April 26, 2013

Pg. 2

The math of our existence

Reflecting on the need for decency

VOLUME 56, ISSUE 9

Pg. 7

Softball team beats Lancers

CVHS wins intense game 14-6

APRIL 26, 2013

Kyndle’s Disciples win tourney

Pg. 8

Team wins by razor-thin 23-22

CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546

WWW.CVHSOLYMPIAN.COM

Same-sex marriage supporters hope for DOMA’s demise Supreme Court could toss Prop. 8

By Reyna Garcia Copy Editor

Marriage is an institution that is sacred to the vast majority of Americans, but a large percentage of Americans cannot marry the ones they love. Due to the passage of Proposition 8 in California, gays and lesbians cannot marry here. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) passed in 1996 prevents the federal government from recognizing samesex marriages even in states that permit them.

The Supreme Court heard challenges to both laws in March and is expected to rule on them in June. No one is certain what the court will do.

English teacher Amanda Staab married during the window in which same-sex marriage was legal in California. She and her wife have a daughter.

“I will get to do my taxes differently,” said Staab laughingly about what she would do when DOMA was repealed.

Rix Linayao ASB president

Kate Pellegrini / Editor-in-Chief

Gay marriage supporters rally in San Francisco to protest DOMA and Prop. 8.

She stressed that even though it would be great and her marriage would “gain a legitimacy,” there would still be homophobia.

Same sex marriage in California has long been an on and off affair. In 2004, former mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom

and other officials began the issuing of same-sex marriage licenses. A few months later, California’s Supreme Court ordered San Francisco to stop issuing licenses to same-sex couples while it held hearings regarding the legality of same sex marriages.

In August of 2004 the California Supreme Court ruled that the same-sex marriages performed

by San Francisco would be void.

In March, a rally was held in San Francisco to protest DOMA. Local activist Leah Nadel had strong opinions about the sub-

Jennie Hankins ASB vice president

Stephanie Panko ASB secretary

Alejandro Gonzalez ASB treasurer

class vice president and currently is ASB school board representative. Of many promises, Linayao’s main goal for next school year is to represent the student opinion.

“Right now I feel that the activities we have only reach out to a select group of people, and I want to change that,” said Linayao. “I want everyone here to feel welcome and excited about our activities.”

Linayao also hopes to boost the second semester spirit week.“I want it to be just as big as homecoming,” he said.

Another officer who will return to ASB next year is Jennie Han-

kins, who will fill the position of ASB vice president. Hankins is the current junior class vice president and also the head of the club Autism Speaks. For next year, Hankins wants to focus not on making promises but on taking action.

“My campaign is not about promises but about my commitment, my experience, and the passion that I have to offer,” said Hankins. “We are all part of this Castro Valley High family.”

Also joining this year’s winners are Stephanie Panko, elected as ASB secretary, Alejandro Gonzalez as ASB treasurer, and Michelle

Timm as ASB school board representative.

“Coming into high school isn’t always the easiest, but when I was a freshman I was able to feel comfortable at my own school because of our ASB officers,” said Panko.

“That’s exactly what I want to do for everyone.”

“I look to make CVHS better for everyone,” said Gonzalez.

“I will not waste any money or time in getting the well-being of CVHS up.”

“I also want to make sure that every one of you know not only when school board meetings are but what will be happening at

ject.

“I’m pretty leery, I don’t know how the Supreme Court will sway,” she admitted. She and her partner have been together for eight years and have an elaborate plan to wed if Prop.

8 and DOMA are overturned.

“I’ll wear the dress,” she said jokingly.

DOMA defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman and that the word spouse may only be used for an opposite-sex partner.

DOMA orders that only heterosexual marriages be recognized between states, and disqualifies same-sex marriages for all federal purposes including Social Security, immigration and joint tax returns.

English teacher Peter Brewer was very disheartened by the cases as well.

“I would like to think the justices realize that the era is shifting. The preliminary questions did not indicate how the justices will vote, but it is clear that Antonin Scalia is not going to vote in favor of same-sex marriage, he said.

Senior Alex Matula was hopeful about the law’s possible repeal: “It would be meaningful to me because I can’t get married now, but I want to have the choice when I’m ready.”

Michelle Timm ASB school board rep.

Election results: Linayao wins race for ASB president

By Anna Talajkowski Staff Writer

After hours of campaigning, speeches, and counting votes, several students emerged as the winners of this year’s ASB and class elections on April 18. Although all the candidates put in a herculean effort, only five were selected by CVHS students to run ASB in the upcoming 2013-14 school year.

Rix Linayao’s win as forthcoming ASB president was the most notable. Linayao, whose brother Kyle Linayao also served as ASB president in 2011-12, has previously served CVHS as sophomore

each one, so that if there is an issue you can attend and have a voice on it,” said Timm.

The winners of the senior class elections were Erin Cheung for president, Juliet Fong for vice president, Michelle Ly for secretary, and Sara Lee for treasurer.

Winners for the junior class were Jenna Sparks for president, Alyssa Roque-Rodarte for vice president, Haley Pryde for secretary, and Joon Kang for treasurer.

Winners for the sophomore class were Jessica Yin for president, Kaitlyn Darling for vice president, Kosta Lembesis for secretary, and Spencer Dong for treasurer.

Overturn Prop. 8 and DOMA, says The Olympian Editorial: Should same-sex marriage be legal? California voters and the federal government have answered no. Now the LGBT community and its supporters challenge those decisions in the Supreme Court.

Proposition 8 was a measure on the ballot in California during the 2008 election. The initiative proposed to define marriage as only between a man and a woman, and Californians voted it in, effectively ending the right of gays to marry here.

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was passed by Congress in 1996 and signed by President Bill Clinton. Under it, the federal government does not recognize marriage between gay and lesbian couples.

In May 2009, two California couples filed a federal lawsuit.

It was reviewed by the Supreme Court in March 2013.

While the high court will not deliver a verdict until late June, we at The Olympian believe that Prop. 8 and DOMA should be overturned.

Because of Prop. 8 and DOMA, massive groups of people are unfairly discriminated against. One of the main themes of this case is

Evan Kwong / Staff Writer

focusing on love and the right to love someone else. But the fundamental problem we are having is that we aren’t spreading love.

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson included the words “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” We

believe that everyone is entitled to their own happiness and their own chance to pursue their life in freedom.

Prop. 8 and DOMA destroy that freedom and disrupt the idea of separation of church and state. The government should

not interfere or influence religious aspects like marriage. If the Supreme Court is really in favor of constitutional rights and separation of church and state, the justices will rule in favor of marriage equality.

If Prop. 8 and DOMA are not

minutes a teenage boy rambles on and on about the rape, commenting that she may be dead and at one point saying that the victim was “deader than Caylee Anthony.” I can ignore his flagrant misunderstanding of the English language (deader is not a word), but I cannot ignore his complete and utter disrespect for the rape victim and Caylee Anthony. Caylee Anthony is the murdered Florida two-year-old, whose own scandal tore across the U.S. when she was horrifically murdered.

At one point in the video a fellow partygoer says to the boy, “What the hell is wrong with you?” I asked myself that same question as I watched the video. What the hell is wrong with this boy? With this teenage culture? In this day and age when something atrocious happens, teens are more likely to pull out their iPhones and snap a picture and take a video than they are to help.

Why did so many partygoers choose to text and tweet and Instagram what was happening to the poor girl, rather than help her? What is this fascination with social media that has clearly got our youth in its grip?

I am disgusted by the utter lack of humanity. Even in Castro Valley, at CVHS, this happens.

The recent brawl in the Student Union is an example, where countless people pulled out their phones rather than trying to break up the fight or help the

person being jumped.

I can’t help but wonder where this world is going to end up when America’s teens are so insensitive and social media crazy. As rape culture tears across the U.S., I can only think that social media is responsible.

The Steubenville rapists are still being praised as football and hometown heroes on sites

like Twitter, while at the same time, the victim is being called a “slut.”

The blatant abuse of social media websites to not only share pictures and videos of crime, but to bully, is disheartening.

We have more access to social media than any other generation has had before. Technically speaking, we are the pioneers of

overturned, then our country will deny basic rights to its own citizens. It’s okay to have our own opinions and beliefs, whether we are for or against marriage equality. But that doesn’t mean that we should be allowed to take people’s rights, especially when they’re not harming anyone.

The reality that people can’t marry because of who they want to marry is a huge injustice in our society. We should treat others how we want to be treated.

Whichever way the court rules, this will be a historical event in the sense that the Supreme Court has never approached the issue of gay marriage before now. It will be very interesting to see how California and the entire country react to the decision.

Even if these discriminatory measures are upheld, LGBT community and supporters will still fight back, because there are too many people supporting gay marriage. There is hope for the future. During the Civil Rights Movement, African Americans took years and tremendous effort to earn equal rights.

The LGBT movement will also take time and hard work but will eventually succeed.

“Put down the phone ... show some humanity”

By Reyna Garcia Copy Editor

The defendants for the Steubenville, Ohio rape case were recently found guilty, and up until now, I had basically ignored all the hoopla of yet another rape scandal that tore across the U.S. That changed when I saw the video of the rapists and bystanders involved in the rape. I did some research on the case and I am now appalled.

The basic summary of the case tells that a 16-year-old girl went to a party, got drunk and was then raped, urinated on, and dragged from party to party by members of the town’s high school football team. Partygoers tweeted, text messaged, Instagrammed about the event and even recorded videos. This is being referred to as “The Case That Social Media Won” on countless websites because with the use of social media as evidence, the rapists were convicted.

Internet activist group Anonymous leaked a video from the night of the rape and I watched the video on Youtube. For 12

social media, yet we aren’t making very good use of it. What’s going to happen in five or ten or 15 years? Right now, the future of social media isn’t very bright.

I just hope that teenagers can learn to help a victim of a crime or bullying rather than spread pictures and videos of it. Put down the phone and help that person! Show some humanity.

PHOTOpinions pinions By: Alexa Ludke

What do you want the Supreme Court to do about Prop. 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act? “I think that Prop. 8 should be overturned and that DOMA shouldn’t stand.”

Lorus Liang,

freshman

“I believe that Prop.

8 should be overturned because as human beings we have a right to love whoever we want to. Anything that goes against that right is a crime against humanity.”

Michael Chourappa, sophomore

“I’m not sure about DOMA, but I think that Prop. 8 should be upheld. I’m an advocate of civil unions, but in general, I think brakes should be put on legislation regarding gay marriage for now.”

Kevin Brum, junior

“I’m a supporter of overturning Prop 8.”

Adriana Alvarado, senior

.

Olympian

The April 26, 2013

3

The circle: a model for human decency

By Michael Castillo News Editor

The circle is an interesting concept. Closed at the ends and harboring no straight lines, it is one of the queerer varieties of shapes, and also one of the most difficult to wrap one’s mind around. We all learned about the mechanics of the circle in school: the area equals pi times the radius squared, its symmetry is infinite no matter which direction you look at it, and it always has a definitive center, lying right in the middle of the infinite number of points that make up its edges. Circles are also the only shapes that are always mathematically similar to each other. That means that any circle you’ve seen in your entire life, no matter its size, has the exact same shape as every other circle in existence. This fact in and of itself is extraordinary.

Like any mathematical construct, true circles do not actually exist in reality, though both the natural world and mankind have come close to creating them. It’s easy to see why. In addition to being fun to draw and look at, circles have enormous utility for both humans and the universe at large. For us they provide a convenient shape for tools and playthings, as well as transporta-

tion in the form of the wheel. For the universe, circles represent the most efficient arrangement of atoms under gravitational force.

Even evolution has caught on to the circle. Ever wonder why your head is round instead of flat and boxy? Think about what happens to sharp edges under enormous atmospheric pressure. Ouch.

The circle is the only shape mankind has discovered that, if you walked along its edge, would eventually lead you right back right to where you started, without any turns or interruptions. It wasn’t well into our existence until we realized this fact was true about our own planet, except in the form of a new abstraction: the sphere.

In the past few decades, science has taken the circle one dimension

further: the shape of the universe.

Many scientists now view the universe as a four dimensional hypersphere, essentially a sphere taken to the next level. In this model, if we were to fly straight ahead into deep space, we would eventually encircle the entire edge of the cosmic bubble, returning right back to our starting point.

Just as a two-dimensional stick figure acts as a flat projection of our three-dimensional universe, so it may be that we are simply a projection of the larger four dimensions that exist in the context of the greater universe. All of this knowledge comes from the basic abstraction of the circle.

The past 100,000 years have seen little in the way of human evolution. Genetically we are the

joined in on the effort, and a few quieter protesters who had come alone City Hall.

The web of support extended way past the group of protesters on the steps. Many cars honked their support as they sped by, and countless pedestrians went out of their way to high-five, thumbs-up, or cheer on the protesters as they made their way down the street.

Colorful beads and pro same-sex marriage stickers were distributed in massive amounts, and in this way, the message of the group on the steps was spread across the city.

I was really struck by the passion of the protesters. The debate over gay marriage has become the center of many of their lives, and the passion the protesters felt was clear on their faces and on their signs. Most of them were optimistic about the impending Supreme Court ruling concerning Prop. 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act (a federal law which prevents recognition of same-sex marriages) but it was apparent that the stress of the possibility of failure was weighing heavily upon them.

One of the protesters, Austin Bruckner, wore a shirt that really moved me. It read “I’m on the right side of history.” I think he’s right.

We’ve seen the same cycle play out many other times in our nation’s history: from interracial marriage to women in the workforce, minority groups have in the past been repressed in much the same fashion as homosexuals are now.

Fear has a certain stranglehold on

society that throws rationality out the window.

But the tide is changing for the better in this country. People are starting to open their eyes to a future where all citizens have the right to marry the ones they love.

It seems like an obvious choice to make, but for whatever reason, some people still refuse to lay down their prejudices and listen to reason. In a way, though, I think the struggle our country has had to undergo concerning same-sex marriage has only made its conviction for justice that much more strong.

If you are an opponent of samesex marriage, here’s a question for you to think about: what harm will befall you if a couple you’ve never met who happens to be homosexual gets the right to marry?

Will the world fall apart? Will your own children catch the “virus” of homosexuality? Will we finally succomb to a zombie apocolipse?

All that will happen is that a couple whose life has no impact on yours will be happy. That’s it.

They’re going to be gay no matter what, so you may as well let them have the same rights you enjoy without a second thought.

I can only hope the courts will see reason and rule on the side of justice this summer. As the rapper Macklemore so eloquently put it in his new single, Same Love, “It’s human rights for everybody, there is no difference ... I may not be the same, but that’s not important.

No freedom til we’re equal. Damn right I support it.”

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of marriage

By Kate Pellegrini Editor-in-Chief

When I first decided to check out the Prop. 8 protesters in San Francisco, I envisioned a huge mob of people waving signs and marching for justice down the street like during the Giants’ World Series parade. But when we got to the area the protesters congregated, there couldn’t have been more than 30 people there on the steps.

At first I was surprised. I know many, many people who support gay marriage. Where was everybody? But the answer became clear to me as we continued to conduct interviews and take pictures. The strength in the cause lay not in the quantity, but in the quality and outreach of the support.

The protesters of Prop. 8, which prohibits same-sex marriage in California, varied almost as much as you could imagine. There were male couples and female couples, couples who had been together for years and years and young couples who were barely in their twenties.

Friends and parents of the cause

Lily Carrell / Opinion Editor

same species that hunted wooly mammoths, that survived the last ice age, and that burned heretics at the stake in the Dark Ages.

Though it is nice to think of the human race as the exception to a savage world, the truth is that we are still apes at heart. For the vast majority of human evolution, our ancestors were genetically selected for traits that encouraged tribal behavior. To live in tightly knit communities of homogeneous racial heritage, to look at all others as outsiders, to wage war against those who were different, to survive, and to survive was to have one’s genes passed on to the next generation. Our very nature compels us to discriminate, to dichotomize and categorize.

Take these tribal propensities

and transplant them into a technologically advanced global society and behold the mess that the world is in today. Nuclear weapons allow us to maim and kill not by the hundreds but by the hundreds of thousands. Excessive antibiotic use causes bacteria to mutate and evolve, destroying not a single family or tribe but entire civilizations. Mankind, discoverer of the atom and explorer of the universe, is ravaged by the very technology it toiled for millennia to create. In an increasingly globalized society, we continue to act in ways that are disturbingly non-circular.

Our species, which is responsible for the discovery and utilization of the circle, could learn a few lessons from this beautiful shape.

A circle has no lines; eventually, one walking along its edge must return to his original starting point.

Likewise, the circle teaches us that we cannot continue to walk the line of exploitation, of greed and ignorance, without facing consequences. The Earth is a sphere, and all who blaze paths of destruction must eventually face the scorched earth they leave behind. As a race, we will reap what we sow.

So throw off the binding chains, those gripping divisions called prejudice. Break through the myopia of the human race, that disease which makes you shortsighted and weak, that condemns you to a life of ignorance. Remember that we all came out of Africa, and before that out of the waters of the ocean, and before that out of the center of an exploding star. In the vastness of the universe it becomes clear that we humans are really not so different from one another. It becomes clear that, much like the universe itself, the overarching shape of human society is circular.

The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2013 Editors-in-Chief....................................................Melody Moteabbed Kate Pellegrini Copy Editors..................................................................Reyna Garcia Joyce Liang News Editor..............................................................Michael Castillo Opinion Editor.................................................................Lily Carrell Feature Editors............................................................. Reema Kakaday Amber Yang Sports Editor.............................................................Emily Courchaine Arts and Entertainment Editor........................................Suzanna Chak Photo Editors................................................................ Natalie Fazeli Alexa Ludke Business Managers......................................................Matt Talajkowski Anya Keller Online Editor........................................................................Eva Chen

Staff Writers: Joelle Bassett, Olivia Berden, Cameron Beresini, Kelly Chan, Stephanie Huerta, Kristen Jensen, Savanah Khan, Evan Kwong, Felicianna Marquez, Hans Mortimer, Amanat Riar, Leia Saelee, AnnaTalajkowski and MarissaWu Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

LETTERS

To the Editor

Your feature on the legislative day in Sacramento was very interesting. It was a wonderful opportunity.

I took that edition to a meeting with Assemblyman Quirk and asked him how it felt to be in a high school paper

again. He was thrilled, it was his first time, his high school didn’t have one!

Congratulations on making your Assemblyman’s day! Nice work.

Jo A.S. Loss

Crowd Captivated at CVHS College Night ter’s college application process since she will be graduating next year. I liked how College Night offered several sessions to choose from like Financial Aid or WUE, especially since my daughter is considering going to school out of state,” said Mary Sanchez, parent of junior Nangha Cuadros.

By Lily Carrell Opinion Editor

CVHS students and parents gathered in the Auxiliary Gym Thursday, April 11 for College Night to listen to various speakers discuss topics ranging from financial aid to admission requirements. The one-hour introduction was devoted to presentations regarding the California State University (CSU), University of California (UC), and Community College systems, followed by a second hour of seminars.

The overview portion of the evening began with speaker Jean-Paul Nguyen from Cal State University East Bay (CSUEB), who described the many aspects of the CSU system. Nguyen provided basic information about A-G course requirements and the eligibility index (GPA, ACT, and SAT scores), as well as how to apply to a CSU. He concluded with the average cost of attendance (tuition + housing), which is estimated at a total of $22,792.

Throughout his presentation, Nguyen emphasized the importance of early preparation.

The second speaker was Kaitlyn Flannery, UC Merced’s admission officer, who opened her presentation with a list of the ten UC campuses, including but not limited to Davis, Berkeley, Irvine, and Los Angeles. Flannery gave suggestions for prospective applicants and key points to keep in mind.

“UCs are always looking for

“ I actually

Lily Carrell / opinion editor

High school students and parents crowd into the gym to discuss college information. students going above and beyond the course requirements,” said Flannery.

She went on to describe the importance of personal statements and how they are viewed as “interviews on paper.”

The final presentation was given by Chris Lee, representing Las Positas College and the Community College system.

Since many students have the option of transferring to a CSU or UC after two years at a community college, Lee spent a majority of her time on minimum transfer prep requirements. For example, one must have taken at least 60 transferable units in order to transfer to a four-year college.

“Let’s say you don’t get into your first choice. A community college is like a second chance, a clean slate,” said Lee, demonstrating the opportunities a community college has to offer.

After the introductory presentations, audience members were given the option to select two of six available workshops.

Many students and parents alike felt they learned a great deal of valuable information from the seminars offered at College Night, which included Financial Aid, SAT vs. ACT, College Search, Student Athletes, information about private schools, and The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE).

“The Financial Aid seminar

senior counselor David Fite.

Other counselors shared Staff Writer similar thoughts, as being a Throughout the past month, counselor is an unforgettable some CVHS students were and inspiring experience. noticed to have been missing for a week. That’s probably because they were volunteering at Outdoor School.

Every year, seniors, juniors, and even some sophomores have the opportunity to apply through a selective application process to be a counselor for sixth graders at Camp Loma Mar. This experience in Pescadero leaves strong impressions and unforgettable memories with CVHS counselors year after year.

At Outdoor School, counselors join sixth graders on their workshop expeditions Derek Chan in nature, all the while singSenior ing catchy songs, and learning about earth.

As rewarding as the experi“After Outdoor School, I ence is, it also requires a lot of became much more conscious hard work. Late night meetabout the environment and ings, taking care of a whole the impact I have on it,” said cabin of rambunctious sixth

graders, and waking up early were only a fraction of the duties of an Outdoor School counselor.

“It changed my life because it showed me how to care for others before myself,” said senior Derek Chan.

With a rewarding experience under their belt, many counselors recommend other and future upperclassmen to apply for the opportunity.

Some counselors love it so much, they plan on applying for a second year!

“Even though it was more work than last time, it was great to know that you just made a sixth grader’s week,” said junior Monica Johal, who had the tough job of being in charge of a boys’ cabin.

Something else that’s tough? Getting caught up on a week’s worth of school work.

“But I definitely think it was worth all of the makeup work I had to do when I came back,” laughed Johal.

Outdoor School: a breath of fresh air

By Kelly Chan

“ It changed

my life because it showed me how to care for others before myself. ”

definitely helped me learn about more possible ways to pay for college, like FAFSA and grants, now that college is getting more and more expensive,” said Jon Wong, one of the many juniors who attended the event.

Sophomore Maya Para also felt as though she took away useful information.

“The SAT/ACT seminar gave me helpful information on which one to take and how to prepare and use those scores to get into college,” said Para.

Students were not only ones who gained essential advice.

“I have been searching for workshops to get information and help facilitate my daugh-

got a lot more out of College Night than I thought I would.”

Nangha Cuadros Junior

“I actually got a lot more out of College Night than I thought I would. I even learned about other programs I haven’t heard of such as WUE, and more information about financial aid.

College Night really provided a lot of new information that I will definitely use to ease my college application process,” said Cuadros.

Olympian

The April 26, 2013

5

Roarin’ 20s comes to CVHS competition Annual Mr. CV an awesome success

By Joyce Liang Copy Editor

CVHS’s annual Mr. CV competition brought an enthusiastic and supportive atmosphere to the cafeteria on the night of April 19.

Twelve of the school’s talented, outgoing, and exuberant male seniors “stepped back into the 20s” to compete in a “beauty” pageant, where they showcased their talent, fun personalities, “booty shaking” performances, and humor.

According to the traditional rule, the boy who receives the most points from the five

judges is crowned Mr. CV, and wins the ultimate prom package, including a free prom bid, free flowers for prom, and a free tux rental.

The competition began with a bang as two very entertaining MC’s, seniors Eunice Jung and Khush Jawandha, introduced the contestants. On a “red carpet,” the contestants and their beautiful escorts danced their way onto the stage, all fitting the 20s theme with the women in red flapper dresses and the men in fitted tuxedos.

The tremendous amount of effort the participants had put into Mr. CV was apparent through their astonishing talent presentations and the group dance numbers. Certainly, long hours of practice and rehearsals in the past two weeks adequately prepared each contestant for the big night.

Some of the highlight performances were Gordon Tse’s solo performance of “My Heart

Will Go On” by Celine Dion, Matt Lloyd’s dance number in which he captured the iconic scene from Napoleon Dynamite where the title character dances on stage, Kenji PinzonShigeta and David Avila’s lipsyncing and dancing duet, and Orion Suber’s impressive peanut butter and jelly sandwichmaking skills.

After all of the talent presentations, the audience began voting. A separate award, the “People’s Choice Award,” awarded to Patrick Cheek, was directly determined from the audience’s votes. Shortly afterwards, the top five finalists were Matt Aquino, Scott Mill, Patrick Cheek, Trevor Trammell, and Ben Sadoff. They all went through a brief Q&A session, when they randomly selected questions to answer from a box.

In the end, the winners were announced. The first runner up and people’s choice winner was

Cheek and the winner of Mr. CV 2013 was Aquino.

“ You only

have one chance just to make a fool out of yourself, it doesn’t matter.”

Matt Aquino Senior

“It feels like I’m walking through a spring meadow:

pretty great, with beautiful flowers. And a great day. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience,” said Aquino.

The competition is a worthwhile experience that every upcoming CVHS senior boy should consider doing in the following years to come.

“Do it! Be ridiculous, be funny. You only have one chance just to make a fool out of yourself, it doesn’t matter,” said Aquino.

The Mr. CV competition was a successful event. The audience was supportive and constantly roaring with laughter and cheering throughout the night.

“I loved the experience! All the guys I competed with were all so cool to work with. It wasn’t really like a competition and it was all about having fun.

No really cares about who won, we were just there to have fun, and that’s what we did,” said Cheek.

First CVHS Talent Show takes flight

By Evan Kwong Staff Writer

Trojans of all grade levels took to the stage and displayed their many talents at the first CVHS Talent Show on March 29. Musicians, singers, and dancers boasted the bravery and talent needed to perform in front of their peers, who cheered wildly with support for every contestant.

Judged by cafeteria manager Janet Roselius and teachers Josh Linville, Jason Marlis, and Josh Wheeler, the Talent Show was an energetic and overall an amazing spectacle in which performers competed for the champion belt, designed by teacher Jennifer Jervis.

“This is really awesome,” Marlis remarked. “They were all around really good performances, and it’s way better than screamo bands like in Battle of the Bands!”

With magnificent performances such as seniors Destinee Roy and Tiffani Truscott singing “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical Les Misérables, the Talent Show was anything but “screamo.”

In addition to showing off the performing skills of CVHS

students, the Talent Show also exhibited the diversity in talents that students have. Junior Susan Wang sang beautifully in her astounding performance of Adele’s “Someone Like You,” while a small group from Urbanize, consisting of sophomores Grey Janowski, Khiem Nguyen, and Christopher Tran, and freshmen Matthew Majør and Santi Trajano, received constant cheers from the audience while they break-danced.

“I really like being on stage, and having an audience listen to what I have to sing from my heart,” said Wang.

In the final act of the Talent Show, junior Evan Ma brought his acoustic guitar on stage and performed “These Moments”

by Antoine Dufour.

Ma’s unbelievable talent allowed him to win over the cheers of the audience and judges, in addition to the champion belt.

“I love going up and showing everyone something new,” Ma said. “I want to show people something they haven’t seen before.”

The excellent performances and artistic skills all the performers brought to CVHS’s

first talent show made it truly an incredible event, and only set the stage for more shows in the future.

“The Leadership Class is very happy with the turnout, and happy with everyone that came out to support their friends,”

stated ASB President Victor Hernandez-Vega. “We can’t wait to have this event next year!”

initial thought was the show would be a normal play and I had no idea what to expect. Like a child tasting something new, I initially had my doubts, but in the end I was wrong.

Two teams faced off, challenging each other to a variety of different improvisational games.

Made up on the spot, many of the jokes and puns were spontaneously and perfectly placed, provoking an eruption of laughter from the crowd.

Often times, the referee takes

some crazy, some awesome, and even some vulgar suggestions from the audience.

Careful what you say, because anyone, such as a referee, actor, or audience, who makes a rude or inappropriate comment deserves to wear a brown bag over their heads.

Many call it the “brown-bag penalty,” when it is, in truth, a bag of shame.

With an interestingly interactive performance, comical acting, and a display of amazing talent,

the Improv event of 2013 proved to be an amazing experience definitely worth seeing.

“It was really fun to do, and not stressful for me at all because I knew that even if I humiliated myself, it would be better for the audience,” said sophomore George Eliopoulos, Improv club member. “I hope next time comes sooner so I can have this much fun again.”

The most miraculous thing about Improv is the fact that it has sprouted from a club instead

of classes like the CVHS events such as Pops or music concerts.

Many of its members attend a summer camp specifically for improving improvisational skills and bond through that experience.

“Improv is everything,” enthused Laura Miller, vice president of the Improv Club.

“Through Improv, I’ve grown so much, I’ve gotten so much confidence from this, and I could do almost anything now. It’s an awesome experience.”

Evan Kwong / Staff Writer

Evan Ma won the hearts of the judges and the audience with his acoustic cover of “These Moments” by Antoine Dufour.

Let your sense of humor improve with Improv!

By Leia Saelee Staff Writer

What do you do when the spotlight is on you, there’s no script and the crowd is expectantly watching? One must improvise!

Interactive, entertaining, and on-the-spot witty, students in the CVHS Improv Club held their second event on Friday, March 28 in the Center for the Arts.

As an “improv-newbie,” my

G.I. Joe: Retaliation too loud and explosive

By Joelle Bassett Staff Writer

G.I. Joe: Retaliation is the perfect action movie. Throughout the movie, there are non-stop explosions, gunfire, and loads of visual effects that keep the audience entertained. However, I agree with what many of the critics are saying about all the explosions and fight scenes being a little too excessive.

This movie picks up a couple months after the last one left off, and the plan now is to stop Cobra Commander from taking over the world. I have to say that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson steals the

show. All the actors were great during the action scenes, but he definitely makes them look inferior. I went into the movie expecting to see Channing Tatum beating up all the bad guys, but that was not the case.

All in all, the film was great if you're into a bunch of action and a little suspense. The movie only had a couple twists that I wasn't expecting, and the rest was straightforward action. The movie consisted of loads of visual effects and loud noise, which was entertaining, but overdone.

Personally, I felt that this new G.I Joe lacked a lot of the depth and background that made the first one so interesting. Still, I recommend all my army and action fans to see it.

Spring Breakers Surprising, Still Not Good

By Melody Moteabbed Editor-in-Chief

When the movie Spring Breakers is mentioned in conversation, teenagers usually react to it with giggles and shocked reactions.

And with good reason.

I went to see Spring Breakers during my own boring spring break and I went in with very low expectations. I wasn’t drawn to any of the main actors, except for James Franco, so I knew I definitely wouldn’t enjoy that aspect. I expected a movie about excessive partying and an easily analyzable message, if there was to be any plotline at all. While I was right about the abundant booze and bikini-clad college students on the beach (acting much, much raunchier than I’d imagined), the movie was not entirely meaningless.

The movie centered around four college girls who ended up stealing cash to go to Florida for Spring Break. Selena Gomez plays Faith, the church-going outsider to the group of three devilish girls, Brit, Cotty, and Candy, respectively played by Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine, and Vanessa Hudgens. She is the first to leave when the drugs, sex, and booze lead the group to jail for a few days. James Franco’s character, Alien, a thug loaded with drugs and money, bails the girls out of jail and takes the three remaining girls under his wing.

The girls surprisingly adjust well and fit in with Alien’s group, ready to face off against Archie (rapper Gucci Mane), Alien’s vengeful exbest friend.

The movie definitely had a surprise ending. It certainly wasn’t what I expected at all. I was unsatisfied, but at the same time, I was a bit impressed that I was so shocked. I tried deciphering a meaning to the movie, and after declaring myself stumped, I turned to the Internet to assist me.

The only vague official answer I found was a quote from Harmony Korine, director of the film, who said in an interview that it was pointless to constantly search for a message in everything.

The cons? The acting, as expected, was not stellar. It was hard to watch the girls act so incredibly dumb in multiple scenes; it just didn’t seem realistic.

Before I went in, I had heard mixed reviews about the movie.

Some of them claimed the movie was surprisingly thought-provoking, while others said that the movie was pure “pervy” garbage.

I have to say I agree with both; the surprise was refreshing, and the cinematography was bright and youthful, almost making me envious of such a carefree view of life.

Keep in mind that the movie is definitely rated R for a reason.

Don’t watch if you’re not comfortable with violence, sexual themes, and nudity. This is by far the most nudity I’ve ever seen in a movie, so take my word for it.

Even I was embarrassed.

Venture to San Francisco for Venues

By Matt Talajkowski Business Manager

San Francisco is full of great places to see live music. From small venues to concert halls, you can find just about anything you want. With over 20 to chose from, I picked to review my top three: Slim’s, the Fillmore, and the DNA Lounge.

Slim’s is located on 11th Street and isn’t in a terrible part of the neighborhood. It’s easily accessible by the 11th Street Folsom bus and is little under a mile from the Civic Center BART. This makes it easy to get to by public transportation if you don’t like searching for a parking spots for two hours.

The street parking is limited and I would advise against it.

Slim’s has a pretty nice interior.

The stage is a bit small and the floor itself can get crowded. It also has no public seating, but you can reserve tables in the back. The price range for Slim’s varies from about $15 to $30 depending on the

popularity of the band. Overall, Slim’s is a nice venue for its price and location.

The second venue I decided to review was the Fillmore. The Fillmore is located on Geary, which unfortunately is not in the nicest part of town. The other bad part is that it is about two miles from Civic Center BART, and it is not a pleasant walk. However, the inside of the Fillmore is more than a small local venue, with a large interior and a balcony. It has the best setup out of all the venues, and sound check does a good job.

The floor is significantly larger than Slim’s and the DNA Lounge, and there are usually larger crowds. The size of the Fillmore brings two downsides though.

One, the security is a little more uptight and won’t allow you to do things like go outside or on the balcony without special permission. The other downside is that the price goes up, with tickets normally hitting around $30. The Fillmore has its pros in its larger size and bigger band selection,

but falls short with location and price.

The final review is on the DNA Lounge. The DNA lounge is located on 11th street and once again is easily accessible by Civic Center BART, which is a mile away. It is fairly close to Slim’s and isn’t a bad walk. The DNA Lounge offers food, which sets it apart from the Fillmore and Slim’s.

The venue is divided between the restaurant and the actual floor.

The floor of the DNA Lounge is cool in the sense that it’s a little run down but still functional.

It’s close to the size of Slim’s, but packs a bit more of a punch. It plays a good array of music, from rock stars to local bands. It also offers shows and DJs. The price is reasonable, with ticket prices close to that of Slim’s.

If you’re looking to see live music in the city, I recommend all three. But the DNA Lounge is my first pick, with Slims not far behind. The Fillmore will offer bigger bands and larger crowds if you can pay for it.

Leia Saelee / Staff Writer

21 and Over Underachieves

By Anna Talajkowski Staff Writer

Written and directed by the writers of The Hangover, the film 21 and Over promised to be one of the most laugh-out-loud comedies of the year. However, as hysterical as it was, nothing could save this movie from slowly crashing and burning.

Starring Justin Chon, of Twilight fame, Miles Teller, and Skylar Astin, 21 and Over is a slap-stick comedy centered on the crazy experiences of college student Jeff Chang, played by Chon, while celebrating his 21st birthday with his two best friends. Miller and Casey, played by Teller and Astin, hatch a plan to take Chang out to party, even though the next day is his big interview to get into medical school.

Although Chang refuses at first, the two buddies persuade him to come with them for just a couple drinks. Things quickly spin out of

control, and before they know it Miller and Casey have to get an unconscious Chang back to his house before the interview. The only problem? They have no idea what his address is.

The story follows the hilarious adventures of the two boys trying to get their friend home in time for his important interview. The dialogue itself, though at most times rather crude, is righteously entertaining. One scene, in which Miller and Casey accidentally break into a Latina sorority house, is particularly priceless.

Unfortunately, the plot is not strong enough to make the movie truly spectacular. By the end, even the best laughs cannot support the weak storyline, and the rather clique ending doesn't help. As hard as it tried, the movie couldn't seem to pull itself together.

21 and Over provides an hour and a half of cheap laughs, and is a great choice for anyone seeking a brainless thrill. However, the movie cannot live up to the infamy of the writer's previous film The Hangover. Expect to be entertained, but certainly not enlightened.

Kardashians Create Casual, Comfortable Clothes

By Savanah Khan Staff Writer

The two youngest sisters of the Kardashians clan, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, have released their own clothing line with PacSun clothing stores. Their clothes consist of a lot of denim, chiffon, high-waisted pants/shorts and many other summer clothes.

The sisters have said they wanted to have their clothing line to have a California casual look, and they nailed it. Their clothes are affordable and extremely wearable.

Some outfits are a little more on the thrift store side while some

are not as wearable as the Jenners make them look. Nonetheless, there are many other options to choose from in the line.

They released this clothing line on Feb. 8 with no help from their older sisters. This fashion line has something for every girl, and from jeans to jackets they are a hit. The neutral and bright colors mix together wonderfully and fit their unique and casual style, something I think everyone can relate to.

Sadly, the PacSun clothing store in the Stoneridge mall has gone out of business but there is a store next to Nordstrom Rack in the Marina Shopping Center. Get on out there and get what suits you best. I guarantee they will have something for you.

Softball squad destroys the Lancers

Suzanna Chak / A&E Editor

Freshman Leilani Huey drops her bat to sprint for first base.

By Suzanna Chak A&E Editor

The CVHS varsity softball team was victorious in the game on April 15 against Tennyson High School, ending with a score of 14-6.

The Trojans star ted out

strong and were successful in taking the lead. The team members cheered on their teammates when they went up to bat, shouting catchy and creative words of encouragement.

Since the Trojans were winning, all the of the players that don’t usually start were given

a chance to play. This is the reason for having three different pitchers during the game: freshman Leilani Huey, senior Olivia Aragon, and junior Tess Palmer. Huey pitched the first two innings, and Aragon pitched the third inning. Palmer pitched the rest of the game.

During the sixth inning, there were a few fielder errors, and Tennyson was able to score some runs. However, the Trojans kept fighting and maintained their lead.

During the sixth inning, sophomore Sara Ward hit the ball out of the field and successfully scored a home run.

Her teammates gathered at home plate, cheering loudly and surrounding her when she ran in.

After a long game, the Trojans were awarded with a hard-fought win.

“The season has been going really well,” said junior Allison Decker. “We have a strong team.”

Trojans teams excel at WACC swim meet

Joelle Bassett / Staff Writer

A swimmer reaches out of the water to propel forward at an April 17 WACC meet. Both the boys and girls varsity teams defeated their opponents.

Trojans race to victory at Castro Valley Invitational

By Emily Courchaine Staff Writer

The Trojans raced to victory at this year ’s Castro Valley Invitational meet on April 12 and 13. Hundreds of athletes from over ten different schools came to compete, including Newark Memorial, Heritage, Northgate, and Alameda high schools.

The competition was tough, but CVHS came out ahead in

the end, with the varsity boys and varsity girls winning their divisions.

Both the frosh-soph boys and frosh-soph girls teams took third.

“It was the perfect day for a meet,” said senior Gabby von Euw. “I think everyone performed really well and I think the meet went great.”

Both the boys and the the girls took first in their 800 meter sprint medley, with

Matt Speegle, Aaron Jones, Cameron (CJ ) Edwards, and Robert Taylor’s team winning by a margin of four seconds.

The same boys relay team sprinted to first in the 4x100 meter relay, one of the most competitive events.

Jazmine Edwards, Indigo Flowers, Jessica Ko, and Imani Brown also came away with first in the 4x400 meters girls relay.

In addition to a stunning

per formance on the track, the Trojans also excelled in the field events. Senior Kaori Nguyen took first in the girls high jump at 4 feet 6 inches, and junior Nate Moore jumped an impressive 48 feet, 8.25 inches in the boys triple jump, over four feet further than the second-place jump.

Kennedy Jones took first in the girls triple jump at 36 feet 3.5 inches, and she took second place to Sasha Wallace in the

long jump. Wallace recently transfer red to C VHS from Holy Names High School, and is a state champion in both the triple jump and the 100 meter hurdles.

The frosh/soph team also came out for some tough competition on Friday, and with the boys finishing second behind Northgate and the girls finishing second behind Alameda.

Bounding Brilliant Ballers

Stephanie Huerta and Kelly Chan / Staff Writer

Terry Kwok, freshman Terry Kwok is a freshman on the badminton team. As the JV two men’s singles player, Terr y fre quently plays on game days.

Kwok has been playing badminton for two years, and feels honored to be part of the CVHS team. The teammates know of him as a dedicated and enthusiastic player, and as supportive teammate. Whenever a line judge or errand is needed for a match, Kwok is always the first person to step up and volunteer.

His fearlessness and passion for badminton shows in his exponential improvement since season started.

Kwok is the epitome of a good badminton teammate, and the support he gets from the team is truly like no other. Kwok aspires to play varsity one singles by his senior year, and drills hard every day.

Miranda Nild, sophomore Miranda Nild has a passion for sports and has made every varsity team she has tried out for. She is currently on the varsity girls track team and in the past two years, she has broken the school’s record of 69.7 seconds for the 400 meter hurdles in 64.3 seconds!

Nild also participates in golf, which she has been playing for four years, and soccer, which she has been playing for 8 years.

“One of my favorite moments in track is when I run as fast as I can towards that finish line not only to do good for myself but to see the victory in my teammates’ eyes when we win,” states Nild.

Nilds says she plans on keeping up in all her sports through her high school career and is proud to represent CVHS.

Nicholas Alfaro, junior

Monica Barrios, senior

Nicholas Alfaro is on the varsity track team and has been doing track for seven years. He runs the 300 meters hurdles and the 100 meters.

Alfaro is one of the top runners of the 100 and is always striving to better his records. “ The thing I love most about track and running are the meets,” says Alfaro. “I love the competition and running against other people because it makes me more excited about my running.”

Alfaro loves his coach, Dooney Jones, and says that being around such a great coach and great runners helps him stay motivated and have a lot of fun.

“My teammates and my coach are some of the most supportive people.

They are the ones who help me have fun and always perform my best,” states Alfaro.

Monica Barrios has been on the varsity dance and soccer teams in the past, and this year she joined the varsity track team and loves it.

Barrios placed first and second for the high jump on her very first two meets ever and says that it was one of the most exciting things for her, considering she has never done track before.

“I love that it’s not something I’ve done forever and it’s something I have to work hard to succeed in,” she says. “It’s a huge challenge and I love that about it.”

Barrios is glad that she tried something new this year and fell in love with it. She stated that there are many memories to be made in life and trying a new sport is something that she will always remember and be proud of.

8

Olympian

The April 26, 2013

CVHS dresses up and turns out for second spirit week

Kristen Jensen / Staff Writer

Two lunch activity participants battle with foam noodles on Athletes vs. Mathletes day.

Felicianna Marquez Staff Writer

On the week of March 25, CVHS had its first ever second semester spirit week.

This event featured activities such as dress up days, a talent show, and carnival.

The spirt week was a priority for this year’s ASB President Victor Hernandez-Vega, who had talked about putting one together

in his campaign speech last year.

“Having a second spirit week was part of my campaign when I ran for ASB president, and it was something that I really want for the school,” said HernandezVega.

“As a whole, leadership felt that second semester needed more school spirit, and so in response we decided to have a spirit week. The idea grew as it was planned. In the end it evolved into dress up days, a talent show

and a carnival.”

The week started off with Pajama Day. Students were able to just wake up, dress up in their favorite pajamas, and head off to school.

The dress up theme continued with Neon Day, where sunglasses were needed due to some of the outfits.

Wednesday was Athletes vs.

Mathletes, which promoted fun dress up competition between jocks and nerds.

Kristen Jensen / Staff Writer

Khush Jawandha and Kenji Pinzon-Shigeta show off their pocket protectors for Athletes vs. Mathletes day.

“Under the California Sun” hit off Thursday, even if California’s sun wasn’t necessarily out that day.

Friday was Trojan Day where students wore togas and green and gold to express their unwavering pride in their school.

The week felt like a success to some.

However, others felt that it was a short notice and could have been planned better.

“It’s exciting to have another

spirit week but I wish the school had made more announcements and did a better job advertising it,” said junior Christina Kaser.

“I’ve dressed up everyday and I’m happy to participate, but I think leadership could have done more to get the school more energized for it.”

Hernandez-Vega felt that the event could be improved and leadership is planning on doing so next year but overall, spirit week was a success for students.

By Amanat Riar

since there are still some students filling out their schedules.

The district gives the school a certain amount of money which it uses towards paying teachers, books, and the class itself. By students dropping classes, class sizes fluctuate, causing problems for new classes because there are not enough teachers nor students to teach and attend the class. Either the students fail the class that they are in but want to leave, or they choose to join school service.

“Sign up for what you plan to stay in,” stresses counselor Karena Doan.

Junior Corinne Foley plans on taking choir, psychology, statistics, physics, expository reading, government and economics her senior year.

“I didn’t want to have a super hard schedule, but I didn’t want a crap one either,” said Foley.

As for now, students will just have to wait till the end of summer to find out their schedule and new classes.

Class scheduling for 2013/2014 has begun Staff Writer

Cameron Beresini / Staff Writer

Jaelen Loche of Kyndle’s Disciples deftly dodges Kyre Rosby on the basketball court.

Disciples win basketball tournament

By Cameron Beresini Staff Writer

The annual three on three basketball tournament took place April 8-12, ending in a very close game between Sloppy Joes and Kyndle’s Disciples.

Each game was played in ten minutes, and took place every day at lunch in the gym. In the rare occasion that the two teams playing tied, they went into an overtime (which was won by the first team to score a basket, no matter how many points it was worth). The

final game was played in two tenminute halves.

The first half of the game kicked off, and Sloppy Joes quickly jumped to a tremendous 8-0 lead.

Somewhere in the middle of the first half, something clicked in the minds of Kyndle’s Disciples and they pushed back Sloppy Joes, ending the half in an 18 to 11 game in favor of the Sloppy Joes. The second half started and Kyndle’s Disciples was still on a tear, catching up to Sloppy Joes, and quickly taking the lead. The second half came down to the last nailbiting minute with Sloppy

Joes leading 22-21.

Jaelen Loche of Kyndle’s Disciples pulled up and shot a twopointer, bringing his team to a 23-22 lead, which they held until the end of the game.

“I feel like we played pretty solid, aside from our first half performance,” said junior Darren Collier of Kyndle’s Disciples.

“Sloppy Joes definitely showed us that other teams can compete on our level of play.”

Congratulations to the winners Collier, Jaelen Loche, and Kyndle Nickens, and good luck next year to the other teams.

The excitement has begun for all freshmen, sophomores, and juniors as they began filling out their class schedules for the 2013/2014 school year.

Not everyone has turned in their schedule forms and as a result, not all class schedules will be entered into the computer system until the middle of May. As always, some classes are more popular than others, particular the electives, including ceramics, photography, and psychology. These classes are given in priority order which means that the incoming seniors will be enrolled into their first choice of an elective, then juniors and so on so forth.

“So far the new AP Computer Science class has been in high demand,” said counselor Duane Magno.

However, none of the students willing to take these preferred classes have been waitlisted