March 4, 2016

Weirdest story ever Page 4: Origins of AP Econ revealed

Volume 59, Issue 7

Trojans shoot down Jets

Deadpool dominates theaters Page 6: Marvel makes magnificent movie

March 4, 2016

Page 7: Girls team wins league title

We are born to seek the truth! www.cvhsolympian.com

Are two lunches better than one? Staff, students differ Combined lunch could happen daily in the future

Unpunished cutters extend long lunch lines

By Caitlin Forbes

By Laniah Lewis

City Editor

Do you like combined lunch?

There is a possibility that next year, instead of the divided lunch between upperclassmen and freshmen on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, lunchtimes will come together in a singular period for the whole school.

The aspect of a singular lunch has most teachers tremendously happy, because combining lunches has been a much discussed topic and has been debated for years between the faculty. However the students don’t share the same optimism

Editor-In-Chief

Two lunches might become one combined period next year. as the teachers, and dread the possibility of a more crowded, rowdy, and chaotic lunchtime.

A recent survey by the staff revealed that 60 percent of teachers wanted to eradicate the separated lunch that we currently have and have a single lunch period schoolwide.

Teachers in favor of the change believe that it would largely benefit the school. They argue

that a combined lunch would be inclusive, and allow everyone to have the ability to participate in special lunchtime activities.

In addition there would be fewer special schedules, and a combined lunch would ensure a normal eating time for everyone, instead of the very early 11:36 a.m. lunch period that upperclassmen have.

“Combined lunch is educa-

Halley Lin-Jones / Photo Editor

tionally and socially better for students. Students have access to all teachers at lunch. There wouldn't be a disruption of bells ringing during class, or kids in the hallways,” said social studies teacher Carmelina Frasca.

Combined lunch daily would allow more students to attend more clubs, because the clubs

See LUNCH: Page eight

During lunch, the cafeteria at CVHS can become a monstrous and unruly jungle as teenagers run around trying to purchase and devour food while socializing, all before having to return to class. This constant time crunch has led to an epidemic of line-cutting.

According to campus patroller Marcia Bergendahl, children who are more timid and relaxed are often victims to line cutting because the culprits use intimidation to keep them

See LINES: Page eight

Prom preview: magical but pricey night awaits juniors

Emily Salazar / Staff Writer

By Emily Salazar Staff Writer

Prom: A monumental and traditional moment for every high schooler. A time when a girl picks a dress and a guy rents a tux. Years down the road, you still remember the flowers, the flashes, and the smiles that everyone shared.

But memories take planning, and that’s exactly what the Leadership class has done for this year’s junior prom: lots and lots of planning.

“We started planning [prom] last year,” said Activities Director Michael Kentris. “We’re going to be having junior prom on Treasure Island in Building One.” Though the venue was chosen previously two years ago for another CVHS prom, the building on Treasure Island was too much of a gem to pass up, especially considering that the Trojans’ junior prom will be one of the last uses of the building overlooking beautiful San Francisco before its demolition. With schools from all over the Bay Area competing for venues, specifically in San Francisco, the Trojans’ snatch of the island’s building is a victory

in itself.

The theme and decorations, however, was a whole other journey.

“In the past we’ve usually done themes like ‘Under the Stars’ or ‘Midnight in Paris,’” junior class President Karen Tam commented. “But this year we wanted to do something different.”

The theme for this year's junior prom will be “Midnight in Morocco,” a theme that CVHS has never done before. Kentris goes on to elaborate more on the finer details of the prom planning.

“We decided on red and gold to tie in with the theme,” he said,

“We worked on the layout and the processing so students can get a quick entry.”

Though it seems as if the adults take the reins on planning, there is a lot of student input.

“Leadership is doing the center pieces, making the posters, and taking shifts to work during it,” Tam stated. “There’s also prom royalty and for that we have to collect the votes. During the event we’re also going to have a coat check and a check-in.”

Entertainment at the event will also lead on with the theme of the dance as Kentris listed the different options for juniors: “We’re going to have tarot card

readings, casino games, a Casa Blanco style going on, a soda bar, and of course a chocolate fountain.”

Even though it seems as if this year's junior prom is slightly more outlandish compared to its previous themes, there is no need to worry about the cost difference between this year's and last year’s range. The cost will be around the same as last year, staying within the budget.

How much each student spends on their own expense is another story.

Tam was able to give a rough estimate to the spending cost of every student: “Though it’s

different for everyone I would say about $300 to $400 for everything.”

The dress, tux, shoes, makeup, hair, manicure, pictures, tickets, flowers, promposals, dinner, and limo all added up per person.

Though many of these things could now be rented out, the cost of a person attending prom continues to astound everyone who comes across it.

But, as William McCullough puts it, “It doesn’t really matter if you spend $100 at some fancy restaurant or spend $5 at McDonalds because it’s prom and it’s still going to be special at the end of the night.”

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Combined lunch every day would lead to chaos

Editorial: Over the years, CVHS has been alternating between one lunch that includes all four grades, and two lunches that separate the freshmen from the upperclassmen. CVHS currently has three days of separate lunch on a traditional schedule and two days of combined lunch on block schedule days.

Many teachers are in favor of one lunch because it solves multiple issues including adjusted schedules, interrupting bells, hallway commotion, and more opportunity for student involvement in clubs. Among those things, lunch is a time for teachers to be available to their students for any help that they might need.

Also, some freshmen enjoy having lunch and socializing with their upperclassmen friends, which allows them to become more accustomed to the high school environment.

But we at The Olympian believe that the long lines for purchasing lunch will lead to a series of avoidable consequences for not only the school, but also the students. There are over 3,000 students at CVHS and over 800

of those students are freshmen who aren’t allowed to leave campus for lunch. The lines during traditional schedule days when freshmen eat lunch as a class already take quite a while to die down. Now imagine the chaos

chose to stay in Beginning Studio Art. There was something about the atmosphere and sense of freedom unlike any class I’d ever taken.

I only considered taking an art class because it’s a requirement.

I've seen students carrying large canvasses around campus and splattered paint palettes, rushing back into their classrooms to finish a deadline. I never thought I would be one of them.

Until I began Beginning Studio Art, I thought that being “good” at art meant having an innate talent by which an image appeared on a page. I enjoyed drawing, but I never considered myself talented enough to create something other people would like to look at.

Tasked with various prompts with the choice of various mediums, it was my goal to make the most of what talent I thought I had. I hated every minute of practicing how to shade. In Studio Art, being able to shade an image is the essential component of what makes your art look “good.” And that was a lot of pressure for a difficult task. I kept telling myself that I’d never be able to make good art, but somewhere in the midst of it all, I finally convinced myself that the only way I could improve was to shut out the voice telling me that I couldn’t draw.

Art is so much more than the finished piece. It's the quality of your brushstrokes, the natural light streaming in, the music that’s playing as you work— everything factors into your process.

I’m a beginning art student in an entry-level class. I’m still not that great. But I learned that my art means nothing if I don’t find it beautiful. If I can’t enjoy my art, it’s impossible to convince myself that someone else sees something worth looking at.

It’s all about perspective, and good art takes time.

Art has taught me to be patient. I have learned to make the most of my mistakes. It shows me that trusting the process concludes in a better outcome.

Looking back, I realized that I never chose art. In many ways, it chose me. That class has become my haven. It offers a break from traditional schoolwork that continually pushes me to create beautiful things.

It’s different kind of task that is not meant to discourage but challenge you to discover.

Art, in spite of the difficulties and inner struggles, has made me a better person. I don’t like to think of my life without art, because after all, it was always there. I just convinced myself that it wasn’t.

Finding solace in studio art

By Anastasia Le

Staff Writer I am halfway through my first year of Beginning Studio Art, but a year ago I never expected to find solace in charcoal stains and pencil smudges. This is the story of how I turned my grayscale life into one of vivid color.

Every student, in order to graduate, must take at least one visual or performing arts class. Some choose band, and others theater, but I selected AP Art History in the middle of sophomore year. I was interested in what the class had to offer, but utterly disappointed when the class didn't show up on my schedule.

I didn’t take it well. But I knew that I could always change my schedule once school started.

When it came down to it, I

Emily Salazar / Staff Writer

multiplied by three with only an extra five minutes added to the lunch period and three times the amount of students in line to buy lunch. Many upperclassmen students and some daring freshmen tend to flee the school

at the start of the lunch bell in an attempt to avoid the chaotic lines on block days.

Another bonus of separate lunches is that they keep more students on campus in a less crowded environment, so that they don’t always feel the need to go off campus and risk being late for class due to a crowded lunch line.

Having two separate lunches allows both the newly acclimated freshman class to become more accustomed to the campus and also gives upperclassmen the freedom to chose without the worry that they will not be able to get lunch from the cafeteria in time.

We at The Olympian believe that if the separate lunch schedule continues more students will be able to eat lunch in a reasonable amount of time, leading to less tardiness and issues with line cutting and excessively long lines.

Olympian staffers visit Sacramento

By Mia Babasyan Staff Writer

Filled in a conference room with professional journalists and newspaper publishers, four students from The Olympian sat along to listen to important state lawmakers voice their opinions on issues concerning California. The conference was held in Sacramento on Feb. 3 for the California Newspaper Publishers Association Governmental Affairs Day. The event brought up issues like the cost of living in California, climate change, education spending, and new technology.

As one of the students who attended the conference, I learned that you never know how interesting observing lawmakers can be until you experience it. The information from the conference is not usually a set of topics that high school students tend to hear about, however it was engaging when there are issues that affect the environment you live in.

We met several important people on our trip to Sacramento.

Senate President Kevin de Leon spoke with us for a short time.

He is very popular with journalists and it felt like an honor that we got at least a small moment to speak with him. Senator Hannah Beth Jackson (pictured with the author) produced a strong speech and was highly engaging.

Jackson brought up issues such as unequal pay, maternity issues, and the misuse of new technology such as drones. We enjoyed an interview with her as she was willing to speak with us and provided extensive information on the issues she had previously mentioned.

In an exclusive private interview, we met with Assemblyman Bill Quirk. Each of us asked Quirk questions that sparked our interests and related back to issues affecting our town and school. Like the other state lawmakers, Quirk had groups of journalists and activists wanting to speak with him.

The whole experience of talking and meeting with important figures made our trip feel very professional. It was a significant event to attend. Even though we were the only young adults in the room, it was a respective atmosphere. The Legislature members thanked those that attended the conference for the work they do to continue the newspaper industry, and we felt proud to have been part of it.

Should CVHS have one PHOTOpinions combined lunch every day?

By Stella Ho

“No, lunch will be too crowded. Freshmen and sophomores should have a combined lunch, while juniors and seniors have lunch together.”

Naomi Maruoka, freshman

“Of course not! If that does happen, I can guarantee that a lot of people would be upset. I for one wouldn’t want to have lunch with the freshmen.”

Brahim Diop, sophomore

“No, I don’t think it’s a good idea because then lunch will be packed and more kids would go off campus.”

Anshali Lala, junior

“I’m fine with that. I prefer the freshman lunch schedule anyway and since a lot of upperclassmen go off campus, it won’t really affect us.”

John Vega, senior

The Olympian March 4, 2016

Gender hierarchies plague society

By Sally Liang Copy Editor

In a recent interview, Rachel Maddow was questioned about her sex life. Playing smart, she dodged the question. This raises an important question as to how much gender impacts modern society.

Complex hierarchies, often maintained by long established relationships and organized by informal rules, represent a barrier to many women who enter the fields of business or politics.

The sexual objectification, physical subjugation and intellectual trivialization of women has deep psychological and political resonance. Because of our constant exposure to it, the media serves as the cultural base of society. The media creates a sense of impracticability, perpetrating the unrealistic standard of beauty that women feel the need to live up to. This in turn affects both males and females: females are told their worth is based on beauty, and males are told that this is the norm. Women are aware that they are being manipulated by the

photographs, but on an emotional level, they still feel diminished.

We see the inequality of both genders over the nation, where some men think it’s their right to cat-call (or objectify) women.

In addition, girls from a young age are taught that they must look like the women in the magazines to be good enough. Since these images are manipulated by a computer program, they will never be happy with themselves because they will never reach those ideals. Photoshopped images present fantasy as reality. It applies to photos of both men and women, but more noticeably to women who often need to have severe bone deformations (plastic

Society plagues us with the idea that men are superior to women in every aspect. ”

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surgery) to match these crafted images.

While ladies focus on enhancing their outer appearance, they fail to realize that many of them lack a voice in society. Hillary Clinton, as political leader, is not judged by the issues she supports or opposes, but rather by how she is dressed.

“I want your viewers and anyone else who would be interested in this to ask themselves, why does the right and particularly the Republicans, spend so much time, money and effort through the media, through their advertising?” Clinton rhetorically asked.

When Clinton was first lady, she was attacked for being too tough because she did not want to bake cookies. When she teared up in New Hampshire during the 2008 primary, the public accused of not being tough enough. Later, when Clinton showed her frustration; she was accused of having a meltdown (code for hormonal).

But when a man gets angry, he's masculine, aggressive, in command and a leader.

Society plagues us with the idea that men are superior to women in every aspect. Women are constantly portrayed as the weaker, subordinate characters.

Through the media's lens, it appears as if men are always better than women, which allows for the boys exposed to this media to perpetuate the idea that women are inferior.

As women’s contributions toward a strong and vibrant society are increasingly well documented, understanding of why women’s meaningful participation is essential to building and sustaining democracy is growing. Women’s political participation results in tangible gains for democracy, including greater responsiveness to citizens’ needs, increased cooperation across party and ethnic lines, and more sustainable peace.

Where has the jazz gone?

By Gavin Halloran Staff Writer

Jazz is dead? This question has been in my mind for a long time as new music comes out from various artists. Awards are given, reviews and praise is showered upon pop, rap and contemporary artists. As a musician, I see the absence of jazz and wonder: where has it gone?

Taking a look at modern times, music has changed drastically.

From the rock revolution fusion, Latin, acid and smooth jazz have emerged as significantly different genres. In these genres, there is a larger focus on electronic instruments as opposed to traditional acoustic jazz.

There is no denying that jazz music’s fruitful and strong years as the world's source of popular music has passed. After the Bossa Nova, Hard Bop, and the Free Jazz movements, its focus traversed from popular dance music to intellectual listening.

As jazz became less marketable, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and The Jackson Five shifted into the popular music of the times. Rock music inadvertently focused less on musical complexity and more on lyrical and rhythmic appeal.

Jazz, previous to its final intellectual changes, had focused just as much on beautiful lyrics as its musical tastefulness.

In a way, rock abased itself in change to drive a larger focus on lyrics and emotional appeal. This is why an instrumentalist can’t play a pop tune without sounding the same after a chorus. A jazz standard, however, can be played

with or without a singer and still move a crowd to tears.

Jazz and its musicians constantly search for new and creative ideas. In doing so, jazz sacrificed its popularity moving against pop culture and towards a classical standpoint of appeal for a thinking listener. It is, however, false to claim that this is true for the entirety of jazz itself.

Throughout the constant progression of its music, jazz has left musicians in certain genres at different times. I myself have been left in the times of the 40s and early 50s. Primarily Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins keep their music harmonically complex but still retain the simple beauty of sound. Their music fuses with me like nothing else short of my faith.

I'm sorry to say that today’s modern jazz will drive away

youth and adults alike who haven't grown accustomed or trained to handle its advanced forms and techniques. Unfortunately, labels have been placed on jazz from its present state to apply to all previous styles and genres that it created before modern times. Jazz is claimed to be for the old, distant and intellectual. This is false. The beauty of this music is that it has rhythms, melodies, and sounds that would reach to all, in one way or another.

Jazz has certainly changed, and if you can’t see how that’s okay, maybe you have some growing up to do. In the end, the message of jazz has not been to exclude, but to welcome. Pick the style and times you love, perhaps even play some of it. Jazz has everything, for all, and will always be here.

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Support Sanders the Democratic Socialist

By Zach Deigert Staff Writer

Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are two people we’ve been hearing a lot from recently, especially if you have been listening to the Democratic debates. Both of them are running for president. The big question now is, who should Democrats vote for? While that question seems daunting, I assure you it is not as hard as it may seem.

In the fifth Democratic debate on Feb. 4 Sanders and Clinton went head to head, talking about how they are the same, and more importantly, how they are different. The moderators asked questions ranging from how many individual contributions they have made to what their views on ISIS are. There was definitely a variety of questions asked, and with each question Sanders and Clinton debated about whose perspective was better.

Some of the public views Sanders as an “evil commie.” Actually, his political viewpoint (called Democratic Socialism) was shared by American President Franklin Roosevelt, the creator of Social Security. Sanders is also known for wanting free health care and free tuition for public college. Many criticize this as impossible to do, yet if you were to just look at other

countries, many of them have free health care and free public college. Critics also emphasize the fact that he would raise taxes, but they do not tell you how much you would save on medical care.

One of the main reasons why I support Sanders is because he runs his campaign on small donations from people and doesn’t take donations from large companies or an affiliated Super PAC. He also cares about his supporters as shown when he helped a woman who fainted in the middle of one of his speeches.

Democratic Socialists believe that the economy and society should be run democratically.

This means meeting the public’s needs, and making sure that profits don’t go to just a few people. Most of all, they want a just society and the economy to be transformed such that ordinary citizens can participate in decisions that impact their lives.

Clinton is Sanders’ main obstacle to overcome before he can even be considered for election. Clinton’s main goals, if elected, are to increase minimum wage and level the pay gap between men and women.

Sanders shares these goals. So what is so bad about her? Not only does she lack political experience compared to Bernie, a lot of her fundraising comes from her Super PACs. This means that she is getting most of the money for her campaign from rich local and foreign companies. This has historically lead to a corrupted form of government.

I believe that Sanders is the best Democratic candidate we have this election. And hey, how great would free college be for all of us?

The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2016

Editors-in-Chief.................................................................Anna Nguyen Laniah Lewis Copy Editor......................................................................Sally Liang City Editor..............................................................Caitlin Forbes News Editor..............................................................Jacob Schoenfeld Opinion Editor............................................................Jessica Mi Feature Editor.....................................................Meiling Zhang Sports Editor................................................................Martin Baez Arts and Entertainment Editor............................America Morales Photo Editor........................................................Halley Lin-Jones Video Editor........................................................Desiree Broome Graphic Artist........................................................Neo Diesta Business Manager........................................Brittany Bracy Staff Writers: Mia Babasyan, Nina Bessolo, Elizabeth Chan, Zach Deigert, Lauren Eisenman, Gavin Halloran, Stella Ho, Molly Koch, Anastasia Le, Sarah Nosseir, Fiona Richter, Diego Rodriguez-Peccorini, Emily Salazar Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

“Paw”sitive student fosters puppies

By Jacob Schoenfeld Staff Writer

Yennie Wong is a junior at CVHS who, in her free time, selflessly looks after foster dogs until they get adopted.

“I just thought it would be kind of fun to take care of dogs, and it’s a nice feeling when they get adopted,” said Wong.

Wong participates in the Love and Second Chance program to get the foster dogs that she watches over until they are adopted. The Love and Second Chance program helps put abused, neglected, and homeless dogs into the hands of fosterers like Wong.

“They tell me which dogs need to be fostered and they fly the dogs here from China, and when they come I pick them up and just take care of them like they’re my own dog,” explained Wong.

She has been fostering dogs since last summer, and so far she claims that it is a rewarding, but tiring experience.

Wong has a dog of her own, and has had the pug for many years. This is where she has most of her experience with dogs, but it has also lead to an issue.

“Sometimes it’s difficult be-

Rambunctious, radical Roth-Rossi

By Sarah Nosseir Staff Writer

Elizabeth Chan / Staff Writer

Yennie Wong spends time in her backyard with her dog and her current foster dog. cause the foster dog doesn’t get along with my own dog,” she claimed.

Another problem is the unpredictability and lack of training of the dogs that she receives, and having to care for them.

“I’m probably going to take a break after a few months,” said Wong, “because after a while it gets kind of stressful, because some dogs aren’t potty trained or they don’t get along with my dog.”

Though caring for multiple,

often untrained dogs at the same time may be strenuous, she believes that it is worth the great feeling that comes along with it.

Wong intends to continue working with animals and caring for them in the future. “I actually want to be a vet when I grow up, or something that involves biology and animals,” said Wong.

Wong also has her eye out for schools such as UC Davis and UCLA for her future learning.

David Roth-Rossi: a man, a teacher and a legend. If you are a student, or even teacher, at CVHS you’ve probably heard of the name Roth-Rossi at some point, whether it be a conversation about his good looks or his great teaching. However, there’s more to Roth-Rossi than meets the eye.

He is the only AP Economics teacher at CVHS, as well as being the one to start the program. This means he did all the legwork such as devising a curriculum, taking his proposition to the administration, and getting it approved by the district.

You may be wondering why Roth-Rossi took it upon himself to do all this extra work, just to teach a class that only exists in one period a day. It was more than just a love for economics that inspired him to start this class, it was a dream like no other.

“It was a hot day, so accordingly I went to bed with the window open to invite a cool summer nights breeze into my room. I fell asleep to the sounds of cars as they passed and to the calls of non-exotic animals that do well in semi urban areas like small birds, raccoons and such,” said Roth-Rossi.

“That night I dreamt I was a pistachio in the hand of a beautiful middle aged woman with dark hair and striking features,” he added. “She finished cracking open my already split shell and suddenly I was self-conscious of her gaze on my naked body. It was as if she could see into my soul, knew my deepest darkest secrets, my dreams and aspirations. We did not speak. We connected on a level so profound that no words could possibly do the moment justice. Plus I was a pistachio and nuts cannot talk. Then with no warning that deceitful minx

ate me! I woke up then dripping beads of sweat and grabbing for sheets as if to pull myself from the well chiseled jaws of death. It was at that very moment in my bed, scared and alone, I knew I must bring A.P. Economics to Castro Valley High School,” Roth-Rossi finished.

“Mr. Roth-Rossi is a very unique person, unlike any teacher I've had before. He manages to make his class informative and fun, a difficult task for most teachers,” says esteemed AP Economics student Kareem Nosseir.

This echoes the collective opinion of all of Roth-Rossi’s students, who feel lucky to be a part of the enjoyable experience that makes up his class.

It has not always been smooth sailing for Roth-Rossi. In 2010, during the recession, he was very nearly laid off by the school district and in 2012 he almost quit teaching to pursue his dream of becoming a Tupac impersonator in Las Vegas, he said. Luckily for students and for Vegas vacationers, Roth-Rossi remains at CVHS. Roth-Rossi has consistently led his AP Econ students to success, receiving averages of 3.8 and 3.6 on the AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics exams, respectively.

As you can see, there is much more to this man than meets the eye. Get to know him at your own risk.

The Olympian March 4, 2016

CVHS students get a “Global Glimpse” of the world

By America Morales A&E Editor

Have you ever stopped to appreciate the world you live in? Have you ever wondered what daily life would be like for other people around the world? Most of us do not realize how fortunate we are to live in a developed country and take for granted the advantages we have. It is hard to imagine what life would be like in an underdeveloped country much different than our own, and it isn't until we experience for ourselves what it would be like that we start to appreciate all we have.

Students at CVHS are fortunate enough to participate in Global Glimpse, a service learning program designed to give students the opportunity to see a piece of the world that isn’t already developed like the United States. Students are eligible to travel to countries such as the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua or Ecuador.

Through the program, students are placed in different communities where they learn by helping these communities become more sustainable. They learn about different cultures, practices and the basic needs of survival specific to that commu-

America Moreales / A&E Editor

CVHS junior and senior ambassadors enjoy a Global Glimpse workshop. nity. In addition, students teach English to the people of these different communities and participate in a project where they are told by the people of the communities what they need help in and then decide what it is they will do to help.

In charge of running the program this year is Erika Ikemoto, who has not only traveled to

Central America but is also very excited to be a part of the program.

“It’s an amazing opportunity and it is life changing,” explained Ikemoto.

The program is only available to juniors so they can talk about their experiences with other students and share what they learned on their trip.

and giving random kindness that puts a smile on your face.

As a member of ARK, you could earn community service hours, an opportunity to make new friends, and give kindness.

CVHS offers a variety of clubs from Anime Club, to community service clubs, and Writing Club. According to Zoie Sanders, a member of Writing Club, “We are changing our club president for second semester.”

This could bring new changes to the artistic and creative club.

Popular clubs that many join at CVHS are Key Club, DECA, and French Club. Key Club offers community service, while DECA provides an experience or an inside look at how the

business and marketing world works. However, a purely fun and insightful club on French culture and language is the French Club. According to Gabby Williams, a regular French Club member, “French Club wants to continue to welcome newcomers and promote French culture and language.”

Clubs at CVHS welcome all while providing a fun and interactive way to learn about new subjects and provide an opportunity to make new friends. You can become a member of ARK by going to their meetings on Fridays in 904, Writing Club in classroom 501 on Wednesdays, or French Club in 917 every other Tuesday.

Club Day creates happy commotion

By Elizabeth Chan Staff Writer

What do you do in your free time? Are you in a club or thinking about joining a club?

Well, second semester club day was the answer. If you were thinking of joining a club such as Acts of Random Kindness (ARK) or French Club, you definitely should.

According to Jonina Balabis, the president of ARK, “We are definitely going to boost up the activities we do and we really want to try to leave a lasting impression and make sure we maintain club of the year like we did last year.” ARK is a club that focuses on not only community service, but leaving

Olympian Man conquers Junior Prom

Neo Diesta / Graphic Artist

In order to join the program, students must be nominated either by teachers, counselors, or ambassadors (students who participated in the program the previous years) for having noticeable leadership qualities needed to help others. After being nominated, students can apply to see if they truly qualify to be part of Global Glimpse.

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“I didn’t feel like a tourist, I felt like someone actually being able to experience the culture and come back three weeks later and feel the connection to Nicaragua,” shared ambassador Ryan DeCarsky.

Those who are selected travel to these countries for three weeks during the summer. The whole trip costs around $5,000.

Global Glimpse guarantees every student $1,000 and offers scholarships so that everyone has an opportunity to go.

However, only about three to four students are allowed to participate. They want to mix up the number of students per school because they want to minimize any influences on the students. In this way, students can have their own experience without feeling obligated to be who they are at school.

“I’m really looking forward to the cultural aspect of seeing how people live other than in the Unites States, Europe, and these other developed countries,” said Julia Portillo who will be traveling with the Global Glimpse program this summer.

“It’s a really amazing program because of the opportunities it brings our students at Castro Valley High School,” said Ikemoto.

Family in need of help after accident

By Gavin Halloran Staff Writer

Wayne Pantley, father of junior Kian Pantley, was involved in an accident and has been paralyzed from the neck down.

The family is seeking financial assistance in the crisis.

Pantley was away in Tahoe attending to work. During his stay on Jan. 16, he slipped and fell, creating a clean break within the neck. He has been interred in a San Jose hospital.

Pantley will be returning home shortly, regardless of the fact that he still has regularly scheduled appointments. Due to the frequent trek, the Pantley family will need to procure a van to transport Pantley. The home will have to be heavily renovated to adjust for the current immobility of Pantley.

“House renovations such as a new shower that can access a wheelchair, a new toilet, and the

ramps we have to build to replace stairs are around $15,000.

None of it is covered by our insurance,” said Kian.

“The future of his condition is up to his body. Doctors say we can’t know his fate until after a year. He may or may not gain full bodily function again. We just have to take baby steps,” said Kian.

The Pantleys are now in severe debt and will have to reach into Kian’s college fund to assist in the current bills.

The most remarkable thing to note about this ordeal is that Kian and his family remain in good spirits. Kian has kept a strong, assiduous attitude.

“If I have learned any lessons in the last month, it is that life is unexpected, but it is a gift that we are lucky to have,” said Kian.

If you would like to help the Pantley family please visit their GoFundMe page here: https:// www.gofundme.com/q9t5vd8s

Super halftime performances

By Molly Koch Staff Writer

As we all know, Super Bowl 50 was held in the Bay Area this year on Feb. 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Although the game may have seemed to drag on, the halftime show was a nice break from the fight between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos.

Coldplay started off the show with a mashup of their songs “Yellow” and “Viva la Vida” while lead singer Chris Martin interacted with the crowd. The band later performed “Paradise” which included fireworks, a large array of color, and even a bit of

help from the crowd. The crowd held up posters in many colors that spelled out “Believe In Love.”

I thought the creative thing about these posters was that if you looked closely, they had holes so people could still watch the performance while holding them up.

Shortly after, Bruno Mars came out with his group of dancers and performed “Uptown Funk.” But the show really sped up when Beyoncé came out with her group of dancers. After performing her song, Mars and Beyoncé had a sing-off with “Uptown Funk” and “Single Ladies.”

Towards the end of the show, Coldplay performed “Clocks” while a montage of past performances were played on the screens. After, all acts got together and closed out the show.

Overall, I think all acts kept up the energy and made for an entertaining halftime show.

Your mind will be Deadpool anything but dead blown in Noggin Neo Diesta / Graphic Artist

By Diego RodriguezPeccorini Staff Writer

Deadpool happens to be the most spectacular Marvel superhero movie so far, and one that many fans have been waiting for. The movie shows actor Ryan Reynolds play the role of Wade Wilson, a mercenary who spends his time at

a bar with a betting pool with odds on which patron will die next (hence the name he adapts later in the movie, “Deadpool”).

As time passes, Wilson discovers he has cancer. Desperate and out of options, he encounters an organization that offers him a cure. However after the painful procedure he becomes horribly disfigured. Another effect of the procedure gives Wilson incredible regenerative healing powers and strength, thus making the infamous antihero we all know and love.

With Reynold’s constant energy and his ability to break down the fourth wall, this

movie definitely deserves any praise that it receives.

With that said however, it should be mentioned that a spinoff movie like this would understandably be different than most other X-Men movies you may have seen in the past. With Deadpool’s “colorful” language and the additional violent/explicit scenes throughout the film, this would definitely be a good film to see with a few of your buddies and not your parents.

Even so, this great movie is a ton of fun and will keep any movie goer entertained the whole way through.

Adjust and accept the transition

By Fiona Richter Staff Writer

No, it’s not the story of a young baker: The Danish Girl is a 2015 movie based on a book about the life of Lili Elbe. Elbe (Eddie Redmayne) was one of the first known people to undergo a sex-change operation, and the movie chronicles her transformation and her relationship with her wife, Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander).

The Danish Girl is an amazing film. Its beautiful shots and costumes make it aesthetically pleasing to watch, and the story is very interesting. Though it’s not entirely historically ac-

curate (many details of Elbe’s life were fictionalized for the book) the movie brings a largely unknown story to the general public’s attention. It also offers a very positive view on transgender identity without transphobia. Elbe has a strong support system of people who love her regardless of the changes she’s undergoing, even if they have to adjust to it first.

This movie is such an emotional journey. There were a few funny moments when the entire theater laughed out loud, but most of The Danish Girl is very intense. Because of the quality of the acting, you truly feel with the characters. Redmayne and Vikander both manage to bring their characters’ emotions across well using just body language and facial expressions.

Redmayne is such a strong actor, but remarkably Vikander shines even brighter. When

Wegener cries, you feel like crying, and when she smiles, you do too. The two actors play off each other so well that it’s very pleasant and satisfying to watch.

There was one more great character in the movie, Hans, played by Matthias Schoenaerts. He’s a friend to both Elbe and Wegener, and he helps them both with his supportiveness.

He also provides one of the best lines in the movie, saying to Elbe: “I've only liked a handful of people in my life, and you've been two of them.”

Sometimes good stories are ruined by the way they end, but this was not the case with The Danish Girl. The ending is fitting for the rest of the story, just as beautiful and moving. If you’re looking for an amazing movie to watch (it is rated R, however), make sure to get your hands on this one.

By Elizabeth Chan Staff Writer

Travis Coates, the protagonist in John Corey Whaley’s novel Noggin, is an average 16 year old boy, but with a twist. At the age of 16 years, Travis died of leukemia, but had undergone a newly developed treatment called “cryogenics.” In this procedure he had to be decapitated, because Travis’ brain was the only area which the cancer cells did not infect, and his head was frozen to preserve Travis’ brain.

After an amount of searching and time, Travis’ preserved head was put together with a donor’s body.

The story begins five years after he has undergone this procedure, while Travis wakes up groggy and confused. Travis remembers the procedure and is shocked to see his new body. Meanwhile he is newly famous, with both the

media and the medical industry for his “awakening.”

However, Travis isn’t quite in the world he remembers; he lives in a house where his parents have changed, and his best friend and girlfriend have aged five years.

His best friend Kyle, who has grown and evolved since the last time Travis saw him, but is still the same friend he remembers. After, we meet Cate, Travis’s girlfriend from before his procedure, who has matured, which provides a huge challenge for both them. However, while Travis isn’t thinking of the two, he attends his old high school which is a surreal experience for him, but still manages to make friends.

Throughout the story, Travis is tested with the idea of letting go of the past and growing accustomed to his new environment. A favorite part of mine is when Travis meets the family of his donor because it is such a touching and fulfilling scene for him. His challenges bring an endearing, funny, and emotional story together that is guaranteed to make the reader laugh, but also get a bit emotional.

Trojans blast past Encinal Jets to win league title

By Gavin Halloran Staff Writer

The Castro Valley girls varsity basketball team has fought hard throughout the season to build an undefeated streak. The Trojans showed no mercy in the championships against Encinal, defeating the Jets with a strong margin of 60-43.

As the first quarter came to a close, the Trojans were leading 19-9. The Jets possessed a team with large statures. The Jets used their height advantage to deter a Trojan score. The Trojan team would counter this with rapid and vigorous ball movement.

This would go to plague the Jets defense, clearing a path for an easy Trojan score.

“When we move the ball it shifts the defense and allows for more players to be open,” said senior Nina Bessolo.

The Jets continued to push the Trojans in hopes of victory. The Jets played aggressively through-

Gavin Halloran / Staff Writer

Ziyah Starks drives the ball past opponents for a lay-up during an intense game. out the game. As the game progressed the Trojans would continue to apply pressure making

the Jets falter. The Jets would go to cause 28 fouls in the game allowing the Trojans to score more

Micah Copeland, and Dante Sewell. After their special moment in the spotlight, it was game time.

The game started off strong; each team played fast and furious. During the first quarter of the game, the Trojans had the upper hand: they were leading 26-15. Adding on two points, Okwaas Muhammad changed a rebound to a layup. Although the Trojans had a huge lead, the Yellow Jackets began scoring.

Then something amazing happened. Throughout the last seconds of the second quarter, Thompson threw the basketball to junior Daniel Bessolo who scored the famous alleyoop, giving the Trojans a 30-24 lead.

Yet Berkeley caught up. The

Trojans made a lot of turnovers, which allowed Berkeley to grab the lead. During the last 33 seconds of the game, the boys varsity basketball coach Anthony Gedding called for a timeout.

After the timeout, the boys went straight for the basket.

Thompson passed to Johnson, who then passed to Fobbs.

Fobbs tried to make the pass back to Johnson, but Berkeley stole the ball. In the last five seconds of the game, the Yellow Jackets scored a fast layup. The game was Berkeley’s with a final score of 69-65.

With a 16-9 record, the Trojans advanced to the NCS playoffs with a game against Heritage on Feb. 23.

Boys take loss but reach postseason

Yellow Jackets sting Trojans, but team fights in NCS

By Lauren Eisenman

Staff Writer It was surely a night of charm. Families, friends, and almost the whole school came to support the seniors as the boys varsity basketball team played against Berkeley’s Yellow Jackets on Feb. 19.

Seven seniors were honored by their legacy: Lawrence Johnson, RahTawn Fobbs, Bryce Thompson, Trevelon Adanandus, Brandon Taylor,

than expected in a normal game.

Most of the fouls were caused by Encinal’s tall Destiny Kelly.

“Our biggest challenge was number two. It was really hard to guard her,” said Bailey Jones.

Throughout the game the Trojans pushed their unorthodox offense strategy with Bessolo scoring 19 points out of the 60 point game. Unfortunately the Trojans had played the Jets two times before the WACC championships. This would prove to be difficult during playtime from the Jets knowledge of the Trojan strategy.

“It’s our third time playing them so it's difficult when they know what we like to do,” said Coach Jim Lemmon.

Despite the challenges by the fourth quarter the Trojans were ahead by 11 points and the victory was inevitable. In the last minutes the Jets attempted to score multiple lucky shots, but failed to close the large score gap.

The Trojans would go to finish the game with a strong lead and even greater morale.

Trojans tennis takes loss to Dons

By Anna Nguyen Editor-In-Chief

In a close match on Feb. 24, the boys varsity tennis team took a loss to the Amador Valley Dons, with a final overall score of 5-3.

“It was a close match and we did the best we could,” said team captain Spencer Siu. The Trojans did especially well in their singles matches, winning three of the six games with senior Spencer Dong, senior Sanjeev Sinha, and sophomore E.J Stolmeijer being victorious.

Dong won both of his games, scoring 6-0 and 6-1 to win the match. Sinha defeated his opponent with scores of 6-2 and 6-2.

Stolmeijer scored 6-4, 6-7, and 10-8 to secure his win.

The Trojans faced more difficulties in their doubles matches, losing two of the three games.

The third game, played by seniors Siu and Josh Yuen, was called early due to darkness, although the two were leading at its end.

Regardless of the loss, the team has had a great start to their season. The match against Amador came in a series of three matches in a row for the On Feb. 23, the team was victorious against Washington High School, and on Feb. 25, the Trojans faced defeat against Foothill High School.

Their current record is 3-3.

“I know our team is going to go places this year,” said team captain Sinha.

S up e r S e n s ati o n a l Sp o r t St a rs

Nina Bessolo / Staff Writer

Amanda Decker

Amanda Decker is a freshman at CVHS who is on the varsity girls wrestling team. Decker has wrestled for four years.

After some pretty tough competition and hard matches, Decker said, “My ultimate goal is to make it to state.”

Decker has also learned a lot from wrestling, “Wrestling helped improve my confidence, and made me build a better relationship with my teammates,” she said.

Marcus Hopkins Marcus Hopkins is a sophomore on the boys basketball team. He has been playing basketball for four years. Hopkins is 6’9 with a wingspan of seven feet.

When asked about his highlight of the season Hopkins claimed, “ My highlight so far is probably getting at least three blocks a game.”

Because of his height, Hopkins plays the center.

“My personal goal is to go to college and then make a career of course, but if not I want to be a radiologist,” said Hopkins.

Robert Brue Robert Brue is a junior on the varsity baseball team. Brue has been playing baseball for nine years. His main position on the team is catcher.

Brue transferred from Bishop O’Dowd after his freshman year.

During the off-season, he played with a club baseball team called, EJ Sports Warriors.

“I want to play professionally,” Brue said. When asked what his goal is for the season, Brue said. “ I want to make it past the first round of NCS this year.”

Victoria Kiani Victoria Kiani is a senior on the varsity soccer team. She has been playing soccer for 14 years. “ I used to play for the Kickers when I was four, and it taught me to always try your best and work hard even when you feel like giving in,” Kiani said.

A highlight of her season at CVHS was senior night. “ It really made me feel special, and realized how lucky I am to have the people I do around me,” she said.

Kiani has committed to William Jessup University to play her dream sport.

Kiani will major in biology pre-med.

The Olympian March 4, 2016

LINES: from page one from complaining. Bergendahl feels it’s an issue that needs to be addressed since it occurs so frequently.

“It’s constant,” added Bergendahl.

Though Bergendahl has never seen line-cutting escalate into any other forms of bullying or physical harassment, she has seen how it aggravates a lot of the students.

“It’s annoying to see how rude kids can be to each other when they cut in the lunch line,” stated sophomore Katie Melkonians.

CVHS currently handles linecutting fairly loosely. As of right now, most kids are given verbal warnings and aren’t written up for detentions or anything like that. However, repeat offenders are often referred to an assistant principal and sent through the typical discipline plan.

CVHS uses a lot of strategies

to prevent line-cutting, such as hard glances from surrounding security and having Principal Blaine Torpey present during combined lunches to scare possible offenders.

The high school officials are considering a few ideas to help combat this problem.

Torpey mentioned that they will make it harder to cut in line by rearranging the design of the cafeteria. They plan to arrange the furniture in a way that protects the sides of the lines, making it harder to slip in through the sides. They also plan to make lines narrower in order to make it easier for security and administration to see who is attempting to sneak into the line.

“One of the ways we can honor one another is by acknowledging each other and linecutting doesn’t acknowledge people, otherwise we typically acknowledge people well here at CVHS,” commented Torpey.

Never too late to look for scholarships

By Meiling Zhang Feature Editor

After the dreaded season of college applications finally ends, high school seniors still have many essays and applications ahead of them. In order to help pay off the steep tuition of college, many students look towards applying for scholarships.

There are a wide variety of scholarships available to appeal to all types of students. Different organizations create scholarships based on need, merit, service, leadership, and more. General requirements include a low family income, a minimum GPA, essays, and teacher recommendations.

CVHS students can utilize the College and Career Center as well as their counselors, teachers, and assistant principals to receive information and guidance on the application process for scholarships.

On the local level, there is a stu-

dent scholarship created by Castro Valley Sanitary District. CVSan awards $500 to two students enrolled within the Castro Valley Unified School District (CVUSD).

The application asks for extracurricular activities, awards/recognition, employment experience, two letters of recommendation, and an essay. Current seniors are able to find the application at http:// www.cvsan.org/studentscholarship, and they must submit their application by 2 p.m. on April 1.

All CVHS students also have the unique opportunity to apply for Castro Valley Education Foundation Scholarships. There are about two dozen different kinds of scholarships available for students with varying purposes and prerequisites that range from $500 to $1,000. Anyone could also be a donor and potentially create their own scholarship. All applications are due on April 1, and more information can be found at http:// www.cvef.org/scholarships.

Current juniors graduating in the class of 2017 can start looking for scholarships as well! Applications for the Coca-Cola Scholars Scholarship open in August, and Regional Finalists can receive up to $20,000. Out of the thousands of applicants, 2,200 semifinalists are asked to submit additional materials and around 1,400 students receive some sort of funding, but only 250 students move on to be Regional Finalists with a guaranteed $1,000 stipend.

Juniors can learn more about the process and requirements here http://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/applicants.

Despite the extra essays and requirements, applying to scholarships is definitely worth it in the end. The excess funds could prevent stress and other issues for students once they begin college. All students should start utilizing their resources now to be able to receive as much help for college as possible.

LUNCH: from page one would have an option of meeting on any day of the week instead of being confined to two block days. In addition, it would allow students to join more clubs, which looks very good when applying to colleges.

However, many students see the negative side to combined lunches.

“Lunch lines will be terrible.

Freshmen need their own time to get used to the school,” said senior Vy Le. “I don’t want to be stuck with freshmen every single day, and the cafeteria would be too crowded,” said junior Christopher Trinh.

Do freshmen need time alone to get acclimated to the school?

Freshman Anna Tse thinks so, stating, “In all honesty I don’t think combined lunch is good. We already have it two days a week.

It’s not a good interaction between classes.”

Principal Blaine Torpey sees both sides of the issue. “I see the more primary reasons to change as simplifying our schedule so we have fewer special schedules, increasing student access to activities and teachers, and creating space for building intervention time into our schedule,” he said. “I see the primary reason against the change is the ninth graders losing their protected lunch time three days a week. I would also add that there is more space available to students when there is a split lunch.”

An Olympian survey of more than 100 students showed that 76 percent oppose a combined lunch and 84 percent support a separated lunch period.

However, 73 percent agreed with the faculty showing that a combined lunch would greatly benefit clubs. The survey also showed that 84 percent of the students do not feel like the separated lunch prevents them from enjoying lunchtime activities. Addressing the crowding issue, 81 percent of students said that the number one frustration that they have on combined lunch days was the overcrowded seating areas, with 75 percent saying that the increased traffic around the school causes the most frustration.

CVHS is currently polling students to get their feedback about the combined lunch decision.

However the school has not revealed a timetable as to when we will have a definite answer.

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