High Tide: September 30, 2011 Edition

High

TIDE Redondo Beach, CA // Redondo Union High School Sep. 30, 2011 // Vol. LMXXIV // Section 11 Hightideonline.org

MASTERPIECES IN

OUR

OWN

BACKYARD

Art around Redondo is explored including pieces

by Jack McLain and Ron Kooper.

See more on pages 8-9.

PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO

p4-5 //

Senior Haley Miller wins Nordstrom Scholarship.

p12-13 // campus to support causes. p14-15 // censes and help others fly.

New clubs emerge on

Students get their pilots’ li-

NEWS //

High tide

//

Sea Hawk

Reminders Important

Dates October

1// October SAT. 4// College Fair in MCHS gym.

5// PSAT registration deadline.

6// First Semester Rally.

7// Last day to drop a course without a withdraw notation.

1.

PHOTO BY JULIE D’EATH

10-14// Spirit Week.

11// Red and White Carnival at lunch.

13 //Powder Puff Game at lunch.

General

Information

3.

PHOTO BY JULIE D’EATH

// If you are interested in Celebrate. 1. Sophomore Jenn Duong advertises Drama Club on Club Sign Up Day. 2. Seniors celebrate at the Senior Barbecue. 3. Senior Cody Spainhour, along with Sammy and Sally Seahawk, dance. playing Boys Volleyball, contact 2.

PHOTO BY MAX PITTMAN Coach Avery in Room 215. // Library computers are available for homework/printing in the bingo room. // Senior Meetings will be held each Wednesday at lunch in the College & Career Center. // Free chemistry tutoring is

by Jeremy Porr offered on Wednesdays at lunch Club sign up day and the senior vertise,” Lee said. of ASB had to immediately shift body worked and how much fun in Room 122. barbecue were both very successAccording to Lee, she and her their focus to the senior barbecue everyone had.” Hall said.

Club ful, according to ASB members co-chair Senior Aroosa Ansari have which took place last Tuesday.

According to Hall the introSeniors Angeline Lee and Madison been preparing the event for the Senior Class President Madison duction of the senior sticker really Hall. past four weeks. helped in providing a budget not With over 35 clubs on campus, “We had to make all of the club only for this past weeks event but Glee Club //Meet in the Choir ASB began preparing for this year’s signs, create a map of where all of for all future senior events.

Room for an informational meetclub sign up day on the first day the clubs would have their tables “The large amount of people ing Tuesday and Thursday. of school. set-up, collect all of the club conwho bought the senior stickers Drama Club //Meet in the Last Thursday club presidents stitutions, and have them all apin advance really helped the lines Drama Room, room 1, on Thrusjoined ASB in putting on the first proved by ASB.” Lee said. go faster, it was definitely a sucdays. of two club sign up days this year.

Activities Director Sherie cess and I heard nothing but great Halo Club //Meets everyday in Club Facilitator Angeline Lee was Gross thought the lunch event ran comments.” Hall said.

Room 314. happy with what turned out to be smoothly.

According to Gross, a large

-Sherie

Drama Club //Meet in room a great event.

“I thought club sign up day amount of the success had to do Gross 409 for an informational.

“Although I was stressed I was very successful. All of the club with the extra help the parent volthought club sign up day was presidents in attendance did a unteers provided.

Drama Club //Meet in room pretty successful. A lot of the clubs great job setting up their booths, “The parents really helped stu409 for an informational. got record sign up numbers and a and there were lots of students fre- Hall was happy with the results. dents get in, get there food, and large number of the clubs dressed quenting the booths” Gross said.

“It went really well I’m really leave in a very timely manner.” up and did their own thing to adAfter club sign up day, members overjoyed with how hard every- Gross said.

NEWS// SEPT. 30, 2011 // 2

Senior barbecue and club sign up day succesful due to parent involvement

Information

“I thought Club

Sign Up Day was very successful.

”

Wang competes in, wins Miss Hi-Teen Korea

by Aly Peet-Lukes

Her heart raced as the announcer brought the microphone to his lips. “Miss. Hi-Teen Korea is‌â€? he paused for a brief moment then brought the microphone back to his lips. “Miriam Wang!â€? The crowd burst into applause as she stepped forward and accepted her crown and a bouquet of flowers. “I was really nervous before they called my name. I didn’t want them to call before they announced the winners because that would mean that I didn’t win,â€? she said.

Junior Miriam Wang won the title of Miss Hi-Teen Korea at the 3-day Korean Fair in Koreatown, Los Angeles, Monday. “When they called my name I was super surprised but really happy,� she said.

Wang was entered into the contest by her mother, Min Wang. “I signed her up because I wanted her to gain confidence and self esteem. I thought this would also be a great experience for her during her teenage years,�

Min said.

Miriam gets her talent for modeling and beauty pageants from her mother, who was a model when she was younger. “My mom was a model and she was going to do pageants but never did. I feel like I’m continuing her dream,� Miriam said.

Wang was selected with 10 other girls to compete in the beauty pageant. Wang had to start preparing for the pageant a month prior to the actual event.

She was taught two different “Korean-pop� dances. “We met three times a week to practice the dances. Before the actual pageant we had a pre-test where we weren’t allowed to wear makeup and we were just interviewed,� Miriam said. “Then we had a rehearsal before the pageant and then the pageant.�

Min acknowledges all of the hard work that went into the pageant and is proud of Miriam for winning. “I am so relieved that all of our efforts were finally paying off,�

Min said.

The pageant consisted of one Casual dress event, one Formal dress event, and then the Talent event, where they performed the dances.

Wang won a roundtrip ticket to Korea and 1,000 dollars. Wang feels lucky to have won because the other competetors were very competetive. “The other girls were very hard working,� Miriam said.

However, the other competitors became very jealous of Miriam after she won the title. “After I won some girls were very jealous and started hating me

because they didn’t win and were being very aggressive and negative and spreading rumors. It hurt me and made me regret [doing the pageant],� she said. “It was just this one girl [who was really jealous]. We were good friends but after the pageant her mom started spreading rumors [about me].�

Min was “shocked� that adults would act in such an “inappropriate� manner. “I was scared at how obsessed people were with winning. It was very disappointing to see adults act so rude. But, we’re trying to ignore them and understand,�

Min said.

Despite all of the scrutiny she received for winning the title, Miriam enjoys beauty pageants and wants to be in the Miss Korea pageant. “Once you are over eighteen you can apply to be in the Miss Korea beauty pageant. You have to go through another pageant and if you get first, second, or third in that beauty pageant you are [eligible] to become Miss Korea,� Miriam said.

Min is hopeful that Miriam will continue on in becoming Miss Korea. “I’m planning to support her to continue on tying on to Miss Korea. I want her to achieve her goal of becoming Miss Korea,�

Min said.

Tdap vaccine deadline arrives

by Taylor Ballard

Effective Oct. 3 students who have yet to receive their Tdap vaccine will be asked to leave school grounds and will not be permitted to re-enter the campus until they have received the vaccine.

The Tdap vaccine protects against pertussis, also known as whooping cough, a disease which according to “youngwomenshealth.org� affected 200,000 Americans each year at one point.

The school receives 36 dollars every day for every student who comes to school While an attempt has been made to communicate the importance of receiving the vaccine ,almost 150 students have yet to be vaccinated in the district and almost 100 of them are at Redondo.

Students turning in their Tdaps late has caused the health office to spend extra time filing the records.

The vast number of records has also forced the health office to bring in two people to get the job

done. “Pam [the health clerk] is busy [in the health office] all the time and now she’s got this extra job to do,� Donna Ball, RN and District Nurse, said, “It’s been a real struggle to take care of all the normal business then have to call parents at home. It’s been a real increase in work load for her. Some routine things like writing health plans for students have to be put off until October. It’s overwhelming.�

While the school is not at will to force students to get the Tdap vaccine, in accordance to law students lacking the vaccine come Oct. 3 will be forced to leave the campus.

Come Monday morning, the health office will have to call every classroom that has students lacking their Tdap vaccinations in order to ensure they are not on campus, as they are not permitted to attend school without a valid immunization record.

1.

3.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MIRIAM WANG

42. x 4�

Beauty. 1. Wang accepts her crown on the stage of the Hi-Teen Korea beauty pagent. 2. Wang prepares her hair and make up before the competition. According to Wang, a lot of work was put in to the final stage performance. 3.

Wang and her fellow contenstants pose after the competition. Wang won a thousand dollar prize and a round trip ticket to Korea.

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NEWS // SEPT. 30, 2011 // 3

2

NEWS

// High tide

1.

2.

PHOTO BY RJ MUSHANEY

PHOTO BY RJ MUSHANEY

Scholar, athlete receives Nordstrom scholarship for being well rounded

by Camille Duong

3.

PHOTO BY RJ MUSHANEY

Winner. 1. Miller received a Macbook Air and $10,000 in scholarship money from a Nordstrom’s representative during her first period English class. The scholarship is awarded to individuals in Southern California who participate in both community and volunteer activities while maintaining a high GPA. 2. Miller was interviewed by a Nordstrom representative soon after receiving the scholarship. 3. Miller posing with her mother and father on Alumni Walk.

FEATURES // SEPT. 16, 2011 NEWS // SEPT. 30, 2011 // 4 // 14

She was at a loss for words. Both of her parents and representatives from Nordstrom were suddenly in her English class.

They were there to present Senior Haley Miller a $10,000 scholarship.

“I could not believe what was happening,” Miller said.

Miller’s mother, Barbara, was excited and proud when she found out Haley had won and was appreciative for the assistance in paying the high cost of college.

“It was somewhat amusing because we knew she was excited, but at the same time, we could tell she was a bit embarrassed by all of the attention,” Barbara said.

According to Haley, the Nordstrom Scholarship is a scholarship that awards students that have actively participated in community and volunteer activities while maintaining a high GPA. “I applied the spring of my junior year,” Haley said.

According to Haley, her mother told her about the scholarship.

“We found out about the scholarship from the internet,” Barbara said.

When notified that she had become a finalist Haley had to interview with people from the store.

“I had an interview with nine promi-

nent people in the Southern California community who asked me various questions about my life, interests, and goals in life,” Miller said.

According to Haley’s track coach Bob Leetch, Haley is a fine example of a student athlete.

“She has made a real commitment to school,” Leetch said.

Leetch believes that Haley is a well rounded role model for other students on the team.

“She is near the top of her class which is exceptional. She is also exceptional in her approach to academics,” he said. “She takes time to study hard and that’s important.”

Haley is able to keep a well balanced schedule between academics and sports, according to Leetch.

“Being in a sport forces you to organize your time,” he said.

According to Leetch Haley is also very focused as an athlete.

“On game day she pinpoints what she wants to achieve,” he said. “Haley is very single-minded at what she wants to achieve in sports.”

Haley does not believe that just one person gave her the scholarship.

“I believe that it was the entire store,” she said.

ROTC building has many features, rooms

by Cedric Hyon

The MCJROTC room is packed with all different kinds of awards, medals, history, and features that distinguish it from other classrooms at RUHS. In the back is Chief Warrant Officer 3 Willoughby’s office, which is filled with various trinkets and memorabilia from Willoughby’s past.

“These things on the wall are just some trinkets from the past. This campaign poster is a reminder of the time I served as a drill instructor on Parris Island from ’86-’89. This over here is a shadow, given to me after my retirement in 2001 from my command. It shows all of my awards, medals, and ribbons. It has all my ranks from private to Chief Warrant Officer 3,” said Willoughby.

The next room has a history of all the commanders from 1982 to 2011. Different trophies for physical fitness and drill team competitions are in the classroom as well as a giant world map for the students to learn geography. On the front wall is a ranking of the chain of command from the President of the United States all the way to

the Cadet Leadership in MCJROTC. In the hallway there are lockers for color guard equipment and the flags of all 50 states and the Marine Corps’ flags. There is about $150,000 worth of equipment in that room.

“As you can see there’s wall lockers upon wall lockers of gear that’s all been insured by the school district. Every single uniform item, piece, accessory--you name it--is here,” said Willoughby.

The boy’s locker room is a multipurpose room where the cadets exercise and do marksmanship training by shooting at a target in the back of the room while standing on marks on the floor that indicate the shooter’s distance from the target.

The last and most famous room is the “bomb shelter,” which is now being used as a storage room for the Science Building’s electrical system. Whether or not it actually was a bomb shelter is still up for debate.

“People refer to it as ‘bomb shelter’ because it has such a heavy door and it’s been here for such a long time. It may very well have been used as bomb shelter. That’s just part of the lore at this school,” said Willoughby.

PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO

What’s behind the door? This door may look insignificant but behind it lies countless wonders and mysteries.

Cadet receives prestigious honor

by Dylan Biggs

PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO

JROTC’s Highest Award. Cadet 1st lieutenant Edwin Meyers holding his Legion of Valor award. The award is the highest honor a cadet can receieve.

Cadet 1st lieutenant Edwin Myers won the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross.

The Legion of Valor award is given yearly to one cadet per section and is the most prestigious award any cadet in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps can achieve, according to CWO3 Keith “Gunner” Willoughby.

“Disbelief ” is the only word Myers could use to describe how it felt to be given the award.

When he was told that he won the award, he could not believe what was happening to him.

“I was just totally surprised” he said. He believes he was just doing what any cadet should do and that was what won him the award in his eyes.

Myers has always put so much work into the program as shown by his 16 other awards, aside from this one. During his sophomore year, Myers participated in every team. He inherited the Armed Drill Team as commander during his junior year.

He is now the Battalion Commanding Officer in the program and had just started his position when he heard about winning the award. “[JROTC has] always been a huge part of my life” he said.

Myers has had a lot of encouragement and help from people around him. According to Myers, everyone made a big deal about the award he won except for him.

Willoughby believes that Myers’ participation in the Naval Honors School has helped Myers win the award.

Willoughby told Myers that he had won the award. He was in his office reading an email that announced the Legion of Valor winners when he saw Myers’s name on the list. He yelled “Myers you won the Legion of Valor!”

Myers’ only reply was “Really sir?”

Willoughby was astonished that one of his cadets won the award. He was not expecting it because in an earlier year, he submitted a cadet’s file that was gargantuan, and the cadet did not win the award.

The award consists of a ribbon and a medal that will go on his uniform.

Willoughby is glad that one of the cadets he trained won the award. “I’m honored to be the Senior Marine Instructor of such a motivated group of cadets” he said.

Myers is now one of six cadets in the entire nation that recieved the award this year.

Although the award has yet to be officialy presented to him, he is currently working with the Legion of Valor Organization to set up a presentation date.

NEWS // SEPT. 30, 2011 // 5

OPINION // High tide

Around

Redondo “How has the work on the cafeteria affected your lunch?”

“Walking around construction and waiting in long lines in really inconvenient.”

12th

—Hector Echavarria

“I hang out with friends at lunch and I bring lunch so it hasn’t really affected me.”

—Carlos

9th

Suarez

“I just find different places to go. The snack bars are crowded.”

10th

—Paige Hunter

“It’s disappointing because they have bigger lines at the snack bar.”

12th

—Josh Hong

“Sometimes I bring my own lunch instead.

I used to actually go, but now I don’t.”

12th

—Celine Altamura

Compiled by Bethany Kawa Photos by Erinn Middo and Andrew Hazeltine

OPINION // SEPT. 30, 2011// 6

Pro /

/ Con

CARTOON BY COOPER LOVANO

Will the FAIR Education Act encourage understanding or cause new issues?

Any writer of history will likely run into the same, classic dilemma: what to emphasize, what not to emphasize, and what to omit altogether. It seems evident that any relevant part of history should be part of a textbook, regardless of whether or not it is deemed controversial.

This is the goal of California’s FAIR

by Anthony Leong Education Act: more accurate textbooks. The prospective bill seeks to include the history and contributions of not just lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) individuals but those of disabled persons as well. It also prohibits discriminatory instruction (leginfo.ca.gov).

Unfortunately, LGBT history fits under the omitted category throughout much of our country. It seems historians have identified another part of history they felt to be at odds with American views and simply removed it.

In 2008, hate crimes in the US based upon race have dropped 23 percent since 1995; hate crimes based upon sexual orientation have risen 21 percent. LGBT rights is a relevant issue. You might consider the idea, perhaps, that if you don’t know of any LGBT history or oppression it might be because it isn’t in our history books.

Prejudice is largely a product of ignorance. Less ignorance means less prejudice. Since important racial and women’s movements have been included in textbooks, discrimination has lessened toward them. Regardless of differing opinions on race and social issues, their histories are still included in our textbooks. The LGBT movement is just asking for the same opportunity.

Sexuality may seem irrelevant in the context of history, but the FAIR Act isn’t just about saying “Billy made this contribution to society and, by the way, was also a homosexual.” It’s about including omitted historical events like the Gay Liberation movement of the 1960s or the sodomy laws struck down only eight years ago.

It isn’t just about fairness–it’s about providing an accurate account of history to the youth that is our future.

There are a lot of questions being raised about the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons into an already existing set of laws meant to accurately represent ethnic and cultural groups in California. With the FAIR Act, lesbians and gays would be classified as ethnic groups just like Latinos, Asians, and Blacks which is something the US Supreme Court has refused to

by Julie Tran do (traditionalvalues.org).

There is so much ambiguity surrounding the intentions of Governor Jerry Brown’s decision to pass the FAIR Act because nowhere does it blatantly state any significant historical figures’ sexual orientation–heterosexual or homosexual–in any modern textbook. Where in the educational system are homosexuals discriminated against and what is the real need for this bill? Is it to garner support from a growing LGBT community in an infamously liberal state? Because I can tell you that there are going to be many more parents who will raise petition against this act when it is enforced.

When it comes down to it, the big question is what relevancy does a person’s sexual orientation have to do with their political, economic, and social contributions? Their sexuality does not make them relevant to our education; their contributions do. How will this law manifest itself in the education system now that it is passed?

For example, while there is widespread speculation that Walt Whitman was homosexual, he isn’t admired for being gay; he is admired for being a poet. Will the new curriculum be encouraging students to admire him as a poet or will the specification of his sexuality separate him from his colleagues in students’ eyes?

It is preposterous to believe that elementary school students will suddenly have a gay-centric curriculum a year from now or even ten years from now simply because of budget cuts, parental outrage, etc. and that is not what most people who argue against the FAIR Act believe. It’s not a moral question but a question of relevancy.

We should remember important figures for their contributions, not their sexuality. A person’s sexuality is unimportant. What is important is their character, the quality of the life they lived, and the contributions they have made to society.

Editorial: Lack of cafeteria creates lunchtime stress For as long as there has been a Redondo Union, there has rioting crowd of hungry faces behind you. These alternabeen a cafeteria. Filled with students, staff, and food with un- tives were meant to make things easier but have so far caused identifiable sources, the cafeteria is a staple in high school life. more stress.

Now, with it gone this year, our entire school has to adapt.

Our school has done their best in a difficult situation. As It seems as if more and more people much as students would enjoy leaving are standing during lunch, unable to rest campus during lunch, it’s just not in their weary selves on a comfortable plasthe cards. Food trucks were considered last year but ultimately fell through. tic table. Snack carts overflowing with snacks seem to have sprung up across No matter how you No matter how you slice it, there are campus overnight, their long lines snakno good alternatives to a cafeteria that slice it, there really are will please everyone. ing through Freshmen Circle. The A.L. This construction is for the greater Young Building – also known affection- no good alternatives good. Seniors may be bitter about dealately as the “Snack Shack” – is even more to a cafeteria that will packed than normal. For students who ing with annoying inconveniences and buy their snacks or lunch, there is only please everyone. not being able to enjoy the new cafeteria next year but everyone should foone option: waiting. cus on the good. We’re getting a brand Obviously, no one likes waiting. Our new, multi-million dollar cafeteria at a snack is only about twenty minutes long and it’s irritating when we spend half time when other schools can’t afford to that time waiting in line. When your lunch is finally balanced remodel buildings that really need it. We should consider precariously on top of your math notes, you turn to find a ourselves lucky.

“

”

High Tide // Staff Editor-in-Chief: Alison Peet-Lukes Managing Editors: Meglyn Huber; Madeline Perrault News Editors: Matthew Brancolini; Daniel Garzon Opinion Editor: Shannon Bowman Features Editors: Taylor Ballard; Kimberly Chapman; Anachristina Gonzalez; Bethany Kawa; Tricia Light; Emma Uriarte Sports Editors: Tatiana Celentano; Julie Tran; Zach Zent Photo Editors: Erinn Middo; Jenny Oetzell Copy Editors: Camille Duong; Jeremy Porr Cartoonist: Cooper Lovano Online Editor: Brianna Egan Staff Writers: Dylan Biggs; Taylor Brightwell; Torrey Bruger; Claire Chiara, Logan Collingwood; Navea Dasz; Mckenna Duffy; Camille Duong; Brandon Folkman; Dan Furmansky; Shivaani Gandhi; Hana Ghanim; Andrew Hazeltine; Cedric Hyon; Craig Ives; Llana LaGraff; Vivian Lam; Anthony Leong; Cooper Lovano; Kayla Maanum; LeAnn Maanum; Isaiah Madison; Kylie Martin; Benjamin McLaughin; Hayley Meyers; Madison Mitchell; Rachael Orford; Cameron Paulson; Alegra Peelor; Alejandro Quevedo; Jason Rochlin; Nancy Silva; Jessica Shipley; Taylor Sorensen; Savannah Stern; Hannah Son; Jeremy Porr; Cody Williams Adviser: Mitch Ziegler The High Tide dedicates itself to producing a high-quality publication that both informs and entertains the entire student body.

This newspaper is 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. Call (310)798-8665 ext. 2210.

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

Students with a free fifth period should be able to leave campus and then return It’s the beginning of the week and getting back into the swing of school from your relaxing weekend is always something that you never really get accustomed

by Dan Furmansky to. It’s been a long day. Your classes have inched by slowly, paying every teacher a visit before a week of block scheduling. If you’re like me, you have a free fifth period. An interruption in the middle of your Monday that is not enough to really get much work done but certainly more than enough time for a quick trip to Starbucks, McDonalds, or any of the fast food establishments that surround our school.

If you’re like me then you also know that you aren’t allowed to leave the school on Mondays, even if you have a free fifth. To put it in perspective, you are forced to stay within the confines of campus from the time the lunch bell rings at 12:20 to the time the sixth period bell rings at 1:05. That’s a lot of spare time on your hands.

This being said, your options on how to kill all this spare time becomes very limited.

You may wander the school like a tourist in a foreign country. You may go to the library and read a book. You may enter a class that you’re familiar with and sit in on a lesson. You may pester the people in the office and ask if they need help. Oh the things you can do, the many places you can go.

Personally, wandering the school that I have attended for upwards of three years does

not seem very appealing to me. Despite the exciting remodeling of our facilities, staring at the construction is only exciting until you realize that you could be enjoying a drink at Starbucks with a friend who also doesn’t have a fifth period. So what exactly are the dangers of leaving the campus for a class period?

From asking around the school I realized that the administration is concerned that students who leave for fifth period will be either late or absent for sixth period. The reason is valid but what the staff seems to forget is that if students are late or absent to a class they suffer consequences that range from detention, letters to your parents, a truant, N’s or U’s in citizenship, and even interference from the police department. The consequences can be pretty severe, and for me that is enough of an incentive to be present for all my classes.

The fact that we have to be babied into making these responsible choices is, quite frankly, insulting.

This is high school. We are quickly transitioning into young adults and I would like to think that we should start making our own decisions. Not led by the hand to pick the right decision, like a toddler learning how to use the bathroom, but actually left alone to weigh the options ourselves.

When do we truly start being accountable for ourselves? Is it when we finally head off to college and begin living on our own? If so, I think we are all in for a rude awakening. High School should prepare you for college more than just academically. It should prepare you socially and build up your independence and reasoning as well. At some point we have to let go of the hands that have been guiding us and continue the path ourselves.

Brianna’s Brainstorm Squish, Splat,

& Squirt

by Brianna Egan

Oh, the joy that is the onomatopoeia. (Well, besides how rewarding it is to know how to spell correctly). Behind the six-syllable word echoes a symphony of voices, each imitating a distinct sound.

Noun, adjective, verb, an onomatopoeia can morph into any part of speech yet retain a clear message – “boom,” “whizz,” “splat,” are all literally meaningless yet phonetically delicious and absurdly descriptive.

See, I’ve noticed that what my friend has come to lovingly deem “Briannanoises” are really nothing more than awkward onomatopoeias I let slip every now and then: A dramatic “woosh” for my teammate’s tennis serves, a “bam” for my slap-in-the-face revelation, and a “boing” for my eraser as it bounces between the railings of my desk. I have the tendency of blurting out the raw, discordant sound I’d like to convey.

Noises taking on voices becoming words and carrying meaning. I have to admit, it’s exhilarating to let one out.

I take it as a compliment to be the one who makes funky sound-effects. It’s become more of a subconcious than in outright choice in my dialogue, and the more onomatopoeias I use, the more I can begin to consider and orient myself to the brilliance of the musical notes (whether man-made beeps or animal cheeps) that surround me.

When was the last time you used an onomatopoeia in a sentence? Probably more times than you’d guess, (think “click,” “clap,” “squirt,”) although let’s hope it wasn’t in a formal English essay.

I know that not everyone may not share my obsession with the onomatopoeia but I have learned that how we communicate comes to define who we are. Are you the meek-talker, hesitating before every phrase, or are you the bold-interrupter, the one who has to make sure he is heard?

I’d suggest that the next time you struggle to express a feeling or idea, use your voice and its onomatopoeic abilities to add that extra “pop” (or “smack”, “crackle”, or “zoom”). Take a moment to appreciate the onomatopoeias in life – the little noises that in their own unique pitch and timbre compose a melody in our day-to-day conversation.

OPINION // SEPT. 30, 2011 // 7

FEATURES // High tide

STORIES BEHIND THE CLUBS Military relationships inspire SOT club

by Mannal Haddad

As senior Melissa Nolte walks past happy couples kissing in the hallways, all she can think about is the distance between her and her boyfriend, who joined the Marine Corps in July of last year.

Her experience prompted her to start a Support Our Troops club (SOT).

“We want to get RUHS more aware of what’s going on with the military and [help them] have a little more pride in our nation,” Nolte said.

Vice president Jessica Holcombe also has a boyfriend in the military and considers raising awareness a priority.

“My goal for the club is to show people what our troops do for us and change the minds of the people who go against [them],” she said.

The club plans on holding a walkathon on the track as their first fundraiser.

“We’ll have fundraisers for soldiers overseas, make care packages, and send letters,” Nolte said.

She hopes the club will not only affect the servicemen, but have an impact on the students at Redondo.

“I think this club will reach out to a lot of students at

this school and possibly the community as well,” Holcombe said.

Nolte’s personal ties to the military inspired her to start the club; not only is her boyfriend a Marine, but her father was in the Coast Guard.

“When I was a toddler he would teach me how to salute and it just really interested me,” she said. “He gives me pointers and ideas [for the club].”

She can’t speak with her boyfriend for weeks at a time, and feels that the struggles have changed her.

“It’s really tough, especially seeing couples on campus,” she said. “Now I can go through a lot. I don’t complain as much.”

Holcombe agrees that the hardest part is not knowing when she will see her boyfriend again.

“It really tested both of us in our commitment and love for one another, and it has taught me to never miss a chance to say ‘I love you’ because you never know what will happen,” Holcombe said. “But it’s definitely true that distance makes the heart grow fonder.”

She knows firsthand how it feels to care about the ser-

vicemen and women of the country.

“When the national anthem plays I cheer up because I know what it means to be alongside a warrior,” she said.

PHOTO BY JULIE D’EATH

Taking action. Nolte will begin a new Support Our Troops club to promote patriotism on campus.

YDA seeks to involve students in politics

by Tricia Light

Hearts pounded and fingers were crossed as sophomore Mya Gelber and over a hundred other supporters anxiously awaited the results at the Janice Hahn congressional campaign election party.

Gelber, copresident of the new Young Democrats of America Club (YDA), credits her involvement with the Hahn campaign over the summer with inspiring her to take a more active role in politics.

“Students don’t realize how important their vote is, but voting is one of our most basic rights,” she said. “It sounds cheesy, but if we just work together we can make such a difference.”

She worked for the campaign five days a week over the summer, working eight hours a day in the week leading up to the election and 14 hours the day before.

“Everyone around me was so involved that I got into it too. I just wanted to do something. It was just a big group of people working together towards one goal,” she said. “It was almost like a movie. People were so passionate about being democrats [and supporting Hahn].”

She feels that her experiences with the campaign taught her valuable lessons.

“I gained a lot of maturity. I had to meet new people

FEATURES // SEP. 30, 2011 // 8

and work with adults. You really can’t mess up when you’re making phone calls, and you have to learn to not take things too harshly,” she said.

As copresident of the club one of her main goals is to get 18 year old students registered to vote.

“It makes me sad that students aren’t interested [in politics]. I’m only 15 so I can’t vote, but I am trying to make a difference. We have to remember that we are part of a bigger community,” she said.

Among Gelber’s priorities are conservation, education, and ending the war in Iraq.

“The higher up you are in politics the more you can do.

We just need to support candidates that [agree with our positions],” she said.

She hopes to get students involved in working for local causes as well as in the 2012 election.

“Older generations don’t have faith in us. I feel like we need to prove them wrong. At least I know that I really care,” she said. “We can actually fight to change laws, and the people we elect make really big decisions.”

Jessica Horoschak, co-president of the club, shares Gelber’s devotion to being active in the world of politics.

“No one seems to care about politics these days, but growing up my dad always encouraged me to care about

the issues,” Horoschak said. “I’m a big supporter of the Democratic Party.”

She would like the club to participate in as many local events as possible.

“The events that we do are really fun. You meet so many different people from different places. Everyone really cares and wants to work,” she said.

Conventions and partnerships between schools will offer more opportunities for collaboration.

“YDA is a national group. We are going to try to reach out to other clubs and unite,” she said.

Students can personally benefit from joining the club, according to Horoschak.

“It’s a really great experience. Students can make friendships and learn how to communicate [effectively],” she said.

YDA will also give students a chance to become educated about current events.

“We are just trying to promote awareness and get students to be inspired,” she said.

Horoschak feels hopeful for the clubs future due to the interest and enthusiasm she saw at club rush.

“We want to get a big group of people who are inspired and committed,” she said. “Its going to be a good year.”

Students unite against abuse

by Shivaani Gandhi

Pain. Torment. Endless physical, emotional, and mental suffering. The effects of domestic abuse are tragic and long-lasting.

Two new clubs, Richstone at Redondo and Reaching for Humanity, are giving students a chance to help victims of abuse through fundraising and direct volunteer work.

“I think once people are educated on the different kinds of abuse they can take action,” senior Jazzolyn Kelly, president of Reaching for Humanity and vice president of Richstone at Redondo, said.

Senior Nancy Silva, president of Richstone at Redondo, is working to help abused children through work with the Richstone Family Center.

“They have to deal with a lot of things that a child wouldn’t have to deal with under normal circumstances,” Silva said.

The Richstone Family Center is dedicated to treating and preventing child abuse, strengthening families, and stopping violence in the community. (richstonefamily. org) “You feel really sad, seeing how broken [these chil-

dren] are,” Silva said.

Silva has been involved with the center since she was in middle school, when she first got involved through their annual Walkathon.

“It was heartbreaking,” she said. “So many of them had gone through so much at such a young age.”

Silva hopes that after working with Richstone, students will become more appreciative and gain a new perspective on life.

“Once they see the way the children have to live they will be more grateful for what they have,” she said.

The two clubs are planning a talent show to raise money for abuse victims in November.

“I didn’t like that people are unaware. I want to educate and engage them,” Kelly said. “We want to highlight the problems. Abuse is not okay.”

Kelly believes that even the smallest actions can make a huge difference in the lives of abuse victims.

“Even if you have very little you can still give something. I just didn’t want to sit there and let [abuse] happen,” she said. “Do I want to be a bystander, or help change this?”

China Care seeks to help orphans

by Mannal Haddad

Young, impoverished orphans fighting for their lives in foreign countries without sufficient medical care is enough to stir sympathy in anyone.

Junior Emily Su is trying to take action to combat such problems with her new club, China Care.

“I thought it was a really nice cause, so I created the club. I wanted to have an active part in contributing to the organization,” Su said.

China Care is an international organization that aims to help Chinese orphans who can’t pay for medical care such as surgeries, organ transplants, and other expensive procedures.

“The medical operations we help pay for could save many children’s lives,” she said.

The club’s main goal is to raise money through fundraisers, such as an upcoming one at the Lazy Dog Cafe . She also plans on selling decorated and engraved rocks.

“We’re a fundraising organization dedicated to sending money to orphaned children in China,” she said.

Su also hopes to take a trip to China next summer, where club members would have the opportunity to see their impact firsthand.

“If we manage to fly there, we would be visiting the hospitals that are caring for the children our donation money was sent to, and [visit] the children themselves,” she said. “You really have to care about China Care’s cause for the experience to be worthwhile.”

The club not only wants to help people overseas, but also wants to affect students on campus.

“We want to bring our students together to work for the common good of the children,” Su said.

Junior and vice president Noelle Graham agrees that students should come together to help children overseas.

“We want to get people involved and more aware of problems overseas,” Graham said. “I think it is a good cause. I want to help in any way I can.”

She hopes that China Care will allow students to have a real impact.

“I think people will respond well to it and be encouraged to help out,” Graham said. “They are just orphans. They really are helpless. We can make a difference.”

Su believes that the students can make a significant impact in the lives of the Chinese orphans.

“It’s never impossible, so maybe students will become more aware of their capabilities,” Su said. “The people at Redondo will be able to see that anyone here in our community can make a difference in communities on the other side of the world.”

ORAGAMI “Origami provides a creative outlet, a way for people to learn something new. It’s the first step in people making beautiful things and expressing themselves.”

Alessandra Ragusa, President

PEER EDITING “Peer edit is a club where students can be tutored or mentor others. We emphasize a friendly environment where students interact with others to learn and expand their minds.”

Robert Swartwout, President

HOCKEY “Our goal is to get a hockey team at Redondo. We will hang out, talk about hockey, and talk about ways to get a team. People who want to play can sign up.”

Brittany Ross, Vice President

MOVIE “The club is a place where we watch short films, discuss films, and possibly make films. We have many fun activities that we would like to do, so it should be a really fun experience.”

Cameron Bennett, President

MIDDLE EASTERN “It’s a great way for people to learn about Middle Eastern culture. We’ll get to try Middle Eastern food, and hopefully fundraise for impoverished countries.”

Moiz Ansari, President PHOTO BY JULIE D’EATH

Making a difference. Su and Graham are going to raise money for sick orphans through China Care.

FEATURES // SEP. 30, 2011 // 9

FEATURES // High tide

Flying high. The metal seahawk sculpture “flying high” over the campus.

TheArt of

Redondo Soaring over Redondo

by Julie Tran

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

FEATURES // SEPT. 30, 2011// 10

Bright steel that has since darkened. Ruby eyes that still shine with a secret knowledge. A sculpture that ended up bigger and bolder than anyone could have imagined.

Looming over Noble Plaza, the metal sea hawk came to embody RUHS and at the same time was destined to be bigger than RUHS. “Suddenly, art was no longer at a horizontal stand point,” alumna ‘71 Terry Martinez said. “It was from a vertical stand point.”

The sea hawk, possessing such an intensity, reached further than the highest point of the school, being seen all the way from Prospect and Pacific Coast Highway. This was exactly how former art teacher Jack McClain envisioned it to be.

McClain paved the way for the rich artistic history of the school.

Influenced by his time studying in New York City and Mexico City and the ideas of Museums Without Walls, he and his colleagues came up with the idea of creating art for Redondo that would transcend the classroom halls.

“Eventually, McClain’s art expanded beyond the classroom and onto the campus hallways in the form of a metal bird,” Martinez said.

The metal sculpture, erected in 1965, only cost $200.

McClain salvaged all of the materials from parts of the school. He found the stainless steel sheets from the basement of the old auditorium. The pole on which the bird sits was from the old maintenance department, and the eyes are just glass marbles from board games.

“Everyone wanted to be a part of this project,” McClain said. “When I brought the metal sheets to the mill, they did the welding and drilling for free as did the polishing company with the finished product.”

When McClain was working on the sculpture with his students, many people would ask him if the sculpture could be their class present.

“The class of ‘71, past students going on 50 [years old] and even 70, still have strong memories of the sculpture,” McClain said. “For that, I am grateful.”

Despite its humble beginnings, the sculpture has been subject to speculation over the years.

“The red glass eye used to be a real secret,” alumna ‘71 Terry Martinez said. “The teachers would all wonder what students were whispering about when we would joke about

1.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PILOT 71

2.

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Flying high. 1. The metal sea hawk sculpture was under construction in 1965. 2. Artist Jack McClain reminisces on his artistic contributions to the campus.

being in the Secret Society of the Red Eye because only those who were on campus early enough to see the sun rise and the sun set would be able to catch a glimpse of light glinting off of the red glass eye to make in visible. “ “Go to any other school and you will not see that incredible talent you see here,” Martinez said. “I promise you that.”

McClain hopes that the sculpture will continue to be an inspiration for future generations to come.

“The sea hawk will give a sense of identity and unity for Redondo, soaring and flying like all spiritual moments of enlightenment, like a spiritural movement of achieving your goals and dreams after the fact,” McClain said.

The sculpture and the culture that comes with it will always be here to stay.

“Even though newer generations of students may not have been there when the artworks were first created, the culture will never disappear,” McClain said. “The history will always be here.”

2.

1.

3.

PHOTOS BY JULIE D’EATH

Mosaic. 1. A football player walking into the sunset is potrayed. 2.

This quote is a meaningful part of the mosaic. 3. A large bird in the mosaic is potrayed.

Mosaic embodies Redondo’s spirit

by Allegra Peelor

As students power-walk to fourth period, few stop to look at a large picture of a bird on the wall; as they step closer, they can see that the bird’s vibrant colors are actually little ceramic tiles glued together. They walk along the wall and see a bright yellow and red football stadium, a deep blue ocean, the baby blue sky, and finally, at the end, a white structure with tall columns and an American flag waving in the background; an artistic homage to Redondo Union’s history.

This mosaic, called “Reflections of Redondo” and located by the old main office, has conjured up feelings of

curiosity and wonder in students for nearly fifty years.

“The mural was intended to bring art out of the classroom and onto the campus at large for all students to enjoy,” said RUHS archivist Terry Martinez.

In addition, the mosaic reflects how the high school has impacted the Redondo Beach community in the past and how it will help to shape its history in the future, according to Martinez.

“It was meant to depict RUHS’s role in the community,” she said.

In addition to showing how RUHS has impacted the world around us, the mosaic portrays how RUHS has impacted its own students.

One quote incorporated in the mosaic states, “Re-

dondo means round her arms have gently encircled her children,” which, according to Martinez, “depicts the many aspects of student life.”

The mosaic was made out of ceramic tile in the Byzantine style. This type of artwork is known for its ability to endure many years of wear-and-tear.

“The mural does not require any extra maintenance, and remains in excellent condition,” Martinez said.

The mosaic, along with all the other artwork at RUHS, was created in 1964 by students under the direction of art teacher Jack McClain. It has been in the attendance hall ever since.

“It’s a beautiful and vibrant piece of our culture,” Martinez said.

Murals have rich history

by Benni McLaughlin

PHOTO BY ERIN MIDDO

Sculpture. The metal sunset sculpture is in the auditorium.

Sculpture celebrates Redondo’s past

by Justin Lee

Artist and former art teacher Jack McClain reminisces on his 1971 sculpture, “Remember to Remember”. His eight AP art students worked alongside him to produce this peice for the auditorium.

“It was to celebrate the lives of the teachers and students who had gone and passed away,” McClain said.

Although the brand new statue was very popular, it was later taken down for the remodeling of the auditorium without McClain’s knowledge and was never put back up.

Later that year, many RUHS alumni wrote to archivist Terry Martinez of the RUHS Alumni Association addressing their concerns. After holding meetings with the principle and the president of the alumni association, they decided to put the statue back in the auditorium.

“The important cultural artifacts of the school need to remain as they are to the best of our ability. Due to the generosity and understanding of Keller and the skill of Naile and his crew, we have this sculpture back in place for the students of Redondo to

Every day, most students scurry past the murals without even giving them a second glance. Yet the large murals along the Alumni Walk are there to represent positive messages, great art, and a rich history.

The murals were painted in the summer of 1991 by former art teacher Ron Kooper and his students in an effort to “enrich the school and community for many years to come,” said Kooper in an interview with the Los Angeles Times at the time of the unveiling of the murals.

The now faded murals depict scenes of beach life and many helpful tips, including “exercise your choice,” and “miracles happen every day.”

Kooper designed the murals and, with the help of his students, replaced older murals that were painted 25 years earlier by another former art teacher, Jack McClain.

Among the students that painted with Kooper, one is the daughter of teacher Mrs. Moon, who still thinks positively of the summer she spent painting the murals.

The murals will have been on Alumni Walk for 20 years on December 12. The now fadded murals have not been replaced since.

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PHOTO BY JULIE D’EATH

2.

PHOTO BY JULIE D’EATH

Murals. 1. The mural wall is covered with scenes of beach life.

2. A couple is ready to surf at the beach. 3. Dolphins embody the spirit of Redondo Beach.

3.

PHOTO BY JULIE D’EATH

FEATURES// SEPT. 30, 2011 // 11

//

FEATURES

High tide

Learning

to

Fly Students fly to new hights through new experiences

Licensed to fly Bowles and Prinkey free themselves from earthly limitations and take to the skies

by Anthony Leong

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRENT BOWLES

High in the sky. 1. Bowles ties down a plane 2. Bowles works an air show courtesy for CAP 3. Bowles prepares for take off

FEATURES // SEPT. 30, 2011 // 12

Flying: man’s lofty dream for as long as humans have been around.

For math teacher Daniel Prinkey, who possesses a pilot’s license and an instrument rating, flying a plane is vastly more complex than our ancestors could have imagined.

“You know when you fly and see nothing but clouds?” Prinkey said. “You have to use your instruments; you have to rely on your instruments.”

Getting lost in the clouds with three dimensions to worry about can be deadly.

“It’s easy to lose your sense of orientation,” he said.

For this reason, Prinkey underwent extensive instrument training involving a particularly hazardous sounding exercise.

“Part of the instrument training is to wear a hood [while flying a plane],” he said.

“For the pilot exercise you’d wear a hood.

They’d pull it off and you’d have to use your

instruments to correct the plane, or, well, you’d crash. Of course, the flight instructor would never let that happen.”

As Prinkey recalls, his flight instructor offered a simple piece of wisdom: “planes want to be in the air.” His first experience with flying was particularly profound.

“It’s a freeing feeling, like you’re literally on top of the world,” he said. “You’re doing something God never intended man to do.”

Junior Brent Bowles, a member the Civil Air Patrol, had a somewhat similar first experience with flying. “[I felt] scared, but I loved it–you’re so free,” he said. “It’s like when you get a NASCAR driver racing–the rush, the feeling that you’re driving this great vehicle like you can do something important.”

Bowles has accumulated nine total flight hours and has acquired his student pilot li-

cense, the only type of pilot license a minor can get. “[Flying] gets easier when you know what you’re doing,” he said. “It’s always check, check, check. You check the same things every time.”

According to Bowles, being in the Civil Air Patrol has had a positive effect on his life.

“It has really shaped me and showed me what I wanted to do,” he said. “It really brought out the leader in me.”

Unfortunately, flying is not a cheap hobby, which is the main reason Prinkey hasn’t flown in five years.

“I was paying like $100 an hour for the plane and the instructor,” he said. “It’s a drain on your finances.”

When asked if he had anything to add, Prinkey thought a moment and said: “At some point in your life, try [flying].”

Around

Clites fulfills his dream Redondo of taking to the skies

“Has time flown for you throughout high school?”

by Jessica Shipley

Hovering 16,000 feet in the air, jacket flapping, free falling toward the earth; Eddie Clites, senior, finally fulfills his dream.

“It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do,” Clites said.

Clites had come to the decision that he wanted to take a take a leap of faith and skydive.

“Hearing other people’s experiences on it made me really want to share the same feeling and rush,” Clites said.

Acutely Aware of the dangers and problems that could occur, Clites was still willing to risk his safety for the sake of the thrill.

“I didn’t think about the risks because I knew that if I did I wouldn’t want to jump,” Clites said.

According to Clites, he focused on what he was about to do instead.

“I knew that I had to think about my training instead and what I deeded to do to make [my dive] successful and safe,” Clites said.

In the end, Clites was satisfied with his dive.

“It was amazing. You can’t understand it until you’ve done it. When you’re falling that fast and that high up in the air all you feel is this weightlessness like you’re flying,” Clites said.

After 11,00 feet of the fall, Clites pulled the rip cord, to release the parachute, bringing an abrupt change of speed.

“The free fall was my favorite part, but the slower fall gave me a chance to see ev-

erything around me, and how cool the land looked from up high,” Clites said.

Once Clites hit the ground he had to put his training to the test to land safely.

“Once I landed I felt this feeling of relief and things became more real. I was so high on the fact that I had actually done it. It was just mind blowing” Clites said.

“

It was amazing. You can’t understand it until you’ve done it.

When you’re falling that fast and that high up in the air all you feel is this weightlessness like you’re flying.

- Eddie

Clites

receiving the thrill of skydiving once more.

“When I’m older and have a job and I’m able to afford it, [skydiving] definitely something I’m going to do more often,” Clites said.

Skydiving was not just another fun experience for him. It was an accomplishment.

“I don’t regret going at all. Doing something so brave and different gives me a feeling of success,” Clites said.

Overall Clites’ sky diving experience is something he will always appreciate.

“Not many people can say they’ve gone sky diving. I feel proud to say I did,” Clites said.

—Anneliese Wilson

”

Although he has only gone once, Clites would like to make skydiving a hobby. To Clites’ dismay sky diving is too expensive of a hobby at the moment (about $300), but while money is a large factor it will not stop him from

“Former seniors always said that time would fly by in high school. I never believed them until now. The first day I came to Redondo, it took me almost an hour to find my locker. Now, I find myself taking shortcuts all around the school. It feels like yesterday that I was itching with excitement to be a senior, and now it feels bittersweet. I look forward to all the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for me, yet I am sad about leaving a place that helped shape me to be the person I am today.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF EDDIE CLITES

Clites embraces his decent Free Falling.

16,000 from feet and marvels in the view before him.

Quilty helps disabled Ride to Fly

“My parents and my brother said that it would fly by faster than expected and freshman year I didn’t believe it but as time went by, I noticed that as you get more accustom to the feeling and life of high school it flies by. I can remember my freshman year pretty well and it’s hard to believe it was three years ago but I think if it flies.”

—Lucas

Finnel

by Vivian Lam

Helping disabled children and adults experience therapeutic horseback riding is a joy for junior Lia Quilty. She spends as much time as possible at the Palos Verdes ranch since she began in June of this year for the organization, Ride to Fly. Quilty begins her day of volunteering by warming up the horses and grooming them and as soon as her client arrives ,they begin with the lesson.

“Warming up the horse makes it safer for the client to ride because then the horse is calmer and won’t buck the rider off,” Quilty said.

Before she began to volunteer, Quilty underwent training to become a horse leader as well as a side walker. Horse leaders walk the horses around the ring while side walkers assist the disabled clients during lessons.

“When I began [volunteering with Ride to Fly], I was a little nervous because I didn’t want to mess up and have it potentially affect the client’s experience,” Quilty said.

Therapeutic horseback riding aids in improving the coordination, muscle tone, posture, and motor development of the clients who partake in the program.

According to Quilty, “Ride to Fly is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing therapeutic horseback riding and the associated learning experiences to children and adults with disabilities in a safe, nurturing environment.”

The program is enriching for the clients, however, Quilty learns new things and becomes stronger each time she goes as well.

“Every time you volunteer at Ride to Fly you get better and better. [I’ve been] learning how to not only work with the clients but the horses as well,” Quilty said.

The smiles on the client’s faces make Quilty feel as if what she is doing is woth while.

“What I like most about Ride to Fly is the expression of the client’s face right when they see the horses,” Quilty said.

“They are overwhelmed with joy and it just warms your heart.”

Quilty’s passion for the Ride to Fly program has pushed her to start a club on campus to inform others of the opportunity that she feels so lucky to have been able to experience.

“My friend [who originally informed me of the program]

and I are actually going to start a club for second semester for Ride to Fly and we hope that people are interested in joining such a fulfilling program,” Quilty said.

Because Quilty herself was introduced to the Ride to Fly program by a friend and has had such a great experience she encourages others to get involved in it as well.

“I would always encourage more people to volunteer for this organization. It’s such a rewarding feeling at the end of the day knowing that you just made someone so happy,” Quilty said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIA QUILTY

Out for a stroll. Quilty warms up a horse before working

FEATURES // SEPT. 30, 2011 // 13

FEATURES // High tide

Johnson declared cancer-free After battling thyroid cancer for two years, senior Michael Johnson was finally declared cancer-free last Thursday.

by Kimberly Chapman

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL JOHNSON

Learning to be a fighter. Johnson wakes up in recovery after his first surgery.

Senior Michael Johnson was diagnosed with thyroid cancer on March 9, 2010. After struggling with it for almost two years, his journey finally came to an end as he was declared cancer-free last Thursday.

“For now the doctors said it is gone, but I just took a full body scan and I’m awaiting the results,” Johnson said.

Johnson first noticed that there was something wrong with his body when he was playing soccer six months before he was diagnosed. He was a goalie and when he went to drop kick the ball, he suddenly fell to the ground.

“My body remained lifeless on the field. I was taken to the emergency room and when I woke up, I was on a breathing machine,” Johnson said.

The doctors could not figure out what was wrong with Johnson at his first visit to the hospital. He collapsed 12 more times before he was diagnosed with cancer.

“It started happening at school. One time I was in Mr. Fredrick’s class and I couldn’t breathe, so I ran out the door. I’m not even sure if I made it out all the way before I hit the floor,” Johnson said.

Johnson went in for an MRI on September 18, 2010, because the doctors thought

that it was a heart condition.

“They were focusing on the heart, but since it was an MRI they didn’t just scan the heart. They ended up finding a tumor on my thyroid. I was kind of relieved because answers were finally coming together and I now had something to go off of,” Johnson said.

Johnson did not have surgery to remove the tumor until February 26, 2010, because his family struggled to find insurance companies that would cover someone with a tumor.

“The only day that I could get scheduled for my first surgery was the day before my birthday,” Johnson said.

It was not until 12 days after Johnson’s first surgery that he found out that he had thyroid cancer.

“I remember that I went into the doctor’s office smiling and happy. The doctor came into the room with a blank face and my smile faded. He told me that I had cancer and that my hemoglobin count was over 5,000. He told me that I needed to have another surgery to remove the other half of the tumor. I had two surgeries in the course of 12 days,” Johnson said.

Johnson started chemotherapy three

April called “Dream Girls USA.” “I am proud to say that I won the second highest title in the entire pageant. The title I won is based on my volunteer efforts and my onstage introduction. This is the best title I feel I could win because it is targeted toward who I am as a person,” she said.

Newcomb was shocked and proud when she won the award.

“Everyone who participates is amazing at what they do and any girl on that stage could have won that award. I know that I worked really hard to win, and all of my hard work paid off,” Newcomb said.

In the pageants Newcomb participates in, the required competitions are formal wear, onstage introduction, and a personal interview with the judges.

“I usually prepare for a pageant by rehearsing my onstage introduction, figuring out what formal wear dress to use, and how to do my hair. I also look for sponsors to help out with my entry fees,” she said.

Newcomb’s family is very supportive of her pageants.

“They help out a lot with my entry fees and buying my dresses. My mom is the one who goes to all of my pageants with me, does my hair, and drives me wherever I need to go. I’m really grateful for that,” she said.

Newcomb is currently preparing for her next pageant on October 9th.

“It’s not just a pageant, but a food drive.

So part of my overall score is how many canned foods I bring in. I’m still looking for people to donate,” Newcomb said.

Newcomb believes she is meant to be in pageants.

“When I’m competing, I feel like I’m in my place. I don’t feel awkward, or like I’m doing something that’s not right for me.

I feel perfectly at ease, and I love it,” she said.

Newcomb plans to continue competing in pageants.

“They are a part of who I am today.

Without that first pageant, I would have never continued to do them and they would never have continued to build my confidence,” she said.

months later and was on a medical leave from school. He became home-schooled right before Christmas break during his sophomore year. Johnson’s friends visited him at home and tried to help him stay positive.

“My friends are who really kept me going.

Courtney Peck always made me smile, Rachel Lovelace always listened, and Joe Rivera helped me through everything,” Johnson said.

When Johnson returned back to school for his junior year, he found that it was a lot more difficult than he thought.

“I failed most of my first semester classes because I was turning assignments in late due to medical appointments. I passed all of my classes second semester because I had a meeting with the principal and told her that I’m trying. I got a completely new schedule for second semester and all of my new teachers were understanding,” Johnson said.

Johnson believes that cancer has changed his outlook on life.

“Sitting in the hospital beds, I realized that I could possibly not be here tomorrow and that I need to make the most of every day. I live my life how I want to now because nothing else in life could ever hurt that much and everything seems so small compared to it,” Johnson said.

Newcomb wins second highest title in the Dream Girls USA Pageant

by Kimberly Chapman

Beauty pageants conjure up images of bleach-blonde debutantes in pink taffeta and blue eyeshadow answering simple questions with big, fake smiles. But for junior Taylor Newcomb, beauty pageants aren’t about looking like Barbie; they’re about inner beauty.

Newcomb has been doing Beauty Pageants ever since she was 11.

“I received a letter in the mail about a pageant called ‘National American Miss’ and after researching everything about the pageant online, I begged my mom to let me do it,” she said.

Newcomb was nervous about her first pageant because she was competing against girls who had been competing for years.

“Thirty girls had the exact same dress as me, and there were about 300 girls in my division alone. I was pretty proud of myself in the end because I ended up winning second runner up Photogenic and first runner up Best Resume,” Newcomb said.

Newcomb won her first pageant this past

FEATURES //// SEPT. SEPT. 30, 16, 2011 2011 //// 14 14 FEATURES

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR NEWCOMB

Winning. Newcomb wins an award based on her volunteer efforts and onstage introduction at the “Dream Girls USA” Pageant.

A Day in the Life

Teacher Mary Simun dedicates many hours to save the environment

by Bethany Kawa

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARY SIMUN

Passion. 1. Simun cleans a smilodon (sabertooth cat) skull. 2. Simun volunteers at a beach clean up. 3. Simum cleans an Abalone tank.

She rides out of her garage on a bicycle with a trash picker in hand, leaving behind her four cats and pet snake. She is an active environmentalist searching for opportunities to make small, positive impacts in society. Biology and AP Environmental Science teacher Mary Simun thrives on protecting the environment.

Simun chooses to live simply by renting out a converted garage.

“It takes up less space, uses fewer resources and leaves a smaller footprint on the planet,” she said.

Simun rides her bicycle to work while simultaneously picking up trash and recyclables along the way. She has always avoided driving a car to work because it uses too much energy and creates air pollution.

“I am way past caring about what anyone else thinks. I do it because I think it’s the right thing to do,” she said.

Simun volunteers at various places such as the public library, Sea Lab, Surfrider Algalita, and the Page Museum for 12 to 15 hours a week. She also spends time improving her teaching skills.

“I think people have a shared responsibility to make the world a better place. I imagine a world where everyone takes one hour of their time to volunteer and not expect anything in return,” she said.

In addition to spending 10 to 12 hours on

campus each day, Simun teaches Nanoscience to teachers at UCLA and studies Biotechnology.

“I spend an awful amount of time becoming a better teacher,” she said.

“ I love to share that enthusiasm and intensity with my students.

-Mary Simun

” Above all, Simun’s passion is teaching science to students.

“I’m enthusiastic and intensely involved in the things I love. I love to share that enthusiasm and intensity with my students,” she said.

Outside of school, Simun enjoys gardening, scuba diving, painting, and drawing. She feels her extracurricular activities “keep her out of trouble.”

“I go to bed at night feeling the world is a little bit better of a place because of what I did. I feel better about myself,” she said.

FEATURES // SEPT. 30, 2011 // 15

SPORTS // High tide

ATHLETE OF THE ISSUE

TIFFANY MORALES

by Zach Zent

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Most would say that senior Tiffany Morales is a “gym rat”. Since starting on our school’s nationally ranked volleyball team since freshman year, Morales has seldom seen a day off of the court.

Morales, who has been selected to the Daily Breeze’s All-Area team each season since 2008-2009 season, has more than embraced the simple saying that “practice makes perfect.”

“I practice just about every day of the week, which adds up to about 12 hours a week,” Morales said.

“But that doesn’t include also playing on the beach for fun.”

A day in the life of Morales, or commonly referred to as “T-Mo” by teammates and friends, is a day filled with physical activity. As soon as her alarm clock blares at 6:15 a.m., Morales goes straight into a light morning work-out and then briskly walks to school.

After her classes end, she goes to practice and then helps coach the frosh/soph team, all while trying to conserve some energy for her commitment to club volleyball practice after school on select days. This schedule reinforces the fact that Morales is a “workhorse,” according to senior Ally Barry Teammate senior Devon Bogart experiences Morales’ unrelenting intensity at practice day after day, week after week. “[Morales] is really motivating at practice,” Bogart said. “She always goes hard but also goes above and beyond, like helping the players improve.”

Morales has relied on the support of her teammates since freshman year and believes their support has enabled her to reach her full potential.

“When I played varsity as a freshman, it was definitely scary,” she said. “But looking back on it, it actually wasn’t that bad. My teammates were extremely supportive and never let me get down on myself when things got tough for me.”

Morales’ teammates also rely on her to keep the team “grounded” and focused, according to Bogart “As a captain, when we’re facing adversity it’s her duty to keeps our heads up,” Bogart said. “She motivates us by letting us know it’s o.k. to make mistakes and to just move on to the next play.”

Tiffany’s nine years of experience in the sport helps

her play to a high level, even when compared to other players in the “talented” Bay League.

“Her past experience keeps her confident on the court, which helps her her individual play and our team’s play all that much better,” Bogart said.

Morales is more than just a vocal leader, but also leads by example while always being positive, according to teammate senior Ally Barry “It’s fun to play with her because you know she is going to get nearly every ball that comes to her,” Barry said. “She’s also the most consistent passer on our team.”

It is what Morales refers to as the “love of the game” that keeps her attracted to the volleyball court on a daily basis instead of relaxing or hanging out with friends.

“The competition of the game pushes me to play.,” she said. “It’s what keeps me coming back even when I get pushed out of my comfort zone. But as a competitor, I love that.”

Although she will be playing for Michigan next fall, Morales expects a lot from her final year of playing in high school.

“Whether we win or lose, I expect my senior year to be filled with memorable moments and wins with my team,” Morales said. “Playing with those girls mean the world to me.”

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PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Send it back. 1. Senior Tiffany Morales returns a serve at practice.

2. Morales celebrates a kill at the Time Warner game against Mater Dei.

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Ree siblings devote entire lives to golf

by Matt Brancolini

Once siblings Ryann, Lawrence and Robyn Ree turned three, they started golfing, no questions asked. Since then it has been all about golf in the Ree household.

The three siblings practice together anywhere from 2-4 hours every week day and all day Saturday at Alondra Park Golf Course in Lawndale, according to freshman Robyn Ree. Junior Lawrence Ree believes that practicing as a group has greatly benefited their game.

“Practicing together is better than practicing alone because we all compete and

SPORTS // SEPT. 30, 2011 // 16

help each other with technique,” Lawrence said. “We all look out for each other.”

The Rees’ passion for golf all started with early lessons on how to swing from their father at the driving range when they were about three.

“He used to fix our swing when we were younger, but now our swing is good enough,” Ryann said. “We have to practice on our own. If we ask for help, he’ll help us.”

Despite the early dedication to golf, Ryann and Lawrence have dabbled in other sports.

“Lawrence and I played basketball for a

little while but we stopped after I broke my collarbone and he broke his wrist,” Ryann said. “That’s when our mom decided it was nothing but golf. I haven’t even thought about other sports since then.”

Even though the three siblings spend plenty of time together at the range, it does not lead to very much bonding.

“When we practice, it’s mostly about golf,” Robyn said. “We don’t really get into each other’s personal lives. It’s strictly golf when we’re at the course.”

Despite the Rees’ intense dedication to golf, there is such as a thing as too much, according to Ryann.

“Sometimes I get sick of it, especially when I’m not playing as well as expected.

Sometimes I want to get away but you do what you’ve got to do,” Ryann said. “It’s an everyday routine now. I’ve grown to love it.”

Ryann is excited to see if his hard work and love of the game will serve him well when he plays at the University of Oregon next year.

“I’m excited about college and I hope all of the extra time will pay off,” Ryann said.

“Right now, I’m not even thinking about a pro career yet. That’s too far in the future.

I’m taking it one step at a time.”

XC dominates in the northwest

by Kylie Martin and Sophia Ritchie

Last Saturday, the boys’ and girls’ cross country team competed at the Nike PreNationals in Oregon.

The girls placed first in the Jim Danner Elite division for the second year in a row after breaking a tie against Mountain View.

“It came down to our sixth runner, Anique Villegas, and she really stepped it up and we won,” junior Cara Ulizio. “It was awesome.”

Senior Lyndsey Mull placed ninth,Ulizio placed thirteenth, and senior Rachel Bush placed sixteenth.

“We really pushed each other throughout the race and it really brought the group along,” Ulizio said.

The boys won in their division as well.

The top five runners were sophomore Will Tait, juniors Evan Malone-White and Garrett Klatte, and seniors Alex Guzman and Tyler Caracoza.

“Our boys bounced back very strong by winning the Division I varsity race,” head coach Julie Ferron said. “They ran well as a pack and captain Tyler Caracoza did a great job of keeping them together.”

Guzman believed Tyler truly showed his leadership at this particular race.

“Tyler had a mental breakout race,” Guzman said. “He was strong, a good team leader, and good at keeping everyone together.”

Guzman also came through as an important fifth runner when the team needed him.

“One of my goals was to keep pushing myself throughout the race and I worked pretty hard to keep myself going,” Guzman said.

According to Mull, the team is in a good

place and only has room for improvement this season. They are practicing diligently to work up to a higher level of competition.

The Nike Pre-Nationals meet helped the runners get their bodies accustomed to traveling and to running in a meet a day later, just like they will have to do for the state competition.

“Travelling and back-to-back competitions are so incredibly taxing, mentally and physically,” Guzman said.

Mull also feels that the traveling really does have an impact on the way she races and definitely makes it more difficult.

According to Guzman, the course was 3.2 miles longer so the focus was on pace rather than time.

“It’s difficult to win after running in a meet just two days before, especially when no other team that competed had raced that week,” Guzman said. “After the disappointing meet at Bay League, winning was a big accomplishment.”

At this Saturday’s Warren Staufer Invitational, runners will be competing by grade level.

“It is going to be a great opportunity for runners like Evan and Will to win their respective races,” Guzman said. “But for the seniors, it’ll be an uphill battle because everyone competiting has a lot of experience.”

The focus for this meet will be on submitting faster times and personal records, according to Malone-White. Runners will have a chance to focus on improving individually.

“We have bigger and broader goals and we know what it takes, and what we have to do to achieve that this season,” Ulizio said.

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ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOB LEETCH

Working as a pack. 1. The girls’ cross country team basks in the glory of their Nike Pre-National victory with head coach Bob Leeetch. 2. The boys’ try to stay together as a pack while running the 3.2 mile course at the Nike Pre-Nationals.

3. After placing fifth in the last meet, winning the Nike Pre-Nationals for Division I.

Water polo defeats Torrance by landslide

by Camille Duong

The boys’ water polo team heads for the El Segundo Tournament tomorrow after defeating Torrance 11-6 last Tuesday.

“We’re pumped to do well after winning,” Rudow said.

According to senior Adam Rudow, he is prepared for the next game after winning the last three games. Despite the recent victories, Rudow believes the team is lacking in its offense.

“We need to focus on countering and not getting kicked out,” he said.

Senior Jacob Melendez agrees with Rudow but believes the team needs to also take the other teams into consideration.

“We need to anticipate the other teams

capabilities,” Melendez said.

Despite this, he foresees a continuation of their success.

“We’ll do fine if we succeed in playing our parts in defense and offense,” he said.

Head coach Mark Rubke believes the team must make a number of adjustments in order to come out victorious in the upcoming matches.

“We need to work on smarter defense, not getting ejected, and we have to make smart passing a priority in scrimmages,” he said.

The offense needs to improve on setting up quicker, according to Melendez.

“Offense can do better on countering, getting the ball to set players, and getting to spots quickly,” he said.

Rubke hopes to see minimal ejections and a few more stops on man down advantages.

“I’m looking for consistent error free water polo and still looking for better presence on offense and at half court,” Rubke said.

The team played sloppily in their game against Torrance on Tuesday according to Rudow.

“We had some pretty good plays so it evened out,” Rudow said.

Rudow also believes that the defense did a lot better.

“We were able to shut down [Torrance’s] main player,” he said.

Although the offense struggled, the their persistence paid off, according to Rubke. “[Their persistence] led to sporadic scor-

ing opportunities and was great for Redondo,” he said.

Defense needs to work on executing their 6-5 strategy successfully, according to Melendez.

Rubke feels the team did only the bare minimum to win.

“We made enough mistakes to put the outcome in doubt,” Rubke said.

At the same time, however, he believes overconfidence will be their downfall and that the team may wind up in the loser’s bracket if players keep getting themselves ejected like they did on Tuesday.

“You can’t keep getting kicked out and throw away the ball and be a competitive team,” Rubke said. “Competitive teams don’t make silly mistakes.”

SPORTS // SEPT. 30, 2011 // 17

SPORTS // High tide

Serving towards their victory

by Diana Luna and Colin Welch

Girls’ tennis continues their winning streak as they plan on placing at least fourth in league this year.

Last Tuesday, Redondo defeated Culver, 13-5, in a “very crucial” match for the team, according to sophomore Jenn Duong.

“We have been working really hard and we had this strong desire to win, which showed throughout our match,” Duong said.

Coach Jessica Seibert believes their start against Culver was one of the better ones this season.

“We were off to a good start by winning our first three matches,” Seibert said.

Junior Lia Quilty and her partner, sophomore, Miin-Jiuan Tsay are the number one pair for Redondo doubles this year, according to Seibert. “[Quilty and Tsay] are winning a lot of important matches for us,” said Seibert.

According to Tsay, she and Quilty won their match because of their ability to put away shots and return Culver’s serves. The pair is building chemistry in practice and it is carrying over to the matches.

“We work on doubles movements, volleys, and teamwork in general,” said Tsay.

Although Quilty believes that the team should improve on their consistency, the team is looking to continue to play well and win as many matches as they can.

“We were playing well but we are inconsistent at this point, with experience that problem will go away,” Quilty said.

Next week, the team will go up against Penninsula and Palos Verdes.

“We will face some of the toughest matches that we will all season. It will force us to come together as a cohesive unit,” Duong said.

Seibert’s goals for her team are to be as competitive as they can be in league this season. Girls’ tennis needs ten wins to make it to the CIF playoffs and place at least fourth in league. So far, they are 4-4 in season.

“We’re in an uphill battle, [but] we’re trying to get wins early in the season,” Seibert said.

SPORTS // SEP. 30, 2011 // 18

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Spike. Junior Skylar Dykstra successfully spikes the ball in game against Mater Dei.

Moving Forward Girls’ volleyball fights to the finish against Mater Dei, but suffers defeat in the end.

by Haley Meyers

Redondo girls’ volleyball fought to the end of a frustrating loss against Mater Dei last Tuesday night.

Mater Dei came out on top of the first match, 25-22. Redondo battled back the second match 25-22 and the third 25-19, giving the players a glimpse at victory. Mater Dei’s consistency helped them to reel in the win in the fourth match, winning 25-20 and 15-9 in the final match.

“Our opponents played well and deserved the victory,” coach, Tommy Chaffins said.

According to junior Hannah Mosebar, Mater Dei was consistent without many errors.

The team went into the match against Mater Dei with the goals of enthusiasm, next play focus, and communication. Despite their loss, coach Chaffins was proud of them for executing their goals with focus and drive.

“Our Middles, Mosebar and Bogart attacked well tonight and Mendez perhaps had her best performance of the year,” Chaffins said.

According to Chaffins, it is important for coaches and players to learn to make adjustments.

The girls plans on benefiting from the game as a learning experience.They plan on improving their block, eliminating hitting

South Torrance on Saturday.

“Expect a good match,” junior Captain Skylar Dykstra said.

“

According to Chaffins South is in the Pioneer League and Redondo is in Bay League, which makes us a difficult opponent to face.

He notes that South has a strong coach combined with a good defense, left side hitter and powerful middle blocker.

“I’m excited to play again and see how much we are going to grow in our game against South,” Dykstra said.

According to Chaffins, Redondo has a powerful serve, receive, and crucial enthusiasm.

“I tend to keep looking forward to the next game because if we don’t try our hardest, it could be a disheartening loss,” Mosebar said.

The team works to achieve three main goals: Winning Bay League, CIF, and ultimately conquering State. Chaffins looks forward to the rest of the season with the team and seeing them reach their full potential.

“They are a great group of girls, and I’m fortunate to coach them,” Chaffins said.

Our opponents played well and deserved the victory.

-Tommy Chaffins

” errors and improving mentally on next play focus. These adjustments should help the girls to persevere in their next game against

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PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Leaving behind a rough start Football goes into Bay League prepared to succeed.

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Sprint. 1. Junior Anthony Philyaw runs down the field off of a block from senior Trent Owens. 2. Senior Eric Brown returns a punt against Millikan.

by Brandon Folkman

Despite a tough loss to Culver City this past Friday, and a rocky start to their season, Redondo football stays focused on their next opponent.

Though Culver City defeated Redondo 40 to 23 last Friday night, the Seahawks remain optimistic and look forward to their next game.

Senior Hunter Bradshaw did not feel that the score reflected the effort of the team.

“We executed well, ran the ball well, and threw well,” said Bradshaw, “We just came up short and that was tough for the team because we worked really hard.”

Quarterback Harrison Faecher agrees with Bradshaw and feels that Culver City could

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have been beaten.

“The game last week was a tough loss for us. We were right there in it with them ‘[until] the 4th quarter, but we let it slip away,” he said.

Bradshaw believes that many team members stepped up in the recent game, playing better than they ever had before.

“Deon Williams had over 100 yards rushing and Harrison Faecher had one of his best games,” said Bradshaw.

According to Bradshaw, Redondo will face a “very tough” Orange Lutheran team this Friday before starting league play next week. The team is currently ranked top five in California and top thirty in the nation.

“They’re a tough team, so it will be a dog

fight,” said Bradshaw Bradshaw feels Redondo needs a few improvements before playing such a strong team.

“We just need to polish a few things and get off to a better start in the game,” said Bradshaw Faecher agrees with Bradshaw that the team needs to work harder than ever this week.

“We just need to keep improving on offense and defense. Orange Lutheran is a tough team and we need to come prepared,” said Faecher.

Faecher believes that Redondo will have to play its best in order to beat such a difficult team.

“Were just going to come out playing smart, tough and physical football,” Faecher said.

According to Bradshaw, the team also plans on spending a lot of time watching gamefilm of past Orange Lutheran games to see any flaws in their strategy.

Though it does not show in their record, both Faecher and Bradshaw acknowledge that playing strong nonleague teams has better prepared them for Bay League play.

“We’ve got off to a rough start to our season, but we feel pretty good about ourselves. We play[ed] good competition outside of the Bay League so we are more prepared,” said Bradshaw.

Unsung heroes continued page 20

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Catch me if you can. Senior Steven Vaughan eludes a Serra defender.

“Jake Harris is definitely an unsung hero. He just wins your confidence,” Simon said. “He’s only 140 pounds and he’s a lineman, which usually doesn’t work well, but he’s so disruptive on the scout team that he makes our starters look bad.

Sometimes I wonder why aren’t we playing him more than we do.”

Harris’ love of the game and dedication to the teams keeps him motivated and enthusiastic during long hours of practice.

“I do it because I love it. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help the team,” Harris said. “I want everyone to have a good time and if the team does well, it’ll be more fun for everyone.”

Even though Harris plays a large role on the scout teams, his most direct con-

tributions come from his play on special teams.

“I use my speed and quickness to my advantage on special teams,” Harris said.

“That’s really my bread and butter. That’s what i do. My role on the team is to make as many tackles as I can on special teams.”

Simon believes that Harris’ positive outlook is an inspiration to other teammates.

“He goes out there and works hard every time. He never misses a practice and he never complains,” Simon said. “He’s just a great guy to have. We would be lucky if we had more guys with his attitude and enthusiasm.”

SPORTS // SEP. 30, 2011 // 19

UNSUNG

The star player, the MVP, the top-scorer. They don’t always have names, but their performances bring their teams success.

HEROES

by Matthew Brancolini

On every level in every sport, fans focus their attention on the superstars; the players that make the most spectacular plays and have the greatest on-field charisma garner the most attention. Then there are the players who contribute to the team in many ways but never receive the credit they deserve. Senior offensive guard and defensive tackle Sam Ben-Amor is one of these unsung heroes.

“It might be nice to be noticed more often,” Ben-Amor said. “But it is a team sport so I don’t mind very much.”

According to Ben-Amor, going unrecognized is nothing new to a

linemen.

“The life of a lineman is hard.

You do a lot of the work and get little credit,” Ben-Amor said. “The nice thing is, if the team does well, we’ll get our reward. We’ll get some attention.”

Defensive end Steven Vaughan probably would have received more media attention if he had not missed all of last season with a broken leg, according to assistant coach Bob Cracknell.

“He’ll get some attention The Daily Breeze because he gets a lot of sacks,” Cracknell said. “He got 4 in the game against North [Torrance]. We have players who don’t

Golf defeats all odds

by Isaiah Madison

Last Tuesday, girls’ golf won the match against South High school.

They won by a 10 point margin with a final score of 229 to 219.

According to senior Megan Cormier, the players scored very well and proved that they are a force in the league this season.

“I was surprised, because our team did really good,” Cormier said.

This year the girls’ golf team has been switched from

the Ocean League to the bay league.

They feel well motivated and stronger than ever.

Their goal this year is to win the majority of their matches.

“I think we’re getting a lot better, in the next few seasons the Girls’ golf team could become the best in the Bay League.”

Cormier said. The Girls’ next match is on Tuesday against Chadwick, which they expect to win with ease.

SPORTS // SEP. 30, 2011 // 20

get that many in a season. He’s probably a college level player.”

“I do it because I love it. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help the team.

-Jake Harris

”

Head coach Gene Simon be-

IT’S

GAMETIME

girls’ volleyball

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lieves that Vaughan’s calm demeanor has helped him fly under the radar.

“He’s the most unassuming guy but when he gets on the field, he just makes plays,” Simon said.

“He’s got a chance to be a great one.”

Missing all of last season inspired Vaughan to try his hardest during his last high school season.

“The injury taught me to always try my hardest and not be lazy because bad things happen when you take plays off,” Vaughan said. “I took one play off during practice and it ended my junior season. I learned that I always have to play

Saturday at 5 at North vs South

girls’ golf

Tuesday away at 2:30 vs West

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my hardest.”

The true unsung heroes are the scout team players who rarely get playing time but work hard everyday in practice.

“The scout team keeps the team functioning. They challenge the starters to play their best and they replicate what our next opponent will do,” senior wide receiver Hunter Bradshaw said.

No scout team player epitomizes this selfless, team-first attitude as well as senior special teams player Jake Harris, Simon says.

[Continued on page 19]

Upcoming sports games scheduled for next week.

football

Friday away at 7:30 vs Orange Lutheran

tennis

Monday home at 3 vs North

PHOTOS BY ERINN MIDDO AND JENNY OETZELL

boys’ water polo

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Friday at home at 3 vs Costa

cross country

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Saturday away at 8 Invitational