom would devour me during my media fast when I had no homework to do, and I questioned my happiness and success in the beginning. However, I ended up loving my new lifestyle made by little commitments.

As I went through my first day of this media fast, I did not know what to do with my hands. I had to avoid touching or grabbing my phone to check notifications or to simply kill time. Tired of this frustration, I ended up filling my emptiness with food and sleep instead of finishing my homework early.

To fight the boredom, I was soon determined to explore new hobbies. I thought about doing crafts, but realized I needed the internet to look up ideas and instructions for the crafts.

Then, I started thinking about my future.

This thought made me want to research careers and colleges. I realized that media is more than just entertainment through Snapchat or Temple Run. I learned that media, such as Google, is very beneficial by educating me about life after high school.

Although I became more aware about my self-development, I was not aware of my social updates. At school, my friends talked about a funny picture or site and offer to send me the links; however, I had to reluctantly decline, leaving me feeling left out of the conversations and inside jokes.

In the middle of the week, I was faced with the challenge of visiting my aunt’s house in L.A. Everyone sat around the TV screen laughing hysterically and having long discussions about a Korean variety show, “Running Man”. Even after the show was over, the TV stayed on.

At first, I decided to just turn my back to the television, but I eventually had to leave the room. I felt isolated. Even family time was filled with mostly media.

The next day, I went out to dinner with my mom. While waiting for our food, instead of checking my phone or texting my friends.

I actually started a conversation and asked how her day was. I noticed how many more conversations I could have if I was not on my phone all the time. However, at times, she

My weekly routine of watching “Pretty Little Liars” on Tuesday nights was ruined when I decided to take on the challenge of fasting from media for two weeks.

Not being able to watch was almost unbearable. I reluctantly began to do my Biology homework which wasn’t due until Thursday. Occasionally, I would wonder what was going on in an episode. However, as time passed, I forgot about the mysteries in “Pretty Little Liars” and finished the online lab without procrastination. I went to bed at 9 p.m. instead the usual 11.

The next morning, I did not wake up tired or cranky. Instead of lying in my bed for ten minutes, wanting to stay under the comfort of the covers, I quickly got up and got ready for school. I walked into zero period fully awake and energized, and I was fully attentive in class.

However, my happiness went away during snack when my friends were talking about the Pretty Little Liars episode that premiered the night before. In order to ignore my frustration and possible spoilers, so I looked for friends who did not watch the series.

Later that night, as I was doing my homework I was tempted to listen to music. It felt odd only listening to the sound of my pencil solving math problems instead of Demi Lovato’s voice. Later, after finishing my work early, I was tempted to watch beauty gurus on YouTube videos. I was receiving notifications from Facebook and text messages. Not being able to go on the computer made me feel like a caveman. I realized that my life was based on media. However, I learned different ways to fill up my vacant time, like reading An “Abundance of Katherines”, which I never finished during summer.

My productivity skyrocketed without the constant distraction from media. The hours left over in the day were the hours I spent watching unnecessary videos and reading pointless posts.

I was losing countless worthwhile hours.

According to the Washington Post, adolescents spend an average of seven and a half hours on media and electronics daily. Teens today are known as the Facebook generation or “digital natives”. I always knew that I lived in a media-dependent society, but it never mattered to me until the fast. It sickened me how teens

See page 21 The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

SHUTTING DOWN...

SHUTTING DOWN...

APRIL SANTONIL / the wildcat

LIFE WITHOUT MEDIA: Staff writers Stacy Uhm and Astyr Ko avoided personal contact with media and technological entertainment for two weeks. Towards the end of the challenge, both realized the benefits of “looking up” from their phones, iPads and televisions.

2013 MEDIA STATISTICS TECHNOLOGY Out of 208 teens between ages 12-17...

NETFLIX

= 29.2 million

78%

subscribers

own a

CELLPHONE

= 10 million

93% own a

COMPUTER

18-24 35-44 45-54 55+

831

2,022

726

pewinternet.com

RECEIVED 1,831

525 473 247 244

spent watching videos

statisticbrain.com

TEXTS / per month SENT

2 billion hours

businessinsider.com

INTERNET / worldwide

4.354 billion 3.8714

active users billion email users

1.6 billion active Facebook profiles 234 million active Twitter profiles facthunt.com

See page 21 PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

FEATURE

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

tragic consequences of DISTRACTED DRIVING

by Astyr Ko, Staff Writer

Teens are the largest age group to be distracted while behind the wheel. While looking at the road ahead while driving at high speeds on the freeway should be a given, Drivers need to look to where they this simple and logical rule is often ignored.

Drivers ensure other’s safety by following laws and paying full attention to the road, and other drivers. However, many drivers ignore the statistics of fatality rates and believe that accidents could never happen to them. Nearly half a million people are injured and thousands of people are killed yearly, according to the governmentrun distraction.gov.

Distracted driving includes the use of cell phones, eating, grooming, adjusting radios, and more activities that ultimately are not necessary while steering the driving wheel of a heavy vehicle.

“Like most of the leading causes in the United States, motor vehicle collisions are a preventable cause of death,” Samuel J. Garloff, psychiatrist, said.

Texting while driving was made illegal in California because of the visual, manual, and cognitive distraction.

“I don’t agree with people who text and drive because I personally bump into things while just texting and walking,” Charlene Su, senior, said.

According to distraction.gov, texting while driving increases the risk of an accident 23 times.

Drivers spend an average time of five seconds on their phones while texting. When driving at 55 miles per hour, drivers speed over the length of a football field. However,

distraction.gov

21

continued from page 20

would be on her phone when I want to talk to her.

Later in the fast, I stopped feeling anxious from the absence of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and text messaging. I rejected objects with screens that would take me to a cyborg world. Because of my new distaste for media, I finished my work three to four hours earlier, without procrastination.

I am now more focused and remember things better due to my brain no longer being bombarded by my phone and computer screen. I began to talk to my family more. My mind felt more clear and peaceful without the constant presence of technology and media.

STACY UHM

depend on the amount of “likes” they get on a post to determine their popularity and value in society. Children were told that only they could define who they were. However, teens are masking themselves behind a screen and showing identities that do not resemble their true personalities.

Society ranks adolescents by their posts and knows them by their username.

Although social media websites like Facebook and Twitter were meant for quick communication and sharing lives with friends online, it can easily make people feel lonely and lose self-confidence. After an Instagram binge, I immediately compared my life to others’ seemingly flawless lives. Without media flashing model-status perfection and intriguing gossip, I was able to focus on me. I had a lot of energy and time to think about what I wanted. Without the fuss over who was doing what, I had the time to plan my week and simply daydream. I learned again to trust my own opinion and make decisions independently.

This retro lifestyle made me realize that time on the screen means that there is no face to face contact with peers and family. I felt lonely in a house of four other people.

As result of my fast, I am not afraid of life without social media, texting, and electronic devices anymore.

ASTYR KO

Illustration by JESSICA YIM

CHAOS ON THE ROAD: With food to eat, a cellphone to use, and a radio to adjust, the occurrence of distracted driving has raised the statistics of car accidents and the fatal consequences that follow. the average driver’s reaction time is .75 seconds, which means that one would drive 45 feet before being able to change direction.

According to travelers.com, studies have also shown that drivers using cellular phones look at, but fail to see, 50 percent of the information on the road.

Drivers are responsible for their safety and the safety of others.

A quarter of teens send a text message once or more each time they drive while 20 percent of teens text message conversations while driving, according to travelers. com. Many people depend on the

60

At any moment in the U.S.,

DRIVING STATISTICS

June 12, 2014

THOUSAND

drivers use cellphones while driving

consequences by law like the fine of $159 to prevent them from texting while driving.

“You’re basically holding a weapon and can kill a lot people.

You’re out [on the road] with unprotected people. If you’re distracted, you can easily go astray,” Jun Park, junior, said.

According to California Office of Traffic Safety, the leading cause of death for 15-20 year olds is vehicle crashes, and distracted driving is one of the most common reasons for traffic collisions.

Lives could be saved if every driver did their role of safely

driving. Not multitasking, like checking texts while navigating traffic on Wildcat Way, is a simple rule to follow while driving.

“Food is happiness. Driving will not heed me from happiness,” Su said.

Although some people feel this way, the dangers of eating while driving is high. When people eat while driving, their focus is on the food instead of driving. Drivers are not only chewing but unwrapping, wrapping, wiping, opening packages, and cleaning themselves.

It is not necessary for drivers to eat while driving.

3328 $ 230 KILLED Road collisions cost the U.S.

BILLION, or $820 per person

people were

in distracted driving accidents in 2012

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

22

FEATURE

The Wildcat June 12, 2014

#100HAPPYDAYS CHALLENGE

The Senior Issue

Senior Claire Kim and junior Melody Kim take the challenge to find and share happy moments on social media for 100 days in a row

by Jean Park, Staff Writer

C

an you be happy for 100 days in a row?

According to 100happydays.com, 71 percent of people who tried to answer this question failed, citing the lack of time as an excuse.

The 100happydays Foundation challenges people around the globe to find 100 happy moments, and submit one picture per day on to social media.

Melody Kim, junior, and Claire Kim, senior currently are challenging themselves to being happy for 100 days in a row.

The process of seeking out an object to upload allows re-evaluation of what truly makes one happy.

Although it seems as simple as one picture per day, the 100 day challenge reveals a snippet of what little things contributes to a person’s joy.

According to Claire Kim, the happiness challenge had an unexpectedly high difficulty level due to her busy schedule and the lack of motivation to post pictures on “bad days.”

“It may be difficult to make time for the challenge, but, as corny as this is, there’s no bad time to try to be happy,” stated Claire Kim. Even though Claire Kim recommends the challenge, but would not repeat it, she notes that appreciating the smaller things resulted in a more positive outlook on life. Making an effort to find something happy to post allowed happiness in the process.

Claire Kim specifically chose to document her last days in high school and conclude her 100 days with the happiest day of her life so far: graduation.

Melody Kim, junior, believes that no one can truly be happy for 100 days in a row, but it is possible to find the little perks that cheer people up every day despite how terribly the day started.

Managing the chaos of school alongside the challenge, Melody finds time to upload one simple picture a day regardless of “First World problems” like a slow internet connection.

Whilst searching for ideas for her club, To Write Love on Her Arms, Melody Kim first encountered the 100happydays website, and her decision was reaffirmed when she came across it on Tumblr a few days later. The 71 percent fail rate fed her ambition and challenged her to complete the 100 days of happiness.

According to Melody, this challenge pushed her to see the positives in her life and allowed her to be satisfied in perseverance during the challenge despite having a history of giving up easily.

However, Melody Kim found a desensitizing effect created by the challenge because it became a

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

#Happy for 100 Days 10,000,000 posts recorded

1

2

3

4

71%

33%

of particpants donate to projects. fail to complete the 100 Happy Days challenge.

Pictures can be posted and viewed via Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Books and postcards can be purcharsed as donations.

Photos courtesy of CLAIRE KIM and MELODY KIM

1 Senior Claire Kim mimics a statue in front of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

2 Claire spends a day at the beach eating In-N-Out and macarons with her friends.

3 Junior Melody Kim studies for AP exams with her aunt’s dog Pepe.

4 Melody and Betty Lee, junior, inform promote their club, To Write Love On Her Arms. part of a routine, rather than truly finding something that makes one happy.

Through the challenge, Melody changed her prior pessimistic view of her life into a brighter view, realizing how her previous situations were not as bad as she once thought. Her epiphany allowed her to realize happy times came oftener, resulting in an increased thankfulness of the things in her possession and helping her to focus on the positive aspects of life rather than the negatives.

Melody recommends the challenge to all her friends because the challenge illuminates what causes happiness in life.

Although Melody deems appreciating the

moment does not instantaneously turn into longterm happiness, she believes happiness builds up, and as it accumulates, receiving the bits and pieces of happiness is better because it amounts as a whole, satisfying picture of life in the end.

Claire Kim and Melody Kim’s happiness-seeking adventure via social media exemplifies the desire to be happy, which resides in everyone. Each picture is a puzzle piece in a larger picture of what makes up the happiness of the person attempting the challenge.

Despite as couple of negatives, the benefits outweighed the cons for Claire and Melody, each finding their own individual fulfillment through the picture-taking challenge.

33% of proceeds will go to spreading happiness throughout the world.

33% will be sent to an organization of choice.

33% is used for materials and running the organization. source: 100happydays.com

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

FEATURE

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

AMANDA LANK

Senior Amanda Lank prepares to be a ‘Trojan for Life’

by Sharon Cho, Editor-in-Chief Photo by TRENT PRESTON

hile proudly displaying green and gold for the past four years at Wildcat football games, senior Amanda Lank will soon be sitting front row in cardinal and gold at University of Southern California (USC) football games.

Lank was debating between Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and USC. Her father, Chris, also attended Cal Poly SLO, but he knew USC was the right choice for Amanda.

Amanda agreed and ultimately chose USC because of the challenge, its diversity, and the “Trojan Life.” She hopes that USC’s rigorous curricula will prepare her for a future in either biochemical engineering or business (her intended double-major at USC).

“I’m ready for the challenge and ready for something more. I don’t want to take the easy way out,” Amanda said.

Initially, Amanda was hoping to attend the University of Notre Dame. She wanted to leave California and “pop the Brea Bubble.” The majority of the schools she applied to were also out of state.

“I think I didn’t get in [to Notre Dame] because I’m not Catholic,” Amanda joked. “In retrospect though, I’m really happy that it didn’t work out, because now I don’t think I could leave California. I’m glad that I’m staying close.”

June 12, 2014

23

“I’m ready for the challenge and ready for something more. I don’t want to take the easy way out.”

AMANDA LANK senior

W

A family rivalry

Although her family has been long-time University of Nebraska Huskers fans, Amanda’s admission into USC has converted at least a few of her family members into Trojan fans.

“I have family [in Nebraska] and we’ve always been Huskers fans.

My family has always hated on USC, especially my grandpa. My dad has [said] for years: ‘University of Spoiled Children. USC sucks.’ Then, when I went out to the mailbox and I saw the big envelope, immediately my family jumped ship and bandwagoned,” Amanda said.

As the first member in her family to attend USC, Amanda hopes to create this new path for her future children and family. She aspires to create a “Trojan network” within the Lank family.

“Amanda’s dad and I are extremely proud of our daughter and all of her activities and accomplishments. Through the years she has continuously amazed us and we are in awe of how she stays on top of school and all of the related activities,” Susan Lank, Amanda’s mother, said.

Helping others

Amanda will double major in chemical engineering, with an emphasis in biochemical engineering, and business. Although she is not exactly sure as to what she hopes to pursue in the future, she knows she

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

wants to help people. With the chemical engineering major, she plans on developing products to help save lives. Lank is also considering joining USC’s pre-medical program.

“I really want to help people. In high school, I found out that’s what I really like to do. Just serving others and giving back,” Lank said.

Although Lank’s aspiration is to be of assistance to others, she wishes to stay more “behind the scenes.” Entering the pre-medical program will require her to openly help others and save lives. However, the chemical engineering program will allow Lank to help others without being in the spotlight. Another option she is considering is focusing on cancer because of her family’s history with the disease.

Even though Lank committed to USC because of her desire for the “Trojan Life,” she also decided on USC because of its diversity and geography.

“Basically, L.A. is not Brea. A lot more people live in hardship [in L.A.] and they don’t have all the resources available to get the treatment needed,” Lank said.

Influence of ASB

As a member of ASB for all four years in high school, Amanda does not regret dedicating her time and high school life to it.

“ASB has helped me work with a lot of different personalities and meshing those together and putting an emphasis on people’s strong points

to create something that works. I’ve learned how to take differences and come in agreement with those,” Lank said.

Lank believes that ASB has taught her how to work with others and how to be a leader, which she hopes to carry to college and later in life.

“Amanda is incredible and is the kind of person who always brings a smile to my face. Her enthusiasm for life translates into how hard she works in school and how much effort she puts into making BOHS a better place for the student body,” Pamela Valenti, assistant principal and ASB advisor, said.

With her admission into USC, Lank believes her grades and classes were not the highlight of her application. She believes her dedication is what really helped her. “[Underclassmen] should not just do everything for college. A lot of people join clubs just for college and to throw on their applications, but colleges see right through that. They go through thousands of applicants every year. I think they pick the kids who are passionate and really dedicate themselves to something, because that’s what they really want to do. Just stick with what you feel is your passion and it’ll kind of all come into place,” Lank said.

As Lank finishes saying her final farewells to friends and faculty at Brea Olinda High School, and reflects on the impact she made as a Wildcat, she will soon enter the gates of USC, ready to be a “Trojan for life.”

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

Where we’re headed

ERIN BUZON CAL STATE FULLERTON

MICHAEL TURNER IRVINE VALLEY COLLEGE

Adams, Matthew undecided Adler, Kevin Fullerton College Aguilar, Natalie Biola University Ahmadi, Shahrzad CSUF Ahn, Woo Fullerton College Aikman, Ashley Fullerton College Alger, Ashley Saddleback College Almazan Burns, Ian Fullerton College Alvarado, Gerardo Fullerton College Amaya, Lysabela United States Naval Academy Amin, Ibrahim Fullerton College Amoles Flores, Karina An, Chang Sung Fullerton College Arellanez, Christopher Santa Ana College Ariza, Daniel CSUF Arroyo, Angelo Santa Ana College Arteaga, Ruby undecided Arzate, Anthony Fullerton College Asfour, Sandra Fullerton College Atkins Starks, Tara CSU San Diego Baffa, Andrew Vanguard University Bakunas, Ryan CSUF Bang, Clara SDSU Barrera, Justin Mt. SAC Barsoum, Karim La Sierra University Bauer, Rachel CSUF Baxley, Justin Fullerton College Bearzi-Guedes, Louise UCSB Becerra, Joel Cal Poly Pomona Beckum, Joshua James Fullerton College Bent, Samantha CSUF Bermudez, Selena Fullerton College Betz, Madeline undecided Bishop, Cameron UC Irvine Bislimi, Besmir undecided Blaho, Anna Washington State University Blake, Daniel CSUF Blehm, Jennifer undecided Boike, Lindsea Boliver, Emily Fullerton College Boonsong, Kennebon Orange Coast College Bouldin, Thomas University of Nevada Bradford, Trevor United States Marine Corps Brady, Lindsay Colorado Meca University Brambila, Brianna undecided

Brannen Baroci, Tristan

DIMAGGIO OROZCO CAL POLY POMONA

Bright, Randen Cypress College Brumbaugh, Andrew Fullerton College Budds, Christine SDSU Bui, Ngoc Burt, Cameron CSUF Buzon, Erin CSUF Camacho, Elizabeth Camacho, Jeremy Fullerton College Camarena, Ianadel Fullerton College Campbell, Khalil undecided Carey, Jordan CSUF Carey, Shannon Cypress College Carlin, Sarah undecided Carroll, Jonathan Oklahoma State University Cash, Tyler Wilshire Casteel, Austin Castillo, Alexa Fullerton College Castillo, Alexis Mt. SAC Cervatnes, Linda CSUF Chacon, Danielle Orange Coast College Chaffin, Brittani Fullerton College

Chahal, Gurkirt UC Irvine Chaidez, Sabrina UC Irvine Chang, Sae Hun Orange Coast College Chavez, Anthony Mt. SAC Chavez, Denise CSU East Bay Che, Selina UCLA Cheng, Jessie Cal Poly Pomona Cho, Eunice San Jose State University Cho, Sharon SFSU Choi, Daniel CSUF Choi, Samuel Cal Poly Pomona Chon, Elijah University of Arizona Clark, Mikayla BYU Idaho Clayton, Atlantis FIDM Contreras, Kaylene Santiago Canyon College Contreras, Tyler CSUF Cooper, Madison Fullerton College Cooper, Marc Mt. SAC Cooper, Travis Arizona State University Corredor, Austin Mt. SAC Cortes, Samantha Chapman University Cortez, Angelique Mohave Community College Cowan, Tyler Arizona State University Cox, Bethany Mt. SAC Cox, Melinda Fullerton College Crabtree, Colin University of Vermont Crampton, Jonathan Cruz, Laura CSUF Cruz, Michelle Damian, Guadalupe Drexel University Dandley, Makena Northwest Nazarene University Daniels, Ashley CSUF Davidson, Carrington Fullerton College Davis, Elizabeth UCSC De La Cerda, Megan undecided De La Cruz Espinal, Kevin Mt. San Antonio De Leon, Lauren CSUF Dean, Christopher Fullerton College Delgado, Luis CSUF Diaz, Monique Hawaii Pacific University Dibavar, Yazin Irvine Valley College Dixon, Aaron Fullerton College Doan, Chas Wilshire Dolmat, Grant CSUF Drury, Samantha Virginia Tech

Dwyer, Daniel CSUF Eberhardt, Julia UCLA Eghterafi, Samara Orange Coast College Espinoza, Matthew Fullerton College Espinoza, Ryan Fullerton College Evans, Ethan undecided Evertsen, Jace Fullerton College Ewenike, Uche CSUF Farrell, Kristine Azusa Pacific University Ferracioli, Alana undecided Flores, Ariel Santiago Canyon College Flores, Brenda Fullerton College Fluegal, Jennifer Mt. SAC Freeman, Elijah Fullerton College Friis, Olivia California Baptist University Gall, Angela The Art Institute of Caifornia Gallegos, Sabrina Texas Tech University Galvan, Marissa SDSU Garber, Drake Not Attending Garcia, Alec CSUF Garcia, Alexa Fullerton College Garcia, Amanda Azusa Pacific University

Class of 2014 Garcia, Destiny California Baptist University Garcia, Eric UC Berkeley Garcia, Jacqueline Fullerton College Garcia, Oscar Fullerton College Garza, Jacob Cal Poly Pomona Gil, Nathan Cal Poly Pomona Gimbel, Jared CSUF Girase, Sai CSUF Giurbino, Michael CSUF Gonzalez, Leilani Fullerton College Gonzalez, Silema undecided Gonzalez Jr, Raymond Fullerton College Graciarena, Cameron undecided Grajeda, Anthony Fullerton College Grover, Matthew Fullerton College Gutierrez, Anthony CSU San Bernadino Gutierrez, Jeremy CSUF Gutierrez, John Santiago Canyon College Gutierrez, Maya Fullerton College Hale, Summer Colorado State University Halm, Lance Fullerton College Hamilton, Hailey Fullerton College Han, Nathaniel CSUF Hanon Ovies, Maria CSUF Hardin, Haylee UCSD Harton, Sara UCSC Hayes, Jacqueline Fullerton College Hazama, Kelsey CSUF Heagle, Becka BYU Idaho Her, Karen University of Pennsylvania Hermida, Ivana New Mexico State University Hernandez, Mason Mt. SAC Herrera, Demetrious CSUF Ho, Brian UC Berkeley Hocking, Erin San Jose State University Hoffman, Scott undecided Holliday, Daisy United States Airforce Hur, Christine UC Riverside Huynh, Ryan Cal Poly Pomona Hyla Jr, Robert CSULB Imler, Kelsey UC Irvine Inman, Tyler Fullerton College Ishikawa, Ahnika CSUF Issa, Omar CSUF Jang, Daniel Biola University Jaramillo, Monica Fullerton College Jauregui, Tanner Fullerton College Jensen, Trevor Fullerton College Jeon, Samuel UC Riverside Johnson, Kyle Cal Poly Pomona Jones, Lynsey Fullerton College Jota, Jose Luis CSUF Juelch, Sarah Mt. SAC Kang, Elissa UC Irvine Kasser, Kyle SDSU Katehis, Chandler Fullerton College Katsuyama, Jamee Cypress College Keam, Zachary Fullerton College Keller, Hannah Fullerton College Kelley, Dannica Cypress College Kiley, Vincent CSUF Kim, Ashley UC Riverside Kim, Claire Occidental College Kim, Gye Won CSUF Kim, Hannah Cornell University Kim, Hyunjib Whittier College Kim, James Mt. SAC

Miranda, Joshua Fullerton College Moberly, Megan Otis College Moe, Amanda Fullerton College Mok, Lucas Woodbury University Montalvo, Sarah Northern Arizona University Moon, Alexandra Arizona State University Morck, Bradley Texas Tech University Moreno, Andrew Mt. SAC Morse, Rebecca CSUF Muhovich, Ty Humboldt State University Munden, Daniel CSUF Muresan, Jonah Cal Poly SLO Myers, Raven Regional Occupation Program Navarette, Cheyenne Mt. San Antonio College Navarro, Kyle CSUF Nelson, Sarah BYU Idaho Newland, Elizabeth Pomona College Nguyen, Andre Cal Poly Pomona Nolen, Emily CSU Chico Norseth, Mitchell Fullerton College Novelo, David UCSB Ohler, Vincent CSUF Ongkiko, Erin Clarice Fullerton College Orleans, Louis Cal Poly Pomona Ornelas, Milton United States Army Orozco, DiMaggio Cal Poly Pomona Ortiz, Megan Biola University Otto, Taylor Cal Poly Pomona Owens, Zachary Santiago Canyon College Pacheco, Danielle undecided Padore, Andreya Dixie State University Paek, Andrew Notre Dame University Palacios, Joseph Mt. SAC Palmer, Jacob Palmieri, Michael Boise State University Paragas, Romeo Park, Do Hyun UC Riverside Park, Eunchae CSUF Park, Jung Fullerton College Park, Sehee UCSD Park, Sejun Fullerton College Park, Ye Chan University of San Diego Parker, Taylor UCLA Pasillas, Andrea CSUF Patel, Sahaj Chapman University Peralta, Nelson Fullerton College Lunde, Connor Biola University Petris, Ivan Mt. SAC Lunde, Trevor Biola University Phelps, Andrew Fullerton College Lyng, Jonathan Mt. SAC Phillips, Hannah Santiago Canyon College Lyons, Andrew Fullerton College Philp, Lydia Fullerton College Maceda, Michelle Fullerton College Pierce, Clorial Fullerton College Main, Richard Cal Poly Pomona Piper, Kevin Fullerton College Marcoly, Samantha Northern Arizona University Pipes, Hannah Depaul University Maris, Ryan Arizona Christian University Pollind, Michael Chapman University Martin, Cody Fullerton College Poore, Joshua Fullerton College Martinez, Gabriel CSUF Poulis, Paul Biola University Martinez, Lauren undecided Preston, Trent Cal Poly Pomona Martinez, Rebecca Hawaii Pacific University Protenic, John University of Redlands Martinez, Richard Mt. SAC Pugmire, Anileece Mt. SAC Martinson, Zackary Arizona State University Putzeys, Stuard Maske, Davis Fullerton College Quezada, Jasmine Azusa Pacific University Mathews, Jack UCSB Quion, Sabrina CSU Dominguez Hills Mauriss, Samantha Washington State University Ramirez, Melissa Fullerton College Maxwell, Dylan Santiago College McCallister, Alicia St. Mary’s College of California Ramos, Briana University of Oregon Ramos, Chandler University of San Diego McFarland, Emily Cypress College Rangel, Brook Orange Coast College McNees, Dillon Fullerton College Reyes, Amber University of La Verne McPhee, Izabella Northern Arizona University

Kim, Joseph CSUF Kim, Jung Hyun UC Riverside Kim, Mi Jin USC Kim, Na Mu UC Riverside Kim, Sang Yeon Johns Hopkins Kim, Seung Hyun Kim, Shirley University of Pacific Kim, Stephanie UCSB Kim, Stephanie Culinary Institute of America Kim, Ted UCSD Kimball, Mattie Golden West College Kooiman, Kaylee Fullerton College Koryta, Brennon Cal Poly Pomona Kraus, Marcus Santa Clara University Kwak, Eunice Chapman University Lamas, Brittany Lambourne, Jenna BYU Provo LaMont, Ryan undecided Lank, Amanda USC Lasley, Jourdon Fullerton College Law, Jordan SDSU Lazo Loera, Irene Mt. SAC Le, Brandon CSU Dominguez Hills Lee, Ching Chan Lee, Curtis Biola University Lee, Daniel CSUF Lee, Eric CSU Dominguez Hills Lee, Eun Seo Fullerton College Lee, Farrah Hofstra University Lee, Kevin UC Berkeley Lee, Min Woo UCSC Lee, Sinai Mt. SAC Lee, Susie UC Irvine Lemmons, Matthew Golden West College Lemus, Jorge undecided Lervold, Brittany Fullerton College Lieberman, Ethan UC Irvine Lim, Timothy Le Cordon Bleu Linn, Nicholas undecided Liron, Emilie University of Delaware Locsin, Jose Maria Roberto Art Institute of OC Lombardo, Ryan UC Irvine London, Andrew Mt. SAC Lopez, Zachary CSU Channel Islands Luna, Brandon CSUF

Reyes, Maria CSUF Reynoso, Samuel CSUF Reynoso, Vanessa Cypress College Richardson, Caleb United States Army Richey, Christopher Point Loma Nazarene University Rico, Breanna Mt. SAC Riley, Angie Fullerton College Rivas, Ginelle Citrus College Rodine, Dylan Fullerton College Rodriguez, Jennifer CSUF Rodriguez, Paulina Fullerton College Rogers, David Purdue Rojas, Amber Westmont College Romero, Melanie Cypress College Romero Esquivel, Daniela Rose, Jeremiah Oklahoma State University Ruiz-Vinas, Zachary undecided Rybovic, Evan CSUF Salazar Castelo, Sandra undecided Salgado, Hector Fullerton College Salinas, Breeana Fullerton College Sanchez, Lucia Santiago Canyon Sandhu, Azzan Fullerton College Sandoval, Alondra Cypress College Schwarz, Tyler CSUF Schweitzer, Taylor CSUF Schwenker, Anthony University of Arizona Segura, Brenda University of Idaho Selinske, Bradey undecided Sellers, Robert Selway, Brandon undecided Seriki, Temitope Santa Monica College Serna, Daniella CSUF Serna, Paulina Cypress College Serna, Rebeca Chapman University Shabbir, Husain Savannah College of Arts Shah, Yash UC Irvine Shanmugham, Ajay UC Berkeley Sharda, Hema UC Irvine Sherif, Mina UC Berkeley Shin, Dong Seok Drexel University Shin, Justin Fullerton College Silva, Andrea Fullerton College Silva, Francisco undecided Simmons, Devon Santa Ana College

Simpson, Kaley FIDM Sinyard, Chanse Saddleback College Sitt, Melody CSUF Smith, Lauren Vanguard University Smith, Madison Fullerton College Smith, Megan undecided Song, Michael UC Riverside Song, Phoebe UC Riverside Sorensen, Michael Mt. SAC Soria, Magda Fullerton College Sosa, Erik Cal Poly Pomona Southard, Kenneth Fullerton College Spicer, Lauren Pacific University Oregon Spicer, Tyler Chapman University Sriram, Vikram Sai Kishan UC Davis Stefun, Jeremy Cal Poly Pomona Stella, Jayna Brigham Young University Idaho Stephens, Trevor Not Attending Stricker, Elijah undecided Stuht, Victoria CSUF Su, Charlene UC Riverside Suvarnasuddhi, Jirasuddhi UC Riverside

BOHSSENIORS

Swarbrick, Alison Fullerton College Sykes, Kevin Westmont College Szynal, Andrew United States Marines Tabaza, Raghad UC Riverside Tajonera, Uriah Mt. SAC Talag, Michaelangelo U. of Nevada Reno Tammen, Brianna Mt. SAC Tetreault, Mikayla Arcadia University Thomas, Nathaniel UC Davis Thornburg-Gar, John undecided Thorsen, Todd University of Redlands Thorum, Tyler Fullerton College Tjoa, Michelle UC Irvine Toquero, Cedric John UC Riverside Torres, Caroline Fullerton College Torres, Stephanie Weber State University Truesdale, Daniel Baylor University Tunuufi, Aleah Utah State University Turiace, Paulina Turner, Douglas Turner, Michael Irvine Valley College Uhm, Tae Hyung Sacramento City College Vaca, Valerie Fullerton College Valencia, Sergio Santiago Canyon College Valencia, Teresa De Jesus Fullerton College Van Daalen Wetters, Melissa Fullerton College Vandergriff, Russell Fullerton College Velazquez, Isel Fullerton College Velazquez, Wendy Fullerton College Verhague, Natalie Fullerton College Vernola, Trevor CSUF Villegas Bravo, Laura Fullerton College Virani, Fayaaz University of Central Florida Voisan, Nathan Fullerton College Vu, Jeanne UCSD Walk, Andrew The Real Barbers College Wallace, Jonathan California Baptist University Walters, Alexa Loyola Marymount University Wang, Bin Yang CSULB Warther, Kylie SDSU Weatherspoon, Tashia Fullerton College Weeks, Sabrina Laguna College of Arts and Design Weissinger, Ciera undecided Welsh, Carissa Fullerton College Whang, Scott Fullerton College Wilkinson, Morgan Fullerton College Williams, Allison CSUF Williams, Colin Fullerton College Williams, John Whittier College Williams, Nicholas Fullerton College Williams, Owen CSUF Winder, Angela CSU San Marcos Winn, Cody UC Davis Witt, Harrison Fullerton College Wood, Cody Mt. San Antonio College Wright, Samuel Fullerton College Wupuy, Brandon Golden West College Yang, Hyunji Fullerton College Yang, Richard CSUF Young, Matthew Sacramento City College Youngs, Ashley Fullerton College Yourstone, Bret UC Davis Yun, Chiu Cal Poly Pomona Yun, Jin Seon Otis College Zablan, John Gabriel Fullerton College Zhao, Yifan UC Berkeley Zordani, Jaclyn SFSU

NAMU KIM UC RIVERSIDE

VINCENT KILEY CAL STATE FULLERTON

CHRISTINE BUDDS SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY

26 AJAY SHANMUGHAM

CHANDLER RAMOS

“[High school] was a blast.”

“[High school was] sick.”

KELSEY HAZAMA “My high school career has been full of studying, eyeopening experiences, laughing, crying, and so much more.”

SAMANTHA DRURY “High school to me was one big life lesson. I met new people, had amazing experiences, learned a lot, and after four years, realized that the key to it all is simple: Be happy!”

JAYMEE KATSUYAMA “These past four years have been both memorable and amazing.”

PAULINA SERNA “My high school experience has been an unexplainable roller coaster ride.”

GRANT DOLMAT “[High school has been] four years of self-discovery.”

UCHE EWENIKE “It’s over.”

27

28 BECKA HEAGLE “[High school] was nothing like ‘High School Musical.’”

CONNOR LUNDE “My high school experience was fun, but it got a little old at the end.”

TREVOR LUNDE “It was fun, but I kind of want to get out of here now.”

BRENNON KORYTA “[High school] has been a long road to success. I put in continuous hours of hard work and commitment, and yet it has flown by. I can’t believe four years are already up.

It has been an amazing experience.”

BREEANA SALINAS “The places life takes us is a mystery, but in the confusion of life we can stop and remember the places we began, as a Wildcat.”

29

YASH SHAH “It was a memorable four years. Every senior will do something great in the future.”

KENNETH SOUTHARD “My high school career was a roller coaster with highs and lows, left and right. I never knew what was coming up next. Luckily friends helped me the whole time.”

SAMANTHA BENT “Freshman year and senior year were a complete 180. I found my true friends senior year.”

JAMES KIM “In high school, I was ‘Stayin’ Alive.’”

30

FEATURE

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

GET TO KNOW our valedictorians and salutatorian DREAM JOB?

SAMANTHA DRURY Virginia Tech

MARISSA GALVAN

San Diego State University

ERIC GARCIA UC Berkely

KAREN HER

UPenn

AJAY SHANMUGHAM UC Berkeley

AMANDA LANK USC

TAYLOR PARKER UCLA

CHING CHAN LEE Undecided

DANIEL TRUESDALE

Baylor University

KEVIN LEE

UC Berkeley

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

“Booty Hunter. . . jk that’s my brother, Nick’s, dream job.” “ A Disneyland princess (preferably Jasmine).”

Manatee Trainer

Inventor Owner of Lakers or NJB Coach Trophy Wife

FAVORITE SENIOR DRESS UP DAY Senior Citizen Day

FAVORITE CLASS WHILE ATTENDING BOHS?

FAVORITE TEACHER?

AP US History

Gil Rotblum

FAVORITE BOOK YOU READ IN YOUR ENGLISH CLASS?

Jonathan Gunther

Senior Citizen Day

AP Biology

Jungle Day

AP Biology

Amy Welch

The Sound and the Fury

Senior Citizen Day

AP Literature

“I don’t have a favorite teacher.”

Lord of the Flies

Senior Citizen Day

Spanish 3 and AP Economy

Omar Barcenas and Steve Teal

Disney Day

AP Biology

The Great Gatsby

Amy Welch and Jennifer Ryan

Animal Farm

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

Senior Citizen Day

AP Physics B

Matthew Finnerty and Leslie Leaming

Catch-22

Undecided

Senior Citizen Day

Yearbook

Susan Luce

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Pediatrician

Toga Day

AP Biology

“A job at Riot Games or Boeing Co.”

Pajama Day

GITA

Amy Welch

The Most Dangerous Game

Todd Salesky

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

31 BUILDING UP FOR THOSE IN NEED WILDCAT HERO The Senior Issue

The Wildcat

June 12, 2014

JUNIOR MATTHEW BRYAN JOINS MEMBERS OF FRIENDS COMMUNITY CHURCH TO BUILD A HOME FOR A FAMILY IN MEXICALI-BAJA

by Celeste Roh, Staff Writer Photo by HANNAH ROARK

M

any of us do not realize how lucky we are when we have a roof over our head, when so many other people do not. Matthew Bryan, junior, and 17 church members of Friends Community Church (FCC) in Brea, traveled to build a home for a less fortunate family living in the Mexicali-Baja region.

Many people who live in this area do not have the features of a regular home, and some families lack even the most important and basic resources like food, water, clothing, and shelter. Largely in Mexicali, near the California-Mexico border, is composed of dirt roads and tiny shacks that house families ranging from two to six people.

Friends Community Church partners with Baja Christian Ministries to decide which family to aid. Families can send applications and whichever family works hardest to support their household is chosen.

“It’s important to always give back to less fortunate people who don’t have the nice things that we have. I think it’s a great thing when you help someone, because you give and receive at the same time. In my case, I helped give a family a home, and I got back the blessing of knowing I helped someone,” Bryan said.

Bryan was also inspired to assist his church in Mexicali because of his sister, Sarah Bryan’s previous trips. His wish to know more about and understand the people living in the region also fueled his decision to travel to the border. However, Bryan did not go without some prior knowledge of what needed to be completed during the trip; he had previous experience with construction and building.

“I’ve helped my neighbor resell his car by helping him fixing it up. I do litte things around the house, and I helped my grandma with her house because it needed to be completely redone,” Bryan said.

Staying for about two and a half days, Bryan and his team got to work quickly. Starting out with the frame, the builders gathered the wood that was needed and then hammered it into the shape of the house.

“We got to work quickly as soon as we arrived, so after about two hours, we were able to start working on the second story of the house,” Bryan said.

After adding more support and wood to the frame, they finally finished making the skeleton of the house and began to construct the top loft area. Once the group finished, they added posts in order to create a stable and secure roof.

When Bryan and the rest of his church deemed it was safe enough to move on to the next step, the construction team added drywall to the building on the inside and installed shingles on the rooftop in a tile-like manner in order to protect the family from harsh weather. Since the family thrived on more old fashioned, man-made products in order to survive, Bryan and some of the members implemented the electrical wiring of the house, while

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

also adding light bulbs for the family. At that same time, the remaining members of the construction crew continued to work on dry walling the outside of the house to form the walls. Once most of the construction was finished , Bryan and his friends painted the house.

Once most of the house was built, Bryan and the team nailed in parts of the wall and installed electrical sockets throughout the home. Finally, the FCC team put in the door with a doorknob and finished by adding decorative material in and around the house. The final product was a small, but still roomy, two-story, two-room house.

“Going to Mexicali truly was a great experience for me. I was able to see a life different than mine and it really made me thankful for what I have now. Being able to become a part in helping a less fortunate neighborhood really inspires me to go down to Mexicali and other regions to build homes again and give back to my community and world,” Bryan said.

“The trip was designed to be a time where we become God’s hands and feet to help out those in need. Matthew was a valuable team member that did everything asked of him. I hope that he knows from this trip that he can make a difference even if he doesn’t know exactly what to do or how to do it,” Jared Reiter, a volunteer youth worship pastor at FCC, said. “The goal of our Christian missions are to bring others to know Christ as well as to help our brothers who may not be in the same lucky situation we are in.

Matthew was a fast learner and did exceptionally well; he was an extreme pleasure to have on the team.”

His friends also describe Matthew as a “really passionate and mindful person who honestly cares about others.”

Bryan states that the Mexicali mission trip he went on was inspiring and helped increase and strengthen his faith in God. He confirms that if there is another opportunity to travel to Mexicali again with his FCC family, he will definitely take that opportunity to help another family in need.

Illustration by JESSICA YIM

32

ARTS

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

STUDENTS in need of tv diet

by Anabel King, Guest Contributor Illustration by BETTY LEE

ifting through hours and hours of TV’s biggest hits—otherwise known as binge-watching—will become an epidemic among students with time to spare this summer. But while marathons of “Modern Family” and sprees of “Supernatural” may be an entertaining way to spend an afternoon, there are dangers of binge-ing on TV shows. Strained eyes, sullen skin, numb legs, and the feeling of emptiness after consuming a series finale are only some of the side effects of watching episode after episode after episode.

At first, casually watching minutes of uninterrupted comedy or 46 minutes of intrigue seems harmless, but when story arcs emerge and the cliffhangers strike, a simple episode of entertainment suddenly morphs into an avalanche of addiction, plowing through five or six episodes—or even entire seasons— in one sitting.

It is becoming much easier to binge-watch with sites like Hulu+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime encouraging viewers to catch up on their favorite shows by releasing past seasons of favorites and entire seasons of new releases. These viewers, in turn, snuggle up in bed with a laptop perched on thighs and snacks in hand, gluing their eyes to the glow of their screen.

But as tempting as it is to watch these satirical sitcoms and devastating dramas, most TV shows are meant to be aired once a week, with a couple weeks for a hiatus and a couple months for the next season. These breaks between episodes create suspense and speculation and emotional support for audiences.

The prolonged, anxiety-inducing experience of wondering whether Regina will defeat the Wicked Witch or theorizing how Moriarty survived that gunshot is part of what makes a viewer so eager to tune in the next week. Shows need time to breathe and audiences need time to analyze. After all, the absence of iconic characters and dramatic plot twists make the heart grow fonder. Without those little breaks—like living and socializing—in between episodes, TV shows become nothing more than a memory of good-looking actors with well-written lines.

See, watching a show on a weekly basis is like catching up with a friend every Tuesday night for half an hour, gradually building

S

a friendship and learning from their Emmy-award-winning experiences to apply to real life, while gorging on “Glee” and soaking up “Scandal” in a couple of days feel like hanging out with someone for an intensive, 45-minute lunch-date five times a day and six days that week and then never speaking to them again.

With all its promises of no commercials and all its links to the next episodes, binge-watching can easily seem like the best way to get the full viewership experience. But if viewers continue to devour their shows season after season, then the seven-year character development of Sheldon Cooper will be remembered as an overnight character growth while the promotion of Dwight Schrute to Regional Manager feels like an understudy getting a sympathetic chance at the spotlight.

Learn to enjoy the emotionally-traumatizing moments of television being born on the screen, as meaningless commercials wash over the wounds and let the plot twists sink in. Learn to appreciate the effort put into the show, as cast members ‘livetweet’ the season premiere.

And learn to savor the acting and admire the writing and relish the music scoring and learn that it is much m o r e satisfying to nibble t h a n

consume.

“The Mentalist” and “The Blacklist” will always be available with a few clicks of a mouse, but the personal connections will not be. “One Tree Hill” and “Once Upon a Time” will always have the heartfelt moments laced in every episode, but the heartfelt reactions will not. Whether it is “Castle” or “Revenge,” “Scandal,” “Arrow,” the gasps of horror and the shrieks of delight cannot be produced from a person trying to get through the series instead of one trying to get through the night.

Breathe, do not binge. Experience, do not expect. And eventually, the overheated laptop and the under-sunshined body will overpower that impulsive “just one more” attitude that draws people to consume the next season.

FEEL LIKE binging? try one of these shows SHERLOCK A 21st-century rendition of a detective and his partner solving crimes in London.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

THE MINDY PROJECT A gynecologist doctor strives to have a typical rom-com life.

Parks and recreation

A department that services the worst town in America.

chrisley knows best

A sophisticated version of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

Resurrection

A series where deceased loved ones mysteriously return from the dead.

Downton Abbey

A drama about a wealthy family struggling with the end of the Edwardian era.

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

ARTS The Senior Issue

The Wildcat JUNE 12, 2014

33

A WILDCAT Q&A WITH CHOIR’S

DANIEL DWYER

A monthly spotlight of a BOHS Performing Arts member, this month’s subject is DANIEL DWYER, senior, the winner of the male solo category and grand champion of Brea Idol.

Interview conducted by Linette Cho, Arts Editor Photo by Asha Kadakia, Photographer

Q What are your plans after high school?

A

I am planning on going to either Cal State Fullerton or San Diego State University.

Q What was the biggest challenge during your Show Choir career?

A

My biggest challenge has been balancing academics and choir because it takes so much time and dedication. It is easy to get carried away with [choir] and forget about school work.

Q What is the highlight of your Show Choir career?

A

During my freshman year when we went to Nationals, the Broadway performers liked [BOHS] more than all the other groups there.

Q

What is the hardest thing about being in choir?

A

The hardest thing about being in choir is the time put into it, but it’s definitely worth it.

Q How did you find that you had a talent for singing?

A

I use to sing around my house all the time when I was younger, then I performed at a musical and I really enjoyed it.

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

A

My sister was in choir before me, so I always used to see the shows. I was so impressed that I wanted to be a part of them.

Q Who is your biggest influence in the music industry?

A

Michael Bublé

How did you feel about being on stage during the earthquake Q on March 28?

A

I was scared, but I just kept singing because I had the “show must go on” mentality.

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

34

The Wildcat June 12, 2014

ARTS The Senior Issue

A WILDCAT Q&A WITH DANCE PRODUCTION’S

AMBER REYES

A monthly spotlight of a BOHS Performing Arts member, this month’s subject is AMBER REYES, senior, a three year Dance Production member who plans to pursue dance in the future.

Interview conducted by Linette Cho, Arts Editor Photo by Rachel Lin, Photo Editor

Q Who is your inspiration?

A

My inspiration is my mom. She is such an amazing, strong woman, and I am glad that she is my mother. She inspires me to be just as amazing, strong, caring, and loving as she is.

Q What is the hardest thing about being in dance?

A

Q A

It definitely takes a physical toll on you. You have to be ready and willing to throw yourself, or be thrown, all over the floor or up in the air, have bruises, burns, or cuts in the most random places, twist and bend yourself into all these crazy poses or tricks, and with all that still make it look effortless, beautiful, and mesmerizing for the audience.

What made you want to pursue dance?

My passion for it. Dance is my escape; it is my way of expressing the way I feel, and without it I feel like I would be lost. I have been blessed with this amazing and beautiful gift and I feel like not pursuing dance and finding out why I have been given this gift would be a waste.

Q Who would you say is your number one fan?

A

There are actually two people, my mom and my Tia Nancy. They both support me in everything I do and encourage me to try and go far in life. They both try very hard to make it to any performance I have, and I can always hear them screaming my name as I am standing on stage waiting for the lights to come on.

Q What would you consider your greatest accomplishment?

A

My greatest accomplishment would be that I have really progressed so much as a dancer throughout these years and learned and adapted to various styles of dance that I had never heard of before. I continue to set goals for myself and hope to just see myself grow more and more not only as a dancer, but as a person as well.

Q Most embarrassing moment during a performance?

A

My most embarrassing moment during a performance happened my freshman year. I was in Dance 3 and Mrs. Hermann had choreographed a ballet/hip-hop dance called “Phantom of the Hip-Hopera” and I was in the ballet part. I was wearing this big white tutu, with a white leotard, my hair in a bun, I’ve got on tights, ballet shoes, and there is no marley floor. Basically, I slipped and fell right on my face and in front of everyone. It was so embarrassing.

Q What are your plans after high school?

A

I plan on attending the University of La Verne in the Fall, but I also plan on keeping dance as a major role in my life by either being a part of the dance team at ULV, taking class at a studio nearby, and hopefully later on down the line begin auditioning for things like the Laker Girls or So You Think You Can Dance.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

ARTS The Senior Issue

The Wildcat

June 12, 2014

35

A WILDCAT Q&A WITH PLAY PRODUCTION’S

ASHLEY DANIELS

A monthly spotlight of a BOHS Performing Arts member, this month’s subject is ASHLEY DANIELS, senior, a four year Drama member who plans to attend Cal State Fullerton.

Interview conducted by Linette Cho, Arts Editor Photo by Rachel Lin, Photo Editor

Q Who is your inspiration?

A

Maybe this is cliché, but I try to model myself after my mom. She is strong, smart, and taught me to value family above other things in life.

Q What is the hardest thing about being in drama?

A

The hardest thing about being in drama is definitely memorizing the lines in long scripts.

Q How did you find out you had a talent for acting?

A

I was in beginning drama freshman year, and Mrs. Ofcacek asked me to audition for Play Production, so I thought I must not be too bad.

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

A

I liked playing dress up as a kid, and I figured I might as well get credits for playing around with costumes all year.

Q How many years have you been performing?

A

Just these four years of high school. I used to be too afraid of people to even consider getting on a stage.

Q What would you consider your greatest accomplishment?

A

My greatest accomplishment is getting that first date with my boyfriend, the handsome fellow drama kid, Johnny Williams.

Q Most embarrassing moment during a performance?

A

During “The Glass Slipper.” I played Cinderella and had to wear this long blonde wig, and during a dance sequence the wig got caught on the Prince’s sleeve and came right off. No one ever told me Cinderella lost her hair at the ball, as well as her slipper.

Q What are your plans after high school?

A

I’ll be going to Cal State Fullerton next year, living at home and trying to get through college with as little debt as possible.

Q What is the most challenging part about drama?

A

Gaining the confidence to be able to perform in front of people, even just the people in my drama class, was the most challenging.

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

36

ARTS

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

Wildcat reviews albums by Metronomy, CHVRCHES LOVE LETTERS AND THE BONES YOU BELIEVE IN

LOVE LETTERS METRONOMY Highly anticipating Metronomy’s new album, Love Letters, I opened my Macbook ready to be entranced by the British accent of lead singer Joe Mount and the band’s electro-pop sounds. Unfortunately, my contentment vanished, as the album left me feeling somber, my mood the

same color as my dark Americano.

The release of Metronomy’s single, “I’m Aquarius,” left me hopeful for this album. However, the tracks sounded either sluggish or annoying, leaving me confused and ultimately ambivalent about the album.

On the torpid song “Call Me” Mount’s voice sounds lazy, but the entire instrumental accompaniment sounds the same. I felt as if I was being dragged down with by music.

“The Most Immaculate Haircut” had the same effect, but I could not help but feel amused at Mount seemingly singing about his own signature, curly locks. The random break in the song, which consisted of the sound of someone diving and swimming in water, left me confused.

The track “Love Letters” is a mixture of Mount’s falsetto and a soulful repetition of the ‘60s phrase “love letters.” However, this constant repetition that seemed to take up the entire track grew wearisome, and I quickly wanted to move on to the next track. I thought I would enjoy this song, but in the end, I was annoyed.

“Monstrous” reminded me of background music from a ‘90s video game, and Mount’s voice sounds extra unflattering and pitiful.

The only two songs I enjoyed were “I’m Aquarius,” which was the track that gave me false hope for this album, and “Boy Racers.” The only instrumental track, “Boy Racers” had a more Daft Punk-feel with synthetic sounds and an apparent bass guitar. The song seemed a mixture of “Around the World”

by Daft Punk and “Polish Girl” by Neon Indian.

Although the signature poetic lyrics were obviously apparent, (“Now my heart beats black,” in “The Upsetter,” or “heartbeats drifting together,” in “Reservoir”), the album did not spark my interest like I hoped it would. Mount’s vocals usually sound mellow, yet strong, but this album seemed to mute his entrancing voice. In the song, “Call Me,” Mount sings, “We can get better.” I just hope that this is a promise that Metronomy’s next release will be far better.

THE BONES OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE CHVRCHES CHVRCHES, the Scottish breakout band released their newest synth-pop studio album, The Bones of What You Believe last September.

Lead singer, Lauren Mayberry has an exotic sound throughout the album, adding spunk to the abstract lyrics and electronic beat.

Although the band originates from Scotland, they have been making appearances throughout the United States. The band performed their single, “The Mother We Share,” on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and the second track on the debut album, “We Sink,” was featured in the FIFA 14 video game.

CHVRCHES creates a whirlpool of calm yet soothing vibes from their newest album.

Many synth-pop and electronica albums usually carry very harsh beats, but The Bones of What You Believe is extremely catchy and enjoyable for fans of any genre. They keep the beat light and add just enough mixes to keep the flow sounding cool. Even someone less open to new music can appreciate listening to this album, because it bleeds hope and curiosity to the listeners.

The 12-track album launches with the song “The Mother We Share,” with a faster pace and higher vocals than some of the other songs on the album.

From this album, CHVRCHES creates a very positive vibe. Their music has a smooth flow and exudes many lighthearted feelings. Their songs resemble a cool breeze, creating a relaxing and soothing ambiance.

Mayberry serenades listeners with her voice, but holds strong notes and expresses her passion towards being strong and independent by the way she performs this song.

Aside from the ease of it, CHVRCHES’ music also radiates a pulsing energy that anyone might feel while dancing the night away or taking a spontaneous adventure. CHVRCHES music is spot-on when it comes to satisfying a teenager’s urge to live up to the cliché image of what their life should be like and how they should act.

With songs that can apply to any event, The Bones of What You Believe carries diverse styles of synthpop sounds. Their songs have the potential to be popular amongst fans of all music genres, with their spunky lyrics and catchy beat.

- by Sharon Cho, Editor-in-Chief

- by Sophie Zambri, Staff Writer

THE WILDCAT ASKED SENIORS: ‘WHICH SONG DESCRIBES YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER?’

Colin Crabtree “We’re all in this together” HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL

“Because we are the Wildcats and who doesn’t want to break out into song?”

Trent Preston “THE MAN”

Yash Shah “HALL OF FAME”

John Gutierrez “WRECKING BALL”

Daniel Lee “HEAVEN SHAKING EVENT”

Daniel Ariza “VIVA LA VIDA”

“Because I’m the man. (Just kidding.)”

“Because I am going to be legendary and we are all going to end up in the Hall of Fame.”

“Because high school is like a wrecking ball”

“I felt like Naruto through high school. Also, the song is catchy and encouraging.”

“Because it is a memorable song and high school’s memorable”

ALOE BLACC

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

THE SCRIPT

MILEY CRYUS

NARUTO

COLDPLAY

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

ARTS

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

CHOIR FIRST IN NATION

June 12, 2014

37

by Linette Cho, Feature Editor and Arts Editor

Photo courtesy of breachoir.org

COUNTRY’S TOP CHOIR: Spelbound performs their sets at Nationals on April 25, in Chicago. They arrived home with massive trophies for their success at Nationals.

Long, tiring hours practicing finally paid off as the United Choirs of Brea (UCB) won Nationals on April 25, in Chicago, Ill. Spellbound, the advanced level exclusively for girls, was the grand champion of the Unisex division, but not only did Spellbound get awarded, but Masquerade, the advanced level for both boys and girls, was the fourth runner-up in the nation.

Spellbound performed the first night opening with “Summer in the City.” hey followed with “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” “Who’s Your Daddy,” “Don’t You Want Somebody to Love,” “Holiday,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” “American Idiot,” “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” and “Break On Through.”

Performing on the second day, Masquerade began with “A Lovely Night,” “For Emily,” “Ten Minutes Ago,” “Little Girl,” “Be Italian,” “21 Guns,” “Heartbreaker/Sweet Dreams,” and

Presence for the Women’s Division at Nationals. According to Alvarez, a member of Spellbound, Masquerade, and Tiffanys’, the intermediate level exclusively for girls, as well as being a stage tech member (Thunderkitties) for the all guys’ group, Thundercats, she has been able to see each group grow and accomplish things that have never occurred, like winning Nationals.

“Winning Best Female Performer has definitely been a goal of mine since freshman year, so being able to win it at Nationals was truly amazing,” Alvarez said. “I competed against hundreds of girls for that award, so being chosen out of so many people made me feel so honored.”

According to Dave Willert, choir director, his expectations for Nationals were to go and give their all, and hopefully try to

“We have proved to be a remarkable choir and an amazing program.”

TATIANA ALVAREZ, junior closed the night with “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

Spellbound also won Best Crew, Best Vocals, Best Show, and Best Show Design on the first night. Winning three of the top awards at Nationals was a new record for UCB. Also, Masquerade as the fourth runner-up in a competitive show is the first for choir.

In addition to the team awards, Julianne Sexton, junior, was awarded Best Female Soloist in the Women’s Division, as well as in the Unisex Division.

“I feel so honored to have won Best Soloist at the Show Choir National Competition this year. It was such an amazing experience and it’s such a blessing,” Sexton said. “This year’s choir has been my favorite year by far. Everyone worked so well with each other and always did what was best for the entire group.”

Tatiana Alvarez, junior, was awarded Best Female Stage

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

THE AWARD: Spellbound brings home a four foot, ten inch trophy as national champs.

win. After choir’s third year at Nationals, Willert is ecstatic and very proud of the girls in Spellbound for reaching their dream of being the top choir in the nation. He is also very impressed and proud of Masquerade for being the fourth runner up against 16 of the best show choirs in the country.

“Although we did well all year, we really worked hard once we realized we were going to Nationals,” Willert said. “Being first in the nation feels great.”

According to Sexton, choir will have a lot of talented new and returning choir members next year. If they work their absolute hardest on not just what they can do for themselves, but also apply their skills and talents to the groups so choir can be the very best as they return to Nationals next year.

“This year’s Spellbound and Masquerade turned out to be an amazing group and definitely one that made history,” Alvarez said.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

38 ICE CREAM BRANDS TESTED OUT

FOOD

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

by Stacy Uhm and Astyr Ko, Staff Writers

here are many store-bought ice cream brands to choose from at the grocery store, making it hard to decide on which to choose on hot summer days. To decide which brand is the best, we chose six popular and easy to find ice cream brands to taste: Häagen Dazs, Target’s Market Pantry, Blue Bunny, Dreyer’s, Breyer’s, and Thrifty’s.

We scooped ice cream into cups, with the ice cream’s brand labeled on the bottom so we could sample them “blind.”

Between each ice cream tasting, we drank water to remove the aftertaste or residue left from the previous ice cream. We randomly chose a cup to taste to eliminate bias and ranked it by aligning the cups from the best to the worst. We then looked at the bottom of the cup to see which brand the ice cream was from.

After tasting each ice cream, Blue Bunny was obviously the worst out of all the others. The flavor tasted artificial and cheap. Because it contains two percent or less vanilla extract, the vanilla flavor is not in the ice cream and is very sweet and heavy. While vanilla should be a simple flavor for ice cream, it contains unappetizing-sounding ingredients like carrageenan, guar gum, and cellulose gel. However, for $4.99, Blue Bunny provides a sufficient amount of ice cream per carton.

Dreyer’s Grand ice cream was the second worst due to its similar taste to Blue Bunny. The striped lid and round packaging of this brand makes the creates an appetizing first impression,

T

Blue Bunny tastes unnatural and it’s too sugary. The only positive is that it’s the cheapest option of the bunch.

H

E

4th best

3rd best

Thrifty’s ice cream is very average. Although, it does not have any problems, there is nothing really unique about the flavor.

Despite the generic brand, Target’s Market Pantry is refreshing and light with a natural vanilla taste.

5th best

the worst

Dreyer’s ice cream is sweet and thick, but except for it’s noticeable creaminess, it does not stand out.

A

L

T

but the actual taste is not pleasing, very sweet with an odd aftertaste.

Thrifty’s ice cream came in fourth as it had no obvious problems; however, it did not stand out compared to the other ice creams. It is also $4.99 and contains a decent amount of ice cream per container. This ice cream would be a great base for decadent toppings like chocolate or caramel sauce.

Target’s Market Pantry has a light and fresh flavor of vanilla that is not too sweet, making the ice cream enjoyable to eat, and almost addicting. Target’s goal is to have a lighter ice cream than others, and it succeeds. According to the ice cream package, it has 70 percent less fat than the national average ice cream. However, the taste is a bit bland compared to the other ice creams.

Breyer’s ice cream has a distinct vanilla flavor. It is airy, but not bland. Although the container contains less ice cream compared to Blue Bunny, the taste definitely exceeds that of the all-around inferior Blue Bunny. Breyer’s vanilla flavor is unique and interesting, tasting like an actual vanilla bean. Although it does not have the thick and creamy texture of Häagen Dazs, it is very refreshing.

Häagen Dazs’s ice cream is the best of the six due to its silky and clean vanilla taste. It is thicker than the other ice creams, but is not creamier. The ice cream contains the least amount of ingredients, but the majority of them are natural. Although it is a bit pricey, one can really taste the true flavor of thew vanilla, and it tops our list as best ice cream.

H

I

E

R

2nd best

Breyer’s ice cream has the right amount of vanilla and sweetness.

It is an ice cream to purchase again (and again).

options instead of

the best

Haagen Dazs is pricey but worth it.

The ice cream is airy and delicious with a natural vanilla taste.

ICE CREAM

Frozen Yogurt

All-Fruit Smoothie

Acai Bowl

Italian Ice

Greek Yogurt

Uses milk instead of cream, resulting in less fat.

Although high in natural sugar, it’s a low-calorie and vitamin-packed alternative.

The acai “superfruit” is believed by some to be high in antioxidants.

Sorbet-like, and usually dairy free, Italian offers a tasty dose of real fruit.

A high-protein, low-sodium alternative to yogurt. Great topped with fresh fruit.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

ODD COMBINATIONS AS SUMMER SNACKS

by Stacy Uhm and Astyr Ko, Staff Writers

Dipping Hot Cheetos into cream cheese is a tasty alternative to gulping down glasses of milk to lessen the spicy flavor.

Although the combination tastes similar to the cheese Cheetos, the odd mix adds a refreshing twist to a common snack.

Small chunks of cottage cheese on top of a cookie make for an interesting chewing experience, with a salty flavor that the sweet cookie balances out. The cookie became soggy due to the cottage cheese, resulting our least favorite of the summer snacks.

We added Sriracha hot sauce as a dressing to a watermelon salad to add a spicy twang. The watermelon adds freshness and a bit of sweetness to the salad, and the Sriracha brings a twist of flavor, making it a perfect combination for summer.

The microwaved marshmallow fluff over a bed of Doritos creates a sweet snack that is perfect for your sweet tooth. The salty cheese mixed with the sweetness from the marshmallows create a delicious, dessert-like flavor.

Fritos and caramel sauce creates an interesting flavor profile. The sweet taste of the caramel stands out, and the dry texture of the Fritos combines well with the syrupy texture, making a tasty alternative to typical sweet and salty mixes.

Parmesan cheese with dark chocolate creates an odd experience because the cheese is chewy but the dark chocolate is thick.

Although the chocolate overpowers the cheese flavor, the cheese was distinct. We prefer them separately.

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

ARTS

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

39

‘THE FAULT IN OUR STARS’ REVIEWED

by Julia Ainley, Staff Writer

s a fan of the New York Times best selling novel, “The Fault In Our Stars” by John Green, I was thrilled to see this boymeets-girl love story get the adaptation it rightfully deserves.

“The Fault In Our Stars” takes place in Indianapolis and revolves around the life of a 17-year-old cancer patient named Hazel Lancaster. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets the charismatic Augustus Waters at her cancer support group and slowly falls in love with him.

They both embark on an adventure involving their fights with cancer, romance, and a Make-A-Wish Foundation trip to Amsterdam to meet Hazel’s favorite author.

Like most adaptations, “The Fault In Our Stars” did not perfectly portray the novel, but it did meet my high expectations.

It missed some scenarios from the book that I found important, most notably moments involving Augustus’s best friend, Isaac, but I soon forgot about this due to the actors who brought my favorite characters to life. My die-hard fangirl heart did not care anymore about those missing events after sitting in a movie theater for two hours, crying with a few dozen strangers.

At first, I was skeptical when casting director Josh Boone chose Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley to portray the cancer -stricken protagonists.

Before seeing “The Fault In Our Stars” I had only witnessed Elgort and Woodley together as brother and sister in “Divergent” which made it difficult, and a little weird, to buy them as a couple. However, after watching their riveting performances, I completely forgot about their sibling relationship in their previous movie.

I cannot imagine any other actors playing Augustus and Hazel. The way Elgort captures Augustus’ personality with flirty-yet-serious facial expressions throughout the whole film made me happy to see my favorite character portrayed so believably. Also, the first time Augustus tells Hazel he loves her at the restaurant Oranjee, in Amsterdam, I was brought to

a

ibtimes.com

My die-hard fangirl heart did not care anymore about those missing events after sitting in a movie theater for two hours, crying with a few dozen strangers.

tears because I fully believed what Augustus was saying due to Elgort’s beautiful display of emotions.

Woodley fully immerses herself into the role of Hazel.

Woodley gets Hazel’s cynical nature and sarcastic voice just right, and humanizes a character who knows that the thyroid cancer in her lungs will kill her someday. Woodley also deftly demonstrates the slowly growing feelings Hazel has for Augustus.

While watching the movie, I felt like I was reading the story again, only this time I was able to see Augustus and Hazel come to life right before my eyes due to Elgort and Woodley’s phenomenal acting.

Missing from the movie were scenes with Isaac. While reading the novel, I felt like Isaac, portrayed by Nat Wolff, was more involved in the Green’s story than he was in the adaptation.

His presence was missed as his character is a source of a lot of humor, and quite a bit of heartbreak, in the novel.

The film also neglects to mention that Hazel met Isaac beforehand at her cancer support group where they became friends.

Also meeting my high expectations is the dialogue, which includes many the thoughtful and hilarious exchanges in the novel. Many of the memorable quotes from “The Fault In Our Stars” make it into the movie. I was overjoyed when my favorite quote, by Augustus, appears in his monologue about his life: “I’m on a roller coaster that only goes up my friend.”

It was fantastic to see a lot of the novel’s most popular quotes make it into the film and resonate as much on screen as when I first read it.

“The Fault In Our Stars” is a faithful and entertaining adaptation of Green’s hit novel. Entertainment Weekly said that “The Fault In Our Stars” is “the greatest romance story of the decade,” and I agree. Fans of the book, as well as newcomers to Augustus’s and Hazel’s story, will appreciate the movie’s charm, humor and heartbreak With summer vacation on the horizon, I will pay to watch “The Fault In Our Stars” as many times as my heart (and tear ducts) can handle.

THE WILDCAT ASKED BOHS TEACHERS: ‘WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FILM ADAPTED FROM A BOOK?’

FIGHT CLUB

“The film gets the tone of the novel just right, and Brad Pitt’s performance as Tyler Durden is iconic.”

ALEX KOERS Honors Lit. Comp. 1

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

“The movie was very aligned with the book and I just love the story line.”

AMY WELCH Biology

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

The Shawshank Redemption

“It’s about a tragic hero who overcomes a negative situation with patience.

The movie definitely does Stephen King justice!”

BRIAN SCHLUETER US History

JOY LUCK CLUB

“It captures the essence of what the book is trying to do, and the relationships between characters.”

SUSAN LUCE AP Language

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

“I love it because it’s so girly and I love Mr. Darcy.”

JENNIFER RYAN Lit. comp. 1 & 3

DIVERGENT

“The movie was really entertaining and since it just came out, it is fresh in my mind.”

JESSICA DOMBROWSKI Skills for Success / Health

THE HOBBIT

THE DA VINCI CODE

“I read the book in the late 1970’s and I really enjoyed the fantasytyped book as well as the movie.”

“I really enjoyed the subject matter.”

MATTHEW FINNERTY PRE-CALCULUS

GREG HIGASHI ECONOMICS imdb.com

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

40

ARTS

The Wildcat

The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

READING BETWEEN THE LINES OF STUDENT’S CURRENT READS

Compiled by Rachel Lin, Photo Editor

Looking for a book to read over the summer? Try these novels that BOHS students are reading.

HANNAH BATCHELOR | Sophomore “I am re-reading The Maze Runner because it is being adapted into a movie.”

JENNY SHIN | Junior “[Stolen by Lucy Christopher] was recommended to me by a friend and now I’m hooked.”

JINNY SONG | Senior “Harry Potter will always be in the crevices of my heart.

It will forever flow through my veins.”

JAMES KIM | Senior “There’s genetically altered dinosaurs in the book, so what’s not to like?”

NELSON PERALTA | Senior “I like this author, so I thought I’d enjoy this book.”

HANNAH PIPES | Senior “I wanted to read the book that the Oscar nominated movie was based on.”

NOELLE GRACIA | Junior “[The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber] is like Les Miserables except it’s about a Victorian English prostitute instead.”

PAGE DESIGN BY | LINETTE CHO

ASHA KADAKIA | Sophomore “After watching the movie, I wanted a better understanding.”

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

41 amaya to attend U.S. NAVAL academy NEXT fall The Wildcat

SPORTS The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

by Amanda Tortarolo Staff Writer

For many high school graduates, college brings the promise of a good education, a degree, and a respectable career. Senior Lysabela Amaya’s post-high school plans also include an immense amount of responsibility and prestige as officer-in-training at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, Md. It was between her sophomore and junior years Amaya decided she wanted to attend the USNA. Her first taste of academy life was she when she attended the USNA Summer Seminar, a six-day seminar that teaches about life in the Naval Academy and the role academics, athletics, and professional training play in developing our nation’s leaders.

“It was a great experience. I got to tour the Academy, meet new people, talk to the Midshipmen, see the classrooms, and preview the physical training. After attending the Summer Seminar I decided I wanted to [attend the Naval Academy],” Amaya said.

The process of applying to the USNA is

MICHAEL CHO / the wildcat

IN THE NAVY: Amaya speaks during Letter of Intent Signing Day in the library as her cross country coach looks on.

a long and difficult one. It consists of filling out a preliminary application, and receiving a nomination from a local congressman, the Vice President, or two U.S. senators. A submission of both ACT and SAT scores, physical fitness test, teacher recommendation letters, a medical examination, and an interview with a Blue and Gold Officer round out the lengthy process.

According to Amaya’s Blue and Gold Officer, Steve Shatynski, retired U.S. Navy Commander and USNA graduate of ‘83, the Academy is interested in student-athletes who exhibit the qualities of a leader.

“The Naval Academy is interested in good student-athletes who demonstrate potential for leadership to become officers in our Navy and Marine Corps and to eventually be tomorrow’s leaders in our military, government, corporate America and in our communities. They must be of good character, hard working and patriotic. We feel that Lysabela is very wellrounded in this way,” Shatynski said.

Photos by DEVAL PATEL (left) and MICHAEL CHO (right) / the wildcat

“It was an awesome experience because I have been the only junior and senior to make it back-to-back years, and actually making it to the final this year was an amazing experience. Just going [to Clovis] with my teammates and bonding with them was super cool.”

Brennon Koryta, senior, on the CIF Track and Field State Championships PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

BRONCOS-BOUND: Brennon Koryta addresses a crowd during Letter of Intent Signing Day in the library.

Koryta parlayed his success in cross country and track into a scholarship to run for the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos. At the CIF Track and Field Championships in Clovis , Calif. on June 6 and 7, Koryta finished 12th in the 1600 with a time of 4:21.41.

Teammate Austin Tamagno, sophomore, finished second in the 1600 and sixth in the 3200.

There was a large amount of physical training and studying that went into Amaya’s application process. She recalls spending countless days after her cross country and track practices working to improve her pullups, sit-ups, and push-ups with the help and support of her friends, sophomore Jen Frazier and senior Lupe Damien.

“At times I felt like I was the underdog applying to the Academy because I live in a very competitive district and the [USNA] itself is very competitive. I felt lucky when I received the nomination from Congressman Ed Royce’s office,” Amaya said.

The USNA has an acceptance rate of seven percent, making it one of the most difficult colleges to get into. According to U.S. News and World Report, the Naval Academy ranks as the top public school in the United States and the number four best undergraduate engineering program. Of the 21,000 students who applied to the school last year, only 1,200 were accepted.

Before going to the USNA, Amaya will spend her first year at the Naval Academy Preparatory School, located in Newport, R.I. A select 230 high school graduates across the country are invited to attend the NAPS. “When I found out I got in I thought to myself, ‘I did it. I actually did it.’ I was pretty much speechless,” Amaya said.

According to Amaya’s father, Joseph, who a former Marine, his first reaction after hearing his daughter’s choice to attend the USNA was “amazement.”

“The family is very proud of Lysabela.

She is a very special young lady and she will be missed very much. We are and always will be here for her and have nothing but the highest regard for her. I never thought this is where she would be at the end of high school, but we respect and support her choice and she is in our thoughts and prayers,” Joseph said.

Amaya plans to double major in economics and a foreign language while at the USNA. Upon graduation, Amaya will be commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy.

As for life after the military, Amaya hopes to join the FBI, CIA, or Secret Service, but for now, she is enjoying her last few days as a high school student.

“I’m glad that there were so many people helping me through the application process.

My parents were supportive by taking me to interviews, events, and ACT classes. My sisters encouraged me to not give up and do my best,” Amaya said.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

SPORTS 42 Bishop’s diligence pays off with UCI scholarship The Wildcat June 12, 2014

Wildcat star’s balanced life and family support lead to spot on anteaters’ roster

by Chris an

Santonil,

Staff

Writer Photos by MICHAEL

CHO

F

or seniors, it often seems like there is not enough time in the world to juggle a rigorous course load with varsity athletics, while also maintaining a well-rounded life outside of school.

However, this is not the case for varsity baseball player Cameron Bishop, senior, who strives each day to accomplish as much as possible, never wasting daylight. The result of his efforts during a successful and very busy four years at BOHS has resulted in a 4.2 GPA and a baseball scholarship to UC Irvine.

Bishop grew up in an athletic family. His mother, Marsha, is a former cheerleader. His sister, Alexandria (‘08), was a varsity track and soccer star at BOHS. His father, Joel, was an all-around athlete who played football, basketball, and baseball at Fresno’s Central High School and Fresno City College. His older brother, Grant (‘11), who is now a senior at UCLA, played varsity basketball and baseball at BOHS. Of his younger brother, Grant said, “In the end, we both took very different paths. Cameron absolutely loves baseball and worked hard and achieved more in the sport that I ever did or could. He would get up at 5 a.m. to run and work out constantly to be the best player that he could be. Now his hard work has paid off and I think it is awesome how successful he has become.”

Bishop has been playing for 14 years. He became hooked on the sport because it was something he discovered he was naturally good at. He enjoys it because “it is a challenge every single day. One day, you can go out and do really well, go four for four and the next day, you can do terrible. You have to be super headstrong. Any team can win, any day.”

His dedication to the sport is paying off. In addition the scholarship to UCI, according to his mother, Bishop was contacted by 28 out of the 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) teams prior to last week’s draft.

And according to baseballamerica.com, Bishop is among the top 200 pro prospects in the country.

This past season for the Wildcats, offensively, Bishop had a .305 batting average on 25 hits in 82 at bats, 19 runs batted in, 14 runs and two homeruns, according to maxpreps.com.

But it’s his success on the mound that has generated interest from the pros, and led to his scholarship to the Anteaters. Bishop dominated Wildcat foes this season with a 6-3 record, a 1.65 earned run average, and 77 strikeouts in 63.2 innings pitched. Opponents hit a meager .167 against the 6’4 left hander.

“He’s had an amazing year. He’s got some God-given talent, but he still puts in work at practice every week, being our best pitcher and hitter,” Aemon Fowler, head baseball coach, said.

Bishop claims to have picked up his motivation from his father because, “he was always there for me in the good times and bad. I would not be who I am today without him. I feel like he gets more

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

The Senior Issue

nervous at my games than I do.”

Marsha also takes pride in her son and how hard he has worked academically and athletically to get to where he is.

“He’s given up a lot of social time hanging out with friends, going to the movies, and watching television, to be successful,” Marsha said.

“He

definitely

doesn’t

have

any

down

time,

and

I

think

he

likes

it that way.”

When he’s not honing his pitching mechanics in preparation for a career with Division I UCI—and perhaps the pros—Bishop was excelling in classes that ranged from AP Spanish to AP Calculus.

“I am pretty good at prioritizing what I need to do to be successful.

First comes school, then baseball, then anything else. Times get crazy when I have three baseball games a week, while keeping up on studying, working on ASB events, and trying to grant dreams for my

nonprofit

Dream

Catchers

club.

I

never

have

any

dull

moments,”

Bishop said.

With

his

high

school

career

at

an

end,

Bishop

can

confidently

say he took advantage of his time at BOHS. With stellar grades and success on the diamond, he will soon be working his way into the Anteater pitching rotation. (UCI went 40-23 on the regular season, won the Big West conference, and, advanced to the College World Series, which begins June 14 .)

Grant said, “I think it is so cool that he gets attention from many of the Major League Baseball teams. It was always a dream of mine to play professional baseball and I cannot believe that my brother might be given the chance to play professionally.

I could not be prouder of Cameron.”

TRENT PRESTON / the wildcat

UCI

BOUND:

(above) Cameron Bishop, senior, unleashes a pitch against a Century League foe this season. Bishop struck

out

77

ba ers

on

the

year.

(right)

Bishop

speaks

at

the

biannual

Le er

of

Intent Signing Day held in the library.

Watching is Wildcat head coach Aemon Fowler, who said of Bishop, “He’s got some

God-­‐given

talent,

but

he

s ll

puts

in

work

at

prac ce

every

week,

being

our

best

pitcher

and

hi er.”

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

The Wildcat

SPORTS The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

descending from a lineage of swimmers

43

junior diego pabalan carries on swim legacy that began in native Philippines

by Jaymi Wilson, News Editor Photos by TRENT PRESTON

Carrying on the family legacy, junior Diego Pabalan has been swimming since he was six years old.

Coming from a family of swimmers, Pabalan has always had an affinity for the water, but admits that it was his father that really encouraged him to become involved in swimming. Not only was his father a competitor on a waterpolo team, eight other family members in the Philippines received swim scholarships. That his family was so involved in competitive swim and water polo inspired Pabalan to take up the sport.

When asked about the Philippines, Pabalan joked about the weather difference, saying that it is much hotter there than it is in the U.S. He also mentioned that all of the pools in the Philippines are outdoors and that the swimming competition is much greater in the U.S. because the U.S. is a larger nation and it is more difficult to place in meets.

Although he earned many medals and set age-group records when he was younger, his goal for this season on varsity swim was to earn MVP in the competitive Century League.

Despite not earning the honor—Foothill’s Spencer Kendall was named the league’s top swimmer—Pabalan did earn MVP honors for the BOHS varsity team, an accomplishment he is proud of.

Of the challenges of adjusting to competing in the States, Pabalan said, “In the Philippines, I could easily go top ten in my age group. But here, it is a bigger challenge to get the placing that I had when I competed at home.”

Pabalan works hard to improve through

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

FLYING THROUGH THE WATER: Above, junior Diego Pabalan practices his butterfly technique. Pabalan has been swimming since he was a child in the Philippines, and has been setting records ever since. This season, Pabalan swam the second fastest 100-yard backstroke in Wildcat history.

rigorous training, which includes swimming 10,000 meters every day, during three hour sessions with his coach, Brian Brown, and his club team, the Fullerton Fast.

Although Pabalan competes in the Spring on the BOHS team, he trains year-round with the Fullerton club to focus on yardage training, which he was accustomed to in the Philippines.

According to Gil Rotblum, head coach, the swim team practices high quality short and rest.

“He trained with the high school swim team his freshman year but wanted to go to the other group because of the high yardage they offered,” Rotblum said. “Because Diego has trained since he was so young, he’s used to higher amounts of yardage. A lot of Olympians train with that group, so that really benefits him in the long run.”

His times this season include 52:94 in the 100-yard backstroke, the second fastest time in Wildcat history. He also boasts the fifth fastest time in the 200-yard freestyle, and sixth fastest 500-yard freestyle.

“Diego is the fastest guy on the team,” Rotblum said. “There are eight individual events in high school swimming, and Diego probably has the fastest time in about six of them.”

At the Century League finals from May 6 to 9 at Foothill High School, the Wildcats finished in fourth place, with Pabalan winning, and setting a personal record in, the 100-yard backstroke. He also placed third in the 200yard freestyle with a time 1:46.53.

With his busy schedule and training, Pabalan has a hard time managing his social life. To keep it all in balance, he tries to spend time with his friends on campus during the school day and with his swim friends during

meets and practices.

“It’s hard to balance both of them,” Pabalan laughed.

Because he spends so much time participating in swim, Pabalan has multiple good friends on the team, all of whom he enjoys spending time with and competing with. They encourage him, and Pabalan says that all of his teammates are great.

“Diego is a great guy, a fast swimmer, a fantastic motivator for the rest of the team, and a real beaut,” Daniel Parahnevich, sophomore and varsity teammate, said.

While he is close to his teammates, Pabalan also stresses how great Rotblum is as a coach and how much he loves the team.

According to Rotblum, Pabalan is a “team player” and a “hard worker”, essential traits in an competitive athletics.

“It takes a certain amount of ego to be an athlete. When Diego swims, he honestly thinks he’s going to win,” Rotblum said. “But Diego’s been very respectful on the team and the guys on the team really respect what he can do because they know how hard he works.”

Pabalan’s biggest goal is to earn a swim scholarship to a Division I or Division II college, but after college he is unsure if he wants to continue swimming.

“Maybe I’d like to compete [in the] Olympics someday to represent the Philippines,” Pabalan said.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

The Wildcat

SPORTS 44 hanna’s perseverance leads to villanova U. June 12, 2014

T

The Senior Issue

by Amanda Tortarolo, Staff Writer

he first time junior Lauren Hanna picked up a softball was at the young age of five in her grandparent’s front yard. Little did she know that moment 11 years ago would change her life and earn her the opportunity of a lifetime—to play college softball.

Hanna first started pitching at the age of eight on travel teams and continued to play, injury-free, for seven years. However, during a varsity game against Esperanza during her freshman year, Hanna was on the mound pitching when she felt an agonizing pain in her shoulder, a pain so intense she had to be pulled from the game. According to her doctor, she had pulled her labrum, a ligament near the shoulder’s rotator cuff, which abruptly ended a promising pitching career.

“It was really hard at first. My doctor said I would need surgery if I ever wanted to pitch again and I would have to be out for several months,” Hanna said. “I decided not to go back to pitching. I chose to put on the catcher’s gear instead. It was the hardest transition I’ve ever had to make.”

According to Hanna, she owes much of her success to her parents and coaches. If it were not for her mother buying her first set of catching gear and tossing balls for Lauren to block and hit for hours at a time, she would not be where she is today — on the verge of moving to Pennsylvania to compete on Villanova University’s softball team.

“Lauren is very intelligent and has become more of a leader this year. I always enjoy talking to her about her progress, our pitchers, and the team in general,” Jeffrey Weber, Life Skills Teacher and varsity softball head coach, said. “She always has very perceptive insights, and I value her opinions, even if we don’t always agree. She is not afraid of a challenge, and it’s no wonder she earned a scholarship to Villanova.”

Even with the shifting of positions, Hanna has been able to take command of the field from the catcher’s spot. The toughest aspect of the position for her is taking on the role of commander of the field—making sure everyone is aware of what is going on in every play and reading the other team to find the weaknesses in their swings.

Despite the ups and downs of Hanna’s softball career, she earned a scholarship from the Big East’s Conference’s Villanova University. Although Hanna had received other The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

offers from various colleges in California, and a few on the East Coast, it was her visit with the coaches and players at Villanova in December which really won her over and solidified her choice.

“I had interest from other universities, but nothing compared to being contacted by Villanova and offered a position on their team.

It is a university full of history and school pride and I can’t wait to represent them,” Hanna said.

Hanna’s statistics this season include a .305 batting average, seven RBI’s, and 18 hits. Her fielding percentage behind the plate was .918.

The softball concluded with the girls’ varsity team in fifth place in the Century League with an 3-9 record, and an overall record of 10-16. The 10 wins was more wins than the last two seasons combined.

Weber claims the success is due to team chemistry and the addition of two new coaches to the staff, Marcus Gutierrez and Jen Kennon.

“We have more talent on this team than I have seen in my six years with the team,” Weber said. “We are better in just about every area—infield defense, outfield defense, hitting, and pitching.

A major success for the Wildcats this season was its first league win in two years.

The triumph was against El Dorado on April 15, with a score of 7-2. The Wildcats were first to score in the second inning with a homerun and four runs batted in (RBI) from Taylor Williams, sophomore. Miranda Gutierrez, freshman, added two RBI’s.

“I was excited and proud of my team, but at the same time I didn’t let myself get too carried away because I knew that we had to keep working hard in order to keep beating our competitors,” Katelyn McCann, junior outfielder, said.

The team continued its winning streak on April 17 against the Foothill Knights with a score of 4-3. The Wildcats had a rough start in the first inning, giving up two runs to the Knights, and another in the fifth, bringing the score to 3-0. In the seventh inning, Gutierrez hit a single and Hanna hit a double, securing the Wildcat win.

“When the team comes together and pulls out a tough win, there is nothing more exciting

“I decided not to go back to pitching. I chose to put on the catcher’s gear instead.

It was the hardest transition I’ve ever had to make.”

than cheering in unison from the dugout while the team feeds off of it and scores,” Hanna said.

The Wildcats added a third win to their streak on April 22 against Villa Park High School.

The remainder of the season concluded with a series of close games. The team hoped to win three more games to earn a certain spot into CIF play-offs, but were unable to achieve their goal. Even with the not-so-storybook ending, high hopes have risen for the next year’s upcoming season due the team’s turnaround.

“This season’s softball team is unlike any other I have been a part of. The team is dedicated to winning, and I believe we have what it takes to make it to CIF next year,” Hanna said.

This time next year Hanna will be preparing to compete for the starting catcher’s job at Villanova.

This year, the Villanova women’s softball struggled to an 18-34 record, and a 5-16 record in the Big East, placing them seventh in the eight team conference.

TRENT PRESTON / the wildcat For her, the hard work does not cease due to the reassurance of a scholarship, but it has only just begun.

“I know I will have to step up my game to a whole new level and I am excited for that challenge. I am doing everything I can to get physically and mentally prepared to play at the college level and I feel very blessed to have this opportunity. I don’t want to fly 3,000 miles to sit the bench in college,” Hanna said.

Hanna’s competition at the catcher position is Natalia Segovia, a sophomore from Temecula Valley High School, who started 45 games behind the plate for the Wildcats. Segovia batted .244 with two home runs and 11 runs batted in. She also threw out 15 runners and recorded a .989 fielding percentage, according RACHEL LIN / the wildcat to the Wildcats team page at villanova.com.

Three other Wildcats saw time behind the OVERCOMING ADVERSITY: (top) Lauren plate this season.

Hanna, junior, tags a runner at home plate Despite the odds, Hanna’s determination to during practice. As a freshman, Hanna over come a potentially career-ending injury suffered a shoulder injury that forced and to learn a new position, provides deeper her to switch positions, from pitcher to insight into the mind of a Division I caliber catcher. Despite the role reversal, Hanna’s athlete. success behind the plate has led to a Little did Hanna know so many years ago scholarship to Villanova University. Her that picking up a softball in her grandparent’s contributions to the Wildcats this season helped the team to 10 wins, more than front yard would provide her the opportunity the previous two seasons combined. of a lifetime.

Facing page photo by TRENT PRESTON

SPORTS The Senior Issue

Lauren Hanna

“I had interest from other universities, but nothing compared to being contacted by Villanova and offered a position on their team. It is university full of history and school pride and I can’t wait to represent them.”

The Wildcat June 12, 2014

45

The Wildcat

SPORTS 46 hartmann leads throwers to personal bests June 12, 2014

The Senior Issue

Story and photos by Deval Patel, Staff Writer/Photographer

Before Hartmann arrived, the girls’ throwers conducted their practices with the boys’ throwers and their coach, Robb Perrance which, according to Kailani Talag, sophomore, was challenging because there were too many athletes for one coach to handle at a time. With the arrival of Hartmann, the girls were able to get in more practice time, with less interference.

“Coach Hartmann is really cool and knows what she is doing. She relates to all the girls on the throws team really well. [The girl throwers] all enjoy her coaching style because it benefits [them] and she is also relaxed and laid back,” Rebecca Morse, senior varsity thrower, said.

Over time, the girls became accustomed to their six-daysa-week practices with Hartmann. The girls got equal time practicing discus and shot put, with days of weight lifting and conditioning in between.

Talag says that Hartmann’s style of coaching helps the girls, because she observes each girl individually and critiques their throws. Talag added that she enjoys Hartmann’s “trial and error” style of coaching.

“I think the biggest challenge I face as a coach is giving everyone enough individual feedback. We only have ten girls this year, but I wanted to make sure that everyone gets plenty of attention. However, I think that the biggest challenge the team

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Kelly Hartmann, girls’ throw coach, observes Kailani Talag as the sophomore prepares to throw the 8.81 pound shotput during practice. At right, Hartmann coaches Talag on proper throwing technique.

A discus soars through the air, catching momentum, and when it finally lands, it skids across the grass. A shot put rises for a brief moment, then the forces of gravity pull the sphere rapidly down to Earth.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

The girls’ throwers landed a new discus and shot put coach this season in Kelly Hartmann, who is also a student teacher in the mathematics department.

Hartmann attended El Dorado High School where she competed in shot put and discus for three years. She then went on to study at, and graduate from, California State University, Fullerton. She is now pursuing a career in teaching math.

As a first time coach at BOHS, her first coaching job, Hartmann had to become accustomed to the routines of track and field at BOHS, while the girl throwers had to become accustomed to their new coach.

Of her experience as throwers coach for the Wildcats, Hartmann said, “I am loving the track and field system. The students were very energized about coming out this year. There were many new faces, and everyone was adjusting well. We had ten girls this year, which seems to be quite a big team compared to other schools.”

faces is trying to come to Saturday practices. We have many involved girls, so it is difficult to plan practices around all of their schedules,” Hartmann said.

The girls’ throws team this year consisted of three freshmen, five sophomores, one junior, and one senior. The majority of the team plans to continue on with throws throughout their high school careers. Under Hartmann’s leadership, camaraderie has improved with many of the athletes spending time with each other off the track.

“The strength of girls’ throwing is in the camaraderie. At track meets everyone is encouraging each other and practicing together. Track is an interesting sport since individuals compete by themselves, but earn points for the team at each level.

In girls’ throwing everyone gets along and enjoys working together,” Hartmann said.

See page 47 PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

The Wildcat

SPORTS The Senior Issue

June 12, 2014

From page 46

47

Discus 2.2 lbs.

The farthest throw in California this year was 172’7”, by Stamatia Scarvelis of Dos Pueblos High School.

Shot Put 8.81 lbs.

The farthest throw in California this year was 53’9”, also by Scarvelis.

source: prepcaltrack.com

Rebecca Morse, the lone senior on the squad, said that all of the underclassmen show great potential, and have the ability to do really well if they stick with the sport and keep working hard.

This past season, the girls’ throwing team placed at almost every meet at all three levels. Personal records (PR) were shattered at every meet.

The throwers say they find they improve the most when they throw during practice. Talag has a PR of 88’ in discus, and 31’6” 1/2 in shot put and is ranked 87th in the CIF Southern Section. Morse has a PR of 82’6”1/2 in the discus and 28’2”1/2 in the shot put.

“I have found that these girls like to throw as much as

PLUNGING AHEAD: Kaylee Kooiman, senior, practices her breaststroke. Although the girls’ swim team struggled to a sixth place finish in league, they’re optimistic for next season.

ASHA KADAKIA / the wildcat

girls’ swim places sixth in century league

by Amanda Tortarolo, Staff Writer

possible. I usually have them start with a warm-up, then shift into drills. I try to have them all throw as much as possible,” Hartmann said.

At Century League Preliminaries the top eight varsity throwers advance to finals. Neither Morse, who was edged out at ninth placed, nor Talag advanced. However, Morse achieved a PR in discus at Tustin High School, where prelims were held.

Hartmann said that she would love to continue coaching girls’ throwers at BOHS; however, she will coach at whatever school she teaches at next year—which she hopes will be BOHS. “I really hope that Coach Hartmann is able to come back next year and coach us, because with her instruction our team has been improving so much. She gets along with everyone, and we all enjoy having her around. She makes our team the best that we can be,” Talag said.

PAGE DESIGN BY | SHARON CHO

Girls’ varsity swim concluded their season by placing sixth in Century League with a record of one win and five loses.

During League Finals on May 9, hosted by Foothill High School, the varsity 200-yard medley relay team, comprised of juniors Ashley Chen, Sophie Zambri, Katie Chung, and Emily Spadt, had high hopes of making it into CIF. The girls had to drop a minimum of two seconds to meet CIF consideration time. They ended up dropping five seconds with a time of 1:56, and earned second place in league. While the relay team did not advance to CIF, they have a positive outlook for next season, according to co-captain Chen.

“The four of us were stoked and had a group hug right out of the race. I don’t think we are used to being ranked that high, so it was quite exciting and a nice change. I loved experiencing it with them,” Chen said.

The lone victory of the season came against rival El Modena on March 26. The teams were stroke for stroke during a majority of the meet until the Wildcat’s relay teams placed in the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 4X100 freestyle relay. The varsity team left that day with a score of 89 to the Vanguard’s 81.

Of the sixth place finish, Chen said, “There is no such thing as an easy-breezy season. Struggles are just another part of any sport. Although, there are always numbers and times you can improve, motivation to push yourself is what really counts. The days you are dreading practice are the days you need to push yourself the most.”

During League Finals on May 9, hosted by Foothill High School, the varsity 200-yard medley relay team, comprised of juniors, Ashley Chen, Sophie Zambri, Katie Chung, and Emily Spadt, had high hopes and expectations placed upon

them to make it into CIF. The girls had to drop a minimum of two seconds to meet CIF consideration time. They ended up dropping five seconds with a time of 1:56, placing their relay second in league. Unfortunately, the relay team did not make it into CIF, but they have a positive outlook for next season, according to Chen.

“The four of us were stoked and had a group hug right out of the race. I don’t think we are used to being ranked that high, so it was quite exciting and a nice change. I loved experiencing it with them. As you can tell, I love them to death,” Chen said.

With every win and every loss, the varsity team became stronger. According to senior co-captain, Kaylee Kooiman, the team felt as if they were family, but struggled to improve on their speed and times from the previous season.

For coach Stan Sprague, the success of the team is not measured by their league record, but on the improvement of each individual swimmer.

“For the last five or six years league records have not been important because the teams in our league have so many girls swimming for clubs that it is impossible to compete with them,” Sprague said. “During that five or six year period we have focused on individual improvement while also trying to achieve more success at the league level.”

With the season at an end, the girls are already looking forward to diving into next season determined to improve on their standing in league and to make it into CIF. “Our team is our family. Swimming for the sport is one thing, but swimming with a team of full support and beautiful friendships brings it to a whole other level. When I think about season, of course I think about the swimming, but a huge majority if it is about the bonds,” Chen said.

The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

6 days until graduation

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