Nov 17, 2006

'Race hunter' gets 'fair punishment'

By Christina Cross

By Terry Xiao

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Castro Valley’s Junior Varsity football team lost two sophomore players for the season in a game against Mt. Eden on Thursday Oct. 12. Darren Tsang and Vincent Marchese both suffered serious leg injuries which they said a Mt. Eden player caused with an illegal blocking move.

Both injuries occurred during a kick off. Tsang and Marchese, at different times, ran to make a tackle. Mt. Eden’s number 40 – they do not know his name – illegally dove into the side of the players’ knees at full speed, hitting them with his shoulder pads, they said. They each received medical attention.

As hundreds of students eagerly dived into homecoming celebrations, sophomore Tyler Bard and a few of his friends were busy devising their own race-related version of the popular Animal Planet series “The Crocodile Hunter.”

The team of boys was not exactly rescuing orangutans or feeding angry lizards. Bard (dubbed “The Race Hunter”) was being filmed impersonating “The Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, complete with an imitation accent, as he attacked other students of several different races.

“I think some people took it a little too seriously,” said Bard.

“I heard some people wanted to fight me.”

Bard tackled students who were

Flora Tsang / Editor-in-Chief

Sophomore Darren Tsang perseveres through his injury.

TRAGEDY: Page 6

Students sneaking in and freaking out

By Malena Bell Staff Writer

At the Homecoming Dance on Oct. 28, students were being pulled from the dance floor, but not for freaking. Student Resource Officers (SRO) took students aside to administer alcohol breath tests.

“Our SROs have breathalyzer machines with them at each dance and we will not hesitate to test a student,” stated Associate Principal Sue Goldman.

“

... we plan to have an SRO or campus patroller stationed... ” SUE GOLDMAN Assistant Principal

However, with over 1,000 students at the Homecoming Dance, it is difficult to spot students who may be under the influence. It is especially hard to sort out influenced students when alcohol may not be the only influence.

Students report that ecstasy was

Pg. 4

&

Pg. 5

being used at the dance, but the administration denies locating any or observing any students using it.

“Rumors will always be something we have to deal with, but I can tell you that there was no ecstasy found at the dance,” stated Goldman.

One of the main problems that the administration did have was students trying to sneak into the dance. Students who did not have their ID cards, or who were from other schools and could not obtain guest passes, tried to sneak onto the dance floor.

The problem was worsened at the Homecoming Dance because tickets could only be bought prior to the dance. As a result, some students came expecting to be able to buy a ticket at the door, and when they found out that they could not, they decided to try to get in another way.

Students are also becoming more creative in the ways they are sneaking in. At the Homecoming Dance, students attempted to enter the dance by climbing over the roofs. The administration, however, is responding quickly to this problem.

“In the future, we plan to have an SRO or campus patroller stationed on the roof, so that people cannot get up there,” said Goldman.

DANCES: Page 8

African-American, Asian and Mexican in at least three videos.

The movie clip in which Bard tackled Sunney Wang, a senior, to the ground evoked the most anger in students who watched the videos.

“I think it was very racist and ignorant. It really pissed me off.

For one thing, they’re attacking specific races. I think the appropriate punishment would be expulsion but it doesn’t seem like the school is taking the right action,” said senior Sherman Yang.

“Suspensions do not teach people to stop discriminating.”

Wang has a third-degree black belt in kung fu and sustained bruises and scrapes from unexpectedly being a victim for one of Bard’s films.

HUNTER: Page 8

Coco's farewell to CVHS

By Amber Kury Staff Writer

Principal Debbie Coco resigned last month to attend to family needs in her native Missouri. She presided over Castro Valley High School’s continued population growth, adoption of small learning communities and introduction to Every 15 Minutes, a powerful program designed to reduce drunk driving accidents and fatalities.

Q: What are your accomplishments here at CVHS? Just making a change for the benefit of our school because that’s what is important. People don’t like change but when you look at it in context of what is needed to happen to make the school overall better, then you have a better idea of how change is important.

Q: Overall, how do you feel about the students, and what makes you most proud of them?

I love the kids. I think the kids are more involved in the school than ever. Look at the videos you have put out, look at all the creativity, and all the things you are doing. You all are doing exactly what’s needed to be done by stepping up and taking responsibility.

Q: What is your best experience here?

There are so many, but I would have to say Every 15 Minutes, because you see the kids, parents, and community come together and really stand for something

that will work to help our community be better. The impact of this event really brings everyone closer. It was a little overwhelming to start off because it takes about a year to plan, but the outcome is amazing.

Q: Why exactly are you resigning?

I have my second grandchild, which is wonderful and my son is too busy with his two children to take care of my mom. It is really just time for me to move back to Missouri where I can take care of my mother and be with my grandchildren.

Q: What are your plans for after you leave CVHS? I will go back and live in a

home I already have in Missouri after December. I really would like to volunteer there. I don’t know exactly how or where. It most likely won’t have to do with being a principal because I have been in the schooling business for 32 years, and I want to try something new.

Q: What is a piece of advice you have for Lisa Garcia, the new principal?

Just to make sure not to panic. It can be overwhelming and daunting sometimes because it's such a huge complex, but we have built such a strong team, that I know she will be fine. I have no doubt about it.

COCO: Page 8

Chris Qian / Staff Writer

Principal Debbie Coco responded at the final interview before she returned home for family reasons.

oming c e m o H Photos

Spaghetti straps over pejorative phrases

Dress code policy punishes unfairly

By Christina Cross Staff Writer

Editorial: Dress code: a phrase that plagues every high school in the U.S. Believe it or not, CVHS has always had a dress code, whether it’s been enforced it or not.

Our administration has decided to actually enforce the dress code this year.

This decision outraged many students.

You can easily argue that the dress code limits our freedom of expression. In high school, clothes are our primary source of self-expression. We are constantly judged, ridiculed, loved,

or hated by our appearance every day. Clothes tell the world in a sense who we are without having to say anything.

However, you have to admit that when there is a half-naked person strutting around the school, it can be a bit distracting.

The teachers and administrators are all firm believers in high school existing for education.

What teachers and administrators fail to notice is that we are a large public school.

Teenagers naturally want to rebel.

Just enforcing the dress code won’t make students do

The Olympian is a student publication of the Journalism Class, Castro Valley High School, 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, CA 94546. © 2006 Editor-In-Chief................................................................Flora Tsang City Editor......................................................................Mari Robinson News Editor.........................................................................Gray Bae Opinion Editor....................................................................Ellen Yau Feature Editor...............................................................Kamry Zhang Sports Editor................................................................Jasmine Nand Copy Editors.................................................................Dawn Berden Kyle Friedrich Photo Editor....................................................Saritha Kosarussavadi Systems Manager................................................................Gray Bae Business Managers...................................................Michelle Matsui Candace Wong Staff Writers: Malena Bell, Tim Buhlig, Julianne Burnette, Sophiana Carrell, Becky Chao, Christina Cross, Hayden Folks, Kevin Hanley, Hillary Johnson, Amber Kury, Esther Lee, Stephanie Lombardo, Laura Mitchell, Ariel Navarro, Chris Qian, Sholeh Salimi, Alexandra Shiluk, Terry Xiao Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

their homework or study for the final exams.

One of the major flaws in the dress code at CVHS is that it is mostly directed at girls.

It is not right for girls to have more rules to follow than guys. Perhaps girls are a little more revealing with their bodies, but guys tend to have images or phrases that are hurtful.

The dress code should be more worried about clothing that is offensive to people rather than just focusing on the distracting factor.

Offensive T-shirts are much more worrisome than tube tops.

Dear Editor, I’ll begin by saying that your article (“Vegging is for ‘dummies,’”

by Flora Tsang, Oct. 6) surprised and insulted me. The fact that the editor of our school newspaper is writing about something so trivial as whether or not vegetarianism is a fad disgusts me.

There are plenty of significant things happening in the world.

What about the war in Iraq, the genocide in Sudan, or the upcoming election? You could have started out the year with a bang, but your plan backfired.

As a vegetarian, I have done extensive research on its effect on my health.

Vitamin B12, which you specifically mentioned, is found in cheese and eggs and can be consumed by any vegetarian. I find it mindless to eat what I need to maintain my health, which is of great importance to me.

I actually believe that I am healthier than the average meat

It was the first day of school and I was already in trouble. I found myself repeatedly in trouble for violating the dress code, and was confused because last year my shirt would not have been deemed inappropriate.

Why the sudden change, and why did I have no idea about it?

The new, strictly enforced dress code has become a problem for many of us.

Who is a school official to say whether or not I can wear a certain shirt? When in a tube top the only thing that’s shown off are one’s shoulders. Is that now considered sexually suggestive?

If so, that’s completely ridiculous.

If our moms say something is appropriate for school, who are school officials to tell us it’s not?

High school is the place where you’re supposed to start growing up, but how is that possible when you’re treated like you can’t be trusted with what to wear?

I personally had to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe for school.

They might as well just force us to wear uniforms; it would be much more cost effective.

Some teachers are taking the dress code too seriously. A girl in my math class had on a halter top with a jacket on over it, and yet she was still asked to change. That is completely overboard.

Take away our rights, but if we’re totally covered up, how can we still get in trouble?

I understand administrators did

this for good reasons but they only see one side of it.

Some people take it too far with everything hanging out of their clothes, but the rest of us

“

If our moms say something is appropriate for school, who are school officials to tell us it's not?

”

shouldn’t be punished for their overexposure.

Those people should be dealt with and covered up but those of us who want to wear a tube top should be able to.

I’m the kind of girl who respects myself, but I still love clothes.

They are a freedom of expression and the new dress code stifles that freedom.

They can say certain clothes are distracting all they want, but I find the kid next to me in class who reeks of weed a lot more of a distraction. The school definitely has its focus on the wrong so-called “problem.”

LETTERS To the Editor

eater. It is a fact that excessive consumption of meat is detrimental to one’s health. High fruit and vegetable consumption, however, is associated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, several common cancers, and other chronic diseases such as cataracts.

So what if vegetarianism is a fad?

If it is, at least it is aiming to accomplish something respectable.

You could call anything a fad, but that in no way means it is a bad thing. There are some fads that do make no sense - saggy pants, obnoxious music, unnecessarily trucks, etc. – but vegetarianism does make a difference. It should be cool to commit even just a few less animals to the cruelty, disease, and crowding found in slaughterhouses.

Saying that one vegetarian doesn’t make a difference, is just like saying your vote doesn’t count. From a weak perspective it may not seem like much, but when millions of people do what they

think is right, then change can and does happen.

The results of your actions may not be directly displayed to you, but this absolutely does not mean that you do not make a difference.

I agree with your statement regarding vegetarians who are not committed to abstaining from any kind of meat consumption. If you eat meat, you are not a vegetarian.

That’s obvious. But your statement that vegetarians do not make a difference is ignorant.

I suggest you do your research a little more thoroughly next time.

Do not tell me that my efforts to be humane are futile.

Katie Caploe, junior The Olympian welcomes letters to the editor and reserves the right to edit letters for libel, spelling, grammar, length and style. Please limit letters to 200 words. All letters to the editor must be signed. Submit letters to cvhsolympian@yahoo.com or the Olympian office in room 113.

Last lunchtime left Mankind needs manners lesson without lunches

By Ellen Yau Opinion Editor

By Laura Mitchell Staff Writer

It’s an all too familiar situationit’s lunchtime on a regular, nonblock day, and you’re hungry. You are able to shove your way through to the front of the lunch line and it’s finally your turn to order.

But after that, nothing goes right. You ask for pizza, but it’s all out. It seems that there are no sandwiches, breadsticks, salads or lemonades to be found either.

“Sorry, but all we’ve got left are a couple of burritos and a rice bowl,” says the woman serving today’s lunch crowd. “Everything was bought last lunch.”

This kind of event has happened to nearly every hungry upperclassman (myself included) seeking to buy lunch.

CVHS’s “two-lunch system” has brought about a “food shortage” on campus and it’s incredibly inconvenient and annoying. The numerous freshmen buy up most of the popular lunch items and the (even more numerous) older students are left to fight for the last pizza or sandwich that is available.

No wonder many students end up going without a lunch, or instead heading off campus for fast food.

To prevent these lunchtime woes, the school should keep a certain number of food items for

each lunch period.

That way, both freshmen and upperclassmen would be able to purchase items like breadsticks,

“ Freshmen

buy up...the popular lunch items and the...older students are left to fight for the last pizza...

”

sandwiches, and salads.

Any leftovers from the freshmen’s fifth period lunch could be sold during the later lunch for all of the other students on campus.

Besides, the school wouldn’t be paying to buy more food for lunch; they would just be divvying up the food between the two different lunch times.

Freshmen shouldn’t get the first pick (and the majority of) the food at school; every hungry student should have access to it, too.

I was, not too long ago, at the “Happiest Place on Earth” and guess what? I wasn’t happy. No, I wasn’t being pouty because Mickey Mouse wouldn’t take a picture with me, nor was it because of the drab weather.

I, Ellen Yau, was a target of a she-bully.

My family and I were walking in one of the streets of Frontierland and when we saw the crowd gather to watch the classic Fantasia light presentation, we decided to stop and watch, too.

Before I could even scrunch down under the line separating the walking crowd from the watching crowd, a baby stroller goes right at my ankle.

Then I hear a grouchy lady of a mother say, “Keep on going” in this extremely impatient and exasperated voice. What did I do?

I just wanted to watch Fantasia. Is that so bad?

Assuming she had another younger child pushing the stroller and was telling that child to keep going instead of bumping into people the sweet, optimistic and endearing side of me turned around, with a smile might I add, and said, ” Oh! I’m sorry,” immediately.

Whattyaknow.

There was no other child (a creation of my own naïveté) and she was directing the command to me!

Pressure placed on pupils

By Alexandra Shiluk Staff Writer

Enjoying the first amount of free time I experienced since the last week of summer, I sat down at the bottom of my stairs, outfitted in my soccer uniform, waited for my ride to arrive, rifled to page one of The Overachievers: the Secret Lives of Driven Kids and read.

At least, that was for the five minutes before my friend rang the doorbell and I left, soccer cleats in hand. Nonetheless, I was offered a very insightful glimpse into the lives of ambitious teenagers, however brief. Slowly I realized how detrimental such a lifestyle could be to young adults and how the effects are, even now, beginning to take root.

Pushed by teachers, parents, and a competitive society, many students are panicking about their futures as they scramble to load their resumes, achieve top scores on standardized tests, heap up awards, boast transcripts with high scores, and excel in activities and athletics.

Such pressure develops in part from a “money making mentality” over education – and leads, at times, to cheating in school.

By far the worst cheating I saw was in my honors classes, where

the expectations placed upon students combined with the desire to achieve and outscore their peers pressured them to resort to cheating.

“

...the classic note-in-the calculator to the answers written in pen around the paper cover of a water bottle...

”

I’ve witnessed the classic note-in-the-calculator to the answers written in pen around the paper cover of a water bottle. I remember staring at them from a few seats back, torn between both disgust and the desire to ask them

the formula for problem number 7.a.

Although recently, the rhetoric has changed, sermonizing the value of relaxation, family time, and sleep, as one of my friends said in frustration after a particularly disingenuous lecture on the importance of rest, “When was the last time a teacher has accepted the ‘Sorry, I had to get 8 hours of sleep’ excuse?”

American teens are obviously under pressure to set higher goals for themselves, but more so than not, these goals prove unattainable, outpacing what they are likely to achieve. Adding to the mix are often-aggressive parents, who sometimes push children into taking more than they can handle.

An expedient solution to this pressing problem is neither on hand, nor black and white. While the academic community dismisses such objections, sufficient methods of managing stress throughout one’s academic career includes distinguishing weaknesses, exploiting skills and strengths, and involving outside sources.

Like it or not, students are burning the candle at both ends in order to ascend their dream ladder of success; and while educators may call it “progress,” I call it regression.

Nuh uh girlfriend! Uh, no you di-int!

How is it she’s going to tell me what to do especially with an attitude? It was not her place to tell

“

Let’s just suppress these urges to burst out and yes, look like an idiot correcting other people’s manners.

”

me where I’m supposed to be going or when, nor was it her place to teach me manners. I’ve got two perfectly fine parents of my own, thank you very much.

By the way, didn’t she just ram into me?

Not only did I not get an apology, but I had to suffer her impatient temper as well.

Boy was I disgusted towards the she-bully and empathetic towards the baby in the stroller. May that

child escape its mother’s brash and rude behavior.

Now, I’m not a rude person complaining about all the wrong that was done to me. I have noticed, though, that this was not the first time others got out of their place to teach others manners when they themselves were ill-suited to do so.

I’m an optimistic person; I look at a glass of nice cold milk as half full more than half empty, and I look at people hoping they’re more than half good rather than more than half evil.

At times like these, though, I feel like our society is doomed to be an overload of ignorant, pompous, and straight-up rude people.

Why can’t we just let little things like these go? Being just like the she-bully, “educating” others, does not mean you are doing society a justice. Why must we continually attempt to out-do others by claiming we know this thing called manners?

Let’s just suppress these urges to burst out and yes, look like an idiot correcting other people’s manners. Let’s clean up our own acts instead of others.When fellow students bump into you in the crowded halls, don’t get huffy about it. When you bump into fellow students, give a quick apology.

It isn’t going to hurt you.

Just keep this in mind: keep your hands and unsolicited comments to yourself.

Please and thank you!

PHOTOpinions COMPILED BY AMBER KURY

What do you think of the newly enforced dress code?

“We have the right to “The dress code doesn't express ourselves in any really bother me. The rules are pretty legit. The way we want, but with the rules for girls are extreme, new enforced dress code, like not being able to wear we don't have that right and it's unfair.” – Beka spaghetti strap shirts.”

Haas, sophomore – Justin Cox, junior

“I think it's really stu“The dress code is suppid how girls can't wear posed to prevent the learnspaghetti straps. For some ing process from being girls the dress code is distrcted, but I don't really needed because of the think that a guy with sagway they throw themging pants or a girl wearselves out there, but for ing spaghetti straps will others it's unfair.” halt learning.” – Daniel – Viridiana Galvan, senior Blancher, freshman

Photos compiled by: Malena Bell, Sarith

“I felt homesick because homecoming was at Chabot instead of CVHS. I was also disappointed that the assembly was not as funny as last year’s,” said senior Rachel Montgomery.

f o d En 8 0 0 2 s o ng ’ s l r i g n g i e r

“I was glad the senior float won.

The dance was also way better than last year’s,” said junior Kevin Gonzales.

Quotations compile

By Stephanie Lombardo Staff Writer

After a two-year winning streak, the Class of 2008 song girls lost in the homecoming competition. Everyone was expecting a wonderful performance from the girls, and although many thought they should have won, they came in second to the sophomores.

“All of us girls know deep down we did a first place performance and just because the judges didn’t agree with that, we didn’t let it get us down,” said junior Katy White.

However, the loss seems to have given the girls a greater motivation to have a big win in their senior year.

“I’m not going to lie, I was really upset that we didn’t win song girls this year. But I’m not too worried because it gives us that much more push to outdo ourselves next year,” said junior Jen Hepworth.

Photos compiled by: Malena Bell, Sarith

“I thought it was lame that we had to go to Chabot, but homecoming was entertaining,” said sophomore Laura Gamez.

ed by Kevin Hanley

“I didn’t like the freshman song girls very much. The senior skit was the best - definitely my favorite,” said freshman Tyler Chany.

ha Kosarussavadi, Chris Qian, Kamry Zhang

By Stephanie Lombardo Staff Writer

After never having won the song girls competition before, the seniors blew away their opponents with their 50s-themed dance performance.

They impressed all of the judges and took first place after working very hard on their dance.

“It was an awesome feeling to know that all our hard work paid off in the end,” said senior Lexi Baily.

Although many expected the seniors to lose, they didn’t let that get in the way of delivering a good performance.

“A lot of people were doubtful that we would be able to beat the juniors. It was very satisfying when we did,” said senior Katie McDonagh.

Se nior s o ng gi r ls sh a k e i t do w n

Progress reports stop some Trojans

Stricter rules on failing grades for student athletes

By Hayden Folks Staff Writer

The new grade standard for CVHS athletic teams is one of the most recent controversies at school. The new policy says if students have an F on a progress report they are benched until they can raise their grade.

According to cross country coach Peter Brewer, the policy caught many kids by surprise because coaches may have forgotten to pass the policy on to the athletes.

This is one of the main things that caused the controversy.

“I really don’t know why kids are complaining,” said Brewer after explaining the grade policy.

“We can do both things. We can be proud of our athletic traditions and keep our academics.”

When asked about what she thinks about the new police Assistant Principal Marcie Plummer said “It’s a step in a positive direction.”

At CVHS students must keep a 2.0 grade point average to participate in athletics. This is less than Moreau Catholic School, which requires a 2.5 or higher grade point average.There are many students that think the policy isn’t a good thing.

“It’s awful, it’s a disaster when an extracurricular activity is taken,” said senior Nicole Abraham. Many other kids feel it is an injustice and have said sports and academics are completely different.

Most students think the new rul is a good thing and agree with it.

“It is a good policy,” said sophomore wrestler Brian Vierra. “You should be able to do extracurricular activities and keep good grades.”

Most say that students should focus on school first.

“High school is supposed to prepare you for life and football won’t.

You need to get good grades,” said Cristovao Chocha, a sophomore who agrees with the policy.

Screws and surgery for shocked Tsang TRAGEDY: Page 1

Mt. Eden declined to identify the name of the player.

Tsang said that during the experience he was thinking, “Wow, I can’t believe that just happened to me.”

He is definitely receiving time to think about it. Tsang must stay home for eight weeks due to a broken femur.

“I was shocked they didn’t take him out of the game,” Tsang said of the Mt. Eden player. “The refs didn’t do anything.”

Although Tsang is on the road to recovery, this experience was definitely a traumatic one.

He had surgery on the Friday after the game, Oct. 13. He said the doctors “placed two four inch screws into his leg.”

“I was hecka scared. It was the first time I had surgery,” said Tsang.

He hopes to be at school before the eight weeks are up.

Marchese, the Trojans’ second injured player, suffered a torn

medical collateral ligament and meniscus and possible crack of the tibia.

He is on crutches but able to attend school.

“This injury affects everything in my daily life. But most importantly I hate not being able to play,” said Marchese.

The question on everyone’s mind is whether or not Mt. Eden’s number 40 will ever be punished.

When Mt. Eden athletic director Gary Duran was asked how he feels about the situation, he responded by saying, “No comment… it’s a football game.”

The Trojans’ JV coach Nick McMaster said he was proud of the way Marchese and Tsang responded.

“It was mature of the two of them,” he said. “We’re over it.”

But he also realizes how inconvenient these injuries really are. “It’s unfortunate. There is a reason the rule is in place to not do a illegal cut block.”

McMaster also said, “I hope the best for Vincent and Darren’s recovery. Their health is obviously most important. I feel no ill will towards the player. I think he should have been reprimanded in some way.”

Mt. Eden cancelled the JV game against CVHS slotted for Oct. 20.

“They felt the players would possibly retaliate,” McMaster said.

Woodward almost an Ultimate champ

By Malena Bell Staff Writer

A smile plays on Jesse Woodward’s face as the topic of Ultimate Frisbee arises. Woodward, the Assistant Principal of House 4, maintains a hidden talent – Ultimate Frisbee.

Woodward and his team traveled to Sarasota, Florida on Oct. 25 as the defending champions at the Ultimate Frisbee Nationals. However, his team, the Brass Monkeys, was unable to cinch the championship this year. They faced a defeat to the Slow Whites in the semifinals.

But tears of sorrow will not drop.

The purpose of Ultimate Frisbee is unlike most sports; instead of believing in solely winning, participants play for the sole purpose of having fun.

The first rule in the team handbook enforces this ideal by stating that the mutual respect for other players will never be sacrificed to win.

Woodward’s adventure of carousing in the grass and catching Frisbees began in his sophomore year of college.

“I wasn’t good enough for varsity in soccer or basketball,” recalled

Woodward. Since it was a relatively new sport, none of his teammates had an initial unfair advantage over anyone else.

The idea of the Brass Monkeys was born when a few elite players decided to organize their own team.

Eighty people tried out for the coveted spots, and Woodward was one of the select few that were chosen.

The Brass Monkeys practice once a week for about three hours.

“A lot of elements of soccer, football, and basketball are in Ultimate Frsbee,” commented Woodward.

“The game itself is very fun and fast paced.”

Ultimate Frisbee consists of simple rules and supportive teams.

The teams are coed and Woodard believes it is one of the few sports that can play cross gender successfully.

Without Ultimate Frisbee, Woodward would be a different man. “I wouldn’t be as fulfilled,” said the smiling Woodward. Nor would he be as athletic, or as traveled.

The carefree spirit of Ultimate Frisbee continues with the absence of referees.

Some sports need referees in order to keep the game clean and the

players in line, but the Frisbee athletes make their own calls as they see fit.

The spirit of camaraderie encourages the close-knit teams to be friendly, even with the opponents.

Teams sing to each other, even when they lose. After suffering a loss to the Slow Whites, the Brass Monkeys soulfully sang, “It’s the End of the World as We Know It,” by REM. The song was tailored in retrospect of their sorrow.

Some might be discouraged about the lack of cash prizes to be won in Ultimate Frisbee tournaments.

However, there is a trophy ceremoniously given to the winning team in Nationals.

So, if the feeling of boredom ever envelopes you, pick up a Frisbee and have some fun.

Who knows, maybe one day you’ll find yourself waving to a cheering crowd in the Ultimate Frisbee Nationals or singing “It’s the End of the World as We Know It,” with your teammates.

31 years of lettering jackets at Linda’s

By Hillary Johnson Staff Writer

Observe the green and gold beauty of CVHS that has been displayed on the shoulders of hundreds of students over past decades.

They’re called letterman jackets, and there’s a popular place to go in Castro Valley if you want quality lettering on yours.

That place sits right in the middle of Castro Valley Boulevard. It’s called Linda’s Garment Lettering.

For 15 years it has sat there, faithfully producing letterman jackets, beautifully hand sewn by Linda Guthrie herself.

With steady business all year round, Guthrie keeps very busy pleasing students with jacket, after jacket, after jacket.

It can be very monotonous work, considering that every student wants a variation of the same thing, but according to Guthrie, she enjoys it.

“The hardest part for me is the paperwork,” laughed Guthrie.

It all started in Guthrie’s kitchen,

-

CUTE, CRAZY COSTUMES & TRENDY TRICK OR TREATERS

back in 1975 when she lived in San Leandro.

Nine years after that, she relocated right onto Castro Valley Blvd., where she has been ever since.

She loves working with the kids, but the business can become stressful around the holiday season, when many students’ parents hound her with last minute orders.

“That’s one thing you can tell them,” said Guthrie. “Tell the parents to order jackets earlier in the year.”

Nonetheless, Guthrie does all her work with a good attitude.

She even puts a sense of humor into it; once and a while, a Trojan might find that one of his eyebrows is bigger than the other or that one of his lips droop a little, though for the most part her work is consistent.

However, one of the major changes over the years has been the shade of green covering the jacket.

For a long while, it was a darker hunter green, but lately it has been changed to a lighter green.

Despite all the technicalities and stress, there is a joy in Guthrie’s work that has kept the athletes coming to her for the past 21 years.

French students take on the role of teachers

By Sophiana Carrell Staff Writer

Parlez Vous Francais, Proctor?

Advanced French students have become teachers by lending their knowledge of the romance language to Proctor Elementary students.

In 2001, former fourth grade teacher Carol Goodale and CVHS French teacher Teresa Marshment came up with the idea of having fourth-year and AP French students travel to Proctor during class time to teach fourth and fifth grade students.

Five years later, the program now includes CVHS third year French students.

Last year, Marshment collaborated with teacher Vickey Seitz and extended the teaching program to include second and third graders.

“The students were amazed

with how quickly they picked up French,” said Marshment of the program.

Proctor parents graciously volunteered their time to transport the 29 CVHS students to and from the elementary school every Thursday for the duration of the six-week program.

Because of the length, children get to know their French studentteachers very well, as do the instructors.

This allows them to tailor their lesson plans to the capabilities of their assigned classes.

The school tries to desgnate as many high schoolers as possible to one classroom, giving the teachers more one-on-one instruction time with every student.

“It’s kind of like a buddy system with the high school students and the children,” commented Marshment.

According to the French stu-

dents, the program is not only beneficial to the kids.

“It was a good learning skill to teach someone what you know, especially a foreign language,” said senior Emily Griffin, a current French student. “It reinforced my French.”

As for the pupils at Proctor, the intense learning might be too much to handle.

“I liked the activities they did,” said Lily Carrell, a fifth grade Proctor student who had her first lesson on Oct. 26. “But I don’t know if we’re supposed to remember everything.”

Though Carrell enjoyed the creative activities, such as when the teachers split the class in two to hold a French knowledge competition, she is upset with her poor short-term memory.

“I can only remember one word: huit. I think it means eight, but I’m not exactly sure.”

Gasser! At the dance floor

By Candace Wong Business Manager

Math teacher Ruth Gasser might not be present at all the school dances, but she sure knows how to rock her feet.

In fact, she taught a few of her students how to folk dance, too.

“I didn’t think it would be so hard, it looked so easy when she demonstrated. It seemed kind of weird in the beginning but I guess it was pretty fun after a while,” explained junior Ivan Tiet.

Well, guess it’s not as easy as it looks. However, if anyone does want to try, they can ask Gasser.

She started the sport around

the year of 1972 and was a hardcore dancer around the 1970s and 1980s.

She eventually stopped because of her love for her two dogs. Gasser did not start again until last January.

Why did Gasser start the sport?

Well, Gasser explains that she was invited to folk dance during college and ever since that night at Stanford, Gasser went every week with her friend Dan. “It is fun to learn the subtle things that make a dance special,” says Gasser.

Gasser currently takes an advanced dance class three nights a week at Berkeley Folk Dancer’s

Group (BFD).

Although Gasser has come a long way in folk dancing, she is still determined to continue the sport.

She has already enrolled to go back to camp next year.

Gasser says that folk dancing is interesting to her because the dances come from all over the world.

“I love it. It’s lots of fun. You meet fun people who enjoy dancing as much as you do. It is a chance to exercise without even thinking about it. The music is often very beautiful. And people like to sing or hum along,” explains Gasser.

Chris Qian / Staff Writer

Flava Flav (junior David Cambra), Lord Montague (junior Mattew Baldo) and Hell’s Belle (freshman Leanna Chavez) dress up for the Halloween festivites.

By Kevin Hanley Staff Writer

Eleven Castro Valley High School social studies teachers recently had their brand new laptops taken away by the state.

These laptops were part of a “technology package” offered by the textbook company McgrawHill/Glencoe to entice schools to purchase their books.

For buying this year’s new social studies books from that company, 11 history teachers were given brand spanking new laptops in return.

The school purchased about 825 world history textbooks costing roughly $65 each. The buyers were apparently not aware of the bonus until after purchasing the

books, and teachers were surprised to hear that for every 75 books purchased, one free laptop was given to the school.

However, another textbook company, angered by this, complained that offering free computers as a bonus gave Mcgraw-Hill/Glencoe an unfair advantage. The company even possibly even threatened to sue McgrawHill/Glencoe.

State officials in Sacramento eventually decided that it was improper for companies to give out “bribes,” and ordered schools to return the laptops.

“I got an e-mail from the principal who had been told by the business office of the district that CVHS had been ordered to return the laptops,” said Jennifer Sitkin, history teacher and head of the

social studies department.

Some teachers took this in stride. “I understand where the state is coming from,” said history teacher Mark Mladinich. “The textbook companies shouldn’t be allowed to give out gifts.”

Others were more upset about the situation. “I don’t feel good about it,” said history teacher Ross Williams. “A textbook company calling another textbook company unfair for offering free laptops with the books is like an auto company calling another auto company unfair for offering side airbags in their cars.”

For returning the laptops, the district is giving the school “textbook resources” instead. Sitkin described these resources as “not very useful.”

Comfy couches confiscated from Coach Peter Brewer’s classroom

By Alexandra Shiluk Staff Writer

English teacher Peter Brewer’s couches, residents of his classroom since 1986, were recently confiscated by the administration in response to alleged complaints made by various custodial staff members.

Supported by administrative actions, it remains debatable whether the informal classroom setting they presented contributed to their confiscation.

“They offer an air of conviviality in what is often times a sterile environment,” said Brewer, still not convinced the issue of the couches needed to be dealt with on such a level.

The problems the couches posed came Assistant Principal Sue Goldman’s attention last summer vacation, when the rooms were being stripped and

waxed for the new school year.

Due in part to the couches, the crew refused to clean Brewer’s room, she said. This first brought them to Goldman’s attention in a negative way.

Goldman cited sanitary reasons to support her decision to remove the couches, claiming that they were difficult for the custodians to clean under. “I think the classroom atmosphere should be one of ‘taking school seriously,’” said Goldman. “I am not convinced that having couches inside classrooms lends to this thinking.”

Whether the effects the couches themselves had upon the atmosphere of the classroom were constructive or not may have also been subject to question as Brewer was forced to remove the couches from his room.

Social studies teacher Jason Marlis also possessed several couches in his classroom – of which only

one now remains.

“Having the couches not only yielded positive feedback from my students, but provided a safe, comfortable and cozy classroom,” he said. “I feel like losing the couches did nothing to strengthen the class.”

Furthermore, the couches showed up positively at last year’s Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) evaluation, as one of its associates visited Brewer’s room specifically for the couches. Brewer sees this as evidence for the important role they play in the classroom setting.

Sophomore Tanya Poovaiah, who often times spends her lunchtime in Brewer’s room, also defended the significance of the couches. “[The couches] made the classroom warm and inviting,” she said. “His class is so much colder without them.”

Breathalyzer tests administered during dance DANCES: From Page 1

The dances are already heavily staffed. Each dance has three to four campus patrollers, two to three administrators, seven to eight teachers, and four to eight parent volunteers. The school resource officers (SROs) also monitor the perimeter.

But controlling these dances is a

tough job, and it is not always easy to monitor student activity.

“It’s really hard for us to get in the middle,” said campus patroller Sue Peppler.

Students are given wristbands when they enter the dance, which help the staff to supervise the students. Students without wristbands can be spotted and questioned to determine whether or not they

should be at the dance. However, it is easy for students to spend most of the dance in the middle of the dance floor, where many of the staff cannot see them. As leadership teacher Linda Little points out, there is a simple way to prevent this.

“I think we as adults need to be more assertive walking through the crowd,” said Little.

Student acts as “Croc Hunter” copycat HUNTER: From Page 1

According to Assistant Principal Jesse Woodward, some of the people being attacked by Bard gave him permission to do so. Wang, however, was “very shocked and did not know how to react at first.”

“Once I realized what was wrong, I defensively knocked him off of me and then elbowed him in the stomach.

“I started to run after him, but I realized the consequences and repercussions and decided to press charges on assault and battery instead,” said Wang.

The videos were publicly posted on YouTube for a few

days during the week of Oct. 15 and caused a furious reaction with numerous students who viewed them.

The videos were spread around and eventually delivered to the administration. Bard said he was issued a “pretty fair punishment.”

Bard and the students that he chose to attack also gathered for a peer mediation session after the incident. Bard thought “it worked out pretty well and they came to a mutual agreement.”

“I am amazed at what students are willing to put up on the Internet,” said Woodward.

“Nothing like this has ever occurred before.”

Coco’s parting words to the students of CVHS COCO: From Page 1 Q: What are you going to miss most about the atmosphere here at CVHS? The high energy, the creativity, and the fun. I have had a lot of fun and enjoyment here. I am going to miss the credulity of the teachers, and in general just what a great place this is. You guys know. You live it every day.

Q: What is your last message to the students and staff at CVHS? I really enjoyed seeing all the energy and excitement. Just to be part of such a great school is won-

derful in itself. I mean how many other schools do you know that have had a four-hour lockdown without people melting down like crazy? It’s a tribute to the staff and students.

We’ve got the best kids and they come from everywhere. If we can make it work here, maybe someone can come and take a lesson from us. Sometimes kids say inappropriate things and teachers misconstrue some things, but overall we are on our way. With all the tolerance, appreciation and understanding that we have, we can be a model for the rest of the world.

Co

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