March 8, 2013

Pg. 2

Are dances Pops 2013 worth the a sunny money? success

Reflecting on the importance of fun

VOLUME 56, ISSUE 7

Pg. 5

Pg. 6

“Heart of the Storm” delights audiences

Ice Breakers dodge to the top

An exciting end to the tournament

FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2013 CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546

WWW.CVHSOLYMPIAN.COM

Bill proposed to allow guns for school staff

By Hans Mortimer Staff Writer

Melody Moteabbed / Editor-in-Chief

Ovida de Julia signs a message to her students at the ASL show. Much of the show deals with overcoming adversity, a theme inspired by de Julia’s own fight against cancer.

Signs of love at the ASL show

By Melody Moteabbed Editor-in-Chief

At the end of the final showing of Bella and the Beast, this year’s American Sign Language performance, a special event rejuvenated the whole room.

Ovida de Julia, Castro Valley High’s longtime ASL teacher, came to the Feb. 9 show to watch her classes perform. de Julia, who has been hospitalized for cancer and absent from school since November, mustered her strength to come to the final showing. Her appearance gave a lift to the audience and her students who had missed her for several months.

“Once she started signing again, I felt at home,” said ASL senior Thien Huynh.

Normally de Julia plays a large role in the ASL show. In this year’s show, she explained, she was only a co-author. She constantly credited the students for creating the show themselves, especially recognizing director Trevor Olazabal and her daughter and script co-author Lavender de Julia.

“I initially wanted to write some notes before coming up here, but I decided I would finally come up here and say it all from the heart,” de Julia signed as an interpreter spoke her words aloud. de Julia spoke of her struggle against a rare cancer that doctors unexpectedly discovered when removing her appendix.

She apologized to her students, especially to the seniors, for being absent.

“These students stuck with me last year when I was beginning to feel more and more ill. I was throwing up, losing weight, and passing out,” she said. de Julia wanted to come and help the students for this year’s show, but revealed that the students needed her so much that they encouraged her to “stay home and rest.”

This year ’s show involved two themes, de Julia said: unconditional love and surpassing adversity. Both are reflected in her fight against cancer, she said.

credits.

The class was made possible by a grant from the Collegeboard and Google, which identified CVHS as a school with limited opportunities for students capable of AP level work.

Sean Fottrell, who will be teaching the class next year, explained the thought process behind the development of the class.

“Tech companies see a growing need for engineers, so they’re trying to reach out to groups who may not have thought about engineering in the past,” said Fottrell.

These groups, the target students for enrollment in the class, include females and students who

have not previously enrolled in advanced classes, though all are welcome and encouraged to join.

“The goal is to get people who might not have thought about AP before interested,” said Fottrell.

“A lot of people might not know it yet, but they will be interested in what they might learn. That’s what I’d like to see happen.”

Students can sign up for AP Computer Science when filling out their schedule forms for next year. Although the class will not be listed in the Program Planning Guide, students can request it by writing it in the space designated for elective, or they can meet with their counselors.

California Assemblyman Tim Donnelly put forward a bill in January that would allow for any trained school staff member to be armed. The bill is controversial.

Should there be armed school personnel on campus? Does CVHS need armed teachers when it has a School Resource Officer?

The Gun-Free School Zone Act of 1995 is a federal law prohibiting the public from carrying guns in school zones.

The proposed bill would allow each school board to establish a security department or a school police force that would provide training and arm school personnel using its general funds.

Armed personnel are meant to deter student-created violence and increase campus security in the case of an emergency; however, the identities of the armed personnel would be undisclosed, according to the bill.

The National Rifle Association supports the idea on a national scale, but the California Teachers Association opposed the bill. It suggested that funds instead be increased for counselors and health services for students.

“Putting a gun into the hand of every teacher in America will only only keep safe the profits of gun manufacturers and neighborhood emergency rooms,” said John Green, president of the Castro Valley Teachers’ Association. “The tragic shooting of two police of-

ficers in Santa Cruz in last month shows that even weapons, body armor and training won’t make a person safe from gun violence in this country so long as guns per-

“Putting a gun

into the hand of every teacher in America will only keep safe the profits of gun manufacturers.

”

John Green CVTA President

sist as being a part of our national culture.”

Students also had strong opinions about armed personnel on campus.

“I think it’s a good idea as long as they are trained professionals that know what they’re doing,” said senior Daniel Iong.

GUNS: Page 8

Flower Power

DE JULIA: Page 8

Computer science coming to CVHS

By Anya Keller

Business Manager Students returning to CVHS next year will have the opportunity to take a new Advanced Placement course, AP Computer Science.

The class will give students an introduction to computer science, and will teach them to program in Java. It will be offered to all juniors and seniors who are interested, as long as they have passed Algebra 2.

AP Computer Science will be offered through the math department, but students enrolled in the course will be able receive elective

Kate Pellegrini / Editor-in-Chief

Juniors show off their corsages from the Junior Prom held on March 2.

Formal dances are worth the cost Editorial: Dresses, tuxedos, hair, makeup, and shoes; these, among other dance necessities, don’t come as cheap as they used to be in previous years, leaving students to wonder if formal dances are really worth it.

The majority of us at The Olympian believe that this lavish expenditure is meaningful and worth the cost.

We believe that no matter how much one pays, whether it be $50 or $400, the formal dances at CVHS are meaningful to a student's high school experience. This four-hour event is spent dancing, laughing, and hanging out with special people that attendees care about the most, and it is the one night students can get decked out to look their best.

By Amber Yang Feature Editor

“This lavish

expenditure is meaningful and worth the cost. ” It’s understandable why some people don't agree to the outrageous prices some students pay for these dances.

However, there are always alternatives. There are organiza-

Stress isn’t always the enemy

Leia Saelee / Staff Writer

tions that donate dresses, such as The Princess Project, outlets to shop for less, and the good old-fashioned way of borrowing a friend’s dress or older brother’s tux.

The amount one pays for his or her special night isn’t what's going to make it special.

One’s attitude makes the night extraordinary. If one walks into prom with positivity, optimism, and an open mind about how the night will go, he or she is guaranteed a great time

and won't have to worry what others think, since no one will know how much money was spent.

After all, Junior Prom and Senior Ball are great ways to unwind after all the stress students go through. It’s a fun way to relax and take a break from schoolwork. So instead of panicking over the prices others spend for prom, keep in mind this is the one night students can party like it’s the end of the world.

In the vernacular of the human race, these three words are said so often that sometimes we can miss the deeper meaning of it. These three words make up an expression that is quite well known to everyone, especially students like me who are in the hectic midst of their high school and potential college careers: “I’m so stressed.”

I am a procrastinator at heart.

I will guiltily admit that you can always catch me at my locker or in class scrambling to finish my homework or studying for my test next period. I have a tendency to push things back until I get to the point where I realize I have so much work to do in so little time.

You may criticize, agree, or even laugh at my terrible study habits; the fact of the matter is, it’s the way I live and it’s how I learn things better regardless if it puts tons of pressure on me in a short amount of time. When I realize I need to get started on certain tasks, I get motivated from stress to focus harder and dedicate my-

self to the assignment, compared to my lack of enthusiasm when attempting to get a head start on something.

As a college-bound senior, it gives me anxiety to know that just a month from now, I’ll know whether I got in my top schools or not. The balance of academics and extracurricular activities are definite causes for stress and sometimes students like me may feel overwhelmed and emotional.

It's mostly a matter of perception. A roller coaster ride may be torture for some, while others race for the next ride. Multitasking or living in a hectic city environment is a thrill for some, but a confusing sensory overload for others.

Perhaps stress isn’t the enemy—maybe it’s how we deal with stress that matters. Stress will always be a natural, unavoidable part of life. The goal isn't an absence of stress by limiting how many things you want do in life. You simply just have to get through it. Channeling negative energy into positive energy through coping mechanisms such as exercise and deep breathing really has helped me whenever I’ve felt my stress levels were rising too high.

Let’s face it -- without stress, life would be a pretty monotonous existence. We may talk about cutting it from our lives, but we need those precious, powerful fight-or-flight hormones our bodies produce to help us jump back on our feet.

PHOTOpinions pinions By: Joyce Liang

The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2013 Editors-in-Chief....................................................Melody Moteabbed Kate Pellegrini Copy Editors..................................................................Reyna Garcia Joyce Liang News Editor..............................................................Michael Castillo Opinion Editor.................................................................Lily Carrell Feature Editor.................................................................Amber Yang Sports Editor.............................................................Emily Courchaine Arts and Entertainment Editor........................................Suzanna Chak Photo Editors................................................................ Natalie Fazeli Alexa Ludke Business Managers......................................................Matt Talajkowski Anya Keller Online Editor........................................................................Eva Chen

Staff Writers: Joelle Bassett, Olivia Berden, Cameron Beresini, Kelly Chan, Stephanie Huerta, Kristen Jensen, Reema Kakaday, Savanah Khan, Evan Kwong, Felicianna Marquez, Hans Mortimer, Amanat Riar, Leia Saelee, AnnaTalajkowski and MarissaWu Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

How do the high prices of Junior Prom and/or Senior Ball affect your willingness to attend?

“Although it is expensive, I wouldn’t mind paying for prom.”

Matthew Co, freshman

“It depends on the location. I don’t mind paying that much if the location is good.”

Emily Hui, senior

“I don’t mind paying for prom this year because the location is good and there are a lot of activities to do on the USS Hornet.”

Angela Low, junior

“I would rather have the dances be at a lower price, but I wouldn’t mind paying for prom or senior ball if it’s expensive.”

Victor Lee, sophomore

Olympian

The March 8, 2013

Homosexuality issue up to the BSA

By Michael Castillo News Editor

The Boy Scouts’ policy on homosexuality has been making some waves lately, and as a long time Boy Scout, I feel obligated to say a few things about it. Rather than pitch a fiery argument for either side, I would rather focus on providing some perspective from an insider, augmented by my personal opinions.

First comes the legal perspective, because no matter my or others’ personal opinions on the issue, the fact remains that the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is a private organization that has the right to decide who it admits into its ranks. Some would say that like a weight loss club would naturally reject members who were destructive to the group’s spirit of weight loss, the BSA has the right to disallow anyone they deem injurious to the mission of Scouting. They will claim that gay scouts openly joining the ranks of straight ones will distract the group from their activities and pose a risk of sexual harassment.

I believe this argument is mean-spirited and wrong, but ultimately whether the policy changes is up to the BSA itself.

As the Supreme Court found in BSA v. Dale, there is no valid legal argument to force an organization into accepting anyone it doesn’t want to. The BSA will have to change of its own accord.

The thing that most people don’t realize about the Scouts is that it’s a highly independent organization. That is, troops are run in complete isolation of each other with little guidance from the national council. Apart from some very basic rules that all troops must follow, each unit is essentially left to its own devices, often running with vastly different policies than other units, even those in the same local area.

This is how the current divide with regards to the handling of the national policy on homosexuality came to be. Some troops endorse it, others are ambivalent, and still more outright reject it, allowing openly gay leaders and scouts to join freely. I believe that this dichotomy is more of a reflection of the regional culture of each troop than an embodiment of national policy. In socially conservative parts of the country where homosexuality is generally frowned upon, Boy Scout troops don’t permit gay leaders to join.

In more liberal parts like the Bay Area, acceptance of gay members is much more common.

Nonetheless, the lack of a unifying endorsement of equality from the national council can create a troubling “Don’t ask,

don’t tell,” mentality, even in the most accepting troops, out of fear of running counter to BSA policy.

Gay scouts, much like atheist ones, are left out in the cold; they are admitted but disallowed from being open about their identity, and many become frustrated and quit. Others carry on, sometimes even achieving the highest honor in Scouting, the Eagle rank, only to later be found out and have all of their hard work revoked.

The fact that these Scouts are denied the fruits of their labor even after showing that they have all the work ethic, integrity, and leadership skills to be qualified, shows a disturbing lack of judgement on the part of the BSA. The actions of the national council reveal it to be an archaic, discriminatory group which gives the entire scouting movement a bad image.

Regardless of what I or anyone else thinks, this policy is in the hands of the higher ups at the BSA. It would benefit the organization immensely to adopt a more modern concept of equality. Frankly, it embarrasses me that this is still an issue in our society, but the Scouts has given me so much that I feel it would be wrong to denounce the organization completely.

Once you get past their stubbornness to change, the BSA is truly an incredible organization, one that has enriched the lives of millions of young people around the nation. I only fear that the leadership’s old ways have done irreparable damage to the entire scouting movement.

3

Gender roles should not define what we can do should make dinner. If you’re a man, are you supposed to be the breadwinner of the household?

“ Differences

By Savanah Khan Staff Writer

Everyone has that one certain task or chore that is only assigned to somebody because of their gender. But why is that?

We are all human and differences are the wonderful things that make us diverse. So why do we continue to let gender roles define who we are and what we are capable of?

Of course I agree that there are some things that a girl can do that a guy can't, or things a guy can do that a girl can't. For instance, guys can't bear children and most girls can't grow facial hair. These are facts and simply are not sexist. But the way we let minor differences run our lives is just completely ridiculous.

Because I am a woman, am I automatically supposed to do the laundry and clean the house, all before I cook dinner? How about you clean your mess, and I'll clean mine. Whoever gets home first

define who we are, they should never restrict us from becoming who we can be. ” My traditional gender role cages me to staying home, doing housework all day, and caring for children, instead of going out and having a career. And to reinforce these stereotypes, women still only make $0.70 to a dollar for a man in the same position. Men stereotypically have to be the big, strong, tough ones of the household without weaknesses. Yet, the way a man is treated if that front isn’t fulfilled is completely discriminatory.

Why can't people just do what they are good at and what fits for them? So what if a man wants to stay home and take care of the children? So what if a woman wants to have a career? People are people.

While differences define who we are, they should never restrict us from becoming who we can be.

Gender equality leads to true freedom in the world

By Lily Carrell Opinion Editor

In New Delhi, India, a 23-yearold woman was gang-raped and beaten while inside a moving bus on Dec. 16. According to the Washington Post, the woman was then thrown out of the bus and onto the street, accompanied by her male friend who had tried to protect her. Two weeks later, she died of her consequential injuries at a Singapore hospital.

Although a high-profile case, this attack was proven similar to numerous rape incidents in India, and has galvanized groundbreaking protests in response to the growing number of sex crimes committed against Indian women across India.

A three-member panel, formed to alleviate the outrage stirred by the rape incident, received nearly 80,000 responses after it called out for the public to send suggestions regarding India’s governance, reported the panel’s head Justice J.S. Verma.

Despite this obvious indication

of great concern for the safety of India’s women, Verma said that hardly any of the police chiefs replied to requests for reducing gender-based violence, rather addressing such proposals as “laughable.”

The horrific New Delhi gang rape - and how it has been essentially dismissed among other similar assaults - makes me ruminate on the status of which women are perceived and what could possibly justify the views that they are inferior to men. The degradation

of women seems ironic to me, for they are the reason that life exists and perpetuates. Without women, there would be no men to place on a pedestal and call superior.

However, needless to say, rape occurs everyday in many countries throughout the world. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) survey, 59 percent of women in rural Ethiopia have been subjected to sexual violence from their partner, and 62 percent of women in Peru have reported physical violence. Even in the

Lily Carrell / Opinion Editor

United States, nearly one in five women have been raped or have experienced attempted rape. Such statistics reveal the gravity of gender inequality throughout the world and the significance of ending this intolerance.

Not to say, of course, that all men are abhorrent sexists. Many men respect women and regard them as equal individuals with the same rights and abilities as them.

Even those who hold bias against women have the ability to change their views.

As maternal health program coordinator Suniti Neogy expressed, “Aggressive behavior toward women isn't innate. It's learned and can be unlearned. When prompted to reflect on their attitudes towards women's education, sharing domestic tasks, having girl children, and even violence, the boys and men I work with every day can and do change.”

As the great Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Woman is man's companion, gifted with equal mental capacities. She has the right to participate in the activities of man to the very minutest detail and she has an equal right to freedom and liberty as him” (Equal in Status).

In simpler terms, every human being is equal, and should therefore, have equal rights to “freedom and liberty.”

Men and women may not be identical, but that does not mean one should dominate the other. If anything, our differences should unite us in order to introduce a more balanced, equally represented perspective to our society.

Such equality will encourage an environment of love and respect for one another, an environment of beautiful humanity.

Ultimately, the expanding rape epidemic will only continue to persist until the world can redefine women as equal, independent individuals. Only when this is achieved, when women’s oppression in society is irrevocably brought to an end, can we begin to follow the impartial path to freedom.

MacLeod and MacLeod team up en español

By Anna Talajkowski Staff Writer

¡Cuantos más, mejor! The CVHS Spanish Department is now home to not one but two Profesora MacLeods. Canela MacLeod, daughter of well known Spanish teacher Gigi MacLeod, recently joined the CVHS staff as a substitute Spanish teacher.

The Olympian was lucky enough to catch up with both of these magnificent Maestras and learn more about their experiences, first reactions, and their future endeavors as a mother-daughter spanish-speaking teaching duo at CVHS. Olympian: How has it been so far, working at the same school together?

Gigi: It's been fabulous because we're teaching exactly the same classes....we think very much alike, so when she comes up with an idea, I love it, or when I come up with an idea, she uses it.

Canela: And the great thing about that is that we get to add onto each other's great ideas, add on to each others successes, I suppose. Yeah, it's been a lot of fun.

It's really helped me, because she's been here for seven years now, so she's taught all of the classes that I am teaching. Since she's my mom, she's willing to

Anna Talajkowski / Staff Writer

The MacLeod women, mother and daughter, are excited to work together in the Spanish department. spend time helping me, which I would not have if she wasn't, you know, my mommy! (laughs) Olympian: So how did this situation all come into place?

Did your mother encourage you to take the position?

Gigi: Wendy Hahn was pregnant and we needed a Spanishspeaking replacement, to take

over, and I said, “Well, I know a fabulous Spanish speaker!”

Canela: I had been working as a sub in other school districts and had tried to worked for Castro Valley before, so when I found out there was a position that I would be really qualified for, my mom and her colleagues really pushed to have me take over the

position. So I became a sub in the district one day, and about three days later I had the job.

Olympian: What were both of your reactions when you found out this job was actually going to happen?

Gigi: I just thought it was fabulous.

Canela: She never even imag-

ASL Show is a “good sign” for student spirit

Bella and the Beast delights and inspires

Child Safety contest seeks community participation

By Reyna Garcia Copy Editor

By Matt Talajkowski Business Manager

After people filled the theater, American Sign Language (ASL), students in Bella and the Beast signed across the stage, enchanting the audience with music and dance.

The play was adapted from the original story of Beauty and the Beast, to make it more relevant to the ASL students.

With deaf townspeople, a swan instead of a rose, even people who had seen Beauty and the Beast were on their toes.

The play begins with the transformation of a young prince into a hideous beast, acted out by Elliot Cosgrove, because of his ignorance. The beast must find unconditional love before his swan, Lily, sings her final song. While the beast loses all his hope in finding love, a girl named Bella, played by Amelia Vultaggio, and her crazed scientist father are living in a deaf

ined that she was going to be a high school Spanish teacher, and I never would have imagined that I was going to be a Spanish teacher either. When they said, “Hey, you're getting a job,” I had some concerns, because at my most recent job I was running a preschool. I've never done high school before, so I was nervous.

I was really excited to have the opportunity because I just knew I would have so much support here that if I ever was going to be successful as a high school teacher, it would be here. Once I realized, “Well whether you like it or not you're doing it, it's a new adventure,” I got really excited about it, and I've loved it ever since the minute I stepped into Profesora Hahn's classroom. I was like, “Okay, I can do this.”

Olympian: What’s in store for the future? What do you see looking ahead?

Gigi: I will continue to work here because I love it.

Canela: And I am very grateful to have had this opportunity, and I am going to personally thank every class I have had, because the students I have had have really shown me that teaching high school can be so much fun that I, when this placement is done, plan on going back to school and pursuing my teaching credential in Spanish.

melody moteabbed/

Editor-in-chief

Townspeople get their groove on in this year’s American Sign Languge Show, put on by the high school’s very own ASL department. town.

Another young man named Holmes, played by Miko Muse, falls in love with Bella once he sets his eyes on her and pushes all the other girls away in his attempt to capture Bella. But his ego drives Bella away.

Meanwhile, Bella's father gets lost and ends up prisoner of the beast and he can only be freed after Bella takes his

place. Bella’s father begs the townsmen to rescue Bella, but it only gets him placed in an insane asylum.

Although Bella is unhappy about staying with the beast, they learn to get along, eventually falling in love.

But it would not be Beauty and the Beast without Holmes, accompanied by a mob of angry townsmen, trying to rescue Bella from the beast at

the beast’s home Although the beast gets hurt, the townspeople see what they have done wrong and learn their lesson of unconditional love and acceptance.

A mixture of modern music and dance and a tale old as time, ASL's adaptation of Beauty and the Beast was a success as everyone applauded and cheered when it ended.

The Jenny Lin Foundation is holding a Child Safety Contest in order to promote child safety and youth musicianship in the community. The contest is open to all students in elementary, middle and high school. Students can enter by creating a project that improves the elements of child safety.

The project can be in any form, such as PowerPoint, painting, photography, video, etc. A paragraph no longer than 500 hundred words that explains the project's message should be included.

Participants should email the foundation at jhlin.sbcglobal.net

by March 15 with their intent to submit a project. The deadline for submission of the actual project is April 20 at PO Box 21150, Castro Valley, CA 94546. If a project can be emailed, it should be in .pdf format and emailed to jhlin@ sbcglobal.net.

Prizes will be awarded in each age group. High school prizes can be as high as $200.

Finalists will be notified by May 15 and invited to the Jenny Lin Memorial on May 24 at the Castro Valley Library where winners will be announced.

Olympian

The March 8, 2013

5

Vegging out at the new garden bar

By Joelle Bassett Staff Writer

Natalie Fazeli / Photo Editor

Dancers take on the rain and thunder in an upbeat dance number in this year’s CVHS Pops Concert, “Heart of the Storm.”

“Heart of the Storm” captures hearts

By Lily Carrell Opinion Editor

Smiling audiences left the Center for the Arts after seeing this year ’s CVHS Pops Concert, “Heart of the Storm.”

Taking a twist on the familiar “boy meets girl” story line, this year’s show incorporated weather-themed songs, like “Heatwave,” “Set Fire to the Rain,” and “It’s Raining Men.” With an intriguing plot, comical lines, and a display of talent, Pops 2013 proved to be a must-see performance that enlightened viewers about the meaning of love.

“I loved the feeling of performing on stage!” exclaimed junior Katherine Gaudinier, who became involved in Pops for the first time this year.

“I feel that this experience strengthened the bonds between us choir students and made us more of a family.”

“We really became like a family after working together for months to create a great show,” agreed senior Tiffany Wong. “Pops is an integral part of the CVHS choral pro-

gram and we are lucky to have it unique to the CV community.”

The show follows the growing love of the characters Rachel and Damien, who, when they first meet, feel an immediate spark.

As time passes, they are finally able to admit their love for one another and express their appreciation for having the other in their life. However, conflict strikes when Keira, a girl who also has feelings for Damien, attempts to end his relationship with Rachel. Damien’s loyalty is soon tested when Keira invites everyone to her house for a party and the two are left alone. When Rachel returns and sees them kissing, she storms off as Damien runs after her, trying to explain.

For weeks, the separated couple suffers from heartbreak, but manages to cope with the support of their friends, and of course, the comfort found within singing songs. As Rachel struggles with her newfound independence, Damien searches for a way to prove his love for her. The two are eventually reunited when Keira explains to Rachel that it was her who was responsible for the kiss, and that

she had only been trying to win Damien’s love by breaking up the couple’s relationship. Rachel and Damien realize that even though they may face challenges, their love for each other would remain strong.

From hit songs like “It Will Rain” by Bruno Mars to Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know,” the cast presented a truly radiating performance that proved entertaining for all. With beautiful harmonies, powerful solos, and wellchoreographed dances, it is unquestionable how much effort the talented students dedicated to producing such a spectacular performance.

“The Pops Concert is one of the hallmarks of the choir department,” said junior Christy Munson. “Although it’s a really challenging period in the year, it’s all worth it in the end once we show it to the community. It’s always wellreceived and it’s extremely gratifying knowing that we came together to prepare it.

Everyone involved gets to be a part of something really special at CVHS.”

At the beginning of the school year, a garden bar was added to the cafeteria. The garden bar is basically a salad bar with all different types of fruits and vegetables for students to choose from.

First Lady Michelle Obama led the effort to improve school lunch nutrition. All schools are now required to have these healthy food choices as an option at their lunch.

"The garden bar is set up so that the students will be able to get all the fruit and vegetable groups that might be lacking in their lunches," explained CVHS cafeteria manager Janet Roselius.

Roselius later explained how the staff is trying to purchase a lot of different types of greens in bulk so the students will have a variety to choose from and not just the same foods every day. However, the salad bar is only available to the students who buy lunch at the school.

The cafeteria staff is having a challenging time trying to figure out what the students really like.

"I'd like more fruits like mangos and pineapples and more kiwi," suggested senior Tia King. Many others also would like to see more fruits in the bar in the future So far the new program appears to be a success, and it looks like it will only get more popular from here.

Joelle Bassett / Staff Writer

The new garden bar in the cafeteria is set up so that students will be able to choose from a wide selection.

cvhs students bowl over the competition

By Hans Mortimer

Staff Writer CVHS Gamma team beat CVHS Zeta team 2-0 at the recent QuizBowl competition. Unfortunately, the Gamma team later lost 2-4 and did not qualify to move onto the California regional competition.

“Although our team didn't win that many matches, I really liked how nobody cared too much about winning. Even though we were competitive, it was all about the game and having fun,” said Justin Liu, a member of CVHS Gamma team.

CVHS hosted the QuizBowl competition, where eleven students from CVHS participated on two teams. There were a total of ten high school teams participating in the competition.

The winning teams were the Escobar Varsity team with a score of 6-0, Amador Beta team with a score of 5-1, and the Escobar JV team with a score of 5-1.

In each game, a moderator asked ques-

tions to teams of up to four players who constantly buzzed in answers.

The questions varied from poached eggs to the Tea Pot Dome scandal. It was tense in the room as questions were asked and answered. The games were fast paced but took about 40 minutes per round.

The teams competed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m with only a lunch break, concluding with a moderator vs. high school student match.

During lunch, the teams visited the local restaurants in Castro Valley.

At the end of the day, egos were bruised, but each player came out of the competition knowing a little more trivia.

“Everyone should compete in a Quiz Bowl competition, even if they don't think they're ‘smart enough,’ because many people know a lot more than they think they do,” said Liu.

Hans Mortimer/ Staff Writer

Sabrina Li, Kristie Huie, Justin Liu, and Belinda Liu pose intelligently for the camera.

Trojans duck, dip, dive and dodge

Evan Kwong / Staff Writer

Senior Evan Cardenas of Kyle Narahara aims at his target, determined to score.

By Evan Kwong Staff Writer

As flashes of green and yellow dodgeballs sped across the gym, students were pegged left and right at this year’s Dodgeball Tournament, which lasted from Feb. 11 to Feb. 15. The cheers of the audience were deafening as players sprinted across the court, determined to win as players maneuvered away from oncoming dodgeballs and threw them at maximum speeds towards opposing teams.

“I love seeing the copious amounts of athleticism and physical prowess that our athletes display,” said John Edwards, PE teacher and tournament referee.

Students such as senior Jesus Ornelas of 4 Year Survivor and sophomore Anthony Chew of

#NickDang have both demonstrated a great amount of athletic proficiency during the tournament.

CVHS athletes have not only shown their knack for dodgeball, but their spirit as well. Senior Kyler White of #NickDang, which won the award “Most Spirited Team,” ripped his shirt off to reveal his white fringe t-shirt with his team name on it when #NickDang was presented with the medals.

But although all participants exhibited the abilities and drive needed to advance through the competition, some teams had proved to be more fortunate than others. Teams such as The Teachers haven’t been as successful in the tournament, much to their dismay.

“Another year, another loss,” said history teacher Kevin Batchelor, who hasn’t seen his team

win a single game in the past five years.

Congratulations to all teams who participated in this year’s competition, especially to the Ice Breakers, who won the Dodgeball Tournament. Composed of seniors Joshua Ferguson, Joshua Hicken, Joshua Khan, Nicholas Walsh, Jamal Woodard, and freshman Matthew Barraza, the team dominated the competition all the way through.

“It feels good that we made it so far,” said Woodard. “Realizing our mistakes from the past four years was the best way to prepare.”

Beginning with a rocky start, the Ice Breakers relied on Walsh to make a comeback for the entire team when all the members were eliminated on their first game, and another comeback from Hicken during their second game. The odds truly turned in their favor during the final match of the competition.

Up against White Lightning, the Ice Breakers beautifully handled the first match of three for the finals, eliminating all of White Lightning without getting hit at all. White Lightning proved to be more determined to win the second match, crushing the Ice Breakers and pegging Walsh in the face at one point.

In the finale, members of both teams were slowly eliminated one by one, nerves racking as the audience grew restless and eager to see the winner. With Hicken and Barraza of the Ice Breakers on one side, and Cameron Niven of White Lightning on the other, time had eventually run out and the Ice Breakers had won the Dodgeball Tournament.

Successful end to a long season

By Reyna Garcia Copy Editor

Both CVHS wrestling teams did well as they wrapped up their seasons at the State Competition.

The girls wrestling team sent juniors Rebecca Busch and Alyah Thomas and senior Emily Courchaine to state where Busch placed seventh. She had previously placed third at NCS and first in the WACC, and she hopes to place even higher next year.

“I like that it’s an individual sport. It’s all me out there. If I win it’s because of what I did,” said Busch on her love of wrestling.

On Saturday, Feb. 16 at Arroyo High School, the boys wrestling team won the WACC with a total of 209 points, a 27 point lead over second place San Leandro High.

Wrestlers who placed in the top three for their weight class qualified for the North Coast Section Championship (NCS).

Eleven CVHS wrestlers qualified.

Cody Brazil and Alex Brown came in third for their separate weights. Dane Clemenson and Matt Aquino were second for their respective weight classes.

Daniel Wong, Keano Calderon, Diego Lazares, Nik Ramirez, Zack McBeth, Andre Decoito and Roberto Jauregui each won first for their separate weight classes.

Junior Diego Lazares placed second at NCS and was the only CVHS boy to move on to state.

“We had a good season. We’re league champions nine years in a row,” commented wrestler Jauregui. “Especially their amazing 220-pound wrestler who brought joy to them,” joked the heavyweight.

Savanah Khan / Staff Writer

Kayla Utley, Gabby Ko, Nick Lima, Monica Barrios, and Sasha Wallace sign their letters of intent for college sports.

A m a z i n g A m b i t i o u s At h l e t e s

Leia Saelee / Staff Writer

Hana Lui, freshman

Jorge Toro, sophomore

Garrett Lushington, junior

Julian Balanon, senior

For freshman Hana Lui, smashing the soaring birdie over the net releases a sense of victory.

Lui picked up Badminton three years ago when she watched her mother play. She’s stuck to the sport ever since, and eventually made it on to the JV badminton team.

Although it is only her first year on the team, she hopes to keep improving as she pursues this sport throughout her high school career.

“My favorite part about playing badminton is the feeling of getting the birdie over the net, and the adrenaline rush that I feel before I start a game. Playing badminton makes me, me,” said Lui.

Bodies crash to the mat and collide like bulls, but wrestling is just the sport for sophomore Jorge Toro. Toro is in his second year of wrestling and he enjoys the aggression and competitive nature of the sport.

“This is the hardest sport.

A lot of sacrifice, a lot of hard work, but in the end it pays off,” said Toro.

His mental toughness doesn’t appear out of nowhere. Toro fondly conveyed gratitude for all the support he receives.

“The team helps me out alot.

The coaches and everyone support me,” said Toro.

Outsmarting his opponents and winning as a team is all part of the game for junior Garrett Lushington. The mental and physical aspects of baseball are what mainly keeps his interest.

Lushington has been playing baseball for 12 years and currently plays as a pitcher for the school’s baseball team.

Committed and passionate about his sport, it’s not just about winning, but winning as a team.

“The best part about baseball is the idea that no matter how good or bad the individuals on a team are, there’s always a chance at winning as a team. The team has become my second family,” said Lushington.

Four years of wrestling and senior Julian Balanon’s love for wrestling is still alive and thriving. To Balanon, wrestling is challenging mentally and physically and it is fun.

“I like competing and I’m definitely aggressive,” said Balanon.

Modestly, Balanon revealed winning about 15 times and his biggest accomplishment was placing first in a wrestling tournament.

Balanon’s favorite move is the double-leg takedown. With much Trojan pride, he also carries a supporting bond with his team.

“Wrestling is a real sport!” said Balanon.

Season Ends for Basketball Team Trojans fight hard but are defeated in the end

By Stephanie Huerta

Stephanie Huerta/ Staff Writer

Derrick Clayton pauses to catch his breath during an intense game.

Staff Writer The CVHS varsity boys basketball team played their last two games of the season against Berkeley High on Wednesday, Feb. 13 and against Bishop O’Dowd Friday, Feb. 15.

The pressure was on for the seniors, as it was senior night when they played Berkeley.

The energy of the game was

felt from every corner of the gym, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats waiting for every pass, block, and shot to be made.

With many great shots and amazing blocks, the game came to an end with a final score of 70-64 with a loss for CVHS, keeping them out of the playoffs.

With the O’Dowd game a few days away and a loss on their second to last game, the team knew it was time to step it up and give it their all despite it being the last game of the season.

The boys put in all they had against O’Dowd and in the end it was a very close game. The final score against O’Dowd was

68-85 with the win for O’Dowd.

With a frustrating loss, the boys knew they had given what they had and tried their best.

The season ended with a 1313 win-to-loss ratio. The boys felt the struggle but didn’t give up because they knew they had many people still cheering them on.

“I feel like on Wednesday we didn’t match the intensity that we did on Friday. If we had played like we did on Friday we would have beat Berkeley,” said junior Derrick Clayton.

It was a difficult end to the rough season, although there were many great victories that haven’t been forgotten. The team looks forward to a fresh start in next year’s season.

Another great girls soccer season comes to an end

By Kristen Jensen and Reema Kakaday Staff Writers

The Trojans had a wonderful run with two hard-fought wins in the NCS girls soccer tournament, but their post-season run was cut short in the semi-finals.

“When we won our first game, we were all ecstatic! It’s like all the work we have put in finally paid off, and that’s the best feeling ever,” junior Anushka Singh said.

For a majority of the first game against Dougherty Valley, neither team scored. But even with the brutal cold wind and lacking their usual “mojo,” the girls never gave up.

Coaches, parents, friends, and teammates gathered to cheer the girls on. It looked like their support and cheers fueled the girls to push on through, because right in the last 30 seconds of the game, Jazzy Edwards scored with an assist from Mariah Ford.

The Trojans’ 1-0 win advanced the girls to the second round of the NCS tournament.

The second win did not come easily, either. Although CVHS

scored early in the first half, Freedom High School came back in the second half to tie up the game with a penalty kick.

The remainder of the game was a race for the game-winning goal. Freedom brought a physical game to CVHS, and tripping and falling was seen throughout.

Ironically, this turned to the Trojans’ advantage. Late in the second half, fouls were called on Freedom four times for tripping CVHS players. This led to a penalty kick for the Trojans. The goal, made by Emma Spears, was the deciding goal.

The Trojans kept up a tough defense that lasted until the end of the game, giving CVHS an ecstatic victory of 2-1.

“The game was very intense,” said Miranda Nild, a starting sophomore on the team. “Freedom brought out a physical game and we had to match up.

It took a while for us to get to playing our potential.”

The Trojans have won 20 games this season and played the San Ramon Valley Wolves on Feb. 20.

“The feeling of going to semi-

finals is incredible. We have worked so hard to get to this point and now that we're here we are ready to play our best,” said Nild.

However, to the great disappointment of the team, the Wolves aptly proved why they had been undefeated throughout the year. Although goalie Suhani Abdullah made a valiant effort with six saves, it wasn’t enough to help the Trojans defeat the Wolves.

“Although we didn't finish with the outcome we wanted, we fought hard and put up an amazing fight against an extremely talented team,” said the sophomore.

Idso of SRV scored in the first half and her teammates Vandevanter and Stamates scored later in the second half.

The Wolves won, 3-0.

Despite the tough loss, Abdullah’s enthusiasm and gratification for her fellow players was evident. “I am so proud of my entire team and what we’ve achieved this season, especially our seniors who played their absolute hearts out.”

Reema Kakaday / Staff Writer

Maryann Nguyen leaps in front of her opponent for a header.

Reema Kakaday/ Staff Writer

Senior Leah Sparks looks to steal the ball away from her opponent during one the season’s last few games.

8

Olympian

The March 8, 2013

BSA considering repeal on gay ban

By Natalie Fazeli

By Anya Keller

Photo Editor

Business Manager

After the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” by the United States military, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) are also considering repealing their ban on gays. But for now, no gays are allowed as scouts or as adult scout leaders.

The BSA says it "believes that a known or avowed homosexual is not an appropriate role model of the Scout Oath and Law.” When reciting the Scout Oath, boys pledge to be “morally straight.”

Kristen Jensen / Staff Writer

A Vietnam veteran listens in to a heated debate on gun control at the Castro Valley Library.

Local forum discusses gun control

By Kristen Jensen Staff Writer

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary is still prompting discussions about gun control.

One such talk was held on Feb. 10 at the Castro Valley library.

The gun control forum, sponsored by Starr King Unitarian Universalist Church, contained five panelists and a moderator.

Each of the five speakers took turns expressing their views on gun control or issues related to firearms.

The first speaker was Alex Kobayashi, the district director from the office of California State Senator Ellen Corbett. As the most politically involved panelist, Kobayashi expanded upon current firearms laws and new proposals and bills concerning firearms. One such bill was AB202 proposed by Assembly Member Tim Donnelly, stating that some school funds may be used to train school marshals in the use of firearms.

The second speaker was Tony Shah, the director of student services of the Castro Valley Unified School District.

Like Kobayashi, he was not so concerned with the pro-gun/ anti-gun argument as he was with school safety. He stressed the schools' increased efforts to increase crisis training for the staff and the district's efforts to reduce bullying in schools.

Shah did not support hiring more officers to patrol campuses, nor did he support the

training of marshals in the use of firearms. He advocated hiring more school counselors than armed policemen, arguing that counselors were "a more proactive approach" to the problem of violence in schools.

The third speaker was Darryl Ray, a self-labeled "gun owner, church goer, and moderate liberal." His overall message was that he supported more regulations, but not to the point where they become unreasonable and stifling.

He did not support banning certain firearms versus others and did not support gun registration being used as public information. However, Ray stressed his willingness to work together with those of different views in creating new gun control laws.

"We need to try and understand the different views and work together," he said with conviction.

Members of the audience bobbed their heads in support.

The fourth speaker was Griffin Dix, the co-president of the Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence, as well as a holder of a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology. Dix talked about a wide array of statistics that claimed that more gun control led to less gun violence.

Much of the audience seemed to hold different degrees of disdain or support for him because of his insistence on gun control.

He especially supported closing loopholes in current laws.

The fifth and final speaker was the only woman on the panel, Lorrain Taylor. She was the strongest and most charismatic of the

panelists, speaking in a strong, clear voice and using her personal experiences to bolster her anti-gun agenda. She is the founder of 1000 Mothers to Prevent Violence, an organization focused on decreasing gun violence, especially against children.

She supported gun education, gun dealers trained to detect those with mental illness, prevention of criminal use of firearms, and the closing of loopholes in the gun laws.

She was met with some titters from the audience but garnered support for her main intent of protecting children.

"Whatever it takes to save lives and kids," she ended passionately.

Although not a rousing success with the younger generation (the audience was made up mostly of the middle-aged), the forum was nonetheless interesting. Even though most of the panelists held the same position on gun control, they had different variations and reasons for supporting their positions, and the audience reacted to them more commonly than not with mumbled snarky comments and huffs of disapproval.

They were allowed to ask questions after the speakers had shared their views, and the forum officially ended when the audience was given the opportunity to sign different petitions and proposals concerning gun control online.

“We as humans

shouldn’t have to keep our mouths shut about who we love. ” Billy Bradford

“Get Equal” Organizer “Requiring the BSA to accept a member whose homosexuality contradicts the organization’s oath, requiring members to be ‘morally straight,’ would force members to associate with homosexuals against their moral beliefs,” argued the scouts in BSA v.

Dale, the 2000 Supreme Court case which upheld the scouts’ right to exclude homosexuals.

The BSA claimed to worry that homosexual scout leaders would try to be physically sexual with scouts.

“The policy should read no

DE JULIA: From Page 1

Plan to renew landscape after trees axed

de Julia reminded the students that she loves them and thanked them for the love they have shown her.

She stated that her obvious adversity is her battle against cancer, yet she also pointed out that everyone has to struggle with challenges and roadblocks, reminding everyone to count their blessings.

“When I watched her performance, I was reminded of what’s important and how there will be different adversities we all have to face,” said Huynh.

ASL junior Nikki Su agreed.

“The bond we had up there on stage is real. That night made me realize how much ASL and Ms. de

the space, although it may not actually be the final blueprint.

“There are safety considerations. The red maples shed and we are concerned there will be an issue with the leaves,” said Assistant Principal Matt Steinecke, who was in charge of the contest.

“I just submitted a design for fun and went according to the suggestions,” said Major. Her design proposes that the logs from the old trees be used as benches and that there be a raised bed, as well as alternate pathways.

“I wanted use the logs as benches in order to preserve the

Senior Grant Lin opposed the bill and noted that armed personnel do not address the underlying causes of student violence.

“While having an armed police marshal on every campus seems a reasonable response to school shootings, after careful inspection, there are numerous hidden costs which are counterproductive to limiting the number of children injured and killed at school,” Lin said.

“The threat of police violence will not deter students from committing school shootings. If anything, the knowledge of police will

By Marissa Wu Staff Writer

After the trees between 200 and 300 halls were removed, there was a lot of empty space.

Students and staff alike were able to submit designs up until Feb. 15 to propose what they thought the new landscape should look like.

Out of the five submissions, the winner was Cathi Major, House Four secretary. Her design will be sent to the district office to be reviewed and her ideas will be used to influence how to use

original history of the school because those trees have been there since the school opened. The raised bed is near the courtyard, and people can sit on both and talk to their friends,” she said.

The alternate pathways would also be immensely helpful, as passing periods can be crowded and slow moving.

Since her design is not the final blueprint, the two things Major would like most to be included are “the pathways and the benches, because the benches help preserve the school’s history,” she said.

GUNS: From Page 1

sexual molesters, not no gays,” said Billy “Equality” Bradford of “Get Equal,” a national civil rights organization. “Many men, like Jerry Sandusky, molested boys, but were heterosexual.”

Individual troops can and sometimes do choose to overlook homosexuality.

The BSA organization is considering changing the rule so that individual troops could choose whether they should allow gays to join.

“I think that Boy Scouts should get a vote in their troop,” said Boy Scout Travis Engstrom about letting gays join the BSA. As a result of the present policy of the BSA, homosexual boys have to hide their sexual preference and “stay in the closet,” so as to not deviate from the policy.

“We as humans shouldn’t have to keep our mouths shut about who we love,” said Bradford.

“These scouts are not only learning about leadership, but also that their feelings are wrong.”

The BSA argues that it is a private organization that should be allowed to run the way it sees fit. The BSA has “the freedom of a voluntary association to choose its own leaders,” said George Davidson, a past lawyer for the BSA. The BSA was founded in 1910 and is more than a century old.

There has been a religious connotation in the BSA policies from the beginning, which may interfere with any secular and non-religious agenda. Many consider that fundamentalist Christian theology is preventing gays from joining.

“Just as ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ has been relegated to the trash heap of historical intolerance, just as marriage equality will soon be a reality, one day we will no longer have to discuss gay rights and we’ll focus only on human rights,” said Bradford.

Julia have impacted my life, and how important they are to me.”

During her appearance, de Julia bravely maintained her composure while the majority of the ASL students on stage shed tears.

“The doctors don’t know if I’ll be able to come back,” she said.

“What I do know is that no one can define my life. The only person I know who can define my life and future is me and God.” de Julia gave medals to her students while she signed the words to the song “A Thousand Years.”

“I’ve been holding this song for two years. It doesn’t matter what happens to me. I will always love you all and hold you in my heart,” she signed as her students and the audience members cried alike. drive them to take more drastic actions, to take more careful planning to ensure their success,” he said.

Junior Erika Pendleton worried about how the personnel might use the gun at a school. “Even qualified officers can have something that sets them off, and it’s unsettling thinking that a kid is in the same environment with a gun,” she said.

However, Chabot College student Chamberlain Nelson said that schools are not meant to be a place that promotes guns. “Additional weapons on school campuses will not promote a safe environment, but will potentially promote additional violence,” he said.