June 7, 2013

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Is Plan B a boon or burden?

Librarian retiring from CVHS

VOLUME 56, ISSUE 11

FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2013

Weighing in on the morning-after pill

Reported phone thefts rising at CVHS

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Bucklin checks out after 30 years

Wallace, Moore win state titles

Golden year for track and field

CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546

WWW.CVHSOLYMPIAN.COM

Staff teaches students Science wing adds a basketball lesson chemistry classrooms, renovates ventilation

By Kelly Chan

By Suzanna Chak opinion editor

Online Editor

Two people in a silver car have been approaching students and asking to borrow their cell phones and then quickly speed away once they get it. The thieves have stolen at least three students’ phones.

These incidents began in early May. The culprits drove up to the students and told them a story to let them use the cell phones.

Students are advised to not let strangers borrow their cell phones.

“I want to emphasize personal safety,” said Assistant Principal Matthew Steinecke. “Pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t walk around with your earbuds in. Keep your eyes up.”

Sheriff officers have been driving around looking for a car that matches the description, and there has been an email sent out to families and teachers telling them about the incidents. Teachers have been verbally warning their students to be wary of this car as well.

“I think it is wrong that people are taking advantage of other people’s empathy,” said junior Jenny Zoffada.

The 700 wing, also known as the math and science building, is going to undergo some maintenance improvements this summer. The entire complex will have the ventilation system improved, and two classrooms will be converted into chemistry classrooms, making the total count of chemistry classrooms six. Chemistry classrooms are rooms with specific equipment just for chemistry labs, like fume hoods, showers, eyewash stations, and lab table gas lines.

The ventilation improvements are being made because there have been huge ventilation problems in the building for the past few years.

“We could basically taste the chemicals during our labs,” said former AP Chemistry student Sarah Chen.

This inconvenience and health risk to students lead them to think that they aren’t learning in a safe environment.

“Some of the fume hoods flood into other rooms. Other classrooms are filled with dangerous gasses,” said AP Chemistry student Alex Ermakov.

Eva Chen / Feature Editor

English teacher Josh Linville jumps, shoots, and scores against the students’ basketball team.

We’ve got news for you!

CVHS Olympian recognized nationally

By Joelle Bassett Staff Writer

Numerous journalism students earned awards for their hard work and dedication this year.

The national recognition for both their efforts and The Olympian itself was definitely a tremendous honor and surprise to the staff.

Every year, the journalists of The Olympian work arduously and take great pride in providing CVHS with the latest stories and information. This year has proven especially successful in an unexpected way.

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Five students shared a national Quill and Scroll award for a set of news stories about two former CVHS students arrested and charged with murder. The students are Melody Moteabbed, Kristen Jensen, Leia Saelee, Reyna Garcia and Joyce Liang.

"I was surprised because I wasn't expecting anything, but it’s an honor to be recognized," said Liang.

"I think my hard work for the last three years has really paid off, and winning the awards has shown me that I really want to go into the journalism field," said Garcia.

The awards these girls received was an amazing accomplishment, and weren’t the last of The Olympian’s recognition this year.

Garcia and The Olympian staff earned Quill and Scroll’s top sweepstakes award for an editorial response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.

Kate Pellegrini earned a Quill and Scroll award for her blog about the Close Up trip to President Obama's inauguration, and another award for an editorial about the CVHS school service class.

Natalie Fazeli won a Quill and Scroll award for her story on school district but cuts and layoffs.

Regional awards went to Jensen for a school service news story, to Lily Carrell for an editorial cartoon, and to Moteabbed for a news photo of the American Sign Language class show.

Each member of the journalism class contributed so much to the paper this year, always dedicating a tremendous effort to create a newspaper readers enjoy.

It was fantastic being nationally recognized for such hard work.

This has been The Olympian’s proudest year so far, all thanks to the evident teamwork of this year’s journalism staff.

As for the conversion of regular classrooms to chemistry classrooms, there has always been a chemistry classroom shortage at CVHS, and with the growing incoming student population, the demand for chemistry classes has also grown.

"A lot of students need to take chemistry, and we've been teaching it in rooms that aren't set up for chemistry,” said chemistry teacher Deborah Yager.

With the addition of new chemistry classrooms, students will be less likely to be crammed into a class that’s too big, and have more opportunities during labs. Classrooms fit for the class will allow for a higher quality of education for chemistry students.

“I’m excited for upcoming chemistry students to get a fuller chemistry experience than I did,” said former AP Chemistry student Anne Lin. These changes will make 700 wing a healthier, safer environment for students and staff to thrive. The school district will be covering all expenses.

“We are very grateful that it is being dealt with, and that the school district has agreed to take care of it,” said Yager.

African American students honored

By Felicianna Marquez Business Manager

The first ever-annual African American awards night was held in the school cafeteria on May 22. The Black Student Committee (BSC), created this year with the help of Assistant Principal J.C. Farr and teacher Michelle Stephens, worked hard to have the event put together.

The evening started with a speech given by Principal Mary Ann Valles honoring all of those who worked to put the event together and thanked everyone who participated. To be honored, students had to earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 on the first semester report card.

“I am very proud of what the BSC was able to accomplish and what we will accomplish,” said junior Alyah Thomas. “I hope to leave a legacy for the future African American students and uphold the face of this inspiring club. I want to be able to make a difference.”

Thomas, along with juniors Denia Nelson, Rojae Miller, Omi Richardson and Jaelen Loche, the heads of the BSC club at the high school, presented the speakers of the night.

The night was full of speeches of accomplishment and the hope to continue to promote the program. Plans for next year’s awards night are being planned and the BSC is hoping for a bigger and better outcome.

Early access to morning-after pill promises better protection Editorial: The Obama administration approved the sale of the Plan B pill, also known as the “morningafter pill,” to girls 15 and older on April 30. After discussing this issue, The Olympian believes that selling the pill to girls at this age without a prescription will help prevent unwanted pregnancies tremendously, and will allow girls to make their own choices.

Plan B works by preventing the fertilization of an egg, or the implantation of a fertilized egg, to stop an unwanted pregnancy.

Until now, a prescription was needed to buy Plan B, and buyers were required to be 17 years old. This raises two problems that render Plan B almost ineffective to its purpose.

First, it’s called the morningafter pill for a reason. The pill is meant to be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. In an emergency, that would mean you would have to contact your doctor, set up an appointment, receive your prescription, and then buy the pill in under 72 hours. For most doctors, it is almost impossible to set up an appointment for the day you call in.

The main purpose for the pill is to stop unwanted pregnancies, and hopefully, stop a child from

Lily Carrell / Editor-in-Chief

entering a world with an underaged, poor, or working mother.

Why would Plan B be denied to younger women, who are mostly all unable to take care of a child, or are still attending school?

A large debate has also risen in regard to the over-the-counter sales. With no prescription needed, parents don’t have to know if

their child plans to take Plan B. Although it is tough on parents to know that their child could buy such a drug, it is best for the safety of a child. Girls under the age of 18 can face abuse if the parents’ ideals and the girls’ sexuality disagree.

Parents are often unwilling to abort a pregnancy due to religious or family values. This forces a young

Technology rules the world! Or does it?

By Stephanie Huerta

Feature Editor It seems as if in today’s society everyone is ruled by technology.

Imagine trying to spontaneously plan a day with your friends without being able to call them on the phone or text them to say, “Hey, come to my house at seven.” It’s so strange to think about it that way, isn’t it?

With the touch of our fingers on a screen, we send a text and let people know exactly what we have to say. The process is so effortless. Technology seems to be made to do just that: to make our lives a bit more effortless.

One day I decided to “unplug” from technology. I was only able to use things that were absolutely necessary, such as electrical lights, kitchen appliances, and a car (very limitedly). My main focus was to avoid using items like my cellphone, laptop, or iPod. I think unplugging myself for a day was actually really inconvenient. I must be the first to say that while I’m not absolutely addicted to my devices, I do use them to make things easier for myself. For example, even though I was supposed to get picked up from school at four, my sister didn’t specify where she was picking me up. In fact,

she was late and I had no idea whether she forgot that I was still at school or if she had to do something else like work.

When we try to oversimplify things, we stop living our lives.

Technology has opened a window in our lives, which has made learning, communicating, and interacting a whole new experience. So many people have smartphones, and it’s almost considered weird if you don’t.

Yet of all those people, I don’t think any stop to realize that what they’re holding in their palm is magic.

We have the power to communicate with so many people, share so many things through a tiny device, and that’s something that we don’t think about, although we should. The gadgets we have in our modern world are things that wouldn’t have even been dreamt of by our grandparents.

Everywhere I go, I see people on their phones, driving when they can walk, or even talking on their phones because they’re too lazy to type a text message.

In today’s society, even going to a friend’s house to hang out has changed. Now, to hang out in many cases means to go to someone’s house and watch a movie, or watch videos on YouTube. How many of us have been invited to someone’s house to “hang out,” which you later realized meant watching that person text other people while you’re over?

What happened to bike rides, playing board games, reading, or swimming? Instead, people prefer to play video games, Skype, text, or surf the web. Even the

way we read has changed! Some people don’t even bother with books because they alternately carry their Kindle or Nook.

Going to restaurants is even more depressing! I see families at a table with all of them on their phones. People literally sit at a table not talking to each other, just looking at tiny glowing screens. With this wave of easy communication, I feel like it has also made us lose the faceto-face communication we need the most. So many people feel more powerful behind the keys of a keyboard than in person.

People say things over a text or Facebook that they would never dare to say in person.

Technology has even plagued the youngest of our generations.

It saddens me that my threeyear-old nephew can unlock an iPhone to play Temple Run or Angry Birds, and would rather do that than play catch or go to the park.

I feel that in general, technology is helpful, but when people start to depend heavily on technology, they stop living. Technology has helped us in numerous ways, but people are abusing it.

We all need to unplug for a day and just enjoy the things our world has to offer that aren’t run by technology. I can assure you that taking a peaceful walk at Lake Chabot, and having that moment with nature, is much more fulfilling than a night on Facebook. So I challenge you to unplug yourself for a day, or more if you can. Maybe you’ll find the beauty in life you never thought was there when all along, it was just covered by technology.

girl to give up her future because her parents are unwilling to terminate the pregnancy.

Although there is much opposition to the sale of the Plan B pill to minors, the other side has many flaws in its arguments. While many are angered over what they call “abortion” pills, they are mistaken.

Plan B does not fall under the defi-

nition of an abortion. An abortion is the removal or termination of an embryo or fetus. Plan B works by preventing the egg of becoming an embryo, much less a fetus.

Therefore, life does not even begin after the pill is taken.

Secondly, the argument that giving the pill to girls of any age will encourage them to have sex is uninformed and incorrect. First, one must consider the health effects Plan B has on a woman’s body.

Plan B is meant for emergencies only, and is not to be taken regularly. In addition, the pill carries a hefty price of $40, an amount most teens cannot afford to pay.

Finally, minors of any age can already buy contraception that works just as well as Plan B. For example, a middle school student could walk into a drugstore at any time and buy a pack of condoms. It is not as if the pill will now allow them to have sex; they always have been able to, but now if something goes wrong, they have Plan B. Having the pill sold over the counter to girls of age 15 would help to prevent unwanted pregnancies and abuse. Contraceptives are already sold to children at any age, so Plan B should not be held for women over the age of 17.

Luckily, it is now available to more young people who need it.

By: Anya Keller

PHOTO pinions PHOTO pinions

What is your opinion on making the morning-after pill available to girls starting at age 15?

“I don’t think it’s right because that’s too young to be making those types of decisions.”

Josh Walters, freshman

“I think in a way it’s sending a message that it’s okay for young girls to have sex, which is not okay in my opinion.”

Peter Zaleski, sophomore

“I think it’s a good idea to lower the age limit because there is no real reasoning behind the previous one.”

Maryann Nguyen, junior

“Society has decided that girls who are young should not be pregnant, so it’s good that they have options. It all depends on the individual and the situation.”

Joy Johnson, senior

Olympian

The June 7, 2013

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Coffee shops make the world go round Leia Saelee / A&E Editor

By Hans Mortimer Staff Writer

Coffee is 25 percent advertising, 25 percent sugar, 25 percent questionable, 25 percent whip and 100 percent worth it, according to a doodle drawn on my notebook.

Coffee makes the world go round, keeps college students awake, and can be worth every cent. Coffee shops’ success might be because of the coffee, but it could also be because people enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the shops.

Coffee shops are the world’s living rooms. As such, they provide a comfortable atmosphere to relax, talk, and work. The spaces are complete with soft background

music, lots and lots of food, internet access, and enough coffee to keep everyone awake until tomorrow.

A coffee shop is a place to invite

company over for a talk. It’s like a living room that always smells pleasant. The shop always has enough seating for any sized group and is a convenient place

to meet.

It has interesting people from around the community and enough bustling activity to keep one productive. The sights and

smells of a coffee shop can also provide inspiration for art, writing, and other creative projects.

The large, open windows and open seating are the best features of a coffee shop because one can watch society hustle by while thinking big. A brain needs its own personal space to think well.

The confines of small rooms and personalized, closed-off work spaces do not help people communicate or think in creative ways. The space within a coffee shop, however, facilitates learning and community, which is rare for a business. And these benefits only cost a few dollars in coffee and pastries.

Coffee shops are a home-awayfrom-home. They are inviting places to work, and there are plenty of unique shops to visit throughout the world. Going to a coffee shop from a franchise will make one feel at home no matter where one is.

Although coffee is a morning crutch for people, coffee also provides a way for people to get together and enjoy time with each other. Coffee makes the world a happier, better place.

Standardized tests don’t measure intelligence

By Kate Pellegrini Staff Writer

SAT, SAT II, and ACT scores shouldn’t be the deciding factor when colleges are accepting new applicants. These tests aren’t necessarily indicative of a student’s intelligence and should be optional.

To start, these tests are biased. Studies show that on average the tests favor Caucasians, native English speakers, males, private school attendees, students whose families have a higher socioeconomic status, and students without any kind of physical or mental disability.

The tests are unfair to students who don’t fall into these categories.

The tests also have become utterly corrupt in the course of the past decade. The College Board website makes millions running the largest net archive of student testing information.

They sell books and tutoring services to help students study, which can cost students hundreds of dollars. Students

are charged obscene amounts

by College Board to take all of their various tests, which have

reflection of his will or word would be incorrect.

I think that we all can say that religion has been the justification for many atrocities, but that does not make the entire religion guilty. There will and have been people who warp religion and people who have and will warp atheism to serve as a means of getting what they want. Stalin, Mussolini, Mao Zedong were all atheists and together make up the largest death toll, yet I would never claim that atheism is responsible for their actions.

The fact is that you cannot put all religion on trial for the actions of a slim minority. Pope Francis recently gave a sermon where he said that atheists and people of all religions are loved

by God and can gain entrance to God’s Kingdom. Though I find what you said in your last sentence to be particularly alarming. You seem to suggest

that the only reason religious people are moral is because of God. Christians perform acts of God to help their fellow man or woman, to show them the love that Christ shows to them.

It is not out of selfishness but out of thankfulness that we do this. As for religion being random, you seem to suggest that religion is stagnate and that someone raised in another religion cannot convert. Many people convert to Christianity, Christianity began by converting small numbers of people from other religions so religion is not random. You yourself converted from Christianity to atheism. Conversions are much more common than you think.

My name is Kevin Brum, I am a Catholic, I am a student of science, and I too respect the rights of others and the environment.

“ The tests

also have become utterly corrupt...

”

become a necessity to pay in this day and age.

Also, College Board claims that its purpose is to “expand access to higher education.”

But by weeding out students

Letter to the Editor

I’d first like to say that I was raised as a Catholic. I was baptized Catholic, had my first communion, – and last year – decided to become a confirmed Catholic. I am seeking a career in engineering and am currently in Honors Physics was also in Honors Chemistry last year, and I believe in evolution.

In the article (“Atheist speaks her mind,” by Natalie Fazeli, May 17, 2013), you suggest that religion and science must be contradictory. I do not view science and religion to be contradictory at all. For example, I view the story of Adam and Eve to be allegorical, not literal.

Though the Bible does actually provide an explanation to what happened to people who had died before Christ, a question you asked openly in the article.

Let us not forget that the Bible is the interpretation of God’s word, God didn’t write it and to say that it is an exact

~ Kevin Brum, junior

who can’t afford to take the tests they offer, let alone do well without the expensive help of a tutor or study books, College Board is in fact making it harder and more expensive for students to achieve their post-high school goals.

The SAT doesn’t measure intelligence, it measures how well students take the SAT and how well they perform in testing situations. The idea that the tests are “standardized” is a joke. How can you possibly standardize the physical and emotional state of the individual, the testing location, and the distracting life events that could occur around the time of the test?

You can’t. Yet we live in a so-

ciety that rejects well-qualified students from their top college because a loved one died the day before, or because they just went through a breakup, or because they sprained their ankle on the way to the testing location and couldn’t afford to reschedule.

What colleges should do instead is weigh the applicants based on interviews, grades, class selection, teacher recommendations, and extracurriculars. The test scores should merely be a supplement to round out the image of the applicant, and not serve as the code on which to judge the type of personality, leadership, and creativity the applicant will bring to the campus.

The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2013 Editors-in-Chief................................................................Lily Carrell Reema Kakaday Copy Editor.................................................................Evan Kwong City Editor.....................................................................Joyce Liang News Editor...........................................................Matt Talajkowski Opinion Editor...........................................................Suzanna Chak Feature Editors.................................................................Eva Chen Stephanie Huerta Sports Editor................................................................Amanat Riar Arts and Entertainment Editor........................................Leia Saelee Photo Editor...........................................................Alexa Ludke Business Managers.............................................Felicianna Marquez Anna Talajkowski Online Editor........................................................................Kelly Chan

Staff Writers: Joelle Bassett, Olivia Berden, Cameron Beresini, Michael Castillo, Emily Courchaine, Natalie Fazeli, Reyna Garcia, Kristen Jensen, Anya Keller, Savanah Khan, Hans Mortimer, Melody Moteabbed, Kate Pellegrini, Marissa Wu and Amber Yang Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

Writing Club enjoys playwriting workshop

By Anna Talajkowski Business Manager

Stephanie Huerta / Feature Editor

Librarian Terri Bucklin sits at her front desk smiling at the fond memories she has of CVHS.

Librarian checks out from CVHS

By Stephanie Huerta Feature Editor

After 30 wonderful years of being part of the CVHS staff, beloved librarian and former English teacher Terri Bucklin has decided to retire.

Not only has she been the school’s librarian, but she has taught all sorts of English classes at the high school for about 17 years. She didn’t limit herself to one kind of English class or specific grade level, but rather embraced all English classes and grade levels, making her more experienced and more loved by all her students.

“It’s just sort of when you look back at it, it seems like one event as opposed to separate events,” recalled Bucklin. “It’s as if I’m seeing all 30 years all at once.

I’m retiring because I will have been in education for 32 years and it’s time.”

Bucklin shared that when retired, she plans on doing things she enjoys most, such as volunteering at the library, traveling, and even volunteering at the zoo.

“To me, retirement means not having to do anything but doing the things you want to do. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” says Bucklin.

Bucklin was a class advisor for more than 15 years and cherished the moments with the students.

She most enjoyed helping them plan events such as homecoming, prom, and senior ball.

“The thing I will miss most about CVHS are the students,”

says Bucklin. “I’ll miss getting to talk to them one on one, having that connection with them and being able to talk to them one on one about books.”

Bucklin likes to keep in touch with students from the past, finding it hard to forget the great moments she’s had with them.

“Some of the students I’ve had in the past I’m in still touch with, and it’s so nice that they want to be your friend on Facebook after all these years.”

During the 30 years she has been at CVHS, she has seen many

“ To me, retire-

ment means not having to do anything but doing the things you want to do.

And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Terri Bucklin Librarian

”

of her students return as teachers and has watched her colleagues become older and enjoy times with them. She remembers the craze from the construction of the gym and the 700 hall and even recalls the time when CVHS had

a smoking section for students between the 400 hall snack bar and the school gym!

She won’t completely abandon CVHS, but plans on coming back as a substitute teacher every once in awhile. Everyone will miss Bucklin greatly and will appreciate everything she has done to make our school the best it could be, and for always helping students find books that are just right for them.

“To be, or not to be, that is the question.”

CVHS students searched for their inner Shakespeare while attending two playwriting workshops held by the acclaimed Berkeley Repertory Theater after school on May 10 and May 17.

The free seminars were hosted by the CVHS Writers Club and taught by a theater representative. Many students enjoyed the classes and thought they were a worthwhile experience.

“The workshops met my expectations quite well. It was very fun,” said Kate Jorgensen, vice president of the Writers Club.

Those who attended the workshops learned the basics of character building, conflict, dialogue and other dramatic elements, and how to apply it in their own writing. Students then were able to practice using these components and exchange thoughts by writing

parts of their own play and performing them in front of the class.

Participants found the classes to be very entertaining and a positive way to brainstorm and jumpstart new ideas.

“There were guidelines but there was a lot of room to work with,” said attendant Aimee Ledbetter. “It wasn’t too restricting.”

The Writers Club was able to put on the event after receiving a $500 grant from the Castro Valley Education Foundation. The workshops attracted almost 15 participants in total.

Many members in the club were surprised at the level of student enthusiasm.

“A lot of people were interested in it,” said Jorgensen. “A lot of people came who aren’t even in the Writer’s Club.”

Although this was the first series of playwriting workshops to occur at CVHS, participants guarantee it won’t be the last.

“It was a great success,” said Jorgensen. “I would definitely do this again.

Staff schools kids on court

By Eva Chen Feature Editor

The first battle between staff and students on the basketball courts ended with the staff as victors, winning by three, 75-72 on May 10.

The first annual staff vs. students basketball game began with a loud roar for both teams.

To start off the first quarter, economics teacher David RothRossi scored for the staff team, followed by a strong defense and another two-point shot by Athletic Director Andy Popper, leading them to a score of 4-0.

On the students team, junior Khari Akil stole the ball from the staff and slam-dunked the ball midway into the first quarter. The crowd roared in approval.

As the game continued, the score became a game of tug

Eva Chen / Feature Editor

Teacher Josh Linville blocks student Darren Collier.

of war, when the staff led; the students fought back, stealing the lead, and vice-versa. Nearing the end of the second half; the last minute of the game, the score was at 73-72, with the staff leading by a mere margin

of one point.

Three seconds before the end of the battle, the students called a timeout to think of a game plan to steal back the lead. Unfortunately though, even strategic planning could not win them the points needed to become the victors. After a couple of fouls and a timeout called by the referees came the moment of truth: would experience prevail over youth? This year, experience emerged as the victor.

“The student turnout wasn’t as much, but once they find out how much fun this was, the turnout would be much better,” said student activity director Nicholas Whitaker.

Money raised from the student vs. staff basketball game went to CVHS staff appreciation week.

Though the students lost, many appreciated the fun and excitement the game brought.

“The experience was very fun and exciting. The staff did a really good job. But we’ll see you next year, next year will be more competitive, we’ll be back,” said Akil.

“The experience was fun.

You could rub shoulders with others that you normally couldn’t,” said math teacher and member of the staff team, Glenn Mitchell.

Olympian

The June 7, 2013

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Band concert music to our ears

ant group of musicians, band was ultimately a worthwhile experience.

“The best part of band is getting to know the people who I

By Joyce Liang City Editor

The CVHS jazz band, concert band, and symphonic band all delivered a phenomenal performance in their last concert of the school year, “Swinging Out of the Year,” on May 15. The band concert was conducted

by CVHS’s new band director Steven Hendee.

Hendee has been a band director for 20 years and was previously a band director at San Francisco School of the Arts. He enjoyed his first year at CVHS and hopes all of his students had “a great high school musical experience.”

“The students were very welcoming and I had a great time being their band teacher,” said Hendee.

During the band concert, several awards were handed out to all of the hard-working students and graduating seniors. The Band Director Awards, which were given to students who go above and beyond what is expected of them, were given to students at all grade levels. The following students who received the Band Director Awards were Calvin Tang, Samuel Cho, Marissa Espiritu, Quilleran Cron-

“ My favorite

part of band is being able to challenge myself to play difficult music.

Spencer Stanford Senior

By Savanah Khan Staff Writer

The CVHS choir performed their spring recital “Still I Rise” on Thursday, May 16 at 7 p.m..

The sound of 248 CVHS students’ voices rebounded off the walls into the ears of the amazed audience.

The recital began with the vocal ensemble performing four wonderful and talented songs, filling the CFA with delight. After these singers had left the stage, Les Chantueses entered and began its set. The second song consisted only of sounds, no lyrics. The singers became almost like human instruments. The crowd loved this, and applauded their hearts away. The girls performed three more songs after “Muie Rendera.” When they had received their applause and finished their last song, they exited the stage and were followed by the A Cappella Choir. They consisted mostly of upperclassmen and sang three songs that stood out of the five. The last song they sung was “Jabberwocky.” Seven of the singers had brought some instruments on stage and were playing them in addition to singing, which made the song that much better.

A quick 15-minute intermis-

The process demands flexibility from the entire yearbook staff, and most of all from Editorin-Chief Amanda Briggs. Briggs said she doesn’t even call herself by that title; her and the others simply refer to her as “editor,” an indicator of the multiple hats all staff members must wear.

When asked about the toughest part of the job, Briggs said, “It’s a really big school, and getting everyone represented is a challenge.” She is quick to note, however, that she loves “getting to be a part of everything,” and seems enthusiastic about the challenges of her role.

Vendsel had similar feelings.

“I love seeing the students rise to the challenge,” Vendsel said.

“Their character really comes

out.”

Vendsel said his main regret is not being able to capture the exciting end of the year events like senior ball and graduation.

However, he said the yearbook did score a win by including the first ever second Spirit Week.

Students should expect a vibrant new theme this year with an increased focus on writing and photography. Pre-order distribution starts on June 5, with cash sales following on June 6.

The yearbook team will need new staff members next year, and editor Benjamin Ho encouraged students to sign up.

“You get to meet some fantastic people,” Ho said, when asked about how he would summarize the class.

New band teacher Steven Hendee proudly conducts the band at the spring concert.

Spring Concert Serenades

Choir students leave audience breathless

play difficult music,” said Stanford, who won the Outstanding Musician Award all four years he’s been in band.

With a wonderful and exuber-

wouldn’t have met if I wasn’t in the class,” said junior Samantha Lee. Overall, the last band concert of the year was fantastic. The hard work the band students had shown throughout the school year was reflected by their wonderful performances during the concert.

“We had an awesome year and I am looking forward to the next years to come,” said Hendee.

Joyce Liang / City Editor

wall, Joshua Kwan, Cameron Beresini, Tamiko Cavey, Kelly Chan, Cameron Richey, Jeffrey Van, and Trevor Fontana Acebo.

Outstanding Musician Awards

sion with a concession stand selling snacks to raise money for the choir program, as well as a jewelry stand supporting the Jenny Lin Foundation, gave the seniors in the choir program some time to get ready for their set. After everyone was back and seated, choir director Laryssa Sadoway began to say a few words about her seniors.

"They were the ones I was most nervous about. And I don't think I could have inherited a better senior class," Sadoway said, wiping away a few tears as she began the performance.

They sang “Fields of Gold” with such passion, one could tell they really were going to miss the program. The seniors that stayed all four years of their high school career wore green and yellow medals around their necks throughout the performance. When they concluded their set, they left the stage and the Madrigals took the spotlight, eighteen of which were graduating seniors.

The men’s ensemble sang the classic “Johnny Schmoker” while dancing and making the crowd go wild. They couldn't get enough of the boys' dance moves and air instruments.

Then all the women in the choir came up and sang "Still I Rise," which gives the concert its title.

Finally, all the singers came on stage and sang "Blessing.”

The crowd applauded as they bowed and left the stage.

were handed out to Belinda Liu, Micah Kim, Grant Lin, and Spencer Stanford.

“My favorite part of band is being able to challenge myself to

Yearbook publishes another colorful book

By Michael Castillo Staff Writer

As the end of the year draws close, the dedicated writers, photographers, and editors who compile CVHS’s yearbook can finally take a well-deserved rest. The small team, led by photography teacher Jeff Vendsel, worked furiously through April and early May to get the book out on time.

Vendsel, who lectured in photojournalism at Washington State University before coming to teach at CVHS two years ago, said that managing the yearbook is both a joy and a challenge.

“Nothing prepares you for yearbook until you do it,” Vendsel said. “It’s like having a small business that’s produced, marketed, and run by 16 and 17-year-olds.”

The fall and spring season of the yearbook correspond with the first and second semesters, and are worked on independently to space out the work load. Each of the more than 300 pages goes through a rigorous production and proofing process before being published.

Each page starts as a template created by one of the yearbook editors, some mass produced, some tailored for a specific purpose. Pages are then handed off to another editor to be filled with writing, images, and other design elements. Once finished, the page is proofed by two other editors and then finally by Vendsel himself.

“It’s very self-directed, and a great preparation for college,” Vendsel said. “The students really learn to work on their own.”

”

WACC wakes up CVHS athletes

By Kristen Jensen Staff Writer

Amanat Riar/ Sports Editor

Speedy senior Monica Barrios (right) charges down the field with the ball.

Sophomores and Seniors take the win

By Amanat Riar Sports Editor

A large portion of the student body turned up to support their fellow classmates at the annual girls Powderpuff Football game on May 17. The freshmen and juniors battled it out against the sophomores and seniors under the stadium lights for a chance at the winning title.

For senior Raquel Huerta, it was a bittersweet feeling knowing that this would be her last time participating in the game.

“We were all excited and prepared to win. The coaches were amazing and I even made some new friends along the way. I’m really going to miss just being around all these amazing girls” said Huerta.

The game was an exciting one

with twists and turns throughout.

The first two quarters were definitely favoring the sophomores and seniors with the halftime score at 16-0.

The game grew intensely as a few injuries occurred on both sides. One thing was clear: all of these ladies were in it to win it.

Determined not to go down without a fight, the freshmen and juniors came back with a touchdown, managing to score a few points for their team.

Pushing through to the final moments was crucial for both sides. However, the sophomores and seniors used this to fire themselves up to win the game with the final score of 28-8.

“Even though we were up for the whole game, I still felt a bit nervous. Anything could have happened but when that count-

down reached 0.0 seconds, I felt so excited and proud of our team,” said Huerta. “We worked hard, and even though some may have gotten hurt, the joy of winning our last game overtook us and we forgot the rest.”

Junior Elisabet Herrera enjoyed the whole experience despite the score.

“Practices were very productive. We didn’t get breaks unless we were switching fields and a lot of girls were really into it,” she said.

First-time coach Dominic Palazzotto, who prepared the defensive line and kick return groups, also had a great time.

“The overall experience of the game was very fun. Although winning wasn’t the main goal, it would’ve been a nice reward,” he said.

This year, CVHS sports teams began to compete in a new league called the West Alameda County Conference (WACC), a more competitive and challenging league than the Hayward Area Athletic League (HAAL).

“WACC is more exciting and it's nice to compete against different schools and see new competitors,” said senior swimmer Danica Tse. This new conference is made up of teams from Castro Valley, Alameda, Arroyo, Berkeley, O’Dowd, Encinal, Hayward, Mt. Eden, Piedmont, San Leandro, San Lorenzo and Tennyson and is divided into two leagues for each varsity sport and gender.

According to Andy Popper, the athletic director of CVHS, the school has won six WACC championships during the 2012-2013 school year, one each in boys wrestling, girls softball, boys and girls swimming, boys and girls track and field, and boys tennis. In the 2011-2012 school year, as part of HAAL, CVHS won seven HAAL championships, in boys tennis, boys and girls swimming, boys and girls track and field, boys baseball, and girls softball.

“In HAAL we would have

almost all our swimmers place in the Top 10 at the league championships,” said Brian Berry, coach of the CVHS swimming team. However, with the new and improved competition, Berry said he personally needed to think more strategically to better the team’s performance.

Part of the purpose of switching from HAAL to WACC was to provide CVHS teams with more challenging opponents, allowing for more competition, as well as to better train them for NCS and state championships.

The teams are more challenging, and they do offer more competition,” said Tse. “Being in WACC is a way to improve ourselves. It wasn't as nerve-racking going to NCS and being surprised by our competition.”

Even though CVHS h a s w o n f e w e r WA C C championships,compared to HAAL championships, it only shows that WACC is indeed more challenging and competitive, just as it was promised to be. Berry approved of the switch, saying, “Anything that creates competitive equity for high school athletes is a positive thing. We are looking forward to being challenged in the coming years in the WACC and continuing to bring CVHS conference titles!”

S up e r S a v v y Sp o r ts St a rs

Marissa Wu / Staff Writer

Kaley Morimoto, freshman Kaley Morimoto is on the JV softball team for CVHS. She plays shortstop and second base. The team got first place in its division and won all of the games it played in, except for one against Alameda.

“The next time we played Alameda, we won. It was probably the most important game of the season because it was towards the end of the year and it determined who was going to win the division,” Morimoto said.

“From the start of the game we know first place was on the line and we were more focused and wouldn’t accept a loss,” she said.

“Overall it was an exciting season.”

Rosie Pica, sophomore

Rosie Pica has run track since eighth grade. She now runs on the JV team in the 400, 200, and 100 meter races. She also competes in the 4 by 100 meter relay and the 4 by 400 meter relay.

“It’s a way to get all my energy out in a way that’s fun,” she said.

At the WACC frosh-soph championships, Pica ran the 4 by 100 meter relay and the 4 by 400 meter relay, and won three medals.

“It was really nerve-racking,” she said. “The girls I was running against were seconds faster than me. I was proud to run with them.”

Matthew Cheung, junior

Matthew Cheung has played tennis since elementary school.

He started playing with friends because he thought it was fun and now plays for Palomares Hills Tennis.

“It is interesting to play against my fellow classmates,” he said.

Even though the tennis team lost to Miramonte, 1-6, the players rallied later on.

“The highlight of the season was the close matches we have had that we managed to pull through. We played Encinal, and everyone won 6-0. We also played Tamalpais the first round and won narrowly by 4-3 as a team.”

Daniel Nourot, senior

Daniel Nourot is on the varsity track and field team at CVHS. This is his fourth year doing track and field.

He has personal records in the 300 meter hurdles and 400 meter race at 42.98 and 53 seconds, respectively.

He has participated in every single event except for the triple and long jump and the 100 and 200 meter races.

He does track because “it’s a lot of fun and you make new friends. I see new results pretty easily.”

Olympian

The June 7, 2013

7

Track stars win four state titles, lead Trojans’ banner season CVHS makes history in state meet

By Amber Yang Staff Writer

Trojan track teams won the girls WACC championship, the boys NCS Bayshore meet and an astonishing four individual state titles, the first for CVHS in 33 years.

Senior Sasha Wallace finished her high school career at the California Interscholastic Federation State Championships with a bang on June 1, winning the girls triple jump and the girls 100-meter hurdles. Junior Nate Moore won two state titles for the boys triple jump and the boys long jump.

Both the boys and the girls

Nate Moore

Sasha Wallace

teams finished third place in the state, their highest finishes yet.

The season ended extremely well for track stars Wallace, Moore, and the boys 400-meter relay team at the WACC championships, the North Coast Section Meet of Champions in Berkeley and the CIF State Championships at Buchanan High School.

At the state meet, Wallace won the girls triple jump by more than a foot with the mark of 41 feet, 9.5 inches on one attempt. She

had no time to attend the awards ceremony for the triple jump because shortly after, she had to get ready for the 100-meter hurdles which she won by .31 seconds.

Wallace is the first girl from an East Bay high school that defends two straight state championship titles and the first girl ever to win a state championship for CVHS. Wallace also won three NCS Meet of Champions and three WACC individual titles.

“As of now I can say that I had

boys have been coached by a new face, Darrell Lavin, a previous varsity baseball coach.

Periquet, however, was able to make the North Coast Section (NCS) Qualifiers, but overall the team was not. Unfortunately, Periquet didn’t make it to the NCS Championship in Patterson.

Out of all the teams competing in the league, the Trojan team was able to come out in fourth place out of all 12 teams.

This year may not have been the best for boys varsity golf team, probably because of the tough transitions with almost an entirely new team, athletic league, and coach. Next year however, the Trojan golfers are ready to come back out on top.

By Emily Courchaine

a really good season for my hurdles mainly because I continued to progress in terms of times, as well as my long jump,” Wallace said. “Because it is a new event for me, I am always surprising myself with how well I'm doing.

So I can say that my handiwork has definitely paid off due to the positive outcomes of my events.”

Moore won the long jump with a mark of 24 feet, 11.75 inches and the triple jump with 49 feet, 0.25 inches. Both are personal records.

“It was a good experience.

I’m happy to be able to go and perform well on the biggest day,” said Moore.

The 400-meter relay team of Cameron Edwards, Aaron Jones, Myles Speegle and Matt Speegle placed fourth with a personal record and school record of 41.22 seconds.

The team also won titles at the WACC meet and the NCS Meet of Champions.

“It felt like history in the making,” said senior Myles Speegle, the second leg for the boys relay

team. “It was nice to have a lot of people there who were supporting us, too.”

When asking Wallace about her transfer from Holy Names High School to CVHS for her senior year, she revealed that the traditional classes the Catholic school offered did not include a wider course load that would be most fruitful for her admission to a college. She did, however, find this at CVHS, a modern public school that offers multiple R.O.P. classes.

“After I graduate, I am super excited to be continuing my studies at the University of Oregon,” she exclaimed. “To top it all off, I will also be on the track team which is awesome for me.”

The Speegle brothers will be attending University of Redlands with a soccer scholarship for Matt and a track scholarship for Myles.

“Track is more than something I am good at; it is a career, a show, and a lifestyle,” Myles Speegle said.

“

“It's a huge feat just to qualify for NCS, let alone scoring points in the finals,” said coach Brian Berry. “We have some incredibly talented swimmers on our roster.”

Junior Victor Deng also made it to the finals in the 50 meter freestyle, as well as junior Miles Teague in the 100 meter freestyle and senior Bronson Brown in the 100 meter butterfly.

Sophomores Lucianna Balica and Laura Macchiavello and juniors Kate Miller and Lauren Wirdzek qualified for NCS in the 400 meter freestyle relay, and with a time of 3:39.68, they came less than a second away from qualifying for finals.

“Next year I know we're going to come back stronger and faster than before,” said Macchiavello. “ I am so proud of my team and overall it was an incredibly fun season!”

Tough transitions trouble Trojan golfers Trojans make waves in NCS

By Evan Kwong Copy Editor

Golf for the Trojans may not have been at its ideal peak this past season. For one thing, switching from the Hayward Area Athletic League (HAAL) to the West Alameda County Conference (WACC) may have proved a difficult transition for some.

“We weren’t as strong as I would have liked,” said junior Brian Periquet, captain of the boys varsity golf team.

For boys varsity golf, more challenges had arisen, as around 80 percent of the players this season were new to the team. Secondly, the varsity

Boys tennis team shows sportsmanship

By Cameron Beresini Staff Writer

With the 2012-13 boys tennis season coming to a close, the players are already looking forward to next season, having been eliminated in the second round of the NCS

by Miramonte High School.

“I feel like the squad as a whole did very well,” said freshman Calvin Tang. “We ended up tied with Piedmont for first in the league.”

“The team performed flawlessly. We played some of our best games this year,” said junior Matthew Cheung. “I

couldn’t have asked for a better team.”

“I had a lot of fun cheering on my teammates at the matches this year. It’s always a nice feeling when a close game that the team needs ends in your favor,” said Cheung.

“My favorite part of my first season on the tennis squad was how supportive everyone was towards each other,” said Tang.

“It really helped to have your friends out at the court with you, cheering you on.”

The Trojans’ endless enthusiasm will drive them forward towards victory in the years to come.

staff writer

The Trojan swimmers finished their season strong in the NCS tournament that took place on April 17-18 at Concord Community Pool. Twenty of the dedicated Trojan swimmers qualified to compete for CVHS in what is considered one of the most competitive swim meets in America.

They swam their hardest against athletes from 34 schools in the North Coast Section, and the boys persevered to swim their way into thirteenth place with 76 points.

Sophomore Carson Sand took sixth place overall in the 100 meter breaststroke with a time of 56.99 seconds that broke the league record. Sand also made it into the finals in the 200 meter individual medley to finish in fourteenth place.

We have some incredibly talented swimmers.

”

Brian Berry, coach

The boys 400 meter freestyle relay finished in eighth place overall, with another record breaking time of 3:11.90. Also qualifying for finals were the boys medley relay, which took tenth, and the boys 200 meter freestyle relay, which placed eleventh.

Softball team hits hard, wins WACC

By Amanat Riar Sports Editor

The CVHS varsity softball team successfully won the WACC, Foothill Division.

“Practices were fast, you fixed your corrections and moved on,” said junior Summer Randez who was bumped from JV to varsity for the last few games.

The girls hit hard as they beat Bishop O’Dowd Dragons, 10-0, in a playoff game. They then went on to defeat the Alameda High School Hornets, 3-2, who were the Trojans’ strongest competition, in the championship playoff game.

“We’re all really strong and

work together,” said junior Allison Decker.

The team placed fourth in the North Coast Section (NCS) playoffs as they suffered a 6-5 loss to the Freedom Falcons of Oakley in the second round.

“The games were intense yet fun because our team is like a family,” said Randez.

Coach Marie Gray said the team made a good showing in the new WACC, which replaced the old Hayward Area Athletic League.

“The talent levels were the same, which is a shame because I would have liked to see more competition,” said coach Marie Gray.

Spring Fever Tour 2013: “A night to remember”

By Amanat Riar Sports Editor

While many teens were busy frantically buying last minute Mother’s Day gifts, the members of four famous bands were preparing themselves for the last show of their tour. You Me at Six, Mayday Parade, All Time Low, and Pierce the Veil came to San Francisco for the last stop on their Spring Fever Tour.

I was fortunate because my sister had won meet-and-greet passes to see and hang out with All Time Low. Just being able to meet the boys was enough for me. I couldn’t believe they were all there, and after talking to them for a bit, it was obvious that they were very humble and funny people. After recovering from being star struck, we rushed down the stairs of the Warfield Theater to get a good view of all the bands that were going to be performing that night.

The crowd started slowly following us in and soon enough the whole theater was packed with screaming fans. To my surprise, they were quite a few parents there for their own enjoyment!

First up was the British band, You Me At Six who performed their famous tracks including “Loverboy,” “Bite My Tongue,” “Stay With Me,” and “Underdog.”

They were the perfect band to open

Amanat Riar/ Sports Editor

Josh Franceschi (lead singer of You Me At Six) sings passionately at the concert.

the show because they really got the crowd pumped up. Next on was the band Mayday Parade.

Simply put, they performed the songs “Jersey,” “Jamie All Over,” and their cover of Gotye’s song “Somebody That I Used to Know”

The Ghastly Gatsby

By Natalie Fazeli Staff Writer

“Gatsby? What Gatsby?” gasped Daisy Buchanan in the recent blockbuster movie based off of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby.

Meet Jay Gatsby. Played by Leonardo DiCaprio, Gatsby is a wealthy man who lives in East Egg in New York during the Roaring Twenties. He throws lavish parties every weekend, but no one has met Gatsby or knows who he truly is. All the wealthy individuals of New York simply go to his parties to dance, drink, and have a good time.

Nick Carraway, the narrator of the movie, is Gatsby’s new nextdoor neighbor. Nick lives in a small cottage that is dwarfed by Gatsby’s mansion, and doesn’t make very much money as a bond seller. Nick becomes good friends with Gatsby after attending one of his extraordinary parties.

Then there is Tom and Daisy Buchanan, a married couple who live in West Egg, the “old money” side of Long Island. Tom and Daisy have a poor relationship since Tom cheats on Daisy with his white-trash mistress, Myrtle.

As Nick slowly unravels the truth about Gatsby, he realizes that his past is quite complicated.

The real reason why Gatsby holds the extravagant parties is because he wants to win back his old love, Daisy.

When Gatsby had left for WWI, Daisy made the decision to mar-

ry Tom. Wanting to win Daisy back, Gatsby becomes fabulously wealthy by bootlegging and makes himself popular with his parties, believing he will eventually run into Daisy and that she will leave Tom. However, what Gatsby does not realize throughout the story is that one cannot repeat the past.

At CVHS, The Great Gatsby is a very popular novel and an absolute must-read. Many who enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby will most likely be disappointed, for they will experience the heartache of watching a great novel be torn apart by Hollywood.

Not only were significant parts of the book replaced or removed, but viewers were also witnesses to a soundtrack and set of costumes that did not accurately represent the time period of the story. This Hollywood version of The Great Gatsby would have horrified the Americans of the 1920s.

I would like to say that I enjoyed the special effects and how the film was directed, but even those weren’t done well either.

The movie seemed as if it was on some sort of hyperactive drug.

Camera angles changed every few seconds while fireworks and confetti burst at random times.

It could have given someone a seizure.

It wasn’t too awful (at least the main part of the story wasn’t changed), and the movie’s saving grace was the actors. Leonardo DiCaprio was amazing in his role of Gatsby.

For those that haven’t read the book, the movie will be very enjoyable. For those that have, you still have to go, but don’t expect much.

incredibly well. The guitarist, Alex Garcia, was really into the music he was playing, giving off a positive aura to the crowd.

Finally, the band I was most looking forward to, All Time Low, came on stage with an interesting

twist. Drummer Rian Dawson, bassist Zack Merrick, and guitarist Jack Barakat entered the stage as if they were entering a boxing ring with the proper attire on, including boxing capes! But the best dressed of the night was most definitely

lead singer Alex Gaskarth. The band opened with a few familiar old songs such as “Coffeeshop Soundtrack,” “Dear Maria, Count Me In,” and “Weightless.” Off their newest album they played “Backseat Serenade” and “If These Sheets Were States.” All Time Low definitely had the crowd charged up with their passionate music and witty jokes. Towards the end, they performed their last song, which was a cover of the ever-sofamous band, Blink 182’s, song, “All the Small Things.” They had the crowd absolutely enthusiastic, and even convinced a bunch of people to start crowd surfing at the same time!

The closing act was Pierce the Veil, who had already made multiple appearances throughout the other band’s performances. This was the band everyone was waiting for, and they did not disappoint. They performed their songs “Bulletproof Love,” “Hold on till May,” “A Match Into Water,” and many others. They truly were the perfect band to close the show.

Once the show was finally over, there was not a single person left unsatisfied. As people began leaving the theater, I could hear the excitement in their voices from their experience that night.

“I can’t wait to see them again!”

The Spring Fever Tour 2013 was definitely a night to remember.