April 7, 2006

FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2006

Volume 49, Issue 9

4 Pg.

B-boys break it down

POPS wows crowd

6 Pg.

Castro Valley, CA 94546

CVHS welcomes Arroyo

Pg.

8

Musical ends in excitement Students explore different schools

Breakdancers show off their flair

CVHS to administer future exam support

By Gray Bae Staff Writer

Saritha Kossarussavadi / Photo Editor

Sophomore Edward Loss reads carefully in order to pass the exit exam.

Government supplies aid for drug testing

By Danny McHugh Staff Writer

In a move to ensure the safety and sobriety of the nation’s teenagers, President Bush announced on March 19 that the federal government would supply up to $15 million in funds to public schools to drug test their students.

“It’s a pretty good idea. You wouldn’t want kids using drugs, especially while they are in high school,” said freshman Ryan Gomez, an athlete on the Trojans’ football team.

The move wouldn’t be limited to athletes, however. The drug tests could affect anyone involved in extra curricular activities with the school, giving the school much more authority over its students than before.

Not only are the students of ex-

tra curricular activities subject to drug testing, but it is at the whim of the school administrations, allowing them to, for no reason, subject countless students to tests.

While the Supreme Court already ruled the tests constitutional, the idea behind them remains alarming to many students.

“I feel that students have the right to not be subjected to random, baseless invasion of privacy,” said sophomore Scott Kwang.

The students at CVHS have no need to worry about being subjected to the tests anytime soon.

The school administration has said that, while the money will be available, they will not take advantage of it due to their respect for the students.

“I have confidence that our students are mature enough to

DRUGS: See Page 8

This year, 46 seniors and 61 juniors had to retake the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). Though there are over 100 students who had to retake the exam, CVHS has actually done very well on the exam. In fact, CVHS has more than a 95 percent pass rate on CAHSEE, while California as a whole has an average of 60 percent pass rate on both the Math and Language Arts tests.

Regardless of CVHS’s apparent success on the exam, Assistant Principal Tom Webb is hard at work to create an even more rigorous program.

“I felt that the school educators have the responsibility to support high school students,” Webb replied. The school will have its first ever summer school CAHSEE prep class for students during the summer.

Passing the CAHSEE is a serious issue. As it is a graduation requirement, if a student does not pass the exam by his or her senior year, then the student cannot receive a diploma during graduation.

Because of this, Webb wishes to take the program to a new level.

Deemed the CAHSEE Intervention Program, Webb hopes the program will give the students even greater opportunity to pass the CAHSEE. In ninth grade, students will be given CAHSEE software for an optional school test prep workshop after school; tenth graders also have this option. If a student does not pass the CAHSEE, then a letter will be sent home each time the student does not pass. B y eleventh grade, Saturday classes as well as after school tutoring will be available; however, tutoring will be mandatory for seniors who have not yet passed the exam.

Webb also hopes that teachers will also go over the CAHSEE standards during class time for five to ten minutes next year. This will likely occur in English classes for all grade levels.

For his dedication to the students’ success in CAHSEE, Webb responded, “Students did not have enough support, so I wanted to create a comprehensive program to give them the necessary skills [to pass the CAHSEE].”

State of the district states the issues

By Yelena Teplitskaya City Editor

Some of the most passionate and savvy local Democrats, harboring no fear of strong winds and impending rain, journeyed t o t h e R o n a l d V. D e l l u m s Federal Building in Oakland this Saturday, March 24 for U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee’s second annual state of the district address.

Representing Castro Valley and the Ninth Congressional District in California, Lee decided to begin addressing willing audiences every year to talk about her future political plans, legislative support, and current issues.

“I want to talk about the authority of the president and the oversight, or lack thereof, of Congress,” began Lee, warming up on her introduction into the topic of the Iraqi war. She won over the crowd’s applause by addressing the most prominent issues on its mind.

“You know this war was based on lies,” she declared. “It’s this [neoconservative] philosophy of government that threatens our democracy.”

Further drawing attention to the apparently less than subtle flaws of the current administration, Lee recounted the lack of action regarding the problem with structural poverty.

“Since this administration took office, the number of poor people has grown 17 percent,” Lee informed, estimating the rate to be about 1 million people per year.

Naturally, the issue of tax cuts did not go unnoticed. Lee condemned “the zeal of cutting taxes for the wealthy while cutting programs that aid the vulnerable,” gaining another round of applause and hollers.

Lee proceeded to insert a few bills that she’s sponsoring, including one that would require the congressional budget to report on poverty (“poverty impact

legislation”), and one that would reduce tax cuts for the wealthy.

Finally, Lee addressed the evershrinking budget for education and the immense number of students affected as a result.

“The education budget, I think, is a disaster,” Lee expressed.

She specifically focused on the issue currently plaguing most seniors—paying for college. “We are working to make sure young people are able to access financial resources.”

That’s obviously easier said than done, so Lee promoted the utilization of the “Cash For College” workshops, which help students find all the possible options for financial aid. “We’ve got to do [things like] this more and more because as the federal government cuts back, we’ve got to help young people realize their dreams.”

Lee addressed the high housing costs, to which most Bay Area

DISTRICT: See Page 8

2

OPINION

Friday, April 7, 2006

Schools should test our brains, not bodies

Editorial:

We at The Olympian support the school administration’s decision not to implement drug testing and find it preposterous that $15 million would be used to make sure chess club kids aren’t using steroids.

Although President Bush wants the federal government to fund $15 million for schools across the country to drug test students in extracurricular activities, we feel that the money can be used for something more constructive like the CVHS paper shortage, or lowering student-teacher ratios in schools.

We consider it to be an invasion of privacy and a violation of students’ rights.

By Danny McHugh Staff Writer

Also, issues might arise where students who've used drug have quit but still have the drugs in their systems and wouldn't be able to

participate in school sports or other extracurricular activities.

Without a doubt, this is unfair and counterproductive.

It's the students’ right to feel comfortable in their school environment, and not fear reprisal for poor choices they've made months ago.

bor. Africa? Only when Europeans invaded or colonized it. Oh yeah, and I almost forgot about that little country that no one seems to teach much about—Australia. When was the last time we even heard “Australia” in our class? Probably when Britain was colonizing the world and Australia happened to be part of its conquest.

That’s already four continents that we learn next to nothing about and last time I checked, there were seven continents in the world. So that means that, not including Antarctica, we only learn about two of the seven, Europe and North America, or rather Europe and European-influenced America, post-Columbus and the Pilgrims.

So much for World Civ, huh?

But why do we only learn about these two continents? Why is it that we only cover the history of Europe and where Europe decides to go?

Why do the standards only require us to learn about “western” civilization? Doesn’t the government think that we should learn about a different culture now and then, especially in a class that supposedly studies cultures around the world?

And even though we supposedly learned some facts about certain countries in CCG as freshmen, all I really remember from CCG is a little geography and some trivial facts about a cultural area.

Compare this brief overview on the many cultures in one area that CCG skimmed over in a semester to the many months of knowledge we learned about Europe.

They don’t quite match up there.

Sure Britain started the Industrial Revolution, so of course we’ll put some focus on it, but what about the other countries that also industrialized or denied

Western methods and continued their ways of life?

These places existed and their decisions actually made a difference later on in history.

Russia, we learned, failed to industrialize and therefore couldn’t transport supplies and soldiers quickly in war, which cost them a great deal of lives.

China was also resistant to the Industrial Revolution, which affected them later throughout history. We don’t know much about these details though since we didn’t actually learn about this in class.

Even though all sophomores are put into World Civ for the year, we really learn very little about the world. Since preschool, we have all been taught that there are seven continents in the world, but now after being in World Civ, I have to wonder.

World Civilizations...or European Civilizations?

By Michelle Matsui Staff Writer

The Industrial Revolution, British Imperialism, World War I and World War II are all familiar periods in time from World Civilizations class.

But what about some other events in history like the Mexican Revolution, the Qing Dynasty or Japanese Imperialism? These are not so familiar because, even though they’re in the textbook, we skip over these sections to learn about Europe. Even though the class is named World Civilizations, what we really learn about is the history of Europe.

Have you ever noticed how we never learn anything about that other America…South America?

And the most we learn about Asia is that Japan was a part of the World Wars and bombed us at Pearl Har-

Selective service shows sexism

PHOTOpinions COMPILED BY ERIC KIM

By Kamry Zhang Staff Writer

The Olympian is a publication of the Journalism Class, Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. ©2006 Editor-In-Chief...............................................................Ben Topkins City Editors...............................................................Samantha Basto Divya Gopakumar Yelena Teplitskaya News Editor................................................Marie Antoniette Manuel Opinion Editor....................................................................Ellen Yau Feature Editor..................................................................Flora Tsang Sports Editor..................................................................Spencer Stitt Copy Editors......................................................................Katie Parr Mari Robinson Photo Editor....................................................Saritha Kosarussavadi Head Graphics Designer......................................................Aya Tang Systems Manager............................................................Rufus Jones Business Managers..............................................Analisa Harangozo Michelle Matsui Candace Wong Staff Writers: Adam Andrie, Gray Bae, Michael Chen, Kyle Friedrich, Eric Kim, Tommy Korycinski, Sandra Lane, Justin Lee, Trini McGeogh, Danny McHugh, Jasmine Nand, Kamry Zhang

Should high schools drug test their students?

“No, because students have privacy rights.”

“No, because that is invasion of privacy and it’s my body.” – Doug

– Mark Leleu, freshman

Winkenbach, junior

“No, there is no point to drug test students if there is nothing wrong.”

“No. It’s not the school’s business at all. The police should be handling it.”

– Doug Arbios, senior

– Jake Studebaker, sophomore

Last Tuesday I became a felon, but not in the traditional sense. I didn’t murder rape or rob anyone; I simply didn’t take the time to fill out a small form that the government requires me to.

This little white three-by-five card is what they like to call a selective service card; everyone else calls it a draft card.

The Selective Service System is the United States agency that facilitates Congress’ ability to raise a standing army in a time of war. They do this by requiring all males between the ages of 18 and 25 to register, or face fines of up to $250,000 and up to 5 years in prison.

Registration is also required for eligibility for government jobs, background checks and federal student aid. By linking registration with all of these other things, the government effectively ensures that the male populace of America will register.

The conscription system of the United States, however, is one of the most un-American institutions within our government. It is blatantly classist and gender biased.

By linking financial aid to registration, the government assures that no underprivileged citizens can effectively attend colligate studies without running the risk of being drafted.

In requiring only males to register, the government is insinuating that females are unfit for military duty, and therefore not worth the time to process and train.

The draft is quite possibly one of the most feared and hated uses of governmental authority.

In 1863 New York erupted in riots after President Abraham Lincoln called for a draft. The famed prizefighter Muhammad Ali went to prison for 3 years after refusing to be drafted. In 1974, the draft ended for four years, only to be reinstated by President Jimmy Carter.

I do not wish to serve in the military. Many would cite that this sort of mindset is unpatriotic, but I feel that valuing my life over “defending” my country is anything but. I wish to add to the positive aspects of the United States. If I go off and die in an unjust war, how have I helped anyone?

The American institution of conscription is misplaced in modern society.

In a culture that values equality and opportunity, the Selective Service System stands for the opposite.

They limit citizens’ potential and cause unrest a sizeable portion of the American population. It is time to acknowledge the system’s flaws and eliminate it. By keeping the possibility of a draft, the American government ruins its credibility both home and abroad as the land of equality and opportunity.

OPINION

Friday, April 7, 2006

E n t i t l e d t o e m p at h y estine, suicide bombers earn a surprising amount of respect.

Palestinians eat, breathe, and live for the belief that Israel is their rightful homeland and will

By Sandra Lane Staff Writer

“Suicide bombing kills twentyfive and injures thirty.” Nearly every day we see headlines similar to this, and instinctively translate them to “crazy religious fanatic strikes again.” Suicide bombings, however, have more dimensions than most Americans believe.

Coming from a democratic, Christian society, it is natural to view these suicide bombers as nothing more than savage animals.

Let me say early on that I will not come to any bomber’s defense, or pretend that I understand the horrors of suicide bombings.

However, I am willing to examine the cultural, societal, and religious motives of these men and women that flood our headlines.

Among many groups in Pal-

“ I will...not

find it beneath me to view [suicide bombers] as people.

”

one day belong to them again.

Anything that brings them closer to making this a reality is not only accepted, but greatly respected.

Many of us have been overwhelmed at the complexity of the Israel/Palestine conflict.

The only point of clarity would be that anger and determination has built up and festered over past generations, and sadly will continue for many more to come.

Walking into a café with a bomb hidden in a backpack and taking the lives of civilians is cruel, inhumane, and extreme.

We view this behavior as wretched and brutal because we do not even come close to empathizing with the deeply rooted motives of suicide bombers.

However, that is not to say by any means, that we view giving one’s life for a cause as insane and inhumane.

On the contrary, we greatly respect the NYFD firemen who gave their lives on 9/11 and our forefathers who fought on the frontlines to defend our country, to name a few.

I am not belittling or undermining victims of suicide bombings and I will not defend or pardon suicide bombers for their destructive actions on unsuspecting civilians.

I will, however, not find it beneath me to view them as people, deserving of our understanding. I hope you will join me.

3

Don’t freak out about harmless freaking fun

By Eric Kim Staff Writer

With the bass bumping and the lights blaring, I approached a member of the opposite sex from behind.

Suddenly the song: “Baby got back” turned on and I let my hormones and testosterone get the best of me. Just when I started to get my groove on, I saw “the light.”

I was caught groin-in-booty handed.

In all honesty, people are “freaking out” about freaking way too much.

I am aware that freaking may be sexist, de-womanizing, and even “obscene,” but it is a form of dance that brings members of all races together.

This one night I was at a soberparty, and I was amazed at what I saw; a white guy with a black girl, a Mexican guy with a white girl, and an Asian with glow sticks. I was flabbergasted at how this seemingly “horrible” form of dancing could break all social and racial boundaries. It was the most beautiful and unifying thing I have ever seen, even more unifying than the unity bracelets at school.

People say that freaking is basically sex with clothes on (which is kind of true), and promotes sex to teenagers.

I agree with the first part, but the

second one is wrong.

Teenagers are able to release their hormones and sexual tensions without the complications of babies or STDs. It’s sex minus drama, leaving just pure fun.

Whether people like freaking or not, it is here to stay.

School officials trying to stop freaking is shortsighted, because all it is doing is lowering dance attendances, which means less money for the school.

Even at the Winterball Dance when there were chaperones shining flashlights at students to stop freaking, students either stopped and then continued shortly after or proceeded to the center of the dance floor.

I have yet to see the negative consequences of freaking.

When is the last time you saw two people have sex immediately after freaking?

They would not because they were much too tired or exhausted.

It is clear to see that the pros of freaking far supercede the negatives.

We should all start looking at freaking as a great medium to express oneself, which brings people of all colors together.

All the supporters and the opponents of freaking should embrace it, literally.

STAR as standard surely stresses students

By Adam Andrie Staff Writer

World still revolves around war, sadly

Peace treaties should be followed by peace

By Kamry Zhang Staff Writer

Throughout the course of the past few thousands years, electricity was discovered, women gained the right to vote, nuclear weapons were invented and the earth was found not to be flat.

So we’ve done all that, now what?

Although a lot has changed, in reality, humans have not really changed at all.

We have gone forward and backwards but not really going much further.

Maybe we are in a constant stalemate, rocking back and forth between two oceans but never reaching land.

We know history repeats itself and we should know, by now, that we have a history of war.

On the onset of a problem, world leaders are renowned for resorting to violence.

Is fighting a war the only solution?

That seems to be the case according to the era of humankind.

Now that technology allows us to annihilate entire cities with the push of a button, it is imperative that we find another solution to our problems before we are responsible for the destruction of the entire human race.

Roughly 20 percent of the U.S. treasury is spent of the military.

If more money was geared towards education, someone might find an antidote for war instead of learning about war after war in history books.

The point of learning history is

not to repeat the same mistakes our ancestors did.

But apparently, we still have not learned our lesson, despite having a history of about 5,000 years.

Some people say that nowadays countries have peace treaties with each other.

I guess Hitler did not get the memo to actually follow the treaty.

People also thought that after the massive scale of destruction from the Great War, also known as WWI, there would never be a need for war ever again.

However, there have been a score of wars since then.

Maybe we will never know the true meaning of “peace” until words will have no more meaning to them because there will not be anyone alive to hear it anymore after the next series of war. Stay tuned.

As pressure already favors future graduates of CVHS, now more pressure may be added, but is more pressure what students really need to deal with now that getting into colleges is harder than ever?

The Standardized Testing And Reporting tests or STAR tests may be added to the list of all the tests and grades required to get into college.

Many students won’t take the STAR tests seriously and just fill in A or try to make shapes out of the answers. Yet in the very near future, making shapes out of the answers could prove vital when colleges look at the results.

Discussed around school by students and teachers, most are worried if the STAR tests are counted toward college that it could make the process of getting into college even harder.

Students already have enough to worry about with grades, SATs and all of the extracurricular activities needed to compete with all the students who apply to college.

Every day students go to school and have to put up with mounds of homework, tests and projects.

Even finals at the end of the year.

And now we would have to worry about remembering everything we learned for something that would be counted for like an SAT, that’s crazy.

We already have so much to do.

What they should do is ask students whether or not they want their STAR tests shown to colleges and if they do then it just boosts their chances of getting in, that is of course if their score is good.

And the students who don’t want their scores shown should not get theirs shown.

“It won’t be

long until something else is added to make college harder.

”

This way everybody is happy and no one will be worried or pressured.

Or the state should step in and find a plan to make sure all students have a chance to do well on the tests even if it involves retaking them.It won’t be long until something else is added to make college prospects work harder than ever before.

4

FEATURE

Friday, April 7, 2006

Senior has plans to help the world

decided that it would be a fun experience. Vanderbilt wanted to get

away from Castro Valley because she has been here all her life, and

decided that Seattle would be great because she has family in the area.

“I am excited, but it’s a really exciting, scary feeling.” Vanderbilt already has some experience doing community service in the Leadership class.

For the first month, Vanderbilt will be in training, after that she will start the program. For four days a week, the volunteers help out in the classroom and after school.

On Fridays, everyone meets to discuss the progress they have made, and they also do a random act of community service.

During Spring Break, the volunteers will manage a day care program for the children.

Vanderbilt is happy that she gets to help children out that are less fortunate.

“Instead of focusing on me, I am going to help people and make the world better. I get to be a part of something that might change the world.”

Francis Hospital in San Francisco.

Hill was taking a pill for an arm

Hill said. Most of her skin fell off from the disease, and it took a long time for it to be treated and for her skin to regrow. Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis has a 25-30 percent mortality rate, so Hill was very fortunate to survive. Hill is healthy now, but it took a lot of work to get her body working again.

“Before, my body was in really good shape. I had to learn to walk again. I can still get my body back together.”

Hill’s family helped to support her during the time she was in the hospital. She always had one relative with her, whether it was her parents or her brother or someone

else.

Her brother never doubted that she would live, and gave her lots of encouragement.

It was very hard on her family, to know that there was a good chance she could die very soon.

“My family, they were there for me. They believed in how strong I was.”

Hill is very active now and enjoys playing basketball, but she can still feel some of the effects of the disease.

She has trouble reading for long periods of time, which can sometimes make school work difficult for her.

By Kyle Friedrich Staff Writer

Jenny Vanderbilt, a senior here at Castro Valley High, will be going to Seattle after she graduates.

Vanderbilt is going to join AmeriCorps for ten months, which is a nationwide service program for young adults.

Vanderbilt will primarily work with elementary school children in the classroom and in after school programs.

“I’ll be tutoring, mentoring, stuff like that. If I had it my way, I would do an after school drama program,” Vanderbilt said.

She will be working with City Year, a member of AmeriCorps that focuses on urban youth. It has about 45 volunteers in Seattle.

“My grades are not the best. I was worried about where I would go to school, so I started looking at alternatives,” Vanderbilt said.

She talked to people who had already done the program, and she

Ben Topkins / Editor-In-Chief

Senior Jenny Vanderbilt plans to spend the next academic year tutoring students in Washington with AmeriCorps.

Senior deals with deadly skin disorder

By Kyle Friedrich Staff Writer

Senior Jay-Marie Hill is still alive and active after a rare disease that nearly killed her two years ago.

In November 2004, Hill was diagnosed with Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, a very deadly skin disorder caused by an allergic reaction to antibiotics.

“Ninety percent of my skin fell off,” Hill said while recalling the memories of having the disease.

She was hospitalized for three weeks at the Oakland Children’s Hospital, and later moved to Saint

“Ninety per-

cent of my skin fell off.

Jay-Marie Hill Senior

”

rash, to which she had an allergic reaction.

“I had no idea it would happen,”

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Health fair answers essential questions

By Divya Gopakumar City Editor

Teenagers today are often overwhelmed with countless questions relating to health. However, on March 29, some of those questions had the opportunity to be answered. Sue Anderson’s first period class, entitled “Youth for Social Change,” organized the Health Fair for the second year in a row. The fair was held for teachers who had signed up beforehand and took place during third period, as well as period 5/6. The Health Fair was made possible due to the students’ high involvement.

“The students did everything, from the planning to the organizing,” said Anderson. The fair consisted of various booths that were all health-related. With presenters from such categories as chiropractors, estheticians, and second-hand smoke, students were bound to find a topic that interested them.

“Students have the opportunity to not only get information relating to health, but also about getting jobs,” said Anderson. Sophomore Brittany Pestana explained the role of the students. “We were all assigned to an agency and we made

“Every year

you hope more and more people will come and attend.

ANITA HEGEDUS Junior

”

posters and fliers to promote the fair,” she said. This year’s Health Fair would be the second time for junior Anita Hegedus, who gave presentations on earthquake preparedness.

“Every year you hope more people will come and attend,” she said. The fair enabled representatives from different agencies to come and expose the students to new information.

“The purpose of us coming here was to inform the community about our program and services,” said Claudia Del Rio, a representative of Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, Inc. Senior Tiffany Tsang helped Del Rio with the booth during the fair.

“I accompany them and provide any help if they need it. Usually the students will be asking questions, and if they need any help from me I’ll give it to them,” said Tsang.

With another year of providing valuable information for students, the fair seems to have a healthy future in the coming years.

5

ENTERTAINMENT

Friday, April 7, 2006

Breakers break into the scene

By Eric Kim Staff Writer

With a funky-fresh beat in the background, the B-boys (breakdancers) put their game faces on and started to rock to the rhythm of the music.

Some of them practiced their style and flair, while others trained their power and technique moves.

Others just chilled and chatted it up with their friends about their favorite hip-hop artists.

Breakdance Club is finally back, and in full blossom. With Mario Iglesias, the new PE teacher, the club is able to meet consistently on Wednesday in the mat room.

During the club, the B-boys practice their moves as well as socialize with others.

“The club is really great for people to get together and bond. The older kids help out the younger freshmen and sophomores with style and technique,” said senior Mark Li. Two years ago, the club was run by a former dance teacher, but after she left the school, the club went MIA for the 2004-2005 school year.

Padded comfortably with soft wrestling mats as well as an array of mirrors, the mat room makes it is very easy for beginners as well as veterans to practice their moves.

B-boying (or commonly known as breakdancing) started during the

R

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Cat

ng i w

ch Wi t Ar m hout s

Ha rr t h e y Po t t e Ha lf-B r and l Pri nce ood

Sixth book of series is the darkest

By Michelle Matsui Staff Writer

Eric Kim / Staff Wroter

Senior Mark Lee shows off his breakdancing skills. The Breakdance Club meets Wednesdays in the mat room. huge hip-hop movement in South Bronx in New York City during the early 1970s.

Since its humble beginnings, it has shocked the world with its unique style and variation, and has recently come back into the mainstream due to the media.

Breakdancing is a very unique dance form, because there are no

rules holding one back.

The b-boys created a style of their own, with a few elements borrowed from Capoeria, Brazilian martial arts, and gymnastics.

“The breakdancing club is great because it lets us come together and enjoy a hobby of ours and allows us to help each other get better,” said senior Arvin Reyes.

panella on drums, this quartet band is an ample example of an adept rock band.

The album starts off with “Ode to the Sun,” a quiet down tempo beat climaxing to a continuous blare of guitar riffs that’ll get your blood pumping and foolishly make you want to get up on a table and rock your head back and forth (or at least that’s how I felt).

But this album definitely

introduced in the beginning of “Tanbark is Hot Lava” and “Ode to the Sun,” and then all of a sudden in “Zebraskin” you’ll have a laid back beat with pianos and a bewildered expression of what’s to come next. “Sang Real” has the classy-sounding piano riding upon the backbone of the drum play with Gavin Hayes’ vocal exploding whenever there’s a wistful piano moment.

“Spitshine” definitely has the strongest melody by far in this album with cohesion of both vocal and instrumentals. Plus all throughout this album there is a reminiscence of child’s play from a girl singing at the end of “Not That Simple” and laughter at the end of “Sang Real.”

Catch Without Arms deserves a four out of five stars. Although I enjoyed this album very much and have listened to it for quite some time now without disgust, I feel they could have touched upon their traditional rock more rather than relying on electronically constructed beats. But I highly recommend this album for the melodically depressed.

Second album from Dredge released

By Michelle Matsui Staff Writer

Dredg is not your conventional rock band—they are not a cross between metal or alternative; rather they make their own genre of rock because it is so difficult to categorize them. With beautifully composed lush notes and meeting the requirement of rock-n-roll deconstruction, this band is definitely a hit.

Catch Without Arms, the second album from Dredg, was released not too long ago. Comprised of Gavin Hayes on vocals/guitar, Mark Engles on guitar, Drew Roulette on bass, and Dino Cam-

R

w e i ev

ing

needs to praise lead singer Gavin Hayes.

He has greatly improved from his past album, his range is impressive and his voice sonorous. His echo-like voice complements the grandeur and circuitous sinuosity of the band’s adroit melodies and steady rhythms.

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In the sixth installment of the famous Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the secret to Voldemort’s only vulnerability is finally unveiled and another adventure begins for Harry, Ron and Hermione.

This most recent addition to the series may be 218 pages shorter than its predecessor, but it’s packed with a concentration of adventure and drama that the previous book lacked and makes this book the most suspenseful volume of the series yet.

In The HalfBlood Prince, everyone continues to live life even in the midst of the war brewing outside of the seemingly protective walls of the Hogwarts castle.

The story spans the school year with Harry excelling in Potions with the help of the mysterious Half-Blood Prince, whose scribbles led Harry throughout the year and teaches him.

He, Ron, and Hermione also learn to Apparate, a form of transportation where a wizard moves from one place to another desired

location in an instant.

This is definitely the darkest of the six books, portraying many deaths and dark times in the world after the truth is finally revealed about Voldemort’s return.

In an attempt to save the world from being taken over by Voldemort, Harry and Dumbledore search Voldemort’s past for clues as to how to bring down the powerful dark wizard.

The pair delve deep into the memories of those who faced encounters with young Voldemort and come across useful information that help them patch together a theory for finally vanquishing Voldemort.

The book also shows more sides to the already well-developed characters and inner conflicts and drama are presented strongly throughout this book.

Author J.K. Rowling gives Harry, Ron and Hermione conflicts about their feelings, which gives a lighter touch to the story. All in all, the characters have matured compared to the ranting teenagers they were in the previous book.

Although the development of the main characters is essential to this astounding book, it also means that other secondary characters are unfortunately left out.

Old classmates are hardly mentioned and the focus of classes and homework has been redirected to the character’s social lives and the new mysteries at school.

But with these topics left out, the reader can gain a fuller understanding of the story without being intimidated by a huge novel like the previous books.

T h e Half-Blood Prince is a critical installment in the Harry Potter series and has the potential to attract new Harry Potter fans, even this late in the series.

Rowling has created a story that swallows you whole and will not release you until you have finished the story, wishing for the next book to be released as quickly as possible.

Reading Harry Potter is like an addiction, you love the experience and are always left craving for more.

6

Friday, January 2006 Friday, April 7,27, 2006

By Analisa Harangozo Business Manger

By Kyle Friedrich

Staff Writer

It’s a sunny afternoon at the park, and I am relaxed. What am I thinking about? “Beautiful day for a picnic?” No. “Time to go shoot some hoops?” No. “Someone is about to get knocked out right now?” Darn tootin’.

I jump around a little bit, getting energized for the fight. “I can do it!” I think to myself. My opponent walks over and we stare each other down. The spectators crowd around. They watch us in excitement like blood-thirsty animals.

I’m feeling their rage too, but never losing my confidence. The rules are outlined, as if there can be any civility in such a brutal affair.

Then we touch fists, and it’s on.

It starts out slow; we are testing each other out. But then the violent fury starts to show. Tensions start rising, blows get harder. Then it goes to the ground, and any rules just got thrown out the window.

The crowd had to literally pull us off of each other.

I can’t stop thinking about how bad I’m going to smack this fool around.

I let out a flurry of punches, the adrenaline is pumping and I never realized my limbs could move so fast. But I’m taking hits at the same time, and my muscles can’t keep it up for longer. I stop attacking to build up my energy again, and then it was over. A haymaker right to my head, and the world got a little bit blurry.

Sound like movie or videogame to you? No, this was part of my life. What went on at the park a few times is probably the closest thing Castro Valley ever had to a “fight club,” but sometimes I wonder why I did it. Did I get anything out of it? Nothing but a swollen face and bruised knuckles. Did I get closer to, or start feuding with my opponent? No, not really. Did it solve any argument, or give the victor any more respect? No. I guess fighting can be as dumb as one person saying “let’s fight,” and another person saying “okay.”

It’s just a bunch of stupid kids doing stupid stuff because they have nothing better to do.

Even though the fight club was disbanded a while ago, back in the moment it was sure fun. It beats drugs any day.

Pops Concert 2006 gave a perfect synopsis of “A Day in the Life” of the average teenager in a lively, vibrant musical on the nights of March 30th, 31st and April 1st in the Center for the Arts.

The CVHS choirs such as madrigals, a cappella, les chanteuses, and vocal ensemble in addition to separate choirs for specific songs (“All These Things I’ve Done” and “Ain’t It Good”) performed in the show.

The entertaining Katie Darfler led the audience through the show as a tour guide of the daily events teenagers go through. She popped in after each performance and left the audience in chuckles each time she introduced the next one.

Act one opened up with a bubbly number of bathrobe wearing girls singing “Never Fully Dressed.”

The choreographed dance moves combined with the colorful robes and sassy skirts (which the girls made a transition in towards the end) made this performance a memorable opening based on the clever costume changes.

“Feeling Good,” a soulful solo sung by Kelly Drinkward, left the audience stunned by her skillful singing. Featured dancers included Marsha Donat, Meredith Rogers and Christina Panico who performed with a blue backdrop that perfectly matched the blueslike performance.

Darfler and Ms. Popular, played

by Carrie Brown, gave an accurate rundown of typical high school

cliques, which eventually opened up for the next song sung by Eric Fonsbeck and Kyle Shaw-Powell.

The two Frank Sinatra replicas sung “Fly Me To The Moon,” making the feet of the audience tap to the catchy melody.

Jasmine Criswell’s voice did not come close to matching the size of her tin SpongeBob SquarePants lunch box during “Thankful.” She hit the high notes flawlessly with little effort.

Out of all the performances, “De Tango Roxanne” was the talk of the night. The jaws of the audience dropped to the floor over the amazing talent the performers demonstrated in both singing and dancing (which this performance proved). The interpretive dance took place in front of an intense red background that complemented the black silhouettes of the dancers. The audience seemed stunned over how the dancers on stage were only students and not professional tango dancers.

In act two, the emotion in each song continued to jump offstage.

Pictures of deceased loved ones flashed through the background of the stage while Kallean Beyelia sang “Heaven.”

“Ain’t It Good,” sung by Ashlee Gillette, left the idea that the graduation day for the class of 2006 gradually approaches. The performance gave some a wake-up call to how close graduation is.

Pops Concert 2006 ended with a burst of excitement as the entire cast ran through the isles singing “Hard Day’s Night” while interacting with the audience.

Tragic fire strikes CVHS teacher

By Samantha Batso City Editor

At two o’clock in the morning on March 8, mathematics teacher Cindy Hager was abruptly awakened by the pounding of some of her neighbors on another neighbor’s door, while calling out his name. Hager’s apartment complex was badly destroyed by a fire.

Hager still does not know the cause of the fire, but said that the first reports from the fire department claimed that it broke out in another unit.

“Adrenaline really kicks in. I put on tennis shoes and my coat, grabbed my purse, workbag and cat,” explained Hager. “I didn’t see any smoke or any flames at the time.”

Upon leaving her apartment, she did not believe the damage would be that bad.

Her unit has some fire damage and the bathroom and kitchen were essentially destroyed. However, Hager was able to salvage a lot of

clothes, which she needed to get professionally cleaned because of the strong odor from the smoke.

“I loved my neighborhood and apartment, and it will be hard to find a place that I like,” she said.

She would like to live in the same neighborhood, but finds that not much is available.

“I get kind of depressed trying to find a new place,” said Hager of how she is dealing with such a loss.

Fortunately, her insurance will cover some of the damage, but it requires her to list all of the possessions she lost.

This proves to be difficult, because after the fire, friends gathered her remaining belongings in boxes and placed them in storage, so Hager is not sure what she has left.

“It is depressing and overwhelming to think about all that—the insurance and the list,” Hager said.

Hager is currently staying with friends while she continues to look for a place.

Adam Andrie / Staff Writer

Pain from the game Fight Pops concert 2006 night delivers musical fun

Adam Andrie / Staff Writer

Guard Jason Richardson warms up before the game.

By Adam Andrie Staff Writer

Ever since I could remember, I have been a sports fanatic, mainly following basketball. As most sports fans of the Bay Area know, the Golden State Warriors haven’t been a playoff team since 1995. It’s really hard to be a fan of a team knowing every single game can break your heart. All you want to do is support your team, but when your team loses a game, or even a significant amount of games, you feel like your heart is torn right out of your body.

What’s even worse than your team losing is when your team loses by one point. The dagger goes right through your heart and just turns until you can’t handle it anymore. I learned though that you can’t be mad forever when your team loses. What you need to do is figure out something to do after the game to get your mind off it.

“ Sports are

considered an addiction to many fans and I feel the same way.

Adam Andrie Staff Writer

”

What I always do to not think about it is not read the newspaper the next day, and I will never watch Sportscenter, because when you see the highlights of the game, it makes you feel even worse about the loss.

This is exactly how I felt when the Warriors were stung by the

visiting New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets 85-86 on March 29.

I heard everybody screaming and standing up clapping as the Warriors were going to get the last shot of the game with 7.7 seconds left on the clock. As Warriors star Jason Richardson took a shot and missed and starting point guard Derek Fisher got the rebound and put the shot back up for one final chance, my heart left my body for a moment. As the shot rimmed out of the basket, I was mad and didn’t want to talk to anybody.

I usually get this way a lot at the Warriors games because I’m so used to them blowing big leads in the fourth quarter. Fans of any sport feel the same way when their teams miss the game winner or when the field goal is wide right or when the opposing team hits the walk-off home run to win the game. All fans get the same way when this happens, and it hurts really bad. It’s almost as if nothing in the world matters at this point.

Sports are considered an addiction to many fans and I feel the same way. I’m sick of my favorite team never making the playoffs.

Yet I realized that even though your team may lose often, you’re not actually a fan unless you stick with your teams through those losses. How do you think the players on the team feel? They have to hear it from the whole coaching staff until the next game.

So next time you feel the world has ended because your favorite team has just lost, just remember to look ahead to the next game and always support your team, even through those heart-wrenching losses.

Correction

In the March 24 issue of the Olympian: “CVHS track team fares well” senior Kirk Marciel was said to have jumped 18’ 2” at a scrimmage meet against Alameda on March 15, he actually jumped 18’ 11.5” and placed first in the competiton.

SPORTS

Friday, April 7, 2006

7

Dance team wins national title Hearing impaired

By Saritha Kosarussavadi Photo Editor

On Saturday March 18, 2006, the members of Castro Valley High School Dance Team performed their hearts out and amazingly won the title for the dance/pom category at the national competition against twenty-four other high school dance teams from across the country, which took place at the Anaheim Convention Center near Disneyland.

“This year, even though our team’s smaller, all of us really came together,” said junior Sam Siegel who participated in the event last month.

Including the summer, the seventeen girls have been practicing the routine since last year’s tryout.

Two weeks before the championship, CVHS dancers pushed themselves even harder, arriving at the school’s studio everyday at 6:30 a.m. in order to practice until the end of first period.

Most came after school and continued to perfect the routine for another two hours.

“We practiced every day in the morning, cleaning the routine so everybody would have the same arm angle while holding the poms,” said junior Marissa DeHerrera.

Other than dancing, they also had to design and make their own costumes.

“We ordered black unitards and we rhinestoned them ourselves,” said DeHerrera.

During the two days of the competition, the team was required to perform four pieces for the categories that were to be scored by the judges from the United Spirit Association: officers’ routine, lyrical, jazz, and dance/pom. The excitement.

Ultimately came when they did their last pirouettes in “Workaholic,” the dance choreographed by coach Rob Perry on a mix of songs such as “Car Wash” and Michael Jackson’s “Working Day and Night.”

“Before the performance, we were extremely nervous because we wanted the first place so bad.

But we did the ‘Bufflo’ and the

‘Rubber chicken’ to shake out all the nerves as a tradition,” said Siegel.

Although the team’s head captain, senior Amber Emerick, faced the return of her hip injury, with her perseverance, she was able to maintain the spirit of team effort and kept her fellows united.

“Amber popped her hip out of the socket during the first performance but she pulled herself through until the end of the competition. And when we found out that we won, two of us were carrying her on the electric scooter we rented there.

We were so happy because it was unexpected,” recalled Siegel.

The CVHS Dance Team received the championship trophy with each of its members getting an individual medal and a “number-one” backpack. In addition to the victory, they got a chance to perform on a national television, which will later be aired on ESPN. “We screamed on the top of our lungs. We were going crazy. We worked really hard and it finally paid off,” said DeHerrera.

This year’s team is also younger and more inexperienced compared to teams from years past.

The amount of rain has made is very difficult for the team to practice for competitions. “Golf is meant to be played in warm conditions, and when it is rainy and cold it makes it extremely difficult to play,” added Blom. Also, at the team’s last meet, the conditions were so rough that clubs would come flying out of the golfer’s hands when it got too wet.

So far this season, the golf team has had to make several changes in regards to the rain.

For example the players have had to spend more time on the driving range and less on the courses.

In addition, at the San Leandro

Golf Tournament on March 28, at which the team placed seventh out of 21 schools, the players had to limit the competition from 18 holes to only nine due to worsening conditions.

“The hardest thing has been practicing to play in normal conditions,” explained senior David Wynne. However, the team still has several prominent athletes including juniors Brendan Jin, AJ Warren, and Russ Wilson each averaging 39, 40, and 42 for nine holes respectively.

“The team hasn’t been playing as well this year. If we beat Arroyo and Moreau, we might be able to get third in league, but for now I really don’t know,” added Blom.

Horrible weather disrupts golf

By Michael Chen Staff Writter

The CVHS boys golf team has been struggling to keep its standing in HAAL. However, due to the recent amounts of rain, the team’s performance has deteriorated making it even harder now.

The notable decline in competition is a result of second-rate practices due to the rain, making it difficult to predict how the team will finish in the league.

“We’ve had three losses so far, which is more than from last year’s entire season. If we lose again to Arroyo and lose to Moreau, we will end up fourth or fifth, compared to our first place finish last year,” explained coach Ed Blom.

excels in softball

By Yelena Teplitskaya City Editor

Shuffling back and forth in the outfield, on alert for the ball to spiral toward her at any moment, most people would probably never know that devoted softball player and junior Channing Peebles is deaf in one ear.

A seven-year veteran of the game, with a three-year baseball streak prior to that, this athlete denies that her lack of dual hearing interferes with her ability to play and enjoy herself on the field.

“It’s pretty much based on your skill and knowing what the play is,” revealed Peebles. No stranger to the outfield positions, Peebles has recently started to learn the ins and outs of being a catcher. She insists her inability to hear certain things during the game doesn’t hold very much significance in comparison to her skill. “[Playing] is a little different because sometimes I can’t hear what coaches are saying from the

outfield,” Peebles reflected. However, the problem is easily fixed by asking somebody else to relay the message, she added.

Complimenting her nonchalant demeanor and insistence that her impaired hearing is no big deal, Peebles pointed out that most people don’t even know she cannot hear in one ear.

“I just don’t tell anyone I’m deaf,” she said, although her team is aware of the fact. “It doesn’t really mean anything.”

With her obvious fondness for softball reflected in the smile on her face as she discussed her team, Peebles looks forward to integrating the new freshman and sophomore members into the team and “teach them new things.”

Ultimately, Peebles chooses to focus on the sport instead of paying too much attention to something that does not even hinder her ability to play.

“I just like playing the game,” Peebles concluded genuinely.

“And that’s what I do.”

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8

NEWS

Friday, April 7, 2006

Calculus students raise aid for Africa

By Mari Robinson Copy Editor

Saritha Kossarussavadi / Photo Editor

Junior Ashley Lee (right) shares the CVHS experience with Arroyo junior Amber Johnson.

Students exchange school experiences

By Mari Robinson Copy Editor

March 9 was an ordinary day for everyone except eight CVHS students who attended Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo for the day for the student exchange.

On March 17 the situation was reversed and students from Arroyo visited the CVHS campus.

In February the event was announced and the interested students filled out applications if they wanted to participate. The choices were narrowed down and two people from each grade were chosen.

Then they attended a dinner at which they met the person they would be following at the other school.

For participants from both schools, the exchange was preceded with preconceived expectations.

“I was told by people that go here that you had to wear head to toe Hollister,” said Julie Schoenfield, a senior from Arroyo who was paired up with senior Sandra Lane.

Dawn Berden, a CV sophomore said, “ I was told there’d be gangsters there, but I didn’t see any Mafiosi.”

Arroyo and CVHS are very different schools, as was discovered by the exchangees.

For one, Arroyo is much smaller with only about 1,800 students. Schoenfield liked her smaller campus better. “I know more people and it’s easier to get around,” she said.

Something that was noticed by both sides was the superiority of Arroyo’s cafeteria and menu. Their lunchroom has just been renovated

and Burger King meals and Subway sandwiches are available to buy on campus.

At Arroyo the classes are divided into four blocks that “are about a century long,” said Berden, verses the six or seven periods that make up the CV schedule.

Schoenfield observed that the classes at Arroyo are bigger and “more laid back,” and she was surprised to see students wearing hats and pajama pants in her classes at CVHS, because they are not allowed on her campus.

“Your school is really pretty,” she also added.

As far dealing with the being “new,” it was a bit awkward for everyone.

“I just started making a joke about it, like ‘Hi, I’m a foreign exchange student from Sweden,’” Schoenfield explained.

For Berden it was more about dealing with the stereotypes the Arroyo students had of the typical Castro Valley teenager.

“I don’t know why people think this, but we’re perceived as some filthy rich, exclusive group of kids with a campus made of gold and marble, or something. I think a lot of the Arroyo kids were confused as to why I wasn’t decked out in full Abercrombie gear, because apparently that is the required CVHS uniform,” explained Berden.

Overall though, the experience was a good one for both participants. Both commented that it was a fun, interesting way to meet all new people “that don’t live in the same bubble as I do,” as Berden put it.

“It broke my perceptions,” concluded Schoenfield. “A lot of people here remind me of people back at my school.”

The students in Glenn Mitchell’s calculus classes have been raising money for students’ education in Africa.

The money goes to the Martin Nandi Memorial Fund, an organization that Dr. Christine Nandi, a special education teacher at CVHS, is involved with. The organization gives money to needy students, especially orphans, who want to continue their education.

The students must have leadership qualities and earn good grades in order to be eligible.

In Africa, public education is only funded from kindergarten through the eighth grade. Because the high schools are very competitive and cost a yearly tuition, usually only a very elite group get to continue their education. Tuition costs approximately $400 US yearly.

“There are so many people that have the potential to go but don’t have the money,” said junior Madrianne Wong, who helped organize the fundraising in Mitchell’s third period class.

Mitchell’s third period class col-

“ I am trust-

ing that they will carry the torch...

GLENN MITCHELL Calculus Teacher

”

lectively raised about half a years worth of the tuition money for a Kenyan girl named Jael Ogore.

Each student in the 31- student class contributed six dollars and some gave even more, raising $197. Ogore wants to continue her education in order to go on to help students with disabilities such as being blind or deaf.

“This organization is great because these people are being helped and then want to go on to help others,” said Wong.

Other teachers throughout the school have also individually contributed money for some students’ tuition. After being approached to sponsor a student, Mitchell was unable to contribute on his own because he sponsors three other students through another organization, and turned to his classes.

In his first, second and third period classes a group of students including Ellen Yau, Tiffany Yu, Chen Wang, Lindsay Kwong and Wong stepped up to the plate and made the fundraising happen.

“This will be an ongoing thing for future classes I hope. I am trusting that they will carry the torch, and continue to support these students,” said Mitchell.

Coco: ‘Students drunk or high every day’

By Danny McHugh

Staff Writer Members of the community came together with law enforcement officers and other community representatives at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts on March 24 to discuss the issue of teen drinking and the problems associated with it.

Officials included Sheriff Greg Ahern and Leslie Rothwell, a former CVHS principal and current director of pupil services for the Castro Valley Unified School District.

“This problem puts our youth at risk of accidents, alcohol poisoning, and arrest,” Ahern said during his opening statement.

The majority of the meeting focused on the levels of teen drinking, and their method of acquiring the intoxicating substances.

“We have a problem,” CVHS Principal Debbie Coco started out. “We have students drunk or high every day in class.”

Statistics culled from several student surveys stated that as many as one in five high school juniors have come to class at some point either drunk or high, a startling statistic for many parents in the audience.

Also present were law enforcement officials, who lectured the

parents on the importance of keeping their children away from the influence of alcohol. While not overtly threatening, the officers reminded parents of their legal responsibility to raise sober children.

The meeting also targeted teens, however, in an effort to expose them to organizations and events that stress sober living.

One of these was the Youth to Youth program run by Town Hall director Traci Cross of Creekside Middle School. The program focuses on middle and high school students and offers alternative activities and education to help change the current situation.

The sober grad cruise organizer Cindy Traverso also made an appearance saying that her event “offers graduates an alternative to the alcohol fueled party scene of graduation night.”

Closing the event was keynote speaker Michael Prichard, an Emmy-winning comedian and motivational speaker specializing in teen social problems. While he brought laughter to the room, his message of communication was not lost on the crowd.

In the end the town hall meeting on teen drinking was an overall success, bringing the problem to the forefront and discussing it in an open and honest manner.

Rep. Lee focuses on liberal agenda

DISTRICT: From Page 1

residents are no strangers.

Promoting the Department of Housing and Urban Development, she scolded the disabled housing budget cuts, which had amounted to $2 billion.

“We could restore [that budget] with what we spend in Iraq in ten days,” she declared. Additionally, Lee suggested that tax-paid, public service workers like teachers, police officers and firefighters have reduced price housing available to them.

Next, Lee expressed her support for those who are, or have been, in county jail with the possibility of parole to get the benefit of a clean record after serving the sentenced time, doing the community service and then requesting a clean slate from the judge. “This is about giving people a second chance,”

she said.

Immigration was also addressed as Lee explained that the government is now attempting to charge the accomplices of any illegal immigrants it catches. Family, clergy and friends who help the immigrants would be considered accomplices.

“I would never vote for something like that; it’s immoral,” said Lee. Through the applause and nods of pleased agreement, Lee’s fairly detailed summary of what is in the works of the government, primarily in relation to Oakland and nearby regions, was very well received.

“We, as the Ninth Congressional District, must criticize,” Lee declared. The next town hall-type meeting will be centered in Fruitvale on April 22.

“The more you network with your friends and family, the better,” Lee maintained.

CVHS holds off testing for the time being

DRUGS: From Page 1

make responsible decisions,” said Principal Debbie Coco.

The administration’s decision means the preservation of the status quo for current CVHS students and for the foreseeable future as well.

Currently the school employs random drug dog searches, and

Coco believes this is “enough for right now.” In most instances the drug dogs have been extremely successful in keeping the school’s campus drug free.

With more attention towards Castro Valley’s teen drug and alcohol usage, members of the community as a whole, rather than the schools, are trying to reduce the problem, without the aid of the federal government.