Jan 23, 2014

Volume 57, Issue 5

Hundreds of detentions assigned in attendance crackdown

January 23, 2014

Castro Valley High School

Chemicals a concern in 700 hall; air flow improved

By Rachel Du Staff Writer

By Matt Talajkowski News Editor

With tardies becoming an increasing problem in the 2013-2014 year, the administration has decided to crack down on the problem.

Hundreds of students have been receiving detentions at an average rate of 33 students per week.

The new process allows for the office to directly assign students the punishments, instead of making teachers responsible for the decision. Since November, all students who are tardy more than once a week, have been at risk for detention.

The change was implemented after school-wide tardies began to increase from August to November. Last school year, 10,342 students were tardy between August and November. But this school year, 11,445 students have been tardy in the same time period.

“Most of them are tardy from the morning or lunch,” said attendance clerk Samantha Brown.

Last year, the attendance office decided to increase tardy sweeps to stop student tardies after lunch.

While student tardies after lunch decreased, tardies before school only went up. Thirty-four percent of tardies are in first period, compared to 26 percent in 2011-2012.

“We won’t give a set number of tardies you have to get before we send out a detention, but after one tardy, you are at risk for a detention,” said Brown.

When the office assigns detentions at the start of each week, the students get two days to serve them. If not, the students get Saturday school.

While many students disagree with the new policy, some students think that the new system will help improve the school.

“Kids who care about attendance won’t be late,” said senior Andrew Barney.

“It is only to improve the number of students going to class. We want everybody in class every day, as adults, you wont have the option to be tardy,” said Brown.

www.cvhsolympian.com

Robbie Brandt / Staff Writer

Science students work together on an experiment at a lab table in the 700 hall building.

The 700 hall may not have met health and safety codes since it opened in 2001, district officials have realized recently. Several new chemistry classrooms lacked eyewash stations, fume hoods, and proper ventilation systems.

Students and staff members may have been exposed to harmful chemicals because there was inadequate ventilation and no chemical hygiene plan to dispose of outdated and degraded chemicals in those years.

Castro Valley Unified School District has spent about $600,000 to address these issues so far, according to Assistant Principal Matt Steinecke.

The problem of ventilation was discovered about three years ago. This year, the Science Safety Committee, composed of teachers Deborah Yager, Richard Schneck, Laura O’Brien and others, has been meeting and the school district has installed new fume hoods, purge fans, eyewashes, and improved overall ventilation.

Bad air out, then back in Prior to the new recent changes, teachers had found that the ventilation system was inadequate in expelling the chemicals and bad air from the rooms and in bring-

ing in fresh air. One of the issues was the exhaust vent. The vent on the roof of the building, which

CHEMICALS: Page 8

Surprise! Frosh-sophs may take new SBAC test

By Alison Dhont Staff Writer

As the state of California ushers in new Common Core standards, the STAR Test is making its way out the door. California schools are now being introduced to a new form of testing called SBAC, or Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium.

Freshmen, sophomores and juniors may all take the test this year, the state recently announced. Just how many students will take it, and what subjects the test will cover, the state has not yet announced.

The SBAC is a state-led consortium working test to develop next-generation assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) that measure student progress toward college and career readiness. This new assessment will be given on a computer, and allows for a wider range of test questions the STAR could not successfully cover. It will test students’ critical thinking, reasoning, and problem solving skills.

The SBAC assessment can be used to evaluate the achievement and growth of a student’s progress more effectively. In addition, students can access actual test questions to study online, unlike in the STAR test.

“I have looked over some practice tests and I have seen some very exciting questions,” said

SBAC: what’s the hurry?

Page 2: Wait for new test, we say!

Assistant Principal Blaine Torpey.

But some students are not as enthusiastic. Junior Michael Chourappa said, “I wish we had the STAR test again because it was a sufficient test to test our abilities and we don't need another test. STAR test was easier, it was custom.”

The California Department of Education claims that this test will be a far better option because it will provide tools and resources that help teachers differentiate instruction and meet the unique needs of each student. However, the state is also requiring a sample of ninth and tenth graders to take the test, adding on the amount of equipment and material needed to adequately prepare students for the test.

The test will be given around the last 12 weeks of school, and the small details are still being decided, including how to administer a computerized test to over 700 junior students and small groups of freshman and sophomores.

CVHS plans to give out the SBAC in shifts. They will rotate different junior classes into the computer rooms to take the test that will be approximately eight hours long.

The campus has a total of three computer rooms and one library, each with the capacity of about one class per room. For a school where simply reserving the computer room is difficult, these hour

long tests might create a huge conflict, as teachers are usually waitlisted for days in order to use the rooms for projects and essays.

“This is a logistical complication, and it will be a challenge, but the rotating of classes will allow for everyone to have access to computers,” said Torpey.

A test on the computer can come with many problems. The computers at CVHS are old and could experience glitches while many tests run simultaneously.

Also, most students do not know about the SBAC. Many could

be unprepared and not ready to take this advanced assessment.

Although all teachers are apparently already up to date with Common Core Standards in their curriculum already, there are some doubts that juniors are not prepared for this test.

“Our teachers are definitely in the process of getting prepared.

If the staff of CVHS is not even prepared yet to teach the material, how are student going to pass this test? We have excellent teachers at this school, and I have no doubt they will be ready,” said Torpey.

#winterballin’

Reema Kakaday / Editor-In-Chief

A group of friends have a blast at the CVHS Winterball, which was held at the Chabot Space and Science Center.

Singers lift voices at concert Page 4: Choirs mesmerize audience

Trojans slam Pirates Page 7: Boys hoop team wins, 57-51

Students are not prepared to take the SBAC

Editorial: Much like most of the United States, CVUSD is implementing the Common Core Standards in the 2013-2014 school year.

The Common Core Standards come with a new test called the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), which is now replacing the STAR test. The SBAC is to be administered on computers and is planned to be given to students this spring during normal STAR testing time.

But who should take the SBAC? At The Olympian, we believe the SBAC shouldn’t be given until students are well prepared for it.

A news release from the California Department of Education states that “the new assessments will be computer-based, allowing for a much broader range of test questions than the multiple-choice exams given under STAR. They will emphasize critical thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving, modeling the kind of teaching and learning needed to prepare all students for the demands of college and the modern workplace.”

In the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002, students in grades three through eight were to be tested every year with the STAR test. Along with those students, high school students were to be tested at least once in math,

high school.

Since this is the first year with Common Core Standards, many teachers find the standards to be unclear because they do not have the resources or guidelines to truly prepare the students for

a test like the SBAC. Testing the juniors would be giving them a test that does not match up with the state standards they grew up learning. In addition, a major issue with taking the SBAC this year is the fact that the test is to be taken through a computer.

Both computers and staff to proctor the test are limited here.

Students could find it difficult to concentrate on a computer screen for a test because many are not used to taking tests in that way. Nothing guarantees that the students would take the SBAC seriously just as many students don’t take the STAR test seriously and given that the SBAC is a harder test. Many students need an incentive to do well on a test such as offering scholarships to those who achieve outstanding scores on the test.

The situation would be better if students were given a practice test to have a better idea of what the test will be like. Testing those in elementary school would be better since it is easier to get younger students to adapt to such changes because they have not gone through years of education with the old standards.

All in all, the students in high school now were truly never prepared for a test of this sort, and it would be best if the test were given at a time when students were more prepared.

to the nearest Wal-Mart to get the deal that I wanted. After seeing multiple lines by the cashier, large mobs, and people hogging the hallways, I couldn't help but feel that this Brown Thursday seemed to be replacing both Black Friday and Thanksgiving.

I feel that Brown Thursday shouldn't become the new event that sabotages the enjoyment of Black Friday and interferes with family time. It seems even more preposterous that on the day people are supposed to be thankful for what they have, they are spending their money on the things they desire. Friday is the

prime day on which shoppers can spend their money since they have the weekend to sleep, relax, and regret all the money they spent.

Whereas the people who just stay at home, away from the chaos, are not affected by Brown Thursday, shoppers like me, who want the best deals, care about the current tradition and beg for it to be eradicated. I hope that Brown Thursday remains unofficial and unrecognized to avoid problems that could potentially arise. Besides, Thursday already has a name: Thanksgiving.

Lily Carrell / Editor-in-Chief

science, and English. One of the issues presented with not testing would be that those not in high school prior to this year would be violating the No Child Left Behind Act, as the students would not have been tested in

Go away, Wal-Mart, let me eat my turkey

By Tyler Quan

about the shopping tradition and the deals that ensue with Black Friday. But what happened to Black Friday? Ridiculously, both Black Friday and Thanksgiving are being overtaken by "Brown Thursday.” Moreover, stores have been opening a little earlier to boost their revenue.

Although I disagree with Brown Thursday taking time away from family as well as taking away the glory of Black Friday, I participated in the new event. I thought, “Well, if I wait until Black Friday, all the good deals will be gone.”

I admit that I disregarded my Thanksgiving dinner and rushed

PHOTO pinions Who should take the new SBAC test?

Staff Writer

Every time there is a holiday, mainly Thanksgiving, you know

By: Evan Kwong

“I don’t think that it should be mandatory for juniors because there is a lot of stress on them already and I don’t think that they need to really be tested.”

Karen Tam, freshman

“I don’t think it’s necessary to make it mandatory because it seems to only be a waste of our time and the students don’t even really benefit from it.”

Terry Kwok, sophomore

“The school should have the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors take it. However, the STAR would be more efficient because the school doesn't have enough computers to have the whole school take the test, and it takes more time away from actual learning.”

Grey Janowski, junior

“I think it’s necessary to see how the students are doing academically. You can’t expect the school to change anything if the students aren’t doing well. But, the students won’t try because it doesn’t count towards a grade.”

Victoria Low, senior

Revive the ideas of chivalry

By Cameron Beresini Staff Writer

Chivalry is a set of values and qualities such as bravery, honor, courtesy, and gallantry towards women. I feel that chivalry is a dying idea in modern society.

Bravery is the quality of being able to stand up for someone that is being looked down upon. It doesn’t apply to the idea of asking a person to a dance, or standing up for yourself. To be brave, you must also know when and where to stand up to a bully. This is a good segue into the quality of honor.

Honor is the quality of having high moral standards of behavior.

For instance, if you find yourself in a situation of standing up to someone, you must find the most favorable outcome, which generally would be through compromise, instead of taking physical action. If the situation does reach the point that physical action is needed, you must know when to stop fighting to not stain the honor of the other person.

Courtesy is doing something helpful, not for one’s own gain, but for the gain of others. The idea of holding the door for another person is a concept lost upon many individuals these days. I feel like a large part of this change in the idea of chivalry is due largely to the media. Things like music make it seem like a man is a chump if he holds a door for a woman, or offers to help her by holding her books or bag.

Gallantry is the action of showing respect to women. I feel that this idea could, in this modern age, be pushed aside and swapped with the idea of equality.

My parents have always taught me to be respectful to everyone around me, and treat people the way I want to be treated.

I’ve gotten fairly used to opening a door for another individual without a moan or groan, and have actually made it a game with some of my friends to see who can get to the door and hold it for the other.

In this evolving society, equality is a rapidly growing idea. With this in mind, I feel that chivalry could be revived, as well as ideas that men are the only ones that chivalry applies to could be changed, to include people of both genders. With this in mind, try your best to open a door, or offer help to someone in need. I promise the outcome will leave both parties happy.

The Olympian Jan. 23, 2014

3

License, keys, car: “When I am driving, I am free”

and operation of a motor vehicle,” I find that it holds a great deal more meaning than credited.

Although it may not be the first notion that crosses the mind, driv-

ing is essentially leaving behind a trodden road and moving on towards new and different places.

The idea that all one must do to explore unknown destinations is

start the engine and drive is positively thrilling. To me, this reads as a beautiful freedom.

I drive a 1995 Toyota Camry Station Wagon, which to my dismay, still exudes the pungent odor that comes with its old age. Despite its unresponsive brakes and tendency to scrape the ground, I could not ask for a better car. It is my own (and will be even more so after I shroud it with bumper stickers) because of my love for its many idiosyncrasies. It does not judge, for it offers me comfort when I crave sympathy, safety when I am vulnerable, freedom when I feel trapped. The humming of the engine gives me peace, a soothing lullaby as the world outside becomes a blur. A surge of wild invincibility heightens, eliminating all inhibitions, and I feel as though I were the liberated bird I have embodied in dreams.

Within the confines of my car on this mad and winding road, I have attained a kind of independence never experienced before. When I’m driving, I am free.

By Grace Moon

my perception of being an individual among others. The sudden unity of the people around me, the fact that our annoyance and frustration toward this girl was relatable, should have caused me to understand the similarities and simplicity of human nature.

I instead sensed the individuality of each person around me.

That on the outside, we were all skin clad beings, bearing similar faces and walking and talking and performing all the necessary same mechanics that humans were required to carry out. But beneath our deceiving exterior was the complexity that caused us to call ourselves humans.

Each person that stood less than an inch away from me had their own life that they routinely lived and were all thinking different thoughts. Much like myself, the person beside me had once laughed at a “Friends” episode, and cried over the pain we call a broken heart. And the person in

front of me had possibly endured pains that I would never be able to understand.

This tiny moment struck me with this realization that humans are simplicity at its most complex.

Emotions run through us, and they are simple, and most importantly, natural. What we do with those emotions, the deception, lying, hiding from other people make us complex. How we viewed the obvious truth, our perception affected by our beliefs, its pure existence polluted by different factors and statements, is what was complex.

And as I finally made my way out the door, hit by a blast of cold air, it was strange to feel my sudden existence. It was strange that I could suddenly distinguish every face I saw, that I could hear my footsteps as they slowly made their way across the floor, and unexpectedly be aware of my individual self while being among a mass of people.

Grace Moon / Staff Writer

By Lily Carrell Editor-in-Chief

In that moment, I had been granted the power to travel to any destination I desired. I had gained a freeing sense of independence. I had just been handed the car keys.

It is strange to think that something so easily taken for granted as a day-to-day necessity could bring me this amplitude of joy. After all, driving is merely a means of transportation, is it not? One must drive to work, to school, to the grocery store and to dentist appointments.

Most often cars serve as aids to help us accomplish errands or other activities completed on a daily basis. And though driving is blandly defined as “the control

America should wise In the hallway: lost in awareness up about mental health

By Amanat Riar Sports Editor

How many unfortunate deaths will it take before the U.S. government finally decides to acknowledge the connection between psychological illness and incessant violent rampages? It’s tragic when turning on the news only to find out another shooting or act of violence has occurred around the country; more recently when an “affluent,” underaged, drunk driver killed four people.

The movie theater massacre in Aurora, Colorado and Sandy Hook Elementary School’s shooting tragedy involved individuals who were evaluated and believed to have some form of a psychological disorder; yet, these discoveries only came about once a crime was committed. Wouldn’t it make sense to treat these people with the proper care they deserve before others are hurt by their actions?

Other instances, such as the Wisconsin Sikh Temple shooting and the Navy Yard shooting in Washington D.C., involved perpetrators who showed signs of abnormal behavior stemming from their duty in the U.S. Military. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is commonly diagnosed among war veterans and those that work in strenuous environments, so why weren’t these individuals evaluated for their previous crimes and behavior?

Having talked to a Vietnam veteran, I was shocked to find out that he was neglected while suffering from PTSD. People like him need treatment. Otherwise it could potentially lead to violent outcomes such as in the

Wisconsin and Washington D.C. shootings.

More recently, a teen in Texas avoided jail after his defense testified that he suffered from “affluenza,” which they defined as having a sense of isolation for wealthy young people. The sense of isolation is cause by a negligent upbringing in which his finances and abnormal behavior were never monitored by his parents.

However, the term “affluenza” has never once appeared in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), which is published by the American Psychiatric Association. If in fact “affluenza” was a genuine psychological disorder, the symptoms that were described during the trial indicates that he should have been treated many years ago.

Prior to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, President Carter signed the Mental Health Systems Act. This act proposed to continue federal mental health centers and would include a provision for federal grants to allow projects to prevent mental illness and promote positive mental health.

However, after President Reagan was elected, federal funding dropped. Research was interrupted, staff working in clinics was cut back, and many of the services were eliminated.

Prop. 63, the Mental Health Services Act, passed in 2004 has been providing funding and other resources for the California Department of Mental Health. Using one percent of income tax from personal incomes, the law generated $254 million in 2004-2005 and $683 million in 2005-2006, continuing to increase each year.

The broken mental health system in the U.S. that consists of unreliable diagnoses and information seems to be one of the causes of the many tragic events that have occurred throughout the years. With mental health often being a component of such crimes, it’s important for treatment to become recognized and valued. We should demand the government recognize the mental health epidemic before tragedy strikes again.

Staff Writer

It was a cold morning; the kind of cold that seeped through your many layers of clothing and caused you to exhale big white clouds.

I was smack in the middle of my daily routine of rummaging through my bag, closing my locker, and sweeping my hair over my shoulder as I headed out to lunch.

Bundled tightly in my scarf and gripping my sweater securely, I maneuvered myself around the loud morning crowd in 500 hall where every breathing body was oblivious to the needs of those around them.

A Starbucks macchiato wafted under my nose, its owner talking avidly to her friend. A couple stood against a locker, their hands intertwined and their lips preoccupied. I was desperate to get out of this hallway, desperate to escape this mass of people, and this sense of urgency was what drove me to make it out of this hallway unscathed.

However, just as I was about to reach the door, the forces of life ascertained their preeminence by conveniently unfolding a complication. A girl who believed she owned the world halted the huge mass of people who were trying to get out of the hallway. The traffic jam grew behind me, and as I was bumped and jostled by the many bodies, I looked around at all these people, who were all heatedly staring at this girl who was interrupting all of their plans. This sudden unity hit me with a blow.

Previously, I was just myself, wrapped up in my own plans and thoughts as I had marched down this hallway with only one intention. Now, I was suddenly part of a group that had been mutually disturbed by the actions of one being.

This made all the difference to

The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2014

Editors-in-Chief.....................................................................Lily Carrell Reema Kakaday City Editor......................................................................Joyce Liang News Editor..............................................................Matt Talajkowski Opinion Editor............................................................Suzanna Chak Feature Editors.....................................................................Eva Chen Stephanie Huerta Sports Editor..................................................................Amanat Riar Arts and Entertainment Editor......................................Leia Saelee Photo Editors........................................................Lauren Jelks Felicianna Marquez Business Manager......................................................Anna Talajkowski Online Editors........................................................................Kelly Chan Evan Kwong Staff Writers: Cameron Beresini, Robbie Brandt, Alison Dhont, Rachel Du, Lauren Jelks, Jamie Logan, Sally Liang, Tyler Macias, Grace Moon, Anna Nguyen, Amelia Ortiz, Tyler Quan, Brittany Roberts, Callie Ross-Smith, Adrianna Vandiver, Olivia Wallace, Daniel Witte Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

Choir leaves crowd mesmerized

Callie Ross-Smith / Staff Writer

Singers’ sweet melodies fill the Center for the Arts with joy.

By Callie Ross-Smith Staff Writer

All the choirs of CVHS held their winter concert on Tuesday, Dec. 17. The Center for the Arts was crammed full with friends and family of the talented singers, leaving barely any empty seats.

Vocal Ensemble started out the night with the unique song “Ule Lume Lagedale.” More than 100 students effortlessly weaved together a foreign song of a tranquil ride through the snow. Within seconds the crowd was mesmorized by the new tune to the point of when the last note disappeared from the air, there was a brief silence before applause roared from every corner.

The choir continued to perform exceptionally well for its second song, but it didn’t even come to the beauty of the finale, “Stand Together.” While choir teacher

Laryssa Sadoway summed up the two songs and the performances ahead, drummers Sara Choi and Zachary Deigert prepared to join in this fun song. The added instrumentals surprisingly did not cover up the sopranos nor altos, but instead blended together, and accented them.

Madrigals went on stage shortly after, and sang various traditional songs such as “The Holly and the Ivy.” This ended though when Sadoway stepped off the stage, and gave free range to her students for “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.”

Everyone burst out laughing at the tale of “Rudy,” which he was dubbed that night. And with that song at a close, the concert went into a ten-minute intermission while the all-women’s choir Les Chanteuses prepared to be on center stage.

In the section of the concert, there were plenty of cultural holi-

day songs, which if done wrong, could completely lose their meaning. This did not happen, every song such as “Lamma” and “Badaa Yathanna,” sang by Les Chants, or “Ere Shel Shoshanim,”

by A Capella, the pronunciations were accurate and clear. Sadoway explained that students who were from the countries that the songs were from helped as much as possible with the pronunciations.

There were plenty of volunteers who helped pull off that festive night. Allier Manahan, the dedicated man who played piano, has been accompanying the choir for eight years now. Janet Steidel, a retired choir teacher from Canyon Middle School, along with retired teacher Sue Williams and Monica Herendeen, who is part of the computer support at CVHS, played the hand bells in “Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming.”

“I must say that my favorite song to sing was most definitely ‘Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming,’” said sophomore Karissa Turney.

“The effect of the bells was really fun to work with.”

The whole mood though really came together when all the groups sang “Simple Gifts,” which was also the title of the choral concert.

Together, despite their various singing abilities and grades, they were able to sing a gorgeous song.

The main lyrics of the song “Tis a gift to be joyful, ‘tis a gift just to sing, To celebrate life in every living thing,” really wrapped up the night, before the final song.

As per tradition, CVHS alumni of all ages were invited on stage for “Hallelujah.”

Sadoway loves music and teaching

By Alison Dhont Staff Writer

Music is everyone’s favorite hobby, but for Laryrssa Sadoway, it’s a lifestyle. Sadoway is only a second year teacher at CVHS, but already she has left a huge impact on all the choir classes.

“I like teaching singing because I think it’s the most unique thing you’ll do in high school, there’s no other class that feels like this,” said Sadoway when asked why she decided to be a choir teacher.

Her impact doesn’t stop here, Sadoway has tons planned for her choirs as the year goes on.

In April, CVHS Acapella and Madrigals choirs are going on a class trip to Seattle to tour and exhibit some music museums and concerts. Choir will be visiting museums like EMP (Experience Music Project), participate in two Seattle choir competitions, perform public concerts, visit recording studios, and really experience the musical side of seattle.

Sadoway says it will be a new and exciting trip that she hopes the choirs will remember for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, to make this dream come true, CVHS choirs have to really work at reaching the budget.

“Were definitely doing a lot of fundraising this year….we’re doing everything from car washes to Cabaret concerts, so everyone in Castro Valley can enjoy and

help out,” said Sadoway.

CVHS Choir is responsible for raising all the money needed to go on this trip without any help from a boosters club, or the school funds. In fact, most of the choir fundraising is student organized.

“I think the hard work going into Seattle will make the trip more enjoyable. I think singing and touring Seattle will be a great way to reward ourselves for the hard work we have been doing,” said choir council member Chloe Billings.

“I like that my students leave my class in a better mood than when they came in, because they love music, just like I do,” said Sadoway.

According to Sadoway, she is in no danger of a lack of volunteers. She is certain that everyone will do their part in helping to reach their goal.

Reduce, reuse, recycle, and rot!

Secretary bids

By Brittany Roberts farewell to CVHS Staff Writer

By Anna Talajkowski Business Manager

Jennifer Tica, the secretary for the last five principals, moved on from CVHS in December after spending 15 years working for the district.

Tica came to CVHS in 2000 and instantly fell in love with the student body, which hadn’t been prevalent at her previous position at the district office.

“My favorite part of my job is the students,” said Tica. “I love the energy and all the new exciting things that are happening in their lives.”

Not all the parts of Tica’s job have been so benevolent.

Throughout her time at CVHS, she says she has gone through many crazy experiences. Once during a police chase, a suspect pulled up right in front of the office and then ran onto campus.

“I’m the one who makes the announcements on the PA system. Out of reaction I picked up the phone and was going to say ‘We’re on a lockdown, everybody run!’” chuckled Tica.

“We always laugh about that because of the frenzy I could have started.”

Although Tica did a lot of

work for the school office and the principals, she did not run the school as many believe, though she has created close relationships with staff and students alike.

Tica moved on to work for the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department as a sheriff’s technician, and although she did want to be a police officer when she was younger, she jokingly stated, “That ship has sailed.”

Of all the things she’s encountered at CVHS, Tica says one of her biggest departing wishes is for the students to succeed.

“I just wish everybody well and I want the students to keep moving forward and make the most out of their lives,” said Tica.

We have a recycling program here at CVHS that Leadership runs out of room 607. It is Waste Reduction Program at our school, where the goal is to have as little garbage as possible. The blue bins are for recycling, the green bins are for organics, and the gray bins are for garbage that cannot be composted or recycled. These bins are spread throughout the school, usually in stations. Most of the waste belongs in the green or blue bins.The Leadership class encourage students to take a second to sort through our waste when we throw it away. Bins are marked clearly with signs that indicate where each item goes.

During lunch, students in fluorescent vests may be seen at stations to help with proper disposal.

They are friendly and there to help.

The Waste Reduction Program has been in place for a while. However, they continue to encourage proper disposal because it is extremely important.

“I want people at school to realize the impact that they can make.

As humans, we consume a lot and thus, produce a lot of waste,” said Stephanie Lew, CVHS Environmental Commissioner.

Sorting through our trash before we throw it away can make a big difference and it only takes a few seconds to do.

“Most of our waste does not need to go to the landfill. It can

Brittany Roberts / Staff Writer

Seniors Stephanie Lew, Anushka Singh and Christina Kaser (from left to right) help students with recycling on campus. be reused, recycled, or rot. How we manage our waste is essential to living sustainably, preserving our earth for future generations,” Lew said.

Together, our school can reduce its waste through proper disposal.

Do your part. If you see a friend throwing something in the wrong bin, politely say something. There are many people at CVHS that do care and already utilize the system to its fullest; however, there are many people that are too lazy to take the extra second to throw the banana in the organic bin. Leadership wants to encourage everyone use our system in order to help the environment.

“Basically we hope that proper waste disposal and the environmental awareness around school will influence people to do the same at home. For example, FOG

(fats, oils, and grease) can cause serious damage to sewers if disposed improperly. It’s best to pour over their leaves, grass, clippings, or other yard trimmings,” Lew added.

So far, Leadership has not been collecting data on how the recycling program is progressing, but they will have it all in February.

Once they get the data, Leadership is going to do a waste audit, which is when they go through all of our trash for the whole school to see. The audit is going to take place Feb.1.

If any students are interested in helping the school become a greener place, they can offer to monitor some of the bins during lunch to ensure people utilize the bins correctly. If you have any other ideas please stop by and share them with Leadership in room 607.

The Olympian Jan. 23, 2014

5

Interact: making wishes come true one concert at a time

By Sally Liang Staff Writer

Service Above Self. This threeword-motto explicitly portrayed Interact’s dedication of serving individuals in local communities.

In response to members’ fervor to empower changes, officers hosted the very first Wish Upon a Star benefit concert at San Leandro High’s Performing Arts Theater, a one-night-only event that occurred on Jan. 4.

All proceeds contributed from the concert went toward The Answer is the Sun, the current international project, which was intended to raise funds for purchasing 5,170 solar ovens to Afghanistan families in refugee camps. By end of the upcoming summer, all events must surpass a fundraising goal of $77,550 with funds directed to Trust in Education, a grass-root organization which provides health care assistance to Afghan villages.

The avid Interact spirit beamed brightly as the community and performers, in a show of unity and strength, came together to support this event. Talent brimming performers graced the stage at the theater, in partnership with Trust in Education and Cool Tea Bar, to raise funds.

Among them were Susan Wang, the dance group, Urbanize, duet singers Angelica Simsuangco and Angelo Villanueva, choreography crew, Last Minute, Monica Mendoza, and others.

“My teammates and I had

Suzanna Chak / Opinion Editor

Angelica Simsuangco and Angelo Villanueva serenade to the crowd’s cheer and encouragement during their time in the spotlight.

such a wonderful experience this evening. Knowing that I have a passion for dancing, I was so happy to expose my talent and doing this for a great cause,” said contestant Kim Alejandro, one of the members in Last Minute.

“On the behalf of myself and the team, we really appreciate for having us! The benefit concert was so successful!”

The concert alone had reached proximity of $2,220 from ticket and intermission sales, consequently approached one step closer towards this year’s fund-

raising goal.

“Interact District 5170, we plan on sending 5,170 solar powered ovens to families in Afghanistan that are in refugee camps. We are providing these families with a safer, sustainable and more affordable source of energy, as well as saving these families from the hazardous effects of wood fires that they currently use to cook their meals. With the $2,200 that we raised, we will be able to send 146 solar ovens to 146 refugee families, which is phenomenal!

With the amazing performances,

successful food and milk sales, the incredible amount of support from people inside and outside of Interact, support from family and friends, and the hand work & dedication of all the Area 2 officers, this event was out of the world.You have all greatly contributed towards changing the world, and you empower change!” said Danelle Go, director of Interact’s Area Two. Among other goals, Interactors hope to organize this concert to reach new heights. The club has always had a charity dinner in

the spring, but never a benefit concert. Interact officers wanted to offer something novel to all other areas as well as the general public.

“This was our first ever benefit concert as an area, so we didn't know what to expect. The show ended up being a huge success.

Everyone had smiles on their faces at the end of the night. I couldn't think of a better way to end Winter Break,” said Wang, Interact president and soloist at the concert.

“Specifically for the concert, it wouldn't have been possible without Dustin Brown, the theatre manager at San Leandro High School, for letting us use the performing arts center,” added Wang, expressing her gratitude for employees at the theater.

Beside the benefit concert, area wide Interact went above and beyond. Area directors were diligently putting together charity dinner, semi-formal dances, talent shows, and more. All aim for the same intention: to change the world and make a difference.

Whether fellow Interactors prepare or attend events like such, it was not only for purpose of raising funds, it was also a new way to augment global understanding, emphasize the core value of the club, serve the community of Bay Area, and most importantly, to impact lives of people worldwide. Interact will continue to inspire the uninspired and envision a promising future.

Cardinal creates chemistry in Castro Valley

By Robbie Brandt Staff Writer

Robbie Brandt / Staff Writer

Marie Maher shows off the chemicals she used for the lab.

Have you ever wanted to be taught chemistry by a professional chemist? Well on Dec. 19, Deborah Yager’s chemistry class got to experience just that. The students were taught by grad students from Stanford and CVHS graduate Bright Zhou, now an undergraduate at Stanford.

The grad students of Stanford have each been in school almost a decade and now they are working

ReSPONse bakes to success

By Suzanna Chak Opinion Editor

Cupcakes, cookies, and brownies galore!

ReSPONse club held a bake sale on Nov. 2 and raised an impressive total of $1,356.90. The money will be sent to a school in a remote village in Nagaland, India.

“We raise money to support the school and give the children in Nagaland a chance to get an education,” said co-president Elizabeth Bau. The name of the club reSPONse itself embodies the main purpose of the club: the capitalized “SPON” stands for “serving the people of Naga.”

Members of reSPONse worked hard preparing for the bake sale, spending the Friday before making goodies such as

mouth-watering muffins and classic rice crispy treats.

The following day, reSPONse sold their fruits of their efforts to tired athletes and spectators at the soccer games at Canyon Middle School. The other part of their bake sale took place at Safeway, where shoppers had the chance to buy and eat their delicious baked goods, knowing their money was going towards a good cause.

“I like making a difference and knowing all my hard work and effort is helping a school in India,” said sophomore Janice Yee. ReSPONse was formed in 2009 to raise money and awareness for the school in Nagaland called Jon Christian English School to give students the opportunity to have an education and a better future. ReSPONse helps keep the school open,

which costs about $1,000 per month.

ReSPONse is also planning a trip to visit the school and students this summer.

This was not the first time reSPONse had a bake sale; the group had one last year as well.

Members also have other fundraisers, such as carwashes.

“My favorite event that reSPONse has is our 24-hour famine that we have every year,” said co-president Samantha Lee. “We don't eat anything (just drink juice and water) to help raise money and awareness for world hunger and the school.”

Students interested in joining reSPONse Club and doing their part in helping the people of Nagaland are encouraged to attend their meetings held every Thursday during lunch in room 703.

in chemistry labs.

The lab they taught was dissolving substances to test their conductivity.

“This lab is about chemical bonding which is where we are in the curriculum,” said Yager.

This lab shows the difference between molecular and ionic compounds and how they could observe compounds, including ones used in diapers.

“The lab was very interesting.

The title ‘Diaper Lab,’ however, was a little misleading,” said

Chloe Little.

Amaan Fugfugosh agreed and thought this was a great learning experience.

“I think this lab was fun and interesting. My lab group got good data I learned what types of substances are conductive in distilled water and tap water,” said Fugfugosh.

Yager was pleased with how everything turned out. The lab went well and students were smiling and enjoying the learning experience.

Fans “Drunk In Love” with Beyoncé

Dear El Rancho Supermercado...

By Olivia Wallace Staff Writer

Beyonce Knowle’s newly released album, Beyonce, is the best one she has put out so far!

She includes all pieces of her life in it so it feels as if you’re getting a sneak peek into the life of the famous Beyonce.

In the album, Beyoncé wrote the song “Blue” about her daughter, Blue Ivy, and she also includes a song that features her husband Jay-Z. She also wrote about women’s rights and feminism in the song “Flawless” and throughout her album.

The songs are moving and heartfelt as well as scandalous and sexy.

There has been a bit of con-

By Lauren Jelks Staff Writer

troversy over the sexual aspects in some of her songs. However, Beyonce is a mature adult and a mom, so she has every right to freely sing about what she wants. Even when Beyonce does talk about sexual content in her songs, she sings so perfectly you don’t even care.

I love Beyoncé and I love this

album.

On December 12, 2013, Beyoncé dropped this surprise album exclusively on iTunes.

When you buy it, you not only get the songs, you get a plethora of music videos to go along with them. This is not like any ordinary album; this is the official Beyoncé experience.

in at almost six minutes, but listeners are taken on a journey through the years of hatred Eminem and his mother felt towards each other.

One of the lines in the song mentions him being physically unable to hear one of his earlier pessimistic songs towards his mom, named “Cleaning Out My Closet,” and reveals that he is still estranged from her.

This new, softer side of Eminem is undoubtedly rare and probably won’t be seen very often in the future, but listening to this song was a nice balance to the album.

He has considerably matured and it shows in this wonderful song.

Add in frontman Nate Ruess, and it fully conveys the sentimentality needed to express Eminem’s regrets and bad choices concerning his mother.

The rest of the album is just as good as “Headlights,” but the song balances the rest of the unapologetic mockery of other celebrities and the intense verses in his other tracks. This equilibrium is what makes the entirety of Marshall Mathers LP 2 a perfect follow-up to 2010’s Recovery.

Eminem Shines in New Album

By Jamie Logan Staff Writer

Known for his ongoing feud with his mother, Eminem has taken a more mature and evolved route in one of his songs off his new album Marshall Mathers LP 2.

The runtime of the song clocks

“Black Nativity” didn’t raise my spirits Leia Saelee / A&E Editor

By Amelia Ortiz Staff Writer

“Black Nativity” is a heartwarming story of a broken family told through realistic acting and singsong. Taking place in Harlem, New York, the movie teaches lessons about faith, family, and honesty. It is a classic holiday story that’s great for families to go see together.

The movie had great actors in leading roles like Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, and Forest Whitaker.

The story has Hudson as mother Naima who raises her son, Langston, as a single mother. Many scenes in the movie hint at the fact that the father was possibly a gang member, who left them. Naima and Langston have a pretty good relationship and they get along fairly well. Langston is a good kid who doesn’t get into any trouble.

When Naima and Langston are evicted, Naima sends Langston to spend Christmas with his grandparents, a preacher and his wife, while she packs up the house. Naima has an estranged relationship with her parents, so Langston has never met them before and is very apprehensive at first. They live in Harlem, New York and Langston

has troubles adapting to the big city life at first. He soon gives in to the loving family environment and changes his outlook on life.

In the end, Naima forgives her parents and they all become one big,happy family.

Going into the movie theater, I didn't know it was a musical, so

that was a nice surprise. However, some storylines and songs were a little too cheesy for my taste. I think if I had another chance to go see it, I wouldn't; I would save my money and just wait until it played on television. If you like corny musicals about predictable stories, though, this is the movie for you!

Dear El Rancho Supermercado, I love you and all the different types of meat you cook daily, and more. Do I want my steak, my chicken, my pork, my cow tongue? It doesn’t matter, because no matter what, it will be delicious. Walking in to the familiar scents of cooking beans, rice, cheese, pastries, and meats entices me. Nothing is better than sitting down after a long day with a Mexican dish in one hand and a traditional Spanish drink in the other. Not only are you a great little dine in, but you also are a great market. You have my Mexican Coca-Cola!? You complete me.

Seriously though, where would I be without you? All

your different meal options, it’s sometimes overwhelming. And yet, the sense of trust I have for you is on another level. I could close my eyes, spin around seven times, and point to something on the board, and I can assure you that I would love it. Also, not only is the food great for a quick grab-and-go style dinner, but when you cater, it’s the talk of the party.

“Hey, where’s this amazing plethora of rice, beans, tortillas, and meat from? Oh, El Rancho Supermercado? At the intersection of Redwood Road and Grove Way? Well they are the metaphorical bomb.”

Just like that, another person falls in love with the great authentic Mexican cuisine you create. You know what else I love about you? You’re so clean. Constantly washed and never crosscontaminated. I just couldn’t do better. Five stars for you, El Rancho Supermercado! You go, El Rancho Supermercado!

XOXO, Lauren Jelks

Kasper’s Hot Dogs

By Daniel Witte Staff Writer

If you are driving through Castro Valley and want a good meal, you should go to Kasper's Hot Dogs. The hot dogs and drinks are always full of great flavor and the food is very filling.

There are many types of hot dogs along with tamales. The different types include the Cajun hot dog, as well as the standard hot dog. The standard is often known as the Kasper hot dog, which is the best if you don't like spicy food.

Besides the food, the employees are very nice and always recognize regular customers. When they spot a regular, the clerks often greet them and engage in conversation

about various topics, such as how their lives are going.

Kasper's is a chain of restaurants that has been around since the twenties. The original Kasper's was in Oakland, but the one in Castro Valley is 30 years old. Apart from the Castro Valley and Oakland restaurants, there is another Kasper’s on C Street in Hayward.

Kasper’s is located at 3300 Castro Valley Boulevard and its hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.

If you go on Sundays, you will most likely see high school or college students working the counter, whereas on the other days it is usually some older women. If you finish your drink and want more, you only have to pay a quarter.

On average, you can expect to pay $5 to $8 for a meal, depending on what you get.

Boys basketball squad slams rivals in close game

By Tyler Macias Staff Writer

As the varsity basketball team went against San Leandro High School, the Trojans fought a vicious battle and emerged triumphant, winning 57-51. The game continued, and the Trojans knew that they couldn’t back down and had to end the game with a bang.

When the first quarter came to a close, a Trojan was able to hit a buzzer beater, ending the score 17-12. That didn’t intimidate the Pirates, however, because when the second quarter arrived, the

score rapidly changed when each team fought back with back to back points. Luckily, the Trojans were able to withhold the upper hand, ending the first half 27-24.

As the second half continued, Nate Moore slammed a monstrous dunk to ignite momentum throughout the team.

“Yes, I think that the dunk really set momentum and I believe overall I did well,” said Moore.

With the game coming to a close at two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the Trojans losing 34-38, the crowd knew that something had to be

done in order for CVHS to win.

With a lay-up and penalties, the Trojans satisfyingly produced a 57-51 lead with seconds remaining.

Jalen “El Chico” McFerren had 11 rebounds, two three-pointers, and a total of 29 points. Moore also had scored four points and made the vicious dunk that set the momentum of triumph for CVHS. “It was a good game and since I knew people on the other team it set a sense of rivalry. I think I did ok, but overall, the team did great,” said McFerren.

Tyler Macias / Staff Writer

The boys varsity team gets pumped up before the big game.

Late goal costs Girls wrestlers pin down third place Trojans the game

By Felicianna Marquez Photo Editor

off of a fast break by San Leandro.

As the game drew on, both teams began to get increasingly aggressive, eventually escalating

“ I feel that the

score did not reflect the way we played.

Cameron Beresini / Staff Writer

Raymond Akagi junior

”

Chris Fong makes a long pass down to a total of four yellow cards, three the field. for San Leandro and one for Castro Valley. Nevertheless, the boys kept

By Cameron Beresini their composure for the most part, Staff Writer and played out the final 18 minutes The varsity boys soccer team as well as they could, but they were took on San Leandro’s varsity team unable to finish on any trip down under the stadium lights on Jan. 15. the field.

The game was very well matched "I feel that the score did not rethroughout the two 40-minute flect the way we played. We had halves, ending 1-0 in favor of San plenty of chances to score, but we Leandro. just couldn't capitalize on any of San Leandro’s goal was scored in them which is pretty disappointthe 22nd minute of the second half ing," said junior Raymond Akagi.

The girls wrestling team woke up bright and early on the morning of Jan. 21 to attend the 11th annual Castro Valley girls wrestling tournament.

Hosted by CVHS every year, dozens of schools across the state, from SoCal to NorCal, come bringing hundreds of girl wrestlers. From Benicia to Vintage in Napa, girls waited in line to be weighed in for their weight class hoping for it to go quickly so they could eat.

Girls filled the stands and the guests grabbed snacks at the snack bar ran by the parents of the Castro Valley girls wrestling team. Participants were anxious with the anticipation for their matches later on in the day.

“I was really excited to be wrestling my last Castro Valley tournament. These past four years have helped me grow as

Felicianna Marquez / Photo Editor

Alyah Thomas (right) intimidates her opponent at the start of the match. a person and a better wrestler,” said senior Rebecca Busch.

Wrestling began around 12 p.m. and ended around 7 p.m.

Overall, Busch took first place in the 137-pound weight class along with senior Stephanie Hill in the 116-pound weight class. Both won by pinning each opponent.

Junior Zoe Voss took fifth

place and senior Alyah Thomas took fourth, but suffered a serious concussion.

“It sucks to know that I’ll be out the rest of my last season but I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish so far,” stated Thomas.

Overall, the CVHS girls wrestling team took third place out of the tournament.

B o u n d i n g B r i l l i a n t Ba l l e r s

Kelly Chan / Online editor

David Cho, freshman

David Cho’s passion for basketball has been evident since he started playing in third grade.

Previously training outside of school, Cho now plays the guard position for the freshman boys basketball team.

He is undeniably dedicated to the prosperity of the CVHS basketball program and legacy. Cho values teamwork; what he enjoys most about his experience on the team is getting to work with his teammates on and off the court.

The team has scored great feats so far this season, the longest winning streak being four games.

Great job, Cho, and good luck, Trojans!

Mica Suarez, sophomore

Kaishin Kawada, junior

Allison Silva, senior

Watch out! This former “street ball” player is now on her second varsity season of basketball!

Sophomore Mica Suarez has been on the girls varsity basketball team since her freshman year.

This year, she branched out to play junior varsity volleyball as well. Outside of the school basketball team, Suarez also plays for an Asian league team called the “Rising Suns,” and shoots hoops with her family.

For the CVHS team, Suarez is a shooting guard and occasionally a point guard. She loves playing on the team because they work well and push each other to become stronger. Suarez explains winning as “an unexplainable feeling.”

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no, it’s junior Kaishin Kawada! Frequently seen flying across the stadium field, Kawada is a varsity soccer player, playing the position of wing-mid.

He started playing soccer in third grade, and has played with the Hayward Soccer Club outside of the school program. Just recently, Kawada played for the club’s Under-19 Silver team.

Kawada has participated in the CVHS soccer program since his freshman year, advancing from the JV team to the varsity team.

What Kawada enjoys most about playing on the team is intimidating the opponents and giving them a challenge.

Senior Allison Silva loves playing soccer under the stadium lights. Having played soccer all her life, she’s now playing on the CVHS girls varsity team.

This is Silva’s first season with the CVHS soccer program, as she previously participated in the cheerleading squad.

Currently, she plays the competitive position of striker for the school team. Outside of the school sports programs, Silva has had years of intense experience playing with the Castro Valley, San Ramon, and Dublin soccer clubs.

Keep on the lookout for Allison Silva this season on the soccer field!

The Olympian Jan. 23, 2014

8

ACE climate change education takes CVHS by storm

By Joyce Liang City Editor

In the 21st century, we like to live it big. The companies that produce high-tech phones, cars, and electronics all allure us to purchase the products from their attractive advertisements. However, there is one dilemma that is preventing us from forever living our current lifestyles: climate change.

On Jan. 6, presenter Wen Lee from the Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) gave a series of presentations about global warming and its prevention in the Center for the Arts.

Inspiring students to make a difference in their communities, Lee informed students that climate change is happening right now and that we all need to do something about it.

About 97 percent of scientist believe that climate change exist, she said, and the advanced technology we use today requires a lot of energy.

“A lot more energy means more CO2,” said Lee, “and lots of CO2 means climate change.”

Because CO2 stays in the air for hundreds of years, we will

Joyce Liang / City Editor

Wen Lee, a presenter from the Alliance for Climate Change Education, talks about how anyone and everyone can contribute to helping improve our environment. see the drastic effects of global warming more quickly with the rate at which it is being released today. The consequences of climate change and having more CO2 in the air will cause temperatures to rise, higher sea levels, negative health effects, pollution, species extinction, heat waves, drought, storms

and flooding, and other local impacts.

An example of a negative health effect that pollution causes is asthma. The several oil refineries in the Bay Area pollute our air. Climate change is a huge threat to our health and in the Alameda County, as it has the highest rate individuals who

about room 760.

According to the California Building Code for an educational science lab, the rate of outside air coming into a standard sized science lab should be 246 cubic feet per minute (cf/m) and the minimum exhaust rate should be 1370 cf/m.

In order to meet these requirements, the building has had work done over the summer.

is an unsafe environment and OSHA will come out and inspect it and talk to people to figure out if everything’s being done properly and safely,” said O’Brien.

Teachers have asked for purge fans in two more rooms.

Although the committee and the district are still working to get the building up to code, significant progress has been made in the past six months.

C u r r e n t l y, Ya g e r a n d Steinecke are writing up a chemical hygiene plan to help staff members to properly recognize safety hazards and violations.

“Recently, the district has done a good job of trying to meet the ventilation requirements for a science classroom,” said Schneck.

700 hall ventilation improved CHEMICALS: Page 1

expels the harmful air, was only three feet away from the intake vent, which brought the fresh air in, so when the exhaust vent let out air, some of it went right back in through the intake to the students and teachers.

“The rules are that they either have to be a certain distance or height apart,” said Yager.

“They needed to be made higher.”

Along with changes to the exhaust and intake vents, other safety codes had to be met.

More classrooms were turned into chemistry rooms since the building’s construction, so they did not have the proper resources to ensure the safety of the students and teachers.

“If a student got something in his eye during a lab, he’d have to run across the hall to use another classroom’s eyewash,” said union president John Green.

Ventilation, safety improved Fume hoods, purge fans, eyewashes, and showers were also added to three more new chemistry classrooms.

Chemical storage is also a problem. Mostly, chemicals used in labs were stored in back prep rooms; however, the vents weren’t purging the rooms.

Almost all chemicals have now been moved to vented chemical storage rooms in the 700 hall.

“The store room’s air was being sent back into class where students were sitting and breathing,” said Schneck

State inspects building The committee made the decision to call the Occupational Safety and Health Organization (OSHA) to see if the building was up to code. An OSHA inspector examined the building on Sept. 24 and has not reported his findings back yet.

“Employees can call if they’re concerned that the workplace

have asthma.

Another example of the negative effects of climate change are wildfires. As climate change gets more serious, wildfires will become bigger and will happen more frequently. Wildfires like the one in the Yosemite during last August was not normal.

“The wildfire was huge,” said

Lee, “It’s about eight times the size of San Francisco.”

Since warmer climates will cause water to expand and ice caps to melt faster, sea levels are rising. San Francisco’s sea level will rise up to four feet by the end of century, which means San Francisco’s airport will be flooded and a lot of small towns will be affected.

The bad news is that climate change is already happening and if we don't make any changes, it will just get worse and worse. The presentation inspired many students to want to take individual and collective actions to help the environment.

To speak up towards climate change, join ACS’s Right to Know Campaign, a petition that supports the right for students to learn about climate change and to take action, by texting R2K to 30644 or go to change. acespace.org.

Students can also step up by taking action in person, attending ACE Youth Action Lab, or by joining CVHS Smart Energy Club.

Together, as a community, we can all make a positive change to our environment and prevent climate change from happening rapidly.

Mysterious fire burns in 700 hall boys bathroom

By Amanat Riar Sports Editor

A blaring fire alarm went off signaling a fire in the 700 hall building on Thursday, Jan. 16.

Students were settling into their seventh period classes to begin reviewing for finals when the alarm went off.

Some people were confused initially, questioning whether it was a drill as they began evacuating first to the senior parking lot and then to the gym. But in fact, someone had lit a trash can on fire in the lower boys bathroom in the math wing of the 700 hall.

Students walking down the staircase near the bathroom could smell the smoke as they evacuated.

Students like senior Monica Johal expressed her annoyance.

“The situation happened at

a really bad time,” said Johal.

“It gave our class less time to review for the final and I think we could use all the time we could get.”

“It was the first time I have been in a real life evacuation at school,” said senior Elli Negrin. “We have practiced fire and earthquake drills so many times that it felt like a drill.”

Both the fire department and a few staff members arrived quickly to put the flames out.

Around 3 p.m., students and staff were allowed to safely return to their classes after the fire department cleared the building and staff placed fans inside the hallways to flush out the smell of the smoke.

“I think the student that did it should be suspended because it was so inappropriate and dangerous. Someone could have gotten hurt,” said Negrin.

The school administration is investigating the fire.