May 17, 2013

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Olympian analyzes standardized tests

VOLUME 56, ISSUE 10

Swim teams perform swimmingly

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2013

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STAR trek CVHS teams ending, make a SBAC begins splash

Science fair wows young and old

CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546

Peter Pan makes our hearts soar

WWW.CVHSOLYMPIAN.COM

CVHS to enter 21st century with online class scheduling

By Reema Kakaday Feature Editor

Leia Saelee / Staff Writer

Peter Pan (played by Lisa Bonsignore-Opp) flies through the air in the captivating musical about the boy who never wants to grow up. See more on Page 5.

Senior graduation cruise cancelled

By Savanah Khan Staff Writer

For many years, the graduating seniors have spent their graduation night on an extravagant cruise ship for the evening. Over 300 students usually attend this celebration, but last year, a new trend started: students didn’t want to spend their graduation night on the cruise ship Last year the number of students who signed up for the cruise was so low that the PTA (Parent Teacher Association) actually lost money, specifically $5,000. This happened because

the deposit they paid before the cruise wasn’t earned back from the students. The reason they paid before they had the money was because of the students’ tendency to sign up last minute, and the deposit had to be paid at a predetermined time. They have never had a problem like this in all the years this cruise has been in place.

This year only 50 students signed up in time for the cruise.

Because this number was so low and the PTA didn’t want to have another incident like last year’s, the group cancelled it altogether.

“It’s all about students’ in-

Poetry a Slam Dunk

By Alexa Ludke Staff Writer

CVHS held its second annual Poetry Slam on May 9.

The event was hosted by teacher Josh Linville and funded by the Castro Valley Education Foundation.

Sixteen student poets shared their stories of heartbreak, inspiration, and strength as they “slayed their inner demons.”

Poets evoked tears and cheers from the crowd as they told about the hardest moments in their lives and the struggles they’ve faced.

Linville and teacher Josh Wheeler also shared inspiring

poems about helping others and facing the world with a brave outlook.

Junior Amaya Jenkins won first place with her poems about family and strength, wowing the crowd and the judges.

Every participant in the Slam did well and was well respected by the audience.

The event was a great way for students to participate in friendly competition and share their talent for prose.

terests,” stated Nick Whitaker, director of activities. The whole reason they even do the cruise is so that graduates will have a memorable graduation. All the students’ checks that were paid were handed back to the students and any that weren’t picked up were shredded.

The chance of having a cruise next year sounds bleak at this point. The only way to bring another cruise back is to participate in it next year and pay as soon as possible. The school wants to make sure that students are safe and sober on graduation night, and stay out of any kind of trouble.

Alexa Ludke / Photography Editor

Junior Amaya Jenkins nearly brought the crowd to tears with her poem.

Learning more about our world

Tired of filling out those bright pieces of paper twice a year to secure your class schedule? Well fear no more, for word’s out that an online course selection process might be implemented next year! It could not only alleviate your programming blues, but may save some paper and counselor time as well.

Using the Aeries computer system, the new online course selection would allow students to log in, type in their desired course numbers, and enroll for a class. The process, however, will not completely eliminate a counselor’s role in course selection.

“Moving course selection online will definitely be easier for the counselors,” said Principal Mary Ann Valles. “It eliminates a lot of man hours. But it doesn’t take out the time that comes afterwards. Counselors will still have to rearrange classes and respond to schedule changes to meet the demand of various classes.”

The program will also feature aspects that helps students in

planning their futures. In this way, online class registration will benefit students in the long run.

“Students can set their schedule according to a four year college plan, or get on track of a career path,” said Assistant Principal Matthew Steineke.

All online programs have their ups and downs, so what makes this one reliable? Are we sure that the server won’t crash and lose all the school’s class data?

“Aeries has a redundant system built in,” said Steineke.

“So if the server does crash, all the data will be backed up and saved.”

The new online course selection program is a faster, easier, and hassle-free way to go about organizing classes for students’ upcoming years here at CVHS. Although it does not eliminate the huge pile of work counselors face twice a year, it still could make their lives easier by filing the classes and punching in the numbers.

The new system will be implemented in February or March of 2014.

T3 club makes anti-smoking effort

By Amanat Riar Staff Writer

The T3 club, formally known as Teens Tackle Tobacco, had different activities set up at lunch in the courtyard for students to learn the dangers of tobacco and smoking during the last week of April.

They started off by sending a presenter to the health classes to talk about the dangers of smoking. This was followed with questions on the announcements about tobacco, giving classes a chance to win some prizes. Throughout the week, members of the club were giving out water bottles and stickers with the slogan, “Don’t be a butthead.”

On Wednesday, the club’s goal was to inform students on statistical dangers of tobacco. A game was set up for two teams to compete against

each other by filling up their bucket with water by soaking a sponge and then rushing to the other bucket to squeeze the water out. The line where the water reaches represents the amount of tar in a person’s lungs from one pack per day for two weeks.

Along with educating high school students, the club’s mission is to spread awareness of the dangers of tobacco to younger students. This is simply because those who become addicted to smoking begin at a young age, so those in the club aim to stop it at a young age.

“We are peer educators that talk to middle school students to expose the dangers of tobacco use,” said club member Claudia Tang.

T3 will be going to Canyon Middle School to give presentations to the students there too.

The fault in our STAR

Editorial: Next year will be the last year that students across California take the Standardized Testing and Reporting Test, or STAR. In the future, California plans to use the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, or SBAC, as the required standardized test students will have to take.

STAR is an extremely lengthy multiple-choice test, which, on one hand, is forced upon second graders in elementary school until they become seniors in high school.

On the other side of the coin, how well students perform in the STAR determines school rankings in the Academic Per formance Index.

However, students are not held accountable for doing poorly on the STAR, as it does not affect their grades.

Unlike the STAR, the SBAC will only be required to students in the third to eighth grade, and one last time while they’re juniors in high school. The SBAC will be a computer-based multiple-choice test. Also, the new test may also merge with the California High School Exit Exam, or CAHSEE, that students must pass to earn diplomas.

We at The Olympian acknowledge that the STAR generally is a good measurement of what students learn, and that it is helpful to see how much we’ve retained over the years. The modified schedule that is created because of STAR is also favorable to most students.

But STAR offers no real incentive to try hard because it places no effect on student grades, graduation or college admissions. As a result, students tend to not take it seriously, and aren’t testing at their fullest potential.

To fix this, connecting the SBAC to the CAHSEE would be ideal to boost student motivation to try harder on the test. If students’ graduation status were on the line, most, if not all, students would take the new SBAC seriously.

“Media has as much power as you allow it to have”

By Stephanie Huerta Staff Writer

Lily Carrell / Opinion Editor

Or perhaps the SBAC could be used as a substitute for other standardized tests, such as the SAT or ACT. California used to give scholarship money to students who performed well on STAR. Funding was cut years ago but if it were to be brought back for the SBAC, students would more than likely take advantage of available resources.

Out of all the students who take the STAR, juniors in high school are responsible for taking the Early Assessment Program, or EAP, which determines if there’s a need for them to take extra courses at California State Universities or California community colleges. In addition to the treacherous essay juniors must write prior to STAR, they must also manage to conquer additional English and math questions, which are extremely difficult.

EAP questions are asked at the end of every session, after the junior has gone through an entire section of the STAR. Students are tired of testing by that point and their performance isn’t as strong as when they started earlier. We propose that in the future EAPlike questions be offered before the STAR-like questions, so that students can fully tackle the most difficult content and then ease into something less challenging.

STAR is also quite excessive, testing students each and every year from second to eleventh grade. The SBAC should be offered every other year to give students more room to grow and improve.

Wi t h S TA R e n d i n g, we c a n only hope that the SBAC also has enough room to grow and improve, and outshine its predecessor.

In today's society, whenever we hear something that is hard to believe, our first instinct is to grab our smart phones and look it up on Google. We are all curious and want to know whether it’s true or not. However, not everything posted on the Internet is true.

We talked about the media’s influence on people in one of my classes. One of my classmates blamed the media that the general public isn’t educated on matters going on in our world because the media doesn’t provide people with credible facts. As I heard this comment, I paused and thought about it for a minute.

I immediately thought about the times I’ve written for the school paper, The Olympian. At The Olympian, we emphasize publishing only true facts. Every time I write an article, I think about my writing because I want the students at CVHS to have factual information. Credibility is important to us at The Olympian and for most of the media too.

The media’s job is to inform the public with facts and to help individuals be more aware of what’s going on in and around their communities.

Major media sources have biases on what they are reporting and they have the power to influence the way people view things. We have to recognize that this isn’t just the case with media, but it’s the

case with everything else too. The way a teacher expresses events in history, the music we listen to, and the television shows we watch all are biased and have the power to influence us.

The media can say and report what it wants to, and that’s just the way it is. We all need to realize that many elements play a part in shaping the way we think. It’s completely unreasonable to blame a certain source for people being uninformed.

The media is responsible for giving true facts, but in the end, it’s up to them whether or not they want to be a credible source. People will always be curious and tune in to see what different news stations think about certain events. It’s the public’s responsibility to make sure that the information is true.

One of the biggest problems in our society is that things can quickly go viral. At that very moment, they don’t hesitate to look things up on Google and spread false information. Those who are truly upset with the way the media is reporting on things and getting information out need to be responsible for the way they use the information and from where they receive it.

It’s sad to see people blame others for things that can only be changed by themselves. With everyone wanting to know about what’s going on quickly, the media has pressure to be the first to report a story. Sadly, the correct facts aren’t always the ones that are given first.

One of my classmates said, “The media has as much power as you allow it to have.”

This statement is just perfect.

I suppose in a way I am like the media, giving you my bias on the debate, but in the end, the one who chooses to believe what I’m saying or not is you, the reader.

American media creates “cultural slavery” in the world

By Reema Kakaday Feature Editor

Information can be transferred with a click of a button. In almost

every corner of the world, music, art, dance, and most importantly, culture, can be easily accessible through the Internet or media.

Although technology has allowed us to connect with people in other countries, it has also exposed those countries to a culture that they may or may not know how to handle.

America has always had an overbearingly large presence in the worldwide media, with most of the content being propaganda.

People fall for the lives seen on

American television, or the glamour of music videos, or the lyrics of rap songs. It’s the foolishness of foreign countries to actually get caught in the trap.

My two cousins in India serve as a prime example of the impact that American culture can have in a foreign country. These two bornand-raised Indians sing profane rap songs, wear clothes like Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus, and attempt to talk “high class.” Many people in foreign countries, includ-

PHOTOpinions By: Natalie Fazeli

“We had it too early in the year and didn’t get a chance to learn everything that was on the test.”

Andi Hangea, freshman

“We should all have a monkey pancake party after we finish the test.”

Brian Ho, sophomore

ing my cousins, tend to believe that the “American life” is something of awe and prestige.

Through television, social media, and the Internet, they hype up the value of America, and forget the values instilled in them.

Why is it that people in other countries exposed to American culture are so prone to soaking it in? Why do they have to start “becoming American,” rather than being proud of where they are from?

The “cultural slaver y ” intro-

duced by American media in foreign countries is becoming an insidious problem.

It is destroying cultures in nations and influencing people for the worse. Instead of constantly promoting American values, the media should display other cultures in a positive light.

Maybe that would encourage people to feel proud of their culture, instead of trying to conform to the overrated image of being American.

What do you think about the STAR Test? “ T h e S TA R t e s t should be over a shorter period of time; it’s too spaced out as it is.”

Amirah Burleigh, junior

“I think that students should be rewarded more for doing well on the STAR, so they’d be more motivated to try to do their best on it.”

Emily Nguyen, senior

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Olympian

The May 17, 2013

Atheist speaks her mind

3

Take care of your felines and save some kittens!

By Olivia Berden Staff Writer

By Natalie Fazeli Photo Editor

I grew up in a Christian household. We went to church most Sundays, I had church school once a week, and I was a teacher’s aide for the younger kids. I memorized the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer. After all this, I decided to become an atheist.

People think that I chose this because I was uneducated religiously, or they believe I was born into a family of atheists.

The truth is that I decided to because it seemed like a more logical explanation for the world; I thought that science was more correct than Bible stories I had read.

My atheist beliefs stem also from the fact that I have a problem with God. What kind of sick being would sit and watch as innocent children die when he has the power to stop it? No one should deserve to die without living life, even if they get a free ticket to Heaven.

Let’s just say Christianity is right. That religion was created 2,000 years ago. Does that mean that all the people alive prior to Christianity’s birth went to Hell because they didn’t believe in it? How is that fair? They didn’t even know about the religion!

I don’t mean to discredit anyone’s religion, but isn’t the whole process of getting a religion sort of random? Sixty five percent of people keep the religion that their parents gave them. Some say that they feel the religion they grew up with to be intrinsically true. But what if you had been adopted into a Hindu family from birth? How could you possibly know Christianity was the religion you truly believe in? You wouldn’t, you would be Hindu.

It is the job of an individual to look at every religion before choosing what to believe. Just because your parents believe in something doesn’t mean it is true. Generations ago, many of us had ancestors who thought slavery was acceptable, but luckily slavery was made illegal.

All that I am trying to point out is that before you tell me I’m going to Hell for being an atheist, look at all the different perspectives on religion. You might even possibly find that having no religion suits you better than having any of them.

Being an atheist doesn’t make me immoral. Actually, it makes me a moral citizen. My intentions for doing the right thing have nothing to do with the big man in the sky saying I have to or because I selfishly want to ascend to Heaven. I do the right thing, because I respect people and the environment.

At any given time there are thousands of cats living on the streets or living in a shelter. Seventy percent of all cats in shelters are euthanized each year, which means only three out of every 10 cats will not be euthanized within a year.

As it is spring here in California, it’s not only time for flowers and sunny weather, but it’s also time for kittens to be born. Although kittens may be cute, their lives are in a lot of danger.

A female cat that is not spayed can have up to five litters in a year because they are only pregnant for about two months. Cats produce around 420,000 cats in about seven years. There are not enough available homes to house all of these animals, causing rapid growth of homeless cats, and rapid decline of room in shelters and foster homes.

Having worked in a shelter, and having endured kitten season a few times before, I can assure you it’s not a pretty sight. Shelters are

constantly trying to find homes for kittens that were surrendered, abandoned kittens, and kittens that were rescued by random people on the streets.

People who cannot take care of the kittens their fine felines have given birth to often put them in free boxes out on the streets, where most of them get sick, dehydrated, die, and in some rare cases, taken home. This only makes the problem worse! Most of the kittens are

not vaccinated or fixed, making the cycle continue for the next person.

Not only are kittens given away, but they are often abandoned.

Some are abandoned on the street where they will starve to death, some on shelter door steps or in “drop-boxes,” and some are even killed by the owners. More than once I have seen a three-week-old kitten wandering the streets, and once I’ve inspected it, I’ve come to the conclusion that the kitten is

Olivia Berden / Staff Writer

very sick. Watching a two week old kitten on the verge of death, struggling to live and surviving is one thing, but watching that kitten be euthanized because it can no longer survive is a whole other story.

Felines are living creatures and need to be taken care of, and so do cats. During this kitten season please try to help out and save a life by spaying/neutering your animals, and encouraging others to do so as well.

Additional sidewalks would benefit everyone

By Anya Keller

Business Manager Walking to and fro in Castro Valley on frequent occasions, I have been forced to confront the reality that many areas lack sufficient sidewalks. There is sometimes a long patch of dirt next to the road, or simply wide spaces beside the area where cars are driving, which both pose potential safety-related problems for pedestrians.

Students walking to and from school, children traveling to meet up with their friends, and people without access to cars commuting to bus stops all face inconveniences. Additional sidewalks should be added to Castro Valley in order to improve the overall quality of life for residents and promote healthy and environmental behavior.

Increasing the number of sidewalks in Castro Valley would add to the quality of life of many residents. People from varying backgrounds live in Castro Valley, and many do not have access to cars. Some cannot afford to travel by vehicle, while others are too young to drive but cannot always rely on parents for transportation.

These people deserve the respect of being able to walk on sidewalks, away from the dirt and mud, when traveling.

Sidewalks would also encourage more people to walk and in-

crease the number of pedestrians on the street.

This would contribute to the number of people frequenting local businesses, as people on foot are more likely to notice shops than those racing by in cars.

Adding sidewalks to Castro Valley’s streetscape would increase general well being.

Additional sidewalks would also promote healthier and more environmental practices among Castro Valley residents. People would be more likely to choose walking over driving if walking

the amount of carbon emissions and encourage healthy behavior for Castro Valley residents.

Some may argue that the construction process needed to increase the number of sidewalks would be difficult and disruptive.

Adding sidewalks to all parts of Castro Valley could disturb private property.

However, there are many areas where there are patches of dirt on the side of the road which are roughly the same shape as sidewalks. It would be relatively inexpensive, quick, and easy to add

concrete to these spaces in order to improve the lives of those living and working in Castro Valley.

In a period when most people rely on vehicles for transportation, it can be difficult to consider those who commute by foot.

It is important, however, that those without the all access to cars have reasonable infrastructure to accommodate them, and that more people step outside their cars to become mobile and reduce pollution. Adding sidewalks to Castro Valley’s streetscape would be an overall improvement.

“ Increasing

the number of sidewalks ... would add to the quality of life of many residents. ” Anya Keller Business Manager

were a pleasant experience. It is difficult to see, however, why people who have access to cars would choose to walk in the mud and dirt next to ongoing traffic.

Increasing the number of sidewalks would make the walk around Castro Valley more enjoyable and encourage more citizens to travel by foot, decreasing the amount of pollution, and fostering a more healthy and active lifestyle.

Overall, sidewalks would reduce

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 Editors.............................................................Reema Kakaday 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, Savanah Khan, Evan Kwong, Felicianna Marquez, Hans Mortimer, Amanat Riar, Leia Saelee, AnnaTalajkowski and MarissaWu

Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

Prize Brings Out the Green and Gold in Students

By Hans Mortimer

Staff Writer A ceremony to award the Goldman Environmental Prize, presented to six environmental activists from around the world on April 15, was attended by the CVHS Smart Energy Club through the Alliance for Climate Change Education (ACE) group at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco.

“The Goldman Environmental Prize is the largest prize for grassroots environmentalists,” stated the Goldman Prize program.

Founded in 1989, the Prize has been awarded to 157 people from 82 countries. Each of the winners receives a substantial monetary award.

The Goldman Prize honors environmental activists from around the world who have completed extraordinary work in helping protect the planet from environmental degradation.

The six winners for 2013 were inspirations for Smart Energy to maintain its efforts to continue the bottles and cans recycling in 700 Hall.

All six of the prize recipients have worked on current environmental activism projects.

Azzam Alwash from Iraq worked to restore the Mesopota-

mian marshlands by breaching the levees created by Saddam Hussein to divert water from the region.

The marshes, which are 7,770 square miles large, have been restored by 70 percent. Alwash is now working on preventing the development of 23 dams along the border of Turkey and Iraq.

Nohra Padilla helped lead the Association of Recyclers of Bogotá (ARB), a workers’ union for informal recyclers in Bogotá, Colombia. Her work helped create a law stating that waste management companies must provide working opportunities to recyclers. The ARB now operates two recycling centers.

Jonathan Deal founded the Treasure the Karoo Action Group to prevent Shell from implementing hydraulic fracking in the pristine Karoo, South Africa area. He plans to appeal any permits for fracking in South Africa based on one’s right to life in a safe and healthy environment.

Aleta Baun of Indonesia led an initiative among the indigenous Molo people to stop a granite mining operation with a live-in protest.

The women protested by living in the mining area and weaving traditional fabrics for one year. The mining operation left all four sites in the Molo territories.

new club leadership

By Cameron Beresini Staff Writer

With the 2012-2013 school year coming to a close, different clubs are preparing to vote for their next year’s officers. What are current club members and officers looking for in their leaders and successors?

If a person does not have leadership qualities, the club members may not show him or her respect.

They must also, of course, have a passion for the club and know what it stands for.

“I feel that without true passion for the club, the members will not vote for you, and that is what we are looking for in our nominees for this year’s elections,” said junior Jackie Ng, secretary of the Kiva Club on campus.

“A large part of whom I vote

for really depends on whether I feel the person is ready for the position they signed up for or not,” explained sophomore Brian Truong. “Not everyone has what it takes to lead a club of 60 students, and that is really apparent.”

“I was elected through a special sort of thing CSF does, in which everyone running for president of CSF has to submit an essay and be interviewed by the current top ranking officials in office, and the advisors of the club,” said junior Justin Liu. “I personally prefer this sort of election to the typical ‘popularity contest’ that occurs in clubs.”

Think before you vote for your club leaders this year. Look for the person with the most passion, experience, and motivation to lead their club, whether it is Key Club or Urbanize. Every club has leaders prepared to serve.

Rossano Ercolini worked to prevent the construction of an incinerator in his town of Tuscany, Italy. He educated the public about the dangers of incinerators and created a zero waste initiative.

His town now recycles 82 percent of its waste.

Kimberly Wasserman of Chicago helped shut down two coal-fired power plants in her neighborhood that were polluting the environment through door-to-door talks.

She is working on transforming industrial sites into parks for the community.

“They just looked at what issues were in front of their faces and got to work…each of us could do a little bit of this,” said Dr. Deborah Yager, advisor for Smart Energy Club.

Club member Mary Doronkina was also impressed by the Goldman Prize.

“I saw six very influential people

from around the world that made a difference in the community,” she said.

Smart Energy Club enjoyed the visit to the War Memorial Opera House, the youth program, and the message that the event was getting across. Hopefully, the club will attend again in the upcoming years.

“I was very impressed by the winners, who have dedicated their lives to environmental change,” said Dr. Yager.

Anna Talajkowski / Staff Writer

Passionate students go silent for a day to mimic the voicelessness of many LGBTQ students.

Silent for a cause

By Anna Talajkowski Staff Writer

Pink Floyd once sang that a silence can speak louder than words. Many CVHS students took these words to heart by remaining silent on April 19 in order to bring awareness to anti-LGBT bullying during the Day of Silence.

The annual protest was brought to students’ attention by the CVHS Spectrum Club, which posted flyers to educate students about Day of Silence and encourage them to participate. Those who took part did not speak for the duration of the school day and wore red to show their support.

Many participants said this year’s effort was one of the most successful attempts to educate the student body about LGBT harassment since CVHS began hosting the event.

“We definitely had more people who knew what was going on this year than any other year,” said senior participant Katherine Kolden Over 20 students took part in the Day of Silence. The

participants supported one another and drew awareness to the event by sitting together in the courtyard during lunch.

After the school day ended, students gathered once again to “break” the silence.

“I had one kid in

my class who openly tried to talk to me constantly throughout the day saying, ‘Well I oppose gay rights, what about you? ” Deric Van Damme Sophomore

Day of Silence was first held by the University of Virginia in 1996. There was a push to bring the event to middle school, high school, and university campuses nationwide in 2008, which resulted in the

participation of over 8,000 schools.

The student body generally approved of the Day of Silence and many gave their support to those who were taking part.

“Of the people that talked to me that day, they were all pretty much positive,” said Spectrum President Caroline Cady.

However, there were a select number of students who publicly voiced their opposition to the event.

“I had one kid in my class who openly tried to talk to me constantly throughout the day, saying, ‘Well I oppose gay rights, what about you?’” said participant Deric Van Damme.

Other students received harassment as well.

“I got a couple of people who said ‘fag lover’ but nothing serious, nothing dangerous,” said participant Eleanor Kaj. But even with the hostility, those who participated said this year’s achievements form a foundation for a hopeful future.

“It’s happening next year. It always happens,” said Cady.

Olympian

The May 17, 2013

5

CVHS is Hooked on “Peter Pan”

By Leia Saelee Staff Writer

Gather your pixie dust, because you’re about to be whisked away by Peter Pan into the magical world of Neverland, where children never grow old.

On Friday, May 3, the CVHS Drama and Music Departments presented Peter

“

I think it went great and I think others share my opinions as well. ” Nathan Hong Junior

Pan, the Musical. A phenomenal, never-before attempted flight sequence had the audience staring in awe as the actors were airborne before their eyes.

It all starts when Peter Pan, starring Lisa BonsignoreOpp, encounters the sleeping Darling children, and flies them to Neverland. There, they meet the Lost Boys and encounter the comical Captain Hook, played by Matt Skinner, where they run into some real trouble.

Marissa Wu / Staff Writer

Maestra Mooney has taught Spanish for ten years at all levels, and this is her second year of teaching Spanish 2.

Leia Saelee/ Staff Writer

Matt Skinner (Captain Hook) poses with his devoted pirates in Peter Pan, the Musical.

Featuring talented dancers, the synchronous “Ugg-aWugg” scene, starring Lisa Nikssarian as Tigerlily, has an infectious rhythm that will have you tapping along. Otherwise, the play follows pretty closely to the original, bearing songs like “I’m Flying,” and “I Won’t Grow Up.” “Lisa did an amazing job as Peter. She has to fly, dance, sing, and act, and she rocked it,” said student director Kristen Hwang.

Students poured plenty of wonderful singing, dancing, and hard work into this production, concocting a more than satisfying outcome.

“Everyone in the production worked so hard, I'm so proud of the show,” said Hwang. “I'd have to say that Ugg-A-Wugg is my favorite part of the show cause it looks amazing and everyone's hard work paid off. Matt Skinner plays Hook so well and just makes the show better. I think it turned out fantastic!”

The special effects certainly attracted a lot of attention, but it seemed that the Captain had hooked people with his humorous role.

“I think it came out really well,” remarked junior Amy Poon. “My favorite part would have to be the

Captain Hook scenes. They were really funny, and even with dialogue in it, it was entertaining. I think the flying was cool because without it, the play wouldn’t have been the same.”

Many others shared similar thoughts, as being a part of this play is an unforgettable and magical experience.

“It was pretty good and funny. I liked everything about it,” said junior Nathan Hong. “I think it went great and I think others share my opinions as well.”

Whether you are a parent, child, pirate, or fairy, this show is a must-see.

Mooney makes magic

By Marissa Wu Staff Writer

When you walk into Maestra Mooney’s classroom, the first thing that will catch your eye is the artwork.

Dozens of colorful projects line the wall, and it is almost a guarantee that some students will be dancing and chattering in rapid Spanish.

Mooney sits perched on her stool, watching her students and smiling. Her room is always open, filled with students, from the time she arrives on campus to the moment they are kicked off campus. She brings a smiling, friendly presence to the room.

Mooney recently won the Teacher of the Year award, given out by the Masonic brotherhood of Castro Valley. Every year, two teachers are recommended for the award: one elementary school teacher and one from the middle schools or high school.

Mooney has taught Spanish for ten years at all levels. This is her second year teaching Spanish 2. She is a native speaker and moved to the United States when she was 14.

When informed that she had won the award by Principal Mary Ann Valles, Mooney didn’t know what to say.

“I needed a couple weeks to process it,” said Mooney.

She didn’t tell her students, but many found out by word of mouth.

“That’s so great. I love Ms. Mooney,” said Amelia Ortiz.

“I don’t like the spotlight,” said Mooney when asked why she didn’t share the news. “This is what I do everyday. Teaching is a huge responsibility. If students don’t learn from adults [about staying positive] who will they learn from? This is my second home. I look forward to seeing the students and starting the lessons.”

Journey into a magical world

Inspirational 42 is a home run

By Hans Mortimer Staff Writer

Journey is a breathtaking masterpiece in videogaming, with rich visuals and composed music.

The game takes you on the hero’s journey as the protagonist, a young red-cloaked figure, who embarks on a journey to discover the world around him.

In doing so, he learns about his culture and his destiny. The game will have you solving puzzles, racing through sand dunes, discovering the past, and interacting with cloth creatures found in the desert.

The game is unique in its smooth, intuitive, and simple gameplay. The protagonist walks, flies, and can call for help in his travel through the power given to him by magical cloth.

Interactions between the environment, the protagonist, and the player are created through the tone and feeling of the gameplay.

Instead of flashy skills and outrageous gameplay, Journey astounds with its beauty and charm.

Journey works using a small sized open world experience. It’s not too hard to run through the game, but to help move the game along, the game can be played with one or two players through the online network.

Hopefully, at least one player will know how to advance in the game’s stages.

By Kristen Jensen Staff Writer

Hans Mortimer / Staff Writer

Criticisms for the game are that it is too short. It takes only an hour and a half to complete the entire game. However, trophies and collectables will have you running through the gameplay a few times to collect all of them.

With that being said, it might be a good game to borrow from a friend or rent as the replay value is limited.

Bioshock Brilliant

By Amber Yang Feature Editor

As I stood there in the fountain, staring up at white-marbled statues of founding fathers in the incandescent glow, I took in the tranquil, hymnal sounds of a choir that was playing in the background: Will the circle be unbroken/By and by, by and by/In a better home awaiting/ In the sky, in the sky? I consider myself to be an agnostic, but at that moment, sitting in my chair with my eyes glued to the computer screen, I basically had a religious experience. For this was Bioshock: Infinite.

Released back in March, this first-person shooter video game is the third of the Bioshock series that takes place in a fictional city called Columbia High up in the clouds in the year of 1912. You are agent Booker DeWitt who has been sent to this city suspended

in the air to find a young woman named Elizabeth who has been held captive there.

I’ve just started to peel away the layers of this detail-oriented game. This game has it all if your idea of fun consists of non-stop, sequential suspenseful shooting battles between you and attackers who want you dead. Oh, and not to mention Vigors, magical potions that give you special powers like summoning crows or fireballs.

The graphics of the game are stunningly consistent and the amazing soundtrack, including the barbershop quartet version of “God Only Knows” by Beach Boys, will leave you swooning.

But it’s not just the action that makes it grand. It’s the story. The detail given to crafting BioShock: Infinite’s story is breathtaking.

I have never played any of the other Bioshock games but I immediately got hooked. I suggest anyone, regardless of their gender, to check out this new video game; it deserves all the praise it can receive.

Journey is Thatgamecompany’s third videogame after Flow and Flower. It was awarded best videogame 2012 by The Interactive Achievement Awards and Game Developers Choice Awards.

Journey is a simply amazing experience that cannot be duplicated.

Go grab a copy and go on a journey!

As a proud wearer of orange and black, you wouldn't see me caught dead advocating the Dodgers. But this was a special case. The movie 42, which is about the man who changed baseball, looked too good to pass up, so I headed to the theater to watch the only Dodger I respected.

I soon learned that it didn't matter that I was a Giants fan.

This movie wasn't about the Dodgers. It was about one man, one team, and one owner who changed baseball forever.

42 is the story of one of the most famous men in baseball. Even if you don't know anything about the sport, chances are you’ve heard of Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball.

This movie follows Robinson’s struggle to play the sport he loves amidst prejudice and hate.

Not only is it a story of Robinson's struggle, but also about the struggles of the all white Dodgers who play alongside Robinson.

This is what I truly loved about the movie. It’s not just about Robinson and the impact he made to baseball. The film encompasses

the growth of the entire team: how the players lived through first the disdain and embarrassment of playing with a black man, and later their total acceptance of him. It wasn't only Robinson who changed baseball, as one would expect the film to claim.

The film shows how the Dodgers, as a team, changed America's favorite sport.

The film stars faces old and new, but the two main stars are veteran Harrison Ford and rookie Chadwick Boseman. Ford does an excellent job playing the gutsy and admirable owner of the Dodgers, Branch Rickey, while Boseman portrays a very real and relatable Robinson.

The film is both exciting and inspirational. One of the most heartwarming scenes is when Robinson’s hope is reinvigorated after his teammate helps him back to the plate where Robinson was being harassed by the opposing team’s manager. This scene shows the start of a strong bond between Robinson and his teammates.

You don’t have to be a baseball fan to love this movie. The true message is in the team the Dodgers became and their journey to become that team. 42 is a truly inspirational movie. It made me, a diehard Giants fan, root on the Dodgers. If that is possible, just imagine what you could gain from this amazing story.

Silver Linings Playbook shows “the true meaning of love”

By Lily Carrell Opinion Editor

When life takes a turn, what exactly can you do but hope for better fate at the end of the curve? After losing his house, his job, and his wife, Nicki, Pat Solitano returns from the state mental health institution and becomes determined to reconstruct his life in Silver Linings Playbook, vowing to appreciate the “silver linings” which he believes will guide his recovery.

Having discovered his wife with another man, whom he attacked, Pat is subsequently diagnosed with bipolar disorder and now finds himself living back home with his compassionate mother and obsessive compulsive father.

With his newfound positive attitude, Pat sets out to prove his sound mental state and stability in an effort to reunite with Nikki.

One night, Pat is invited to attend a dinner at his friend’s house, where he meets the mysterious Tiffany, a girl who has problems of her own. Both troubled by their pasts, Pat and Tiffany begin to develop an odd friendship through which the two find comfort in each other’s vulnerabilities. Tiffany

offers to help her new companion reconcile with his estranged wife, but on one condition: Pat must dance in a competition as her partner. As their rehearsals ensue, their initial connection evolves into a more intimate relationship, and both begin to find the strength they were seeking.

The colorful characters of Pat and Tiffany, played by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, respectively, paint the film with both humor and sarcasm, ultimately creating a captivating plot. With a brilliant cast and unique thread, Silver Linings Playbook portrays the true meaning of love in life, and inspires viewers to search for their own silver linings.

Although there were many people, we did not have to wait long for our turn to order. I stood staring at the wall for a few minutes in awe of the immense variety of flavors and unsure of which one to choose. I looked down and saw cupcakes in the glass display case that looked almost too perfect to eat. At last, I decided to try the s'mores cupcake.

It was a chocolate cupcake with a graham cracker crust, marshmallow frosting, and topped with a small piece of pink, circle-shaped fondant.

The taste was phenomenal. The cake was soft, fluffy, chocolatey, and not overpoweringly sweet.

The marshmallow frosting was toasted and golden. It was light and complemented the cake per-

fectly. That, along with the graham cracker crust on the bottom made it like a real s'more. It was probably the best cupcake I have ever had, and I relished every bite.

Along with making extraordinary cupcakes, Kara's Cupcakes is an eco-friendly business. They use local ingredients for their cupcakes as well as compostable boxes and utensils.

They offer a lot of flavors, from raspberry dazzle to banana caramel to chocolate coconut and much more. Some flavors of cupcakes are only made during a certain time of the year. They also offer gluten-free cupcakes.

Although the closest location is in Walnut Creek, the cupcakes are definitely worth the trip. I can't wait to go back.

Kara’s Cupcakes are phenomenal

By Suzanna Chak A&E Editor

I have a friend who’s crazy about Kara's Cupcakes. When she, a few other friends and I went to the cupcakery in celebration of her birthday, I finally understood why.

As soon as I stepped foot into the bakery, I felt a warm sense of welcome. On the right, there was a huge wall of pink, not the neonblinding pink, but a soft, lighter pink. On the left, there was a space to sit down on some very comfortable chairs and enjoy the freshly baked cupcakes.

Trojans swim to tidal wave of WACC swimming titles

By Reyna Garcia

Reyna Garcia / Copy Editor

Senior Joey Tognolini swims at the WACC championship meet.

Copy Editor Castro Valley High’s boys and girls swims teams, both varsity and junior varsity, all won at the WACC championships on May 11. This makes the boys team one of the first boys teams to win a championship in the new league and the girls team the very first Trojans team to win.

The boys varsity team beat the second place team with a 194 point advantage, scoring a 538 over Bishop O’Dowd’s mere 344. Alameda took third with 324.

The girls varsity team also

beat the second place team with more than a 100 point difference, scoring a 508 with Alameda following distantly with a 383.50 and Piedmont followed for third with 334.50.

Coach Brian Berry won coach of the year honors, last year and this year.

Several records were broken at the WACC championships.

The varsity boys 200 medley relay team which consisted of Alex Gibson, Carson Sand, Bronson Brown and Miles Teague broke a record with a time of 1:38.48. The boys and girls varsity 400 freestyle relay team both broke records.

Carson Sand, Victor Deng, Bronson Brown and Miles Teague had a time of 3:14.31 and Lucianna Balica, Laura Machiavello, Kate Miller and Lauren Wirdzek had a time of 3:38.37. Carson Sand also broke the 100 breaststroke record.

“It’s always impressive when a record is broken,” said Berry.

The swim team will move on to NCS at Concord Community Pool on May 18.

“It’s exciting because we have more competition in this league than we had in the past,” said Berry.

Runners break record Tennis Trojans ace new league rivals

By Emily Courchaine

By Felicianna Marquez Staff Writer

This year’s varsity boys 4x100 meter relay team has been unstoppable breaking numerous records that have not been broken in years.

The team has been working together for two years now and consists of Myles Speegle, Cameron Edwards, Aaron Jones and Matt Speegle.

Coach Dooney Jones, both the head coach of the track and field team and the varsity boys 4x100 A team, is proud of the team and hopes for great things for the boys.

“I hope they find their passion for success. To learn and understand what it takes every day to climb to the top and also what it takes to stay there. We move as ‘one,’” stated Jones.

The success of this season so

far, according to Jones, originally started in 2011 when the seed was planted and everyone was working hard to help it grow, with the varsity boys team especially overcoming trials and meeting expectations.

Breaking the 2009 team record of 42.2 seconds, this year the relay team has clocked an outstanding record of 41.65 seconds, currently second-best in the entire state.

The team is hoping to make it to the State Meet Championships this year and is working hard to meet this goal.

“Considering this is my last year at CVHS I want to make it something to remember. I train hard every day to make sure that I am always at the top of my game. I know we can make it to the championships. It just takes hard work and determination,” said Matt Speegle.

Sports Editor

The boys varsity tennis team became one of few CVHS teams this year to win the new WACC league championship on April 26-27. The team has had a remarkable season, and went in to the league tournament undefeated.

“I felt like it was an unstoppable force of love, hope, and teamsmanship. If you combine those three together, you can achieve wonders,” said junior Eric Silverness.

The team tied with Piedmont with a league a win-loss record of 14-1, then defeated them in points, giving them an automatic bid for the NCS tournament, which began and May 3.

The team moved on to the NCS tournament with a positive attitude.

“I feel excited, ecstatic, and exuberant,” sophomore Andrew Do

in anticipation of the big event.

Their first NCS match was against Tamalpais High School, and was one of the closest of the season. Four out of the seven matches against Tamalpais went three sets, and, tied at 3-3, it came down to the very last match.

Fortunately, seniors Paul Wallace and Justin Lew were able to pull ahead and win the last set, resulting in a 4-3 win for the Trojans.

“Both teams played great,” said coach Steve Argyres. “I was real proud of our two seniors in the final match of the day.”

On May 9, the Trojans had their second NCS match against the top seed in the section, Miramonte High School, and although CVHS lost, the team played its best.

Senior Miguel Diaz played number one singles and won 6-3, 7-6, and took second overall in the NCS singles tournament.

Diaz has a win-loss record of 13-1,

and has won the league championship twice.

Junior Spencer Dong lost in a very close number two singles match, with a final score of 6-7, 6-7. Although sophomore Andrew Do lost his number four singles, he played his best tennis of the year.

At first doubles senior Jason Wong and freshman Sanjeev Sinha lost 3-6, 0-6, but the scores don’t reflect how well both teams played.

At second doubles juniors Jesse Pawid and Jason Cheung lost 6-7, 6-7 in a great match. They lost the first set in a tiebreaker and were ahead 5-2 in the second, but again lost in a tiebreaker 6-7.

“Miramonte was the best team we played all year. I was very proud of how well everyone played, but Miramonte was just better,” said Argyres. “This is the best team we have had in my 8 years at the high school.”

S up e r Sp e e dy Sp o r ts St a rs

Joyce Liang / Copy Editor

Amanda Huerta, Freshman

Currently on the CVHS JV softball team, Amanda Huerta has been playing softball for eight years.

Huerta started playing softball because she wanted to follow her mother and cousin’s footsteps.

Huerta is motivated to improve her skills and abilities, and learn more about the sport each time she’s on the field.

She also enjoys playing with her team and the amount of teamwork that is involved in softball.

Throughout the experience of being on the softball team, Huerta remains optimistic and enjoys having fun and keeping everyone on the team, including the coaches, laughing.

“I learned to not let mistakes keep me from trying harder,” said Huerta.

Victor Lee, Sophomore Victor Lee is currently on the CVHS boys tennis team and has been playing for three years.

Lee has become passionate about the sport and is inspired to improve each time he steps onto the courts.

Lee’s favorite part about playing on the team is the opportunity to be able to work and play doubles with his partner and best friend, Jeff Van. “We get to work together and encourage each other to do our best every match,” said Lee. Lee an all-around athlete who enjoys playing tennis and the feelings that come with it.

“There’s just that warm feeling you get inside of you when you hit a hard shot right down the line, or when you put away an overhead smash that makes you want to keep improving and do that again,” said Lee.

Amanda Leung, Junior

Brandon Arias, Senior

Amanda Leung has been a part of the CVHS swim team since her freshman year and is currently on on the varisty swim team. She began swimming at age four, and has been swimming competitively since she was in the fourth grade.

Backstrokes are Leung’s speciality and it is her favorite stroke.

Leung has recently broken her own personal record for backstroke at a swim invitational.

“I remember looking at the scoreboard and feeling really pumped,” said Leung.

With all of the classes and heavy workload, Leung states that swimming is big stress reliever for her from school, and she loves the camaraderie that comes from being on a team.

Brandon Arias is not a man anyone wants to mess with when it comes to running. He is currently on the varsity track team, and has been running for CVHS since he started as a freshman.

Arias enjoys running long distance. He only runs in three events in track, the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters.

“Long runs give me a chance to clear my mind and are by far the best part of running,” said Arias.

“Nothing is more enjoyable than being able to hold a good pace for 60 plus minutes while flying through the trails.”

This season Arias ran 5:00 for the 1,600, and now his goals are to get under 4:30 in the 1,600 and to get in the 9:40s for the 3,200.

8

Olympian

The May 17, 2013

CVHS honors academic achievement for Latino students its easy to go to sport events but when it’s about learning, that’s where I come in.”

Counselor Connie Iglesias and Spanish teacher Becky Maciel handed each award personally to each student. The night ended with a dance by the Mujeres group.

Overall, the night seemed

Night of fun, dance at annual award ceremony

By Stephanie Huerta

“ It’s nice to

Staff Writer

Latino students who had a GPA of 3.0 or above were recognized with awards in the cafeteria on the evening of May 1. Parents and family members were welcomed with food and refreshments as they watched their hardworking students receive honorary certificates.

Principal Mary Ann Valles and Spanish teacher Thelma Mooney created Latino Achievement Night last year and decided to make it an annual event. With the help of a committee and others from the community, the event was a success.

The night included Aztec dancing, recognition to an outstanding community member, a speech from CVHS Alumni Bianca Arias, and dancing from the campus group Mujeres.

Students from grades nine through 12 were awarded with

see that the school recognizes my achievement. ”

Stephanie Huerta / Staff Writer

Latino students show off their academic achievement certificates at an award ceremony on May 1. The awards were given to students of Latino descent with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. a certificate celebrating their achievement.

“It felt great to walk across the stage and receive an award.

I’m doing well and while I do it for myself, it’s nice to see that the school recognizes my achievement,” said senior

Trojans go all in for school science fair

By Kelly Chan Staff Writer

CVHS students had the unique opportunity of volunteering at the Science Fair on May 4. A collaboration between the Castro Valley Education Foundation and the elementary science program, the fair has been a tradition in Castro Valley for the past five years. Featuring hovercrafts, giant bubbles, and rockets, the event was a source of excitement and exploration for elementary school students.

“It’s important that all age groups are in it, and for high schoolers to give back,” said adult advisor Lynne FoyCouche, who was in charge of the elementary science museum.

Every year, many CVHS students volunteer at the fair, some to man a booth, and some to showcase some of their own science projects. The fair spanned

from the cafeteria, all the way to the hallways and classrooms of 700 hall.

“It’s fun to help out the little kids,” said sophomore Peter Zaleski, who volunteered at the Straw Rockets booth.

Adult coordinators at the event praised the high school volunteers for their great attitude, and helpfulness to younger students and their parents.

“We couldn’t do this without their help,” said elementary science specialist Charles Reynes.

Inspiring elementary school students to learn more about science is something schools thrive for every day. With events like the science fair, students are able to find science fun, and be exposed to all the wonderful things they could be making or learning about in the future.

“It’s fun to see little kids excited about science,” said junior volunteer Susan Wang.

Raquel Huerta.

Parents filled the cafeteria excitedly waiting for the moment their student would cross the stage to receive their award.

Superintendent of Castro Valley Unified School District Jim Negri attended the event

and stated, “This is an event that honors students. Any time you can recognize a student for his or her achievement you absolutely should. I totally support this event and what Mrs. Valles is doing. I like supporting academic events because I think

Raquel Huerta CVHS Senior to be successful, filled with loud applause, food, music, and proud parents. The annual event’s purpose is to celebrate the achievement of the students and to motivate them to do better not only for the school, but also for themselves.