Dec 17, 2010

VOLUME 54, ISSUE 4

Pg. 2

Turn off your phones

The Olympian supports texting law

Pg. 4

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2010

Bus Stop wins applause

Drama students wow the crowd

CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546

Soccer team fights to the end

CVHS battles against Foothill

Olympian moves to dominate Internet

Distracted drivers fill the streets

By Hillman Zheng and Lawrence Ham Texting while driving has been proven to be as harmful as drunk driving, but teenage drivers and even adults continue to partake in this dangerous habit.

The law prohibiting drivers from texting was passed on Jan. 1, 2009, and California Highway Patrol Officer Roland Tuazon said that “about 96 percent of drivers are in compliance with the law.”

The Olympian compiled data at the busy intersection of Mabel Avenue and Redwood Road immediately after school, and discovered that three percent of drivers do indeed text while driving. Fifteen out of 511 drivers were observed texting while driving during a half-hour time interval. Although this may seem like a small number, imagine how many drivers there are in Castro Valley and how many of those drivers are texting while driving.

Texting drivers are well aware that their multitasking activity is illegal, and evidently, some even go to extremes to avoid being caught by authorities.

“Whenever somebody sees a black and white [police car], drivers often literally throw their phone down to avoid being ticketed,” said Tuazon.

TEXTING: Page 8

By Trevor Kwong and John London Staff Writers

Photo Illustration by Bianca Arias / Photo Editor

Texting while driving often puts yourself and others, especially pedestrians, at risk.

Wishes come true for lucky families

By Natalie Chin Staff Writer

Adopt-A-Family is more than a simple charity that CVHS supports. It is the difference between a magical and awful holiday for the 12 families chosen this year.

For those who do not know, Adopt-A-Family is a fundraiser led by Castro Valley Community Outreach. The fundraiser is led

by Ray Harris, who organizes the families in need, CVHS Leadership, led by students Austin Bruckner and Jessica Anthony, and advisor Nicholas Whitaker.

Students at CVHS can donate money in their third period class, which Leadership will then col-

Grad remembered for “laughing and fun”

By Jason Hazari Staff Writer

Jonathan Johnson, a class of 2010 graduate, has been well remembered these past few weeks after he was killed in a car accident on Friday, Nov. 19 in San Francisco.

Johnson immediately gave his friends and teachers at CVHS a pleasing impression of himself as he transferred here last November from Tracy High School; he engaged himself in the drama department and made the wrestling team.

“He was such a positive and sweet guy,” said drama teacher Tiffany Daily. “He had so much

Pg. 6

to offer not only in class, but in general. It’s just so tragic to realize that he can’t show that ‘good to be around’ attitude anymore.

He would’ve had such a bright future, but one mishap...and it’s

JOHNSON: Page 8

lect and pool together. On the last day of Adopt-A-Family, the Leadership class splits the money evenly between all the people and goes to local shops to try to buy all the items on the families’ wish list, wraps the presents, then brings them to one area to be distributed.

This year’s Adopt-A-Family effort raised about $6,500 between Nov. 29 and Dec. 10.

“I know that Leadership asks for a lot from students with the community service projects that we do. All we ask is for students to give what they can, to sacrifice an energy drink to help a family in need,” says Whitaker.

Students at CVHS may overlook Adopt-A-Family because

they think that the families at Castro Valley are not as poor as those in third-world countries, but the fact is that although the families are not deprived of things like water and non-toxic air, they still need help this holiday season.

“All too often we write off the needs of others. For the most part, they asked for socks, sheets, laundry shop, and basic items.

And they’re so grateful for things that we all need,” said Bruckner.

The class that raises the most money earns a party from Leadership, but the real motivation to donating the money to Adopt-AFamily, should be to help families that only want a better holiday season for their loved ones.

By SangEun Choi

teacher at CVHS, who happily married art teacher Jo Sutton on Oct. 4, 2008. “I actually try not to think about it much. I try to take care of my family, school, life, and think that things will get better.”

The Spectrum Club is an alliance group for people of all sexual orientations. Colleen Wisel, a member of the club, spoke up on her opinions about Prop. 8.

“I was pretty upset when Prop. 8 passed because I don’t think anyone should have their rights taken away,” Wisel said.

“I thought we’d already decided that separate but equal isn’t fair.

I guess that coming from the Bay Area, which is pretty liberal, I was a little surprised, but I forgot to think about the other more conservative parts of California.”

The CVHS newspaper has gone cyber, with archived issues dating back to 2004. Internet users will now be able to read and search for articles and photos by staff members of The Olympian.

The website can be found at www.cvhsolympian.com The site uses color photos and is organized in a user-friendly way, with tabs for each section of The Olympian: news, sports, opinions, entertainment and features.

In addition, the site includes polls for users to vote on certain school issues, as well as comment boxes for reader feedback.

According to The Olympian’s advisor Matt Johanson, the online site will benefit journalism students and the campus community by expanding the newspaper’s content.

“The site gives us more room for stories and way more readers,” said Johanson. “The kids wanted it and it provides new skills for us.”

Editor-in-Chief Alicia Harger stated that a main reason why The Olympian decided to publish on the Internet was to join the online revolution occurring with news media. To Harger, online news is the main step to reach

OLYMPIAN: Page 8

Proposition 8 undergoes hearing Staff Writer

Proposition 8 went under a two-hour hearing in front of a three-judge panel at the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Dec. 6.

Californian voters passed a ban of same-sex marriage in California (52 percent to 48 percent) in November of 2008, only five months after gay marriage was allowed in June. But a federal judge found Prop. 8 unconstitutional in 2010. Gay marriage opponents are appealing the ruling.

Prop. 8 has caused some concerns and distress amongst people of the CVHS community.

“Prop. 8 has been so incredibly painful for my family,” said Melissa Kindelspire, a science

C-SPAN televised the arguments from the appeals court.

When asked about his opinions about the broadcasting of the hearing, social studies teacher Roger Kim responded, “I think it’s a good idea to televise it. It will bring the issue into public discussion and more people will discuss it.” Kim married his husband in 2008 before the ban took effect.

“Marriage is a civil right,” Kindelspire stated.

Out of the 50 states of the U.S., only five and the District of Columbia have marriage equality.

“Five out of 50 is a pretty pathetic number,” Wisel said. She also believes that more states should “come to their senses and realize that everybody deserves

PROP 8: Page 8

Life is worth more than a text message

Editorial: The Olympian strongly opposes texting while driving. It is unsafe action and the consequences it can cause are never worth the risks.

There is no text message or phone call that is important enough to risk a life over, especially when there are other options.

If there is a message or call that may be important, there is always the option of safely pulling over to check the phone. Texting while driving is a dangerous trend that needs to be stopped before it causes even more deaths and injuries.

When a driver makes the decision to text and drive, that not only puts that driver in danger but many other as well. The Olympian knows that texting can be an addicting thing and may seem like no big deal, but in reality, every second that someone looks away from the road is another second that lives are at risk.

An average of four percent of all drivers use their cell phones when they are driving.

This may seem like no big deal because it is only four out of every 100 people. However, when that number is multiplied by all the drivers out there, that can amount to a large number of people.

CVHS has almost 3,000 students and if all of them were able to drive, there would be around 120 people on their phones while driving and 120 people who could seriously injure or kill themselves or oth-

Letters to the Editor

Shop for necessities, not knickknacks

By Rebecca Fong Staff Writer

Yoon Jung/ Staff Writer

ers. Although the consequences of texting and driving seem like no big deal to most people, The Olympian asks readers what they are really risking. Sure, the fine only amounts to a little over $100.

However, what if a boy got into a car accident because of it? If he injured both himself and another driver, he would have to pay hospital bills and cover the damage of the cars which could amount to over $50,000 in bills and expenses.

If the other driver were killed?

The boy could end up in jail for

The Olympian encourages letters from our readers. Please note that letters must be signed and no longer than 200 words. They can be e-mailed to cvhsolympian@gmail.com, delivered to Mr. Johanson’s box in the office, or dropped off at our Olympian office in room 113.

The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2010 Editors-In-Chief...............................................................Alicia Harger City Editor.......................................................................Simrit Kaur News Editor...........................................................Lawrence Ham Opinion Editor.............................................................Kate Kim Feature Editor............................................................Nic Barradas Sports Editor.............................................................Kearny Combs Arts and Entertainment Editor........................................Sarah Gilchriese Copy Editor.........................................................Dana Lin Photo Editor..............................................................Bianca Arias Business Managers......................................................Hillman Zheng

Staff Writers: Anna Balassone, Matt Barney, Natalie Chin, SangEun Choi, Daniel Chung, Abby Clark, Rebecca Fong, Dan Galvan, Reyna Garcia, Jason Hazari, Yoon Jung, Max Kahane, Erin Kim, Trevor Kwong, Emily Lin-Jones, John London, Tim Pak, Holden Parks, Jennifer Price, Andie Smith Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

manslaughter for the rest of his life. If he died?

He would not only be losing his life, but would cause everyone that knew and love him emotional trauma and pain all because he had to see what someone said and didn’t pull off the road.

Of course, many people think that the risk of these scenarios is low because of the statistics that have been tested. According the California Highway Patrol, the statistics of how many crashes and injuries caused due to being on the phone and

driving are misleading.

No one ever admits to being on the phone and causing accidents. However, in many cases crashes could have been avoided if people were willing to put their phones away.

The Olympian asks drivers to please put cell phones away while driving. If it is absolutely necessary to take a call or check a text, pull over.

This could not only save the life of the driver, but also the lives of many others.

For more information, visit www.keepthedrive.com.

PHOTOpinions BY: Tim Pak

Do you text while driving?

Ian Rodriquez “I really try to avoid texting while driving because I know that it is not safe. Occasionally I will text while driving, but only while at a red light. If I need to tell someone something, then I am better off just calling them.”

Becky Maciel “I am a very safe driver. I only text while at a red light.

I am very cautious of my surroundings and pay attention to the light change very intently.”

Brendan Korbas “I don’t because supposedly it’s against the law.”

Pat Hassett “Yeah I like to drive, but I also like to text while driving.

Calling people while driving is the worst and it’s boring.”

The holidays are upon us, which means it’s time to crack that piggy bank and decide what to give our friends and family. Are you stuck on this decision as much as I am, year after year? Then you might want to consider buying a goat, pig, or even a carton of honeybees for a starving family in the name of your giftee instead.

As bad as an advertisement as this sounds, the goal of the charity organization which takes on this inspired challenge, known as Heifer International, is genuinely well intended. They’ve helped to decrease world hunger and support sustainable agriculture by supplying all types of livestock to people in developing nations for nearly 60 years.

You can choose to spend anywhere from $10 to $25,000 to send heifers, ducks, rabbits, water buffalo, llamas, tree seedlings, and more to those who are struggling with day-to-day necessities.

Who really needs another set of comforters or a sweater that you’re most likely to return with the gift receipt anyway?

It’s a staggering fact that nearly 1 billion people on our earth do not know where their next meal will come from, especially in a civilization so technologically advanced such as ours. In our current economic crisis, even the cheapest grains are difficult to afford.

When I take inventory of my house, I notice so many little things on shelves, in drawers or in boxes that are ignored on a regular basis, either because they’re useless or simply forgotten.

Sadly, many of these items have been past gifts; I could easily live the rest of my life without these dust-collectors. I don’t feel comfortable encouraging my friends and family to add to that list this year.

By spending money for others desperately in need instead of knick-knacks, and requesting that my family do the same for me, I personally feel that I am contributing more to the true spirit of this season. If giving means more than receiving, then how much more would it mean to give something that truly improves the lives of others?

Olympian

Black Friday hectic but worthwhile

The December 17, 2010

America guarantees freedom of religion

By Abby Clark Staff Writer

Black Friday is a traditional day-after-Thanksgiving shopping affair.

It consists of enthusiastic people looking for great deals. Black Friday has sales people anticipate all year long.

I know I was scanning the Internet weeks before making a list of all the things I wanted to buy. There is usually a limited supply for the items everyone is searching for. Everyone hopes that they are one of the lucky ones to find it.

By Alicia Harger Editor in chief

cold weather, with a bunch of strangers who want to take the items you’re waiting for, for themselves? Best Buy employee Calvin states, “It’s understandable how many people could be waiting out because the truth is I’d be waiting right out there with them if I didn’t have to work.”

This goes to show that even the employees of the stores can’t say no to the incredible savings.

Black Friday all in all was a success not only because I got to save hundreds of dollars, but I got everything I was searching for.

To all those that think I’m crazy for shopping on Black Friday, tell me what your Christmas cost you after not going to Black Friday and I’ll tell you what mine cost me.

There has been much media coverage of the recent controversy over building a mosque near Ground Zero.

Those in opposition to this building are ignoring a very basic, very important fact. We live in America and Americans have rights.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion to all Americans. Not just Christian Americans, or Jewish Americans, or Buddhist Americans, but all Americans have the right to worship who, what, when, where, and how they please.

Those who oppose this building are mistaking all Muslims for the extremist terrorists who committed the 9/11 attacks.

Making this generalization is like saying that no woman is as intelligent as a man is. It may be true in some cases, but in no way is it a rule. Generally, people agree that stereotyping is wrong, but it seems that many are willing to judge all Muslims by the crimes of a few.

Restricting religious freedom is a crime. The terrorist groups that committed the terrible acts of injustice do not believe in religious tolerance. If we begin limiting religion, we would not be any better than terrorists are.

Banning this building, as some wish, would set a dangerous precedent. Once one mosque is banned, maybe a second would be too. And maybe any mosque in New York City will be considered too close to Ground Zero, or the

Donations seem mandatory This letter is in response to Mr. Jim Negri’s letter, “Athletes Asked to Donate.” Negri explains that athletes were not asked to pay, but only asked to give a suggested donation for the sports program. However, what is the actual difference between paying and donating?

Is there not a much different incentive for each one?

When you are asked to pay for something, you are typically doing it for yourself and getting a reward out of it. When you donate to a cause, it’s out of the goodness of your heart and you get the reward of feeling like you helped something or someone else in need. In the case of athletics at our high school, it is quite close to mandatory that you “donate” to play your sport. Although it is not plainly stated, it is certainly implied by coaches and other teammates because they know that sports are not funded, and depend

on donations. Is it fair for a kid to feel not as valuable on a team because they didn’t or couldn’t donate? Is it fair that their teammates might look down on them for not paying? Even though it is only a recommended donation, it still pressures people a lot into it, and excludes those who truly can’t play. This may not technically be breaking the law, but indirectly it still is.

Another topic Negri touched on in his letter was the idea that academics comes before athletics on the list of things to not cut. Yes, a good education is what our state aims for in regards to schools, but what if sports are the only thing keeping certain students coming to school? There are students who enjoy classes because of the academics, but more often than not, students are there to keep up their grades so they can stay on the sports team they play on.

Is it fair to say academics ranks higher in importance than athletics? It seems more that athletics

“ The savings

minimized the sacrifice of waiting in line for hours in the cold. ”

Black Friday is a national shopping day that not only inspires great deals at low prices, but determination to get the items you’re searching for.

I left at 9:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day to get in line for Toys R Us and waited for about an hour.

After reaching the doors to the store my mom and I ran in and got everything we were looking for, hoping to check out as fast as we could to try to beat the horrendous lines waiting at the check out stations. At Toys R Us we found some major bargains like $5 Barbies and $30 Barbie

dream houses. Our total was $164 and we saved more than $300. It’s a shopping affair that clearly was profitable.

The savings minimized the sacrifice of waiting in line for hours in the cold weather and dealing with over the top people.

Black Friday shopping can’t even be stopped by incredibly high unemployment rates. The department store ads are very hard to look away from.

How could you walk away with an ad that showed you 75 percent savings on items? Well not many people do including my mom, aunts, cousins, and siblings.

Black Friday, in some people’s eyes, is a waste of time because who wants to leave Thanksgiving dinner to go stand in line for hours, in the

LETTERS

To the Editor Time to look for solutions for cuts While reading the latest issue of The Olympian, I came across a letter to the editor. It stated that though no student will be excluded from sports because of inability to pay the requested donation, the continued existence of the athletic program depends on further fundraising efforts like those in past years.

The letter I read put it nicely, but I will put it plainly: if teams do not pay, there will be no sports. While defending the fairness of the system that has been set up because of the cuts and even quoting a section of the California Constitution which guarantees “a free and public education” (which includes free athletics), the writer does not

address the greater injustice of the cuts themselves.

The letter rather seems to conform to the idea that, while budget cuts are unpleasant, there is no concrete solution.

Unfortunately, this theory only satisfies those relatively unaffected by cuts and is woefully inadequate for student athletes, at-risk students, and staff alike.

No matter how you word it, cuts are unfair. It is time to search for alternatives in solving this problem, whether it be through petitioning, protesting, or working with our representatives. It is time to stop telling ourselves and each other that, tragically, there is no solution.

Emma Leathley, junior

Andie Smith/ Staff Writer

3

state of New York, or maybe even the entire United States.

This is a slippery slope to start down-a risk that Americans cannot afford to take.

Besides all this talk of limiting rights, the building that has been dubbed “The Ground Zero Mosque” is not just a mosque. Only two stories of a 13-story building would be Muslim prayer space.

The rest of the facility would include an auditorium, fitness center, swimming pool, basketball court, theater, performing arts center, bookstore, childcare services, and more.

Even if it were just a mosque, I would support the building,

“ Those who

oppose this building are mistaking all Muslims for the extremist terrorists. ”

but it is meant to be a community center for people of all faiths. I cannot see any detriment this facility would bring to the community.

Community centers are usually welcomed and encouraged. I don’t think the Muslim affiliation should stop the New York community from embracing the facility.

For those who say that it’s just too close to Ground Zero, the facility is to be built over two blocks away and cannot be seen from Ground Zero.

Everyone values their own freedom, but it’s important to be reminded that others deserve freedom too. compliments academia and is equally as important. Without sports, the dropout rate at CVHS would surely be higher because many of our athletes would lose their motivation to stay in school. We need both academics and athletics to keep students at school, and to make it an enjoyable experience overall.

If we look at budget cuts in a different way, we can see that it’s not our job to fundraise or come up with our own money for sports or any part of public school. As many people have said, “Education is a right, not a privilege,” and every student, from CVHS and from all over California, is entitled to that right. In times of crisis, we must see what is really important.

Let’s stop jeopardizing California’s future by making cuts to schools, and instead improve them by getting the government to do what’s right.

Emma Silver, sophomore

Bus Stop stops audiences in their tracks

By Kate Kim Opinion Editor

The CVHS drama department put on William Inge’s play, Bus Stop.

It featured many CVHS students, both as actors and as production workers.

Bus Stop is a drama about a young couple who learns about love and their relationship as they wait in Grace’s Diner during a 1955 snowstorm.

Filled with comedy, romance, and suspense, this play introduces a variety of relationships as stranded bus passengers take shelter in the diner in Kansas.

Although the play takes place in one setting for the whole show, the characters face drama, tragedy, friendships, and love throughout the show.

Bo Decker, one of the main characters, is a “crazy non-Southern cowboy from Montana,” said by senior Trevor Macabe who played the character.

Decker is a young man who has no knowledge on girls and relationships, although he acts like it. He kidnaps and forces Cherie, a night club singer double casted by senior, Vesselina Ivanova and Julia Cornelius, to marry him.

Through trial and error, Decker slowly learns what love truly is and realizes that he cannot force love.

Cherie, on the other hand is a hard working girl with a difficult past who faces men who want her everyday.

She wants to be respected and wants to fall in love, but is

By Holden Parks Staff Writer

Kate Kim / Opinion Editor

Trevor Macabe as Bo Decker orders a huge meal complete with multiple raw hamburgers. not sure love exists because she had only heard of the sort of love in fairy tales. Despite their differences, the pair learns not only about each other but about themselves and their belief of what love is.

Each performer on stage successfully presented their characters well and portrayed the message each character is supposed to give.

Junior Steve Davidson played the role of Dr. Gerald Lyman, an old alcoholic professor who

develops an interest in a young high school girl.

Davidson says that the character he played is different from him but he can relate to him.

“Dr. Lymen deals with struggles that all of us do at one point or another,” says Davidson.

Through Dr. Lymen’s experience, Bus Stop portrays a message that what one wants may not be the best for one’s self.

“The cast is small and everyone is so close to each other so I feel at home. We’re like family,”

said Ivanova, an experienced musical theatre performer, as she expressed her love for the play and the cast.

Macabe, on the other hand, never had any theatre experience and Bus Stop was his first play.

“I’ve never been in any plays, but the directorial staff constantly begged me to play the main character and I gave in,” jokes Macabe. “The best part about being in Bus Stop is making the crowd laugh and of course, the hip thrusting.”

CVHS clubs strive to make a difference

By Anna Balassone Staff Writer

Smart Energy Club: Every week, CVHS produces 80,000 pounds of trash. Smart Energy Club is dedicated to changing that statistic and making CVHS a cleaner and more eco-friendly campus. By encouraging waste reduction, recycling, and energy conservation, the club’s members are helping to reduce our school’s carbon footprint. If more students and staff become aware of the negative impact that trash and carbon emissions have on our environment, CVHS can become a greener school. Smart Energy Club meets in Room 768 on Thursdays during upperclassmen lunch.

Undivided: Undivided is a club that focuses on creating friendships between students and their peers with disabilities through lunchtime bonding sessions. The club believes that a lunch does not just have to be average. It can be a way by which students can reach out in an act of kindness and companionship. Through weekly conversations, the club members and their peers with

O’Brien brings home gold in bio competition

Anna Balassone / Staff Writer

Bright Zhou tutors Nicole Yee in the Castro Valley Library for Pancratics club. disabilities become more like brothers and sisters rather than mere friends. Undivided meets in Room 401 on Wednesdays during lunch.

Pancratics: Pancratics is a free tutoring

club in which CVHS students tutor their peers. The club focuses on the importance of college and organizes trips to different colleges in California. In addition, Pancratics participates in community service events during the school year. This year, the club

is hosting a pencil drive at CVHS to send school supplies to disadvantaged students in Africa.

Pancratics meets in Room 310 on Tuesdays after school from 2:30-4:00 p.m. and on Sundays at the Castro Valley Library from 3:00-5:00 p.m.

Biotechnology teacher Laura O’Brien recently returned from a trip to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she participated in a synthetic biology competition. She, a team of high school students and Stanford undergraduate and graduate students had been working since last spring on a project for the competition, which included 130 teams from all over the world.

Synthetic biology is an area of biological research that combines science and engineering to create new biological systems or entities that are not found in nature.

“Basically,” said O’Brien, “[synthetic biology] uses living systems to design devices that are useful to people. It can be used in medicine to diagnose or treat disease, detect environmental pollutants, produce biopolymers, and many other things.”

The competition is called the International Genetically Engineered Machines Competition (iGEM). It was started in 2004 to get college undergraduates involved in synthetic biology.

For their projects, O’Brien’s team and other teams used “building blocks” of DNA to create a biological system of their own designs.

“We spent our summer in the lab actually putting the pieces of DNA together and into bacteria.

We made bacteria that could sense the ratio of two different chemicals that it was exposed to,” said O’Brien. “The lab work was really intense, time consuming, and, at times, frustrating.”

During the spring and summer before the competition, the team maintained a website about its project and sent in pieces of DNA as they were built. On Nov. 6 and 7, as a culmination of their hard work and research, all of the teams flew to MIT to present their work to judges and the other competing teams.

“We flew in to the competition on a redeye and practiced and worked on our presentation pretty much up to when we presented, so we didn’t really sleep for two days,” said O’Brien about the trip.

Her team was one of 60 to go home with a gold medal. As demanding as the trip might have been, O’Brien says she enjoyed her time at the competition.

“The other projects that I had time to see were really interesting. The trip was stressful, mostly because we had to prepare the presentation, but it was a lot of fun,” said O’Brien.

NBA 2K11’s realistic animation astounds video game players Harper.

You can be the greatest and play as Jordan alone in a game of “21” or you can control the

By John London Staff Writer

“Become the greatest” was the quote that captured millions of fans for the new video game NBA 2K11.

Released on Oct. 5, 2010, NBA 2K11 quickly fell off shelves in stores all across the country. They used this quote to sum up the game because it has someone no real team has had for the many years.

The game features the greatest player ever to have ever stepped foot on the basketball court, Chicago Bulls point guard Michael Jordan. MJ appears in this game along with his former teammates from the six championships they shared in the 90s. Scottie Pippen, guard John Paxson and 7-foot Center Will Perdue appear in the game. It even gives the late 90s Chicago championship team with fan favorite Dennis “The Menace” Rodman.

Not only is the best team to ever play in the NBA in this new game, but so are famous retired Los Angeles Lakers like Magic Johnson and other NBA stars such as Shawn Kemp, Cedric Ceballos and Ron

“ The game

features the greatest player ever ...

Michael Jordan.

”

whole team and go for a seventh title.

Putting retired players in a video game was just another new aspect of this game that intrigues millions of fans around the globe.

The anticipation was rapidly building as people around the world waited to purchase this game on the day it was released.

This feature easily made NBA 2K11 the most innovative basketball game of the century.

So “become the greatest” and buy NBA 2K11 today!

Harry Potter brings new action and excitement

By Andie Smith Staff Writer

The astonishingly successful film adaptations of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books are coming to a fan-saddening close after almost ten years of movie magic. The latest adaptation of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One, hit theaters on Nov. 19. Part two will arrive in theaters on July 15, 2011. Scene changes were the only downfall of this movie, which was otherwise a success.

Reigning royalty of the box of-

fice, Harry Potter and his two best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger—played by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson—begin their quest to destroy the remaining of Lord Voldemort’s Horcrux immortality tokens. The movie starts by showing a glimpse of each of the three main characters in their homes.

Quickening the pace with a bang, a sky-high fight scene immediately follows a short reunion of characters and throws you back into the story of “The Boy Who Lived.” In an attempt to lighten the mood, a wedding takes place at the Burrow, but is unfortunately ruined by the news that a death left an important position open at the Ministry of Magic.

Although several scenes of the movie were changed from the plot depicted in the bestselling fantasy novel, the movie flowed from beginning to end without losing the interest of the audience. It vividly tells the tale of the “Chosen One” and not once throughout the movie was there an uninteresting moment.

The movie was magical and the effects were up to par, as usual, and leave you not wanting to wait until next summer to see it.

2K

sports

Virtual basketball stars display the real life characteristics of former basketball stars.

Paranormal Activity 2; too scary to watch

By Yoon Jung Staff Writer

It is hard to find second films of some original movie series

Entertainment Calendar MusicDec. 21: Jamie FoxxBest Night of my Life Dec. 28: Jesse McCartney- Have It All

MoviesDec. 22: Little Fockers Dec. 31: Blue Valentine Jan. 7: Season of the Witch Video GamesJan. 4: Two Worlds 2 (PC, PS3, X360), $49.99-$59.99 Jan. 4: Venetica (X360), $39.99 BooksDec. 28: The Mediator: Shadowland and Ninth Key- Meg Cabot, $9.99 ConcertsDec. 30: Dizzy Balloon, Rickshaw Stop, $12

that satisfy their fans. However, if Paranormal Activity 1 still remains as one of the most psychologically disturbing movies of all times, you can expect the next in the series, Paranormal Activity 2, to possess your mind once again.

People should definitely not expect to understand the plot if they did not watch the first movie beforehand. Overall, Director Tod William did a good job continuing the storyline and imitating first film director Oren Peli.

The appealing part of this series is that horror comes from every corner of the movie, without any dramatic music or complicated movement. The silence seems boring but knowing that something will happen, people can not lose their tension any second. Paranormal Activity 2 goes back even before the timeline from Paranormal Activity 1 and explains a missing piece.

A security system installed by a family after mysterious break-ins start to catch the moments that are unbelievable: objects fall to the ground, a door opens by itself, and

all of the kitchen cabinet doors open aggressively.

This time, the focus is on the newborn baby, Hunter. A scarier atmosphere is created as the baby stares at a void space the dog is barking at.

Obviously, evil wants only that baby. At some point, the scenes were confusing. I wondered if I should be scared or just laugh out loud, when the baby moved out of the bed like a human magnet attached to the crib.

In the climax of the movie, while a woman was possessed, the acting convinced audiences to believe what is it like to be possessed by unknown forces.

The movie gave a neat ending unlike the mysterious ending from Paranormal Activity 1.

At the end, all story plots came together.

If you know you have a strong heart, this movie might not be a good excuse to throw popcorn in the air. But it is an enjoyable scary movie to gasp and scream at once in a while.

k

.

.

Varsity boys soccer team battles Cross country teams finish tough seasons Trojans strive to earn season’s first win

By Nic Barradas Feature Editor

Though the Trojans battled hard, they failed to place in this year’s winter tournament. The boys varsity soccer team played a total of four games to end the preseason.

Although they failed to grab their first win, they showcased what we can expect to see during the year: a strong Trojan defense with strong communication and constant movement.

In the first of the four games the Trojans battled hard against Foothill. Struggling to keep composure throughout the game, it all fell apart near the end of the second half for the Trojans. One goal later, the game was over.

In game two the Trojans set their sights on Granada, but were denied a win again. Barely scoring near the end of the second half and securing a hard earned tie, the Trojans struggled.

Although the game was difficult, it served to show this newfound team the level of competition they would be going up against.

In game three the Trojans were truly shown what it would take to

Santisteban finishes career on high note

Trojan boys tough it out in cold weather

By Sarah Gilchriese

By Max Kahane

Mud, sweat, and tears mixed together Saturday Nov. 20 at the NCS girls’ varsity cross country race at Hayward High School. The dynamic Castro Valley girls placed fourth in the division one race, which didn’t qualify them to advance as a team to the state meet.

Senior Kelsey Santisteban took first, to clench the title of NCS champion for the first time in her career. Her time was 18:00 minutes.

“I’ve worked hard for this all season,” said Santisteban Santisteban placed fifth in the division one race, running 17:30 at the state meet the next weekend.

“I’m proud of her. She worked hard for it,” explained head coach Dooney Jones. “We did well this season.”

Sam Fong came in 28th overall, and with a time of 19:59. Gabrielle White ran a time of 20:03. Aurora Bailey scored fourth for the team with a time of 20:15. Freshman Nicole Anthony ran a speedy time of 20:26. Amanda Zen raced with a time of 21:32. Carolyn Gilchriese ran for a time of 22:07.

A wet, windy day did not stop cross country star Ben Eversole from running his way to the state meet. Cross country runners from different high schools ran at the North Coast Section cross country championship.

Runners for Castro Valley included Eversole, Anthony Martore, Eshed and Arad Margalit, Matt Eva, Sulayman Diomande, Erich Coulter, Eric Chan and Juan Berman.

Finishing sixth, Eversole was the team’s only qualifier with a time of 16:20.

“It was not my best race but I’m still going to Portland for Nike Nationals,” said Eversole.

As the season came to an end, the coach was very proud of his team.

“The highlight of the season was the way my team ran. It was a good season because the young kids are grabbing hold, and moving forward. We are competing and building at the same time,” said coach Dooney Jones.

A&E Editor

Bianca Arias/ Photo Editor

Lucas Heuer and Gabe Morfin jockey for the ball. become a top team when put up against Richmond.

Although the game was another struggle, the Trojans managed to hold them until half. However after half, the whole team started to break down. It was a different game from first to second half.

Through a series of breakdowns in the midfield and defense, Richmond managed

to put in a total of four goals before the game was over.

In the fourth game, however, the Trojans truly came to play. Earlier in preseason the Trojans played against James Logan and lost in a 4-0 defeat, but time it was their shot at redemption.

In a show of true heart and passion they battled to prove the previous score wrong.

In the last 15 minutes of the game, though, goalkeeper Kurtis Louie was given a red card and sent off for foul language after an unfortunate goal was scored. James Logan won, 1-0.

This year is going to be a rebuilding year for the Trojans soccer team. After losing eight starting seniors last year, the team is still searching to reestablish its talent.

Staff Writer

St u n n i n g S e n s ati o n a l St u de nts

By Simrit Kaur / City Editor

Jeremy Dang, Freshman Jeremy Dang loves the feeling of leaving others in the dust as he whips around the track. This is Dang’s first year running for the cross country team and so far, he loves it.

He plans to continue running throughout his years in high school. Dang truly enjoys running during practices with his teammates.

“When I run, I feel good and it helps me manage pressure from stuff,” said Dang.

In his free time, Dang plays the piano, break dances, and plays games on the computer. Dang originally had no plans to run in the cross country team, but his friends convinced him to sign up.

“My friends joined, so I joined to hang out with them and get more fit,” said Dang.

In the future, he intends to continue cross country running in college and looks forward to meeting new people.

Kyler White, Sophomore When it comes to swimming, Kyler White is like a fish in water. He has been swimming for eight years and can’t imagine life without it. Last year, White was on the JV team and hopes to get on the varsity team this year.

“My motivation came from my mom and sister,” said White. “My sister has been swimming for a long time now and pushed me to achieve my goals.” He really enjoys the water and looks forward to jumping into the pool for a refreshing swim. “This year, when swim season starts, I want to get a time of 24 seconds in the 50 meter freestyle and under one minute in the hundred fly,” said White.

White plans to continue swimming throughout high school as well as in college. “The hardest part about swimming is not being able to stop,” said White. In his free time, White likes to “hang out with friends, and play the guitar and ukulele.”

Elena Ala, Junior Dribbling a ball down a court is just like second nature to Elena Ala, a junior who has been playing basketball for nine years. This is Ala’s fourth year playing on the varsity girls basketball team. Ever since she was a child, she helped her older sister practice her basketball skills.

Ala would guard her while she made the shots and realized, after some time, that she loved the sport.

“Basketball is my first love,” said Ala. “I love the competitiveness of the hoop; it gets really intense and I like the feeling of competing with other people for the win.” Ala plans to competitively play basketball in college and said that “playing college ball has been one of my dreams since I was a little girl. ” She wants to try new things to keep improving each year and build up her skills. “I want to stand out as a leader and always bring home the win,” said Ala.

Isabel Chi, Senior Running down the track with a huge smile on her face is the norm for Isabel Chi, a cross country runner who has been participating in her sport since sophomore year. Chi really enjoys the quality time she gets to spend with her friends and teammates during practice and at meets.

“I like that cross country is a team sport, but lets the athletes be individuals at the same time,” said Chi. In her free time, Chi loves to read, listen to Hoodie Allen, and eat delicious food. Chi has also been a member of the CVHS track team during her freshman and sophomore years.

“I love every aspect of cross country.

The most difficult part would have to be running without getting tired too fast,” said Chi. When asked what made her decide to join the team, she said, “Honestly, my friends made me join, but now I love it!”

The Olympian December 17, 2010

Trojans grieve over “Grizzly” defeat

By Daniel Chung Staff Writer

After much anticipation for their first playoff appearance in many years, the Trojans ultimately left San Ramon disappointed as Cal High won decisively, 47–0. On Nov. 19, the Trojans submitted to a stronger Cal High, ranked 15th in the state.

Throughout the four quarters, the Cal High Grizzlies had control of the entire game, both on the offensive and defensive ends. Reminiscent of their previous match up earlier this year (a Cal High victory of 45-14), the Grizzlies had an answer for every single one of Castro Valley’s plays.

With the Grizzlies already leading 21-0 during the first quarter, a fumbled kickoff from Castro Valley sealed the Trojans’ fate as Cal High took control 27-0.

Throughout the entire course of the game, the Grizzlies held Trojan offense to 157 yards while they themselves rushed for 377 yards.

On the upside, senior running back Damion Rosby carried much of the

Trojans’ offense with 101 yards.

“It feels good knowing I was in the class that went to playoffs for the first time in seven years,” said senior Moner Afschar who is still proud of his team for doing well during the season and witnessing his teammates make it into the postseason, although Cal High crushed Castro Valley’s dreams of advancing in the NCS playoffs.

“The one thing we could have done better to beat Cal High would have to be less injuries on the team. We did not have all our guys healthy and that played a big role for us,” explained Afschar. “I hope the younger guys learned something from me and the rest of the senior football players and good luck next year. I learned a lot about myself thanks to my coaches and teammates.

“Football was the best thing I could do in high school,” said Afschar as he demonstrated how happy he was to be part of Trojan football throughout his high school career.

7

Varsity girls soccer means discipline

By Jason Hazari Staff Writer

This year ’s CVHS varsity girls soccer team is seeking to match, if not top, last year’s overall 27-0-2 record.

With the intense conditioning and practicing, this season’s disciplined team will be the team to beat.

“Practices can be a lot of running; it’s sometimes torture,” said senior Elham Dehdari.

“But in the end it feels really good and pays off.”

“Practice can

be a lot of running; it’s sometimes torture.

Elham Dehdari

”

Senior This kind of attitude is one of the many reasons why this team is a winning and distinct team.

The team members know that with hard work comes great achievements; therefore they’re

Bianca Arias / Photo Editor

Kristina Utley prepares to launch the soccer ball down the field with a fierce kick. willing to use their utmost determination and motivation while practicing and playing.

Although there are many obstacles, just like any other team must face, the girls are looking to overcome that distraction to pull through.

One major issue has been the number of injuries and how they’re so prone to happen without warning in such a hardworking sport like soccer.

“I’m coming back from an ACL surgery,” said captain Sabrina Alvaro.

“I basically missed all of last

season, but now that I’m playing again, more injuries have come along. Sophomore Danielle Torres just had an ACL/ Meniscus surgery recently and she’ll be out for the rest of the season.”

The team’s next game is on Dec. 21 at Liberty High School, where it will seek to win its first away game of the season.

From discipline off the field to on the field, the positive and ambitious varsity girls soccer team is one of the most exciting teams to be aware of at CVHS this year.

Happy Holidays

Buy a $30 Gift Card for only $20

k

.

.

Expires 1/31/2011

3442 Village Dr. Castro Valley, CA 94546 (510) 583 - 9388 Across from Walgreens/Close to Ross

Olympian

The December 17, 2010

TEXTING: from Page 1 The administrative fees for a texting-while-driving violation are $25, in addition to the varying county fees, usually results in a fee of roughly $100 per violation.

Contrary to the popular belief, the highway patrol does not receive any money for any of the tickets that its officers write.

“If we write a ticket in Castro Valley, the [Alameda County court] gets the majority of the money,” Tuazon clarifies. “The rest of that money does go back to the state, but that gets redistributed evenly to the 58 counties. We get our money and our budget from vehicle registration.”

Stephanie Leal, a senior stu-

OLYMPIAN: from Page 1 a mass audience.

“More and more people are starting to use the Internet to get their information, so more media outlets are going electronic,” she

Leadership welcomes Las Lomas students

dent driver who admitted to occasionally texting while driving, recalls an instance when she almost hit the curb because of her divided attention. Fortunately, she is now aware of the dangers of texting while driving.

“Texting while driving is not a good thing to do because you can get distracted very easily,” said Leal.

Fellow student driver Cameron Moy offered some wise advice regarding the general use of phones while driving.

“One should only text while driving should an emergency arise; otherwise, pulling over to make a phone call would suffice,” said Moy. For more information, visit www.keepthedrive.com. said. “It’s a wonderful place to get news and everyone should log on today.”

To attract more viewers, The Olympian is working towards linking its page with Facebook.

JOHNSON: from Page 1

gone.”

According to police, the vehicle, driven by a 14-year-old boy, went out of control westbound on Ocean Avenue, struck a light pole and crashed into a tree.

Johnson suffered fatal injuries during the course of the accident.

Another 18-year-old passenger, Benjamin Powell of Hayward, was thrown from the rear seat of the car and killed; he was not wearing a seatbelt.

The driver was charged with vehicular manslaughter. The front seat passenger, whose father owned the car, was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

English teacher Amanda Staab felt complete heartache when she received the news.

“Jonathon, he was too young,” said Staab. “He was like a flash into my life and now, he’s…gone.

It was sort of like a shooting star; he was so bright and had that big smile.”

Others agreed that he was

indeed a shooting star, with his big personality and smile. Junior Dwayne Bracy, his wrestling teammate who knew Johnson since middle school, said he will always remember his joyful personality and goofy characteristics.

“He was always laughing and fun to wrestle with,” said Bracy.

“It’s weird because I was just hanging out with him at Taco Bell two days before, just talking and cracking jokes and stuff. I’m going to miss him.”

Junior Andre Decoito, also a wrestling teammate and friend of Johnson, always knew him as a good-hearted guy.

“He always kept the environment so fun,” said Decoito. “I remember when he was talking to me and some other friends at Winter Ball, and he said to us, ‘You know, I’ll never forget you guys,’ and that’s when I knew that he was a good friend in my life.”

Many agreed that Johnson always knew how to present

By Matt Barney Staff Writer

Las Lomas High School leadership students, numbering 35 in all, came to CVHS to see what it was like on Nov. 30.

Our leadership class, numbering 37, was tasked with being their tour guide for the day, with Las Lomas students following them like shadows. This includes having lunch prepared by leadership in Rm. 607.

Lots of the leadership students had fun and learned new things.

“It’s good to learn how other schools do leadership stuff,” said Kate Marinchac, a Las Lomas student. Marinchac went on to explain that Las Lomas has committees for the whole year while CVHS has committees for specific events such as homecoming.

“I didn’t think I’d learn anything but I did,” commented Austin Bruckner.

The Las Lomas students decided to take BART to Castro Valley and walk the rest of the way to CVHS. They only came for one day unlike the foreign exchange students from Japan who stayed for a longer amount of time.

Still, “It’s good to be out of school,” as one Las Lomas student said.

The activities director at Las Lomas thought this was a wonderful idea and coordinated this event with Nicholas Whitaker.

In order for the Las Lomas students to tag along to leadership’s classes, Whitaker had to receive approval from all of the teachers, Principal Mary Ann Valles and Assistant Principal Jason Whiteman. Everyone gave his or her approval, making this exchange possible.

Many of the students involved enjoyed the experience and Whitaker says, “In January or February we will go to Las Lomas.”

Visit D rivers Ed.c during om and ent er dis the on co line p ayme unt* code C nt pro AHS3 cess.

Online Drivers Ed

• Fun, flexible lessons so you pass your permit test • California DMV-approved • 50 free online permit practice tests

Driving Lessons in Your Area

• Practice driving in brand-new MINI Coopers!

• Free driving-lesson pick-up and drop-off • Licensed instructors teach you to drive Questions? Call us at 1-888-651-AUTO.

Want a fast, easy way to fundraise for your class? Earn a 25% commission and save your friends 15% off drivers ed. Visit www.DriversEd.com/Associate-Programs. *Discount for online drivers ed class only.

H_BW_8.5x11_F5 © 2009 DriversEd.com

8

himself to people with his charming smile and positive attitude.

“He was an amazing young man, and was not afraid to show his affection in front of his friends towards me and his little sister, Maia,” said Monica Johnson, Jonathan’s mother. “I called him an ‘Old Soul’ because he had a way of giving uncanny advice that can only come from a wise man.”

PROP 8: from Page 1

equal protection under the law.”

“Civil rights take time,” said Kim. Some view our school as a safe place for people of different sexual orientations and beliefs, while others disagree.

“That’s not to say that I’ve never seen people voice negative opinions or hostility towards gay people,” said Wisel, “but for the most part, it’s under control. I still think that the LGBT community should have more recognition and acceptance and for that to happen, we need to educate people.”