The Wildcat (#4 April 2016)

What started off as childhood dreams of dancing and modeling are now successful careers for junior Adrianna Harris.

by ERIN CHUNG P. 12

Wildcat brea olinda high school

volume 85 issue 4

April 2016

index

2

3 8 Laural Magnet School

Laurel Elementary School will transform into Laurel Magnet School, the first magnet school in Brea. Read on to learn how the the change will affect students and teachers.

Adrianna Harris

The photo above was taken by Adrianna Harris’s father, David Hofmann, who is a professional dance photographer known as Sharkcookie.

PG 3

PGS 12-14

Softball

Sophy Tsabadze

Led by a pair of NCAA Division I-bound studentathetes, softball currently boasts an 8-3 overall record and high hopes for impending league play.

Sophy Tsabadze, senior, never competed in cross country until her senior year, and since then, Tsabadze has won numerous awards and broken several school records.

PG 22

PGS 20

on the cover What started off as childhood dreams of dancing and modeling are now successful careers for junior Adrianna Harris.

After winning the Wisconsin All-State Dancer title as a freshman, Adrianna Harris, junior, now competes with the BOHS Dance Production team (while modeling on the side).

volume 85 issue 4

April 2016

Front cover photo by RACHEL LIN

20

the Wildcat EDITORS-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR

Anabel King and Astyr Ko Nicole Nam and Stacy Uhm Matthew Moon

FEATURE EDITOR

Samantha Magpantay

OPINION EDITORS

Anabel King

NEWS EDITOR

Jacob Nam

A&E EDITOR

Astyr Ko and Stacy Uhm

HEALTH EDITOR

Anabel King

TRENDS EDITOR

Astyr Ko

FOODS EDITOR

Stacy Uhm

PHOTO EDITORS

Ethan Ahn, Harry Cho, Rachel Lin, and Brandon Yun

STAFF WRITERS

Erin Chung, Vivien Coop, Amos Heo, Juliet Isles, Diana Jarrah, Aisha Khawaja, Ethan Pham, and Amber Tovar

PHOTOGRAPHERS ILLUSTRATORS

Wildcat brea olinda high school

12

ADVISER

Monica Hiemer, Halie Nam, and Deval Patel Deziree Cervantes and Halie Nam Alex Koers

mission statement The Wildcat is 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. Opinions stated in the Wildcat do not necessarily belong to Brea Olinda High School administration, faculty, and students. Unsigned editorials reflect the views of the staff. Bylines columns reflect the views of the writer.

the Wildcat

Brea Olinda High School 789 Wildcat Way Brea, CA 92821

bohs.wildcat.newspaper@gmail.com

FACEBOOK: The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper

news

LAUREL ELEMENTARY TO BECOME MAGNET SCHOOL

by STACY UHM

L

photo by BRANDON YUN

aurel Elementary School will soon transform into Brea’s first magnet school starting in August. With new classroom furniture, paint, carpet, blacktop, and staff, Laurel will reopen in the fall as Laurel Magnet School of Innovation and Career Exploration.

A magnet school is a public school with a program that concentrates on a special area of study. Just as Orange County High School of the Arts focuses on visual and performing arts, Laurel Magnet will specialize in innovation and career exploration tailored to the S.T.E.A.M. program, which focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math subjects.

Because a different teaching style is required for a magnet school, current Laurel teachers who wish to continue teaching at Laurel must reapply.

Nevertheless, Anne Flesher, BOUSD assistant superintendent, assures that “none of the teachers will be losing their job. It just might be that they won’t be at Laurel.”

Kimberly Thorsen, Laurel fifth grade teacher and future Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA), believes a change in the staff is worth taking for the growth of student education.

“The teachers all love being a part of Laurel, and understand that change is inevitable if we are to prepare kids for a job that may not even exist

FAST FACTS Laurel Magnet School This program focuses on special areas of study such as science, math, and art Objective is to offer innovative curriculum and professional development Incorporates the S.T.E.A.M. program into education system The Innovation and Career Exploration includes one-to-one student technology

yet. That’s a pretty big task, and we are ready for the change. It’s an exciting time for Laurel and the students of Brea,” Thorsen said. “We are a ‘family’ and as our ‘family’ changes, we will grow and develop into a new, exciting place to learn concepts in innovative ways, use technology as a regular tool in project based activities, while we work closely with local businesses.”

Classes will still follow the state curriculum, but the learning methodology will be projectbased. Therefore, students will solve real world problems through collaboration and critical thinking with peers and even community business leaders.

“Our job as educators is to [bring out] the

3

curiosity from the minds and hearts of kids and give them the space to explore, grow, and collaborate.

It allows them to learn from the process of succeeding fabulously and failing fabulously,” Brad Mason, BOUSD superintendent, said.

This school’s missions include: “1:1 student technology, community business partnerships for each classroom, field trips, career fair days, project and outcome-based curriculum, and assessment programs,” according to Brea Olinda Unified School District (BOUSD). Although this system has specific learning approaches, Mason assures that the transition from this magnet school to junior high will not be difficult because students will be taught the same content as other elementary schools.

According to Mason, a Brea magnet school has been planned for the past few years, with one million dollars from the sale of Brea Corporate Place allocated to support the new school. Laurel was selected to become the new magnet school because of its large student capacity compared to other schools. According to Mason, there are around 300 students in Laurel, but the campus can hold up to 500 students.

“I am very excited about the possibilities and opportunities that will be given to the students who attend Laurel. This coming year is going to be one of wonder and exploration and learning.

I hope we will be able to share some amazing successes with [the community] at this time next year,” Heather Bojorquez, principal of Laurel, said.

Currently, Bojorquez and the district planning team are developing a plan to bring the magnet school’s vision to “fruition”. They are also managing the new changes that will be made to the classrooms.

“We are testing out some new furniture that will facilitate active movement in the classroom,” Bojorquez said. “We are also investigating the upgrades that each classroom will need to allow for seamless technology integration.”

In order for students to have a smooth transition into the magnet school system, Laurel teachers are already incorporating a bit of technology use, such as Google Drive, during class.

Furthermore, because Laurel students have first priority to the school, transfers will be accepted based on space availability. Students outside of intra-district transfers were submitted in March 31 while the deadline for inter-district transfers submissions is April 29. Acceptance notifications will be sent throughout April and May. Until then, Laurel students will continue to attend the school for the remainder of the year and may attend the new magnet school next fall.

4

news

INTRODUCING OUR ‘16-‘17 ASB OFFICERS compiled by NICOLE NAM

photos by RACHEL LIN and DEVAL PATEL

VICE JOSH PRESIDENT LEE

DREW APAHIDEAN SECRETARY

TREASURER

JANE LEE

TOMAS VYSHIAVSKAS

Q: How do you feel about being elected your position?

I’m super excited about being ASB president. It’s such a cool thing to get to experience and I’m really looking forward to next year!

Q: How do you feel about being elected your position?

I feel extremely blessed with another opportunity to try and contribute to our school. I can’t wait to bring new ideas and plans for all our student body to enjoy.

Q: How do you feel about being elected your position?

I feel so thankful for being given this opportunity to serve in ASB.

Q: How do you feel about being elected your position?

I’m so thankful and blessed to be next year’s ASB treasurer. I’m so excited to be part of the board and it makes me feel more excited for senior year!

Q: How do you feel about being elected your position?

I feel extremely thankful to be School Board of Representative, and I look forward to next year.

Q: What do you expect from next year?

I’m expecting a lot more student involvement in all of the stuff we put on because I want to get more input from everyone. I want to use ideas to do things that the students would like to really participate in.

Q: What do you expect from next year?

I expect our ASB to build upon the great foundation this year’s ASB has created. I want us to accomplish great things with each event next year.

BRI DENBO

V.P.

PRESIDENT

Q: How will you contribute to ASB? I will contribute to ASB and the student body by putting 110 percent effort into every event and activity, think outside of the box, and start doing things we’ve never done before. I want to make next year the best it can be.

Q: Three words to describe yourself.

Outgoing, loyal, and funny (sometimes).

Q: If you could change one thing about our school, what would it be and why?

I would get food trucks everyday for lunch and have little Starbucks carts with coffee and pastries on Wednesday mornings.

Q: Anything else to say?

I’m so honored to have the opportunity to be president and I promise to put all of my effort into making next year the best one yet. Thank you so much!

Q: How will you contribute to ASB and the student body?

I want to contribute to our student body by making it an enjoyable school year.

Whatever type of event we put on, I want to ensure that it was memorable for them.

Q: If you only had three words to describe yourself, what would they be?

Humble, determined, and thankful.

Q: If you could change one thing about our school, what would it be and why?

I would want our student body to have more school passion and pride in our school events.

Q: What do you expect from next year?

I expect next year will be exciting and full of fun and exciting experiences for the whole student body.

Q: How will you contribute to ASB and the student body?

I will contribute to ASB and the student body by giving it my best shot and my best effort in everything I do.

Q: If you only had three words to describe yourself, what would they be?

Hardworking, honest, and dedicated Q: If you could change one thing about our school, what would it be and why?

It would be to make school more inclusive and fun!

Q: Anything else to say?

I’m looking forward to what lies ahead next year. It’s going to be great!

Q: Anything else to say?

Just thankful for this opportunity to better our high school.

BOARD OF REP.

Q: What do you expect from next year?

I think next year’s ASB is going to be dynamically different compared to the past three years, especially with the seniors leaving. I expect it to bring the most change to both ASB and our school itself.

Q: How will you contribute to ASB and the student body?

Though I’m no Jeremy Muehlhoff, I will try to make the best choices with our budget so we have a fun year without being over.

Q: If you only had three words to describe yourself, what would they be?

Compassionate, blessed, and persistent.

Q: If you could change one thing about our school, what would it be and why?

I wish our school had more spirit! We’re such a great school but our lack of spirit is unfortunate. One day I’d love to see our whole school go all out for a dress up day or a game!

Q: What do you expect from next year?

Our ASB will do really great things because I know we will have a great group of students next year.

Q: How will you contribute to ASB and the student body?

I look to involve the whole school more into activities that don’t receive enough publication.

Q: If you only had three words to describe yourself, what would they be?

Mellow, passionate, and determined Q: If you could change one thing about our school, what would it be and why?

I would want there to be less separation between groups of different people because it leaves many people out.

Q: Anything else to say?

Thank you for this opportunity. I’m so humbled to be next year’s treasurer.

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news

EVERY 15 MINUTES RETURNS

by ETHAN PHAM

DEAD ENDS: An illustration by Emily Muntean, junior, portrays the negative effects of drinking and driving.

5

illustration by EMILY MUNTEAN

Driving under the influence and texting while driving remains a serious issue in many high schools. BOHS aims to improve this situation by educating students through the Every 15 Minutes Program from April 19 to 20.

The Every 15 Minutes program is a two-day event which provides students with the experience of learning the consequences of driving under the influence. According to Jerry Halpin, principal, the event “centers around the senseless death of so many people because of drunk driving.” The schoolwide event is intended to teach teenagers the dangers of drinking alcohol or texting while driving, and encourage students to drive more responsibly.

This year, the first day of the program will include a “Grim Reaper”, which will remove selected juniors and seniors out of class every 15 minutes throughout the day. The “dead” students -- victims of drunk driving -- return to class in white face makeup and a coroner’s tag and do not speak or interact with other students in order to simulate the emotional void when someone dies.

According to Dan Moon, police officer and project coordinator, BOHS staff nominates students whom they see as leaders to join the cross-section of the victims.

“We figure that someone who is a leader who has influence with a group they can share this experience with their friends and have much more impact directly with their friends over this issue than I will ever have. Vicariously, through their leadership, the rest of the student body will learn from this serious lesson of don’t drink and drive,” Moon said.

A simulated traffic collision will also be presented to the student body. According to Moon, the fire department and police department will “handle it like it is a real traffic accident so that [students] can see what happens and what they do in those situations.” Also included in the program is a guest speaker who will share a personal recount of their experiences with driving under the influence.

According to Moon, the Every 15 Minutes program provides a “dose of reality” of the consequences of driving under the influence can be. He believes that the program will continue to make a lasting impression on students and encourage them to make good decisions.

Moon said, “We just want you to make good decisions and if it even keeps one person from getting behind the wheel drunk and it saves their life then it has accomplished its purpose.”

NHS HOLDS SPRING INDUCTION CEREMONY

by ASTYR KO

photo by DEVAL PATEL

After volunteering for community service, earning leadership positions, and maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA, eight students were installed into National Honors Society (NHS) on March 21.

This honor is based on a student’s extracurricular activities, leadership roles, and overall character. According to nhs.us, the club’s purpose is to “create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service; to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools.”

Juniors Joshua Lee, Hayden Guss, Joshua Williams, Dylan Perlson, Michael Flores, Bri Denbo, and Hannah Towbin, and Candace Ko, sophomore, were chosen by a panel of teachers to join NHS. “Being elected into NHS is an honor and having the opportunity to be in a program that allows me to better myself and help give back to my community is really great. The idea of even being considered for membership pushes me to strive to do even more and try harder to meet the high standards of NHS,” Ko said.

NIGHT OF HONOR: (from left, back row) Pam Valenti, juniors Joshua Williams, Dylan Perlson, Joshua Lee, sophomore Candace Ko, juniors Hayden Guss, Michael Flores, Bri Denbo, Hannah Towbin, and Kara Dietz, Joy Cordia, and Jerry Halpin; (front row) seniors Brent Gutowski, Kyle Kirk, and Asha Kadakia at the March 21 NHS induction ceremony.

The installation took place in the library with friends and family members in attendance. Each inductee received a welcoming speech from current NHS members.

Led by Jerry Halpin, principal, the new NHS members also took an oath to uphold NHS’s

values, scholarship, leadership, service, and character.

“I’m very excited to welcome the new members. They’re going to make a great addition to NHS and are going to make the club even better than it already is,” Brent Gutkowski, senior and

6

infograph

our

world of

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

More than half of all BOHS students will come in contact with an AP exam sometime during their high school career. The Wildcat presents a by-thenumbers look at our AP ‘world’.

THIS YEAR

1165 600+

That’s an average of

1.94

AP Exams scheduled for

only

students

3

students will take the AP French exam this year, making it the least popular.

over

200

AP Exams per student

only

5-10

over

150

students are expected to take the AP Physics 2 C exam this year, making it the second least popular

students will take the AP European History exam this year, making it the second most popular.

students will take the AP Language exam this year, making it the most popular.

23

LAST YEAR

916 466

AP Exams taken by

students

number of AP courses offered by College Board

1,858

37

100%

percent of BOHS graduates that score at least a three on an AP exam

57%

the nation’s AP exams pass rate.

BOHS beat it by a margin of 10%

46

A combined total of students took the four tests.

98

124

scored a one on their exams

185

AP Art History AP Music Theory AP Studio Art 2D AP Studio Art 3D AP Drawing AP Human Geography AP Psychology AP World History AP Spanish Literature and Culture AP German Language AP Italian Language AP Latin

25%

pass rates were recorded in AP French, AP Chinese, AP Spanish, and AP Physics Mechanics last year.

33%

AP classes not offered at BOHS

of California high school graduates scored at least a 3 on an AP exam

students attend BOHS

AP classes are offered at BOHS

the pass rate of AP Comparitive Government and Politics for the last two years.

The exam had the lowest pass rate for BOHS

26.9%

For context,

students achieved a four on their exams

total number of AP scholars last year, of which:

118

students achieved a five on their AP exam last year

300

students achieved a three on their exams

AP scholars 22 were with honors AP scholars 40 were with distinction AP national 7 were scholars

215

students scored a two on their exam

67%

Last year’s overall AP exams pass rate

Infograph by MATTHEW MOON compiled by ERIN CHUNG source: collegeboard.com & PAM VALENTI

T

he rising cost of college tuition is always hotly debated during election season. Lost in the debates between career politicians and the poor versus the wealthy, however, are the voices of the middle class — the kids and families like my friends and I who are apparently “too wealthy” for financial aid, but “too poor” to afford college out-of-pocket.

Speaking from experience, being in this middle (a personal income range from about $32,000 to $60,000, according to usnews.com) is a hassle in itself.

The wealthy class (people who make about $150,000 or more, according to usnews.com) can afford college with little to no worry, and the low income families get more money through federal and state grants such as FAFSA and Cal Grant due to the low income qualification cut offs (for a family of four the combined household income to receive a Cal Grant B is $47,600, according to csac.

opinion studying aeronautical engineering as I was filling out scholarships for UCs). The scholarships I do qualify for are small amounts, a couple hundred dollars at most — which could pay for my textbooks. (Maybe.)

A couple weeks back, my dad sat me down at the dinner table and told me his plan. My parents decided that they were going to take out loans to pay for my undergraduate education, putting them in debt for the first time in their lives. For law school, I will be on my own — only because when I finish my undergraduate work, my brother will start his undergraduate years and they want to be able to help him too. My brother and I should not have to lower our standards for a higher education so that the other can go to college -- that should not even be a factor in choosing a college. “My brother is four years younger than I am, so as soon as I complete my undergrad he will begin his. Due to this, I have to consider the financial burdens of the schools I am

7

the middle class scholarship. Students can receive this scholarship if their household has a combined income of $100,000 to $150,000 and they can only receive it if they have been disqualified from the Cal Grant.

Reducing the cost of room and board would also save students thousands of dollars a year.

For private schools such as Occidental College or George Washington University, tuition reaches into the high $40,000s while room and board adds an additional $14,000 to $15,000 — reducing room and board costs would save students thousands.

“In California the cost of room and board is very, very high. I think this would be a great place to start looking at reducing costs,” Becky Marchant, guidance counselor, said.

The level of hypocrisy shown on this subject matter is frustrating. Since a young age we are encouraged to do well in school so we can get into our dream colleges and live a good life with

The high price of

college

Staff photographer Deval Patel shares the issue of middle-class students affording UC college tuition. ca.gov) — but the middle class stuck in a gray area where they apply to neither circumstance, according to forbes.com. Low income people also qualify for fee waivers on AP tests, college applications, and other standardized testing — stuff that I know my friends and I spent thousands of dollars on because our parents’ income is in the middle class range, yet it still puts a strain on our financial situations (for college applications, and sending test scores to colleges alone, I ended up spending roughly $1,383, the most expensive college application I had was to Columbia University — an ivy league — at $85 for the application alone. The middle class, the people who are just above the cut-off mark to receive these grants and fee waivers, are stuck in a perpetual Catch-22.

When I was around twelve years old, I thought that I would receive lots of scholarships and grants when it was time to go to college. But now, as a senior about to embark on my journey to higher education, I realize how naive I was. I do not even qualify for most scholarships (I remember seeing a scholarship specifically for a Jewish orphan

applying to. Neither of us should have to sacrifice in order to obtain the education that we worked for, and that we deserve,” Asha Kadakia, senior, said.

All of these reasons highlight a flaw in the system that neglects the needs of the middle class. This is why something needs to be done to make college more affordable. A plan needs to be concocted that benefits the middle class and the poor, not just the latter. The state of California spends $8,667 dollars per year, per student, according to thinkprogress. org. This number is substantially low compared Boston, MA with an average of $20,502 per student, according to washingtonpost.com. If some finances are redirected to fund higher education, it could help thousands of students in the state of California alone.

Another way college can be more affordable is through merit-based tuition cuts. If students are awarded tuition cuts through their academic achievements, it would add incentive for students to perform higher in schools and in turn increase the quality of education. For example, UC Santa Barbara (UCSB). UCSB has a scholarship called

$60K excellent careers, but now, as this classic anecdote comes to life, it slaps us in the face with reality.

“The UC tuition raise of recent years is definitely burdening to people, and it seems people are only able to get the education they desire if they have the money to afford it,” Betty Lee (‘15), freshman at UC San Diego, said.

Students should go to the college they deserve, not the college they can afford. Those who say that students should only go to the colleges they can afford (also known as some of the Republican party and Donald Trump) have not seen the burdens of financial struggles. People of a wealthy, underprivileged, or middle class stature should all have the same opportunities to attend the school of their choosing.

It is a massive setback when students of all financial backgrounds are paying absurd amounts of money out of pocket per year for a Bachelor’s degree — which nowadays is just as common as a high school diploma. This is why we need to take action, and this is why, if we do not, our future is meek.

8

staff ed

how to respond to terrorism.

When bombs erupted in an airport and a metro station in Belgium on March 21, President Barack Obama was visiting Cuba to meet with Cuban president Raul Castro. A day later, as Belgian officials claimed that 31 people were dead and over 300 were injured, Obama was attending an exhibition baseball game in Cuba. A day later, while one of the three terrorists who unleashed the destruction in Brussels was eluding capture, Obama was tangoing the night away with the First Lady during a diplomatic trip to Argentina. His rationale for his “business as usual” response to the bombings: Don’t let fear rule our lives -- instead, simply live.

During a time when presidential candidates are calling for taller barriers at our borders, when 45 percent of Americans supported banning Muslim immigrants after the San Bernardino shooting (according to yougov.com), and when 51 percent favored closing the borders to refugees after the Paris attacks (according to Quinnipiac University), Obama’s response to the Brussels attacks is an example of strong leadership for the American people, sending a message to the terrorists that we will not let their hate crimes spark fear in our everyday lives -- which is how all acts of terror should be dealt with.

In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2012, Red Sox star David Ortiz proclaimed on live TV that Boston would “not be intimidated” by the attack. After 9/11, then-mayor of New York Rudy Guiliani made frequent appearances on radio and television to give speeches of unison (“I want the people of New York to be an example to the rest of the country, and the rest of the world, that terrorism can’t stop us”). Even our very own French students

at BOHS who had just finalized paperwork for their class trip to France days before the Paris attacks occurred will not let the threat of terrorism stop them from visiting -- and enjoying -- the Eiffel Tower this summer.

Without a doubt, times of terror should be met with feelings of unity, strength, and courage. Sometimes strength simply means returning to everyday life, a semblance of normalcy despite our pain.

“The whole premise of terrorism is to try to disrupt people’s ordinary lives,” Obama said in an interview with ESPN during the baseball game. He claimed that the best way to move forward is to carry on with ordinary life, to prove to the terrorists that fear will not divide a people, that paranoia and hate will not prevail.

Obama’s decision to continue his Central and South American diplomacy tour in the wake of the Belgium attacks was the right choice. We wouldn’t expect the Prime Minister of Australia to rush back from his trip in Japan after the San Bernardino shooting. And if he didn’t, it wouldn’t make him a coward.

It would make him a leader. A leader who proves to his people and to the world that his nation will not bow down to fear and violent reprisals.

Terrorism is only successful when people are successfully terrified. And while we can condemn the attackers and pray for the victims and light up famous landmarks in the colors of a country’s flag, no amount of stronglyworded speeches or anti-immigrant laws will prove to the terrorists that they have lost more than the amount of people carrying on with their lives in solidarity, peace, and unity.

image sources: npr.org, bbc.com

opinion

9

if we wanted to be onstage behind Bernie Sanders (just as Kirk had predicted). The only condition was that we could not use our phones, move, use the restroom, or faint. We laughed at the idea of any of us fainting.

Elated at the opportunity, the eight of us jumped at the chance to don the gold “VIP” wristbands that would get us on stage, even closer to our hero.

A band, SIKORA, played, and the opening speakers came out. It was then that we were brought up onstage, the crowd of a few thousand cheering on their fellow Bernie supporters.

Chants of “FEEL. THE. BERN!” and “When I say Bernie, you say Sanders!” filled the theater.

A RALLY TO REMEMBER: (back row, from left) seniors Deval Patel, Gavin Armstrong, Brent Gutkowski, Kyle Kirk, and Jovany Candelario; (front row) Jordan Liggins, Zach Tellez, and Lauren Palacios pose while waiting in line for a Bernie Sanders rally holding a fan-made poster.

Feeling the ‘Bern’ in Los Angeles On March 23, Wildcat photographer Deval Patel attended a Bernie Sanders rally in Los Angeles.

Here is her account of the memorable day.

by DEVAL PATEL

photo courtesy of DEVAL PATEL

I felt the “Bern” on March 23.

When I found out that presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was in Los Angeles for a last minute rally in Koreatown, I excitedly informed my fellow Bernie supporters -- seven other Wildcat seniors -- of the exciting news.

We secured tickets to the event during second period and spent snack hurriedly texting and calling our parents to get their permission to leave school and journey to L.A. for an event that would begin at 7 p.m.

During the hour-long trek to L.A., Kyle Kirk, senior, joked that we would get called up on stage to stand behind Bernie during his speech. We laughed at him saying that he was crazy.

Upon arrival, we quickly made our way around the side of the Wiltern Theater where, to our surprise and excitement, there were only

about 15 people on line. Amazed at our luck, we hastily settled down in our spot at the nearfront of the line where the rest of our group, seniors Zach Tellez, Lauren Palacios, and Jordan Liggins, Brent Gutkowski, Gavin Armstrong, met up with us.

Clever, humorous, and vibrant posters began appearing as the line grew longer, and thousands of Sanders supporters soon thronged around us.

Journalists from local and national news organizations interviewed supporters. (Gutkowski was interviewed at least four times and ended up being on the news.)

At 5:40 p.m. the doors finally opened. Once inside, we found a spot to stand right up at the front. Soon, a woman walked up to us and asked

Then, he appeared onstage. The crowd went wild, as if he was a rockstar among the many that had performed at the Wiltern. Signs were held aloft and the Nurses Union, garbed in red t-shirts, chanted his name. The man of the hour had arrived.

Sanders’ speech consisted of the messages he has been pushing all year such as LGBT equality, fixing a broken immigration and prison system, universal healthcare, and helping students with debt and college tuition; however, he also announced, to raucous applause, that his campaign had officially arrived in California, and dispelled any rumors that he no longer had a shot at winning the Democratic nomination.

About an hour through the speech, Candelario began to sway. Concerned, Gutkowski held him up as a nurse from the Nurses Union standing in front of us acted quickly and made Candelario lie down as he fainted. The senator paused his speech and turned around, concerned at what was happening behind him. He made sure Jovany was okay and the Secret Service, as well as a medical team, helped Jovany off stage. (Sanders’ wife also spoke to him, ensuring his wellbeing). Laughing in relief that our friend was okay, and the fact that our friend just fainted on national television, we yelled out, “WE LOVE YOU BERNIE! HE’S OKAY!” The rest of the speech lasted about 15 minutes, before Sanders went outside to address the hundreds of people who were not able to get in. Teasing Jovany, and reminiscing in the surrealness of the day’s events, we made our way back home to Brea after what will be a day that none of us will ever forget.

“Everything that we did that day was worth it, because we got to be on stage with one of our heroes. Fainting wasn’t fun, but I definitely would not change anything about that day,” Candelario said of the memorable day.

10

feature

Lee

Lunch with

In this monthly series, Wildcat editors engage BOHS staff members at lunchtime. This month, co-Editor-in-Chief Anabel King sits with Eugene Lee, history teacher. photo by BRANDON YUN

F

or most teachers, a blazer isn’t a fashion staple for everyday work attire. But for Eugene Lee, history teacher, his daily ensemble consists of his signature jacket paired with anything from slacks to sweatpants. Today, Lee wears a gray Obama t-shirt underneath a navy blazer with a “Feel the Bern” button pinned to the lapel. He’s been wearing the button since Super Tuesday on March 7.

As a passionate advocate of Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders, Lee pours his “heart and soul” into campaigning for the Vermont senator. Although he doesn’t believe the senator will win, Sanders serves as a “message candidate” for Lee, in which his ideologies greatly appeal to the middle class of America. Sanders’ position on issues of income inequality, wealth distribution, and especially college tuition not only appeals to Lee -- it resonates with him.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland to South Korean-born parents, Lee was a sheltered child who longed to fit into American culture.

Lee’s first look at where immigrants stood in American society occurred in his parent’s grocery store. “Growing up I saw my parents work really hard. But that’s the thing about immigrants -- even if they’re both college graduates in South Korea, when they come over here, even if you overcome the language barrier, people don’t usually recognize your education level. In fact I think a lot of people who come to the United States are very well educated, but the very fact that they can’t speak English results in them getting discriminated against and getting marginalized,” Lee said.

Lee’s parents’ long hours helming the family business meant that his grandparents often took care of him. His grandfather, a “huge movie fan”, would take him to the local drugstore to rent VHS tapes to watch at home. (The first movie he watched: the Robin Williams’ Popeye.) Lee

would even go through his grandparents’ house looking for tapes to watch, where he would experience “some of the best memories of my childhood”. This voracious movie-watching was a part of his assimilation into American culture, as Lee and his grandparents bonded over the American-born characters of Mrs. Doubtfire and Aladdin.

But blending into society proved challenging.

Growing up in the ‘80s, Lee was the only Asian student at Perry Hall Elementary School which consisted of mostly white and black students.

Lee knew right away that he was different and it made him “very conscious” of his identity. He faced racism very early in his life whether it was in a classroom or outside of one.

When Lee was 7 years old, his parents took him and his sister to Ikea. While the parents shopped, Lee and his sister, 6, played in the ballpit until three white children approached them and made fun of Lee, calling him names, making fun of his race, and pulling back the

feature sides of their face to mock their Asian eyes. Lee’s sister picked up a plastic ball from the pit and threw it at one of the kids, prompting the store to call Lee’s parents to pick up their children.

“This really was the first time I faced racism,” Lee said. “At home, I was constantly surrounded by love and acceptance, and then to come to Ikea and experience this was just really shocking. I felt ashamed about how I looked. It was a rude awakening for me and it made me terrified to go out and interact with people. I continued to face racism as I grew up, and it’s just something I’ve had to deal with ever since.”

Discrimination followed Lee throughout his childhood, and as he grew older, he noticed that issues of race and ethnicity were not just limited to his personal encounters, but also to the “real world” in everyday life.

“From an early age, I got to see, depending on where you lived, the different ethnic lines, the racial lines that was divided. When I visited my parents at the grocery store which was in a black neighborhood, I realized, ‘Wow, everybody here is black’. And when we moved up to the Baltimore County, all my neighbors were white.

And when we moved in my grandparents’ house, it was mostly blue-collar, working-class Americans. So from an early age Baltimore showed me that America was racially and economically divided. It wasn’t academic, it was just evidence,” Lee said.

At 10, Lee’s father wanted his family to move back to Korea due to the racism they faced in Maryland. There Lee studied in Gangnam, the education capital of Korea. But Lee struggled to keep up with the other students due to the language barrier as he had spoken English all his life. Even though he went to a “cram school” and took piano and taekwondo lessons -- a typical schedule for Korean students -- Lee still felt like an outsider. He was an Asian kid in Baltimore and an American child in Korea.

But, just like in Baltimore, Lee would go home at the end of the day and turn on the TV, specifically Channel 2, the American Forces Korea Network which broadcasted shows like Batman and Spiderman cartoons, Saved by the Bell, Nightline, and even the OJ Simpson trial.

TV was a tradition in Maryland for Lee and his grandparents, so TV in Korea was an important reminder of home.

“I realized I was always a kid from Baltimore, and nothing was going to change that,” Lee said.

So when a presidential candidate like Bernie Sanders, who also came from a working-class, immigrant family, builds a platform on solving economic and social injustice, his messages

11

“I might not come from the most affluent background, I might not be the tallest or the most handsome person in the room, but I can tell you this: no one is going to outwork me. That’s just the Korean spirit. That’s just the Baltimore spirit.”

Eugene Lee, history teacher

hold a very personal meaning for Lee, especially because he feels they are both outsiders.

“With a background as an Asian kid growing up in Maryland, and an American kid growing up in Korea, Bernie really appeals to me as an outsider with a great message -- a message that speaks of justice and equality. And it’s difficult to send that message to older people, people who fear change.”

At 14, Lee’s parents divorced, and his mother wanted to take Lee and his sister to Southern California because she felt he would fit in better there academically. There, Lee attended Fullerton College and Cal State Fullerton to earn a degree in history. But history was not his “ideal choice”. Lee wanted to be an artist, or at least work in the creative field. But when he didn’t receive an art school scholarship, Lee couldn’t afford to go to art school. Instead, Lee rededicated himself to academics. Thus, Bernie Sanders’ proposal for free higher education is yet another reason Lee aligns himself with the ideologies of the candidate.

While at Fullerton College, Lee became politically active.

In the wake of 9/11, Lee attended his first anti-war rally, protesting President George W. Bush’s declaration of war against Iraq. And from there, “everything suddenly fell into line”.

“I was always very interested in social justice, and I became very interested in ideas such as socialism and communism that were thought of as being evil and Anti-American. I’ve always been attracted to things that were more taboo and things that were not normal, so it was just natural for me to become more involved,” Lee said. “Obviously, we know that communism doesn’t work. But compared to our version of capitalism, socialism was an idea I really liked. And you can see that with the democratic socialist Bernie Sanders, where we together as a country decide what’s best for all of us.”

Lee majored in history along with receiving an English credential. He taught social science for eight years at private and charter schools in Southern California before applying for a job at

BOHS. “I was the first one to interview [with Principal Jerry Halpin],” Lee said. “And that’s just my personality -- I wanted to be the first one there. I might not come from the most affluent background, I might not be the tallest or the most handsome person in the room, but I can tell you this: no one is going to outwork me. That’s just the Korean spirit. That’s just the Baltimore spirit.”

As for politics, Lee is deeply invested in this “weird, but extremely important” 2016 election.

There’s a poster on the front of his desk about the PBS-hosted Democratic debate (“Bernie lost that one; I was disappointed”), a poster which Lee created to encourage his students to take interest in the election.

“I’m not trying to teach class warfare; I’m not trying to say to eat the rich. I just want students to understand that this is part of the idea that we need economic justice, we need economic freedom,” Lee said. “What is freedom, really?

If you break your leg, you have no freedom. You can’t walk. If you’re not educated, you’re not truly free. You won’t understand how the world works.”

B

ehind Lee, who now sets the pen he had been absent-mindedly twirling aside, is one sentence written across the whiteboard in black ink: “The ends justify the means”. At the front of his desk are two personalized license plates (one for California and one for “Maryland’s #1 Fan”), a black skull, a gay pride sticker, an anonymous Compliment Gram (“Thank you for being such a great teacher.

You are so funny and kind,” it reads.), and the Democratic Debate poster. His black podium dons the Presidential Seal. His walls bear the Baltimore Orioles banners.

The identity that Lee felt “conscious” of in his youth is now profoundly demonstrated in his classroom. A liberal. A history buff. A politics hawk.

An Oriole fan. A Sanders fan. A son of immigrants.

But most importantly, an American.

12

feature

feature

13

on pointe

Adrianna Harris, junior, journeyed from Wisconsin to California to pursue dancing and modeling dreams.

by ERIN CHUNG

MODEL STATUS

Junior Adrianna Harris, a 2014 Wisconsin AllState dancer, smiles for a Wildcat photoshoot.

t

by ASTYR KO and ERIN CHUNG photo by BRANDON YUN photo on following page courtesy of DAVID HOFMANN

he bright light shone down and the music encircled her graceful leap. Wearing a long purple dress, Adrianna Harris, junior, improvised a solo at the annual dance concert dedicated to close family friends who died in a plane crash. Her skillful and fluid expression of painful emotions captivated the audience.

“I’m better with motions than words. I feel [the emotion] and [the audience] can see it. It’s like [telling] a story [through movement],” Harris explained.

The communicative power of dance is what motivated Harris to participate in the sport in her hometown of Hudson, Wis. Her commitment to dance ultimately led to a Wisconsin All-State Dancer title in 2013.

“I was surprised [when I won Wisconsin All-State Dancer]. I was a freshman competing against big scary seniors,” Harris said.

Winning the title was the result of her characteristic diligence.

“She works hard for everything she has. Adrianna does not take life for granted. She finds good in every situation, she is compassionate towards others, and [she] truly wants to see others succeed alongside of her. Those are true characteristics that make me most proud,” Ann Harris, Adrianna’s mother, said.

Harris’s tight-knit family has had the biggest impact on her dancing career. Her four sisters -Brookelle, Breyly, Addisyn, and Avaree -- share her love for the sport. Harris decided to commit to dance at age 8 when she and her sisters bonded in the dance room that her parents created in their Wisconsin home.

“We used to make up our own dances in the dance room. They were silly little things, but that’s when I knew that I really liked [dance],” Harris said.

Along with fond memories of growing up with her sisters in the dance room, the five girls pushed each other by striving to be the family’s best dancer. Older sisters Brookelle and Breylyn inspire Adrianna to “live up to” their dancing skill. Meanwhile, her younger sisters, Addisyn and Avaree, enjoy friendly competition with Adrianna.

“If I can do something, they’re like, ‘Okay, I can do it too, [but] I can do it better,’” Harris said of her sibling’s motivating competitive spirt.

It’s her mother Ann, however, who is her cornerstone and who introduced her to dance.

What started off as an enjoyable bonding experience for Harris and Ann led to a life-long passion for the sport. Adrianna discovered her enthusiasm for dance when she attended a Mommy and Me dance class at age 2. After Ann realized that dance “put a smile on [Adrianna’s] face,” she

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feature feature from pages 12-13

put her in more dance classes.

But things changed when Ann was diagnosed with polymyositis, a degenerative muscular disease.

Due to her illness, Ann was physically unable to make it to some of Adrianna’s competitions.

But despite her mother’s inability to attend every competition, Harris is motivated by her mom, who is at the “base of everything she does.”

“Just seeing her struggle was really hard on me and everyone else in the family. It took me a while to accept that this is how things were going to be. I had to take care of her at times, doing typical things for her. She’s in the hospital often. But after I accepted it I started climbing back up,” Harris said.

Harris shares that their mutual support and love for each other is strong as their relationship continues to grow despite the challenges that came with the disease.

“I try to do what I can do for her. I try to stay positive and she loves when I accomplish things.

She supports me by going to nearly every dance event. She knows that this is what I want to do so she invests her life in me,” Harris said.

But Harris’s passions include more than lines and pirouettes. At age 12, Harris was introduced to modeling via her mother. Harris started modeling for several dance wear magazines for companies like Kelle and Dance Spirit, and for Guess. And despite being relatively new to modeling, Harris earned the Miss Teen Wisconsin title in 2014.

Harris admits that beauty pageants aren’t her “strongest suit”, and she was surprised that she was able to do it.

“I love to model because I get to show my personality while doing something serious, but having fun at the same time. Dance and modeling are a part of me that I never want to let go of. No matter what happens, I know that I will never quit those passions,” Harris said.

Despite a successful and fulfilling life in Wisconsin, Harris’s family moved to California during the summer of her sophomore year to “look for new opportunities.” While it took her a while to adjust to a new school and a new home, the move was one of the “best things” she’s ever experienced as it has opened new opportunities, like modeling for a back-to-school promotion for Guess, and becoming next year’s senior class vicepresident. Harris’s break from dance competitions also enabled her to focus on Dance Production, which she joined her sophomore year.

Missy Burns, dance teacher, said of Harris, “Immediately, I recognized her extended flexibility, control of her movement, and potential as a dancer.

STRETCHING HER LIMITS

Adrianna Harris showcases her flexibility for step-dad David Hofmann’s company, Sharkcookie Photography.

I knew she would be an exceptional addition to the Dance Production team and be able to grow as a dancer in our program.”

Although Dance Production quickly welcomed her onto the team, Harris dealt with the “emotions” of the move with her family. But her dance-related relationship with her family stood true as Harris continued to help her step-dad, David Hofmann, with his companies Sharkcookie Photography and Sharkcookie Dancewear Shop. Hofmann shares his daughter’s love for dance in a different way -- photography. After a career at Dreamworks, he is now a professional photographer who has taken photos of famous dancers including Sophia Lucia (Dancing with the Stars) , Maddie Ziegler (Dance Moms), and Tyce Diorio (So You Think You Can Dance).

Harris says that her family does “everything together” so even the business is family-orientated and inclusive. Harris travels the country with Hofmann to host modeling auditions for his dancewear.

“It is great to have a talented and motivated

dancer in our family. Not only can Adrianna model for our brand, [but] she is also giving us great and honest feedback on the products and helps develop them,” Hofmann said.

This close relationship Harris has with her family helps keep Harris strong and motivated. In the future, Harris intends to open her own dance studio, teaching others how to find their dream and how to push themselves through to reach their goals.

“She is a positive role model to others. Adrianna has a true gift to teach others. She is selfless in her commitment as a leader and has continued to push herself to become more knowledgeable and effective,” Burns said.

Harris specifically aims to help develop those with a passion for dance while also improving her own ability.

“I would say my dream is getting to do what I love. We all have different passions, so I think we need to try to find what we want to do. I want to help people find what they love to do,” Harris said.

arts & entertainment

Feature editor Samantha Magpantay shared her experience of going to a Fetty Wap concert for the first time.

Welcome to the Zoo with Fetty Wap

by SAMANTHA MAGPANTAY

It was my first rap concert. Fetty Wap’s “Welcome to Zoo” ft. Post Malone headlining tour opened Samantha Magpantay (right), poses at the Hollywood with her close Palladium on March 3 friend Krista Huey, and somehow, I found sophomore, with their concert tickets myself attending it. before the show.

Walking into the venue was an experience in itself.

Hard-hitting beats reverberated with a strong but pleasant buzz throughout the Palladium.

My vision blurred as bright lights in hues of red and purple moved erratically. The smell of marijuana assaulted my nose and I briefly wondered how people snuck it through security. But it was a fleeting thought as I clumsily stumbled up the dimly lit stairs to the second floor’s VIP section which I had scored by an invite from my friend, Krista Huey, sophomore.

I soon settled in a favorable spot. Only somewhat familiar with Fetty Wap, I did not know what to expect as I curiously watched a growing crowd of varying ages slowly pour into the venue’s center.

I soon realized that a rap concert was on another level; it was hardcore. The blaring music, the potent smell of weed, and the fervent cheers of the masses created a hyped atmosphere. And I quickly found myself being sucked in it. When the Hollywood Palladium dimmed its bright lights for the first act, I waited in eager silence with those around me.

photo by HARRY CHO

The first act was DJ Damage whose set lasted the longest of the right artists performing that evening. He constantly attempted to energize the crowd by booming Fetty Wap’s hits and for the most part, it worked.

But by the third act, a kid named Liam Lis, whose music was more of a funky pop than rap, appeared on the stage, the audience was not having any of it.

“Get off the stage, shrimp!” An impatient man

15

crowd, especially with his other song, “Tear$”.

This song quickly became a new favorite of mine. He just had a different feel than the other performers before him. It was the ease with which he rapped -- he was comfortable with the music.

With his fluid rapping and confident stage presence, Post truly proved himself to be quite a performer.

After around thirty minutes, Post Malone’s performance ended. Finally, it was time for the person we have all been waiting for. Fetty Wap came on and opened up with his funky “Dats All Me”.

If I thought that Post Malone was a good performer, Fetty Wap is a great performer. The past performers were completely overshadowed and forgotten as soon as he walked on stage. He has a natural charisma that just draws everyone in the audience in.

As the beat of “My Way” thrummed beneath my feet, I thought to myself that Fetty Wap is seriously no joke. His versatility in rapping and languid dancing ability stood out from other rappers and that is when I understood why so many people love him.

When the ending notes of Fetty Wap’s hit song “Trap Queen” resonated through the Palladium with its dynamic grinds, I was impressed. Fetty Wap showcased a fine caliber of artistry and proved just why he is considered one of the best

...beats reverberated with a strong,

but pleasant buzz. My vision blurred as bright lights moved erratically on the stage, flashing hues of red and purple. The smell of marijuana assaulted my nose forcefully and I briefly wondered how people snuck it through security...

yelled behind me.

In the next two hours, the acts that followed soon took on a pattern -- as each artist performed, there was more and more evident dissatisfaction within the audience.

But finally, Post Malone appeared. And as soon as the first notes of his hit song “White Iverson” boomed through the Palladium, the audience, once lifeless, reenergized itself.

Like many people in the crowd, I only knew his title song “White Iverson” with its smooth rhythm and lilting notes, but he still captivated the

at his craft.

Overall, the concert lacked one important thing -- the star of the show himself.

I found myself immersed in a concert filled with forgettable side acts that instead of hyping the audience, sucked the energy of the crowd slowly and gradually.

But the dual performances of Post Malone and Fetty Wap saved the day with profound showmanship. And while I didn’t arrive at the show as a hardcore fan, I definitely left the Palladium as one.

16

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arts&&entertainment entertainment arts

Q&A

SPOTLIGHT

172

The A&E Spotlight Q&A is a recurring series where co-Editor-inChief Astyr Ko interviews interesting people in the Performing and Visual Arts programs at BOHS.

Mackenzie Blomquist

dancing queen DP CAPTAIN, junior

Who are your inspirations?

My inspirations are past Dance Production captains and the dance teachers from my studio because they work so hard and you can see their love for dance through their work.

What will you be looking forward to most during competition season?

I look forward to learning new dances in many styles and being able to act like many characters.

Blomquist has been on the Dance Production team since her freshman year, the only one in her grade to make it on the team at the time.

What advice do you have for new dance members?

Joining dance is really fun but it is a lot of work.

I would say always work your best and be nice to all your team members, Remember always have fun.

What are your posthigh school plans?

My post-high school plan

includes dancing. I would like to join a college dance team or group. I would also like to teach dance at my studio along with continuing to dance there.

How has Dance Production influenced you?

It has made me become a better dancer who is more open to sharing ideas. It has also helped me make a whole new group of friends.

What is the most challenging part of Dance Production?

The most challenging part is remembering all the different dances and performing them well.

What has been your most rewarding experience?

My most rewarding experience has been watching this team grow as friends and learning to dance as one.

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arts & entertainment

reviews

On the

Arts Films

TV show

Music

by ANABEL KING

Zootopia: Kids’ film tackles racism

source: collider.com

Disney’s latest animated film presents a society where predator and prey set aside their biological differences to live in harmony.

But when protagonist Judy Hopps arrives in Zootopia to fulfill her dream of being a police officer, she finds that society still harbors ugly racial tensions despite how advanced the

animals are. It’s a kids’ movie that talks about doing good in the world and trying your very best, but it’s also an adult movie that exposes racism and sexism and oppression in the most subtle way. Zootopia executes smart comedy when it demonstrates that the sloths working at the DMV can be joyriders and thrillseekers, while still nodding at P.C. culture, as the word “cute” is only okay when bunnies call each other that, but not when other animals call them that. Zootopia is essentially a family comedy first, a political commentary second, but also a family comedy third. And it’s this commitment that establishes the film as a progressive step in the right direction and as one of the most ambitious films of the year.

by ANABEL KING

by ANABEL KING

The Real O’Neals

Catholic comedy heavy on comedy

source: tvinsider.com

As someone who was raised in a traditionally Catholic family, I was a little skeptical when I heard that a new ABC comedy would center on an Irish-Catholic family. But to my relief, The Real O’Neals does not make religion the butt of the joke, but rather a platform for niche comedy. The show explores the aftermath of a seemingly-traditional family after the first episode exposes their hidden secrets: the parents are getting a divorce, the eldest son is anorexic, the other son is gay, and the daughter is a Craigslist thief. It’s a creative setup that provides more than enough comedic opportunities. The Real O’Neals differentiates itself from other family sitcoms like Modern Family and black-ish, while still finding fresh ways to tell family stories.

Books

Fuller House

Full of nostalgia, empty of laughs

source: zap2it.com

The reboot of the 90s sitcom Full House was solely revived for nostalgic purposes, and Fuller House definitely delivers. Set 29 years after Full House’s series finale, the show focuses on the lives of DJ, Stephanie, and Kimmy after DJ’s husband dies and she has to raise three kids by herself until Stephanie and Kimmy move in to help her out. And that’s the entire premise. The show is full of throwbacks to old catchphrases and guest appearances of the original cast members, but it’s even “fuller” of weightless storylines and neverending references to Michelle’s absence. But what the show lacks in story plots, it makes up for with nostalgia and characters we already know, which is really the entire point of the show’s revival.

by AMBER TOVAR

The 1975

I like when you sleep for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it The 1975’s sophomore album brings a vibrant, gospel sound to the table in contrast to their first album, The 1975, that contains a juxtaposition between dark lyrics and a pop sound, is known for their black and white aesthetic. The 1975 transitions to a gushingly colorful aesthetic with a sound to match.

However, the band has more computerproduced songs on When you Sleep as heard in tracks If I Believe You and Loving Someone.

Rihanna Anti

Rihanna released her eighth record Anti that consists of influence from ‘60s soul to trap music while still incorporating her Barbados culture into the sound. Anti is devoid of an electronic-pop sound and replaced with heavy-based production and sultry, slurring vocals. Despite her typical sedated vocals, Rihanna showcases her singing ability beautifully on tracks such as Love on the Brain and Higher.

Tori Kelly Unbreakable Smile

Tori Kelly’s stellar guitar skills and impeccable voice are showcased in tracks such as Expensive and Should’ve Been Us, both found on her debut album Unbreakable Smile. There is obvious R&B meets acoustic meets pop influence all over the album, however Kelly maintains the style she is best known for -- a sound that is distinguishable by her voice alone.

DECORATED

From classrooms to snacks, The Wildcat staff ranks campus bests.

room 127

B ES T

CAMPUS BESTs

trends

classroom bests

r O TM TA BES

m oo

BEST CURRICULUM NOVELS

14

SP HE

1

2

3

The Things They Carried

by Tim O’Brien

The Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Of Mice and Men

by John Steinbeck

19

2

RE

room 246

BEST VIEW

BEST SNACKS

“ 1

2

Hot Cheetos

Plain Bagel

3 Kettle Corn

Collier’s class is focused and exciting. She makes us laugh with her savage jokes.”

“

I like eating in the cafeteria because it’s always clean and cool in there.”

- NICOLE NAM, MANAGING EDITOR

BEST REFRESHERS

1 Black Raspberry Sparkling Ice

- BRANDON YUN, PHOTO EDITOR

2

3

Aquafina water

Go-Go applesauce

BEST LUNCH MENU

2

Bosco’s Pizza Sticks

2

3

Turkey and Cheese Sandwich

Chicken and Rice Buritto

3

1

CE AREA SCIEN

CA FE

1

TE

RIA

SENIOR TABLE S

best area to eat lunch

20

sports

Wildcat Baseball

Wildcat Softball

baseball

TURNING TWO: Junior Hannah Towbin readies herself to throw the ball to teammate Maranda Gutierrez, junior.

BY THE NUMBERS

by MATTHEW MOON

12

number of SENIORS on roster

photo by HARRY CHO

2.25 earned run average (through 16 games)

Seniors lead team turn-around .500 Currently holding a 11-5 overall record as of April 4, softball is already just 2 wins shy of matching last year’s 13-win season.

Leading the turn-around are University of North Dakota-bound senior Victoria Minor, and University of North Carolina commit, senior Hailey Jensen.

Despite a successful pre-North Hills League campaign so far -- most recently an 11-5 blow-out

team’s “passion for the game” has improved tremendously over the course of the preseason and has led to a dramatic swing from last season’s 1315 overall record and a last place finish in league.

“This team’s potential goes up every day [with practice],” said Learn. “If we keep working to our full potential, our level of success will only continue to rise,” Learn said.

That success has been most evident during a

“We are enjoying an awesome season. We are seeing unprecedented success for our program and we are making a statement that Brea Olinda softball is not to be overlooked.” co-captain HAILEY JENSEN, senior win over Fountain Valley High School in the first round of the Woodbridge Tournament in Irvine on March 26 -- the team sometimes struggles with the “mental aspect of the game.” Jensen contends that the team has a “lack of confidence,” despite their winning record and a veteran roster.

“Some of the girls don’t believe in themselves the way they should with the amount of talent they possess,” Jensen said.

On the other hand, both Jensen and head coach Jordan Learn both agree that the team possesses strong camaraderie and enough offensive and defensive weapons to overpower most of their opposnents. In addition, Learn believes that the

six game stretch from March 10 to March 18 that saw the Wildcats reel off six straight wins in which the offense exploded for 47 runs. And the Wildcats have already posted games of 18 runs (during their season-opening win against Ontario, and the 11run outburst against Fountain Valley).

After the Woodbridge Tournament, the Wildcats face a rematch with Troy on April 7 (the Wildcats prevailed 7-6 during their first meeting on March 14), and then begin league play against El Modena on April 12. A match-up with defending league champion, Foothill, occurs on April 19 at the Brea Olinda High School softball diamond.

team’s overall winning percentage

.343 (16 games)

overall on base percentage (through first 16 games)

0-4

North Hills League record (as of April 4)

.253 overall team’s batting average

8-8

(through first 16 games)

overall record (as of April 4)

source: maxpreps.com

sports

21

Ladycats claim Div. 1 state title STATE CHAMPS: The Ladycats once again hoisted a state championship trophy, the most recent the result of a 64-51 victory against St. Francis High School on March 24 at Sacramento’s Sleep Train Arena. The victory marked the tenth state title for the Ladycats, their first since 2009. The 29-4 Ladycats were paced by Arizona State-bound senior Reili Richardson’s 26 points, 9 rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Sophomore Tyiona Watkins contributed 22 points, and sophomore Krislyn Marsh notched a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Ladycats will return 14 letter winners for the ‘16-’17 season. photos courtesy of STEVE GERMAN, OCVarsity

22

sports

Sophy Tsabadze, senior, earned First Team All-League honors and set numerous school records in her lone season as a Wildcat distance runner.

at full speed

by SAMANTHA MAGPANTAY

photo by RACHEL LIN

I

n fourth grade, Sophy Tsabadze, senior, dreamed of being a cheerleader, hockey player, football player, and figure skater.

But for all the hopes she had, none of them were achieved. Instead, a dream that she never even imagined was the one that ultimately became reality -- becoming an award-winning cross country and track and field athlete.

Tsabadze was born and raised in Tsibilisi, the capital of Georgia, a country that neighbors Russia in Eastern Eurpose. Tsabadze recalls that the quality of life there was very low, with many residents living in poverty.

“I grew up happy [despite the challenging] circumstances. A lot of political corruption and dissent resulted in violent public heavals and protests [in Georgia]. Regardless, we were young and our interests centered around little kid things because the grown-ups made sure to keep us far away from anything risky. They always made sure my siblings and I had everything we could need.

We were happy with what we had,” Tsabadze said.

It was when Tsabadze’s family moved from Europe to the United States due to political upheaval when she was 8 years old that she realized the excitement of participating in a sport.

“In America, I had a friend who was on two different dance teams and a swim team at age 9, but I did not really consider the significance of growing up in a sport until high school. I never saw myself as an athlete and did not have any specific interests,” Tsabadze said.

Tsabadze remained disinterested in sports like basketball or cross country through her freshmen year and as result, she was torn between either P.E. or dance in order to fulfill her physical education requirement. She eventually chose dance, influenced by many of her friends who were already participating in it. However, quickly realizing that she had “two left feet”, Tsabadze started looking for other sports to join.

Although her knowledge of basketball was limited to being able to recognize NBA superstars Lebron James and Kobe Bryant, Tsabadze tried out for the Ladycats program the summer before her sophomore year. Although eager, her inexperience with the sport quickly revealed itself during her

first game on the frosh-soph team when she played aggressive defense...on both sides of the court.

But she stuck with it and eventually advanced to junior varsity. Of her year as a JV Ladycat, Tsabadze jokingly describes that she “honed the art of warming the bench.” But she loved every second of her two-year stint in the basketball program.

“I had never experienced being a part of a team or having coaches before. The memories and friends I made while I was a part of the program really changed who I was as a person and I’ll always be grateful for them,” Tsabadze said.

At the end of the season, Tsabadze considered track and field as a means of conditioning for the next basketball season. She never intended for this transition to be permanent.

A few days into the sport, Tsabadze realized she was better than she thought she would be, and with the encouragement of kind teammates, she developed a love for the sport and quickly earned a reputation as a promising runner.

“As the [track and field] season progressed, Coach [Matt] Rainwater [talked] to me about staying on for the cross country season. I finally realized that I made a much better runner than a basketball player. Slowly, I learned to love running and I can honestly say that joining cross country is the best decision I’ve ever made for myself,” Tsabadze said.

Once cross country season arrived, Tsabadze had transformed from a girl who originally knew nothing of the sport to becoming a “fearless runner”, according to Rainwater. Tsabadze’s successes came quickly, achieving the sixth fastest time in school history at Irvine Regional Park; seventh all-time in school history at the Mt. SAC Invitational, one of the most prestigious cross country races in the nation; fifth all-time at Yorba Regional Park; and fifth all-time at Woodward Park. Tsabadze also ran at the Footlocker West Regionals a week after her cross country season ended. Although she didn’t place, “it was an incredible experience that [she] wouldn’t take back”.

For her record-breaking season, her lone season as a Wildcat distance runner, Tsabadze was awarded First Team All-League.

“Sophy is easily one of the best runners in the history of Brea. And this is illustrated by the fact that she is making the top 10 in every race that she runs. [Cross country and track and field] are super

sports

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senior Sophy Tsabadze shatters XC, track records objective, they are not like a ball sport where you can argue who is better than who. We have definite numbers. In cross country, Sophy is definitely one of the top five runners to ever be at our school. In our first track meet [of the season], the Cougar Classic, in the mile and two mile, she ran both the ninth fastest times in school history on the same day. Those are her first races of the season and to [run those times] is insane,” Rainwater said.

This track and field season, Tsabadze is aiming to break five minutes in the mile, which would make her the second fastest girl in school history.

For a successful season, Tsabadze’s health is essential in order to keep improving her times.

If Tsabadze fulfills those goals, Rainwater is confident that she could be an Olympic Trials qualifier in four years.

As for college, Tsabadze plans on running for Mt. SAC for two years. Following that, she aims to continue running competitively at whatever university she transfers to. Tsabadze doesn’t see herself stopping running in the near future.

“I am very proud of Sophy. I am happy with whatever sport she chooses as long as she is happy doing it. Sports have helped make her more competitive. She has become very driven and determined. I think growing up in Georgia affects her perspective on a lot of things as she has been exposed to a drastically different kind of life. It keeps her humble,” Marine Zurabashvili, Tsabadze’s mother, said.

For all the dreams that Tsabadze dreamed, she never did become a figure skater, a soccer player, or a cheerleader. Instead, she became one of BOHS’s fastest and most successful runners in school history in both cross country and track and field.

Now a senior and on her way to college, Tsabadze finds herself striving for a new dream, another one that she never would have imagined all those years ago -- to qualify for the Olympic Trials.

“I do not know what I would be doing if I did not have running. These past two years, it has become incredibly important to me. Everyday I am thankful that I found something I learned to love so much and grow so passionate about. So I am willing to do whatever it takes. I am definitely looking forward for what the future holds,” Tsabadze said.

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Behind the Scenes DROP A BEAT

Lorenzo Martinez, junior and drum captain, practices with the snare line in their show, “In Our Own Minds�.

Drumline placed second at a March 5 competition at Mission Hills High School.

photo by MONICA HEIMER