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Wildcat brea olinda high school brea, california

IN MEMORY OF DR. BISHOP

Staff members remember Dr. Laurry Bishop, retired BOHS teacher, who passed away on Aug. 26. P. 3 and 14-15

volume 85 issue 1 October 2015

Ahead of the Pack

Senior CARLY HALM fights her way to first place in Seaside, Ore. by ANABEL KING

P. 26

index

12 Target

After Target eliminates their gender-labeled toy aisles, staff writer Charlotte Kim shares her thoughts on this breakthrough for gender stereotypes in this society.

A Journey To Jordan

In a first-world country like America, itâ€™s easy to forget the underprivileged countries in the world. Staff writer Diana Jarrah shares her experience in Amman, Jordan.

PG 9

PG 12

Bishop

Mr. Baker

Retired BOHS teacher Dr. Laurry Bishop passed on Aug. 26. Read on for an obituary on the beloved Wildcat and the many contributions he brought to BOHS.

For Mike Baker, health teacher, teaching the importance of a healthy lifestyle goes beyond the classroom and into his personal life. PG 19

PG 14

on the cover Senior Carly Halm races to the finish line at the Three Course Challenge in Seaside, Ore. Halm suffered from a rib contusion two days prior to the race, but managed to win first place.

14 the Wildcat EDITORS-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITORS SPORTS EDITOR FEATURE EDITOR OPINION CO-EDITORS NEWS EDITOR ARTS CO-EDITORS

Astyr Ko and Stacy Uhm Anabel King and Nicole Nam Matthew Moon Samantha Magpantay Anabel King and Nicole Nam Jacob Nam Astyr Ko and Stacy Uhm

HEALTH EDITOR

Anabel King

TRENDS EDITOR

Astyr Ko

FOODS EDITOR PHOTO CO-EDITORS STAFF WRITERS

PHOTOGRAPHERS ILLUSTRATORS

Front cover photo by BRANDON YUN

ADVISER

Stacy Uhm Ethan Ahn, Harry Cho, Rachel Lin, and Brandon Yun Erin Chung, Vivien Coop, Amos Heo, Juliet Isles, Diana Jarrah, Aisha Khawaja, Charlotte Kim, Choha Kim, Chloe Pena, Ethan Pham, and Amber Tovar Monica Hiemer, Halie Nam, and Deval Patel Deziree Cervantes and Halie Nam Alex Koers

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

the Wildcat

Brea Olinda High School 789 Wildcat Way Brea, CA 92821

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special report

A Life Remembered “Almost 40 years ago, Laurry Bishop started what some would call a career, but what was really a love affair with Brea Olinda High School.” Pam Valenti, assistant principal by ANABEL KING

are is the man so passionate about his job, his hobbies, and his life. An educator who was as eager to learn as he was to teach. A photographer who sought to capture that perfectly framed and powerful photo envisioned in his imagination. Dr. Laurry Bishop, former teacher at BOHS, was all of these things, and more. On the evening of Aug. 26, Dr. Bishop passed away at the age of 61. A funeral service was held on Sept. 4 in the Allen Brothers Mortuary in Vista, Calif. and the interment was held later that day at Eternal Hills Memorial Park in Oceanside, Calif. And on Sept. 19, a memorial service was held for Dr. Bishop at the BOHS gym where family, colleagues, and former students celebrated his life. Dr. Bishop first came to BOHS as an agriculture teacher in the late 1970s, when the high school site was still on Birch Street. He then created an awardwinning photography program at BOHS. But his teaching career didn’t stop there. In addition to agriculture and photography, Dr. Bishop also taught computer science, mathematics, and science. “Laurry was one of those people who would take care of you even if you didn’t want it and certainly didn’t need it,” Principal Jerry Halpin said at the school memorial. “We had a line in our agenda item asking, ‘What would Laurry do?’ because there were so many things that we now have to pick up, that he did, and we don’t have an answer yet on how we’re going to do it. He did everything.”

Dr. Bishop helped create the annual Senior Awards’ Night program and served as Graduation Marshall, planning and organizing the graduation ceremony and its programs. He also played a significant role in creating the lists for Valedictorians, Salutatorians, Distinguished Scholars, and Career Pathway Cord recipients. He fixed broken school bells, phones, and clocks whenever they were needed. He even helped make BOHS one of the first high schools in California to be connected to the Internet. After Dr. Bishop retired in 2009, he continued to contribute to BOHS, volunteering over 20 hours a week at the school as the AP testing coordinator, and creating--photographing, designing, and publishing--the Ladycats’ media guide. “Almost 40 years ago, Laurry started what some would call a career, but what was really a love affair with Brea Olinda High School,” Pam Valenti, assistant principal and close friend of Dr. Bishop, said at the school memorial. “Brea High School became his family and all these children became his children. Laurry was always a voice for the kids.” Dr. Bishop won multiple awards, including the Teacher of the Year award

for BOUSD in 1993-1994, a special citation as the Outstanding Person of the Year from the California PTA in 1989, and an Eagle Scout in 1971. continued on Page 4

BOHS teachers and staff commemorate Dr. Bishop’s life. (pages 14 and 15)

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Remembering Bishop from page 3

With so many titles, positions, and awards under the Dr. Bishop name, it’s clear that BOHS will “truly miss” the legacy he left on the Wildcats. But even with so many accomplishments, again, Dr. Bishop was all of these and more. “I remember how sarcastic [Dr. Bishop] always was,” Sarah Zurn (‘02), former photography student, said. “The more sarcastic he was, the more he liked you as a student. Some of my favorite days in his class were in the darkroom developing pictures. I think one of the best things during his class was [the fact that] he had a remote-controlled fart machine in his classroom-and he would use it! That just shows his sense of humor as a teacher.” The former photography teacher’s passion for the camera lens was “contagious” among his students, inspiring photographers like Zurn and Justin Kernes (‘07) to major in photography. “I think the greatest lesson he taught me was to critically think about photography. Don’t take snapshots, make photographs. Even now, nothing has ever rung truer. He saw student’s potential and tried to help them improve. Everyone could be pushed, just a little, no matter their skill level,” Kernes said. Dr. Bishop studied photography under iconic nature photographer Ansel Adams, and he even started his own company, Bishop Photography Group. “I remember how passionate he was about photography,” Kernes said. “[He told a] story about how he managed to acquire one of Ansel Adams’ collections of Yosemite, a priceless set that he said ‘deserves to be in the Smithsonian’. He loved to teach photography and it showed.” Although most people know Dr. Bishop best by his talents in photography, many people don’t know that Dr. Bishop was an overall “true Renaissance

photo by ASTYR KO PLAID AND SUSPENDERS: (from left to right) Rob Stelmar, Bob Parish, Jerry Halpin, Harmon Glantz, James Kessel wear plaid and suspenders in remembrance of Dr. Laurry Bishop at a memorial service on Sept. 19.

man.” In high school, Dr. Bishop was a champion wrestler and an accomplished clarinet player. He loved to fly his plane to his property in Montana and he was obsessed with technology, especially Apple products. “Dr. Bishop was a true missionary,” former BOUSD Superintendent Dr. Skip Roland said at the school memorial. “He gave us more than we could ever, ever ask for. And he kept doing it because it was in his heart to do so.” Dr. Roland later gave a Superman keychain and a Royal King’s Crown key to Principal Halpin as a symbolic gesture of Dr. Bishop. “Laurry was superhuman in so many things that he did. And while Jerry [Halpin] may be the principal and I may be the superintendent, Laurry was the King of Brea Olinda High School and became royalty to all of us.”

BRIEFS

RED RIBBON WEEK by ETHAN PHAM

Raising prevention awareness for drug and substance abuse, ASB will host the annual Red Ribbon Week from Oct. 26 to Oct. 29. According to Pam Valenti, ASB advisor and vice principal, Red Ribbon Week aims to teach students the importance of relationships with friends and family and to eliminate drug use. “If people listen to the message [drug and violence prevention], our guest speakers emphasize making connections with people. It helps take away some of the reasons kids do drugs - loneliness, depression, fitting in, etc. [Red Ribbon Week] is supposed to be a reminder and awareness that it is a problem out there and to make better choices than doing drugs,” Valenti said. This year’s Red Ribbon Week is expected to have activities with more student involvement,

according to Jane Lee, junior ASB member, said. “There’s one where I’m planning to do a sleeping bag race or one where I’m going to try to get this punching bag to let out stress,” Lee said. Lee hopes that Red Ribbon Week will be successful in helping the cause to prevent drug use among students. “People should realize that [students and faculty members] actually care [about drug use prevention] and that if we’re putting this much effort as a school, then maybe it’s not worth

STADIUM RENAMED by ETHAN PHAM

To honor his long-time service to BOUSD, Wildcat Stadium was dedicated to Leonard MacKain on Sept. 4 and renamed Leonard MacKain Field. MacKain, who passed away Feb. 8, devoted his life and career to the City of Brea and BOUSD. According to the Orange County Register, he

served as a mayor, city council member, school board member, Assistant Superintendent, and principal at Brea Junior High and Fanning Elementary School. Sports were a large part of his life as well, according to principal Jerry Halpin. MacKain organized the district-wide Brea BEST track meet that elementary school students still currently participate in, and he was a loyal girls’ varsity basketball supporter. “Mr. MacKain had retired long before I got here, but he was a huge fan of the Ladycats program,” Halpin said. The renaming of the stadium reflects MacKain’s devotion the Brea community. “I got out to know how genuine [MacKain] was and how he always put the needs of kids and teachers first. He volunteered while working at Brea Olinda and even after he retired. He dedicated a lot of time to the kids in Brea,” Halpin said.

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IN ACTION: The city of Brea plants drought awareness signs in light of Gov. Brown’s water conservation ruling. photo by ETHAN AHN

Brea takes action to conserve water by ERIN CHUNG and ETHAN PHAM

s of March 17, Brea is enforcing laws regarding the use of water outdoors, due to the drought. According to Eric Nicoll, Brea Public Works Director, homeowners can only water their lawns twice a week, fundraiser carwashes are regulated, and restaurants can only serve water upon request. “Even though we’ve been in a drought for four years, almost like once the governor said, [the drought] is an executive order and a statewide emergency everything changed and the tempo was ratcheted up, where all of a sudden green grass was a bad thing where before green grass was a really nice thing that brought people to the community,” said Nicoll. In January, Gov. Jerry Brown declared the drought a state emergency and since then, California has had to make changes in the way it uses its water. In April, he directed the State Water Control Board to reduce the amount of the state’s potable urban water usage by 25 percent. While the statewide reduction requirement is 25 percent, the reduction requirement for a city is based on how much water the city uses per person per day. So, if a city uses less water, like Brea, they would have a lower conservation mandate. According to Ron Krause, Brea Public Works Department Superintendent, Brea has a reduction requirement of 24 percent. “If you see our parks, you’ll see that they’re turning a little brown. That’s because we’ve had to cut the 24 percent. As you’re driving out on the street, you’ll see that our medians out on the street are totally dead since we can’t water those if they have grass,” Krause said. Even the outdoor showers at 38 California state beaches have been shut off to conserve water, according to the L.A. Times. Furthermore, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has shut off outdoor showers in prison yards to save water. Shutting off these outdoor

showers is predicted to save about 18 million gallons a year. These actions are necessary to take in order to prevent these negative effects of the drought from getting worse. According to the L.A. Times, fresh fruit and vegetable prices across the country, including in Brea, will go up an estimated six percent in the coming months, as California’s ongoing drought affects the prices at grocery stores. The hot temperatures and dry winds of California are also impacting the number of wildfires near Brea. According to usnews.com, this past winter in California was officially the warmest on record. About 703 square miles have burned in California this year, which is almost twice the amount as last year, according to weather.com. “Due to the drought, there has been an increase of dry brush and vegetation in the hillsides. Some of these areas are close to homes and has increased the possibility of wildfires. Due to the dry brush conditions, brush fires can ignite quicker and grow faster in size, which puts a greater burden on firefighting resources. We have seen an increase in the number of brush fires due to these conditions,” Peter Salgado, Brea Fire Prevention Specialist, said. Just recently on September 8, there was an 80-acre brush fire in La Habra on the border with Fullerton, that caused the evacuation of 40 homes. With the drought creating these issues for California, it is important that residents take action to conserve water. “Will we run out of water? If [California] stayed on the same course, and if Brea residents weren’t concerned…then we would have major issues,” Nicoll said.

news

New Year, New Faces

Get to know BOHS’s eight newest faculty members in a Q&A with the Wildcat staff.

Eugene Lee AP European History, AP U.S. History, World History

What are some of your hobbies? I’m a big sports fan and I love rooting for my birds on Russell Street -- the Baltimore Orioles and the Ravens. I also love discovering new music and my favorite radio stations are 89.9 KCRW and 88.1 KJAZZ. On my free time I watch PBS on KOCE, KLCS, and KCET. It’s very important that we watch and support public broadcasting to expand our minds and empathize with others.

What college did you attend? I attended California State University, Fullerton, for my Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 2006, and Education Master’s degree in 2008.

Why did you decide to become a teacher? As a kid I moved around a lot, from Baltimore, Seoul, to Los Angeles. I often found myself as an outsider and I found refuge in books, movies, and TV. My favorite teachers were Mr. Rogers of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and Bob Ross of the Joy of Painting. They taught me that it was okay to be different, to be creative, and they always liked just the way I am. I became a professional educator to help other outliers like myself to find a voice and a purpose in life.

Bruce Morlan

Jessica Jacobson

Sara Bottalico

AP Government, World History, Cross Country

Spanish 1 and 2

Honors Biology, Honors Chemistry

Why did you decide to teach AP Government and World History? I really enjoy teaching an AP class because it’s a great setting for students to push themselves and grow academically.

What are your expectations for your classes? All my experiences with Brea have been great so far, so I expect my students to be friendly and excited to learn.

What is the greatest aspect of teaching? The greatest aspect of teaching is the opportunity to meet and be a part of so many young people’s lives. The youth is the future! This makes teaching young people so rewarding and exciting.

What clubs or sports did you particpate in?

What do you expect of BOHS?

I played baseball and basketball until 8th grade because I love to watch and play these sports. I also did 4-H (raised pigs to sell at the fair) from 4th grade all the way through high school. I did 4-H because I grew up out in the country, and farming was a part of my life. In high school I was also a WEB leader, which is similar to our Link Crew leaders.

I expect it to be a place where I can grow as a teacher and cross country coach.

Why did you choose to teach Spanish?

What are your hobbies? Some of my hobbies are running, camping, cooking, traveling, and photography.

Why did you choose education as your career? I”ve had a lot of educators in my family and I knew that I would get a lot of satisfaction from helping students learn and expose them to new concepts.

I grew up in a migrant community where all of the students I rode the bus with spoke Spanish. This made me incredibly curious about the language. I began studying it in 8th grade, and fell in love. I knew after that first year of Spanish that I wanted to be on the other side of the desk; getting students excited and passionate about Spanish and the cultures associated with it. Languages are like winding rivers, always changing. That is what makes them so interesting and exciting!

What are your past experiences of teaching? Last year at Redondo Union High School, I taught Chemistry and was the Dance Guard Advisor. Four years prior, I taught Chemistry and Biology at Calabasas High School and was the Dance Team assistant coach.

What are your expectations of BOHS? I am looking forward to getting to know all of my students and colleagues this year and hope everyone has a positive and successful school year.

Why did you choose to teach Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry? I love the analytical side of chemistry and explaining how the world around us works. Biology helps us understand life and is all around us. Both subjects are things we encounter and interact with on a daily basis, so helping students see and understand these connects is the main goal I have in my classroom.

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Dreux Valenti

Geometry, Algebra 1A, Track and Field

How would you describe your teaching style? It’s kind of hard to describe because it is a mix of so many different things. But I try to bring a lot of energy to the class, which isn’t hard at all because math is everyone’s favorite subject.

What are your past experiences as a teacher? For the past nine years, I have been teaching Honors Geometry, College Prep Geometry and Algebra I at Canyon High School in Anaheim Hills. Prior to that, I taught World History and Geography for one year at Santa Ana High School.

Did you belong to any clubs or teams? I ran cross country and track and field both in high school and at USC. I was really fast back then and I loved to run so those two sports were a logical choice.

What is your philosophy of education? In a nutshell, I strive to ensure that all my students, regardless of prior abilities, get the best instruction and learn to the best of their ability. It is important to me that my students leave my classes fully prepared and ready to succeed at the next level.

Kimberly Cuevas Algebra 2 and Math C

Jennifer Kennon

Resource Specialist Program (RSP)

Why did you choose education as your career?

Why did you choose to teach RSP?

I’ve always wanted to be a math teacher growing up. I would make my little sister sit there and learn math when we were little. I love the puzzle aspect like solving for x and finding it and knowing there was an indefinite answer which I didn’t get in my english classes. So I kind of wanted to pursue that and share that fun with other kids.

I wanted to double major in math and Special Education; however, my college was so small that they didn’t have Special Education as a major choice, so I stuck with Math. I chose math and Special Education because they have always interested me. I enjoy helping those in need and sharing my knowledge. I am currently attending Cal Poly Pomona while I work towards getting my Mild/Moderate Special Education Credential.

What college(s) did you study at? I attended Cal State Long Beach and Azusa Pacific. I have a degree in Anthropology, Human Development, and a Master’s in Education.

What are your expectations of BOHS? I am super excited. Everyone here is super nice here. I am hoping to get involved with other aspects not just teaching math but get involved with other student activities like clubs and athletic games.

What are your hobbies? I currently love scuba diving, mountain biking, and hanging out with my dog.

compiled by JULIET ISLES and CHLOE PENA

Where did you attend college? I received a scholarship to play softball in college. For my undergrad, I went to Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia. While in college, I was a four year starter on the softball team, a part of Kappa Delta Pi (International Honors Society Education), and a math tutor. I earned my Bachelor’s of Science in math with my Mmth credential.

What are your hobbies? Outside of teaching, I enjoy coaching, softball. riding four wheelers, going to the river, and going to country concerts.

Amanda Hefner Lit. Comp. 1 and 3

What are your past experiences of teaching? I did my student teaching for La Habra High School for freshmen and sophomores English/literature, but this is my first year teaching at Brea Olinda.

How would you describe your teaching style? My teaching style is that I have high expectations but I work very hard to help my students reach those expectations so i want to give all my of students a direct path into why we are doing this we are doing this.

Do you have any hobbies or outside interests? I like to travel. I just went to Europe last summer for a month and I like cooking. I just decided that cooking is a fun thing to do so I try to cook a couple of times a week and I enjoy photography.

Did you belong to any clubs and/or teams while in school? I played basketball for three years with the Ladycats and then I was on swim team for a year and I ran a comedy club my senior year of highschool and I was in NHS and I was in california scholarship club, which was run by Dr. Bishop when he was here but all of us had a certain GPA and we were all a part of the California Scholarship Federation and at the end of the year we would all go on a museum trip.

staff ed

Why you should care about Syria

by AISHA KHAWAJA

n the early hours of Sept. 2, a small body washed ashore in Turkey. It was the body of a three-year old boy named Aylan Kurdi who had boarded a boat that morning with his family only to have it capsized shortly after. His death was just a small reflection of the dangers and difficulty refugees face while escaping. How did these people come to be in this terrifying situation? According to the New York Times, currently there are almost 7.6 million displaced people in Syria and more than four million Syrian refugees. Everyday the number increases. President Obama himself announced that the U.S. will be accepting up to 85,000 refugees next year and 100,000 in 2017. Although their tormenting plight has been covered nationally on the news, much of America is still unaware of the crisis. Considering that these people are being forced out of their homes, it’s strange that in our social media filled world, people still don’t know. ISIL and the Syrian government have actively murdered the civilians over the course of these past four years, therefore they have no choice but to flee. To regard these people as migrants is a huge understatement, they have no choice. According to the UN’s Refugee Agency, of the four million people fleeing Syria, almost half are children. These conditions of travel are barely

manageable for even adults, how are children supposed to make it? More than 2,600 refugees drowned in the Mediterranean Sea trying to reach Greece, according to BBC News. Just like Aylan, many young children are suffering through this crisis. Yet for some reason we, the youth, choose to ignore it. For some reason when it comes to current affairs of international countries, we choose to exclude ourselves from the topic solely because it’s not happening here in America. We tell ourselves that we don’t need to know what goes on in other countries because it’s not happening here nor does it affect us. Meanwhile, we have the privilege of living in a country where we have stable lives; we are not worried about our class periods being interrupted by missile rains; we don’t go to sleep on the floor surrounded by rubble unaware if we will wake up the next day. Yet still, we overlook the fact that as of now and, according to UNHCR “there are more forcibly displaced individuals across the world than at any point in recorded history.” The refugee crisis is a huge problem and is not being taken as seriously as it should be by Americans. Although President Obama did announce that the U.S. will raise the amount of refugees they will take in from 2,000 to 85,000 next year and 100,000 by 2017, this is still not enough. It’s embarrassing to see other countries such as Germany expecting up to 800,000 refugees this year, according to rescue.org. After the Icelandic

government announced it would accept a mere 50 refugees, 10,000 of their residents said they would welcome refugees into their homes. America is a well off and stable country. But the majority of the population talks about Donald Trump, who in fact is one of the many people that wants to make it much harder for the refugees to enter the U.S. with his immigration plan. It’s sickening to see the lack of empathy people have for these refugees. We are all human. These people are not criminals nor are they terrorists. They are people trying to save themselves from the unbearable circumstances of their hometowns. They have nothing left, and their only goal is to find a place where they can safely live, and sadly, in 2015, this is still a problem that no one in the United States seems to care about. Instead of disassociating ourselves from the issues of the world, whether its wars in other countries or children fighting for education, we need to learn more about them. Read the news, keep up with what’s going on and support causes for good. If we can’t go out and do something, sharing and spreading awareness is the first step to change. America is fighting against the Islamic State, so why is it hesitant to help those that are fleeing from it? This is not about politics anymore, it’s about humanity. How many more dead children have to wash up ashore to realize we aren’t as great of a country as we view ourselves as?

THE REFUGEE CRISIS

BY THE NUMBERS

11 million More than half of all Syrian refugees are under

18 220,000

Turkey houses the most Syrian refugees, with

source:mercycorps.org

Syrians are displaced in total

1.9 million

people have been killed in a civil war ever since the Syrian civil war started in March of 2011

opinion

TARGETING EQUALITY

Staff writer Charlotte Kim discusses Target’s goal to advocate social acceptance after Target announces that it will no longer promote gender-labeling.

A beacon of hope has arrived in America as the journey to break down but rather as an “individuals.” Hanna Rosin, founder of Slate, an online gender stereotypes takes another step forward. Heads are turning as Target magazine that advocates cultural occurrences, confirmed that stores going changes its company policy to get rid of gender-based signage in the toy gender-neutral, such as Target, are profiting from a capitalist, moneydepartment and eradicate the “traditional” way of labeling objects. By making move: to sell toys with no gender differences are becoming more creating a gender-neutral market,Target leads the way in changing society’s popular and accepted, such as Lincoln Logs and Beanie Babies, than views on gender-labeling, encouraging the importance of individuality and to sell toys with gender-labeled strings attached. This positive view on expression. gender neutrality is further supported by the National Association for the Society actively encourages gender labeling by identifying boys’ items Education of Young Children which stated that changing the signage on the with the color blue and girls’ with pink. Peer into high school classrooms toys’ aisles to encompass both genders are “best [for] developing children’s and one can subtly see how these colors indisputably represent gender. physical, cognitive, academic, musical and artistic skill.” Therefore, Color branding is just one form of stereotyping in modern society and the gender neutrality promotes independence and develops a child’s diverse case of the toy department in Target. In some cases, boys don’t even like tastes and opinions. to cross through a girls’ aisle because it’s “too feminine” while girls who In the end, Target’s main goal is to end this unnecessary classification. refuse to play with “girly” toys are rejecting to play the roles of superficial, In fact, this corporation is advocating for social acceptance, subtly trying “typical” girls; they thus damage their reputation as truly feminine. to alter the minds of the younger generation and their parents. Defying Anallely Botello, senior, says that Target’s policy “is a good thing stereotypes, labels, and rejection of interests, Target wants its genderbecause a color should not define a gender and…[others] should not have neutral toys’ to show how it wants society to be accepting. It speaks to my to worry about being judged.” FACTS ABOUT GENDER NEUTRALITY Elizabeth Sweet, sociologist at the University of California, argues that a gender-neutral market Gendered toy segregation can make boys and girls feel needlessly ashamed discourages this type of branding because it limits of their desire for unstereotypical toys. the growing child to discover his or her interests and hobbies. With its newly implemented rule of a genderneutral market, however, children can finally buy any Target said “never want guests or their families to feel frustrated or limited toy in any aisle they want without worrying whether by the way things are presented.” their Barbies or Hot Wheels are “too feminine” or “too masculine.” This policy is truly the catalyst of a Customers will no longer find “boys” or “girls” signs as well as color coding positive, cultural shift. such as pink and blue in the toy and bedding department. Shockingly, Target is still harshly criticized in source: washingtonpost.com the perspective of some traditionalist shoppers for its decision to ignore that children are different and have different interests, as seen from Twitter users supporting Walmart’s stance past self as a toddler that now, in this day and age, I could have the freedom on tradition. Others, such as Lance Go, sophomore, are neutral in Target’s to choose if I wanted to play with Easy-Bake Ovens, no matter the color, decision to go gender-neutral by viewing “it not [following] tradition, but or to indulge myself with building as many Lego castles as I want. Even also being beneficial by tearing down long-held stereotypes of what a girl my six-year-old neighbor could have the option of playing with so many or boy likes. toys, not being judged if she chose the Star Trek action figures rather than Gender-neutral marketing, especially in the field of toys, promotes the Bratz doll with its plastic playhouse. Target has taken the first step in the concept that children should not be labeled as a “boys” or a “girls”, ending stereotypes and label branding.

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illustration by MATTHEW MOON

by STACY UHM and ANABEL KING

A recent study found that teachers who teach first through sixth grade spend over $600 on back to school supplies and over $1,000 for supplies throughout the rest of the year. But how much do our high school teachers spend out of pocket on classroom supplies?

the high cost of teaching

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teacher is many professions--a scholar, a leader, an inventor, a sage. In the 2012-2013 school year, 99.5 percent of public school teachers in the United States collectively spent $1.6 billion of their personal money on classroom supplies, while individually spending about $500 on average, according to a survey by the National School Supply and Equipment Association. A teacher, in this case, is also an investor. While $500 may be the average, Masako White, Japanese, ESL, and Read 180 teacher spent “way over $1,000” of her personal money last year to purchase a class set of textbooks for her Japanese 1 and 2 classes. “I feel that it is a necessity [to use my own money],” White said. “I purchased a classroom set of textbooks mainly because the school district will not provide [the foreign language] classroom[‘s] sets [of books]. It would be wonderful if the school had a budget for things like computer programs and field trips, but just as long [as] the students are taken care of, that’s money well spent.” Laurel Batchelor, English teacher, spends over $600 out-of-pocket every year. She purchases every film she screens to her Film Studies class and restocks her classroom with markers, hand sanitizer, Kleenex, and other supplies. Her personal money also goes towards printer ink at home because the majority of the things she prints at home are school-related. As Department Chair, Batchelor also manages the English Department’s finances. With high demand for staplers, Post-it notes, dry-erase markers, electric sharpeners, and printer ink cartridges, among other classroom necessities, the English Department, one of the largest departments on campus with 12 teachers, often struggles to meet the demands of its staff on a budget of $1,200. Printer ink can cost up to $80 per cartridge and takes up 60 percent of the department’s budget, according to Batchelor. A teacher’s personal money isn’t just spent on the office supplies, however. Many of the literature classics stacked on a bookshelf in English teacher Alex Koers’ classroom were purchased with his own money. This summer, Koers spent $250 on novels, author biographies, and test prep for his AP Literature and Composition. He estimates that he’s spent “well over a couple thousand dollars” on books over the course of his 18-year career.

In the Math Department, Jennifer Collier, Math Department Chair, personally spends $100 on back-to-school supplies alone, and an additional $500 throughout the year. “There’s never enough money,” Collier said, referring to the department budget. “It’ll be nice to have a set of graphing calculators for every classroom, but they’re $120 apiece.” (With a deparment of 12 teachers, students in pre-Calculus class and higher are required to purchase their own graphing calculators). The math, English, and other departments of BOHS are not the only ones affected by a lack of funding. “The funding issue is much broader than classroom supplies and instructional materials,”

“

“most” of the time. “I don’t want to ask [the Department Chair] to buy something that I would only use once one month out of the school year. Our department does really well in buying class sets of calculators, but because I want everyone [in my class] to have a calculator, the DonorsChoose grant would help me achieve this,” Nicole Baughman, math teacher, said. (DonorsChoose is a nonprofit organization that allows anyone to donate directly to public school teachers. If a classroom or instructional supply requires a larger amount of money than usual, teachers can turn to DonorsChoose.org to apply for grants.) Baughman, who spends $500 of her own money every year, believes that the out-of-

The funding issue is much broader than classroom supplies and instructional materials. Part of our plan never accounts for teachers contributing their own money to purchase supplies for their room. Dr. Brad Mason, Superintendent

Dr. Brad Mason, superintendent, said. “A lack of proportional funding affects all areas of the Brea Olinda Unified School District. In an attempt to make our dollars stretch as far as they can, [the district is] very purposeful in [the] budgeting process. Part of our plan never accounts for teachers contributing their own money to purchase supplies for their room.” Last year, BOHS received $20,399 for all academic classes’ materials, according to the budget report. In California, high schools receive $54.83 per student for instructional supplies while elementary and junior high schools receive $30.35 and $38.15, according to Dr. Brad Mason, Superintendent. However, BOHS teachers do not receive this money directly; the money is first forwarded to Pam Valenti, Assistant Principal, who then provides a budget to all departments according to their needs. Although teachers can get reimbursed for some of their expenses, a survey by the Wildcat found that 71.4 percent of BOHS teachers claim that they do not get reimbursed for their purchases

pocket expenditures are necessary to enhance the classroom experience for students. “I started off teaching at a low income school in Los Angeles Unified District to make learning as fun as possible for the kids there. I spent a lot of money because the school did not have a lot of money to spend. I think after teaching three years there, I kept that philosophy [in Brea]. I want to have marker pens available because I think colorful notes are helpful; I think putting posters up make an inviting classroom and make it a place I want to be six hours a day. These kind of things--it’s just my personality. I want to buy things to make it a learning environment. I think you can have a fun learning environment without spending a lot of money, but if I can do something to make myself good coming to school, and that carries over to enthusiasm working with students, [I will do it].” Without a budget that can fully provide for every classroom’s needs, teachers will continue to spend their own money to keep their room’s functional and resourceful for their students.

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a ourney to ordan Staff writer Diana Jarrah experienced a trip of a lifetime when she visited Europe and her family’s homeland of Amman, Jordan by DIANA JARRAH

hile exploring the history-rich streets

of London and Paris, it was evident why some of the most influential artists, poets, and writers of all time had lived in these cities. The history, the vibrant locals, the stunning architecture, and most of all--the opportunity. But Europe’s history and beauty were only part of the purpose of my trek across the globe. After my time in Europe, I landed in Amman, Jordan where I learned the true blessing of education and opportunity. After two weeks in Europe, I packed up my belongings and excitedly boarded a flight to Amman for a family member’s wedding. When I stepped out of the airport, the first thing I had noticed was how desolate and dry the landscape was. My aunt, who had picked my mom and me up from the airport, told us, “Everything here is old. Anything here that looks new probably means they aren’t from Jordan,” explaining how not many people in Jordan could afford new luxurious cars and grand homes. During my trip to Europe and the Middle East, the greatest juxtaposition between the two regions were the opportunities. In Jordan, you’re either wealthy or selling fruits on the sides of roads. Some kids never even get the opportunity to go to school because they have to take on jobs to help support their families. And in Amman,

receiving a full education isn’t always the norm, whereas in Europe and most of the world, it’s viewed as a basic necessity. Some kids would rather get hooked on cigarettes instead of phonics, and are eventually left with nothing but a high chance of dropping out of school. There is a street named Abdoun, which separates West and East Amman. These two parts of Amman are polar opposites. West Amman contains luxurious shopping malls, clean streets, indoor markets, and homes with air conditioning. Children are also provided excellent private educations, and are later enrolled in some of the most elite colleges in the country. In stark comparison, East Amman is populated by homes built out of unstable bricks, potholes in streets, and people begging for money in the streets on the sides of roads. As for education, children in East Amman have the choice of utilizing a decent public education, but instead many choose to sell fruits and gum on the sides of the streets to earn money to support their families. While visiting these two different parts of Amman, my whole perspective on opportunity and education changed. Some of the kids in East Amman would love to sit in a classroom and study biology or architecture, but they give up their youth and their future to provide for their families and loved ones. Seeing these acts of kindness and compromise left me feeling nothing but grateful for the education and life that I was given. At almost every stop light, I would look out the

JARRAH’S TRIP LONDON, ENGLAND

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(clockwise from top left) Jarrah and her mother, Rula Jarrah, at a hotel near the Dead Sea in Jordan; a scenic view of London’s Big Ben; Jarrah sight-seeing in front of Paris’s Arc de Triomphe

window and see a small child trying to sell bruised fruit or a flimsy souvenir. I would look at the kid, and instantly feel horrible that they couldn’t be in school even though it was a weekday. He walked around, tapping on the windows of cars, trying his best to earn some money for his family. When my aunt had handed the child money, his face lit up with accomplishment. Traveling through East Amman, my family and I stopped on the side of a road to buy watermelon from a man with battered clothes. His family sat nearby under the shade of a tree. As my aunt picked fruit, I looked at the family sitting beneath the tree and observed a woman wearing a hijab, a headcover, watching her four children. A small boy with dirty clothes and a bruised lip read to his brother and two sisters. In his hand sat a small, worn out book about animals. The children looked content with the book even though it only had ten pages or so. Watching the kids smile at the pure joy of reading and learning left me speechless at how many of us take our educations for granted and how many opportunities we have as Americans. Though opportunity varies significantly between Amman and Europe, for the reason that Jordan is tiny and not known by many. Amman also holds endless amounts of beauty that eclipses Europe’s at times. The beauty of Jordan changed my initial perspective of the Middle East. I now view Jordan as a country that finds beauty in the sun coming up everyday, and

PARIS, FRANCE

finds joy in sitting around and laughing with family after a long week. In Jordan, the country is beautiful because of the souls that inhabit the city. Amman is known as one of the oldest cities in the world, representing the loyalty and honor these people have for their city. While in Jordan, I remember going to a small market with my mom in the middle of the night. The street lights were barely aglow and in the store was an old man and a girl no older than 14. The young girl was helping around the store and my mom asked, “What grade is she in?” The man responded, “She’s not in school”. My mom had asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, and she talked about how she wanted to be an artist. Listening to the fascinating young girl speak left me feeling emotional as though I could do anything with perseverance. It took ten days in Amman to change my outlook on life, education, and opportunity. Getting to experience the life that these people live everyday, and seeing how much these people sacrifice for their loved ones made me realize how much opportunity we have in America. It made me understand how hard these people work to support their families and create a future for themselves. The trip to Amman impacted me in a way I never thought it would. I believed that I would go and just visit family again. But this time I came back with newfound knowledge of the Middle East, and a new sense of gratefulness.

AMMAN, JORDAN

L AX

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believe that teaching is a noble endeavor -- long hours and relatively minimal compensation. So the best educators teach for the sheer joy of the experience. They give of themselves with unselfish love for their students and their curriculum. I have taught for nearly 35 years and I have never met an educator of Dr. Bishop’s commitment and intense joy for his profession. He used his wit, his insight and his passion to push his students every single day of his long career. He was cantankerous and almost surly with his demeanor, but this was all an act. Underneath his cutting sense of humor, was caring soul as big as the great outdoors of Montana, where he loved to retreat to recharge his batteries. He loved photography and he loved his students. He virtually lived at Brea Olinda High School and gave of his time unceasingly. His banter was legendary. His critical stare at his students and his fellow teachers was both inspiring and scary at the same time. He was truly dedicated to enriching and encouraging the young people he taught. You could never relax around Laurry because his filters were set on low and his conversational tone was always intense. He would joke, critique and instruct simultaneously. Dr. Bishop was a larger than life individual. In another era he might have been a diplomat, an advisor to kings and queens or an artist hired by the Medici. He was a Renaissance man whose passion for life and his profession never wavered. I was blessed to call him my friend even though he never let me feel comfortable around him. People like Dr. Bishop force us to be better than we thought we could be. His students will all attest to the power of his inspirational spirit. He helped make Brea Olinda High School a great school. He will be missed but never forgotten. The big man will live forever in the memories of those he touched and motivated. He was the man.

Jeff Sink, history teacher

is for Bishop

After teaching for 33 years, volunteering ‘countless hours’, and influencing the lives of teachers and students at BOHS, Dr. Laurry Bishop passed away on Aug. 26 at the age of 61. Six teachers and staff members share their memories commemorating his life. compiled by Anabel King

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lthough I did not have Dr. Bishop while I was a student at BOHS, I only ever heard wonderful things about him from him my classmates. They all admired and respected him with great gratitude. Now being a teacher on campus and finally getting the opportunity to work with him, I see what all the talk was about. Dr. Bishop was a selfless and giving man. His dedication and devotion to BOHS was inspiring. For someone to impact countless lives in such a positive way over the course of so many years, he obviously had to be a pretty amazing individual. Dr. Bishop is someone that as a teacher, I aspire to be like. He was not only an educator, but a mentor and a friend to so many. He inspired his students, as well as fellow colleagues. Dr. Bishop made a positive impact on all the lives of the people he came in contact with. The passing of Dr. Bishop is truly a loss for BOHS, his friends, and family.

Kara Dietz, English teacher

will always remember and admire Dr. Bishop for his straight-forward approach to everything that he did. You always knew where he stood on an issue, and what he thought about you. Many people dislike that type of honesty, but that was something that I will always appreciate about him. He was such a dedicated person to the students of BOHS. Under his rough exterior he had a heart of gold. He was so proud of the students at our school, and there weren’t many things that he wouldn’t do for them. Even after he retired, Dr. Bishop was still a prominent figure on our campus, helping with AP Exams, graduation, and more. One of my most favorite memories I will have of Dr. Bishop is his ability to tell a story. He had lived such a fruitful life and had done so many things that he had stories of his experiences that he could tell forever. Never once did I hear him tell the same tale twice. I can only hope that when I reach Dr. Bishop’s age that I have lived half as much of a life as he did. Dr. Bishop was an adamant supporter of the Arts. Not only was he the photo teacher, but he was a trained clarinet player who held a degree in music. Through thick and thin, Dr. Bishop was always there to support our programs and gave respect to our student artists. This was just one more thing that made him who he was. Dr. Bishop will always be a part of BOHS, nothing will ever erase the mark that he has left on this campus, the impressions made upon the faculty, or the countless students that he helped through the years. His passion for teaching and for helping

students grow into young adults is unmatched, his ability to inspire people through his leadership will remain unparalleled, and his dedication to public education will always be revered. There has never been, nor will there ever be someone like Dr. Bishop; he was truly one of a kind.

s Albert Einstein said, “The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.” In a word, Dr. Bishop was a man who gave. He gave much to our school, from running the AP tests, the school bells and phone system, coordinating the graduation ceremony and senior awards and so much more. He may have come across as gruff at times but he had a big heart and was a friend to many. He shared his kindness, knowledge and time wherever he was needed to make our lives run smoother at school. I don’t think I will ever look at a plaid shirt and suspenders again and not think of Dr. Bishop. He will truly be missed by all of us here at Brea Olinda High School.

r. Laurry Bishop began his distinguished career at Brea Olinda High School (BOHS) in the late 1970’s as an agriculture teacher at the former high school site on Birch. He later created the award-winning Photography program and was instrumental in the design of the photo classroom and lab. During his tenure at BOHS, Dr. Bishop provided service to the school and Brea Olinda Teacher’s Association (BOTA) in many ways. Laurry was a department chair for many years, served as a Focus Group Leader on many accreditation visits, served on School Site Council, was BOTA President for a couple of terms and served on the negotiations committee for over 25 years. Dr. Bishop provided innumerable services to support the BOHS Community. Since he was a teacher at BOHS and since his retirement in 2009, Dr. Bishop was the “go-to” on almost everything at BOHS. He was always a Graduation Marshall, including organizing the ceremony and the program every year. In conjunction with the Guidance Department, he worked very hard to create the Senior Awards’ Night Program each year. He did much of the detail work in creating the lists of Valedictorians, Salutatorians, Distinguished Scholars, and Career Pathway Cord recipients. Dr. Bishop fixed the school bells, phones, and clocks whenever they needed repair. In retirement, Dr. Bishop volunteered about 20 hours per week working at BOHS. Laurry Bishop was a true Renaissance man. He was an accomplished musician, specializing in the clarinet. He was a champion wrestler in high school. He was a pilot who used to fly his plane frequently to property he had in Montana. Dr. Bishop was a gifted and accomplished photographer who took the senior panorama picture each year photographed the weddings of many colleagues and former students. He even spent time studying with the great Ansel Adams, arguably the most famous photographer of all time. Dr. Bishop was, quite frankly, a technologygenius and loved Apple products with a passion. There have been very few people whose blood bled as BOHS Green and Gold as Laurry Bishop. He loved our school and the students who attended and the colleagues with whom he worked, past and present. We often define people as either “renters” or “owners”---Dr. Bishop was the quintessential owner at BOHS. We will miss everything he continued to do for BOHS, even in retirement, but we will miss the man much, much more.

Nancy Thompson, librarian

Jerry Halpin, principal

Joe Bartell, music director

cademic, ambitious, analytical, animallover, animated, articulate, assertive, astute, bell-ringer, bright, brilliant, cantankerous, caring, cerebral, charming, chemist, confident, creative, curious, dependable, detailoriented, devoted, diligent, disciplined, driven, dynamic, empathetic, enthusiastic, entrepreneur, explorer, focused, doesn’t suffer fools, funny, generous, gentle, genuine, goes beyond what is expected, gracious, gregarious, grounded, happy, hard-working, honest, great sense of humor, imaginative, investigator, fiercely independent, inspirational, intellectual, inventive, involved, jovial, joyful, locksmith, kind, leader, fast learner, logical, loyal, mentor, methodical, motivated, musical, nonconformist, optimist, organized, original, ornery, passionate, persistent, photographer, pilot, phone repairman, pioneering, poised, positive, printer, problem solver, reader, reliable, researcher, resourceful, respected, sarcastic, scholarly, scientific, sincere, straightforward, strong-willed, supportive, talented, a natural teacher, techy, tenacious, test-coordinator, time-keeper, deep thinker, thirsty for knowledge, unique, unwavering, volunteer, warmhearted, WILDCAT, willing, writer of the policy, zealous. Our Friend.

Rob Stelmar, guidance counselor

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ar Wash ontroversy

ascades of soapy, brown water swirling at gutters and a succession of dusty, soiled cars pulling into Brea United Methodist Church can only mean one thing--a five-dollar, student-run, dawn-until-dusk car wash that raises funds for various programs at BOHS. A common fundraiser for many of BOHS’ sports, clubs, and extracurriculars, car washes are often a successful and easy-to-organize way to earn money. But as of June 27, car washes used for fundraising purposes are now prohibited in Brea. As California faces its fourth year of “one of the most severe droughts on record,” Gov. Jerry Brown signed an executive order to reduce water usage by 25 percent. For Brea, this means a 24 percent city-wide reduction due to the town’s gallons per capita per day, according to Ron Krause, Water Distribution Superintendent of Brea. In order to reach this goal, the city introduced specific regulations on water usage, one of which prohibits the use of outdoor car wash fundraisers.

“Everyone needs to do their share to conserve,” Krause said. “[As of June], the City only reduced [water usage] by 14 percent.” Car washes can consume thousands of gallons of water. A standard garden hose uses 10 gallons of water per minute. This means that a 10-minute car wash uses 100 gallons of water. The city ruling takes into account eco-friendly methods toward water usage, adding that car wash fundraisers will only be allowed if used with a water recirculation system to capture the water for reuse. However, a water recirculation device can be costly--Home Depot sells them for $500. While regulations on car wash fundraisers may seem like an obvious way to reduce water usage, it also presents a dilemma for school groups that rely on car washes as their main or only source of funds. The football program, for example, holds two to three profitable car washes during their off-season. “I don’t know if it’s because we have large numbers in terms of players thus generating lots of cars or what, but we have usually made real good money and the community has really been supportive when we have done them,” Robb Perrance, head football coach, said. The team raises $2,000 to $3,000 per car wash.

feature “Obviously that is a sizeable chunk of money generated, and we will have to creatively come up with alternatives to fill the void,” Perrance said. “The state of the financial situation in California has made fundraising a necessity. But adversity is a part of life and we are used to making adjustments, so we will prevail.” The football team’s other fundraisers include selling community discount cards and promoting their Adopt-a-Wildcat program. But for some sports, car wash fundraisers are their only source of income. Boys’ and girls’ cross country rely on car washes to generate enough money for the entire school year. Like football, they raise thousands of dollars per car wash. The proceeds pay for entrance fees to cross country meets, league races, and with the addition of three new coaches to the team, a new total of four coaches that are not funded by ASB. Now, due to the regulation, cross country must find another way to raise $7000. “The drought has taken away our main fundraiser for the foreseeable future,” Matt Rainwater, boys’ and girls’ cross country coach, said. “We really need the support from our alumni and community this year.” The sport has since adapted to the regulation when it ran a cross country booth at a Fourth of July fair, raising around $900. But it still searches for an efficient fundraiser that can compensate for this deficit, especially in a “competitive” environment where it is “very challenging” to get a fundraiser approved, according to Rainwater. Girls’ soccer will also be forced to discontinue their annual car wash this year. Held twice a year, their car washes raise $3000 each. According to Mike Knaus, head girls’ soccer coach, the team is now “shuffling” to compensate for the deficit. But the school’s sports teams aren’t the only programs facing the challenges of the new car wash ruling. For marching band, the car wash presented an opportunity for the ensemble to “build on team mentality,” according to Joe Bartell, Band Director. Although car washes for marching band have been “fairly successful” in past years, its new regulations will not be “detrimental” to the program in terms of fundraising. Until the drought ends, car wash fundraisers will not be a viable option for school groups hoping to raise more money. And although the future of car washes becomes bleaker as the drought continues, its long-term consequences will prove a worthy sacrifice to the future of California. by ANABEL KING photo by DEVAL PATEL

18 17

California uses

billion gallons of water per day 80 to 140 gallons of water washes one car

Car wash fundraisers can use thousands of gallons of water the water reduction rate is

25%

for cities in California

an estimated number of 39 billion people live in the state of California an average household uses 170 gallons a day for indoor use more than 190 gallons is used for outdoor use per each household Brea’s water reduction rate is only

14% as of June 30

sources: water.usgs.gov, census.gov, and kqed.org

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health

ealthy abits

Michael Baker not only teaches his students about being healthy, but also practices a healthy lifestyle everyday.

by ERIN CHUNG and VIVIEN COOP photo courtesy of MIKE BAKER

“38...39...40!” Mike Baker, Health and Skills for Success teacher and varsity football coach, drops the weights to his heels after an hour of sweatsoaked CrossFit training. Baker spends time not only working out, but also teaching students the basics of the Health curriculum and encouraging them to have a healthier view on life. “I preach the benefits of physical activity all the time. We talk about quality of life and [what] the effects of being healthy has on that quality. I mostly try to be a resource for [the students],” Baker said. Not only does he encourage students, but he also motivates other teachers to live healthy. “[Baker] helped Mrs. Dombrowski and I last year. We were working out, and he had a workout planned for us everyday. He is very encouraging and positive, and you want to do well because he is a very good motivator,” Kara Dietz, English teacher, said. Baker practices what he preaches by pushing himself daily through long training hours and multi-mile cycling courses to stay fit and healthy. He also obtains a hearty and nutritious diet for his strenuous school day of teaching five Health and Skills for Success classes, coaching the varsity football team, and working out. For breakfast, he eats eggs, spinach, meat, and a smoothie. Before leaving for school, he never forgets to bring a one gallon-jug of water to stay hydrated throughout the day. During his lunch break, Baker grabs a nutritious lunch of meat and fruit out of his mini fridge. A large part of his healthy lifestyle is eating nutritious foods and maintaining a balanced diet. After school, Baker goes to the Brea

CrossFit Gym for four days a week to work out. “We do a lot of Olympic lifts--deadlift, cleans, snatch, squats. We also do body weight exercises like push ups, pull ups, and un-weighted squats,” Baker said. “Then the stuff that the trainers make up: burpees, wall balls, ball slams, rowing, Turkish

get-ups--and we run.” As varsity football coach, Baker spends the rest of his afternoon training his team. He often shares the importance of a healthy lifestyle with the team to help them to be more involved athletes. “[He influences me] just in working hard and being as fit

“Life is a participation sport and I plan on playing it for a long time.” as I can,” Braden Baker, Baker’s son and junior. Primarily on weekends and outside of football season, Baker enjoys other exercises and activities, including cycling, hiking, and fishing with his family. “[He influences me] just in working hard and being as fit as I can,” Braden Baker, Baker’s son and a junior, said. Baker cycles for about two and a half hours for approximately 40 miles, but when he is training for a “century,” a 100-mile ride, the length of a training ride can get up to 80 or 90 miles. He also goes hiking with his wife, Wendy Baker, which helps him train for 10to 12-mile Tough Mudder races and 8.5 mile Spartan Races (physically demanding obstacle courses). He completed a Tough Mudder race last March in Riverside and plans to do a couple more this year. Through this, Baker shows that everyone can live life with purpose and motivation. “The quality of life I want [motivates me]. I want to live life, not watch it go by. Life is a participation sport and I plan on playing it for a long time,” Baker said.

sports

A Fight to the Finish Line

Carly Halm, senior, places first in the Three Course Challenge Hard Level course in Seaside, Ore., her first varsity victory. by ANABEL KING

arly Halm, senior, struggled to breathe as she raced up the sandy hill of the crowded course. She was motion-sick from the plane ride and carsick from the drive, but Halm did not travel all the way to Oregon to quit now. She didn’t push herself through months of training to settle for second place. Halm was here to win. Only two days before the Three Course Challenge race in Seaside, Ore., Halm and the boys’ and girls’ varsity cross country teams were practicing for the race, one of the largest with 100 schools participating. As the Oregon rain fell, Halm fell on a tree stump during practice, hitting her back against the tree and injuring her rib cage. The injury, a serious rib contusion, will take six to eight weeks to heal. But for Halm, pain was the last thing on her mind as she prepared to race the Elk Trail Hard Level in the Three Course Challenge. During the race, Halm stuck to her strategy of sticking behind the front-runner of the race and started her kick early to gain distance over her competitors. But Halm had such a strong lead that she caught up to the boys’ race which had started five minutes before the girls’. Out of the 432 boys in the race, Halm passed 82 of them on her way to the finish line. And as the course became narrower, two feet wide in some parts, it became harder to navigate through the boys ahead of her. “I saw her coming up the hill, and she was passing 50, 60, 70 boys, who started five minutes before her, and I remember thinking, ‘this is going to be tough’ because there were so many athletes in such a small space,” Matt Rainwater, head cross country coach, said. “I was yelling at Carly to physically push and elbow the other boys out of her way so she could get to the finish line. The other coaches thought I was crazy, but there was really no other way out.” Step after step, boy after boy, breath after painful breath, Halm started her kick, which she had been working on all through the summer, and blocked out the pain, which she had been suffering through all day and night. And finally it was over with a first-place medal placed around her neck. Halm finished with a time of 22:57, placing 98th out of the 432 boys and with a 30-second lead over the other female runners. Halm had won her first varsity invitational race in her high school running career. “Throughout the whole race I was just thinking, ‘I came all this way, I’m here to represent Brea, I couldn’t just stop now--not for this.’ We did so much heavy training just to prepare for Oregon that it would be a waste of an opportunity if I didn’t at least try to win,” Halm said. When the team returned to Brea, Halm went to the hospital to have her rib x-rayed. Despite her doctor’s orders to take time off, Halm was back on her feet in two days, training at the track for the next race. “Carly is a clutch-racer,” Rainwater said. “She’s very gutsy and she trains extremely well. When it really matters, she’ll overperform, and because of that, she always manages to exceed my expectations. In Oregon, she never talked about her ribs, which is a testament to how tough she is. I’ve seen her over the past four years mature not only as a runner, but as a person. And that’s what makes her such a strong athlete.”

sports

SUPER SPEED

Carly Halm, senior, races in the Elk Trail Hard Level Course. Halm finished her race with a thirty second lead ahead of her competitors. photo courtesy of CARLY HALM

sports

Sports News

The rebirth of CROSS COUNTRY

The cross country program’s success at Oregon highlights their determination to make it to the State championships once again. In addition, three new coaches and a new ‘grouping structure’ have innovated the program. by MATTHEW MOON photos by MONICA HIEMER

mproving on last year’s state title campaign will be an ongoing challenge for the cross country program, but the team’s recent success at the elite Three Course Challenge in Oregon has head coach Matt Rainwater,believing that it’s “very possible” to repeat a State champs. On Sept. 19, the top nine athletes from the boys’ and girls’ teams traveled to Seaside, Ore. to participate in the Three Course Challenge. There, boys’ varsity won first overall while the girls’ varsity team placed second overall. Rainwater thought that the team’s efforts at Oregon were “fantastic.” “The boys’ dominated the team competition. As for the girls’, [their performances] were by far the best they had in the last four years. It’s always difficult to travel and then also compete well, but they did exactly that,” Rainwater said. Gio Orellana, junior, won the boys’ race despite losing his shoe in the middle of the course, while Carly Halm, senior, won the girls’ race by a margin of 30 seconds despite suffering from a rib contusion. Rainwater views the success at the invitational as a true demonstration of the team’s talent, since the top two runners on the girls’ and boys’ team did not participate. “For us to go up there [without] two of our top three runners and absolutely dominate the competition is amazing,” Rainwater said.

The recent victories at Oregon can be partially attributed to the changes in the training group structures. Instead of gender division, training groups are now divided from fastest to slowest, based purely on the athlete’s running ability. Rainwater cites improving the interaction between athlete and coach as the primary motive for the changes. “Our philosophy is that all kids are equal when it comes to a sport, so we want to make sure that everybody from our state champ to our slowest runner has a personal connection with the coach by having the five training groups. That is the goal--to experience appropriate and highquality coaching,” Rainwater said. In order to emphasize this bond, three new coaches with roots in cross country----Kenny Veltre (‘13), Bruno Morlan, history teacher, and Krissy French, special education teacher--

ABOVE: [from left to right] Krissy French, Bruno Morlan, Kenny Veltre, Matt Rainwater, a Snail’s Pace Running Shop representative, and Sarah Whitaker pose for a group photo.

BELOW: Boys’ varsity cross country runs up the high school hill as part of their daily practice.

and returned to the program under former head coach Jeremy Mattern’s guidance. Veltre “feels pretty special to be transitioning from being on the team to being a coach.”

“I am confident that both the girls’ and boys’ programs will continue to excel and I think that 2015 [has the potential to] become the most successful year for the entire program.” Matt Rainwater, cross country head coach were hired this summer. Veltre, a BOHS alum, has been volunteering as a walk-on coach since December. He was a part of the cross country and track and field teams while attending BOHS

Morlan recently moved to Brea from Rockwall, Tex., where he taught history and coached the cross country team at Rockwall Heath High School. This year, Morlan is teaching World History and AP Government.

French ran for the Esperanza High School cross country team. The teams are already highranked. The boys’ team is currently ranked number one while the girls’ team is ranked 9th in state. Between the success at Oregon, the new coaches, and the recent rankings, Rainwater expects both teams will continue to “excel” through the season. “I am confident that both the girls’ and boys’ programs will continue to excel and I think that 2015 [has the potential to] become the most successful year for the entire cross country program,” Rainwater said. The team’s next race will be today at Mt. San Antonio Community College for the Mt. SAC Invitational race.

sports

PLAYER PROFILES

Girls’ Varsity TENNIS

Last year, the team came second in the North Hills league and made it to the first round of CIF.

EVELYNN BURT

SARAH SALEEB

> What is your favorite part about being on the tennis team?

> Who is your biggest inspiration?

“My biggest inspiration is Jesus. Through him I can do all things. This is because He promises to [help me with] all that I do as long as I keep my eyes on Him.”

“My favorite part about being on the team is being able to work hard against the odds, as well as seeing my teammates grow and develop [as athletes].”

> What is your favorite part about being on the team?

> Do you have any pregame rituals?

“[We] rely on each other and help each other with our strengths and weaknesses.”

“I play some music to calm myself down. You always want to go into tennis levelheaded.”

> What has been your favorite moment on the tennis team so far?

> What advice would you give to future athletes?

“When we do our cheer before our games. This part reminds me of our team unity and Brea Olinda school pride.”

“Advice I would give to other athletes is that even if you’re going to lose, make your opponent work for their win, and never give up.”

> How does tennis prepare you for life after high school?

> Why do you prefer tennis over other sports?

“Tennis is a good preparation for life because it allows me to learn how to persevere in tough times. It was one of the major parts of my high school life that I had to [learn to] balance. Tennis allowed me to be able to have fun but at the same time it taught me the value of time.”

“I prefer tennis over other sports since my teammates still work hard as a team, despite tennis not being a team sport. Everyone has a code of being polite--even your toughest opponents are kind.”

> What obstacles have you had to overcome to become the athlete you are today?

> What obstacles have you overcome to be the athlete you are today?

“When I was younger I was diagnosed with a bicuspid valve in my heart, meaning I was banned from sports early in my life. Until this day, I’m still battling with this.”

“An obstacle that I had to face to be who I am today is believing that I can succeed-- it just takes lots of practice. I have learned over these past couple years that it’s okay to fail, I just have to let go of the past and keep moving forward.”

> Do you believe tennis is a good preparation for life?

“Tennis teaches you to be polite and patient, even if you’re faced with utter defeat.”

> Have you ever had an embarrassing moment during a tennis game/practice?

“One time my doubles partner had been practicing and I [wasn’t] paying attention to her shot. I was smacked in the face [by her racket], [and] while that happened, I screamed and fell down in front of the whole team as well as my whole family.”

> What advice would you give to future athletes?

Seniors Sarah Saleeb and Evelynn Burt, girls’ tennis team captains, share how tennis has impacted their lives throughout high school. photo by HARRY CHO compiled by DIANA JARRAH

“[It does not matter] whether we lose or win as long as we give our 100 percent efforts. That’s all that matters.”

> Do you have any pre-game rituals?

“I usually say a prayer in my head before I start the game. I ask God for strength and the ability to have fun with whatever I am going to do during the match.”

BEHIND THE SCENES Christian Roberts, sophomore, stands at “horns up” during band camp. Band, led by Joe Bartell, is currently learning their marching sets for their show, The Nightmare Before Christmas.

photo by BRANDON YUN