June 8, 2011

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HAAL meet makes a splash

Give us back our tickets

Olympian opposes graduation change Swimmers torpedo to the top

VOLUME 54, ISSUE 11

2011 graduation tickets trashed

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2011

By Jason Hazari

GRAD: Page 8

Staff Writer

Hundreds of teachers from around the state flocked to Sacramento the week of May 9 to participate in a weeklong protest against cuts to education funding. Among them was CVHS English teacher Daren Wilkerson.

The protest’s main goal was to support a tax extension that, if passed, would prevent thousands of teachers from losing their jobs. The endeavor was sponsored by the California Teachers’ Association, which reimbursed many of the protesters for the time they took off work to attend the demonstration.

“One of the main reasons we have unions is to get the funds to perform these kinds of things, to get the attention of legislators,” explained Wilkerson, who was encouraged to represent Castro Valley schools at the rally by Castro Valley Teachers’ Association president-elect John Green.

Over the course of the week participants dressed in blue T-shirts marched through the streets, picketed the Capitol,

State, students struggling in STAR wars

By Tim Pak Staff Writer

Matt Barney / Business Manager

The Junior/Freshman team tries to stop the Senior/ Sophomore attack during the Powderpuff game. See story on page 5.

Wilkerson joins weeklong protest

By Emily Lin-Jones

WWW.CVHSOLYMPIAN.COM

Many fail to recognize importance of testing

Staff Writer

The class of 2011 will not have graduation tickets for the commencement ceremony this year on June 16, but will instead introduce a first come, first serve seating arrangement.

The new arrangement was proposed and managed by the senior Assistant Principal Lorrie Barrera. She observed the ticket style graduation ceremonies at her former school, James Logan High, and here at CVHS, and decided it was not the best way of handling things. She figured that since CVHS has never tried this system before, there would be no harm in trying.

“Every year, it’s always very stressful and hectic with each student getting six tickets,” said Barrera. “It created chaos for no reason at all.”

Barrera assumed that because

Weese shoots her way to success

CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546

Powderpuff power

and engaged in conversation with legislators from both parties about educational funding.

Many teachers sat in at a Senate committee hearing to speak out against two bills perceived as “anti-teacher” by the union, which would decrease the salaries of temporary teachers and remove seniority as a deciding factor for layoffs. Both bills

“ It’s a very

noble and brave thing.”

Daren Wilkerson English Teacher

died in committee.

Some teachers and college students chose to bring attention to their cause through civil disobedience, refusing to leave the Capitol building after visiting hours were over and being placed in jail overnight.

While Wilkerson himself did not get arrested, he expressed his admiration for those who did: “There were a lot of older

teachers there, who have been doing their jobs for 20 or 30 years,” he said. “It’s a very noble and brave thing.”

The main point of the event, Wilkerson emphasized, was to show that supporters of education are a strong political presence and an important voice in the ongoing debate over California’s budget.

“Everybody understands that educational reform is needed,” acknowledged Wilkerson.

“But if you take money out, you’ll ensure that education won’t be able to be reformed at all. They can’t reform us by cutting salaries.”

The week’s activities culminated in a massive rally on Friday, attended not only by teachers, but by firefighters, parents, and students of all ages. The protesters made it clear that despite what cuts must be made, funding education should be the community’s top priority.

“We’re 43 rd in the state in educational funding, yet first in spending on prisons,” commented Wilkerson. “A lot of people find a lot wrong with that.”

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Don’t make this girl mad

Every May, California public schools begin the STAR testing program. Since 1998, the STAR has been given to millions of students from grades two to eleven. California uses the test to determine how well schools are performing.

When students do well on these tests, property value rises.

This is because parents want to live where schools can provide an exceptional education for their children. Castro Valley High’s Academic Performance Index (API) is determined by STAR scores and it is what homebuyers and the government look at.

In the past six years, the CVHS API has gone up by 64 points.

In 2005, the API was 754 and in 2010, the API was a whopping 816. These scores, all out of 1,000, put CVHS in the top ten percentile for public schools. On a scale

of one to ten for state scoring, Castro Valley High’s API score receives eight. CVHS does very well compared to schools such as San Leandro High, San Lorenzo High and Hayward High.

However, many students and teachers have a different opinions about the week of standardized testing. Brian Zhang, a junior here at CVHS, feels that the STAR test has become useless since there are so many other academic priorities he must worry about.

“STAR is like

the last thing on my list...”

Brian Zhang CVHS Student

“Really, who has time to worry about state standardized testing when there is bigger stuff on your plate?” said Zhang. “With SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject tests, Collegeboard, AP tests, ACT, class entrance, exams, summer school entrance exams, résumés to write, people to persuade, STAR is like the last thing on my list right now.”

Back in 2001, President George

STAR: Page 8

Shoes: more than fashion statements

Rebecca Fong / Photo Editor

Kayla Turney’s Barefoot Mile raises awareness of the poverty in other countries.

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First come, first serve graduation plan raises concerns

Editorial: Graduation at CVHS has always had a crowd control problem as the family and friends of CVHS graduates wish to see their loved one cross the stage as they finish their high school education, but the 2011 graduation has decided to try something new: eliminate the six tickets per student system and allow anyone to come to the graduation, first come, first serve.

Imagine a huge line of relatives and friends forms outside

the gates of the CVHS stadium. They anxiously wait for the moment that they have been waiting 12 long years for.

The gates of the stadium swing open and a massive surge of people make a beeline for the stadium, scrambling to acquire the best spot for photo opportunities and video footage and ignoring the angry shouts of those whom they have trampled on in their desperate hurry to get those prime seats.

This is why The Olympian staff

All created equal, freedom for all

By Alicia Harger Staff Writer

After hearing of the death of Osama bin Laden, many Americans’ first thoughts, after pride, were of fear. They believed that the death of bin Laden would turn him into a martyr for the extremist cause and create a rash of retribution. It would appear that people’s fears are founded.

On Friday, May 13, a pair of Taliban bombers attacked Pakistani police recruits killing 80 and wounding 120 people. This was the first act of retaliation following bin Laden’s death.

The Taliban took credit for this act, claiming it was to express anger at the Pakistani government for allowing American military action within their own country. Islamic extremists have promised more attacks to avenge bin Laden’s death.

I cannot imagine what kind of mentality it takes to be able to commit suicide while murdering scores of others. I don’t understand how extremists gain a following in any country because their policy is so personally damaging. I cannot comprehend terrorists or their motivations.

I fully support the raid that brought about Osama’s death.

And I believe that military ac-

tions are necessary to keep this country and its citizens safe.

The fear of retribution cannot keep Americans from protecting their country and, more importantly, their ideals. Because America is so strong, it is her duty to stand up for justice throughout the world. No other country has the power and influence of America. We should use that influence to uphold the ideas of our founding fathers as written in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

That’s right, ALL men. Every person, in every corner of the world, has a right to basic equality. These Islamic extremists want to restrict those rights. They have taken thousands of lives, would restrict freedom of religion and speech if they had the chance, and have taken away the happiness of others as many live in fear. These ideas, these basic tenets, on which our country is based must be upheld. To create a better world for all people, Americans cannot live in fear.

We must fight for the rights that our forefathers fought for; we must fight against repression and terrorism; we must fight for the world because we are strong enough to do so. We must fight so that no one would need to live in fear. We must fight for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

opposes the plan to eliminate the graduation tickets. The former ticket plan allowed each student to bring six people to their graduation in hopes of controlling the number of people who come to the ceremony.

Without the tickets, there will be people who will bring many distant members of their family and then take up seats that would have been meant for the immediate family of another student. Also the elderly, who rely on their tickets to save them

Andie Smith / Opinion Editor

a decent spot, will be left to whatever spot they manage in find, even if it means standing for hours.

In past CVHS graduations, the wait to be admitted to the stadium was long, but those with tickets had a decent chance for a seat in the stadium, either good or bad.

If anyone can be allowed in and the system is first come, first serve, then the wait and line will increase greatly since every guaranteed seat is up for

grabs. Students whose families do not have the time to wait endlessly in line may find their cheering section at graduation outside the stadium as their admittance is not reserved if they arrive late.

To look at the bright side of this system, the counterfeit ticket ring will be invalid as there will be no tickets to copy.

In addition, anyone who wishes to see their friend or relative walk across the stage has the opportunity to and it saves the teachers who generally man the entrances from turning away those who have tickets and are supposed to be guaranteed a seat.

Assistant Principal Lorrie Barrera, who has tried this method at James Logan High School, states that this method has worked at their high school and suggests that CVHS try it.

Despite these hopeful possibilities, The Olympian still believes that the 2011 graduation will be better off reverting to its former six tickets per student way. Let’s hope that this year’s graduation will end up a success and not a giant mosh pit of people rushing to the stadium.

“Save them before everything is lost”

By Noelia Ley Staff Writer

This year in Literature and Film I have been learning about human rights around the world. But lately, I have been learning more about Native Americans and their rights in this country. It is really sad to see that these people do not believe in their culture anymore because they have been losing their faith for a long time now.

The saddest thing about this is that it seems that they do not want to be Native Americans anymore.

I recently read a book titled The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, written

by Sherman Alexie, a Native American. This was the first time I got more into their culture and it was very interesting to see such a beautiful culture being lost into a big black hole called racism.

Immigrants came to this country to escape the injustice of their home countries. However, for the Native Americans, these immigrants were people who took their land and destroyed it as if it belonged to them.

I am originally from Peru, and in my country there was something much bigger: an

Empire. The Inca Empire was destroyed by the Spaniards. They thought that by killing and abusing innocent civilians, they would be able to control them. The Spaniards thought they automatically had the power to treat people worse than animals and insult them because of their different beliefs or the color of their skin.

“It is time for

those cultures to rise up from the death and come back to life.”

Even now, we still face the same problem all over the world. We might not even see it, but it is there. The suffering of these natives is really sad. It reaches to a point at which a person from the outside sees it and realizes how cruel people are with their own ancestors.

“We need to defend what is ours,” I published the other night on Facebook, thinking of my people in Peru, not only

Letters to the Editor

mestizos, but blacks, Asians, and the most important race in my country that we as Peruvians do not recognize: Incas. I believe these cultures have the right to stand up for what has always been theirs and to ask for their lands and rights as human beings.

It is time for those cultures to rise up from the death and come back to life. I do not think it matters where your family comes from, but it matters where you have been raised.

The people who were born here, in the land of the Native Americans, need to think about how the Native Americans gave their land, food, shelter and freedom to the immigrants.

Unfortunately, it seems that we have turned our back on them, and as a result, they do not have anything left, not even their culture, beliefs, or, even worse, themselves.

We, as teenagers, as people that are going to be in charge of the near future, have the option to save a little bit of what is left to share it with the world.

These cultures cannot be part of just our history, but part of our everyday life, the food that we eat everyday, everything that surrounds us. We just need to start doing something to save them before everything is lost and we are left with nothing but regret in the end.

The Olympian encourages letters from our readers. Please note that letters must be signed and no longer than 200 words. They can be e-mailed to cvhsolympian@gmail.com, delivered to Mr. Johanson’s box in the office, or dropped off at our Olympian office in room 113.

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Olympian

The June 8, 2011

Girls, don’t give up your dreams for him

By Reyna Garcia Staff Writer

I don’t understand the way some teenagers think these days.

Why are beautiful and strong girls so down on themselves?

Why are some teenage boys preoccupied with only one thing?

The other day I walked into the locker room to find one of my friends crying. When I asked her why, she told me that her boyfriend had broken up with her because she would not have sex with him.

I wanted to scream at her, but instead I consoled her. Why was she crying over a boy who so obviously wanted her for only one thing? He does not deserve her.

When I asked her if she would go back and have sex with him so he would stay, she said “yes” without hesitation.

Here was my beautiful, intelligent, articulate, and funny friend crying because her boyfriend didn’t realize just how much she is worth. In reality he was not worth one tear, let alone the dozens she cried in the locker room over him.

I don’t understand why she was so down about a boy she meant nothing to. If he could break up with her because she would not have sex with him, then that was all he wanted her for. She is better than that; all girls are.

Girls, stop priding yourself on your looks and your sex appeal.

You have so much more to offer.

Boys, stop trying to “get it in.”

You have other things to worry about. Focus on something more

constructive. Join a team or a club, get your grades up, something, anything. You are a teenager, so act like one; you are too young to be having sex.

Girls, realize this: you are not a walking reproductive organ.

Value yourselves more. How can you expect a boy to find you worthy and lovable if you yourself don’t think you are either? What happened to courtship? I know chivalry is dead, but casual sex is a disgrace.

On that note, stop obsessing about looks. Pride yourself on that straight A report card, instead of how much weight you lost this week, or how cute you think you look. I know you’ve heard this before, but in 10 years how you looked will not matter.

What will matter in 10 years are the consequences of having sex. There are so many dangers that can affect you for the rest of your life. You can catch an STD, something that may not be curable. You do not want your life cut short because of a reckless decision you make now. You can get pregnant, or you could get a girl pregnant. No matter how mature you are, no teenager is prepared to bring a child into this world.

Have you seen the statistics?

“Teen mothers are less likely to graduate from high school.

Children of teen mothers are more likely to be born at a low birth weight, to have health and developmental problems, and to be abused and/or neglected,” according to WomensIssues.com.

You may struggle for the rest of your life.

You do not want to give up your dreams and future for a moment of pleasure. Wait. Save yourself, value yourself as a person. You are beautiful, smart, funny and worthwhile, so why not wait? There is so much time to be an adult in the future. Just be a teenager.

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Dana Lin / City Editor

Maybe: the rudest word in society

By Sarah Gilchriese Staff Writer

Maybe I’ll write this opinion… Maybe I’ll go to school tomorrow… Maybe I’ll consider “maybe” as the rudest word in today’s world. Have you ever been invited to do something, or go somewhere, and replied with “maybe” instead of a yes or no?

I bet so! Facebook invites people to respond with “maybe,” and texting evokes a desire to do so as well. When your friend responds to a gracious invitation with a simple “maybe” your doubts most likely arise.

When invited to an event on the oh-so-famous Facebook, you can respond with a yes, no, or maybe. When the event leader

is faced with three nos and 20 maybes, should they buy three people’s worth of food and goodies, or should they buy 20 people’s worth of party supplies? Out of courtesy for the event leader, and hopefully your friend, tell them straight away your desire to attend or to not

“ That self-

ish person is waiting for a better option to arise. ”

attend the event.

When one replies with a maybe, it seems as though that selfish person is waiting for a better option to arise. If no other time-wasting opportunity comes about, that person will change that maybe to a yes. If some better time-spending event is

presented to the decider, she or he will change that maybe to a no. The decider can be waiting until the last minute to change the maybe from a yes to a no, depending on if another situation arises. This late decision leaves the original event planner clueless and without a set number.

Imagine if all 20 maybes decided three minutes prior to the set event, the person who originally graciously invited them to some sort of event is stuck in an uncomfortable position.

Don’t be rude; accept offers to events or decline them. Do not leave people wondering who will attend, and who actually wants to spend time with them. If you don’t know your plans because of a test you may have to make up or a grandparent you may have to visit, tell your friend instead of saying “maybe.” Eliminating this word will help strengthen your friendship, and you may find yourself enjoying spending time with the person you were originally going to say maybe to.

PHOTOpinions pinions By: Nic Barradas

How do you like graduation without tickets?

The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2011 Editor-In-Chief.............................................................Anna Balassone City Editor.......................................................................Dana Lin News Editor...........................................................Natalie Chin Opinion Editor.............................................................Andie Smith Feature Editor............................................................Holden Parks Sports Editor.............................................................Anna Balassone Arts and Entertainment Editor........................................SangEun Choi Copy Editor.........................................................Holden Parks Photo Editor..............................................................Rebecca Fong Business Manager......................................................Matt Barney Staff Writers: Bianca Arias, Nic Barradas, Daniel Chung, Abbie Clark, Dan Galvan, Reyna Garcia, Sarah Gichriese, Kearny Combs, Yesenia Gutierrez, Lawrence Ham, Alicia Harger, Jason Hazari, Yoon Jung, Max Kahane, Simrit Kaur, Kate Kim, Trevor Kwong, Noelia Ley, Emily Lin-Jones, Tim Pak, Jennifer Price, Hillman Zheng Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

I don’t think it’s a very smart idea. It’s going to end up being really unfair, especially to people who can’t get there super early to wait in line.

Mina Pham Huynh, senior I think it’s going to cause a lot of fights and unnecessary drama. I think a lot of people are going to take advantage of it and bring way more people than necessary, and then a lot of families that are not as big are going to come later and not get a seat.

Kaitlyn Lundell, senior

Well, there are always issues with tickets and seats. So you take the ticket issue away, now people are going to have more issues with seats. The administration tried, but to me it doesn’t really matter.

Carlyle Garrick, senior The first come first serve process I think is rather unfair because the number of relatives someone could bring could be far greater than somebody else just because they got there first.

Sean Lahey, senior

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Track team runs away with HAAL victory

Donate-to-play falls short of goal

By Dana Lin City Editor

By Matt Barney Business Manager

The CVHS boys varsity track team won the HAAL finals on May 14, as did the frosh-soph girls. The girls varsity and boys frosh-soph teams claimed second place finishes.

“We choked the life out of them,” said Dooney Jones, head track coach who won HAAL coach of the year.

Kelsey Santisteban started off the carnage with a a time of 5:13 for a 1,600-meter race that was far ahead of second place. Ben Eversole followed by running a 4:30 1,600-meter race, just barely taking first. Alex Foster won the 400-meter race by churning out a 50.04 second lap. Kwame Hudson, the Trojans’ top hurdler, took third in the 300-meter hurdle race with a time of 42.99 seconds. Anthony Martore made the 800-meter race look easy by cruising a 1:57 to win.

“Nothing much,” Martore remarked after hearing his time.

BriAnna Miller sailed 17 feet and 6 inches to win the long jump. Towards the end of the meet it looked like the Trojans might win girls varsity.

“We’re nine points away. I’m so nervous,” said a jumpy Miller.

In the end though, Castro Valley lost by one point.

“Pain,” said sophomore Brandon Arias describing his twomile race. “It was deadly. I felt like I was going to die. I crossed the finish line flopping and laid down on the grass.”

Almost all of the events were conducted in nearly 50-degree weather. Still, the Trojans made CVHS proud.

Matt Barney / Business Manager

Senior BriAnna Miller sails through the air on the long jump, winning first place.

Spring sports teams are short $40,175 in funding, not including ASB donations, as of May 16.

With the budget in mind, some levels for different sports may be cut for the 2011-2012 school year.

“We’re trying to raise the amount of awareness [for the need for donations] to all teams,” said Assistant Principal Jason Whiteman. “Some teams virtually do not donate at all.”

Because CVUSD does not fund CVHS for its athletic programs, Whiteman encourages athletes to join the National Alumni Group for CVHS, which donates money back to the school for some purchases made by the student athletes.

“We’ve had about 15 or 25 students make $4,000 simply by being connected to this alumni program,” said Whiteman.

The spring teams with the greatest deficits this year include badminton, short $10,450 with about 14 percent of the players donating, and track, short $12,825 and with 41 percent of the athletes donating.

The overall deficit, including fall, winter, and spring sports, adds up to $68,113. This number includes the donations from outside sources other than players themselves.

According to Whiteman, no particular sport will be entirely cut the following school year.

Instead, administration will consider eliminating some levels within each sport, such as freshman teams. The problem with that, however, is that there would be no training ground between middle school sports and JV and varsity sports, which helps develop players for more

advanced athletics. Because CVHS only has one more year left in HAAL and will be joining “the big superleague,” unnamed as of now, with more advanced teams, there is concern over how new players will be trained if not by freshman teams.

“It is vital that the roots of our athletic foundation not be cut, because for every freshman that is denied an opportunity to partake in a sport of his or her choice, there is a varsity athlete who loses out on four years of camaraderie, fitness, and sportsmanship,” commented junior Bright Zhou, a varsity swimmer, about the current budget situation. “Therefore the future success of the Trojan athletes lies in the capable minds, bodies, and souls of these new Trojans.”

After his comment, Zhou continued with his personal anecdote, telling about the luck he had when he was a freshman and when CVHS still had sufficient money to fund extra athletes.

“As a freshman, I barely made the CVHS swim team. That was my first year competitively swimming, so I had no competitive swimming experience. I was actually supposed to be cut,” said Zhou with a chortle, “but the coach saw that I was dedicated.

Not only had I gone to all of the regular tryouts, but I had also attended the makeup ones.”

After reflecting for a moment on the times he had on the swim team, Zhou said, “It was the experience of being on a high school sports team that allowed me to develop the confidence and humor necessary for making new friends. Not only did that season inspire a lifelong love for swimming, but it also changed me into the person that I am today.”

C o m m e n d a b l e C o n q u e r i n g C o m p e t iB t: S oE rCs y

Kelly Chan, Freshman

As a freshman, Kelly Chan had to work extra hard to earn her spot on the CVHS badminton team. She hadn’t been playing badminton long before tryouts, but was skillful enough to have the opportunity to play for both the JV and varsity teams.

She chose to play badminton because it seemed like a “fun and enjoyable sport.” Chan found enjoyment in all the events – even practices.

“I actually liked the drills,” Chan said, “but I really liked playing matches the most.” Eager for more drills and matches next year, Chan promises to train extra hard for another memorable season.

Danica Tse, Sophomore

Danica Tse, who has been swimming since the sixth grade for the Castro Valley Crocodiles, is an enthusiastic swimmer on the CVHS varsity team. Her main events are the 50 meter and 100 meter freestyle.

“I was actually signed up by my mom,” Tse said, “But I’m really glad because I really enjoy swimming!”

Her favorite part of swimming is the fact that she can spend time with her friends while bonding with others who hold similar interests. She also loves to challenge herself by working to beat her previous times and create new personal records.

Colby Wright, Junior

“I’ve played baseball for as long as I can remember,” said Colby Wright, a junior on the varsity baseball team. He decided to play baseball because it has always been his favorite sport and the most enjoyable for him to watch.

He plays as the third baseman on the team, offering the skill of making quick plays, as well as the ability to make long throws to first base. During every practice, Wright trains rigorously to present his best to the school team.

Everything about baseball has always been nothing but excitement to Wright, though ultimately his favorite part is “when [he] gets a big hit.”

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David Carter, Senior

hoi

As someone who had joined the tennis team because he “wanted to prove himself as a man,” David Carter has shown excellent talent and agility to the boys varsity tennis team.

Through the challenging practices and exhilarating matches, Carter has learned to love the sport. He enjoys doing other things during his free time, such as listening to music, drawing, and doing calculus, but tennis has definitely become one of his favorite hobbies.

“My favorite part of being on the team is being able to advance as a skilled player,” said Carter, “but I also really love the camaraderie that goes along with being part of such an epic team.”

Olympian

The June 8, 2011

Swimmers dominate at HAAL Championships

By Andie Smith

Varsity Girls Event Winners 200 Yard Medley Relay 1:55.95 Maja Harren, Rebecca Horpel, Sierra Gibson, Lauren Wirdzek 200 Yard Freestyle 1:59.49 Maja Harren 200 Yard Individual Medley 2:17.40 Sierra Gibson 100 Yard Freestyle 55.08 Maja Harren 100 Yard Breaststroke 1:10.87 Rebecca Horpel 400 Yard Freestyle 3:50.85 Sierra Gibson, Lauren Wirdzek, Gabrielle White, Maja Harren

Opinion Editor

The CVHS swim teams won in a landslide victory at the HAAL Championships at Chabot College on Saturday, May 14.

In all individual divisions—JV girls and boys, and varsity girls and boys—CVHS won, beating each second place divisions by over one hundred points each.

The CVHS swim team won 35 of the 44 events.

This year marked the fourth HAAL win for the varsity girls, who scored 618 points to Bishop O’Dowd’s 447, and won six of the 11 events. Senior Maja Harren won all four events that she competed in, two relays and two individual events.

“Unlike in any other sport, we’re all like a family.”

Kerianne Brownlie Senior

“Unlike in any other sport, we’re all like a family; we do everything together,” said senior Kerianne Brownlie. “Even though it’s not exactly a team sport because we swim individually, it’s more of a team sport than any other.”

For the sixth consecutive year,

Andie Smith / Opinion Editor

Sophomore Bronson Brown glides effortlessly through the water on his 100 Yard Butterfly event. the varsity boys beat O’Dowd with a score of 596-452. CVHS swimmers placed first in eight of the 11 varsity boys events.

Frank Horpel and Patrick Brown each won four events.

“It’s fun to be on the team because we have so many good swimmers and it’s really inspirational,” said junior Arad Margalit.

The JV girls team won the HAAL league meet for the third year in a row with a score of 577. Bishop O’ Dowd came in second place with 401 points.

Out of the 11 junior varsity girls

Matt Barney / Business Manager

Powderpuff MVP Monica Barrios passes by her opponent on the way to the end zone.

Seniors/Sophomores steal Powderpuff win

By Abbie Clark Staff Writer

A flurry of girls running around and tackling each other filled Trojan Stadium in the annual Powderpuff football game on May 20.

There were two teams, one composed of freshmen and juniors (Black), and the other composed of sophomores and seniors (White).

They played against each other just like in normal football. Blood was spattered and fingers dislocated just like in boys’ football.

The sophomores/seniors won by a score of 22-6.

Many girls like the fact that they’re able to play football on a

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high school team. It’s a unique experience CVHS offers them. It lets many girls have the opportunity to feel like football stars.

“I did it so I could get the experience of playing football,” said sophomore Regine Padilla.

“My favorite part of the game is when the team got in a circle and yelled really loudly while they ‘dougied’ in the circle,” said sophomore Adrianna Alvarado.

Powderpuff is a great activity CVHS offers to its students.

It broadens the horizon of our views on sports.

For anyone that’s said “Girls can’t play football,” anything boys can do, girls can do better.

events, CVHS won 10. Grace Moon was on two winning relays and took first in both of her individual events.

“I think our team has done exceptionally well this season, and we’ve become really close, almost like family. I can’t wait for next year!” said junior Kaela Domin.

“Practices are really hard, but they get us in shape,” sophomore Erika Holland added.

“The meets are fun and really rewarding when you get a personal best.”

For 11 years and counting, the

junior varsity boys team smashed the competition earning 636 points while San Leandro trailed behind in second with 380. The boys won all 11 JV events. Victor Deng won both of his individual events and participated in two winning relays.

“This was my first year on the team, and it has been one of the best experiences of my life,” said junior Seamus Guerin. “Some days may be difficult, but the payoff is tremendous. It’s great to be a part of a team where everyone is so close. The only sad part is that I only have one more year!”

Varsity Boys Event Winners 200 Yard Medley Relay 1:38.52 Frank Horpel, Patrick Brown, Bronson Brown, Chris Kerner 200 Yard Freestyle 1:43.36 Frank Horpel 200 Yard Individual 1:58.96 Medley Patrick Brown 100 Yard Butterfly 53.48 Bronson Brown 500 Yard Freestyle 4:39.22 Frank Horpel 100 Yard Backstroke 56.35 Patrick Hassett 100 Yard Breaststroke 58.78 Patrick Brown 400 Yard Freestyle Relay 3:14.39 Miles Teague, Patrick Brown, Chris Kerner, Frank Horpel *For more results, visit www. cvhsolympian.com

Eleven expensive AP tests for 11th grader

European learning experience for students

By Holden Parks

By Jennifer Price

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

For many students, annual Advanced Placement testing is an event that causes pain and misery. However, for some students, the pain caused by this testing can be classified as outright torture. One of the students that felt such torture this year was Calvin Cheng, a junior at CVHS. While most students who participate in Advanced Placement (AP) testing only choose to take a few of the rigorous exams, Cheng took a staggering 11 AP tests, and did not even receive formal preparation (i.e., a class) for four of them.

“Getting prepared for one or two AP exams can be challenging, but taking on 11 is quite a monumental task,” said Duane Magno, a CVHS counselor.

Cheng’s reasoning for taking 11 tests was that they would improve his chances of getting admitted into a prestigious college.

“I really want to attend an Ivy League school as an undergraduate. Those AP tests were just a means to an end, in this regard,” said Cheng.

AP tests are given every year in May, and can earn students college credit or bolster their college admissions résumé if they achieve a sufficient score.

Each test is scored on a scale of one to five, with a five being the highest score possible. A three is considered a passing score.

The 11 tests that Cheng took are: U.S. History, Calculus AB, Chemistry, Microeconomics, Statistics, English Language and Composition, Japanese, Comparative Government and Politics, Psychology, Human Geography, and Environmental Science. The total cost of taking the exams, after he was given a discount, was $887.

Cheng prepared for his tests by, “doing practice tests, reading free-response questions [from previous tests] like crazy, and mainlining coffee to stay awake.”

To prepare for the tests for which he received no formal preparation, his only form of studying was “lots of reading.”

Cheng’s 11 AP tests are likely unprecedented for a CVHS student.

“In my time at our school, I cannot recall any student who has taken such a high number of AP examinations,” stated Magno.

For those keeping score, the College Board offers 34 AP exams. Since Cheng has taken three exams in previous years, his 11 this year give him 14 exams in total. He now needs to take only 20 more to master the world of AP testing.

The CVHS Travel Club will once again be giving students the opportunity to take an exciting adventure with their 12-day educational European tour planned for the summer of 2012.

“We try to plan a trip every year for the students,” stated Jennifer Jervis, CVHS arts teacher and a co-founder of the trip.

“This year we’re going to Costa Rica and the year before we also went to Europe.”

The student-picked tour includes key destinations like Venice, Florence, Pisa, Paris, London, and the French Riveria, with optional excursions to Versailles and San Gimignano all within the span of a 10-day period. At these destinations, students will see famous monuments, explore with guided tours, enjoy regional cuisine, and watch artisan demonstrations of the culture of the area.

History teacher Jason Marlis is the primary founder of these trips and believes that they allow students a fun and interesting way to learn the history of a different society and culture.

EF Tours, the organization that leads these student trips, will provide a tour guide, someone who can supply information and allow students to relate to the society they have learned about in school.

Only seven students have signed up so far for this excursion, meaning there are still many seats up for grabs.

“Many students don’t sign up until the school year before the trip because they think it’s too far in the future,” Jervis said.

However, it’s never too soon to sign up and start planning and saving for the tour which includes stops at the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Saint Mark’s Square, and Big Ben. To see a full itinerary and learn more about the trip, students and parents can visit eftours.com and enter the tour number 1013208.

Kathryn Weese concentrates while aiming at the camera.

Simrit Kaur / Staff Writer

Shotgun superstar shoots to success

By Simrit Kaur Staff Writer

Junior Kathryn Weese brought home four gold medals for a dual skeet competition on April 9. Weese has been shooting international skeet, a competitive shotgun sport shot in the Olympics, for about three years.

Weese’s journey to success began in sixth grade, the first time she picked up a gun.

“Skeet is shot at a series of stations placed around a semicircle, with certain shots taken at each station from two houses,” informed Weese. “Skeet was originally practiced by hunters in their off season, because it mirrors the flight of a bird; it became an Olympic sport in 1968.”

Weese mainly shot for the California State Junior Olympics (which qualified her for the National Junior Olympics), but also shot for the State International Skeet Shoot. Weese received a gold medal for highest overall score for Junior Women for the

State Shoot, a gold medal for the State Shoot, a gold medal for the State Junior Olympics first place, and a gold medal for highest overall score for women’s in Scholastic Clay Talent Program (SCTP).

“It was challenging because I had not been able to get a lot of practice in between school and AP Testing, but it is always fun because I get to see all of my shooting friends, people I have known since my first year of shooting competitively,” said Weese.

Weese has had numerous coaches to assist in her practice, including Sai Chiang, a Hong Kong international men’s skeet team member; Ali Chiang, a USA international women’s skeet team member; BJ McDaniels, a former USA Olympic coach for international shotgun sports; Ken Weese, a former world traveling shooter; and Gary Weese.

“School is okay, as long as it doesn’t mess with shooting,”

coach Gary Weese joked. “We’re actually looking forward to going to Colorado Springs for Nationals.”

Weese has also received many medals and awards in the past years. In 2009, Weese recieved a gold medal in State Junior Olympics. That same year, she participated in the USA Shooting Nationals. In 2010, she was awarded with a silver medal for State Junior Olympics, a gold medal for Junior Division Category at SCTP, and first place in State Shoot for her category. Weese has also shot locally for International Skeet and American Trap and practices with the CYSSA (California Youth Sport Shooting Association) Martinez team for American Trap.

In her free time, Weese serves as an NRA Junior Trainer, where she teaches people how to shoot safely and properly.

“No animals were harmed in making of all this fun,” laughed Gary Weese.

Science fair intrigues students

By Max Kahane Staff Writer

The Castro Valley Educational Foundation put on its annual science fair at CVHS on Saturday, May 14. There were a lot of fun and interesting activities that ranged from electric cars to forensic science-related fingerprinting. The cafeteria, the annex, and 700 hall were filled with incredible workshops and stations that demonstrated different scientific experiments.

There were three homemade electric cars that were shown off and talked about. One of them was built by a CVHS student, while the others were made by residents of Castro Valley. The owners of the cars talked about the pros and cons of having an electric car and went into full details about how they work and how they can be built.

Save money and support the student press!

Max Kahane / Staff Writer

Nolan Reker displays his car as part of his science fair project.

A CVHS teacher ran a fingerprinting station that identified the type of fingerprint patterns people have.

“The fingerprinting was really

fun, especially because a lot of people were amused by the different patterns on their fingers,” said Jose Luna, a CVHS student who participated in the fair.

Subscribe to The Olympian for 2011-12 by July 1 for $18, a ten percent discount!

Mail your check and address to The Olympian at CVHS, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley 94546.

Withnail & I hits the nail on the head

By Trevor Kwong Staff Writer

Withnail & I is a 1986 film about two miserable, out-ofwork actors. They live in a pitiful apartment. There are dishes everywhere in the sink and there is

some sort of rotten matter in the drain because nothing has been washed for months.

One actor is anxiety-ridden, but a quick and practical thinker (his name in the credits: “…& I”).

The other, Withnail, is a melodramatic, cowardly, pretentious, obnoxious, but elegant drunk.

He has run out of alcohol and at one point resorts to drinking lighter fluid (mandatory warning for article: don’t try that at home). Tired of their endless days of mundane nothingness, they decide to go on vacation in a cottage where things don’t get better at all.

The movie is a cult film with cult humor. The way it is shot is nothing special, but the material is great. It’s like a bunch of the best misanthropic, absurd skits thrown together in a single film and each moment the audience is getting some of the most quotable lines ever.

I can’t describe the scenes in part because much of the humor lies in the actors’ line delivery, and also because they’re quite inappropriate. Watch this film.

Film captures the Prom experience

By Yoon Jung Staff Writer

What is your prom story? Most high school students find their own interesting stories when they attend prom, one of the most memorable events in their high school careers.

On April 29, several stories of high school student couples unfold in one movie: Prom.

A group of teenagers put their time to get prepared for the prom, which takes lots of drama and secrets. Film director Joe Nussbaum captured many what-could-have been-you story moments with different high school teenagers.

Nova Prescott is the class president who realizes that she may have found her perfect date as the big dance approaches. Now, all that matters to her is finding out how to be asked by the guy that

By Dan Galvan Staff Writer

In the midst of hundreds of average restaurants and fast food joints lies one of San Leandro’s finest restaurants. Paradiso, at 685 Bancroft Ave., is a hidden gem that offers one of the best dining experiences in the East Bay. Paradiso serves up fine Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. With a vast menu that includes everything from standard margarita pizza to delicious cuts of chicken, lamb, fish, and beef, you would be hard-pressed not to find at least one dish you love.

Upon walking into Paradiso, it is clear that the restaurant was designed in a way that is comfortable, yet classy and clean. The kitchen is in plain view and often serves as a source of entertainment, as you can watch one of Paradiso’s master chefs prepare your meal right before your eyes.

The atmosphere is perfect for a date: relaxed, comfortable and

“...the

entire menu is flawless.”

intimate.

While the entire menu is flawless, I highly recommend the

are struggling to ask girls to dance.

For girls, it’s all about picking the right dress and having the perfect night with the perfect date.

There are hundreds of nights in high school, but there’s only one prom. The movie Prom has an entertaining story that will bring back your memories or prepare you for what is coming up on your prom night.

Soul Surfer inspires surfing souls

No trouble in Paradiso

rotisserie chicken. Chicken may sound unoriginal and boring to some, but they have yet to try this succulent masterpiece. The chicken is soaked in a marinade for hours and is slow cooked over wooden planks to perfection. Served atop mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley, one can even taste a hint of cinnamon in the golden brown skin.

The only downside to this fine establishment is the prices. If you want to have dinner at Paradiso, be ready to pay top dollar. On average an entrée will set you back anywhere between $15-35.

However, with incredible food, atmosphere, and service, you certainly get what you pay for.

All in all, Paradiso is an incredible place to get your munch on and I would highly recommend it the next time you’re in search of a high quality dining experience.

she wants to go with. Meanwhile, her friends wrestle with the insecurities and anticipations of other classmates.

This is a good family movie to introduce prom. It shows how personal and emotional to high school kids’ memories can be.

Some guys complain about how much more they have to pay for their girls, while some other guys

By Reyna Garcia Staff Writer

Soul Surfer tells the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a Hawaii native whose life is almost cut short. Despite this, she continues to compete in surfing competitions.

Hamilton, played by AnnaSophia Rob, is a courageous young girl who fights back from a neardeath experience and goes on to do great things. She was born into a family of surfers and grew up spending time in the water.

Her mother teasingly calls her “mermaid” and says that she has a sixth sense when it comes to waves.

One morning, while Hamilton surfs with family and friends on the North Shore of the island on which she lives, a shark comes from underneath her and bites at her surfboard, taking her arm in the process.

The 10-minute scene following the attack is very well written except for the one small part. The scene does a good job of capturing the franticness of getting Hamilton onto shore while she is bleeding to death. It also captures the fear of Hamilton’s family as it waits during her surgery. The only odd part of the scene is when Hamilton comes so close to death, she is shown surfing a barrel towards a white light, but as she gets closer peeling out

towards shore. It’s corny and distracts from the environment of the scene.

The movie then shows Hamilton recovering. She perseveres and goes right back to surfing only a month after she loses her arm. She goes into a regional competition and she loses faith in herself when she finally realizes she can’t surf the way she used to. Afterwards she travels to Thailand with her church after the country is hit with a monstrous tsunami. She realizes just how precious life really is and just how much she has compared to the Thai people she is helping.

She comes home and begins surfing again to train for a national competition, where she goes on to place and rank nationally. Soul Surfer is a well written movie. There are some Christian messages, but nothing extremely preachy. The surfing scenes are effortlessly shot and AnnaSophia Rob’s surfing doubles actually include Bethany Hamilton herself. The movie is inspiring for the whole family.

Dampa: new taste of culture in Castro Valley delicious Asian-inspired dishes aside from the popular Chinese, Japanese, and Thai restaurants.

By Lawrence Ham News Editor

It’s about time a Filipino cuisine restaurant opened in Castro Valley. With all these fast food restaurants like McDonald’s and Starbucks, dine-in restaurants are often forgotten, especially less popular cuisines such as Filipino food. Dampa, a fairly new restaurant that opened last year, offers Castro Valley residents

“Finding a place

to eat out in a small town like CV may be challenging.”

Everything comes to the table in a reasonable amount of time.

For appetizers, all customers are given a warm bowl of bulalo, a Filipino beef marrow stew made with vegetables and meat.

I ordered rice and barbeque beef skewers, which were delicious and nicely seasoned. The freshly fried lumpia with sweet and spicy sauce was cooked to nice golden brown color. The restaurant’s menu has a large range of different entrées, ranging from rice plates to poultry to vegetables to an array of different specialties dishes.

Dampa provides its customers with a comfortable dining envi-

ronment along with a polite staff.

All of the dishes are typically below $10 and most are familysized dishes for multiple people to enjoy. They make their food fresh, so the wait time may be a bit longer compared to other restaurants.

Overall, Dampa is a great contribution to Castro Valley’s culinary diversity. Finding a place to eat out in a small town like Castro Valley may be challenging and eventually get boring so a change in flavor may be just what you need. The restaurant is located in the Blockbusters shopping center at 2960 Castro Valley Boulevard.

8

Olympian

The June 8, 2011

GRAD: From Page 1

Siegel signs off to paint the town

By Rebecca Fong Photo Editor

After 38 years of service to the CVHS campus, Barbara Siegel, ceramics teacher and president of the Castro Valley Teachers Association (CVTA), is retiring.

“I had initially applied for something in the fine arts, but there weren’t any art classes at CVHS then, so I taught special ed,” recounts Siegel. However, a few years later, Siegel was allowed to lead the classes she wanted: crafts, studio art, and ceramics.

Traditionally, with so many responsibilities, the CVTA president only teaches one class. That was the case for Siegel, who only taught ceramics this year. “I absolutely love teaching, but once I joined the union, I progressively lost my classes and interest.”

When asked what she’ll miss most when she leaves, she answered, “So much of what I love about teaching is the interactions with the students. Teaching wasn’t a burden [when I became union president], but not being able to offer all of the job to the students was hard. It’s difficult to put into words.”

Social studies teacher John Green will succeed her as union president. “I know he’ll throw himself completely into the job,”

Siegel said confidently.

Meanwhile, she reveals that she has plenty of ideas floating in her head about how to spend her new free time. “It was a big responsibility to be an advocate and an artist. I’d like to travel to the Orient, everywhere I can.”

She plans to open her own studio and to look into bonsai, the art of shaping mini trees in an

“ I’d like to

travel to the Orient, everywhere I can. ” Barbara Siegel Ceramics Teacher

aesthetically pleasing way, and is expecting a grandchild.

“I like to maintain my relationships here at school, too.”

So keep an eye out for Siegel around campus; she may make a return appearance sometime soon.

Rebecca Fong / Photo Editor

Ceramics teacher Barbara Siegel plans to retire after the 2010-2011 school year to travel and open up her own studio.

STAR: From Page 1

W. Bush enacted the No Child Left Behind Act. It was created based on the belief that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. The act required states to develop assessments in basic skills to be given to all students in certain grades if those states were to receive federal funding for schools.

However, since then, state funding has fallen and President Obama has created his own program called Race to the Top (RTT). The program awards teachers based on tests such as the STAR. When the scores come out, teachers can be laid off or rewarded with extra cash based on their school’s performance.

John Green, the new president of CVTA (Castro Valley Teacher’s Association), voiced his opinion on why the our district stays out of RTT.

“Many unions chose not to participate in RTT because it relies too heavily on tests like STAR to judge schools and uses ‘merit pay’ to encourage good teaching,” said Green. “But ‘merit pay’ assumes that teachers will only try hard for their kids if we offer them cash and that good teachers are just those whose kids do well on standardized tests.”

Another astonishing fact is that the government actually can no longer afford to give money.

“There used to be a program called the Governor ’s Performance Award program that gave money to schools and teachers when certain API benchmarks were met, but that no longer exists due to the great budget situation,” said junior counselor Duane Magno.

The only real sources of money CVHS can rely on are the families that choose to have their children attend CVHS. If the school’s

the stadium has a seating capacity of approximately 5,000, it’s inevitable that it will get filled up regardless of whether tickets are used for graduation. One ben-

“ It caused

chaos for no reason at all.

Hillman Zheng / Staff Writer

Larry Weiss, the auto shop teacher, retires after 30 years of teaching at CVHS.

Auto teacher vrooms to retirement

By Hillman Zheng Staff Writer

Larry Weiss, automotive teacher, is retiring at the end of this year. Weiss will have taught for exactly 30 and a quarter years when he departs from CVHS. As Weiss sat in his snug but comfortable office eating his lunch, he revealed his joys of educating students.

“My favorite part of teaching auto would be working with students that share my passion for cars, mechanical things, figuring things out, and [working with students that] love to learn about the industrial world,” shared Weiss.

Weiss attended Chabot College, where he changed majors around three times, received an associate’s degree in automotive technology and eventually worked as a mechanic for a water company. After realizing he did not want to spend the rest of his life as a mechanic, Weiss attended classes at San Jose State University intending to teach and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial arts with an emphasis in transportation technology. Weiss landed the teaching position at CVHS after receiving a call from his college instructor at Chabot about the job opening at CVHS. The previous auto teacher had passed away API is high, parents see that and enroll their students into CVHS. Many students have been told by teachers that the government gives the school money based on the API. Students who have been interviewed randomly about the testing have said they stopped caring and would rather doodle on the Scantron than waste their time.

However, Assistant Principal Jesse Woodward stated his views on the STAR. “I’m proud of the students,” said Woodward. “Our AYP (Academic Yearly Progress) is so important and I want it to reflect what school CVHS is.”

If CVHS does not meet California’s AYP standard, the state can take control of CVHS and make it a remedial school. This means that all the money that is currently put into electives, such as foreign languages, would be put into remedial math and English classes.

and Weiss took over beginning the third quarter of 1981, and he has been teaching ever since.

Weiss has had numerous memorable experiences during his time as the auto teacher.

“I’ve seen students build amazing things,” said Weiss.

“I’ve seen the amazing ability some students have with mechanical systems while they do not excel in other stuff.”

After retiring, Weiss will have plenty of hobbies and activities to keep busy with: drag racing his 1968 Pontiac Firebird hot rod; fishing; traveling to the British Isles, New Zealand and Australia; seeing the remaining 15 states he has not visited yet; and singing in his barber shop chorus.

Lorrie Barrera Assistant Principal

”

efit of the first come, first serve system is that the students will no longer have to worry about having enough tickets for their friends and family.

With the new system, the designated handicap areas will still be open only to handicapped people and the elderly. The safety of the ceremony will be closely monitored by staff, APs, and school resource officers who will watch the stadium capacity and create as much convenience as possible to allow the commencement to run smoothly.

Another change in this year’s graduation ceremony is that the seniors will be coming into the stadium from the hallways rather than classrooms, which will make it easier to have the students line up in columns of two entering the gate.

Guests will be allowed into the stadium around 5:00 p.m. on June 16, and the commencement itself will begin at 6:30 p.m., so for those who want a good seat, get there as early as possible!