Vol. 82, No. 3

wildcat the

est. 1930

Vol. 82, Issue 3 Nov. 15, 2012

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

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‘cats on the prowl

cAPTAINS PACE AND KIM have “high expectations” for season

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green and gold game kicks off ladycats season; boys hope to improve on last year’s 16 wins

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Wrestlers adjust diets and train for upcoming season; wrestling tactics explored

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The Wildcat

What's inside bohswildcat.com

Nov. 15, 2012

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

Our Mission

Another Galaxy Rob Stelmar, guidance counselor, and Dana Lynch, assistant principal, don their Storm Trooper gear for Star Wars Day on Nov. 2. They are members of the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers.

RISHI PATEL / the wildcat

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watercolor exhibit

Watercolor West brings exhibit to Brea Art Gallery

cheetos ban Editor supports Pasadena’s promoting students’ health

Not so energizing Facts on the dangers of energy drinks and effects of caffeine

16 20 22

syrian roots Rewa Ousman, freshman shares Muslim and Syrian heritage, views on war

battle of the pizzas The Wildcat evaluates four local pizza restaurants

girls’ golf Tiffany Park and Amy Lee attend CIF; Lee advances to State

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 Joy Kim Editor-in-Chief AKSHAY VERMA Managing Editor SELINA CHE Design Manager Feature Editor EMIKO KANEOKA Webmaster SHARON CHO News Editor

YELLOW RIBBON WEEK

AUDREY MOON Opinion Editor

Suicide and Depression Prevention Week Nov. 26-30

LAUREN LEE Lifestyles Editor

Tuesday - Wear Yellow

Attend the assembly with speaker Micah Jacobsen and wear yellow attire

Wednesday - Be a Hero, Save a Life

KEVIN KIM JOSEPH YIM Arts Co-editors

JULIA EBERHARDT MICHELLE SUH AMORETTE VALERO Photo Editors EUNICE CHO JOHN SERNA RISHI PATEL trent preston Photographers Jessica yim Cartoonist Photographer DAVID KANG Stephanie lopez KAITLIN MARTINEZ rishi patel lauren smith Staff Writers GRACE CHUNG Business Manager

noelle gracia Head Sports Writer

ALEX KOERS Adviser

Dress up as a super hero

Thursday - Buddy Up Against Suicide and Depression Dress up as twins with a friend

Friday - Be Comfortable with Yourself Dress up in pajamas @bohswildcat

ON THE COVER Matt Pace and Anna Kim, seniors and captains of the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, respectively, share their goals for the upcoming season.

Cover photo by AMORETTE VALERO Cover design by Joy Kim

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BREA War memorial CEREMONY HONORS VETERANS

by David Kang, Staff Writer

AMORETTE VALERO / the wildcat

HONORING THE VETERANS: Colonel Christopher C. LaNeve of the United States Army shakes hands with a Brea citizen.

BRIEFLY GRAD NITE FUNDRAISER

by Emiko Kaneoka, Webmaster In order to raise funds for Grad Night 2013, the event committee will host a fundraiser through Goodwill on Dec. 1.

From 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Goodwill trucks will be stationed in the school parking lot and will accept any unwanted items. Items such as clothes, books, toys, furniture, electronics, sporting goods, luggage, and holiday decorations will be accepted, while beds and large appliances will not.

If two trucks are filled completely, the Grad Night committee will receive $3500, according to Anna Beth Fishman, Grad Night copresident. Seniors and their

families are encouraged to bring two to three bags each in order to fill both trucks.

Bingo Night is another ongoing Grad Night fundraiser held in the cafeteria on the third Sunday of each month. Half of the profit of the night goes to the winner and the remainder is used toward the planning of Grad Night. At the most recent Bingo Night on October 21, $450 was raised.

The final Grad Night fundraiser of the year will be the Silent Auction at Open House on Feb. 21.

According to Fishman, the theme of Grad Night will remain a surprise.

On Nov. 11. Veteren’s Day, the city of Brea hosted a Memorial Service for its veterans and residents in service with a new city landmark, the Brea War Memorial.

“Today we remember and honor [Brea’s veterans and] the nineteen of Brea’s sons who paid the ultimate price so that we may continue to live in freedom. We must never take that freedom for granted, and we must never forget the men and women who helped preserved it,” Mayor Don Schweitzer said during his opening statement.

The War Memorial consists of military service medallions, flags of service, benches for reflection, a prominent American flag, a magnolia tree garden, the Dedication Wall, the Monument of Remembrance, and the Walk of Honor, according to ci.brea.ca.us. The names of Brea’s veterans are inscribed on the Walk of Honor, and the names of Brea citizens who were killed in action are inscribed on the Monument of Remembrance.

“As I worked on the Brea war memorial, one thing has stayed on my mind: the nature of commemoration and the extent to which it is personal and to which it is public. A memorial is a statement that these men and women [of Brea] are not of a separate warrior class but always are and will be one of the American people, part of us. The Brea War Memorial is a place for personal and public use, a place for private conversation and reflection and, on events such as this, for public commemoration,” Susan Narduli, designer and artist of the War Memorial, said.

In addition to the veterans and current servicemen, the funders and other key individuals of the War Memorial project were recognized

during the ceremony.

Colonel Christopher C. LaNeve of the United States Army presented a special keynote address on the significance of Veterans’ Day and a personal account of an experience during the September 11 Twin Towers attacks.

During the September 11 attacks, the colonel was carrying out his daily duties at the Pentagon, and training a friend who had recently assumed his position. They both saw the news of the attacks on the Twin Towers in his office, and the colonel decided to leave the room for a walk. A short while after he left, the plane hit the Pentagon—the impact point, the desk in his office—and his friend died instantly from the crash.

“We are here to celebrate the strength, courage, and dedication of our veterans. The brave actions of these Americans endure in the pages of history. Today I want us to not only remember their gallantry on the battlefield but also the lasting legacy that they have left us all: today is not a celebration of victory, but a celebration of those who made victory possible,” Colonel LaNeve said.

After his address, Colonel LaNeve led the families of the Brea citizens killed in action across the Walk of Honor to the Monument of Remembrance, in front of which he placed a ring of flowers honoring the veterans for their sacrifices and services.

The Service marked the official opening of the War Memorial, an ongoing community effort, and will continue to honor new veterans in the future.

YELLOW RIBBON WEEK

SALUTE TO EDUCATION STEAM EXPO

by Selina Che, Feature Editor

by Sharon Cho, News Editor

This year’s Yellow Ribbon Week is scheduled to be the week after Thanksgiving break, from Nov. 26 to Nov. 30. Organized

by Link Crew, Yellow Ribbon Week is dedicated to suicide and depression awareness and prevention.

To kick off Yellow Ribbon Week, Link Crew members will be visiting each class on campus during 4th period to announce upcoming Yellow Ribbon Week activities, spirit days, and events with a brief, one to two minute presentation.

On Tuesday, students are encouraged to wear yellow in spirit of Yellow Ribbon Week.

Micah Jacobsen, co-founder of Link Crew, will visit BOHS as guest speaker to raise students’ awareness of suicide and depression during an assembly.

The Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) Expo will take place in the Auxiliary Gym on Open House Night, which will be on Feb. 21 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Brea Chamber of Commerce is hosting a monthlong celebration of lifelong learning called Salute to Education, which was created to showcase the educational opportunities that the community offers.

Students are encouraged to submit artwork in the 2013 Poster Contest as part of Salute to Education. All submissions should display the Salute to Education mission, which is the relationship between education and the future.

The winner’s poster will be used to advertise Salute to

The assembly will take place in the gym during a double second period, and students’ classes will be divided according to the last names of their teachers.

Wednesday’s planned theme is “Be a Hero, Save a Life.”

Students are encouraged to dress up as their favorite super heroes to “fight” against suicide and depression.

On Thursday, students will be able to “Buddy Up Against Suicide and Depression.” By becoming twins and matching outfits with friends, students can show school spirit and support suicide and depression prevention.

To bring Yellow Ribbon Week to a close, students will be able to wear their pajamas to school and participate in Friday’s “Be Comfortable with Yourself” pajama day.

Education and will receive a $250 gift card. The deadline for the contest is 4 p.m. on Nov. 30 to the Brea Chamber of Commerce office. All entries will be showcased at the STEAM Expo.

One portion of the STEAM Expo is the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Fair—it encourages students to choose a subject of their choice within Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and to display experiments and demonstrations.

According to a Brea Chamber advertisement, the goal of the STEM Fair is to “inspire individual scientific curiosity, creativity and initiative and to encourage all original thinking, experimentation and effort in areas related to science and technology.” /theBOHSwildcatnewspaper

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NEWS

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NEW CAREER GUIDANCE PROGRAM THE WILDCAT

by Kevin Kim, Co-Arts Editor

To replace the previous Kuder program, a website designed to guide students with career options after graduation, Jennifer Cormier and Jenny Beglin, guidance counselors, are preparing a new Career Cruising program.

Career Cruising, an interactive career guide, will help students by narrowing down their future plans specifically to their needs.

With unrestricted usage, students will be able to access the program anywhere.

“It is a computer program designed to assist students in not only researching career options, but also college options,” Cormier said.

“It’s usable anywhere—if a student must use it at home, he or she easily can.”

The program likewise informs the school administration of individual students’ needs. With this knowledge, Cormier said the staff members should be able to make decisions based on what the student body needs most.

“It is a tool for staff and administration because it has query capabilities, which we could use to target students for specific scholarships or opportunities,” Cormier said. “We can also use the query to help with administrative decision making, because we could find out how many students are interested in a particular field and use that as we look at new courses.”

The program is currently in its final development stage. Upon its

Sample Questions On Skills Assessment

Q: Are you good at detail-oriented jobs?

Do you like working outside or Q: inside?

Q: Do you like baby sitting? completion, Cormier and Beglin plan to visit individual classes to inform students about the advantages the program has to offer and to lead students through introductory exercises on the website by each grade level.

Abandoning the previous program, counselors hope that Career Cruising may be able to truly connect to and will help students sort out their future pathways.

“We used to have another program, but students didn’t seem to connect to it. Career Cruising, on the other hand, is easier to access and use and gives us a wealth of information,” Cormier said. “We hope every student will find it to be a helpful tool in thinking about their future.”

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WORLD

Compiled by DAVID KANG

HURRICANE SANDY DESTROYS EAST COAST Dubbed “possibly the worst storm NYC has ever experienced”

by Michael Bloomberg, New York City mayor, Hurricane Sandy has wreaked havoc to a large portion of the Eastern Seaboard.

The strength of the storm set a new record, and in New York City, the water surges from the hurricane set new records as well.

The costs of Sandy included over 110 deaths, wide-scale power outages, crippled transportation systems, and lost homes. Forecasters pointed out that the area Sandy covered would equal the size of the 20th largest country in the world.

The storm hit New Jersey the hardest, as an entire town was wiped out; meanwhile, all affected states are continuing their recoveries through community help and disaster relief organizations.

According to cnn.com, “[President Barack Obama] promised the federal government ‘will not quit’ until communities are cleaned up.”

BITA TO PARTICIPATE IN COMPETITION

by Stephanie Lopez, Staff Writer

Building Industry Technology Academy (BITA), the resident program in the construction trade, is scheduled to compete in the SkillsUSA competition in late February, which will be held in Kansas City, Mo. SkillsUSA is an annual national championship for students involved in clubs that expose them to the art of construction. The competition was started in order to reward train students according to employers’ needs. Each year, a theme is chosen and this year’s theme is “Champions at Work.”

The competition is broken down into sections, beginning with sectionals, regionals, and nationals, judged by approximately 1,500 judges. However, if BITA advances and continues through the competition, the cost of transportation, housing, food, and entry will increase.

“As a club, we raise money to prepare our students financially,” said Spencer Smith, senior.

This multi-million dollar event will begin in local areas and then move through the state. Contests begin locally and continue through the state. This event ultimately occupies a space equivalent to 16 football fields.

In 2011, there were over 5,700 participating contestants in 94 separate events. Funding for the competition comes from contest organizers from labor and management.

BITA members have been brainstorming ideas for fundraisers that would help lessen the cost of the expenses spent for the competition. The proceeds from the fundraisers will go directly to

businessweek.com

FLOODED BY SANDY: After Hurricane Sandy hit, Long Island City, Queens, was flooded, causing power outages and ports and transportation systems to temporarily close.

SYRIAN REFUGEES ESCAPE INTO TURKEY

JOHN SERNA / the wildcat

THE ART OF CARPENTRY: Nathan Voisen, junior, helps his group with an independent, creative project during BITA. the BITA competition fund. These ideas include car washes, family game nights, and movie nights, which might take place at Cinema City in Anaheim Hills. However, specific details and events are still to be determined.

“We do not have any fundraisers set in stone yet except for one on Dec. 4 from 5-9 p.m. at Redbrick Pizza. We have most of the club members competing in Skills USA,” said Adrienne Schmidt, senior.

9,000 Syrian refugees fled into the Turkey border province of Sanliurfa to escape the violence in Syria, on Nov. 2, according to a United Nations (U.N.) official.

The Anadolu Agency showed video footage that showed Syrians jumping over and climbing through barbed wire fencing to cross the Turkish border.

“These are people fleeing fighting between the [rebel] Free Syrian Army and the government of Syria, including more than 70 wounded and two who are reported to have died,” said Adrian Edwards, U.N. refugee agency spokesman, according to the Associated Press.

A Turkish official stated that a majority of the refugees escaped the violence in the town of Harem and Ras al-Ayn, where the rebels had taken control from President Bashar Assad’s forces.

Included in the 9,000 were a group of Syrian soldiers, generals and 11 colonels and their families, who were led to a military defector camp.

This would raise the number of refugees in Turkey to 120,000. Other refugees were led to nearby refugee camps or resided with Turkish relatives. /theBOHSwildcatnewspaper

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NEWS

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ANNUAL WATERCOLOR EXHIBIT AT BREA ART GALLERY

by Sharon Cho, News Editor

The 44th Annual Watercolor West International Juried Exhibition, a display of submitted watercolor portraits, is at the Brea Art Gallery until Dec. 16.

Every year, the Brea Art Gallery partners with Watercolor West, an international watercolor society for watercolor artists, requests entries its members to showcase in an exhibition. A juror then examines the entries and chooses which artworks to display. This year’s juror is Karen Frey, a member of Watercolor West.

Frey selected 100 works of art from over 700 entries submitted worldwide to showcase in the Brea Art Gallery. Artists originate from various states and countries, including Taiwan.

“We have been doing this for over 30 years now and have recently signed another contract with Watercolor West,” said Christina Hasenberg, Brea Art Gallery director.

The artwork in the exhibition consists only of transparent watercolor paintings. This means that any white space on the painting is blank canvas, a rule implemented by Watercolor West.

Many awards were distributed to artists who submitted their work.

The first place winner, Pat Dispenziere, an artist from Poway, Calif., won a $1,500 cash prize for her piece, “Play of Light.” The second and third place winners received $1,000 and $800, respectively. Other award categories include Popular Choice, Juror’s Awards, Sponsor’s Awards and Merchandise Awards.

“I never visited the art gallery even though I saw it every time I went to the library. But finally took a look after seeing the watercolor artwork from the windows outside, because it reminded me of my mom, who also is an artist,” said Namu Kim, junior.

The Brea Art Gallery is also hosting other events and workshops

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in conjunction with the watercolor exhibit. Beginning and intermediate watercolor artists will have the opportunity to learn from watercolor instructors. Also, “nationally-known watercolor masters will present ideas about how they finished their award-winning paintings,” according to a Brea Art Gallery pamphlet. Registration and more information are available by calling the gallery or by visiting breagallery.com.

The next exhibition will be the 28th Annual Made in California Juried Exhibition, which allows artists from Calif. to showcase their work. This will be held from March 23 to May 3.

EUNICE CHO and JOHN SERNA / the wildcat

‘PLAY OF LIGHT’: At left, the Brea Art Gallery, located next to the Brea Police Department and the Brea Public Library in the Civic Center. At right, Pat Dispenziere’s, artist from Poway, Calif., first place artwork, “Play of Light.”

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OBAMA WINS PHAM JOINS STAFF AS DATA TECHNICIAN PRESIDENT ELECTION, BEGINS NEW TERM

by Joseph Yim, Arts Co-editor

Former data technician Catherine Noyes retired after 14 years at BOHS, leading to the hiring of Phuong Pham.

Noyes said she took this opportunity to leave work to be closer to her relatives, leaving the position open for Pham, who first worked at Pioneer Middle School before applying to work as the new data technician.

“I was a counseling technician, and I saw that there was a position open at Brea Olinda High School. I took some tests, went on an interview, and got the job. For parents and students, I’m the go-to person for Parent Portal grades,” said Pham.

Pham’s role includes updating and assisting parents and students with Parent Portal and closely working with the administrators, including the guidance counselors. She is also in charge of enrolling and withdrawing students on campus, and coordinating students’ schedules.

Beginning this year, the district will not mail report cards to students’ homes, saving the district approximately $10,000 each year, and putting more stress on Pham’s online duties, according to Dana Lynch, assistant principal. Also, with the software’s irregular server crashes for the past years, Pham must work on improving the consistency of Parent Portal.

Although Pham planned on being a counselor, she said this opportunity will help her gain experience working on a high school faculty.

“The data technician position is going to help with getting to know how the system works. I actually have a Master’s in Counseling but I just love working in the district and with students,” Pham said.

by Joy Kim, Editor-in-Chief

JULIA EBERHARDT / the wildcat

A NEW WILDCAT: Phuong Pham enters data into her computer at her desk. Pham takes over the position as the data technician after Catherine Noyes’ retirement.

Lynch hopes that Pham will enhance the school’s current online grading system and make the process using Parent Portal more efficient. “[Pham] was highly recommended to us once Mrs. Noyes retired.

She is very bright, a quick learner, and we are very fortunate to have her on our staff. She was the only person interviewed for the job who actually had the work experience we wanted,” said Lynch.

With 303 electoral votes and 61,164,405 popular votes, Barack Obama was reelected to the presidency on Nov. 6.

Democrats will maintain control of the Senate while the GOP will helm the House of Representatives. House Speaker John Boehner told the LA Times that he will push for preventing tax hikes but is open to tax reforms.

However, Obama said that though he will compromise with Republicans to prevent automatic tax hikes, he will eventually push for a tax increase on the wealthy.

The Obama administration also extended the deadlines for governors to create a healthcare plan to implement Obamacare to Dec. 14.

Two states, Maryland and Maine, approved same-sex marriage and Colorado and Washington legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

In California, Governor Jerry Brown’s Proposition 30 passed, preventing a 20 percent spike in University of California tuition, reversing a $249 per semester tuition increase in California State Universities, and granting $210 million to community colleges. Funds will derive from an income tax increase on those making more than $250,000 a year and a 0.25 percent increase in sales taxes.

The Brea Olinda Unified School District will not add any more furlough days than those scheduled for this school year due to Proposition 30. Though the State owes the district $9.5 million to operate, it had planned to pay $7.7 million of it next year. With Proposition 30’s enactment, $6.4 million of the initially deferred funds will be paid to the district this fiscal year.

KEY CLUB MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN FALL RALLY

by Emiko Kaneoka, Webmaster Key Club attended Fall Rally, the first district-wide event of the year, on Nov. 10 at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Key Clubs from California, Nevada, and Hawaii joined together at the amusement park and celebrated another year of service as the Kiwanis Educated Youth.

14 members of the Brea Key Club attended Fall Rally, along with hundreds of other members of Key Club in the Cal-Nev-Ha district.

Members of the Brea Key Club, under Division 30 North, were encouraged to wear as much purple as possible along with their purple rhino shirts, the color and mascot of the division.

“It was great to see everyone get so excited about Key Club by dressing up as different characters. I also really enjoyed having the opportunity to see the different clubs of our district. It made me feel like a part of something so much bigger than just the Key Club of Brea,” said Michelle Shin, sophomore, and Bulletin Editor of Key Club.

Throughout the day, several spirit rallies were hosted, encouraging excitement and spirit for the philanthropic work of Key Club in the upcoming year.

During the rally, the Key Clubbers competed in spirit competitions to see who could cheer the loudest to receive a spirit stick, representing the most-spirited division. Division 4 North won the spirit stick and was named the most spirited out of all the divisions.

“The night before, we learned different cheers that we would do at the spirit rally the next day. They were funny and helped us to get excited about Key Club. The spirit rally was really loud and the energy in the

room was crazy,” said Kevin Cho, sophomore and Key Club member.

Key Clubbers spent all day at Six Flags, arriving at the park at 7 a.m. and leaving at 8 p.m. Each member also received service hours for his or her attendance.

In preparation of the event, each Key Club raised money for the Pediatric Trauma Program (PTP) founded by Kiwanis Cal-Nev-Ha Foundation. PTP strives to “develop local projects, which will reduce the number of children in our district who are killed or injured by trauma,” according to cnhfoundation.org.

By holding individual fundraisers amongst each high school Key Club of the Cal-Nev-Ha district, $150,000 was raised to fund PTP. “I’m really proud of the service that each and every one of the Key Clubbers are doing. I never knew that so many people could get together and raise over $150,000 on their own, especially high school students,” said Charlie Philips, Brea Kiwanis representative.

After a busy day at Fall Rally, Key Clubbers felt encouraged and enthusiastic about helping out in their communities by volunteering through Key Club.

“Fall Rally was a really amazing experience. I got to have fun at Six Flags all day with my friends while celebrating the spirit of volunteering in Key Club,” said Shin. “It’s incredible to see how many people are involved in Key Club in California, Nevada, and Hawaii alone and how excited everyone is to give back to their community through this club.

After this experience, I am both thankful and glad I am part of Key Club.”

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OPINION

Nov. 15, 2012

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BREA hot cheetos ban necessary for student diet Babble

by Akshay Verma, Managing Editor

c

afeteria food on campus has undergone some major changes this school year: the lunch carts no longer serve quesadillas, chicken wraps, and any other tortilla-based food items; the meals are no longer served with chocolate chip cookies; the cafeteria staff regulates carbohydrate intake by only serving gold fish cookies with salads and sandwiches, rather than various other snacks served in the previous years; and the sandwiches have been significantly reduced in size.

In fact, many other high schools have recently begun providing students with healthier food choices in order to promote healthier youth, an action which is sensible on the part of the administration and also very beneficial for students.

Several schools in Pasadena, Los Angeles, for example, recently banned Flamin’ Hot Cheetos on grounds that the chips are unhealthy for students. The Pasadena Unified School District even banned candy and other junk foods from all elementary school campuses.

The district claimed that Hot Cheetos are a potential health hazard for students, as they very high in sodium and fat and each snack-size bag contains 26 grams of fat and a quarter of the amount of sodium recommended for an entire day.

This action on part of the Pasadena school district, along with the cafeteria food changes on campus, are both absolutely necessary for student diets and should be readily embraced by students and parents alike.

Moreover, the action of the school districts is absolutely practical and justified, as it will help make at least somewhat of an impact on the dietary habits of students. If students are offered healthier foods to purchase at lunch, such as at the BOHS cafeteria, then they have no choice but to eat healthier. Similarly, if students are prohibited from eating fat-and-sodiumladen Hot Cheetos or excessively sweet candies, then they will naturally consume fewer foods that cause obesity and other health problems.

According to ncsl.org, over 31 percent of children in ages 10-17 in California are obese. Over 85 percent of students do not eat recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day. The combination of a high obesity rate and lack of consumption of fruits and vegetables lends itself to serious health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

“You are what you eat. What you put in is what you put out,” said Mike Baker, health teacher.

Similarly, Jesus Valencia, senior and a regular consumer of on-campus cafeteria food, applauds the actions of both the school cafeteria and of school districts such as the Pasadena district.

“As someone who purchases lunch each day because I am unable to pack one at home, I am glad that the food on campus is healthier. I buy whatever is sold at school, and it’s great that I get to buy healthier foods as compared to last year,” said Valencia.

While students may be upset at smaller portions and healthier options or the banning of their favorite chips, attempts at promoting healthier food options are both crucial and necessary, especially with the rise of obesity and health risks among students today.

Each banned Hot Cheetos bag and the smaller portions of sandwiches in cafeteria foods are among the many beneficial actions that will help spark a bit of health consciousness among students, which they will hopefully keep in mind with their diets both in and out of school.

Nutrition Facts: Hot Cheetos vs. Goldfish

21 Cheetos = 11 g of fat and 160 calories

Sofia Olmedo Sophomore

55 crackers = 5 g of fat and 140 calories theblaze.com, campbellsfoodservices.com

“I think some foods should be banned because they can be bad for us if we snack too much, which we tend to do.”

Compiled by AKSHAY VERMA

“Oh, it’s okay, Jimmy. Chester finally got what he deserved.”

@bohswildcat

Should certain foods be banned for health benefits?

Kevin Park Junior

“We need to eat healthy and the school needs to ban food for our health.”

Julian Araujo Senior

JESSICA YIM / the wildcat

“Yes, I think the problem is the food that the school is serving.

I think they should be changing the kinds of food the cafeteria is giving us.”

The Wildcat

OPINION bohswildcat.com

Nov. 15, 2012

9

Staff Editorial

teenagers must be more globally aware

JESSICA YIM / the wildcat ‘READY, GET SET, SHOP!’: Thanksgiving leaves behind its significance of “giving thanks” and becomes about consumerism.

Black Friday takes over thanksgiving

by Audrey Moon, Opinion Co-Editor

As Thanksgiving rolls around, the tender taste of turkey along with the sweet scent of pumpkin pie consume our minds. However, food is not the only thing in mind when it comes to Thanksgiving, for the next day is Black Friday.

The day after Thanksgiving has traditionally been the start of the holiday season. However, when President Roosevelt changed Thanksgiving Day to the fourth Thursday of November, Friday became the day to kick off the holiday shopping spree.

Retailers used to wait until the dawn of Friday, but the urge to sell more Christmas items has caused retailers to move up the opening hour.

For a while, it was at midnight that store sales began.

This year, Target announced that Black Friday will kick off earlier than ever at 9 p.m.

As a result of the early start, a petition made by Anthony Hardwick that was signed by more than 200,000 asked the Target company to “save Thanksgiving for its employees, their families and consumers.”

As if 9 p.m was not early enough, major retailers such as Walmart, K-Mart, and Sears have also announced that their Black Friday will start earlier at 8 p.m. local time, when the stores are still open, luring those potential shoppers to become the “early birds” who will get the “worms.”

A Target employee protested that Thanksgiving be returned back to families.“Every year the opening time gets pushed up more and more...It’s inhuman and inconsiderate...A 9 p.m opening disgusts me and symbolizes everything that is wrong with this country,” says C. Renee of Corona, Calif.

Retailers have degraded Thanksgiving holidays into extra days of profit. And it is this reason that people have called it “Black” Friday. In accounting, black represents profit while red represents a loss.

According to mentalfloss.com, the term “black” represents extra profits stores make on that day, allowing them to “get in the black.” Whether this myth is true or not, people have fallen helplessly into this “trap” and shortened quality time with family for the sake of greater bargain on Black Friday.

After dedicating a symbolic day of remembering many blessings received and giving thanks for God’s goodness and graciousness, one would think that going on a shopping spree immediately afterwards would be ironic. However, it seems that the discounted and affordable prices on Black Friday blind our eyes and hearts.

According to money.cnn.com, Black Friday raked in a record breaking $52.4 billiwon last year. It is these numbers that allow organizations like change.org to state that, “retailers let sales trump family time on Thanksgiving.”

As a result, a new tradition of “watch,” “eat,” and “run” to shopping has evolved.

Over the years, Thanksgiving has become more commercialized and materialistic. It is appalling that days like Black Friday should occupy a priority over family and the genuine meaning of giving thanks.

So, on this Thanksgiving Day, although we too may be tempted to bolt toward the sales, spend ample time eating and enjoying with our family at home, rather than being at the store.

The last thing on the minds of most teenagers is catching up on world news during their free time. Instead, we would rather peruse our Facebook news feeds or look up silly videos on YouTube.

Hence, teens oftentimes remain oblivious and indifferent to current events around the world.

In the past week alone, Hurricane Sandy devastated thousands on the east coast, leaving many without power for days, and 11,000 Syrians fled their country due to a violent rebellion against the government.

These events may seem insignificant and far away from the small city of Brea, but they directly affect some of our very own classmates.

Freshman, Rewa Ousman’s family is from Damascus, Syria, currently embroiled in political turmoil. Many students have family members living on the East Coast who were affected by Sandy, losing their homes due to the massive storm.

While these occurrences inflict stress and worry on the students whose loved ones are put in harm’s way, many other students have not even heard of said events.

By being aware of By being aware of the issues that exist the issues that exist worldwide, we can worldwide, we can better understand those better understand around us. Not only those around us... and can we understand also learn to lend a and sympathize with our classmates, but we hand. can also learn to lend a hand.

Recently a Red Cross drive-thru fundraiser was held at the Honda Center of Anaheim. Because of the donations and support of those that made the effort to remain aware of natural disasters, the Red Cross was able to donate a total of $512,963.93 for the relief of Hurricane Sandy victims, according to hondacenter.com.

This proves that by simply remaining aware of worldwide issues and in turn taking a second to donate money to philanthropic organizations, we are able to make a difference in the lives of those affected.

Keeping up with worldwide, statewide, and even local events is also a part of growing up. As we become more aware of the politics, military endeavors, and the economy of the world, we are able to form an opinion of our own.

As teenagers, we may not have the same incentives as adults to keep up with the news, but with the amount of time that we spend online, we should click on the latest news story on our Yahoo! profile at least once in a while to stay updated. Technology allows such readily available news, therefore we should take full advantage of its accessibility.

So, the next time you open up your web browser and see the various news stories gliding across the screen, take the opportunity to read about a current event and stay up to date with the world around you. /theBOHSwildcatnewspaper

The Wildcat

Wildcat Heroes 10 BITA inspires Lochridge to give back to campus Nov. 15, 2012

bohswildcat.com

by Kevin Kim, Arts Co-editor For Matt Lochridge, senior, BITA is not just a course selection—it is a hands-on experience previewing what he wants to do his entire life.

BITA is a course focused on using raw materials such as metal and wood to create products for everyday usage.

Lochridge said students are taught how to create simple objects such as sanding blocks to more complex objects such as model houses.

Lochridge has led numerous projects including creating new benches for the baseball dugout and projector holders for teachers. He said BITA is not just limited to the coursework—students are free to create what they wish.

Lochridge believes his love for BITA developed the most during his sophomore year when Javier Belmares, BITA instructor, invited him to take on a large role in the Build and Design competition at the Orange County Fair.

“Build and Design competition tests which students can actually utilize a blueprint, whether it is on a shed, barn, mini playhouse, etc., to create the best final product,” Lochridge said. “I was able to play a big part in the process, and also realized this was the job I wanted to do my entire life.”

During his junior year, Lochridge was once again

“I’ve never been able to sit down and stay still. The school’s academic environment just never suited me. I feel accomplished when I’m down on my knees, sweating over what I really want to finish. BITA just happened to fit in that category perfectly.”

Matt Lochridge, senior

invited to another Build and Design competition, but this time as the project manager. He and the team also attended a SkillsUSA competition that tested their constructional concepts as well as a written exam on codes.

“I utilized everything Mr. Belmares had taught me for both of the competitions in order to lead the team through what I thought would be our best product yet,” Lochridge said. “I knew we had done well when we placed fourth in Build and Design and top five in SkillsUSA.” According to Belmares, Lochridge was a solid candidate who had the right mind and the passion to do well in the class. Though he was conflicted on who was the right candidate for school-wide recognition, he noticed Lochridge’s improvement in terms of project undertakings and leadership skills.

“I’m always torn when I have to decide who deserves recognition in this class,” Belmares said. “But Matt just has done so much for the class, and especially for the school. I see talent in all my students, but he has done noticeably well for the past few years.”

Lochridge states his biggest motivator is his family. With his great-grandfather and grandfather as carpenters, and his father an electrician, he said he was always surrounded by their talent.

“Family has played a big role in my love for craftsmanship,” Lochridge said. “With all my family members involved in some type of crafting career, I had no choice but to be exposed to crafts. I think that’s when it all started.”

Not the type to be confined to a desk, Lochridge said he has always been someone who enjoys sweating and getting his hands dirty. He said he chose BITA because it successfully ties his career interests and skills together.

“I’ve never been able to sit down and stay still. The school’s academic environment just never suited me,” Lochridge said.

“I feel accomplished when I’m down on my knees, sweating over what I really want to finish. BITA just happened to fit in that category perfectly.”

Lochridge plans to take two years of courses at Fullerton Junior College, then transfer into California State Univeristy, Fullerton, to expand his knowledge of construction management.

“BITA is definitely a career oriented class for me. It definitely answered my question of ‘What do I want to do with my life?’ in a quick and simple way,” Lochridge said.

“With another Build and Design competition this year, in addition to college and my future career, BITA will be the one class I’ll always miss and be thankful for.”

Michelle Suh / the wildcat

The Wildcat

Feature

Nov. 15, 2012

bohswildcat.com

11

Photos courtesy of Corrie Nakamura

heavenly hymns: Lindenmeyer (far right) with fellow members of Yorba Linda Friends Church. With his church, Lindenmeyer gives back to the urban poor.

Karaoke Night

Lindenmeyer takes part in charity karaoke event to benefit L.A.’s poor

by Jon Lindenmeyer, Guest Contributor

D

uring my Spring Break I visited The Central City Community Church of the Nazarene’s in Downtown Los Angeles. Here, for over fifteen years, Pastor Anthony “Tony” Stallworth and his wife Lucy have opened their doors to local talents for karaoke.

At 7:30 p.m., over a hundred people filed in for hot coffee, good conversation, and joyful noise. While this may seem like a relatively normal gathering, I can assure you it was nothing like the local Orange County venues.

Central City Community Church is located on the corner of sixth and San Pedro streets, in the heart of Los Angeles’ skid row. Most of the attendees are homeless. Yet here, in the heartland of American urban poverty, lay some of the most joyful people in the world.

The night started with an R&B remix of an old hymn sung by Pastor Tony himself. Other tracks ranged from Beyonce’s “Halo” to Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer”. Two tables were set up to the side of the crowd so singers might flip through binders and find their favorite songs’ I.D. numbers. All songs were run by Lucy, who served as the emcee, in order to filter out inappropriate lyrics.

Drug references, sexuality, violence, and profanity are strictly monitored. This subtle bit of conservatism shocked many of my peers, and perhaps me a little, until we realized the nature of where we were. Many of those around us were either ex -addicts or current ones. Assault, murder, or rape had affected most everyone in the room.

As the evening went on, the empty seats in the room filled, until many people were left standing. At 8 p.m., Pastor Tony welcomed anyone who would like prayer into a private side room. Here, I found the true nature of the joy in that place.

Men and women sat around a table and poured out their hearts. Their prayers were more severe than many of our own. Some asked for very modest financial provisions

(modest to anyone living above the poverty line), while others sought strength to leave behind old lifestyles. Pastor Tony, in great love, patience, and humility, made sure to acknowledge the value of all who spoke. He would chime in here and there, whispering phrases like “There is forgiveness for that” or “Oh, we’ve all made our mistakes.”

Once everyone had spoken, fourteen in total, Pastor Tony proceeded to ask Jesus for a “fresh outpouring of His love and mercy” and a “hedge of protection” about their lives. We then made our ways back to the main gathering.

It was my turn to perform. Three of my friends and I put on pairs of sunglasses and proceeded to the front. A subtle symbol began to clash in the background and whispers echoed “Ice, Ice…” as we slid from side to side. We were four white men, standing in front of a very diverse crowd in the middle of skid row, and we had decided to sing Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice, Baby”.

Let’s just say that by the end of the routine, everyone had certainly stopped, collaborated, and listened. The highlight of the song was most certainly when my friends and I traded in Vanilla Ice’s outdated dance moves for the much more contemporary “Bernie.” I cannot put to words the amount of energy released into the atmosphere by the cries of laughter from all those watching.

The evening slowly began to draw to a close. As the last performer finished, all those drinking coffee in side rooms were invited back to the Sanctuary to join in on the traditional last song: “The Electric Slide”. Everyone cheered as the music started.

The whole crowd flowed as one in that place of worship. The song ended, chairs were stacked, and goodbyes were said.

My group and I proceeded to walk out of the building, around the corner, and up the street to the Pershing Square Metro Station. Along the way I saw hundreds of people settling into tents and under blankets.

Outside that house of prayer, sorrow reigned in place of joy. Those streets were and are a place of warfare, and for fifteen years the forces of light have been casting out the darkness, one song at a time. /theBOHSwildcatnewspaper

12

The Wildcat

Feature

Nov. 15, 2012

bohswildcat.com

Moving to her

own beat

by Akshay Verma, Managing Editor

Rebellious, independent spirit takes Leaming from the hallways of Brea Olinda to the streets of the Big Apple.

The Wildcat

Feature

Nov. 15, 2012

bohswildcat.com

A

13

s a sixth grader, Leslie Leaming, history teacher, noticed how her physical education class was segregated by gender. Although the boys in her class had the opportunity to play baseball, soccer, and football, the girls merely tossed a softball around in a circle. Infuriated by her teacher’s sexist attitudes, Leaming instructed all the girls in her class to purposely act like three-year-olds.

After explaining to her teacher how unfair and discriminatory the segregation was, she saw change right before her eyes and her physical education class was never segregated again.

“As a young girl, I would describe myself as fiercely independent. I even still to this day abhor people telling me what to do. I was also very creative and thoughtful,” said Leaming.

Born near Detroit, Mich., Leaming moved to California at the age of nine. She attended Country Hills Elementary School and Brea Junior High before graduating from BOHS in 1988.

Leaming’s favorite memories growing up were simply being outside with her friends on the streets at night once the street lights came on. She often rode bikes and talked with her friends with no adults around.

“Even as a kid I loved the sense of freedom one gets riding.

No adults were around. It was very liberating and I think it is those types of experiences away from. . . my parents that I developed my sense of individuality and independence,” said Leaming.

From childhood and well through her teenage and young adult years, Leaming was involved in music. She played the clarinet as a fourth grader and the French horn and the trumpet from sixth grade to her sophomore year of high school.

Leaming was a member of many indie and alternative bands until the age of 28. Some of the bands she played for were The Mozells, The Thunder Lizards, and Lather.

“Joe Strummer of the Clash was very influential on my thought process and politics. One thing I took away from him was to always question authority. It’s like Thomas Jefferson believing that a little rebellion is a good thing every now and then. It keeps those in positions of power on their toes,” said Leaming.

At 19, Leaming, fed up with what she perceived as a “boring, conformist society,” stepped onto a Greyhound bus and traveled to New York City with a friend. Once they reached their destination, her friend left her.

“I learned a lot about who I am as an individual being alone in a big city. I stayed for three months until I got kicked out of the house I was staying in on Long Island. I was assaulted in a pizza restaurant, got lost in Chinatown, and was asked if I wanted to go to a party by a pimp. (I didn’t go, of course.) I really gained a lot of confidence from my experience in New York,” she said.

After returning to California, Leaming majored in anthropology at California State University, Long Beach.

Leaming initially intended to get involved with the film-making

industry and make documentaries. However, then boyfriend and now husband, suggested she become a teacher.

“By this time I was about 24 and I had changed a bit. Once I started teaching, however, I found that I was actually good at it, made positive influences on the minds of kids, and I actually fit in, which I never felt when I was in high GONE WITH THE WIND: school,” she said.

(Opposite) Leaming in New Aside from teaching, Leaming is passionate about York City. (Top) Leaming on cycling, both recreational and competitive, and animal a bike ride. Her interest in rescue and animal training. riding bikes sparked when Leaming found a love for dog training through her she was a kid, saying that own experiences with her pets, including her current she enjoys the sense of pitbull, Abby. Leaming even started a dog walking group freedom it gives her. (Right) especially for unsociable or untrained dogs.

Leaming attends her high “Walking in a pack is a great way for dogs to become school prom as a freshman. more comfortable around other dogs,” she said.

She did not enjoy the Through her dog walking group, called Sociabulls, experience whatsoever that Leaming hopes to educate people in how pitbulls, despite she never attended another popular belief, are faithful, loving, and “just like any prom again. (Bottom) other dogs.” Furthermore, Leaming intends to use her Leaming as a little girl with dog walking group to convince others that breed-specific her sister. legislation and rules are “discriminatory and baseless.”

Apart from dog rescue and training, Leaming spends her free time with her husband and preparing for her classes by grading papers and finalizing lectures on the weekends.

One of her favorite memories as a teacher remains how the school yearbook characterized her one year.

“The yearbook staff wrote a characterization for each teacher and mine was that I made students think. I believe that was the biggest honor that could ever be given to me. That is how I want to be remembered. Whether it be something we are learning about in history or a story or anecdote from my experiences, I want kids to think about things.”

Throughout her many years of teaching, Leaming believes that she has made a positive impact on many of her students through the life lessons and personal stories she is able to weave into her teaching--from stories of her runaway years in New York City to her experiences as a sixth grader in a physical education class standing up for gender equality.

Photos courtesy of Leslie Leaming

“However, once I started teaching, I found that I was actualy good at it, made positive influences on the minds of kids, and I actually fit in, which I never felt when I was in high school.”

14

CENTERSPREAD

The Wildcat Nov. 15, 2012

The Wildcat bohswildcat.com

Energy drinks are among the most consumed drinks by teenagers. With their sugary, fizzy taste and immediate energy boost, it is no wonder why cans of Monster or Rockstar are always in the hands of teens.

Yet beneath the veneer of “delicious benefits” are hundreds, even thousands, of unnecessary, unhealthy chemicals and additives that have been proved harmful. Energy drinks may lead to not only mental and physical damage, but even death.

Caffeine

y g r e n E 1 2 3 4 Top 4 drinks

voices.yahoo.com

Monster

Rockstar

Burn

Red Bull

Overdos e

Healthy Alternatives Eggs

Egg yolks are naturally rich in B-vitamins, which are responsible for converting food into energy. Eggs are packed with protein, which are fundamental for building and boosting energy.

Apples

Apples contain natural sugars, which one’s body can convert into energy. Eating apples can also wake one’s body up, as the crunch keeps one awake. The sweet aroma of apples also stimulates the brain.

Green Tea

Green tea is a source of antioxidants, which are an important resource of energy for the entire body. Green tea also promotes longevity by keeping the cells in one’s body healthy.

Dark Chocolate

200 mg to 300 mg of caffeine (equivalent to three cups of coffee) is considered normal and safe for the human body. Energy drinks can contain up to 500 mg of caffeine, which is fatal for one’s health. Too much caffeine can not only damage one’s health, but also lead to death.

Amount (8.46 ounces)

(2 ounces)

Rockstar (16 ounces)

Monster (16 ounces)

Dark chocolate contains 26 mg of caffeine. The University of Nottingham found that dark chocolate can increase energy levels by boosting blood flow to the brain and the heart.

of

Caffeine

80 mg

Red Bull

5-hour Energy

of caffeine

138 mg

of caffeine

mg 160

of caffeine

160 mg

Caffeine Comparisons

livestrong.com

of caffeine

(in

milligrams)

3 cups of coffee =

Ingredients TAURINE

15

what it is: amino acid

Energy drinks contain high amounts of taurine, which can lead to seizures, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

CARBONIC ACID

what it is: acid High amounts of carbonic acid, as found in energy drinks, can lead to tooth enamel decay.

GINSENG

7 bags of black tea =

livestrong.com

what it is: herb Ginseng is an Asian herb that has been used for thousands of years to boost health.

Ginseng can alleviate mental exhaust and fatigue.

GUARANA what it is: fruit Guarana is a fruit native to Venezuela and north Brazil. It is used primarily to boost energy.

6 cans of soda =

4 cups of espresso = Photo illustration by Julia eberhardt / the wildcat

1 can of Burn

16

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

Nov. 15, 2012

a syrian girl’s freedom

rewa ousman’s syrian heritage provides perspective on syrian conflict

by Joy Kim, Editor-in-Chief

R

FEATURE

ewa Ousman, freshman, born in Hawthorne, Calif., is an American. Her parents are American citizens, and she has been surrounded by American culture her entire life.

But the blood that runs through Ousman’s veins is Syrian. This Syrian blood is what pumps her heart and colors the way she views life. It helps her value American freedoms, while keeping her Muslim values alive. “[Practicing my religion] is not much of a challenge, because I have my beliefs and that comes before everything. I usually do a good job of not letting people influence me in a negative way,” Ousman said.

Ousman’s parents, Samir Ousman and Rania Husami, were born in Syria. Husami came to Manhattan, N.Y., in 1997 at the age of 26 to be with her brother after her father died. Though she initially wanted to stay in Syria, her father’s death meant that according to Muslim custom, she needed a male relative to take care of her.

A few months after her arrival, she married Samir, a graduate engineering student at California State University, Fullerton, who moved to the United States for more job opportunities. And in two years, she bore her first child, Rewa.

The family moved to Brea in time for Ousman to start her elementary education at Fanning, with her younger brother Samy trailing behind by one year. And in Brea, Ousman made friends who have respected her culture and religion, and encountered teachers and faculty who have done the same.

“People respect it. I have a lot of friends

that are very respectful of my religion and my customs,” Ousman said.

Without fail, Ousman and her brother recite the five daily prayers, an element of the Five Pillars of Islam. The prayers take place at sunrise, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening.

The second prayer at noon requires Ousman to find a quiet place on campus to prostrate, or kneel, towards the holy city of Mecca and recite her prayer during school days. Husami described how thankful she was to Pamela Gallarda, Brea Junior High principal, who allowed Ousman to pray daily in her office.

Despite Ousman’s being among only around three percent of Muslims in Orange County, according to thearda.com, she said her parents have kept her faith alive.

“Religion is something between you and your God and it’s your own,” Husami said confidently.

But Husami recognized that being submerged in American culture daily at school could be a challenge to Ousman. “For me, it is not harder, but for [her], maybe,” she said.

Even though her parents instilled strong Muslim values in Ousman, and gave her a more freedom as a teenager than they had in Syria, she cannot ignore that her values are different from those of most her peers. Ousman will not date anyone but the man she will marry, will not show her hair to any unrelated man except her husband, and cannot go out at night with friends.

“So many everyday things that people do may seem so normal for them but may be wrong for us. We’re very cautious,” she said.

But Ousman’s Syrian blood allows her to see that her faith does not restrict her, but rather protects her. Husami always taught her that “whatever God told us not to do, at the end it’s very good for you.”

Husami also taught Ousman to respect other religions and cultures as well, just as others have respected hers.

E

ven though the Ousmans have kept alive their Syrian heritage beyond their homeland, they long to go back. For Ousman, Syria is a place where relationships are more close-knit, where strangers on the street will always greet her, and where the culture exudes brotherly love.

It is where Ousman remembers going to candy shops down the street from her aunt’s house, and could be trusted by the shop’s owner to buy now and pay later. It is where Husami remembers her neighbors tending her mother everyday for four months after her father’s

ousman shares muslim customs

death. It is where the Ousmans recently bought a house to vacation in, on the same street as Husami’s sister’s, mother’s, uncle’s, aunt’s, and cousin’s homes.

Yet, they still have not been inside this

by Rewa Ousman, Guest Contributor house, and Ousman has not been in Syria since fifth grade, for a reason that makes her Syrian blood grow cold and ache her heart.

Being Syrian fills me with pride as the culture is rich Ousman comes from the Sunni branch of and unique. Our customs are immensely different from Islam, which President Bashar Assad’s Alawite those here in America. For instance, every morning, the sect is warring against. children go up to their parents, say good morning, and kiss What once started as a relatively peaceful their hands and cheeks. At night we do the same, say good rebellion against the Assad family’s 40 year night, and ask for their satisfaction. This is done out of regime has magnified into an internal conflict respect, as respect is very important in the culture, as well so huge and tragic that 11,000 Syrians fled the as discipline. nation on Friday alone.

In Syria, the culture is based off of the religion, Islam.

Husami recalled the political conditions in So, there are many customs we have that derive from that Syria when she left in 1997, when Assad’s father religion. Respect as I have already mentioned, is quite ruled. She said then, people were silent, unlike important and taken under great consideration. Children now. are to respect elders, be polite, ask if they are needed in Most of Husami’s family members that once any way, not speak unless spoken to or referred to, and lived in Syria have also fled, but much of her be as positive as can be at all times. All these things come husband’s family remains in Syria. from discipline which is taught at a very young age and Ousman said it is very difficult hearing lasts with a Syrian for the rest of his or her life. about what is happening in Syria. Watching Religious practice plays an enormous role in the innocent civilianscommunity, as there are daily her own people-be prayers at mosques where people killed on television is come to pray together and worship devastating to her. together. People from all over the “As a mother, country gather in mosques near it’s especially hard them especially on Friday to pray to see,” said Husami the noon prayer together as a when describing how whole community. even children have Mosques can be seen from been victims of this miles away as they are big in size. conflict that both A lot of work and effort is put into Assad and the rebels these beautiful, stone structures. refuse to deem a Syria is known to have one of “civil war”. the oldest, grandest mosques in “I hope it will the world, Masjid-Ul-Amawy, end in two or three carved out of gold, paved with the months,” Husami finest granite, and hang priceless said. rania husami, rewa ousman’s mother chandeliers from their ceilings. I But even if happen to be lucky enough to have the war does not end by next summer, when been there two or three times. the Ousmans hope they can reunite with their An interesting part of my background is that I come families, Husami optimistically hopes to meet in from the oldest city in the world, Damascus. It’s extremely a neighboring country. beautiful and still has a lot of its nature, mostly mountains Along with a family reunion, Ousman and deserts, preserved and undisturbed. plans on making the pilgrimage to Mecca next I was originally born here in California, so I only go to summer, another of the Five Pillars of Islam. She Syria to visit on vacation. My family usually travels there is now old enough, for Muslims must wait until every two years over the summer as almost all our family they reach puberty to understand the sacredness lives there. of gathering and praying in one temple in the city Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to visit in the where it all started, with everyone dressed all in summers because of a war outbreak between a dictator and white to convey their unity. innocent citizens. Most of my family was fortunate enough Ousman’s Syrian blood does not only keep to escape the country in time and flee to neighboring her heritage alive, but she said it helps define countries where there are other family members, but a lot her as an American. She knows that her parents of them are still in Syria. This is unfortunate, but we call purposely brought her into a world where her often to check up on them. freedoms will not be oppressed, where she Although the people of my home country may be can keep her faith alive, where she will add a going through a rough time and the land might not be in beautiful color to the multichromatic mosaic that the best state, I will always and forever be proud to be able is America. to call myself Syrian.

“as a mother, it ‘s especially hard to see [the war]...i hope it will end in two or three months.”

LIFE BEYOND SYRIA: Ousman, whose family originates from Damascus, Syria, is a devout Muslim and wears a hijab scarf everyday, even during cross country practice. During lunch, she finds a quiet place on campus to recite the second of five daily prayers.

AMORETTE VALERO / the wildcat

18

ARTS

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

Nov. 15, 2012

twilight saga concludes

S K Y F A L L Review

by Lauren Lee, Lifestyles Editor But others question whether the movie will bring the book justice “No measure of time will be long enough. But we’ll start with and if any plot points were changed have also arisen. forever.”

“I am nervous for this movie because I don’t want to be Edward and Bella said these vows on their wedding day in Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1. Now, forever is going to end tonight, disappointed and I want this film to turn out just like the book. All I when the saga will make its final debut.

Breaking Dawn, Part 2 continues the love story of Edward and Bella Cullen.

After giving birth to Renesmee, Bella’s half-vampire and half-human child, Bella faces a near death experience and is now a vampire. The wolves ceased to fight the vampires in Part 1 and Jacob “imprinted” on Renesmee, but the biggest battle of the four movies is yet to come: the battle with the Voltourri.

The Voltourri have always been waiting for a moment to strike ever since they Bella found out about the vampire existence. Now that she has birthed a half human and half vampire daughter, the Volturri have no excuse not to strike, since legends have told of a half person who will kill everyone. The Cullens must go to the ends of the Earth to gather people from collider.com all different clans to prove to the Voltourri THE NEW CHILD: Bella, Renesmee, Edward, and Jacob comfort one another from the Voltourri. she is just like any other vampire.

The cast for the past four Twilight movies returns with their newest can do is hope and pray. I am really excited for the end of the movie for member, Mackenzie Foy, as Renesmee. The search for a “perfect there’s supposed to be a plot change,” said Alyssa Phelps, freshman, Renesmee” went on for months in hopes of fittings Stephenie Meyer’s and a Twilight fanatic.

Director Bill Condon decided to change the story so even avid description written in her book. Foy was finally cast in 2010, according Twilight readers would not be able to predict the ending. Since the to Entertainment Weekly.

Foy had a limited resume for the part but was the closest to the movie was broken up into two parts, Condon aimed for an extension physical description. The only thing that had to be done was color of the book through its own plot twist. The first few pages of the book, contacts for Foy’s eyes to match Renesmee in the book description. if read in detail, reveals the main idea hidden in the twist.

Entertainment Weekly has had some speculations about the ending This is Foy’s first major acting role after briefly starring in a film called of the movie and claims that there will be a “twisted end that will leave Til Death and Gap and Burger King commercials.

“I cannot wait to see Renesmee on screen. Ever since they described your jaw hanging and asking yourself, ‘Did that really just happen?’”

From the excitement of seeing Renesmee on the big screen for the Renesmee in the book I just pictured this perfect creature. I really hope the actress they chose for Renesmee meets up to the descriptions in the first time to its supposed twisted ending, Breaking Dawn, Part 2 will premiere on the big screen tonight at midnight. book,” said Michaela Miles, senior and avid Twilight fan.

by Michelle Suh, Photo Editor Sam Mendes’ Skyfall is the 23rd installment in the James Bond 007 franchise, bringing back Daniel Craig as he reprises his role as James Bond, a Secret Service agent working for the British national defense wing, MI6.

Daniel Craig is the seventh actor to play Bond, and he is not only the best, but by far the most believable.

The film opens with a high speed chase through the crowded streets and rooftops of Turkey. Immediately, the adrenaline is pumping. It’s hard to believe a film could maintain a level of intensity or brilliance for 140 minutes, but it does so almost effortlessly.

Daniel Craig is once again a hard, cold-blooded, indomitable James Bond, with a touch of vulnerability, and co-stars Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes and Naomie Harris give outstanding performances.

The most fascinating character in the entire film is Raoul Silva, played

by Javier Bardem. Bardem plays Bond’s most sinister, flamboyant, and downright creepy antagonist of all. From the immensely uncomfortable opening scene to his almost zombie-like stagger, the villain is one whom Bond and the audience have every right to fear.

The screenplay is exceptionally clever, with witty dialogue and the perfect balance between action and story development.

However, the story is different, at least compared to what I know about Bond movies. It is dark, chilling, and toys with the audience’s emotions almost as much as Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins and director Sam Mendes collaborate to continuously deliver picturesque scenes. The film’s locations and original soundtrack (with a theme by Adele) ware breathtakingly beautiful and definitely worth seeing in an IMAX theater.

One thing is for sure: the James Bond of our parent’s youth is dead. The James Bond of this generation is alive and well, thanks to the cast and the producers who once again have managed to remake the movie’s quintessential spy suitable for today’s world.

The Twilight Saga: The story so far (Spoiler Alert!)

Twilight

Release Date: Nov. 21, 2008 Summary: Bella, the clumsy, kindhearted lead falls in love with Edward, the intelligent and secretive vampire. Ironically, the two must fight disapprovals from both sides of the family, a Romeo and Juliet storyline all over again.

New Moon

Release Date: Nov. 20, 2009 Summary: Edward leaves Bella thinking she will be safe from other vampires. Jacob the werewolf cares for the depressed Bella, who struggles with the separation. However, Edward comes back, causing a rift in Bella’s emotion.

Eclipse Release Date: June 30, 2010 Summary: Victoria, the evil vampire creates an army of newborn vampires to take revenge for the death of her love. The Cullens and the werewolves unite to protect Bella from the impending doom.

Breaking Dawn Part 1

Release Date: November 18, 2011 Summary: Bella and Edward get married, while Jacob now copes with his heartbreak.

Bella becomes pregnant, and dies during childbirth. Edward turns her into a vampire, hoping the venom will save her life.

kdmevents.co.uk milkandhoneymedia.co.uk /theBOHSwildcatnewspaper

The Wildcat

ARTS bohswildcat.com

Nov. 15, 2012

19

KIRK STARS IN FILMS, PURSUES ACTING CAREER

by Rishi Patel, Staff Writer

Kyle Kirk, freshman, plays football, attends school, hangs out with friends, and has the lifestyle of a typical high school student.

But one thing sets him apart--he is a movie star.

Kirk was first interested in acting because of a dancing career that started at the age of eight. He was on a televised Spanish talent show called “Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento”, but did not place due to only practicing for one month. However, he returned the next year and won.

“I was a little bit mad because I’m extremely competitive and promised myself that I would compete until I won, and the next year I won first place,” Kirk said.

After he participated in the Spanish television show, Kirk expanded his interest of dance. He is now skilled in ballet, disco, and hip-hop. Kirk’s love for dance morphed into an interest in acting.

After expressing this interest to his father, an interview with an agent was arranged. “[The agency] loved me and wanted to represent me across the board. From there they got my auditions and my career set off,” Kirk said.

Kirk has starred in a feature film called Home Run Showdown and in a short movie called Cooper and the Castle Hills Gang.

Kirk has also been on the TV show, Law and Order: Los Angeles. In the show, Kirk played a little boy who had witnessed a deadly shooting. The character sat next to his friend and his father while listening to a senator give a speech, when a shooter appeared and killed several people.

Through playing the witness of the murder, Kirk met Alfred Molina and Corey Stalle, who play the main characters of Law and Order: Los Angeles.

“I got to talk to them for a while, they knew my name and were very nice,” Kirk said.

Kirk has also been in several commercials for American Century Insurance, Sallie Mae Student Loans, toy companies and T-Mobile. He has also done a voice-over for a Spanish commercial on the radio.

On movie sets, Kirk has had the experience of practicing lines in his very own trailer, similar to how television and movies portray the lifestyles of actors, he said.

“I think the set is really cool. Crew members are always doing a job whether it is directing, producing, lighting, or background,” said Kirk.

Kirk said that acting has affected him in a positive way, helping him be more confident and offering him new opportunities.

He said, “I’ve met a lot of people through acting and I have made a lot of friends. I also gained a lot of skills that I can use all of my life”.

Kirk says that acting has made the relationship between his family and him stronger.

“My dad helps me with all of my scenes and is really good. My mom takes me to my auditions which are always in Los Angeles.

I appreciate it so much because she drives me at least two to two and a half hours every time I have an audition. My parents are very supportive and I love them a lot for it,” he said.

“I’m happy and proud to see my son perform well,” Nancy Poitras, Kirk’s mother, said. “I was initially anxious and scared sending my son into the acting career, but now I am glad that it all worked out.”

“I’m happy and proud to see my son perform well. I was initially anxious and scared sending my son into the acting career, but now I am glad that it all worked out.”

NANCY POITRAS, KYLE KIRK’S MOTHER

KIRK’S FILMOGRAPHY imbd.com

Cooper and the Castle Hill Gang (2011)

Home Run Showdown (2012)

Law and Order: Los Angeles

Summary: Kirk plays Cooper Callaghan, an eleven-year-old who helps his neighborhood’s favorite grandpa, Mr. Wilson, find a valuable possession he has lost.

Summary: The minor league Cubs receive a new player named Lori, a boy who wants to win the Home Run Showdown so that his father can see him play on television from jail.

Summary: Kirk plays a witness to the murder of his best friend and several others that occurred during a Senator’s speech.

EUNICE CHO / the wildcat

@bohswildcat

20

FOOD

The Wildcat

bohswildcat.com

Nov. 15, 2012

BATTLE OF THE PIZZAS Tired of the usual pizza? The wildcat samples other local parlors A’s Pizza

(714) 255-1775 101 West Imperial Highway, Brea, CA 92821 vege/hawaiian pizza (large) $21.99 + delivery fee

Lascari’s Grill

(714) 529-2900 1060 East Imperial Highway, Brea, CA 92870 hawaiian pizza (large) $21.75 + delivery fee

Pizza Corner

(714) 529-5290 580 South Brea Boulevard, Brea, CA 92821 hawaiian pizza (large) $20.49 + delivery fee

Z Pizza

(714) 257-3000 421 South Associated Road, Brea, CA 92821 hawaiian pizza (large) $20.26 + delivery fee JOSEPH YIM / the wildcat

by Akshay Verma, Managing Editor

Pizza There was perhaps a bit too much sauce for the amount of cheese on the pizza, and the taste of sauce became so overwhelming that it detracted from the overall flavor. The pizza was thus mediocre at best, which is a bit disheartening for its steep price ($21.99 for a large). From its average taste to the overall execution of its pies, A’s Pizza was neither special nor innovative. For its price, there are many other better-value pizza parlors to purchase from.

Pizza Corner’s pizza reigned supreme over the other three local pizza parlors because of the fresh quality of its pies. Overall, the cheese and vegetables were warm and a lot fresher than those at most parlors. The sauce, cheese, and vegetables each had a distinct taste and did not overshadow the taste of one another. Most importantly, the pizza was not overly greasy, either. For its large serving size to its fresh quality, the pizza was well worth its price.

The “large” pizza was too small for its steep price of $21, and the pizza itself was nothing spectacular. The regular crust was too thin and was a bit burnt. The pizza was not completely appetizing either. I could not taste anything but the crust—the taste of cheese and the vegetables was faint. Despite Z-Pizza’s claim of a “pizza revolution”, the pizza was an unfortunate disappointment due to its blandness and small serving size.

Lascari’s was easily the best “bang-for-thebuck” choice, with a larger serving than the other three for nearly the same price. Despite being excessively greasy (as blotting the pizza with a napkin made clear), though, Lascari’s did not skimp on the amount of cheese on its pizza, which added to the rich, heavy taste of it. The sauce was excellent, as well, and tasted much better and more unique than that of other pizza parlors.

Rating:

Rating:

Rating:

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/theBOHSwildcatnewspaper

The Wildcat

SPORTS

Nov. 15, 2012

bohswildcat.com CIF RECAP

Boys’ XC wins division, advances to cif finals; girls fail to qualify

by Noelle Gracia, Head Sports Writer

D

21

espite the blustering winds and below 60 degree weather, boys’ varsity cross country did not let these less-than-ideal factors deter them from placing first in their division last Saturday at the California Interscholastic Division (CIF) meet.

From the beginning of the race, the Wildcats remained contenders, with most of their athletes at the front of the pack. Austin Tamagno, freshman, was in first place, followed closely by his teammate, Brennan Kortya, junior.

Jeremy Mattern, head coach, had no doubt that his athletes would be able to physically complete the three mile course, the real challenge, he said, lies in their “mental strength.”

“I think they ran out a bit too aggressively than they had to in the beginning, but that’s okay, CIF finals will be just like that, people going insanely fast right off the bat, so the more they prepare for that now, the better,” said Mattern.

One area the team feels they could have improved on was staying in a pack, and following close together to maximize their chances of getting the lowest times possible.

“Around the first mile I could tell that we were starting to break apart, which normally we try not to do, but thankfully this time it didn’t have as big of an effect since we still placed the best out of everyone, “ said Kortya.

One of the main reasons why the team has done so well this season was due to the contributions of Tamagno, the newest addition to varsity. Though he is only a freshman, Tamagno has been running competitively for about four years with a club team.

“Austin has helped us out so much this year. He’s crazy good and his dedication to the team and the sport is really nice. It’s good to know that there’s an underclassmen who knows the sport well and who we can rely on,” said John Janneck, senior and team captain.

Tamagno ended up placing second overall with a time of a little over 15 minutes, and has advanced to the CIF Championships this Saturday.

“Racing against all these other people doesn’t intimidate me. Just because I’ve already been running so long, I’m pretty used to it by this point. I go out with the mindset that I can win because my training has prepared me for this. The rest of it is up to me, “ said Tamagno.

Though the girls’ cross country team did not place at the qualifying meet, missing the cut off by 34 seconds, it was still a successful day for the team as a whole.

L Photos by RISHI PATEL / the wildcat

BITTERSWEET START: (Above) Jared Daedler, senior, and DiMaggio Orozco, junior, compete in the CIF Preliminaries. The boys’ team will advance to Championships this Saturday. (Left) Carly Halm, freshman, runs in the Prelims as teammate Alexis White, senior, cheers on.

ike their male counterparts, the girls stayed at the head of the pack from the start of the race and maintained their position in the first half of the group throughout the duration of the course. Carly Halm, freshman, was the first of the seven girls who qualified for CIF to cross the finish line, with her teammates not far behind.

“I think it was a good race, I mean even if we did not place, it was good practice as to what is to come in the later meets. I think the fact that we didn’t stay in a more close-knit pack like we should have was a factor in us not getting a better score,” said Halm.

Even though the girls did not place, they still count the day as a success as some personal records were broken, and previous challenges overcome.

“I’m really happy with this meet since I broke my previous personal record, which I’ve been wanting to do for a while. I’m especially glad since this course is know for its tough hills and hills have never been my strong point; I have always been a better runner on downhill and flatland courses. So the fact that I managed to beat my personal record, even with hills in the course, feels pretty good,” said Lupita Damian, junior.

The weather conditions of gusting winds and low temperature did not seem to affect the girls and their performance as all they were focused on was completing the course in as little time as possible.

“When you’re in the race, especially a big one like CIF, you just zero in on you goal of finishing, and when you’re that focused, not much else matters. There’s a huge mental aspect to running a big race like this, just as much as the physical part,” said Taylor Otto, junior. /BOHSwildcatnewspaper

22

The Wildcat

SPORTS

Nov. 15, 2012

bohswildcat.com

CIF RECAP

Lee advances to state

PArk falls short by stroke in qualifier

by Emiko Kaneoka, Webmaster

Girls’ varsity golfers Tiffany Park, senior, and Amy Lee, sophomore, both top eight finishers in Century League, qualified for CIF Individuals for the second year in a row.

“They played two rounds of 18 holes of golf and it was a cumulative score for the two days. The top eight girls from the league made the cut,” said Nancy Smith, golf coach.

Park and Lee competed in the first round of CIF, the Southern Individual Regional, on Oct. 24 at Recreation Park Golf Course.

Lee placed first overall with a score of 69, and Park tied for AMY LEE 25th with a score of 79. senior The top 45 golfers of the regional continued on to the next round.

“I played decently at CIF Individual Regionals.

I shot a 79, which was five over par. The cut was 83, nine over par,” said Park.

The golfers then went on to Individual Final & WSCGA Qualifiers at Western Hills Golf Course on Nov. 1.

Lee tied for third with a score of 72, qualifying

for the Regional State Qualifier.

“At CIF Individual Finals, I couldn’t hit the ball straight, so I was struggling a lot that day. It all came together on the back nine holes though. It all come together there and I moved on to the next stage,” said Lee. Park finished with a score of 81, not making the cut to go on to the next round.

“At CIF Individual Finals, I did not play to the best of my abilities. I missed the cut of 80 by one shot,” said Park.

Throughout the season, Park and Lee remained the top performers on the team.

“Amy played well—she took medalist a good majority of the time, which means she had the lowest score. Tiffany really turned around the second half of the season and was our number two golfer as an individual,” said Smith.

Lee went on to the Regional State Qualifier in Murrieta on Nov. 8, and missed the cut of 72 by seven strokes, finishing with a score of 79.

“To prepare for CIF, I put in a lot of my time after school and during weekends to practice. At the state qualifier, I really did not have a good day. To be honest, it was my least favorite course to play. I struggled the most with putting that day. I played well this season and I tried my best, but it would have been better if I had made it to state,” said Lee.

JOHN SERNA / the wildcat

ON PAR: Tiffany Park, senior, looks on as she analyzes her shot during her practice session with the team. Park advanced to CIF Individual Regionals, she did not make it to CIF State Qualifiers with her score of 81. @bohswildcat

TRENT PRESTON / the wildcat

TURNING THE CORNER: Quarterback Auggie Buoncuore, senior, gets around El Dorado’s defensive line on Nov. 1. Despite the win, the Wildcats’ season ended on a coin flip to determine play-off eligibility.

SEASON RECAP

football season ends on coin flip

by Kaitlin Martinez, Staff Writer

A close loss to Villa Park, followed by a loss to Foothill the following week, meant the Wildcats needed a win against El Dorado to participate in a coin toss for the last designated spot in CIF play-offs. However, although the Wildcats beat El Dorado, their hopes of continuing their season were dashed when they lost the coin flip.

The Wildcats’ 31-26 loss to Villa Park was especially disheartening because of how close the Wildcats came to knocking off the eventual league champion.

Of the outcome, Robb Perrance, head coach, said, “When you see how it all panned out, we could have very easily won that game at the end. I think for our guys it was a great game regardless of the outcome because I think they realized that they [could] play with good teams.”

Senior Josh Vizcaya led the way on the ground with 130 yards on 20 carries, and Auggie Buoncuore, senior, gained 174 yards in the air and threw for two touchdowns. Senior Derek Anderson led the defense with 10 solo tackles.

The following week’s game against second place Foothill was another opportunity squandered by the Wildcats.

Perrance said of his team’s potential: “I thought we would make it a much closer game,

and I really thought we could beat them. Had we executed better on offense in the first half it really would have changed the whole complexion of what was going on out there. We just didn’t capitalize on what they gave us.”

Offensively, the Wildcats only managed 91 yards in the air, but 238 yards on the ground, behind a team-high 85 by Richie Main, junior, kept the game competitive.

Losses to Villa Park and Foothill meant that BOHS would only be able to go to CIF if they beat four-win El Dorado, then win a coin toss to break a league-standings tie for the last play-off slot.

A 26-yard strike from Buoncuore to Zach Osborn, senior, to start off the game against the Golden Hawks gave the Wildcats an early advantage.

The early momentum, Vizcaya adding to his Century League-leading rushing total with 193 yards on 26 carries, Buoncuore, senior, gaining 118 yards in the air and throwing for a score, and senior Adam Ceja leading the defense with eight solo tackles, and 17 tackles total, carried the Wildcats to a 34-21 win.

This clear win gave them the opportunity to get into CIF if they could win the coin toss after. With advancing no longer determined by them, but by fate, they hoped chance landed in their favor.

inFocus

by Trent Preston

The Wildcat Nov. 15, 2012

23

Brown Brings it Home

Above, Jordan Brown, senior, springs over his opponent during the Oct. 19 game against Villa Park High School.

The game ended in a 31-26 loss for the Wildcats. Vizcaya (inset) runs down field in the Nov. 1 game against El Dorado High School. The Wildcats won 34-21.

AMORETTE VALERO / the wildcat

24

The Wildcat

SPORTS

Nov. 15, 2012

bohswildcat.com

BOUNCING BRYANT: Tori Bryant, senior, leaps above Ladycat alumni, Francesca Silvertson (‘03), during last Saturday’s annual Green and Gold Game, which pits the current varsity girls’ basketball team against Ladycat alums. The current Ladycats won the game 34-30.

TRENT PRESTON / the wildcat level if I were not a Ladycat,” Wynn said. “When you put that green and gold on, it’s not about you…it’s more than words can really say.”

The Ladycats won the alumni game, 34-30, against a team of former players that included Francesca Sivertson (’03), Melissa Lane (‘02), Kathy Trujillo (‘07), Jennifer Katsuyama (’10), and Sarita Stamps (‘06).

Coming off their Century League title from last season, the Ladycats are gearing up for another championship year with Anna Kim, senior and captain, at the helm. Though the team ended the year with an 11-1 league record and placed 26th in the nation overall, they still seek to work as a more synergistic team on the floor, getting to know each other’s playing habits better, and “thinking alike on the court.”

“As a team, we are not very big, but we have the talent and the right mindset to win every game,” said Jamee Katsuyama, junior. With the loss of impact players like Taylor Spears (‘12) and Keitra Wallace (’12) (now playing at Cal Poly SLO and Pepperdine, respectively), the team is working to improve on their 26-7 overall record of last year.

“This year will be a challenge no doubt, but I feel like we’re really good, we have enough talent; the biggest question mark is going to lie in the heart of the team. We’ve put the work in, now it’s just up to the girls,” said Kim Cram-

SEASON PREVIEW

ladycats reload, Aim for state title

by Noelle Gracia, Head Sports Writer They kicked off their season with the annual Green and Gold Game, guest speaker Jody Wynn (’92), former Ladycat and current California State University, Long Beach, women’s basketball head coach, and a scrimmage pitting this year’s squad against alumni.

Wynn, who won three state titles at BOHS, scored 1674 points, and whose jersey is retired on the gym’s wall, delivered a speech to the current players on the meaning of being a Ladycat.

“I would not be at Long Beach State and coaching the collegiate

@bohswildcat

Torres, head coach.

Last year was Cram-Torres’ first year leading the Ladycats, and the players have already noticed a difference between hers and Jeff Sink’s, former head Ladycats’ coach, working styles and how they operate on the court.

“Coach Cram and Sink are completely two different people with different methods. Coach Cram focuses on the little details of the game of basketball, which I believe is what this team needs and she helps us understand the game in a different view. Not only has she helped me improve skills on the court but the team as well,” said Kim. Overall, it is the fact that the team is very “new” and not fully used to working with each other yet, is what Kim believes will pose the biggest obstacles in the coming weeks.

“Since we are young and basically a ‘new’ team, everyone believes that we will fail this season,” said Kim. “So like our coach told us, ‘We need to prove those people wrong!’ We want to prove to people that we are here to play and go far this season.”

The Ladycats begin their quest for another state title in their annual Ladycat Classic Tournament, which features some of the country’s top talent and runs from Nov. 26 through Dec. 1.

SEASON PREVIEW

boys to utilize speed to compete

by Noelle Gracia, Head Sports Writer

Unlike their female counterparts, boys’ varsity basketball does not have an issue with cohesiveness on the court; on the contrary, it is one of their strongest parts as a team. It is their height that they feel will pose their biggest obstacle this season, with Foothill High School’s size their main competition.

“Foothill is very well-coached and they have patience while running their sets. But if we stick together and play for each other, there is no team in the league that will be able to beat us,” said Vilius Vysniauskas, senior.

The team is pushing trying to make this season one that will “put this program back on the map,” according to Matt Pace, senior and captain.

The Wildcats finished last season 16-13.

“Since we are in the second most difficult league for basketball, the Century League, with only the Trinity League surpassing us, that does change the nature of the game. But we plan to make up for not having a big guy by having a fast pace of play, and going out aggressively in order to win,” said head coach Jeff Sink.

Sink coaches his boys to use their smaller AMORETTE VALERO / the wildcat size to their advantage, formulating plays that SLAM DUNK: Jonathan Wallace, junior, rises during a recent aren’t as “intricate and practice. The Wildcats open complex” as years past.

Pace said of the team’s their season with a Green vs. expectations, “Though Gold scrimmage on Saturday. we lack size, our big men make up for it by being very skilled and have the quickness and toughness to compete against taller players. We have talented shooting guards and a defense that can be problematic for even the best offensive teams. Most of all, we have the chemistry and the determination needed to win the Century League.”

“Of course our motivation comes from each other but overall it comes from the school and the fan base that comes with it, because we really do have great support,” said Jonathan Wallace, junior.

The boys tip off their season Saturday night with an intrasquad scrimmage, then travel to San Juan on Dec. 4.

SPORTS

bohswildcat.com

The Wildcat Nov. 15, 2012

25

“AFTER A DISAPPOINTING SEASON LAST YEAR, WE ARE EXTREMELY DETERMINED TO SUCCEED THIS SEASON. WE ARE LOOKING TO PUT THIS PROGRAM BACK ON THE MAP.” Matt Pace

Senior, Boys’ Basketball Captain

“I KNOW THAT WHATEVER I DID LAST SEASON, WILL NEED TO BE TEN TIMES BETTER TO SUCCEED THIS YEAR.” Anna Kim

Senior, Ladycats’ Captain

AMORETTE VALERO / the wildcat @bohswildcat

26

The Wildcat Nov. 15, 2012

ADVERTISEMENT bohswildcat.com

Your award-winning Wildcat newspaper is looking for editors, photographers, cartoonists, and staff writers for the spring semester.

If you are interested in joining this UC-approved elective, stop by Room 201 for more information.

/theBOHSwildcatnewspaper

SPORTS bohswildcat.com

The Wildcat Nov. 15, 2012

27

exploring wrestling techniques

wrestlers go to extREMES to COMPETE

by Stephanie Lopez, Staff Writer For a wrestler, a typical season consists of regurgitating food, eating less than a toddler could survive on a day, and running until his or her legs feel just a few moments away from shutting down.

Wrestlers who are looking to lose as much weight as possible and be their ultimate best during the season often resort to such extreme measures; the choice between health and sport is clear for them.

Wrestling teams become powerhouses behind hours of training, practicing, and pushing their bodies to the extreme. They are especially susceptible to body disorders due to the huge focus that the sport has on weight.

Wildcat wrestlers can attest to the extreme measures they may take to maintain their weight. As their weight changes, wrestlers are forced to move up or down in weight classes, which affects their chances of winning matches.

“The easiest way to [make weight] is throwing up, but it’s a terrible thing because you ruin your teeth, you ruin your metabolism, and on top of all that, your weight. There’s also starving, maybe eating half a loaf of bread a day,” says John Thornburg-Garcia, junior.

In addition to these methods, wrestlers may force themselves to sleep with their air conditioning systems in chilling temperatures just to burn a few extra calories.

Running countless miles in winter apparel in an attempt to lose water weight is another weight-shedding action taken by wrestlers.

“I remember one time one of our wrestlers tried to go down from 160s to 130s. He’d just run absurd distances and almost starve himself until he got there. That was just how much he wanted to be successful,” said Wilson Lai, senior.

The limit that boys will take to keep themselves at their peak is constantly being pushed. Some wrestlers, however, prefer to use alternative ways of keeping themselves fit for their sporting season.

“You have to work out on your own time. It just goes back to dieting and exercise. I’ve seen a few [wrestlers] a couple years back do stuff like running everywhere, even just from class to class. I thought that was pretty extreme,” says Justice Huynh, sophomore.

It is but a matter of choice whether or not wrestlers will utilize shortcuts or recommended safer methods of diet and exercise to whittle their bodies down to their desired weight.

STARTING POSITION: Adam Alred, senior and varsity wrestler, readies himself before attacking his opponent at a recent practice. The varsity team is preparing for a tournament against El Dorado on Nov. 30.

Photos by JULIA EBERHARDT / the wildcat

The Wildcat researches five common wrestling tactics used by the team.

Compiled by Noelle Gracia

DOUBLE leg After setting up your opponent, change your level while stepping between the legs, dropping your knee and grabbing both of their legs and then driving at a 45 degree angle until they fall.

HEAD AND ARM Set up your opponent, grab his head and arm in your armpit while stepping through with your hips. Finish by pulling him over and landing on top of him.

FIREMAN’S CARRY Used to get a takedown, you grab his arm, and while turning perpendicular, grab his leg. and pull opponent’s arm down and push leg over.

SINGLE LEG Set to outside of a leg, sling one arm around the leg, which gives you momentum to get around and drive up.

bear hug Dig arms under opponent and locks hands as if giving a hug.

Pick a side and your opposite leg steps behind his leg, locking him from moving. Squeeze your arms.

Leaping for Victory Lucas Keller, senior, leaps out of the pool to save a shot made by an El Dorado opponent on Oct. 30. The Wildcats advancecd to CIF and lost to San Marcos High School, finishing the season with a 20-7 record.

inFocus

by TRENT PRESTON

28