June 7, 2012

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Olympian editor pens first novel

CVHS alum shares “The Icon Thief”

VOLUME 55, ISSUE 12

Students fuming about unexpected tickets

Pg. 5

He turns swimmers into winners

Berry wins coach of year honor

JUNE 7, 2012

WWW.CVHSOLYMPIAN.COM

Students suspended, STAR scores in limbo after tests posted online

Great catch!

By Suzanna Chak

Victoria Liang

Olivia Aragon catches the ball in the NCS competition after the varsity softball team captured a league championship. See story on page 2.

CVHS finally wins green ribbon award

By Matt Talajkowski With the hard work of the smart energy club combined with leadership, CVHS has been awarded a green ribbon award and $2,500 from the Castro Valley Sanitary District.

CVHS is one of the last schools in the district to be green ribbon certified.

“It was embarrassing,” said Deborah Yager, head of the smart energy club. “We were the only school in the district that did not have the green ribbon.”

Earning the award involved examining the school’s waste and finding ways to recycle more of it.

“It took us over four hours to sort one day’s worth of trash from the school. We opened every trash bag and worked,” said Yager.

The Smart Energy club held a waste audit to sort through all the trash and find what can be recycled. The club sorted plas-

Pg. 7

Writer discovers amazing people

CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546

By Eva Chen On May 15, the parking restrictions on the streets surrounding CVHS were reinforced. Construction of the solar panels is nearing its end, and some parking in the lot has reopened to the students.

The county therefore removed the bagged signs on Santa Maria and Mabel avenues that had previously provided convenient parking spots for CVHS students and began fining students for parking there.

About 20 students and one substitute teacher had been fined $50 to $100 for parking on the restricted streets and in the senior lot, which is reserved for staff members only.

“I was mad, I wasn’t warned, and I didn’t know what was going on,” commented junior Sam Rai. Starting on May 14, students were allowed to park in the junior lot, but only with a valid parking permit.

The areas between the pool, the campus, and the backside of the CFA have been restricted from the students and will be open to parking by June 14, in time for graduation.

“When one person sees someone do it, they also do it,” commented AP Matthew Steinecke.

He believes that if one person parks on streets with the no parking signs, another person who sees it will assume it’s not wrong to do so.

On May 10 and 11, the school called home to warn the students of the no parking zones. Not only that, Steinecke does weekly updates of the construction on the school website to inform the students of the new parking statuses.

“It’s just so hard with so many students. I have to rely on the auto dialer and web site,” commented Steinecke.

Even if every parking lot were available for students, the school would have at most 50 parking spaces missing due to the new poles of the solar panels. Therefore, the parking in the senior parking lot is reserved for staff members.

“Teachers can’t be late. By being late, they impact 150 students, but if a student is late they are the only ones affected,” commented Steinecke.

Special kids, special dance

tics papers and cans to try to open the eyes of the CVHS community. A stunning 60 percent of the trash at CVHS should go to compostable food waste instead of going to the landfill.

“I think the school should work harder to fix the trash problems at CVHS,” said sophomore Savanah Khan. “There is a lot of trash here.”

The last thing that CVHS had to complete for the green ribbon was fix the cafeteria system.

New trash cans have to be put in place so that food waste is separate from regular trash.

“We need to get the cafeteria completely composting, so when you buy lunch you have separate trash cans to throw away your trash,” said Yager.

The green ribbon saves the school money and makes the school a cleaner place.

“I would love the school to have less trash,” said sophomore LeeAnn Shaffer. “I hope this generation sees the school becoming greener.”

Four CVHS students were caught posting pictures of the STAR test on the web site instagram.com. Among the photos was a picture of the cover of an answer document and a scantron with a bubble design.

The Department of Education detected two of the students and notified CVHS. While students were busy stressing about the AP and STAR tests, district officials were sent in to investigate and interview the students involved.

In addition, the school had to fill in an incident report, for which it is still awaiting a response.

“We are waiting to hear back.

This could be serious enough for all the scores in that room, grade, or school to be invalidated,” said Assistant Principal Matthew Steinecke.

The other two who photographed the test were reported by other CVHS students, Steinecke said.

As punishment, the students were given a one day in-school suspension.

The California Department of Education has people who monitor social media sites and look for things like this.

This has not happened in the past at CVHS. However, it is happening all over the country as electronics are becoming more

advanced, more easy to use, and more common.

“Unfortunately, students post without thinking of repercussions,” said Steinecke.

Some students think that STAR testing is not important because it will not affect their grades.

However, it does affect them eventually. When students apply for colleges, the colleges look at how well schools do in comparison to other schools to determine how challenging the schools are (for example, how hard it is to earn an A).

Richard Schneck, a science teacher, agrees that the STAR test is important.

“The State of California spends a lot of money to preserve the integrity of these tests and students that take pictures compromise that integrity. CVHS doesn’t need the bad reputation,” Schneck said.

Schneck makes sure his students put effort into the STAR test by promising to bump up their grade (a C to an B, for example) if they do well and get at least 90% on the science part of the STAR test.

“It’s a win-win,” he said. “Other schools put the scores on transcripts.”

Since this serious incident is comparable to cheating on the SAT and AP tests, a stricter policy will be enforced and teachers will be extra vigilant next year, Steinecke said.

Wall of Fame shines light on school’s alumni

By Alex Gao The new Castro Valley High Wall of Fame is a small section of wall at the back of the library that honors the achievements of CVHS alumni.

On the wall are some of the more famous CVHS alumni, including Rachel Maddow, the host of The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC, Clifford Lee Burton, a guitarist for the band Metallica, Jason Castro, a baseball player for the Astros, Jonas Rivera, the producer of Up, and Tracy W. Bush, the musical composer for various video games, including Starcraft and World of Warcraft.

“We’re really proud of our students. Anything is possible. Your future is your own choice,” said

CVHS librarian Terri Bucklin.

The wall has been an idea of hers for the past few years, but she never had time to actually begin this project until now.

Bucklin pointed out that success can come from just about anywhere, and that the CVHS alumni on the wall help prove that.

She hopes to expand the wall even more in the future and will be writing letters to those already on the “Wall of Fame” to inform them of their appearance on the wall.

When asked about the “requirements” to get on that wall, she said that you just have to be someone that people have heard of. Easier said than done!

Trojans squash Berkeley High Yellowjackets in NCS softball

By Victoria Liang

Victoria Liang

Karen Chaw sprints to first base after her turn at batting.

The Trojans league championship-winning softball team defeated Berkeley High with a score of 13-0 on May 22.

The game was full of excitement and cheering, but this didn’t distract the concentration of the team, seeing that it was the first round of the North Coast Section (NCS).

The win was the result of the team’s great pitchers and incredible defense backing them up.

In addition to having a good defense, a lot of teamwork was clearly visible on the field.

“Karen Chaw, the umpire, knew how to call the pitches, and all I had to do was pitch,” said pitcher Olivia Aragon.

“I felt very nervous and it was

Boys volleyball team proud despite losses

By Christina Yee The boys volleyball season, which lasted from early February to May 10, recently ended.

Though the outcome wasn’t what most were expecting, at a season record of 0-14.

It’s hard for the players not to feel a little bummed out, but as the coach and players look back on their bumpy road of a season, they’ve learned that winning isn’t everything.

As coach Frank Largusa put it, it’s building a “robust and lasting volleyball community,” that really counts.

“Just being with the whole team every day was an experience of its own,” said sophomore Simon Haralambiew. “I

feel very accomplished with our team this year even though we did not win a game. We came up from scratch and played at the same level of intensity as the other teams.”

“Some of my most memorable experiences include coming together as a new team to learn volleyball and playing our hearts out against highly experienced and developed teams,” said team captain Kyle Linayao.

“Five seniors this season provided a young and new team with leadership, dedication, and stability. Parent support was outstanding and the coaching staff allowed us to improve rapidly. This is the type of community I hoped to be a part of,” Largusa said of his experiences

this season.

Largusa is also head coach of the girls volleyball team and he hopes to continue this job for years to come.

After hearing these players’ happy and confident reports, one has to ask oneself: what went wrong?

“Nothing really went wrong, It’s just we are a new team playing against teams with players that have had over four years of experience. The coaches were outstanding, as well as the players. I am looking forward to next year,” said Haralambiew.

The journey was a reward all on its own. The scores were just mere numbers, as the memories gained were priceless.

very intense,” added sophomore pitcher Baylee Johnson.

“ I felt very

nervous and it was very intense. ” Baylee Johnson Sophomore

When it was time for the Trojans to bat, junior Melina Huey, who was first up to the plate, batted a double without hesitation.

After Huey’s double, Johnson hit another double. With those

two doubles, the Trojans were ahead of the game. At the end of the first inning, the score was 2-0.

The rest of the game was full of intense sprinting and risky sliding, with the softball flying rapidly all over the field.

“I was pleased with the effort,” said coach Marie Gray.

With yet another win, the Trojans are moving up in the competition. The next game is against James Logan High, and the players are excited.

“We had a solid game and we are ready for Logan,” said Johnson. “I have a feeling that we are going to beat them.”

Unfortunately, despite their valiant effort, our Trojan team lost to Logan in the NCS quarterfinals with a very close score of 3-4.

Boys golf takes second in league

By Jane Hong The Trojan boys golf team recently gave it their all in the HAAL league championship and successfully placed second.

Moreau Catholic, undefeated this year in league, placed first in HAAL. Castro Valley trailed behind Moreau by 51 points with a total score of 421. Third place went to San Leandro High’s 426, followed by O’Dowd’s score of 430.

Coach Ed Blom was content with the progress his team has made. Although the team lost a few key players earlier this season, and Blom was forced to look towards the freshmen

and sophomores of the team, a few notable underclassmen have done nothing but impress others with their dedication and diligence.

“We’ve had some adversity throughout the league,” Blom said. “I know that we struggled because we lost a few key guys but I’m really pleased that the kids did so well.”

“Of course second place is really cool—but first would have been better!” said freshman Brian Travis. He, fellow freshman Adam Blum, and sophomore Brian Periquet were among the outstanding underclassmen who have done well throughout the season.

K i n dre d K i n e st h eti c K ids

Amber Yang

Olivia Wallace, Freshman The splash of water and the smell of chlorine have been a huge part of Olivia Wallace’s life ever since she started swimming at age 6 for the Chabot Marlins. In seventh grade, she joined the year round competitive East Bay Bat Rays (EBAT) and later, she qualified to go to Junior Olympics.

Currently a freshman in high school, she has already made it to NCS for the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay, plus holds the top time for the 100 fly of the Trojan swim team.

Wallace isn’t sure if she wants to swim in college, because of the amount of time swimming takes.

“Swimming helps you gain relationships with people and makes you learn to work hard and balance schoolwork,” she says.

Brian Periquet, Sophomore Five years ago, golf became a huge part of Brian Periquet’s life when he became a member for a golf club. Although admitting to not finding the game very fun at first, he found that the sport grew on him and he joined the CVHS golf team as a freshman, becoming number two on the varsity team.

Now, as a sophomore, he is the captain of the varsity golf team and is ranked number one. He placed fourth in two tournaments outside of school, one of them out if 92 kids.

“A while ago, I thought golf was a ticket to a good college, but now I really enjoy the game. I would love to get a scholarship to a school and maybe play professionally,” he says. Periquet also longboards and plans to get sponsored.

Connie Lau, Junior

Phil Bannister, Senior

Connie Lau is no stranger to the court when it comes to badminton and tennis. As the captain of the badminton team this past season, she has played Varsity 2 Girls Singles, qualified for HAAL and NCS, and is undefeated in her league.

She has enjoyed playing tennis for the CVHS team for two years, and this past fall she made the Varsity Girls Tennis team.

She has no plans to play in college, but she has enjoyed playing and will continue to play as a hobby.

“I cannot express into words what a wonderful season this was. Watching my teammates grow and improve throughout this season makes me proud to be team captain,” Lau says.

See Phil Bannister on the track field and be amazed with all he can do.

When he started track in his sophomore year, he tried basically all events:to have a taste of everything: long jump, triple jump, distance, shot put and discus. In his junior year, however, he found his true calling: pole vaulting.

Perfecting his pole vaulting allowed him to make NCS and be on the varsity team for the two years he’s been doing the sport.

During his free time, he boogee boards and plays volleyball.

“Pole vaulting allows us to work hard because our coaches work us hard,” Bannister says. “I love pole vaulting for the thrill of it. There’s nothing like bending a stick to be launched ten feet in the air.”

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CVHS graduate and former Olympian editor writes first novel

By Emily Courchaine

The stories of a Russian thief and hit man, an art buyer for a Manhattan hedge fund, and a British police officer are woven together in The Icon Thief, a compelling, fast-paced novel written

by Castro Valley’s own Alec Nevala-Lee. Nevala-Lee graduated from CVHS in 1998 and went on to study classics at Harvard University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. The Icon Thief is his first published novel, although he has been writing various novels, short stories, and articles since he became interested in writing at age 11.

“As a writer I get the chance to become an expert in many different subjects,” said Nevala-Lee. “It allows me to continue learning as a lifelong student.”

As a student at CVHS, NevalaLee began writing articles for The Olympian as a freshman from the encouragement of his English teacher, Linda Little. He later joined the journalism class officially and worked as editor-inchief for a couple of years.

“Working on The Olympian and having to write articles every few weeks really helped me as a writer,” said Nevala-Lee of his experience on the newspaper staff.

are all after Marcel Duchamp’s priceless painting of a headless nude woman, titled Étant Donnés.

Maddy is an ambitious young woman who is determined to keep her place in the art world.

When an unknown Russian collector makes an astronomical bid on Étant Donnés, she resolves to uncover the significance of the

A Walk to Remember is a “modern Romeo and Juliet”

opening night, when he unexpectedly kisses her on stage.

Landon’s friends weren’t accepting of their relationship, and pulled a nasty prank on Jamie at school. This leads Landon to punch his best friend for hurting Jamie, thereby proving his affection for her. The two become inseparable.

Jamie’s father, the reverend, is hesitant to let Jamie date, but with much begging from Landon he finally allows it. Although Landon was known as the rebellious and corrupt teenager, he plans an incredibly sweet first date for Jamie. He knows about her List of things to do before she dies, and does his best to fulfill them. Near the end of the date, for example, he takes her to the state line and has her straddle it so she can be in two places at once.

Throughout their relationship, he continues to check off parts of her list and steal pieces of her heart. As the plot thickens, the

two main characters have more and more trouble trying to be together. This modern Romeo and Juliet story is even better than the original.

This is an old movie, so you can catch it on TV or Netflix, but just be sure to have a giant box of tissues ready. It may sound like a classic boy-meets-girl story, but the sudden plot twist will leave you in a puddle of your own tears.

Alec Nevala-Lee (left) signs copies of his new book, The Icon Thief.

His advice to beginning writers is to complete a rough draft before going back and editing. It doesn’t matter if the first few chapters are perfect if no one gets to even read the whole book because it was never finished.

Nevala-Lee began working on The Icon Thief about four years ago with the goal of creating an

Think like a Man has “continual laughs”

By Fassa Sar

The new motion picture Think like a Man, which is based on the Steve Harvey novel Act like a Lady, is hysterical. Everyone in the movie theater enjoyed the comical roller coaster ride this movie has to offer.

Most people wouldn’t be confident if they were to play in a basketball game against NBA stars Matt Barnes, Ron Artest and WNBA star Lisa Leslie. But Cedric, played by Kevin Hart, thought differently. He believed that he and his friends could beat the opposing team without a problem. Later, however, they began to doubt themselves.

Think like a Man is about lessons on how to trick the person one likes into treating him or her better. The movie includes four different storylines: a single mom who learns how to stand up and talk about her problems with her “mama’s boy” boyfriend, a frustrated long term girlfriend who deals with her boyfriend’s childish ways; a single girl who is tired of men treating her wrong; and lastly, a very independent powerful woman and aspiring chef. The storyline works because the women learn the lessons this time, instead of men.

The book, Act like a Lady, is in-

intellectual and engrossing thriller with interesting characters and a great ending. As he began to research the art world, he became fascinated with the mystery around Marcel Duchamp and his closed door piece.

The three main characters live very different lives, but they do have one thing in common: they

ambiguous painting. Criminal investigator Alan Powell is brought into the story with the discovery of a woman’s headless body, and Ilya, the Russian thief and killer, has been hired by the Russian mafia leader to track down the painting.

This masterfully written novel commands attention with unexpected plot twists, action, betrayals, and extensive details about the art world. There isn’t a dull moment as the connections between the murder, the mafia, and the painting are revealed.

At the end of the book is a preview to The City of Exiles, the second novel in the trilogy, which will be released in December.

Film captures story of outcast lovers

By Natalie Fazeli

corporated into Think like a Man to give some wisdom to each of the couples on how to deal with each other and their situations and to stop believing gender stereotypes.

Even though this movie talks about adult love and relationships, some of the wisdom Steve Harvey shares from Act like a Lady and Think like a Man helps young adults. It helps to suggest better decisions for them when it comes to relationships, sex, and love.

The movie was wonderful: it wasn’t low budget, and the storyline was realistic. Since the movie is PG-13 and deals with many adult topics, I recommend people who aren’t 16 and older to be with a parent/guardian. I definitely give this movie a five out of five stars because of the continual laughs and the realistic solutions to problems.

Eva Chen

High school is hard enough with all the homework, tests, and grades, but when you’re an outcast at your own school, it can be almost impossible. Mandy Moore and Shane West play such outcasts in the 2002 film A Walk to Remember based on the book by Nicholas Sparks.

A young teenage girl and the daughter of the town reverend, lead character Jamie Sullivan, is a loner with few friends and old fashion clothes. Her opposite at the school is Landon Carter, the most popular “bad boy” on campus. When a prank on a fellow student goes wrong, Landon is forced to join the Drama Club and do service for the school.

Jamie is already very involved with the school and, seeing Landon’s new support for the school, tries to encourage him. The two become close when Landon asks Jamie to run lines with him for the school play. Jamie helps Landon up to the day the play’s

Meyer puts down the baton at last

By Kate Pellegrini

Beloved band director Cynde Meyer is retiring after 40 years of teaching, 25 of which were spent at CVHS. Over the years, this amazing woman has conducted an estimated 40 musicals, taught music in elementary through graduate school, and coached vocal as well as instrumental music in junior high and high schools across the state.

Her illustrious career began when she graduated from UC Santa Barbara, where she majored in rhetoric with a minor in Music and Drama. There she got her teaching credential and her career took off.

While still in Santa Barbara, she taught the women’s adult chorus for the Santa Barbara City College, as well as an instrumental music class, for three years.

In 1982, she got her master’s degree at Chico State University and returned to the Bay Area where she hooked a job at Martinez Junior High School.

It was in 1988 that she finally settled in Castro Valley as coordinator of music and began teaching at CVHS and Canyon Middle School as Band Director.

“In all honesty, the most significant thing I got out of that was that I wasn’t afraid of administrators anymore,” laughed Meyer. Indeed, she has been a strong advocate for student rights her entire teaching life, and isn’t afraid to speak up for the voiceless. For her, the worst part about teaching isn’t the

drummers below during a football match (“It’s okay, dude.

Spit happens”), to clever middle schoolers hopping hotel balconies at night to avoid getting caught by the chaperones when on a band trip to Disneyland, Meyer had no shortage of laughs in her many years of teaching.

“Your guys’ spirits kept mine up,” reflected Meyer on her experiences. “You kept me buoyant when it was sometimes hard to keep swimming.”

“My favorite part of the job is the kids.”

Cynde Meyer Band Director

She will be sorely missed by

Cynde Meyer conducts the way to her last year with a cheerful smile. wiseguys in the drum section or the missed key signatures.

“It’s the busyness,” said Meyer passionately, speaking for the teachers of California as a whole.

“It’s the endless accountability that’s required of students and of teachers. We’re going through the motions of teaching these kids, but we’re feeding them with an empty spoon, and that

gets in the way of making connections.”

Connections. That’s a big thing with Meyer: making connections with the students, with the music, and with each other.

This explains her favorite part of the job.

“My favorite part of the job is the kids,” Meyer stated definitively. “It’s like taking raw

Kate Pellegrini the CVHS bands. Many tears

material and making art out of it. It’s exciting and lasting and valuable.”

After 40 years of teaching, Meyer is full to bursting with memories, ranging from tearjerking to head-slapping, but some of her favorites were the ones that made her laugh.

From trombone players emptying their spit valves onto the

were shed at the last concert of the year by students, parents, and Meyer alike. Her students wish her the very best of luck in whatever she sets out to do, which currently involves getting her master gardener’s license.

“I am always learning, and I will always be learning, whether from school or from my students.

It just makes life richer in every way,” she reflected.

Band dismissed.

Students Sing Goodbye to Susoeff

Choir teacher announces retirement

By Melody Moteabbed

Tears were naturally shed on May 24, seeing as how it was the last choir concert of the year.

Yet, an unexpected plot twist occurred which propelled everyone into sobs: Susanna Susoeff, choir instructor at CVHS for 39 years, announced her retirement.

When she made her announcement on stage, students gasped in disbelief, hoping it was a joke, until they realized she was serious. One by one, students came down from the risers, and with an audience still sitting in the house, began forming a massive group hug of over 100 people around the choral director.

Susoeff admitted that the decision wasn’t an easy one and called it one of the most difficult situations she’s ever had to make.

“I can’t even decide what I’m

Natalie Chin

Sue Susoeff is all smiles playing piano while surrounded by enthusiastic choir kids. going to miss the most,” she sighed. “The kids, obviously. A good memory of mine was also having Marni Nixon come and have a workshop at the school. It was a very valuable experience.”

Noting two of the most im-

portant events in the choir curriculum each year, Susoeff reminisced about being involved in the annual Pops concerts and Golden State choir competitions.

“Pops, as usual, was fantastic and Golden State this year was

an amazing experience,” she said. “Just being able to see the students become so excited and passionate is special.”

According to Golden State policy, both the A Capella and Madrigals choirs will have to

audition to be able to participate next year.

Susoeff expressed her faith in the choir, yet she honestly stated her worries for the future.

“As for the next instructor, I do not know who it will be. I have not even turned in my letter of resignation,” she said.

Though she was nervous for the new teacher, she was more nervous for her students.

“The students are comfortable with the traditions,” continued Susoeff. “I hope the replacement finds it important to continue those traditions. It’s what the students enjoy.”

A few choir students have been reconsidering taking the class next year, but Susoeff strongly advised the students to continue.

“Support the new teacher. Stay in the choir family. The bond between all of the students is indescribable, and I want it to last. I don’t want all my talented singers to let their abilities go to waste,” she advised her students.

Susoeff briefly turned to her computer and smiled sadly.

“I’ve gotten so many emails from past choir students telling me how much choir meant to them,” she says.

“I want the current students to continue and realize that importance as well.”

Olympian

The June 7, 2012

5

Coach leads team to a tidal wave of success Brian Berry wins coach That’s “ of the year something award that can’t be

By Betty Chen

a small team, let alone a team of nearly 80 athletes, which is

Betty Chen

Brian Berry led the Trojans to many championships.

In addition to having one of his best seasons, CVHS swim team coach Brian Berry has received the honorable award of coach of the year. For Berry, the award is the icing on the cake.

Over the past five years as head coach of the CVHS swim team, Berry has put in a lot of personal time and effort into the program. With a team that is much bigger than most sports teams at CVHS, it’s hard at times to balance everything.

“It's a lot of work to coach

GRAEL ACADEMY visits the island of angels

Students visit historic immigration center and “ We learned a lot about the museum

cated off of San Francisco that was used as a detention center to hold Asian immigrants hoping to enter the U.S. from 1910 to 1940.

The island was built following passage of the Chinese Exclu-

By Anya Keller The GRAEL academy went on a field trip to Angel Island on Thursday, May 24.

The trip was supervised by teachers Roger Kim, Jo Sutton, Melissa Kindelspire, and Elizabeth Means, and was aimed at helping students reach their educational goals related to their classes and their work as members of the GRAEL academy, which is aimed toward social justice.

“We learned a lot about the island and we went to the museum,” said Kim. “It related to U.S. history.”

Angel Island is an island lo-

island and we went to the museum. It related to U.S.

history.”

Roger Kim History teacher

sion Act, which placed harsh restrictions on immigration to

the United States from Asia. As a result, many immigrants were forced to wait for years in the detention center for entry, with many being deported back to their countries of origin.

“The immigration station definitely had a racist factor in it,” said Kim, “so learning about the history of injustice in the United States related to the themes of the GRAEL academy.”

On the trip, students took self-tours through the closed detention center, which has now become a museum.

Many students agree that one of the most striking features of the location is the poetry that detainees carved into the walls while waiting to be accepted into the United States which can still be seen today.

Students seem to have taken a lot away from the visit to Angel Island.

“My favorite part was going through the house and seeing the poems because I didn’t even know they were there. I learned that the Asian immigrants were held captive there for a really long time,” said junior Jordan Knight.

boasted by many athletic programs anywhere.”

Brian Berry Swim Coach

how big our team is now,” said Berry.

Certainly, with a pool full of swimmers, it often becomes extremely chaotic and frenzied.

In addition to being the swim team’s head coach, Berry also tries to be a role model for his athletes.

“I try to model positive behavior while encouraging improvements on the athletic end of the sport as well,” said Berry.

Having been on the CVHS swim team himself, Berry understands the amount of hard work and dedication an athlete needs to put into the game in order to do well.

The boys team had the highest finish in CVHS history at North Coast Section this past season.

“That's something that can't be boasted by many athletic programs anywhere,” said the proud coach of his team’s accomplishments.

Artists show off talent at Senior Art Show

By Lillian Xie

From a realistic graphite portrait of Angelina Jolie created

by Sauvanne Pattison to a spray painted image of an eye made

by Diana Salnik, the Senior Art Show displayed the talents of many senior artists. Many notable works were shown, including Elena Will’s Lioness, Megan Hickman’s Sekret, Megan Xiao’s Darlie, and Lauren Taiclet’s Lonely.

The Senior Art Show was held in the Student Union on May 31.

The show started at 5 p.m., just two hours before Senior Awards Night.

Mikey Lee was among one of the featured artists in the show.

He showcased several of his artworks, including his impressive Portrait of Martin Luther King.

On the subject of his art, Lee remarked, “With every piece I am constantly learning.” In that aspect, he finds art thoroughly satisfying. When asked if he was excited for the art show, Lee said, “I am most definitely

excited. There is so much talent that I was unaware of among our senior class.”

Another artist featured in the show was Samantha Fukui.

Fukui’s piece was called Lost in Reveries. When asked about her sources of inspiration, she said, “I’m inspired by a lot of different things. My inspiration mostly comes from experiences in daily life, as well as nature and other famous artists.”

Although Fukui could not attend the art show, she was excited for her fellow senior artists.

Matt Shimizu was also excited about the Senior Art Show. He, along with several of his friends, submitted their pieces for the show. When asked about his thoughts on the importance of art, Shimizu insightfully said, “I appreciate art because it reflects people’s personalities in a unique way. Unlike other subjects such as math, art allows people to express themselves freely without the constraints of formulas and specific layouts.”

Take a stand for best club of the year

By Anya Keller

The club Take a Stand and Lend a Hand has recently joined the ranks of great CVHS clubs after being awarded the title of Club of the Year. President of the club, sophomore Lily Carrell, commented that she was surprised when she first learned that her club had been named Club of the Year.

“I found out in my chemistry class from someone in Leadership,” Carrell commented. “She said ‘have you heard,’ and I said ‘heard what?’ and she told me I got Club of the Year.”

Carrell said she was especially surprised to learn about the award because she had not filled out the application that was previously considered necessary to become Club of the year.

“I talked to Jessica Anthony about it, and she said she handpicked a few clubs she wanted for club of the year,” she said. “I guess applications didn’t apply this year.”

Take a Stand and Lend a Hand is a new club at CVHS, having just started this year. Its goal is to raise money for charitable organizations.

The club originally raised money using bake sales, but they found out that high schools are not allowed to sponsor them, so they have lately been using car washes and donations. This year, the club has gathered funds for great charities such as UNICEF and the East Bay SPCA. Carrell is very pleased with her club’s work this year and is honored to be a part of it.

“I’m really proud of all that Take a Stand and Lend a Hand has accomplished, especially since it was only established this year,” she said.

Recycle to make the world a better place!

President sets a precedent for marriage equality Editorial: President Barack Obama addressed the controversial topic of gay marriage on May 9, stating his support of samesex marriage equality. While Obama’s public announcement has resulted in much opposition, we at The Olympian feel it was a courageous decision.

Considering that the nation will go to the polls this November, many wonder if Obama’s statement will help or hinder his campaign. As the first U.S. president to say he supports same-sex marriage, Obama could either gain or lose Americans’ votes. Therefore, Olympian staff members not only view this as a risky act, but also a brave one.

Though gay marriage is an especially volatile subject in today’s society, gay rights has always been an issue that stirs contention, producing both advancements and setbacks.

In Greenwich Village, New York, thousands of homosexuals rebelled against police au-

Kate Pellegrini

thority in the Stonewall riots of 1969, starting the movement for LGBT rights. Soon after, San Francisco Supervisor Harvey

Milk served as a gay rights activist, as well as the first openly gay politician. In 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court (USSC)

struck down laws criminalizing homosexuality in the case Lawrence v. Texas. In 2011, the “don’t ask, don’t tell” military

ban on homosexuals, was repealed. Currently, Iowa, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Washington, D.C. allow same-sex marriage. This year, Maine, Washington and Maryland could join them in allowing gays and lesbians to marry.

On the other hand, the movement has suffered defeats. The Defense of Marriage Act passed in 1996 prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriages, even in states that permit them.

Proposition 8, passed in the November 2008 state elections, banned gay marriage in California. More than 30 other states have passed similar laws or constitutional amendments.

Many voters remain opposed to equal rights for homosexuals.

Considering the long and mixed history of the movement, we at The Olympian think the president’s support of gays and lesbians in advance of this year ’s election is both welltimed and courageous.

Trends come and go, but love is forever

By Cheyenne Donatello When you walk around the courtyard, you can see a sea of diverse faces mingling with

each other. But the more you look, the more you can see patterns between everyone, like girls wearing half-shirts or seethrough shirts or guys sagging their pants. These trends are present in almost every clique in school.

High school is a place for growing. Everyone passes through many phases to find who they truly are. From punk to prep, these phases are a way of making these individuals stand out. But the irony is, the steps people take to individual-

ize themselves are overshadowed by the fact we group ourselves with others who are just like us.

We fall into a crowd where no one stands out. And then the cycle starts again. We try so hard to make ourselves different that we end up blending in. A new trend will start and the first people who step out of their comfort zone become the trend-starters.

Many will begin to follow in their footsteps shortly after, and soon enough, we have trend

epidemic spreading through the school like wildfire.

Perhaps this is just how high school works, or just how society operates in general. But instead of putting so much effort into being different, we can redirect our precious energy to something else. It then becomes a new standard that everyone is expected to follow.

The truth is the half-shirts and see-through shirts are to be worn at the beach, when it is actually hot out. To the guys who sag, well there is a reason why the

belt was invented.

Is sacrificing clothing for a trend really worth it?

Each year brings along new trends and fads, but honestly none of it even looks comfortable.

Everybody wants to stand out though all we need to focus on is being ourselves. We are all unique, and if we act like ourselves, that’s enough to prove our individuality.

One thing to always remember is to just be yourself, and the rest will come.

PHOTOpinions pinions

By Alex Gao

The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2012 Editors-in-Chief.............................Kate Pellegrini & Melody Moteabbed Copy Editors ..............................................Joyce Liang & Reyna Garcia News Editor....................................................................Michael Castillo Opinion Editor.......................................................................Lily Carrell Feature Editor......................................................................Amber Yang Sports Editor................................................................Emily Courchaine Arts and Entertainment Editor..........................................Suzanna Chak Photo Editor.......................................................................Natalie Fazeli Business Manager..........................................................Matt Talajkowski Online Editor..............................................................................Eva Chen

Staff Writers: Anna Balassone, Matthew Barney, Betty Chen, Natalie Chin, SangEun Choi, Rachel Crary, Cheyenne Donatello, Rebecca Fong, Alex Gao, Jane Hong, Anya Keller, Victoria Liang, Dana Lin, Tim Pak, Holden Parks, Camilo Riveros, Fassa Sar, Lillian Xie, Christina Yee Advisor...............................................................................Matt Johanson

How about President Obama’s support for same-sex marriage?

“No offense, but I believe that President Obama’s statement was more geared towards gaining support for the upcoming election. I do not believe that it is his honest opinion.”

Kyle Kole, senior

“I think he’ll get more votes, since there are many people in the gay communities that are in support of this.”

Trevor Acebo, junior

“I think it’s hard to say, since many people, especially online, are in support of same sex marriage. However, there are still many radicals that are against it.”

Belinda Liu, sophomore

“It will benefit him depending on the area of the United States.

In some places, it will benefit him, but in others, the statement might have hurt his election.”

Jeff Van, freshman

Olympian

The June 7, 2012

“Recognize that our words have immense power”

7

A reflection on how we perceive ourselves

By Jane Hong I have always abhorred the misuse of the word “retarded.”

What I despise even more is that I’m surrounded by several peers who use this word frequently to describe other individuals, situations, or their emotions, and all I can think of is how wrong it is that this word is so tolerated by our generation and our society.

On May 12, I spent my Saturday night along with CVHS Leadership and the special need classes from surrounding school districts. It was, without a doubt, the best way I have ever spent one of my weekends. This special needs’ formal, also known as “Just Dance,” was organized by our two community service commissioners, Emma Hancock and Emma Woidtke.

When first asked to help out with the event, I was excited for a fun night on the dance floor, but never had I expected to walk away feeling as inspired as I did.

I met intelligent, amazing, and fun individuals. Among them was a girl named Emily.

Emily immediately caught my attention as she grabbed my hand and asked me to dance with her. I was caught off guard at first, but it didn’t take long until we were singing at the top

By Joyce Liang

At the “Just Dance” event, students enjoy the music and each other. of our lungs, dancing crazily, and simply enjoying the company of those around us. At one point, she turned to me and thanked me for hanging out with her for the night. I smiled and thanked her in return for helping to create a life-changing experience.

Just the next day, a friend of mine said she felt the situation was “extremely retarded.”

I shuddered at the use of the word and the only thing I could think of was innocent, beautiful Emily and the other outstanding disabled students I met. They deserve much better than to have that word thrown around and used as an insult.

Mental retardation is a dis-

ability—and I cannot understand how “retarded” even began to be a substitute for “stupidity.” When misusing this word, you’re implying that people who suffer from this disability are worthless, which isn’t the case whatsoever.

Emily is patient and kind and she has wonderful dreams and aspirations. She has hobbies, including dancing and writing.

Her goal, at this point, is just to be successful. Emily, who is an extremely personable and social person, enjoys any time that she has around her family and friends. Based on these facts alone, you can conclude that she’s just like you and me.

Despite this, however, people still point out the one difference they notice immediately about Emily, and degrade her for it.

We know by now that racial slurs should never be used to describe anyone. Yet “retarded” remains socially accepted, and few people see just how disrespectful it truly is.

So as high school students, as pre-adults, and as human beings, we need to recognize that our words have immense power. They can be used to destroy, insult, and inflict pain on those around us. It’s time to reevaluate our choice of words and to end the wrongful use of the “r-word” completely.

best way to tweak the pedantic “standards” that now dictate what our students should and shouldn’t learn. All the while, our students continue to suffer.

If the education reform movement has taught us anything, it’s that the problem will not be fixed from the top down. The solution will instead come from the people.

Enter Khan Academy, a website that hosts over 3,200 educational videos on a wide array of subjects, ranging from math and science to history and finance.

The ten-minute long videos are concise and informational, yet uniquely conversational in their approach.

Salman Khan, the founder and sole teacher at the Khan Academy, quit his job as a hedge fund analyst to work full time filming videos. Now he spends his days adding to the site’s impressive collection of videos and exercises that are currently turning the world of education on its head.

The exercises are fun and intuitive, yet demand mastery before moving on to the next topic. Students can track their progress and work on exercises while they learn new concepts from the videos. In addition, teachers can track the progress

of their entire classes, pinpointing students who are stuck so that they can be given targeted help.

Early pilots in California classrooms have revealed another revolutionary aspect of the Khan Academy: the idea of “flipping” the classroom so that students watch lectures at home and do what would be traditionally considered homework in class. Khan says that doing so gives teachers more one-onone time with students because they are less burdened with the responsibility of giving lectures.

It also gives students a deeper understanding of the material because they can work at their own pace and take the time to master a topic before moving on to the next one.

Compared to the traditional one size fits all in-class lecture, which has changed little since the nineteenth century, this idea is nothing short of revolutionary.

In an interview with 60 Minutes, Google CEO and Khan Academy sponsor Eric Schmidt said, “Innovation never comes from the established institutions. It's always a graduate student or a crazy person or somebody with a great vision.

Sal is that person in education,

in my view. He built a platform.

If that platform works, that platform could completely change education in America.”

Khan didn’t set out to upend the educational establishment, and is quick to note that his site is not meant to replace teachers. In fact, his videos increase the value of teachers. Instead of engaging in passive information transfer for most of the class, they can now relegate that part of the learning process to home, leaving class time free to guide students towards mastery.

Salman Khan has bridged the gap between students and teachers that so often inhibits learning. In doing so, he has become an educational pioneer who has the potential to change the way people learn worldwide.

“We're a not-for-profit with the goal of changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education to anyone anywhere,” says the Khan Academy web site.

With a mission statement this powerful, the Khan Academy is sure to make some waves in the years to come.

Check out the Khan Academy’s library of over 3,200 videos at www.khanacademy.org.

It just might change your life.

Khan Academy “just might change your life”

By Michael Castillo A 2009 report from the Programme for International Student Assessment placed the U.S. 14th in reading, 17th in science, and 25th in math on standardized tests administered to 34 countries.

These results are, to put it bluntly, pitiful. Among developed countries, the U.S. is not leading but is in fact falling behind in education. Why is this?

The simple truth is that the American education system is broken. Educators know this, but the problem is that most teachers (and politicians, for that matter) don’t have any viable solutions, and even if they did, few would have the political traction to put their ideas into law.

Meanwhile, politicians bicker about how to legislate teacher accountability, or about the

When you look at the mirror, what do you see?

If someone asked me this a year ago, the first thing I’d say would probably be the big pimple on the tip of my nose, or the silly sunspots that I have on my cheeks. My insecure mind would list every feature I could notice within the first minute of staring at myself at the mirror.

The sad thing is, I know I’m not the only person in the world who does the same thing. Men and women feel insecure about themselves every day.

The media plays a key role in these insecurities by giving several misconceptions of what beauty is. Many are led to believe that one is only beautiful or handsome if he or she is gorgeous, tall, and in great shape.

Yet, anyone can wear as much makeup or bulk up as many muscles as he or she wants, and still be unsatisfied with themselves.

Several magazines in stores today use Photoshop to enhance the features of the models on the front cover. Seventeen, a popular magazine amongst middle to high school age girls, has advice columns for readers about confidence. And yet, their photos are still edited to hide imperfections, which contradict the overall message in the stories Seventeen publishes about being comfortable in one’s own skin.

The truth of the matter is that while physical appearance is one thing, makeup, muscles, and good looks conceal personality and heart, which are more important things.

We all hear that it is important to stay true to ourselves, but many of us still find ourselves struggling. High school is the toughest place to start since we are still trying to find a place of security, a place where we belong.

Every day, I see people complaining about how they look and what they want to become. Although I used to be one of those people, I came to the general conclusion that I should never try to impress anyone or try to be anyone but myself.

Life is too short to worry about what others think. Judgments and ignorance are always going to be around, but the only person who can let those hindrances damage your own confidence is yourself.

So the next time you look at that mirror, instead of stressing over a pimple or sunspots, give yourself a smile. Always remember to be open minded, bold, happy, and most of all, fearless.

8

Olympian

The June 7, 2012

Behind the notepads The meaning of life: simplicity is bliss and cameras

By Matt Barney Over the past two years I have been enrolled in journalism.

As a part of this class I have gotten to see homecoming from two feet away, go to concerts for free, promote my cross country and track and field teams, and photograph Powderpuff football twice. It’s been fun. Almost everybody complains about the early mornings but despite this I have enjoyed journalism.

I still remember when I applied to be on the newspaper staff. There is an application that has a mistake on it and after filling in the application you are supposed to find it.

I was so nervous, I read over the application for a full day before I dared to turn it in. My application said there was only one mistake. After succeeding in finding two mistakes I was confused as to which one I was supposed to point out.

“Here you go Mr. Johanson,” I said.

“Wonderful, thanks. I’ll give it a look and let you know after a week or so,” responded Johanson.

“I wanted to let you know that there are two mistakes on that form. See here there is a ‘to’ that was left out,” I commented.

“Really?” He scanned the document to verify my correction. “You’re hired!” Johanson exclaimed as he gave me the thumbs up sign.

Not all things are bright and cheery on the staff however. Perhaps I was oblivious or

merely ignorant of what I was supposed to be upset about but after the first year of journalism my colleagues felt sorry for me because I had a sports story almost every issue in my first year. I didn’t mind really but I did notice that I had never had my opinion printed in the paper that year. Every time the budget came around I was not assigned to write an opinion so I did not write one.

My second year illustrated a possible reason as to why this happened. I found that editors took a while to learn the staff writers’ names since the editors are people who have been on the paper for two years and staff writers are usually just starting their participation in The Olympian. Consequently, the editors do not really know when writers are being given the same kind of story over and over. Like I said, I did not mind.

When a journalist is assigned a story, he/she has to remember that the paper itself has no care for the difficulties held therein.

A journalist must only seek the goal that has been given to them. Should a mountain need to be moved to get a story, the mountain will be moved.

I think this is why people sometimes think that reporters are not very nice people.When reporters are assigned a mission they pull out all the stops to do their job. It is not that reporters do not care about people, it is that they have a responsibility to fulfill and sometimes that responsibility infringes on other people’s personal space.

In conclusion I must say that if you are considering journalism here at CVHS, make sure to ask for the things you want to cover. For me, it was taking pictures, so I that’s why I shot Powderpuff as well as homecoming. Our paper will let you cover almost anything.

All you have to do is ask.

By Tim Pak

In the beginning, I was a sheep following the herd. I was brainwashed by society and my morals and values were all in a twisted perspective. My life was not mine, it was what the world dictated. It wasn’t until my junior year that I began to explore my horizons and find the path that I was meant to take.

If there's one thing I learned from high school, it's to always be yourself. Follow your dreams and passions, but don't fall into anybody else's. Don't let the world and its ways bring you down and call you nothing. You

don't need to be the smartest, the most popular, or the richest person in your class to be someone of value.

It's probably hard following those words, simply because we're surrounded by lost souls who have fallen and given into the desires of society. While at school, don't be fooled by those who tell you that they want nothing but As. Instead of worrying about your grades, worry about living a little.

I've learned to stop caring so much about what people think about me, and instead have learned to enjoy life with my pals. I never was an academic person and I just had to face it.

Instead, I dipped my hands into art and explored the wonderful world. I got hooked onto photography and art history and that world just seems better for me.

What I'm trying to say is, you should really explore who you are during your time in high school. Go try things that you

never thought you would, go to places you never thought even existed. Even though people might make fun of you for it, if it makes you happy, just do it.

When the right time comes, you'll know when you have to do work and be serious, but in the meantime, just relax and enjoy the goods Mother Earth has to offer us. If the weather is nice, go out. If there's grass to lay on, just do it.

Always make sure you stay as far away as possible from being brainwashed by the ideals that the rich and greedy have placed upon us. Always believe in doing the right thing and respecting life. Make sure that when you're old, you can remember all the joys that you have had throughout your life. I've enjoyed my life so far.

People have mocked me, told me I would become nothing, but hey, I learned to relax and find what I like.

Remember: peace and love.

Sexting is not worth the trouble

The other day I was sitting outside of my counselor’s office and, being the nosy person that I am, began to listen to what the people around me were saying.

A girl was telling her counselor that her friend had nude pictures on her phone. She told her counselor that she had been going through her friend’s phone and come across the dirty pictures.

She was distressed and told her counselor that she only wanted what was best for her friend. She said her friend was probably going to or already had sent them to a guy she was trying to impress.

With the now widespread use of cell phones and technology with high school students, “sexting”

has become a problem for teens and administrators.

Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit photographs to other people through the use of a cell phone. Although sexting may not seem like a big deal, it is in fact, a huge deal.

Imagine that someone asks you for nude, suggestively posed, and/or provocative photos. You probably want this person to like you, you probably have a crush.

You want to impress them, so you say, “What the hell? Sure, I’ll send you a picture.”

A few weeks later you are called into the office; you have no idea why. You walk into the office and an assistant principal’s office hands you a paper. You are shocked to see that the very picture you sent that person is on the paper. That person sent your picture around and someone brought it to your AP. Your parents are called and they see the picture. You are suspended and sent home.

“There’s no pretty way to deal

with it,” said School Resource Officer Deputy Tim Vales.

Your parents are going to see that picture! Think of that when you’re taking it. Do you really want Mom and Dad to see you like that? Good luck looking them in the eye for a while.

Don’t kid yourself; when you send that dirty picture you aren’t only sending it to one person.

There’s no guessing how many of your peers are going to see it.

“It’s like a virus, and that’s why they call it viral,” said Vales.

Someone is bound to post that picture on the web. Then not only can your peers see it, but so can billions of other people throughout the world. Your future employer isn’t going to want you working for them when they Google your name and that picture comes up.

When you sext, you open yourself up to a shock of embarrassment and consequence. You can even affect your future. Just don’t do it! That person isn’t worth it.

Don’t let yourself be used.

more than a few laughs.

I’ve never been a very academically determined student, and even though I’m not getting ready to attend a top UC or private college, I feel almost as accomplished with how I spent the last four years of my life as those students who are.

I’m able to say that I was a four-year Varsity Soccer player for CVHS. I’ve recovered from two knee surgeries. I’ve interviewed two senators and I’ve held a World Series ring. I’ve been suspended for fighting. I’ve been to more than my fair share of high school and college parties. I’ve also gotten away with things that could have landed me in prison, and now I have stories that I’ll be telling my kids about.

I’ve discovered my political ideology and I’ve also opened my eyes to reality and the world

I live in. I, like many of us, have had my heart broken but I’ve also found a woman who I’d consider marrying some day.

I’ve even realized that I have a best man for that wedding and without that guy I wouldn’t have made it though half of the stuff I’ve mentioned. I’ve almost done it all now that I think about it.

I’m so fortunate to say that I’m leaving this place with little to no regrets.

I was part of a class that almost won Homecoming our freshman year, and almost did it again our sophomore year. Our junior year we stopped playing around and pulled one of the most memorable upsets in CVHS history by winning Homecoming. Naturally, as seniors we defended our title. I’m convinced and more than willing to argue why the Class of 2012 is one of the best

classes to graduate from CVHS, and I have quite a number of people who feel the same way.

I can’t begin to describe the kind of senior year that I’ve had, but those who know me well can testify to the fact that I have enjoyed myself. I partied hard just like every other senior this year and while those nights are going to be hard to remember; someday we’ll piece them together.

I hope that if you read this article you can realize how limited these years are, and you don’t take them for granted. High School is a time where you set yourself up for the rest of your life and while you may have an academic passion for attending this school, I hope that you can also take sometime to have fun.

There are so many opportunities that are waiting for anyone willing to look for them.

By Reyna Garcia

Looking back at the unique experiences of high school

By Camilo Riveros

It’s Tuesday morning on May 29th and I’m about four days away from one of the nights that I’ve been looking forward to almost all my senior year of high school, Senior Ball. As I sit back and think about things I find it so hard to believe that this time in my life has actually come. I was part of the generation that grew up watching movies like American Pie and it’s crazy that I’m about a week away from ev-

ery high school students’ dream night.

It’s like the end of my high school career crept up on me and out of nowhere and I’m three weeks away from graduating, three weeks away from moving on from my past and three weeks away from beginning my future.

I can remember my first day of high school four years ago like it was just yesterday, my mom dropped me off like she did all my freshman year and I walked into the campus of the school that would shape and mold me into the person that I am today.

I didn’t know it back then but I was in for one hell of a ride that day, that has managed to keep me on my toes for the last few years, a ride that I can see coming to an end ever so quickly, a ride that I’ll look back upon one day with a smile on my face and