October 22, 2010

B1-B8: The anchor explores the lives of homosexual students.

P4: 9 months after the earthquake hit Haiti, the country is still devasted.

P8: A flock of Sea Hawks tackles a Penninsula running back.

High Tide

Redondo Beach, CA Redondo Union High School

Oct.22, 2010 vol.

edition 3

]www.hightideonline.org]

Drug and Alcohol Task Force works to create drug-free community

by Danny Garzon

It started with one hit, one puff, a simple inhale and exhale, but it changed her life forever.

She began smoking pot only occasionally, but it soon escalated to a full blown addiction. Grades slipped. Relationships changed. Marijuana had taken over her life.

Junior Christina* constantly regrets her decision to smoke marijuana.

This is a case seen often in high school and the reason why the Drug and Alcohol Community Task Force was created, according to Frank DeSena, assistant superintendent of student services.

The Task Force brings together parents, counselors, administrators, and students in order reduce substance abuse both in and out of school.

“We know there is a big problem, but we’re not going to sit around and do nothing about it. I believe we can do many things that can help,” DeSena said.

DeSena hopes that parents will play a bigger role in preventing their children from using drugs and alcohol.

The Task Force recommended that the district enact two new policies in order to help parents reduce the risk of their children abusing drugs.

The first is the Safe Space Program, which gives concerned parents a list of families who have signed an agreement to provide a safe, drug and alcohol free environment at home. Approximately 150 families have signed the contract.

DeSena urges more parents and students to sign the agreement, which is not legally binding and can be found on the district’s website.

In addition to the Safe Space Program, the school has also implemented a voluntary drug testing program, which according to Assistant Principal Amy Golden will give students a reason to say no when faced with peer pressure.

“I know peer pressure happens, and that it is hard to say no. Kids just want to belong. Hopefully, the [Safe Space Program and the voluntary drug testing program] will help kids say no,” she said.

Christina feels that a voluntary drug testing program will help her to say sober.

“It would make me think twice about smoking knowing that there may be a drug test in the near future,” Christina said.

Both Golden and DeSena feel that comprehensive drug education at the elementary and middle school levels is crucial to preventing drug use.

“I don’t think that there’s really any one approach that really works. I think that research would show that just trying to scare students is not effective, we need to find a proper balance,” DeSena said.

According to Lori Shimkus, high school resource officer, there are legal consequences in addition to negative consequences at school if a student is found in possession of drugs or alcohol.

Minors found in possession of marijuana or alcohol are cited for a misdemeanor and forced to appear in court where they may be sentenced to community service, drug and alcohol education classes, or fined. Last year, 29 students were suspended and referred to the police department for drug or alcohol possessions.

As for Christina, she is now over two weeks clean and hoping to stay sober for the rest of her life.

“I really want to stop this time. [The drug abuse] took over my life, and I couldn’t handle it,” she said.

The asterisk (*) in the story indicates that the name of a speaker has been changed to protect his/her identity.

12

LMXXIV

Angry

GSA wears purple to support LGBT rights

Jurors take the stage

ALL PHOTOS BY JAKE COLLINS

by Anthony Leong

1.

4.

Frustrated. 1. Loren Brown holds her head is frustration as the jurors debate. Brown plays the hard-line skeptic, who is stubborn in her position. 2. An actress leans on a window frame. 3. The alleged murder weapons are stabbed into a book.

4. Brown is held back by her fellow jurors in a moment of rage.

3.

2.

Drama puts on its first play in the black box theature.

by Anacristina Gonzalez

He takes a deep breath and sets foot onto the shiny new stage. He had waited an entire year for this moment. Senior Kieran Newton, along with the rest of the drama program, is finally home.

According to Newton, Drama club president, the Drama Department is very pleased with the new auditorium in which they will be performing.

“It is the best possible facility that we could ask for,” Newton said. “It gives us such a greater sense of professionalism.”

The lack of an auditorium to perform in slightly slowed drama’s progress in its

productions last year, according to Newton, but they used the time off of producing to their advantage.

“It actually was partially a good thing.

It was nice having that year off because it gave us a chance to stop and focus,” Newton said.

Drama teacher Justin Baldridge also believes that last year brought positive results to the program.

“It was a year to train my students how to be actors,” Baldridge said.

Drama may not have been as productive as they would have wished last year, but they feel that their improvements will allow them to make a strong comeback this year, according to Newton.

“We really have an amazingly organized club this year. It’s so much better than it used to be. It’s really our flagship year,” Newton said.

The first play that will be performed is Twelve Angry Jurors, which will be pre-

mier on Tuesday, Oct. 26 and play until Saturday, Oct. 30. Other plays that are scheduled to be put on this year are The Iliaad, The Odyssey, and all of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less, and Anything Goes.

Twelve Angry Jurors had originally been planned to show for two weeks, but it has been compressed into one week in order to not interfere with Homecoming and other activities. Tickets for this show went on sale Oct. 18, $7 pre-sale and $10 at the door.

According to Baldridge, drama is very excited to put on this performance and wants students to go see it.

“This production has been a lot of fun to work on. I feel that this play allows my students and the student audience to understand the importance of the jury process, and the power we have as citizens,” Baldridge said.

Go to p. 4 for the review

Parras Middle School mournes the loss of Eloise Overton

by Alex Shea

Eloise Overton, a former teacher at Parras Middle School passed away due to a heart attack on Oct. 11.

Overton is noted for her contributions to Parras’s social science program and will be Eloise Overton missed by her peers and students.

According to colleagues and friends, Overton was passionate about history and

was dedicated to her student’s education.

According to Parras Middle School principal Lars Nygren, Overton was very committed to her work.

“She was a teacher who worked tirelessly for the students and held high standards for her students and which resulted in high achievement,” Nygren said.

Senior Katie Teshima also said Overton was a teacher that was extremely committed to educating her students.

“She was a tough teacher, but really did care about helping her students succeed,” Teshima said.

For many years, Overton helped students get more involved in history by leading a Washington D.C. trip. She liked the trips because students got to “explore our nation’s capital and learn about its

history,” according to Nygren.

Outside of school, Overton cared for her colleagues and friends “like a mother” according to Brian Gill, math teacher at Parras.

“She always made sure I was well taken care of at school. She went out of her way to buy me groceries when I came out of the hospital and threw me a wedding shower when I got married,” Gill said.

In 2009 Overton retired from RBUSD and moved to Colorado Springs, CO. to be closer to her family and her newly born grandchild.

According to colleagues and friends, Overton will be missed dearly for her contributions both in and out of school.

She is survived by her husband Joe and children Lizzie, Emily and Matt.

Many gay and straight students might have found themselves smiling on Wednesday as they walked through crowds of their peers dressed in purple and showing their support for the gay community.

“Purple represents spirit on the LGBTQ flag and that’s exactly what we would like all of you to have: spirit,” David Kawa, GSA club president, said.

“It’s a way to show solidarity [towards the recent suicide victims]. To show that you aren’t alone.”

GSA Vice President Christiana Marvray feels the day is one of commemoration and is an important one to recognize at RUHS. “Nobody likes to talk about it, but I think homophobic bullying is a big problem at our school,” Marvray said.

Although Kawa doesn’t know where the idea to wear purple originated, he believes it was inspired by a protest in San Francisco known as the “Friday of the Purple Hand” or the “Bloody Friday of the Purple Hand.”

“Please know that times will get better and that you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are, no matter your sexuality.”

—David Kawa On Oct. 31, 1969 at noon, sixty members of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) held a protest outside the headquarters of a daily newspaper in San Francisco called “The Examiner.” The subject of their protest was a series of news articles published by “The Examiner” disparaging LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans gender) individuals. The protest transpired peacefully until employees in the building dumped purple ink on the protestors below.

The protestors, energized by their new opportunity, stamped the building’s white surface with bright purple handprints and various LGBTQ slogans like “Gay Power!”

When the police arrived, instead of arresting those that had dumped the ink, they arrested those who had been protesting.

This event emphasized the need to spread awareness.

Although gay oppression might have been something to worry about in San Francisco 40 years ago, Kawa sees RUHS a little differently.

In spite of the fact that Kawa has heard of bullying against homosexuals, he still sees Redondo as a safe place.

“I don’t think [homophobic bullying] is at the point at our school where it’s ridiculous,” Kawa said. “I think we’re safe here.”

Although Kawa does not believe that homophobic bullying is a serious problem at school, Marvray believes otherwise.

“It can be comments in passing, and things on Facebook,” Marvray said. “It’s not just bullying; it’s people using the word gay in a derogatory way. There’s so many other words in the English language you can use, and they choose that one.”

Despite the frequent pejorative use of the word “gay,” Marvray has encountered few actual confrontations in person.

“There are less face-to-face confrontations that I know of,” Marvray said.

Kawa also wishes to spread a message to students by wearing purple.

“Please know that times will get better and that you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are, no matter your sexuality,” Kawa said.

Opinion

2

p.

]Oct. 22, 2010 ]

Prop. 21

MEASURE G

Prop. 23

Pro: State needs Pro: State parks Redondo moves to rezone to create jobs for necessary for future generations harbor, power plant area unemployed

By Camille Duong

With state parks in need of major improvement, Proposition 21 is absolutely necessary for the good of the state.

California State Parks are currently under funded because of budget cuts. Revenues collected from the new tax would create $500 million more for state parks and wildlife conservation (lao.ca.gov/ballot/2010/).

The money made from this new tax would be used solely for the purpose of funding state parks, not for other government projects.

Many of the state parks are in poor conditions because of the lack of funding.

Buildings are deteriorating, campground and visitor centers are damaged, bridges have collapsed, and trails have been washed out.

State parks are national treasures and it is important to maintain them. People are always talking about “going green,” so isn’t it contradictory to allow state parks to shut down?

State parks are a huge part of California and it is not right to allow them to deteriorate.

Protecting the state parks and preserving them for future generations is critical. With Proposition 21, parks can remain open and the necessary repairs can be made.

State parks have always been popular and it is important to preserve all of California’s 278 state parks.

State parks are a major source of income for the state.

Millions of tourists come to California each year to visit parks, thereby spending vast amounts of money in parkrelated expenditures.

It is important to keep a crucial part of California alive. State parks are beautiful places to see and visit and they also generate an income for the state.

Not only will Proposition 19 save the state parks, but it will also keep parks around for future generations.

Proposition 21: Proposition 21 establishes an $18 annual vehicle license surcharge to help fund state parks and grants free admission to all state parks to surcharge vehicles.

Voting YES means an $18 surcharge would be added to the amount paid when a person registers a motor vehicle.

Voting NO means state park and wildlife conservation programs would continue to be funded through existing state and local funding sources.

www.lao.ca.gov

Con: Californians already suffering financially

By Zac Commins

Millions of Californians come home every night faced with the uncertainty of how to put food on the table or whether they will have a job in the morning.

Proposition 21 places an unfair burden on the poorest Californians.

In Redondo Beach, many have not truly witnessed the effects of living below the poverty line. But we do not have to go far to see communities that have been severely damaged by those effects.

As Californians struggle financially, Sacramento politicians and high-income Californians are at war with those who have the least.

California’s tax system antagonizes the poorest of Californians. According to the California Budget Project (CBP), the poorest 20 percent of California families, with an average income of $13,200, spend 11.1 percent of their income on state taxes. The top one percent of California families, with an average income of $2.2 million, spend 7.8 percent of their income on state taxes.

California’s inverted tax system is largely the result of Proposition 13, a 1978 ballot initiative that caps the state’s property tax rate.

In response to the loss in tax revenue and their inability to raise property taxes, politicians resorted to passing regressive taxes, such as raising the statewide sales tax by 2.25 percent. These taxes place an excessive burden on those with the least to provide the highest percentage of their income.

California’s state parks are indeed important natural resources. However by increasing vehicle registration surcharges, these struggling families and individuals are forced to pay a higher tax rate or forfeit an important element of life: the car.

This proposed “car tax” is simply another regressive tax that increases the taxes of low-income Californians to a greater extent than that of the wealthy.

Although the funding is needed to operate California’s state parks, Proposition 21 is another battle in Sacramento’s war on low-income Californians.

Pro: City needs business

By Alex Curtis

Signs litter front lawns: “Yes on Measure G,” “No on Measure G,” “Save our Harbor.”

Redondo currently has control of about half its coastal area. The other half is controlled by the state.

Measure G will give the city a certified plan for the use of the rest of the land, making it so that Redondo has control over the development of its coastal zone. Currently, that power belongs to the state.

With the state controlling half of Redondo’s development, needed changes will be lost in endless debate.

If you drive along Catalina away from Redondo, you see that the stores that line the street grow progressively more attractive and consumer-friendly.

The King Harbor area is run down and not covered by Redondo’s current Coastal Land Use Plan.

Measure G will make the area more attractive to

investors and residents.

Those that oppose the measure argue that it will allow the city to overdevelop, destroying our harbor area.

However, the benefits outweigh the costs. Without the measure, the city will not develop evenly.

Without the measure, half the costal area will be neglected. Cities around us will flourish while our own will crumble.

Hermosa and Redondo may not seem all too different, but give the cities a decade or so and the difference will be obvious.

There is no good reason as to why we should let our city fall behind.

Our city is rather independent. Our libraries, for example, are privately owned by the city. Most cities’ libraries are owned by the state.

We should be in total control of what happens within our limits. Measure G gives the city the power to control its own development.

Con: Gridlock to clog roads

By Olivia Loveland

The only thing new commercial development will bring to downtown Redondo is traffic.

Measure G will greatly increase traffic and gridlock in several intersections as a result of over development.

The people in charge of Measure G are not planning supporting the residents’ best interest. Residents do not want their views obstructed by commercial boutiques, hotels, and condos.

If Measure G does not pass, we will not have unlimited restrictions, our zoning planners will simply be forced to come up with a plan that does not involve three-story hotels and malls near our harbor.

It was only until an initiative (Measure DD) was passed that citizens were allowed to vote on Measure G and have a say in what they wanted built in their community.

If Measure G is passed, only the council will vote on what developments will be built.

It is also estimated that if Measure G passed, the new

development would cause 30,000 more car trips a day, according to a traffic analysis conducted by the city.

Traffic analyses show that the eight intersections and four road sections analyzed along Catalina Ave. and PCH would experience increased traffic backups and lines of grade “E” or “F” where a grade “F” is considered failure.

Despite popular belief, Measure G does not decide whether or not AES Plant Site will be removed because the plant is privately owned.

The people supporting Measure G want a booming downtown like Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach.

They forget how much traffic is in downtown Manhattan Beach, and unlike our counterparts, we actually have a harbor that many people use for recreational activities.

Measure G was created by a small group of people without the city’s best interest in mind.

We need to have a say in what is built in our community. We do not want our beautiful views of the sunsets to be obstructed. Vote no on Measure G.

Measure G

Background: Redondo Beach must adopt a Local Coastal Program, whcih includes the Coastal Land Use Plan (LUP), a coastal zoning ordinance, and other implementing actions. The city has had a certified LUP since 1981 but only has certified zoning with devlopment standards for only part of the Coastal Zone.

The Measure: Measure G would amend the Coastal LUP, the Zoning Ordinance for the Coastal Zone for the AES Plant Site, Catalina Avenue corridor, and Harbor/Pier areas of the City.

A vote YES would amend the LUP, cap the development of the Harbor/Pier areas, change the zoning on the AES site area to Generating Plant Zone, redesign Catalina Avenue corridor for commerical and light industrial uses, and add height restrictions on new development in the Harbor/Pier area.

A vote NO would result in maintaining the current LUP and zoning, leaving the Coastal Zone split into two areas. www.redondo.org

By Derek Sarno

Many currently believe that Proposition 23 will only pollute California and stop all attempts at distancing our need for fossil fuels. However, people are unable to look at the big picture of the economy. They are stuck with idealized views of the world, a world that can bend at will to meet the needs of whatever liberal agenda they have composed this voting term. Unfortunately, that is not the way the capitalist world works.

In this country people need to work.

The liberal idealists are putting the welfare of unemployed Californians below their fairy tale of renewable energy. The problems of today are what are important, not the problems of the future. Tell a starving family that they cannot work today because the world may rise a few degrees years down the line. Climate change is an issue which must be addressed but now is not the time. Now is the time to ensure that Californians can care for their families and eventually have the disposable income necessary to indulge in green energy.

Liberals are unable to look past the fact that their leftist ideals are being postponed. No one is saying that we should not reduce emissions in the long run, but right now California is hurting from reduced industry and high unemployment. These problems are present because we are forcing companies to watch their output of emissions, resulting in decreased productivity. According to the California Voter Guide, two blue-collar jobs are lost for every green job created. It is inexcusable for people to deprive options from the poor and hungry because liberals are unable to put their dreams on hold. The time for environmental protection is not now. Now is the time for economic recovery and no liberal agenda should get in the way of that or in the way of an honest hardworking American putting food on the table.

Proposition 23: Proposition 23 suspends Air Pollution Control Law until unemployment rates drop below 5.5 percent.

Voting YES means that existing regulations authorized under the Air Pollution Control Law to address global warming would be suspended.

Voting NO means the state could continue to implement measures under the Air Pollution Control Law (AB 32) to reduce global warming.

www.lao.ca.gov

Con: Health and environment will be jeopardized

By Laney Burke

Dirty air, skyrocketing electricity costs, and considerable job losses ­— ­­­­­­­­­these are just a few consequences of Proposition 23.

Proposition 23 is a measure that would suspend the Global Warming Act of 2006, which requires the state to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to the 1990 emission levels by 2020.

If passed, Proposition 23 would repeal the Global Warming Act, resulting in more air pollution and an increase in public health risks.

Proponents of Proposition 23 claim that the bill will curb unemployment, since the ballot suspends the Global Warming Act until California’s unemployment rate drops to 5.5 percent (www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov).

These advocates suggest that Californians have to make a choice between the state of the environment and the state of unemployment. But voting yes or no for Proposition 23 is not voting either for jobs or for the environment; voting for this ballot measure will jeopardize both.

California is one of the leading states in clean energy with 12,000 clean energy businesses and 500,000 workers with clean energy jobs (Employment Development Department). Proposition 23 will jeopardize the entire clean energy industry while keeping us dependent on fossil fuels.

The fact that Proposition 23 was initiated by two Texas oil companies, Valero and Tesoro, reveals the ballot’s true motive: to keep the U.S. dependent on foreign oil while maintaining the wealth of oil companies.

Proposition 23 does not pit jobs against the environment; instead, it raises the question, would you rather please greedy oil companies and continue our addiction to costly oil or would you rather help California continue to move in an environmentally-friendly direction while maintaining healthy breathing air and protecting clean energy jobs?

The choice is clear: keep California environmentally and economically healthy. Vote no on Proposition 23.

Opinion

3

p.

]Oct. 22, 2010]

Editorial: Discrimination against gays is unacceptable Recent gay teen suicides have caused outrage and uproar from both the media and the public. Unfortunately, these suicides are nothing out of the ordinary.

The sad fact is that gay youth are up to four times more likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual peers and unless we do something to change perceptions and discount prejudices, this pattern will only continue.

Gay teens face teasing and torment on a daily basis and it should be our mission to help end the hate and intolerance.

Redondo should become a safe haven that welcomes all races, religions, opinions and sexual orientations and identities. Redondo must emphasize acceptance and tolerance while condemning ignorance and bigotry.

Degrading somebody by calling them a raciallycharged slur in a malicious manner, or teasing someone because of his or her religion would certainly never be tolerated.

Why then, is the term “faggot” thrown around so haphazardly? Why is it that those who are open with their homosexuality, or those who may simply seem homosexual, are so readily degraded and dehumanized? Why is it that in 2010 such blatant intolerance and prejudice is still allowed to occur?

“Students should be vigilant against hateful speech and actions, and set an example for their peers...and all students.”

It’s true, Redondo is much more tolerant and accepting than many schools located in more conservative communities. However, intolerance still exists and therefore we must constantly strive to eradicate it completely.

Yes, it’s extremely admirable that so many students and faculty members showed their support for the LGBTQ community and honored the recent suicide victims by wearing purple on Wednesday but until these suicides stop all together, we must work to abolish all forms of homophobia and hate.

We must all do our part to ensure that such narrowmindedness is eliminated not only from our campus but from our community as a whole.

Teachers should ensure that their class rooms are “safe zones” and make it known to students that bigotry of any form will not be tolerated.

Students should be vigilant against hateful speech and actions and set an example for their peers and those younger than them by accepting all students and publicly denouncing intolerance.

Faculty and administration must insure that all acts of discrimination are taken seriously and punished accordingly.

While ignorance won’t disappear immediately and intolerance won’t vanish right away, we can catalyze change by encouraging tolerance and acceptance. By voicing our concerns and telling the world that intolerance is not okay, we may be able to help put an end to hate.

High Tide

]staff]

Editor-in-Chief: Austin Pritzkat Editor of Design: Molly Simon Managing Editors: Sophia Lykke, Julia Uriarte News Editors: Kaitee Scheyer Opinion Editor: Josh Hillsburg, Christina Mehranbod Features Editors: Dylan Futrell, Kelsey Chung; Meglyn Huber; Ashley Pournamdari, Madeline Perrault, Alison Peet-Lukes, Brianna Egan Sports Editor: Adam Ammentorp, Jessica Cascio Photo Editor: Jonathan Martin Copy Editors: Shannon Bowman, Olivia Loveland; Melissa Rosero; Joy Ohiomoba Cartoonist: Josh Hillsburg Staff Writers: Vanessa Alarcon, Sammie Avalos, Taylor Ballard, Matthew Brancoli, Loren Brown, Laney Burke, Kimberly Chapman, Zachary Commins, Alexis Curtis-Olson, Ciara Diaz, Camille Duong, Kaelee Epstein, Gianna Esposito, Daniel Garzon, Allie Goldberg, Anachristina Gonzalez, Bethany Kawa, David Kawa, Casey Lovano, Anthony Leong, Trisha Light, Cammille Mitchell, Melissa Rosero, Allison Salazar, Derek Sarno, Joanie Schneider, Alex Shea, Jessi Shipley, Laura Shodall, Annica Stitch, Shayna Stuart, Emma Uriarte, Alyssa Wolf, Zachary Zent Adviser: Mitch Ziegler The High Tide dedicates itself to producing a highquality publication that both informs and entertains the entire student body.

This newspaper is a wholly student managed, designed and written newspaper that focuses on school and community events.

The High Tide is published by the journalism class at Redondo Union High School, One Sea Hawk Way, Redondo Beach, CA 90277.

Advertising is $7.50 per column inch, $6.00 if paid in advance. For information call (310)798-8665 ext.

2210.

Signed commentaries and editorial cartoons represent the opinions of the writer or cartoonist and in no way reflect the opinions of the High Tide staff.

Gubernatorial Race: Who to choose?

Jerry Brown brings insight and experience to governor’s office

by Austin Pritzkat

California needs a governor who can solve our state’s problems. We need a governor who is familiar with both the intricacies of state government and the concerns of the people.

We need experience and pragmatism.

We need Jerry Brown.

Brown knows what he’s doing because he has spent his entire life improving California.

He he is the current Attorney General and his previous positions include: Secretary of State (19711975), Governor (1975-1983), and Mayor of Oakland (1999-2007) — he knows how our state works.

During his time as Governor, Brown increased education funding, defended the environment, and expanded workers’ rights.

As Governor, he sponsored the first-ever tax incentive for rooftop solar panels, along with passing other environmental initiatives (New York Times).

And alongside Cesar Chavez, Brown established the nation’s first law giving farm workers the right to form unions (PBS).

When Brown left office, there was a budget surplus of $5 billion (CNBC) because of his fiscal restraint.

He is a problem-solver and his fiscal mindset will serve our state well in a time where we consistently grapple with large budget deficits.

It’s obvious that Jerry Brown dedicated his life to California.

But his opponent, billionaire Meg Whitman, dedicated her entire life to getting rich.

She has never held an elected-position and she refers to her own voting record as “atrocious.”

Whitman was the CEO of eBay and she thinks that her business experience will help save California from failure.

But if Whitman is really the savvy businesswoman that she says she is, she should understand that experience matters.

Jerry Brown is the right man for the job. He understands the issues our state faces and he is capable of solving our complex problems.

He’s spent the last 40 years improving our state and if we let him, he’ll spend at least the next four. Vote for Jerry Brown on Nov. 2 for a better California.

“Brown knows what he’s doing because he has spent his entire life improving California.”

Billionaire Meg Whitman to use business knowledge in office

by Laura Shodall

Things aren’t looking good for California. We’re bombarded with debt, rising unemployment rates, and a failing education system. Yet the choice is clear on who should be directing us out of it all: Meg Whitman.

She’s been dubbed a “political outsider,” yet that is exactly what we need.

Whitman comes from a strong business background: she was the CEO of eBay (1998-2008), graduated from Princeton with a degree in economics and received a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

Her economic plan emphasizes cutting taxes and promoting small business growth, unlike her opponent Jerry Brown who focuses on spending precious taxpayer money on investments in energy efficiency programs that require government subsidies to stay solvent.

Focusing on every environmental program that Jerry Brown’s liberal backers want will cost more money than California is ready to spend and will only increase our already crippling debt, without the benefit of a healthy return on investment.

In regards to education, Whitman

seeks to focus on sending money directly to schools, partially by investing $1 billion in the University of California and California State University systems.

Brown wants to introduce online learning and new school technology, and who’s to say that will improve the quality of our education? Online education brings many expenses, including the development of software and the purchase of actual computers.

California student achievement is near the bottom of the 50 states, and has been in a steep decline for 30 years; the same time span as Jerry Brown’s tenure as an insider in California politics.

In addition to conscious decisions regarding education, Whitman has the right idea about health care. She believes that instilling nationalized health care is taking one giant step back.

With California’s social and economic health in chaos, an outsider like Meg Whitman offers a fresh, new perspective. She’s fiscally responsible, business savvy, and more than capable for the position. We don’t need a liberal in office, we need a conservative who will cut spending and fix our failing economy.

“She’s fiscally responsible, business savvy, and more than capable for the position.”

Proposition 19: Should marijuana be legalized?

Pro: Pot to help state economy Con: Weed will endanger public

by Victoria Balding

Pot, weed, kush, bud, reefer, whatever you want to call it — everyone knows about it and nearly everyone has been exposed to it. It’s legality has been the subject of heated debate for decades, but this coming election may finally put these arguments to rest.

Proposition 19 would allow people over the age of 21 to legally buy marijuana and possess, cultivate or transport marijuana for personal use.

The proposition would also permit the local government to regulate and tax production, distribution, and sales.

Government taxation of marijuana would greatly benefit the state’s struggling economy and would provide a much needed alternate source of income.

Police force spending would also be lowered, due to the fact that criminal marijuana related issues would become obsolete.

The authorities could spend more time and effort on fighting actual crimes, rather than petty marijuana possession charges, and the state would not have to pay to house a criminal in jail for marijuana related crimes.

The legalization of marijuana would also lead to a marked decrease in drug trafficking due to the fact that the substance could be legally obtained without having to turn to shifty, criminal types.

Other concerns regarding the legalization of marijuana may be directed toward the fact that it is a drug. Though marijuana, also known as cannabis, may be considered a drug, it is impossible to become physically addicted or over dose.

Legal substances such as alcohol and cigarettes are physically addicting and cause death if not used properly.

Proposition 19 also addresses the issue of people’s perceived inefficiency

by Vanessa Alarcon while under the influence of marijuana.

Driving and working while under the Proposition 19 (The Regulate, Control influence will remain illegal under Caliand Tax Cannabis Act of 2010) may have fornia law, effectively dispelling any fear good intentions, but it has the wrong apof intoxicated vehicular homicide. proach.

Even though there is currently no way Overall, it will be ineffective in reducto on-scene test for marijuana, like what ing state deficits, it will ruin some busiexists for alcohol with ness practices and it the Breathalyzer, there will most of all reduce do exist a number public safety. of standardized drug One of the main artests, which can reveal guments for legalizing whether there has been marijuana is that taxes recent ingestion of from it could help with THC, the active ingremoney problems in the dient in marijuana, up state.

The possession, sale to two weeks before the That, however, is not and use of marijuana are test is administered. true.

In order to reguillegal in the state of CaliThough smoking late the sale of marifornia, unless it has been tobacco is commonly juana, the government prescribed by a doctor to considered to be harmwould have to give out treat a medical condition. ful to the lungs, smoklicenses to sell. ing marijuana does The money that not result in the same would supposedly be diseases and crippling gained from the legalmedical conditions as ization would be concigarettes do, because sumed by the work and of the fact that cigalegal processes involved.

People aged 21 or older rettes contain a comAt best, the business can grow or own small paratively enormous would be self sufficient, quantities of marijuana for smoke exposure rate. not productive. personal use. State govIf the smoke is a Though the fight for ernments can regulate concern, there are marijuana prohibition and tax the production other ways of taking has been deemed a failmarijuana or THC, and sale of marijuana. ure, the hopes that legalsuch as ingesting it. izing marijuana will stop There are also THC wasting the state money pills available at mediused for marijuana-relatSource: California Easy Voter Guide cal marijuana clubs. ed incarceration are misAlternative methods of placed. marijuana use provide users with options Based on research conducted by to control the potentially negative effects RAND (Research and Development), it may have on their body. the amount of money saved from reducThough marijuana is not currently leing incarcerations for marijuana related gal for the general public to use, the legalcrimes is about $300 million. ization would be beneficial to the public That is a huge contrast from the previand is an issue worth fighting for. ously predicted numbers of about $1 bil-

Proposition 19: Breakdown How it is now

How it will be, if passed

lion. Clearly, something is amiss.

The biggest menace that Proposition 19 offers is the effect it will have on public safety. The proposition states that a user cannot use marijuana while driving, but allows the use of marijuana right before driving.

Marijuana can affect the users differently: a common effect is panic attacks.

Panic attacks while driving can result in deadly accidents, which compare to driving while drunk.

Eventually, the authorities will have to monitor people to make sure they are not high while driving. This additional expense will only increase the amount of manpower and money that the state spends, not decrease. Most of all, however, the general public’s safety will be jeopardized.

Proponents of Proposition 19 also believe that the proposition has the power to stop the drug wars in Mexico and southern California. They would be correct if it weren’t for the fact that the drug cartels smuggle more than just marijuana, including such contraband as guns, cocaine, and other drugs.

If we wanted to truly stop the wars, we would have to legalize everything that they sell. Such an approach, however, would not be realistic and would, in all likelihood, result in a significant increase in California’s crime rate.

Although the intentions behind the proposition are admirable, the proposition does have a number of potential flaws and would hurt the state more than it would help.

The people of California should continue looking for a solution to their problems without causing more.

Proposition 19 is a gigantic leap in the wrong direction and could potentially plunge California into an even worse economic and social situation than it is already in.

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Clinton tours Haiti

by Loren Brown

Haiti: months

9 after the shake

2.

3.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TYLER CLINTON AND STEPHANIE HORNBECK

1.

Still in ruins. 1. The presiditional palace is still left completely demolished, nine months after the earthquake hit Haiti. 2. At the Centre d’Art site work, a Minustah commander holds up a salvaged cut iron sculpture. 3. Haitians go on with their daily lives near the collapsed Sacre Coeur Church.

Lykke reflects on destruction in Haiti

by Sophia Lykke

When my mother, Linda Lykke, first told me that she planned to go back to Haiti this October, I knew that the experience would be different than it was when she once called Haiti home.

Nine months after the devastating earthquake that flattened the country, she decided that she needed to return. Haiti, a small island nation that she has always had a strong affinity for, still stands in a state of absolute crisis. She needed to see it for herself.

One of her best and oldest friends, Toni Monnin, another expatriate that still lives in Haiti, owns and operates an art gallery as well as a foundation for reforestation.

“Galerie Monnin” helps to establish poor Haitian artists by selling their work on an international market, therefore giving them a means to support themselves.

My mother stayed with Toni in Haiti for nine days, visiting LaBoule, Port-auPrince, Port Salut, and Petionville. She met locals as well as aid workers from various organizations.

“Haitian society remains to be a paradox by which extremes are the status quo.

From an outsider’s perspective, Haiti is merely a fourth world country, but nothing is as it ever seems to be in Haiti,” she said. “There is so much intrigue and drama, much like an ongoing soap opera.

The best source of what’s going on within the country is through simple word of mouth.”

My mother describes the scene of downtown Port-au-Prince as “post-apocalyptic”.

The latest “buzz” is that the funding for the United States pledged Congressional Aid Package is being held up in congress and therefore only 5% of the re-building has actually occurred.

The general population is still camped out on the streets and in makeshift tents.

Life is thriving, as there are scores of street vendors hawking everything and anything imaginable.

Everyone is trying to find an existence amidst the devastation. According to local word of mouth, president Bill Clinton, who visits Haiti often, is very upset with this lack of progress.

Moreover, there is virtually no utility service in downtown with only sporadic water.

Businesses that can afford generators and inverters use them, otherwise the general population depends on candlelight. In the evening, there are patrols of armored UN personnel manned vehicles to maintain civil order.

The increase in traffic is also extremely notable due to destroyed roads, uncleared rubble, and fallen power lines. Most landmarks familiar to local drivers are reduced to rubble and the streets are left with no names.

Meanwhile, elite Haitians are impressed with the efforts of the French Government under President Sarkozy. The French have already rebuilt local schools and pledged to restore national landmarks such as the Presidential Palace, The Grand Cathedral, and the General Hospital.

This connection to France dates back to when Haiti was a French colony. The U.S. was more active in the area of immediate humanitarian relief efforts in conjunction with the various agencies of the UN and other non-governmental organizations.

Nowadays, the consensus is that independent projects such as Sean Penn’s organization “J/P HRO” seem to be more effective since they can dictate their own guidelines and forge through with their agenda. Funding is often through private donors from the Clinton Global Initiative.

“From an outsider’s perspective, Haiti is merely a fourth world country, but nothing is as it ever seems to be in Haiti.”

—Linda Lykke Apart from the obvious humanitarian crisis that still exists, the pending general election for the presidency on Nov. 28 is the main point of focus within the country.

Sadly, the majority of the population is illiterate and has no concept of the agendas, and probably will not vote.

Those who will vote will do so by identifying a symbol that represents the candidate they support, since they cannot read names. One leading candidate’s symbol is a

rooster, for example.

As for the upcoming election, apparently there are strong contenders that have ties to the current President, Rene Preval, who is terming out at five years.

Suspicion is that they will only run to serve his agenda indirectly to ensure the continuation of his policies, possibly by appointing him as Prime Minister.

There is little accountability in government, if any. A local favorite, Michel “Sweet Mickey” Martely, might be a suitable contender because he has the support of the people, knows the intricacies and issues of the country, and is a local performer.

However, many of the political elite in Haiti would say that he has “no chance in hell” of winning the election.

As for earthquake study, The U.S. Geological Survey has been placing devices in small boxes throughout the city to monitor seismic activity and aftershocks.

Aftershocks still continue, but to a lesser degree. Speculation is that the next major earthquake will be in the LaBoule suburb above Port-au-Prince, where my mother’s friend Toni lives.

As far as the situation today, the streets are plagued with masses of human beings going in all directions with no particular routine in place.

Some rubble has been cleared, but there is little to no visible reconstruction occurring. Nine months after the earthquake, the affected areas of Haiti remain mostly at a standstill.

Looking out of the plane’s window, he watched the line of tiny islands surrounded by dazzling turquoise water and white sand transform into a city of destroyed streets, cracked buildings and crammed communities as he approached ground level.

The sight of Haiti was appalling to junior Tyler Clinton. He and his father traveled to Haiti over the summer with his uncle, president Bill Clinton. The three went on a tour of the island, but it was not for fun or relaxation.

They were with Bill on a mission: to get Haiti back up on its feet.

“Haiti [looked] way worse than I thought it would be,” Tyler said. “It looked like the earthquake had just hit.”

There is still destruction everywhere from the earthquake that occurred on Jan. 12, 2010.

“Some [Haitians] made their homes in front of the area their homes use to be,” Tyler said. “Buildings that were damaged are in the same condition.”

Touring around the island, he saw that barely anything had been done to clean up the island since the earthquake. “[There was] rubble and trash everywhere.

It’s like people took a lot of dumpsters and dumped them on the streets,” Tyler said. “Some people would look through the rubble for [materials] for their homes or just anything useful to them.”

When the earthquake hit Haiti, churches, homes, streets and the capital building were all destroyed, and most of these facilities are still in the same condition, according to Tyler.

“Hardly any water was coming out of the faucet, and there was only one light bulb in the house [we stayed in],” he said.

Some Haitians are living in makeshift homes that are made out of thin tin. Others are living on the streets. Tyler remembers Haitian boys coming up to him and his father, begging for money.

“When they see Americans they know they have money so they’ll ask [for money] and not give up,” he said. “The [tour guides] told us not to give the children any money or else they would swarm around us.”

His father eventually gave the boys a five dollar bill, telling them that they would have to split it.

President Clinton and his foundation are trying to help correct the Haitian government, which is on the brink of corruption, according to Tyler. “[Government officials] take money for themselves instead of helping the citizens of the island,” he said.

According to Tyler, president Clinton is upset that little progress that has been made.

“They need more help than what their government is doing,” Tyler said.

Despite the awful conditions of their homes and community, a lot of the Haitians are trying their best to be positive about their situation, according to Tyler.

“People were singing and dancing at churches, and you could see some people were cleaning up the rubble—or trying,” he said.

Tyler believes the tour opened his eyes and made him appreciate living in America. “[The trip] made me more humble. We have more than enough food, homes and clothes. It’s a luxury living here. We’re all so lucky to live here,” he said.

“Twelve Angry Jurors” succeeds in keeping the crowd engaged

by Derek Sarno

“Twelve Angry Jurors” creates one happy audience. Despite it being the first full performance directed under drama teacher Justin Baldridge, the play comes together wonderfully and creates an engaging performance.

The play recounts the deliberations of jurors as they try to decide the fate of a young boy accused of murder in the first degree.

Essential aspects of theatre such as the acting and the chemistry between the actors come together well in the set. The play remains in the set of the jury room, and is performed in the black box theatre, which creates a panoramic view that allows a great deal of immersion into the conflict.

Want to check out the play for yourself?

Dates and times: 7 pm October 26-30, 2010 and 2 pm October 30, 2010 Place: Black Box Theatre Prices: $7 pre-sale at the ASB Finance Office and $10 at the door There is a limited amount of tickets, so buy one before they run out.

The set is minimalist, yet it keeps the attention focused on what is important, and the action between the actors keeps the viewers engaged.

The lighting also helps to bring out the positives of the minimal set. The lighting makes it seem as if the set is alone in a pool of light, surrounded by an abyss. The effect helps emphasize the isolation the jurors are feeling and the black box adds to it immensely.

While this circular stage has some of the actors with their backs to the viewers, it is a small price to pay for the feeling of being a fly on the wall as the jurors argue around the table.

While the singular set may sound as if it would become stale at a point, movement and levels keep the visuals stimulating and hold the viewer’s interest.

Yet this regular movement is performed fluidly and comes off extremely natural. That is the real strength of the performance­­­—the natural chemistry between the actors. Each actor has a fully developed character, and there is a dynamic conflict between the actors.

This wide range of characters creates natural poles in the room. The clashes which ensue are riveting and keeps the action moving well.

The performance of the actors quickly defines the leaders of each side of the case.

The jurors which fill in the rest of the spectrum are swayed back and forth between the two. The momentum that builds leads juror from side to side, and the continual change in opinion keeps the action in-

teresting.

The tension built throughout the play culminates in a climax that is sure to bring some tears to the most stoic of viewers.

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]Oct. 22, 2010]

Bates maintains certain weight for taekwondo

by Jessi Shipley

After giving her speech about the dangers and horrors of anorexia, junior Paige Rumery began to feel guilty. She knew that she was not going to eat that night.

Rumery did not become anorexic because she wanted to look a certain way, she became anorexic because she wanted to feel “powerful.”

“It didn’t start out as anything about my looks. I did not worry about being pretty, I was not obsessed with my physical appearance, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with that in the beginning.

It started because of control or, [actually the] lack thereof,” Rumery said.

Rumery had a hard time in middle school fitting in with a permanent group of friends; she felt “out of place.”

“I have learned that even though it is called self-esteem it is greatly affected by how others express their feelings about you,” she said.

She could not control what other people did and how other people saw her, so she began to control her eating habits as a coping mechanism.

“Sure, they can hurt me and make me feel bad, but not as much as I can hurt myself. It was the only kind of control I felt comfortable with and I became obsessed with it,” she said.

She became anorexic in order to prove to herself that she was stronger than the people hurting her.

“As a physical representation of how others felt about me, the pain I caused myself, and the endurance I had for it gave me a sense of accomplishment. I wanted to prove to myself that I was as worthless as I felt” she said.

The disease fulfilled her need to feel superior and strong. According to

by Shannon Bowman

FIGHTING for CONTROL

Rumery, she felt like she could do well in life and not even need food.

“My feelings evolved as it got more serious. By depriving my body from the nutrition it needs I felt powerful. At first it was satisfying to me because of the fact that it was painful, and hard,” she said.

Rumery believes that things would have been much different if she had a strong group of friends to stand by her.

“I would have had a support group like I do now that could help reassure me that I don’t need to focus on any negative energy,” she said.

Rumery’s realization that her own opinion was the only one that mattered led her to overcoming the disease.

“People are always going to say things, but it’s up to me whether or not I’ll let them get to me.

With a stable group of friends its easier for me to think about the good and weed out the bad; no one needs the bad. We’re all great individuals,” Rumery said.

Because her body was lacking the nourishment it needed she eventually came across some medical issues that have forced her to stop starving herself.

“Just like other mental diseases and addictions, it never ends. I am still riddled with the harmful temptations and unrealistic expectations I have for myself,” she said.

Rumery has found a new sense of stability.

“I have earned that sort of comfort...the comfort of having people to call on when I need them. Familiar faces that think just as highly of me as I think of them. Just recently I have been blessed with the ability to spend my time with people that make me happy.” Rumery said.

After overcoming her struggle with anorexia, Paige Rumery finally found the support group that she had always wanted.

Cross country runners are watched for eating disorders

by Alyssa Sanchez

It’s hard to ignore the allure of losing weight quickly, especially when it can help in a sport.

But an eating disorder in cross country will hurt more than it can help.

Bob Leetch, cross country coach, explains that distance runners tend to lean towards eating disorders because they believe that being lighter will make them perform better. However, they inevitably crash and burn out.

In order to ensure that none of the cross country runners develop eating disorders, coaches Bob Leetch and Julie Ferron make effort to prevent it by informing the team about the dangers of eating disorders. “[We] discuss it openly and provide written material [and we] try to set up nutritionists as guest speakers,” says Leetch. “We try to explain that it is never worth it.”

Leetch says that people with eating disorders are often highly intelligent and self motivated, which are qualities that coaches want in their athletes.

Eating disorders are a different story however, because a runner with an eating disorder can

continue with their disorder until it is too late.

“Inevitably the body begins to fail and at that point, fast times are the last thing on their minds,” he said. “Simply surviving at that point becomes the main priority.”

In order to avoid this, Leetch explains to his runners that food is a fuel and makes the engine go stronger, that it is not a weakness.

To Leetch’s knowledge, no one that has run or is running on the cross country team has ever had an eating disorder and is successful in making sure that eating disorders never develop on the team.

“Chloe Curtis [for example] was a State Champion who did a great deal of mileage and stayed very healthy in her daily approach to training and racing,” he said.

Not only do the coaches look out for their runners, but the runners also look out for their teammates. As boy’s captain, senior Nick Herold looks out for his teammates.

“If I were to notice that the other runners were beginning to develop habits that weren’t healthy, I would talk to them and suggest that they either talk to Coach Bob or see a doctor,” he said.

PHOTO BY RJ MUSHANEY

Focused on fitness. Girl's cross country must combine healthy eating and excercise to succeed. Because having an eating disorder in cross country can be extremely dangerous, the coaches make sure that both the girls and boys team’s have healthy eating habits.

Lopes and Brennan feel pressure of staying skinny for competitive edge

by Alyssa Wolf

PHOTO COURTSEY OF CHRYSTIANE LOPES

Happy feet. Junior Chrystiane Lopes must stay in shape to compete at top dance levels.

She looks down at her salad and then enviously glares at her friends as they guiltlessly eat another french fry.

Chrystiane Lopes can not eat any junk food, or more than a handful of food at every meal. She cannot eat after seven and she has to exercise often, all because of her devotion to dancing.

“Sometimes it is hard not pigging out because everyone else can, but i have to control myself,” she said. “Knowing it is going to help my dancing makes it easier, though.”

Lopes has to regulate what she eats because when a dancer is thin, everything visually looks better on stage. It is also easier on the body to move with less weight on it, according to Lopes.

“I like it because some people want to diet, but don’t have a reason to, and that makes it harder on them,” she said.

Similarly, freshman Nichole Brennan has to be on a diet due to her figure skating.

According to Brennan, skating with any

additional weight on the blade can alter the balance the skater has and can throw them off.

“I just love [figure skating], the feeling is really amazing,” Brennan said, “it is totally worth it.”

She skates a few hours everyday and has to eat lots of protien and healthy foods such as salad and protien bars. She is allowed little room to ‘pig out’.

“I really like it because it gives me drive,” she said, “but if I didn’t figure skate I would probably gain a bunch of weight.”

Brennan feels that she does not have to watch her diet as strictly as others because of the intesity of her workouts.

“You can be a bit lenient with the diet because you burn so many calories skating,”she said.

Although there is some room in her diet plan for unhealthy food, she still must work hard to look good.

“There is a lot of pressure to stay lean because you are constantly surrounded by girls who are half your size. Ironically, it is intimidating,” she said.

Along with a rigid diet, Lopes dances 6 days a week for at least three hours everyday.

“Dancing is my life,” she said. “Sometimes it is hard when I’m craving food and I can’t have it, but then again, I have to look at it in the long run.”

One of the more extreme weight loss methods Lopes used was the Master Cleanse, a diet where for one week only liquids are consumed.

Though dieting is a big part of her life, due to her love of dance, she would never try anything dangerous to maintain her physique.

“If you want to lose weight, do it the right way,” she said, “not the wrong way.”

Lopes admits that if it were not of her dancing she would not be on her diet, though she thinks it has been very beneficial.

“Its not like I’m any different than anyone else,” she said. “It is just a regular diet, but it is easier if you have a motive behind it.”

She steps on the scale, warily peering down at the number blinking back at her.

It’s not low enough. That means another day of watching what she eats and a harder workout.

For Jessie Bates, junior, gaining weight does not just affect her confidence; it affects her future.

Bates participates in competitive taekwondo and hopes to make a future career out of fighting. Her sport takes her around the world to compete, such as the Youth Olympics in Malaysia, but the experiences do come with drawbacks.

“I definitely feel pressure to maintain a certain weight,” she said.

In taekwondo, competitors are split into divisions depending on weight. If Bates wants to compete with girls in a lower weight class, she has to lose weight quickly.

Bates maintains a diet high in protein and takes vitamins and protein shakes. She also keeps track of what she eats in a journal and writes down how much she ways three times a day.

“I have to cut a little bit to make the set weight [requirement] because I feel like I will be the bigger girl going into a group of smaller girls,” Bates said.

“It doesn’t just come easy. Nothing comes easy. If it did, everyone would do it."

-Jessie Bates Her workouts also increase in intensity in an effort to burn more calories. Bates layers her clothing when working out, sometimes wearing tights, a sauna suit, and a long sleeved shirt all under a pair of sweats. This is usually reserved for times when she needs to lose weight very quickly.

“You have to maintain how hard you push your body to make sure you can train hard 100% every time you step into the gym,” she said.

Her weight loss process may start anywhere from a month and a half to two weeks before a match.

“It’s been a trial and error process along the way,” she said.

Although some may argue this is unhealthy, Bates disagrees.

“I lose my weight very naturally, through eating healthy and hard work,” she says.

Gabe Martinez, Bates’ friend who competes in taekwondo, feels she performs well under the pressure she receives about her weight. According to Martinez, he has never seen her fail under pressure.

“She complains about it sometimes, but so does everyone,” he said. “She gets the job done and in the end that’s all that really matters.”

Even when she is not fighting, Bates still feels pressure to look a certain way.

“It feels great to look as good as you do five or ten pounds lighter, especially being a girl and dealing with the “ideal figure” we’re supposed to portray,” she said. “I feel the most pressure when I’m done fighting because I want to still look and feel the way I did before [the fight].”

Outside of the gym, Bates still has to constantly monitor what she eats and drinks. She cannot let herself get too hungry or thirsty, but must also make sure she does not get bloated. However, Bates thinks her sport is worth the trouble.

“I think the only downside is you have to work hard to look great,” she said.

Martinez feels Bates works very hard to get where she is in taekwondo.

“She is really devoted to it and is passionate about it,” he said.

According to Bates, taekwondo is mostly a mental sport. Without mental strength and confidence, many fighters break down from the pressure. Bates credits her coaches, Gus Villa Valadez and Octavio Villa for keeping her “on track”.

“My coaches help keep my spirits high, and give me the confidence i need to work hard,” she said. “[They] give me wisdom to become a smarter person and a smarter fighter.”

Overall, Bates loves her sport and will continue in spite of the pressure.

“It doesn’t just come easy. Nothing comes easy,” she said. “If it did, everyone would do it.”

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Encouragement from peers helps students Students find express themselves musically passion in DJ’ing

by Tatiana Celentano

From a young age, senior Carolina Webb and junior John Portis were both said to have “a natural gift and a love for music.” Their biggest supporters are the people who have encouraged and helped them reach their current musical capabilities.

Webb, better known as “Cato” stepped out of her comfort zone at the age of 12. Her best friend senior Haley Bunch convinced her to play her music on the Hermosa Beach Strand.

Webb was skeptical at first, but decided to perform. She and Bunch sat on the Strand as Webb sang for the people walking by.

“I got some really good feedback and compliments. From then on I kind of realized that I shouldn’t be so scared to sing in front of people. It’s something I love and something that other people can enjoy listening to,” Webb said.

According to Webb she has developed her musical talents to a level where she is being admired, as well as inspiring new musicians to further their own musical capabilities.

Webb was able to gain the most confidence in her singing from the feedback of her close friends. Gradually, more people began to believe that she had natural talent and that she should pursue her dreams.

“Music is the only thing I can depend on,” Webb said. “It will always be there. It’s just music. It’s just me.”

According to Webb, music is the best outlet in which she can express herself.

“I’m not really a sports person. [Music] is just my way of getting everything out,” she said.

Webb has recorded many of her own songs in a wide variety of genres. She typically writes about personal, day-to-day things, but the biggest challenge is finding something to write an entire song about.

“I don’t even know what [a lot of my songs] are about until a while later and I kind of think about it more,” Webb said.

Webb has inspired students to pursue their passion in music, as well as improve their skills.

“Listening to her music motivates me towards becoming a better artist. With her voice and guitar skills, I feel I can learn from her to improve,” sophomore Sarah Finch said.

Already Webb has preformed at a coffee house in Torrance for a benefit concert at Torrance High and has her own YouTube channel.

Webb and Portis perform together in one of Webb’s videos. Portis’ favorite way to sing is in a duet.

“When two voices come together it’s really special— two different styles,” Portis said.

Ever since Portis was young, he showed traits of having the natural ability to become a talented performer. He taught himself to play the drums, guitar, and piano.

“When John sings, not only does he sound good,” father Mark Portis said, “He has a very relaxed style that helps put people at ease.”

John has a lot of encouragement from his friends. Junior Michael D’Angelo is one of his biggest fans and supporters.

“I tell him he is doing really [well] and he needs to branch out and start to sing in front of other people,” D’Angelo said.

John performed for the first time at a Christmas church service.

“It was really rewarding because a lot of people were really nice about it and they complimented me,” John said. “Church was a good place to start.”

A couple months later John and his father recorded their first duet together.

“It was pretty cool to see how my dad mixed the music together,” John said.

Their love for music has given John and his dad a special bond.

“It’s kind of a special thing we share as father and son,” John said.

Mr. Portis believes that if John not only relies on his natural abilities but also hones and develops his talent, he will become a very good musician and performer.

John’s ultimate dream is to have a good job in the music industry, whether it be producing music or becoming an artist.

Portis believes that it is important to express yourself despite criticism by peers.

“Don’t be afraid to hide your talent and musical abilities,” John said. “Never give up.”

THE

SOUND

OF

MUSIC Students explore their passion for music by singing, DJ’ing, and playing instruments.

Attig overcomes stage freight and sings at school rally

by Gianna Esposito

With shallow breathing and her heart beating fast, freshman Abby Attig walks to the center of the floor, microphone in hand.

Staring out at hundreds of faces, she tries to relax. After all, she is going to do what she loves most: sing.

At the school rally, Attig sang the National Anthem.

“Right before I went up, I felt really confident, but also really nervous that I would get stage fright and forget the words. I had my Dance Guard team on the side supporting me,” she said.

Instead of letting the nerves get to her, she embraced the feeling.

“My favorite part of performing is the

adrenaline that hits right before you grab the microphone and step onto the stage—when you want to run, but decide to hold strong and show off all you’ve got,” she said.

Despite having sung at many shows and recitals throughout her life, Attig felt that this performance was different from any other one.

“Well, in a way it was more nerve-racking because it was going to be my first impression on a lot of students,” she said. “But it also made it easier because I had a clean slate.

Most of them hadn’t heard me sing before, and would probably forget pretty quickly if I messed up.”

However as Attig sang, she found that instead of focusing on mistakes, the crowd cheered for her, fueling her performance.

“After the first note everyone started screaming. That’s when I started belting it out,” she said.

In addition to taking private voice lessons and singing with various choirs, Attig has performed with the Belasco Theatre Company and has even sung voice-overs for commercial jingles. “[Singing] has given me a lot of opportunities. It’s a little bit of my history not many people know about me,” she said.

Last August Attig sang the National Anthem at her brother’s Boy Scout ceremony.

Unlike her recent performance, she struggled and her voice cracked because of the change in key, making her hesitant about singing it again.

“I was really upset, and it almost stopped

me from trying out for the rally, but I realized that I needed to overcome it and redeem myself. I really feel like I did,” Attig said.

Attig’s mother and church choir teacher Lynn Attig, saw the performance and agrees.

“She remained poised the entire time, and I was amazed at her confidence. I wouldn’t have been able to sing in front of all my peers like that,” she said.

In fact, her mother believes that Attig may some day have the opportunity to make singing her career.

“I think Abby could be a professional singer and go to Broadway. But she is not sure about that. She sings because she loves it and that is what is most important right now,” she said.

by Cameron Paulson

Walking up to the DJ booth, he hears the crowd’s screams become louder. Sophomore Adam Schofani waits for the perfect moment.

As his hands hit the turn tables and the sound of screams drown out and the music captivates him. What was once a dream is now a reality.

For Shofani, the party he hosted on Oct. 8, 2010 Walking up to the DJ booth, hearing the crowd’s screams become louder, just waiting for the perfect moment. As hands hit the turn tables and the sound of screams drown out the music captivates you and what was once a dream is now a reality. was the most memorable moment he’s had while DJ’ing.

“I got most nervous [for] Fridays party just because I was hosting it and I didn’t want to screw something up and ruin it for myself,” Shofani said.

Shofani started DJ’ing merely as a favor to a friend. He wasn’t aware this would become his new hobby.

“Each time I [DJ] I learn something new,” Shofani said.

“In the game of [DJ’ing] whoever stands out the most is who’s going to make it the farthest.”

--Diego Rodriguez Junior Jake Jimenez practices for five hours everyday in order to improve his skills. Jimenez has been DJ’ing since eighth grade and fell in love with the hobby.

“Once you start DJ’ing, everything flows together,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez started at a young age when his middle school teacher showed him how to spin the turntables. He quickly got the hang of it and started DJ’ing as much as he could.

Although it is his passion, DJ’ing is not the only top priority for Jimenez.

Jimenez’s classes and varsity baseball commitment make it a challenge to juggle DJ’ing and academics.

“Even though I’m DJ’ing now, only time will tell what I do in the future.” Jimenez said.

Diego Rodriguez, commonly known as DJ Blacksheep, attended RUHS two years ago.

He is a professional DJ. “I turned to my turn tables to keep me going since I got kicked out of Redondo,” Rodriguez said.

Because his family moved, Rodriguez could not attend Redondo and turned to DJ’ing for comfort.

DJ’ing since summer of 2004, he continues to work hard and pursue his dream.

“When you teach yourself [to DJ] you gain your own style of DJ’ing and that’s what I did.” Rodriguez said, “Its all positive. Everything is good with me [when I DJ] and everybody’s happy so everyone wins.”

Growing up, Rodriguez envied his favorite DJs that he looked up to. This year he went to Texas to intern at a record label, Interscope Records, where he was able to meet those DJs. “It was so cool seeing the people you’ve looked up to your entire life right in front you,” Rodriguez said.

Even though the competition in the music industry is difficult, Rodriguez is optimistic and gives advice to people who follow in his footsteps.

“In the game [of ] DJ’ing whoever stands out the most is who’s going to make it the farthest,” Rodriguez said, “I never give up on something that is this important to me.”

Browne is successful in drumming for multiple bands

by Melissa Rosero

Whether he is part of a hard-core death metal band or being paid to join a pop band, junior Ryan Browne expresses his passion for drumming, no matter what genre of music.

Although Browne has enjoyed all seven bands he has been a part of, he is especially dedicated to his most current band, a “post hard-core alternative rock” group named Viera.

“Everyone in Viera looks different and thinks different, but we all have the common goal to make our band go as far as possible,” Browne said.

Having a Hot Topic model as the

band’s guitarist, Browne began to feel the pressure of not just playing the part but also looking the part. Browne’s commitment to the band’s success has propelled him to loose 34 pounds since last year.

“I’m not trying to sell-out, I just realized how absolutely important fashion and music go together and that I could possibly help the band even more,” Browne said.

Band member Peter Yoon has found Browne’s commitment especially influential.

“Ryan influences all of us in the band.

First of all he is a great drummer, one of the best his age. He is a very creative writer and inspires me to write better as a musician,” Yoon said.

Browne was hired as the live drummer for the signed pop band Axiz. Before taking a break from Axiz, Browne was paid to perform in venues such as The Whiskey A Go Go in Hollywood.

“Being in Axiz was complicated because all I wanted to do was play shows in front of large audiences, but instead I had to go home and do homework,” Browne said.

Being involved with music since his first lesson in the second grade, Browne has advice for aspiring musicians.

“I’ve learned that in order to play music for a living you need to play what you love and still appeal to audiences; you have to balance both worlds,” Browne said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN BROWNE

Little Drummer Boy. Junior Ryan Browne has found success in performing with bands infront of large audiences.

Sports

7

p.

]Oct. 22, 2010]

A.D. to standardize uniforms

Yamaya twins adjust through XC

by Bethany Kawa

by Nic Cruz

Athletic Director Andy Saltsman proposed the idea of adopting an official third color for the athletic uniforms. This additional color will be either black or navy, depending on the consensus of the coaches, alumni, and administration of the athletic programs.

Saltsman believes black or navy are good choices for a third color, because they have been previously used by different programs on campus. However, he just wants to “use one color to have a uniform consistency.”

“I want the college look and college feel.

We will look uniform and consistent, and schools will know who we are,” he said.

Saltsman’s main purpose is not to change the two main school colors, but add a third color as a trim.

“I want everyone to know what Redon-

The bell rang and its piercing echo signaled the start of school. The twin brothers Tomohiro and Takehiro Yamaya struggle alongside countless other students to reach their classes. The labyrinthine structure of the school hallways only confused the brothers even more. Out of the hundreds of students, they could hardly find a recognizable face. This sense of confusion and this feeling of isolation was their first day of school in America.

Having just moved from Japan and thrust into a new school, the freshman brothers consider that day to be one of the most daunting of their lives.

“The first day of school was the scariest,” Takehiro said. “I didn’t know anything about American schools.”

The two wandered through the hallways trying to find the location of their classes.

But their searching was useless as they became even more bewildered.

“I had to calm down and ask someone [where my classes were],” Tomohiro said.

The feeling of being alone, having no friends to talk to, and the absence of their old friends made the day difficult according to the brothers. It made them feel like they weren’t a part of the community.

“Everyone knew each other, so I wasn’t able to talk with them. That made me a little sad,” Tomohiro said. “I think the first day of school was the hardest day in my life.”

Although that day left them disheartened, Takehiro and Tomohiro found something to help them adjust to American high school life: cross country.

Takehiro and Tomohiro joined the team just before school started. For them, cross country is a way to stay fit, but it is a way for the two to feel more comfortable at RUHS. The support they receive from their teammates and the friendships help them deal with the difficulties of school. “[During my first practice], I thought everyone was kind to me,” Tomohiro said.

“I was able to have a fun time at my first practice.”

Although cross country is considered a solitary sport, Tomohiro stated that he never feels alone when he runs.

During the race at Polliwog Park, teammates were cheering on the twin brothers.

And after the race, their friends were congratulating them on their performance.

At first, JV runner Brenna Sopp and others on the team were unsure about the brothers.

“Everyone was really surprised [at] the first race,” Sopp said. “They really contribute to the team.”

Varsity runner and boys team captain Nick Herold recognizes their part in the team.

“They’re actually really good [runners],” he said. “They seem to be really hardworking.”

According to Takehiro and Tomohiro, cross country is a sport they both enjoy.

From passing other runners and getting better times to just hanging out with their teammates, it has helped them find their niche in Redondo. And because of these reasons, the two plan to run cross country throughout high school. “[My teammates] help me a lot, so I appreciate them,” Tomohiro said. “I am really happy to be [on] the team.”

PHOTO BY JONATHAN MARTIN

En pointe. Senior Savannah Irving and junior Ashley Santiago perform a routine during half time at a football game. Both teams won their first competition despite intense heat in Anaheim. They will compete again this weekend.

Band wins first competition “If we tweak something about our uniforms, it will make people a little more excited.”

–– Andy Saltsman

do’s specific colors are when athletes go to other schools or when visiting schools come to play,” Saltsman said.

Although Saltsman wants to standardize uniform colors, the different sports can individualize their warm-ups.

“I like our uniforms now, but I think it would be cool to have the same colors for every team. Personally, I would choose black as the third color because it goes better with our colors,” senior Jayson Baytosh said.

Once the decision upon the third color is officially made, Saltsman hopes to create a logo for all team uniforms, and eventually make all the individual “R’s” uniform.

Only the newly ordered uniforms will have the additional color.

“Branding our uniforms will help us out in selling things such as athletic gear and spirit wear in the future. If we tweak something about our uniforms, it will make people a little more excited,” he said.

by Kaelee Epstein

After competing two weeks ago, the band and dance guard’s main goal last week was to finish perfecting their show so that they could focus on cleaning up before they compete tomorrow at Bonita High School.

“After finishing the show, I think we are going to score very well. Then we will be able to focus on cleaning and fixing problems throughout the show so everyone can be more confident,” senior Savannah Irving said.

Despite anticipated heat this weekend, the unit will be better prepared.

“I expect that we’ll continue to improve and do really well. I hope that this time we’ll improve without costing anyone’s health.

We should be able to produce a performance we can be proud of,” senior Gianna Esposito said.

According to the unit’s leadership, the freshman especially stand out this year and seem eager the improve themselves.

“This year I am very impressed with the freshmen who show a high level of performance ethic and bring a positive vibe to the band,” senior Tyler Salerno said.

Their goals for the rest of the season include qualifying for both SCJA and SCSBOA championships and this Saturday’s performance has a high impact on their chances of making it.

“They know it is up to them to go out there on Saturday and give their best performance up to date. As instructors, we will do our best to prepare them this week. We know they are beyond capable of earning that first place spot so I expect this weekend to be another successful competition,” coach Sarah Slemmons said.

Despite “stifling” heat and a complicated schedule due to the SAT, the band and dance guard pulled out a “notable” performance at Kennedy High School two weeks ago.

Band scored a 62 which placed them in first for the 3A division and Dance Guard scored a 74 which placed them in second in the auxiliary portion of the 3A division.

The unit practices hard to improve their endurance but the heat got the best of them and about six or seven members fainted post performance.

“We were definitely pushing ourselves and each other. We’re only as strong as our weakest member, so hopefully everyone will

take our physical workouts seriously in order to better their endurance,” Esposito said.

Many seniors arrived just minutes before the unit took the field as a result of the SAT, which might have hurt their performance, according to Salerno.

“Arriving late was definitely a distraction that set us back. Also, not having our leaders present can take a toll before performances,” Salerno said.

As a result of these set backs and of not having a complete show yet, Slemmons thinks that the unit did not do as well as they possibly could have, but she is still proud.

“Considering [the set backs] the kids did a good job. The incomplete show hurt us slightly but the kids persevered through the heat to give the best performance they could,” Slemmons said.

However, the unit had some memorable moments during the show, according to Slemmons.

“We had some great audience response moments. The band played loud and the Dance Guard executed well; the audience cheered during big moments in the show, which helps the performers feel good about their show,” she said.

Golf loses in Finals, fails to move players on to CIF

by Allie Goldberg

After Wednesday’s Bay League Finals, girls’ golf season has come to an end with an overall record of 3-7.

In the Bay League finals, the top four girls from each team compete for the top seven scores, who then move on to CIF. However, due to complications, only two girls attended.

Senior Kristin Discipulo and junior Megan Comier both competed. Neither Discipulo nor Comier made it to CIF. Comier shot a 91 and has an average score of in the low 80’s.

“I’m really disappointed in myself. I know that I’m good enough and I know that I could have played better,” Comier said.

Comier put in many hours preparing for the match.

“I went out and played Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I practiced with my coach and I took individual lessons,” she said.

Comier explained that on Wednesday her game was “all over the place.”

“My putting really killed me, but not one aspect of my game was strong tonight,” she said.

Comier feels that the season was fun overall, and is already excited for next year.

“Throughout the whole difficult season, we always stayed a team. We were there for each other, and always had fun. I could always rely on my teammates when I was having a bad day,” she said.

Comier believes that there are some benefits to the season ending.

“I’ve been juggling a lot of things, and I need to start focusing on my school work more,” she said. “I’m actually more sad that Kristin didn’t get to go [to CIF]. She deserved it.”

Discipulo shot an 85 at League Finals.

“I was striking the ball well, but I wasn’t able to convert,” she said. “I’m excited that my golf career isn’t over, and I want to continue to compete in college.

According to coach John Gonzales, it is “a real bummer” that Discipulo will not be moving forward.

“She worked really hard. She’s very dedicated to her sport, and it’s just a small setback. But she’s the type of athlete who will bounce back,” he said.

Senior Hayley Lane was one of the players who qualified for League Finals.

“I couldn’t go because I had AP Calc and AP Gov,” she said. “I really wish I could’ve gone.”

Junior Brittany Shanker was the fourth qualifier, who passed due to an ankle injury.

According to Lane, the season was an improvement overall.

“I think we played well, but I think we could have played to out potential. We should have beaten more teams than we did,” she said.

According to Gonzales, every player improved this season. Gonzales is especially excited about the underclassmen.

“Some girls have said they want to make a big commitment. Start conditioning, take lessons, and get serious during the off-season,” he said. “I was amazed that they came to me instead of me going to them.”

PHOTO BY SAVANNAH IRVING

Putt it in. Sophomore Brittany Shanker puts in a league match against PV.

Tennis defeats Culver, vies for CIF spot

by David Kawa

PHOTO BY JAKE COLLINS

Forehand. Junior Christie Goodman returns a shot in their match against Culver City. The team is competing for a wild card berth in CIF.

Girls’ tennis defeated Culver City 12-6 last Monday. The team is preparing for their next game against Peninsula on Monday According to senior Elle Taylor, the first two rounds were close, but Redondo had a comfortable lead by the last round.

“We played well and beat them, but we did not destroy them. The match was closer than what the score says,” she said.

Senior Megan Thomas attributes the victory to team confidence.

“We knew we could most likely get our tenth win we needed for CIF from Culver.

We knew what we had to do and we kept focused and played at a high level throughout the game,” she said.

This being the second match against Culver, coach Jessica Seibert saw improvement.

“We improved our score [from the last match]. We were definitely capable of winning by more,” she said.

With ten league wins, the team has qualified for a chance at a wildcard spot in CIF. This opportunity has encouraged the seniors on the team to play even harder.

“We really want to beat West to increase our chances [of getting in to CIF]. The seniors really want this because it is our last year. We want to go out with a bang,” Taylor said.

The team has kept momentum throughout the season, according to Taylor.

“Having more wins under our belt definitely give us more confidence going into our league matches. We will use that confidence as we finish out our season,” junior Angeline Lee said.

According to junior Christie Goodman, the team has developed over the course of the year.

“We are now more consistent and know how to place the ball,” Goodman said.

The bond between teammates has also grown. The athletes keep each other focused

from the sidelines.

“It’s an individual sport, but we are bringing the team dynamics in by cheering for each other,” Taylor said.

According to junior Makenna McNair, the team is practicing to fix its weaknesses.

Training to be aggressive at the net and working on volleys, the team hopes to tighten up it’s game for the next match against Peninsula.

The team is focused on competing against Peninsula, the top ranked team in the league.

“They are going to tough. They are the best team [in the league], but we are still going to try our very best and try to come out with a win,” Lee said.

In a broader view, the team is focusing on its goal of competing in CIF. “We are basically just preparing for CIF. We know we can do well in the first wildcard round and are hoping to get that spot in the main round,” Seibert said.

Sports

8

p.

]Oct. 22, 2010]

Girls’ volleyball loses to Mira Costa in three games Coach Chaffins was disappointed with the missed opportunities they had to seal a win, but he gives Costa credit for winning a The girls volleyball team lost to rival Mira tough game.

Costa, 22-25, 24-26, 23-25, in three games “They played super well and we never on Wednesday. seemed to get on rhythm,” Chaffins said.

According to senior Lara Dykstra, it was a According to Chaffins, Dykstra and Seback and forth game where neither team had nior Blake O’Brien played especially hard a huge lead. and “gave it their all.”

“It’s always a challenge playing Costa,” Chaffins believes the team has to get betDykstra said. ter for their next match against Costa.

Dykstra believes that the team moved to First, the girls will have to overcome a the ball well and had no problems returning, “tough” Peninsula team (13-11, 1-2) that poses a threat with several all-league players.

“We have to make all future teams feel our pain from the Costa loss,” Chaffins said.

Chaffins wants the team to use this pain to motivate them against the Peninsula game.

The girls’ volleyball team has not lost to Peninsula in eight years, but they are not going confidently into the game.

“They always give us a good match,” Chaffins said.

Chaffins believes his team has better depth overall and will be able to counteract Peninsula’s individual talent.

“The bench has a huge influence on the product out on the court. The players on the court are playing their butts off for the players on the bench,” he said.

To get a win this upcoming week, Chaffins expects the team to serve aggressively and pass Peninsula’s serves effectively. The PHOTO BY JAKE COLLINS team is relatively healthy and is expected to play at their full potential on Tuesday.

Scrambling. Senior Nicole White and sophomore Skylar Dykstra try to save the “We have to continue to get better and ball in their match against Costa. The girls lost in three after a “tough match.” come back pissed off,” Chaffins said.

by Kimberly Chapman and Zachary Zent

but Costa dug too many of our hits.

“They were playing a lot scrappier than us,” Dykstra said.

Dykstra believes that by the third game the team was discouraged, but they stayed with Costa and competed the whole way through.

Overall, it was a frustrating night for the team. In the second game, the team was up 24-23 for game point, but the girls blocked the ball out and gave Costa the opportunity to get the two kills that won the game.

Water polo defeats Brentwood

by Julie Tran

The boys’ water polo team won against Brentwood, 7-6, in a nonleague game yesterday. They will face Peninsula, who is placed third in Bay League, next Tuesday. This Tuesday’s game against Mira Costa was suspended due to lightning. However, the team prepares to play Peninsula.

“It’s going to be really tough playing at Peninsula because their pool is so unlike the one we practice in,” coach Mark Rubke said.

“Their’s is a shallow, deep, narrow pool.”

The team is currently placed as fourth in the Bay League. If they beat Peninsula, they will be tied for third place.

“It’s a huge game for us because third place goes to playoffs; fourth doesn’t,” Rubke said.

According to Rubke, first and second place are occupied by Mira Costa and Palos Verdes. Redondo is fighting for the third place slot in order to compete in Bay League finals.

Yesterday, the team played a close match against Brentwood.

Rubke stressed a return to strategies used earlier in the season that, although many players have recently moved away from, worked to the team’s advantage.

“We like to change defense depending on the [opposing] team because we like to take advantage of their weaknesses and play smart,” starter Alec Ortiz said. “We have a smart team even though we may not be the biggest, which is how we can compete with other teams much stronger than us.”

According to team captain Jake Kirchner, Ortiz was a key player, scoring 4 of the 7 goals.

“Alec played really well. He got ejected twice on defense, but he was mainly thinking offense for this game,” Kirchner said.

Junior Ashton DeRojas also scored 2 goals. Kirchner scored the winning goal in the last thirty seconds of the fourth quarter.

“Our most recent performance indicates, to me, that we can play a much tighter game against Penninsula,” Rubke said. “We have reason to believe it’s going to be a very competitive game.”

PHOTO BY JAKE COLLINS

Shots. Senior Wyatt Bettis shoots on goal in a game against West.

Cross country girls continue their winning streak in league

by Olivia Loveland

At the second Bay League meet hosted by Mira Costa at Polliwog park, the girls took first place with 25 points and the boys took third with 65 points.

The girls swept places 3-7 with junior Rachel Bush (17:38), senior Laura O’Neill (17:44), and sophomore Cara Ulizio (17:48) as the top three finishers.

The girls knew to expect stronger performances from Costa.

“We were expecting Costa to be better [than at the first league meet] because they had seen how well we raced, so we were mentally prepared for a harder race,” junior Lindsay Mull said.

According to coach Bob Leetch, he did not want the girls to change their racing strategy and continue to lead in a pack.

“Bob wanted us to ‘go out and hit the race in the mouth’ and get out to the front so all you see are the red Redondo jerseys with nothing in between,” Mull said.

The girls were not able to catch the top two runners from Costa, but still “dominated” the race with a 12 point lead over second place Costa.

“We were expecting to do exactly what we did last time, to get all of our girls in the top 10. We went 3-7 so we got the job done,” O’Neill said.

The boys’ third place at Polliwog is better than their 4th place at the first last league meet, but according to senior Dezhan Bland the team is still not where they want to be.

In his first season of cross-country, Bland (15:31) was the first finisher for the boys, coming in fourth

place.

“Everybody’s improving and we need to work on staying together. I think if we try to group up from the start we can do much better,” Bland said.

According to junior Tyler Caracoza, the boys’ goal is to make it to State.

“We need to improve a lot. At the last Bay League, we didn’t show as much talent as we could have,” Caracoza said.

Tomorrow the boys will be competing in the Mt. Sac Invitational, the largest cross-country Invitational in the country.

“We are going to try to win our race and stay grouped up. This is a difficult course so there are no set boundaries,” Caracoza said.

The girls are expecting a longer season so coach Leetch has decided to hold them out from the Mt. Sac Invitational tomorrow.

“I think it’s a good idea to have those two extra weeks because the CIF prelims and finals are far away to peak for. We should back off now so we’re not wiped out,” Mull said.

Their sights are set to the state championships where they took third last year.

“We have gone up against Saugus before and now we can give a good fight and do a lot better against them,” O’Neill said.

The team has already proven that they can beat Costa who went to State last year.

“We have really high expectations for ourselves. We’re trying to win State this year and make it to nationals to race against good teams like the ones from New York,” O’Neill said.

PHOTO BY JAKE COLLINS

Pounding it. Junior Ryan Spiwak runs behind the blocking of senior Matt Ulizio in last Friday’s game against Peninsula. Redondo won 33-14.

Football starts Bay League 1-0

by Matthew Brancolini

Last Friday afternoon, the varsity football team defeated Peninsula 33-14 at Peninsula in the first Bay League game of the season.

Tonight, the Sea Hawks will play West in an important step towards a League championship.

“We’re considering every game as part of winning a Bay League championship,” coach Gene Simon said.

The team is ready for their second Bay League game of the season, according to junior Brandon Kim. “We feel confident in our defense and offensive scheme and we believe we have the potential to beat West,” Kim said. “We’ve had an excellent week of practice and we’re well prepared for the game this Friday.”

The team has been focusing all week on adjusting their defense to deal with West’s complicated offense.

“West changes their plays and uses a lot of confusing formations. We have been practicing all week to deal with them,” junior Ryan Spiwak said.

The coaching staff has also been working on how to overcome West’s defensive strategies.

“West plays a really pressure-oriented defense. They try to force you to run outside but we have an effective offensive plan in place to deal with that,” Simon said.

Overall, the team is confident going into their first Bay League home game.

“If we play our game and avoid turnovers and penalties, we should do just fine against West,” Simon said.

Athlete of the

Week

by Jessica Cascio

When senior Tatsuaki “Gyo” Shojima moved here from Japan at the age of nine, he had a hard time learning his A, B, C’s and adjusting to the new culture. Little did he know, Shojima would be opened up to the world of football, a world that now consumes his life.

Shojima is now the starting tackle on the football team but it was a long road to get there, according to Shojima.

“I haven’t accomplished much yet but I want to perfect myself during my football career,” Shojima said.

With a semi-pro football player from Japan as a father, Shojima decided to start playing when he entered high school.

“I was a water boy freshman year. My father didn’t put any pressure on me but [being water boy] drove me to get better so I could play and eventually beat the current starters [for a starting spot],” Shojima said.

In order to get his starting spot, Shojima committed to workouts and currently trains in a gym program three times a week outside of practice.

“Gyo has high expectations of himself and is self-motivated,” coach Tim Ammentorp said. “He has worked very hard in the weight room and on his fitness and agility. He has become physically impressive. Overall, he’s just more athletic.”

Throughout the years, Shojima has found his

In the last Bay League outing, the team overcame a slow start to pull off a “solid” win against Peninsula.

“It’s a good win, especially because it’s a Bay League win. We’re always proud of a win,” Kim said.

The win was Spiwak’s first game in two weeks. He missed a game against Banning due to injury and Redondo had its bye week the week after that. He had three touchdowns and a “stellar” defensive performance in his first game back. Late in the fourth quarter, his 31-yard rushing touchdown sealed the game.

“He was a dominate player on both sides of the ball in the game,” Simon said.

Senior Kem Richards also had a great performance on offense, special teams, and defense, according to Simon.

“Kem did it on offense when he had opportunities. He caught two passes for around 60 yards. He returned a kickoff 35 yards and he was really all over their receivers on defense. He was terrific overall,” Simon said.

In general, the team is very optimistic heading into further Bay League competition.

“I was pleased with our effort and hope to continue our momentum throughout the rest of League,” Spiwak said. “There are a lot of great teams in the Bay League but we hope to be able to compete with them.”

Kim believes that the team still has plenty of room to grow as the season progresses.

“If we continue improving every week and continue to maximize our potential, we can have a great rest of the season,” he said.

Gyo Shojima

hard work is starting to pay off.

“The result of training and having a starting position is my drive,” Shokima said.

Shojima admits that the numerous hours devoted to football sometimes affect his academic performance but feels the need to give his full effort for the team’s success and his progression as a player.

“I am not the captain type but I want to lead by example,” Shojima said. “I want the team to succeed as a whole so I am doing my part.”

Ammentorp says that the Shojima provides the other team members with life lessons.

“Believe in yourself and work hard and you’ll get the opportunity to prove yourself,” Ammentorp said.

Shojima did just that. From water boy to starting tackle, Shojima continues to work and aspires to play in the NFL. “I am very interested to see how Gyo progresses in achieving his dream,” Ammentorp said.

PHOTO BY MOLLY SIMON

“WE GOTTA GIVE THEM HOPE.

“

–– Harvey Milk

W

riting it wasn’t hard. But sending it was. Carefully written and planned, junior Jeremy Porr waited for the perfect moment to give his parents his “coming out” letter and reveal his homosexuality.

“The beauty of writing a letter is that you don’t have to say the words ‘I’m gay’ right away and you can write out everything that is on your mind,” he said.

Porr slept with his letter each night, biding his time until an appropriate moment. However, that moment never came.

Porr had gotten into an argument with his father the day he decided to come out. After their argument he decided to go on a walk with his dad to reveal his sexuality and sent the letter to his mom instead. [continued on back]

Gay. Lesbian. Bisexual.

Transgender. Questioning. What was once a small, reserved niche in our school’s community is now a proud and vocal minority. Although the fight for equality still drags on, the stories inside this issue should serve as a testament to the bravery of these individuals and an inspiration to those yet to find an answer within themselves.

“So,

PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY MOLLY SIMON

A

Features Magazine Oct. 22nd, 2010

the

[ ] nchor Special Edition

I heard you’re a faggot?”

The boy said it like a statement, not a question. Senior Brandon Pritzkat doesn’t even flinch. “Yup, I’m gay.” He smiles proudly. He walks away, and to the onlooker, he doesn’t seem affected at all. But two seconds earlier, it was like someone had thrown cold water in his face and spat, “Here, look at yourself, you are all wrong.”

High school can be rough—especially when you’re gay. [continued on back]

b.

2

Oct. 22, 2010

Living

with

Twomoms

Junior Jaden Braunwarth traveled to Boston to see her mother marry the woman she loves.

by Emma Uriarte

Wedding bells chime and junior Jaden Braunwarth’s eyes fill with tears, her own happiness mirroring her mother’s. After a tough road, her mother is finally married to the woman she loves.

Braunwarth’s mother, Amber Fox, met her spouse about two and a half years ago, and they recently married in Boston. Braunwarth’s stepmother, Jade Fox, recalls the difficulties of getting married.

“In order for us to be considered legally married, we had to fly across the country to one of the few states that would marry us legally, which is financially draining and time consuming,” she said.

Braunwarth is glad that her mothers have finally gotten married. She supports gay marriages and does not understand views against it.

“Preventing gay couples from marrying is just another way of separating gay people from mainstream society,” she said.

Instead of trying to hide her mothers’ I do. 1. Amber and Jade Fox at their wedding. 2.Jaden Braunwarth with her mother and stepmother at their wedding in Boston.

1.

1.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JADEN BRAUNWARTH

Jane Witzenburg was raised by two mothers since she was five years old

by Taylor Ballard

Worried of criticism from her peers, Jane Witzenburg does not often talk about her mother’s sexuality.

“I am worried of how people are going to react,” Witzenburg said.

Witzenburg’s mothers have been married since she was five years old. When she was younger, a friend of hers who was fairly religious could not understand how her mother could be living a different lifestyle.

“It made me uncomfortable because I didn’t expect it. She was close-minded and

no one had ever reacted like that before,” Witzenburg said.

Her mother, Kristen Witzenburg, dealt with a similar problem when Jane was younger. The Witzenburg family had been asked to stop attending a local church because the older members did not accept the lesbian couple and their daughter.

“It felt like a slap in the face. It was hard,” Kristen said.

Negative criticism was more common when Jane was younger because her young peers noticed everything.

“It’s always sad through the mouth of a

child,” Kristen said.

She was never sure how to address a child without telling them their parents were wrong.

Kristen said that over the years she has seen people of all ages become more accepting.

They are not “the obvious mom and dad situation” but they have their share of ups and downs like any other family.

“Every now and then I get embarrassed but I love my mom. I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Jane said.

She is comfortable with both moms and just like any other family she talks to her parents about problems she may have.

lifestyle from the rest of the world, she embraces it and is open about it with her friends and anyone she meets.

“When someone asks about my parents, it’s difficult to explain that I have a mom and a stepmom because I have to wait for that pause where I fill their confusion with the word ‘gay,’”she said.

Whether or not people are accepting or uncomfortable, Braunwarth accepts her mothers for who they are.

“I could care less if they’re uncomfortable,” she said. “I’m not looking for anyone’s approval. I’m stating a fact.”

Braunwarth’s mother had to deal with her daughter’s difficulties and hoped that she would not face too much ridicule from her peers.

“Some people think it’s weird or wrong for a lesbian to raise a child,” Braunwarth said.

Braunwarth’s father died when she was just three months old, and her mother came out when she was 18. Jaden grew up with her mother’s lifestyle, and it never occurred to her that her mother was doing anything out of the ordinary.

“I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it,” she said. “I always knew that my mom was a lesbian, but it never once crossed my mind that it was a bad thing. She is my mother regardless.”

Despite the difficulties gay people face, Jade feels like being gay is beneficial in making her an individual.

“Because we didn’t grow up with queer role models easily accessible, we have been able to make our own rules,” she said. “We have created our own culture, therefore becoming the activists our generation desperately needs.”

Braunwarth also feels like her mother’s lifestyle has had a positive impact on the way she views the world.

“I have grown up in such an open-minded environment,” she said. “I’m accepting and understanding and I get to see people for who they are without judgment.”

Braunwarth hopes for a future where her two mothers can be accepted for who they are.

“I guess in a world so close-minded it’s hard to see the truth for what it is. Love is love,” she said.

Her two mothers feel the same way, and want to give hope to other homosexuals that are afraid to come out.

“We are what we are and we will fight until we can all be treated equally.” Amber said.

The

self

Oct. 22, 2010

b.

road to

discovery Senior Alex Curtis crosses gender lines, revealing who he truly is and becoming more confident and comfortable with himself.

by Annica Stitch

As a little girl, senior Alex Curtis always felt out of place and uncomfortable, but it wasn’t until the sixth grade that she realized why.

“I realized that in all my daydreams I’ve always been a guy,” Curtis said.

Curtis identifies herself, or rather himself, as transgender which is defined in the dictionary as a person who wants to belong to the opposite sex.

In elementary school Curtis’ attention was mostly focused on his parents’ divorce. He did his best to fit in by mimicking his peers, but still felt uncomfortable around most people.

“Sometimes I wonder why I hadn’t realized earlier. I think it’s because the first ten years of my life were filled with the tension and drama from a marriage that never should have happened in the first place,” Curtis said.

“I’m no longer putting on a show and pretending to be someone I’m not. I feel comfortable because I’ve accepted who I am and I don’t care who knows or what they think.”

— Alex Curtis

Curtis told his mother as soon as he realized that he is a transgender.

“My mom was the second person I told, the first was my best friend’s mom. In hindsight, this was probably a bad idea. I should have told friends first, or at least my sister, but I’ve always been very comfortable around my mom,” Curtis said.

Curtis did not receive the positive reaction he had hoped for.

“The first time I told her she laughed, the second time she yelled,” he said.

Freshman Jordan Curtis, Alex’s sister, has also noticed their mother’s concern over Alex’s realization.

“As far as I know, [our mother’s reaction is] not an enraged type of result, but more so a fearful one,” she said. “It’s mostly about how there is the likelihood of death resulting from the procedure of becoming from female to male, and how it puts her on edge.”

Recently though, Curtis’ relationship with her mother is improving.

“Lately it has been better, though. I think she’s starting to realize that this isn’t a phase nor is it something I’m doing for attention,” Curtis said.

Like her mother, Jordan also worries about Alex and the risks he will face if he decides to undergo a sex change.

“I know that it’s not my choice, it’s Alex’s, and that I can never change it,” Jordan said.

Although he does feel comforted by the fact that he has a lot of support, Curtis has been considering a sex change surgery as near in the future as his freshman year of college.

“I feel more comfortable in my skin than I ever have, but it’s only partially due to others knowing.

Even around strangers that can’t possibly know, I feel more confident because I’m no longer putting on a show and pretending to be someone I’m not,” he said. “I feel comfortable because I’ve accepted who I am and don’t care who knows or what they think.”

Jordan feels she has always known that Alex is transgender and has done her best to support her brother.

“I think this has brought me and my siblings closer. When there are people out there who want to damage your sibling physically or mentally, there is a feeling that you have to support your sibling, no matter what,” Jordan said.

Although she is supportive of her brother, Jordan worries that Alex will face discrimination and harassment from others because of his choice.

“I have heard people insult transgender people frequently in middle school and it infuriates me that people can’t be open-minded and realize that [their insults] offend people,” Jordan said.

Along with his supportive sister, Curtis recognized the unyielding support of his online friend, named Theodore, who is also transgender.

“Every time I had a bad day or was confused about something, I would tell him and he would help,” Curtis said.

Curtis attributes much of his optimisim to his support.

“Sometimes I refer to him as my adopted father, because he really has been like a father to me, even from so far away,” he said. “I honestly don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t met him, because he gave me so much hope.”

According to Curtis, Theodore was one of the biggest infulences in making him who he is today.

“He taught me that I shouldn’t be ashamed of myself and that I should do whatever makes me comfortable rather than what makes everyone else comfortable,” Curtis said.

PHOTO BY MOLLY SIMON

3

b.4

b. 5

Oct. 22, 2010

What is LGBTQ? Lesbian describes a woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and emotional attraction is to other women.

Gay refers to anybody who is attract-

ed to people of the same gender. This term is generally used when referring to men.

S

ilence engulfs the room.

After 20 minutes, alumnus Ryan Boswell, ‘09, musters up enough courage to turn to his dad and say “I’m gay,” right before bursting into tears.

Boswell’s worries proved to be unnecessary as he was pleasantly surprised with his fathers positive reaction.

“He even apologized if he had ever given any indication that he would have thought otherwise,” Boswell said.

Boswell’s mother was just as supportive.

“The first thing she said was, ‘So, what was the important part?’” Boswell said.

According to Boswell, this positive reaction was a huge relief.

“I can’t describe how amazing it felt to finally have the burden lifted off of me,” he said.

After coming out to his parents , Boswell came out to the rest of his family and the world.

“I no longer hid it from anyone,” he said. “I no longer felt that I had to live a double life, and that lifted a huge burden off of me.”

Teacher and alumna Shannon Rodriguez, ‘81, believes that this reaction is evidence of how the world

The

Times they are A-Changin

Transgender is a broad term, generally used to include any person who feels his or her assigned sex does not completely or adequately reflect his or her gender identity.

PHOTO BY JAKE COLLINS

By Julia Uriarte and Camille Duong

is becoming more tolerant. It was drastically different 20 years earlier.

“If students saw two girls holding hands it was appalling, but now it is simply a tolerance of differences,” Rodriguez said. “Students are more tolerant of differences in each other.”

According to Rodriguez, openly gay students did not exist when she was in high school.

“If there was someone who was gay it just wasn’t talked about,” she said. “Not once did I ever know a gay couple [in high school].”

1990 AIDS activists from ACT UP (AIDS coalition to unleash power) founded Queer Nation in New York City to fight for gay rights. After the emergence of AIDS, the activists sought to eliminate homophobia and increase LGBT visibility through direct action.

Bisexual is an adjective used to describe a person who is capable of physical, romantic, emotional and/or spiritual attraction towards both men and women.

1993.

Math teacher and alumnus Joshua Friedrich’s high school was similar to Rodriguez’s.

“There weren’t many openly gay students,” he said.

Biology teacher and alumnus Mark Rubke sites student cruelty as the cause of this confidentiality.

“Years ago if someone were openly gay they would be ridiculed and criticized,” he said.

Another alumna Liz Spear, ‘80, says that both administration and students played a role in perpetuating this silence. When she and

another journalism student wrote an article about gay students, they were censored by the principal.

“I think the principal was afraid of what kind of response she’d get from parents, but I’d say that she had no backbone.” she said.

However, Friedrich believes that when he was at Redondo this secrecy was not due to fear of ridicule but simply because the subject was too taboo to talk about.

“There would be a few individuals who did not accept it, but overall people would have been mature,”

1998 .

2000 1990 . AIDS activists found

2004

he said.

The fact that society has become more tolerant is a sign that our culture has progressed, according to Friedrich.

“There is a natural progression,” he said. “There is a tolerance towards others right to be who they are.”

Despite this increase in tolerance, Boswell still experienced some negative backlash during high school; someone had wrote a homosexual slur on his locker and he received odd notes in his backpack.

2007

Ali Ritter, ‘08 alumna, ≠≠ also felt that some students were not as accepting as others.

“I didn’t want people to look at me like less of a person for being gay; I felt safe within the group of people I knew, but I knew that not everyone was so gay-friendly,” she said.

However, Boswell did not let negative reactions discourage him.

“I ignored all of it because I never received any real threats and I knew that my friends had my back if anything did happen,” Boswell said.

According to Boswell, the posi-

2008

tive reactions outweighed the negative ones.

“I remember a couple of girls coming up to my date and I during a homecoming dance and said that we were their role models and they loved that we went to the dance together,” he said.

According to Ritter, as the years pass, it becomes easier living life as a gay individual.

“The grown up world still has major problems with gay people, there is no question about that. But it is easier to get away from those

2008

people on an everyday basis and to surround yourself with people who have no problem with the whole spectrum of sexualities,” she said.

Because of this growing tolerance, she urges high school students to not be discouraged.

“The one thing that people really need to hear is that being gay will get better. When you get out of high school and have a little more control over your life, it will get better.

That can be said to anyone though, gay or not. High school is painful, but it gets better,” Ritter said.

2009

2010

Questioning describes those who are in the process of understanding their sexual orientation or gender identity.

www.gayandlesbianfund.org

2010

2010

On May 17, same-sex The House of RepreThe California SuOn Oct. 10, the ConIowa, Maine, and New The Chief U.S. DisThe six teens who comDistrict Judge Virbecame the Nation toVermont fight for gay Don’t Ask, Near, Queer Laramie, marriage became legal in sentatives passed a bill preme Court rules that necticut Supreme Court Hampshire all legalize trict Judge VaughnWalker mitted suicide after being ginia Phillips of Riverfirst state to legally recogDon’t tell policy is in- Wyoming,rights.

Matthew nize civil unions between Massachusetts. ensuring equal rights for same-sex couples have ruled that same-sex same-sex marriage. Presi- determined that Proposi- bullied about their sexual- side permanently banned troduced to the US armed Shepard was tortured gays, lesbians, and bisex- the constitutional right to couples have the right dent Obama signs a refer- tion 8 violated the 14th ity have brought national the Don’t Ask, Don’t tell gay and lesbian couples.

The

forces. The policy restricts gays in the military from being open about their sexuality.

and murdered because of his homosexuality.

The crime has resulted in many activist action and legislations that aim to protect people against hate crimes.

They are entitled to the same privileges as spouses.

However, the state only recognized civil unions and not marriages since a marriage was defined to be between a man and a woman.

uals in the workplace.

marry. That same year on November 4, CA voters approved Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage.

to marry. Connecticut became the second state after Massachusetts to legally recognize same-sex marriages.

endum allowing same-sex Amendment. partners of federal employees to receive benefits but not full health coverage.

attention to discrimination and cyber bullying. Tyler Clementi from Rutgers University jumped to his death after his roommate streamed a video of him having a sexual encounter with another man.

policy because it limited freedom of speech and was unconstitutional.

However, the Justice Department has banned the repeal of the policy.

b.

6

Oct. 22, 2010

MAKING A

DIFFERENCE Students use the internet to help teens in the LGBTQ community find peace.

Rutz’s videos provide assistance for gay teens

by Tricia Light

Technology may waste countless hours of a teenager’s time, but it can also do something productive, help students feel more comfortable with their sexuality.

Senior Lydia Rutz uses YouTube to discuss LGBTQ issues with people across the country.

“Informing and educating people is my number one priority,” Rutz said. “You are only afraid of what you don’t know.”

In her videos, she talks about her own experiences as a lesbian, hoping to promote awareness and tolerance of the LGBTQ community.

“Hate springs from ignorance. If we can eliminate ignorance it will be better for everyone,” she said.

Video topics range from coming out to gay marriage.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LIDIA RUTZ

Rutz also discusses viewer suggested topics. People can send in any questions they have to be answered by her.

Although Rutz feels like RUHS doesn’t have a big bullying problem, Rutz is determined to work towards acceptance of the LGBTQ community.

“We have a really accepting campus,” Rutz said. “It’s really good compared to the Midwest.”

Obsticles that are present in LGBTQ students’ lives might be solved through more outreach.

“It’s just that kids that aren’t used to [people being gay] get freaked out,” she said.

Rutz’s videos are just a start to increasing awareness on our campus. “[The videos] just need to get more

publicity,” she said.

Reaching out to others on YouTube is just the beginning of what Rutz wants to accomplish.

“I’d like to be an activist,” she said.

“This is the first step.”

Rutz is not the only one that encourage teens who are questioning their sexuality.

“There are many organizations out there that are specifically focused on preventing LGBT suicides. There’s a community on here that’s pretty tight knit, but international as well,” Rutz said in one of her videos.

According to Rutz, these efforts have powerful and potentially life-changing effects.

“I’m sure thousands of people have been helped by it,” she said. “A support

group — that’s really all you need. It makes an exponential difference.”

The trials Rutz experienced have allowed her to understand the impact of an encouraging community.

“My own experience tells me that doing this is worthwhile,” she said.

Rutz urges students to utilize the resources available to them.

“People shouldn’t be afraid to look into [their sexuality],” she said. “Reach out and you can get help.”

The possibility of changing a life motivates Rutz to continue speaking out.

“I myself was pretty depressed and other YouTubers helped me,” she said. “I just want to be that person for someone.

If I can help one, two, three people, then it’s worth it.”

Marlett persues activism through blogging

by Tricia Light

Whether it is walking all the way to your locker during snack or revealing your sexuality to the world, everything is easier when you are not alone.

In her blog, We are Awakening, senior Amanda Marlett shares her thoughts on many topics, including the fact that she is a lesbian.

“I don’t consider myself an activist, but I’d like to be one,” she said.

Marlett hopes to build off her own blog and become more involved with LGBTQ issues in the the future.

“I want to get my voice out there.” she said. “I want to be a director. Maybe I can help people through my writing.”

Progress toward equality has increased in recent years, according to Marlett.

“People are more and more comfortable coming out of the closet,” she said.

However, the task is far from accomplished.

“I don’t believe that in my lifetime we will achieve full equality, but we are making progress,” she said.

She feels that the civil rights movement is proof that society’s divisions can be overcome.

“We will eventually get [acceptance] if we work hard enough,” Marlett said.

According to Marlett, celebrities coming out has helped make people become more accepting. She consideres Ellen Degeneres her idol.

Marlett feels that the growth of the GSA club is contributing to greater tolerance.

“The larger Gay-Straight Alliance is proof that there is more acceptance,” Marlett said.

According to Marlett, the recent bullying-related suicides show that more work must be done to mkae questioning students

feel accepted.

“The fact that those kids were pushed to the point of suicide is astounding and infuriating,” she wrote in her blog.

She hopes to use her own experiences to help those students who are struggling.

“The concept is extremely complex, but [subsides] can be reversed by connecting to other people who have been there. There are people who have been there. I’ve been there and trust me it gets better,” Marlett wrote.

One thing she has learned is that everyone must be comfortable with who they are.

“Even if you feel that you are different than someone just be true to yourself,” she said.

Visit Marlett’s Blog: We are Awakening at http://we-are-awakening.tumblr.com

PHOTO BY MOLLY SIMON

Inspiring Words. Marlett spends countless hours working on her blog in order to assist and encourage gay and lesbian teens.

Oct. 22, 2010

b.

7

BUILDING PATH TOWARD A

TOLERANCE PHOTO BY MOLLY SIMON

Gay-Straight Alliance numbers increase due to modern times and growing acceptance.

by Michelle Hough

Senior David Kawa stood at the front of the classroom smiling and feeling content as about 25 students introduced themselves and stated, without being prompted, their sexual orientation. Everyone smiled warmly and said, “Hello” back. The first GayStraight Alliance (GSA) meeting is already achieving its goal: providing a welcoming and safe environment for students.

GSA is a club that is composed of people, both gay and straight, working collectively to promote tolerance and acceptance for all.

While Kawa, president of GSA, is excited about the large numbers attending meetings, the club was not always so popular.

“We were really small until this year.

In the past it was always upperclassmen that came, but now we have a collection of freshman, which is really inspiring,” he said. “There was always a population [of gay people at Redondo], but now I feel like it is more represented by the club.”

Senior Alex Curtis, also member of GSA, agrees that the club has blossomed.

“I joined my freshman year. There was the president and the vice-president, who were dating, and maybe four other people.

It wasn’t very active, so I eventually stopped going. [My friend and I] went in this year, and it was packed. I feel like this year, the club can actually do something [effective], because the members are there to be active,” Curtis said.

Kawa is glad for the progress they have made in bridging the gap between the gay and straight communities. He is also impressed by the fact that such a large number of students are coming out at younger ages which, according to him, was rare in the past. While he is pleased with the changes, he is still determined to make further and significant changes.

“The fight [against intolerance] is definitely not done. We are still in the middle of a transitional period,” he said.

Kawa plans to get involved in the LBGT community as a start for change. His plan is to reach other gay students in the community, and not just at the school, because he feels intolerance reaches such a wide scope of people.

“My personal goal is for the club to not just be about political activism. I want this to be a forum to grow up a community between gay and straight people, not just with students at our school, [but] with the entire South Bay,” he said.

Sophomore Anjali Read, also a

member of GSA, thinks that they have already achieved part of their goal: allowing students to be comfortable in GSA.

“I want this to be a forum to grow up a community between gay and straight people, not just with students at our school, [but] with the entire South Bay.” —David Kawa

“The atmosphere [at meetings] is good.

Everyone is comfortable with each other, and we are very open with each other. We haven’t grown together because we haven’t spent much time together yet, but I’m sure that once we do, we will be like a family because all of us already have our guards down, ” Read said.

Read joined GSA because, like many members, she cares about trying to end intolerance and show her support toward the gay community.

“I became involved just because a lot of my good friends are gay and I support [GSA] a lot. I get very frustrated with

homophobic [individuals]; I don’t understand why someone can hate someone else for who they are, it doesn’t make sense to me,” she said. “You don’t have to be gay to hang out with those kinds of people. I’m a straight person, and I like to hang out with people that are gay, that doesn’t make me gay.”

The first meeting already significantly showed how progressive GSA could be in helping gay students feel safe. Even though Kawa likes to enforce the “no labels” policy to show that GSA is a supportive community, the students were already comfortable with each other to label themselves right off the bat.

“We all just sat around, and David introduced himself and Christiana introduced herself, and we went around the circle saying our names. We said you didn’t have to say [if you were gay or straight] but people just started doing it anyways, like ‘Hi I’m ‘blank and I’m straight’ or ‘and I’m gay,’ Read said. “It was nice because everyone was comfortable.”

Although the club has grown so much, Kawa feels that is not yet done reaching it’s full potential. He wants to utilize the club’s expansion to truly impact the gay community. “[We have developed because] families are more accepting and [other students] are more accepting. We are one coalition, [and we are determined to show GSA] is about being able to be yourself, being comfortable and safe,” he said.

b.

8

Oct. 22nd, 2010

Coming out of the

Closet

Porr comes out to parents

by Allison Salazar

[continued from front]

“I told my dad that I was gay and then there was a long pause,” he said. “My dad said it was going to be tough but that I would get through it.”

Eddie Porr, Jeremy’s father, was neither shocked nor relieved at this news. However, Mr. Porr did fear other’s reactions to his son’s sexuality.

“My immediate feeling was he’s my son and I love him unconditionally,” Mr. Porr said. “But not everybody, be it his friends or family, would be as accepting as his mother and I are.”

“IT

IS

BETTER

TO

BE

HATED

FOR WHO YOU ARE THAN TO BE LOVED FOR WHO YOU ARE NOT.” PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY MOLLY SIMON

He fears that his son will be the target of homophobia, but he trusts Jeremy will make the right decisions.

“Kids, especially in high school, can be very cruel. With the recent public awareness of reported bullying cases, I tend to think about it often,” Mr. Porr said. “The best advice I could give him is to treat oth-

ers as he would want to be treated and be respectful of their feelings.”

The relationship between Jeremy and his dad has since improved.

“We’ve had a lot of father-son moments and we’ve also had a lot of disagreements. He tries to take an interest in the things I like, and I do the same for him,” Jeremy said.

The accepting reaction of his parents and others raised Jeremy’s self-esteem and allows him to be open and amiable, regardless of other people’s attitudes.

“After I started telling people that I was gay it was a lot easier to be myself. I started to change,” Jeremy said. “I learned that it is better to be hated for who you are, than to be loved for who you are not.”

Yet accepting himself wasn’t easy at first. During middle school Jeremy went through a “dark phase” in which he grew apart from his friends because he was still questioning his sexuality.

While others who are unsure of their sexuality may go through similar experiences, Jeremy encourages them to come out only when they are ready.

“You shouldn’t feel pressured by anyone else. You will go through a long period in which you question your sexuality but one day you will just know. That’s when you start preparing yourself to tell others. It’s a gradual process and not something you should rush,” he said.

Jeremy is happy with who he is, despite the struggles, and believes nothing separates a gay individual and a straight individual, outside of sexual orientation.

“At the end of the day I’m just another guy. I get home, shower, and chill in my basketball shorts. I’m not a high maintenance diva that always needs to look good,” he said. “Not all of my friends are girls, and being gay is just one small part of who I am. I don’t let my sexuality define me as a person.”

Pritzkat overcomes insecurities

by Michelle Hough

[continued from front]

Before coming out, Pritzkat had to endure the gossip and suspicions of others about his sexuality. However, the pain of feeling like he could not be true to his friends and his family was enough motivation to be true to himself.

“I came out because I felt like I was living a lie. I couldn’t say what I really wanted to say, or be the person I wanted to be. The only way to be the person I truly am was to come out,” he said.

After coming out first to his friends and his brother, Pritzkat had to face the biggest challenge of all: telling his parents. All teenagers while growing up constantly assess what their parents think; it was difficult for Pritzkat to believe he might disappoint them.

“I told my mom on [a car ride home] and it was one of those things I wasn’t expecting to bring up, but it just felt right. I felt like a wimp, but I started crying. Even though my mom has a gay brother and is friends with my dad’s gay brother, I still felt like she might not be okay with having a gay son. But after I told her, I knew everything was okay. She started crying too and she told me she loved me no matter what. It sounds cliché, but that’s how it happened.”

Coming out to his father was a rather different situation.

“I didn’t get to come out to my Dad. He asked me one day on the way home from school, “Brandon, so I’m pretty sure you’re gay, right?” It was like being hit by a truck. After I had a chance to calm down, I realized it was his way of making the situation not such a big deal. There was nothing I could do about it, and there is no purpose in having any animosity towards someone who loves you and is trying to reach out to you,” Pritzkat said.

Pritzkat’s parents are supportive, but they are sometimes concerned about the discrimination their son endures. Pritzkat is confident in himself, but cannot help but become frustrated with prejudice towards him.

“To those people who are homophobic, I say just because I’m gay that doesn’t make me different. It doesn’t mean that I am promiscuous, it doesn’t mean I’m checking

you out in the hallway, especially because chances are I don’t find you attractive any ways,” Pritzkat said.

Thinking that no one should ever be ridiculed for being themselves, he fights to decrease hateful gossip geared towards the gay community.

“Its not ok for someone in the gay community to take negative BS from anyone.

We are normal and we are equal, and we deserve to be treated that way. Just because you’re gay, it doesn’t mean you can’t stand up for yourself. If people say something derogatory to you, call them out. Don’t take [stuff] from anyone,” Pritzkat said.

Pritzkat hopes to inspire other gays to be confident in whom they are and to be

“THE ONLY WAY TO BE THE PERSON I TRULY AM WAS TO COME OUT”

honest with themselves. He asserts from his own personal experience that every situation like his will work itself out.

“Once you do come out, you are going to be so much happier. You will have finally accepted who you are, and that takes courage. What you’ll find is that your friends probably already know, your family has a good idea, and at the end of the day, everyone who matters won’t love you any less,” Pritzkat said. “In fact they’ll love you even more, and most importantly, you will learn to love who you really are.”

Student comes out of closet without mother’s approval

by Taylor Ballard

When Sam* came out of the closet, most of his friends were accepting. His self-esteem rose, and he felt liberated, finally sure of who he was. In fact, Sam only faced one large obstacle after revealing his sexuality: his mom. “[My mom] knows, like I told her, and she didn’t give the best reaction, which is what most kids fear when they come out,” Sam said.

Sam announced to everyone he was officially gay at the end of his freshman year.

His mom acknowledged his sexuality, but was disappointed. She repeatedly tried to set him up with his best friend Ashley.

Sam feels sad yet does not focus on the fact that his mom can not accept who he is and always has been. To calm her down Sam gave his mom the illusion that he was straight. He told her that being gay was just a “phase” in his life.

“I have mixed feelings about it, but eventually I started thinking once I’m 18 I’m out on my own. It’ll be my business and none of hers and I can be open about it.” Sam said. “I am who I am, I can’t change it.”

However, before he came out, Sam faced more troubles than those with his mom. At

his previous schools Sam was ostracized due to rumors of his sexuality. The bullying was so intense he decided to switch schools.

“It was horrible. I had to walk around by myself because if I walked close to people they’d start pushing and kicking me, anything they could do to hurt me really,” Sam said.

The taunting and bullying got to a point where Sam could no longer handle it. He couldn’t handle living in uncertainty, and decided to reveal his sexuality to his closest friends.

The rest of his peers found out rather unceremoniously.

“I really didn’t decide I was coming out to everyone I was just telling some close friends and some loud girl overheard in my algebra class. So I figured it’s better coming out of my mouth than anyone else’s,” Sam said.

Now Sam is happy even with the negative comments he receives because he can be himself.

“As soon as I started [telling people] it just got easier and easier and it started seeming stupid that I even hid it to begin with,” Sam said.

The asterisk (*) in the story indicates that the name of a speaker has been changed to protect his/her identity.