Feb2017

KA LEO The Voice of Sacred Hearts Academy __________________________________________________________ February 2017

Hawaii teens find online dating attractive

A teen accesses popular dating app Tinder on her mobile phone. She joins a rising number of today's youth, including those in Hawaii, who are dabbling in online danger, experts say. Photo by Ashley Marie Lardizabal.

By Ashley Marie Lardizabal, Reporter

her decision to pursue Tinder, a dating app that companionship in the vir‐ connects users by their in‐ tual world and lie about terests and GPS locations.

S e vente en-ye ar-old J. her age.

Swiping right on the rise Reyes knew she was flirt‐ ing with danger when "I was just bored and downloading a dating app wanted to try it out for Reyes joins a growing to her mobile phone sever‐ fun," said Reyes, who is a number of Hawaii's youth al months ago. high school senior and re‐ who are delving into the quested her full name re‐ tap-and-swipe culture that She was under the 18- main anonymous. The dominates today's dating year-old age restriction teen explained how she scene. And while it's an at‐ but says curiosity fueled created an account for tractive idea for them,

Hawaii Cybercrime Inves‐ tigator Chris Duque said it is also a risky one.

He referenced recent ac‐ counts, on separate occa‐ sions, in which two Hawaii teenagers were sexually as‐ saulted by someone they have been communicating with online.

Reyes said she was aware

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Infographic by Shelby Mattos. (from pg. 1) of such dan‐ gers and took precautions when setting up her ac‐ count.

ready received more than a dozen dating matches and messages from strangers complimenting her profile photo and seek‐ "I created a separate email ing to meet up with her. and Facebook account (which is how Tinder au‐ "Who doesn't like to wake thenticates users)," she up to someone calling you said. "I didn't want my 'beautiful?'" Reyes said. personal account and in‐ formation to be seen by She enjoyed the positive people I barely knew." attention and praise she received through Tinder, With Tinder, users swipe despite it being from peo‐ right in the app for "like" ple she did not know. and left for "pass" to find matches with nearby Tin‐ After a week of video chat‐ der users. ting and text messaging one male user, Reyes pur‐ After using the app for sued to meet him in per‐ about a day, Reyes had al‐ son.

Ka Leo: The Voice of Sacred Hearts Academy | February 2017

"I was comfortable when we first met because my friends knew the guy, so it wasn't as awkward," said Reyes, who met up with the 19-year-old "Tinderfel‐ la," as they're called, at a beach near Diamond Head earlier this school year.

tors and predators because there is no way to verify a user's age.

Reyes said she did not en‐ counter any uncomfort‐ able or unsafe situations while in contact with this person.

In addition to Tinder, teens are dabbling in the dating world with apps like, Bumble, Meet Me and Pure Dating, according to mobile parental control service Netsanity.

There is also no way of preventing users from cre‐ ating false profiles.

Of Tinder's more than 50 million users, about 7 per‐ Duque, a former Honolulu cent are between the ages Police Department officer of 13 and 17 years old. who now works as a cy‐ bercrime investigator for "Dating apps draw a spe‐ the Honolulu Prosecutor's cific type of clientele," Office, says Reyes was Duque said. "There are lucky her first meetup people who are in an emo‐ didn't end up worse. tional state, looking for some kind of affection or "When you do anything interaction. Predators and online, especially online criminals feed on those dating, the devices and emotionally handicapped services you use serve as a this way." mask," he said. "You don't know who you're commu‐ According to Duque, sex‐ nicating (with) on the oth‐ ual assault, rape, sodomy er side." and extortion are com‐ monly seen cases among A study by the Pew Re‐ Hawaii youth looking for search Center reports that love online.

53 percent of teens have started friendships over Alleged perpetrators could the internet, while 8 per‐ face jail time for engaging cent have dated someone in sexual acts with a they first met online. minor, while the under‐ aged user might have his The pair had been on mul‐ or her dating account tiple dates since first meet‐ deleted for violating the ing at the beach. terms of service.

Dangers of online dating

Despite innocent inten‐ Playing it safe tions to meet new people, online dating platforms For teens who want to are notorious for perpetra‐ pursue online friendships,

Ka Leo: The Voice of Sacred Hearts Academy | February 2017

(from pg. 2) Duque advises crease domestic violence that they play it safe. safety with a proposed leg‐ islation.

They should not only veri‐ f y w i t h t r u s t w o r t h y This legislation would di‐ sources before meeting the rect more funding toward person but also stick to the Attorney General's of‐ traditional social media fice and other law enforce‐ apps, such as Facebook, ment that could help pre‐ Instagram and Twitter. vent internet crimes.

Until the legislation is passed, Duque advises parents to take the lead.

The first step would be to monitor their child's mo‐ bile device use, ensuring their child is not using such devices in the bath‐ After using Tinder for sev‐ room or alone in a bed‐ eral months, Reyes recent‐ room. ly decided to end her on‐ line relationship.

Parents should also be vig‐ ilant of unusual behavior She also deleted the Tin‐ and encourage an open der app from her mobile discussion with their chil‐ phone for the same reason dren about internet use. she downloaded it-she got bored.

The use of mobile devices is a privilege and not a "My experiences have right for youth, Duque taught me that online dat‐ said. He emphasizes that ing is unrealistic, and I no "technology is a tool that longer want to involve my‐ young people need in their self in those types of (rela‐ lives, but they need to use tionships)," she said and it correctly and safely so has not since used any they don't get hurt." other dating platform.

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Youth wants service to be social

In a sense, he said, tradi‐ tional social media apps prove to be of safer use be‐ cause they provide a more transparent profile for those seeking to meet new people.

yet been finalized.

By Taylor McKenzie, Media Editor

The students watched ner‐ vously as the "On Air" sig‐ nal flickered to life-a cue for an orchestra of ringing telephones begging to be answered.

It was Hawaii Public Radio's (HPR) semi-annu‐ al pledge drive this week‐ end, and Sacred Hearts Academy students were part of the action.

Prevention starts with parents Not all teens are able to come to the same conclu‐ sion as Reyes, which is why Hawaii state lawmak‐ ers are taking action.

State Sen. Will Espero, who is the chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety, aims to in‐

Junior Taylor Rayray volunteering with the Leo Club at the Aloha Stadium. Photo by Shelby Mattos.

Want to find out more about teen online dating?

Scan the QR code to watch a video!

As part of the HPR event, Galton spent a few hours on Saturday morning an‐ swering phone calls and learning more about how pledge drives keep com‐ munity-supported radio stations, like HPR, in op‐ eration.

But those few hours were just a small portion of Gal‐ ton's contribution to the community. So far this year, she has completed more than 100 hours of "Although it was a small service from a range of thing, I feel like I did make events both in and out of a difference for Hawaii school.

Public R adio," senior Mariko Galton said. As of And while the satisfaction this date, the exact amount of giving back to the com‐ of monies raised has not munity is appealing to her,

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Ka Leo: The Voice of Sacred Hearts Academy | February 2017

Infographics by Shelby Mattos. (from pg. 3) so is being able to work alongside her peers-a sentiment echoed by a recent study.

Academy students at the Hawaii Public Radio station. Photo Courtesy of Cleo Eubanks.

but with others, who be‐ Volunteering with lieve in the same values friends you do," Galton said. "It's about being with others A survey, conducted by and serving a common online community service goal or issue." r e s o u r c e DoSomething.org, found At the Academy, Director that young people are of Student Activities Cleo more likely to volunteer if Eubanks assists with coor‐ their friends do. dinating service projects.

She was also supervising It was the first comprehen‐ the group of students at sive national survey on HPR's pledge drive this how young people take ac‐ weekend. t ion to cre ate s o ci a l change with data from "I think it is less intimidat‐ more than 4,000 adoles‐ ing to show up at a volun‐ cents between the ages 13 teer venue when you know and 22. someone there (because) it's also a lot more fun," "I think service is not al‐ Eubanks said. ways about working alone,

According to DoSome‐ thing.org, 93 percent of teens say they want to vol‐ unteer but only a small percentage does. The goal of the survey was to gain insight on how to close that gap.

At the Academy, Eubanks and teachers from the the‐ ology department helped to lessen the gap.

They supervised more than 33,800 service hours for students last school year. "(Students volunteer as) ushers for school plays, student guides or helpers for school events, like

Ka Leo: The Voice of Sacred Hearts Academy | February 2017

Ka Leo Query

(from pg. 4) admissions events, open houses or the Science Symposium," said Leilani Asuncion, a teach‐ er for the theology depart‐ ment and the adviser for the class of 2019.

However, most students seek out opportunities themselves. According to the survey, 66 percent of youth volunteers are more likely to get involved by talking to people than by referring to social media or websites.

at school, as a member of the Leo Club and the Na‐ tional Honor Society.

Both Rayray and classmate Galton enjoy the social as‐ p e c t of v o lu nt e e r i n g alongside peers, stating that it is what helps youth to become more connect‐ ed to each other and the community they serve.

"Putting oneself out there may be a risk," Rayray said. "But the social con‐ nections that (we're) mak‐ ing with the world and "I agree with this statistic other people…are what because those 66 percent connect us all, in one way o f y o u t h v o l u n t e e r s or another." reached out to a 'medium' in which they were com‐ fortable with and (could easily) access," junior Tay‐ lor Rayray said.

Rayray has earned more than 300 hours of service this school year and says she typically learns about service opportunities from members of her church.

She serves as a Catechist Assistant and helps with the youth ministry pro‐ gram. She also volunteers

Want to find out more about volunteering as a student? Scan the QR code to watch a video!

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Ka Leo: The Voice of Sacred Hearts Academy | February 2017

Don't be a one-upper

By Kailanianna Ablog, Opinions Editor

Whether realizing it or not, the moment you open a social media app, you embark upon a battlefield.

A battlefield where users are armed with stunning panoramas and vivid video clips, showing off what they did over the weekend or what they ate for lunch. And with each scroll, you start to wish you were them, making mental notes to try out that hip new coffee shop or to hike that east-side trail.

And before you know it, you've become another victim in this silent war going on in the world of social media; the war of "one-upping."

It's an actual term in the

dictionary that means, "to get the better of; succeed in being a point, move, step, etc., ahead of (some‐ one)." To add to that defi‐ nition, I think one-upping happens for two reasons: comparison and insecurity.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

scrolling through photos of a classmate, posed next to the Gum Wall in Seattle.

It's her third trip this month, leading the user to examine her life up until Thanks to the internet and that moment. social media, we are more connected to the world Where comparison ends, around us t han e ver insecurity begins. This before. We can speak with causes others to seek grati‐ family living across the fication and attention globe, discover music through "one-upping;" artists from a foreign with each "like" or com‐ country and learn about ment on a post, a one-up‐ different cultures and per will feel elated, and trends. their insecurity will be sat‐ ed.

While this is a remarkable feat for humankind, it is That is, until someone also what leads to the posts an even cooler photo emotional downfall of so‐ or shares an even more ciety through corrupt impactful statement than comparisons. An example the one-upper's. From m i g h t b e s o m e o n e there, the cycle repeats it‐ self, as comparisons are again made and insecuri‐ ties return.

Everyone has insecuritiesand there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

However, there are certain ways that we can deal with them. One-upping on so‐ cial media is not one.

Photo courtesy of Pexels.

Social media should be utilized as a networking outlet, a way to connect people and explore new interests. It should not be used as a way to find respite for insecurity.

Whether someone means to one-up or not, it all comes down to one thing: intention. Say a person posts a photo of their lat‐ est adventure to share something exciting in their lives with others; this is completely fine. That is what social media was cre‐ ated for: establishing and maintaining connections with people.

But if someone uploads photos or replies to other people's posts with the in‐ tention to look "better" or superior, there is a serious issue.

The internet and usage of social media is not an ef‐ f e c t i v e w a y t o fi x insecurity, confidence and self-esteem issues. Deal with the problem offline; personal predicaments should not be dealt with In fact, it's a pathetic way by "one-upping." to confront self-doubt.

Ka Leo: The Voice of Sacred Hearts Academy | February 2017

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Varsity soccer battles it out in state tourney

By Rochell Ann Agapay, Reporter

The Sacred Hearts Acade‐ my varsity soccer team re‐ cently participated in the Hawaii High School Ath‐ letic Association (HHSAA) Division II state tournament.

"I am proud that we made it to states this season," ju‐ nior Meghan Matsuoka said. "I'm glad I got to en‐ joy this experience before graduating, (and) I hope that next year we can At the end of the game, the Lancer team runs across the field to thank their friends make it farther in the tour‐ and family. Photos courtesy of Divino Pazcoguin. nament."

School, defeating them Brianne Agcaoili and nal round, the Lancers The tournament started on with a score of 4 to 1.

Kaycee Selga. played the Waipahu Ma‐ Feb. 1 at the Waipio Penin‐ rauders. sula Soccer Complex.

The four goals were scored With that win, the Lancers

by Academy sophomore played top-seeded Hawaii However, the Lancers lost The Lancers went up Reina Santiago, junior Preparator y Academy to the Marauders in an in‐ against Waianae High Leinani Lacio and seniors (HPA), a school on the Big tense game, 5 to 1. The one Island, for the quarterfinal goal came from Academy round the next day. player Christiann Arakawa.

The Lancers fell to HPA, with a 3 to 0 score, early in the second half.

Academy freshman Alena Schenk keeps the ball away from the Waianae defender during the HHSAA Division II state tournament earlier this month.

Photos courtesy of Divino Pazcoguin.

But with two late-game goals by freshmen Alena S chenk and Agcaoili, HPA's lead was down to one goal. In the end, the Lancers fell 3 to 2. They played Waipahu High School the following day.

In the fifth place semi-fi‐