April 25, 2014

Volume 57, Issue 9

Castro Valley High School www.cvhsolympian.com

April 25, 2014

CVHS senior debuts solo classical dance show

Trojans ace exit exam; CAHSEE too easy?

By Callie Ross-Smith Staff Writer

Lily Carrell / Editor-in-Chief

Reema Kakaday depicts the mischievous expression of

little Krishna, who is known for his pranks and stealing butter. See story on page 2.

Jenny’s Cafe closed until next year

By Robbie Brandt Staff Writer

The beloved Jenny’s Cafe is closing for remodeling, because the food unfortunately did not meet the nutritional guidelines. The food served at Jenny’s cafe was mostly a la carte, so a renewal of the menu and store will put a new spin on the place.

“Jenny’s will be repainting, rebuilding, and updating the whole menu; and will hopefully be able to reopen by next school year,” said Assistant Principal Matt Steinecke.

CVHS’s school lunch menu may also be updating as well so kids can get more nutritional food at school.

“The food study will hopefully allow the kids to eat more at school so they will not leave campus as much,” said Steinecke. “I don’t like seeing kids rushing from whatever place they came from

just so they can make it to class on time; this new menu will give students newer and healthier options so they will not have to leave campus,” said Steinecke.

According to cafeteria supervisor Janet Roselius, Jenny’s will also be more comfortable for both customers and workers.

"We will have running water and a ventilation system put in," said Roselius.

The lunch ladies also want to expand the school’s menu to meet government nutritional guidelines and to allow a even variety of choices.

Hopefully, this remodeling doesn't last long, and Jenny’s can be reopened and serve even better food than before. Will this new and healthier lunch menu allow students to enjoy lunch at school?

Or will even more students leave campus in search of something delicious? Only time will tell.

As another California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) has come and gone, students collectively agree it is one of the easiest graduation requirements. It can also be shown from one of the released math questions asking test takers to find x when the problem is -x=7.

After freshmen took the piloting test in 2001, sophomores have since excelled at the test, with CVHS most recently earning a pass rate of 95 percent in both the English and math sections from the 2012-2013 testing period.

Surrounding school districts have also done comparatively

well. San Leandro tenth graders had a total passing rate of 74 percent in math and 78 percent in English, while Hayward students had rates of 70 percent and 75 percent.

"The test went like this for me: I freaked out, I tested, I laughed, it was that simple," said CVHS graduate Kayla Turney.

For the past 13 years CVHS has always had an overwhelming number of people who passed the tests. On average, there have been 650 students who take the test every year and around 90 percent pass the math on the first try while 92 percent pass the English.

Students who are English language learners or in the special education program had

an 80 percent pass rate.

“I finished the math portion of the test within 20 minutes,” said sophomore Celeste Wong.

“It was so easy.”

A released test from 2008 is currently online for practice and a simple question such as writing 0.0000007, or fixing the grammatical error in "After, the volcano erupted, the tiny island was quiet and devastated.”

Not only are the questions easy, there are plenty of opportunities to pass the test, considering that people who failed can retake it until they graduate from high school.

This provides a fair chance at meeting one of the main high school graduation requirements.

Vapor pens raise cloudy issues

By Amelia Ortiz Staff Writer

A new trend amongst the CVHS students has stirred up a lot of commotion lately. It is the increasing use of vapor pens on campus and even during class.

Vapor pens are devices shaped like pens that one can use to inhale flavored water vapor.

Although many students use the water vapor kind, it still worries some people like junior Michael Ingerman.

"I think that vapor pens are a little dangerous. They don't have the same negative effects as cigarettes, so kids don't get the same repercussions. But they lead to the same bad smoking habits anyways," said Ingerman.

Developing smoking habits is a major concern of parents and teachers. These "pens" could be a gateway device to cigarettes and even drugs like marijuana. The devices are easy to conceal and their vapor has no smell, making it hard for teachers to detect.

English teacher Elisa Frozena has had a few run-ins with this

issue.

“I saw some students in my class passing a pen around and taking it to the bathroom. Since the students denied it and there is no way to search them, I couldn’t do anything,” said Frozena.

At CVHS there are different consequences for the different types of pens. For the water vapor pens students receive a Saturday school. For the marijuana pens, the police are called and the student is potentially suspended. For use of the nicotine pens, students receive a Saturday school and must attend class informing them of the dangers and risks of tobacco use.

Another thing that concerns many is the fact that these pens are so easy to access. They are legal for adults ages 18 and above, but are easily accessible to all ages. They can be easily purchased online and are often sold at school.

Many like Assistant Principal Blaine Torpey think that the pens have become more popular because of the opening of the new

Graduate “living my dream”

CVHS concerned with consent

Page 2: Famous actress returns to CVHS

Page 4-5: Working to stop sexual assault

store in town, Ready, Set, Vape, that sells vapor products. Kids don’t even need a car, they can just walk right down there.

“I think that the spike in student use of pens is in correlation to the vape pen store opening, it’s easy access now,” said Torpey.

Some say that these pens are not that bad and in fact better than other drugs teens could be using. But those who assert this don’t always know the whole story and aren’t aware of the different kinds and the dangers that come with them.

Whether or not these pens could become a more dangerous threat to the school environment, their use is against the rules.

Further steps to deal with the situation are being discussed by the administration.

“We’d like to get a PA service announcement so students know what the consequences would be if they use these pens,” said Torpey. “Hopefully by bringing more awareness to the issue and the fact that we are targeting it, it will help stop it.”

AP, SAT, CAHSEE oh my!

Page 6: Keep exit exam easy, Olympian says

2

CVHS senior completes solo Indian classical dance debut

By Lily Carrell Editor-in-Chief

Anna Nguyen/Staff Writer

Violinist Matthew Major stuns the

crowd with his musical performance.

Talent show a magical moment

By Anna Nguyen

Staff Writer Following a week filled with explorers, babies and cartoon characters, second semester Spirit Week came to end with a bustling festival on Friday, March 28. Among all the booths and festivities waited nine acts, anxiously anticipating their performances in the second annual school talent show.

For the next hour and a half, audience members were entertained by a large variety of acts. From the belting notes of Susan Wang, to Matthew Major’s flawless violin runs, there was a little of everything, enough to keep the audience on the edges of their seats, eager for the next performance.

“All the acts were really good,” said sophomore Melissa Posada. “I especially liked AJ Prasad’s cover of Alicia Keys’ ‘If I Ain’t Got You.’” Prior to the show, performers had auditioned for their spot on the set list. From about 30 tryouts, a Leadership committee narrowed down the number of acts to the final performing groups.

“We held auditions in the choir room, where students performed for the committee,” explained sophomore class president Jessica Yin. “Then, after auditions, we discussed the acts and selected the performers that would put on the best and most diverse range of acts.”

For some, this show offered a chance to get on stage for the first time and have the experience of performing in front of an audience.

As vice president of Urbanize, Tim Hooker has had the opportunity to dance at multiple events, but saw the show as an enriching experience for the club’s underclassmen.

“I do a lot of big time performances, and I thought I should do something for the school,” Hooker said. “I came to represent the club, and give the lower members of the club their performance, their time to shine.”

When the show came to a close, the judges were faced with a difficult decision: choosing the winner.

With all of the outstanding performances, it was challenging to pick a single “superior” act.

“I was really impressed by everyone,” said judge Haley Pryde.

“I really liked the variety. There were a lot of surprising acts that just stole the scene.”

In the end, singer AJ Prasad came out victorious, with violinist Matthew Major taking second place and band Simple Effect placing third.

A silence fell over the crowd as the dynamic rhythm of the mridangam drum danced with the violin, accompanied by a soft yet compelling voice. As the orchestra continued to play, applause suddenly erupted in the audience as the dancer herself emerged from the wings. Friends and family members gathered in the Center for the Arts on Saturday, March 29 to celebrate senior Reema Kakaday’s solo Indian classical dance debut, known as her Bharatanatyam Arangetram.

Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest classical dance forms originating from Southern India. Through the conveyance of graceful movements and the orchestra’s melodious music, emphasis is placed on the spirituality and storytelling of the dance rather than solely on the technicalities. A student performs

her Arangetram after 11 to 13 years of training.

“I will never forget my first Bharatanatyam practice; at six years old I was convinced that the ancient art form was easy because all I learned was the simple Thatadava stamping step,” recalled Kakaday. “Boy, was I wrong! That was just the first step of a long journey filled with unimaginable hard work and dedication.”

Having danced jazz, tap, and other forms of dance since she was three, Kakaday joined the Nrithyollasa Dance Academy at the age of six and trained under Guru, Smt. Indumathy Ganesh.

Since then, she has participated in several of the Bharatanatyam academy’s productions across the Bay Area, as well as in other professional dance performances throughout California.

The performance itself began with a prayer to the Hindu god Ganesh, the remover of obstacles.

The prayer was then followed by

Bharatanjali, an offering to the Hindu pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. During Ganapati Shlokam, the dancer seeked the blessings of Ganesh (Lord Ganesha) and described him as a majestic figure whose splendor is that of one million suns. Next, the dancer demonstrated abstract dance movements in rhythmic patterns in Jathiswaram. Kakaday concluded the first half of the performance with Varnam, which is considered the most elaborate piece in the Bharatanatyam, where the dancer describes the great stories of Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

The second half of the performance featured dances such as Mahadeva Shiva Shambho, which captured Lord Shiva’s qualities of surpassing beauty, compassion, and mighty strength. In Maiya Mori, the dancer told the story of Mother Yashoda’s confrontation with Krishna about stealing butter, and Krishna, though after many

convincing stories, ultimately confesses. Bhavgeet: Phulale Re Kshan Maajhe featured the portrayal of a young bride who expressed her excitement and joy of falling in love for the first time. Considered the grand finale of an Arangetram, the Thillana displayed intricate footwork; the dancer concluded each segment by striking graceful poses.

From start to finish, Kakaday remained animated in her expression, delivering both a captivating and riveting performance. Even as the performance approached its two-hour end, Kakaday still gave a spirited portrayal of the various stories in each piece; through controlled movements, hand gestures, and even the way she directed her eyes, Kakaday’s diligence and profound passion for dance were evident.

“It didn’t take long for me to realize that I have never done anything as rigorous, or as satisfying, as this,” said Kakaday.

Hollywood star Anna Khaja visits her hometown

By Robbie Brandt & Karla Paredes Staff Writers

Have you ever had a dream but you weren’t sure that it would come true? Well Anna Khaja chose to believe in herself and followed her dream to become a professional actress.

In 1992, Khaja graduated from CVHS, where she acted in many plays such as “Diary of Anne Frank” in which she played the title role. She then attended UCLA where she majored in theater, film and television. Khaja taught as an acting teacher before becoming a professional actress, appearing in television shows like “True Blood” and plays including her own “Shaheed: The Dream and Death of Benazir Bhutto.”

Q: What is your favorite memory at CVHS? Khaja: My favorite experiences were doing the plays. I kind of lived and breathed the drama department here. Mrs. Russell was the head of it and at that point, we were performing in the cafeteria.

Playing Anne in “Anne Frank” was a big deal for me; I fought for that role. And playing the narrator in “Our Town” my senior year because the drama teacher said that it had to be cast as a male and I said, ‘No I’m auditioning anyway’ and she had to give it to me because she said I gave it the best audition--so that was nice.

Q: How did you transition into professional acting?

Khaja: Well I started kind of late.

I went to UCLA where I majored in theater, film and television. When I finished college, I became a drama teacher at a school for a couple of years and then I started thinking about it and I realized that I wanted a career in acting. I knew it was going to be difficult, but I knew it was my personal calling, so I did the work to pound the pavement, get an agent, get a manager, go to auditions, do plays, and one thing led to another. And I still have dreams. There is a lot more to be done in my career; I haven’t made

it to where I want to be yet.

Q: Please tell us about your play that you wrote and performed at our school.

Khaja: My play is called “Shaheed: The Dream and Death of Benazir Bhutto,” and I play eight characters; I’m the only actor in it.

I started writing it and performing it four years ago and I just performed it off Broadway for two months. It’s about the assassinated female prime minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto. It examines the true meaning of some Islamic words like “jihad,” which means to struggle within yourself between light and dark, and goodness and temptation, which a lot of religions deal with. It is called “Shaheed” because in Islam, suicide bombers call themselves “shaheed,” but what it really means is to die for your country for a great cause or to give your life for the sake of God. Q: Were you always interested in Pakistan’s history?

Khaja: I was. I am half Pakistani and I’m very Western; I had never been to Pakistan until I was older.

My father grew up in Pakistan and I was always curious to learn about this place where my father grew up, and what it was like, and what was going on over there. It’s also a very interesting country. It was formed as a democracy or a republic but still founded in the religion of Islam.

It’s a country that’s struggling to find its identity and footing, and to be a true democracy with a constitution that is followed that the people can depend on.

Q: Are there any drawbacks to being a big star, like paparazzi?

Khaja: (laughing) Well I’m not a big star! I don’t have that many drawbacks yet. I guess when you put your work out there, everybody has an opinion about it.

And they feel it’s their right to voice their opinion about it. You are choosing to make aspects of your life public so the public has a say. I’ve gotten some less than nice comments, and letters, and every

once in a while I’ll get little pieces of fan mail; it does not happen to me very often. I don’t think there are any drawbacks for me, but for actors with a superstar status, there are definitely drawbacks.

Q: What do you like best: movies, television, or theater?

Khaja: I enjoy them all. However I feel like you get more in depth with your character in theater.

It’s not like a film where you film one scene in front of a camera ten times; in theater you perform the same role every night and you actually feel more involved with the character.

Q: What advice would you offer a student in Castro Valley who aspires in a career in the arts?

Khaja: Here’s my advice to you: if there are several things that

you are passionate about, and you are equally or more passionate about something other than the arts, strongly consider pursuing that because there are going to be interesting roadblocks when you are an artist. You’re setting yourself up to put things that you’ve created in front of people and there will inevitably be some rejection and it’s difficult. There isn’t a lot of stability. You don’t exactly have a regular job with benefits and Social Security, and you don’t know where the next check is coming from and those are some of the prices that you pay or may pay for pursuing a career in the arts. But if it is the thing that you are most passionate about, then I say follow your passion, because ultimately, it will really fulfill you. It does me I don’t regret it at all because it happens to be the thing I am most passionate about. It’s my thing.

I am living my dream, even on days when an audition does not go well, like if it’s my worst day, I am still living my dream and that still means something.

Photo by

Robbie Brandt

The Olympian April 25, 2014

3

Students “Interact” for the benefit show Michaela Wood scouts for Gold Award

By Sally Liang Staff Writer

Area Two Interact students, consisting of club members and officers from Arroyo, Castro Valley, Hayward, Kipp King, Moreau Catholic, Mt. Eden, Redwood Christian, and San Leandro, worked together to host a benefit show with yet another amazing performer line-up. Filipino X Factor finalist Ellona Santiago, who is also known as the “Ichiban idol” in season three of American Idol, joined Interact on stage for an exclusive appearance at the group's concert on March 29 in San Leandro High Performing Arts Theater.

At age of 17, Santiago has accumulated fans from all over the world, becoming a sensation on YouTube with well over two million subscribers. Subsequently, upon Santiago’s achievement in her successful period on The X Factor show, her participation in providing footwear to impoverished children in developing countries incurs positive feedback over local communities. The mayor of San Lorenzo, Stephen Cassidy, has proclaimed Jan. 13, 2014 as “Ellona Santiago Day." The City Council has commended her for being an inspirational representative for the youth in striving to achieve her dreams and in making a difference worldwide.

Combing her mature sound and sophistication with her youthfulness, this pop singer attracts an audience of all ages. Santiago’s appearance on The X Factor show drew wide acclaim, with Simon Cowell remarking, “You are the girl I think I want to work with the most now in this competition.”

Performers brimming with talent graced the stage at the theater, in a display of fervor to empower changes, and came to help raise funds for the international project.

Sponsored by Trust in Education and Cool Tea Bar, performers included Monica Mendoza, Charlz Mendoza, Justine Sarmiento, Joshua Chang, Aaron Morales, and others have also joined the line-up for A2 Goes TIKI, a one night only concert to aid the annual club proj-

By Tyler Quan Staff Writer

Sally Liang / Staff Writer

Junior Monica Pidoy sings for the Interact benefit concert on March 29 at San Leandro High Performing Arts Theater. ect: The Answer is the Sun. “Both benefit concerts have been huge successes,” said Interact Vice President Kimberly Tang.

“This time we tried revolving our benefit concert around the theme: Area Two Goes Tiki and it seemed like guests had more fun. In the midst of a stressful school year, we provided a night in paradise. However, the ultimate goal of both our benefit concerts are to raise money towards sending solar ovens to the people in refugee camps over in Afghanistan and we've come closer to reaching our goal. Not only is our community watching a great show, but they're helping and learning about a great cause.”

The event, which will contribute its proceeds to the The Answer is the Sun, aims to raise funds to support the refugee families in Afghanistan whose lives have been affected by nearby wood fires. Smoke inhalation strikes Afghanistan, destroying around two million lives each year.

The concert alone, from ticket and intermission sales, raised a total of $2,035 and surpassed the halfway mark in the fundraising goal to raise $77,550 in support of the project. By end of the upcoming summer, Interact District 5170 plans on sending 5,170 solar powered ovens to Afghanistan refugee camps, providing families with a sustainable and more affordable

source of energy.

“We are creating solar cookers, which will help the families to be able to cook and drink water environmentally friendly,” said Mariko Stenstedt, the international coordinator.

The project itself rooted in hope and was inspired by Interact spirit and vivacity. Adversities in third world countries may often seem a million miles away from reality individuals perceive today, but when a crisis occurs it affects humanity as a whole. By lending efforts to this appeal, Interact is expressing loyalty not only to people of Afghanistan, but to humankind.

Aside from the benefit concert, a sequence of Interact events made a positive impact for youth, not only in communities but worldwide; simultaneously, the club will continue to inspire the uninspired and convey its core value.

“As an officer, it is my goal to inspire members that do not know about Interact,” added Mark Gruzman, treasurer and the host of the benefit show. “We host events such as concerts and charity dinners to raise money, but at the same time we also hope that these events are a chance for members to augment global understanding and render unselfish service under reflection of our service above self motto.

Every Interactor truly makes a difference on a global level.”

Poetry Slam dunks Trojan talent

By Adrianna Vandiver Staff Writer

Adrianna Vandiver / Staff Writer

Junior Ryan Lawrence recites his poem before the audience.

With over 28 skilled competitors and a single round elimination, the Poetry Slam contest only accepted the top five into the final round, and only the top three placed.

The event was judged by teachers and other school officials, like Josh Wheeler, Jason Bayani, Josh Linville, Ian Rodriguez and Kathy Clarke.

After close to a dozen high school poets performed, a halftime show featuring Matthew Major playing the violin gave everyone a nice treat. Then, the last poets presented and continued to wow the audience. Finally, the top five contestants were chosen: Winley Schooler, Ray Marenco, Amaya Jenkins, Moses Teixeira, and Mack Woodfox.

All the finalists presented their second poems for evaluation.

They all did their best, but the emerging victors were Woodfox, Jenkins, and Teixeira, winning third, second, and first place, respectively.

Motivated and devoted to the Girl Scouts and the community, 17-year-old Michaela Wood received the Girl Scouts Gold Award. When she received the good news, she was surprised and felt honored to receive an award for which she always believed she had a long way to go.

"I've known about the award for a long time already, but I've always saw it as a far-fetched idea," said Wood. “I was really surprised when I heard.”

Although she thought that was the case, it was obvious that she was on her way to the high skies of scouting. This was not the first award that she had received from Girl Scouts. She has received the Bronze Award for babysitting, and the Silver Award for planning camp activities.

The Gold Award was usually awarded to older Girl Scouts who created projects that were long lasting and effective. Wood’s winning idea hit her when she was riding a bike around Lake Chabot where she noticed the joy and ease of biking, prompting her project topic.

"This project will encourage people to live healthy and happy lives by riding their bikes," said Wood.

That idea was called "Bikes for Life." Wood decided to collect bikes to donate to a company called Street Level Cycles, located in Berkeley. Street Level Cycles holds classes teaching people

Stephanie Huerta/ Feature Editor

Junior Michaela Wood smiles for The Olympian. how to make bikes and selling bikes at a reduced prices. Profits then go to funding the classes and enlightening people about bikes.

Her first step to execute the plan is teaching young students about bike safety at Proctor Elementary School on May 4. On the very next day, she will collect the bikes at Castro Valley Library’s parking lot to prepare to donate the bikes to Street Level Cycles.

On May 10, Wood will host a community bike ride at Lake Chabot. With her Girl Scouts troop, her friend's dad and Street Level Cycles supporting her, she is motivated to finish the project and find a business to carry on her project.

"So many people in the community don't have the proper supplies to make a bike. I just want people to ride their bikes and stay healthy," said Wood.

"I know it is going to be a lot of work, but in the end, it will all be worth the effort."

Teen One-Acts impresses teen many

By Matt Talajkowski News Editor

As the lights of the theater dimmed, high school students from all around the Bay Area came to the stage to present their annual Teen One-Act Festival, a production put on by the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre every year. The show features high school students in every role, allowing teens to get the full theater experience. From the playwrights to the producer, only teens were allowed to audition for the One-Act plays.

Two such teens were Castro Valley juniors named Maya Para and Anna Talajkowski.

The One-Acts program is designed to bring teens together from different parts of the Bay Area and teach them about theater. Giving every role to teens gives them the unique experience of forming their own play without adult interference,” said Para.

The first play was written

by Chloe Christina Smith and featured Alexander Panagos as the main character Allen.

Allen, a middle aged man with no family or friends, is visited

by Death, played by Maya Para.

While pleading for his life, she allows him five days to live out his bucket list, and at completion, he won’t be taken to the

afterlife.

Unfortunately, at the end of his list he fails, and as Death comes to greet him, he knows he will be taken away. When Death and Allen finally arrive at hell, he realizes he is in his own home again. As Death leaves, he is left to realize that his life had been hell before he had even departed.

The second play was based in a 1930s hotel. Lead actor David Kaus played a bellboy who quickly became attached to an older woman who was staying at the hotel with her daughter.

Only trying to help, he intrudes and soon becomes involved in a cloud of mysteries. Finally, at the end he realizes the extraordinary wealth the old woman has in possession, but it is too late. The daughter kills her mother in order to receive her portion of the will, only to learn the old woman has left everything to the bell boy.

The Teen One-Acts festival will be featured again to all students who wish to audition next year. The Berkeley Rep School of Theatre will also be featuring other programs throughout the year.

“I think people should support theater,” said Para. “Not only the Teen One-Acts, but our school arts program as well.”

How can we

sexual assault?

Schools working to improve sexual assault policies

By Rachel Du Staff Writer

The University of California updated its sexual assault policies to clearly define consent, require that assault prevention programs be available to all employees and students, and entitle survivors to know the possible consequences that can be dealt to their offenders. This was prompted by the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act signed by President Barack Obama last year and the recent outcries at universities like Berkeley and Dartmouth for

allegedly mishandling sexual assault cases.

“An estimated one in five women is sexually assaulted at college – and that’s totally unacceptable.

So I’ve created the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. We’re going to help schools do a better job of preventing and responding to sexual assault on their campuses,” stated Obama in his weekly address of Jan. 25.

According to the new UC policies, consent is informed, voluntary, revocable, and cannot be given if the person is incapacitated.

Graduate becomes advocate for survivors and reform

“Consent is an affirmative, unambiguous, and conscious decision by each participant to engage in mutually agreedupon sexual activity,” the policy states. “It must be given without coercion, force, threats, or intimidation.”

Furthermore, the survivors are able to know beforehand what their attackers face as opposed to before when they could only know what the punishment was after it was dealt. When a university administration receives

By Anna Talajkowski Business Manager

POLICIES: Page 8

Health classes cover topic, but is that enough?

By Alison Dhont Staff Writer

Sexual assault is more common than it should be, but it does not have to be this way.

Health teachers teach a section in their classrooms about sexual abuse and rape, but all teachers think that just one section is not enough. Health is a freshman class, and it is only one semester long.

“They forget so much by the time they are seniors,” said health teacher Jean Emrich. “Even if they have learned it before. Health is really the only class in which we can discuss this.”

Even though sexual assault is not a huge part of the curriculum, all health teachers try to make it a

section that really hits harder than the rest.

“I try to explain to my students that at any point, a ‘yes’ can become a ‘no,’” said health teacher Sue Anderson. “That if their body says ‘yes,’ it does not mean that they say ‘yes.’”

“I always try to show differences in gender, but by also keeping them equal,” said Carol Dixon, CVHS anatomy and physiology teacher.

With only one class to teach about sexual abuse, students are less aware about what kinds of things are considered sexual abuse.

Anderson pointed out an interesting fact about the abuse of genders that many students are not aware of.

“Rape can only happen to a

woman. Many people may say that a man was raped, but that is not the correct term for it. A male can be sexually abused, but rape is a word that can only describe forced vaginal intercourse,” said Anderson.

The topic of sexual abuse can be difficult to talk about. It can be awkward and uncomfortable, but it is a topic we all have to learn in order to avoid any occurrences in the future. It is a very real problem that, unfortunately, many students have to deal with.

“I wish we could have programs,” said Dixon. “Programs like Every 15 Minutes to talk solely on the topic of rape and touching. That would be very useful to our students... We all need to work on this.”

Grace Moon/ Staff Writer

“We need to empower victims of sexual assault”

By Evan Kwong Online Editor

An average of 237,868 sexual assaults occur each year, according to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN). If you do the math, that’s one case of assault every two minutes. Shockingly, 60 percent of all assaults go un-

reported, and 97 percent of all rapists will not sit behind bars.

Sexual assault is the act of threatening, pressuring, or forcing an unconsenting individual into sexual engagement, or engaging in any unwanted sexual touching. The huge gap between reported and unreported cases is likely the result of the way we view this form of treatment.

In cases where a female is a victim of sexual assault, American culture teaches us to automatically assume it’s probably her fault. We first ask ourselves, “what was she wearing?” and then resolve to believe her choice to wear a skirt that might have been too short is what caused her to get harassed.

Then, if she was supposedly “flirting” with her predator, she probably provoked his or her

actions. The patriarchy wants us to believe that it is always the woman’s fault that men can’t control their hormones and sexual urges.

On the other hand, for male victims, the circumstance tends to be belittled because (a) he apparently should’ve enjoyed the situation and (b) the situation isn’t as common as a woman getting harassed.

Culture teaches us that if a man is harassed, he should’ve grown a pair and stood up for himself because he’s a man, and therefore, strong enough to handle the situation.

Both scenarios teach people that victims of assault do not deserve closure because it was their fault that they got assaulted. Females should not act or dress provocatively, and males should exhibit

manliness by enjoying the treatment or telling his pursuer off.

We teach people, especially young adolescents and students, that being a victim of assault was, is, or will be their fault, and do not show that being the harasser is wrong.

In my personal experience learning about sexual assault, I was taught once about the topic in middle school. During an assembly, we were told that assaulting someone would get you thrown in prison if you’re reported. Thus ends my schooltaught knowledge of the consequences of sexual assault. There was no information about the depression, anger, or insecurity that victims of sexual assault react with. Nor did I learn about how victims may experience drops in academic or work performance, and may even withdraw from

school or work.

The amount of applause victims receive for reporting sexual assault is extremely unlike the how at fault they’re perceived as. The 60 percent statistic shows how American culture does almost nothing to denounce sexual harassment among peers and colleagues.

It shows tolerance for a kind of disrespect that shouldn’t be tolerated. But what’s even better than more reports is if the number of cases dropped to zero because of an absence of sexual assault. A change is needed, and we need to encourage and empower victims of sexual assault to report their cases, and teach people that harassment does more than send them to prison; it’s psychologically detrimental to their victims.

Three years ago, Sarah Gilchriese was ready to graduate from CVHS. In her four years, she had been on the track and field team and a part of The Olympian staff since she was a sophomore. Even in the last months of being a high school student, she was motivated to finish off her senior year strong.

Today, Gilchriese has spurred a federal investigation occurring at her college, the University of Colorado Boulder, concerning the violation of Title IX, an educational amendment that prohibits school campuses from having a hostile environment. She is, in fact, the reason it occurred at all.

Last February, Gilchriese was sexually assaulted by a fellow Boulder student. She turned to the university, which has a disciplinary system separate from state law enforcement.

“There’s a really big difference between the university and the police,” explains Gilchriese.

“What universities typically do is interview the two parties, so they interview the person who makes the statement and says ‘I was the victim of the crime’ and then they interview the other person and interview witnesses if there are some.

The proof level is a lot different.”

The process, known as 50 percent and a feather, is standard procedure at universities. Although assaulters do not receive any legal repercussions through the system, those like Gilchriese’s rapist can be

persecuted in a matter of months, not years as through local police.

The university found Gilchriese’s attacker guilty of “non-consensual sexual intercourse” (the school is not allowed the use the word “rape,” as it is considered a criminal term.) After discovering her attacker violated several policies in the school’s code of conduct, the university decided he would have to do three things: pay a $75 fine, write a five to ten page “reflection paper,” and be suspended for eight months. He was not required to attend sexual harassment counseling, a sanction that would have required him to be cleared by an advisor before returning to the university.

Removing the rapist from campus took the university another four and a half weeks, during which time Gilchriese says he was allowed to stay within the boundaries of the college, attend class, and play his club sport.

With the stark reality of having her attacker back at the university

by December 2013, Gilchriese was forced to take more drastic action in order to stop him from returning for the next two years she would be on campus. She applied for and was granted a permanent protection order (PPO) by the state of Colorado, which prevents her assaulter from coming within 100 yards of her and the CU Boulder campus, even after she has graduated. Yet her security came with a literal price, one much higher than that paid by her attacker.

Gilchriese’s story is not uncommon; in CU Boulder’s 138 year history, only one person has been

expelled for sexual assault. He subsequently appealed and was allowed to graduate. And even though Gilchriese had managed to stop her attacker from ever coming in contact with her again, the ordeals required to make it happen had come with months of financial and emotional burden. It was at this point that she contacted her local Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and CU Boulder became one of the over 30 universities currently being investigated by the federal government for violation of Title IX. When Gilchriese spurred the investigation, she was faced with a decision: to remain anonymous or share her story with the media.

Ultimately Gilchriese decided to make herself public, and in doing so made herself a face of the growing resistance against the current treatment and discussion of rape at universities.

“The more publicity you get for your case, the more the university has to counteract it,” she said.

Since her announcement, Gilchriese’s story has been picked up by news organizations like Huffington Post, and stirred up nationwide controversy, with many voicing outrage at the situation and some donors refusing to support the university. The students’ response, however, was very different.

“People really don’t care, which is the sad part,” says Gilchriese. “I think a lot of people live in ignorance (of the situation).”

GILCHRIESE: Page 8

“Social stigma blurs the idea of consent”

By Lauren Jelks Photo Editor

In eighth grade, I read a book called Speak by Laurie Anderson. It was about a 13-year-old girl who went to a party, met a boy…and woke up dazed, realizing she had been raped. While the book was a haunting read, one thing that really disturbed

me was a Q&A section in the back. Anderson answers FAQ’s, and there is one question that caught my eye.

“Why is the main character mad she got raped?”

The question was from a teenage boy. While I was flabbergasted that it was even wondered, Anderson described how many young men aren’t aware of a woman’s right to say ‘no,’ based on the media around them and the social atmosphere they’ve grown up in. This book was my first introduction to the world of rape culture, and rape itself.

So, what is rape? Rape is the act of nonconsensual physical force upon another, involving penetration of any kind. In the US, one in six women are raped. Eighty percent of vic-

tims are raped by someone they know, and 83 percent of victims are under the age of 25. In short, rape is an epidemic that affects millions of men, women, and children worldwide.

While rape is vile enough, for the roughly 16 percent of victims who choose to step forward and report their rape, they are asked humiliating questions about what they were wearing, how much they had to drink, and if they fought back. This is rape culture. It’s the idea that if a woman is out drunk at night in a skirt, it’s her fault if someone takes advantage of her. It blames the victims for placing themselves in situations where we have been taught not to. This societal taboo leaves many rape victims not wanting to report rape, with no imprisonment of

their rapist.

While rape stigma blames the victims, rape is fully the fault of the rapist. Rape is the fault of those who know someone cannot make responsible decisions, and takes advantage.

Rape is the fault of those who do not stop when asked, and don’t understand that ‘no’ means ‘no.’ In other words, rape is the fault of those who do not ask for consent and/ or ignore the idea of consent altogether.

In many ways, social stigma blurs the idea of consent. We ask how much the victim had to drink, instead of apprehending the criminal. We ask if they clearly stated “no,” instead of gathering information that could lead to a successful trial against the rapist. While personal consent differs between

people (I may give consent in a different way than someone else), the basic idea is the same-the respectful understanding that an escalation of sexual activity is mutual and wanted.

While individuals may express it in different ways, consent will always be given, and if someone wants to stop, it will be expressed.

Today, society teaches us to blame those who have been raped. It teaches us to ignore the rapist, and focus on the activities of the victims. But this flawed thinking does not prevent rape. It only hurts those who have been sexually assaulted, leads to a faulty distinction of which actions are acceptable and which aren’t, and causes rape culture to accumulate and grow, which hurts us all.

6

No more test stress: exit exam should not be harder

Editorial: The California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) is taken by all high school students throughout California in order to receive their diplomas. The test indicates whether or not students have reached grade level skills in writing, reading and math.

At CVHS, students excel on this achievement test, with over a whopping 90% pass rate. Although the passing rates are high at CVHS, we at The Olympian believe that the CAHSEE should remain the same test with no further modifications in order to make the test harder.

Some believe that the CAHSEE is too easy and there should be adjustments made to make the test harder. With a harder test, students may be more inclined to study for the CAHSEE and do well. However, as high school students, the last thing we need is a harder test.

With an overwhelming amount of tests high school students take, such as the new SBAC, some suggest that the CAHSEE should match the new Common Core standards. We could also consolidate the CAHSEE with the SBAC test so students take fewer tests.

Although the idea of taking less tests is appealing, we also have to take into the account that making the CAHSEE harder may lower passing rates and stop students from earning diplomas.

The high passing rate for the CAHSEE does not mean the test is easy to everybody. Special education students have to take it as well, and for visually impaired, geometry and math is difficult. Students are also given the opportunity to take the tests six other times until they pass.

Instead of making the CAHSEE harder, we should help that 10 percent that doesn’t pass. We need to help and motivate students to

succeed in school, not implement a harder test that hinders students from graduating high school.

The CAHSEE is designed so students can pass and graduate high school with their diplomas. A regular high school student has to worry about the SAT/ACT, Common Core, and AP tests. Taking AP classes already demonstrates that students are capable of collegelevel work and excel in grade level skills in reading, writing, and reading.

With an overwhelming amount of work required for students to pass high school and prepare for college, making the test harder will cause additional and unnecessary stress for students.

We at The Olympian believe that the CAHSEE should not be made into a harder test. Instead, the test should remain the same level of difficulty, helping students graduate high school instead of failing or dropping out of school.

Words mean more than you think

By Tyler Macias Staff Writer

Lately at school, I’ve been hearing that people hate other students at CVHS because of a rumor they heard that was spreading around. The rumor usually was very hateful and disturbing, such as calling others a slut or a whore. But have you ever taken the time to see if that person is really what everyone says?

I was told that people I knew were hated because of some rumor. This rumor consists of these very harsh and hurtful words: “She’s a little slut because she went messing around with so many people,” or a more commonly heard comment, like, “She’s a slut… that’s what everyone says.” Instead of judging the victim by the rumors, I asked her about it to see what it was all about, soon realizing that the people who were spreading

rumors were wrong. The person they were discussing is one of the most interesting individuals I have ever met, and it’s horrible that one person can change someone’s image.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “treat someone the way you want to be treated?” Well, the people who merely criticize instead of finding out whether the rumor is true or not should really keep this phrase in mind.

What if you were being called harsh names behind your back?

How would you feel?

Most people don’t understand how it feels to be called things because they are usually the ones spreading the rumors. It wasn’t just one of my friends that had this rumor stick to them, there were many. All innocent, all very kind people that didn’t deserve the way they were treated. For many people, when they say something sarcastically, it may not mean much to them. But for the other person having to hear this, it can change the way they view themselves.

Making a little joke to one person can mean a whole lot more to another. But don’t just take my word for it; consider reading the book 13 Reasons Why, a story that talks about 13 reasons why someone committed suicide, all of which revolve around this girl because of some rumors that weren’t even true. Just think, what if you made a sarcastic remark to

someone and then having that be one of the reasons they killed themselves? How much of an impact would that have on you?

Many people are affected by rumors and every person takes rumors differently. Will you believe or leave? Believe it and treat the person being lied about horribly, or leave the conversation and actually try to understand the person being lied about. Perhaps people simply misunderstood what happened, or it is a lie. Teenagers sometimes commit suicide because of rumors, friends that betray them, or because people perceive them differently and it ultimately sends them into deep depression. Why would you want someone to suffer through depression and have suicidal thoughts? Be careful with what you say because it can ultimately end someone’s life, and is spreading a rumor ever worth that?

Statistics have shown that around 800,000 to one million people die from suicide per year, making it the tenth leading cause of death worldwide.

However, there is an estimate of 10 million non-fatal suicidal attempts. Attempts are more common with young people and in females. If you feel like you are suicidal and need help, call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or 1-800-273TALK.

PHOTOpinions By: Eva Chen

“I feel like for the CAHSEE, I have to study a lot in order to pass because it’s a really big test.”

Ally Vega, freshman

“The CAHSEE was a little too easy for getting out of high school.”

Taylor Wade, sophomore

Karla Paredes /Staff Writer

Seize the best opportunities that appear

By Leia Saelee A&E Editor

Do names like Harvard, Yale, Stanford or Duke ring a bell? They should. These colleges are the best in America. This is where you find the most successful, top-notch, cream of the crop people who are noted for their achievements and excellent academia. Prestigious and selective, these universities get students nationwide and worldwide competing for admission.

Lately, the question I am asked most is, “Where are you planning to go to college?” Just the thought of college gives me anxiety, but I usually answer, “The best school that will take me.” In all honesty, my list was ordered based on how U.S. News ranked the schools to which I applied. This is bad considering some of them did not have strong programs in my chosen major and I still placed them higher on my list because of their prestige, though they aren’t nearly

as acclaimed as any Ivy League universities.

My heart goes out to my fellow seniors. The past months have been filled with crushed hopes and dreams as I hear one person after another receiving multiple college rejection letters left and right.

Many tears had been spilt over hours of applications, essays, and taking chances to stand out. Many feel that their efforts have gone to waste, including myself.

With a change of heart, I have come to realize these applications were not a waste, but rather an investment for a chance to gain an education that paves the way for a better future; each and every one of them being another opportunity that someone, somewhere, would kill for. To be able to take the SAT, to fill out an application and to actually qualify for higher education is a privilege in itself. We should be grateful to be granted with the education that kids in other countries fight for from the day they can hold a pencil.

My point being: the name of a school should never matter, only that you take the best opportunities in your path and never let a rejection block your way. To bear the name of a prestigious school is like wearing a fancy brand name.

Whether you attend Harvard Law School or Las Positas Community College, keep in mind that hard work and dedication beats talent any day.

What is your opinion of the exit exam?

“CAHSEE is a fairly easy test. It’s fair because you need to know a sufficient amount of math and they give you an opportunity to take it again.”

Deric Van Damme, junior

“I think the CAHSEE is a poor measure of a high schooler’s success. We need a different test that’s a better indicator with more critical and analytical thinking.”

Andrew Fox, senior

7

Superhero sequel among Marvel’s best

For food and fun, Campo Di Bocce

By Robbie Brandt Staff Writer

Imagine yourself as a super soldier who has woken up 70 years in the future; all of your friends and loved ones are gone and everything around you has changed.

Now imagine yourself as this same super soldier but only this time you’ve saved New York from an ancient alien race; and you’ve met other heroes like yourself, and now you work for a secret government agency.

But still something is missing from your life.

Then you discover your best friend is alive but working for the opposite agency you helped destroy; that is what is going on in the life of Steve Rogers, or Captain America, in his new film.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier puts Captain America,

By Daniel Witte Staff Writer

Leia Saelee / A&E Editor

played by Chris Evans, against his greatest foe, the Winter Soldier or Bucky Barnes, played

by Sebastian Stan. He’s Cap’s best friend from 70 years ago.

Even worse, though, is that the Winter Soldier is working for H.Y.D.R.A., an agency thought to have been destroyed. Luckily for Captain America, he won’t be fighting his new foe alone, as he has the Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson, Nick Fury played by Samuel L.

Jackson, and a new ally called Falcon, played by Anthony Mackie, to help him out.

Overall I’d give this film five out of five stars. The action scenes were incredible, the acting was perfect, and it had a little touch of humor in it that made this film even better. This film was one of Marvel’s greatest successes and one of the few sequels that is better than the original and makes it worth watching again and again.

Customers fall for Snowflake

By Grace Moon Staff Writer

It’s Saturday night, and the place is buzzing, jam packed with people from wall to wall.

A line inches its way out of the door. Families, couples, friends talk amongst themselves, either sitting at tables or standing in the doorway, waiting to be seated.

Amongst this hectic craze, you can feel the anticipation of the customers waiting for their order to come out, and you wonder what on earth they could possibly waiting for.

When suddenly, a big bowl of Snowflake’s famous shaved ice is placed in front of you. A round bowl is filled with a towering

mountain of green shaved ice, covered with fruit, red bean, mochi, popping boba, and drizzled with either condensed milk or whipped cream. Two or three spoons are delicately placed alongside the bowl, and everyone around you whips out their phones to take a picture and post it on Instagram, because this isn’t just a bowl of shaved ice; it’s a work of art.

Snowflake, located on Dublin Boulevard, is both a dinner and dessert cafe of great popularity.

Though it’s a small and cramped space, Snowflake is definitely worth the wait to dive into one of their dinner plates or desserts that include sweet and savory crepes and shaved ice of different flavors. Skimming through their dinner menu, you can see they offer dishes that range from the ordinary House French Toast and Marinated Chicken Wings to the delectable Pork Spareribs with

Black Bean Sauce Rice Clay Pot and Rock Cod Spaghetti, all for a price of less than $20.

However, Snowflake is known best for its fabulous desserts, especially shaved ice platters, or better known as “le snowflakes.”

Some personal customer favorites include the Tropic Mango, a plate that comes with mango, litchi coco, yogurt, popping boba, mango sauce, and rainbow sprinkles.

Another is the Milk Tea, composed of red bean, mini mochi, litch coco, chocolate crispy pear, and condensed milk. And try the Pink Lady, a shaved ice dish with strawberry sauce, strawberries, litchi coco, passion fruit, popping boba, and rainbow sprinkles.

If you and your friends or family ever need a place to go to eat and spend time with one another, or even grace your Instagram feed with a gorgeous photo of a platter of food, Snowflake is the place to be.

Jobs works its way to the top

By Karla Paredes Staff Writer

Over the weekend I had the pleasure to watch Jobs, a movie directed by Joshua Michael Stern.

The movie follows the life of the great Steve Jobs, co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple, from his college years to the introduction to the iPod in 2001.

As teenagers, we tend to automatically think of our phones when thinking of Jobs. I know I have. Jobs gave me a look behind Apple and all its magnificent history.

I came across this film on Netflix and thought I’d give it a try. In the film, we are given Jobs’ best and worst moments. We see the hardships that came with Apple’s giant success and the friendships that were lost along the way.

Jobs is played by Ashton Kutcher, who did such an amazing job.

From the way Jobs walked to the way he looked into people’s eyes,

Kutcher played Jobs as if he had been following him around for years. It’s amazing the things an actor can do to commemorate a figure such as Steve Jobs.

Now, after seeing the movie, I am in awe of Jobs and what he created for us. He made us part of his imagination and I know that his legacy will affect millions.

I was surprised to see mixed reviews on Jobs. Every detail was perfectly positioned to see what the director’s vision of Jobs was.

This is definitely one of my favorite all time films and I couldn’t recommend it more.

If you are looking for a good time with your friends and family, go to Campo Di Bocce. This Italian restaurant and bocce ball court is located in Livermore at 175 E. Vineyard Ave. Although this is an Italian restaurant, they serve many other things, such as a wide variety of burgers including lamb, beef and fish.

Whether you want to play a fun game or simply enjoy a good meal and some entertainment, this is your place. As you eat, you can sit and watch the players in the courts. As with most games, the more experienced players will win.

If you want to play a game, you must reserve a court for whatever time you want. When you make your reservation, you can request an indoor or outdoor court. Typically, people will reserve a court for an hour.

When you get to your court, the staff members are very kind. If you

ask for tips on how to roll your ball, they are willing to show you how to do so. When I explained that I was blind and needed tactile help, they were very willing to adapt to my needs. This is especially handy if you are a big winner!

The nice thing about the courts is that there is a five-inch wall around them, which is helpful because the ball must stay in your court rather than going into someone else's. As a blind person, this makes the game fair.

The scoring device is also really interesting. It consists of sticks that slide along a cable. To make it easy for everyone, including blind people, there are notches for the different numbers on the scoreboard. Besides this, each team gets their own cable which means they only have to worry about where their stick is.

One of the best things is that there are tables surrounding the indoor courts. If you want to have drinks while you play, you can simply set your drink on the table next to the fence.

One of the other great amenities this place has to offer is a fireplace.

There are many fireplaces indoors and outdoors where people can sit and watch the game while they eat.

Badminton team beats Hayward, 13-2

By Suzanna Chak Opinion Editor

Reema Kakaday/ Editor-in-Chief

Connie Mac lunges towards the birdie.

After a flurry of birdies and swinging rackets, the CVHS badminton team successfully crushed Hayward High 13-2 on Thursday, April 10.

“The team is working hard.

Their passion and dedication has led us to winning our second place title. We are one game away from out first place,” said senior Andrew Fox. “Our game went really well,” said senior Christina Truong. “It felt like all our practice paid off.

Despite the rumors that warned us that the other team improved a lot, we still came out strong.”

“We gave a pretty strong team

all-around. Our JV ones were playing their varsity threes. They won most their matches, which shows the quality of our team,” said assistant coach Robert Patrick.

The team has been having strong season so far, with nine wins and one loss.

For Patrick, it has been a great experience coaching and has exposed him to a different side of the school.

Teddy Yau is the new head coach, and the school has been supporting the team a lot. There is new equipment on order from Britain that is stuck in customs.

Good luck to the badminton team as the Trojans strive for the first place spot in the league.

8

Tennis team grabs gold

Callie Ross-Smith/ Staff Writer

Freshman Thomas Faustka serves the ball over the net in a win against Arroyo.

B o u n d i n g B r i l l i a n t Ba l l e r s Luke Busby/ Staff Writer

Jordan Huey, freshman

Jordan Huey truly stands out as a talented individual on the freshman baseball team’s lineup. He has been playing baseball in the Castro Valley Little League since age five, as well as playing on various competitive travelling teams.

Huey plays third base and outfield, aside from being excellent offensively. He owes his success to his intense work ethic. He is always seizing opportunities to learn and apply his knowledge.

On top of being a tremendous athlete and baseball player, Huey is an awesome, kind person who will say “Hello” if you see him in the halls here on campus.

Stephen Bray, sophomore Stephen Bray is the epitome of a standout student athlete. A sophomore playing on our school’s junior varsity baseball team, Bray is also very proud of his accomplishments in the classroom, achieving a 4.3 GPA. He strives to be the best baseball player he can be, keeping up with the hard work required to play at a high level since the age of five.

Bray has high hopes for success in the future, hoping to get into a good college and possibly even continue playing baseball.

Graduate becomes advocate for reform GILCHRIESE: from page 5 Gilchriese now focuses on educating incoming college students on issues of sexual assault and consent to prevent situations like hers from occurring again.

“People talk to me after (speaking publicly) and say, ‘Your story sounds so similar to mine but I didn’t think it was assault,’” said Gilchriese.

“Part of the education process is when you say what consent

is not. People realize ‘Oh, if I’m drunk or if I don’t say an enthusiastic yes it’s not consent.’”

And even though education in college is a first step, Gilchriese believes the way to effectively create change is to teach high school students, in the years when many of the mindsets and experiences are developed about sex.

“You need to start a conversation,” said Gilchriese. “Having education in high school starts that conversation.”

Ryan Lawrence, junior

Amanda Leung, senior

Ryan Lawrence is a stellar student athlete with mad skills on the track. A junior this year, Lawrence competes in the hurdle and high jump, and has been a member of our school’s track and field team since freshman year, his first year ever running track.

Last year, he placed second in both the 110 yard hurdles and the 300 yard hurdles at the toptier frosh-soph championship meet.

While achieving such success in track, Lawrence manages to get a 3.8 GPA and takes his education very seriously. After high school, while Lawrence doesn’t plan on running track, he looks forward to continuing his education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Amanda Leung is not just any swimmer. She is the leader of the team, picked by her teammates to be captain. Leung has been swimming competitively since her fourth grade days in summer league, but also enjoys a leisurely dip in the pool from time to time.

She participates in the backstroke, relays, individual medley, and the butterfly. Always challenging her limits, Leung accomplished an amazing feat by dropping her 100-yard freestyle by a whopping five seconds.

Next year, Leung plans on going to Northwestern University as a biology major, and has considered keeping up her swimming on a club team. Look for Leung in the pool as the season continues.

Schools working to improve policies POLICIES: from page 4

a written report of the assault, it sends back another report to the the survivor stating his/her options to report to either the local or campus police and to change living and/or transportation situations and stating the survivor’s rights in regards to restraining and protection orders.

Universities may also support victims by allowing for them to repeat coursework without penalty, providing counseling, or changing house assignments.

The new policies require that administrators and employees report more types of violence, which includes stalking, domestic violence, gender expression/

sexual orientation discrimination, and any violation of the federal law Title IX, which states that students cannot be discriminated against based on gender.

A Title IX officer oversees the reports and determines whether to undergo a formal investigation based on if the accused has had prior complaints against him/her and the severity of the allegation. If the perpetrator is deemed guilty, he/she is expelled.

The same goes for CVHS. Firstoffenses result in a five-day suspension, a police report filed, and a recommendation for expulsion.

“We refer to law enforcement anytime a crime like that occurs on campus,” said Assistant

Principal Matt Steinecke. “There are two avenues: school and law enforcement. We work hand in hand but pursue expulsion as a school.”

While the penal code might stop for law enforcement if they do not have enough evidence, the school can continue the investigation.

“If we can prove this person attempted assault, that can be grounds for expulsion,” said Steinecke, though the perpetrator might not get arrested.

“The offender should be arrested and tried legally, depending on the severity of it, because it’s not fair for the victim to have suffered and not the criminal,” said junior Mika Lucas.