June 5, 2009

VOLUME 52, ISSUE 11 FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009

Track team dominates NCS meet

6 Pg.

Boys and girls end season strong

CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546

Powder Puff Diamond shines girls play in in Beach Blanket annual game Babylon

5 Pg.

Girls face off in football battle

This is only a drill

Lawsuit, hate mail over Diversity speaker fight Thirty-one Castro Valley residents and parents of CVHS students filed a lawsuit on May 5 against Castro Valley Unified School District for denying them documents detailing the correspondence between CVHS employees and Reverend Arlene

“ Winning would mean that parents get information that they are entitled to...

In the earthquake simulation on May 21, the emergency crew responds to "wounded" junior Monroe Ekilah. Many students participated in the simulation by simulating injuries and deaths as faculty and pre-nursing students formed search and rescue teams to check and clear classrooms, bathrooms, offices, and even custodians' closets of any "casualties" while the uninjured students waited at the stadium.

Budget deficit threatens teachers’ jobs

By James Rose Staff Writer

Staff members brace for layoffs The administration expects that about eight or nine CVHS staff members will not return next year due to layoffs.

In recent months Castro Valley Unified School District has been battling budget cuts issued from the state’s legislature. The state government allocated a certain amount of money that education will receive in the following year.

“I’m disappointed in the way the state handled the budget crisis. The partisanship has bound their hands,” said David Roth-

Rossi, social studies teacher.

The elimination of educators at CVHS is determined largely by seniority. Those with the lowest seniority as well as those who were temporary or probationary teachers in their first or second years at CVHS are most affected.

“I’ve had a ball. I’ve gotten to know some talented people. I’ll miss the stimulation of talking about what I love,” said Perry Auch, video teacher.

The budget cuts have not only chopped programs in CVUSD, but other districts in the Bay Area that are also suffering.

“The people on the administration level have done a really good job. We are a lot better off than other districts,” said Lorrie Barrera, assistant principal.

“It’s really hard for CVHS be-

cause of the fact that it hurts the teachers. It’s a tough time,” said Ian Rodriguez, English teacher.

After being laid off, many CVHS teachers will try and look for other jobs, all the while being hopeful that a position might open back up.

“I really hope to come back.

I love it here. A position might open up. I’m keeping my options open,” said Roxanne Johnson, social studies teacher.

Some teachers, in the future, will attempt to find schoolrelated jobs in other states, continue college degrees, do some freelance work, or even work as a mechanic.

“Being a teacher is a rare opportunity to build relationships with young adults. In a lot of other careers, you don’t get that opportunity,” said Roth-Rossi.

ACS to walk in Relay for Life

By Moises Fonseca Staff Writer

During the last couple of weeks, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has been doing a lot of activities around the school to support their mission to raise cancer awareness.

As a youth chapter of ACS, the ACS club will attend the Castro Valley Relay for Life at Canyon Middle School on July 18-19.

Relay for life is a 24 hour walk-a-

thon, in which many form teams and raise money for ACS and the many services the organization provides. There are a lot of events that get the participants excited about relay, such as the Miss Relay pageant, in which boys and men of all ages dress up like women and compete in a pageant to raise the most money for their teams by getting donations from the crowd.

ACS is planning to get various people to form their own teams to walk around the track on the

day of the relay. It is a way to get the whole community together to fight against cancer.

"Fighting against cancer isn't something that happens during the school year and it never sleeps either," said Joanna Lee, president of the ACS club when asked why the club participates in Relay for Life during the summer.

ACS has also done a few activities around school lately. Its last major event was to get CVHS to

RELAY: Page 7

3

CVHS graduate performs lead role

By Joseph Wan and Irene Liang

Howard Whang / Photo Editor

Pg.

Matt McReynolds Attorney

”

Nehring. In addition to the documents, the parents are requesting payment for legal fees if they win the suit.

“Winning would mean that parents get information that they are entitled to and the school

LAWSUIT: Page 7

These 31 Castro Valley residents and parents are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the school district.

David Tong Betty Tong Fung Lo Maria Lo Samuel Ho Ming Lau Steve Mok Lannie Mok Wilson Young Imelda Young Raymond Yu Josephine Yu Harry Lin Olive Lin Gordon Lum Catherine Lum Steven Inn Pansy Inn Sheldon Kwok Ulysses Lim Julia Lim Joann Wu Cheyenne Wu Dan Donovan Leslie Donavan Thomas Love Reyna Love Vincent Fung Julie Fung Harry Inn Anna Inn

Sarah Gilchriese / Staff Writer

Dancing at Deviation are members of 4Real.

Deviation enchants crowd with the sound of music

By Isabel Chi

Business Manager On May 22 the CVHS cafeteria was teeming with people and the sound of music. Deviation, a benefit dance concert, was being put on by Teens Reaching Out, a community service club at CVHS. This year’s line up included the dance groups Catch a Fire, Final Act and 4Real - all of which are groups from CVPA (Castro Valley Performing Arts Center), Future Shock Oakland, Funk Beyond Control, Xposed Dance

Co., and Funksters. There were also musical performances by Kate Kim, Jaraed Bello, and Jyra Valenzuela. The performances had the crowd on their feet in no time.

This year, the proceeds of Deviation went to Hi Mission, a non-profit organization in Baja California, which aids children and teens living in poverty.

“I feel like this year’s [Deviation] went really well. We hope that our contribution will make a difference in the lives of those kids we are helping,” said Gretta Noe co-president of TRO.

Parents’ right to know or abuse of legal process?

Editorial: It’s difficult for anyone to decide what school curriculum is necessary for students to learn without putting their own bias into it. We at The Olympian think that the lawsuit by Castro Valley parents against the school district over access to records involving Reverend Arlene Nehring’s Days of Diversity presentation raises an important question about the role of parents in deciding school curriculum.

Parents definitely have the right to know what things are being taught to their children.

Nevertheless, The Olympian believes that CVHS has the discretion to decide between what is taught at facts and what is merely presented as a viewpoint that exists in the world.

The name of Days of Diversity explains what it’s all about: a chance to hear and learn about other cultures. As usual in class, students do not have to, nor do they, agree with everything an

adult presents to them.

It’s unclear what the suing parents want to do with the information they request from the school district. Surely if they have an ideological disagreement with the presentation, there are better ways to express this without putting the district through the hassle and financial entanglements of a lawsuit. The district has already agreed to release much of the requested information, except for five

years worth of emails between Nehring and the school. What else do the parents hope to find that is not in the extensive records they have now?

The parents in the lawsuit also want a link between the presentation and math and science curriculum. The district is at a loss to come up with something that doesn’t exist.

Days of Diversity presentations do not have to relate to the classes in which they are

hosted. Teachers decided what speakers to have present, giving up class time in order to further the school’s goal of broadening students’ perspective on the wide world around us.

Many things taught or presented in school are controversial and bound to offend someone. Students are smart enough to decide whether or not the ideas they learn about are valid.

School is the one place to discuss and learn about other life per-

spectives. Students who didn’t want to be at the presentation should have spoken up at the time or left the classroom. Part of growing up is learning that people and ideas in the world are different. It takes guts to form and voice your own opinions in a productive way, instead of resorting to suing a school district that has greater problems to deal with, like the state’s unprecedented education budget cuts.

High school students can't dance

By James Rose

Staff Writer It was a warm spring evening, and the limo pulled elegantly up to the hotel. Students began crowding near the entrance in anticipation for the annual prom. A young man and his date eagerly stepped out of the limo and walked over to join the mob. This was their first high school dance, and nobody would tell them that they were in for a long night.

Students can’t dance. There, someone’s got to say it. Whatever happened to the proms from the 1950s? Did they all just vanish into thin air?

You know what we are left with today? Dancing to that horrible hip-hop music, and acting as if we all got struck by lightning.

For example, I was at our junior prom last year, and everyone was just bouncing up and down like bobble heads on a dashboard.

Therefore, I propose a solu-

tion. Ballroom dance lessons should be made a requirement in every high school across America. Also, it should be made illegal for DJs to play hip-hop music at all schoolrelated dances.

Teenagers, in the first place, need to broaden their tastes in music. Life is not just about rap. Besides, the prom is overrated anyway. Students spend a lot of money for a night with absolutely no musical variety.

Long live the Tango, Foxtrot, Jive and Disco!

PHOTO pinions They call me ‘lame duck’ BY: Malena Bell

What is your opinion on the lawsuit filed against the district?

By Malena Bell Editor-In-Chief

They call me “lame duck” in journalism class now. My last full issue as “chief” is over and this issue is in the hands of the next generation.

It’s a bit of a bummer, but I’m also so proud of Joseph Wan and Irene Liang, who have so many creative ideas and so much passion for this newspaper. I have no doubt that they will be fantastic editors-in-chief next year.

Senior year is bittersweet like that. In many ways, it is the most fun year of high school, but it’s also the end of an era, so to speak, which is somewhat depressing.

Senior year is also full of “lasts,” events that, for good

or bad, will never happen again in quite the same way.

For example: last “first day of school,” last homecoming, and last formal dance. They’re tough. As one of my best friends once said, “It’s hard to enjoy something when you know you have to enjoy it.”

Because if you don’t enjoy it, it’s too late to try again. There are no second chances at what you do senior year.

The thought of imminent separation from friends and family is always present. My class in particular has been reminded more than once that we won’t always be together.

And while other high school years seem to stack upon each other, senior year counts down to graduation.

That’s certainly not to say

that I, or many others, dread graduation. We certainly don’t; we are eager for it and anticipate it all year. But we also know that when we leave, a huge part of our life is over.

Like anyone else, I’ve had a mixed experience in high school. There’s been stress and drama, and I haven’t always been happy. But I also love my friends and family, love the Bay Area, and love the life I’ve been living.

It is sad to say goodbye to so much of that, but I am also glad to be moving on. Change is good. I’ll be away in Washington, D.C. next year, which will certainly be a new experience. I’ll be about six blocks from President Obama’s White House! Maybe one day he’ll invite me over for lunch.

“I think that it’s unnecessary and there shouldn’t be a lawsuit while the school is in a budget crisis.”

Freshman Matt Saxton

“It’s unfair for people to single out the high school for trying to create a diverse environment.”

Junior Tobi Alli

“It’s not really fair. These parents aren’t viewing the matter in an open-minded way.”

Sophomore Princeton Poe

“I think it’s stupid that Castro Valley is only known for rodeos and suing gay people.”

Senior Jill Beytin

Improv show astounds all

By David Ahn Staff Writer

What do a gorilla, ghastly puns, beheaded babies, amputations, and an engaging story of the Adventure of the Pink Banana Going to New York have in common?

They were all featured in The Improv Show, which premiered on May 22 in the CVHS Center for the Arts. As one of the “Noobs in the House” I was in for a pleasant surprise as I experienced two hours of groans, chuckles and, yes, a few rib-aching laughs.

Improv featured two competitive teams, the Running Boxes and the Slippery Cheese Puffs, who battled it out through several games to win the crown of Improv Champs.

These games included Awkward Moments, Daily Sports,

DVD, 185, Double Blind Freeze Tag, and much more. Overall the various competitions were both refreshing and original, as they allowed these Improv competitors to show their impressive comedic abilities and their skill to think on their feet.

Memorable performances included those by the gregarious host and judge, Teresa Andrade, as she fired up the crowd for future performances. Senior Ruby Rubix Cube and junior Brandon This Side Up also had superb routines, as one acted in the role of a puppy being fought for by two friends in Awkward Moment, and the other posing as an athlete in underwater basket weaving competition in the event Everyday Olympics respectively.

Junior Matt Untiedt was team captain of the Slippery Cheese

Good job, Gilbert!

Puffs, as they managed to clinch a victory against their opponents with comical jokes and swift thinking.

One would initially think that the Improv show would be a way for students to help the embattled CVHS drama program, but unknown to most, Improv has a darker secret.

According to Untiedt, “The one thing people don’t know is that we are forced to do improv because of ninjas holding our family hostage.”

Fortunately for Improv’s spoiled fans, contestants have suitable incentives to do their best putting on a grand show. Other than lacking rudimentary grammar and having trouble with basic arithmetic, the Improv Show was a great success as they managed to coax a laugh from this “optimistic” journalist.

Rogers’ retirement For real this time?

English teacher retires after touching many students’ lives

By Sarah Gilchriese Staff Writer

English teacher Douglas Rogers is retiring after 41 years of teaching, for the second time.

Rogers retired for the first time in 1999, but came back in 2005 part time, and then full time in 2007.

“I am going to miss the students who show an enthusiasm towards learning,” said Rogers. Rogers’ favorite thing to teach is literature. He also likes to encourage students on how important and exciting it is to read in depth.

Rogers has taught freshman English, sophomore English, advanced sophomore English, American literature, British literature, honors American literature, creative writing, advanced placement English, and ceramics. His favorite subjects to teach are advanced sophomore English and British literature.

“He is a really good teacher, because he has taught me many new things that I have a feeling I would probably not have gained from any other teacher,” said sophomore Princeton Poe. When asked about what he will do with his free time, Rogers replied, “read, a lot.” Rog-

ers will also write, and continue to make pottery.

Rogers’s most memorable moment in his years of teaching is learning things from students. After teaching Lord of the Flies for 10 years, a student pointed out a single quote, which changed Rogers’s perception of the entire book.

“I decided to become a teacher when I got out of the army in 1952,” Rogers said. Before he went into the army, Rogers wanted to become a research chemist.

“I really enjoyed the teaching experience. It’s given me great satisfaction,” Rogers said as a goodbye.

Howard Whang / Photo Editor

Thanks to senior Gilbert Castro and wood shop teacher Wayne Shipman, The Olympian has four new homes. Castro constructed the new green and gold newsstands that will soon grace the campus. Readers can find this one outside the Olympian headquarters in room 113. Newspapers are also available in the Student Union, library and main office. Here editor-in-chief Malena Bell meets and thanks the master craftsman Castro.

CVHS graduate Diamond shines in San Francisco’s Beach Blanket Babylon

By Sophiana Carrell Staff Writer

SAN FRANCISCO—When an actress gets to play a French hooker, a Jewish mother, and an Italian woman with giant pizza atop her head all in the same show, it’s hard to get bored with work.

“It’s like an adventure,” says Val Diamond, a CVHS graduate of 1969. “It’s like this little, tiny theater, and this little silly show, and it’s gotten so much press.”

In her thirty-first year of starring in San Francisco’s highly acclaimed musical Beach Blanket Babylon, she expresses no plans of quitting now.

Diamond has come a long way from the stage of the CVHS cafeteria in the 1960s.

“I had never done theater, but when I was a freshman at Castro Valley, I saw a sign for auditions,” says Diamond. “I still, to this day, have no idea what moved me to go to that audition.”

After about 13,100 performances, Diamond reflects upon her first experiences in theater at CVHS. “I was in every performance there,” the actress says.

Since she was the youngest out of the theater students to receive leading roles, her fellow actors often resented

her, she says.

“No one would talk to me, but there was this one creepy guy who attempted to befriend me,” she recalls.

Though Diamond shows

Val Diamond in her CVHS graduation portrait of 1969.

off her amazing vocal talents in Babylon, she claims acting was her first love. “I love acting. I consider myself an actress,” she says. “Singing came second, when I wanted

to start performing in the school musicals, because they generated larger audiences.”

Watching the performance, though hilarious and delight-

ful, I wondered how Diamond made the most of each show, and after 31 years, how she managed to keep enjoying the repetition of her job.

“Well, the show changes often,” she says. “Every time something happens in the news or in politics, it’s immediately put into the show.”

I had gone to see the show a year ago, while Diamond’s understudy was performing.

The two showings, in comparison, were entirely different from one another. Due to the fresh pop-culture references, it was as if I had seen two separate productions.

Along with the constant show revisions, the show’s star-studded audiences over the years have added to the excitement. The list of celebrity attendants includes George Lucas, Sofia Coppola, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Prince Charles and Camilla.

“It was the Prince and Camilla’s first public event in the U.S.,” explains Kevin Kopjak, Diamond’s press agent. “All the ‘hoity-toity’ of San Francisco were there.”

After performing Babylon for over 5.2 million people over the years, Diamond is still going strong.

“So many ridiculously famous things have happened around it and it doesn’t make sense but here it is and that’s another reason it’s hard to leave,” says Diamond. “I’m kind of waiting to see what will happen next.”

Diamond in her theater headshot.

Lisa Carmack / Staff Writer

Tearna Sankofa dodges as Morgan Castain reaches for her flag in the powder puff game.

Badminton players go beyond expectations

By Alicia Harger

Opinion editor The CVHS badminton team swung their way to victory this year. With a 14-2 record, and many NCS qualifiers, it was a very successful season.

While it may be an underappreciated sport, the players

worked hard to do as well as they did.

Some NCS qualifiers include Chanele Darosa, Ingrid Wong, and Jimmy He. The whole team played amazingly well at HAAL and all season long. This was the second year for coach Xi and the team showed a lot of improvement.

“I thought we did really well.

We got our most points ever against Mt. Eden. I thought we were a pretty bomb team this year,” sophomore and varsity

singles player Judy Tian commented on the season.

The team did very well against traditional rivals Mt. Eden, winning five matches, even though they did not win the match. With NCS coming up, the qualifiers are training just as hard as ever, in the hope that they can do well.

“Badminton is really fun.

It’s a really mellow sport, and all the players are really good friends,” said sophomore Sasha Bishop.

Swimming boys shows their glory

By Lisa Carmack Staff Writer

The Trojan boys swimmers showed considerable talent this year throughout the season and at the HAAL Championship meet. Through hard work at practice and team dedication, both the junior varsity and varsity teams improved and excelled

as first in the league.

There are a lot of strong swimmers and as a result, the boys have come out strongest for every event and claimed first in every event except two at HAALs. Matt Kerner finished first in his 50 free with an incredible time of 21.78. John Michael Saunders broke the HAAL record for the Junior Varsity 500 freestyle with 5:45:07.

Coach Brian Berry was very pleased with the season overall.

“Any race where a swimmer drops time I’m thrilled. It lets

me know I’m doing my job as a coach well,” said Berry. “At the HAAL Championships this year, over 80 percent of our times were personal bests, which speaks volumes of how hard these athletes work.”

Berry was also pleased with the boys’ performance at NCS on May 15 and 16, as the varsity boys placed fourteenth out of 40 relay teams in the medley relay.

This season has been very successful and Berry expects the team to continue to be exceptional in the coming years.

Girls swim to title tie

By Lisa Carmack Staff Writer

Over the years the Trojans girls swimmers have dealt with some intense competition with Bishop O’Dowd and Moreau Catholic High School, but this year they annihilated the opposition.

Junior varsity girls came through each meet with overwhelming success as did the varsity girls with the exception of a tie with O’Dowd making each team dual meet champions of the year.

Divers Kaitlin Abendroth and Megan Ouyang also did an exemplary job at championships with

automatic NCS scores.

Coach Brian Berry is looking to extend the program and is encouraging people to join if interested.

The JV girls won first place in all three relays at the HAAL Championships as well as winning a majority of individual events. Sam Wultanski, Deneka Poerink, Brooke Alexander, and Laura Pardee dominated the medley relay for junior varsity with a time of 2:11.51. Gabrielle White placed first in the varsity 100 freestyle individual event.

Maja Harren, Kerianne Brownlie, Emily Sorenson, and Alyssa Chew placed first in the Var-

sity girls 200 Free Relay with a 1:46:73.

The season took a lot of spirit and a lot of dedication, but as proven by the drastic number of improved times at HAALs, the hard work has paid off.

“Swimming is a tougher sport than most people think,” said Berry. “My team is full of predatory beasts, waiting to be unleashed on the swimming pool to devour their competition. Don’t get me wrong: they don’t join the team like this; it’s a transformational process owed in equal parts to tough training, mental focus, intestinal fortitude, and the spirit of the Trojan.”

Lisa Carmack / Staff Writer

Mariah Cameron charges in the annual powder puff game, won by the seniors and sophomores team.

“Gods” bring boys tennis prosperous season

By Lindsay Oda Business manager

Coach David Roth-Rossi does not want for words to describe his tennis team’s success this season.

“The gods opened up their arms and held us in their embrace where we were nurtured and made ready for the pinnacle moment of our lives: the `09 tennis season,” the coach said.

“We conquered our demons and became champions this season. Not champions of other men, but champions of our own will. We conquered the internal struggle that all men must face when answering the question ‘who am I, what do I stand for, and, most importantly, how can I get girls to like me?’”

Along with becoming champions of their own will, the team became co-champions in HAAL, tying with Bishop O’Dowd.

Other highlights of the season include second place in HAAL singles for varsity freshman player Philip Patton, and a 6-1

win against Arroyo after losing to the Dons 1-6 in a previous match.

The team’s only goals for this year were to win the league and go to NCS. Although they lost in the first round of NCS, doubles

“We conquered our

demons and became champions this season.

David Roth-Rossi Coach

”

partners senior Cliff Ching and junior Kevin Low were happy with their NCS match.

“We were losing 4-1 and I was feeling pretty down, but our coach inspired us with a message from the gods to persevere through the toils. We overcame with a 6-3, 7-5 win,” shared team captain Cliff Ching on his last match of the season.

Softball team wins NCS game

By Frank Chao Feature Editor

t

Sarah Gilchriese /

staff writer

Andrew Wiegardt easily clears the bar and vaults to second place at the NCS Bayshore track meet.

Boys win NCS Bayshore title

By Tim Wong Staff Writer

Finishing the year strong on their home turf, the varsity boys track team took first in the HAAL finals and the freshman/sophomore boys came in an honorable second place to San Leandro.

The boys varsity team also moved on to take an amazing first place in NCS Bayshore

as well.

During the finals, seniors Dash Oliver and Maurice Valentine shone exceptionally well. Oliver took first in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes with adjusted times of 10.85 seconds and 22.09 seconds respectively. Oliver also took 0.06 seconds off of his time in the 100 during NCS, and he took second in the 200.

Valentine took second in the 110-meter hurdles and first in the high jump by beating the next closest competitor by a whole four inches. At NCS Bayshore, Valentine came in first in hurdles with a time of 14.4 seconds as well as first in the high jump.

Other high-placing Castro Valley track stars were sopho-

more Anthony Martore, who came in first for the varsity 800 meters, and sophomore Ben Eversole and junior Tom Ashby, who came in second and third respectively in the 3200 meters.

Sophomore Damion Rosby took first place in the 200 during NCS after finishing second to Oliver in both the 100 and 200 dashes during HAAL. Finally, junior Andrew Wiegardt also cleared an amazing 13 feet in HAAL and tied for first in NCS. Many more boys took first in their events, allowing the varsity boys to dominate over the competition and outscore Bishop O’Dowd 230 to 109.

Through tireless hours committed to practicing, the varsity and frosh/soph girls were able

During HAAL, exceptional athletes included sophomore Brianna Miller, who was second in the 100 meter dash and third in the 200, freshman Noelle Donnely, who took first in discus and fourth place in NCS, and junior Kelsey Santisteban who took second in both the 1600 and the 3200 as well as seventh in the 800. Santisteban, however, improved to gain first in the 3200 and the 1600 at NCS Bayshore.

Overall, the season was very successful for the girls. “Track was a great experience for me this year because I’ve gotten my best times and I’m stronger physically and mentally,” said junior Nicole Yang.

Success for girls track squad

By Tim Wong Staff Writer

learning experience… I really had to commit to it.

”

Priya Chopra Freshman

to achieve much. Regardless of the final outcome of NCS, Chopra added, “I felt really accomplished.”

P e a ce

ve

At the HAAL finals, the varsity and freshman/sophomore girls track teams swept the competition taking first place in their respective divisions.

Though HAAL was no problem for the girls, NCS proved more of a challenge as they finished in sixth place.

The frosh/soph team crushed the competition during HAAL, scoring 246 points, with the closest competing team scoring only 91 points.

For the Varsity team, the win wasn’t as dominating, but the Trojans still beat the closest competitor with 58 points.

“Track was a learning experience,” said freshman Priya Chopra. “I really had to commit to it.”

“ Track was a

Lo

Frosh/soph team crushes competition at HAAL meet

Jo

y

In the sixth inning, Castro Valley took a 3-2 lead on a fielder’s choice against the Liberty Lions.

Going into the NCS playoffs seeded eighth, the Trojans were 186 in the regular season, taking first place in the Hayward Area Athletic League. The CVHS softball team hasn’t won NCS since 1993.

Down 2-1 in the sixth, sophomore Gabrielle Palmer hit an RBI single to tie the game 2-2. Later in the inning, senior Monica Ammerman drove in the go-ahead run with a grounder up the middle.

Junior Lauren Ermitano retired the side to secure the win for the Trojans.

Second-year coach Melanie Alkire felt that her team could have played better, but was proud of

them nonetheless.

“We played well but were asleep early in the game,” said Alkire.

“I was so happy that we won. I want to come back and play again [in NCS],” said freshman Erin Cathey.

Unfortunately for the Trojans, they were not able to overcome the first-seeded Freedom Falcons in the second round of NCS. Despite losing 6-0 and only getting one hit, the Trojans have much to be proud of with such a young team.

When asked about her team’s effort this season, Alkire responded with pride, “I think we had a lot to prove this year and did great. We have a bunch of young girls this year and they did well.”

Trojans’ winning streak ends in NCS

By Elizabeth Tran Staff Writer

Hey batter, batter, swing! This season the CVHS varsity baseball team hit it all the way to NCS. Coach Jon Lavine is proud of these 21 players for battling it out with California High’s Grizzlies.

The season started off slowly, but rebounded back onto the right track towards the end when the team won six games straight, qualifying them for the playoffs.

“The best part of the season was

the six-game winning streak to end the season, including the exciting wins over Arroyo and O’Dowd,” said junior Harry Stanwyck.

At Cal, unfortunately, CVHS lost 5-3. Leaving NCS meant the end to another great season for the team with 16 wins and 9 loses. Even though they didn’t proceed on, their spirit is still up.

“We played well, but not good enough to win. We’re all very excited about next year,” said Stanwyck.

LAWSUIT: From Page 1 district be put on notice that you can’t hide what you are doing,” said associate counsel Matt McReynolds from the Pacific Justice Institute, a “non-profit legal defense organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties.”

Nehring, a lesbian and a reverend from Eden Church of Hayward, gave a presentation during the CVHS Days of Diversity event in March. Her talk concerned gay and lesbian issues.

Her presentation prompted an anonymous email accusing the school of “brainwashing” and “promoting the “gay mantra,” which spurred this conflict.

Represented by PJI, the 31 plaintiffs claim they have the right to 11 different types of documents relating to Nehring’s presentation by the California public records act. The documents include writings (including handwritten or printed letters), photos, and emails exchanged between Nehring and CVHS employees about instructional materials relating to Days of Diversity.

The district has denied the request on the grounds that the request is “vague, overbroad, and exempt from disclosure,” and that retrieving such documents would be “unreasonable and unduly burdensome.” Some of the records PJI requested are more than five years old, the dis-

RELAY: From Page 1 wear purple, which took place on May 8, and many students did to support the fight against cancer.

The ACS club has done some fundraisers for the event, which

trict claims. The district agreed to provide some materials to the PJI, and asked the group to narrow and clarify its request.

June 16 has been set as the hearing date to determine the ruling on this pending case in Alameda County Superior Court.

News of the lawsuit has spread nationally, and some CVHS math and science teachers have received emails described as “bigoted, hate speech towards the LGBT community.”

“I am disappointed that people nationwide are spreading lies about what the presentation is about,” said science teacher Melissa Kindelspire.

In response to this lawsuit against the district, CVHS Principal Pete Alvarez defended the inclusion of speakers addressing gay and lesbian issues and pointed out the need to confront the bullying that gay and lesbian students face.

“Every student has the right to come here for an education, free of harassment and prejudice.

Equity goes right to the heart of a safe learning environment,” Alvarez said.

“The purpose of the two-day event [Days of Diversity presentations] is to create awareness and promote a safe environment for all students,” wrote Maggie MacIsaac, assistant superintendent, who is named in the lawsuit.

Though The Olympian called many of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, none of those reached were willing to comment. included a car wash on May 23, and whatever they recollect from will be donated towards ACS and Relay for Life.

For more information about Relay for Life, visit relayforlife. org/castrovalley.ca.

ACA students venture to Berkeley

By Erin Mundy Copy Editor

The ACA (Art and Communications Academy) took one of its few field trips of the year on Wednesday, May 6. A group consisting of about 55 ACA students and five of the ACA teachers (Jason Marlis, Jeff Knutson, Melissa Kindelspire, Rene Clayson, and Adrian Lopez), ventured for tours of the UC Berkeley campus and a visit to the Berkeley Art Museum.

Students were able to visit the Student Union, view exhibits in the science building, and just roam the campus to get a feel for the Cal life.

“We wanted students to [ask] ‘What does a day of college look like?’” explained social studies teacher Jason Marlis.

After about an hour and a half of living the Cal Bear life, the group walked down Telegraph and took advantage of the museum’s first Thursday of the month free admission.

“The museum was pretty cool.

[It was] art that you’d look at and be like ‘what is that?’ And then you’d really look at it and you say ‘oh!’” said sophomore

Morgan Whitby.

Through the grant that funds the money to support the academies, students and teachers were able to take BART to and from downtown Berkeley for free. Aside from the ACA skate

“I believe it works, it is the direction schools should be going towards, learning across the curriculum.

Jason Marlis Teacher

”

night and a visit to the Hearst Castle for junior ACA students, Berkeley was this year’s only trip that all of the ACA could come

together for.

ACA teachers and students believe that the field trips build the community, and allow students to meet the kids they don’t know.

However, the ACA’s vitality is not due to the fun field trips and end of the year barbeques.

Having the academies allows students and teachers alike to work together, and because of this, teachers are able to keep close tabs on their students and enforce an expectation of their work.

“Kids who have never done a project are doing their first project,” Marlis proudly admitted.

Despite the changes the ACA will undergo for the next school year, it will continue to provide students with an “association to the high school,” as Marlis called it. “I believe it works, it is the direction schools should be going towards, learning across the curriculum,” said Marlis.

Entertainment Calendar

Music

May 15- Green Day: 21 Century Breakdown June 9- Black Eyed Peas: The E.N.D. June 9- Lil Wayne: Rebirth June 30- Brad Paisley: American Saturday Night July 14- Daughtry: Leave This Town st

Movies

June 24- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen July 17- Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince July 7- G.I. Joe the Rise of the Cobra

Video Games

June 2- Sims 3 (PC) June 16- Ghostbusters (360) Leadership Announcements

Club Presidents Meeting

Did you miss the club presidents meeting that was held in room 607 on May 27? Please come pick up a very important document in room 607 ASAP.

Juniors

June 10 is the last day to sign up for the Senior Class of 2010 picnic, which will be held on Sept. 3. There is no guarantee that spots will be available in the fall because we have to order the buses by the middle of August.

So, don’t miss out, sign up today.

Forms are available online. The trip costs $55.

Graduation Balloons On Sale

If you have a friend graduating and you want to show you care, plan on buying a bouquet of balloons at the graduation ceremony. The bouquets will have one large mylar balloon and three regular balloons and will only cost $5. You can get them at the ceremony and then give them to your friends afterwards.

June 16- Guitar Hero Smash Hits (360) June 23- Spore Galactic Adventures (PC) June 30- Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (all consoles) Sept. 9- Rock Band Beatles (Wii, 360, PS3)

Books

June 9- Ally Carter: Don’t Judge a girl by her Cover June 9- Marilyn Kaye: Out of Sight, Out of Mind June 16- Sarah Dessen: Along For the Ride

Concerts

June 6- BFD, Shoreline Amphitheatre, $25-$50 June 27- Warped Tour (SF), Pier 30/32, $33.50 July 11- Mayhem, Shoreline Amphitheatre, $31-$61 Aug. 1- The Fray & Jack’s Mannequin, Shoreline Amphitheatre, $14-$64 Aug. 1- Yallapalooza, Raley Field, $30-$45 Aug. 9- Rock the Bells, Shoreline, price TBA, June 7

Green Day rocks world again

By Sarah Gilchriese Staff Writer

With its eighth studio album released, Green Day wavers on the line of expectations. 21st Century Breakdown is a different approach to the regular Green Day sounds. With more of a modern and religious undertone, the punk rock sounds have faltered a bit for this new album. Nevertheless, Green Day delivers their musical intelligence to the world once again.

The album follows a Swedish couple, Christian and Gloria, on their life in the new millennium.

All the songs are based on the couple’s life, the track list going in order of the time. “I think they found another cure/For broken hearts and feeling insecure,” from the toned down and slow song of “Restless Heart Syndrome” shows that Green Day is taking a more sensitive side to their work while following the couple.

Although Green Day’s old albums, such as Kerplunk, Dookie, or Nimrod, have more of a punk rock and alternative crazy side, 21st Century Breakdown doesn’t

fully disappoint old die-hard fans.

The erratic sounds of “Horseshoes and Handgrenades” have

“Theerraticsounds

of‘Horseshoes and Handgrenades’ have the rowdy crowd at their feet again. With strong drum beats, and a striking guitar opening, the song explodes with the memoriesoftheold Green Day.

”

the rowdy crowd at their feet again. With strong drum beats, and a striking guitar opening, the song explodes with the memories of the old Green Day.

Starting out as a thrilling and crazed punk band in the 1980s, Green Day has changed quite a bit. American Idiot was a disappointment to the world, with a very mainstream sound. 21st Century Breakdown sounds a bit more like old Green Day, but still doesn’t live up to the standards of the original punk enthusiastic albums.

A lot of the songs have religious undertones, throwing off the Green Day image.

If you are looking for a rock CD with different sounds in every song, this album is a must buy. If you are a Green Day fan and haven’t purchased this CD, lower your expectations and go get it. This is a CD that you can add to your collection, but not one that you will put on repeat for hours.

Green Day will hopefully one day join the local punk rock scene once again, recording a musical sensation that satisfies the entire die-hard, Green Day punk fan’s cravings. For now, they will be sitting in the world of mainstream, with a little bit of erratic edge and history over the other bands in the rock scene.