Jan 20, 2012

Pg. 3

Long live the GOP (not)

Take these Republicans ... please!

VOLUME 55, ISSUE 5

Pg. 4

Paddles to the metal

Ping pong tourney a smashing hit

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

CVHS girls soccer stars score!

Trojan girls dominate Farmers

CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546

WWW.CVHSOLYMPIAN.COM

Brown’s new tax plan causes controversy

By Rachel Crary Staff Writer

Natalie Fazeli / Staff Writer

Supporters of LGBTQ equality (including CVHS students) participated in a rally on Jan. 10.

“Tuesday Nights for Equal Rights”

By Lily Carrell Staff Writer

“We all deserve the freedom to marry” and “Get Equal” and “Closets are for clothes” were some of the many messages displayed at a “Tuesday Nights for Equal Rights” rally on Jan. 10.

These rallies will be held the second Tuesday of every month on the corner of Redwood Road and Castro Valley Boulevard from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. until full federal equality is reached for the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning) community, activists said.

The first of these pride rallies was held on National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, the rally on

Jan. 10 being the fourth so far. At the rally, supporters waved signs with various messages reflecting the themes of love and equality, while voter registration was held off to the side.

“If you have policies that don’t apply to everyone, you’re saying that those people discriminated against are less than,” said organizer and senior Austin Bruckner at the pride rally.

Bruckner owes his dedication to fighting for gay rights mainly to those who have trouble coming out of the closet. Through “Tuesday Nights for Equal Rights” rallies, Bruckner hopes to send a message to those who are hateful about homosexuals

that says, “You can’t stop me.”

Pride organizer Billy Bradford explained how homosexuals are denied many federal rights that the government normally grants to heterosexuals. In addition to being refused the basic right to wed, gays face inequalities in regard to Social Security, taxes, and death benefits.

When one spouse of a straight married couple dies, leaving the other in a state of financial trouble, that person’s Social Security will help support the deceased partner’s husband or wife. In contrast, if a partner of a gay couple passes away, the spouse

LGBTQ: Page 8

Oh nuts! Penis prankster busted

By Reyna Garcia Sports Editor

“Mandatory Penis Inspections” reads the flyer that littered classrooms and boys bathrooms on Jan. 4.

“The district is required to conduct mandatory penis inspections on all male Castro Valley High School students in accordance with California Health code 19,” according to the posting.

The flyer continues to tell all seniors that those who do not pass the inspection before the end of the year will not graduate.

The administration became aware of the prank when history teacher Jason Marlis alerted Assistant Principal Lorrie Barrera that a senior boy posing as a

leadership student posted a flyer in his classroom. Custodians and campus patrollers also alerted administration as they discovered flyers in the bathrooms.

The administration has identified at least one student involved, Barrera said. But according to a junior boy who claimed to be involved, at least 14 other students took part in the prank but have not been caught. The students call themselves “The Loop,” the junior said.

The senior boy caught will receive community service, Barrera said.

“Others had to clean up his mess, so he should clean up in return,” said Barrera.

The boy didn’t feel a punishment was necessary.

“Mrs. Barrera thought it was

funny and clever. She didn’t want to suspend me, but she said it could have been sexual harassment and I have to do community service,” the senior said of his consequences for the prank.

Coming up with the prank was not completely the senior’s idea.

“It wasn’t my original idea, but I thought it was funny,” said the senior. “I did it because it was funny, no other reason really.”

The flyer was made by pulling a graphic off of the CVUSD website and the rest was simply typed on Microsoft Word, the senior said. The end result was a very official looking flyer.

“It’s high school. People should be mature enough to take a joke,” the senior said.

Pg. 7

Nowadays budget cuts need more than just a band-aid. Gov. Jerry Brown proposes that a temporary five-year tax hike is the potential solution to the problem. His plan is to tax wealthy people more income tax and also require all Californians to pay more sales tax.

Those who make about $250,000 a year would be taxed an extra one percent. Others with an income of $300,000 to $500,000 a year would need to pay an extra 1.5 percent and those that make $500,000 or more would face a two percent higher tax. To top it off, an extra halfcent would be added to sales tax for everyone.

Brown wants voters to approve the plan in November.

“Without new tax revenue, we will have no choice but to make deeper and more damaging cuts to our schools, universities, public safety and courts,” explained Brown.

These cuts are proving to be very disastrous, particularly within our schools. Brown’s plan would raise about $7 billion per year for five years to solve these problems. Much of this money would go to funding K-12 schools and universities that are experiencing tremendous budget

cuts and sky-rocketing tuition prices.

“My proposal is straightforward and fair. It proposes a temporary tax increase on the wealthy, a modest and temporary increase in the sales tax, and guarantees that the new revenues be spent only on education,” Brown said.

Brown’s proposal has sparked some discussion on the matter at CVHS. “I think that everyone should be taxed an equal percentage,” said junior Kelsi VanDamme.

“Taxing the rich would be unjust since they would have worked so hard to become as successful as they are.”

Others do not support the idea of taxing the rich as well, including sophomore Kevin Brum.

“I do not believe taxing the rich is the answer. I believe the answer is a flat tax and cuts to other government funding, except education,” Brum said.

There is a diverse opinion on this matter. Some are completely against it, absolutely for it, indecisive, or somewhere in between. Physics teacher Dr. Bertram Pinsky, however, favors taxing the rich.

“I don’t begrude the rich getting rich, but I do begrude that they make more than the others and don’t give back their share to the community,” said Pinsky.

Boys golfers swing back into action

By Betty Chen Staff Writer

It is official: the CVHS boys golf team is back. After months of speculation that the team was going to be cut due to insufficient funding, the team has fought their way back.

Last year, the team fell $2,000 short of its requested donations to support the athletic program.

However according to Ed Blom, the CVHS boys golf team coach, “the boys golf team has been reinstated due to fundraising activities and donations.”

The boys are “very happy and ecstatic.” Certainly it is a big accomplishment to fundraise such a large amount of money in such a short amount of time. It takes more than one individual to achieve such a hefty goal, but it was a team effort.

Now that the funds owed from

last year have all been paid for, the team can now gear up and get ready for their upcoming season.

According to Blom, 18 boys have signed up so far.

“I’m really looking forward to this season,” said Blom.

“

I’m really looking foward to this season.

Ed Blom Boys Golf Coach

”

This year is going to be a teaching process because a lot of the boys that have signed up are newcomers and Blom is really looking forward to the instruction and learning curve process.

The CVHS boys golf team will officially kick off the season in February.

Tax the rich for schools, we say

Editorial: As a result of the poor U.S. economy that has led to numerous cuts throughout the state of California, Governor Jerry Brown recently proposed a tax plan involving $7 billion tax hike from 2012 to 2017 to help relieve the $371 billion state deficit. Those who earn more than $250,000 every year would have a one percent tax increase, $300,000-$500,000 per year a 1.5 percent tax increase, and more than $500,000 per year a two percent tax increase. Everyone will also pay an additional halfcent in sales tax.

“Without new tax revenue, we will have no other choice than to make deeper and more damaging cuts to schools, universities, public safety, and our courts,” Brown said.

The Olympian supports Brown’s tax plan. Nobody likes raising taxes (after all, everyone likes to have more money), but it’s necessary. Ultimately, there are two choices: cuts or tax increases.

Those who are rich would be able to pay the additional one to two percent. Some people may say that that isn’t fair if only the wealthy are taxed more. However, some people make barely enough to eat and pay rent. If income taxes

Dana Lin / City Editor

were raised for everyone, these people wouldn’t be able to eat or have shelter. Also, the halfcent sales tax affects everybody, which makes Brown’s proposal more fair.

People who disagree with Brown’s proposal say that the wealthy work hard to earn their money and deserve to keep it.

Although this is true, if they do not pay more taxes and more

cuts are made, they too will eventually suffer. For example, when they are old and need to go a hospital, they want the doctors there to know what they are doing and not using Google to learn things like “how to do hip surgery” or “how do you perform heart surgery?” They would want architects that design strong, safe buildings to live and work in. By paying taxes,

Asians conforming to western styles a while back about a girl who had received eyelid surgery for her 14th birthday. Oh, what a great present worth a couple grand and a permanent loss of natural features! I received a muffin for my 14th birthday.

By SangEun Choi A&E Editor

Around 8 p.m. I go out into the living room to hear the familiar sound of tahe television. Since the members of my family prefer knitting and chopping wood and baking potatoes, we basically have only one Korean channel. On the television screen are contestants for a show where the goal is to become a star. Why does it look like a single person has been copied and pasted onto the screen multiple times?

There have been stories that surfaced in the past about celebrities in Asia who had to undergo plastic surgery before making their first appearances as stars. The beforeand-after pictures are absolutely horrible. One perfectly unique and normal person transformed into a horrid copy of all the other bugeyed creatures.

There had also been an article

“Why do people feel so pressured to change their appearances to fit Western standards?”

I am not accusing everyone of altering their appearances, but the truth is that many people feel the need to find ways to completely modify their looks. When I visited Korea two summers ago, I felt very uncomfortable while walking down the streets. Practically every single female had brassy bleached hair and crazy contacts that literally covered the whites of their eyes in unnatural colors.

None of them had any distinctive features that distinguished any individual from the others.

Why do people feel so pressured to change their appearances to fit the Western standards of beauty? Why has Western beauty become the goal? I know many

people who have monolids and less defined noses, and they are gorgeous. Nobody needs blue eyes or green eyes and blond hair to be beautiful. There are many people with those features who are attractive, but having brown eyes is fine. Having no eye creases is fine. Having darker skin is fine.

Having a wide jaw is fine. Having a flatter nose is fine. Each person is beautiful in his or her own way.

I am not saying that dyeing hair from dark to light is a bad thing -- how is that any different from a natural blonde going brunette? I would be a hypocrite if I said no one should dye his hair different colors. But the desire to completely reconstruct one’s physical appearance (hair, eyes, nose) to look Western is wrong. If dark hair were really that awful (turns into crisp in the sunlight or something), everyone would have light hair.

I personally would much rather see a natural face with real features than an artificial face. Airing only “beautiful” people to the public eye only places more pressure on those who feel the need to be pretty under these ridiculously harsh standards and only causes further insecurities. We should be happy with the way we look and who we are, and we should stop comparing ourselves to others.

they not only help others, they help themselves now and later.

Everyone wants their children to succeed, to be able to go to school, to learn, and to obtain the knowledge needed to reach their dreams. Millions of kids rely on the public school system.

If cuts are continuously made to education, schools would not have enough money to provide their students with the materials

they need to learn.

Eventually, some schools may be forced to close, creating larger class sizes in other schools.

Others may suggest making money elsewhere, like by legalizing marijuana. However, this change will have very harmful effects. True, the taxes from marijuana would help the state budget, but more people would be able to easily obtain and use it, including teenagers and young children.

Some people may argue that if the wealthy are taxed more, they won’t be able to provide job opportunities. More people would be unemployed. However, the tax increase is not that much; corporations should still be able to hire people. Rather than helping just a few families, the taxes paid would go to areas like public safety and education, which will help thousands of people throughout the state.

Brown’s proposal is the best solution for California’s budget crisis. It has the potential to yield good results without having many harmful effects. Voters will decide its fate during the election occurring later on this year. We at The Olympian agree with it, and hope voters do too so the proposal can be initiated.

Hopefully, it will alleviate the state’s agonizing budget crisis.

PHOTO pinions PHOTO pinions By: Alex Gao

What do you think about Gov. Brown’s tax plan?

“We should not be increasing the taxes on the middle class at the moment because they are struggling enough already.”

-Gabriel Koo,

senior

“I don’t think anyone should pay more than they already do, but if the government requires it, then they must have a reason.”

-Kelly Chan, sophomore

“Though the increase may cause some trouble, it serves its purpose by raising money for the government. However the impact it has is debatable.”

-Sabrina Li,

junior

“I think that it’s a fair trade. People need to pay more taxes. But I don’t think that it should be such a big increase for the poorer people.”

-Sunny Zhou, freshman

.

Olympian

The January 20, 2012

3

Reflections on a family journey to South Korea

Kate Pellegrini / Opinion Editor

Republicans wow editor and nation

By Anna Balassone Editor-in-Chief

This month marked the beginning of the statewide primaries for the Republican nominee for president. In my eyes, there are three things that are essential to the success of a presidential nominee: vision, reason, and experience. In the case of the Republican Party, you can practically see the vision, reason, and experience emanating from each candidate. After all, who cares about compassion anyways?

Vision. The first thing about the Republican candidates that struck me was their ability to see a clear picture of the America they want to create. For Representative Ron Paul, that picture is one of a smaller government because our country interferes far too much in the lives of the people. To reduce the role of the government, Paul would cut several government departments, including the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. After all, the last thing a government should do is try to help its citizens.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich certainly has his own vision for how to better our nation. He recognizes a key is-

By Matt Barney Business Manager

to pay our driver in dollars but he would not take them. We tried to explain to him that our brother was coming in another cab with wan but he couldn’t understand. It was stressful.

This happened very early on in our trip, which is why we had not exchanged our dollars for wan.

The exchange rate between currencies is about 1100 wan to one US dollar. The average person would assume that in South Korea everything is cheap. This is not the case.

Prices in South Korea are inflated to match that of American stores. For example, if a paperback novel costs seven dollars in the US, it would cost about 7000 wan in South Korea.

This is not to say I did not shop a lot in South Korea. My family and I spent most of our time in the capital city of Seoul, which has over ten million people. One of our days was spent shopping in a district of Seoul called Insaedong. All day long I was looking at turtles and knickknacks to bring back to my friends. I like turtles.

While shopping I noticed that the city of Seoul was very quiet compared to some of the cities I have been to here in America.

Most of the cars were made by either Hyundai or Kia and there were no trucks. This meant that I never heard a throaty motor from a mustang or a monstrous grumbling from a bus. There were buses, but they were very quiet so I would assume they are hybrids of some kind.

Overall I loved my experience in South Korea because I spent time with my older brother, saw new strange things, and learned some Korean.

sue that our nation faces: child unemployment. If it weren’t for those pesky child labor laws, we could get our youth back into the workplace and subsequently boost our struggling economy. These laws probably had no compelling reason for being enacted in the first place and are, as Gingrich so eloquently stated, “truly stupid.”

Reason. These Republican candidates not only have a vision for America, but reasoning behind their ideas. For instance, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum argues that gay marriage should be illegal because it is just as bad as “man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be.” And to those who have a different opinion, Santorum uses the most factual, indisputable, and up-to-date source to justify his viewpoint: the Bible.

The Bible clearly states that a marriage is between a man and a woman and, as a country with no form of separation of religion and government, it is completely reasonable to go to a religious text for policy-building.

Another example of the impeccable reasoning of the Republican candidates can be found in former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s position on health care. Even though Romney’s universal health care policy in Massachusetts successfully helped thousands of citizens to receive the care they needed, Romney did the right thing: not support Obama’s attempts to create universal health care on a federal level. Romney simply followed the age-old political reasoning that if a policy was

successful in one place, you should do everything in your power to make sure it isn’t successful elsewhere.

Experience. These candidates not only have vision for the future of America and reason behind their methods of creating that vision, but also the experience necessary to make that vision plausible. Rick Perry, for example, oversaw the execution of 234 people in his position as governor of Texas. That is some serious leadership. America needs that type of leadership. The type of leadership that kills people. But hey, if they try to come into our country and commit a crime, they need to serve the “ultimate justice.”

And if there is one idea under which all of the Republicans can unify, it is that the dreaded President Obama must be stopped before his violent rampage of change causes any more harm to the American people. Sure, Obama rearranged the economy’s structure to prevent another Great Depression. And he repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. And he organized the killing of Osama bin Laden.

But none of this has any value when we recognize that all of the country’s problems were created

by Obama in the first place. It isn’t as if he was forced to start his presidency during one of the worst economic times in American history.

So go out and vote for your favorite Republican. Let’s kick that Muslim socialist antichrist Obama out of office! He probably isn’t even a citizen anyway...

I vacationed in South Korea for ten days to visit my older brother Joshua.

To say the least, I loved it.

Initially, I found it very difficult to even think I was in a place where no one speaks or writes in English or Spanish. I have been to Mexico a few times but when I didn’t understand a word or two I could always ask my mom for clarification and I would learn a new word.

In South Korea, there was no translator. I was very afraid of getting lost since I knew that, if I did become separated, there would be no way for me to ask for help.

Luckily English is taught in South Korean schools so some people know a basic knowledge of it. However, if you ever travel to South Korea I will give the advice my brother gave me upon first arriving: “Don’t assume the Koreans do speak English. But also, don’t assume they don’t speak English.”

One time, when my family of four and I took a cab back to our hotel, our cab driver did not speak English. Usually this is not a problem because everyone in the world uses the same number system, yet we had no Korean wan. We tried

Perry starts off his ad by speaking about his religion and conservative ideals.

“I’m a Christian, but you don’t need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school,” he says.

After hearing Perry voice his opinions, it made me question if he really knows what he is saying.

Perry cannot expect to win the race when not all Republicans are as far to the right as he is. He says he is concerned that public schools do not allow all of their students to pray openly, but majority of the students have different religions and beliefs.

Can one even imagine having to pray before an announcement every day? For those who are not Christian, it would be very dis-

respectful to their own religions and beliefs.

Based on what I see, schools are very good with all sorts of things based on religion and holidays.

Normally students cannot wear hats in the classroom, but they are allowed to if it is part of their religion. Students could also have excused absences for religious holidays. So if students want to openly celebrate Christmas with friends during lunch or break at school, they are allowed to do so.

In addition, Perry mentions that it is wrong for homosexuals to openly serve in the military.

Perry shows ignorance by discriminating against gays and their right to serve in the military.

Perry’s presidential ad “Strong” is just dim-witted. He is not what the Republican Party needs, especially since it needs to reform its public image. If I were a Republican, I would not vote for Perry.

The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2012

Nothing “strong” about Perry’s ad

By Joyce Liang Staff Writer

Rick Perry, a Republican candidate for the 2012 presidential election, recently released his presidential ad, “Strong.” Perry’s incredibly ignorant ad left me utterly confused.

To summarize his 30-second ad for his 2012 presidential election campaign, Perry focuses on his core constituency, the far right wing conservatives. In his ad, he addresses many contemporary social issues such as prayers in public schools and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Editor-in-Chief.............................................................Anna Balassone City Editor...................................................................Dana Lin Copy Editor.........................................................Holden Parks News Editor...........................................................Natalie Chin Opinion Editor....................................................Andie Smith Kate Pellegrini Feature Editor............................................................Amber Yang Sports Editor.............................................................Reyna Garcia Arts and Entertainment Editor........................................SangEun Choi Photo Editors..............................................................Rebecca Fong Tim Pak Business Manager......................................................Matt Barney Online Editor......................................................Michael Castillo

Staff Writers: Lily Carrell, Suzanna Chak, Betty Chen, Eva Chen, Emily Courchaine, Rachel Crary, Cheyenne Donatello, Natalie Fazeli, Alex Gao, Ryan Gray, Jane Hong, Anya Keller, Joyce Liang, Victoria Liang, Melody Moteabbed, Camilo Riveros, Matt Talajkowski, Lillian Xie, Christina Yee Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

Pride and passion of playing ping pong Team Apple paddles to triumphant victory

By Reyna Garcia Sports Editor

The annual CVHS ping pong tournament has come and gone again, leaving Miguel Diaz and Stephen Ou of Team Apple (“like the Mac”) victorious.

“I feel like I have the bragging right over a lot of my friends since I called that I would win from the beginning,” Diaz said confidently of his and Ou’s win.

The tournament began with 32 teams which were then turned into 16 by elimination, then eight

and so on until only two were left to battle it out. By round four only four teams were left.

As Team Apple went against Boom Squad, it was obvious where Boom Squad had gotten its name. After each point they scored they were literally booming with shouts of enthusiasm and taunts for Team Apple.

However, Boom Squad was defeated by Team Apple and Team Apple moved onto the last round to compete against Team America .

“Don’t talk to me about the ping pong tournament,” said Josh Khan of Boom Squad jokingly, still recovering from his team’s elimination from the tournament.

Team America defeated Brian Team and also moved on to the last round. Cash Carmody and Jamal Woodard of America put up a good fight, losing by seven with a score of 21-14.

A ping pong competitor shows his skill as excited spectators watch.

Tim Pak / Photo Editor

Roth-Rossi bounces back to basketball

By Emily Courchaine Staff Writer

Social studies teacher David Roth-Rossi recently switched from coaching varsity tennis to coaching boys freshman basketball. Although Roth-Rossi thoroughly enjoyed coaching tennis and is proud to have helped them win the league title in six of nine seasons, he is excited to finally be coaching his favorite sport.

“When they hired me they said ‘You are going to be our tennis coach.’ It was kind of a prerequisite for the job. My first passion has always been basketball,” said Roth-Rossi.

When asked how coaching basketball was different from coaching tennis, Roth-Rossi said, “The tennis kids are great.

They’re awesome kids. But the coaching is a lot more subdued.

I feel like as a coach in basketball you have more of an effect on the outcome because the team plays one game together rather than several different matches.”

In addition to teaching and

Rebecca Fong / Photo Editor

David Roth-Rossi coached tennis teams to six titles before switching to basketball. coaching, Roth-Rossi enjoys working out, playing sports, and traveling. He has been to Costa Rica and Europe.

Roth-Rossi played both tennis and basketball in high school and went on to college to study finance. He graduated from

NCSS making history

By Eva Chen

Staff Writer Each year, a number of social studies teachers attend the National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference. During this conference, teachers learn new ways to teach and make students understand the material.

Four social studies teachers from CVHS attended the convention and brought back materials that will further develop students’ education.

Each workshop has a different subject, and teachers choose the subject they want to learn. The speakers assigned to the workshop give them a brief summary of that subject. In each workshop, there is an average of 40 teachers.

“Sitting down in a classroom

with a room full of teachers was a nice experience because it made me feel like a student,” commented Geri Cox, a social studies teacher.

One new technique that the teachers brought back was a new way to make English languagelearners understand vocabulary words. Using a box diagram, there would be different categories of things and students are supposed to match the words to the category.

Another new technique that teachers brought back was online surveys which would be used for test reviews. Students will be able to type in their answers into a hand-held device and their results will be displayed immediately.

“The purpose of this survey is to see if students understand key concepts before a test,” said

teacher Carmelina Frasca.

Not only do the students benefit from this convention, but teachers do as well. Frasca got to meet for the second time with Dr. Philip Zimbardo, one of the worldʼs most well-known psychologists.

She chatted and took a picture with him.

As this is one of Coxʼs first time attending this event, she enjoyed it very much. Cox learned how to teach her AP European History class document-based questions and how to teach reading to English learners so that they would have a better understanding of the material.

“As a teacher, I think this opportunity from the district gave me a higher quality development,” Cox said.

University of the Pacific with a degree in finance and began working for Wells Fargo, but found that his job there was

unfulfilling.

“I thought, what is a career that I could enjoy and be proud of?” he recalled. Soon after beginning his career as a teacher he discovered that it was really fun and rewarding. “It’s definitely a noble profession.”

Roth-Rossi, known for providing colorful quotes to Olympian reporters, shared this comment: “I have taken a road to get to this point in my life and that road was long, tough, hostile, rough, harsh, rugged, hard, arduous, and long; and that road was uphill in both directions and there were evil dragons armed with extensive vocabulary and vicious tongues who constantly put me down and koala bears who simply wanted to eat me,” he said.

“It was cray cray. I know what some of you are thinking: ‘Oh I get it, this is a big metaphor for how tough life is.’ No you are wrong, this is not a metaphor. It is a road in Pennsylvania about half an hour outside Philadelphia.”

Olympian

The January 20, 2012

5

Special invitations spice up Winterball

By Melody Moteabbed Staff Writer

A crowd gathers around a row of boys, who are holding up posters that are hidden by the backs of curious students. A few students roll their eyes and pass by them to get to class, while most teens stay put to watch the surprised girl be led through the crowd and towards the boy holding the last poster. With the audience hoping for a positive response, applause and shouts of encouragement are blared throughout the courtyard.

The girl says yes, and everyone cheers.

This is a typical case of a Winterball invitation, in which boys and girls ask potential dates out in either extravagant ways or with sweet, less flashy invitations, like surprising a hopeful candidate in class with a bouquet.

Surely, there are those bitter about not being asked, but it’s hard to say that any such invitation

Melody Moteabbed / Staff Writer

Eager students prepare a Winterball invitation with signs and balloons. wouldn’t flatter someone, right? It’s only pure jealousy when a student walks by and rolls his or her eyes – or the student is actually sick of the constant routines throughout the

GRAEL gets going good

By Kate Pellegrini Opinion Editor

Exciting new features, field trips and fun are being added to the GRAEL Academy.

“What is an academy?” Well, academies allow for students of similar interests and strengths to be grouped together into tightly-knit small learning communities.

Jo Sutton of the Digital Art and Design Academy describes them as “a way to make school cooler and more interesting to kids.”

There are three academies at Castro Valley High: DADA for the more art-focused, HABIT for the medical-minded, and GRAEL for those who intend to pursue a career in social justice.

GRAEL – short for the Global Rights, Activism, Education and Law – is already a “pretty legit” academy, but it’s about to become even cooler.

For example, beginning this year, the academy began accepting freshmen, whereas in the past only upperclassmen could be members.

“We wanted to build momentum,” explained Sutton. “If they start their first year here in GRAEL, they might be more encouraged continue with it, and it would build community within the academy.”

Also, starting in the spring, the different class grades of GRAEL are going to be having great times on their class’s corresponding field trips.

While sophomores have already gone to the Museum of African Diaspora, the juniors are eagerly anticipating their trip to Angel Island, the seniors are anxious to

go to Alcatraz, and the freshmen are waiting their turn to visit the famed “Precita Eyes” murals of the Mission District.

The last event foreshadows a cool thing happening to our campus beginning next spring: the addition of new, modern murals emphasizing “education, activism, social justice, speaking up, and the idea that we are the 99 percent,” said Sutton fervently.

Senior GRAEL students specifically have a lot to look forward to in the form of internships pertaining to the students’ occupation of interest.

These internship opportunities have already been written up and approved by the district, and would count as class credit for a quarter.

The students would be expected to enter into such internships on their own time and check in with their supervising teacher periodically.

Another exciting upcoming component to the academy is the introduction of a new group called Youth Speaks, an organization that helps young people express themselves through poetry.

Not just any poetry though, corrects Sutton, but “poetry about struggle. Poetry that calls people to action. The kind of poetry that gives a voice to people who don’t usually feel comfortable having a voice on campus.”

Sutton teasingly forewarns, “Expect to see some mad poetry reading on the courtyard one of these days!”

With all of these new additions and more, GRAEL students have a lot to look forward to in the coming months.

weeks of November and December.

Regardless, it’s quite an anxious time for many students.

Winterball is the first formal dance of the year, and getting a date

can be nerve-wracking.

However, many still want the moment captured.

Emily Nguyen, a junior and club president of Photography For A Cause, has taken pictures and recorded invitations for a small fee that goes directly to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“I want to get memories captured, and with good quality. Being involved in something so special makes me happy,” said Nguyen.

When asked why she chose St. Jude’s, she replied, “It was the first organization that came to mind, and a good first cause to donate to. There will definitely be funds for other organizations in the future.”

Many say the asking-out experience is more heartfelt when only a small audience is around. Logan Smith, a senior, asked his girlfriend Megan Warhurst, a sophomore, to Winterball by walking into class a few minutes late after requesting for teacher Carmelina Frasca to

write “Will Megan say yes?” on a projector screen, and then walking in immediately afterwards with a bouquet.

“It’s embarrassing asking in front of everyone,” said Smith. “And, having it in a small class is more intimate and special because we know the people in our class. It’s awkward to ask in front of strangers that just don’t know us and want to get in our business.”

For those who get rejected, life may seem dark for a couple of days, but, as many people frequently say, life goes on.

Just having the guts to ask anyone out, in front of a lot of people or only a few, is something that’s actually pretty commendable.

So those certain rejected people have complete permission to walk away from Winterball proposals with a scoff, an eye roll, and a sigh of relief when the Winterball hype is finally over and everyone can move on..

Learn to “write” on target at library

By Matt Barney Business Manager

A creative writing workshop is coming to Castro Valley Library on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Multiple authors and poets have decided to volunteer their time and effort to help prospective writers bloom.

“Do you like writing? Want to do it better? Then join us for a workshop in creative writing,”

a flyer proclaims.

This event will includes three discussions from authors Matt Johanson, Tina Johansson, and Amy Franklin-Willis, who will talk about their rise to fame. They will also learn how to write and get published.

Additional speakers will include Shannon Pace, Mathilde Schmidt, and Virginia Degner.

“What an amazing chance to ask published authors questions like how to get an agent, how long

does it take to write a book and just the nuts and bolts of getting published. I hope many CVHS students take advantage of this,” said Johansson.

All students from Redwood High School, Creekside Middle School, and Canyon Middle School are also welcome to attend. There is no payment necessary and the speakers hope for a great turnout from young and upcoming writers in the local community.

Warming up to ugly sweaters

By Cheyenne Donatello Staff Writer

You know that sweater your parents force you to wear at Christmas parties? The sweater that you keep hidden in your closet because it’s so ugly? Well teachers got to strut down the runway in those kinds of holiday sweaters, their ugliest, with pride.

On Dec. 13 in the holiday sweater madness two teachers received the honor of winning the Ugly Sweater Contest.

A panel of judges, scoring on a scale of 0-5, declared a tie between teachers Mindy Hager and Jennifer Clyde.

“Everybody has that ugly horrible holiday sweater in their closet,” said Student Activities Director Nicholas Whitaker.

Having the ugliest sweater is no small feat though. “The critical element to success of winning the ugliest sweater contest is the little added embellishments,” said Clyde.

Clyde and her mother took the time and commitment to add ruffles and ribbons to her sweater

Cheyenne Donatello / Staff Writer

Staff members show off their ugly sweaters in front of the whole school. to give it the added touch of ugly and holiday spirit.

Hager borrowed a sweater from her mom that provided competition against Clyde’s work-of-art sweater.

“This contest and other activities make school a place to be happy,” said Clyde.

Not only does this contest show the humorous side of our teachers, it also provides a more comfortable community to the students

and the staff.

“It gets people talking about the holidays,” said Hager.

During all the chaos of the holiday season, taking the time to see some good old-fashioned ugly holiday sweaters can provide that humor to spark holiday cheer.

“The whole purpose is to spread holiday cheer and to show the students that the teachers can just laugh at themselves,” said Whitaker.

Contagion is a treat, just not an action flick

By Michael Castillo Online Editor

When trailers for Steven Soderbergh’s newest thriller Contagion began playing in early 2011, promises of a fast-paced, action-packed thriller would leave many disappointed when the movie finally reached the box office. Having watched the first 30 minutes, one would be tempted to categorize Contagion into the class of paranoia-fueled thriller that its previews so thoroughly advertised it to be. In fact, Contagion’s methodical, almost informative tone reveals it as something entirely different, more of a juiced-up documentary than a thriller. It provides a cerebral look into the nature of a pandemic and the ways that society tears apart at the seams in the face of disaster.

The story revolves around a selection of people around the globe dealing with a pandemic that has no known cause or cure, and is getting worse by the day.

As the CDC desperately works toward manufacturing a vaccine, these individuals attempt to help others while ensuring their own survival. The bug, a ramped-up version of the bird flu virus with a 30 percent mortality rate, spares no one; Soderbergh

makes this clear from the beginning with the death of the head epidemiologist working on the vaccine. Meanwhile, the general public descends into anarchy as the lack of a cure spreads fear and desperation, and turns people to looting and rioting to survive.

One of the most remarkable qualities of this film is its scientific accuracy. When it isn’t dealing with the multi-faceted character exposition, it is meticulously narrating the disease’s outbreak on a microbial level. In fact, if anything is wrong with the movie, it would be that it is almost too scientific, at the price of character development and plot cohesion.

Without a clear protagonist or enemy, the film feels scattered, almost as if it were intended to last twice as long as it did (106 min.), but a large portion of the story was cut. Nonetheless, an intriguing set of conflicts and

Got Glee?

By Natalie Fazeli Staff Writer

Lots of gossiping teenagers dancing around and singing songs? What isn’t there to like?

Glee is a show about problems that high school students face and how they overcome their stress and hardships. The students come across a lot of difficulties at McKinley High, like relationship and sexuality issues, and prospects after high school.

Will Schuester, a Spanish teacher, starts a glee club called New Directions. All the misfits flock to the club to show off their vocal talents and start recruiting new members.

On the episode “I Kissed a Girl,” Santana, a Cheerio (which means cheerleader on Glee) and “mean girl,” tries to come to terms with the fact that she is a lesbian. All her friends on the show recite songs for her to show her that they love her no matter what, and tell her to stay strong.

Glee covers many tough subjects that may be hard to talk about with anyone. The character Quinn, also a Cheerio, has to decide what to do about her pregnancy and whether she will have to give her baby up.

Not only is there a very serious

and inspiring part of Glee, there is also a funny musical aspect.

Each episode has a variety of different songs, with music from artists like Beyoncé, Celine Dion, The Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, and Adele.

During one of the funnier episodes, “Britney/Brittany,” Brittany S. Pierce, yet another Cheerio, sings many of Britney Spears’ songs with reluctance at first, saying, “I've lived my entire life in Britney Spears' shadow. I will never be as talented or as famous." She ends up singing a few songs with the actual Britney Spears, like “Toxic” and “I’m a Slave 4 U.” The main cast includes Lea Michele as Rachel Berry, a scholarly girl looking forward to her future; Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel, who comes out to be gay and has a great voice, but can’t seem to fit in, except in the glee club; Cory Monteith as Finn Hudson, the football player who was ever so popular and now hangs out with the losers; and Amber Riley as Mercedes Jones, an African-American diva queen who wants her spot in the limelight.

Glee has won a number of awards, including two Grammy award nominations, four Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes. The show has caught the attention of over 33 million viewers.

Go Gleeks!

some truly remarkable acting keep it captivating throughout.

“It provides

a cerebral look into the nature of a pandemic and the ways that society tears apart at the seams in the face of disaster. ”

Contagion provides an intricate and surprisingly accurate look at the effect that disease has on our society. Although it does suffer from some scripting issues, the stellar cast easily makes up for it. If you watch this movie with an open mind and know what you’re getting into, you won’t be disappointed.

Hugo disappoints

what sort of genius was able to design a robot that could write in the 1930s?

By Rebecca Fong Photo Editor

If it weren’t for the prevalent fast-paced structure of today’s entertainment, the new movie release, Hugo, might actually have been worthy of a high rating. As it is, the audience of the 21st century, especially the younger crowd, has been conditioned to focus on subjects with more attention at shorter intervals of time. This is unfortunate for movies such as Hugo, which started intriguing enough, but dragged on for a solid hour until the mystery of a writing automaton and the main character, Hugo’s father, was finally revealed.

The movie centers around an orphan who lives and manages the clocks in a London train station. This young boy becomes involved in the reparations and mysterious message of an automaton left to him by his late father. The set up of the story is promising and piques the viewer’s curiosity well enough, but interest can only be held so long when the viewer is denied again and again an answer to the question, “What sort of diabolical scheme was Hugo’s dad wrapped up in with this eerie robot?” And while we’re at it, just

An agonizing, incalculable time later, the above question is answered, and the story turns out to be, rather than diabolical, more tragic, about a man’s admirable talent forgotten in the unappreciative corners of an old museum. Don’t worry, no more spoilers beyond that.

Two hours for a movie, in which the most exciting scene was arguably Hugo climbing stairs to escape being captured by the train station inspector, is much too long. The typically sappy ending in which (whoops, spoiler again) Hugo supposedly finds a new home in the family who helps him discover the secret of the automaton, gives it a two star rating.

Sherlock Holmes hits home

By Natalie Chin News Editor

At the first strum of those quirky violin chords from the theme song of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, I immediately sat a little straighter in my chair, ready for the sequel to be at least as entertaining as the first. I was not disappointed.

The end of the first Sherlock Holmes movie introduces a new villain to the plot, Professor J. Moriarty, whose intellect and plotting rivals that of the great Holmes. The sequel is a continuation of the “fish and fisherman” game between the two.

Taking place a decade before World War I, the movies feature Moriarty planning many covert political maneuvers that may be the spark that lights the world into World War I. Holmes tries to stop Moriarty in his diabolical scheme by engaging the help of an ex-anarchist gypsy woman and thoroughly ruining the honeymoon of his partner, Dr. Watson.

Unlike many sequels that will abruptly replace a lead actor and create an awkward shift in the original’s plot, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, artfully exchanges Rachel McAdams with Noomi Rapace as the lead actress. The watcher is left satisfied that Irene Adler (McAdams) is smoothly written out of the story, and can embrace the acting talent and slightly confusing accent of Rapace.

While watching this movie in 2-D, it is obvious that it was meant for a 3-D showing as there are many scenes where the graphics slow down and are zoomed on objects that are supposed to be flying at your face.

Despite this discrepancy, the effects are still eye-opening in 2-D but watching it in 3-D would probably be worth the extra cost.

Contrary to the first Sherlock Holmes that seemed to speed through quickly, this movie passes by slightly more slowly so the viewers are not as lost. The

original solved the giant mystery all at the end (the resurrection of Blackwood, the murders), but this one seems to resolve bits of the mystery along the way. In addition, the genius forethought and actions of Holmes that continually save him and Dr. Watson later are demonstrated more in the second movie. Nothing Holmes ever does is unintentional.

“The twisting

plot and Holmes’ insane personality kept me interested. ”

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was a great movie that brought me back to the movie theater two days after I had first seen it. The twisting plot and Holmes’ insane personality kept me interested and laughing throughout the movie. I would recommend that anyone who has seen the first Sherlock Holmes to go be amazed by Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law once again. For those who haven’t seen the first movie, I recommend that they rent it, watch it, and then go see the sequel.

Trojan girls soccer team plows through Farmers, 8-0

By Dana Lin City Editor

The CVHS varsity girls soccer team has had a good season so far, after defeating Hayward High on Jan. 13 by a score of 8-0.

“ We didn’t

let up this fight. ” Sophia Barnhart Team Captain

Tim Pak / Photo Editor

Jasmine Edwards dribbles the soccer ball to avoid the Hayward High Farmers.

CVHS managed to score four times in the first half, with most of the players hovering around Hayward’s goal the majority of the game.

“I think that despite the score, my team really played well. We

didn’t let up this fight despite the fact that we were leading the entire game,” said team captain Sophia Barnhart, who plays defense.

When Hayward did bring the ball toward the other end of the field, center midfielder Lauren Taiclet successfully managed to intercept it many times and pulled a hat trick, constantly putting Hayward back on the defense.

After such a successful win, the varsity girls are ready for their upcoming game against Bishop O’Dowd on Jan. 24.

“I feel confident about the Bishop O’Dowd game. We already beat them once this year at their house and we have become a stronger team since then,” said Taiclet. “That game will be a very good game and I hope lots of people come to support us.”

Wrestling team cuts weight with health in mind

By Andie Smith Opinion Editor

Wrestlers compete by weight class, and some have gone to great extremes to lose weight and move down in weight classes, keeping their strength and gaining an advantage against the competitors in these lower classes. Starving themselves hasn’t been out of the question, on top of working out excessively.

“When I was in college,” recalled English teacher and wrestling coach Josh Wheel-

er, “I dropped 23 to 24 pounds per week. Weight loss in wrestling was pretty ugly.”

A weight management program has been instated to keep the wrestlers healthy and stop them from dropping too much weight. Determined by a doctor, each wrestler has a minimum weight class and is given a maximum amount of weight they can lose. If they go below that weight, they can’t wrestle in the lower class. Wrestlers can lose a maximum of 1.5% of their weight per week, and must have a minimum body fat percentage of 6% before they

have to stop losing weight.

“ Weight loss in wrestling was pretty ugly. ” Josh Wheeler Wrestling Coach

Fortunately for wrestlers today, the outlook on dropping weight has changed dramatically from the past. Before,

there was a large amount of pressure put on them to lose weight, so they were hurting their bodies instead of helping themselves.

“My dad was hospitalized four times for going too far, but we’re more educated about it now,” said junior Cody Brazil.

Now the wrestlers are sticking to benefiting their health instead of losing as much weight as possible in a short amount of time.

Taking into account their weight, amount of body fat, and hydration, athletes can create a plan for losing weight in

a healthy way. They can diet without depriving themselves of essential nutrients, stay hydrated, and lift weights to gain strength.

If for any reason they start feeling weak or sick, they can stop and allow their bodies to recuperate.

“It’s getting in the best physical shape possible,” added senior Sal Osorio.

Brazil and Osorio agreed that now the wrestlers don’t hurt themselves in trying to lose weight, and that the important thing is to be fit and healthy.

C leve r C apa ble C h a mpi o n s

Camilo Riveros / Staff Writer

Josh Guzman, Freshman Freshman Josh Guzman has been enjoying his first season playing soccer for CVHS as a member of the boys varsity soccer team, one of only two freshmen to make the squad this year. Guzman has been playing soccer for over eight years.

“I love playing because of the competitive drive of the game and the adrenaline that comes with it,” said Guzman.

While not a particularly large player, Guzman tries to model his game after FC Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta, who shares similar physical attributes but still manages to have a fundamental role in his team’s success.

Two of Guzman’s favorite things about playing for the Trojans are that he gets to represent his school and the camaraderie he shares with his teammates. Guzman plans to play all four years of high school and hopes to earn a spot at UC Santa Barbara playing soccer for the Gauchos.

Marissa Torres, Sophomore Sophomore Marissa Torres is currently halfway through her first season at the varsity level with the Trojans soccer team. Playing the sport since the age of four, Torres switches off between playing center defender and central midfielder.

Torres looks up to the U.S. National Team player Abby Wambach for her dedication to the game and the effort that she puts into her craft. Even though they play different positions, she tries to set her standards to those of Wambach.

As a sophomore, Torres still has two more seasons to help the Lady Trojans reach the same success that they have become accustomed to attaining, and she hopes to continue playing the sport at the college level.

“I’m really hoping I can play at a UC or state college. It’s always been my dream to play for Santa Clara University,” said Torres.

Cody Brazil, Junior

Cody Brazil, a junior at CVHS, is currently undergoing another season of wrestling for the Trojans at the varsity level. Brazil is no stranger to the sport, having picked it up his sixth grade year at Creekside Middle School and continuing up until this point. Brazil is determined to make it to the state tournament.

“It’s not the team that carries you there.

It’s individual, so you have to get there on your own. I guess I just have to train harder than the state of California to get there,” he said.

Wrestling at a weight of 105 pounds Brazil plans to wrestle through his senior year of high school before making a transition to mixed martial arts, not an uncommon path for participants of that sport. Brazil enjoys having to both mentally and physically push himself beyond his limits in order to achieve success on the mat.

Jessica Woo, Senior

Senior Jessica Woo is currently going through her last season playing basketball for CVHS, and her third at the varsity level. Woo began playing basketball in the second grade at the Boys & Girls Club. As one of the eldest on the team, Woo makes sure that she uses her role as a leader wisely.

“As a senior, I, and the other seniors, are expected to maintain positive energy and set an example for the rest of the team,” she said.

Woo plays shooting guard for the Trojans and while she may not be on the tall side of the spectrum, she manages to make up for it by continuously practicing and perfecting her shot and keeping her conditioning level at a high standard.

Woo doesn’t plan on playing after high school, but still hopes to continue to stay involved in the game by coaching little kids in the future.

Olympian

The January 20, 2012

Cuts likely but shorter school year isn’t

By Lily Carrell Staff Writer

Lately, California has been experiencing budget cuts to its public schools, universities, and community colleges. The K-12 school year may even be minimized by up to three weeks due to these cuts.

According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the state will accumulate billions of dollars less than planned this year, with a gap of $9.2 billion for the years 2012-13, unless a corrective action is implemented. The Governor’s budget proposes a combination of increased taxes and more spending cuts in order to close this gap.

“The whole statement to me is a joke,” said Superintendent Jim Negri about the possibility of a reduced school year. “I don’t see us having any midyear cuts this year. We have planned very efficiently for this school year so we don’t have to make midyear cuts. It’s no good to speculate

what may happen.”

Still, Negri says that the duration of the school year has the ability to go from 180 to 175 days, but questions why this should happen when student achievement would be diminished.

John Green, a teacher and president of the Castro Valley Teachers Association, explained that the legislature’s answer to our poor economic situation has been cutting education funding, ignoring instructional value granted to students. He described other disadvantages of the budget cuts facing education: not only are the cuts eliminating learning opportunities for students, but are also robbing them of their motivation to do their best.

“Personally, I think the era of accepting budget cuts and concessions is behind us,” said Green. “The recession has fallen primarily on the shoulders of the 99 percent in the form of unemployment, foreclosures,

tuition hikes and furlough days.

People are sick of it. Heck, even Miley Cyrus released a music video supporting the Occupy movement! I think state lawmakers are going to encounter significantly more resistance to cuts this time around.”

While both Green and Negri agree that a possible shortened school year would have a negative impact regarding students’ learning experiences, students themselves presented different views when asked about their position on the matter.

“It would be beneficial if the school year was shortened because we would have a longer summer, and therefore, a longer time to rest,” said sophomore Jonathan Wong.

Sophomore Alexa Ludke also shared her thoughts about a shortened school year: “It wouldn’t be a bad thing as long as none of the teaching that would take place in those days was lost.”

CVHS fundraising for Polar Plunge

Custodians to students: “have more respect for the school”

Staff Writer

“We’re Freezing for a Reason!”

That’s what dedicated participants remind themselves when they sign up for Polar Plunge.

On Feb. 25, thousands of applicants will brave the frigid waters of San Francisco’s Aquatic Park to spread awareness of a cause and raise money to fund the Special Olympics Northern California, whether it’s cannonballing head first into the bay or just dipping their feet along the

“

Rally protesters hold up signs to convey their message of equality for everyone.

LGBTQ: from Page 1

is left with no financial support from Social Security since they were not, and could not be, married. Also, gay couples do not have the right to make final

“ Everyone

should be protected under the law. ” Maya Para Freshman

arrangements for their deceased loved ones for the same reason:

the denial of marriage.

“I believe that everyone should be protected under the law and have the chance to be happy, to get married to the person you love, visit them in the hospital when there’s an emergency, and have final arrangements for your loved one,” said freshman Maya Para about gay rights.

When asked what inspires him to fight for LGBTQ rights, Bradford responded, “The Constitution of the United States.

The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection to all citizens under the law. It doesn’t say man or woman, black or white, gay or straight, Republican or Democrat, Christian or Muslim; it says citizens. I am a citizen, and I’m working for the day the Constitution means what it says.”

We are supporting one athlete for a year.

Emma Woidtke Leadership Student

Matt Talajkowski / Staff Writer

Custodian Jay Espitallier keeps the 700 wing clean.

By Christina Yee

Natalie Fazeli / Staff Writer

8

”

shoreline.

With Polar Plunge bringing out such a powerful message that gives both children and adults with intellectual disabilities a chance to embrace who they are through physical fitness, Leadership students decided to help.

“We are supporting one athlete for a year. To register for Polar Plunge, you need a minimum of $125, so we’re helping them raise that amount,” said Emma Woidtke, a Leadership student.

When asked how they are going to fundraise, Woidtke replied by saying, “We’re reaching out to the students as well as the community to help us fundraise for Polar Plunge and the Special Olympics. You can donate online.”

To donate, visit http://polarplungesf.kintera.org/cvhs.

By Matt Talajkowski Staff Writer

A day in the life of a custodian is tough, but they have tips for us students to keep the school clean.

The custodians of CVHS are asking the students to stop eating in class and in the hallways.

“Kids these days are under the impression that they have to eat all the time,” says custodian Jay Espitallier. “When I was in school, you could never eat in class. Eating takes away from the academic purpose of class and gives us extra work to do.”

Most of the cleaning of the school goes towards cleaning food from the halls and rooms of CVHS. “If students stopped eating in class, we could cut our trash output by half and cut our supplies by a third,” says Espitallier.

With constant budget cuts, custodians have felt the pressure, and need to reduce supplies.

The life of the custodians start before zero period, when they clean out the hallways before the students come. The next two busiest times are during break and at lunch, when the most trash collects in the school. Then, after the students go home, they are

out again to prepare the school for the next day or the weekend.

Even when there are afterschool activities such as a game or a dance, they have to work hard to prepare the event and then to clean up after. No matter what you do, the custodians have to follow.

Although many students at CVHS are unaware, students cannot eat in the hallways unless it is a rainy day.

“It adds extra work for us,” says Espitallier. “We have a lot to do, more important things than pick up trash.”

A common mistake is made between a janitor and a custodian.

A janitor cleans what is needed; a custodian cleans, constantly repairs and fixes what keeps the school running.

“So when people tell us it’s our job to clean up their trash, they are unaware of what we actually do for this school,” Espitallier explained.

The custodians work eight hours a day and five days a week or longer to keep our school working.

“We would think that students would have more respect for the school; it’s their school, and we are not your mom and dad.”