March 16, 2012

Pg. 4

“Let’s get down to business!”

Pops lit stage with crackling energy

VOLUME 55, ISSUE 8

CVHS swims to the top

Pg. 6

Trojans sink Foothill High Falcons

Don’t forget to vote!

Pg. 8

ASB primary on March 27-28

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012 CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546

WWW.CVHSOLYMPIAN.COM

PROTESTORS DEMAND: “DON’T MAKE CUTS” Staff, students show support at Rally for Education

School board votes for upcoming layoffs

By Natalie Fazeli Staff Writer

By Lily Carrell Staff Writer

Supporters of public school funding came from across the district to attend the Rally for Education held at CVHS in the Redwood parking lot on Thursday, March 1.

An estimated 400 people gathered to listen to members of the community address the significance of education and were encouraged to attend the CVUSD board meeting later that evening. At the meeting, the district would determine whether to make further cuts to school programs and teachers.

People lined the sidewalks holding signs saying “Stand Up for Schools” and “No Teacher Cuts,” while cars honked in support as they drove by. The crowd consisted of parents, students, teachers, staff, and others from the Castro Valley community who strongly oppose education cuts. There were even members

RALLY: Page 7

Lily Carrell / Staff Writer

Public school supporters wave signs on Redwood Road.

Boos were heard throughout the room as the Castro Valley Unified School District Board voted for budget cuts and 18 layoffs to save $2.4 million in the 2012-13 school year.

In Castro Valley, board members had a meeting on Feb. 23.

This meeting was to show the proposed plans for budget cuts in the upcoming year. Many students, teachers, and parents showed up to protest various cuts, such as increasing class size and cutting teachers.

John Green, history teacher at CVHS and Castro Valley Teachers Association (CVTA) president, went up in front of the school board to speak out. “Don’t make cuts the kids will never be able to recover from,” said Green.

“Since 90 percent of the budget is in personnel costs, most of the budget options involve layoffs,” wrote Superintendent Jim Negri in his letter about budget cuts.

Many teachers would rather that the board use more of the district’s reserve funds, which it keeps for a “rainy day” when

schools need it, before making cuts on schools.

“It’s pouring outside, and Castro Valley schools need that reserve fund as an umbrella,” exclaimed a concerned mother at the meeting.

“There are so many young teachers, I don’t want to see them get laid off,” said Gerry Cox, CVHS history teacher. “They have so much potential.”

After the rally on March 1 against the cuts there was another board meeting, with many students in attendance, including a big part of the CVHS Leadership class. In the second meeting with the board, twice as many people participated.

“Think of about 30 five-yearolds in a kindergarten class. I don’t even know how they deal with 20,” said Maya Para about increasing elementary class sizes.

This caused many laughs in the crowd.

Many people of different ages and places came up to talk to the board. Some were reduced to tears from the situation. Eighteen teachers came with numbers on

LAYOFFS: Page 7

Freaky dancers face “chill out room” or ejection

By Camilo Riveros Staff Writer

Students at CVHS who regularly attend school dances and are returning to the school next year may be surprised to learn about the administration’s plans to change the dance policy due to the lack of efficiency of our current system designed to prevent inappropriate dancing.

It seems that students have been dancing more and more inappropriately, according to administration, and what are supposed to be fun nights for everyone to come out and have a good time have become a headache for parents and teachers attempting to chaperone these events.

“We’ve come up with ideas such as having a ‘Chill out’ room, a dance-detention type of thing where students will be placed on time out for freak dancing,” said Student Services Coordinator Nick Whitaker.

“We are also considering the possibility of getting more se-

rious and issuing no warning.

Simply, we’d take the students to the office and call parents to come pick the student up with no exceptions. They would automatically be suspended for the next school dance, even if it’s Junior Prom or Senior Ball; it doesn’t matter,” he said.

Freaking, or “grinding,” has been a gradually increasing issue for the older generation of adults who see it as “having sex on the dance floor” even though this form of dancing has been taking place at school dances all over the country for a number of years. Recently, however, teachers and parents have been getting fed up and are turning more and more in favor of proposals to end the madness.

“Most students, I admit, were dancing appropriately and having a good time. But there were also a number of students who were dancing extremely inappropriately and it was really gross to say the least. Something

DANCE: Page 7

Reyna Garcia / Sports Editor

New consequences face students whose moves are deemed “really gross” by staff members supervising dances.

Stop freaking out at dances, you freaking freaks!

Editorial: It’s the first major dance of the year, Castro Valley High School’s annual Winterball. You wait in line with your friends, eager to get inside the cafeteria, and, subsequently, the dance floor. A few minutes later, your bags and coats are checked in and you’re ready to hit the gym for a few hours of mindless dancing.

But what’s this? As you and your friends make your way to the center of the gym, you notice something strange. The closer you get to the center, the more people you see grinding against each other. “What could this phenomenon be?” you wonder as you back off, suitably embarrassed from such an awkward situation.

This is just one example of the freaking problem present at our school dances. At the moment, the administration is using a wristband system to try and counter such behavior. However, several new ideas were proposed to stop the problem, and if adopted, will begin taking effect starting next year. These punish-

ments include a holding tank of sorts, where students would be led and given a talk by administration. The other possibility is just simply out kicking the offenders from the dance itself entirely. Though these methods may seem harsh, perhaps a bit

of a heavy-handed approach is useful at times.

We at The Olympian believe that the best possible approach to the problem of freaking would be to remove the students in question from the dance, though there is a bit of debate on addi-

tional consequences. Some of the group wanted the offender(s) to be barred from the next dance as well, while the rest thought that removing the student from the dance was a bad enough punishment as it was.

We believe that this was the

best choice because, though it is undoubtedly harsh as a punishment, a deliberately harsh consequence may discourage others from acting in the same way. Considering the fact that we were all warned about the consequences of freaking, we think that if there were people still willing to break these rules, they’ve already had their chance and shouldn’t be given just a warning.

The other ideas, such as the holding area and the wristbands are definitely good, but they would not be as effective as the more harsh punishment of immediate removal from the dance, which we feel would be the best choice. The other “consequences” aren’t exactly bad enough to discourage people from continuing their behavior.

In the end, we at The Olympian take a very serious stand on the issue of freaking. If students aren’t going to listen to the rules of the administration, then we shouldn’t give them the luxury of having a warning before punishment.

hatred for have left some fond memories that I will never forget.

I remember those who scolded me for talking without raising my hand, and those who praised me with a star sticker when I answered a question correctly.

But sometimes one of my teachers received a pink slip and then he/she didn't come back to teach the following year. To know that the person who taught me simple things, like my math skills, and not as simple things, like lifelong lessons, has to leave my school is depressing.

Nobody likes it when teachers have to leave, but the state says that it is low on money, so it is

cutting the school's budget. Not only is the state cutting all the fun classes, but it is also cutting student access to teachers.

When teachers get laid off, new ones don't replace them. By having fewer teachers, there would be a bigger ratio of students to each teacher, which means there would be bigger class sizes. This leads students to have less teacher attention; some students will take advantage of that. Those kinds of students would cause the rest of the class to not learn to the best of its potential ability.

Having more teachers means having more variety in teaching styles. This will help the kids

find a learning style that best suits them. For example, one teacher might like teaching using hands-on teaching methods, while other teachers might like the style of taking notes. With teachers getting laid off, there will be fewer teaching methods.

This will cause kids to not have the chance to learn new ways to solve a problem.

Therefore, people shouldn’t lay off teachers. Not only are they laying off teachers, but they are preventing opportunities for kids to make lifelong memories that they will never forget.

But then, you probably think that you can’t do anything to

help these teachers. Think again.

Many people are helping by showing how much they appreciate their teachers. For example, on March 1, there were many people supporting teachers by going to a rally at the high school.

The rally’s purpose was to get the state to not cut the school’s budget. Not only were there a lot of people at the rally, but the cars passing by showed lots of support by honking their horns and making lots of noise.

So maybe if everyone starts to show appreciation towards their teachers, these teachers won’t get laid off. We will never know unless we try.

Dana Lin / City Editor

Lay off on laying off our terrific teachers

By Victoria Liang Staff Writer

We all grew up with teachers by our sides. I remember the teachers that I loved, and I also remembered those that I hated.

But even the teachers that I have

PHOTOpinions pinions By: Lillian Xie

How should the school deal with freaking at dances?

“The school can’t control freak dancing.

Kids are going to do it anyway, even if it’s not appropriate for school.”

Lindsey Matheney, senior

“I think the school should continue using the wristband policy.”

Joanna Lam, freshman

“The chaperones should actually do something to stop the freaking instead of just standing there.”

Dominick Abundiz, junior

“Freak dancing is inappropriate. I think the school should take out the students who are freaking and monitor them.”

Casey Hanson, sophomore

The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2012 Editor-in-Chief.............................................................Anna Balassone Copy Editor.........................................................Holden Parks City Editor...................................................................Dana Lin News Editor...........................................................Natalie Chin Opinion Editor.............................................................Kate Pellegrini Feature Editor............................................................Amber Yang Sports Editor.............................................................Reyna Garcia Arts and Entertainment Editor........................................SangEun Choi Photo Editors..............................................................Rebecca Fong Tim Pak Business Manager......................................................Matt Barney Online Editor......................................................Michael Castillo

Staff Writers: Lily Carrell, Suzanna Chak, Betty Chen, Eva Chen, Emily Courchaine, Rachel Crary, Cheyenne Donatello, Natalie Fazeli, Alex Gao, Jane Hong, Anya Keller, Joyce Liang, Victoria Liang, Melody Moteabbed, Camilo Riveros, Fassa Sar, Matt Talajkowski, Lillian Xie, Christina Yee Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

Olympian

The March 16, 2012 Lily Carrell / Staff Writer

Analyze this

Pops concert: embodiment of team effort

By Anna Balassone Editor-in-Chief

Trojan is a Dragon transformed

By Fassa Sar Staff Writer

Exactly one year ago I attended one of the biggest basketball games of the season, with CVHS going against archrival Bishop O’Dowd. Loud roars of the anxious crowd pumped up both teams.

For this heated game, I dressed in all yellow and black, made signs and every time O’Dowd made a point I screamed, “Go Dragons!” Yes, I know what many people are thinking: “You go to Castro Valley, why would you cheer for O’Dowd?”

My freshman year I was a Dragon with mild dislike for Castro Valley just like my peers. I first thought the CVHS kids were loud,

obnoxious, and rude with bad sportsmanship. As O’Dowd lost both games against Castro Valley that year, the schools’ dislike for each other just became worse and more competitive.

Attending Bishop O’Dowd, a private Catholic high school, was a very different experience after growing up in public schools.

I really liked O’Dowd because it prepares students for college and gives them an idea of what they want to do in life. One of the reasons the tuition is very expensive is because O’Dowd can guarantee that the majority of their students will succeed. I also liked the student life and especially the activities leadership organized.

The reason I transferred to Castro Valley was purely because of the high tuition. During both semesters many people dropped out because of the bad economy.

Annual tuition is about $15,120 plus a pledge of $1,200 plus a $900 deposit, and if you’re planning on doing extracurricular activities like sports or performing arts, it costs even more money.

It was a big deal for me to

transfer to Castro Valley. Most of my former O’Dowd peers were shocked. Out of all schools, why pick O’Dowd’s biggest rival? I always said, “It wasn’t my decision but after I moved to Castro Valley it was the only option.”

Even though I was once against CVHS, I’ve grown to like my new friends, classes and teachers.

Exactly one year later I attended a game that was anticipated to be the best game of the season again, Castro Valley versus Bishop O’Dowd. This game did not have such a hyper crowd like last year, and the Trojan Den was smaller.

The Dragons got revenge and beat the Trojans and one of their chants that stunned the Trojan Crowd was “We’re going to college.”

Although students are smart at Bishop O’Dowd, they are not smart enough to know that CVHS is one of the highest performing high schools in California.

It was hard to go to this game because it was sad to see all my friends from freshman year on the other side of the court. But, this year I made posters and supported my fellow Trojans.

and could barely pay attention in math the next period before the bell rang and I was back in the band room setting up my trumpet to play.

Our teacher Cynde Meyer led the procession toward the front of the stadium, where already a large group had congregated and were waving posters and shouting cheers. Cars were honking their approval while students and teachers alike were pulled aside to be interviewed by local news stations about the event.

First there were small polite speeches supporting our efforts given by various administrators.

And then there were enthusiastic speeches about the necessity of our support given by various teachers. And then there were the student speeches that captured the hearts of everybody in the vicinity.

Some of the speakers mentioned a board meeting later that night where the school board would vote on the budget issue.

I knew I had to go.

So after a hasty dinner in which I alerted my family as to my plans, my mother and I drove up the long hill to the middle school cafeteria where the fate of our

community would be decided.

My first impression upon walking inside was that there should be more people. I relayed this observation to my mom, who told me that at the board meeting prior to this, there were less than half the number of people I saw here.

Somewhat alarmed but grateful that more people had shown up this round, I took a seat near the front, next to a podium dividing up the audience, and waited for it to begin.

Once the crowd had settled, the board members walked up to their assigned seats. Then came a lengthy introduction given by Superintendent Jim Negri, during which I think nearly half the audience dozed off (myself included).

Finally, they commenced with the audience speakers. Those audience members who had turned in a request-to-speak form were called up one by one to stand at the podium and speak their mind for a maximum of three minutes.

And thus it began.

Leadership student Austin Bruckner kicked it off with a bang, accusing Negri of spending too much money on himself and not spreading it around to the schools.

Bruckner got a standing ovation.

3

No word inspires quite as much excitement and anticipation in the hearts of choir students as “Pops.” Maybe it is the sleepless nights, the new friendships, or the bliss of performing.

Or maybe it is even more.

This year, along with singing in the Pops Concert numbers with my fellow choir participants for the fourth year, I was also chosen to be one of the student directors. While I knew that the job would entail many hours and much effort, I had no idea that it would open my eyes to much more.

Though the rehearsals for the Pops Concert typically begin in early December, the entire process begins earlier. The theme and songs were chosen by director Susanna Susoeff and the four writer-directors, including myself, began working during the summer on weaving more than 20 random Disney songs into a coherent storyline.

By the end of winter break, the script was polished, the dance rehearsals were underway, and singers were practicing their harmonies. Then the real fun began: Hell Week. Every day for two weeks, 150 participants stayed until at least 9 p.m. singing, acting, and dancing.

As a director, I finally saw what truly went on behind the scenes of Hell Week. Everyone

had a job: the directors were delegating, the choreographers were teaching dances, the costumers were assigning costumes, the crew was building sets, and the performers were practicing every number with great enthusiasm. Each day, the show inched closer to greatness and I was able to both witness and affect the transformation.

When the weekend of the opening finally came, it was a complete whirlwind of shows that culminated in the final Saturday performance. It was a sold out show and as I saw audience members giving standing ovations, I knew that our hard work had not been wasted. Each and every member of the cast, crew, and production team had come together to create something we could be proud of.

That is when I learned the true meaning of Pops. After seeing the show from a directorial standpoint and watching as a group of talented young men and women combined their efforts towards a common goal, it became apparent that Pops isn’t about which person gets a solo or which person plays the lead or who the directors are. Pops, like many other extra-curricular activities here at CVHS, is the embodiment of a team effort.

That is why I feel so privileged to attend a high school that provides youth with the opportunity to grow as students and as people. While team-oriented activities like Pops or sports may not offer academic education, they do provide an environment to educate students about leadership, responsibility, problemsolving, and perseverance.

Without a shadow of a doubt, I can say that I am incredibly excited to return to CVHS in future years to see great Pops productions to come. Wherever there are enthusiastic, talented, hard-working students, there will be Pops.

“I just hope California wakes up from this nightmare”

By Kate Pellegrini Opinion Editor

“So just remember to come and support our schools, guys, this is really important,” concluded leadership student Victor Hernandez-Vega as he sat back down in his seat.

I already knew I was going to be there. I was in band, and had signed up to play at the rally after school that Thursday. But I couldn’t help looking around the classroom to see if any of my classmates felt the same urge to support the cause.

“When is it again?” asked a girl sitting next to Victor, who responded “After school until 5:30.”

And so I went through my day in anticipation. I practiced the rally songs in sixth period band

Then came a stream of teachers and parents who spoke, sometimes through tears about the education of their kids and the kids of future generations who will be denied quality education if the board decided to approve the plan.

By far to me, the most moving speeches of all were given by the students, in whose pleading voices the burning passion for justice could be heard. There was not a dry eye in the house after the student speeches were said and done.

The level of support and community shown by the audience astounded me. When Negri cut someone’s speech short, the next speaker would finish it. Nearly everyone who spoke was given a standing ovation, or at the very least a roaring round of applause.

But after the last speech was given and the last of the applause died down, we realized that it was ultimately the board’s decision, not ours. So we waited.

Finally, the board commended us on our touching speeches and went on to tell us that the bill would have to be passed, “with reservations.”

There was a moment of poi-

gnant silence before a “boo” was heard from somewhere in the crowd. No one bothered to even look to see who it was. Suddenly everyone was collecting up their things and filing out of the cafeteria, many with tears that had not yet crusted over on their face. I was one of them.

The plan was passed.

Schools will be faced with more budget cuts and be forced to make even more sacrifices. Students’ education will be further compromised. Teachers will continue to find pink slips in their boxes. Kindergartners will be in a class with 27 other screaming 5-year-olds with one teacher trying to play crowd control. High school classes will be either cut or condensed so that we don’t get a quality education either way.

I just hope California wakes up from this nightmare and realizes how this will affect everyone in our community. Education is probably the single most important aspect of a culture; it paves the way for the next generation of thinkers and rulers and citizens.

Even families without children should see how it benefits no one if decisions are made to lower the worth and quality of education.

Lost in the moment of Junior Prom

By Melody Moteabbed

House said.

Some would say that spending that much is an affordable,

Staff Writer

It can arguably be called one of the biggest nights of a teenager’s life.

The 2012 Junior Prom, held in the gorgeous Casa Real in Pleasanton, was, in a few words, exciting, lively, and heart-racing.

From the pre-dinners and gatherings to the after-parties lasting long into the night, the entire day was one that the Junior class and its guests will look back on and remember, whether it be with fondness or disdain.

Nevertheless, it was a night that is not often repeated.

As if the place itself wasn’t already like a fairytale setting, with its Mediterranean-style architecture and inviting atmosphere, there was an exciting number of amenities.

Refreshments included an ice cream bar that was free and open to everyone, a bar (complete with bartenders!) filled with soda and juice, and, the huge favorite among the students, the chocolate fondue fountain.

There was even a quirky ice sculpture carved into the signature CVHS Trojan that students were able to put their drinks through and watch as they poured into their cups below.

While all of these things definitely did help make the night more memorable, it can be said that students will remember how much money they spent.

“ Even though everything else is expensive, I believe it’s basically mandatory for prom - it is a huge high school landmark, after all! ”

Melody Moteabbed / Staff Writer

Junior Prom was a night to remember at at the Casa Real Winery in Pleasanton.

Junior Starla House had no regrets over how much she spent

for the night. “I spent about $250, excluding the prom ticket,”

Kelsey Wood Junior good amount, yet much lower compared to how much other girls spent.

However, students did also

attempt to save money by borrowing.

Junior Kelsey Wood spent about the same amount, yet she borrowed a friend’s dress, shoes, and jewelry. “It definitely saved me a lot of stress, time, and money.”

When calculating the cost of everything else she had to pay for, such as her bus fee, nails, hair, makeup, dinner, corsage, and clutch, she came upon the conclusion that she spent a fair amount.

“I think it was reasonable.

Even though everything else was expensive, I believe it’s basically mandatory for prom – it is a huge high school landmark, after all!” said Wood. “It was totally worth it for the pictures and memories.”

While there are students who wished they had spent less, junior Jack Zhao said he wished he had spent more. “I spent a little under $600. All my other friends rented or borrowed suits, but I bought mine. I wanted to spend more for a Burberry tie, but I can only afford so many designer items.”

Despite all of these grand costs, the students did choose to spend as much money as they did.

The good thing is that no one regretted any grand totals. The bad thing is that students may or may not possibly look back on the night in the future and groan as they remember threedigit numbers.

Disney poppin’ up the stage for Pops

By Matt Talajkowski Staff Writer

Melody Moteabbed/ Staff Writer

Students dance the night away at Junior Prom.

Audiences walked away happily ever after at the end of CVHS Pops “It’s a Fairytale Life” this year, after the choir put on another fabulous show to entertain CVHS families and friends. Students worked especially hard this year to put on a show worth watching, and especially worth listening to.

With 22 Disney-based songs, and choreographed dances, this year’s show was a must-see.

“It was a lot of work, but this year was good, and I enjoyed it,” said freshman Chloe Billings.

The tale starts when Princess Adelaide (played by Jamie Thomas) feels the need to experience life away from her castle walls, shivering at the thought of having to go to another royal ball. But she gets no pity from her peasant servants, who only dream of living like a princess, so she runs away from home to find that she must rule the castle and stay with her parents. She promises to change the kingdom, so everyone will be able to live equally.

About 160 students put in many long hours to produce the show.

“Pops is a lot of fun, and I really encourage people to do it because

Matt Talajkowski / Staff Writer

Misha Brandeberry-Kiel sings his heart out in “I Wanna Be Like You” from The Jungle Book. it’s a fun show, and a lot of hard work goes into it,” said sophomore Kayla Cunningham.

While the princess is away, the poor dishwasher Peter falls madly in love with another servant girl, Hazel, only to find that she has no feelings for him at all. But the narrator, a fairy godmother character, turns Peter into a hero that Hazel cannot deny.

The choir felt this year was fun and refreshing for the annual Pops concert like the energetic breakdancing during the Tron scene.

“It was really interesting,” said

senior Johnna Murch, narrator and singer for the fairytale. “I’ve never worked with a cast this large before, but I got to know a lot of people and it was worth it.”

Besides working all day for the show, the students then come home and try to practice.

“My grade is definitely hurting,” said freshman Maya Para. “It’s hard work.”

After watching the show, I liked it enough to return a second time to see Castro Valley’s finest singers and dancers during this year of Pops.

What makes One Book reveals horrors of Iranian prison Direction beautiful

By Eva Chen Staff Writer

“Baby you light up the world like nobody else.”

Though Valentine’s Day has passed, guys are still looking for romantic ways to impress their girls. What’s a better way to do that than sing “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction during a nice dinner or picnic?

“The way you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed.”

Soaring off the charts in the UK, British boy band One Direction captures every girl’s heart with its number one hit “What Makes You Beautiful.” Starting as individuals who auditioned in X-Factor, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson were brought together to make One Direction. Sadly, they didn’t win X-Factor, but they did land more than a million of fans around the world. As individual singers, their voices amaze the audience, but as a group they introduce the listener to a contagious melody of love and sweet words.

“But when you smile at the ground, it ain’t hard to tell.”

In this past month, “What Makes You Beautiful” grabbed the attention of more than 47 million viewers in Youtube. The song starts with a little spice, upbeat music, and continues on with their heartthrobbing lyrics. This song just can’t stop from being played over and over again. Adding in the fact that the band is a group of pretty “cute” looking guys, girls just can’t help but get snatched in the web of One Direction.

“You don’t know, oh, oh, you don’t know that you’re beautiful.”

It’s overwhelming to think about how this boy band could become so successful. Having already debuted numerous albums, its songs finally reached the coasts of the US and began to capture American hearts. Now, even during a bathroom break, “What Makes You Beautiful” would be blasting through the speakers and echoing throughout the halls.

By Natalie Fazeli Staff Writer

In the book, Let Us Water the Flowers, author Jafar Yaghoobi explains the horrifically true story of his time as a political prisoner in Iran. Yaghoobi was an elite member of the political organization Fadaiyan Sixteenth of Azar, one of many groups against the rule of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Fadaiyan Sixteenth of Azar was formed in 1981, and had branched off from its parent organization, Fadaiyan, but both were extreme leftist groups against the regime.

Yaghoobi had been on his way to a meeting spot to talk to the leader of the organization when he was attacked by agents and taken to a prison. At first arrival, he had to wait for hours just to be signed in to the prison. With none of his questions answered, he was taken to the block with many other prisoners. He was to wear a blindfold at all times which just disoriented him further.

Finally, he was taken to a room where three men questioned him about who he was, what he had been doing, and who or

what he was affiliated with. The men were kind at first, until they realized he wasn’t going to tell them anything. They then gave Yaghoobi two options: tell them everything, or keep up his resistance and be tortured.

The men had made it clear that they knew all the information already, but wanted him to tell about the organization anyway.

Yaghoobi was given 30 minutes to contemplate his options.

“If I knew they had a piece of intelligence and just wanted me to admit it, then I was not going to be stupid and put my life on the line. If I thought they knew nothing on the issue, I was going to resist as much as I could and when I could not resist anymore, I was going to provide them with false intelligence to buy myself more time.”

His plan did not go over well and he was beaten, but he kept his beliefs and showed a strong sense of courage.

Throughout the book, Yaghoobi is transferred from prison to prison, beaten and tortured countless times, and suffers many hardships, but manages to survive and not be sucked into being a tavvab. A tavvab is someone who was once against the regime, but who repents and shows authorities that they are once again Islamic, in order to attain less abuse and time in

prison.

Yaghoobi pushes for a revolt saying, “Iran often is portrayed in the West, particularly in the United States, in a way that mainly serves the purpose of those bent on military action against Iran, whether for the destruction of Iranian nuclear facilities or for regime change engineered by the West…The millions of Iranians who flooded the streets in June 2009 to oppose the regime are perhaps the most graphic illustration of why this picture and ‘solution’ are so terribly flawed…Regime change is needed in Iran but must be done

by Iranians in their own interest, in their own time, and in their own way, rather than imposed by foreign powers.” He makes a point that this needs to happen not with America or anyone else, but Iranians.

In 1988, prisons were brimming with political prisoners.

The Islamic Republic decided to separate people into groups of reformed, who would be set free, or non-reformable, who would be killed.

Yaghoobi was set free by pretending to give in to Islam, and moved to America where he wrote this book. This is a great read for all people to see the horrors the regime has brought to many people, and one man who survived it all.

Magical Chime is a mystery for all The Vow calls for tears

By Suzanna Chak Staff Writer

Chime, a National Book Award Finalist, by Franny Billingsley is an amazingly different, magical, mysterious, and melancholy book. It takes place in the early 20th century in a town called Swampsea, which, as its name implies, has a swamp.

The book starts out with the protagonist, Briony Larkin, declaring herself guilty. She is on trial, though it is unknown to the reader for what purpose.

Briony flashes back to the past, when her stepmother was kind and supportive to Briony and her twin sister, Rose, while her father was distant, unsupportive, and a stickler for the rules. Sadly, her stepmother had died two months prior. Everyone believes that it was suicide, but Briony knows it was murder.

Aside from trying to find her mother’s murderer, Briony faces another problem. The residents of Swampsea are affected by Swamp Cough. There is no known cure, and people are dying from it. Only Briony knows the reason why, but revealing the truth means her secret will be revealed too, which would result in her being hanged. However, when her own sister is plagued

by the Swamp Cough, Briony knows that she cannot simply stand by and watch her die.

Her secret is perhaps the one that caused all her problems in the first place. Briony is a witch, and she will be hanged if that truth ever comes out. She has “second sight,” which allows her to see and communicate with creatures of the spirit world, the “Old Ones.” The fact that her father is a clergyman, and a rather strict one, does not help her situation.

Briony blames herself and her magical powers for everything that goes wrong in her life, like her sister ’s mental disability, her stepmother’s death, and her friend’s illness. This blame blossoms into self-hatred. Briony constantly reminisces about the days when her stepmother was alive, and how she helped Briony by telling her her true identity and helping her keep her magical powers under control.

The author tells this story

through amazingly descriptive and captivating writing that paints a vivid scene in the reader ’s head, with usage of figurative language to poetically convey Briony’s thoughts and her feelings. It is told differently than most other books; in this one, the protagonist’s thoughts make up a rather large portion of the book (more than most books), with bits of action intertwined in between. Although it may be a little slow-moving in beginning and middle parts at times, it is worth it to keep reading all the way to the end. The end is a wonderfully unexpected twist that will completely change Briony’s life and world forever.

Will the true murderer of Briony’s stepmother be found?

Will Swamp Cough be stopped?

Will Briony’s true identity be revealed, and what happens if it is?

Overall, this book is a terrific read. Chime is especially perfect for those who like fantasy and romance with a dash of mystery.

Staff Writer

will always give second chances.

The film features my favorite actress, Rachel McAdams, and the gorgeous Channing Tatum, who share an affectionate and natural chemistry throughout the whole movie.

Think of this: You spend one night with your significant other, and then, in just a blink of an eye, an accident occurs. When you wake up, you realize you are in the hospital and oddly enough, you have forgotten everything that has happened to you from the past five years of your life.

What will you do?

“Tragic,” “romantic,” “heartwarming,” and “humorous” are all adjectives to describe the movie The Vow. Inspired by true events, The Vow follows a young newlywed couple, Leo and Paige, whose lives change after the night of a car accident. After waking up from a coma, Paige suffers from terrible memory loss and forgets the past five years of her life.

The story unfolds as Leo tries to help Paige remember who she is and, most importantly, their relationship.

With a personality, Paige is desperately trying to figure out what exactly happened in the most important years of her life that made her become the woman she was before the car accident.

Throughout the many dramatic and emotional scenes, The Vow reminds viewers that in life, fate

The Vow has the right amounts of romance, drama, and humor that make the movie realistic and can make one shed a tear in the process of watching the film.

Besides the fact that the film had no major climax, I thought The Vow was an overall decent film.

Unlike many others who have watched The Vow, I liked the ending and how it was open-ended, which allows the audience to fill in the blanks of what happens to the characters in the end.

Overall, The Vow was nicely directed. I definitely recommend anyone to see it with friends, family or a significant other.

By Joyce Liang

CVHS swimmers splash to winning streak

Wrestlers pin down league title

By Rebecca Fong Photo Editor

Tim Pak / Photo editor

Matt Waespi comes up for a quick breath of air as he swims with determination.

By SangEun Choi A&E Editor

After a rewarding triumph against Berkeley High a week before, the Castro Valley High swim team once again defeated opponent Foothill High (girls 89-81, boys 134-35) at the first home meet on March 2.

“I think the team is going to have a fantastic season,” said coach Brian Berry, who had a positive outlook on the team’s imminent success.

“We’re expecting to win the league championship.”

The team has been the champions of the past four seasons in the H.A.A.L. (Hayward Area Athletic League) dual meets and

varsity girls have been victorious for four consecutive years while the boys have remained undefeated for the past six years.

“I want to do well in the 200 freestyle because I really want to master the pacing,” said Miles Teague, sophomore on the varsity team. “If I do that it would be a really big feat for me.”

“Transferring from Bishop O’Dowd, I was glad to experience such an exciting and fun team!”” said Kate Miller, a sophomore.

“It’s good to be back,” added senior David Gresham.

“As my last year, I’m looking forward to all the ridiculous things that will make me laugh!”

Tim Pak/ Photo Editor

Adam Fosdahl prepares for his race against Foothill High School to begin.

Boys Swimming: Castro Valley 134, Foothill 35

200 medley relay (1:41.38) Frank Horpel, Patrick Brown, Bronson Brown, Newton Tran 200 freestyle (1:55.33) Sage Curry 200 IM (2:06.23) Patrick Brown 50 freestyle (23.65) Bronson Brown 100 butterfly (54.62) Bronson Brown 100 freestyle (50.31) Frank Horpel 500 freestyle (5:31.80) Andrew Choi 200 freestyle relay (1:37.20) Sage Curry, Steven Heinsma, Victor Deng, Newton Tran 100 backstroke (1:01.78) Patrick Hassett 100 breaststroke (1:08.53) Sage Curry 400 freestye relay (3:31:65) Miles Teague, Victor Deng, Frank Horpel, Bronson Brown

Girls Swimming: Castro Valley 89, Foothill 81

200 medley relay (2:04.34) Lauren Wirdzek, Olivia Wallace, Mara Sleeter, Laura Macchiavello 200 freestyle (2:12.41) Rebecca Horpel 200 IM (2:35.10) Amanda Houston 500 freestyle (5:38.57) Kate Miller

Placing as the eighth top team at the NCS Wrestling Championships, the Trojan boys wrestling team members gave it their all to make their school and themselves proud. NCS boys wrestling includes 120 high schools across the state.

At the HAAL Championships which preceeded NCS, CVHS came out on top as the number one team out of seven. The winners of the HAAL Championship finals included: David Lazares, Matt Waespi, Sal Osorio, Matt Aquino, Andre DeCotio, Gyan Rusconi-Rodriguez, David Valladares, and Roberto Perez. All 14 wrestlers qualified to advance to NCS. Of those, the wrestler who made it the furthest in the league, senior Sal Osorio, took fourth place in his bracket when he won against Clayton Valley.

Senior Gyan Rusconi-Rodrigues said, “It’s a lot of hard work; you have to be committed, even in the off-season. You can’t put in less than 100 percent of your effort.” Rusconi-Rodriguez injured his ankle during his fifth match, but still placed in the top twelve of his bracket.

Coach Josh Wheeler in congratulations to his players stated, “The team worked really hard this year in trying to achieve their goals. Their performance was commendable and is a testament to their hours of dedication to the game.”

V i g o ro u s V i va c i o u s V i cto rs Jane Hong / Staff Writer

Madison Olivetti, Freshman Madison Olivetti has a passion for sports. This year, as a freshman, she has made the JV softball and JV soccer teams.

On the softball team she plays three different positions: second base, third base and shortstop. On the soccer team she plays forward and mid fielder which both require great speed and skill.

She has been playing softball for eight years and soccer for seven. That’s a combined total of more than fifteen sports seasons. “I like soccer because it’s fast paced,” she said about the game. This year she has played for the Castro Valley Soccer Club’s under-16 team, The Wolf Pack and the girls travel softball team, Synergy. To prepare for a soccer or softball game Olivetti not only practices, but makes sure that she puts her right sock on first.

Olivetti plans to play both sports for the rest of high school and hopes to make the varsity teams in the future.

Andre Lew, Sophomore Sophomore Andre Lew often imagines himself playing a tennis game badly just before his face-off with his opponent. As odd as it may seem, it always seems to make him play better. Lew has played tennis for about six years; he took a break after seventh grade and decided to start playing again this past year.

“When I was about seven years old, my dad forced me to play sports. So I picked tennis because it seemed fun,” Lew said.

He has always admired that tennis stands out from other sports in the way that it is the only sport in which you play back and forth between just you and your opponent. It’s this type of interaction that makes the sport particularly appealing.

Lew is currently on the JV tennis team for Castro Valley and this is his first year playing for the high school. He looks forward to playing in college and with his friends just for fun.

Sarah Gong, Junior The energetic and focused girl wearing a pair of double-upped socks while playing softball is junior Sarah Gong. After playing the sport for about 11 years, Gong has enjoyed being on the varsity team at CVHS. She was motivated to start playing the sport after all of her close friends started playing at a young age. Gong also stated that it was a great way to meet people and make new friends.

“Softball is also something that my dad and I had in common. We just liked the sport,” she explained.

Another aspect that attracted Gong to play was the fact that softball does not require much running, a task that she does not particularly enjoy.

Unless granted a scholarship to continue playing the sport, Gong does not plan on playing after high school. Once in college, she would like to try and focus more on her academic studies.

Colby Wright, Senior Senior Colby Wright is a great example of a student athlete who is passionate about the sport he plays. He is currently a varsity baseball player here at CVHS and has been playing this sport since the young age of five. Before each game or practice, you may catch him singing the presidents song to himself or peeling multiple bananas the opposite way as a means of helping him focus. While those antics may come off as silly to others, there’s no question that Wright takes the game seriously.

“Baseball’s a lot like chess: you have to think about the next move—or in baseball terms, think about the situation, pitch, or play,” he explained.

His diligence and determination recently led to the University of Kansas offering him a full scholarship to play baseball, which he committed to in the fall by signing his National Letter of Intent.

Olympian

The March 16, 2012

7

Leadership students help homeless

By Eva Chen Staff Writer

A group of 18 students from the CVHS Leadership class sought to make a difference in their community and got the opportunity to do so during their field trip to Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco.

On Feb. 12, the Leadership class took time off its schedule to help those that are less fortunate.

Glide Memorial Church provides food for people who are in need of food to feed themselves and their families. The church tries to help those around them by bringing them a safe place where they can interact and get back on their feet.

The Leadership class started

DANCE: from Page 1

Cheyenne Donatello / Staff Writer

Nadine Zokari moved to Yemen from the U.S. as a child but fled from the country after the revolution started.

From the U.S. to Yemen, then back

By Cheyenne Donatello Staff Writer

For the past year on the news, you’ve heard updates on the revolutionary wars that broke out in North Africa and the Middle East. But for some people, this is not just a story on the news channel; it is a part of their life.

Nadine Zokari was born in Bakersfield in 1995 as a U.S. citizen but moved to Yemen that same year. She attended the British International School where she studied Arabic and Islamic studies. Everyone knew Zokari around school.

“ I saw

violence at the start of the revolution.”

Nadine Zokari CVHS student

She grew up in a safe society with no violence, but when people in Yemen wanted a new leader, a revolution began. Ali Abdullah Saleh had been president of the country since 1978.

Rather than a president, however, he was more of dictator. He is vastly rich while the country is still very poor. Many believe that he stole money from the people of Yemen.

“I saw violence at the start of the revolution. The president started having people killed who asked him to resign, and he has

been president for 33 years,” said Zokari.

She witnessed many protests, but luckily did not see any of the shootings or know anyone who was involved. This once-peaceful place turned into a war zone, making it an unsafe place to live.

On an unforgettable night, Zokari came home and her mother told her that they were moving to the US and that her father could not go.

“I didn’t even pack my bags because I thought she was joking,” said Zokari.

Zokari and her younger sister were both U.S. citizens and their mom had a visa, but because embassies were closed in Yemen, her dad could not go with them.

On March 13, 2011, Zokari, her younger sister, and her mother moved to Delano, Califorina.

“I’m still shocked and surprised. I knew a day before that we were moving to the U.S.,” said Zokari.

Once they moved to California their traveling didn’t stop. They moved to Michigan, Bakersfield, and finally to Castro Valley. She does not find anything wrong with American culture but she says it is hard to like living here without the rest of her family.

She still talks to her dad often.

“Several times he’s called us, and we hear gunshots outside the house,” said Zokari.

With a new president in power, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, there are rumors that the revolution is coming to an end. Yet Zokari doesn’t believe that it will end soon since Hadi was the vice president to Saleh. Hadi was also the only person running in the election, so it was obvious that he was going to win.

It takes a courageous type of person to be able to adapt to a new life like she has done.

Even with all of these huge life changes, Zokari still has hope of returning home.

has to be done to stop this,” said history teacher Mark Mladinich, who recently chaperoned the make-up dance that was held in February.

Students are warned every year about what is and isn’t acceptable behavior at dances, but unfortunately these warnings have never seemed to make a difference. Because it’s very rare to actually see a student get caught and face disciplinary action for dancing inappropriately at a dance, not a lot of students seem to pay attention and many continue to ignore the rules. Even when the wristband policy was introduced two years ago, student behavior remained unaffected and the problem has persisted.

Adults have taken notice to the lack of change in student attitudes at dances and the school administration has been busy

LAYOFFS: from Page 1

their shirts, representing the 18 teachers who would be laid off.

A distressed teacher was not able to finish her long speech before the allotted three minutes each person gets were up, but a young CVHS student in the crowd finished it for her, causing glares by the school board.

“You make too much money,” student Austin Bruckner said bluntly to Negri. He questioned how the school board calls itself a team. “Team leaders to me… look out for the majority. Teams receive cuts. Take a cut yourself as you give cuts.”

Then it was the school board members’ turn to explain their side.

“I know it’s not fun to get pink slips, but unfortunately in today’s environment it is needed,” said board member John Barbieri.

“We are just planning for what we will find out in May,” said board member George Granger.

The school board has a May 15 deadline for the final budget of the 2012-2013 year.

Then it was the moment the crowd had been waiting for.

As the board all voted regretful yeses for the cuts, people booed and walked right at of the room.

Some left crying, others throwing up their papers as they walked out.

“Neither the board nor I like taking this action,” Negri explained.

its day at 5 a.m. and headed to the church that was filled with people. There they split themselves into teams of three. Each team had its own job, such as washing dishes, serving food, and passing out utensils. They interacted with people who they normally wouldn’t interact with and became aware of how those less fortunate still manage to keep a positive perspective in life by showering the volunteers with kindness and compliments.

“Interacting and watching those people made me realize that they weren’t very different than us; they just had a rough spot in their lives,” commented Emma Woidtke, a sophomore in Leadership. contemplating new ways of actually coming up with a policy

“ We have a

responsibility to keep students safe... ” Nick Whitaker Student Services Coordinator

that will end the shenanigans.

While nothing is set in stone for next year, one thing is for sure: change is coming.

“We have a responsibility to keep students safe and make

RALLY: from Page 1

of other districts who came to advocate the protest.

California Teachers Association President Dean Vogel was one of the many speakers at the event who discussed the community’s frustration with the district’s budget decisions.

“This district is cheating you out of the quality education that you deserve,” Vogel addressed the crowd. “And anybody who doubts that for a minute just has to look at the figures.”

Other speakers included concerned students, parents, and teachers, such as Charles Reynes, Castro Valley science teacher and former California Teacher of the Year, and Carey Sanchez Para, a current CVHS parent and a classified school district employee.

Reynes explained how school teachers work tremendously hard to help students receive a valuable education and how they deserve permanent jobs.

“The fight that we’re fighting

Each day, the church has to produce and serve food such as eggs, ham, tangerines, bread, and coffee to more than 700 people.

They have a kitchen staff of about 30 people, but need the help of at least 60 volunteers. This experience not only can change the view of the people around them, but can also make people appreciate things that they have in life.

“Walking into the church, I felt wary about the people around me, but walking out, I became more comfortable with them,” commented Emma Hancock, a senior.

By taking on this experience all students came back with something that opened their eyes to the world around them. sure parents are happy. What we’ve done in the past two years isn’t working. There’s going to be some changes, definitely,” explained Whitaker.

“What’s probably going to happen if the administration really wants to get serious about this is they are going to have to get tough and start sending kids home,” said Whitaker.

While one can understand how and why the administration and staff feel the way they do, when students were asked how they felt about the issue, the overall response is a totally different view of the spectrum that administration should take into consideration.

“Although some kids do take it too far, it’s usually all good and clean fun for us. Our school’s staff should just realize it’s just how dancing is nowadays. Not only at our school but everywhere else,” said senior Ashley Torres. is for our children; the investment we’re making is for our children,” said Reynes.

Sanchez described the effects that education cuts have had on her daughter ’s school experiences thus far. She recalled how last year at Creekside Middle School, her daughter was able to visit the school library once a week, but as education cuts continued to be made, this activity was minimized to once every other week, and eventually once a month.

Students present at the rally shared their thoughts about the event as well as the current school programs with regard to the budget crisis.

“I think it’s really important that we have electives that can help us grow and discover what we like,” said junior Katie Braninburg about the courses offered at CVHS. “To the degree that we can stand together and stick together, we can win,” Vogel told a cheering crowd.

Vote for your future CVHS leaders on March 27-28 during the primary at lunch in the courtyard! Bring your ID card.

ASB candidates: President Vice President

Victor Hernandez-Vega

“I believe that I should be voted for because I have been and continue to be passionate as well as dedicated to student government and overall to our student body.”

Josh Hicken

“I thoroughly believe I possess the necessary presence and fast pace decision-making that make me a more qualified candidate for ASB president.”

Kenji Pinzon-Shigeta

“I have an extensive amount of past leadership experience which will help me excel as ASB vice president.”

Secretary

Caroline Clemente

“I am already dedicated to this job and I understand the outline of the position.”

“Being a secretary requires an extensive knowledge of language, speaking, and leadership that I have picked up after a year of leading the CORE Speech Group here at the high school.”

Treasurer

Khush Jawandha

Caleb Kim

“I help manage my family’s business, Pizza Express, which has taught me things such as accounting and management which make me a great candidate for ASB treasurer.”

Justin Liu

“My perspective encompasses the values and goals of the student body and as ASB Treasurer I will use what authority I am given responsibly to further our schools success.”

Shivani Lal

“I will bring fresh ideas and strong leadership skills as well as experience working with budgets.”

School Board Representative

Eunice Jung

“I will make sure the student body is represented the way it deserves to be and be a constant reminder of how important the students are.”

Rix Linayao

“Students should vote for me over my competition because I have previous experience with board meetings and House of Representative meetings.”

Class of 2013 candidates: President Grace Cho

Vice President Elise Ackerman Su-Lin P. Terhell

Secretary Emily Nguyen Melissa Young

Treasurer

Gabrielle (Gabby) Ko David Avila

Class of 2014 candidates: President

Felicianna Marquez Omi Richardson Jasper Ryan Lee Alexandra Esparza Sarah Lee

Vice President Jennie Hankins Angelina Parra Claudia Tang Diamonique Threat

Secretary Erin Cheung

Treasurer Jason Cheung Alyssa Kunesh Andre Lew Michelle Timm

Class of 2015 candidates: President Jenna Sparks

Vice President

Alyssa Roque-Rodarte Joon Kang

Secretary

Brandy Border Janessa Tsang

Treasurer

Alejandro Gonzalez