Issue 5

PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301 NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44

The Campanile

Vol. XCV, No. 5

50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301 • www.palycampanile.org

Friday, January 25, 2013

Administration prioritizes lockdown drills after shootings

School district discusses additions to Terman Middle School property

Bowman International, the school adjacent to Terman Middle School, may be acquired by Palo Alto Unified School District to increase the middle school’s capacity.

CHarlie dulik editor-in-chief

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he Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) is currently in preliminary talks with Bowman International School, an independent K-8 school, to purchase the school’s land and facilities, according to Superintendent Kevin Skelly. The potential acquisition would combat the district’s growing middle school enrollment.

Bowman’s 1.67 acre campus, which is adjacent to Terman Middle School across Terman Drive, would potentially become an expansion of Terman. Under current plans, Terman is set to have a capacity of around 750 students, close to 350 less than the other two PAUSD middle schools.

“Basically [the school board] just decided they were going to have the superintendent and the staff look further into it,” Paly’s school board representative Anthony Villanueva said. “There’s still a lot of things that still have to happen for [the purchase] to actually happen.”

See BOWMAN, A2

Michael WAng/The Campanile

Students will practice barring doors and creating barriers to protect themselves from intruders. leslie wan staff writer

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aly will be instating code red lockdown drills in order to prepare for armed intruders and other potential dangerous situations on campus. The administration has

planned to execute these emergency drills for a while; however, the recent shooting in Newport, Connecticut facilitated the implementation.

“It was always in the plan, I think [the Newton shooting] just expedited the process,” vice principal Jerry Berkson said.

There will be one drill this school year that will last 30 to 40 minutes on either a Monday or a Tuesday.

Students and staff will practice using standard code red procedures to simulate a dangerous person intruding on campus.

“It will be a practice of barricading the doorways, turning of the lights and then the police department will come and evaluate the school,” Berkson said.

Paly administration is currently making additional changes in order to ensure that campus is as safe as possible.

“There are a few adjustments we have to make here, a few weaknesses that are being fixed that I wouldn’t mention here publicly,” Berkson said.

Paly staff recently attended an hour seminar with the Palo Alto Police Department in order to ensure

that they are prepared for any catastrophe that may occur at school.

Sophomore Promise Lee recalled that at her old school in Hong Kong was guarded with metal gates, and school officials would guard the gates and check with each visitor before any visitor can enter the school.

“Our school was very safe because no strangers were really allowed in,” Lee said.

However, Palo Alto superintendent Kevin Skelly believed that

See CODE RED, A3

New budget gives Palo Alto schools increased funding Charlotte Barry senior staff writer

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ast week, California Governor Jerry Brown announced the new 2013-2014 state budget plan, which will be giving more money towards education. Much of the additional funding comes from Proposition 30, which the PAUSD Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Council and Board of Education were split between, with Proposition 38 this past Nov.

In Nov., the PTA and board agreed on Proposition 38, however the board agreed to support both propositions because they were unsure whether both were going to pass.

However, last week, Brown announced the new state budget, which favored Proposition 30.

“If Prop 30 had not passed, we would have had $5.4 million less in state revenue,” PAUSD board member Camille Townsend said. “[The PAUSD board] has a process for placing the additional funds and a

recommendation will come from the staff in the April/May 2013 timeline.”

The PAUSD board members are soliciting input from principals, teachers, and other staff employees, as well as students, to create even better academic programs for all the Palo Alto schools.

According to a state press release, the governor’s budget proposal says that the budget will increase by $2.7 billion for K-12 schools and community colleges in California; the state funding per student in K-12 schools will increase by $2,700

by the 2016-17 school year. Even though the budget is increasing for education funds, schools with students whose parents earn low incomes and where English is their second language.

“The reality is that California does not overspend on any of its students,” Townsend said. “To the extent that additional funds can be allocated to help students with additional challenges, we are all supportive and Proposition 30 helps with this.”

See FUNDING, A3

Student survey reveals preference for final exams before break

80 percent of sophomore, junior and senior prefer not to return to the old calendar.

Hillel zand staff writer

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hen the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education passed a new calendar on May 10, 2011 that placed finals prior to winter break, the question that arose was whether or not the decision would pay off.

The board passed the proposed calendar, which took effect this school year and will be in place for at least the 2013-2014 school year as well, after heated debates with a 3-2 vote.

PAUSD Superintendent Kevin Skelly first proposed the idea of a revised calendar in Sept. 2010, with the hope that it would alleviate student stress. Halfway through its first year of being implemented, the effects of the new calendar can already be seen.

“I love the new calendar,” Henry M. Gunn High School junior David Patou said. “It sucked that we had a shorter summer but it’s worth it in the long run. Winter break would’ve been hell without the calendar change.”

An online survey of 100 Paly students conducted by The Campanile

See SCHEDULE CHANGE, A6

INSIDE News.....................................A1-A4 ASB Post......................................A5 Spotlight.................................A6-A7 Opinion............................A8-A12 Lifestyle....................................B1 College.................................B2 Student Life.................................B3 Music..........................................B5 Entertainment..........................B6 Food....................................B7-B8 Sports...................................C1-C8

RODASABRAO/Creative Commons

News

NRA/Creative Commons

OPINION

New noms

Takin’ Shots

Student organized salad bar in

A response to gun control

the student center.

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advocates.

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Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

A2 NEWS

New Palo Alto housing law takes effect which promotes lower prices for construction of houses in Palo Alto to aid people who are in poverty.

In recent years, the city has been applying the densitybonus law to try to create more affordable houses.

Local residents Eden Housing and Harold Hohbach are two examples of developers who are attempting to create more affordable houses.

Jensen Hsiao/The Campanile

The new Palo Alto housing law offers opportunity for a diversification of Palo Alto by creating more affordable housing.

john Young staff writer

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ith the changes in the state law encouraging more affordable housing, Palo

Alto is also considering to revise their local law to help bring in better-market-rate houses in Palo Alto.

The city’s Planning and Transportation Commission is scheduled to meet on Wednesday evening, Jan. 9 to discuss the density bonus law

There has been a proposed regulation in order to bring the local city law closer to the Senate Bill 1818, a law that helped bring more affordable housing.

In recent years, the city has been applying the density-bonus law to try to create more affordable houses.

Local residents Eden Housing and Harold Hohbach are two examples of developers who are attempting to create more affordable houses.

Housing has been developing in an Alma Street project that will make the density of houses bigger than what is normally allowed. Hohbach

had also requested adjustments in maximizing the density limit to provide more affordable-housing units than the city requires.

Ever since the law started in 2004, developers have been allowed to request a 35 percent density bonus, compared to 20 percent before. The law has also allowed for the bonuses to be more lenient, as they would provide up to three provisions of affordable housings.

Palo Alto actually has already developed its own Below Market Rate program. This program requires developers to supply 15 percent of their residential projects for affordable housing. Because of the new city law, a developer must achieve BMR requirement.

This requirement must be obtained before receiving any density-bonus credit for additional affordable housing. The regulation would allow developers to request a density bonus of up to 35 percent.

The bonus depends on the requirements of affordable housing.

The Planning and Transportation Commission meeting began at 6 p.m.

Wednesday in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 250 Hamilton Ave.

California birth rates reach historic low

ELIZABETH BOWMAN business manager

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irth rates in California have reached an all time low since the Great Depression, posing a problem as many baby boomers reach retirement, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

“After decades of burgeoning population and economic growth... the state now faces a very different prospect,” a report by the University of Southern California (USC) and the Lucile Packard Foundation said.

This downward trend can be attributed partially to the recent economic recession, which has greatly lowered birth rates of immigrant groups, as stated by the Pew Research Center, by reducing the certainty and security of young families’ futures.

In addition, immigration itself is on the decline, especially from Mexico, the biggest source of newcomers in the U.S. Immigration has been a major factor in keeping U.S. fertility around replacement level, according to WSJ, and a decline in immigrant births can have a greater effect on overall birth rates. Although immigrants do not make up a large proportion of the population, immigrant women are more likely than others to start having children in their prime childbearing years.

“Immigrants have shaped [population] patterns recently by driving down births, and in the long term by offsetting declines in births to women born in the U.S.,” D’Vera Cohn said, co-author of the Pew report, on WSJ. Other factors that may be causing a decline in birthrates are an increase in women’s employment and the average

age of marriage, according to the WSJ. Sexual education and access to contraception has driven down childbearing, with teen birthrates reaching their lowest recorded level in 2010. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fewer teens also reported having sexual intercourse than in the past.

staff writer

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ver 500 condoms have been distributed on campus since the beginning of the new semester, according to senior Eyra Dordi.

The Developmental Assets Club has set out six baskets around campus, in the silent study room, library, health office, guidance office and two Living Skills classrooms. The box in the library is the most anonymous so more people have taken condoms from that box, according to Dordi.

Seniors Dordi, Jace Jamason and Claire Marchon created the club to further the mental and physical health of Paly students and the community by making students aware of their options and providing them with the tools necessary to make smart and healthy decisions.

Planned Parenthood donated the first 1,000 condoms and will provide more for $100 per 1,000. The club will have to raise funds to make additional purchases. Dordi wanted

Albert Lee Will mendenhall staff writers

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SB recently embarked on the task of bringing multiple student local bands to come play on campus.

Goodnight Argent and Social Studies have already played at Paly.

ASB plans to bring more student bands to Paly to play once a week on Fridays.

ASB is also working on Prom night, scouting what foods and decorations to use Valentines movie night is a new addition to Paly. Proposed by senior class vice president Josh Stabinsky, the night will feature the movie “500 Days of Summer” in the library.

On Jan. 31, there will also be a Winter rally in the Big Gym. Organized by Spirit Commissioner Sophie Parker, the event will pit staff against students in an intense basketball game. The staff versus student basketball game is an annual tradition held at Paly.

Club Day is also coming up on Feb. 8. This day is designed for new clubs. Old clubs which have already turned in their club applications do not have to resubmit an application.

School Board Update Daniel Tachna-fram staff writer

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Immigrants have shaped [population] patterns recently by driving down births, and in the long term by offsetting declines in births to women born in the U.S. D’Vera Cohn Co-Author of the Pew Report

The average number of children per women, has dropped to 1.9, under the 2.1 rate replacement level requirement, which may cause a “massive replacement problem statewide,” according to Dowell Meyers, a USC populations projections demographer in WSJ. In the long term, when the baby boom population grows old, there will be proportionately more elderly and fewer young to provide for their retirement, a problem in Japan and some European countries.

This will likely put pressure on the economy in the coming years and be accompanied by an increase in younger workers’ employment rate as well as hours worked, according to Pew. As baby boomers retire, their access to Social Security and Medicare will decrease.

Before, according to The Futurist, children made up one-third of the California population, but soon, they

Janineomg/creative commons

Pregnancy is dropping in America, resulting in declining birth rates.

will account for one-fifth as those are aging. According to Stephen Levy, direction for the Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy, state investments in the education system will be important to meet labor-force needs and prevent an economic contraction.

In total, birth rates in California have decreased about 12 babies per 1,000 women since 1995, according to the California Department of Public Health. Although the birth rate in the Bay Area is higher than the California average, especially in

Santa Clara, the birth rate in San Francisco is much lower.

According to Hans Johnson, a demographer at the Public Policy Institute of California, this trend is occurring because most couples move out of the suburbs and into the cities to raise their kids.

In addition, a large portion of San Francisco’s population is Asian, a group that statistically has lower birthrates. Of all the counties in the Bay Area, Santa Clara is in the lead for the highest number of births per woman.

to have free protection in convenient locations for the safety of her friends and peers.

I knew there were a lot of people at Paly having unprotected sex, and there were people I knew getting into trouble because of it, both in terms of unwanted pregnancy and [sexually transmitted diseases].We’re not advocating for students to have sex, we’re advocating for those students who choose to be sexually active to be as safe as they can be, and to keep the Paly community healthy.

Eyra Dordi Senior

“I knew there were a lot of people at Paly having unprotected sex, and there were people I knew getting into trouble because of it, both in terms of unwanted pregnancy and [sexually transmitted diseases],” Dordi said.

“We’re not advocating for students to have sex, we’re advocating for those

students who choose to be sexually active to be as safe as they can be, and to keep the Paly community healthy.”

According to the 2011 study Developmental Assets: A Profile of Your Youth, a 2009 survey of 1,218 Paly students found that 17 percent were sexually active.

This includes 30 percent of seniors, 21 percent of juniors, 13 percent of sophomores and eight percent of freshmen, split fairly evenly between males and females.

Of that group, 58 percent claimed to always use birth control and 24 percent said that they never use birth control. 30 percent of sexually active boys claimed they never used birth control, while only 16 percent of sexually active girls made the same claim.

Students seem to appreciate the availability of free condoms at school.

“Having an unlimited supply [of condoms] near me all the time is really helpful and an extra incentive to use protection,” an anonymous student said.“Having an unlimited supply [of condoms] near me all the time is really helpful and an extra incentive to use protection.”

he Palo Alto School Board began their Dec. 18 meeting on a solemn note. School Board President Melissa Baten-Caswell asked for a moment of silence in acknowledgment of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Once the meeting began board members noted and expressed surprise that students enrolled in the Ohlone Elementary School, one of the choice programs offered by PAUSD, are largely concentrated in the neighborhood nearby the school.

By contrast, students enrolled in the Mandarin and Spanish immersion programs are distributed much farther away from the two programs’ respective locations.

The meeting concluded with board members discussing how to increase middle school capacity to deal with increased enrollment.

Possible solutions include opening a fourth middle school or expanding Palo Alto’s three current middle schools; however, concern was raised that simply expanding current locations could impact popular elective availability at the schools.

A possible short term solution could be using Cubberly as a temporary fourth middle school because data indicates that it will not be needed as a high school until 2021.

Superintendent Kevin Skelly said that he would like to revisit the issue at a later date when more information is available.

UPCOMING EVENTs

Free condoms now available on campus Galen Byrd

ASB Update

Jan

Winter rally

Feb

CLUB DAY 2

Feb

PALY BLOOD DRIVE

Feb

CHOIR POPS CONCERT

Feb

VALENTINE’S DAY

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12 13 14

The staff vs. senior basketball league is slated to end its lockout and return!

Are you a caveman? Come and grab your favorite club!

Have a heart and give some blood!

Sorry, only the choir gets to sing. Please turn all cell phones and voices off.

Valentines can be bought with one bar of chocolate and a dozen roses.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

Drills to be instated within near future CODE RED, continued from A1

bringing armed guards onto the campus is not very feasible in Palo Alto.

Even locking doors or turning off classroom lights would not be able to prevent a gunman from breaking down and entering classrooms. Other schools around the Bay Area believe lockdowns and better training of kids to hide from people would preserve the safety of students and staff.

Although such incidents are rare, Skelly wants to ensure a safe learning environment and community for Palo Alto families and students.

“In a free and open society, we want to have schools that are open places that invite community,” Skelly said to East County Times.

In order to ensure a safe community for students and families alike, Skelly will revisit the district’s current security system.

“We have signals that we use over the PA system,” Skelly explains to KQED, “that alert staff to what’s going on and they have protocols that they do in the classroom to create as safe an environment as you possibly could.”

Skelly is looking into the Sandy Hook incident to see if there is anything that he can learn from the shooting that would help increase security for Palo Alto students.

Palo Alto implements code red drills at middle schools, but the School Board will also implement the drills in high schools and elementary schools to prepare students for any potential incidents that can occur at any time and place.

Junior Alex Touloukian recalls a code red drill at Jordan Middle School, when the principal would set aside certain days for code red drills to prepare students in any situation.

Students and teachers would be in their classrooms, and an announcement would initiate the drill. Students

and teachers were given half an hour to work together to cover windows, block doors and windows with desks and chairs and prepare fire extinguishers and flashlights just as if it were a real incident.

Teachers and policemen would then proceed through the halls, as if they were the gunmen themselves, and would check each classroom to make sure that the room was locked, blocked and silent. These drills would occur two to three times a year to ensure that students did not forget how to work quickly and efficiently in case a real catastrophe occurs at the school.

“At Jordan, we would always have these code red drills to prepare students for any given situation,” Touloukian said, “I think these drills were really effective in preparing students, and all schools throughout the country should start code red drills in their schools to prepare for any incident like the one at Taft High School and Sandy Hooks Elementary School.”

Moreover, Leung believes that elementary, middle and high schools in Palo Alto should all take a day or two dedicated to educating students and staff on how to prepare for any given catastrophe.

Although these types of incidents may not be preventable or predictable, students believe that by educating students at schools to prepare for any given catastrophes.

“I think with the new gun laws enforced in California, better preparations, like code red drills and giving seminars to prepare staff, students and staff will be able to defend themselves and others in any dangerous situation,” junior Victoria Kyone said.

California needs to implement code red drills in all schools in order to minimize gun violence and prepare students and staff for any future catastrophes.

PAUSD talks to expand Terman Middle School BOWMAN, continued from A1

In Sept. of 2012, the School Board authorized the search of a location for a fourth middle school. However, expanding Terman through the Bowman campus could potentially allow “comparable educational offerings at all three existing schools while saving in excess of $1 million in annual operating costs when compared to the operational overhead associated with a new fourth middle school,” according to a memo Superintendent Skelly wrote to the school board on Jan. 15.

However, given current enrollment growth projections, purchasing Bowman would only be a short term solution.

“Someone on the board said that eventually we will have to have the fourth middle school, but this is a good temporary solution,” Villanueva said.

Leadership members at the Bowman International School are looking into a new site that would better accommodate their growth, specifically of their arts and athletics programs. PAUSD previously owned the Bowman property, according to Vice Principal Jerry Berkson.

Prop 30 grants PAUSD more funding FUNDING, continued from A1

Not only will schools in Palo Alto benefit from the new state budget plan, but schools within East Palo Alto will benefit from the additional funds that will be given out.

As David Plank, Professor at Stanford’s School of Education and executive director of Policy Analysis for California Education, said to the Stanford Daily, “this is a system that’s designed to help East Palo Alto, ultimately at the expense of Palo Alto, in the sense that some of the money that Palo Alto gets will go to East Palo Alto.”

However, there are many oppositions towards this new state budget plan. Electives, such as art and choir, are funded directly by the state. In the future, about 56 of these type of programs may be eliminated; PAUSD could eliminate these electives very quickly which is scaring many, especially in the Art Department, because there is no specific funding for arts education.

Senior Erin Riley, a Paly art student, believes everyone should have the equal opportunity to express themselves in any way, shape or form; if students can show talent in math or

science, why can’t students show talent in art?

“Art expression for a lot of people, including myself, is a way of dealing, feeling and coping with personal, social and political issues,” Riley said.

“Students should be encouraged to have the chance to be supported in any way possible. This is why there should be more support and room for funds for the arts.”

According to Townsend, the PAUSD board is hoping to fix the large class sizes, with the additional money that will be given in the 201314 school year.

Principal Phil Winston agrees with this plan and will use the money wisely. The PAUSD board has already started to think of ways to use the additional funds that will be given to the Palo Alto schools.

“I think it is a great idea in theory and I am excited to see how it is implemented,” Winston said. “The district has started a process to determine the best use of the money.”

This new state budget plan for the 2013-2014 school year will change the way in which schools in California will be allocating their money towards and hopefully use the funding efficiently in their various programs.

NEWS

A3

New mayor assumes office

Newly elected mayor of Palo Alto, Greg Scharff discusses his plans for various changes and expansions for Palo Alto. blake smith lily zhang staff writers

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t was a tearful and emotional farewell for the former mayor and vice mayor of Palo Alto, but the meeting ended with the Palo Alto City Council unanimously choosing to bump up former Vice Mayor Greg Scharff to the new position of Mayor and Nancy Sheperd to the new position of Vice Mayor.

According to Palo Alto Online, the decision for Scharff was already predicted as city tradition pertains that the former Vice Mayor is usually promoted to the top of the council the subsequent year.

However for Sheperd who ran against Councilwoman Karen Holman, the vote was close, but Sheperd managed to close the vote with of a win of 6-3.

His work on council has been exceptional and I like how he terms this year as ‘Lucky 2013.’

Nancy Sheperd Vice Mayor

There are many renovations happening in Palo Alto this year. A bicycle path will be built, California Avenue will be renovated and space will be opened for retail downtown.

Mayor Scharff explained a new bicycle plan for the city.

“The Bicycle master plan is something that is going to get done this year,” Scharff said. “We got 10 million dollars from the county. The bike path is going to run right along Matedero creek and will connect the dish to El Camino. We are going to build a bike bridge across 101 too.

This project should be great.”

California Avenue is going to be under construction as it is changed from four lanes to two.

“This will make it more like Castro Street in some areas,” Scharff said.

“There will be a lot of outdoor seating. People will be able to sit outside on both sides of the street. There will be more benches, tables and it will be much more pedestrian friendly.”

Scharff plans to open up spaces for retail downtown.

“There is no shortage of businesses that want to be downtown,” Scharff said. “I think we should have more retail downtown. It not only generates revenue but it is a fun atmosphere. When you go downtown you don’t go there to look at office buildings you go downtown for the shops, stores and restaurants, that kind of stuff. We don’t get any money from the corporations that move into Palo Alto. Money in Palo Alto is generated from retail sales.”

The mayor also said decisions would be made about Cubberley.

“The city is talking to the school district this year,” Scharff said. “The city pays the school district roughly 7 million dollars per year and there are questions about if we should continue to pay that money.”

Scharff discusses the council’s position on school funds.

“Nobody thinks that we should be paying more money to PAUSD,” Scharff said. “The way the agreement works is that the city pays the school district to hold their property away from developers and to only build schools on the property. We are looking at that relationship and thinking about whether we should subsidize the school district or not.”

Scharff also addressed the installation of fiber optics.

“I think if its possible and if it makes economic sense we should do it,” Scharff said. “My gut sense says it makes sense and that we should do it.

Dark fiber ring, the current Palo Alto internet line has 25 million dollars in the bank. The question is not how we fund the installation of fiber optics, it is how can we make fiber be affordable for every Palo Alto citizen.”

Recently, the city’s worker’s retirement age went up from 55 to 60.

Scharff addresses why this change had to be made. Pension benefits and

health care are rising faster than our income. To be more efficient we have to figure out a way to curb their rise in price in order to balance out the disbursement.

The next step for the two new heads of the council is to continue to improve Palo Alto effectively.

Sheperd, who has been on the council since 2010, says the council is working to fix current issues the city is having and develop new projects “My primary role this year is to support the Mayor and council in focusing on the significant issues which will be defined at our retreat on Feb. 2,” Sheperd said. “Here are a few already on our agenda: rebuilding infrastructure, reducing parking problems in downtown neighborhoods, traffic, the environment and sustainability, focusing on youth well-being, emergency preparedness, commercial development and density, HSR and finances.”

Regarding Paly, Sheperd is actively working on engaging Paly and Gunn communities in developing a youth internship with Palo Alto’s Smart City Partner, Yangpu District in Shanghai, China. She and the Council want to create more business opportunities for students in Paly and Gunn.

“We are in discussions with two of our Research Park companies to develop programs and PTA Council is taking the lead in organizing a parent meeting to initiate this project,” Sheperd said. “Additionally I am working with the regional business collaborative, Bay Area Council, who has close ties with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s ‘100,000 Strong’ initiative to have 100,000 American youths to visit China. I would be proud to have students of Paly and Gunn as part of this program.”

Sheperd looks forward to working with her new partner and making necessary changes to the city.

“I am excited to work with Mayor Scharff,” Sherperd said. “We have an excellent working relationship and it will serve Palo Alto well. His work on council has been exceptional and I like how he terms this year as ‘Lucky 2013.’”

Palo Alto Fire Department sets goals for community New Palo Alto Fire Department Chief Nickel sworn in, hopes to improve community engagement through technology.

Jonathan Ziegler staff writer

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alo Alto’s Fire Chief Eric Nickel was sworn in at Palo Alto Elks Lodge on Jan. 17.

Nickel has been has acted as Chief since this November but was formally sworn in as Chief last week, according to Palo Alto Online.

Nickel never knew he wanted to be a firefighter, even after getting a business degree in college, but one summer he decided to do something rather life-saving, instead of crunching numbers at a desk, waiting for the day to end.

“I fought forest fires one summer and thought wow this is what I really want to do, and I realized I was really passionate about helping other people,” Nickel said.

Nickel then started working as a firefighter, and today he is a 25-yearold veteran and the Chief of the Palo Alto Fire Department. Upon taking office on Jan. 17, Nickel has set goals for himself and the Fire Department, which he hopes to fulfill from community engagement and improving technology.

However, due to the restraints of the economy, Nickel must work his goals and hopes around the budget that the city puts in place for him, as he describes any good fire chief knows how to balance a budget, while maintaining engagement with the community and an efficient staff.

“Having only been here for about two months [Nickel chuckles], I’m working with my staff, and again coming from the outside I’m new to the community,” Nickel said.

“But some of the initial goals for our

courtesy of Creative Commons

Chief Eric Nickel must maintain a good and motivated staff.

community are to really enhance our services to the community around what is the most common type of call which are Emergency Medical Calls and at the same time, bringing in the organization to the future of fire services. We deal with really tight budgets right now and there is very little opportunity for adding additional staff so trying to find new, really innovative and creative ways to use technology and the existing staff to deliver better levels of service for less money is really my big goal.”

In the past decade, medical calls rose from 2,742 in 2000 to 4,070, according to TriData and ICMA Center for Public Safety Excellence.

Nickel explains that medical calls being 60% of the Fire Department's calls is a result of a decrease in firefighting calls.

“Over the years for a variety of reasons both fires have decreased, whether it’s fire prevention codes that requires items like sprinklers in buildings, the way we build buildings, smoke detectors, those types of things have decreased the numbers of fires,” Nickel said. “Now while that is a really good thing because my goal would be to have zero fires ever, there is always going to be a fire. At the same time though, what is happened is our role of pre-hospital or medical providers has increased substantially.”

On any given day, Nickel has 29-31 personnel out on the field for a city that employs 120,000, so while

he would like to have extra personnel on the field, he recognizes that is not within the cities budget so instead, he tries to implement a combination of technology and a good relationship with the community.

“We maintain solid relationships with not only or public safety partners, but also with the community,” Nickel said. “My focus, and a reason why I think I was hired was because I wanted to bring a community focus to the fire department. We have to engage the community at all different levels and many different members of the community.”

Nickel recognizes that being a firefighter or a paramedic always has some sort of emotional impact that can change an individual greatly.

“We are humans at the core. We put on our gear and people sometimes put us up on pedestals or think that we are heros but we’re people just like everybody else,” Nickel said. “There is an emotional facet to this line of work, but you talk to any firefighter or paramedic out there who has been doing this line of work for a period of time and we’ve all had those very difficult calls. And for me personally, I have high school and teenage kids, the calls involving kids have always affected me the most.”

Palo Alto now looks forward to the coming years with Nickel as Chief, as well as to the progressive involvement of the Fire Department with the community.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

NEWS New salad bar in student center Top universities provides healthy lunch option seek low-income

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applicants Colleges continue to search for ways to increase socioeconomic diversity, including new admissions preferences and expanded financial-aid budgets. julia poppy social media editor

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anna mcgarrigle/the campanile

The new salad bar in the student center offers healthy alternatives, including olives, spinach and fresh corn.

heather Strathearn staff Writer

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hen senior Sasha Robinson first signed up for the Science Research Projects Honors class, she did not know that before the school year was over a salad bar would be added to the student center. This unique Paly course offers students the opportunity to participate in scientific research through working with a mentor from the scientific community.

In addition to keeping a journal of work, writing a scientific abstract along with a technical paper and giving an oral presentation, Robinson developed a project to change the Paly food system.

Having always been interested in nutrition, Robinson decided to tackle the Paly lunch program. Of course, this project was not easy, but Robinson was determined to make a change.

“I have always loved working out and I had friends with eating disorders,” Robinson said. “Health is a huge thing in my life, so I got into it and ran with it.”

Robinson started her project by working with Dr. Christopher Gardner, the director of nutrition and preventative research at Stanford University.

After months of work researching and conducting a survey with Paly

students, Robinson decided to try improving the school lunches served here at Paly.

Similar projects have been taken on by professionals like nutritionist Jamie Oliver and First Lady Michelle Obama, proving Robinson’s effort to be truly unique, considering her young age. In these previous projects, there were many obstacles with improving children’s health through lack of cooperation with the school districts and even the opposition from the students. “[The Los Angeles district] ran into the problem where they made healthier foods available—they took out the pizza and replaced it with quinoa salads and really yummy stuff—but the kids didn’t want it,” Robinson said. “So the kids were bringing junk food from home.”

Unlike the Los Angeles school district, Paly did not oppose the food reform; however, that does not mean the process was easy. After meeting with Principal Phil Winston, Robinson contacted the lunch ladies and the district.

Robinson then collaborated with both the lunch ladies and a district worker to discuss a plan on improving the lunch system and deciding how it would be implemented. These steps, however simple they may sound on paper in comparison to the uncompromising LA district were, in reality, very time consuming to execute.

“It took a long time to get everything going and to get everything okayed by the district,” Robinson said.

At Paly, although many of the problems are similar to those encountered in reforming the food system in the LA district, they are not the same.

Unlike many other schools, Paly’s open campus allows for students to eat at Town and Country Village or bring food from home if they choose not to eat from the student center.

The focus at Paly is on giving healthier and more diverse options to the students on the prepaid lunch program.

“It gives options for vegetarians and is nice if you have allergies,” Robinson said.

In order to cater to students’ preferences there is a suggestion box near the salad bar for those eager for a change or unsatisfied. Robinson hopes to rotate through the suggestions in an attempt to please everyone.

In addition to having a suggestion box, Robinson hopes to add a sandwich bar to the student center.

“They have [a sandwich bar] at [Henry M. Gunn High School], with different breads and deli meats and cheese,” Robinson said. “I am hoping to continue to make changes for a better lunch system.”

According to Robinson, the positive changes in Paly’s food system are not yet complete and the student center will continue to evolve.

he price tag of elite universities has changed—for low income families, at least. Not only have many of these universities reduced tuition, but they have also completely waved student tuition in certain cases. But why?

“Administrators at top schools such as Harvard and Stanford will try hard to find talented high school students from poor families in a push to increase the socioeconomic diversity on campus and to counter the growing concern that highly selective colleges cater mainly to students from privileged backgrounds,” National Public Radio (NPR) correspondent Shankar Vedantam said.

Seven states have provided new admissions preferences to low-income and working-class students of all races.

Richard Kahlenberg Senior fellow of the Century Foundation

Talented students from families earning under $40,000 a year are subject to receiving a four year education from these schools, essentially for free. However numerous high achieving students — who would be eligible for a tuition decrease and a high chance of admittance to an elite university — do not apply to top schools.

“Without mentors and academically talented peers, [Stanford University economist Caroline] Hoxby says, many of these students fail to apply to schools that can offer them a premium education free of charge,” Vedantam said. “And because the students are widely dispersed across the 42,000 high schools

in the country, college recruiters have a hard time finding them.”

According to senior fellow of the Century Foundation Richard Kahlenberg, states have passed legislation in hoped of increasing socioeconomic diversity.

“Six states have spent money to create new partnerships with disadvantaged schools to improve the pipeline of low-income and minority students,” Kahlenberg said. “Seven states have provided new admissions preferences to low-income students of all races. Eight have expanded financial-aid budgets to support the needs of economically disadvantaged students.”

Even though these measures may seem similar to affirmative action, in some cases they work more effectively.

“In three states, individual universities have dropped legacy preferences for the generally privileged—and disproportionately white—children of alumni,” Kahlenberg said. “In three states, colleges created policies to admit students who graduated at the top of their high-school classes, thereby granting access to students from low-income schools that had little history of sending graduates to selective colleges when racial affirmative action was in place.”

Despite all of the effort to increase the number of college applicants from low-income families, the majority of elite universities are comprised of students from middle and upper class.

“Elite Ivy League schools have countered this by offering essentially free tuition to students with family income below $50,000 — at Yale, the average aid for the 57 percent of students who qualified was $38,900 last year — but their enrollments are still largely from the middle and upper classes,” Forbes staff member Daniel Fisher said.

The notion that college applicants from poor families do not make a bigger percentage of college campuses due to merit is false. Talented students who are socioeconomically challenged sometimes do not even apply to elite universities. Under these circumstances, top universities continue to search for ways to increase socioeconomic diversity.

College scholarship opportunities easily accessible for seniors Emily rosenthal senior staff writer

W

ith all the stress of applying to college, many students forget they will soon have to be paying for that hardearned education. Though many colleges offer their own merit and need-based scholarships, there are also various external companies students can use when looking for merit scholarships.

Students can find many scholarship opportunities on the Naviance website, one of the most easily accessible sources Paly students can use to search for scholarships. Through the national scholarship search tool on Naviance, students can access the Sallie Mae Fund, part of the SLM Corporation, which helps students find scholarships. After entering information about activities and academic interests, they are matched with scholarships not affiliated with certain schools.

Many of these scholarships are aimed at low-income students, so it may take some searching to find an appropriate grant. Students can also use Scholarship Match on Naviance, which shows students scholarships they may qualify for based on GPA. However, college and career counselor Sandra Cernobori pointed out there are better options.

“Because Naviance only has GPA and test scores, I’m not sure how useful that is,” Cernobori said. “What is very useful is the scholarship list.”

The list consists of all the scholarships entered by Paly, some of which are school-specific and some of which are more general. Both needbased and merit-based are included

and columns on the side indicate if there is an essay requirement or community service requirement, making it easy to sort through the various options. The list, which is updated weekly, can be sorted by clicking on the columns showing amount, needbased or merit, and deadline, or with a drop-down menu that shows scholarships for particular activities such as art or music.

“When you click on the hyperlink it will give you a brief synopsis of the scholarship and bring you to the website, where you can to apply for the scholarships,” Cernobori said.

“Your odds of the regional ones [in the Scholarship List] are better than doing a national search.”

Cernobori strongly suggests looking at local scholarships, as students have a greater chance of receiving these awards.

“Tapping into your local resources can be useful,” Cernobori said. “What

Your odds of the regional ones [in the Scholarship List] are better than doing a national search.

Sandra Cernobori College and Career Counselor

I mean by that is everything from cultural and religious organizations, to parent’s employers, places where you volunteered, or other organizations you have been involved in, like the Boy Scouts.”

On the Paly website, under colleges, there are lists of other internet search engines to use and a link to the Community Scholarship Application.

The application is a short, two page form that students fill out and turn in to the College and Career Center to

match them with local scholarships.

“Some of those sponsors are community based, like the Palo Alto Weekly, others are memorial scholarships that families have set up for people who used to work here— there’s a whole host of things in the pool,” Cernobori said.

The Scholarships Committee both decides who will receive the scholarships and nominates students who applied for scholarships, working from February through April.

In addition to merit-based scholarships there are also need-based ones included in the Community Scholarships Application, though these require more forms.

“Students who want to apply for need based do need to fill out some financial information from your family, fill the FAFSA and attach the submission page so I know you actually filed it.” Cernobori said. “But if you’re looking for need-based scholarships you should be applying for need based financial aid so you’ll be filing the FAFSA anyway.”

Another popular place to look for scholarship opportunities is StudentScholarships.org, a website that lists different contests, grants and scholarships.

The list is regularly updated, and the page for each opportunity shows the eligibility requirements, a brief description of the contest or scholarship, and where to find additional information and the application form.

Though many students are dismayed by all the testing fees that go to the College Board, the organization has a surprisingly thorough scholarship search program.

The list is updated monthly, contains a wide variety of options and is more reliable.

The Campanile

A5

SPONSORED PAGE

Friday, January 25, 2013

THE ASB POST

The Official Newsletter of the Palo Alto High School Associated Student Body ASB’s theme this year is “Integration and Inclusion.” Our main goals this year are to: a) increase ASB’s involvement in all student activities and b) ensure that the student body always knows what ASB is doing. We hope to achieve these goals by boosting publicity and making it more effective. We want to strengthen the communication with the student body and enact more ASB events and activities on campus geared towards improving student life. For anyone seeking the latest updates about ASB, make sure to visit our website (https://sites.google.com/site/pahsasb/), Facebook page (https:// www.facebook.com/#!/palyasb), and Twitter account (https://twitter.com/palyasb). ASB wants to remind students that anyone can approach an ASB officer, email Mr. Hall, request a private appointment with ASB or drop in suggestions through Formspring (http://www.formspring.me/PalyASB) and our ASB Comments box outside the SAO.

Current Events

SOPHIE PARKER/THE CAMPANILE

ASB’S MONTH OF MUSIC: BANDS AT PALY

ASB has been focusing on bringing more -- and new -- music to the quad through outside bands, such as Social Studies and Goodnight Argent! This semester, student bands will also be performing in the quad, so make sure to come out at lunch and enjoy the free show.

WINTER RALLY

ASB CLUB VISITS

ASB officers have started to go around and visit first semester clubs in order to increase communication and make sure each club has the help it needs. Club visits will continue throughout second semester, so feel free to approach ASB officers with questions concerning club support, publicity and events!

The band Goodnight Argent came to Paly on Friday Jan. 18th and performed at lunch for students. (Right) ASB President Jessica Tam gathers with the band after their performance.

SOPHIE PARKER/THE CAMPANILE

SSRC REDESIGNING COMMITTEE

One big project ASB is excited about working on is a revamped Social Studies Resource Center. We are turning it into a student lounge complete with posters, couches and tables. It will be a place for students to relax during preps or lunches to hang out, talk, and eat!

Upcoming events

Spirit Commissioners Emma Ketchum and Sophie Parker are currently planning the annual Staff vs. Student basketball game/ Winter Rally, which will take place January 31st in the big gym.

Both teams have been selected, with Annie Susco and Aldis Petriceks as the student coaches, and Aubrey Dawkins as student referee. Eric Bloom will act as the staff ref. Cheer, band, and Paly Dance will be performing as well--you won’t want to miss out!

PROM PROMO VIDEO

Excited for Prom 2013? The promotion video, which will reveal this year’s prom location and theme, is set to release in mid-February!

CLUB DAY 2

ASB will be hosting the second annual Club Day 2 on February 8th. Although lunch will not be extended, make sure to come out and see both new and old clubs on the quad! This will be a great time to re-join former clubs or increase publicity for your own. If you are interested in chartering a new club second semester, turn in your complete applications by Tuesday, January 29th.

VALENTINE’S DAY MOVIE NIGHT

ASB will be hosting a special Valentine’s Day movie night on February 14th in the library. We’ll be playing the movie (500) Days of Summer and admission will be FREE. Please bring money for snacks and drinks, and invite all your friends!

SOPHIE PARKER/THE CAMPANILE

Friday, January 25, 2013

A6

The Campanile

SPOTLIGHT

student schedule survey continued from a1 would rather keep the new calendar system in place than revert back to the previous schedule.

English teacher Kirk Hinton also supports the new calendar. As a high school student, he took finals after winter break as a freshman and sophomore and before break as a junior and senior. He found the latter testing schedule much more beneficial, adding, “It’s well worth having finals before break.”

However, the new schedule also brought new challenges. In the same survey, 44 percent of students found that pre-finals review days last year were more helpful than this year’s review days and 29 percent believed that review days were never helpful.

AP U.S. History teacher Jack Bungarden, who was one of the teachers to speak out against the proposed calendar at School Board meetings, believes that the district has “taken what is stressful and moved things around.”

Bungarden added that the notion of Dead Week, or the week when teachers are supposed to not introduce new material so students can begin studying, has failed. In his mind, there are still issues regarding having to do homework over break that is due the first week back.

In addition, Bungarden was surprised that the transition between the two school calendars was more controversial than the transition when Paly implemented a new block bell schedule in fall 2011.

The general consensus among students, however, is that the trade-off for having finals before break but not having as helpful review days, was worth it.

“Although there was definitely less review time in class, which was difficult and frustrating. It was really nice to not have finals hanging over my head during break,” sophomore Chloe Fishman said.

Another issue that has arose as a result of the new calendar is that it has increased student anxiety about first semester grades over the break. Many students nervously wait for their final grades to be posted online, but to no avail. Instead of waiting a weekend or maybe a week like they did during previous years, students now must wait for two weeks or more to find out their performance on finals.

Principal Phil Winston acknowledged that changing the calendar was a “calculated risk,” but believes that it will take time for the school and the district to fix the problems that have arisen as a result of the calendar transition.

“The first time through any change is hard,” Winston said. “And we’ll have to do it a couple of times to get a better understanding and we’ll have to make some adjustments. For example, I sent an email to staff that said ‘You do not have to do grades over break, don’t feel obligated to do them.’”

Hinton, however, finds no merit in the argument that the calendar has spurred grade anxiety over vacation.

“Honestly I don’t know why there’s so much anxiety around [grades],” Hinton said. “Because after the semester’s over, there’s nothing you can do as a student to change

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what your grade is. So your grade has already been determined, it just hasn’t been recorded yet.”

In our survey, 61 percent of students felt stressed about the result of their final grade during winter break, but 81 percent still believed that this year’s break was easier to enjoy than that of last year.

A concern entering the first year of the new calendar system was how it would affect seniors, specifically those applying Early Action (EA) or Early Decision (ED).

Most of those who applied early to their college of choice received admission decisions either the week before or the week of finals.

“I don’t imagine that [the new calendar] helped [seniors who applied early],” Bungarden said. “But I’m not sold on the idea that it necessarily hurt. I’m guessing that if you applied EA or ED somewhere and you got in, you feel really energized and happy.”

Hinton echoed Bungarden’s view, saying that the impact of admission decisions should be a non-issue.

“I understand seniors feeling a kind of time crunch with college apps,” Hinton said. “However I think that can really be alleviated by managing your time well earlier in the semester and not slacking off.”

Of the 33 seniors that partook in the Campanile’s survey, 69 percent of those that applied regular decision believe that the former schedule would not have helped them any more than the new schedule did.

Another important issue that has arisen from the calendar debate is the board’s motive for implementing a new calendar.

A presentation given at the Nov. 9, 2010 school board meeting compared PAUSD’s calendar to those of nearby districts. A chart showed five nearby school districts have pre-break finals and during the 2010-2011 school year, PAUSD was the only district on the chart with an equal number of school days per semester (90) and post-break finals.

“It seems a lot of policy gets waged in this district based on anecdotes, which seems to be boiled down to ‘Other districts have done it. They haven’t gone back. It must be okay,’” Bungarden said.

At the April 24, 2012 School Board meeting, nearly a year after the ratification of the new calendar schedule, Dr. Michael Milliken, PAUSD’s Director of Secondary Education, laid out plans for calendar transition for the coming fall.

He noted that “39 of 46 Santa Clara County public high schools have semester breaks similar to PAUSD’s new calendar.”

Milliken said at the time that teachers were confident that they could adjust the workload and curriculum to match the uneven semester schedule.

During the months leading up to the May 2011 vote, parents, students and teachers alike spoke out for and against the new calendar. At the May 10, 2011 meeting,

over 40 parents and students spoke out against the proposed calendar that included an earlier start date of school and pre-break finals. Only a handful demonstrated support for the calendar.

Over six months later at a November 2011 board meeting, over 20 parents asked the board to freeze the plan of implementing the new calendar for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years.

They cited student stress and a lack of student support as reasons to stop the change.

However, a 2010 survey of 200 PAUSD high school students showed that 83 percent were in favor of adopting the pre-break finals schedule. Parents at the meeting went as far as citing hotter classrooms earlier in August as a threat to students’ well-beings. The role that parents played in the calendar-changing process is still talked about, but Winston maintains that “[Student] input was considered, for sure.”

Fishman believes that the district and school board, “[need] to incorporate more students’ ideas and opinions into their decisions.”

Junior Jessica Feinberg agreed with Fishman’s stance.

“I think the parents had a bit too much say,” Feinberg said. “The people that the calendar specifically affects are the students and the teachers, and their voices should have been prioritized. The administration at most school systems wouldn’t even consider what the parents said.”

Feinberg is one of 20 students, parents and teachers that were appointed to a PAUSD calendar committee in fall 2012 to evaluate the effects of the new schedule.

According to Palo Alto Online, the committee will offer its suggestions to a separate committee of employee union representatives and district administrators, who will then draft a final recommendation for the school board as to whether or not change the calendar after the 2013-2014 school year.

“The role of the committee is to review previous calendar-related surveys, draft a new survey or multiple surveys if necessary, analyze the results of those surveys and draft a few calendar options that incorporate the findings of the surveys to give to the Board,” Feinberg said. “We are not in any way deciding the fate of the calendar.”

Milliken also stated in April 2012 that the district will evaluate the new calendar’s effects through student surveys and ongoing communication with students and staff.

While the immediate reaction from students appears to be that the new calendar has achieved everything that the School Board intended it to—less stress and a more relaxed winter break—only time will tell if the new schedule will win the hearts of the parents that opposed its implementation.

Aptly put by the presentation at the November 2010 School Board meeting: “No school calendar will meet all interests—however, the instruction of students needs to be at the forefront.”

student stats:

The Campanile conducted an online survey of 100 Paly students to f ind out how the new pre-winter break school calendar has affected.

Here’s what they had to say:

Were review days more helpful this year or last year? Review days were never helpful, last year this year both this year and last year 44% 27% 29% Did you feel stressed about f inals during winter break with the old schedule? yes 51% no 49%

Did you study during winter break when the old schedule was in place? yes 26%

no 74%

This year, did you feel stressed about the result of your f inals grade during winter break? yes 61%

no 39%

The Campanile

Friday, January 25, 2013

SPOTLIGHT

COOL OR DROOL? The campanile editors in-chief Nira Krasnow and Charlie Dulik duke it out on the pros and cons of the new school schedule

con

pro

W

ith college applications, worries about forthcoming acceptances and rejections, grade anxieties, loads of homework and finals to prepare for, the end of a senior’s first semester is bound to be ridden with some amount of stress. For many students, the combination of college and grade angst makes it among the most demanding periods of their high school careers. There is nothing teachers or the administration can do to eliminate all stress from this inherently taxing time. However, by initiating a calendar change that puts finals prior to winter break, the administration has demonstrated its dedication to reducing student stress, in this case, by creating a two-week period in which all students can be relieved of any school-related pressures at the end of a tiresome first semester. After the first year’s “trial run” of the calendar change, it is evident that the new policy has succeeded in many of its goals of lessening stress levels for Paly students by creating a more rejuvenating and relaxing winter break.

With the previous calendar in which finals were three weeks after winter break, many students chose not to utilize the break to study according to a recent poll conducted by The Campanile. However the stress of first semester grades and the forthcoming exams was there for students to mull over, making the time off significantly less relaxing than it is with the current calendar.

Many teachers prefer the new calendar as they have more time to finish grading final exams and first semester work. However, teachers are told to utilize the time off for relaxation, and not work, just as students are. In accordance with this, teachers are are not required to grade final exams and finalize students’ semester grades over the break since first semester grades are due more than a week after the start of second semester. The administration also implemented a policy in which students were not supposed to contact teachers over break regarding their grades, and some teachers even chose to make online grades unavailable during the break, as an attempt to alleviate stress about final grades for students as well as grading stress for teachers.

Although some students say that the fact that grades are not finalized before winter break creates anxiety regarding first semester grades during the time off, it is important to recognize the necessity for teachers to have a time free from work as well. In addition, the stress over first semester grades is not created by the calendar change: in past years students did not know their finalized grades over break and they also had finals to worry about. With the new calendar, a student’s grades are out of his or her hands by the time winter break arrives. While it would be ideal to know one’s grades before heading off for the holidays in order to be relieved of all mental stresses, the new calendar forces students to relax, at least physically, during break as there is literally nothing we can do about our grades during this time. Also the weeklong period following winter break prior to when final grades are due provides students with a time in which they can go over their final exams and grades with their teachers before grades become finalized. This relieves a certain amount of pressure for many students over break regarding final grades.

For seniors specifically, the issue of finals coinciding with college application deadlines was a main concern of the calendar change. Most students who had chosen to apply Early Decision or Early Action finished their early applications long before finals; however, most applicants who applied early received decisions from their colleges the week before finals. Some students complain that the stress of awaiting a decision from their school made studying for finals very difficult that week. But most students received decisions on or by the Friday before finals, and since final exams did not start until the following Wednesday, students had sufficient time to study for finals after hearing from their schools.

For students who applied Regular Decision (the regular application deadline tends to fall around Jan. 1 for most schools), the new calendar allotted a two-week period of time, free from school studies, that students could complete applications. The new calendar also made it much easier for students who had applications due later in January and in February, as they did not have to study for finals while worrying about applications as well.

Since all seniors have different situations regarding college applications, there is no one calendar that can eliminate stress for every single student.

However the new calendar creates a two-week period of stress-free bliss (at least regarding school matters). Students can choose to use the free time how they please, whether that means finishing college applications without the stress of school looming overhead or sitting in a beach in Mexico, revitalizing before another semester. There is not one student who does not benefit from that time.

T

he Palo Alto Unified School District’s (PAUSD) 2012-14 calendar aimed to be a silver bullet for student stress over winter break. The school board hoped to improve the school schedule by finishing first semester before winter break, instead of at the end of January, as previously done. This change was unnecessary, ineffective and brought about multitudes of other scheduling problems.

The whole premise of the change was flawed—what stress was there in the first place? With post-break finals, only a tiny percentage of students used winter break to do work, they were otherwise free of all stress.

“I never studied for finals with the old calendar, and I honestly don’t know anyone else who did,” senior Oren Carmeli said.

A counter-argument to that point is that this year, student stress was decreased because students were able to go into break with no more work hanging over their heads.

However, this argument makes the mistake of assuming all student stress comes from anticipation of future work. In reality, stress also comes from not knowing one’s grade—it’s all well and good to have taken finals, but the finals process is not over until one knows their final grade.

Since most grades were not finalized until Jan. 15, the date grades were due, students waited all of winter break and more to receive their grades, and hence to end some fraction of their stress.

Now, this appears to be a fundamental flaw in the new calendar. It is entirely unfair to impede on teachers’ breaks in order to have them finish grading finals, but without getting these final grades up before or during break, portions of student stress remains. So under the pre-break finals system, relieving student stress surrounding grades is a difficult task.

Also, a few year-long classes, like a section of AP English Literature and Composition, still had reading assigned over break. If work is the sole cause of stress, then there should be no work assigned over break (and no loopholes like having work be due the second day back from break.)

In addition to finals grades being posted in January and work still occurring over break, a host of other problems were created by switching to the new system.

First, in order to accommodate an entire semester before winter break, the two semesters were forced to be uneven. Even with pushing the start of school further into summer and the start of winter break back into late December, the first semester ended up being 86 days to the second semester’s 94. Scheduling finals before break necessarily spawns uneven semesters. The short first semester leads to such problems as content being cut by teachers and the learning process being abruptly truncated. Educational equality is also lessened—students taking a semester-long class in the first semester will now have a very different experience than students taking the same class second semester.

Because of the uneven semesters, there are less pre-finals review days first semester than second semester, and those review days are sandwiched into finals week.

Under the previous, post-break finals calendar, most students finished large unit tests before winter break, then after break had no major tests until finals (oftentimes new information was not given its own test, but rolled into the final exam.) Under the new calendar, many students spent the week before finals studying for big unit tests, only to have to spend the weekend cramming for finals.

Lastly, stress on college applicants. Though a district-wide calendar cannot be planned around a small contingent of students, such actions as aligning graduation requirements with UC/CSU A-G requirements have exhibited that PAUSD highly values sending students to college. The new calendar pushed together the college application process with unit tests and finals, creating a long string of extremely stressful weeks for many Early Decision/Early Action applicants.

Advocates of the new calendar say that having finals after break led students to forget information before finals, however, they forget that students had around three weeks post-break to reorient themselves with their classes and begin to study again before finals.

Placing finals before break did not solve the problem of student stress, if that was a real issue over winter break in the first place. The real issue lies with putting final grades online as quickly as possible and reducing work over break, and those issues were unresolved by the new calendar. The new calendar created more problems than it fixed, and as such, when creating the next two year calendar, the PAUSD School Board should revert back to post-winter break finals.

senior stats: did , A E / D E d e i l p If you ap lts u s e r n o i s i c e d stress about focus o t y t i l i b a impact your als? in f r o f g n i y d u on st

4%

yes 46% no 5

If you applied regular decision, do you think the old f inals schedule would decrease stress and improve your application process?

yes 31% no 69%

If you a decision pplied regular , fif inals did the timing of affect y our level re garding stress college y applicat our ions? y

es 47%

no 53%

A7

Friday, January 25, 2013

A8

The Campanile

OPINION

MICHAEL WANG/THE CAMPANILE

Michael wang Editor-in chief

D

emonize me now. Scorn me for not being like you.

Reject my ideas as narrow and backwards. It’s O.K., I’ve heard it all before. As a proponent for gun rights, right in the center of the Bay Area, it has always been hard for me to find friends on this issue.

But how, you may ask, can anyone support the right to bear weapons, and assault weapons at that? Especially in the wake of Aurora and Sandy Hook, anyone who still fights for gun rights must have a screw loose.

At one point, I used to think the same thing, but over the years, I’ve

year-old mind’s eye, I saw the range as full of tattooed Hell’s Angels and toothless rednecks, with beers and spittoons helter skelter amid smoking brass shells. What I saw in reality could not have been stranger.

Upon entering, I discovered the rangemaster was an older Asian man, and that the range was populated by all sorts of people—ordinary people. Female, male, black, white and everything in between were coexisting at the range. On the right was a Stanford professor, adjusting the sights to his AR-15. No yee-haw’s nor confederate flags were in sight. It struck me then, that gun owners are ordinary people.

The Background

And so my relationship with guns began. Progressing through my middle school and high school years I learned more about them and grew very familiar with firearms.

I discovered the firearm community through shooting at the range, going to gun shows and participating in the online forums, where people who shared my interest could come together and discuss the latest fire-

A common trait among pro-regulators is that they have little knowledge about guns, and in extreme cases, never handled a gun in their life. had some revelations that changed the way I think about guns and gun violence. My first realization came at the gun range, where gun owners go to practice their shooting not in anticipation of a communist takeover, but for sport.

As an impressionable youngster who had never even seen a gun before, I was nervous. In my 12

arm designs, models and accessories.

Never would anything like murder, violent rebellion or mass killing come up in the discussion.

To gun owners, firearms are an art, a culture, a job and a source of community, much like how football, or cars are to their devotees.

I can only imagine what kind of uproar would be had if the

government decided that football would be banned in schools on account for broken bones and brain damage, or automobiles, on account of damaging accidents.

Furthermore, guns are a social equalizer and the ultimate security against disaster. It’s hard to see that in Palo Alto, where each hedge is neatly trimmed, people are well kept and our infrastructure is stable, but in most other parts of the world, this is not the case.

In the event that one of our societal crutches fails, we are on our own.

The probability is low, but if something hits the fan, I would rather be able to protect my family than not.

Preparedness should not be confused with paranoia, and I believe it is this principle that the Second Amendment was founded upon, which is something we should be grateful for.

We not only have the right to act for ourselves, but we’ve been given the right and power to defend.

So, you can see why I would be against the government limiting my rights against certain firearms, but I believe all gun owners also understand the potential danger associated with gun use. We’re not turning a blind eye. The caveat is, gun users know a lot of things that pro-regulation voters do not.

The Problem

A common trait among proregulators is that they have little knowledge about guns, and in extreme cases, never handled a gun in their life.

Where, then, does their knowledge of guns come from? The media, which paints guns as agents of violence and mass killings. One only needs to watch any action movie trailer to get the full effect.

This lack of knowledge breeds ignorance, and causes people to back

legislation banning things they know nothing about. The end-product is a misguided bill, pushed by a misguided constituency, all ruled by a misguided media.

It’s a tragedy that the well-educated tends to back gun control, which is something few of them are educated about.

I encourage Paly, as the well-educated, to educate yourselves this time about the effects of gun control, as passed by other well-meaning people like yourselves.

A blanket law, such as the ones being pushed by Feinstein now, have already been proven to be ineffective.

Banning specific firearms will not

only serves to penalize the law-abiding gun community.

My Solution

A more realistic solution should center around high risk groups.

Studies have shown that a disproportionate amount of gun violence is linked to three groups: young males, drug users and those with mental incapacities.

Limitations should be passed for these groups, and no more for the others. Feinstein’s bill does nothing to even broach this subject, but it is exactly this that should be addressed.

Furthermore, gun education in schools would also help in bridging

Pro-regulators are taking an axe to an issue that requires a scalpel, and it’s something that gun owners have argued for ages. make them disappear, and will only keep them out of the hands of lawabiding citizens.

The previous Assault Weapons Ban of 1994, which expressly forbid high capacity magazines and the “notorious” AR-15 showed “no detectable change in criminal use following the ban,” as reported by a recent study by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Control.

California, which is famous for having some of the strictest gun control in the country (which includes prohibition of high capacity magazines), still ranks fourth out of all 50 states for gun violence per capita.

What the numbers show is that mass killers like Lanza, Loughner and Holmes will be able to get their “assault weapons,” whether or not they are legal.

The fact is that current gun legislation, no matter how well-intentioned, does not reduce gun violence, and

the gap between gun users and their current opponents.

With these facts in mind, it should be clear why I oppose the current push for gun legislation, and support the NRA’s lobbying efforts in Washington. Gun owners are not closemindedly favoring their beloved guns over innocent lives, as many may think.

It’s not that simple, but we know that what pro-regulators are pushing congress to do is misguided.

Pro-regulators are taking an axe to an issue that requires a scalpel, and it’s something that gun owners have argued for ages.

While people may disagree, I hope I can offer the perspective of the opposition, because I think we all share the same fundamental hope that fewer people may suffer from gun violence, however I believe the left should reevaluate what they’re pushing for, because it is just wrong.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

OPINION

A9

Ritzy international volunteer trips undermine effective overseas charities, local opportunities Short-term service trips are an inefficient use of resources and fail to create long-term benefits.

Claire Liu Staff Writer

E

ach year, thousands of high school students pack their bags and head off to impoverished overseas countries. They embark on what professes to be a foreign volunteer journey, where they will change the world, immerse themselves in another culture and bring home a heartwarming and exotic experience to add to their resumé.

One of many foreign service programs, the International Student Volunteers Organization, sells an 18-day trip to Costa Rica. The trip costs around $2,800, excluding airfare. The itinerary includes approximately nine days of volunteering, which consists of protecting endangered sea turtles, using creative arts to teach children, and participating in meaningful eco-activities.

After a little more than a week of volunteering, students take a rafting trip, stay overnight in a “jungle ecolodge powered by waterfalls,” soak in over 30 hot springs and spend a day of ziplining past waterfalls and horseback ride.

In reality, these volunteer trips are luxurious and unfocused tourist “service” fusions. They appear somewhat easy and extremely enjoyable, pulling the focus away from productive international service. There are many

volunteer options both at home and abroad that provide deeper meaning for the volunteer and greater assistance to those in need. Service opportunities such as Amigos de las Américas, One Dollar for Life and Peace Corps. are examples of effective and long-lasting volunteer initiatives.

Taken at face value, these international volunteer packages appear to be an impressive journey for a high school student to take. I too found myself interested in this type of “volunteer” opportunity.

However, refusing to so quickly dish out upwards of $3,000 on a summer excursion, I did some more thinking.

I concluded that these expensive, short term, overseas volunteer packages, specifically targeted at financially privileged teenagers, do not make too much sense as a productive way to serve the community.

If one truly wanted to improve the development of a less fortunate country, the act of sending the $3,000 could provide resources that would go directly to building structures or creating youth education programs.

This money could pay the locals themselves to, say, build homes or a school, thus promoting the area’s job market and families’ ability to practice self-sufficiency.

This financial point might be deemed “overly practical” and lacking the “culturally eye-opening aspect” by students and peers who have gone on such excursions, or hope to do so in the near future.

They may argue that simply sending money to a country overseas does not provide them the “cultural immersion” and “exotic adventure” they so desire. This is an excellent point and supports my other position. These kinds of trips should then be called “Cultural Immersion and Local Attraction Adventures,” and not volunteer service. Foreign projects that require long- term commitment, training and volunteers to live as the locals do, offer a higher level of cultural immersion than a costly two week tour will. These programs fail to establish a long-term connection between the volunteers and the communities they aid.

Courtesy of Krista Flagg

courtesy of Amigos de las Americas

Junior Noam Shemtov, along with teammates Sara Pilar Donovan and Sarah Elizabeht, play with a local kid in a small village in San Pedro Paraguay of the Amigos de Américas program.

Paly’s volunteer coordinator, Christina Owen, believes that many of these organizations are ultimately businesses and hope to attract more customers through mentions of community service. Owen knows of a few options that combine the sought-after foreign service work with sustainability and financial logic.

“Organizations such as One Dollar for Life and Amigos send students to overseas countries, immerse them in a foreign country, but also promote long term service,” Owen said. “Amigos, for example, requires volunteers to train for a whole school year learning about the program, and to take on community initiatives before sending them off. They offer a summer, semester or year long trip, which allows volunteers enough time to make a big impact on their own lives, as well as the community they are helping. Also, the kids stay with a local host family and live as locals do.”

Students also have numerous options, on the local level, to explore

different types of service and charities. Palo Alto and its neighboring cities face serious problems such as homelessness, poverty and support for at-risk children.

Senior Soo Song has volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula since her freshman year and feels thankful for her experiences “Working with the kids at the Boys and Girls Club shows me the huge differences in quality of education in communities near Palo Alto,” Song said. “I now realize how close to home these problems are.

The localness of the organization also creates opportunities for long term involvement. I have developed strong relationships with kids over the span of four years, and it’s amazing to see the impact of my work.”

Junior Taha Rafeeqi volunteers with InnVision at Palo Alto’s Opportunity Center, a local homeless shelter and low income housing mix behind Town and Country. He works with the kids program and says that

“giving back to the community he was raised in” is an extremely rewarding aspect of local volunteering.

It is true that volunteering at a charity a couple miles away cannot replace a cultural experience overseas; however, students should tap into the true essence of volunteering by sacrificing their time and energy in a manner that is meaningful, beneficial, and that truly aids those who need it most.

This service starts by researching and discovering foreign programs that provide sustainable service and use the money to help locals instead of funding a tourist adventure for the “volunteers.”

Additionally, students should take to mind that they can make international changes on a local level through drives and donations - an incredibly effective use of resources and money.

Lastly, an abundance of local volunteer opportunities gives students the chance to take on long-term initiatives to improve nearby problems.

People should put in effort to achieve New Year goals Setting and achieving goals in the new year can give people a sense of success once they reach their resolutions.

Angela Stern Staff Writer

W

ith every new year comes a new start, at least so we tell ourselves. Every time the ball drops in New York, people all over the world feel a sense of relief and of hope - relief for the end of the preceding year, and hope for a better one to come. And what better way to commemorate this time for change than to create essentially a to-do list for the upcoming year?

New Year’s resolutions fill people’s heads with hope that they have the power to make changes in themselves and their lives.

Regardless of how successful they were the past year, or past five, we all still believe this year will be different.

Somehow, despite all odds, this year will be the one we actually go through with our resolutions.

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What we choose to ignore in these first few weeks is the almost inevitable fact that we will sooner or later forget about or give up on our resolutions.

Sure, maybe we’ve stuck to them so far. Maybe you have made it out to the gym a lot, or not procrastinated on your homework for the first week, but how long do you really think you can keep this up?

Still, whether these incentives for hope last a few months or a few weeks (or a few days), it still is better than not making any effort whatsoever.

Others choose to be a bit more pessimistic about the situation. My sister, for instance, complains about the sudden splurge in gym memberships that come every January, which in turn means crowded parking lots.

These critics argue that New Year’s resolutions are just a waste of time and no lasting benefits will come of them?

Everyone should try to find a way to use this time for the best. For these next few weeks at least, set a goal and give it a shot. After all, why can’t this be the year we make a change?

Now, maybe I am under the spell of positivity the new year brings, but despite actual achievement of New Year’s resolutions, I believe this reason for hope is almost necessary. We are getting one step closer to our impending futures.

Yet, despite all of this, we find a way to take a positive spin on this. I think that this is something to take advantage of, not to criticize and doubt, and then forget or ignore.

Hope can be difficult to find for some people, so if for some reason they find a way to have some on Jan. 1, we should be happy for them. It is always better to have some progress than none at all.

It is time the critics step down from their high seats to enjoy the hope for change for a brief period of time.

Everyone should try to find a way to use this time for the best. For these next few weeks at least, set a goal and give it a shot.

After all, why can’t this be the year we make a change?

Friday, January 25, 2013

A10

The Campanile

OPINION

Mental illness holds undeserved negative stigma

Josefin Kenrick Maya Kitayama Staff writers

J

ust another normal night on Twitter took a sharp turn when the hashtag “Cut4Bieber” started trending on the social network. What may have started as some thoughtless practical joke actually touches on the more complicated subject of self-harm, mental illness and the confusing social stigma that has developed around it.

On Jan. 7, 2013, users of imageboard website 4chan.org attempted to popularize the idea of teenage girls harming themselves as a message to the star Justin Bieber so he would stop smoking marijuana. Although the images alongside it were fabricated and not actually made in order to protest Bieber’s actions, there is a deeper level of trouble the rapid spread of this trending topic may have caused.

Paly students should be more educated and sensitive when it comes to issues such as depression, eating disorders and self-harm. It is important for students, teachers and administrators to realize that these occur regularly.

For example, 20 percent of teenagers will experience depression before they reach adulthood. So if 2000 students go to Paly, then 400 students at Paly have been or will be depressed during their teenage years.

In Palo Alto especially, our community should be more aware of teen depression because of the large suicide record over the past few years.

According to teendepression.org, 90 percent of people who attempt to commit suicide have some sort of mental illness. These illnesses include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism and drug addiction.

It is important to remember that mental illnesses are, as their name implies, illnesses. Just like a physical ailment, a mental illness such as depression or bipolar disorder is not something that someone can “just snap out of” but instead deserves treatment. Likewise, self-harm and eating disorders that stem from these conditions often require medical treatment, usually therapy and sometimes prescribed medicine.

There are many teenagers suffering from mental illness and depression, and these people should be able to live and go to school in a safe environment.

It is very easy and simple for teens to receive help around and outside of campus. Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS) at Paly is very helpful for teens who are depressed or

Eric Wang/The Campanile

simply want to talk to someone. Any student can use ACS because it is free and there are no requirements.

If a student wants to make regular appointments with ACS, they only need a parent signature to continue visits. If ACS is not the right fit, then students can be referred to psychologists and psychiatrists.

The deeper problem regarding illnesses is the stigma attached to these illnesses that many regular teenagers experience. The recent “Cut for Bieber,” trend illustrates the lack of sympathy, sensitivity and simple understanding of so many teenagers’ harsh realities such as cutting and depression. Not only is it cruel for people to turn self-harm into a practical joke, but there are serious repercussions that can occur from

posting pictures of cuts or other selfinflicted injuries.

Teenagers coping with mental illness or self-harm are susceptible to relapse, which is caused by a mix of strong emotions and feelings according to mayoclinic.com and images that depict harm and self- mutilation can therefore trigger further self- inflicted pain. Therefore, the rapid spread of self- harm images on such a widespread social media site such as Twitter or Facebook had the potential to reach many of possibly mentally ill people in a short amount of time, even without the potential victims having to search for triggering images.

There is no quick solution to the problems surrounding self-harm and mental illness. It is not possible to

censor the Internet from potentially harming images, or keeping a joke about self-harm from spreading like wildfire.

However, it is possible to educate people about the detrimental effects of poor teen mental health. There are many teenagers suffering from mental illness and depression, and these people should be able to live and go to school in a safe environment where others surrounding them are not so insensitive toward these very real issues.

If students took the initiative to become more accepting and supportive, rather than ignoring or being insensitive towards suffering teens, then that would create a better environment for teens and create more happiness on campus.

Redefinition of Asperger’s damaging for those diagnosed

Shivonne logan staff writer

W

hat do Albert Einstein, Alfred Hitchcock and Charles Darwin all have in common? Apparently, they have all had Asperger’s disorder, according to the Hope Street Centre. In their time, mental health diagnoses and treatment had not advanced to properly treat disorders like Asperger’s.

However, in our modern society, providing all children with the help they need must be a priority in order for the U.S. to move forward and provide equal opportunities to all children.

Unfortunately, the newest change in the definition for Asperger’s syndrome might deny some children the extra help they need in their schools.

In December 2012, the American Psychiatric Association voted to remove Asperger’s syndrome from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders, DSM-5, which is to be released later this year, according to Forbes. In this text, which is used by many psychiatrists in the U.S., the disease will become part of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and many speculate that children who were previously diagnosed with Asperger’s will no longer fit the qualifications that allow them to be eligible for extra help with social skills. This has the potential to affect up to 55 percent of those already diagnosed with Asperger’s, according to Forbes.

Asperger’s syndrome is currently defined as “a developmental disorder resembling autism that is characterized by impaired social interaction, by repetitive patterns of behavior and restricted interests, by normal language and cognitive development, and often by above average performance in a narrow field,” according to Merriam Webster dictionary. The DSM-4’s criteria for Asperger’s included an impairment

in social capability, manifested in a lack of enjoyment in social activities and differences in facial expressions, according to the CDC. A wide range of people are diagnosed with Asperger’s, and it covers a wide range of severity in regards to social capability.

The DSM-5 Neurodevelopmental Disorders Workgroup is in favor of redefining the disorder because they feel it is necessary to categorize all autism-related conditions into one group, and because the previous criteria for diagnosing Asperger’s was unclear, according to Francesca Happe in SFARI. According to Dr. Taniya Pradhan, “People are getting an Asperger’s diagnosis, but they’re not really qualifying for services.” Asperger’s has commonly been thought to be similar to autism, though less severe, and the new definition might relate their similarities and make the change a welcome edit to medical diagnoses. The new definition has the potential to allow for a broader understanding and better diagnosis of the disorder.

However, the reclassification of this condition could prove to influence a dramatic change for students who have already been diagnosed with Asperger’s, and many yet to be diagnosed.

“Many children with the diagnosis of Asperger’s currently have difficulty qualifying for services because of their academic record,” Dr. Laurie Leventhal-Belfer said. “The challenge is that the type of services offered will also be dramatically limited.”

The renaming of Asperger’s syndrome could potentially hinder many student’s education, and will prevent some parents and children from receiving developmental and social help that could prove crucial to children’ success and education.

According to Leventhal-Belfer, “Regardless of their diagnosis, they still might not qualify.”

It is important to move forward in psychological diagnoses and understanding of mental disorders, but it is not worth risking the education of children with mental conditions. The intent of research is to help those with disorders like Asperger’s and autism.

If the move forward acts against them, then it acts against its original purpose, and the change should be further considered.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

OPINION

A11

First semester finals grading schedule requires revision to relieve student anxiety Students should be able to view final grades before winter break, and teachers need allotted time to meet this grading deadline.

Jonathan Ziegler staff Writer

B

efore winter break last month, students went through one of the worst weeks of the year: finals week. This week is a period of testing endurance and a semester’s worth of material, where stress levels are off the roof for students.

But teachers were less stressed, because they knew grades were due on Jan. 15, two weeks after winter break.

Students were appalled by teachers not posting grades after they had taken their finals. With the uncertainty about grades after students poured hours into studying, students were left to stress over winter break about whether they had received the grade they wanted.

In spite of this, Paly students must recognize how much teachers do for them in preparing lesson plans, tests, and of course, having to deal with the stressful Palo Alto parents. While it would be less stressful for students to have all of the finals graded before winter break, it is also extremely important to give teachers the time that they need to grade finals thoroughly and establish any curve that may need to take effect.

While some students were opposed to having grades due after winter break, other students were not so concerned with the matter.

“It’d be nice to see your final grades and not worry about it, but it doesn’t really make a difference to me,” junior Noah Phillips said.

It is also important to recognize the time constraints the teachers have. For most of finals week, teachers are proctoring tests, and they need to have their eye on the classroom 100 percent of the time to ensure that the academic honesty policy prevails; therefore, having teachers grade finals while proctoring finals would not be a possible solution.

While it may be hard to realize, having the grades due after finals and allowing teachers to grade finals after break could help the students tremendously.

First of all, some teachers at Paly like to talk with other teachers about their tests before they put them online for students. This process allows teachers to go through the test one more time to ensure that there are not any errors. Also, it allows teachers that give written

It is also important to give teachers the time they need to grade finals thoroughly and establish any curve that may need to take effect. tests to thoroughly examine each student’s work to ensure that the grade that was given was a complete representation of the student’s work.

Also, after all the final exams have been taken on the Friday before winter break at 12:30 p.m., teachers want to go home too to enjoy their time off. It would seem unreasonable

to ask teachers who have given written exams or even multiple choice exams to put them all in the scantron, establish any errors and then put all of their students’ grades on Infinite Campus.

However, for students that are on the borderline between grades, it is important that the Paly staff recognize the stress level of these students, and having to wait until after winter break would not allow these students to enjoy their breaks to the fullest extent. The purpose of having winter break after finals this year was to give students two solid weeks of stress-free bliss, but having an open gradebook, with one assignment blank and an 89.4 percent in the class, is a torturous situation to be in.

For next year it would seem significantly more efficient if the two days implemented before finals were instead moved to the two full eighthour work days after finals, in order to allow the teachers a sufficient amount of time to finish grading

finals and close their grade books.

“If we had two full eight-hour work days to grade all of our papers then yes, it would seem reasonable to have grades due by Friday,” freshman English teacher Craig Bark said, “However, even two days to grade essays and think about them [Bark shrugs his shoulders.] You have to be in the mood to grade [the papers] accurately and take your time. If I just sit there and grade a whole class set you are going to be frustrated [as an English teacher.]”

However, given that this was not the case this year, Bark still believes that teachers should be given two weeks to grade papers, or even more time.

On the contrary, it seems reasonable for teachers who administer multiple choice finals to be able to put the scores in Infinite Campus.

But, the only problem with having multiple choice finals due Friday afternoon would be a mass

hysteria of teachers clogging the scantron machine. Regardless, students who do not see their grades before break will be stressed throughout the course of winter break, given the environment of the Palo Alto community, but Bark believes that this stress is all right.

“Hey man students are meant to be stressed,” Bark said. “It’s part of being at school. Once you have taken the final there is absolutely nothing you can do about it other than sit down and relax.”

For many students, the two days before finals was a time of silent studying in the classrooms, rather than organized review. Replacing the first two days before finals to two days after finals and having grades finalized on Friday would benefit students and teachers greatly. Students would be allowed to see their final grades, and teachers, with two full paid staff work days, would be allowed to talk to other teachers and grade all of the finals.

Friday, January 7, 2013

A12

The Campanile

EDITORIALS

25 years later, Hazelwood still a problem

I

n January, 25 years ago, the Supreme Court Case Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier decided that school administrations had the right to censor on-campus publications as the Supreme Court ruled that students did not retain the full rights to the 1st Amendment as adults.

Since then seven states have created laws overruling that decision, including California. We as students living in California, with some of the nation’s finest publications on our campus, are very blessed to be privileged with the ability to exercise our 1st Amendment rights freely, something that unfortunately cannot be said for many other students living in America.

In honor of the Hazelwood decision’s 25th anniversary, The Campanile would like to express its support for student publications around the country who face constant and thoroughly unconstitutional censorship, as well as to reaffirm the importance of a free press in any community, even at a high school level.

In the Hazelwood case, a districtsubsidized school newspaper was not

allowed to publish two stories on teen pregnancy and divorce, due to the presumed sensitive nature of the subject.

When this matter was brought to the Supreme Court, the Court affirmed that school-sponsored activities do not merit the same full protections granted under the 1st Amendment. This decision however, is a gross violation of student rights and detrimental to our community as a whole.

Journalists often deal with sensitive, contentious, controversial and sometimes even downright inflammatory material in order to seek the truth, expose injustice and keep readers informed. High school stands as no exception; as we see here in Palo Alto, our student journalists are an integral part of the community in raising awareness for a variety of issues, be it at a local or national level.

Taking away this right to publish the truth eliminates the youth’s perspective of society, a perspective that can give fresh takes and explore unheard of topics. By being subject to this censorship, students receive the impression that they are not

intellectually or emotionally capable of handling the rigors of the world.

Therefore, The Campanile urges its readers to take an active role in combating the injustices that an unacceptable amount of high school students still face across the country.

The Student Press Law Center (splc.org) offers legal assistance and important information regarding the rights of student journalists.

This organization can benefit from an increase in membership, donations and general publicizing of its mission, all of which can lead to more students receiving aid.

In addition, this raise in awareness about this sometimes underestimated issue can begin a national discussion to expedite the process.

As student journalists who firsthand appreciate the experiencing of expressing our thoughts and the truth with no restraints, The Campanile wishes that enough involvement in fighting for student rights can begin so that no voice remains unheard.

Legislation that prevents people of any age from expressing their opinion has no place in a country that values the free press.

Thank you to CCC for their support of students

T

he College and Career Center (CCC) provides students a combination of information and personal help in the arduous task of preparing for college applications, and The Campanile would like to thank the CCC for its dedication to students and its countless hours put in. The college application process has many confusing steps, and the CCC offers a reliable resource to use to answer any questions.

An especially helpful activity the CCC organizes are the college visits, in which they help publicize presentations by college representatives.

These visits give students the opportunity to truly explore the intricacies of different colleges and learn the answers to specific questions. These visits give students information that proves to be influential in their college decisions.

The CCC does not just work during college application season but also throughout the whole year as

D

ear Mr. Winston, We are writing to you on behalf of many of the members of the senior Class of 2013 about the tradition of seniors posting their college rejection letters on a campus wall. In many past years, this wall has been called the “Rejection Wall,” but recently, the name was officially changed to the “Colleges Missing Out Wall.”

We understand and appreciate that the decision to rename the wall was made in a conscious effort to relieve students of any feelings of actual rejection, but we believe that the name “Colleges Missing Out Wall” detracts from its actual purpose.

There are several problems with the current naming of the wall. First, we do not agree that every college that sends a rejection letter to a Paly student is necessarily missing out.

That may sound harsh, but it is only reasonable. They have each chosen from a pool of highly-qualified applicants, and they will undoubtedly have incredible matriculating classes next fall. When we say that they are “missing out,” we are suggesting that Paly students are inherently exceptional — we are fostering a community of denial. In a sense, we are practicing an unhealthy tradition of lying to ourselves about why our students are rejected. Instead of accepting that it is entirely possible to be 100% qualified and still be rejected, the wall promotes an obvious and immature

Reasons to Stay Motivated for 2nd Semester Seniors 10) 9) 8) 7) 6) 5) 4) 3) 2) 1) See 2-10.

-JAKE KERMAN

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COMIC OF THE MONTH

they offer students the opportunity to hold personal interviews with CCC staff to discuss college plans, scheduling choices and any other relevant topics.

In addition, they go around to classrooms and prepare packets for post-high school options. These options include UC and CSU schools as well as different choices such as the military. While some students find this information irrelevant to them, it still does not deny the fact that a wide proportion of Paly students still benefit from this information, and these presentations help show students that there are multiple paths to undertake after high school and help broaden students’ perspectives.

The Campanile commends the CCC’s efforts in offering their time and information to the whole population of Paly students. We urge students to utilize this invaluable resource to help lower stress during the college applications season.

Prison humor. If there is such a thing.

An open letter to Principal Phil Winston Editor’s note: This article was published simultaneously by The Paly Voice and the Campanile, and was written by Spencer Carlson and Elena Pinsker.

JANUARY’S TOP TEN LIST

misconception: that college admissions boards across the country simply aren’t smart enough to know a good applicant when they see one.

While we acknowledge that Paly fosters a class of talented and intelligent students, the idea that every single student can and should be accepted into every college to which they apply is ludicrous.

Second, inherent in a “Colleges Missing Out Wall” is the idea that rejection is shameful. All a student must do to dodge that shame, though, is post their rejection letter on a wall, and in so doing, declare that they are too good for the college, not the other way around. This is an oversimplification of a complex decision process. It both serves to shield students from the truth, and acts as an unhealthy and unhelpful obstruction to student development.

Furthermore, we contend that the name “Colleges Missing Out Wall” undermines the very spirit of the wall itself. The act of posting a letter of rejection on a “Rejection Wall” can be a therapeutic process. It represents the graceful acceptance of one’s rejection and provides an easy first step towards getting over it and moving on with life. The act of posting a letter on a “Colleges Missing Out Wall,” however, is fundamentally different. It forgoes moving on in favor of bitterly dismissing that which students know, deep down, they wanted very much.

Finally, students were perfectly willing to post their letters on a “Rejection Wall” in the past, demonstrating that they were quite able to come to terms with their rejection.

For the full letter, visit palyvoice.com

The Campanile Editors-in-Chief Kate Apostolou • Charlie Dulik• Yasna Haghdoost Alvin Kim • Nira Krasnow • Michael Wang News Editor Elena Pinsker Business Managers Ben Hawthorne Elizabeth Bowman

Opinion Editor Jake Kerman

Spotlight Editor Chrissie Cheng

Lifestyle Editor Anna McGarrigle

Art Director Kate Apostolou

Features Editor Grace Fang

Sports Editors Logan Mendenhall Sophie Parker

Technology Editors Wesley Shiau Beth Yan

A&E Editor Emily Tran Graphic Artist Bo Field

Copy Editor Charlotte Barry

Photography Editors Adam Mansour Gina Scarpino

Social Media Editor Julia Poppy Cartoonists Alexander Jenson Eric Wang

Staff Writers Joshua Arfin Charlotte Barry Brandon Byer Galen Byrd Andrew Choi Rachel Cui Ryan Deslauriers Samuel Dodson Irene Ezran Marie Ezran James Foug Bowen Gerould

Jensen Hsiao Josefin Kenrick William Kershner Maya Kitayama Julia Kwasnick Albert Lee Emily Lee Claire Liu Shivonne Logan Kian McHugh Will Mendenhall Jack Paladin

Charlotte Barry Chrissie Cheng Andrew Choi

Perri Pond Emily Rosenthal Gina Scarpino Ziv Schwartz Emily Semba Blake Smith Jordan Smith Angela Stern Kelly Stern Kyle Stewart Heather Strathearn Daniel Tachna-Fram

Photographers Jensen Hsiao Adam Mansour Anna McGarrigle

Alex Taussig Sidhanth Venkatasubramaniam Leslie Wan Rachel Wilson Michelle Yin John Young Hillel Zand Jacob Zenger Lily Zhang Stephenie Zhang Jonathan Ziegler Alvina Zou

Gina Scarpino Emily Tran Hillel Zand

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Note: It is the policy of the Campanile to refrain from printing articles that misrepresent or alienate specific individuals within the Palo Alto community.

The Campanile

LIFEST YLE

top 6 Text by Kian McHugh Design by Anna McGarrigle

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Alto is not known as the worlds most exciting city, but as Horace once said, “Carpe diem.” In every town and every city there is fun to be had and places to be seen. Here are some under $20 adventures that will spice up your agenda or even inspire a new hobby. alo

Pong Planet

848 Brittan Avenue, San Carlos $8 day pass You may have a friend with a ping pong table or even own one yourself, but this shouldn’t affect your decision on whether to check out Pong Planet or not. This center is a social ping pong training center with more tables and ping pong fashionistas than you have seen in your life. Whether you want to go with friends and play friendly matches or challenge someone at the center, that is up to you. Coaches wander the room mostly giving private lessons but are willing to help you out and give you pointers if you ask nicely.

This facility can be a great place just to hang out, or if used frequently, it may be the opportunity you’ve been looking for to touch up on your game.

local adventures under

$20 Hoover Tower

550 Serra Mall, Stanford $2 admission This 285 foot tall tower is one of the great landmarks of Stanford University. Little do many people know, you can take an elevator up to the very top of the tower and look over the entirety of the city. The incredible view from the tower, which was built for the university’s 50th anniversary, is one of the most incredible views in the Bay Area. On the observation deck, a tour guide is there to tell the story of the tower and to answer any questions you have.

Stanford Theater Movie

221 University Avenue, Palo Alto $7 admission

Sky High Sports

$12 an hour (Following hours range in price based off of the day)

Planet Granite

Trampolines tend to be a highlight of most people’s childhoods. Thanks to Sky High Sports you can reintroduce the excitement of trampolines into your life at a whole new level. With various features in this large facilities, once you are inside you won’t be getting bored any time soon. The largest area contains well over one hundred miniature trampolines facing both horizontally and angled off of the walls.

Other great points include a large foam pit and an intense dodge ball court with official referees. This is a great place to go with a couple friends on a weekend or if you want to blow off some steam on any given day after school.

Redwood Roller Rink

815 Stewart Drive, Sunnyvale $15-$19 dollar day pass This rock climbing palace contains over 25,000 square feet of rock obstacles in addition to a separate gym with all sorts of state of the art workout machines. With walls ranging in difficulty, there is fun for beginners and advanced climbers. Staff members offer belay lessons for new climbers, followed by a standard belay test to certify you to belay other climbers at any Planet Granite location. Rental climbing equipment is available for an additional fee. It is open seven days a week and has great student deals on certain days. The staff here is very welcoming and will help you get into your climbing experience.

1303 Main Street, Redwood City

So instead of kicking it back on your couch for the eighth consecutive hour this weekend, call up a homie and check out some of these places that are just waiting to be explored.

$10 entrance, $4 skate rental.

It is Saturday night around seven 7 p.m. and the night is looking like a dull one. Little do you know that just a short drive away is a time machine to the disco era just waiting to be explored. From 8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. every Saturday, Redwood Roller Rink has its weekly Disco Skate. With funky music playing and everyone around you dressed up in 70s disco couture, you are sure to have a great time. The rink is also open on other days of the week but the disco experience is the highlight of this adventure.

An Inside Look Into Life at Downton Abbey

by Beth Yan and Emily Tran B6

24/7 Snack Attack

by Hillel Zand B6 Rap Wizard Chief Keef

The Stanford Theater is open every night of the week, showing films in the one large screening room at varying hours (approximately 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 9:30 p.m.).

All movies range from the years 1925 to 1961, with many of the films evidently being screened in black and white.

Unlike most theaters nowadays, you can get a large popcorn and a large soda for just a couple bucks. All food and drink is cheap and delicious. The theater itself is beautiful with its large red curtain and painted walls. Be sure to get to the show early to listen to the lovely organ performance before the show.

2880 Mead Avenue, Santa Clara

Friday, January 25, 2013

INSIDE

Student life

Ben Wexler: Flying High Paly senior soars above the Bay Area with his pilot’s licence. B3

music

Bands on Campus

Social Studies and Goodnight Argent played the world renowned venue known to locals as “The Deck.” B5

William kershner

Chief Keef has Asperger’s Syndrome.

Naw, but on the real, the kid does have the version of Autism that stifles socialization and communication skills. That’s probably the reason he is practically illiterate in his interviews.

Here’s a list of events that have occurred in Chief Keef’s (a.k.a. Keith Cozart) life in no particular order.

Keep in mind he just turned 17.

Chief Keef pointed a gun at police and then fled the scene of a crime, thereby resisting arrest at the age of 16. While under house arrest at his dear grandmother’s cottage, Chief Keef produced over three mixtapes that gained widespread acclaim in the inner city schools of Chicago. Chief Keef has become the CEO of a major record label. Chief Keef mocked the death of a rival rapper via Twitter. He also threatened Lupe Fiasco through Twitter in retaliation to a different fiasco. Chief Keef uploaded a photo of himself receiving oral sex on Instagram. Technically, this is child pornography. Last week, Chief Keef was sued for child support by a girl who is still in middle school. Chief Keef made and sold heroin.

An analysis of the young rappers methods are as follows.

Nothing Chief Keef has produced has been sophisticated in any way.

I’m not just talking music. Even his intellectual mannerisms Chief Keef displays his lack of education. His Twitter has so many grammatical and logical errors that you will lose a couple IQ points just by pressing the ‘follow’ button.

His music shows even less intelligence. His lyrical content rivals the vocabulary of a third grader and in most songs he uses an A-A-A-A rhyme scheme, basically rhyming words with the same word. All in all, he makes Waka look like he’s spitting Shakespeare.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love Chief Keef. The main reason being that he accomplishes what he sets out to be. The intentions of Chief Keef’s seven mixtapes and full studio album are meant to be trap music, and they do exactly that. Whether he know’s it’s unsophisticated or not, all of Chief Keef’s music bumps in the purest sense of the word.

It doesn’t matter if his lyrics send a message, or if his beats and hooks took talent. When listening to Chief Keef, the only question you should be asking yourself is, Does it BANG BANG? Having said all that, I’d like to leave you with my prediction for what will happen after 3Hunna exits juvie.

Chief Keef gets out of juvie a completely reborn man. To symbolize his newborn purity, he only wears white from then on, donning him Rap Wizard Chief Keef the White. After apologizing to Kanye about claiming his remix didn’t help his career, the Rap Wizard and Yeezus Christ team up for an epic collab album, “Magic and Other Religionz.” Everybody is on this album. Jay, Em, Dre, and 50 drop by to throw verses on the sickest cypher of all time. Even Lil’ B gets a bonus track because everyone feels kind of bad that he can only get a fan base ironically. The newsworthy part of this album is that it wasn’t recorded using electronic devices. Kanye, the Wizard, and the featured artists spent a month in the woods finding themselves and recording the album using a mechanical vinyl recording device Kanye built from twigs and toad skins and all the beats were produced using woodsy items done live by featured artists. The resulting album is the pinnacle of what rap and hip-hop could ever hope to be, a serious album about redemption and media villainy.

Jail Mail: Keith Cozart No. C49297 3825 Campton Hills St.Charles, IL 60175

Friday, January 25, 2013

B2

The Campanile

COLLEGE

Cernobori and Erber facilitate post-graduation plans gracie fang features editor

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andra Cernobori and Alice Erber’s jobs as college advisors consist of helping juniors and seniors through the college application process. They, along with Paly’s Advisor Christina Owen, host an orientation every year for all juniors at the start of second semester by having them come into the college center during a history class and presenting an overview of the college center and the college process, including other higher-education options besides attending a four-year college.

As advisors they also work with teachers, counselors in the guidance office and teacher advisors to present information to the parents at class parent nights. Their goal is to meet with each student at least once each year as upperclassmen.

“Our goal is to meet with each student at least once a year, but the reality is that after we meet with them junior year, we allow them to sign up for appointments if they want—there is no limit to how many times you can come in,” Cernobori said. “There are students that come a lot, some that come once, and some that don’t come at all that I need to chase down.”

Prior to the first meeting, students are often told to complete a posthigh school planning survey so that Cernobori and Erber have an idea of what the students are thinking about in terms of career choices.

“The reason we have students take the post-high school planning survey is so we can have students reflect on what their preferences are,” Cernobori said. “We also keep a tab on their transcripts to make sure they’re on track, as well as look at your PSAT and SAT scores if you have taken them by the time they meet with me.

According to Cernobori, the first meeting with a college advisor is usually about getting to know the student. The meeting typically consists of students talking about what they do outside of class, classes they plan on taking before senior year, summer plans and where they stand in the college searching process. Based on that information, Cernobori and Erber give students some organizational tools such as a data tracking chart for the colleges and inform them about letters of recommendation and college visits.

“We basically take a snapshot of your academics then read through

your post-high school planning survey to get an idea of what you’re thinking, and based on what you’ve told us, we do some brainstorming, such as what colleges you may want to look into and what resources that may be useful to you,” Cernobori said.

Every subsequent meeting builds on the first; for meetings with seniors, Cernobori and Erber usually work on finalizing a list of colleges and make sure that the students have enough of a range in potential colleges.

They also arrange talks with college representatives if a student has not visited the campus, interviews if applicable and help with applications. Reading through essays and giving students feedback is a primary part of their job, as well as guiding them through financial aid and scholarships.

According to Cernobori, there is a cycle as to how busy meetings are: from Nov. 30 when the University of California (UC) applications are due until winter break, the number of meetings decreases because most students have applied to one or more of the UCs and take a slight breather before starting on their other applications. After they are admitted, however, more students schedule meetings with an advisor to talk about the decisions regarding college that they will be making in the future.

“We have appointments year round,” Erber said. “We start with

I love talking to the students and helping them through the college process. I love to get to know them, learn about their hopes and dreams and about what they want to do with their lives.

Alice Erber College and Career Center Advisor

juniors second semester, and they come in as seniors. We always have appointments for students, though some times are really busy and other times are slower. It really depends on the time of year.”

The other part the college advisors’ job entails sending emails to students and parents and planning events— from the School Forums Workshop to college visits. There are also lesson plans for advisory that Cernobori and Erber help write and collaborate to revise plans to make them better.

“I love my colleagues—they’re amazing human beings,” Cernobori said. “They work hard, have good

AHMED AWADALLAH/the CAMPANILE

Alice Erber, one of the College and Career Advisors at Paly, talks with a student about his post-graduation plans.

hearts and all want what’s best for the kids—we all have a similar working philosophy and we’re all good friends outside of work. It makes a huge difference—when you have to spend a lot of time with people, it helps if they’re people you like and work well with.”

Cernobori was a high school English teacher at San Mateo High School for eight years before coming to Paly. Though she misses being an English teacher sometimes, she really enjoys working with students at Paly.

“I miss teaching and having conversations about literature sometimes, but this is different because it’s more one-on-one and I like it,” Cernobori said. “But the problem is that I don’t get to see students as often as when I was a teacher—so there are pros and cons: I don’t have to bring home stacks and stacks of English essays but I miss the classroom where I see kids everyday, but I still like working with [students] but I’m just not able to know [them] the same way—it’s a trade off.”

One of Cernobori’s favorite aspects of being a college advisor is being able to visit and learn about colleges all over the nation.

“One of the things I like the most is when I get to visit colleges. Not only do I get to learn more about the colleges and their programs, but I also

am able to meet the college representatives there that visit Paly as well as network with other counselors on tour,” Cernobori said.

In addition to this, Cernobori and Erber chair the Paly Community Scholarship Program committee, which has a pool of scholarships.

Cernobori and Erber are responsible for coordinating all the meetings, getting the information to students and planning Senior Awards Night.

About every month, Erber sets up a table full of college “swag” on the Quad with a pennant that says “Go Ask Alice.” Students can take whatever college attire they want, and upperclassmen can donate college attire they do not want. Erber uses this as a way to teach underclassmen more about the college application process.

“It’s a way for students, especially freshmen and sophomores, to come and ask me questions,” Erber said. “I like to talk to them so they will be more familiar with the college center and feel more comfortable to come in when they are juniors and seniors. I also remind them that in order to go to college, take those A through G UC approved courses and yes, freshman year grades do count.”

Erber has worked as a college advisor in the CCC for six years.

Prior to becoming a college advisor

and having children, Erber graduated from the New York University Tisch School of Arts in Film and Television.

However, when she had children she started staying home and volunteering in the schools through PTA, PTSA and Junior League.

As a parent she volunteered at Paly and worked as a substitute for a year.

While Erber was working part time in the guidance office, her coworkers encouraged her to take the College Admissions Program class at the UC Berkeley Extension.

When she graduated, she was hired as a college advisor in the CCC starting out part time, but has been full-time for the past two years.

According to Erber, one of the hardest parts of her job is telling students how selective and difficult some colleges are to get admitted to and how much money colleges cost.

“I love talking to the students and helping them through the college process,” Erber said. “I love to get to know them, learn about their hopes and dreams and about what they want to do with their lives. I like to remind them they can do anything they want to do and that tomorrow is the first day of the rest of their lives. I try to assure them that they will be fine and that they will achieve their goals if they want to.”

Tips for a Successful College Interview Marie ezran

charlotte barry Senior staff writers

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s seniors submit their final college applications, there is one last step that students must take in order to complete the application process: college interviews. Although not all colleges require an interview, most students will have at least one, if not more, to prepare for.

For most colleges, interviews are conducted by alumni and are held in relaxed atmospheres, such as coffee shops and restaurants. Interviews provide a great opportunity for students to learn more about the school and for the school to gain a better insight into the life of the student.

“I do not think the stakes are quite as high [for alumni interviews], but at the same time, you want to make a good impression,” College and Career Center advisor Sandra Cernobori said. “These interviews are meant to be conversations; it is not an interrogation.”

The idea of meeting with a total stranger may be a scary concept for many seniors, so here are some tips to keep your nerves at ease during these interviews:

1. Be on time

Make sure that you know where you are meeting and leave early, especially if parking spots are hard to find.

Being at the meeting location five minutes early is advised.

2. Dress to impress

5. Practice

It is important to look nice and professional. Ripped jeans and crop tops are not appropriate for this type of meeting. Wearing presentable clothes will also help you mentally prepare for the interview.

“You do not want to appear underdressed and come looking like what you are doing is not really your top priority, but if you are overdressed and being too flashy, I think that is also a problem,” senior Aldis Petriceks said.

“Keep it classy but simple.”

Practice answering questions about yourself with a family member or friend. This will help you become more comfortable with your answers and more eloquent throughout the discussion. Do not just restate your college essay; try to elaborate on your answers and really give the interviewer a sense of who you are.

3. Body language matters

One can tell a lot about your interest in the conversation through your body language. Shake the interviewer’s hand at the start and end of the interview and have good posture throughout the meeting.

4. Ask thoughtful questions

Ask insightful questions about the school, its various programs and your interviewer’s experience; do not forget to be enthusiastic!

Do some research on your college and your interviewer beforehand so you can have some topics of conversation.

“One of the ways that you can demonstrate that you might fit [in with the college] is to come [to the interview] knowing enough about the school so you can talk about why you want to go there beyond the really obvious things,” Cernobori said. “The conversation is two way so they are hoping that you have some questions for them too.”

6. Be clear

Be confident in your answers and articulate as you speak as this will influence the interviewer’s impression of you. Do not use extraneous words such as “like” and “um.” Keep in mind that this is a discussion, so do not answer questions with a simple “yes” or “no.”

7. Be yourself

Although these interviews are a small part of your application, it is important to be honest and sincere.

Talk about things that you are genuinely passionate and do not lie to try and make a better impression.

“My advice about interviews is just to relax and be yourself because really the point of the alumni interview is to get to know you,” senior Jessica Tam said.

8. Follow up

It is always important to thank the interviewer for their time both at the end of the interview and through a follow-up email. They are taking the time to write a summary of the interview for the college admissions so it is important to show gratitude.

charlotte Barry/the campanile

Sandra Cernobori, College and Career Advisor, gives seniors tips on how to conduct good college interviews.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

Why I love “Girls”

STUDENT LIFE

B3

Senior reaches new heights in flying career

anna mcgarrigle

“Girls.” It’s brutally honest, outright hilarious, and borderline pornographic.

It’s the story of New York twentysomethings struggling in every single aspect of their lives. But Lena Dunham, the star, director, producer and face of the show has done more than just create a kickass tv show. She has completely shocked the image of perfect women perpetuated by every single other tv show, both reality and drama.

Dunham tackles pre-established expectations of girls shown in tv sex scenes. When have we ever seen a female actress in a sex scene, who wasn’t a perfectly proportioned size 2 with immaculate features? In Girls, Dunham disproves every other television show. She bares her own body and draws on personal experiences to reveal a side of the twenty-something previously unknown: the life of the imperfect young woman. In Season One, Dunham unabashedly reveals her full nude more times than can be counted on both hands. But it’s the confidence in her own “imperfection” that’s important.

Humor drives Dunham’s brilliantly written script. Her sense of comedy is genuinely unique and rambling in a natural way, befitting of her wanderlustful characters. She highlights the good, bad and ugly about being a woman. But instead of approaching issues like jobs and money with serious drama, Dunham uses humor to comment on the severity of her characters’ situations. But she shows no triumphant resurrection from the realm of being broke as we see in other shows.

While “Girls” was originally likened to “Sex in the City” or “New Girl”, I find the comparisons insulting. “Sex in the City” focused on superficial struggles of plastic barbies, and “New Girl” presents only a superficial level of unlaughable humor about perfect people. But “Girls” explores behind the scenes of women’s relationships with each other and with men in a way that captures both the relatable tragedy of the lows and the marvelous joy in the highs.

The audience of Girls is not limited to the female demographics that one might expect. 56% of Girls’ audience is male, and the median viewer age (among women and men) is 43 years old, according to data from HBO. The show even draws a number of male Paly students, who wish to remain anonymous. It’s the show’s “sass” and “comedy” that draws these men, who are not yet secure enough in their masculinity to admit their unadulterated love for Dunham and her co-stars.

Lena Dunham is just awesome in general. Her Twitter feed reads as her script does. “I’m mad about the way some stuff on Earth is going and I expressed it by putting new hairstyles on the headshots in a Playbill with white-out.” Her unexpurgated stream of consciousness can be found at @lenadunham, along with many instagrammed selfies and pictures of her dog. Parenthetically, Dunham is dating Fun.’s guitarist Jack Antonoff, but refuses to get married until same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states. Mad props to her and her empowered, adorable pixie-cut.

While I’m not a post-grad New Yorker having raging awkward sex with equally unstable hipsters, I find “Girls” to be the only television show worth watching anymore. Reality TV dominates airwaves, but the women we see are only a faction of “real” women. What about the population who doesn’t wear JCrew or hit the gym every day?

Come find me at 9 p.m. every Sunday watching Girls (not Downton Abbey, you fools!) or at other times watching precious reruns with my secret Girls companion, and maybe you’ll delve into what it truly means to have a Crack Spirit Guide too.

Senior Ben Wexler looks over the landscape as he practices his flying maneuvers over Pescadero, California during the weekend.

ziv schwartz staff writer

W

hen the average person thinks of flying, he or she views it as a pretty straightforward process: board the plane, sit through the monotonous flight, look outside every once and awhile, land and continue on.

However, not every passenger on the plane has this same outlook. For Paly senior Ben Wexler, an avid pilot, a whole new perspective on flying is required, that of a pilot behind the yoke.

Not many people truly know the time constraints required for flying and the fact that a teenager was able to accomplish such a demanding task is quite astonishing.

Wexler, one of few teenage pilots in the Bay Area, credits his love of flying to his early interest in the motion of objects.

“I have always [been] interested in things that moved like trains, planes and cars,” Wexler said. “However, when I was nine years old I went flying with my dad’s friend in his plane, and I loved it. From that point on I knew I wanted to get my pilot’s license.”

Starting July of 2011, Wexler began his piloting lessons and a year

later received his piloting license, allowing him to take to the skies, solo. It may seem quite daunting at first flying alone, but Wexler attributes his confidence to the training he received and how he could truly be himself when flying.

Flying is an experience that most people do not ever get to experience and that alone gives Wexler an experience unlike no other.

However, earning his pilot’s license while balancing the work of his junior year was, without a doubt, a difficult task. “[Flight] progress is measured by hours,” Wexler said. “And some of the training requires you to fly by yourself before you [can] receive the license, but when I got my license I had 77.2 hours.”

Even though what was both an arduous task and quite the timeconsuming affair, the pilot’s license allowed Wexler to do many enjoyable activities.

“I have given numerous friends and family ‘Bay Tours’ of the San Francisco Bay where I essentially fly over San Fran, Alcatraz, The Golden Gate Bridge and Oakland,” Wexler said. “I have also taken trips to Santa Rosa and Monterey for lunch, [along with a trip to] Monterey for the aquarium as well.”

Still, Wexler has higher goals on the horizon. He also plans on

continuing his flying career and take it to great new heights.

“In the next few weeks I plan to get a rating in a more powerful plane and a mountain flying rating so I can safely fly over Yosemite,” Wexler said. “Aside from the trips I have

When I am thousands of feet up in the air the issues that seem important on the ground seem quite trivial. It also makes one realize how small our world actually is.

Ben Wexler Senior

taken and plan to take, one of the best parts of the flying itself is that I can create slight moments of ‘Zero G’ which [are] really fun.”

While piloting may seem purely enjoyable, it has its downsides, just like anything else. “[Sitting in the cockpit] is much more comfortable,” Wexler said.

“However the one caveat is that I cannot get up and go to the bathroom. That probably limits how far I can fly more than how much fuel the plane can carry.”

Despite these minor drawbacks, Wexler and pilots alike get to experience flying in a completely different

courtesy of ben wexler

way than us laypersons do, and that alone provides them with satisfaction.

“I enjoy flying for a number of reasons,” Wexler said. “First I like the challenge and unpredictability that comes with it. However much I may plan for a flight by knowing the weather, what route I’m taking, etc, an instance might occur that will make me amend my flight plan. In addition, since the Bay Area airspace is quite congested, it is sometimes a challenge dealing with different tower controllers when everybody else is trying to talk to them as well.”

Sitting in the cockpit also gives Wexler and expansive view of the world below him.

This is unlike the experience of a passenger who is confined to the gloomy cabin of the plane itself, and arguably a much better experience.

“Since I enjoy hiking and being in nature while I am on the ground, flying allows me to experience nature from a different vantage point, where I get see the whole landscape instead of just part of it,” Wexler said.

Along with this, flying gives Wexler time to ponder and reflect, as well as de-stress from his academics and day-to-day life.

“When I am thousands of feet up in the air the issues that seem important on the ground seem quite trivial.

It also makes one realize how small our world actually is,” Wexler said.

Students find adventure, fun in hunting logan mendenhall sports editor

A

lthough there is no hunting team at Paly, the sport has become increasingly popular among Paly

students.

Many students travel large distances over weekends and breaks to participate in the sport.

Students hunt various different types of game but duck hunting is among the most popular.

“I mostly hunt waterfowl, which consists of ducks and geese,” junior Sam Niethammer said.

In California people usually hunt for deer, wild pig, ducks and many different types of bird.

“I usually go hunting in Georgia to track ducks and deer,” senior Tyler Valenti.

“The most rewarding thing about hunting is the fact that you are getting in touch with your primal roots and there is a natural feeling of achievement when you hunt down and kill game,” senior Andre Kouchekey said.

“I love hunting because it is an opportunity for me to actually go out and kill what I eat and have lots

of fun in the process of doing it,” Niethammer said.

Hunting offers a chance for students to feel completely isolated from civilization and enjoy the outdoors.

The sport has been an American tradition ever since man arrived on the North American continent.

The most rewarding thing about hunting is the fact that you are getting in touch with your primal roots and there is a natural feeling of achievement when you hunt down and kill game.”

Andre Kouchekey Senior

Locally there are many popular locations to hunt, such as Alameda, San Joaquin, Mariposa, Merced, San Luis Obispo and Yolo counties.

“I mostly go hunting in Hopland California and Grass Valley to hunt turkeys and pigs on ranches in the area,” Kouchekey said.

However, in some areas hunting is not encouraged and is prohibited.

A good example of hunting gone wrong in is in Yellowstone national park where the gray wolf was hunted to extinction inside the park.

This event had huge environmental impacts inside the park, because by taking out the wolf as a species it negatively impacted other parts of the park, according to idausa.org.

Hunting is permitted on 60 percent of U.S. wildlife refuges and in many national forests as well as state parks.

On federal land alone, more than 200 million animals are killed every year.

However, this does not mean that hunting is a bad thing. If an area is well protected and well regulated, then there is no problem with hunting in that area and it can be a fun pastime.

It is very important that hunting is regulated so that habitats and animals can still be protected.

Many states regulate hunting to protect the environment.

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife there are multiple seasons for big game.

Big game consists of deer, elk and wild pig, as well as water fowl.

Water fowl consists of both duck and goose.

California regulates its wildlife in order to protect the environment and still allow people to hunt. One

essential aspect of hunting is bringing the correct type of gear on your trip.

Gear varies depending on what type of game is being hunted and where that game is.

“The most essential gear to bring is water, food, camouflage, scent blocker, a knife, a side arm, and depending on the game, a 300 winchester mag or a remington 870 express 12 gage,” Kouchekey said.

However, it is always important to bring a sharp knife, wear sturdy boots, have enough layers and bring a gun when hunting.

“When I go hunting I bring socks, a shotgun, full camo, bow and arrow, hats, binoculars, boots, a jacket, a bottle to piss in, ammo and a knife,” Valenti said.

When hunting it is also crucial that one is safe and uses correct protocol.

Hunting is an essential and wonderful part of the American tradition that has developed and improved over the century. Through the hunting tradition, Americans can enjoy themselves and bond with family.

Hunters and paly students have found that one of huntings best aspects is the thrill and adrenaline rush it offers.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

TECHNOLOGY

B4

Top iPhone Apps of 2012 Top Free 1. YouTube 2. Instagram 3. Draw Something Free 4. Flashlight 5. Facebook 6. Pandora

7. Temple Run 8. Pinterest 9. Twitter 10. Skype

Top Paid 1. Angry Birds Space 2. WhatsApp Messenger

Social networking, gaming apps popular among students Fast-loading and addictive apps fill the screens of students’ mobile devices, though some are more popular than others.

Michelle Yin Staff Writer

find no difference between accessing the Facebook on their computer and iPhone.

“The Facebook app is my favorite,” freshman Frida Schaefer Bastian said. “It’s a lot easier to use [on the iPhone] than to access it through Safari on my computer.”

Instagram, another popular social networking application, allows students to share their love of photography by transforming ordinary pictures into retro-looking photos through its many editing effects. The app allows students to take picturesharing to an entirely new level by allowing them to express more of their artistic side.

“Instagram is the best because I love to take photos and Instagram is the way I express myself and share my life with others,” junior Jacki Seymour said.

Snapchat, another photorelated application, allows students to communicate with each other through transitory pictures along with short messages. l rna jou Because pictures can only h c te The be viewed once for a few seconds, students often send each other funny photos. However, the

recipient is able to take a screenshot of the picture for revenge if he or she so chooses.

For the more game-oriented students, there are a plethora of apps available to download. Some of the most popular iPhone games currently trending are Bike Race, Fruit Ninja, Flow and Temple Run. “Bike Race is easily my favorite app because it gives me a good challenge and warms up my day for the better,” junior Daniel Erlich ken mo re des said. ign Bike Race has recently become a popular competitive and intense iPhone games because it enables students to compete against their friends. The goal of the game can be tacitly explained by its title, though the game is far from mundane as it incorporates the most extreme bike tricks and forces players to race through many different and intricate terrains.

Another iPhone game that has recently become prominent is

wolfbyte.com.aU

F

rom acrobatic bike races to vast social networking through photographs or Facebook, the iPhone App Store provides it all and has taken the vast iPhone user population at Paly by storm.

Some of the most popular social networking applications currently include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. All over campus, students can be found communicating with their friends and posting about themselves through these beloved iPhone applications.

Facebook’s updated application allows students to access the widely used social network expediently. A major upgrade is loading speed thanks to a switch in programming language from HTML 5 to Objective-C according to PC World. In addition Facebook chat, photos, settings and the search tool are arranged in a simple and efficient manner that resembles the online website. Users often

Pocket Gamer

Temple Run, largely due to its simple game plot (collecting as many tokens as possible) and addictive nature.

“Temple run is amazing,” junior Alex Grandy said. “It makes me feel so exhilarated and is definitely the funnest game and I can never stop playing it.”

For all of those sports fans at Paly, ESPN ScoreCenter application has also become a fixation. The app allows easy accessibility to scores, news, videos and standings for all sport leagues and teams across the world.

Students are able to check up on their favorite teams whenever and wherever they are.

Last but not least, the Infinite Campus application, a popular app for Paly students especially, allows students easy accessibility to grades and tends to cause students to frequently check on their grades in each class. With this application, students have the ability to check grades whether they have computer access or not.

Overall, the variety of iPhone applications available has easily improved the standard of living m .co aw tu at Paly. Phone apps have enabled students around the world to use their mobile devices for both leisurely and school related uses.

What was your favorite app of 2012?

My favorite app is probably Unblock Me. I’ve done every single puzzle like eight times. It’s my favorite [app] because it makes me feel smart [knowing] that I’ve done every single one.

3. Draw Something 4. Camera+

Snapchat because I can send funny pictures.

Andrew Watson Junior

Maya McAuliffe Sophomore

5. Where’s My Water?

6. Angry Birds Star Wars

New York Times because I love to read the news.

7. Fruit Ninja

Rachel Kellerman Librarian

8. Angry Birds

Probably my Netflix app because when I’m bored or on the Caltrain or something I can just watch Netflix at the same time. And when I get my computer taken away, I can watch Netflix [on my phone].

Nadine Zadwanski Senior

9. Bejeweled 10. Tetris

Top Grossing 1. Kingdoms of Camelot 2. Slotmania

Innovations in biotechnology to guide 21st century scientific advancement sid venkatasubramaniam staff writer

3. Pokey by Zynga 4. Dragon Vale 5. Pandora 6. Rage of Bahamut 7. Bejewled Blitz 8. Clash of Clans 9. CSR Racing 10. The Simpsons: Tapped Out Source: Inside Mobile Apps

W

ithout a doubt, the 18th and 19th centuries were the golden age of mathematics, witnessing unprecedented leaps in mankind’s understanding of analysis, algebra and other sciences.

The 20th century was host to similar advances, mainly in the fields of physics and engineering. However, the 21st century has clearly established itself as an era of revolution, particularly in the fields of biological engineering and computing. The technological innovations on the cards for 2013 imply nothing to the contrary.

In past decades, the limited human achievement in this realm has been in large part due to the primitive computational power available.

Although attempts to analyze human genes and biological molecules have dated back to the 1950s, it was not until twenty or so years ago that the technology caught up with the idea.

Since then, systems biologists are now capable of using computational

methods to develop complex models of the human body.

A landmark achievement to this effect was the Human Genome Project (HGP), which seeks to sequence all 23 chromosomes of the human body. This enables comprehension of modern diseases, developments and biological systems than that which had previously been within the reach of the scientific community, a process which is now being commercialized and marketed to the masses by companies such as 23 and Me. Even today, most of the efforts in this field share the spirit of the HGP by focusing on enhancing the capabilities of research rather than the entertainment of the general public. For example, the 2012 Nobel Prize in Biology recognized the end of a decade-long project at Kyoto University that enabled the reversedifferentiation of cells, a process that has great implications for cancer and stem cell research.

The vast majority of funding for the biological sciences provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) is allocated to biomedical

engineering, which involves developing sophisticated technology for tasks like imaging and virtual surgery.

Such advances, although enthralling and exciting in theory, will likely bring the human race as a whole face to face with a wide range of difficult ethical and moral questions that will no doubt rattle the political arena when they are realized.

More recently, however, biological engineering has aligned itself to feed the growing global frenzy over all gadgets small and portable. Biological engineers have taken advantage of the increasingly microscopic trend of sensors to develop a wide array of tools for a wide array of tasks, most notably the monitoring of one’s own health.

Recently, the MIT Media Lab announced the imminent commercial release of ice cubes designed to prevent users from reaching a dangerous state of inebriation by tracking the alcohol content in an individual’s

breath and texting friends if it rises past a predetermined safety level.

Potential advances entail much less frivolous implications, such as cloning identical copies of complex organisms like humans. Although such an endeavor has only been successfully applied to plants and primitive animals such as frogs, British Nobel Laureate John Gurdon spoke out in an interview with BBC Radio Four attesting that the cloning of complicated mammals such as humans will be possible within a half-century.

Such advances, although enthralling and exciting in theory, will most likely bring the human race as a whole face to face with a wide range of difficult ethical and moral questions that will no doubt rattle the political arena when they are realized. However, the immense benefits that such discoveries and innovations have on the lives of people in such situations are often too significant to be ignored.

As several technological revolutions in history such as the Internet and electricity has shown us, we have a natural tendency to adapt our lifestyles to accommodate advances for the overall interest of our species.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

MUSIC

B5

Student pianist receives acclaim for musical career Senior Hilda Huang has played the piano for over a decade, dedicating her career to making music and enriching her life. She finds satisfaction and enjoyment in what she calls her “endless art.”

stephenie Zhang Staff Writer

H

er hair is elegantly tied up in a bun as she gently lays her fingers on the keys. They suddenly begin to move, producing a dramatic melody. A little more than a minute into the tune, the melody changes. Finally, around eight minutes later, she plays her final chord which prompts the sound of applause.

Senior Hilda Huang has just performed Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccata in G Minor in one of the many concerts of her musical career.

“To me, music making and artistry are vital and instinctual,” Huang said.

“I have never imagined a life without music, nor being a musician without enriching my life to the best of my abilities.”

Huang has been playing the piano since she was three years old, starting because her friends played and inspired her to play as well. Her musical career spanning over a decade includes performances at numerous prestigious concert halls, including Symphony Space in New York, Weill and Zankel Halls at Carnegie Hall, Music Hall in Cincinnati and Zellerbach at Berkeley.

“I don’t think there’s anything special about performing at these large halls except that the stakes are higher,” Huang said. “I give everything I have in every performance, so it doesn’t matter too much to me where I’m playing.”

When Huang performs, she enjoys giving the audience an experience unlike any other. She plays at senior centers and retirement homes to share music from composers like Bach. Huang is playing Bach’s uncompleted “Art of Fugue” at a senior center, where she hopes to bring “freshness” to the audience, in Michael Lawrence’s documentary “Bach & Friends.”

“If I had to pick a favorite [composer], I would have to choose Bach because his music is undoubtedly so perfect,” Huang said. “The structure, intricacy, cosmopolitan universality of

clockwise From top left: courtesy of Asa math at, Hilda Huang, Hilda huang, hilda huang

Throughout her musical career, Hilda Huang has performed at many prestigious venues including Symphony Space in New York, Weill and Zankel Halls at Carnegie Hall, Music Hall in Cincinnati and Zellerbach at Berkeley. She has pursued her passion for piano from childhood to present day.

emotion and expression are gems to any artist and musician and listener.”

Huang has dedicated much of her musical career to studying and performing the works of baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach. To her, playing Bach is an “internalized experience.”

Huang discussed Bach’s music during her presentation “On Bach, Music and Passions” which she gave at TEDxGunn High School on May 26, 2011. TEDxGunn High School is an independently organized TED event to “showcase innovation, creativity, and inspirational stories of the presenters,” according to its website. During this performance, Huang describes music as an “endless art” where musicians can continually work on a piece and continually discover

something new about it each time they play it. The never-ending dis-

I give everything I have in every performance, so it doesn’t matter too much to me where I’m playing.

Hilda Huang Senior

covery is what she loves about music, especially Bach’s.

Huang has received international acclaim for her work on Bach. The Davidson Institute for Talent Development named Huang a Davidson Fellow in 2008 for her study of Bach’s works. In March

2010, Huang became the first American and the youngest person to win the International J.S. Bach Competition in the competition’s two decades. In addition to this competition, Huang has competed at various other competitions, including at the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition in 2007.

“It’s fun to play in a competition in which, because the topic is so specialized, competitors, or as we prefer to call it, peers and collaborators, are just as enthusiastic and excited about the music as you are,” Huang said.

Huang’s achievements result from a dedication to playing music and continuous hard work. She practices every day and takes lessons once a week. Huang currently studies piano with Director Emeritus

John McCarthy as well as harpsichord with Dr. Corey Jamason at the Preparatory Division of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

“I know that if I did not work my heart out at the piano that I would never be able to play any one of these,” Huang said at TEDxGunn High School. “But, also the reason that I can work my heart out is that I love [playing piano] so much and that I’m so satisfied whenever I do it.”

Huang’s passion for the instrument has influenced her decision to continue playing in the future.

“I plan on going to university and playing the piano as well,” Huang said. “Music has always transcended a career for me personally, and so whatever field I go into, whatever life I live, [it] will include music.”

‘Social Studies’ band entertains in concert on quad On a Friday afternoon, indie-rock band Social Studies performed a 45-minute set for Paly students This performance was the first of two recent ASB-funded events.

Rachel cui staff writer

D

espite the cold conditions that belied the sunny sky and warranted the lead guitarist’s constant blowing of his fingers to stay warm, the band Social Studies played for Paly students on the senior deck after school on Friday, Jan. 11.

Based in San Francisco, Social Studies was formed in 2006 by lead vocalist and keyboardist Natalia Rogovin and drummer Michael Jirkovsky. The two were later joined by bassist and backup vocalist Jesse Hudson and lead guitarist Tom

I’m glad that ASB was able to get an actual band to show up to give students a little extra. I think that it’s good that they’re becoming a little more creative.

Benjamin May Senior

Smith in 2009 and then by second guitarist Ben McClintock later in 2012. Four of the five members, Rogovin, Jirkovsky, Hudson

ahmed awadallah/The Campanile

Up-and-coming indie rock band Social Studies performed on the senior deck after school, receiving mixed reviews from students. Social Studies was one of two groups ASB invited in order to provide entertainment.

and Smith, were present at the Paly concert.

Featuring Rogovin’s mature and deep voice, Social Studies’ music simply screams indie rock; some Paly students listening to their performance even described it as “hipster,” “wallflowery” and like a “less electronic Passion Pit.” And true to

the indie stereotype, the members match their sound and presentation by donning fashionable clothing and shoulder-length hair. Social Studies played a variety of songs from their newest album Developer, released in 2012, and the audience could feel the band’s passion as they rocked out to their original music.

The members of Social Studies are all talented and skilled at playing their respective instruments, but some students felt that their songs lacked a little oomph and thus failed to draw excitement from many students: the songs were all similar and ultimately blended together in uniformity, sounding almost generic.

“They sound the same as other bands, but they’re pretty good,” junior Mostyn Griffith said.

For those who love indie rock, Social Studies is definitely recommended. However, for those who are not particularly fond of indie rock, Social Studies may be a band to skip over or save for another day.

“Personally, I really like the band,” sophomore Ellen Song said. “But Social Studies is only for a specific group of people who like a certain type of music.”

Students should not forget about the group who worked to get Social Studies to perform at Paly: ASB deserves a round of applause for creating this experience.

Even though the concert was after school, providing Social Studies with a crowd of 30 — mostly upperclassmen — lingering by the end of the performance, according to many students, this concert shows that ASB is starting off well in 2013 by starting to reflect the students’ interests.

“I’m glad that ASB was able to get an actual band to show up to give students a little extra,” senior Benjamin May said. “I think that it’s good that they’re becoming a little more creative.”

Their songs may sound repetitive to new listeners, but the band has the potential to write compelling songs in the future. Students hope that ASB will continue to introduce other gems like Social Studies to the student body or just simply provide Paly students with more entertaining activities.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

B6 ENTERTAINMENT

Downton Abbey

Edith

SYBIL

THOMAS

As the middle daughter between her beautiful pale sisters, Edith is constantly ignored by her parents, sisters and suitors. The men she dates are usually her sisters’ sloppy seconds, something that only adds to the misery that is her life.

As the baby of the family, Sybil keeps her family on their toes.

Whether she is courting the valet or (gasp) wearing pants, she is the driving force behind the Crawley family’s transition into the twentieth century.

As one of the footmen in the Downton staff, Thomas is the twentieth century equivalent of a social climber. His sickeningly charming exterior to his employers is contrasted with his true antagonistic personality, as he schemes of becoming Lord Grantham’s valet (aka a person who dresses you, not parks your car).

beth yan

Not only is there an abundance of drama, the problems in the lives of the Crawleys actually matter. Instead of Kim Kardashian freaking out because her leopard-print bikini hasn’t come back from the dry-cleaners, the Crawleys face issues like going bankrupt, losing Downton and political scandals. The love and romance featured in this show is traditional and classy, starring Prince Charmings rather than Kourtney Kardashian’s pathetic Lord Scott Disick. While Lord Disick is actually a lord, he retains none of the classic romance of the Downton British noblemen who first ask Lord Crawley’s permission to date the Crawley daughters before wearing their white ties to come calling.

While the Crawley’s have their fair share of scandal, the servants that live downstairs hold an equally dramatic life of their own. From the footmen to the housemaids and the kitchen staff, there is always scandal, resultant gossip and someone secretly eavesdropping.

In addition to a superior story plot, Downton Abbey also offers much more complex characters. While your average reality TV show features people with the emotional depth of a rock, the Crawleys and their staff exhibit an array of personalities.

There are intelligent, kind and wellbred characters (reality TV is devoid of these) as well as some seriously evil ones. While the villains of reality TV are usually naturally unintelligent people who have consumed enough alcohol to allow them to explore new realms of stupidity unhindered, Downton’s antagonists are the epitome of true evil. The complexity created when each character has a web of ulterior motives hidden behind a facade of perfectly Britishaccented goodwill keeps the watcher addictively hooked. If, for any reason, you feel the need to take a break from emotional complexity, Maggie Smith (aka Professor McGonagall, aka the cat professor in Harry Potter) always offers a touch of hilarity as the classy but sassy Dowager Countess.

Yes, some may mistake you for a lonely elderly spinster with multiple cats when they hear of your interest in Downton Abbey, but it is only because they cannot understand the intricate and complex drama within the show. Even if you claim to be as American and modern as a cheeseburger, Downton Abbey will undoubtedly win your heart. So grab your pearls and your favorite tea party hat because we are about to get classy—Downton style. Bring your own scones.

technology editor

Emily tran A&E Editor

I

f you are getting tired of keeping up with the Kardashians and their appalling lifestyles or are beginning to feel nauseated at the sight of Honey Boo Boo drinking her famed “Go-Go” juice, perhaps it is time to take a respite from reality TV. Thankfully, an antidote for trashy entertainment exists.

Enter into the world of Downton Abbey, a paradise of gilt tea cups and seductive British accents. Set in the early twentieth century, the show depicts the lives of the Crawley family, a quintessentially aristocratic family, and their small army of servants who all live in an enormous British country estate, Downton Abbey.

While this series technically falls under the genre of ‘period drama,’ don’t be fooled by this dreary historychannel-esque classification: there is enough drama to even keep ex-reality TV enthusiasts hooked. Seriously, if Gossip Girl and Pride and Prejudice had a love child, it would be Downton Abbey.

BATES

MARY

With his puppy-dog face and kindness, it is impossible not to love Bates; however, his mysterious past leads the other staff members (ahem, Thomas) to pick on him. All the more reason to root for him. More importantly, Anna and Bates should be together forever.

As the eldest daughter of the Crawley family, Mary alternately worries about her complexion, quality of tea and the wealthiness of her suitors.

O’BRIEN

MATTHEW

ANNA

The pure evil devised by this middle-aged spinster will repulse you.

Due to her personal vendetta against all humankind, her only ally is the equally-evil Thomas. Her favorite pastimes includes tripping cripples and killing babies.

The epitome of proper gentlemen, Matthew Crawley drinks his whiskey from crystal decanters and always looks dashing in his shirttails when he comes to call on Mary (don’t worry, legislation on incest was more lax in the twentieth century).

An adorable sweetheart, Anna is the head housemaid of the Downton staff. Her strong morals and kind soul remains constant, despite all of Downton’s drama. Anna’s love for Bates is one of the purest romances seen on this show. God bless them.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

FOOD

B7

Gourmet burger shop expands to Town and Country Bowen Gerould Staff Writer

N

apa Valley-based gourmet burger joint Gott’s Roadside plans to expand to the Peninsula with a new location in Town and Country Village.

The restaurant will open in June 2013 as part of a retrofit of Town and Country Village and will take over the southwest corner of the mall in the space of Hobee’s, Halo and Jamba Juice according to The Registry, a San Francisco-based real estate newspaper.

There will be seating for 90 inside and 90 outside under heaters.

Other tenants will move elsewhere in the complex.

Jamba Juice will move to the opposite side of the complex in a larger area to make room for Gott’s.

However, Hobee’s will not return to Town and Country as part of the retrofit, but will stay in Palo Alto on El Camino Real according to The Registry.

Owner Joel Gott has three other locations in California: St. Helena, Napa and the Ferry Building in San Francisco.

He feels the new addition is in “about as good a location as you can get… because we need a lot of customer willing to spend money on good food,” according to restaurant news site, Inside Scoop SF. Gott’s Roadside serves burgers made of all-natural Niman Ranch beef or lean ahi tuna, with optional sides of sweet potato or garlic fries.

They also offer “Let’s Be Frank” organic hot dogs, a variety of chicken sandwiches and salads, a choice of fourteen draft and bottled beers and an extensive selection of Napa Valley wines.

The online menu shows the price of a cheeseburger ($7.99), fries ($2.89) and a fountain soda ($2.69) to total over $13 without tax or tip.

This is approximately $2.50 more than a comparable meal at Kirk’s.

However, Gott’s may attract a broader clientele with its all-day breakfast, lunch and dinner menus and reputation for high quality, local organic ingredients.

Courtesy of Elixirdesign.com

The new burger shop will offer Paly students a place to relax after classes and enjoy a nice burger and french fries. The photo displays a typical adult meal at the gourmet burger shop, Gott’s. Gott’s is set to open this June.

Shakes are $6 and the kid’s menu offers a main, side and drink for one fixed price of $8.49. The restaurant opens at 7 a.m. for breakfast, similar to Hobee’s. They have three types of sandwiches including the classic which consists of scrambled eggs, bacon, and American cheese for $4.99 as well as a southern sandwich with chicken tenders, scrambled eggs cheddar cheese and

The best way to describe Gott’s is consistency.

The burgers are good, the fries are good.

Arnold T Yelp Reviewer

jalapeno mayo for $5.99.

The breakfast menu also contains smoked chicken and egg tacos

as well as potato and egg ones.

If you are feeling like getting something on the lighter side, you can order from the “more” section of the menu.

This has classic favorites like french toast for $5.49 or fresh fruit and yogurt parfaits for $6.99.

They also have sides of golden hash browns for $1.99.

Drinks include coffee, tea and Odwalla juices and smoothies for under three dollars.

Online customer reviews from Gott’s current locations on Yelp and TripAdvisor are positive about its food quality, fast service and family-friendly atmosphere: however some customers feel the prices are too high for simple fare such as a burger and shake.

“The best way to describe Gott’s is consistency,” Yelp reviewer Arnold T said. “The burgers are

good, the fries are good. Everything is fresh and you can definitely taste it in each bite. I will definitely be back for more.”

Ellis Partners, the owners of Town and Country, made the move to add Gott’s in order to “evolve to meet the needs of modern clients and tenants,” Caroline Morris, Vice President of Asset Management at Ellis partners, said in an interview with The Registry.

“This latest improvement allows us to stay fresh, exciting and relevant,” Morris said.

Some students are sad to see Kirk’s, a longtime Town and Country resident, leave because they like to have good and reliable food available at Town and Country.

Students also believe that Town and Country should stop eliminating old restaurants.

“I really like Kirk’s because it’s

somewhat of a Paly landmark due to all the pictures of our athletes,” junior Paul Bienaime said. “Town and Country should keep its originality and should step away from industrial change.”

Others are looking forward to the change in scene at Town and Country because it will allow for a new eating environment and could create a fresh and exciting new experience for customers.

The addition of Gott’s will also allow for change in cuisine and bring quality American food to Town and Country patrons.

“It won’t affect me because there is a new burger place replacing it,” sophomore Cory Bicknell said. “But I will miss the family ambiance that Kirk’s has to give.”

“I’ll be sad when Kirk’s leaves,” junior Fionn Ruder said. “But apparently Gott’s is pretty good so

Roast Shop deli provides full kosher menu to patrons sophie parker

senior sports editor

M

any kosher families in Palo Alto have had limited places to search for food in the city. There is Izzy’s bagels, selling bagels, pizza and some side dishes, and a kosher section in Mollie Stone’s, with one aisle full of different types of kosher food, including meat.

However, now it is time for these families to check out the new kosher deli in Palo Alto called the Roast Shop located at 565 Bryant Street.

Kosher is a tradition in the Jewish religion that means there are restrictions on the way food is processed, and it has to be blessed by a rabbi before someone can eat it. Many Jewish families, whether conservative or orthodox, keep kosher so they have many restrictions on what they can eat outside of their homes.

The Roast Shop has a variety of kosher meats for purchase by the pound, including pastrami and turkey, and the option to buy sandwiches made on the spot, with a nice sit down area to eat. This new deli is owned by the same owners of Asian Box of Town & Country Village.

Abri Chavira, the executive chef and manager, says that the restaurant opened to reach out to the orthodox Jewish community that has a limited variety of places to eat in Palo Alto.

“We want something so the Jewish community can be here because the orthodox Jews have strict policies and we want somewhere they can come to eat without a problem,” Chavira said.

Not only does the deli offer a full kosher menu to all, it also has a special twist to the restaurant not seen in the town ever before.

“Our concept is a barbecue smoke house, a little different than the Jewish community is used to,”

Jensen Hsiao/The Campanile

Hidden away on the intersection of Hamilton and Bryant lies the Roast Shop, a perfect place to eat for those who like to keep kosher.

Chavira said. “It is a good and a bad thing because some orthodox Jews are not used to it so they shy away at first.”

Chavira shared that even though the Roast Shop had a slow opening, due to a lack in advertising and lack of publicity, they have big goals for the future.

“We are going to start selling shabbat dinners where people will pre-order and pick up their dinner before 2:30 [p.m.] on Friday,” Chavira said. “But since there are limitations on the meat, only some of the meats will be able to be offered on shabbat.”

Shabbat is a weekly holiday in the Jewish tradition that allows from families to spend time together as well as take a break from their stressful weeks. Since the shop is focused

on the barbecue aspect, they have to be sure all the meats are cooked perfectly.

It is huge for the Jewish community and everyone loves barbecue.

Everything is homemade and has a different touch, a lot more than other places are doing.

Abri Chavira Executive Manager of Roast Shop

On opening day, they were hoping for the customers to enjoy the specific way their meats are prepared.

“We had a soft opening about three weeks ago and then shut down for a few weeks to switch up the recipes and menu,” Chavira said. “We

then reopened two days ago where, for the most part everyone was happy with the food, and that’s huge.”

Chavira shares that the store is hoping to use websites, Facebook and marketing to publicize more for the future.

Specifically, they hope to visit different offices around the area to offer catering and possibly go door-todoor to offer samples so more people know about the restaurant.

“We are hoping in the future that the store is so successful that we have lines going out the doors,” Chavira said. “However, our main focus right now is focusing on the meats, getting them cured right, smoked right, just the right texture and everything else will fall in place.”

As for the Kosher rules, the chefs in the kitchen are learning more every

day as they prepare meals in a strictly kosher kitchen.

“I came from the JCC [Jewish Community Center] in Los Gatos and I ran the kitchen purely kosher,” Chavira said. “It wasn’t supervised but I kept it how it is supposed to be in a restaurant. With our chefs, we sit them down show them the ways, how to do, how to do it right and our biggest policy is if you don’t know how to do it, ask.”

Without knowing the Roast Shop is a kosher restaurant, from the outside, it looks like a southern barbecue joint, welcome to anyone.

“It is huge for the Jewish community and everyone [who] loves barbecue,” Chavira said. “Everything is homemade and has a different touch, a lot more than other places are doing.”

Friday, January 25, 2013

B8

The Campanile

CULTURE

3 in

2000

This edition featuring

Pippa, Grant and Becca Raffel with The Campanile’s own Kian McHugh, Josefin Kenrick and Hillel Zand

jensen hsiao/the campanile

Happy Donuts, Jack in the Box, 7-Eleven and Subway are a few great places to go to when craving a late-night snack.

Midnight snackin’ I

t’s midnight and you still have two hours of homework left to do. We’ve all been there before, and we all know that what’s on your mind isn’t, “Wow, I should really finish this homework,” but rather, “Man, I’m really hungry.”

Pubescent teenagers need their food. What Mom has in the cupboard will not always suffice, so outside help can be necessary. Palo Alto has a number of 24-hour fast food shops and convenience stores that can fill up a stomach and bring a smile to anyone’s face. So, next time you are stuck with a case of the grumbles, try out some of these shops that are sure to ease your gastro-pain. The best part is that they are there for you every hour of the day.

Hillel zand staff writer

Happy Donuts 3916 El Camino Real Food quality: Atmosphere: Nighttime :

the fact that the area surrounding the shop can feel unsafe, Happy Donuts, itself, is relatively quiet, has abundant seating and is a great place for a late-night snack.

Jack in the Box

2280 El Camino Real Food quality:

Atmosphere: Nighttime appeal:

Hands down one of the best mom-and-pop joints our city has to offer, Happy Donuts is home to some of the best donuts around.

Try a donut ($1 regular, $1.95 filled) or buy more and share with your friends ($5.75/half dozen, $9.75/ dozen for regular donuts). Their donut holes ($2.75/ dozen) are also nice small treats if you are looking to pace your eating. I was surprised to find that these donuts are polar opposites of those of the Krispy Kreme empire: they are moist and fluffy inside and do not leave your mouth with an overbearing taste of sugar.

Happy Donuts also has various sandwiches ($5-$6) and breakfast sandwiches ($3-$4) that are filled with a combination of three breakfast items, such as egg, bacon, ham, sausage or cheese. Although these options may not be as appealing in the middle of the night, they are definitely a good alternative if you are looking for a substantial meal.

To help wash your food down, try a hot chocolate ($1.95/ medium) or a coffee ($1.75/medium). The coffee is fresh hot and served with real milk and cream (not any of those fake creamers). Happy Donuts also has fruit smoothies ($3.95).

However, they were not available when I went to visit.

If you are looking to get some work done, Happy Donuts is the perfect place to get some nice study time in, and there is also free Wi-Fi available with any purchase. Despite

able to fit through a straw, they will fill you up instantly.

If you are looking for an early morning meal, breakfast is served all day at Jack in the Box, with options ranging from the Supreme Croissant ($2.69) to the Steak & Egg Burrito ($3.39).

The El Camino Real location is fairly small but has enough seating to accommodate about 20 people. Also, the employees that I encountered were cheerful and very helpful. This chain is definitely a good choice for a heavy meal, whether for lunch or for midnight brunch.

Subway My first-ever visit to Jack in the Box was definitely a memorable experience. I was greeted by a selforder kiosk that I could not pass up the opportunity to use. Although the machine says everything you order out loud (which m a d e me feel slightly embarrassed and self-conscious about the food I was eating), it was a convenient way to see the entire menu a n d everything that the fast food chain has to offer.

I was surprised by the quality of the food, and although it is no In-NOut, Jack in the Box’s food was shockingly tasty. The chicken sandwich ($1) was cheap but not terrible for its price. I liked how the kiosk let me customize my order so I could request what toppings I wanted on the sandwich. If you order a combo meal, pay the extra 30 cents to substitute regular french fries for curly fries. Trust me, it’s worth it. I gobbled down the curly fries ($1.99/small) instantly, as they were not too oily and seasoned just right.

Different kinds of hamburgers are also available, including the Sirloin Cheeseburger ($4.99) and the Sourdough Cheesesteak Melt ($4.49). Other chicken options include chicken nuggets ($2.50/10 pieces) and Jack’s Spicy Chicken ($3.99).

To drink, there are vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and Oreo milkshakes ($2.69/regular size), and although they are extremely thick and barely

205 University Avenue Food quality: Atmosphere: Nighttime appeal:

The world’s largest fast food chain has a location open for 24 hours on University Ave., and although it may not be as appropriate as it is at lunchtime, Subway never gets old.

Subway’s custom sand- w i c h e s are available with different meats, cheeses and vegetables in six-inch ($3.50-$5.25) and footlong ($5-$8) sizes.

Also keep an eye out for the $5 footlong of the month.

January’s featured sandwich is the Chipotle Chicken & Cheese.

Subway also has breakfast sandwiches ($2-$6) that include combinations of egg, cheese, bacon and other meats. These sandwiches can be made on a bagel (190-330 calories) or on one of Subway’s housemade breads (650-1320 calories). Coffee ($1.50) and fountain drinks ($1.09) can be added to any meal, as well.

The University Ave. location was fairly empty at 11:00 p.m., as I expected, since Subway is often not one’s first choice for a late evening or middle-of-the-night snack; however, this location has seating for about 15 people, so if you find yourself looking

for something filling, eat fresh at Subway.

7-Eleven

401 Waverley Street Food quality: Atmosphere: Nighttime appeal:

Known as the granddaddy of all convenience stores, 7-Eleven is your go-to stop if you are looking for junk food heaven. Snacks like donuts ($0.99), pastries ($1.39), packs of candy ($1-$2) and hot dogs ($1.29) are unhealthy favorites that never fail to disappoint. Also, various sandwiches ($3-$4) are delivered daily if you want a more healthy snack.

For all those looking to get through an all-nighter, you will be pleased to know that there is a whole section filled with every single type of caffeinated energy drink known to man, including the favorite 5 Hour Energy ($3.49). Everyone knows that a trip to 7-Eleven would not be complete without a slurpee ($1.29$1.99) or a fountain drink which are available for the same price if you so choose.

7-Eleven brand snacks tend to be slightly cheaper than their competitor’s options, so look for those if you are trying to save a couple cents. It seems as though the only thing that the 7-Eleven corporation does not offer as competition are their own chocolate and condoms.

While you may not need to go to 7-Eleven for the motor oil or cat litter that they have, they do offer the best range of sugarfilled snacks that parents despise.

Day or night, 7-Eleven has the best selection of food that although may not be very healthy, is perfect for any time of day.

Pippa Raffel: I have to pee. Why do I always have to pee?

Becca Raffel: You have to pee? I do too.

The Campanile: Clear the air– are you guys cousins, twins, triplets or adopted siblings?

BR: We’re cousins and [Grant and I] are brother and sister.

TC: Who’s the biggest party animal?

BR: Oh that’s Pippa... no, Grant.

Grant’s at parties that are above our level.

TC: Who’s the better athlete?

BR: I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that we’re all equal.

TC: That’s not true is it?

BR: I mean you got a 2-time state champion over here. But all of the Raffels have been to CCS finals.

PR: But Grant and I do participate in an individual sport, whereas Becca may depend on the other five people on the court.

TC: Pippa, we hear you have a certain individual you may be fond of in The Campanile.

Let’s talk about the boys.

PR: I don’t think that’s a great idea.

TC: Does his name rhyme with Mill Sendenhall?

PR: No. TC: Any girls, Grant?

Grant Raffel: No, not at this time.

TC: So would you say that Pippa’s the biggest player?

BR: By far.

PR: I mean, look at me.

TC: Pippa, tell us about when you hit Erik Anderson’s (‘13) car.

PR: It was three days after I got my license and Kian was standing right there. That’s it.

TC: If you guys were going to rob a bank, who would be the brains, who would be the brawn and who would be the one holding you back?

BR: I would rob the bank, Pippa would be the getaway car and Grant would be like, “Guys you shouldn’t do that.”

TC: Which one of you has the best fashion sense?

PR: Grant is always color coordinated. I think [Becca and I] have different looks. Becca’s less preppy than I am. She goes the Uggs way, I go the loafers way.

TC: If you went to an island and you could each only bring one thing, what would you bring?

GR: I’d bring them.

BR and PR: Awwwwww TC: Becca, would you rather be three feet taller or three feet shorter?

BR: I think three feet shorter because it gets awkward when you’re that tall. I think I’m reaching the limit.

TC: Do you feel that boys are intimidated by your height?

BR: Absolutely.

TC: What would you say to a guy trying to approach you?

BR: To all those guys trying to approach me out there, just no.

TC: If you could give a word of advice to any other siblings or cousins at Paly what would it be?

PR: I would say that even if you don’t really like your cousins or siblings, you should try being friends with them because that’s what I did. And look at this–I’m friends with them now.

GR: That’s really deep, Pippa. I’d say you always should say hello to them.

BR: You never say hi to me!

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

SPORTS

Hall of Nothing

No one admitted to the class of 2013 Baseball HOF. C5

Dynasty Over?

Ravens upset over the Patriots leads to questions about the future of the storied dynasty. C6

Final stop: Super Bowl

Matchup Preview

James Foug Ryan Deslauriers Senior staff writers

Final Predictions

Key Matchups The Harbaughs

Jim Harbaugh grew up in Michigan and moved to Palo Alto for his last two years of high school at Paly when his father Jack became an assistant coach at Stanford. Jim played 14 seasons in the NFL with Chicago, Indianapolis, Baltimore and San Diego. He became the 49ers head coach two years ago after successful tenure as the Stanford head coach. John, a year older, never played in the NFL but became the Ravens head coach in 2008 after bouncing around the college level. Since becoming head coach, he’s led his team to the playoffs every year and has gone 8-4 in the playoffs.

Quarterback Even though Flacco has been hot in the playoffs, playing well against the Colts, Broncos and Patriots, Kaepernick is the best player in this game and does more for his team throwing and running the football.

Edge: San Francisco

Running Back Frank Gore and the versatile San Francisco running core pose a significant threat, but Ray Rice and the emergence of rookie Bernard Pierce pose a more potent threat to opposing defenses.

Edge: Baltimore

Receivers/Tight Ends Torrey Smith, Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta are playmakers for the Ravens while Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis are the only serious threat for the 49ers giving Baltimore the downfield advantage.

Edge: Baltimore

Offensive Line San Francisco has three pro bowl offensive linemen in Anthony Davis, Joe Staley and Mike Iupati who lead a powerful, yet explosive run game sporting one of the best lines in all of football.

Edge: San Francisco

Defensive Line The 49ers would have the edge here but Aldon Smith has been absent in the pass rush since the injury of Justin Smith while Haloti Ngata and Paul Kruger lead a fierce Ravens pass rush.

Edge: Baltimore

Linebackers Ray Lewis is more hype than productiveness at this point in his career and will be overshadowed by the powerful Navorro Bowman and Patrick Willis with Ahmad Brooks on the edge.

Edge: San Francisco

Secondary Ravens ballhawk Ed Reed is the best defensive back in this game but 49ers hard hitters Donte Whitner and Dashon Goldson combine for a hard hitting duo to complement the already stellar cornerback play.

Edge: San Francisco

Special Teams Baltimore’s Jacoby Jones is dangerous in the return game, and combined with San Francisco kicker David Akers struggling this season and forgetting how to make a field goal, Baltimore has the advantage.

Edge: Baltimore

Bal Offense vs. SF Defense SF Offense vs. Bal Defense Baltimore’s playoff run has largely been due to the arm of quarterback Joe Flacco making big plays downfield in the passing game to wide receivers Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin. Paired with tight ends Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson, Flacco is showing signs of being an elite quarterback in the NFL. The 49ers did not fare well against the Atlanta Falcons big, fast receivers. As a result, the 49ers secondary will need to have more success against the Ravens receivers if they want to come away with a win. Ever since Justin Smith injured his left tricep a few weeks ago, the San Francisco defensive line has been far less game changing. To help mitigate the downfield play, the San Francisco pass rush needs to start generating more pressure on Joe Flacco than they previously put on Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers. Flacco can get flustered under duress and the 49ers are easily capable of putting pressure on him. For this to happen, the 49ers secondary needs to keep all the receivers covered and not let anyone slip through an opening. The 49ers have one of the best rush defenses in the league and that puts the fate of the Ravens on the shoulders of Joe Flacco. For the Ravens to win, Flacco will need to keep up his hot streak and complete the difficult passes downfield.

Colin Kaepernick features a strong arm similar to Flacco’s, but unlike Flacco, Kaepernick has the ability to turn broken plays into positive plays. During Kaepernick’s first nine starts, he’s taken the league by storm and proved he is capable of being an elite quarterback in the NFL. With Kaepernick at the helm, defenses have been left guessing, often incorrectly. San Francisco has been playing their best offensive football in the playoffs. During the seven regular season games in which Kaepernick started, the 49ers averaged 5.4 yards per carry, scoring only three times using the option. In the two playoff games, they have averaged 8.4 yards per rush with four touchdowns. The Ravens need to limit the effectiveness of the 49ers option game, which has become their bread and butter. However, slowing Kaepernick in the running game does not shut down this offense. Last week, the Falcons took away Kaepernick’s options on the ground, which consequently allowed Frank Gore and LaMichael James to run through gaping holes. Kaepernick also proved last week that he can be effective from the pocket. He only had one rush for 23 yards yet threw for 233 with a 76 percent completion rate. The Ravens must be prepared for the 49ers offense or it could be a sad going away party for Ray Lewis.

James’ Pick The San Francisco 49ers are 5-0 in Super Bowls and will continue that streak. Kaepernick steps into the spotlight with a great game against the Ravens who will be confused and the experience of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed goes out the window as Baltimore has not faced a spread attack. In all the years these two future hall of famers have been in the league, not once have they faced a dynamic quarterback like Colin Kaepernick. However, with two weeks until the game, the Ravens will have extra time to prepare for the new offensive schemes the 49ers present. Baltimore has been scoring consistently in the playoffs but has not a faced a defense as talented as San Francisco. The 49ers will limit Ray Rice in the running game, forcing Joe Flacco to have to continue making big plays through the air. Expect the 49ers to pressure Flacco early and often trying to limit the big play ability of Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin.

San Francisco is the overall better team with more talent on both sides of the ball and will become 6-0 all time in super bowls.

49ers 31-20

Ryan’s Pick Superbowl XLVII poses to be one of the most physical super bowls in recent history. The game will feature many big hits but in the end this game between two evenly matched teams will be decided by who can deliver the back breaking plays and get more points out of the passing game. The Ravens’ receiving core centered around wide receivers Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin and tight end Dennis Pitta have combined for a touchdown every five catches.

Compared to 49ers receivers who have combined for a touchdown every nine catches, Baltimore holds the passing game advantage. So far, teams have had trouble stopping the 49ers’ deadly read option, with the 49ers embarrassing the Packers and Falcons defense.

Stopping the read option will be the Baltimore’s biggest concern. This won’t be an easy task but they are more suited to stop the read option because of their physicality and their 3-4 defense. Overall, Baltimore has more back breaking plays than San Francisco which gives them the edge in a game where both teams are almost identical, right down to the coach.

Baltimore 34-27

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

C2 SPORTS

Where to commit: choosing between Division I and Division III sports

MICHAEL WANG/THE CAMPANILE

Division I schools are often larger and provide scholarships and financial aid to committed athletes. Division III schools range from Ivies to small liberal arts schools to lesser known state schools. Division III schools place less emphasis on sports and allow athletes to devote time elsewhere.

Will Mendenhall Staff Writer

A

s the college application process comes to a close, student athletes must make the choice between playing for a Division I school or a Division III school.

What is commonly believed among high school athletes is that a Division I school will always have better sports than that of a Division III school.

But the difference between Division I and Division III schools does not lie in their level of play, but rather it is a difference in the way the game is played off the field.

Athletic scholarships are one of the major differences between the two divisions. In Division I sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) gives

a certain amount of scholarships to each school and allows them to be given to athletes. This is one of the leading reasons players continue to play Division I. In Division III however, schools are only allowed to hand out academic scholarships that can not be given out to players based on athleticism. Despite this, many students their focus being turned away from sports and onto academics.

The choice of what division to play in ultimately comes down to the preference of the player.

“I think Division III schols are better because I will have the opportunity to be an athlete and a student,” senior Walker Mees said.

Time commitment is another leading factor in deciding whether to play Division I or III. Division I schools play year round and often practice multiple times a day, whether in the weight room or at a team practice.

“I know that playing at the highest level of competition will only benefit me in the future through all the hard work and long hours it takes to survive a Division I sport,” senior Skyler Felt said.

However, for Division III schools the NCAA has strict rules regarding when an athlete can practice with the team during the off season. This allows students to focus on academics and lead a more balanced lifestyle.

“The limit on how much a team can practice allows you to focus on schoolwork and other college activities,” senior Bret Pinsker said.

It is true that a school with more sports playing on the Division I level will have a greater athletic focus. But it is not just the school that is focused on sports - it is also the students. An athlete that plays Division I will have the luxury of a large fan base and a great student body that supports them. This is not to say that a Division III school does not support their athletes. For example, Kenyon College is known for having several strong sports programs despite being a Division III school, having won over ninety conference championships and leading the Division in national championships with fiftyseven. “[Kenyon] is pretty good at lacrosse and made it to the NCAA tournament last year,” Mees said.

“It is my dream to play in a national championship game.”

Lastly, the question arises about the competitiveness of a Division II school when compared to that of a Division I program, and how that effects athletes.

Similar to Division I schools, Division II schools offer scholarships and other financial aid programs to athletes. The difference between these two divisions lies in school size and level and intensity of competition.

In general, Division II schools tend to play at a lower level of difficulty and tend to be smaller schools.

For this reason, it seems to be more rare to see an athlete with various options go to Division II rather than Divison I or III. So in the end the choice which division to play in ultimately comes down to the preference of the player.

Hopefully all will find what they are looking for.

Boys’ soccer starts season strong in lower division lily Zhang

Jonathan ziegler Staff Writers

T

he boys’ soccer team continues to succeed with a strong and well-rounded team.

The team has won seven games, lost three and tied one. This is a monumental improvement from last season, during which they won not a single match of their 21 scheduled games.

Co-captain Kirby Gee notes the difference between the two seasons with a positive attitude.

“Our biggest improvement is that our team is finally scoring goals,” Gee said. “Chris Meredith is the main reason for this, but a lot of other players are filling their roles and contributing to the goal scoring.”

Co-captain Alex Chin attributes these new wins to having more experienced players.

“Last year we were smaller and less experienced, and I believe that the growth mentally and physically of our players resulted in more confident play and has produced better results,” said Chin.

To keep its performance up as the season wears on, Gee hopes that the

team will continue to work together well as one cohesive unit.

“I’ve been really impressed how well the team has played together so far this season,” Gee said. “Our biggest strength is our familiarity with each other’s type of play. We just got back from a few weeks without playing soccer, so I expect the team to continue its winning once we get back to full speed.”

Chin agrees that chemistry is one of the team’s strengths and hopes to keep pushing forward despite the everlooming possibility of injury.

“The team has been working well together because we have many

returning players so our camaraderie and chemistry is good,” Chin said.

“Our passing has been improving each game as we practice more and learn each other’s tendencies. There haven’t been many significant challenges, although this stretch of the season features games three times a week, and many players often get injured,” Chin said.

Gee also looks to meet the team’s goals of this season, particularly defeating crosstown rival Gunn High School in the upcoming match.

“We want to beat Gunn, finish the season strong and make CCS,” Gee said.

If the team makes CCS, they will be reinstated into the De Anza division.

The only way to move up a division is to finish first in the current league.

“An updated goal for the season is to concede less goals and win the El Camino league so we move back up to the De Anza league,” Chin said.

“In addition, we really want to make CCS in order to play De Anza league teams.”

The team’s next match is today, January 25 at Lynbrook High School at 3:30 p.m. against Lynbrook. The next home game is on Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 3:30 p.m. against Gunn. Be there or be square.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

SPORTS C3

Wrestling team looks to recover from early losses

Sports Fans are Softies

jake kerman

Angela Stern/The campanile

Junior Andrew Frick competes in the Vikings’ Jan. 17 match against rival Gunn High School. The short-manned Vikings lost by a score of 64-18.

angela stern hillel zand staff writers

P

aly wrestling is in the middle of its season, and despite some losses, the team is optimistic about the remaining matches and tournaments.

On Jan. 17, Paly wrestled against their crosstown rival, Henry M. Gunn High School, and unfortunately, did not pull out a win. The final score was 64 to 18. Numerous Paly wrestlers were also out with the flu, which resulted in several forfeits.

“We needed to have some wins early on,” coach David Duran said about their strategy to accommodate the forfeits. “We did some good things, and we did some things we need to fix.”

Sophomore Nick Beeson was unhappy with the meet’s outcome.

“We come in here and want to win, but they had a bigger team so we had to give up a lot of forfeits,” Beeson said. “We had to come out and win all of our matches and get pins, but we just couldn’t. I don’t think we did our best. We could’ve done better. I think some individuals did well in their matches, but overall with the team, I don’t think it was a good match for us.

Several Paly wrestlers did manage to win, including senior Gary Hohbach and junior Jordan Gans.

“Jordan and Gary [did notably well], Jordan was sick, and he came out and did a good job,” Duran said.

“Gary’s been wrestling very well all season, so we expected a lot from him, Andrew came back in the end, and Nick Beeson’s coming along. It’s his first year with us, so he’ll be okay.

We have a little ways to go, but we’ll be alright by the end of the season.”

Paly then went on to the Mid Cal wrestling tournament but failed

to place. Paly has been doing well in tournaments so far, with both Trent Marshall and Hohbach medaling at the 44th California Coast Wrestling Tournament back in December.

“Our team this year is built more for the bigger tournaments,” Duran said. “We have some guys who can go deeper in tournaments.”

This year the team has a lot of younger members who are still learning to compete at the varsity level through experience the feel of the matches and tournaments.

“There’s growing pains with these kids,” Duran said. “We go to wrestle at the better tournaments and they get beat up, and we go to tournaments that are about their level and they do a lot of winning so it’s kind of a learning and growing process for all of those kids.”

Looking forward to the end of the season, Duran thinks the league title will come down to contests between Wilcox, Monta Vista or Gunn.

“We still have to wrestle Monta Vista, Wilcox and Fremont, who’s pretty good too,” Duran said. “Our league is tough, so we know that every week’s going to be another tough match.”

Our team this year is built more for the bigger tournaments...We have some guys who can go deeper in tournaments.

David Duran Head Coach

According to the latest rankings, Paly was ranked 12th out of 80 wrestling teams.

They still have big matches and tournaments coming up before SCVAL finals and CCS in late February. The team feels optimistic that they will close the season with a stronger second half and head into the playoffs with momentum

Athletes explore alternative healing options

michelle yin staff writer

I

njuries are the most common obstacle that prevent athletes from competing in their beloved sports. Whether one is a runner with shin splints or a tennis player with a tennis elbow, people who engage in any athletic activity are prone to injuries. As a result, the most substantial issue at hand is, of course, how athletes can overcome these injuries.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), annually more than 3.5 million children and adolescents in the U.S. are hurt playing sports. Thus, injury prevention and treatment poses a major issue for athletes.

The most traditional method of treating injuries is of course RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) combined with anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil or Aspirin. This type of treatment does prove to work with time.

However, it often does not provide results or heal athletes fast enough according to the Caring Medical Website because cells in tendons, ligaments and organs are naturally temperature sensitive and ice decreases blood circulation.

Though many people are oblivious to other treatments, other options do exist for those athletes yearning to recover quickly and return back to their respective sports.

According to Melbourne College of Professional Therapists (MACT), the Chinese have been using botanical remedies to treat a variety of healthcare issues, including injuries for as long as 5000 years.

Though somewhat abstract in western culture, herbal remedies continue to be widely used in eastern practices, specifically in China.

Here in the United States, there are actually quite a few botanical ointments available for treating pain and injuries.

Commonly used botanical treatments include Traumeel, Inflamyar (both contain arnica, a commonly used anti-inflammatory herb) and WinVivo wound ointment which can all be compared to popular pain relieving sports treatments like Icy Hot. The difference is that these contain mostly plant-based ingredients and actually treat the root causes of the injuries, instead of using chemicals to produce counterirritants in order to trick the body from feeling pain, according to Chris Sherwood, a journalist for livestong.com.

Botanical treatments can treat a multitude of injuries like shin splints, plantar fasciitis, torn muscles like achilles tendonitis (common among runners), and sprains by promoting tissue regeneration and reducing inflammation instead of common methods like stretching, icing and using pain relievers.

The Chinese have been using botanical remedies to treat a variety of healthcare issues including injuries for as long as 5000 years.

According to a study done by Dr. Sherwin Ho from the University of Hawaii, ice is actually found to decrease blood circulation and cell metabolism in soft tissue (found in ligaments, tendons and organs) which, in effect, delays healing.

For serious injuries such as ligament or muscle tears including injuries such as ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears or meniscus tears, botanical creams can also be implemented as post-surgery therapy to accelerate recovery and tissue regeneration.

“The athlete [can] benefit from using the ointment to help healing the surgical wounds faster, to reduce the risk of surgical complications due to wound infection and to help alleviate pain and swelling due to the natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of the botanicals,” Dr. Shirley Chen, founder of WinVivo said.

Since methods like icing cannot be used during sleep, botanical therapy can also be a good night time treatment because according to William Collinge, Ph.D, night time is optimal for bodily reparations in terms of stress and injuries. “[Our] cells produce more proteins such as collagen and elastin when [we are] sleeping, and these proteins form the building blocks for cells and extracellular matrix, allowing them to repair tissue damage,” Chen said.

As a result, sleep is a critical period of time that injured athletes need to recover.

Therapeutic options are clearly plentiful, so athletes can branch out and explore more effective methods such as fast action botanical therapies.

Although injuries naturally take time to heal, herbal ointments often speed up recovery time and allow athletes to get back into the action in a shorter period of time.

Christina Chu, realtor Silicon Valley Realty ccchu26@gmail.com 1-(650)-919-3725 dre#01439795

www.silicontechrealty.com Donation to Adolescent Counseling Services at Close of Escrow

Along with anyone else who possesses a soul, I watched both NFL Conference Championships last Sunday. My beloved 49ers along with the Baltimore Ravens both pulled out nail-biters, punching their respective tickets to the Super Bowl. Afterwards, at his press conference, the Raven’s Ray Lewis (who is headed for retirement after this season) spoke about the Bible verse he’d been using all playoffs as motivation, Isaiah 54:17.

It goes, “No weapon forced against us shall prevail.” To most sports fans, this must have seemed in tune with the Ray Lewis they know: a hard hitting, Hall of Fame bound linebacker known for his fierce leadership and fiery speeches. To a small minority with good memories, however, the verse Lewis keeps repeating in preparation for the Super Bowl reeks of irony.

In 2000, Lewis was involved in a stabbing incident at an Atlanta nightclub that left two men dead. A bloody white suit that Lewis allegedly wore that night was never found, which District Attorney Paul Howard alleged Lewis had discarded immediately following the incident. Lewis later entered a plea agreement with Howard in which he admitted to obstruction of justice. A financial settlement with each of the victims’ families followed, and the debacle was quickly forgotten by the media soon after.

Today, Lewis is portrayed by the media as a man of faith with an air of destiny around his march to a Super Bowl ring. Why? Because we as fans like to think the best about our favorite players. We are a sympathetic society, so willing to forgive and forget. And I very much include myself in that conversation.

Take Lance Armstrong, another recent example. Here’s a man who lied and cheated his way to seven Tour de France titles. But when he finally admitted to doping last week, my heart went out to him, because I also remember his seemingly awesome story, told and told again by a loving sports media. Cancer survivor, LiveStrong founder, viciously outspoken against doping in cycling, a practice we now know he himself engaged in. None of this absolves his cheating; in fact, it makes his masquerade that much worse. Yet my heart still holds him dear for some reason that I can’t explain, knowing that he cheated his followers just as much as he did himself. But I’m trying to let Lance go, because he doesn’t deserve my support, just as much as he didn’t deserve all those yellow jerseys.

The list of case studies goes on and on. Kobe Bryant (unfortunately, my favorite basketball player) and Tiger Woods, both outright d-bags for a myriad of reasons, are still the most popular athletes in their respective sports. Michael Vick, who killed hundreds of innocent and defenseless animals, was given a $100 million dollar contract by the Eagles last year.

And one by one, these athletes have gotten their sins swept under the rug, never to be overturned again.

As sports fans, we deserve better. Admiration for athletes who have done wrong should stay within the constructs of their play and not off the field into their personal lives.

Forgiveness has a place in our lives, wariness and remembrance should as well. For when it comes to things like murder trials, less sympathy is more.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

C4 SPORTS

Steroids continue to cast shadows over pro sports Daniel Tachna-Fram Jack Paladin Staff Writers

F

or the past decade a dark cloud has hung over America’s favorite pastime: baseball. The source of this cloud? Anabolic steroids and Human Growth Hormone.

In recent years, it has been made public that some of the greatest baseball players of the 1990s and early 2000s, seemingly first-ballot hall of famers, were only able to achieve what they did with the help of illegal substances.

Players such as Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Roger Clemens and Rafael Palmeiro all appeared destined to be enshrined in Cooperstown. However, when the votes were counted for the Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2013 none of them made the cut. In fact, nobody did.

That is the effect that steroids had on baseball: not only did they cause the achievements of a whole generation of superstars to be rendered invalid, but they undermined the achievements of clean players like Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, who both failed to make the Hall of Fame this year. Both Bagwell and Biggio were tremendous players in their time.

However, many of their accomplishments during their playing days were overshadowed by the incredible displays being put on by players like Bonds and Clemens.

Perhaps the only sport to be hit harder by steroids than baseball is cycling. Modern day cyclists have gone beyond the use of either steroids or Human Growth Hormone.

It is widely suspected that hundreds of the top cyclists in the world have engaged in a similar form of cheating called blood doping.

Blood doping improves an athlete’s performance by increasing the amount of oxygen that blood can carry to the muscles through unnecessary blood transfusions, often using the athlete’s own blood. Cycling is greatly scarred by blood doping because blood doping is almost impossible to detect. In many cases, unless an athlete admits to blood

Courtesy ofCreative commons

Lance Armstrong (left) and Barry Bonds (right) were both ostracized by the sports community and stripped of their awards following doping charges.

doping, any knowledge of who is blood doping and who is not, is pure speculation.

Blood doping improves an athlete’s performance by increasing the amount of oxygen that blood can carry to the muscles.

However the worst effect blood doping has had on the sport of cycling is in the degradation of the most decorated cyclist of all time, Lance Armstrong. After it was confirmed that Armstrong engaged in blood doping during his cycling career, Armstrong was forced to

vacate his record seven straight Tour De France wins.

While Armstrong is the most notable of the cyclists who have been caught doping, there is an entire list of others who have used performance enhancing drugs or doped before a race. For example, eight racers before the Tour De France were removed from the race due to a scandal pertaining to doping and other means of cheating for the race.

While performance enhancingdrugs have loomed over the baseball and cycling, destroying the reputations of many well loved players, drugs have also affected football. Most recently, the Seattle Seahawks defensive back, Richard Sherman, tested

positive for performance enhancing drugs. While Sherman won his appeal, many other NFL players have lost their battles over steroids and been suspended from the NFL. Shawne Merriman, named defensive rookie of the year in 2005, was caught using steroids and was suspended for four games the next season.

After this the NFL also determined that any player caught using performance enhancing drugs is not allowed to be a part in the Pro Bowl.

Despite the use of steroids remaining a prevalent issue in professional sports, they were never a largely discussed issue for high school students, but more recently this has not been the case.

In a study by the Center for Disease Control from 1991 to 2003 the use of steroids more than doubled and six percent of the study had tried using performance enhancing drugs.

While student use increased, less than four percent of high schools were testing for the use of steroids among student athletes. Today, steroids are still used among students and professionals even with the wellknown health effects.

Many of the professional sports and high schools are working to help prevent the use of these illegal drugs, but there is still much more work to be done until steroids can become an irrelevant part of sports that no longer bring clouds of doubt over the games.

ACL injury victims take steps towards recuperation

By Nick Sullivan Staff Writer

T

he tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the worst injuries an athlete can sustain because it is said to be extremely painful to experience and it requires a lengthy recovery. It is an injury that most commonly occurs in sports that involve sudden stops and changes in direction such as football, basketball and soccer.

An athlete does not even need to come in contact with anyone else to suffer this injury; it can happen while he or she is running. The injury is said to be extremely painful because of the pop in the knee felt when the injury occurs.

“Tearing my ACL was probably the most pain I have ever experienced in my life,” junior Gunnar Felt said.

“Once I felt it tear, and heard it pop I knew for sure that it was something serious.”

There are two options for procedures to reconstruct the torn ligament because it cannot be repaired.

The first option is using muscle tissue from a cadaver; the second option is taking muscle from the patient’s body (usually from the hamstring).

ACL injuries have plagued Paly student athletes this year.

Juniors Proceviat and Felt tore their ACL’s while playing football.

Junior Hope Crockett and senior Stephanie Allen tore theirs playing basketball.

All of them have already had their surgeries and have started physical therapy.

“It is an extremely difficult process towards recovery,” Proceviat said.

During therapy, the athletes are forced to push their limits by stretching and putting weight on their injured knees.

They have all said this can be really painful at times but are aware that it

is the only way to reach a successful recovery.

Although many athletes take a full year after they have recovered to truly regain their strength, all four athletes are shooting to go back to playing their sports once they heal, but even then it can be hard regaining the strength in their knees they had prior to the injury.

As of right now all Paly students with ACL injuries have made significant progress in their recoveries.

Crockett, who tore her ACL at the end of November, had her surgery over winter break. Crockett reported that her therapy is going well so far. “[Therapy’s] been good, Crockett said. “They’ve been really aggressive in getting my range of motion back and starting the process of regaining my strength.”

Proceviat, who injured his knee in the first practice after the first football game of the 2012 season, had his surgery much earlier than the others so he is farther along in the process.

“I got the hamstring graft instead of the cadaver so it has been a lot more painful because I also had

surgery to take out muscle from my hamstring,” Proceviat said. “It will take me eight to twelve months to recover,” Proceviat said.

During therapy, the athletes are forced to push their limits by stretching and putting weight on their injured knees.

Felt tore his ACL during the football season a couple months after Proceviat but waited until the break to have his surgery and just started therapy treatment to alleviate his condition in January.

“The first couple weeks after surgery it’s mostly just working on getting motion back, so it’s a lot of easy movements that just get your strength and flexibility back,” Felt said Those who have suffered this injury will have a long road back as it is not an easy process towards recovery.

However they are all working hard to return as soon as possible with anticipation to get back to playing sports.

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Gina scarpino/The Campanile

Hope Crockett, a Paly athlete, is currently recovering from ACL surgery.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

SPORTS C5

Should use of steroids nullify athletes’ achievements?

Courtesy of Allen Fredrickson /Reuters /Landov

Brandon Byer senior staff writer

Pro

W

hen people think of the Hall of Fame, most of them would say that is where the greatest players that have ever played the game reside. For Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, their years of elite production have come into question over the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). But, undoubtedly with or without steroids, these two individuals are deserving of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York for the way t­hey left a lasting impact on everyone who had the pleasure of watching them perfect their crafts in front of their very own eyes.

Barry Bonds is without a question the second greatest MLB player ever only behind the “Great Bambino” Babe Ruth, who sits atop the historic list.

Bonds captivated the Bay Area from the day he signed his then record setting six-year deal for 43.75 million and became a member of the Orange and Black. Prior to this, Bonds began his historic career for the Pittsburgh Pirates where he nearly led them to a World

Series appearance during the 1992 season. In San Francisco, he continued his greatness at, hitting towering blasts into any outfield seat he could see. During his time at the “The Stick”, he never had a season where he hit less than 34 home runs and never had an On-Base Percentage (OBP) under .389 (the average for an MLB player is around .320).

It is also important to mention that the previous numbers were all steroid free.

During the 2000-2004 seasons, when the Giants moved to AT&T Park, Bonds was walked a total of 872 times, and had an average OBP over those five seasons of .535, which on its own is just truly ridiculous.

Bonds’ contributions are not to statistics, but to the game of baseball in general, which is why he should be enshrined in the hall. Every time he stepped up to the plate, everyone in the ballpark and watching at home had a feeling that the next pitch thrown had pretty good odds that it would be hit into the murky waters of McCovey Cove. Barry Bonds singlehandedly captivated a city and a team with just a swing of a baseball bat; he sent shockwaves throughout the baseball world that fans might very well never ever see again. We will never know how much the PEDs really helped him, but what we do know is the lasting impact that each swing whether it be a swing through strike or one of his 756 HRs had on every single person that sat in a seat or watched from home during one of his at-bats.

A man who has been intertwined with the whole Barry Bonds saga is Henry “Hank” Aaron called today by many as the “true home-run king.” It has been proven that Aaron did in fact

take amphetamines during his time playing the game of baseball, and yet he was still voted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. This is my biggest problem with the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), which is the organization made up of hundreds of esteemed baseball writers who have the privilege to vote on who should be enshrined in Cooperstown. Why they do not hold Hank Aaron to the same standard, as Barry Bonds is a question that many pro-Bonds supporters have been clamoring for an answer for quite some time. Bonds changed our perspective on how dominant a batter can be, but Roger Clemens showed baseball that pitchers could be just as dominant as the hitter.

For Roger Clemens, he demonstrated how great of a pitcher he could be during his Hall of Fame worthy career.

His career earned run average (ERA) of 3.12, a 1.17 walks/hits per inning pitched ratio (WHIP) are certainly hall of fame worthy.

Clemens, during his career, ushered in a new era of the power pitcher that has put him on the list of all time great pitchers ever with guys like Walter Johnson, Randy Johnson, and Nolan Ryan.

I would like to say, in conclusion, that I do not in anyway condone what Bonds or Clemens may have done with regards to the use of illegal substances to enhance their numbers in their later years. But on the other hand, you cannot ignore the impact that each of these men had to their respective positions, the players in the clubhouse, the fans and to the game of baseball in general.

Can you really say that neither of these men belongs in the hall when their overall impact on the game tells you otherwise?

Courtesy of Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

James Foug Senior staff Writer

Con

I

t has been about a decade, and baseball still does not know how to handle the use of performanceenhancing-drugs. Players such as Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa are legends to some, and criminals to others. All found guilty of cheating their way to the statistics they produced. On talent alone, there is no doubt that these players, along with Rafael Palmeiro and Mark McGwire, would have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Or would they have been?

So why dwell on the issue? Because nobody knows about the effects of the multiple cheating methods. Cheating is an act where you enforce punishment even if the player is one of the greatest of all time.

Letting these players into the Hall of Fame can be compared to letting a student receive an “A” in a course, even though the person cheated, but it does not matter because they are extremely smart anyway. At least we assume so.

It is indisputable that all these players made enormous contributions

to their team’s success, and I realize that the 90’s did happen. However, these players have falsely altered the record books with the help of performance enhancers. Now, through all the court hearings and accusations of these players, the home run race of 1998 between McGwire and Sosa was almost like who could cheat more to set the all time home run record in one season. It seemed that every day Sosa and McGwire were slowly becoming some of the greatest players the game had to offer. Little did we know that Sosa was using a corked bat and McGwire was juicing. Or the 73 home run season of Bonds en route to becoming the all time home run leader, later realizing that the he was using enhancers as well. Or Roger Clemens, on the other hand, where his career was heading for retirement and all of a sudden became Cy Young himself.

Inducting these players to the Hall of Fame sends a message saying that if you dope up and perform at a high level, it is perfectly okay. The players can keep their Most Valuable Player and Cy Young awards but they do not belong in the Hall of Fame, the elite of the elite. Watching these players go through multiple court hearings while denying that they ever used an illegal supplement or even blaming an agent or doctor for their actions is ridiculous and embarrassing for the game.

Overall, the baseball writers of America voted correctly on not electing these players to the Hall of Fame.

Bonds, Sosa, Clemens and McGwire all received under 40 percent , not close to the 75 percent needed to be inducted to the hall of fame.

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Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

C6 SPORTS

Boys’ basketball continues strong season

The Rise and Fall of a Dynasty

kyle stewart

brian benton/the campanile

Seniors Mathias Schmutz (left) and Aubrey Dawkins (right) lead the new team to a strong season as they continue to build on the success of last year.

After losing key players, current players step into leadership roles as the team continues the season with a consistent record.

Brandon byer senior staff writer

jensen hsiao staff writer

T

he Palo Alto Vikings are on a roll as of late and are staking their claim as the dominant team in the De Anza League division.

Paly, 16-1 overall and 6-0 in league, has won all nine games since their Fukushima Invitational second round loss to Saint Francis High School.

Led by seniors Aubrey Dawkins, Mathias Schmutz and Aldis Petriceks, this group has outplayed many of people’s expectations. Head coach Adam Sax has received contributions from a combination of players this year. Junior Keller Chryst and Dawkins have provided the effort on

the boards that most were concerned about when Floreal departed Paly.

Scotty Peery, Kenny Jones and Eilon Tzur who make up the other half of the senior class have provided valuable minutes for Sax as he has been able to go at least 10-11 players deep on the depth chart every night they take the court.

“All of the seniors have really stepped up this year and done their We have really good team chemistry this year and we play together. No one is being selfish, and we have plenty of guys willing to give up personal glory for the betterment of the team.

Aldis Petriceks Senior

job,” Schmutz said. “We don’t really have one individual leader out there, everybody chips in.”

Individually, Dawkins has carried the Vikings to a higher level, averaging 18.3 points per game (PPG), and grabbing 6.8 rebounds per game

(RPG). Dawkins has stepped up to fill the role that Floreal once held as the go-to scorer, defender and rebounder.

In addition to Dawkins, senior Aldis Petriceks is averaging 14.5 PPG. The duo has been hard to contain for opponents all year long, and the statistics show they intend to keep it that way.

“We have really good team chemistry this year and we play together” Petriceks said. “No one is being selfish, and we have plenty of guys willing to give up personal glory for the betterment of the team.”

Rebounding, which was the number one area of concern at the beginning of the season, has made an improvement across the board. Chryst is the team’s leading rebounder this season averaging 7.1 RPG, and he has put an emphasis of getting on the offensive glass as he is grabbing 2.8 offensive rebounds per game.

“We are starting to play real solid as a team,” Chryst said. “I am proud of how far we have gotten so far this year but I am really looking forward to some great competition down the road.”

With wins over teams like Analy High School, Saratoga High School and Soquel High School that all have at least ten wins this season, it has proven that Paly has been able to win their higher profile games that they needed to win.

Overall, the De Anza league is pretty weak this year as Saratoga High School seems to be competing in a two-horse race with Paly to win the league title.

Paly already defeated Saratoga 57-47 at home, and will have a big game versus Saratoga that could very well determine who wins the league championship this year on the road in two weeks. This could very well be the determining factor in who wins the league championship this year on the road in two weeks.

The non-conference matchups the Vikings won early on were very important because in De Anza Saratoga seems to be their only real competition.

“I’m excited about what this team can do,” Petriceks said. “ We have so many threats, and we’re going to be in the running for a CCS title.”

Girls’ soccer continues to strive for more consistency The team continues to improve plays and work on consistency in order to recuperate from early losses and focus on winning leagues.

Blake smith stephenie zhang staff writers

A

fter a slow start, the girls’ varsity soccer team is quickly picking up their pace for leagues.

The team is currently ranked second in their league (SCVAL) with a league record of 5-0-1 and an overall record of 6-4-2.

“It started off really slowly, and we had various issues with injuries, eligibility and people going out of town on vacation,” assistant coach Eric Seedman said. “It was very rough in the beginning, but the progress in the last week and a half has been great.”

As of now, the team has adjusted to head coach Kurt Devlin’s coaching style and also has become a stronger unit. Also, during this season, the team has improved on scoring goals, an objective it carried over from last year.

So far, we’ve been doing much better scoringwise. We’ve scored 20 goals in the last three games, which is probably more than we scored in the last two seasons.

Erin Chang Senior

In the last three games — against Wilcox, Fremont and Santa Clara— the team has scored a total of 20 goals to the opponents’ total of one.

“So far, we’ve been doing much better scoring-wise,” senior Erin Chang said. “We’ve scored 20 goals in the last three games, which is probably more than we scored in the

andrew choi/the campanile

Sophomore Aoi Sugihara dribbles the ball down the field as an incoming Milpitas player defends during a game against Milpitas High School on Jan. 16.

last two seasons. We’re learning how to play together and there’s some very good team chemistry which was one of our main goals, since our team is fairly new and young.”

From here on out, the team will continue to work in many areas, with consistency as the main focus.

“From here out, the team needs to work on consistency,” Seedman said.

“Sometimes we’ll look great for 15 minutes into the time, even a whole half. We have played one game where we looked good all the way through, but it is not every game and we have

got to get it to that point where it is every game all the way through.”

Before plans for Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs, the team must first focus on winning their league. Currently, the team is ranked second behind Santa Clara High School —the team to beat.

“As shown by the scores of our last few games, we’re clearly one of better teams in our league,” Chang said.

“I’m very impressed with our performance so far, but I don’t want us to get too cocky. We need to take it a game at a time and make sure we

put teams away early so there’s no room for a silly mistake leading to a goal that could threaten our current record.”

As for right now, the team is focusing on winning each and every game in order to guarantee a spot in the CCS playoffs.

“We’re just taking [the games] one game at a time,” Seedman said.

“We pretty much need to win all our remaining games to be assured to get into CCS playoffs, but we think that we can do that. We’re playing great right now.”

I saw Tom Brady rise from being a sixth round pick in the NFL draft to within his first four years of being a starting quarterback, win three Super Bowls with a smash mouth defense and a legendary coach.

Nowadays us Patriots rely on our “pretty boy,” “golden boy” quarterback Tom Brady to do absolutely EVERYTHING. Ever since Brady’s first four seasons he has had astounding offensive statistics but that is beyond the point.

Ever since the Patriots have let Tom Brady run the show, we somehow have not won any big games.

Since 2005 Tom Brady has come up short in every big game. He’s been at the center of media and the media is still deeming him the “golden boy.” What’s wrong with this picture?

Tom Brady has it all: a smoking hot wife, three Super Bowl rings, two MVPs, a 16 and 0 season, the record for most touchdowns in a season and more. Yet, in this day and age that isn’t enough.

The Patriots cannot only rely on their offensive powerhouse. When we were winning Super Bowls back in the early 2000s we were a defense first team, and then came Brady.

Don’t get me wrong, Brady was awesome in the early 2000s but he had his defense to back him up. Now we are an offense first, defense second team and that is our Achilles heel.

Bill Belichick has tried to enhance the Patriots with his high end speed offense. It has worked, these Patriots in the past five years have been the best offensive team of all time. No other team even comes close to the offensive statistics we have thrown up year in and year out, but that doesn’t matter.

These past five years we haven’t had a defense and it’s killed us. Yes, the Patriots may throw up 50 points against the Buffalo Bills and yes they may have annihilated their measly foes. However, when it comes to the big dogs like the 49ers, Ravens and Giants we get hit in the face and shrivel up like we have just finished peeing in the freezing cold snow.

Face it, the Patriots are not clutch anymore. Whenever they are playing big foes I get nervous beyond belief.

Heart pounding with a face as red as the devil, I can’t help any of these emotions.

I don’t get this feeling for any other team that I am a die hard fan of, but for the Patriots it’s different.

Every time the Patriots have a big game as of recent, I have had no confidence that we will win that game.

I know my favorite team has questionably the greatest quarterback of all time.

This quarterback is still throwing up Hall of Fame numbers at thirty five, but have the glory days of Belichick and Brady ended?

What goes up must come down and it looks like my Patriots may have to go through some rebuilding. What we need to do for next season is forget about the offense. We already know that is established, we need to go out there and get 11 Patrick Willis’ on defense. We need people who want to win, the way Tom Brady wanted to win back in the early 2000s.

Because right now, having a team that only Tom Brady and Bill Belichick believe in is not going to cut it. Let’s readjust our goals and go back to that classic Patriots smash mouth football, the classic football that once made us fall in love with an underdog story you can’t deny.

Let’s become that underdog again and fight for every inch to get that super bowl ring in 2014.

After this, the Patriots will see everyone in Dallas come 2014. Until then, long live the Patriots, I’ll love you guys forever, we are just going through a rough patch in life. There is always time to smooth out the rubber.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Campanile

SPORTS C7

Students find euphoria atop ski slopes

Pucker up for hockey

Seniors Chris Meredith and Abby Bromberg delve into the lifestyle that surrounds the winter sport of skiing.

Ryan Deslauriers Senior staff writer

Beth yan technology editor

W

ith the recent increase in snowfall, it is not surprising that Paly students are flocking to ski resorts all over the country. While many use skiing as a recreational escape from the chaos of Silicon Valley, other students take skiing much more seriously.

Paly seniors Abby Bromberg and Chris Meredith have had a passion for skiing since a young age.

“I have been skiing since I was like three, and [have] done a team since I was five,” Bromberg said. “I was on a team with [Meredith] and some other friends since I was around seven or eight.”

Through the team, coached by Meredith’s father, the young skiers had the opportunity to train intensely to improve their techniques and prepare for competitions.

“It was a Bear Valley ski team of eight people,” Meredith said. “We raced every once in awhile, but it was mostly about making us master skiers in any conditions. We skied every other weekend in the winter from 2003 to 2011.”

Due to the frequency in which she had to train with the team, Bromberg had the opportunity to create lasting friendships with her teammates.

“Skiing has kind of brought a bunch of different people together, like if we all lived in the same town and went to the same school, I’m not sure we would all be great friends,” Bromberg said. “However, we all love to ski and that’s pretty much been a main factor in our friendship. I can’t imagine my life without them.”

However, Bromberg and Meredith are not currently on a ski team.

While they have not lost any of their passion for skiing, they prefer to

Hillel Zand

TOp: courtesy of chris meredith, bottom: courtesy of abby bromberg

Paly seniors (top to bottom) Abby Bromberg and Chris Meredith are seen skiing atop the California mountains.

Both individuals spend the majority of their winters on the ski slopes.

pursue it as a recreational pastime. In addition to skiing their favorite spots, they have begun to explore other types of skiing.

“We’ve been to Whistler, Utah and a lot of places in Tahoe,” Bromberg said. “Usually we like to ski in the trees, or wherever the snow is good.

Recently we have been going side country, which is like out of bounds but not illegal.”

To ski the side country, Bromberg and Meridith need to use special equipment to be able to reach the side country.

“Actually I am starting to switch to AT gear, which means alpine touring,” Bromberg said. “It’s pretty much when you put these skins on

the bottom of your skis so you can hike up the side of a mountain and then ski down it.”

This element of skiing contributes to a more adventurous experience.

“Skiing is the biggest adrenaline rush you could ask for,” Bromberg said. “There’s this moment when you lean too far forward and gravity takes over, and then you’re just kind of along for the ride,” Bromberg said.

“Or when you go off a cliff or jump, and there’s nothing but air, and you’re just kind of like ‘oh, well now I have to land’. It’s kind of hard to explain, but that sort of a feeling stays with you.”

Even though neither Bromberg nor Meredith still ski competitively,

they both love skiing and hope to continue skiing in the future.

“What I’ve always wanted to do is spend a summer in a place like New Zealand and be a ski coach or something,” Bromberg said. “Or maybe just be a ski bum and bartender nights or something like that.”

Meredith also sees himself skiing in the future.

“I love skiing and will continue doing so until my body can’t handle this anymore,” Meredith said. “I am considering the possibility of training to become a heli ski guide if the job market goes to hell by the time I graduate college. I love skiing and I will do it until my body is no longer physically capable so.”

Paly girls’ basketball season looks promising The Paly girls’ basketball team is ecstatic after a great start to the season.

Heather Strathearn Sid venkatasubramaniam Staff writers

W

ith four victories in the bag offset by only one nail-biter defeat, the

Paly varsity girl’s basketball team has started off leagues with a solid footing.

According to freshman player Maddie Atwater, much of the success and chemistry the team has seen so far can be attributed to the training system executed throughout the pre-season.

“Crossfit and all the conditioning we did definitely helped and we are still doing a bunch of conditioning which is helping us as a team,”

gina scarpino/the campanile

Freshman Sarah Wang quickly dribbles down the court in a game versus Berlingame High School.

Atwater said. “We are faster and stronger all together.”

Senior player Annie Susco agreed, stressing that the key difference from the team last year was an increased variability and a willingness to embrace new plays as part of the team’s overall strategy.

We have four freshmen who need to step up and be key players on the team.

Annie Susco Senior

“It is 100 percent different this year, and there is very little in common,” Susco said. “All the players on the team have completely different roles this season and we have so many new players.”

Susco also highlighted the key roles of several new underclassmen who are working hard to make strong contributions to the team effort.

According to Susco, the presence of new players offers several opportunities for the team to focus on bonding and building a stronger team spirit.

“We have four freshmen who need to step up and be key players on the team as freshmen, which is hard,”

Susco said. “We are a lot smaller and a lot younger, but a lot closer.”

While the transition to high school basketball was slightly challenging for the new players, the freshmen were helped by their acquaintance with many of the players on the team from out-of-school leagues, according to freshmen Siggie Bengston.

“I did not have a very good middle school team and this is definitely different, but both [Maddy and I] have played a league with everyone who plays here at Paly,” Bernston said. “It is obviously a little more pressure, but that can be expected.”

Despite the challenges, Atwater feels that the experience of being thrown right into the deep-end will prove to be extremely beneficial in the long run.

“The competition is a lot harder this year than it was in eighth grade and all throughout middle school,” Atwater said. “It’s hard but it’s good that we are getting the experience early.”

Overall, the team is sure they can fulfill their goals despite their loss to Lynbrook.

“We have succeeded in our goal for leagues so far,” Susco said. “We did lose to Lynbrook, but we did what we needed to do. We know that they are beatable next time we see them.”

Guess who’s back. Back again.

Hockey’s back. Tell a friend.

(North) America’s favorite winter pastime is back after the National Hockey League’s players reluctantly agreed to multi-year multi-million dollar salaries, while owners were guaranteed free foot rubs and massages every other Thursday.

Three lockouts in less than 18 months is not a great sign for this country and the only sport that hasn’t locked out recently baseball has had its own share of off-the-field testosterone-injecting, steroid-abusing, bubble gum-chewing problems.

The thing about this recent lockout is that no one expected a bunch of nice, polite Canadians to be so selfish and deprive their fans of icy entertainment.

Just kidding there’s also Russian, Slovak, Czech, Swiss, Swedish, and on rare occasions, some Kazakhstani players. And on even rarer occasion, some American players.

Nevertheless, I will forgive them.

Hockey is too underrated in this country, and while I admit that I have not been a puckhead since birth, I am growing more and more attached to this sport.

It is tied with football on my list of best sports to watch live and is number one on the list if you have front row seats right up on the glass.

The hockey environment is so unique, too.

On the football field, you find men in tight pants hugging each other to the ground. That said, it’s still a great sport.

On the ice, you find men in shorts and high socks bashing each other into walls and giving one another black eyes.

I mean how can you not like a sport where every game, each players pulls a Metta World Peace.

It’s a sport where when you start fighting, you don’t get ejected from the game and it makes you appear as an even better player.

I’ll never remember when I was at a Sharks game and a brawl was about to ensue on the ice so I began yelling, “Fight! Fight! Fight!,” but my parents gave me a dirty look that said, “We don’t condone that kind of behavior.”

See what I mean! Here’s an opportunity to rebel against your parents even more because it’s one of the few sports that parents grimace at when watching with their kids.

To summarize, let me give you my top five reasons why you should watch this year’s lockout-shortened NHL season: 5. These players are freaking skillful. I can barely ice skate for more than 20 seconds at a time, much less check people into the boards and punch someone’s nose while staying balanced on the ice.

4. The only other professional sport in February and March is basketball. Sorry NBA, but you’re only fun during the playoffs.

3. In the NHL, the All-Star game rosters are determined by a draft by two captains who draft their respective teams from a pool of the league’s best players whom the fans voted for.

Best idea ever. (NBA take note.)

2. We as a nation have a moral responsibility to not let Major League Soccer replace the NHL as a top-4 sports league.

1. You will be supporting Canada’s economy, which has taken a hit by this year’s maple syrup shortage.

So perhaps it’s just my Canadian blood, but I am looking forward to hockey this year. Tell your parents that it’s just as family-friendly as a game of Monopoly.

Take journalist Steve Rushin’s word for it: “By the age of 18, the average American has witnessed 200,000 acts of violence on television, most of them occurring during Game One of the NHL playoff series.”

Puck on.

Friday, January 25, 2013

C8

The Campanile

SPORTS

Fear the Tree

An inside look on the creation and audition process for the Stanford Tree mascot EMILY semba Staff writer

T

he Stanford Tree is a wellloved crowd pleaser in the eyes of Stanford students and the Palo Alto community, who often look forward to seeing it perform on the sidelines just as much as watching the game itself. This unofficial school mascot has been cited on Wikipedia as “one of America’s most bizarre and controversial college mascots,” earning a place on several “Worst College Mascot” lists—though simultaneously ranked on multiple lists for “Best Mascot.”

According to the Stanford athletic website, the Tree originated in 1975, when the Stanford Marching Band performed a series of halftime shows featuring different mascots deemed relevant to the school (among those also “Steaming Manhole” and “French Fry”). Though Manhole did not make the cut, the Tree was warmly accepted by fans and became the band’s permanent mascot and unofficial mascot of the school.

Neal Ormond, a Stanford alumni (’01), explained that spring quarter, students partake in outrageous stunts during “Tree Week” to prove themselves worthy of the coveted position of the Tree.

“When I tried out back in the day, I had two llamas that I camped out with in the middle of campus,” Ormond said. “[I] brought them into the president’s office, and before it was all over, the llamas had gotten arrested and impounded.”

Ormond also built a 50-foot ski jump ramp in an attempt to win support for his Tree candidacy.

“We ended up turning (the ramp) into a volcano on wheels,” Ormond said. “We rolled [it] down Campus Drive to the band shack, with music and fireworks emanating from the volcano.”

Unfortunately, Ormond did not get the position, despite smothering himself in syrup and leaves (“as opposed to tarred and feathered,” he said) and gaining the support of the school Dean, Jim Montoya.

Ormond said he is not the only student to go all-out in the audition to become the band mascot.

“Other people have eaten live goldfish and worms, drank their own pee, set themselves (safely) on fire, had themselves waterboarded, and bitten the head off a chicken,” Ormond said.

An anonymous Stanford graduate, “Beth,” disapproves of the tree selection process.

“I have heard of multiple ‘unconfirmed’ Tree candidate stunts that have resulted in permanent scarring,” Beth said. “[The stunts are] stupid, ridiculous and totally outlandish, usually increasing in stupidity throughout the week.”

According to Ormond, the Tree of 2012, Nicoletta Heidegger, also

engaged in many impressive stunts to earn her position as the mascot.

“The current tree rode in to the first event semi-naked on a horse, and held a lube wrestling match with 75 gallons of lube [during her audition], ” he said.

Every year, Ormond says there are anywhere from three to 10 Tree hopefuls.

“As the week and a half of tryouts goes on, there’s usually a few who drop out, and by the final night there’s usually just three to five left,” Ormond said.

When I tried out back in the day, I had two llamas that I camped out with in the middle of campus.

Neal Ormond Stanford Alumnus (‘01)

It is the marching band who is ultimately in charge of choosing the mascot.

“The band selects the tree,” Beth said. “Usually, the tree candidates bribe their way into the hearts of various band members.”

Ormond has contributed to the building of the tree for the past six years, due to his close ties with his former marching band mates.

“I started a design firm on my own…but still hung around with the band a bit, so I sort of stepped in to fill the role of advisor…of the costume,” he said in an interview with BBC. The appearance of the Tree varies from year to year, as the student chosen to become the Tree is primarily in charge of the design.

“They formulate an idea of whether they want a pine, palm or deciduous Tree, other elements they want include, as well as the overall style of it,” Ormond said.

“From there, we work together to figure out the best way to make that happen, then set about building it.”

“The Trees themselves create the majority of the costumes leaves,” Ormond said. “But usually, I handle the trickier metalworking and welding of the frame, and the structure of the outer shell.”

Though the design of the Tree may change year to year, one can count on seeing the Tree dancing, jumping and cheering alongside the Stanford band every football and basketball season, entertaining fans while reflecting on the school’s great sense of humor.

courtesy of http://tusb.stanford.edu