May 15, 2015

Golfland hits hole-in-one

“Utorpia” here to stay!

Page 5: Torpey becomes permanent principal

Volume 58, Issue 11

Page 6: Attraction “putts” on good time

MaY 15, 2015

Trojans sting Hornets Page 7: Team continues winning streak

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

A trip down the rabbit hole

School tries to save water in epic drought

By Halley Lin-Jones Staff Writer

alexander mcintosh

/ staff writer

Alice and the Queen of Hearts meet in Wonderland. See stories about the hit play Alice in Wonderland on page 4.

Drug, alcohol suspensions on the rise

By Maia Samboy Staff Writer

CVHS students have received 23 suspensions for drug and alcohol use in the spring semester so far, a dramatic increase from 14 such suspensions in the fall semester. The increase has the school administration and staff concerned for the health and safety of kids.

Although tobacco use by high school students has dramatically decreased over the past several years, the use of other substances such as marijuana, Molly (MDMA), and alcohol have increased. According to the California Healthy Kids Survey, the number of people who see student alcohol and drug use at CVHS as a severe problem has increased from 8 percent in the 2008-2009 school year to 21 percent in the 20132014 school year. Fortunately, the number of those who viewed tobacco use as a severe problem at CVHS was a 0 percent in both surveys.

It is hard to tell exactly how severe the drug and alcohol problem is at CVHS, but it is obvious to school administration that action needs to be taken.

“When we have multiple incidents over one month it definitely raises my concern,” said Principal

Blaine Torpey.

A plan including drug dogs and education about substance abuse is being devised to prevent drug and alcohol use in the future.

The first part of this plan was put into place toward the end of April, when Assistant Principal Jesse Hansen made a series of announcements warning students of the punishments given to those who participate in substance abuse on campus and during lunch, as well as other acts such as sexual assault and truancy. He also urged students to make good choices, despite the excitement of this school year coming to an end.

As for the drug dogs, “CVHS has drug dogs on campus once a semester,” said Torpey. The dog has not yet been on campus second semester, so students can expect to see one before the end of this school year.

The rapidly approaching Senior Ball, which will take place May 16, is generating particular concern. Measures will be taken before and during the ball to ensure the seniors have a fun, safe, and drug-free prom.

“Students are always subject to search,” said Torpey. “We’d also like to have a breathalyzer to create more awareness about having a safe prom.”

Security around the prom will also be increased.

Hopefully, a breathalyzer will prevent students from arriving to the dance under the influence, but there is one drawback to this protective measure: breathalyzers are only capable of detecting alcohol, so students under the influence of illegal drugs such as Molly would pass the test.

Although Senior Ball is the main focus of the school’s drugprevention efforts at the moment, plans concerning next year are already being considered. “We are looking to take a more proactive, educational approach starting next year,” said Torpey.

Students starting substance abuse may not be aware of the severe health consequences. Even marijuana, which is seen by many as “harmless,” can lower your IQ by eight points and increases your risk of a heart attack.

Along with health consequences, students will be made aware of punishments given to those who participate in the use of illegal drugs or alcohol on campus. These include suspension, expulsion, the inability to attend school functions such as Junior Prom and Senior Ball, and the inability to walk the stage at graduation.

With the warmer months quickly approaching, more attention is being brought to the growing severity of the California drought. The responsibility belongs to individuals as well as public institutions like CVHS in order to significantly reduce the statewide water usage.

In 2014, CVHS reduced its water usage by 13 percent. The school reduced its January usage even more in 2015, although its water usage is expected to increase during these coming months of May through September, which are typically the hottest months in Castro Valley.

“By far the largest use of water throughout the school district is irrigation of our fields and landscapes,” said CVUSD maintenance director Michael Miller.

Miller also explained that additional measures can be taken to increase reductions, such as being more proactive about fixing leaks and clogs in school equipment.

“As a school, the primary advice I would give is to be very conscious of the water you are using. Do not run faucets unnecessarily and report any problems you see,” said Miller.

More involved plans would require additional funding as well

as plenty of time to implement.

“Maintenance should have some plans to convert fixtures or landscapes” in order to save more water, said Ray Villegas, CVUSD energy manager.

Other potential plans for change include lower flow toilets and the creation of more turf fields throughout the CVUSD schools.

Governor Jerry Brown first announced that the California drought was a “state of emergency” on Jan. 17, 2014. Other than warnings in the news, little else was done during that year to back up Brown’s statement.

More recently, Brown issued an executive order which urged Californians to reduce their water usage by at least 20 percent.

As a school, CVHS needs to bring down consumption by an additional seven percent yearly to fulfill the governor’s recommendations.

Despite reduction efforts, CVHS still uses a lot of water each year. In 2013, the total usage at CVHS was 10,833 kilogallons of water, which was lowered to 9,375 kilogallons in 2014.

“Schools should be held accountable for saving water the same way that homeowners are. It’s a really good start, and it seems like the school really is trying,” said Deborah Yager, CVHS science teacher.

Students elect new ASB representatives

By Maia Samboy Staff Writer

Student elections have come to a close, and a new Associated Student Body and class officers have been selected.

The elections faced a small challenge. The preliminary voting period spanned two days, so a handful of students voted twice, once on both days, for their favorite candidates. Due to this, no names could be eliminated off the ballots for class officer elections. This resulted in up to five people running for one office in the final round of

class elections.

Next year, there will be extra caution surrounding the primary elections, and the voting period will only last for one day.

The ASB election results are as follows: Jessica Yin was elected over Konnor Callihan for president, Spencer Dong was elected for vice president, Emma Iredale ran unopposed for the position of secretary, Justin Kweon was elected as treasurer, and Riley McCullough was elected as school board representative.

See ELECTION: Page 8

2

Dire drought demands attention

Editorial: California has gotten little rain over the past several years and just recently Governor Jerry Brown issued a mandatory order for towns and cities to cut their water use by 25 percent.

We at The Olympian believe CVHS has gotten a good start at conserving water but we can and need to do better because we are in such a serious drought.

So far the school is trying to water the fields less and eventually fix the plumbing and leaks.

We believe that there are other measures the school could take to conserve water even more.

One way is to possibly use grey water, which is used water from the sinks, to water plants and fields. The sinks at CVHS are press on and high pressure water runs for a certain amount of time before they turn off. It may not seem like much, but if the school’s sinks didn’t give off as much or as high pressure water for a button press, a little can go a long way and many gallons of water could be conserved.

Besides the school’s effort to save water, students are expected

rachel du/ city editor

to do so as well in their own homes. We believe that students need to also participate in water conservation at home because the California drought is getting more serious with every month going by with little rain.

Not washing your car or wear-

Give happiness a chance

By Isaiah Siordia Staff Writer

Have you ever felt tired from school work? Stressed about upcoming tests? Stressed at home and school? Have no time for friends? If any of these questions apply to you, I have some shocking news. You need to relax.

I understand that the end of the year is approaching and the pressure is on to keep up your grades. I know how difficult that can be because if you are anything like me, it is harder to focus when you are thinking about summer, making the task of school work and homework that much harder.

Trust me when I say that through all of the stress, you need to take time for yourself. What is life if you are not enjoying yourself

ing clothes, such as jeans, more than once are activities that might not seem much, but not having a squeaky clean car all the time and wearing barely worn jeans more than once won’t hurt anyone and can really benefit the drought.

We know how much we love

Reach out and be heard

at the moment? It baffles me how people stress about minor things like school today because they want a better future tomorrow, but I say if it makes you happy now, then do it.

Drop the math book, get off of the computer, stop writing that essay. Go out and live.

We are so caught up in everything else in life that we forget to take care of ourselves. Why should you sacrifice your happiness today? What if there is no tomorrow for you? I don't want to die with regrets, so try and get more time to spend on yourself than school.

If you live to seek adrenaline then go for it for at least an hour a day. If you love relaxing in a bath, then do that. If you enjoy cooking, then fire up the stove and get cooking.

Just do what makes you happy, because in the end you only have yourself to blame for your unhappiness. Don't let high school be a negative experience just because you can’t take the time out of your day for yourself. You don't need those sleepless nights unless you want them. You don’t need the stress you carry, nor do you need to be filled with worry about the future because what matters is your happiness now.

By Jes Smith Photo Editor

The feeling of being mentally and physically hurt or abused by a parent can ruin a child's life forever by leaving scars and memories that may never go away. A study from childhelp.org shows that every ten seconds, a report of child abuse is made to the Child Protective Sevices (CPS), and more than four of the daily reports end in the death of the child.

Depression caused by abuse is very serious, and these children often feel they have no one to talk to. When children go through this, they mainly feel as if no one

PHOTOpinions

By Jes Smith

“As people have doubted the effects of global warming we are feeling it. Water is a precious resource and should not be taken lightly.”

Kobe Cannon, freshman

standing in a warm shower and just leaving the water on, but everyone living in California, including teenagers, need to cut down their shower time. It could sound challenging because showers are relaxing before or after a hard day of school, but setting a

timer to monitor shower time can really help.

Another way to save water, although it may seem gross, is to follow the “if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down” rule. It’s not as bad as it seems to follow this rule, but it can really save a lot of water.

A final thing we think can be done at home is to only run the dishwasher and washing machine when they are full loads.

Most dishwashers and washing machines use the same amount of water each time it’s run, regardless of how many things are in it, so it should only be used when full.

If every school, every person, is able to save a little bit of water every time they follow one of these tasks, it will add up quickly to gallons upon gallons of water conserved.

It starts with you and it starts with CVHS making a commitment, because if you dont, then the person next to you won’t, and everyone counts. No one has any idea of how long this drought will continue, so what other choice do we have?

“Corporations such as Nestle should take action. We shouldn’t suffer because they’re selling water to those who have plenty.”

Kat Averill, sophomore

loves them and they may eventually stop loving themselves, occasionally resulting in substance abuse, self harm, and/or depression.

Most people know about the physical abuse of children, but what isn’t expressed as much is the mental abuse that happens to a child. The verbal and mental abuse sometimes is more severe.

Most kids that go through that kind of pain tend to shut everyone and everything out, causing themselves more pain by being lonely all of the time.

It’s natural for someone to shut down their emotions and shut out people who are there to support them, yet if you speak up, you can find your haven and not have to deal with things like this.

Nobody should have to experience this pain at all, but unfortunately some do, and they definitely do not deserve to go through it alone.

There are many resources available 24/7. There are teachers, CPS, and many other options. If you are going through this, do not hesitate

to get help and get to a better and safer place. It does not help your situation if you keep it locked inside of you and just try to live a normal life. It will only make your situation worse and bring more pain. After witnessing abuse and seeing others go through it, I just cannot sit back and watch it happen anymore.

A well known question is, “Why would someone who is supposed to love you so much be so cruel?” Nobody quite knows the full answer, but it is our duty to help people realize that they will be okay, and that they're completely worth every breath they take. Everyone goes through struggles but everyone should know that with every time of pain and suffering, there can be a time of joy and happiness in the end.

My advice to high schoolers and beyond is to speak up and let people know that you are struggling. It will get better if you let yourself be heard.

What do you think we should do about the drought?

“The drought is affecting everyone.

Let’s do this together; we can save ourselves by working together.”

Sean Rogers, junior

“I think that you should use only as much water as is necessary and cut back as much as possible.”

Alyssa DuPuis, senior

The Olympian May 15, 2015

What I thought I knew about college

By Anna Talajkowski Editor-In-Chief

Like many fellow seniors, I am currently in the process of committing to a university.

For us, there’s a sigh of relief that we finally have the college process over with, but for many juniors and sophomores, the journey is just beginning. I’ve been asked what the “trick” is to being accepted, and this, if anything, is what I’ve found most worthwhile out of my experience.

College has always been important to me, perhaps too much so. I started planning where I wanted to go when I was a freshman. Wholeheartedly set on getting out of high school and Castro Valley, I meticulously organized a schedule for the next three years in order to ensure my success in a prestigious, intellectual university, and hung it on my corkboard proudly above my desk. This list, which at the time I thought proved vigilance and zeal on my part, was in reality quite juvenile and unrealistic, and

it’s easy to see why.

First, I believed the only way to get into a good college was by taking a tremendous amount of AP and honors courses. That’s not true. Yes, these courses prove you are smart, but in reality there are many, many smart students.

Burying your head in textbooks will not ensure you anything.

It’s important to challenge yourself and show schools you are able to manage a reasonably hefty workload, but there is absolutely no reason to take four accelerated classes in your junior year of high school.

I speak from experience. I attempted my three-year plan, and found that is was not only a ridiculous amount of work, but a serious afflictor on my ability to do anything else.

Every weeknight and on the weekends, I was spending hours and hours on school work. Within two months of my junior year, I knew there wasn’t a point. I wasn’t truly learning anything, I wasn’t satisfied with the work I was doing, and I was constantly overwhelmed with the amount I was expected to finish. With that realization, I dropped my most difficult AP (which was calculus, I actually hate math, and if you, dear reader, also hate math, I highly advise that you don’t follow my footsteps) and decided to dedicate my time to something I actually enjoyed doing, and that made me feel like I was using my

time the way I wanted to. And that is exactly what I did. I started volunteering with an organization I personally connected to, which changed my life. I attempted my first stint in theatre, which proved beyond amazing. I was so much happier doing what I wanted to do, and finding activities that helped me develop my own character and sense of being was in all ways better than an extra GPA boost.

The most important thing I drew from high school was that it’s important not to dedicate your life to getting into college. Should you think about it? Yes. Should you make goals for yourself centered around it? Probably. Should it be your one and only reason you do 95 percent of the things you do? Never. Seriously, don’t do that. Doing things outside of school that you enjoy is important. Developing a wellrounded skill set is meaningful.

I am lucky enough to say I am planning to commit to UCLA, and only took one AP and one honors class my junior year.

Your application will be about more than just your classes and GPA. Try going out and doing something new, something that isn’t like thousands of other applicants. Find what makes you unique and what makes you happy, and pursue it. In the end, that’s what’s going to impact your life, and hopefully your future as well.

3

Olympian Man: the saga continues

Story By Robbie Brandt/Illustrations By Neo Diesta

Connecting online to connect in the classrooom

By America Morales Staff Writer

I’m sure that as students we can all agree it is difficult to stay focused and alert in class. For some it may be the lack of sleep from the previous night filled with an overbearing amount of homework, yet for others it may be the lack of interest for the subject and the distractions that surround us such as our phones.

Seeing that most kids these days can’t live for more than five minutes without checking Instagram, texting their friends, or taking selfies, students are the victims of rapidly advancing technology. If students are uninterested in learning history, or think math is unnecessary, what should be done to increase the amount of effort and interest put in by students?

Clearly, society is at a point where technology is highly depended on. So, why not take advantage of the technology that surrounds us to connect to curriculum in ways that students

jes smith/ photo editor

Students struggle to stay focused in class. can relate to and show more of an interest for? In my experience, my teachers have introduced a commonly known website called Kahoot, which is a creative way to quiz students in a way that engages them in friendly competition while teaching them the information. I have seen Kahoot used in history classes to review for upcoming tests, in math for warm up questions, and in English as a way of correcting our own homework.

Being part of the many that find it difficult to stay awake during a class that is mind draining, I find that having the opportunity to use the Chromebooks or our cell phones for hands on activities grasps the interest of many.

People like competition, especially against their friends. Using

technologically game-based methods can be the solution to motivating students to learn without the complaints. With this extra push, students learn a lot more than they did by sitting in class, having to fill out a worksheet or listening to their teachers ramble on for an hour.

Thinking outside the box and connecting with the interests of students can be a powerful tool in the classroom to help the improvement of teaching and learning. As students, we have to express our opinions and the way we feel we are being taught.

If we feel a classroom can be more productive and interesting, we should let our teachers know but at the same time be willing to contribute the honesty and effort into the privileges given to us.

The Olympian is a publication of the journalism class at Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2015

Editors-in-Chief...........................................................Stephanie Huerta Anna Talajkowski City Editor.........................................................................Rachel Du News Editor..............................................................Anna Nguyen Opinion Editor............................................................Sally Liang Feature Editor.....................................................Callie Ross-Smith Sports Editor................................................................Laniah Lewis Arts and Entertainment Editor......................................Lauren Jelks Photo Editors........................................................Alison Dhont Jes Smith Business Manager......................................................Robbie Brandt Staff Writers: Martin Baez, Desiree Broome, Brittany Bracy, Neo Diesta, Caitlin Forbes, Halley Lin-Jones, Laura Macchiavello, Alexander McIntosh, Jessica Mi, America Morales, Danika Newlin, Maia Samboy, Isaiah Siordia, Meiling Zhang Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

CMEA a great Tip your hat to the mad performance success Bay Area bands play at CVHS

By Jessica Mi Staff Writer

CVHS hosted 24 bands and orchestras from all over the Bay Area on April 17-18 in the Center for the Arts. The eight middle school and 16 high school groups performed as part of the California Music Education Association (CMEA) festival.

The festival gathered young musicians and allowed them to perform in front of judges and receive evaluations. Judges also wrote comments to help the groups improve the quality of their performances. The groups were rated poor, fair, good, excellent, or superior.

The more advanced groups participated in a sight reading clinic where they had to sight read a piece of music for the first time with no previous preparation. These clinics are especially challenging for not only the student musicians but for the ensemble directors as well.

Four groups from CVHS performed in the festival. Two of

the groups, Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra, received “unanimous superior” ratings from the judges. Chamber Orchestra received a “superior” rating, and Symphonic Band received an “excellent” rating.

All CVHS musical ensembles are under the direction of Steven Hendee, who is also the vice president of CMEA. "The groups played really challenging music that stretched all individual members of the ensemble," Hendee said. "The students showed tremendous growth while learning the music."

Since CVHS hosted the festival, many students and parent volunteers worked to make it a success. "The festival went incredibly smoothly due to the number of volunteers," said Hendee. Volunteers did a number of jobs, from assisting the judges to setting up the stage for each new group.

"It was fun getting to see all the different bands," said sophomore volunteer Andrew Thomas. “I liked helping the judges."

CMEA allowed many student musicians to improve their skills as individuals and as a group. Overall, it was a great success.

Alexander McIntosh / Staff Writer

Shannon Randall as the March Hare and Alex Borja as the Mad Hatter act out the tea party scene from Alice in Wonderland.

By Alexander McIntosh Staff Writer

Alice visited Castro Valley for only for a short time until going back to Wonderland.

The CVHS drama department performed Alice in Wonderland for two weeks at the Center for the Arts.

After mistakenly falling into a fantasy world, Alice found herself in a mysterious place where everything is backwards and waywards and tries to find her way home, stopping along the way to talk with some odd

creatures.

Many talented actors and actresses used their skills to bring life to a play that delights audiences.

“It’s a great experience to become that character, it’s almost a fantasy to become her and travel through her thoughts and imagination,” said actress Sophia Delucchi.

The play is based on the book Alice in Wonderland, which was published in 1865, and there were more unexpected additions to the theatre performance that weren’t present in the classic kids

movies. Perfect for adults and kids, the quirky play featured themes such the concept of living life backwards, and questioning one’s self. All the characters were also unique and different in a way many people wouldn’t imagine.

“It’s that feeling that’s almost indescribable. It’s the feeling of transforming into someone and living their story that’s so breathtaking,” said Delucchi.

Many fell down the rabbit hole and enjoyed the performance of Alice in Wonderland.

ing, and persistent.”

Even though the job can be stressful, everyone is excited for the upcoming production.

Brandon sums it up best stating, “I am looking forward to seeing it all come together,

because it’s a total team effort seen on stage.”

The stage crew is a hardworking, well-oiled machine, which definitely deserves a standing ovation.

Go behind the scenes to see the magic happen

By Caitlin Forbes Staff Writer

When you go to a show, all you look at are the actors, but have you ever stopped to think about what goes on behind the scenes? Behind all of the special effects and moving props, the people dressed all in black have a very significant role.

Looking behind the scenes at the Alice in Wonderland play, various power tool sounds can be heard accompanied by the smell of paint and the movements of bustling people. Lifting the curtain can reveal the Alice in Wonderland stage crew hard at work.

When asked about the stage crew experience, first time crew member Maricela Corona replied, “It’s good so far, it’s just bad when people don’t show up to help. I also really like seeing how everything backstage works.”

Stage crew is definitely stressful, but gives the participants a

Caitlin Forbes/ Staff Writer

Lily Miller (left) and Jordan Hogan (right) paint chairs for the Alice in Wonderland production. sense of community and trust.

“You really need to trust people to carry their weight,” states Corona. “We all have different jobs, but work as one giant machine.”

In stage crew, there are a lot of learning opportunities. Light board operator Thomas Anthony remarked, “I’ve learned how to build a box, use a staple gun, and a power jig-saw, and all the work that goes behind a performance.”

But stage crew wouldn’t be possible without Patrick Brandon, the technical director for the show.

Brandon talks about his favorite part of stage crew. “I love working with the students when they learn something and then create something of their own.”

When asked about the Alice in Wonderland crew, Brandon said, “It has been a great crew, they are dedicated, hardwork-

The Olympian May 15, 2015

5

Mr. CV slays the competition

By Desiree Broome Staff Writer

Jes Smith/ Photo Editor

Blaine Torpey basks in his cemented glory as the permanent principal of CVHS.

“Utorpia” is here to stay

By Laniah Lewis Sports Editor

Principal Blaine Torpey handled his first year as interim principal well despite all the stress and commotion that comes along with a new position.

Torpey has done so well as interim principal that he was appointed permanent principal on April 23, which has left many staff and students excited. Some even wore “Utorpia” T-shirts to celebrate.

Torpey believes his first year went fairly well and maintains a positive and determined attitude.

“I have incredible faith in our students and in our staff. I was told to trust the organization, and I’ve been able to do so. I have great faith in this school,” added Torpey.

Similar to how Torpey has faith in CVHS, the district superintendent has faith in Torpey.

“Blaine is truly a studentcentered administrator who cares about the success and well-being of every student at Castro Valley High School.

He works extremely hard to ensure that every student is connected to his or her learning,” stated Superintendent Jim Negri.

One of Torpey’s main focuses is to maintain and cultivate relationships with the students. The students are his motivation to make school a safe and educational place.

Torpey beamed with excite-

ment as he discussed his new position and everything that it entails.

“I remove obstacles and barriers to allow people to do the work they want and need to do, whether it’s teachers teaching or students learning.

Now I can further support the staff and the students and make decisions that are best for the school,” stated Torpey.

If you listened to the two recent announcements made

by Assistant Principal Jesse Hansen, then you know that CVHS is beginning to strictly enforce some of its basic policies that many students had been ignoring without fears of repercussions. This is due to the desires of Torpey and his staff to further protect and serve the students of CVHS. He also wants to insure the continuation of the restorative justice program.

“I feel that by enforcing some of our very simple and basic policies, we’ll actually avoid a lot of the bigger things that could possibly happen.

I want to make sure that we are in class all the time. I want to make sure that we are safe all the time. We have students wandering around, it’s a safety hazard and they aren’t learning,” stated Torpey.

Torpey remains excited about the next school year and had only one complaint about the job.

“I get hundreds of emails a day. That’s the only thing,” laughed Torpey.

Long live Utorpia.

“Chubby bunny 007,” “Chubby bunny 007,” “Chubby bunny 007” was heard amidst a room full of laughter as competitors gathered onstage to play games to entertain the excited crowd while they waited to hear the winners of the annual Mr. CV contest.

A large crowd came out to support the cheer and dance teams during their fundraiser and to watch the contestants and their escorts perform various talents, acts, and musical numbers on Friday, April 17.

Every year, a group of senior boys display what they can do in hopes of gaining the title of “Mr. CV.” The boys were escorted by varsity cheer and dance members as well as other sports. This years theme was based around James Bond.

To begin the night, the “agents” danced their way around the stage stealthily with their escorts. After the opening number was the first talent act.

What was to come was very unexpected but presumably entertaining due to the crowd’s reaction. Jordan Pelzl’s talent of “having no talent” was a good way to start the night off.

Next to come were heartwarming songs performed by Chris Baker, Michael French and Lior Raskin. The room was filled with arms waving in the air using the flashlight feature on cell phones to create a concert atmosphere. Each performance had louder applause and cheers than the last.

The audience soon became overwhelmed with excitement once again after the “JoshWaxCam Slam Jam” took place.

The upbeat, fun dance number included Josh Valli, Cameron Nivin and Braxton Waxdeck.

Their silly moves got the crowd

Jes/ Smith Photo Editor

Jordan Pelzl, Nick Dang, and Cameron Niven celebrate their victory in the Mr. CV competition. in an uproar and was definitely a fan favorite.

After intermission Carson Sand and Ben Lima came out with an interesting performance. Dressed in outrageous clothing and wildly dancing, the boys left the audience in shock.

With each new move there were more and more gasps heard throughout the room.

One after another, more fun dances and talents were displayed and before you knew it it was time to announce the winner. After the audience filled out their ballots to vote for the “People’s Choice Award.” When all the votes were counted it was finally announced that Lior Raskin had won. Next up

was the announcement of who the judges had decided was the winner of the entize competition.

The top five contestants, which included Nick Dang, Josh Valli, Darren Theard, Cameron Niven, and Lior Raskin answered a few questions that could possibly sway the judges in their favor. In the end Cameron Niven took the crown as Mr. CV. “It’s actually my first time being onstage tonight, and I just want to thank everyone for coming,” said Niven.

Hopefully next year will be just as or even more fun, shocking, and hilarious than it was this year.

Peter Brewer runs his final lap

By Martin Baez Staff Writer

Our greatly loved Peter Brewer is retiring this year from CVHS after teaching here his entire career, an amazing 33 years filled with amazing experiences.

In his years here in CVHS, Brewer got to see what giving back really means. He is a man who wants students to truly understand the lesson, be engaged in it, and talk about it with their friends.

“I want them to get it,” said Brewer.

Walking into Brewer’s room, you can feel the positive and fun atmosphere around him and the rest of the students in his room enjoying their lunch with their friends. You can see his banners and plaques that he has accumulated for coaching the CVHS track and cross country teams for 25 years. Overall he has coached for 32 years, and the number is still growing with his coaching position at Northgate

Martin Baez / Staff Writer

High School in Concord.

When Brewer was asked about his favorite memory at CVHS, he couldn’t pick just one to share because he has had so many in his years here, but one he does remember was when teacher Daren Wilkerson and his own class tried to raise money for the needy during the holiday season. He also loved his Science Fiction class.

Over the years, Brewer even taught several future CVHS teachers, including Ian Rodriquez, Barbara Andersen,

Matt Johanson, John Edwards and a few others.

On the other hand, Brewer had a list of some things that he won’t miss about teaching.

“I won’t miss faculty meetings, I won’t miss parent conferences, I won’t miss oppositional students, I won’t miss standard testing proctoring,” said Brewer.

What he will miss, however, is, “the ability to tickle the minds of reluctant youth into cognitive function.” He considers the most notable thing from his career to be surviving and “not getting fired,” and also being able to teach kids and coach kids at the same time.

When asked about what he plans to do after he retires, he said, “I don’t have a plan for my retirement, I plan on not to have a plan.”

With that, we give Brewer a warm goodbye for all the hard work and years he poured into our school, and for having such an impact on our community.

Avengers heroes return to oppose evil Ultron Neo Diesta/ Staff Writer

By Robbie Brandt Business Manager

Imagine your city is being taken over by a crazed artificially intelligent android, bent on mankind's extinction. There’s no one that can stop him, except maybe earth's mightiest heroes.

That’s the story of Avengers: Age of Ultron.

The team consists of the invincible Iron Man, played by Robert Downey Jr., Captain America, played by Chris Evans, Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, the Incredible Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, the assassin Black Widow, played

by Scarlett Johansson, and the legendary archer Hawkeye, played by Jeremy Renner.

Along the way the team recruits new Avengers such as twins Quicksilver, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Scarlet Witch, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and the android Vision, played by Paul Bettany.

Hush, Hush: Can love conquer all?

By Caitlin Forbes Staff Writer

Hush, Hush is a sensational novel that has something hidden inside its covers for all types of readers.

This book masterfully combines romance, mystery, suspense, action, adventure, and fantasy with a beautifully crafted story line.

Becca Fitzpatrick takes the readers on a journey through the epic romance story of Patch Cipriano, a fallen angel, and Nora Grey, a typical teenage girl blending into the shadows of high school; that is, until she meets Patch, a mysterious boy with a dangerous past.

This book is full of excitement

and obstacles for Nora and Patch, as the readers find out if Nora and Patch’s love can survive through all types of complications. This book isn’t just about love, it also has betrayal and major plot twists that will shock all readers. It challenges the reader to think and connect the “dots” of the complex story line.

Throughout the book the readers will fall in love with the characters.

One of those characters is Vee Sky, Nora’s best friend. Vee is the funny girl with the big personality, who through the thick of the book comically believes that her main concern is boys, and has the more mundane high school problems compared to the challenges and dangers that Nora is goes through.

This book takes the readers out of their own world and into the world of Nora and Patch.

Throughout this book Fitzpatrick leaves the readers at a place where they thought the book couldn’t be taken. As you read this book you will laugh at the antics of Vee, gasp at the plot twists, and cheer for (and possibly cry for) Nora and Patch.

Fitzpatrick lets the readers slip into her world where anything can happen. She happily and successfully combines two worlds to create a wonderful place where romance meets tragedy, and where love may not conquer all.

After the alien attack on New York that ended the previous movie, the Avengers have gone their separate ways, only joining together once again to locate the scepter of Loki. Once acquiring the scepter, Iron Man decides to

create a suit of armor that can control itself to help the planet and to allow the Avengers to retire.

In other words, he creates artificial intelligence. Once created, the being adopts the name

Ultron, played by James Spader.

Ultron believes that it is humanity that needs to be destroyed in order to have peace so he creates an army of himself in order to destroy mankind.

The Avengers must then band together to stop this evil force from destroying Earth. Ultron, however, may be the one threat that the team cannot stop, and it could be the end of Earth’s mightiest heros.

The film is fantastic. It contains lots of action, suspense, and a bit of witty humor while still being serious. The new and returning cast are amazing, and the characters they portrayed had such great personalities and charisma which also made this film entertaining. For these reasons I would definitely give this film five out of five stars, and would advise everyone, whether or not you're a superhero fan or a DC Comics fan, to not miss this movie. It’s a one of a kind.

Finding oneself in the Wild

By Laura Macchiavello Staff Writer

As an outdoor enthusiast, I was thrilled to hear that the bestselling novel Wild, written by Cheryl Strayed, was going to be turned into a movie. As soon as it hit the theaters, I made sure to go watch it.

Wild is based on Strayed’s 1,100-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail. The PCT starts at the border of California and Mexico, ending at the Canadian border. After her mom’s sudden death, Strayed’s life spiraled out of control. She made many poor choices, including using heroin and cheating repeatedly on her

husband. Strayed realized she was destroying herself, so she set out on a grueling backpacking journey that would change her life forever.

She embarked to conquer the PCT. At the beginning, the movie seemed shallow and misguided.

The first few scenes show Strayed losing one of her hiking boots and throwing the other down the mountain, which made no sense. How could one do that in the middle of an expedition?

The following scene flashes back to the beginning of her journey when she is preparing, where you realize she had no mountaineering experience. The protagonist realizes she has gotten herself into something much more intense than she had anticipated. She struggles mentally, emotionally, and physically throughout, but her one driving force that helps her complete the journey is the memory of her

beloved mother.

Throughout the movie, Strayed had many flashbacks of her life before setting out on the PCT. Some of the scenes are very graphic, and show the struggle and sorrow Strayed experienced and how destroyed she was after her mother’s death. Wild is an emotional movie with an interesting message of resilience and motivation.

I expected captivating cinematography of the gorgeous Sierra Nevada range, but instead I was captivated by the movie’s primary focus, Strayed’s internal struggles and sacrifices. Reese Witherspoon did an outstanding job playing Cheryl Strayed.

Wild is an admirable film. I would highly recommend it, not only to those interested in wilderness, but to all those interested in watching strong characters.

Golfland delivers hole-in-one fun

By Meiling Zhang Staff Writer

A struggle that teenagers constantly face is deciding what to do on a Friday night. A struggle

more specific to inhabitants of the small town of Castro Valley would be figuring out how to get there, because this little city is only surrounded by notable attractions without actually containing that many itself. A location unique to our city, however, is Golden Tee Golfland.

At first mention, mini-golfing seems neither typical nor appealing. Golfland, however, was able to defy expectations and show that one doesn’t have to go too far to find some entertainment.

Located on Castro Valley Boulevard, Golfland can be reached from the high school in less than a half an hour walk. Mini-golfing is usually an activity done with friends, so walking with friends would seem to go by in a flash.

The location itself only offers a total of 36 holes that are separated into two different sections, and customers have the option to buy

a $9.99 ticket on Saturdays or Sundays for only 18 holes. Tickets are a dollar cheaper from Mondays to Fridays. After they're done, a $3 ticket for a replay could be purchased. The inner side of the place does prove to be more entertaining and have more challenging holes, but as a whole, Golfland offers a unique experience.

Besides mini-golfing, there is also an arcade inside of Golfland.

It includes many classic games such as Deal or No Deal, Wheel of Fortune, and Dance Dance Revolution. Customers are rewarded with tickets after winning any game that they can then exchange for prizes.

Golfland gave me a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I was there around dinnertime, so I did get a little bit hungry after golfing, but it was within walking distance of some of Castro Valley’s many fast food restaurants. If I have the time, I’d definitely plan to go back there.

Trojans serve opponents at WACC

By Meiling Zhang Staff Writer

Jes Smith / Photo Editor

Joe Dimitratos finishes off an amazing pitch.

Trojans sting Hornets on baseball field

By America Morales Staff Writer

The CVHS varsity baseball team took the win against the Alameda Hornets with a score of 3-2 on May 5. It was a very important game for the Trojans that determined the seedings going into the playoffs.

The intense mood of the game was immediately set off at the beginning of the first inning as Alameda’s dugout got really loud and started insulting Castro Valley’s starting pitcher Joe Dimitratos, throwing the whole team off and allowing two runs to score.

Ryan Rosellini, however, was quick to score the Trojans’ first run during the second inning, making the score 2-1.

The close game continued with an exciting third inning when London Penland hit a single then stole to sec-

ond. Justin Cabral was then walked to first and Jake Petersen bunted to make the bases loaded with no outs.

Nervously, Alameda called time for a pitching change, but it was no use when Brian Tognolini hit an RBI single and scoring Penland. Up next, Josh Warren hit the ball to second and Cabral scored, giving CVHS the lead, 3-2.

The next few innings were a quick in and out, with neither side scoring any runs.

The seventh inning was a strong finish by Dimitratos, who struck out two batters and got a ground ball to end the game.

“I felt great out there today.

My curveball and changeup felt good and it allowed me to go deep in the game. I think this win was a great win for us especially since it took us a step closer to get us into NCS,” said Dimitratos.

Out of a total of five schools in the Foothill League, the CVHS tennis team ranked fourth with eight wins and six losses. Players on the varsity team played their last matches for this season at the WACC Tournament in Chabot College on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2.

A total of eight students in three doubles teams and two singles players were entered into the tournament. All three doubles teams was defeated in the first round.

“A number of stronger doubles players had academic and pre-scheduled commitments that precluded them from playing in the tournament.

Had that not been the case, we could have fielded stronger teams,” claimed Greg Lowe, one of the tennis coaches.

The only two singles players, Spencer Dong and Sanjeev Sinha, were both able to win their first match.

Sinha’s second match was very close and consisted of three sets to break the tie created by the first two.

“It was certainly one of the toughest matches I've played throughout my years on the varsity team,” said Sinha.

Dong, on the other hand, was able to move on to the second day of the tournament. Playing as the top player for CVHS and as an all-league player

Spencer Dong anticipates the ball.

Meiling Zhang/ Staff Writer

for the second year, he defeated opponents from both Berkeley and Piedmont during the tournament. In the final round, Dong faced another opponent from Piedmont, but due to cramps in both legs, he had to draw and came in second place in the tournament.

Despite the unfavorable ending to the tournament, Dong stayed optimistic.

“I was a little disappointed it ended with me with drawing but I'm happy

for the opportunity to play! It was a great match still,” stated Dong.

He ended his season by being awarded WACC player-of-the-year for his stellar season and undefeated record.

Spirits among the team stayed high.

"Our overall ranking in the league isn't as good as it used to be, but through thick and thin, we've pushed through and overcome many difficulties that have plagued our team this year," said Sinha.

But O’Dowd would not let CVHS keep the lead quite that easily, a Dragon was able to make it around the bases as other O’Dowd players were able to make contact with the ball making it a tie game at 1-1 in the fourth inning.

After O’Dowd was taken off batting after three outs, the game got a lot more exciting when CVHS came up to bat. During the same inning, players Krystyna Allman and Leilani Huey reached home base to get the Trojan lead back to 3-1.

More of the Trojan ladies went up to bat and were able to get to all the bases.

Then, Ward came up to the plate and made the play of the day. The bases were loaded, the team was chanting, and coach Marie Gray was shouting at Ward to encourage her and tell her what to do.

Ward made contact and the ball flew out of the field, making it a grand slam.

The CVHS ladies in the dugout went crazy as they all gathered to give Ward a big cheer. With this humongous play made by the senior, CVHS took a big lead of 7-1.

O’Dowd attempted to get back at CVHS but failed to do so.

Winning pitcher Delaney Heller also had an exciting game, striking out many of O’Dowd’s players and only allowing them to score twice throughout the whole game.

“It was a good dramatic and offensive fight throughout the game keeping the team energized,” commented Gray.

“Good overall win for the team.

It was very exciting especially when Sara Ward hit the grand slam,” said Goods.

O’Dowd Dragons get scorched

By Neo Diesta Staff Writer

It was an exciting day for our Trojan ladies out on the softball field on May 7. They continue their undefeated run in the WACC by beating Bishop O’Dowd 7-2. Their overall win-loss record is now 19-4.

Since this was the last home game for our Trojans in the regular season, the team recognized their senior Trojan ladies, Sara Ward and Tailor Goods, and the seniors from Bishop O’Dowd for playing an amazing last game of the season at CVHS. At the beginning of the game, player Leilani Huey started the team off strong with a solo home run to center field in the second inning.

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

Brittany Bracy/ Staff Writer

Freshman Qi Qi Liang Qi Qi Liang runs for both the froshsoph and varsity track teams. She does several events including the 100 meters, 200 meters and high jump.

Her favorite running event is the infamous 400 meters sprint where she proves her strength and dedication to the sport. Running a varsity 400 time of one minute and two seconds as a freshman, Liang is a tough competitor.

“Although the last 100 meters are tough, it feels good going through the finish line,” said Liang. Liang hopes to get a personal record of 1:00 flat by the end of the season.

Sophomore Maiya Hutchinson Maiya Hutchinson is a varsity middle distance track and field runner for CVHS. Hutchinson, who runs the 400 meters and 800 meters races, has been running track since seventh grade. With a personal record of 2:25 in the 800, she manages to be a tough competitor for upperclassmen. It doesn’t come easy, but one of Hutchinson’s favorite things about track and field is the tough training.

“I hope to make it past NCS and drop a few seconds off of my personal record,” said Hutchinson.

Junior Ryan DeCarsky

Ryan DeCarsky is a varsity member of CVHS spirit squad who has only started cheerleading this spring. Although it wasn’t easy, by practicing a lot and training extremely hard, he managed to make the varsity team on his first try.

“This season I hope to accomplish tumbling and hopefully make it to nationals,” said Decarsky.

He loves the team aspect in cheer and likes the fact that they can all work together to represent CVHS well.

Senior Tailor Goods

Tailor Goods is a varsity softball player for CVHS. “I hope to make one of the all league teams, and better prepare myself for college softball next year,” said Goods.

After playing softball for nine years, she’s never tired of being on the field and playing third base. Goods will also be taking her skills with her to college. Her favorite thing about softball is the excitement and adrenaline rush of a close game.

The Olympian May 15, 2015

Pick up your flyers in the Peachjar

By Jessica Mi

Staff Writer CVUSD has implemented “Peachjar,” a new online flyer-delivering system as of April 1, 2015. Peachjar is a digital flyer-distribution company that aims to improve communication between schools and parents by replacing the traditional paper flyers with e-flyers that will be sent directly to parents.

This online communication will reduce the amount of paper that is used by schools.

“By sending [flyers] directly to parents via email and posting the same information online, we believe that more parents will actually see the

information,” said Gerald McMullin, the district’s coordinator of technology.

Instead of sending students home with papers that they will probably lose, now parents will be able to receive school flyers via email and view them on their smartphone, tablet or computer.

“Parents and students will be able to access all of the school’s current flyers online,” explained McMullin.

This transition to a paperless system will also benefit the environment.The district sends home about a hundred flyers each year to each of its 9,500 students, a totaling of almost one million pieces of

paper each year. Peachjar will save an estimated 100 trees per year.

“I think it is absolutely imperative that we work to go mostly paperless,” said Principal Blaine Torpey. “Going completely paperless is an equity issue as not all community members have immediate access to electronic data.”

The issue that does arise with the implementation of online communication is that not all families have access to the Internet. However, McMullin emphasized, “Our world is constantly moving forward and we have to move with it."

Tapping out of tech for clean water

UNICEF club participates in Tap Project

By Danika Newlin Staff Writer

Many teenagers would consider their cell phone something they could not live without. Yet there are 783 million people in the world living without something much more vital than a cell phone: clean water.

During the month of March, the CVHS UNICEF club joined the UNICEF Tap Project and put down their smart phones to donate water to children who need it.

“The fact that people don’t have access to safe, clean water isn’t just inconvenient, it’s lethal,” said club president Mariam Noorulhuda.

To participate in the project,

club members went on the UNICEF Tap Project website and put their phones down, while the web site counted how long they went before picking their phone back up again. For every 15 minutes without using their phones, a day of water would be donated to children in need.

So far, the entire club has gone a total of 258 hours without using their phone, which equals to 1,032 days of clean water to children in third world countries.

Sophomore Yongen Chen holds the club record for the most total time she spent without her phone, 127 hours.

“Many people in the world don’t have access to clean water, so I was glad that I was given the opportunity to give back,” she said.

Chen also found it was pretty easy to go without her phone when she is contributing to help third world country

children.Club member Lotan Yeung, who has the second best time of 95 hours, also realized that fundraising for a powerful cause didn’t have to be difficult.

“It’s great to be able to donate water so easily to third world countries!” Yeung said.

Not just UNICEF club members can participate in the Tap Project. Anyone can take the challenge by going to tap. unicefusa.org on their phones and see how many days of clean water they can contribute for children around the world.

“Our club has unlocked 1,032 days of clean water and I am so proud that we have saved countless lives,” said Noorulhuda.

Though many people find that their life revolves around their smart phone, putting it down for just 15 minutes can give a kid who is in need of vital essentials another day to live.

present and are patrolling the campus at all times in order to enforce the rules. They are also making sure that TAs, who

assigned a form of punishment, starting with a call home to their parents to determine what will be done to bring the issue to an end.

Now, administration is directing their attention more towards how to fix the source of the problem, rather than assign punishments.

“Right now we’re focusing on students staying in class, rather than focusing on the consequences,” said Farr.

In retrospect, many students don’t view loitering negatively, nor as a serious issue, instead as some time off from their class.

“It’s a break from class and you get to socialize with your friends,” said senior Lucianna Balica.

Administration and teachers are hoping to prevent students from loitering in the near future. Luckily, their current plan of attack is working in their favor in decreasing those numbers.

New effort to stop student loitering

By Laura Macchiavello Staff Writer

Students’ loitering around during school hours has been a prevalent issue, primarily this year. Many students have been wandering around campus, unsupervised, in order to avoid being in class.

This is worrisome because unsupervised kids can lead to unsafe behavior on school grounds, which can create larger problems, including safety hazards or injuries. The administration’s primary concern is the security of students.

“It’s really about students’ safety. We want students to be safe and in a supervised activity while on campus,” stated Assistant Principal J.C. Farr.

The recent announcements and stricter regulations have helped in the decline of the number of loitering students.

Administration and site security are making sure to be

Right now “ we’re focusing

on students staying in class, rather than focusing on the consequences.

”

J.C. Farr Assistant Principal

are commonly found loitering, have tasks to keep them busy so they don’t feel the need to roam around school.

Students caught loitering are simply directed back to class, but if they are consistently caught doing so, then they are

CVHS puts on its Golden Sneakers

By America Morales Staff Writer

CVHS goes green with the Golden Sneaker Contest which encouraged students to make a difference by walking, biking, skateboarding, carpooling, and taking the bus in order to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that enters our atmosphere.

“It certainly made everyone aware of the environmental impact of simple daily activities such as getting to and from school. It also prompted some interesting discussions around what should count as an environmentally friendly trip to and from school,” said Deborah Yager.

The Golden Sneaker contest is one of three events sponsored by Safe Routes to School Alameda along with Walk and Roll to School Day and Safe Routes Youth Task Force.

Yager ’s Smart Energy Club led the contest by filling out and distributing large posters with all the names of students in each of the participating science classes. Over a two week period, students recorded their travel to and from school per day, including the miles and means of transportation. At the end of the two weeks, Smart Energy students collected the posters and spent hours tallying the final results.

Sixty classes and 726 students participated for an average of 39 percent participation.

Thanks to all those who participated in the contest, CVHS was able to save a total of 34,340 pounds of carbon dioxide from going into the air. Due to the

8

great success, there are plans to make in annual contest.

The two first place winners were categorized by the furthest total distance traveled and the highest participation.

The grand prize went to the highest participating class which was Rebecca Schutzengel’s sixth period physics class which had an outstanding 87 percent participation rate. They were able to save 1,320 pounds of carbon dioxide and were rewarded with a frozen yogurt party as well as the Golden Sneaker Trophy, proudly signed by Schutzengel!

The second first place winners were Melissa Kindelspire’s seventh period AP Environmental Science class, saving 2,588 pounds of carbon dioxide by traveling a total of 2,588 miles over two weeks. As a result, the class also received a frozen yogurt party. The cost of both parties was paid for by the Smart Energy Club funds that were earned through recycling bottles, cans, and ink cartridge as well as their annual e-Waste Drive.

Along with being able to help our environment, students learned a great deal of how something so little can make a huge difference to the world we live in.

“After looking at the amount of carbon dioxide we saved during the two weeks, I felt very proud of ourselves for making a change. l learned that by walking, biking, or carpooling we can save our Earth, and that is more serious than anything,” said Jessica Lo, Youth Task Force member.

Students elect new representatives cont.

ELECTION: from Page 1 Iredale expressed her enthusiasm for next year’s student government and her future goals.

“I hope to make the Leadership class a more approachable place to be. I wish for CVHS to have the best year yet, and with me by their side, I know we can accomplish it!” she said.

The class election winners are listed below.

Senior Class President Kaitlyn Darling, Senior Vice Presi-

dent Mia Knight, Senior Secretary Isabel Duarte, and Senior Treasurer Esiason Rodriquez.

Junior Class President Karen Tam, Junior Class Vice President Benjamin Tran, Junior Class Secretary Gabbie Dinoisio, and Junior Class Treasurer Jonathan Tran.

Sophomore Class President Thomas Tran, Sophomore Class Vice President Christopher Kusumonegoro, Sophomore Class Secretary Maddy Thompson, and Sophomore Class Treasurer Peter Maina.